REVIEW: 'Haring Tub-l' ('Ubu Roi')--Explosive play sends up elections, power politics

Explosive play sends up elections, power politics
By Walter Ang
May 2, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sipat Lawin Ensemble's "Haring TUbu-l" is an explosive production, figuratively and literally. The "ticket" is a paper bag (think airplanes) stamped with an ominous warning that you can use the bag, just don't give up on the production. Obviously, this isn't for mainstream theatergoers.

But for those who have a sense of humor and adventure, an appreciation for irony and a strong constitution, it's one of the most fun and funny productions you'll ever get to see. Audiences at the performance we saw were laughing throughout the very tight one hour run. Mind you, the laughter ranges from nervous to approving and frequently switches back and forth.

The title alone foretells of the scatological humor involved (a friend who knows Bisaya explained it to this Manileño). The show's own announcements state it is "set inside a toilet bowl" and "pukes excess filth, greed, avarice, gluttony, ambition, filth, greed ? [ad infinitum]."

Yes, it is toilet humor brought to an extreme but well-thought out and intelligent level. It is difficult to write about the production without giving away the elements that make it a fun experience, and while we will attempt to give as little away as possible, fair warning, spoilers follow.

Ridiculous and ugly
In this Tagalog translation of French playwright Alfred Jarry's "Ubu Roi" (King Ubu), the first thing audiences see are twisted orange plastic pipes hung on the walls wrapped with translucent cable binders: stiff, prickly strands of white hair on grotesque, ribbed skin in the shape of human genitalia.

The production designers amplify the cast's excessive cursing and coarse body language by using disfiguring make-up and disproportional bodies on the actors. They also employ gelatinous goo and slimy concoctions to stand in for body fluids and parts that are secreted, excreted, expelled and, sometimes, forcibly removed. Sound designer Teresa Barrozo adds the necessary layer that pushes the play along.

The group, composed of alumni (theater majors) of the Philippine High School for the Arts, makes the audience sit as close to their performance area as possible. As the actors play out the story of how Papa Ubu and Mama Ubu use malevolent means to rise to power (and how they wantonly abuse it later on), almost everything is thrown in the air and audiences alternately scream and cheer as they dodge the projectiles.

The production's execution is a prime example of "the medium is the message." Director JK Anicoche brilliantly pushes the text to its limits and creates all of these vulgar metaphors to expose how coveting and abusing power is a disgusting and ridiculous enterprise. Shown in all its offensive and ugly glory, the recognition and acknowledgement makes us laugh at it all.

Wonderful and unrelenting
While the upcoming elections flavor the play with criticizing government, it is not difficult to apply the production's representations to any kind of venture that involves power grabbing, whether it's between family or friends, institutions like the church, hospitals and the academe, and even at the workplace.

We all know evil power-hungry people who are insane and repulsive. And they are all brought to life by the wonderfully talented pair of Nar Cabico (Papa Ubu) and Sheenly Gener (Mama Ubu). Their cohorts and victims are deftly threshed out by Dorothea Marabut (Prinsipesa Bukake) and Acey Aguilar (Kapitan Tutan).

The four are a whirlind of intensity, emotion and physical dexterity. Blows come in quick succession and from all over the place, you won't be able to let your guard down. It's easy to miss how sincere and real they actually make their characters amidst the hilarity and chaos, but do watch out for touching and poignant moments they insert into the play's rumble.

Laughter and guilt
The production has been using Facebook as one of its primary publicity tools. It even launched an online video audition competition for one of the cameo parts in the show (winners get to watch for free).

Yet when you get there, the clean, detached and safe nature of using a computer screen to interact with the world is replaced with tangibility and immediacy.

SLE mandates a maximum of 30 people to be accommodated per show. The play's first run alternated between Mogwai Cinematheque in Cubao Shoe Expo and The Living Room in Malate. We caught the show in Mogwai and the small space soon became claustrophobic as it filled with the heat generated by the lights and human bodies.

Body parts mash into each other when audiences flinch and squirm in unison. The audience members are not allowed to remain as mere spectators. Part of the fun and excitement of watching this production is that we are forced to participate at various points. This play is not something to be watched than it is to be experienced.

These different staging elements show us how the production craftily indulges in its own power play. In all its deliberate shenanigans and gratuity, it blasts to smithereens boundaries and notions of what theater can possibly be. In the way it evokes nervous (or excited) anticipation, it assaults our perceptions and defense mechanisms. The word "mindf**k" is appropriate.

The insights, realizations and guilt (hopefully) come later on. It's all fun and laughs in the moment but after the show you realize how easy it is to fall into mob mentality, how stealthily evil machinations can sweep you away, how easy it is to abuse power that it given to you. You think back to when the audience is asked to kill one of the innocent characters. Why was it so easy to gleefully oblige?

Haring TUbu-L will have a re-run May 3 to 12, dubbed as "The Return of the Comeback of the New And Improved Newly Scented Haring TUbu-L," which will "serve as a countdown to the May 10 elections," in different venues. Call 0917-500-8753.

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/sundaylifestyle/sundaylifestyle/view/20100502-267565/Explosive-play-sends-up-elections-power-politics

Expect dancing at LRT 2 on April 29, 2010 (Int'l Dance Day)

Expect dancing at LRT 2 on April 29
By Walter Ang
April 26, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Commuters using the Light Rail Transit 2 line will be in for a surprise (or shock) on April 29 when dancers dressed as regular passengers start dancing inside the trains and at certain stations throughout the afternoon.

On that day, the dancers will be celebrating International Dance Day with the passengers. Founded in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute of UNESCO and celebrated every April 29, the date commemorates the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre, a French dancer and balletmaster known as a great reformer of dance. In the Philippines, the last week of April is also National Dance Week.

Titled "Moving Dance @ The LRT Dance Express," more than 20 dancers will stage contemporary dance pieces beginning at the Legarda station, ride the train (and dancing inside) going to the Katipunan station where they will also perform. "They will then again ride and dance on a train, this time to the Cubao station, and perform for about half an hour," says Myra Beltran.

Mapping
Beltran is the current vice chair of Contemporary Dance Network Philippines, the group that has partnered with the management of the LRT to stage this public performance. The group, chaired by Angel Lawenko-Baguilat, is composed of contemporary dance companies, artists, school-based organizations, critics and institutions, whose goal is to promote contemporary dance in the Philippines.

Participating groups in "Moving Dance" include Airdance, U.P. Dance Co., Lyceum Dance Theatre, Chameleon Dance, Benilde de Romancon Dance Co. and Myra Beltran's Dance Forum.

