The IMMIGRANT 2013 Q3 issue

American Legacies p.5

Taste Trips p.10

Vol. 2 No.3 Q3 2013 Philippine Edition ISSN No.

www.theimmigrant.com.ph

State of the Expat Nation Southeast Asian countries’ economic integration looms, yet the Philippines, the world’s largest labor exporter, grapples with handling foreigners on its own shores. Migration issue expert Jeremaiah M. Opiniano reports

W

HAT’S 177,368 EXPATRIATES IN a country of 95 million? That’s the count according to the 2010 Census of the Philippine Population by the National Statistics Office.* Compare that number to expat populations of nearby East or Southeast Asian countries. Still too few.

What the statistics show is that foreigners and even the greater Filipino public still do not see the Philippines as a destination country for better-paying employment or permanent residency.

The more prominent demographic phenomenon is the 11

million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) found elsewhere eking out a living in 220 countries across the globe.

However, recent waves of demographic and economic developments are beginning to necessitate for this middleincome country to better manage foreigners’ influx, a challenge which shouldn’t be new to a country that has figured in the history of human mobility in the past centuries.

The reality is that the foreigners who are here can either be a boon or a bane, and efforts by the Philippines to handle them result in intentions of warm hospitality sadly falling at the wayside as scattered (not integrated) initiatives by wellmeaning agencies become the normative experience up front.

Spreading Out

The modern-day influx of foreigners to the Philippines manifest in varied and unusual circumstances: in Collegiate and professional basketball teams, in Philippine operations of business process outsourcing companies, at Korean stores in bustling cities like Makati, on the beaches of Panglao Island in Bohol.

Out of the 177,368 foreigners Americans (29,972), Chinese (28,705), Japanese (11,584), Indians, South Koreans, North Koreans, Canadians, British, Australians, and Indonesians lead the pack. Findings of the 2010 Census Turn to page 2

Photo by Lester V. Ledesma

It’s More Funds in the Phil. p.3

Phil. Art’s Big Five p.14

From page 1

indicate that three out of 10 foreigners while the rest are scattered across Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Central Visayas.

Many of these foreigners come from countries with which the Philippines have strong economic relations. Koreans, for instance, find their way here given the influx of students seeking secondary and tertiary education.

As of 2011 the Philippines lags at the sixth spot of the top tourist destinations in the Southeast Asian region. The comparatively low number of foreign visitors here tells us that only few foreign tourists get hooked on staying long-term in the Philippines.

According to the World Tourism Organization, Malaysia leads the region with 24.7 million tourist arrivals, followed by Thailand with 19.1 million, Singapore 10.3 million, Indonesia 75.6 million, Vietnam 6.01 million, and the Philippines with 3.917 million.

Foreigners are bound by the rules of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, which led to the birth of the Bureau of Immigration (BI). Like Filipinos working abroad, foreigners here are bound by local regulations—including public order and safety, as well as foreigners’ annual mandatory reporting to the BI.

Low foreign direct investments, prevailing stringent costs of doing business, and feeble manufacturing and agricultural sectors in the Philippines still flag urgent concerns.

For example, foreigners wishing to work in the Philippines have to seek alien employment permits with the Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

And should they wish to retire in the Philippines, the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) offers various sorts of visas. And unlike other countries where the immigration offices handle citizenship applications, a foreigner will be naturalized through a law passed by Congress which created a Special Committee on Naturalization with the power to approve, deny or reject applications.

Setting Sights

In 2012 BI deported around 603 foreigners including 379 Taiwanese and 124 Chinese nationals nabbed for cybercrimes. In the same period BI filed cases against 584 aliens for violating the country’s immigration laws. The previous year in 2011, BI disallowed 980 aliens from entering the country due to suspicions by immigration officials that they’re “undesirable.”

On a positive note, the Philippine Retirement Authority reports that some 27,000 foreign retirees from 107 countries have chosen the Philippines to be their home. They were thus given PRA’s special resident retirees’ visas (SRRVs), allowing them to live in the Philippines for as long as they want.

The most visible economic gain for the Philippines given the potential of a foreign population is investments. The most evident constraint is that the Philippine Constitution disallows investments that are majority owned by period after foreigners (Although amid a clamor to amend that particular provision in the 1987 Constitution, the national government has released a list of businesses and industries and the allowable percent of foreigners’ equity for them.)

This is slightly regrettable since the Philippines has a big potential to shine as among the world’s top

30 countries (ranked 26th) said to be the friendliest to foreigners, according to World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Report.

Regional Synergy

ASEAN 2015, the proximate development that will expectedly change the way the Philippines handles foreigners and facilitates their inputs to Filipino socioeconomic life, is now knocking at the door.

In one and a half years time, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian neighbors will be economically integrated into “a highly-competitive single market and production base”.

While the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members did not agree to having a single currency like the European Union, the integration will see the Philippines conduct freer economic activities with its Malay neighbors.

Import tariffs within ASEAN countries will be reduced or eliminated. There will be a free flow of business and professional services in sectors such as construction, distribution, education, environmental services, health care, maritime transport, telecommunications and tourism.

This also leads to a freer flow of investment and capital. But if capital moves within ASEAN, so does skilled labor such as doctors, dentists, nurses, certified public accountants, engineers, architects, and surveyors.

In short, more Malaysians, Singaporeans, Indonesians, Thais, Vietnamese and other ASEAN neighbors are expected to come to the Philippines—as they find bounty in the Philippines. This integration will further put to the test the Philippines’ ways of handling foreigners and expats.

Analysts see losers and winners in economic integration. For instance, Malaysia is concerned about undocumented Filipinos passing through the Sabah peninsula. Meanwhile, the Philippines is worried that Malaysian drug and sex rings allegedly harbor Filipino women for prostitution and drug trafficking with relative ease.

In any case, low foreign direct investments, prevailing stringent costs of doing business, and feeble manufacturing and agricultural sectors in the Philippines still flag urgent concerns.

Take for example how the Philippine banks—not to mention schools, tourism enterprises, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs)—are definitely smaller in terms of size and capitalization compared to ASEAN counterparts. With the integration, Singaporean banks can easily set up shop here and possibly ease out the leading Filipino banks.

The Philippines’ services sector and the nation’s mastery of placing Filipino workers in foreign job markets, as well as its peoples’ English proficiency, can be its strengths. What ever happens, expect more job opportunities for Filipinos, whether here or abroad, under ASEAN integration.

And with that, expect a rise in expat population.

Japanese Ambassador Toshinao Urabe and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert F. Del Rosario signed the Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) Project last June 19.

This grant aid provides a fund amounting to 263 million yen (approximately PhP107,619,600) to cover the cost of 20 JDS fellows, consisting of young Filipino officials from various governmental institutions, for their study in Japan starting Academic Year 2014-2015.

The project aims to enhance the JDS fellows’ expertise in their respective fields such as “Good Governance”, “Agriculture and Rural Development”, “Financial Reform and Investment Promotion Policy” and “Peace and Stability in Mindanao” and to help build a pool of future Filipino leaders who will greatly contribute to the country’s overall economic development by returning to and working in the Philippines after completion of their studies. To date, the Philippines has a total of 219 JDS fellows.

UK delighted over Bentley’s Entry

The very first Bentley showroom in the Philippines officially opened its doors for business under distributor PGA Automobile Inc. “I am delighted that another exceptional British brand has arrived on Philippine shores,” proclaims British Ambassador Stephen Lillie.

“Bentley’s arrival in the Philippine market is a testament to the UK’s thriving automotive industry, which as a whole generates around US$45 billion each year and exports to over 100 markets.”

Like Bentley, other investors from the UK were also lured by the Philippines’ economic glow. Currently, the UK is one of the largest European investors in the country and is a strong trading partner of the Philippines. In 2012, UK exports of goods to the Philippines increased by 17%, amounting to over £300 million.

