The Augustinian Mirror, April 2016

R E S P O N S I V E | D E V E L O P M E N TA L | R E S E A R C H - B A S E D The Official Student Magazine of the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City, Philippines

VOLUME LXXXII, ISSUE 2

APRIL 2016

photograph clyde allen e. sollesta model chloe lorein cayabyab

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EDITOR’S NOTE

FoUr years later, i haVe come to realiZe that the loose thread i hesitantly tooK the day i aPPlied For the PUb has led me to a Whole UniVerse oF strinGs.

Invisible Thread

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he beauty of writing is the gap that it fills in between the writer and the reader; it comes from reading something you feel you can identify with and for a brief moment, a connection is born. During these rare moments of connection, many begin to realize that their struggles aren’t uniquely their own. For a writer, it’s what gives us the drive to push through despite tussles with writer’s block and critics (mostly ourselves).

It may also be the reason why, when we write, we tend to highlight our pain— because it is human nature to believe that pain equals meaning. As writers, we want to feel like our words have the power to reach inside your soul and make it twitch, even just a little bit.

For my last issue of The Augustinian Mirror, I want to thank everyone who has made my soul twitch; the people who made me smile, made me happy, made me cry, and made me angry. For a rare moment, we had a connection. Connections make up this beautiful world we live in; it’s the core of every human interaction. Inside this issue, you will find loose threads of this universe— strings of culture, love, devotion, spiritual nourishment, and diversity. They tell stories of people who bared their soul through tales of success and failure, through happiness and misery, through love and heartbreak.

The USA Publications has been my home for four years. I joined this organization a lost girl, a person who didn’t know herself very much and frankly, didn’t want to. I spent the first few months observing how the organization worked; more importantly, how they interacted with each other. I don’t know what I was doing here in Iloilo, I consistently felt like I was in the wrong place, but fortunately, my loose thread was the USA Publications family.

Four years later, I have come to realize that the loose thread I hesitantly took the day I applied for the Pub has led me to a whole universe of strings. What I thought would unravel me one way or another, became my saving grace. Dear readers, after everything that’s happened, I have come to realize that nothing is ever random. Trust the universe, everything is connected.

Steph photograph UnKnoWn Person

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responsive developmental research-based stephanie Kay l. Urquiola Kevin jerrol c. erebaren EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Managing Editor: Edcel B. Fajutag, Associate Editors: Frennie M. Tababa, Erika Danielle M. Pepito Literary Editors: Gizelle Anne D. Villa, Edcel B. Fajutag, Art Director: Anne Catherine D. Malazarte, Photography Editor: Mara Elaiza A. Flores, Circulation Manager: Jordan C. Galache, Moderator: may anne t. Jaro Senior Writers: Resty John L. Palete, Marie Julienne V. Caballete, Gizelle Anne D. Villa, Rj Junsay, Wilkienson C. Muro, Staff Writers: Armie Therese C. Penuela, Rochelle Mae M. Muzones, Jecel T. Buenavides, Aimee Andrea D. Gaje, Photojournalists: Mary Johsyen E. Pabalinas, John Elmer J. Balan, Clyde Allen E. Sollesta, Artists: Daryl S. Selerio, Herod A. Montiel, Ronnyl B. Bulahan, Apprentice Writers: Nicole Ailice F. Serisola, Andrea Nicole C. Parce, Melky B. Arboleda, Jessa Madeleine P. Gange, Philip Robert C. Alaban

THE COVER Photography: Clyde Allen E. Sollesta Production: Philip Robert C. Alaban, Resty John L. Palete, Kevin C. Mercado, Jordan C. Galache Direction: Stephanie Kay L. Urquiola Enhancement and Manipulation: Ray Adrian C. Macalalag Models: Joe Adrian C. Ibojos iris nonato

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wo individuals with instant connections form an energy-- one that is created when they are seen, heard, and valued the way they should be. The light covering and encompassing their bodies symbolize this energy-- a power wielded only by those who willingly engage in the universe and its endless strings.

The Augustinian Mirror is the official student magazine of the University of San Agustin. It is published once every semester by the USA Publications. Contributions, comments, and suggestions may be sent to the editors.

No part of this publication can be reproduced by any means without permission and authority from the USA Publications, the authors, the photographers, and/or the artists.

Office Address: 2/F Alumni Building, University of San Agustin, General Luna Street, Iloilo City 5000, Phil.

Telephone: (+63-33) 337 48 41 to 44 (local no. 189) Email Address: usapublications1.gmail.com Official Website: www.usa-pub.blogspot.com

Colophon: This magazine was carefully designed using Adobe InDesign CS6, Adobe Photoshop CS6, and Adobe Illustrator CS6. All characters were set in Trade Gothic LT Std. It was a challenge, indeed.

Magazine Layout Design: Ray Adrian C. Macalalag Printer: Panorama Printing, Inc., Jaro, Iloilo City, Phil.

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ISSUE 2

CONTENTS

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oPi ni on

not Your Ordinary Knot

by Gizelle Anne D. Villa

22 Say hello to a social business that aims to preserve and develop the art and culture of hablon-weaving in Iloilo by integrating it with modern lifestyle.

look closer

by Gizelle Anne D. Villa

| 05 | Food for juan, Food for all

by Erika Danielle M. Pepito

| 06 |

reli Gi on a Feast for the soul

by Erika Danielle M. Pepito

| 07 |

soci ety in search of home

by Philip Robert C. Alaban

| 08 |

IN THIS ISSUE rekindled and requited

by Rj Junsay and Armie Therese C. Penuela

| 10 | the ‘egg’ and the ‘mango’

by Frennie M. Tababa and Rochelle Mae M. Muzones

| 12 | being an ambassador

by Rj Junsay

| 14 | anak sa ina at ina sa anak

by Edcel B. Fajutag

| 16 |

photograph UnKnoWn Person

4 cUlt U r e camaraderie of devotion

by Wilikienson C. Muro

| 20 | not your ordinary Knot

by Gizelle Anne D. Villa

| 22 |

enV i r o n m e nt mangrooving

by Andrea Nicole C. Parce

| 24 |

cam P U s of Quills and Paintbrushes

by Andrea Nicole C. Parce

| 26 | drinking from the ocean

by Jessa Madeleine P. Gange

| 27 | cords of red and Gold

by Jecel T. Buenavides

| 28 |

F oo d & l i F e s t y l e how tradition Goes with modernization

by Nicole Ailice F. Serisola

| 30 | reeling in style: behind the seams

by Aimee Andrea D. Gaje

| 32 | street Platters on international Plates

by Melky B. Arboleda

| 34 |

re V i e W s thread Generation

by Armie Therese C. Penuela

| 36 | the merc with a mouth

by Aimee Andrea D. Gaje

| 36 | photograph UnKnoWn Person

the ‘egg’ and the ‘Mango’

by Frennie M. Tababa and Rochelle Mae M. Muzones

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Igpaho, a term coined from an egg and a mango, was like a La Presa. Cold air touches your skin and the only protection you have is the warmth of your jacket. But the cold air was set aside for the place is like a breath of fresh air. Igpaho is a paradise hidden in a faraway place through disconnected roads that proved to be worth the journey.

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OPINION

LOOK CLOSER

J

ust this February, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao launched a very controversial statement regarding same-sex marriage.

According to the boxer, homosexuals are worse than animals, implying that animals have a better sense of differentiating males and females of their own species. During the interview, he stood by his faith, enraging most members of the LGBT community.

This response echoes remarks he made after a similar controversy in 2012, when he expressed disagreement with President Obama’s support for same-sex “marriage.” At the time, he responded to the inevitable media backlash with similar grace, saying: “I am against gay marriage, but I’m not condemning gays. I have family - a cousin - who’s gay, and friends, too. I’m just against gay marriage. To the gay community, I apologize. My favorite verse is ‘Love one another as you love yourself. Love your neighbor.’ So I love everybody!”

While many admire Manny Pacquiao’s bravery in expressing an unpopular opinion, everybody deserves to celebrate love equally. Among the top personalities who reacted to Pacquiao’s statements are Vice Ganda, Aiza Segeurra, radio DJ Mo Twister, and Boy Abunda.

Another development now is that the premier sportswear company Nike has cut ties with the 37-year-old eight-time division world champion as their endorser. “We find Manny Pacquiao’s

comment abhorrent. We no longer have relationship with Manny,” said a Nike statement.

Pacquiao’s statements not only cost him a decline in votes from the LGBT community, but also the advertisers’ trust on him as an icon and a prime endorser. Can Pacquiao move on from the controversial incident without suffering any more losses?

Just as ordinary citizens understand that airing a controversial opinion at a get-together can result in a heated disagreement even among close friends, people in the limelight cannot expect to

Riptide

By Gizelle anne d. Villa gizelle.27villa@gmail.com

say something inflammatory and simply avoid the consequences. It doesn’t mean that the world’s boxing champion can’t speak his mind, or that everyone around him is out to get him. It simply means that if an athlete wants to use his position to hand out an opinion that, he knows, is touchy not just on a national level but an international one, he needs to actually engage in an intellectual dialogue, not feed his or her two cents into a machine, grab his snack, and walk away. Having an opinion,

whatever it may be, is everyone’s right. Refining and making sure that it is one of proper character and integrity is their responsibility.

Yes, Pacquiao could have expressed himself better in that initial TV interview; he could have phrased himself better, especially when he knew better than to say anything that would get him into such a hot topic on social media—the platform for most critics, especially the youth. Instead of coming together as one nation during the upcoming elections, controversial issues like this prove just how divided we are as a nation.

All personal opinions aside, I also feel as strongly about this issue, but in no way am I going to act on bias alone. Remember, as stated in Matthew 7:19-21, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Our God is a good God, and He judges us not by how loudly we can call out His name, but by how much and how well we spread good words and actions in His name.

haVinG an oPinion, WhateVer it may be, is eVeryone’s riGht. reFininG and maKinG sUre that it is one oF ProPer character and inteGrity is their resPonsibility. illustration maria clarrise t. jaro

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OPINION

FOOD FOR JUAN, FOOD FOR ALL

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nli Rice. Eat All You Can. Most restaurants employ this tactic as to provide its customers the uninhibited food experience they desire; but the fact that some cannot finish what is on their plate, even with a ton of leftovers still available, is upsetting. They also fail to recognize that the process of preparing the food they paid for is no easy feat. It seems like they keep on Unli Wasting the food that other people, who are also longing to Eat Until They Can, could have consumed.

Food Security, as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), exists when “all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” If that is the case, then not all the aforementioned conditions are met here in the country. With poverty as the prevailing social cancer, it is irrefutable that our nation is threatened of food insecurity.

Food security is a problematic task to accomplish because of the number of farmers left to till the Philippine soil. The average age of the Filipino farmer in today’s time is 57 years old, eight years shy of the ideal retirement age. The drastic decrease in the number of farmers brought about extreme changes in food production as well – it became slower, fewer and lower in nutritional content. As the farmers decreased, the demands for food accompanied the inflating population.

Food production is now resorted to a much faster method, straying from the natural and healthier cycle of food production,to compensate for the food

every 10 Filipinos have Chronic Energy Deficiency, or the low stored energy due to lack of intake of proper nutrients.

The Philippines, which is an agricultural country, should prioritize the agricultural sector since farming is one of the major sources of income for Filipinos and the country exports immense quantities of crops to other parts of the world. If the country’s agriculture will go downhill, the socio-economic aspect will experience severe ups and downs. To address this concern, it is greatly recommended to keep the nutritional value of food consumed by Filipinos in check, to provide equipment and land for the farmers to intensify food production, and to promote agriculture as the economy’s backbone because a huge chunk of the economy is comprised of agriculture.