"This event is part of CDNP's Contemporary Dance Map series," she says. "We map alternative spaces for dance in a performance-tour of these spaces. The series started in 2005 and has since continued yearly and still remains the forum by which contemporary dance artists in urban Metro Manila renew and re-think their commitment to contemporary dance ? both in the creative aspect and in the training and nurturing of new talent."

The Contemporary Dance Map series has staged productions in spaces like the underpass in Quezon City Circle and art galleries like Mag:Net and Green Papaya Arts Projects.

This year, the exercise of "mapping" is layered with new meanings in relation to how people "move" from place to place. "The idea is that movement through time and space is inherent in dance, but dance itself will be moved across space and time by the LRT - hence, `moving dance,'" Beltran says.

Transiting
Beltran points out that the Light Rail Transit has many similar things to dance, especially contemporary dance.

"Both move through space and time," she says. "And within that encompassing frame are individuals who meet or collide briefly, whose sense of space and time intersect for a brief period within a broader trajectory of movement. For a brief time, each moves according to the space given ? but each has a story to tell, and for brief periods, all meet in the same space, at the same time."

Using this as a jumping off point, she notes that the dancers will use deliberate movement. "Each dance contains a story," she says. "On each station is a story that typifies the stories of the many individuals who ride on the LRT. Stories of love, encounter, anxiety, exuberance, waiting, frustration ... these are all the worlds in an LRT station, and these are the worlds that can be told in dance."

Nonetheless, the dancers want the public to "not to expect a performance." The prepared dance pieces and expected dance improvisations to be performed will be "seemingly pedestrian" and site-specific." "We want to surprise the audience to the accessibility of dance," Beltran says. "Our concept is to blur the line between the normal and the everyday with the idea of 'performance.'"

She notes that the intention of International Dance Day is to "bring all dance together on this day, to celebrate this art form and revel in its universality, to cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers and bring people together in peace and friendship with a common language - dance."

"We want to let the public become aware of this annual celebration of and for dance," she adds. "Dance knows no class, no race, no boundary. Dance is for all."

"Moving Dance @ The LRT Dance Express" is from 1pm to 5pm. Call 0917-5760212 or 0917-5269724.

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100426-266416/Expect-dancing-at-LRT-2-on-April-29

Macau: From the Grand Prix race to Cirque du Soleil

Macau: From the Grand Prix race to Cirque du Soleil
By Walter Ang
April 25, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

While Macau is known more as a gambling destination, we discovered more to it: lots of man-made (with the help of machines) magic. We spent a weekend marveling at how man uses both mind and machine to maneuver great speeds and how machines can help man use his muscles to fly.

One of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China (the other being Hong Kong), Macau is about as big as Makati City and a sizeable portion of it lies on reclaimed land. To the west lies the Pearl River Delta, with Guangdong province to the north, and the South China Sea to the south.

Inquirer Lifestyle was invited to the Windsor Arch 56th Macau Grand Prix, which includes the FIA Formula 3 Intercontinental Cup, the FIA World Touring Car Championship, and the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix. While watching races like these on TV gives you the best views, nothing beats actually being ringside with the smell of gasoline in the air, the energy of the crowd pumping your adrenaline, and the rumble of engines roaring in your ears.

Every year
The races use the Guia Circuit, city streets transformed into a racetrack 3.8 miles long with "long, fast straights" and "sharply twisting corners." It's recognized as "one of the most demanding circuits in the world." You can only imagine the kind of mental agility and eye-hand coordination needed to be a racer, especially when "the gravity exerted here on the riders and drivers is similar to that experienced by fighter pilots."

Our group was able to cozy up to the car of French racer Jean-Karl Vernay. While all the media from other countries were in the Touring Car area, in typical Pinoy usisero mode, the Filipino cotingent snooped around till we ended up in the Formula 3 area. Yes, it's really him and it's really his car. You can only see his nose since his helmet covered up most of his head, but his name on the side of the car. And, yes, we admit it, we were his lucky charms, that's how he ended up winning second place.

The Macau Grand Prix race weekend is held in November. Though it's summer time now, you can still get your racing fix by visiting the Grand Prix Museum. And in any case, Macau hosts plenty of events to keep you busy throughout the year. Aside from racing, there are events and festivals that feature culture, religion, arts, music, sports and food.

Museums
We spent the remainder of our stay exploring the streets and sights. There's a multitude of museums, temples, gardens, and churches to visit. We began with the Macau Musuem, which gives an overview of the area's history. Its heritage as a seaport gateway for Western trades to enter China and as a colony of Portugal has allowed Macau to become a salad bowl of contrasting cultures existing side by side.

Of course, a trip to Macau is incomplete without a photo session at the ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral, built in 1602 and destroyed by fire in 1835. From here, it's on to Senado Square, lined with stores and shops filled with all sorts of good buys, whether food, crafts, jewelry, clothing or otherwise.

Both the cathedral and square are part of the "Historic Centre of Macau," a World Heritage Site with streets and plazas that link a succession of over twenty monuments and structures. Here, buildings with "old" architectural styles are never destroyed, and instead, are conserved and used in bright, colorful new ways.

Adventurous travelers will love the opportunity to explore the streets on their own (since guidebooks and maps are available for free) but if you prefer a guide, the tourism office in Senado Square provides free tours.

Meat and muscle
Local cuisine should always be part of the travel agenda, so our group tried out Macanese specialties like caldo verde (soup made with kale), chouriço (Portugese sausage), and bacalhau (codfish). Serradura or cream with chocolate "sawdust" quickly became our favorite dessert during our three-day stay.

The group didn't have time to try out the Macau Tower's famous 233-meter sky-jump (like bungee jumping but you're tied from your back instead, so you fall with all extremities flapping in the air). Instead, we let the experts do the flying at Cirque Du Soleil's "Zaia," a 90-minute production featuring 75 performers from all over the world.

This is the only permanent Cirque show in Asia and has its own theater inside the vast Venetian Hotel. It features Filipina Krisbelle Paclibar-Mamangun, a former lead dancer of Ballet Philippines, as part of its cast.

The show's core presentation of agility, movement and aerial acrobatics is amplified by grand spectacle. Even before the show starts, the theater's interiors lead the eyes toward the (more than 80-feet high) ceiling, bracing the audience for how high the show's performers actually fly during the show.

If you can tear your eyes from all the somersaulting, balancing, and contorting happening on stage, taking in the immense technology that allow the performers to do what they do is also a show unto itself. Giant sets rise and fall from the stage floors, up and down from the rafters, and all around the entire audience area in precise and coordinated movements with music and lighting.