The new Bentley Manila showroom is located at the PGA facility at EDSA, Greenhills.

ECCP’s Full Fore

The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines recently concluded its 14th run of its annual Golf Challenge at the Sta. Elena Golf Club last May 20. The event drew 125 golfers from top Philippine-European business organizations.

The Philippines is a global model for managing the outflow of its own people to foreign lands.

The reverse of that is a generally quiet way of how the Philippines handles the many instances foreigners are influencing Filipino life, even as Filipinos do welcome foreigners with open arms, amidst programs that facilitate their entry especially for capital and investments.

The time will come when the number of foreigners will grow exponentially what with the ASEAN 2015.

But if by that time the Philippines is still guessing what good expats can do for Filipinos and is still unsure about how to handle human mobility, then the country might miss out in harvesting the many possibilities from the immigrants working, settling and even investing in the Philippines.

Foreigners, for their part, are welcome to stay and enjoy life in the Philippines. As long as, like what their motherlands do to counterpart immigrants, cultural interfaces give them and Filipinos alike more happiness and less headaches.

Jeremaiah Opiniano is an assistant professor and coordinator of the journalism program of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. His research with Alvin Ang, which won the annual competition for Outstanding Research for Development in 2011, had been excerpted by President Aquino during his speech in Global Development Network’s (GDN) 14th Annual Global Conference at the Asian Development Bank last June. He is also the publisher of a one-year old news organization, The Filipino Connection (www.thefilipinoconnection.net).

Business editor Jimbo Gulle offers these individual wealth management options for expats

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O YOU’RE AN EXPAT in the Philippines, and your job allows you to earn boatloads of cash while enjoying the generally lower standard of living here (compared to your home country). Now after you’ve paid the bills, set aside your savings and provided for your (and your family’s) daily needs, where do you put your extra cash? How do you manage your wealth here, away from home?

Those questions aren’t too hard to answer in the Philippines with many local banks (and branches of foreign banks) offering services for wealth management—defined as a professional service that combines financial and investment advice, accounting and tax services, and legal or estate planning for one fee.

As Investopedia.com puts it, wealth management “is more than just investment advice, as it can encompass all parts of a person’s financial life” and that holds true for both expat and Filipino.

Thankfully, expats have many options for wealth management in the Philippines, especially now that the demand for trust services by both locals and foreigners is at an all-time high. The country’s successive credit rating upgrades from Fitch Ratings, Standard and Poor’s, and the Japan Credit Ratings Agency and a persistently bullish stock market are driving that need even higher. But on an individual rather than corporate level, where do you turn for help to manage (or better yet grow) your money? Here are some financial institutions that are only too willing to help:

BPI The event was made possible by AGS Fourwinds, Banco De Oro, KMC Mag Group, Liquigaz, RCBC, Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation, Werdenberg Corporation, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and RCW Construction & Development Corporation.

Atty. Jose ‘Pepe’ Villanueva III Publisher Dean Ernest P. Maceda Jr. Henry Schumacher Katrina Legarda Editorial Board Walter C. Villa Editor-at-Large Sonny Ramirez Art Director Rachel Villanueva Marketing Consultant Kristine Vinas Circulation Manager

ALL CONTENTS COPYRIGHT 2012, RESERVED for The IMMIGRANT. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced in whole or in part, without the express written permission of IMMIGRA PUBLISHING, the publisher of The IMMIGRANT. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of IMMIGRA PUBLISHING. The IMMIGRANT, Suite 302, Ferros Tower, 30 Polaris Street, Bel-Air 2, Makati City, 1209 Philippines For feedback and comments, pls email theimmigrantnewspaper@gmail.com The IMMIGRANT is in ISSUU. Get your e-copy at http://issuu.com/theimmigrantnewspaper

ON THE COVER: “Bridging Gaps” Burmese locals cross the U-bein Bridge, en route to the city of Mandalay in Myanmar.

This centuries old structure is the world’s longest teakwood bridge. Multi-awarded travel photojournalist Lester V. Ledesma has covered Asia for over 15 years. His work appears in countless local and international publications. www.skylightimages.info

learn

It’s More Funds in the Philippines

Japan Grants PhP107 million for RP education

Crucial Steps

*NSO says foreign citizens tallied here are those who have resided, or are expected, to reside in the Philippines for at least a year from their arrival. Foreigners from other countries may even be linked to the Philippines given their association—either by blood (through mixed marriage) or through friends— with Filipinos based in other countries.

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Bank of the Philippine Islands, specifically its BPI Asset Management arm, has been in the business for more than 150 years. In 2012 it was awarded the Best Wealth Management House in the Philippines in The Asset Magazine’s Triple A Investment Awards, which is considered the benchmark of the industry.

BPI Asset Management offers lower initial deposit amounts for its wide array of investment products yet offers investment options for everyone, from rookie investors to seasoned money handlers who “already have a deep understanding of investments and are ready to look at how (their) different financial goals mesh together.”

BPI’s capabilities give its clients the flexibility of self-service investments via the Internet, or financial advisory and fund management through its investment counselors, all at their convenience.

CITIBANK

While BPI is the best local bank for wealth management according to The Asset, Citi has been the best bank—local or foreign operating in the Philippines— overall, earning the trade magazine’s top award nine times since 2004.

Illustration by Conrad Javier

State of the Expat

Wealth management “is more than just investment advice, as it can encompass all parts of a person’s financial life” and that holds true for both expat and Filipino.

Under its Citigold banner, the bank was the first in the PH to offer wealth management services, giving clients complete and convenient access to Citi’s network of vast resources. Aside from access to online and 24-hour telephone services, Citi Alerts, and other perks, clients get a dedicated Citigold Associate and Investment Specialist.

Enrolling with Citigold status comes with a complimentary Citibank Credit Card “with all its benefits” like a high credit limit and worldwide acceptance, as well as special discounts from the vast Citibank World Privileges network.

BDO

The bank formerly known as Banco de Oro is still bringing in the gold, with BDO Private Bank named the best in private banking and wealth management in the 2013 Private Banking Survey done by leading financial publication Euromoney.

BDO provides investment, financial, and estate advisory services “to a niche market of high net worth individuals as well as corporate and institutional clients.” The Euromoney survey says BDO scored high on relationship

management, privacy and security, range of investment products and advisory services, and bespoke wealth planning.

“Our open architecture platform, bespoke services and focus on client relationships, are earning the loyalty and trust of our clients,” says BDO Private Bank president Josefina N. Tan.

METROBANK

Banking on its “proven track record in fund management” (after all, it wouldn’t be the Philippines’ second largest bank without it), Metrobank’s Trust Banking division offers its wealth management services to the “big league” players, those who are at the peak of their careers “as an entrepreneur, corporate executive, or successful practitioner in a field of expertise.”

To help clients cash in on their flourishing careers and “preserving it for many generations,” Metrobank offers to “navigate the complex roads of the financial world for our customers.” Its portfolio officers and fund managers “have their eyes focused on the market, ready to grab opportunities or adjust your investment plan as the market shifts to a new direction.”

Steps to Wealth Management It’s important to ask about who you would trust your wealth with, but perhaps the more important question is why. Thanks to numerous advice about how to handle finances responsibly, here’s a quick seven-step guide to proper wealth management: Step 1: Know your goals and dreams Step 2: Organize your financial life Step 3: Keep detailed financial statements Step 4: Find the gaps in your wealth plan Step 5: Ask for detailed recommendations Step 6: Make your plan happen Step 7: Review your plan It will take a whole new article to explain all seven steps, but your personal wealth manager should help you identify each one of them. Have fun looking for that pot of gold; it’s not always at the end of a rainbow.

Depending on a client’s intentions and priorities, Metrobank can customize accounts to optimize investment returns “and even take advantage of tax benefits provided under the Comprehensive Tax Reform Law.” So you can just worry about building that nest egg and a “comfortable and secured retirement.”