Do we have sufficient food that is safe and nutritious for everyone?

By erika danielle m. Pepito The nation is chose the next forerunners erdanielle2007@yahoo.com.ph of the country on May 9, 2016. Political candidates running for their respective positions are facing the dilemma of providing enough food for the 100 million Filipinos. This issue weeks and months for food to be cultivated, only for them to end up in the wasted food pile. The reason should be given the attention that it longs for, since behind this? Negligence. We oftentimes forget to the status of food security has been stagnant since time immemorial. And hopefully, by the time they ponder upon its importance, and we overlook the take their seats as elected officials of the country, fact that we are to pay the consequences sooner they will be able to answer that question and they than we think. will be able to help put a stop to the consequences Food insecurity demands the use of synthetic means to produce food in a fast rate, resulting to we are now facing. various health risks and diseases plaguing the consumers. But amidst all the efforts, 36% of Filipinos in the year 2015 consider themselves as ‘food-poor’. On the other hand, as of 2014, three out of 10 Filipinos are obese or overweight. One in demands.

Another culprit for food insecurity is urbanization. The advent of technology hurried urbanization with the rapid penetration of residential areas to agricultural lands. Perhaps this is also the reason why the farmers shrunk in quantity – lesser lands to till means lesser farmers to till the lands.

Food production is greatly affected by subdivisions, residential complexes, and condominium units erected on the once-fertile lands.

And of course, food wastage is an inevitable cause of food insecurity. According to FAO, onethird of the world’s food goes to waste, and it is that is an alarming volume of wasted food. It takes

Epoch

as the Farmers decreased, the demands For Food accomPanied the inFlatinG PoPUlation.

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illustration maria clarrise t. jaro

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arents who are deeply rooted in their faith raised me, but I was never an active member of any worship group because I found it somehow cheesy, and I never really had the time to join prayer meetings. But my impression on prayer gatherings changed when I decided to stay after the mass, organized by Light of Jesus Ministry, for their worship session. It was definitely not how I expected it would be.

All the while, I was predicting that it would turn out to be the stereotypical worship sessions you see on TV, but The Feast was a far cry from those. It answers the needs of the times by adapting to the interests of today’s generation, while staying true to its mission of bringing Christ to the modern world.

RELIGION

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a Feast for the soul HOW SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT CAN SATISFY YOUR CRAVINGS BY eriKa danielle m. PePito

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN The Feast started from humble beginnings, with traditional prayer meetings and gatherings that brought religious reputation to its name, and later on developing to what they call “feasts” in 2010. It earned its appellation from biblical events that depict Jesus eating with the sinners and outcasts and those who need His Father’s love the most. Bro. Bo Sanchez, its core founder, felt that he was deprived of God’s love during his youth because he was molested. However, he turned that unfortunate incident into an epiphany – he began to evolve the idea of God from an exacting figure into a fatherly image.

Aside from the weekly-anticipated mass the ministry prepares, an hour of lively praise and worship with contemporary songs (from the band Hillsong) awaits the worshippers. "We are attracting people who have not gone to Church for a long time, and that is our mission according to Bro. Bo, to bring the ‘un-church’ back to Church," shared Bro. Manny Ocampo, The Feast Iloilo Coordinator. Feastbuilders and co-preachers deepen one's faith with inspirational talks, which came from Sanchez himself. The worship sessions vary depending on the topic of his talks.

The Light of Jesus Ministry, The Feast’s initiator here in Iloilo, prepped the Grand Feast.

It came about "because we wanted it to be a celebration of our 3rd anniversary, of the Light of Jesus Ministry in Iloilo." Set on March 5 here at the University of San Agustin, the ministry invited Bro. Arun Gogna, "a very funny person who gives messages from God in a funny way but with a deep perspective,” Ocampo describes the speaker.

HOW TO KEEP OUR STRINGS TIGHTENED With our duties that demand most of our time and energy, it is essential to keep firm connections with our family and friends. Ocampo reminds the teenagers to live out the Fourth Commandment “because basically the parents are there to represent the Lord and they think of what is good for their children." The youth of today are sometimes blinded because they want to be independent in their way of thinking, "so it is also the role of the parents to reach out to them in ways that are appealing to their children, hindi

photograph eriKa danielle m. PePito

yung masyadong strikto, hindi yung masyadong imposing, but just like The Feast, inviting the youth.”

Ocampo stressed the power of good influence to mold the adolescents’ way of upbringing by selecting friends "who will enrich them, who will make them happy, who will uplift them. At teenage or adolescent years, they should look for things that should make them more stabilized. They should be with friendly people who will bring them also to God.” Some may lost their way and may have ill fates during adolescence, where changes are prevalent and challenging, “but the only thing that could fill their hearts is God, and in one way or another there is going to be a turning point that will make them realize that deep down in their hearts, they are looking for Him, but they are doing so in other ways.”

THE SUBSTANCE OF PRAYER We are often caught up with the burdens of our priorities, and at most times, we find ourselves stuck in a predicament that drains us not only physically and mentally, but also spiritually. We must always be reminded to give God the time and attention He deserves. “They will turn to God when

they will realize that God’s love is the solution to their problems.” We must satisfy our daily need of spiritual nourishment through prayer. “Praying is just not simply being in one room or inside the Church. You can reach God in nature, you can reach God in your relationships and friendship, and meet Jesus through others. And of course they have to read about God, the Bible, by going to Church and listening to the sermons, by coming to The Feast, and being surrounded with good people.”

The Feast is a far cry from the stereotypical worship sessions you see on TV, because they succeeded at their endeavour to mimic the influences of the modern times. The lyrics of the contemporary songs their skilled band members play will instantly make you feel like your heart swells with so much hope in Him. Their speakers, sharing their own encounters with God, will never fail to have you contemplate that God is always there. It continues to entice people of all ages from different walks of life to form a stronger connection with God. Weekly-anticipated masses and lively praise and worship by the Light of Jesus Ministry-The Feast are scheduled on Saturdays, 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the SM City Iloilo Cinema 3.

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SOCIETY

in search oF home

WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMS PERFECT, CAN YOU STILL LEAVE SOMETHING THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE AND CUT EVERYTHING LINKED TO IT?

BY PhiliP robert c. alaban

P

utting one foot in front of the other, his tentative steps cut through the crystal clear waters of the shallow southern Palawan coast. Wiggling his feet, he feels each individual grain of sand between his toes.

In sync with the cawing of seagulls and the soft lapping of waves, he takes a huge lungful of air.

While basking in the cool breeze of the early evening air and the warmth of the sea quietly swirling against his feet his eyes focus on the horizon where the sun gradually dips lower and lower until it is nothing but a sliver of fiery orange and finally, is gone. This is the lasting memory that he fervently holds on to as he immerses himself in the hectic schedule of a college neophyte, reliving the memory of home while away from home.

As he strives to achieve the dream that he has woven for himself and his family, John Rafael Triño or Jay, as his friends and family fondly call him, stands out a little bit more and is slightly a little bit different from other freshman every time he scrawls his address in his slightly slanted handwriting: Sofronio Española, Palawan.

THE START OF SOMETHING NEW After high school, Jay started counting down the days when he would eventually leave his Palawan paradise for the pursuit of his studies.

Very much like Jay, hundreds of freshmen who have decided to pursue the path towards their chosen career will have to leave the confines of their homes, most of them, for the first time.

April 25th, 2015 marks the start of Jay’s six month stay in Iloilo. From then on, his life has become a never ending cycle of school to boarding house and back again. “This is not my first time away from my family, but being away from them for this long is a new experience for me,” he reveals in Hiligaynon. Things were off to a good start. He had new friends, studies and the chore of adjusting to his new environment to keep him busy but by his second week in the city, the excitement that he had originally felt was short-lived and in its place was the yearning that he felt for home.

“Hindi naman ako makakauwi sa Palawan. Kasi apart from sayang yung pamasahe dahil di naman

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ako tatagal, hindi naman worth it sakin na umuwi lang ng two days, three days at babalik na naman ulit,” he explains in Tagalog. Which is why, on October 23rd, after being away for a long while, he truly felt that for the first time in several months his family was finally complete as they held a double celebration: his first homecoming and his 17th birthday.

In a nutshell, his longing for his friends and family is better left to the imagination since admittedly, he can never verbally describe himself how it feels to be detached and away from the people who have made him feel loved for so long.

UP FOR GRUB Aside from family and friends, the one thing that he misses most from his previous life in Palawan is his mom’s superb skills when it comes to cooking, especially when she preps the stove to cook his all-time favorite Filipino dish: sinigang.

“I really like it when the sinigang is super sour” he reveals in Filipino. Mommy Divina’s recipe is seemingly hard to copy since it is cooked especially to suit Jay’s partiality for sour things.

“Every time she cooks, she always asks me to give her a hand. That’s why her sinigang always tastes just right.” Unfortunately, the food places and karinderyas around and near his boarding house here in Iloilo seldom offer sinigang and serve meals that are mostly limited to chicken or pork – ground, grilled, fried, steamed, soup, barbecue breaded, and used to flavor soup, and scantily ‘greened’ (with very little vegetables).

Searching for the perfect sinigang is not an easy task as he combs every nook and cranny in the city to find the right place that can make his taste buds feel at home. Thankfully, from his incessant food trips and restaurants hunts, he discovered that Grillers serves sinigang that give him a surge of nostalgia and greatly alleviates the longing that he feels. “Medyo kuha nila ‘yung timpla pero iba pa rin talaga ‘yung luto ni Mama,” he admits with a twinkle in his eyes.

HOME: SOUGHT In Palawan, when the family is gathered every Sunday or during the holidays, they are not

aboVe anythinG else, the most imPortant connections are those that transcend telePhone lines and Wi-Fi siGnal.

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fond of extravagant outings just to celebrate such instances when they’re together. Instead, they prefer to stay holed up at home, watching movies, enjoying home cooked delicacies and catching up on the latest scoop of each one’s life. Minutes turn into hours as the family loses themselves in conversation, occasionally laughing at a joke or a jab that one family member playfully throws at another.

Just like back home, Jay and his Kuya seth try hard to make holidays and weekends seem like they’re back home. When they aren’t neck deep in school, extracurricular or typical boarding-house chores, they get together to watch a movie, or eat outside. During holidays, they always find time to either call or Skype with their parents to “diminish the sadness that they feel”. Without technology, Jay pictures out that it would be very difficult to keep familial ties secure since they would have to resort to more primitive modes of communication like the snail mail or the simple e-mail instead of the fast paced, user-friendly and efficient modern ways of correspondence such as Skype or the

photograph clyde allen t. sollesta

messenger app.

DRAWING TO A CLOSE After a grueling day of juggling his books, notebooks and several stacks of papers, he would often find himself laid out on his cramped bed inside his stuffy dorm room. Images of home flood in his mind, leaving as quickly as they come as he slowly dozes off. For him, sleep is not only a time to rejuvenate. It has become a quick and quiet escape from the reality that he is currently living in. Every time he shuts his eyes, slows his breathing and gets pulled under Sleep’s heavy shawl, he gets transported back to a place where he is warm, safe and wrapped around the arms of the people he loves. He flies through space and time and imagines himself snug and contented in the little paradise island that he has left behind.

He dreams that once again, he’s back home in Palawan.

As I stuff my notes inside my bag and shove my pen back in my pocket, I ask Jay for any advice that he can give not only for the freshmen,

but for everyone out there who is constantly bombarded with bouts of homesickness. “Just be strong,” he responds with a smile “The only thing that keeps me going and fuels me to strive harder to reach my goals is the prospect of reaching my dreams, making my family proud and giving back to my parents what they have been unendingly giving me throughout the years. Who knows? In a few years, you might be looking back at yourself and seeing a completely different version of you that you never thought was there before.”