Try to crane your neck as far as it can go to see the huge crossbar and track above the audience area that moves humans and set pieces like a 25-feet diameter globe throughout the theater. Peeking at the back of the theater also reveals where (and how high) performers are perched before they fly into the audience. The rafters of the stage have trapdoors that go even higher for performers to exit from.

We started our trip with speed and ended it with flight. It was a heady, exciting and awe-inspiring way to end a quick visit to Macau.

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/travel/travel/view/20100425-266236/Macau-From-the-Grand-Prix-race-to-Cirque-du-Soleil

Confident, yes; arrogant, no: The John Robert Powers way

Confident, yes; arrogant, no: The John Robert Powers way
By Walter Ang
April 20, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

"There is a huge difference between confidence and arrogance," Marivic Padilla says. "It all goes back to 'The Golden Rule.' That will never be passé." Padilla has been helping Filipinos find their own sense of self and style for the past 25 years as international director of the John Robert Powers school.

The school is popularly known for its "personality development" courses. Towards this end, there are classes in social graces, poise and carriage, grooming, communications and even modeling. Padilla notes that the school's mission is to "help individuals achieve their maximum potential through confidence building, communication proficiency, and image enhancement."

The school follows a core curriculum developed by John Robert Powers. Powers is credited for starting the professional modeling industry when he started training actors in New York City to pose for magazine advertisements in the 1920s. He founded a modeling agency and, eventually, his personality development school.

Powers has said that "there is no such thing as an unattractive person, just some people who do not know how to make the most of themselves." There are now more than 70 JRP schools worldwide.

Total
The school's defining thrust is on building "the entire personality." "You can take workshops to learn how to speak English well, but you might not have good social graces. You can learn to model but not know how to speak well and that would affect your chances of getting modeling jobs. You can be very good at your job but maybe you always wear the wrong outfits, making people think you're not that good," she says.

"We help our students become well-rounded individuals. Our programs are tailor-fit for what a student needs. We conduct consultations first to guarantee the sessions we give you are relevant to your requirements."

This formula has worked for many of their alumni. American First Ladies Jackie Kennedy and Betty Ford and many celebrities attended Powers schools. For parents who might need an extra push in convincing their children to take classes, they can drop names like Katie Holmes and Ashton Kutcher as recent alumni.

"Teenagers come in here with their heads bowed, barely speaking a word. They go through our courses and really blossom. It's very fulfilling to see them change and to hear later on that they're doing better in school," she says.

As a testament to the usefulness of the programs and how much it can potentially change people, she shares, "One of our alumni recently came back to enroll her own kids."

Stimulating
Students, whether children, teenagers or adults, won't suffer through stuffy lectures. Classrooms are done in a plethora of colors for stimulation. There are rehearsal halls with wall-length mirrors and make-up rooms where students actually "walk the talk."

There are even dining rooms where students learn table manners. All classes have less than ten students to ensure the facilitators can monitor and encourage progress.

Professionals can avail of career-oriented programs to help them no matter what field they work in. "We have modules for people in corporate environments and even for the fashion or the performing arts industries," she notes. "Working on the skills that allow you to be comfortable and confident enough to let people get to know the real you can really help push your career and life to higher levels."

The corporate programs include topics like executive grooming as well as building proficiency in communications and English. There are also programs geared for adults who'd like to break into the performance industries that include components such as hosting, runway, photo posing, stage presence, audience appeal and theater work.

Accessible
While the summer break usually allows younger students to attend classes, Padilla notes that classes are held throughout the year and there are several class schedules (e.g. night and weekend classes) to choose from for students who are already working.

To provide students easier access to these programs, there are JRP school branches in Makati, Quezon City and Alabang.

On top of overseeing the schools in Manila, Padilla also handles the Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East region. "In the Asia-Pacific region alone there are already 11 JRP schools in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. We're opening schools in China and Malaysia soon."

Going back to Padilla's reminder about following the Golden Rule, the school is "doing unto others" in a very big way. "It is in the Manila schools that most of the programs and materials are developed for the entire region."

Call 892-9511 (Makati), 927-0465 (Quezon City), and 659-0052 (Alabang).

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100420-265241/Confident-yes-arrogant-no-The-John-Robert-Powers-way

How to protect skin from the sun and prevent premature aging

How to protect skin from the sun and prevent premature aging
By Walter Ang
April 20, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

"Sunblocks or sunscreens don't prevent your skin from tanning," said Belinda Hooshmand, dispelling a common misconception about what sunblock can and cannot do for the skin. "What a good sunblock can and should do, however, is to protect the skin from burning and from premature ageing."

Hooshmand is the consumer healthcare business unit manager for Merck Sharp and Dohme, the pharmaceutical company that now owns the Coppertone brand of sunblock products. She has a nifty mnemonic device for remembering the effects of the two kinds of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun that we should avoid.

"UVB ends with the letter `B' and causes burning while UVA ends with `A' and causes ageing," she said. UVB rays are more intense in summer months, at higher altitudes, and in areas closer to the equator like the Philippines. Aside from sunburns, UVB rays are the primary cause of the development of skin cancer.

UVA rays are more constant, year-round, and penetrate deeper into the skin's layers. Exposure to UVA does not show immediate signs of damage but over time, breaks down the skin's collagen, thereby resulting in spots, wrinkles and leathery skin.

New
Hooshmand listed several ways to avoid the harmful effects of the sun such as staying in the shade whenever possible; wearing dark-colored, tightly-woven clothing, wide-brimmed hats and UV-blocking sunglasses; and avoiding exposure to the sun when its rays are strongest, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

She also pointed out that aside from sand and water, sun rays also bounce off concrete, a reminder to weekend warriors who play sports or join fun runs in the city.

Of course, it's impossible to stay completely away from the sun, especially during summer when being under the sun is the whole point. That's when sunblocks come in as the skin's barrier by reflecting, scattering, or absorbing UV light.

"Through decades of changing lifestyles and sun intensities, Coppertone has remained a trusted brand in suncare for the skin," she said. "We're launching specialized products to suit specific needs of individuals. Starting this summer and for the rest of the year, we want you and your family to enjoy your time under the sun."

In Boracay, the Coppertone Sun Patrol went around the beach introducing the new variants which include Coppertone Sunscreen Very High 50+ SPF and Coppertone Sunscreen Kids Very High 50+ SPF, both of which have advanced UVA/UVB protection.

Both are fortified with vitamins A, C and E, antioxidants that helps skin defend against free radicals while nourishing its natural health. The Kids variant is waterproof, providing protection that lasts in and out of the water.

Those working on their tans can use Coppertone Tropical Blend Tanning Oil 4 SPF. It's specially formulated for "satin skin and a shimmering tan" and contains vitamin E and aloe vera to moisturize skin and prevent peeling and flaking.