HSBC

“The world’s local bank” certainly can’t go missing in the Philippines, and takes care of its wealth management clients through its HSBC Premier brand.

Its suite of “individually tailored products” are designed to help clients four ways: 1) in-depth investment advice through a Relationship Manager service; 2) preferential savings and mortgages and credit card deals and rewards; 3) bank accounts for your children with global protection and assistance; and 4) emergency help around the world and global views of all your investment accounts.

HSBC also has special offers from local and overseas merchants, but it comes with a minimum investment— which the bank calls a Total Relationship Balance—of PhP4 million (or its foreign currency equivalent, which is about US$100,000).

Other banks operating locally that also have wealth management services include Standard Chartered, Chinabank, ING Bank N.V., Land Bank of the Philippines, RCBC and Deutsche Bank. Your “home” bank probably has a tie-up with any one of these local banks, so it’s worth asking if they can extend their services to Manila through their Philippine partners.

Bottom line: only place your wealth with banks—and people—you trust, so it also might be a good idea to ask a fellow expat or two about their wealth management experience.

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The Immigrant FAQs

Filipino Ties

American Legacies

Things you need to know before you tie the knot with a Filipino. Atty. Jose Gabriel Benedicto writes

Book author and essayist Jose Victor Z. Torres explores the socio-political influence of Americans in the Philippines

Q: How is marriage defined under Philippine Law?

least sixteen (16) years older than the adoptee.

However, since the foreigner is the spouse of the prospective adoptee’s parent, the law permits a waiver of the age requirement.

A: Under the Family Code, “marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life.

It is the foundation of the family and an inviolable social institution.”

Q: What are the requirements for mixed marriage?

A: The would-be spouses must be a male and a female, and of legal age. The foreigner must obtain a certificate of legal capacity from his or her embassy/consular office and a marriage license from the local civil registrar’s office. In cases of marriage of exceptional character, such as when the couple has been cohabiting for five years without legal impediment, the foreigner may execute an affidavit in lieu of the marriage license. They must also freely consent to the marriage and personally declare such agreement before an authorized solemnizing officer and at least two witnesses of legal age.

A

Q: What will be the citizenship of the foreign spouse?

A: The foreign spouse will retain his or her citizenship. However, the foreigner may acquire Filipino citizenship by naturalization and the requirement of continuous residence will be reduced from 10 to five years.

Q: What will be the citizenship of the Filipino spouse?

A: The Filipino will retain his or her citizenship, if he or she does not renounce it. However, the Filipino may acquire the citizenship of the foreign spouse if it is so provided in the laws of the country of the latter.

Q: What will be the citizenship of their

A: It depends on whether or not the national law of the foreign spouse allows the child to acquire the citizenship of the foreign parent.

However, under Philippine law, their common child will be considered a Filipino citizen.

Q: Can a foreigner adopt the child of the Filipino spouse?

What are the qualifications and requirements?

A: Yes. A foreigner who wishes to adopt the child of the Filipino spouse must be of legal age. He/she must also be in possession of full civil capacity, of good moral character, has not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude, emotionally and psychologically capable of caring for children, and financially capable to support his/her family. Normally, the law requires that the adopter must be at

Q: What are the obligations of the spouses towards their child/ren?

A: The husband and wife are expected “to keep them in their company, to support, educate and instruct them by right precept and good example, and to provide for their upbringing in keeping with their means.” Also, they will jointly exercise legal guardianship over the property of their common child. In case of disagreement, the father’s decision will prevail, unless there is a judicial order to the contrary.

Q: How will the properties of the spouses be affected by the marriage celebrated in the Philippines?

A: Unless there is a pre-nuptial agreement, the property regime that will govern is the absolute community of property Turn to page 5

ASEAN– an EU Perspective

SEAN integration is just around the corner. And while we have yet to hear big headlines about this from the local media, the EU has already started early plans of a deeper engagement with the ASEAN countries years back.

More than five years ago, the European Commission approached ASEAN governments with the idea of entering into a free trade agreement (FTA) between both blocks.

For a number of reasons, a region-to-region FTA did not click that time and the European Commission started individual discussions and finally negotiations with a number of ASEAN members.

However, big European business understood that the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), the single market by 2015, had to be taken seriously. The 600-million AEC market offers a multitude of opportunities for European business in Europe and for European companies already active in the region.

This scenario will present a double-edged sword: competition will consequently increase in all ASEAN countries and will create challenges for those ASEAN and European companies that have not prepared properly.

Fortunately, European politicians have seen the need to get European SMEs attracted to the growing ASEAN individual markets and eventually the AEC. The European Commission has started an initiative to create an infrastructure

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common child born before or during the marriage?

FROM THE DESK

By Henry J. Schumacher Executive Vice President, European Chamber of Commerce

Illustration by Conrad Javier

A: Yes. There is no prohibition against mixed marriages in the Philippines, provided that the union is between a male and a female. If the marriage is legalized abroad, the marriage between a Filipino and a foreigner will be valid in the Philippines as long as it does not fall under prohibited marriages such as those that are bigamous, polygamous, incestuous, and other similar grounds for reasons of public policy.

A: The husband and wife are expected to “live together, observe mutual love, respect and fidelity, and render mutual help and support.”

They both have the right and duty to manage their household as well as decide where the family domicile will be. They are also jointly responsible for the support of the family.

They may perform any job or activity without the other’s consent but the other spouse may object on serious grounds. Lastly, either may ask for court assistance when one of them neglects their duties or endangers the family.

Illustration by Manix Abrerra

Q: Can a foreigner marry a Filipino?

Q: What are the rights and obligations of the spouses?

in ASEAN and in all EU member states that will inform SMEs in Europe about business opportunities in the ASEAN member states.

The project will initially involve Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam with Cambodia, Laos and Singapore following soon.

Thailand is way ahead: it has already set up an EU-ASEAN Business Center two years ago which Myanmar will eventually be a part of.

The basic idea is to ‘transport’ the information about business opportunities in ASEAN from the business centers to the SMEs in all EU member states. Furthermore, they should thoroughly assist those SMEs that wish to enter one or more ASEAN markets and guide them to succeed.

The European chambers of commerce in all the ASEAN countries will be deeply involved and will closely cooperate with the business organizations in respective states.

In this context, however, I want to stress that European SMEs or the European business at large will not succeed in ASEAN if we fail to bring ASEAN business together with European business in win:win partnerships.

In other words, ASEAN business will benefit and will become more competitive to address the European market. The FTAs between the EU and the ASEAN member states have this objective in mind.

“T

HREE HUNDRED years in a convent, 50 years of Hollywood.”

That is how we described our centuries of colonization under the Spaniards and the Americans. Yet, in spite of the short time that it happened, it is that half a century of Hollywood that left a more permanent visible imprint on our socio-cultural, political. and economic landscape. Few historians and cultural writers say that the Americans were only trying to create facsimile copies of themselves in their newly-acquired territory (and apparently succeeded). This may be true. They may have changed our way of living then but we had transformed these influences into something that we call our own.

Take for example, our politics. We credit the Americans for introducing democracy to us as well as our present system of government. We have a President and other politicians that represent the people. But there the similarity stops. Compared to the entire idea of US governance, what we have is a political system that historians call a “Filipino-style of democracy” with its traditional patronage; an elite-dominated political scene; and the two-faced values of pakikisama (camaraderie) and utang na loob (reciprocity) that sometimes leads to graft and corruption which—to the consternation of the purveyors of US political legacy—is understood but not minded.

One American contribution that we value most was the public education system.

Filipino Ties From page 4

for properties particularly located in the Philippines. The spouses may also validly agree on other property regimes such as the conjugal partnership of gains and complete separation of property, or a combination thereof. Properties located

There was such a type of education during the Spanish colonial times but courses were limited and catered only to the middle and upper class. Higher education was also only a dream for many Filipinos where university education can only be afforded by the well-to-do.