Granted that the grass is always greener somewhere else and growth as a person is coupled with the incessant desire to graze upon greener pastures, a deep-rooted culture that centers around family, connections and familial ties always come first. Above anything else, the most important connections are those that transcend telephone lines and wi-fi signal.

Connections that cannot be heard by the ears, cannot be seen by the eyes and cannot be felt by the skin, can only be made by the heart.

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SOCIETY HOW SURE ARE YOU THAT TIME DOESN’T DIMINISH YOUR CONNECTION?

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Rekindled and Requited BY rj jUnsay and armie therese c. PenUela

illustration anne catherine d. malaZarte

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A

s the dark sky slowly devours the sun, the ticking of the clock consumed her mind. It is the same evening that she is the coldness that could freeze her heart for the longest winter of her life. "Reconnecting" is the word on the screen that imprinted itself in her mind; she was a few minutes away from seeing the guy that stole her heart 21 years ago.

AFIRE LOVE Shades of blue that turned to hues of yellow and tinges of infinite color combination illuminated the place. It was exactly six minutes before Adeline's* performance. Her heart beat harmonizes with the rambunctious music that conquers the hall. As she stepped into the floor, she had everybody’s attention glued to her, yet it was Nagasaki whose heart, mind and soul were deeply captured by her.

Adeline was dubious on how she would approach this guy. She knew very well that meet-ups like that in a club in Japan don’t generally work out; yet before she realized what she was doing, she had already exchanged words with the guy.

She tried her very best not to feel anything for the stranger whose sparkling eyes shot admiration and interest towards her, but the guy had taken with him buckets of persistence every time he went after Adeline. The next thing she knew, the stranger she had tried to get rid of became the apple of her eye. Their love bloomed just as the cherry blossom bloomed that season.

On their special day, their love turned the other way. It all started from one sip and was followed by many more until they had lost count; loose hugs to tight ones,

and kisses turned to stronger ones. Their love brought them to their own fantasy land. Every touch seemed to be forever and that night changed everything. "I gave myself to him not because I just love him, but because I can see him in my future.

I don't regret what happened that night," Adeline shared.

They had thought of securing their future together and having a family of their own but fate seemed to enjoy playing games with them. Adeline decided to leave everything in Japan including her feelings towards Nagasaki yet brought with her the responsibility of being a soon-to-be mother to the five-month old angel inside her womb.

LIVING AFTER LEAVING Believing that it’s the easiest way to let go of her feelings towards Nagasaki, Adeline cut all possible connections and communication with him. "Life is supposed to be like a river that will continue to flow despite all the storms that have occurred," she said with a smile. She continued her journey here in the Philippines. Amidst the judgmental stares and remarks of people towards her, she didn’t hide her situation but proudly continued her life.

"Many people kept on asking me of what happened to me. Where did my intelligence go? What came into my mind to let myself conceive a baby without a father? These questions might have affected me during that time but I know that God is bigger than my problems," she added.

She got a decent job here in Iloilo.

As years passed by, the strong waves of challenges she experienced before was replaced with huge opportunities for her. In Manila, she faithfully worked day and night until she was promoted as the Human

Resource head in a huge company and raised her child on her own.

Aki*, the little angel that she brought to the Philippines was already a grown up. She was an adventurer just like her father and a strong person as well. She was a stubborn child but behind her fierce personality lies a person who is longing to have a complete family. "Unlike other children with broken family, I want to see my father. I love my father despite what happened between him and my mom," shared Aki.

REKINDLING LOVE With the aid of technology, Aki saw another means of looking for her father.

Aki had a conversation with her cousin in Iloilo on November 2015 talking about her hopes of seeing her father even through Facebook. "It was 9 p.m. I was browsing in Facebook searching the name of my father and messaged every Facebook user who had the same name. I thought it was hopeless at first but all I have to do is to try and take the risk", Aki said. "In the middle of the night, Aki messaged me with heavy heart and tears rolling tears on her face that someone messaged him saying that he was Aki's father. I was surprised and also cried that night," shared Icy, her cousin.

For anyone else, seeing a person through video call isn’t the greatest substitute, yet for Nagasaki and Aki, their first encounter through Facebook was lifechanging. They talked all night as if they weren’t miles apart. The next day, Aki told her mom what happened. Shocked was an understatement to how Adeline dealt with Aki’s news. "I didn't want to take again the opportunity from Aki to know her father.

All I can do is to face my fear of letting him into our life once more," said Adeline.

it all started From one siP and Was FolloWed by many more Until they had lost coUnt; loose hUGs to tiGht ones, and Kisses tUrned to stronGer ones.

* NOT THEIR REAL NAMES

12

THE‘EGG’ AND THE ‘MANGO’ EVEN UP TO THIS TIME, THERE ARE STILL COMMUNITIES THAT EXIST WITHOUT THE EXISTENCE OF SAFE ROADS. HOW ARE THEY DOING?

BY Frennie m. tababa and rochelle mae m. mUZones

I

gpaho, a term coined from an egg and a mango, was like La Presa. Cold air touches your skin and the only protection you have is the warmth of your jacket; the cold air, however, was a welcome relief. Igpaho is a paradise hidden in a faraway place through disconnected roads that proved to be worth the journey.

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL A rocky, bumpy, and needlelike road welcomed us as we voyaged the topmost barangay of the municipality of Tubungan on the 25th of February. Packed with our writing materials, cameras and recorders, we rode on a habal-habal, a motorcycle used to travel mountainous areas, going 18 kilometers away from the town proper barangay. With

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its great distance, we had passed 10 barangays. While on our way to our destination, we endured terrifying experiences like falling on a motorcycle, soaring and climbing laboriously steep roads, passing a one-meter wide road, and most of all, seeing the lowland areas from above feeling that you are about to fall anytime. Not just that, in order to arrive to Brgy. Igpaho, the habal-habal needs to cross another mountain. However, the rocky journey was all but forgotten after seeing the so-called La Presa of tubungan.

FAR PLACE, UNITED PEOPLE Even if it is the farthest barangay in town and the most secluded place we’ve ever known, there are 716 residents, and most are males. They have also produced five professionals, mostly teachers

and an electrician.

According to Brgy. Captain Eduardo Paniza, the people are still trying to catch up with the civilization. Only limited residents have cell phones and some still use radios to communicate. They don’t even have computers but some have televisions.

Since the land is an agricultural treasure, the people live through farming and their products are grains, corns, gingers, sweet potatoes, radish, and carrots. We have also seen, as the residents called it, “ta-on” in some houses. It’s a trap made especially for catching shrimps in the nearby river. As we walked around the area, we saw that sari-sari stores were put up in every corner of the barangay. In all these conditions and situations, “they were able to sustain their family in their everyday lives,” a translated

statement of Ariel Talaman, a resident.

Meanwhile, children in the area, as we have seen them, were helping their parents in doing their chores and we caught some children having fun in their houses getting cornels.

“Kung wara ako klase kag kung hindi ako maghampang, gabulig ako kay nanay didya sa balay [If I don’t have a class and if I won’t play, I help my mother do the chores],” Mimi Llama, a grade five student, stated.

PRESENT THROUGH THE YEARS The religions found in the barangay are United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and Baptist. They people have started building a chapel near the plaza, but as of now, it still has no walls and the building is in progress.

Even though it is now in

photograph WilKienson c. mUro

SOCIETY

While on oUr Way to oUr destination, We endUred scary exPeriences liKe FallinG on a motorcycle, soarinG and climbinG laborioUsly steeP roads, PassinG a onemeter Wide road, and most oF all, seeinG the loWland areas From aboVe FeelinG that yoU are aboUt to Fall anytime.

modern times, areas like this have rituals that are still present such as in every harvest day, they have this “Panguyang” in which the old will say a prayer so that the harvest will be blessed. “Buhi pa man ang mga ritwal didya [The rituals we have here are still alive],” Paniza said.

In addition, December 25 is not Christmas to them. They call the day “Pagkatawo”. In early years, a simple celebration is enough. If they have salmon and “bihon” on their table, that set-up is sufficient to them. But in later years, the simple became grand. The whole barangay celebrates as one for they have events like wedding and baptism on this day.

DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS, ONE GOAL A place like this should be visible to other people. But after Typhoon Frank struck the place, Brgy. Igpaho has been very hard to reach due to damaged roads and the easiest route was affected. However, this was never a hindrance for the residents to go to some places other than their own.

Residents will have to leave their home by 11 p.m. if they have many things to bring so that their products can be sold, or leave by 2 a.m. if they’re not planning on bringing anything to town, or if they want to seek assistance.

“Gapanaw lang kami halin didya dangat Brgy. Igtuble dayon halin didto, gasakay kami jeep para makalab-ot sa banwa mga 5 sa aga [We walk from here to Brgy. Igtuble, then from there, we will ride on a jeep to reach the town by 5 in the morning,” Gelyn Tacaisan, another resident, explained.

They can also go to other towns like Leon and a town in Antique by means of passing through the mountains. They don’t have to pass through the river because a hanging bridge was put up with the assistance of the provincial government to connect certain areas.

Residents are not only the ones going to other places. Visitors would come to Igpaho to see attractions like the Bugsucan Waterfalls and the biggest flower in the world, known as the rafflesia plant, can also be found there. They would

13

also come to educate the residents through programs like the Alternative Learning System (ALS). They are taught vocational courses since their place is far from areas with high schools and they only have up to elementary school.

EXPERIENCE WORTH REMEMBERING The journey to Brgy. Igpaho was difficult, but after a 2 hour drive and walk, we reached our destination and needless to say, the experience was definitely memorable.

Brgy. Igpaho may be far, but if you want to see more of God’s gift that has not yet been damaged by people, you are welcome to come, but remember, be careful. This experience has reminded us how blessed we are to be able to reach our destination with a mere 5 minute wait while riding a jeepney, or hailing a taxi to reach a restaurant to our liking; we have taken the beauty of life for granted— our connection to nature, our interaction with the people around us, and the greatness of the journey more than the destination.

14

SOCIETY

beinG an ambassador

MAKING BETTER TIES WITH ANOTHER COUNTRY THROUGH A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE BY rj jUnsay

e found himself standing like a lost child in Ninoy Aquino International Airport while he was bound for Tokyo in a few hours. All he knew was that he was going to somewhere to strengthen the ties of the Philippines and Japan.

Ray Adrian Macalalag, a young engineer working in the Department of Public Works and HIghways Regional Office VI and a BS in Civil Engineering alumnus of this University, was one of the Philippine delegates in the recent batch of the Japan-East Asia Network Exchange of Students and Youths (JENESYS) Program who was given a noble task as a youth ambassador to Japan.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS The JENESYS program is one of the initiatives organized by the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) and Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to further gear the bilateral relations of the country and Japan through exchange of ideas and getting to know each country.

“During our travel to Tokyo and Shizuoka, high school students from Japan also went here to the Philippines to experience our hospitality. I got to meet them the APRIL 2016

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day before we left the Philippines and they were so kind and disciplined,” he smiles while he shared his excitement.

Being new to Japan, Ray did not have a hard time. He even claimed that the Japanese are more respectful and polite than Filipinos.

“They smile back when you smile at them. They nod their heads a lot. That is their way of showing respect. I did the same,” he elaborated.

GETTING TO KNOW Aside from various exposure to the best of what the Land of the Rising Sun, the program enabled Ray to live with a Japanese family for three days and two nights. During these days, the Suzuki family catered to Ray’s needs as well as giving him a different perspective.

His host family was holding basic English classes to the kids in the neighborhood regularly and he was fortunate to join one. Ray introduced some Filipino games such as Patintero.