To help keep facial skin hydrated and protected from sun damage, now there's Coppertone Anti-Ageing Face Cream with High 30 SPF. The face cream has a combination of sun-filters that works to improve the skin's elasticity so that it remains soft and silky to touch. It gives non-greasy texture and offers a comfortable after-feel on skin. It contains vitamin E and special olive leaf extract that supplies anti-oxidants and provitamin B5 that soothes and helps protect skin.

"Remember, we encounter UVA rays no matter what the season or time of day," Hooshmand said. "So this product is a must year-round." She also notes that all of these new products help hydrate and restore the skin's natural health. They are all dermatologist tested as well.

SPF
Hooshmand also explained how to use Coppertone's different levels of Sun Protection Factor (SPF) as a gauge to time how long you can stay under the sun. The SPF indicates how many times longer a person can stay under the sun with a sunscreen before getting a sunburn compared to no sunscreen at all.

This varies for everyone and depends on how fast one normally gets a sunburn. "Basically you multiply the SPF number to your `burning time.' For example, if you usually get a sunburn after ten minutes without a sunblock and you apply a sunblock with 4 SPF, that means you can now stay out for forty minutes before you get a sunburn," she said.

Most dermatologists recommend that people use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. It should be applied evenly and liberally before exposure to the sun and reapplied often. Reapplication is necessary after swimming, sustained vigorous activity, heavy perspiration and toweling off.

Hooshmand cautions not to overlook spots like the ears, neck, shoulders and the back of your neck. "Don't forget your scalp if you have thin or thinning hair or no hair," she adds.

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/wellness/wellness/view/20100420-265216/How-to-protect-skin-from-the-sun-and-prevent-premature-aging

UPLB creates artists endowment fund

UPLB creates artists endowment fund
By Walter Ang
April 12, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

As part of its centennial celebrations, University of the Philippines-Los Baños has created the Centennial Artists Endowment Fund "to sustain our efforts to uplift the Filipino culture and fire-up artistic talents among our young students and faculty," said university chancellor Luis Rey Velasco. "As the envisioned center for culture and the arts in the Southern Tagalog region, UPLB has been nurturing its artists?seeking to provide the enabling environment for their talents to bloom."

The fund is actually part of an umbrella fund, UPLB Centennial Fund, that "allows donors to become involved in creating a legacy of distinctive excellence in higher education," he said. "UPLB seeks to raise funds for and to undertake projects that will contribute to nation-building by producing high quality, well-rounded graduates; generating relevant and responsive technologies and knowledge products; and promoting Filipino culture and arts."

Aside from an allocation for artists, the fund also has allocations for faculty development; scholarships and student welfare; sports; and modernization projects; among others.

Related activities have been ongoing since last year to commemorate the centenary of UPLB's College of Agriculture, its founding unit, "hence, marking the university's centennial," said Velasco. "2010 marks the 100th year of UPLB's College of Forestry and Natural Resources and marks a century of Mt. Makiling's service as UP's and the country's first outdoor natural resources laboratory."

Mt. Makiling is one of the focal points in the university's efforts to generate seed money for the artists endowment fund. In their fundraising play of "Teginef," a Tagalog adaptation of August Strindberg's "A Dream Play," "the story is set in Makiling's cloudscapes, down to Laguna de Bay and back again to Makiling," said director Dennis Gupa. In Emmanuel Dumlao's translation, a central character in Strindberg's play is now Maria Makiling, who "journeys to Earth ? and learns first-hand how hard it is to live without hurting oneself and others."

Dumlao and Gupa collaborated in last year's twinbill production of John Millington Synge's "Riders to the Sea" and its Tagalog translation set in Alabat, Quezon, "Sa Sinapupunan ng Laot." The production was selected to be showcased in the recently concluded "Tanghal!," the fourth national university and college theater festival organized by the National Commission of the Culture and Arts.

Future
"Teginef is appropriate for UPLB's Centennial celebration as the university examines and explores what it can be in its next century as a national university," said Gupa. "Teginef is the Teruray word for dreams. Dreams, dreaming, and dream work gives us the freedom to go beyond limitations in imagining the many and complex possibilities of the future. In the world of a dream, anything is possible."

Teginef was part of a series of productions under UPLB's Special Centennial Performances Committee, which has been staging shows under a "cyclical" theme based on agriculture: seed, planting, growth, and harvest. "Teginef is the `replanting' part of the cycle; it concludes this cycle and starts a new one," said Gupa. "It signifies a `replanting' of seeds for the university's future as it looks forward to bigger and better harvests."

Cross-pollination is also a theme Gupa incorporated into the production, not just in staging methods, but also in human resources. "Faculty members, students, and staff of the university's different colleges and offices have been part of these performances, making this series of productions a way to create and build a community that understands and appreciates each other's uniqueness through the arts," he said.

Teginef featured student organizations UPLB Thespian Circle (celebrating its 20th anniversary), Harmonya: The String Ensemble of UPLB, and UPLB Filipiniana Dance Troupe. It also included exchange students from different Asian countries.

Angel Dayao handled music composition and orchestration. Collaborators included theater artists from University of the Philippines-Diliman such as Ice Idanan, video designer; Jeremy Dela Cruz, choreographer; Carlo Pagunaling, costume designer; and Meliton Roxas, lights designer. Dulaang UP alum and Greece-based Ohm David designed the set.

With the help of his collaborators, Gupa envisioned a "mutlilingual, mutlicultural, and mutlimedia" production that incorporates "Filipino myths, traditional Asian dances and ethnic sounds."

"The text threshes out various contemporary issues like food security, poverty, and environmental degradation, among others," he said. "The play doesn't attempt to capture reality as we know it, nor does it offer solutions to our real-life problems. What it offers are possibilities of life and of looking at things from a different perspective. Its coherence takes place in the minds and hearts of the audience."

To support the Centennial Artists Endowment Fund, call +6349-536-2567 or +6349-536-0844 or email fundcampaign@uplb.edu.ph. Donations from the USA can be coursed through maechanis@yahoo.com.

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100412-263688/UPLB-creates-artists-endowment-fund

Volume by volume: collecting the works of Tony Perez

Volume by volume: collecting the works of Tony Perez
By Walter Ang
April 12, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Poetry, fiction, plays and essays are all utilized in the arsenal of Tony Perez when he crafts his works. Though he is a prolific playwright and has written a slew of books in English and Filipino that deal with various topics, Perez is more popularly known for his output on esoterica and the paranormal.