The Americans introduced public education regardless of age and social status.

And it was free. It also gave every Filipino the opportunity for higher education. The new education system brought universities similar to the ones in the United States with expansive grounds like Silliman Institute (later University) in 1901 and the University of the Philippines in 1908. The courses these schools offered focused on the development of the economy (albeit for the colonizer’s use) and gave Filipinos a wide range of technical and professional courses which were made affordable for everyone. Many of those who graduated from these universities became the leaders and movers of our nation. And the schools taught us a language—English—that, unlike the Spaniards who kept Spanish to themselves, enabled us to interact more with our colonizers.

The social and cultural life of the Filipinos also benefitted from the Americans. We imitated their lifestyles and used the things that they brought in from their homeland. We enjoyed the technology that introduced refrigeration which made food preservation easy and provided us with ice that gave relief from the summer heat.

Cooking moved from the wood-burning horno to the gas range with gas piped in from the Pandacan depots. Electricity became cheap and lit households and powered the radios and appliances brought from high-end department stores on Escolta St. in Binondo or ordered from abroad.

We listened to jazz, danced the fox trot, and sang along to the music of American crooners like Sinatra and Crosby.

English brought a literature of our own that continues to be popular today. At first, we imitated the Americans in style and language but we later adapted it and created our own. Writers like Arguilla, Bulosan, Santos, Gonzalez, Latorena, and Villa rose in the literary scene. Soon, our own type of English—now called Filipino English—entered the realm of linguistics.

And our fluency to speak and write in this foreign tongue proved to be better than the original speakers.

World War II came and we shed blood with the Americans in a time of conflict, cementing a relationship that transitioned from being a colony to a country with its own government under their guidance. At the end of the war, we relied on American money to rehabilitate our new nation which lay in shambles.

As the post-World War II era began, we got assistance from them with, of course, some conditions. Our government followed the dictates of an ally in the age of neocolonialism. It was advantageous for them but it also had a positive effect for us.

In the 1950s, Filipino nationalists like Recto and Laurel began to condemn our unequal friendship with America.

Still, American culture continued to permeate into ours. We had our own version of the hippie movement of the ‘60s and the final years of the decade saw us joining in the era of the youth generation’s restlessness.

The tumult of the ‘70s and the rise of student power colored our modern history.

We condemned an America that supported Marcos’ martial law and his dictatorship but we still catered to things that continued to be part of our social life: McDonald’s, Adidas, Nike, Dunkin Donuts, Batman, Superman, Star Wars, Spielberg, Ford, and others. And many still dreamed of going to America to live there and work.

The era before and during the Age of Terrorism brought new alliances in our region and increased our reliance on the US in counteracting the new threats. Like the past era, there are still protests and condemnation of Philippine-American relations but we still liked the Internet, Microsoft, Apple, CNN, Fox News, primetime shows, Cookie Butter, Taco Bell, telecommunications, and new ideas in business. We saw America change and and we changed with it.

It has been 115 years since America came to our shores and began a relationship that started with a role from colonial master to ally. It had been a bittersweet relationship that lasted through our decades of nationalism.

Yet, in that relationship, we absorbed a culture that added a facet to our identity.

abroad are subject to the law of the country where they are situated.

a petition for declaration of nullity or a petition for annulment as provided in the Family Code.

are instituted abroad by the foreigner.

Thereafter, the divorce decree should be recognized as a foreign judgment in the Philippines for the marriage to be considered terminated in the Philippines as well.

Q: Can a foreigner divorce his/her spouse in the Philippines?

A: No. Divorce is not recognized in the Philippines. Marriage in the Philippines can only be terminated if the court grants

Q: Is there an instance when a divorce decree will terminate the foreigner’s marriage with a Filipino?

A: Yes, provided that the divorce proceedings

The previous FAQs are the sole opinion of the author and should not be construed as legal opinion or advice.—The IMMIGRANT

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Photos by Francis Garrote

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The IMMIGRANT launch issue unveiled. (From left)The IMMIGRANT Publisher Atty.Jose’Pepe’ Villanueva III, Dean Ernest P. Maceda Jr., Ayala Land Premier President Tom Mirasol, Tourism Undersecretary Daniel Corpuz, British Ambassador Stephen Lillie, and European Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President and The IMMIGRANT editorial board member Henry Schumacher.

UN Bash The IMMIGRANT ’s soft launch at The Tower Club is a ravishing success. Maurice Arcache reports

I

T COULD VERY WELL BE A UNITED NATIONS event as diplomatic corps from Belgium, Indonesia, Russia, Spain, United Kingdom, the Kingdom of Saudi, the British Chamber of Commerce, the European Chamber of Commerce came in full force at The Taipan, Tower Club in Makati last April 18 for the soft launch of The IMMIGRANT. Soft launch, indeed, because it’s just an aperitif to the bigger launch happening soon but this did not stop their Excellencies Ambassador Juvêncio de Jesus Martins of Timor-Leste, Ambassador Dato’ Mohd Zamri Bin Mohd Kassim of Malaysia, Ambassador Joachim Heidorn of Germany, and Ambassador Stephen Lillie of the United Kingdom gracing the party with their presence. It’s unfortunate that the Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez did not make it to the event but he sent Undersecretary Daniel Corpuz to take his place as the keynote speaker.

The IMMIGRANT is a free quarterly direct mail publication (print and online) for expatriates in the Philippines. It is the brainchild of publisher Atty. Jose Villanueva III, who has worked in London for the last 20 years and is behind The IMMIGRANT’s European look.

At the helm is veteran magazine editor Walter C. Villa, who led the in-flight publication of Philippine Airlines, Mabuhay Magazine, to unprecedented six regional travel journalism awards.

However, what is surprising for a free publication is the quality of its content courtesy of its brilliant contributors­—writers, editors, illustrators, and photographers from Manila’s top publications. Its launch issue on Philippine travel for instance showcases the cover photograph of George Tapan, the country’s top travel photographer and winner of National Geographic worldwide photo contest in 2011.

“The IMMIGRANT is a happy place where all the best writers and editors of the country converge to tackle social, economic, political and lifestyle issues concerning expatriates,” explains Villa. “It’s a creative hybrid, a newszine, and while we are not hard-hitting, we don’t ignore or gloss over the issues.”

Celebrity family-lawyer Atty. Katrina Legarda, executive vice president of the European Chamber of Commerce Henry Schumacher, and Dean Ernesto Maceda Jr. of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, make up The IMMIGRANT’s distinguished editorial board lineup. Yours truly is no less than The IMMIGRANT’s contributing society editor.

At this time when famous publication titles are folding up elsewhere, The IMMIGRANT is poised to have a promising furture..

Its unconventional format and channel may be the answer to the everchanging media industry.

I think progressive companies recognize this: while The IMMIGRANT is just barely a year old, Ayala Land Premier and The Medical City have already signed up for a one year advertising placement.

The event has been made possible by Ayala Land Premier, Forth&Tay, and San Miguel Brewery Inc.

The Big Five From page 15

uncanny world of myths and legends via his current technique of Folk Figurative Expressionism.

The UP Fine Arts graduate who first shot to fame as the grand winner of the 2001 Nokia Asia-Pacific Art Awards has also taken to heart the rich textures of Filipino folk myths, epics, proverbs and riddles as the foundation for his current works, etched cubistically with a carefully modulated color palette that runs from brown to red and blue to green and pink.

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(From left) Tom Mirasol, RTC Malolos Judge Tess Arcega, SEC Commissioner Teresita Herbosa, Gilberto Teodoro, Publisher Atty. Villanueva, British Chamber of Commerce Executive Director David Mascenon, The Immigrant Editorial Board members Atty. Katrina Legarda and Dean Ernest P. Maceda Jr.

The British Ambassador Stephen Lillie with Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr.