“The kids were so lively and they enjoyed playing with [my co-delegates]. What amazed me was that when a child trips, he just stands up like nothing happened and continues to enjoy the game,”

15

the jenesys ProGram is one oF the initiatiVes orGaniZed by the jaPan international cooPeration center and jaPan’s ministry oF ForeiGn aFFairs to FUrther Gear the bilateral relations oF the coUntry and jaPan throUGh exchanGe oF ideas and GettinG to KnoW each coUntry. the engineer who still loves acting like a child recalls.

HOME FAR FROM HOME Staying in Japan for quite some time is a little lonely as Filipinos are generally family-oriented. The Suzuki household was very much aware of that. That is why Ray always had the attention as if he was one of the blood member of the family. Despite of staying for such a short time, he was very much attached and even had some separation anxiety when he had to leave them.

“Miwa, and Hiro, together with their kids Keinan and Airi, were just so loving and caring. I almost forgot I had to go home because they really made me feel like their own,” the young envoy said.

Until now, Ray constantly communicates with the Suzuki family through the internet. They exchange pictures from time to time just to keep in touch and maintain the bond they had with each other. He plans to send what his host family loved the most, dried mangoes which is quite expensive there.

REALIZATIONS According to Bushido, a sacred text in Japan by Inazo Nitobe (1905), honor and integrity should PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ray adrian c. macalalaG

be of high regard. This was validated

by Ray who felt the warmth and trustworthiness of the Japanese people.

“As foreigners in their land, it was obligatory to take pictures of ourselves. When we experienced struggle in taking group photos at the train station, we need not to ask somebody to take a picture of us.

The people there volunteered to take our pictures despite the rush.

You can trust them when they hold your phones. Not to mention, they took great quality pictures, too,” he amusingly shared.

Making relationships stronger between Japan and the Philippines knowing its past may be unimaginable for some. Thinking forward, however, is one way that Ray could recommend to make this world more harmonious.

“As the young generation, we need to make our ties more intimate and strong not just in Japan but also to the other countries. Together, we can exchange ideas, help each other, and somewhat make a better heirloom to the future generations.

That heirloom is a better world that is only divided by name and diverse culture but united in terms of relationships and goals,” Ray concluded.

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SOCIETY

ina sa anak at anak sa ina KUWENTO NG MAG-INANG NANATILING KONEKTADO SA KABILA NG PAIT NA HATID NG BUHAY ni edcel b. FajUtaG

D

inig na dinig niya ang mahinahon na bulong ng gabi sa madilim na paligid; pati na rin ang bawat siyak ng mga mumunting sisiw sa bakuran at ang mga huni ng sirum-sirom at mga palaka sa bukid. Habang bukas-tengang pinakikinggan ang bawat haplos ng malamig na hangin sa kanilang harigi at mulat na pinagmamasdan ang paligid sa gitna ng kadiliman, ay may biglang nakabubulabog na sa kanya’y pamilyar ang tinig; nagdadabog, nagsisisigaw, at umiiyak na tila ba’y may kalaban at kinakausap.

Iyan ang madalas na sistema ng gabi ni Ana*; isang 14 na taong gulang na dalaga na naninirahan sa malayong pook sa bayan ng Pototan kasama ang kaniyang pinakamamahal na ina na sa kapuotan ng kapalaran ay siyang nasiraan ng bait hatid ng dinanas na karahasan sa ilalim ng mga kamay ng mapanakit na pamilya.

MULA SA KALULUWA, ISIP, AT PUSO Ina, nabubukod tanging tao sa buhay ng isang anak na siyang may higit na koneksyon sa kaniyang pagkatao. Koneksyon na kung iisipin ay nagmumula sa kaunut-unutan ng buto, sa bawat hibla ng buhok, sa bawat patak ng dugo at sa kalalimlaliman ng kaluluwa, isip at puso.

Ngunit, paano na ang koneksyon ng isang mag-ina kung ang katawan ng nakilala mong ilaw ng ‘yong buhay

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ay unti-unti nang nilalamon ng di-kontroladong isip? Paano na lang kung hanggang ang iyong imahe sa kanyang gunita ay tuluyan nang nalusaw dahil sa mga boses na umaalingawngaw sa kaniyang gulo’t nabubuhol na pag-iisip?

Sa kabila ng kaawa-awang lagay ng kaniyang ina, at sa gitna ng mga katakut-takot na karanasan sa mga oras na sinusumpong ang kaniyang mama ay nanatiling matatag at malakas ang dalaga. At sa halip na iwanan ito ay mas pinili niyang manatili’t alagaan ang ina kahit siya’y nasa murang edad pa lamang.

NASIRANG PAGKAKAKILANLAN Sa sandaling kaniyang sinasalita ang mga pangyayari sa tuwing pawang nagbabagong anyo ang kaniyang ina ay pansin sa

kaniyang mga mata ang lungkot at hapdi na kaniyang nararamdaman.

Ang mahinahong pagbagsak ng butil ng kaniyang mga luha ang natatangi niyang nagagawa sa tuwing napagmamasdan ang inang tila ay hindi niya nakilala. “Kung gina-abot si mama, gapungko lang ko sa kilid ka balay kag ginakudog sa kakulba,” saad niya habang tinititigan ang inang nakangiti sa ‘di kalayuan ng aming kinauupuan.

“Kis-a karan to, kung indi na don makontrol kaugalingon na, ginaturok na ko it masakit, nga daw indi na ko bata,” dagdag niya habang pansin ang ramdam niyang poot sa tuwing binabalikan ang mga pagkakataong ito’y nangyayari sa kaniyang ina. Guhit na guhit sa kaniyang mga pisngi ang malaking panghihinayang at tila isang puwang ng kawalan ang kaniyang nararamdaman sa tuwing kaniyang makikita na ganito ang kaniyang pinakamamahal na ina. Sa pagpapatuloy ng aming pag-uusap ay nabanggit ni ana ang mga pagkakataong minsan ay napagbuhatan siya ng kamay ng ina. “Kaagi karan to nga gin yudyod na ko pauli sa balay, waay ko may

nahimo kay tama tana ka pirsado kung abuton…” saad niya.

Masakit isiping ang dating isang mapagmahal na ina ay nadadahas ang anak hatid ng kaniyang karanasan na siyang sumira sa kaniyang buong pagkatao’t pag-iisip.

Hindi niya man namamalayang kaniya nang nagagawa ang isang ‘di katanggap-tanggap na bagay sa kaniyang anak ay mananatili’t mananatili pa rin ang malaking kirot na hatid nito sa inosente niyang pagiisip. Isang malalim na kirot ang tila na kumakalmot sa isang minor de edad na nakikita ang kaniyang inang naputol ang maayos na koneksiyon ng aksyon at pag-iisip.

“Pay waay ko to mahimo kag gina intindi ko dulang, kay man an ko nga indi na don ma kontrol ana nga kaugalingon. Kag isa pa, nanay ko man tana guhapon,” saad pa niya habang naiiyak-iyak niyang sinasabi.

PAGMAMAHAL NG ISANG INANG HINDI MATITIBAG Sa kabila ng sitwasyon ni Tiyay Bebeng*, ay hindi ko mapagkakaila ang kaniyang mainit na pagmamahal sa anak base sa aking nakikita sa tuwing ako’y napararaan sa

* HINDI TUNAY NA PANGALAN

17

sa Kabila nG KaaWaaWanG laGay nG KaniyanG ina, at sa Gitna nG mGa KataKUttaKot na Karanasan sa mGa oras na sinUsUmPonG anG KaniyanG mama ay nanatilinG matataG at malaKas anG dalaGa.

DIBUHO anne catherine d. malaZarte

silong ng kanilang bahay. Minsan nga’y dinig ko pa ang kaniyang mga mumunting pangarap para sa kaniyang nag-iisang iha na minsan niyang naibubulong kung siya ay sinusumpong. Tila ba’y may kinakausap siyang isang bitwin sa kataas-taasan ng kalangitan at bukambibig ang kaniyang natatanging hiling.

Nang minsan ko siyang makausap nang matiyempuhan kong maayos ang kanyang lagay ay sinalubong niya ako ng nakakahawang ngiti sa kaniyang mga labi sabay bating, “maayong hapon noy,” na may pahabol pang halik. Kami ay naupo sa silong ng isang puno ng akasya sa harapan ng kanilang kubo at sinimulan ang aming masinsinang kuwentuhan.

“Gusto ko gid makatapos ya akon bata kag magkaobra sa urihi,” sambit ni Aling Bebeng nang siya’y aking tanungin kung ano ang kaniyang pinakapinapangarap para sa kaniyang anak. “Palangga ko gid ran noy si inday kung man-an mo lang,” kaniyang pahabol na sabi habang siya ay pa ngiti-ngiti.

“Bisan kis-a nga daw mabatyagan ko nga gina kahuya na

run ko, waay man tana it mahimo, kay diya tana naghalin kanakon,” pabirong isinaad ni Aling Bebeng sabay hagikhik ng mahinahon.

Ngunit, sa kanyang pagkakasambit ng mga salitang iyon ay pansin pa rin ang lungkot na kaniyang nararamdaman.

“AKO’Y IYONG INA AT ANAK KITA” Doon na lamang ako namalayan na sa gitna ng kaniyang minsang ‘di kontroladong isip at galaw ay hindi pa rin nawawala ang koneksyon ng kaniyang pag-iisip at emosyon. Nanatiling mainit ang kaniyang pag-aalala sa kaniyang dalaga sa kabila ng pagkabuwal ng kaniyang tuwid na pag-iisip.

Nabuwal man ang tuwid na kalagayan ng pag-iisip ni Aling Bebeng at nabahidan man ng mga mapait na karanasan ang kabataan ni Ana, ay nananatili pa ring matatag at buhay ang koneksyon nila bilang mag-ina at siya ring tinahi at hinilom ng panahon ang mga naiwang sugat sa kanila. Nanatiling nagniningas ang pagmamahal nila sa isa’t isa at siya pa ring nakamarka sa kanilang isip, puso, at kaluluwa ang mensaheng: “Ina sa anak at anak sa ina.”

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PERSPECTIVES an old chinese ProVerb states that an inVisible thread connects those Who are destined to meet, reGardless oF time, Place, and circUmstance. the thread may stretch, bUt it Will neVer breaK. this orGaniZation is a Family ForGed From diFFerent Places, sitUations, and characters — We are diFFerent, UniQUe, and sPecial; bUt the inVisible thread that connects Us all Will stretch on ForeVer. eVery Person readinG this is noW a Part oF the thread; the stories that yoU haVe read and the liVes yoU haVe Gotten to KnoW throUGh oUr Words-- the UniVerse WorKs in PoWerFUl Ways and eVentUally, eVerythinG connects.

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CULTURE

camaraderie oF deVotion A PIONEER AUGUSTINIAN LEGACY OF TRADITION

BY WilKienson c. mUro

U APRIL 2016

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nitas, Veritas and Caritas are the values that an Augustinian Community advances as it ventures to the broadness of life, and guess what? It helps the community discover pioneered beliefs and build different magnitudes of Ilonggo customs and traditions. Just like the annually celebrated Dinagyang Festival, one of the most visited and appreciated fiesta of Western Visayas right now, which reflects not only the initiative and camaraderie of connected hearts and minds of people but also the notion that a better Iloilo possesses a strong patronal devotion.

ISSUE 2

photograph john elmer j. balan

21 THE UPTAKE

behind the GroWth oF the FestiVal, lots oF blessinGs and miracles are PoUred UPon his deVotees.