He has a series of books, which includes "Mga Panibagong Kulam," that teaches readers how to cast spells. Another series chronicles the experiences of the Spirit Questors, a group of psychics that communicate with paranormal entities, which he formed in 1996.

He also has five books set in Cubao, where he has lived since 1955. Perez was born in Pampanga in 1951 but relocated as a young child. "My father was a colonel and set down roots in this area (near Camp Crame) that was allotted for military officers who served in Korea," he says.

Perez started writing in grade school, encouraged by his teachers. "They told me I should be a writer when I grow up. As a young child, it sort of stuck to my mind. I did end up as a writer," he says. "That's why I always tell parents to encourage their children to be creative."

Many interests
Perez notes that his own interest in esoteric activities such as magic, shamanism, psychic powers and dreamwork stems from the fact that Filipinos have a natural affinity for the mystical. A rich heritage of folklore and mythologies, and a deep connection with religion, he observes, provides a breeding ground for Filipinos to connect with the paranormal.

His passion for spiritual matters led him to pursue a Masters in Religious Studies which he completed in 2004. His thesis "Pagsubok sa Ilang: Ikaapat na Mukha ni Satanas," an analysis of how Satan is portrayed by theologians, won the 2005 National Book Award for Theology and Religion.

Aside from writing, Perez is also involved in the visual arts. He's worked as a graphic designer, illustrator, art therapist, and fabric artist (by way of knitting). He also paints and has worked with different media from watercolor to craypas. He was named as one of the Thirteen Artists of the Philippines by the Cultural Center of the Philippines back in 1972.

All these years, he'd been doing all of his writing, esoteric work, and painting while working at his day job at the Public Affairs section of the United States Embassy. "I have to pay the bills," he says matter of factly. In addition, he used to teach in several universities while pursuing a (yet to be completed) Masters in Clinical Psychology.

"Mondays to Fridays, I would work in the embassy and teach classes in the evening. On Saturdays, I would still be teaching the whole day," he says. The extremely heavy workload took its toll and he suffered a mild stroke in 2005.

Collected works
Perez no longer teaches. "I had to give something up!" he says emphatically. He now spends his free time organizing his files towards the completion of a 40-volume set of his collected works.

Volumes 1, 3, 4 and 5 have already been published. "The volumes won't come out in chronological order because I'm not a good archivist," he says.

Lovers of theater and drama will be pleased to know that the volumes that are already out contain his plays. Volume 1 "Pagkamulat Sa Kastilyo: Tatlong Dulang Pambata" includes Tolda, Kwentong Baboy, and Tagbituin, while Volume 3 "Hibik Ni Amang-Hari: Mga Unang Dula" includes Hoy Boyet, Gabun, and Anak ng Araw.

In 2008, he won the National Book Award for Drama for Volume 4 "Tatlong Paglalakbay: Tatlong Mahabang Dula ," which includes the trilogy Bombita, Biyaheng Timog, and Sa North Diversion Road.

Volume 5 "Limos na Tinapay" contains psychological case studies and some early prose.

Advice
Offering advice to aspiring playwrights, Perez says, "Many playwrights today start out writing plays with the ultimate objective of becoming a screenwriter and you just cannot do it that way. The theater is a very special medium and you can't write for it when you eventually want to write for another medium."

He mourns the lack of material dealing with adult themes. "My adult plays are for audiences 30 years old and above. They understand my subject matter because they've gone through intense love, death, separation, giving compassion, poverty, hunger, getting married, giving birth, burying someone," he says. "Most playwrights now write for elementary or high school audiences because that's where the market is."

"Don't be limited by the notion that to be nationalistic, you have to write only in Filipino," he says. "The Filipino now is a global person with a global audience. Young writers should write in English for their voices to be heard."

Perez encourages young playwrights to widen their scope. "They only think of single plays. They don't develop plays in the magnitude of trilogies or even writing in series," he says. "We Filipinos should think big."

Volume 2 "Pagbabaguntao Sa Berbanya: Limang Usap-usapan" (Alex Antiporda; Sierra Lakes; Biyernes, 4:00 N.H.; Sacraments of The Dead; The Wayside Café) 
and 
Volume 9 "Huling Tanawin Sa Bundok Ng Tabor: Three Journey Plays" (Bombita; Trip to The South; On The North Diversion Road) of The Collected Works of Tony Perez 
were 
recently launched by the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House. 
Call 731-3101 Loc. 8252/ 8278.

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100412-263689/Volume-by-volume-collecting-the-works-of-Tony-Perez

Filipina artist Nikki Luna's work to be auctioned off at Sotheby's

Filipina artist's work to be auctioned off at Sotheby's
By Walter Ang
April 5, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Nikki Luna was already into her third year of political science course when she decided to quit and turn to fine arts. "I'd always loved to draw and you reach a point where, at the end of the day, you just want to do what you lust for. It was really art that I longed to do," she says.

She'd already had a taste of being exhibited as a polsci major when she did an installation for a group exhibit but after she shifted to fine arts, Luna has been exhibiting regularly since the early 2000s.

In 2008, Luna was accepted to a summer residency in Cooper Union, New York. She was the first Filipino to be accepted into the residency and only one of 19 chosen from over 210 applicants.

There she exhibited "This Side Facing You" ("wherein her experiences as a female individual determine her products") and began work on pieces for "The Heartless Insistence of Domestic Absence" ("littered with ironic, biting statements about a woman's role in the home") that eventually exhibited in Manila.

Her work has been described as "unfettered female sexuality navigating present constricting social structures."

Source
"I like to voice out my thoughts on being a woman," she says. While she credits her education and mentors at the University of the Philippines for having "molded a lot of things in me," she quickly volunteers that it is her parents that have and continue to "define many things that I am."

She fondly recalls her thesis exhibit "Milk and Diapers" where the anchor piece was a series of breasts cast originally from her own and then from each other in succession, her statement on how every person is the same yet different from their mother.

"I love my mother like nothing else!" she says, a mother of three herself. "She's a `traditional' classic Pinoy homemaker mom. She always made sure the children were well fed and happy."

As Luna saw one way to be a woman from her mother, her father provided another viewpoint. "When I was growing up, he was the one who told me that I didn't need anything from anybody and that I didn't need a man to make me feel happy or successful."

The two seemingly disparate schools of thought live simultaneously and symbiotically in Luna, though she rejects any form of labeling on who she is and the work that she does. "Women should be confident as individuals, free of guilt and fulfilled. That being said, I'm not a feminist. I love being treated like a girl," she says with a laugh.

Personal
She makes no deliberate effort to conform nor to contradict stereotypes. While her works may be viewed as serious and important meditations on the issues of and surrounding women, this doesn't mean she is beyond joining pop art group exhibits like the launch of a commercial denim line.