Tom Mirasol, Publisher Atty. Villanueva, Enrique Feas of the Spanish Embassy, R. Toto Waspodo of Indonesia, Ambassador Juvencio De Jesus of Martins of Timor-Leste and David Mascenon.

Highly Exclusive

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OWER CLUB is a premium private business club with membership comprising of notable leaders and movers.

Located in the heart of Makati CBD, the Tower Club is an ideal venue to hold meetings, banquets, and social events amidst the breathtaking view of the Makati skyline.

Dine, network, socialize and stay fit in the country’s leading business club.

Get access to three additional local clubs with Tower Club’s reciprocal arrangements with over 200 clubs worldwide through International Associate Clubs.

Enjoy exquisite dishes of Chef Choi Wing Ki of the Taipan, a 160-seater Cantonese cuisine restaurant with four Asian-inspired private rooms.

Meet celebrity Chef Chris Locher of the Cellar Room, a popular venue for meetings, banquets, social events, private dinners or outside catering. The Cellar Room has dedicated Banquet Executives who provide customized service for members’ signature events.

Relax and have a rejuvenating workout at a stateof-the-art fitness center that offer personalized fitness programs. Located on the 34th floor, it has its own exclusive entrance for executives on-the-go.

I

nspired by landscape art, its expanses, its hues and shades, Ayala Land Premier launches its fifth residential community at the heart of NUVALI. Weaving together 50 hectares of intimate residential enclaves and shared natural expanses, Ayala creates an invigorating garden living experience in Sta. Rosa, Laguna’s most enviable address with Luscara.

Garden Enclave Living

There are thirty-six residential clusters each consisting of an average of five lots with private garden. Residents share a central garden courtyard of varying sizes from 800 to 2,500 square meters. These garden courtyards also

Tom Mirasol, Spanish Embassy’s Davina Roca, Sofia Gasset, Enrique Feas, and Belgian Embassy First Secretary Josef Naudts.

Marivic Rufino, Johnny Velasquez, and Chit Lijauco of The Philippine Tatler.

a Legacy of Light in NUVALI serve as secondary roads and multipurpose spaces for gardening, barbecue cookouts, and relaxation.

Entering directly from the impressively scaled main road, vehicles navigate through a road network where concrete is kept to a minimum and where traffic is nothing but a myth.

It is strategically designed to create a driving route pattern that enhances the sense of serenity and security throughout the development.

With over half of its development located amidst lush landscapes and open spaces, Luscara offers its residents the wonders of living within natural confines, and in some areas, views of the Tagaytay Ridge and Mt. Makiling.

Tamara Zelinskaia, President of VIP Services Inc. and Mary Rose Saminskiy

A 2011 awardee of the Asia-Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize in Singapore, Tapaya’s works, some reaching 10x20 feet, have comfortably scaled the US$30,000 to US$45,000 since 2012, and is anticipated to go up to the US$200,000 or US$400,000 within the next two years.

Reuben Ramas Cañete, Ph.D. is currently Associate Professor at the Asian Center, UPDiliman. His most recent books are Sacrificial Bodies (UP Press), and Art and Its Contexts (UST Publishing House).

A memorable drive through a tree-lined path. Familiar scents wafting through a kitchen window.

A warm settling feeling at the turn of a doorknob.This is the legacy of the fine art of living

A Promise Fulfilled

Spanning the cities of Sta. Rosa and Calamba, and the municipality of Cabuyao in Laguna, NUVALI draws the south into a vibrant mixeduse township spearheaded by Ayala Land. Strategically located within the 1,860-hectare development are dynamic commercial centers, open spaces, and fields of green.

Residents can also look forward to the emergence of a central business district where parks and greens abound.

Natural Playground

With numerous opportunities for recreation, Luscara’s amenities including its three-hectare Clubhouse area, are designed to highlight the natural terrain of the land and built to provide diverse leisure activities while promoting sustainability.

Families are sure to have a grand time in Luscara’s facilities such as multipurpose field, outdoor bench seating, open pavilion, social hall, fitness area, swimming pool, indoor playground, and a multi-purpose court.

A showcase of greens and garden courtyards all converge in Luscara’s main park. Approximately 600 meters long, this expansive park blends seamlessly with its surroundings and a beautiful center spot to Luscara’s light.

For more information about Luscara: CALL: (632) 908-3908 EMAIL: ask@ayalalandpremier.com VISIT: www.ayalalandpremier.com

The Tower Club is at 33rd and 34th floors, Philamlife Tower 8767 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. Tel. no. 885.7085 loc. 2021 www.towerclub.com.ph Ayala Land Premier makes sure that the most important place in your life is also the most exceptional.

wheels stuff

wheels stuff

Executive Class 2013

Cool Ride

Motoring editor Ira V. Panganiban names his top luxury cars for daily driving

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XECUTIVES AND BUSINESSMEN would typically go for the top brands when choosing a car to drive in Metro Manila or any other part of the Philippines for that matter. Considering the road conditions, traffic situation and travel time, it really is good sense to get a proper, comfortable car.

So we decided to check the five best cars available in the Philippines and compare their specs, to find your best bet for the daily drive in our cities.

What do you get when you fuse a 998 cc sports motorbike with the safety and technology features of an automobile? A very cool three-wheeled ride that’s called Can-Am Spyder RT Limited (US$25,999).

Before the engine’s 80 lb-ft torque @ 5000 RPM and 100 horsepower overwhelm you, rest assured that its three-fold Vehicle Stability System which integrates ABS, traction control and stability control promote a safe and confident ride while looking like a comic book superhero. Limited means you have beautiful whistles like the chrome trim and wheels, saddlebag kits for extra long haul, and the Garmin Zumo GPS with Bluetooth capability. www.spyder.brp.com

If your special someone is the pixel-peeping type, then the Hasselblad H4D-200MS digital camera (US$35,995) is the perfect find since it can deliver 200 megapixels— almost 20 times the resolution power the average DLSR. While its image size may be an overkill for Instagram, it’s perfect for the high def demands of car photography, high end product photography, and museum archiving and reproduction. Now, that’s one serious tool.

GPS nAViGATiOn SySTEm Integrated Garmin† Zumo 660 GPS with an easy-read, 4.3-inch (10.9 cm) touch screen and Bluetooth† wireless technology.

Winged Hybrid What’s the next best thing to the world’s fastest car? A flying one. Terrefrugia’s The Transition (US$279,000) is a street-legal airplane that converts between flying and driving modes in under a minute. Its engine runs on premium unleaded automotive gasoline and powers both the propeller in flight or the rear wheels on the ground. This engineering marvel has a wingspan of eight meters which can fold electromechanically for the vehicle to fit a standard single car garage.

Stuff of Jetsons and teenage nerd dreams.

Pearl White with Dark Chocolate or Black Seat

www.hasselblad.co.uk

Lava Bronze Metallic with Antler Brown or Black Seat

TOTAl COmfORT. TOTAl lUxURy. The ultimate way to enjoy the road, the Spyder RT Limited offers unrivaled comfort and luxury, from the exclusive touring seat to the Garmin navigation system to generous amounts of chrome.

Plus, the Spyder RT Limited comes with all of the features and amenities of the Spyder RT-S.

SEmi-RiGiD TRAVEl BAGS Four removable travel bags that have plenty of storage and are easy to carry once you’ve reached your destination.

There is nothing that can be said against the comfort of this sixth-generation 3-series.

The ride is totally refined, the steering sharp. It is powered by a strong, responsive engine with a lag-free transmission.

The 2.0 liter engine throws out 242 horsepower and 350Nm of torque, enough to slip and slide around the tight traffic of EDSA.

strong acceleration.

The inside is impressive, especially the seats and their comfort level. Cabin space is large, much to the chagrin of the other premium brands. Its dashboard is very attractive.