It was 1967 when Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez, the first Filipino Rector of the Augustinian Community and Parish Priest of San Jose Church, together with his friends and co-priests, made their excursion to Kalibo, Aklan. There, they beheld the Ati-Atihan Festival of the Natives which gave praise to their patron saint, Sto. Niño, in the form of dancing in the streets with their bodies covered with soot and ashes. After having observed the celebration and inspired by the eagerness of the natives to express their devotion, Rev. Fr. Galindez introduced to the natives of Iloilo the devotion to Sto. Niño. He initiated the celebration of Sto. Niño in Iloilo and patterned it to that of Kalibo.

In 1968, a replica of the original image of the Sto. Niño de Cebu was brought to Iloilo

by Fr. Sulpicio Enderez of Cebu as a gift to the Parish of San Jose. With the presence of the Sto. Niño in the Parish, the Confradia del Sto. Niño de Cebu, Iloilo Chapter, worked to give the image a suiting reception around the plaza. After then, everytime there came the fiesta of Sto. Niño, the people paraded starting from the Iloilo Airport down the streets of Iloilo. The celebration of the Sto. Niño Festival was observed only in the parish, until 1977 when the Marcos government ordered the various regions of the Philippines to come up with festivals that would boost tourism and development. And in the latter years – 2006, 2007, and 2008, it was recognized by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines and Asian Development Bank as Best Tourism Event and Best Practice on government, private sector and NGO cooperatives, respectively. Moreover, it was the first festival supported by the United Nations in the promotion of the Millennium Development Goals.

THE LIVING LEGACY Recently, the Sto. Niño Festival, which is known as Dinagyang Festival, coined

by Pacifico Sudario to describe the rowdy celebration, became grander and bigger. It is subdivided into three major events: the Ati-Tribe Competition, where the students from different high schools form their own tribe and dance to portray a story of the Atis before, the Kasadyahan Cultural Tradition, and the Miss Iloilo Dinagyang, where the gorgeous, intelligent and talented Ilongga beauties clash to win the crown.

However, behind these events held, San Jose Church prepares differently for the Fiesta of Sto. Niño. The preparation is led by the Confradia Del Sto. Niño de Cebu, Iloilo Chapter, which is ran by its President, Mrs. Emma G. Zapanta, a former Chemistry teacher in San Agustin; the Confradia would have a nine-

day prayer called ‘Diana’ to be offered to Sto. Niño. Then the members would be choosing their Hermana and Hermano Mayor, who will wholeheartedly embrace the responsibility financially, morally and physically until the celebration concludes. There would also be feeding program for those children who are malnourished, underweight and deprived. All of these are made possible with the united determination and industry of people to carry out the event.

THE PAYBACK Behind the growth of the festival, lots of blessings and miracles are poured upon His devotees. This is to show the trueness of the commitment of people that even in their selfrenowned commitment, the Child Jesus see their pure intention, which is to give Him all the glory and thanks.

“It was a very fatal disease, meningococcemia, that almost took away my son from me but thanks to Niño,” Mrs. Zapanta, who exemplified herself as only a partial-pledged devotee of Sto. Niño before the miracle happened, told me with overflowing gratitude to Sto. Niño in her eyes.

Based on MedScape, “Meningococcemia is defined as dissemination of meningococci (Neisseria meningitidis) into the bloodstream.

Patients with acute meningococcemia may present with meningitis only, meningitis with meningococcemia, or meningococcemia without clinically apparent meningitis.”

“If you’ll try to ask the teachers there in San Agustin, they would really tell you that I did all the possible ways that would help cure my son. I even made them wrote on a paper and post it on the bulletin boards just to ask for prayer for my child. I went also to many different churches just to ask for miracle to happen and it did, especially here in the Church of Sto. Niño,” she added persuasively to justify her claims.

She also said with sadness in her voice, “As an organization, we encourage people from various parts of Iloilo to join our organization in order to make them experience what have in the Confradia but some are just reluctant to do so.”

Mrs. Zapanta is only one of those who experienced the payback of her service and devotion to Sto. Niño. This is not to impose on everybody; it is merely an exemplification that a commitment is worth living for.

We, Ilonggos, come in different colors, shapes, attitudes, beliefs and traditions, but everytime the fourth Sunday of January tick tocks, we dwell in one veritas to uphold caritas through possessing unitas among ourselves.

This is not just a way of showing the unique camaraderie of the Ilonggos, but also their strong connection and faith to Sto. Niño.

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CULTURE

not your ordinary Knot GET TO KNOW GUGMA WEAVES, A CONTINUOUS WORK IN PROGRESS AND A PRIDE OF ILONGGOS.

BY GiZelle anne d. Villa

W

ith the sun being extra generous with its sunshine, it’s hard to leave home without an umbrella.

For many people experiencing the warm heat of summer, “fresh” just doesn’t seem to last for more than an hour. For people who hate on the bulk umbrellas provide, reaching out for long sleeved shirts or jackets becomes an option, but

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having sweaty arms and armpits prevail, and that could be extremely uncomfortable. With people getting extra-clingy to laptops and gadgets, the bulk not only wears you out but also makes you seem unfashionable.

How can Iloilo protect itself from the effects of deadly rays of light without compromising style? Thanks to Adelle Pacificar and Mikeel Arana, now, there is one way of doing so. Say hello to Gugma Weaves, a social business that aims to

preserve and develop the art and culture of hablon-weaving in Iloilo by integrating it with modern lifestyle.

THE BIRTH OF A KNIT IDEA The idea of Gugma Weaves was born when Adele travelled to Indonesia. Adelle has already done a bit of travelling around the world, but it was in this country that the concept embedded itself into her mind. Indonesians often wore their local textile (the Batik) and she

23

althoUGh lacKinG a shoP to sell their ProdUcts, this doesn’t stoP interested consUmers From bUyinG their HABLON-made Goods.

was reminded of the hablon, the local textile of Iloilo. She thought about resurfacing the casual use of Iloilo’s local fabric, incorporating the concept into fashion statements and accessories such as scarves and laptop sleeves.

When the Sparks Project (A local crowdfunding website) announced their call for projects last April 2015, she met up with Mikeel to discuss her idea on the use of hablon in making modern products.

Together, they managed to think of making lanyards out of the fabric since lanyards seemed to be used by almost everyone.

They submitted their idea to the Sparks Project, taking its acceptance in the first phase as a sign to pursue the idea. Once passing the first phase on November 7, 2015, delightedly, they began to brainstorm a little bit more on the idea. With the high cost demanded by the production of a single lanyard, they formed the idea of using hablon to make laptop sleeves instead. They figured the cost of production would be too much for students, their initial

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF GUGma WeaVes

target consumers.

“Since a lot of young professionals use laptops, transforming hablon into laptop sleeves would make it a part of people’s everyday life,” Mikeel stated in the interview.

Their project turned into a success worth bragging about. By December 8, 2015, they’ve already formed a team of six people, adding Jam Lebrilla, Dianna Porras, Bryan Liao, and Modjeline Misme, to the group. By December 8, 2015, they’ve completed their crowd funding, receiving above P100,000, which exceeded their goal of P70,000.

BEAUTIFUL WEAVE-OUT A DOUBT A lot of people have already noticed the magic that is Gugma Weaves. With over two thousand likes on Facebook in less than a year, this popularity has driven them to make products other than scarves and laptop sleeves. Although lacking a shop in which to display and sell their products, this doesn’t stop interested consumers from buying

their hablon-made goods.

“Currently, the scarves are our on-hand items and they’re also the best sellers,” Mikeel commented “We will be releasing our laptop sleeves, external drive sleeves, and baby carriers this summer.”

With modern pieces trending all over the country, using hablon as a fashion statement seems to be refreshing and new. This is not entirely the case for Mikeel.

“We don't think what we're doing is something new, but we feel that it needs to be done,” she explained more on the core of the idea, “our commitment is to preserve the weaving culture in Iloilo, specifically in Dueñas and showcase this Ilonggo gem to the world.”

HABLON AND ON AND ON AND ON though the town of miag-ao is more historically and famously known for its hablon, Gugma Weaves”wanted to focus on the weaving history of Dueñas, instead, since they are inspired by the distinct style and texture of the craft of weaving done in Dueñas.

Upon acquiring the knowledge that the Weaving Center of Dueñas was damaged by Typhoon “Yolanda”, it was settled that they would make Dueñas the source of their hablon.

Forming a mutual relationship, Gugma decided to help reconstruct the Weaving Center and reclaim the lost livelihoods of the weavers by hiring them to make hablon.

“Gugma Weaves’ great feat is starting this endeavour,” Mikeel said proudly.

With the project not only giving way to the resurfacing of the use of hablon, but also helping the craft of weaving in Dueñas, it can easily be said that this project is a gift to Iloilo.

“Things to look forward to?”

Mikeel discussed their plans for the future “Maximized advocacy on appreciation of local culture through our products and collaborations with local artists and artisans.”

Gugma Weaves is proof that with a project like this in progress, it wouldn’t be surprising to see fading Iloilo culture shine through. It’s as if you could hear the island humming, “My art will go on”.

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ENVIRONMENT

mangrooving BY andrea nicole c. Parce

SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT - THE PLANET, EVENTUALLY, ONE MANGROVE AT A TIME

one adUlt manGroVe can store UP to 152 tons oF aboVe GroUnd biomass Per hectare.

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magine, you are walking down the alley early in the morning with your hands in your pocket, and your eyes staring directly ahead. The walls are brick-red, like your cheeks, smoldered by the combustion of gases around you. And the paved path oozes with the familiar earthy smell after a three minute drizzle.

You are throwing short quick steps, making your way to platform 9 ¾ when, in a split second, you bump into some random guy, you stare at him for some moment and you see the galaxy in his eyes. Not because he’s a “someone” you’re destined to meet, but because a pair of morning star sits patiently on his eyes’ edges. Just then, you realize you are connected. Not through the usual star-crossed-lovers-connection nor because he should thank you for the removal of his morning star before anyone else could see it, but because you breathe the same air. The sad part is, it is smog. And there’s nothing cheesy about that moment at all.

AGAINST ALL ODDS Combatting this smog would require a lot of effort. Blood and sweat should be invested, and defying the odds is the ultimate ingredient.

For the Arts and Sciences Student Council, the journey is yet but a land in the moon. Through the partnership with the City Environment and National Resources Office, the Philippine Army and Global Business Park, the Council, composed of one Prime Minister, one Deputy Prime Minister, one Secretary and nine Ministers, planted their first flag at Barangay Balabago, Jaro last November 14, 2015.

Now, the fight was between the ticking time accompanied by the high tide and the need to plant 500 bakhaw seedlings awaiting to be brought to life. What made it hard for the team was the fact that the mud would try to submerge them whenever they tried moving. “…but the longer we were pulled down, the greater we feel [that we are] stewards of the Earth.” ASSC Prime Minister, Patricia Justine Vergara, said as she related to us how grateful she was to be a part of their college’s milestone. “All of us in the council have major differences. I think this is all our tiny connection.

The desire to make this place better by planting mangroves and be one for a greener nation.”

Moreover, the council also had a talk with Engineer Hechanova, Department Head of CENRO last October 23, 2015, featuring the mangroves and their role in the history, tourism and biodiversity of Iloilo City and the Philippines as well.

“The boom of tourism here in Iloilo especially in Mandurriao was when the city government started investing in the rehabilitation of the Iloilo River and constructed a 1.2 kilometer Esplanade where mangroves now thrive after the continued efforts of incriminating those who cut old mangrove trunks for antique collection and uling.” Hechanova revealed in the talk. “Now, the close monitoring of these areas plus the removal of illegal settlers, fish pens and dikes along the river provided for the investors and stakeholders to flock in the district photographs clyde allen t. sollesta

and establish investments. This also became a venue for the mangungulings to change their ways before it is even too late.” he added.

CARBON S(T)INKS In the latest survey by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a total of 401.92 ppm atmospheric carbon dioxide has been recorded on the year 2015. Dubbed as the highest in recorded history, it has been a continuing threat to human existence.