"I do what I want. I have never cared for what other people think," she says. Nonetheless, one will notice Luna's use of repetition as an execution element in several of her works (multiple casts, looped videos, numerous photocopies, etc.), perhaps to underscore that what she has to say through her art is so important that she has to repeat it over and over just to make sure viewers get it.

When she creates art, she point out, it is always based on the personal. "I just try to make it universal. I want to bring out whatever I'm feeling or thinking about, like family or home or relationships, so that other people can experience it, too," she says.

Community
While Luna views her themes as springing from the self, she is not oblivious to the role that art plays for others. "Art isn't just something you do to make pretty things," she says. "Art is an important tool for giving back to society."

Lithe and fashionable, Luna can easily be mistaken for a vapid socialite. Not many people know that while still in school, she founded StartART Project, a non- profit organization that gives free art lessons to sexually abused girls and women.

In the wake of the massacare in Maguindanao last year, she joined the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines in a short stint to give art lessons to the children in that area. She's also recently joined Women's Resistance of Impunity and Tyranny (Writ), a group composed of sociologists, psychiatrists, social workers, among others, that will be conducting more rehabilitation and counseling sessions in Maguindanao.

"I felt very privileged to be there, to help in some way with the women and children," she says of her trip. "I felt so small. The children there would never care for installations or fancy exhibits, they don't even know if they'll get to eat or if their parents are dead or not. Even if for just a few hours every week, art can be a way for them to release their pent up emotions and feelings."

Luna's "Unmentionables" will be auctioned at Sotheby's Hong Kong.

Also published online: 
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100405-262362/Filipina-artists-work-to-be-auctioned-off--at-Sothebys-today

Sam Milby: Wild at heart

Sam Milby: Wild at heart
By Walter Ang
April-May 2010 issue
Garage Magazine

The heat is intense on the day Sam Milby's photo shoot is scheduled. The photographer decides to take advantage of the weather and formulates several poses for Milby that will take place under the sun. When Milby arrives, a nimbus cloud promptly appears and stubbornly blocks the light.

As a testament to Milby's professionalism, he stands by for the sun to reappear just like the rest of the crew. The stylists adjust his clothes. The make-up artist wipes his face with tissue paper. He is polite all throughout. No complaints. In order not to waste time, he answers this interview with all of these things going on.

When told he is one of Garage Magazine's picks as a sexy man for this issue, he stares blankly for a split second and the beginnings of a blush ever so slightly creep into his cheeks. You can almost see this thought balloon: "Who? Me? Sexy?"

The girls at the shoot nod silently with gusto. Obviously, someone who is sexy and doesn't even think he is automatically becomes sexier. This appeal is amplified by the way Milby's quiet, steady drive matches the heat that day: there is silent intensity behind those eyes that can be disarming for anyone who first meets him.

It's that same drive that has carried him through from a struggling newcomer to the showbiz industry, taking the bus everyday from Bulacan where he stayed with relatives to Manila for auditions, to his status now as an established celebrity with movies, TV shows and music records to his credit and audiences swooning over him. (By now, small crowds have formed near the photo shoot and occasionally hoot out "I love you Sam!").

Success can be sexy, of course. Milby's schedule is packed. He was actually already in the building where we are at that morning, but had to rush back to the TV studios for a live guesting before coming back again. He's just recently wrapped filming the movie "Babe I Love You" (which should be out in theaters by the time you read this) starring opposite Anne Curtis.

He plays a "straightlaced architecture teacher who is strict with his students and who knows exactly what he wants." As usually is the case with romantic features, along will come the character of Curtis who isn't what the man wants and will throw everything Milby's character knows into a blender and make him fall in love with her.

What does Milby find sexy in a woman? "I like women's bodies!" he grins like a schoolboy. "I look at women's eyes and lips. I like a woman's body the way it is. Showing some skin is fine, but I don't like it when they wear very revealing clothes. I like to think that my woman is for my eyes only. I'm not so much into seeing tattoos on a woman. I mean, it may look good when they're young, but imagine a tattoo on a 50 or 60 year old woman."

He admits, however, that for a while, he really liked seeing body piercings on women. He eventually outgrew it. "A lot of people equate sexiness with the body or with clothes or adornments like tattoos or body piercings," he muses. "And of course, who wouldn't like a nice body to look at? I think it's sexy when a woman can dress up for certain occasions or be in jeans and a shirt for other things and still look great. But beyond the physical, I think sexiness is really in how one carries oneself."

So how does he pull off a sexy look for himself? Again the self-deprecating aw-shucks demeanor kicks in. "I have no idea how to dress myself. I'd rather be in jeans and shirts all the time!" he laughs.

He reiterates that confidence is one of the key points in achieving the status known as sexy. "You don't have to be maporma. I mean, look at someone like Johnny Depp, he wouldn't be considered as someone who is a very glamorous or sexy dresser, but I'm sure men and women alike will agree that he's sexy."

In order to carry clothes or yourself well, you need, at the very least, a fit body to work with. Milby has been working out. Anyone who passes along EDSA has already seen his billboard wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. "But because of my schedule lately, I haven't been able to," he laments. "Otherwise, I usually work out for an hour twice a week."

He doesn't have a diet but tries to watch what he eats. Try being the operative word. "I like to eat. There's always a lot of food where I work and fans usually give food as gifts and I eat their gifts out of courtesy," he says, trying to his big guilty smirk.

All that talk about food triggers a discussion about scents. "Vanilla," he says. "I like the smell of vanilla on a woman." For himself, he prefers Clinique Happy, Curve and Giorgio Armani.

For a rush, however, Milby confesses to a love for motorbiking. "I like the thrill, the danger. There aren't a lot of places here where I can motorbike so I recently sold off my Yamaha R6 Cross Rocket and exchanged it for a Nissan 350Z convertible that I'm going to paint either black or silver," he says.

The sun's come out and signals are given to start the photo shoot. "So speed is sexy?" someone asks Milby as he starts posing for the camera. He winks and nods, "I like women who drive fast."

REVIEW: A tour-de-force 'Tatlong Mariya' (Chekhov's 'Three Sisters')

A tour-de-force Tatlong Mariya
By Walter Ang
March 22, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

From Facebook of Che Ramos-Cosio

Watching a play by a dead Russian that only literature and theater majors seem to love is always fraught with trepidation. With Tanghalang Pilipino's staging of Anthon Chekhov's "Three Sisters," any iota of boredom and high-brow pretension is chucked out the window, making this world-classic accessible and fun.