The S60 is driven by a 3.0 liter 6-cylinder Turbocharged engine that pulls with 300 horsepower and a torque of 440Nm. Talk about speed.

prime and sharp and the size is enough to zip around in Manila traffic.

Interior-wise, the C250 is a joy as all Benz tend to be, but the Avant garde variant adds a little more in terms of technology and superior interior fabric and materials.

Its 1.8 liter 4-cylinder engine gives up 200 horsepower and 310 Nm of torque, enough to fend for itself on our roads.

Audi A4 Described as a veritable Swiss Army knife among upscale cars, the A4 has a balance of power, fuel efficiency and luxury not easily seen in other premium brands.

Its 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine spews out 211 horsepower and pulls at a torque of 258 Nm. This combination allows for enough power but still proper fuel economy.

A retired broadcast journalist from ABS-CBN, Ira V. Panganiban wears many hats. Currently, he is the head honcho for Power Wheels Magazine. He also does hourly news bit on JAM 88.3 every morning.

www.terrafugia.com

Space Tour

Forget the recent (disturbing) image of Sir Richard Branson in flight stewardess uniform complete with bloody red lipstick and makeup. This guy is trailblazing the race to space tourism with his pioneering Virgin Galactic. For US$250,000 per seat, a traveler (after the inclusive G-force training) gets the chance to take a zerogravity flight aboard SpaceShip Two, cruising at the altitude of 50,000 feet and accelerating at 3,000 mph, four times the speed of sound. Join this super exclusive travel club—how exclusive? Out of 6 billion people in the world, only 530 space tourists have signed up so far. www.virgingalactic.com

ChROmE WhEElS AnD CASTinGS 15-inch, 12-spoke chrome wheels and chrome accents on the exhaust tip, heat shield, mirrors, and rider and passenger footboards for a unique, upscale look.

Taste Trips

Mercedes Benz C250 Avant garde

The Audi I really would like to own is the R8, the one Tony Stark uses in Iron Man the movie. But the A4 is also quite capable, though not as powerful. Besides, for an executive roaming Manila roads, the A4 is probably the best except maybe for the A6.

The Audi A4 is compact and tight. The exterior still displays its rally heritage, but the interior has caught up with the times and is totally a palace in comfort.

www.vertu.com

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powers down our highways. The V-6 engine gives as much as 306 horsepower and is controlled by a 6-speed transmission.

This Lexus can give as much as it can take and still, the feel inside the cabin remains soft at any speed. Truly, the IS350 has achieved that critical balance of power and comfort.

Volvos have always impressed me ever since I discovered the company gave away the rights to the groundbreaking threepoint seatbelt design 50 years ago. Volvo’s design is the best safety device for cars ever invented.

The S60 is still one of the safest cars in the world with airbags peppered all over the cabin and side impact beams protecting everyone inside the car. It is powerful with a

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Mega Pix

It’s not just the 0.35 karats of rubies encrusted on the front of Vertu Constellation Candy Raspberry (US$9785), nor the highest quality alligator skin on the back, nor the single piece of flawless 3.5” HD multi-touch sapphire crystal, surgical grade stainless steel with satin and polished finish encasing the ubiquitous Android OS which make this smartphone truly covetable for the ladies.

It’s the exclusive service that lets you get VIP access during Fashion Weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris as well as personalized styling at fashion designer Stella McCartney’s London shop.

Blackcurrant with Black Seat

Volvo S60 T6

This is my father’s car. I grew up riding a variety of Mercedes Benz models that I am not really sure which is my preferred variant but the C250 Avant garde is pretty much on top of the list.

A zesty performance with confident handling, the C250 is a Benz that I could realistically take home, and enjoy the perks of a good drive. The console and instruments are

Eye Candy

limiTED-EDiTiOn SEAT Exclusive seat with embroidery for a more refined riding experience.

Lexus IS350 F-Sport A favorite even if it is of Japanese heritage, the Lexus brand has captured my desire after the first long drive on the LS with a chauffer.

“Luxurious” seems an understatement for this car and could hardly describe the level of comfort I experienced riding it.

The IS350 performs excellently on our roads, allowing for a restful ride even as it

It used to be a classic bling from Tifanny, or the dream showcase items from the annual Neiman Marcus catalogue. V.C. Wolfe lists down his current favorite extravagant gifts

TRAilER Increases the Spyder RT cargo capacity from 41 gallons (155 L) to a cavernous 205 gallons (777 L). The only factory-made, and the most technologically advanced, trailer on the market. (Optional)

BMW 328i One of my top picks not because I drive an older version of the 3-series but because this Beemer version is probably the best selling premium car ever.

A quiet, spacious cabin greets the driver and passenger. Plush and luxurious interiors make driving in Metro Manila a treat.

Lavish Modern Gifts

Food writer Maan D’Asis Pamaran recommends five must-try restaurants in Metro Manila

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side from all the sights and sounds that the city has to offer, there are varied tastes as well. While expats tend to gravitate towards certain haunts because of their familiar names, we offer some that are off the beaten track but are sure to excite the palate and offer a different taste of what the country has to offer.

Local chefs contend that Filipinos have a certain taste when it comes to their food. Western cuisine is popular for dining out, but more often than not, it is tweaked to add a little bit more fusion cuisine. This is done by adding a bit more kick in terms of spices and flavoring. Street food can offer a sample of Filipino food in its purest form, but for the less adventurous, we offer some suggestions for lunch or dinner that is sure to satisfy the foodie in you.

Red Garlic Chef Vince Rodriguez is known for playing with his food: he gives tweaks and twists to recognizable dishes, with both the presentation and the combination of flavors. His bestsellers at Red Garlic include a tender and tasty Angus Tomahawk Rib-eye Steak (PhP999.00),

ROUND IN ROUND in Hotel Sofitel’s Spiral. (clockwise from left) Spiral’s La Veranda, cheese and cold cuts stations, a pizza bar, and Asian cuisine station.

aged and dry-rubbed with over 50 spices to juicy perfection; and his pizzas with an assortment of toppings on a decidedly unique crust.

Oriang by Café de Bonifacio This gem of a Filipino restaurant is aptly named after a revolutionary war heroine, as it aims to revolutionize local cuisine. Its goal is to make Filipino food attain world-class appeal, and it is definitely making its mark.

Some great dishes to try are the Crispyfried Tilapia Fish in Tamarind Sauce, and the Chicken Binakol, chicken stewed in sweet fresh coconut juice. If you are looking to have a drink or two, Oriang also offers imaginative concoctions, such as a mangoflavored margarita, and a shot glass called Watawat, tinted in the national colors and set aflame as it is served.

(Two Parkade, 7th Ave. Bonifacio Global City, Taguig / Website: www.redgarlicbistro.com)

Milky Way Café What started as a small family-style café in the 1960s has grown into a culinary landmark, favored for its lunch menu of Filipino dishes that are sure to capture any expat’s palate. The Café offers comfortfood, Filipino style, and bestsellers include the award-winning Kare-Kare, ox tail stewed until tender in peanut sauce, paired with special sweet-salty fish paste, (PhP495) and US Bistek Tagalog, beef steak done Filipino-style (PhP395). Chef J Gamboa also offers one of the best ways Milky Way, a perennial Filipino cuisine favorite in Makati, serves classic Filipino dish like its award-winning Kare-Kare (bottom).

wine dine

(Fiesta Market Area at the Market! Market!

Mall,Taguig / Tel. no. 869-8967)

to beat the tropical heat, and this is with their renowned Halo-Halo dessert, a towering cool concoction of preserved fruits, purple yam jam, shaved ice, milk, and ice cream scoops. (Main branch is at 928 Pasay Road Makati City / Website: cafe.milkywayrestaurant.com)

The Aristocrat Restaurant If an eatery has been around for more than 75 years, then it must be doing something amazing. Through the decades, Filipinos have flocked to this dining institution to enjoy good food at reasonable prices, whether for special occasions and family gatherings, or for a soul-satisfying meal to sate cravings for down home cooking elevated to fiesta fare levels. A must-try at this place would be their barbecues, skewered chicken or pork grilled to tender perfection and paired with flavorful Java rice (starts from PhP175).