Worse is the entire humanity has been fully aware of the signs. “It was more than hard, of course, especially when everyone else is either deviating [from] what you are fighting for or ignoring it with all intent,” Mark Hamilton Sonza, Deputy Prime Minister of the Council shared in an interview with The Augustinian. “Our major concern is more and more people are becoming vigilant, but none of them actually moves. We are minorities and our enemies are growing in number.”

According to 92 studies around the world, mangroves serve as carbon sinks which serve as natural reservoir that accumulates and stores carbon compounds more than a normal tree does.

One adult mangrove can store up to 152 tons of aboveground biomass per hectare.

Since these mangroves are reservoirs, cutting them off and selling their trunks is a boomerang effect to the ecosystem. These living things only “store” which means when they are “killed” the carbon emission that they have stored for millenniums will again be released as atmospheric carbon.

“This is the downfall that we want to avoid,” Dr. Sadaba, a UP professor, stated during his lecture last November 13, 2015. “Mangroves might eat up a lot of these atmospheric wastes, but it might also provide risks by emitting back what we have given them.”

Now, with the promulgation of Presidential Decree 705 in 1975, mangrove offenders are already within reach. Section 71 of the aforementioned Presidential Decree prohibits

anyone to cut all mangrove species. These major move was later collaborated by House Bill 460 which specializes on the restoration of mangrove ecosystems, steering away the possibilities of illegal logging.

MOVE A MUSCLE When asked about the future plans of the council, Sonza replied in a humble tone, “This is not a one-time thing.” After less than three months, the troop, again with their determination and passion to spread awareness, tagged along with them Akeanon sa San Agustin to Katunggan EcoPark at Leganes, Iloilo last February 20, 2016.

Nabitasan, Leganes, Iloilo is a coastal village with an impressive 9.5 hectares of healthy mangrove ecosystem. Its potential has not only been recognized locally. With at least nine Asian countries and various organizations who visited the Eco-Park, it has bloomed from a barren and abandoned fishpond owned by the local government of Leganes, to a premiere, internationally-acknowledged Watershed Unit in the Coastal.

“This is more of a feeling rather than just a legacy. This is more of a passion rather than just a profession. This is more of a love rather than just a like. This is more of an all-strings-attached rather than just a no-strings-attached relationship.”

Vergara told the Augustinian with a grin and a heartfelt thank you.

Their weary legs are now flimsy from walking to and fro, looking for available spots for the tiny treasures to flourish. Their stomachs already lurching, the jokes already empty from repetition throughout the duration of the fulfillment of their passions. Their bodies already exhausted, their skin, burned and grilled by the harsh heat of the sun. But then, they look around and glance at their magnum opus, a perfect blanket of lush greenery, and they realize their skins are indeed burning, but so is their desire to love and treat the Earth the way she should be treated by us---a mother, and us, her children.

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CAMPUS

OF QUILLS AND PAINTBRUSHES JOTTING DOWN THE SECRETS TO SUCCESS AND PAINTING LIFE WITH PERFECT STROKES BY andrea nicole c. Parce

D

id you happen to see, by any chance, that student who brings nothing to school during Mondays? No heavy books, no stacks of paper on one hand and no bag at all? That’s Edward Dominic Emilio, AB Political Science student of the College of Arts and Sciences walking alone at the alleys of Rada Hall while wearing the casual student aura.

Graduating from PAREF Westbridge School for Boys in 2014 as Valedictorian, Emilio has consistently retained his stature in academic excellence and even surpassed the level he has attained back at his alma mater through breaking out of his comfort zone and venturing into different fields.

“Maybe this dream in me began with the love of seeing birds

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and planes,” Emilio revealed in an interview. As a kid, he did not often speak nor write. A typical introvert back then with a few friends for company, he dreamt of becoming an astronaut until Westbridge made him a renaissance man hungry for knowledge and destined to shine.

“I knew then I wanted to excel and stand above the rest,” he added.

In 2014, he became one of the Ten Outstanding Students of Iloilo and was awarded by the Office of the City Mayor and the Outstanding Student Circle. “Edward is the type of student the teachers encounter only once or twice in their lives but they will remember him forever,” Dianne Mitzi Somollo, Emilio’s teacher, spoke as she told the Augustinian the model student that Emilio was when he was still her student. “When he was my student, class would always

be something I am excited about. He was a student who knows what he was talking.” Somollo added.

Currently, he is a speaker of USA-CAS Debate Team who recently won the cup in the St. Augustine’s Interdepartmental Debate Series and the USA Debate Team who emerged as the victor at the 2015 ILOPRISSA. Emilio is a math genius with skills on point at the 23rd Philippine Statistics Quiz, and an essayist garnering prestige in the national arena winning the 52nd National Rizal Youth Leadership Institute Essay Writing Contest placing second in 2014 and grabbing the top spot in the 450th Kaplag National Essay Writing Contest.

“Edward is a teacher’s favorite.

The teacher throws new lessons and he’s there whispering the whole plot right away,” Rhoan Anthony Fiel,

Emilio’s classmate, willingly shared.

Apart from this, Emilio has been a consistent dean’s lister since he entered the University. “Miracles happen everyday. And that’s he foretelling the lessons while we all listen at him with awe.”

Now, the 18 year old Emilio plans to finish his course and enter Law School in time. “Do not be contented with mediocrity. Always aim for the best.” Emilio added as he flashed his widest smile.

In his own world swarming with various concepts and queries, his mind dwells. Increasingly searching for veritas while accompanied by Plato and Aristotle on his little boat made from stiff dogma. Traveling and traversing through rivers with the hopes of curing the bites of the curious bug.

photograph clyde allen t. sollesta

CAMPUS

Drinking from the Ocean

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“…MAYBE YOU WERE NOT A DRINKING WATER INSIDE A BOTTLE, MAYBE YOU WERE BORN TO BE AN OCEAN.” BY jessa madeleine P. GanGe

Y

ou can usually spot her on her bicycle roaming around in and out the campus in her carefree and happy appearance. A student with high regards to culture and Arts; she is Anne Catherine Malazarte, otherwise known as Kat. A graduate of Bachelor of Sciences in Fine Arts and the first FA graduate with Latin Honors (Cum Laude). She is one of our institution’s representatives to the Ten Outstanding Students of Iloilo Awards (TOSIA) 2016.

A consummate artist, she has participated in more than 20 art exhibits over the span of 3 years.

One of her greatest achievements was being able to collaborate with a New York-based artist, JR, in a global art project Inside Out, initiating a sidewalk gallery of 3’ x 4’ portraits at the Muelle Loney Wharf on the theme: “What We Stand For”. She also has initiated several community art projects, bringing art to indigenous people, street children, supermarket vendors, female prisoners, and Yolanda survivors.

Her works have led the The Augustinian Mirror to win Best Magazine Cover Design during the Regional College Press (COPRE) Awards 2013 sponsored by the Philippine Information Agency.

Recently, she joined the Vision Petron National Student Art Competition and became the Grand Prize Winner in Video Making, topping nearly 200 film entries all over the country.

“I feel so blessed and honored.

photograph clyde allen t. sollesta

I am very grateful to have these opportunities to return all the glory to God for He is the source of all the gifts I have.” Kat happily shared.

Additionally, she was given the opportunity by the Iloilo Visual Arts Collective (IVAC) to have her first solo exhibition at the newly rise Casa Real Gallery; at the young age of 20, this young artist has led an exciting life.

Gaining these numerous accomplishments is not an easy game, but a labor of hard work. Before all these, she had encountered predicaments which set her back; Kat admitted to having struggled with depression and anxiety.

“They say that your greatest

enemy is yourself.” Kat said. “God is Light and He paved my way. He gave me art, poetry, and music. He taught me meditation and sincere praying.

I survived.” Kat added with a sincere smile.

God and her family, especially her mother, was her central source of motivation. For her, they were the ones that fueled her to keep on moving forward; they were the ones that kept her sane and loved.

Their guidance had been her rock in facing the challenges brought upon by life and it was because of them that she became the person so many are proud of today.

Her passion for culture and arts are beyond unfathomable heights;

she described these by the words of Rosvi Gaetos, “A country without arts and culture is one without a face”.

Culture and arts might not feed our stomachs, but it feeds our soul.

Kat dreams of a nation who celebrates not of monetary gain but of soulful connections and stated one last thought, “God gave us roles to play on Earth. If you think that you aren’t progressing enough in your current life, and then it’s time to reevaluate yourself; because maybe you were not a drinking water inside a bottle, maybe you were born to be an ocean”.

Indeed, there is no shortage of talented students that have brought glory to the University.

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CAMPUS

cordsOF redandGold GREAT THINGS INDEED COME IN SMALL PACKAGES JUST LIKE THE TREASURES FOUND IN THE USA MUSEUM BY jecel t. bUenaVides

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photograph john elmer j. balan

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I

wandered from wall to wall. A strong, yet imperative force is pulling me backwards.

The colors live a remarkable life of their own after they have been applied to the canvas.

The historic figures of Saint Augustine and Saint Monica seemed to convey the gist of antiquity. The powerfully built connection in that gallery of living portraits and time-honoured relics strike me with awe from within, awakening my augustinian spirit. strings

TRACING USA MUSEUM’S RICH HISTORY The establishment of the University’s Museum started in May 2000. This was when Fr. Mamerto Alfeche, O.S.A. initiated the gathering of valuable items such as sacred vessels, the sacred vestments, and the candelabras and placed it at the 3rd floor of the newly constructed Fray Luis de Leon Learning Resource Center.

Before formally having the University Museum, the antiques were kept and stored in a safe and confidential place in the University prior to it being housed in its present location. In June 2002, during the term of Fr. Manuel M. Vergara, O.S.A., the University Museum was officially created. Collections of items for the museum increased due to numerous donors and benefactors.

AUGUSTINIAN ANTIQUES THAT STOOD THE TEST OF TIME As the door of the museum opens, it felt like discovering a certain wardrobe in a spare room which is a portal in Professor Kirke’s House that linked earth through to a magical land. It was really a mystic experience, being able to witness the Augustinian history that passed through decades of tradition and culture. The museum is divided into USAiana Section, Religious Section, Spanish Section, Panayana Section and Special Collections.

The Panayana section unveils ingenious eye-popping oil on canvas of the churches here in Panay. Some of the historical churches are the Sta. Monica Parish of Pavia, St. Thomas of Villanueva Parish of Dao, Capiz, St. Jerome Parish of Dueñas and Immaculate Concepcion Metropolitan Cathedral of Roxas City. On the glass table, situated at the heart of the museum, stones from those different churches scintillate like brilliant crystals with a sparkling light passing through it.

Lined up in the USAiana section are the portraits of outstanding Augustinian graduates who had outclassed in their chosen fields; they are the vouchers of the Augustinian’s excellence in education. Some of these exceptional Augustinian graduates were Johnny Esmilla Jr., a Bachelor of

Arts graduate who placed 5th in the LET Board in 2008. Another eminent Augustinian graduate was John Uy Tan, a Bachelor of Science in Biology who placed 7th in the Medical Board in 1984. He is now a Pediatrician at Indiana, USA. John Iremil Teodoro is a leading pioneer in Philippine same-sex literature and the most published author in Kinaray-a to date. He is also a National Book Awardee for his creative non-fiction works. More magnificent and superb Augustinian graduates have their portraits being arrayed in the museum with their notable achievements in the field of literature, politics, medicine, and in our industry.

On the other hand, the Religious section divulges venerable Augustinian sacred vestments and sacred vessels while the Spanish section disclosed the blessed images of Augustine, St. Monica and various Spanish relics. Their sanctified images, despite being a bygone, can never replace the prevailing impact of their teachings.