In this adaptation directed by Loy Arcenas and translated by Rody Vera, the title is now "Tatlong Mariya," and the siblings are transplanted from Russia to an Ilocos town in the 1970s, making it familiar and touching instead of alien and unrelatable.

Engineers (instead of Chekhov's military officers) are building a dam, purportedly one of the signs of progress under Martial Law. A year after the death of their father, a senior engineer, Maria Angelina, Ma. Josefina, and Ma. Ramona find life drab and increasingly hopeless in the province and yearn for their once happy life in Manila.

Arcenas, also the set designer, transforms the stage of Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) into a theater-in-the-round, with bleachers on stage surrounding a rectangular acting space. The height and expanse of the space (one knows there is backstage space beyond the seating area, one can't actually see it, but one feels it) creates a kinetic energy and a pointed statement for the characters.

Arcenas makes us doubly aware of the exterior life these characters pine for...trapped in the confines of their exile, yet here is all that space (and possibilities) that the audience occupies: we're sitting right in it!

As the lights dim, two large metal frames criss-crossed with wires rumble into place, creating two walls for the living room of the sisters' home. The loudness of the frames' movement is unexpected, charging the air. It immediately sets the tone as it mirrors the tension, corrosion and constriction of the characters' lives.

Arcenas makes us voyeurs and eavesdroppers that completely surround their house, separated only by (an invisible) wall; we are in their lives and we see it all happening. He makes it real for us.

Real
Chekhov's plays are described to have scattered expositions throughout stretches of time to underscore the boredom and dreariness that the characters experience. Fortunately, Arcenas and his actors unfold the action in a steady rhythm that drives the story forward.

The furtive meetings between lovers or the fights erupting between people who are too familiar with each other (and therefore, too conscious with) all retain an authentic pacing.

The characters and their stories are a rich source of all sorts of readings, from socioeconomic to psychological. But these fancy intellectual terms take a backseat because the ensemble's pitch perfect acting lets you get too caught up in their lives to have time to analyze them.

This straightforward storytelling defies being labeled either as a comedy or tragedy: it's both and not; it's real life. Depending on where in your life you are, there will be characters and plot lines that will hit close to home. The comedy/tragedy of it all is how much they mirror our own lives.

It is almost unfair to single out any one name since these actors from different batches of the Actor's Company (TP's pool of resident actors) work in beat with each other on equal footing.

Moments
Funny moments abound. The actors imbue their characters with tangible quirks and authentic personalities, like Mailes Kanapi's off-kilter Maria Josefina, with spot on comic timing. Watch out for the way Paolo O'Hara's Victor gazes with giddy schoolboy attraction at Ma. Ramona. Even Kat Castillo, who plays the maid and has no speaking lines, has scene stealing glares that she shoots off at the craziness of the household.

But it is the drama that is really captivating. The ensemble's emotions are raw and unbridled but never exaggerated for effect. You feel the ache of their longing, the pain of their disappointments, and the howling of their hearts.

Dolly Gutierrez's Ma. Angelina has an air of defeated acceptance and woeful resignation about her. Angeli Bayani, who has the unenviable job of being tasked to cry on cue almost ceaselessly throughout the play, is a vulnerable and sensitive Ma. Ramona. Dennis Marasigan as Isidro (husband of adultering Ma. Josefina) delivers his lines with a gravitas that cuts to the heart.

The understated acting is echoed by all the design elements. Arcneas economically places select props, only just so, to evoke the entirety of the setting. Barie Tiongco's lighting design clearly illuminates the action and never calls attention to itself. Jethro Joaquin's sound design provides the necessary layer in creating the mood. The costume designs by Kalila Aguilos do not contain loud prints or extra-wide bell-bottoms for show or distraction, still in 70s silhouettes, they're just enough to situate the characters.

All of the show's elements just work, creating a tour de force production.

TP will be holding summer workshops in acting and other related disciplines in two venues: Cultural Center of the Philippines, Pasay City and Bonifacio Arts Center, Taguig City. Call 832-3661, 0920-9535381 or 0928-5518645.

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100322-260069/A-tour-de-force-Tatlong-Mariya

Book captures Palawan at the crossroads of nature and progress

Book captures Palawan at the crossroads of nature and progress
By Walter Ang
March 15, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Palawan is known by ecotourists and travelers for its limestone cliffs, underground rivers, and dive sites featuring sunken World War II battle ships. For businessmen and investors, Palawan is known for providing millions of tons of fish for the country, the Malampaya gas fields, and its pearl farms.

To introduce an overview of these aspects of Palawan to a wider audience and as a tribute to their home, the Provincial Information Office of the Provincial Government of Palawan has come up with a coffee table book titled "Palawan: Land of blessing."

The book features photographs by Neal Oshima and contributing photographers that capture "places and faces, coastlines and communities, sea creatures and school children, the mavericks of today and the leaders of tomorrow."

It is a testament and commentary as to where Palawan is now in its history as it straddles burgeoning infrastructure, civic and technological developments against preserving its environmental and cultural heritage. The book's text, written by Alya Honasan and edited by Thelma Sioson San Juan, traces the province's origins, then inventories its resources, peoples, and developments in healthcare, education, and social welfare, among others.

Love letter
But also, it is a love letter from a native son. The idea for the book came from Governor Joel T. Reyes, who was born and raised in Coron, Palawan when "it still had no electricity and the rare arrival of a cargo boat from Manila was regarded as a special occasion."

Reyes followed his family's political lineage and was vice governor of Palawan from 1992 until 2001. He assumed the governor position from 2000-2001 when then incumbent Gov. Salvador Socrates died in an airplane crash. He became governor in the elections that followed in 2001. His third and last term will end next year.

The book's concept had been there ever since he became governor. "I finally had to rush the project when I realized my last term was about to end," he says with a laugh. "I was born and will die in Palawan. I wanted to leave a legacy for my home province."

He knows the land intimately, having overseen its 1.5M hectares and 800,000 people over the past two decades. "It's really a blessing to live in Palawan. It has bountiful natural resources and its location geographically shields it from most of the calamities that pound the rest of the country. We are not exposed to typhoons and we don't get earthquakes. We have an abundance of beauty and peace," he adds.

This husband to Clara "Fems" Espiritu and father of three waxes nostalgic for the outdoor games he used to play as a child, of lighting petromax (gas-powered lanterns) at six in the evening, and of swimming and fishing instead of "the computer games that kids these days play."

Preservation
While he notes that Palawan's unique location and "isolation" has prevented it from the exploitation of fast-paced development, he understands the need for technological advancement. For example, given the province's 1,700 islands, cellphone service has greatly improved communications. "Modern technology has made Palawan more accessible, not just to the rest of the Philippines but to the rest of the world as well," he says.