(Main branch is at 432 San Andres Street, Malate, Manila, Pasay City Website: www.aristocrat.com.ph)

Spiral Hotel Sofitel Manila was heavily damaged by a typhoon last year, and

one of the casualties was their flagship restaurant Spiral. It has since been reconstructed into a grander model of its former self, and has been the rave of local foodies ever since. It has 21 “ateliers” or cooking workshops, where master chefs are waiting to delight with their food creations.

Among the attractions of this extensive buffet is a cheese room, a chocolate room, various culinary masterpieces ranging from Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, and of course, Filipino, plus gourmet items from France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. At this impressive buffet, indulgence is the order of the day.

(Reservations may be made online via www.sofitelmanila.com/en/spiral.html).

(Clockwise from top) Oriang’s famous sisig; Oriang’s facade with Cafe Chef John Cu-unjieng, Executive Chef and Consultant; Vic Wenceslao, Chairman and CEO; Freddie Wenceslao, president and COO; and Jael Wenceslao, Social Network Marketing Officer; Binakol na Manok (chicken) served in coconut husk.

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WO SEASONS CORON has become my favorite go-to destination of late. Since the time it was being constructed, I’ve been to the resort about 10 times already.

A common friend introduced me to the owner, although the late Steve Tajanlangit was the first to tell me that I should meet John Peñaloza. I asked Steve, an icon in Philippine tourism, why? “He is still young, very aggressive, a maverick,” Steve told me.

John was only 37 years old when he built Two Seasons Boracay.

After five years in operation, John wanted to expand with Bohol as the preferred area.

Allan Tajanlangit, brother of Steve and John’s contractor, convinced him to look at Coron, where Steve has a lot of island properties. After seeing the Malaroyroy cove of Bulalakao Island, John bought 18 hectares from Steve.

When I finally met John, we hit it off right away, maybe because we both love the outdoors and we both travel a lot.

During the construction of the resort, I have observed John’s attention to detail.

He himself bought all the materials–from the nails to the pieces of art that adorn each bungalow and facilities; from the furniture to the speedboats. John, designed the resort himself, and I have seen him up close choosing which doorknob should go with which door. The 42 bungalows were carefully constructed on six hectares of the 18-hectare property, making sure that the original terrain was not disturbed.

Luxe Natural

With the recent launch of Two Seasons Coron, veteran editor Mike Marasigan discovers that paradise can be created

Custom-made The furniture inside the Bungalows, the spa and chapel were made to order, according to John’s specifications, from Bacolod’s Sason Shop Inc. All the other furniture— lobby, Sulu Restaurant, Bahura Bar and the outdoor deck tables and lounge chairs— were ordered from Cebu.

Italian tiles were installed in the bathrooms while the bedroom wood flooring and outdoor decking were sourced from sustainably managed tree farms around the world. The roofing materials were shipped in from the US. The hard wood HOW TO materials—Narra, GET THERE Ipil, Molave, Three airlines fly from Manila to Busuanga etc.—used to (Coron), each of which construct the flies two to three times spa and cabanas daily. Average time of flight is 45 minutes. From the came from Francisco Reyes Airport, dismantled Busuanga and Coron towns houses in Ilocos. are accessible by land, then boat rides are In addition to necessary to go to the existing variety the other islands. of trees and plants in the peninsula, more than 200 coconut trees and 350 fruit bearing trees were barged in and then planted which John also managed himself.

The speedboats and Navigator (a catamaran that accommodates 20 people) were manufactured in Subic by Australasia Marine, which exports most of their boats to Australia. The environment-friendly, movable and fully customizable floating docks are made in Korea.

Sufficient and Sustainable The challenge for exclusive island resorts like Two Seasons is how to source out water and electricity.Guests need not worry because the resort’s desalination plant converts seawater to non-potable water (good for showering, washing, etc.). The plant produces 80 cubic meter of fresh water a day. The wastewater and sewage is fed through a sewage plant. The liquid output is clear and clean enough to be diverted back to the bathrooms and toilets for flushing.

John invested in a double piping system with the solid waste discharged onto a drying bed to be used later on as fertilizer. Two Seasons Coron is a zero waste discharge

resort. No pollution goes to the sea.

The resort is equipped with four generators enough to power the entire town of Coron. It is fueled by two diesel storage tanks that can last one month each.

If you are looking for privacy and a luxurious experience, stay at Two Seasons Coron. The resort offers the best accommodations and facilities in the Calamianes Group of islands, north of Palawan. The service is excellent and the food is exquisite.

Book your Craving Chef Gene Gonzalez designed Sulu’s eclectic menu but you can request the resident chef to cook the food you crave for, provided they have the necessary ingredients. Their four-cheese thin crust pizza is a favorite of most guests.

As you approach the resort on a speedboat, expect paradise on the horizon. The reception alone will immediately make you feel that you will be in for a pleasant and pampered stay.

Accommodations are classified into Sandbar and Island Tip, Beach, Seaview and Mountainview bungalows. The Sandbar Bungalow is the only one of its kind on the island. Aside from the luxurious amenities—king-sized bed, a verandah with an outdoor Jacuzzi, a small private sunset beach cove, rich hardwood floors, BOSE entertainment system, jumbo rain shower— another veranda provides unobstructed

IF LUXE COULD KILL. (Clockwise from top) Entrance to the Twin Lakes, aerial view of Two Seasons Coron, a very picturesque bathroom view, the Seaview Bungalows, tempting bean-shaped pool, and an underwater ride in HydroBob scooter.

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east and west views of the ocean and surrounding islands. It is the most expensive bungalow.

All the other bungalows feature almost the same amenities but they differ in locations. The Island Tip Bungalows are adjacent to the sandbar. The Beach Bungalows are located at the main beachfront and swimming pool area. The Mountain Bungalows are surrounded by tropical gardens and hardwood trees and within a short walk from the beach. Facing the sea from the upper portion of the resort are the Seaview Bungalows while the Seaview Deluxe Bungalows are set at the highest part of the resort.

Two Seasons Coron is located at the Malaroyroy Peninsula at the northern tip of Bulalacao Island, which is part of the Calamianes Group of Islands located at the northernmost part of Palawan.

The Calamianes is composed of four towns, namely: Coron, Busuanga, Cullion and Linapacan. The town of Coron is the most progressive and should not be mistaken for Coron Island, which offers most of the beautiful destinations in the area. It is the same with the town of Busuanga, which is one of the towns (Coron is the other) in Busuanga Island.

Cullion used to be a leper colony but since the eradication of the disease, it is now the second preferred tourist destination, after Coron.

Linapacan is more for adventurers.

arts culture

arts culture

Old Chic

Let art writer Rommel Earl V. Digo guide you in discovering antique collectibles in Manila

The Big Five of Philippine Art Their works are the current toasts of auction houses in the region. Dr. Reuben Ramas Cañete reports on the top Filipino visual artists whose works you should covet

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HERE ARE BIG SHOTS, and Hot Shots. There are also Flash-in-the-Pans and Faded Stars. Manila’s contemporary art scene isn’t so much a howdy-doody backwater as it is a battleground between sharks and barracudas. By this we mean the highly competitive nature of Filipino artists who have to prove themselves twice over: that being Filipino isn’t synonymous to being American, and that being Filipino also means Asian.

This ground is also fought between those whose careers have been existing for well over 40 years; and those who are barely in their 40s. What results is certainly a lively and “intriguing” art scene whose vitality and vociferousness of debates concerning bragging rights recalls Greenwich Village in New York City during the early Eighties. Choosing five Filipino contemporary artists out of this motley community isn’t easy, but the tradeoffs are manageable.