Fascinating Augustinian special collections banded together in the farthest right corner of the museum. These comprised of piles of reading materials like novels, poems and the magazine of USA Mirror published way back October 1979.

There is also a stretched rectangular white board intended for Augustinian students to write on.

Students may transcribe their dreams, set goals and visions for the Augustinian community.

BEAUTY AND VERACITY The USA Museum showcased innumerable Augustinian graduates who continued to uplift the Augustinian name. They had been successful in their own fields, making a positive change in society.

They were solid testimonies, attesting the excellence of Augustinian education.

Augustinians excel not only academically, but also shine because of the inner beauty and splendour they possess. This is a compelling inspiration for Augustinian students who are still hard at work to receive the same victorious results. We keep in mind that intelligence alone is inadequate and that it must always be affiliated with good tenets and values. These comprise of Augustinian virtues, the virtue of Unitas, Caritas, and Veritas, which aim to promulgate God’s teachings.

While the history of the University cannot only be shown through its precious antiquities and treasures but also through the legacy of its students, it is undeniable that there is so much more to the University than its rich and vivid past; it’s the strength of its community, the tenacity of the cords of red and gold, that truly sets our University apart from others and brings glory across the sky.

the establishment oF the UniVersity’s mUseUm started in may 2000. this Was When Fr. mamerto alFeche, o.s.a. initiated the GatherinG oF ValUable items sUch as sacred Vessels, the sacred Vestments, and the candelabras and Placed it at the 3rd Floor oF the neWly constrUcted Fray lUis de leon learninG resoUrce center.

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Culture in a Cup

W

ith an extensive array of decorative and personalized mugs to memorabilia of prominent people who’ve visited the place, Madge Café exhibits itself as a café for the masses - modest, vintage, and with a feel-at-home ambiance – serving good quality coffee (and food) for affordable prices.

TIME IS GOLD Brewing its way to the hearts and tastes of Ilonggos, Madge’s started as early as 1940 inside the public market of La Paz. Looking more akin to a carinderia than a café with its native interiors, ceiling fans and plastic chairs and tables, Madge was actually named after Magdalena, the wife of the forefather of the place. Passed from generation to next, the establishment has changed little since but it has maintained their signature coffee.

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ordinary folk, medical students, professionals to politicians, it’s certainly no wonder why they’ve stayed so long in the industry – even opening up a new branch at The Shops at Atria in San Rafael, Mandurriao.

Servers at Madge waste no time in warmly accommodating customers – instantaneously greeting our party as we arrived and took our seats next to an impressive canvas painting. Once comfortably settled and handed a menu, the server then acquainted us their best sellers and also informed us of what’s available for the day. Their hot and cold drinks range from strong, mild and regular coffee- Media Café, Media Regular, Media Tab-ang, and Media Puro - to cappuccinos, lattes, native chocolate, and tea. Listed on their menu, Madge also offers varying silogs, snacks, and pancit.

Deciding on the best sellers Media Regular, Iced Coffee and Imported Chocolate Cake, and a new drink, Caramel Macchiato (Plus pasta! It was lunch after all.

HOW TRADITION GOES WITH MODERNIZATION BY nicole ailice F. serisola

One does not order silog on a lunch time), our server took our orders and within a few minutes, our coffee was served – freshly brewed from an area stall full of mugs. Curious as to how the process is done, we made our way to the booth at the corner where the beverages are meticulously made by carefully accustomed and skilled hands. Finely strained from native coffee grounds (the coffee beans are proudly grown here in Iloilo) and free-poured with milk, drinks are first poured in a thick tumbler glass then transferred to mugs and glasses to be served with. If you’re a regular, you have the privilege of having your very own mug – saved especially for you every time you come back.

Upon first sip, Media Regular sure lives up to its reputation with its strong, creamy, albeit bittersweet taste – just the perfect formula for a lively cup of coffee – accompanied

with an aromatic scent and a positive aftertaste lingering on the tongue that makes you want for more. The Iced Coffee, on the other hand, accentuates the milky essence in the drink with its cold brew. The coffee is quite distinguishable, strong and full in flavor but not harsh.

The newbie in the group, Caramel Macchiato, tastes sweeter than the iced coffee – playfully hinting the perfect blend of sweetness of dulce de leche with the coffee.

While I would not necessarily suggest garlic sticks garnished vertically on pasta (it goes well on the sides, I’m sorry – not jammed in the center) both are flavored to the consistency of Pinoy’s taste – carbonara is savory, and the spaghetti is sure as balls Filipino with its heavy serving of sauce and meats such as hotdog. After all, we Filipinos are heavy laden when it comes to

photographs mara elaiZa a. Flores and john elmer j. balan

FOOD&LIFESTYLE

sauce, don’t we?

Also, remember that chocolate cake that your grandmas or moms would serve you on your birthdays when you were still a kid? Imported Chocolate (Calea’s) lets you reminisce the memory, all the while indulging in the rich and sinful slice of it, with the enticing chocolate sauce over on top and filling of thick dulce de leche goodness.

Technically speaking, what we ate was considered a snack – but sure enough, we ended up full.

MADGE CAFÉ 2.0 Heading to Madge’s new spanking branch, the establishment takes on a modern twist on things, upping the setting and décor (its Mugs Mania - check out the glass mugs chandelier and the clock!) but still maintaining the theme and ambiance of the café their patrons come back for, even proudly displaying its Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. They innovated a bit from their La Paz’s branch menu and introduced new items such

as beverage coolers, shakes, more pasta, and burgers and tacos. Still, we came for the good old coffee.

Media Café tastes bitter albeit ambrosial - definitely the type for thick-lined stomachs and coffee drinkers who like their drinks bitter - it has milk, but you will not find solace in its sweetness there – it is what you can say, Media Regular’s big tough brother. Mocha Latte is a chocolate infused version of Iced Coffee. It’s neither too sweet nor chocolaty. Choco Caliente in the meanwhile, is native hot chocolate – having the consistency of light syrup and the moderate chocolate sweetness of cacao – and best to pair it with? Madge’s Suman Latik.

Royal Bibingka is absolutely soft as a baby and fluffy as cake.

Never having Betchukoy before, it turns out that it tastes like a Pinoy version of a glazed doughnut – only elongated. Both are great to go with the coffee as a morning or afternoon snack.

Onwards with the Tuna Pesto – it didn’t really come out as expected.

The pasta was penne, lathered with carbonara sauce mixed with basil and tuna. The blending was indeed flavorful (perhaps the pesto was powder, not sauce – they have it in supermarkets, see – or the sauce overpowered the pesto), but as I’d point out, the name of the dish had mislead me – either that, or it was mislabeled. Usually, when you say pesto, you will literally get pesto – green paste goodness. The other, Sweet Ham Fettuccine, was a somewhat, cheesier and milkier version of Filipino sauce I’ll admit – only slightly varied from Madge’s Pinoy Spaghetti with the fettuccine cooked al dente – soft, not overdone – and with strips of thick succulent ham slices.

For the redemption from my pasta – aka my dessert - Mango Cheesecake tasted delightful. The cream cheese was soft, airy, and not packed – perfect to go with its mango and gelatin topping, and moist but crumbly biscuit base.

Sweet and sour balances the cheesecake, with the sweetness

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slightly overwhelming at first, then the tinge of the sourness from the mangoes comes forth with a burst.

Once again, we came for coffee and snacks – but still ended up satisfactorily full.

As always, Madge’s service, no matter where, is exceedingly excellent, never failing to accommodate their customers – treating them as guests rather than clienteles. Madge is the type of place wherein your one time shot dining experience makes you remember it exceptionally well from the rest.

It might be old-fashioned or a bit laid back from its commercialized café brethren, but with this, Madge makes its mark on its customers.

It’s surely not a fancy restaurant for fine dining, a fast food chain, or a bookish café, but it is definitely a coffee shop for the masses – you can’t go wrong with their coffee and hospitality – a place full of sobremesa, of gatherings and meaningful conversations over good coffee, of bonds that are formed for a lifetime.

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REELING IN STYLE: BEHIND THE SEAMS

THREE OF ILOILO’S BIGGEST FASHION ICONS CONNECT WITH THEIR INNER DIVAS BY aimee andrea d. Gaje

F

rom left to right: The fashion trio that’s redefining Iloilo’s fashion scene: Ryan Hinayhinay, Kit Oliver Lapating, and Jay-r Solinap Bonding over their undeniable love for fashion, Iloilo’s resident fashionistas Ryan Hinayhinay, 25, Kit Oliver Lapating, 20, and Jay-r Solinap, 21, have a lot more in common than people can comprehend. From working on their

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own personal style to attending big events like the Philippine Fashion Week, these three will definitely have you redefining your own definition of squad goals.

FORMING THE FRIENDSHIP Having met together in college, the fashion trio instantly bonded over their shared interests and passion for fashion. “Kit, Jay-r, and I met in school because we have the same college course. We got

to know each other because we have a lot of things in common.

We love to play dress up, and we love to do shopping from the thrift stores, malls and the internet. Our friendship keeps getting stronger because we help and support each other’s goals and dreams in life,” said Ryan Hinayhinay, a freelance fashion stylist to some of the biggest names in Iloilo’s local fashion scene, having worked with popular fashion designers like Bo Parcon and Xernan

Orticio.

ON PERSONAL STYLE Jay-R Solinap, a photographer and visual artist – known for his dark and mysterious outfits that resemble those of quirky Hollywood stars like Lady Gaga – says that he really is fond of anything dark. “I think it’s very essential for me to have the color black in my look. I am fascinated with anything dark, contrast, avant-garde, surreal and

ARTWORK anne catherine d. malaZarte

FOOD&LIFESTYLE

edgy. I believe these things have greatly influenced my style, he says One of Iloilo’s cutting-edge fashion darlings who has worked with some of Iloilo’s Young Designers in photo shoots and fashion shows, Kit Oliver Lapating was inspired to dress in a distinct fashion because of stylish women in the 80’s to 90’s. “I was inspired by the way they dress up, being unique and genuine in their own style. It’s just so fab being out of the basics,” Lapating says. “I have always loved fashion. It’s the big expression of who I am. It’s a lifestyle that I’ve been living with for so long.”

Ryan Hinayhinay, who has an impressive fashion resume – which includes being a fashion designer, wardrobe stylist, and model – backing him up, says that his way of dressing started when he was in high school. “My classmate bought fashion magazines and I got a chance to borrow some. I was inspired when I browsed the pages; seeing models and fashion icons wearing nice clothes. Then I told myself that someday, I wanted to wear fashionable clothes and be

stylish like them. Day by day I started to pick some inspirations from the magazines on how to dress myself every time I go out on the weekends.

I found out that I was starting to express myself through my style.”

ON BASHERS AND CRITICISM Of course, with great style comes great criticism, and these three definitely have a lot of experience from people who don’t appreciate their fashion sense.

“Well, basically, our society will always criticize you for being different, but at the end of the day, it is our own principles that motivate us to continue expressing ourselves regardless of what everybody else is saying. Focus solely on what you believe is right,” says Solinap.

“Criticism is inevitable. Most especially when I was still studying at university, where discrimination was rampant. We weren’t allowed to show any expression of ourselves. It was so grueling not being free. The feeling was like being imprisoned in someone else’s personality,” says lapating.

“I experience criticism often

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ryan hinaynay, Kit laPatinG and jay-r solinaP

times. People laugh or talk behind your back, and others will judge you about how you look. But I think I don’t have to be really worried about it. As what the saying goes, you can’t appreciate things you don’t understand,” says Hinayhinay.

STYLING TIPS AND EMPOWERING ADVICE It wouldn’t be right to interview some of Iloilo’s biggest fashionistas and not ask about some of their best styling tips and advice, right?

With wardrobes bigger than we can imagine, these style icons definitely have a lot of options to choose from, and they were definitely more than willing to share some of their best advice when it comes to improving your own personal style.

“Choose some pieces that you can find in your closet, then mix and match to create a style that fits your body frame. Most importantly, pick something that fits your personality.

If you’re not comfortable with what you’re wearing, don’t wear it! Also, pick the right shoes to wear. Your shoes are the base of your whole outfit,” says Hinayhinay, whose

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fashion inspirations include Karl Lagerfeld and James Dean.

With fashion inspirations like Audrey Hepburn, Princess Diana, and Anne Curtis, Lapating has a lot of advice to give. “Hide what you think are your weaknesses and flaunt every asset you have. Be your own fashion; your own statement to be remembered and not trashed. Don’t hold back any fear and be loud!

Your fear will turn into your strength and power that will be the key to jumpstart the expression of freedom.

Be firm about what you believe is the best. Set goals to achieve and finish as a champion. Let it out and be proud because there’s no you-er than you! Be real to seal your life’s big deal.”

Sharing with us his first fashion memory of going to a fashion show and being able to wear a dress for the first time, Solinap is no stranger to being unique when it comes to fashion. “We all need a splash of bad taste. You need to see the look as one total unit, but you should also have a focal point you want to exaggerate or highlight. Fearfulness will get you nowhere.”

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STREET PLATTERS on

INTERNATIONAL PLATES SEE HOW THESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY TAKE THE ULTIMATE STREET FOOD TASTE TEST BY melKy b. arboleda

J

ust as the blue sky was tinged with red orange, smoke from grilled skewered food cooked over burning coal and hot oil appeared and vanished into thin air.

Across the street from the side gate of the University of San Agustin up to the side gate of Iloilo Robinsons Mall are queues of food carts serving assorted skewered meats and innards— the ultimate Pinoy street food. Following the mainstream Chinese, Japanese, and Thai food, will the Filipino street food find its way to international mouths without the racial barf bags for strange and too-exotic tastes?

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From the mundane to the bizarre dishes, Filipino street food is a cut above the rest for it reflects our strongest collective quality as a people— resourcefulness. Our culinary daredevils have transformed the “disgusting” animal parts into one culinary masterpiece of a snack that is in a class all its own.

PECULIAR SNACKS Many people prefer to eat street food for various reasons.

“Filipinos are known to enjoy the average three meals a day plus merienda and snacks,” remarked Henrylito D. Tacio of the Philippine Daily Inquirer in his article, Street

Food: to Eat or Not to Eat. “Filipinos race to the streets to satisfy their hunger for their favorite street food for a few pesos,” he further explained.

A popular kiosk serves scrumptious artery-clogging fried chicken pops and chicken skin. On a big stainless plate nestle orange balls of kwek-kwek made from boiled quail eggs coated with flour and food flavoring deep-fried until golden brown, chicken proben that is essentially from the proventriculus part of chicken, which is dipped in cornstarch and then deep-fried, and fish balls. Although, today, fish balls can also be seen inside the malls,

FOOD&LIFESTYLE

nothing beats the one sold on the streets topped with either a sweet or spicy sauce. Meanwhile, also sold on a Barbeque stall are isaw (skewered chicken intestines), atay (liver), chicken thigh, iwi (butt-end), betamax (dried chicken or pork blood in cubes), and pork strips and other chicken and pork parts speared on bamboo sticks.

UNRAVELING FOREIGNER’S PERCEPTION The Filipino food, juxtaposed with a pleasing palate of flavors, mirrors our distinct ethnicity and ingenuity. These foods make us really feel at home, but what if the foreigners try what is “not homey” for them? How would they react to food that for us is acceptably delicious?

To answer these questions, the augustinian began the taste test challenge by randomly picking three University of San Agustin international students with different cultural upbringing to share their thoughts on various Filipino street food.

The students began the taste test with the chicken skin, which drew mixed reviews.

Joseff Gagajena, a Filipino-

photographs clyde allen e. sollesta

American student, when asked for his first impression says, “It looks exotic. It looks like something weird, (but) in a good way. The food’s looks says if it’s gonna come alive, I guess it would say, ‘come on eat me, I’m delicious.’” After the first bite he added, “If you ask me, there’s no difference on whatever country the food comes from. It’s just the same chicken I ate back in America, although there’s still something unique in the Filipino food.”

On the other hand, when the Nigerian student named Elizabeth Iwuoha was first asked to try the food, she was scared and hesitant.

“What is that?!” she says, but then again because she has friends trying to convince her and because of the curiosity to discover new culture through food, she tasted it, though found it not really fine.

Kim Gyeong Ryeol, a South Korean student, didn’t hold back to taste the food and enjoyed every piece of it. “It’s my top choice when I first tasted Filipino street foods,” he added.

Liver BBQ was next on the list and quickly became a hit among the international students, except for Iwuoha who personally doesn’t like

liver. For Gagajena, he said, "I kinda liked it. It tastes like meat." Ryeol shared Gagajena’s impression.

Then, they moved on to kwekkwek (deep-fried battered quail eggs), which drew completely different reactions.

“It tastes almost like bread,” Gagajena stated. On the other hand, Iwuoha noticed, "We have food like it, but it’s all flour and without egg.

It’s called “puff-puff” back in our country."

But even the most adventurous was taken aback when they were served isaw (skewered chicken intestines). "What the heck is this?!" is the first impression of Gagajena.

“When I heard it was intestine, I thought it was gross. It tastes bland.

It’s something I don’t enjoy eating but it still has appeal,” he added.

On the other hand, Iwuoha says, “We eat chicken intestine in our country. That is why isaw is not that much strange for me, and I also like the way it is cooked here.”

Meanwhile, Ryeol had a more subdued response. He simply says, "The taste is good for me."

A COMMUNAL SNACK Through the eyes of the locals,

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street food do not just represent their ingenuity as Filipinos but it also serves as the common ground in building stronger connections with their family and friends, the most.

According to Earl Aaron Reyes, a Foreign Service student with his friends commented that, “Honestly, at first I don’t eat street foods because I was warned before of the health risks it might give. However, as I grew up, I’ve learned to like the food as most of my friends also eat those. It becomes a common delicacy in our bonding time.”

Pinoy street food is a form of deviance cooking. It is culinary evidence that supports the Filipino’s love for anything different— a musttry for everyone to have a taste, literally, of his own flavorful culture.

Pinoy street food, no matter how revolting it may be to other cultures, is only one of many delectable delights on the Filipino menu. It is a welcome sign that says, ‘Filipino food,’ the authentic one, that is, ‘opens many doors.’ Filipino food is as complex as the history of the people that savor it every day, and as mysterious and surreal as the island myths that dot the archipelago on which they sing, love, and feast.

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REVIEWS

The Merc with a Mouth

6.7 / 10

deadPool MOVIE REVIEW BY aimee andrea d. Gaje

A former Special Forces operative living in New York City, Wade Wilson is a mercenary who had just been diagnosed with cancer. Everything was going great in his life before the diagnosis, as he and his girlfriend Vanessa just recently got engaged. In an attempt to save Vanessa from the pain of seeing him go through the pain, Wade decides to go through with the procedure offered by a shady recruiter, who promised a cure for cancer. Wade meets a man named Ajax – who ends up mutating Wade’s genes, thereby curing his cancer and giving him superhuman abilities along with a disfigured appearance – and he and Wade become the bane of each other’s lives.

Wade eventually goes into hiding because of his newfound figure and takes on the name Deadpool as he hunts down Ajax.

If you aren’t already a fan of Ryan Reynolds, then this is one movie that will definitely turn you into a surefire convert. Bringing to life the Marvel comic-book antihero Deadpool in a film of the same name, Reynolds definitely brings justice to the famous character with all of the incessant smart jokes and witty comebacks. With the whole

6.9 / 10

ROTTEN TOMATOES

6.5 / 10

METACRITIC

film revolving around Deadpool’s smart-mouthed, almost satirical attitude and dark sense of humor, Ryan Reynolds is definitely the perfect fit for the oftentimes underrated comic book character’s film personification. Balancing out the contrast of Deadpool’s twisted humor and dark comedy, the whole film surprisingly has an air of lightness all throughout, despite the fact that it’s totally gory, action-packed and full of misfortune. Although totally clad in red Spandex from head to toe and looking like a warped version of Spiderman, Deadpool nevertheless manages to capture his audience’s attention by continuously breaking the fourth wall – or in other words, addressing the people whom he knows are watching him in the movie – and spitting out rapid-fire film and pop culture references like there’s no tomorrow.

Moreover, on a much lighter note, you might also find it absolutely insane that the whole Deadpool-

Ajax rivalry has its roots from a petty and childish argument between the two concerning Ajax’s real name, which just so happens to be Francis.

Probably the only thing that’s serious about this movie is the love story between Wade and Vanessa, which is actually pretty inspiring if you hold out a flag for their love team too. If you keep yourself up to date with the latest trends and have a good ear at catching hidden puns, then you most definitely will appreciate the humor that this whole film propped itself up on. Overall, if you’re looking to have a good laugh and just want to forget about certain things for a little while, then you might want to see this movie. You’ll most certainly get your fix of nostalgia – Deadpool is a character from comic books your childhood probably consisted of – and also fire up your inner child, just waiting for the right moment to connect with you.

THRead Generation (Three Generation)

a sPool oF blUe thread BOOK REVIEW BY aimee andrea d. Gaje

“We are one of those enviable families that radiate unity, togetherness and just specialness,” claims the Whitshank family.

A Spool of Blue Thread, written by Anne Tyler, begins with a typical couple, Red and Abby Whitshank, preparing for bed. Their serene night is interrupted by the loud ringing of the phone. The caller is their son, Denny, who distanced himself from the family for some time. Red soon replaces APRIL 2016

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the receiver and echoed what he had gotten from the call saying “Denny said he needed to tell me something. He’s gay.”

Red and Abby Whitshank, raised three successful, happily married children who have decided not to leave the family’s portals. However, the family’s black sheep was Denny, their fourth child and clearly the best-looking one, but a child who never stopped making them worry. After his phone call saying he was gay, he later on admitted that he had impregnated a woman. Over the years he’s shocked his parents with his dissipated life and especially with his apparent disregard for them.

Most of the action takes place in, or around, the large family home. Everything begins with the house and the strange, obsessive man who constructed it and continues until the 30-year later version of Abby and Red, their grandchildren. This is a novel that embodied the connection of three generations of people belonging in a family. Their shared stories and long-kept secret defined their familial connection. Tyler’s creative narration gives us a glance of the relationship of love, envy and anger that created characters that succeeded in investing their own attitudes just within them.

Anne Tyler is apparently one of those authors who can take such a mundane story of family life and turn it into a dramatic tale that is deemed to be so compelling every day. The characters are seemingly real that they could walk right into your home. And when you finish reading the novel, you would feel like saying farewell to the family members.

With the advent of modernization, family ties are also at stake. Reading this novel would be timely. Its relatable aspects would draw realizations to family relationships. Who doesn't know a family with a black sheep like Denny? In a family there will always be somebody who would choose to eat pasta when everybody else would pick pizza.

Rarely, there is an Abby version of us that would patiently look after this black sheep.

In life no matter how attached we are to something, we can never know what happens next. Similar to the novel, the last chapter didn’t give exactly a happy nor sad ending; it was just like any other mundane day for the family. As what Abby said to her daughter Jeannie, "The trouble with dying is that you don't get to see how everything turns out. You won't know the ending."

lines read lines

photograph clyde allen e. sollesta model Coleen beatrix j. alcarde

illustration john elmer j. balan