Two of the set are amongst the most senior in the business, and certainly have the prices and clientele to prove it. The other three, on the other hand, are not only emerging young artists, but also upstarts that have quickly reached their seniors’ places as amongst the most collectible artists not only of the Philippines, but of Asia as well.

The Big Five, therefore, share not only a certain rank that puts them apart from others; they also constitute the leading foam of a surging Philippine art wave that has swept art markets and collectors in

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Hong Kong, Singapore, and Milan with unprecedented speed and scope.

Benedicto Cabrera (b. 1942) combines the British Figurative traditions of David Hockney and Ron B. Kitaj with the nostalgia of turn-of-the century photography to produce a body of work that looks at both the past wistfully, and at the present with uncanny understanding.

The National Artist for Visual Art is famed for his Sabel series of paintings and prints, celebrating a vagrant of the same name in the Manila streets where BenCab grew up in the Fifties and Sixties. This Daumier-like focus then sets off a long

series of reworkings of the female body with traditional dresses in bold brushstrokes; as well as carefully redrawn portraits of Filipinos in period costumes known as the Larawan and Heroes series. This has been matched by enthusiastic patronage since the Seventies, and now his paintings range anywhere from three to eight million pesos a pop.

Geraldine Javier (b. 1970) took the decisive leap from Nursing to Painting 15 years back, and has not looked back since. Known as the painter who combines various bric-a-brac like old terrariums, frames, stitching, and stuffed

animal displays, Javier introduces a distinct femininity to her work that has been lauded for both the epic scale of her vision (her large mixed media piece titled Ella amo’ apasionadamente y fue correspondida sold at auction in 2010 for US$188,382), as well as the informality of her focus, which is a woman’s view of home and the world through the accouterments of scientific knowledge.

Javier’s installations of large aquaria filled with needle-stitched plants, animal skeletons, and dried leaves belies the fascination for “straight painting” that Javier’s mentors at UP Fine Arts have taught her, and is perhaps her most unique

contribution to a market that seems to focus too much on fine materials, but not on fine concept.

Romulo Galicano (b. 1945) boasts of a dual artistic legacy: the patient academic method of his Cebuano mentor, the late Martino Abellana; and the minimalist abstraction of his UE Caloocan master, the late Dean of Fine Arts Florencio Concepcion. Both have inculcated in him the need for originality, artistic integrity, and faith in the power of art to reveal, and revel.

Known as Manila’s foremost portraitist since the late Seventies, Galicano has moved beyond the need to flatter and preen by deliberately fusing Modernist Abstraction to his academic realist portrayals of ladies and gentlemen in period costumes, delineating vertical colored stripes upon his canvas plane like shards that break up the pictorial space, and making audiences realize that art, after all, is about the tense duality between the mirror of nature, and the sword of change.

His audience has enthusiastically followed him into this new world, maintaining his market value that range between a million and a half pesos for small easel works, to between five to eight million pesos for a life-sized portrait.

Ronald Ventura (b. 1973) has made the Filipino nude a new object of desire. Famous for his surrealist bunching of abject nudity and urban squalor together into elegant monochromatic paintings, Ventura has emerged from a somewhat successful UST Fine Arts graduate in the Nineties to a huge name in the 2010s, with paintings like Greyground fetching the previously unheard-of sum of US$1.1 million at an April 2011 Christie’s Hong Kong auction.

Inspired from the overcrowded and filthy environs of his hometown, Malabon City, Ventura’s paintings connect with a visceral realization of the potential of urban art to be both heady in its social consciousness of class disparity, as well as vapid in its unflinching voyeurism of children and teenagers “in the buff,” so to speak.

Ultimately, it is the surrealist aesthetic and Ventura’s playful adaptation of the grisaille technique that makes his works “crafty” as well as celebrated in this age of digital everything.

Rodel Tapaya (b. 1981) has YOUNG AND GRAND. Geraldine Javier (right) and one of her current life-size works, Death to the King, 6x7 feet, oil on canvas (2013).

explored both the abstracted reduction of humanity into dots on a grid; as well as the Turn to page 6

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TRIBE AND RELIGION. Don’t be surprised to find indigenous tribes’ and period furniture (this photo) as well as religious artifacts (below) in numerous antique shops in Makati.

In Makati City, Lao Center on Pasay Road near New World Renaissance Hotel houses several antique shops among them is Yamang Katutubo, another old hand from 1970s. Check out their pair of 20-inch candleholders (PhP18,000), face crown (PhP5,000), Muslim trumpo (PhP4,500 to PhP5000), and bulul (rice gods) from the north (PhP110,000 a pair).

If you are bent on shopping for antiques seriously, you may want to purchase a copy of the 19th century Flores de Filipinas (PhP17,500) at the National Museum bookshop.

Manila, with its historical Chinese, Japanese, American, and Spanish ties, is truly a rich repository antiques but you have to know where to hunt to find the good ones.

Photos by Walter C. Villa

Photo by Walter C. Villa

LEADING THE PACK. (From left) National Artist for Visual Arts, Benedicto Cabrera, also known as BenCab, poses in front of a Sabel painting in his Makati home; Romulo Galicano’s self portrait in his Quezon City atelier, Self Portrait, 30x40 inches, oil on canvas (2012); and one of Galicano’s social realism works 23 de Noviembre (Humiling ng Katarungan), 62x47 inches, oil on canvas (2010).

ETTLING IN THE PHILIPPINES? Moving to a condominium? Then consider decorating with antiques.

Aside from enhancing the elegance of your home, truly rare finds are a sound investment. If you are clueless on where to start, you may want to visit Casa Manila and San Agustin Museum in Intramuros for a real glimpse of 17th to 19th century furniture and lifestyle.

Intramuros, the old walled city of Manila, and its outskirts seem a natural start and here you’ll find Silahis Arts and Craft (www.silahis.com) on General Luis Street. Be sure to look out for relleve saints—Saints Barachiel, Gabriel, Michael and Sealtiel (PhP18,000 each) as angels always make good conversation pieces in the living room. Add that old world sparkle to your cocina with some silver footed bowl or octagonal bowl (PhP15,000) each. Or the fruit colored Tausug sashes or seputangan fabrics from the Jolo archipelago.

Farther on Manila’s old San Marcelino Street, just across the entrance of Paco Park is the discreet abode of the well known and respected antique dealer Terry Baylosis, who was among those at the forefront of the 1970s antiques boom.

Over succulent dumplings, Baylosis would discuss the history of the Manila antiques scene for hours. He is worth the trip if only for his valuable tips and stories about period pieces with archetypal graffiti like the hand painted maidens appearing on a World War 1 period Quiroga bed (PhP25,000).

For smaller pieces (and budget), you may want to consider the vintage bird prints (PhP5,000).

If you are lucky he might even show you his personal favorites like the ivory bird encased in glass from the legendary interior designer Ronnie Laing. Or a moderne Puyat furniture from the late 1930s? Or a few ladies’ fans made of delicately carved ivory?

For a varied selection, Sarimanok Antiques Arts & Crafts at Philtrade on Roxas Boulevard Pasay City offers almost everything—from pre-War Filipina clothing baro’t saya (PhP2,800) to Maranao mother-of-pearl chess set (PhP30,000) to old objects d’art as porcelain hand vase (PhP2,500), prinzas (starting from PhP6,500), a red glass vase (PhP4,500), or a replica of Metal Age terra cotta bowl (PhP12,000).

Interested in period jewelry and other curios but want to shop under the comforts of a super mall? Maybe you would like a pair of criollos (PhP9,000) or tinik crucifix (PhP6,500), bangle silver dipped in gold excavated design (PhP8,500), excavated earring (PhP12,000), silver key holder (PhP4,500), comb payneta gold with turtle shell (PhP12,000) all in Unang Panahon Arts and Antiques at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

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