This intertwined passion for preserving the past and moving forward has produced the book and amplifies his efforts as chairman of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), a position he's held since 2007. "We are a policy-making and regulatory body created to ensure that all projects implemented in Palawan are environmentally sustainable. We have to prevent the depletion of natural resources and continuing environmental degradation," he says. "This is one way where we can take advantage of the benefits of technology and still sustain our culture and traditions."

At the book's launch held in Ayala Musuem, Makati City, pledges were received for the benefit of Heart (Helping Educate At Risk Teens and families) Foundation, a Palawan-based anti-drug abuse organization. Proceeds of the book sales will benefit a trust fund that will be established to help protect the environment in Palawan, specifically, the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park?a world heritage site southeast of Puerto Princesa City under the supervision of PCSD.

Close to a thousand square kilometers, the reef is poised to rival Australia's Great Barrier Reef with its diverse ecosystem that is home to over 1,000 species (many considered as endangered). Aside from being a marine sanctuary, Tubbataha is also renowned for being a bird sanctuary.

For details, call 09175026048.

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100315-258684/Book-showcases-Palawan-at-the-crossroads-of-nature-and-progress

REVIEW: Theater of the young, the here, the now: 2010 National University and College Theater Festival

Theater of the young, the here, the now
By Walter Ang
March 8, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The 2010 National University and College Theater Festival organized by the National Commission of the Culture and Arts, titled "Tanghal!," featured the outputs of different school-based theater groups from across the country.

In the shows set in five venues across five days, it was exciting to see what college students (and their adult mentors) are thinking of, interested in, dealing with, and how they process these topics and emotions into performance.

The various forms, styles and methods of the productions gave audiences a chance to become aware of the different ways how production elements (sets, costumes, lighting, sound, etc.) can be used (or not used at all) to tell stories on stage.

Time constraints allowed us to catch only five of the seven showcase productions (marked with an asterisk) and several other participating productions.

Language
We had to leave SamaSining (University of the Philippines-Los Banos)'s twinbill* of "Riders to the Sea" and its Tagalog translation "Sa Sinapupunan ng Laot," a few minutes into its second act so we could catch the latter half of Integrated Performing Arts Guild (Mindanao State University)'s "SugaTula*."

The attempt of "Riders" to use "Irish English" made the cast difficult to understand. But as soon as this story of a mother's fear of losing yet another child to the sea began its Tagalog translation, the production took shape and started delivering the goods. The language made sense, the acting flowed, the emotions came through, and the audience settled in to absorb the story's arching themes of loss and pain.

Creation
"SugaTula" set eight poems to movement. The last four poems we caught featured interpretations that used eye catching costumes and props, including a suspended ovoid wicker contraption and a fabric dummy hung from its neck.

The group has coined the term "transcreation" to describe its process of not merely translating, adapting or transforming the poems, but recreating them for the stage. It therefore set itself up for puzzled reactions from the audience since it did not offer much in creating anything particularly new. The spoken components were stilted by an elementary school declamatory style and the video projection of poems in their entirety felt redundant. The group has opportunities to build on their work by exploring differentiated delivery and more varied editing of the projections (for example, projecting words one by one or playing around with the placement of lines).

Both groups stood out with their unique movement vocabulary. Each had a distinct tack on how to move and how fast to do so. Both groups also employed live music that added a rich layer of sound to their works.

Defining
UP Repertory Company (University of the Philippines) staged a twinbill*. A satire on a teacher's frustrations with the upcoming elections, "Teachers Act" has a self-indulgent script that uses too much showbiz-theater-swardspeak humor as a device to elicit laughs, therefore losing the audience in its self-referential, self-involved, in-joke manner.

The playbill notes that it is actually the story of three different teachers. Audiences suspected the group's lack of preparation, given the way this piece was staged: two actors reading the script, acted out by three dancers.

Fortunately, the group redeems itself with, "Hello Philippines." A strong commentary on the search for personal motivation set in a call center. It shines in the way it articulates the kind of angst and quarter-life crisis that only Filipinos in their 20s can possess.

With a bit of tightening, allowing for stronger build-ups to the songs (deliberate and uncalled for off-key delivery notwithstanding), this show has the potential to become one of the defining musicals that speak of this past decade's emergent themes: of how Filipinos deal with balancing self identity and self worth against the explosion of the call center industry.

Polished
De La Salle University-Manila' Harlequin staged "Rizal is my President*," a musical that features long-dead Filipino heroes pondering on making Rizal the next president. Polished, light and fun, the musical would have ended on the right note were it not for a superfluous flourish involving a gun-wielding character towards the end of the show.

This group has had a Philippine Educational Theater Association senior artist as their moderator for a few years now and there is no doubt that the Peta influence has become heavy handed. The acting style, manner of delivery, music, animation style, use of wooden-boxes-as-set-pieces, among other elements, are all undeniably Peta in aesthetic. It would be nice to see this group find its own voice down the line.

Womanity
Women's issues were tackled by Dulaang Pinay (Miriam College)'s "Fairy Tale Academy" and University of the East Drama Company's "Miss Philippines."

An allegory on the constructed roles of women, "Fairy Tale" featured colorful, textured costumes and strong songs. However, the cast seemed scared and lost while they were performing; energy and vocal projection were low. Working on these acting aspects, streamlining the text to make its point clearer, and figuring out why the main protagonist looks like Pocahontas instead of a Pinoy heroine should be the next steps for the group.

Clearly, UEDC had fun with its production, which allowed the audience to ride merrily along. Appropriate updates to this play from the late 70s, strong acting, steady comic timing, and an endearing sense of confidence from the students made this show about the (mis)adventures of beauty pageant contestants and their personal battles with society's stereotypes a standout.

Self and others
Tanghalang Saint Louis University tackled tradition and justice framed by a fraternal battle in "Kabsat (Brother)*." The intimate scene (using Filipino, Ilocano and Itneg) was steady and intense (though occasionally hit by bouts of histrionics). Supported by a textured (though overscaled) set design and the most intricate lighting design among all the festival participants, the cast exuded a calm assurance. In a bow to professionalism, this was the only delegation that had its own set of ushers.

Paulino Theater Group (St. Paul Seminary) staged "Playback Theater: Your Story, Our Play," an improv show where they acted out stories shared by audience members. The audience cheered on these future priests even as these young men were upstaged by the animated audience members who told their stories and volunteered for the show's ending activity. Working on their range of expression, imagination and theatricality will put them on their way to better shows.

Tarangban
It must be noted, given the nature of this festival, that one does not expect polish and prowess from the participants (though it wouldn't go unappreciated). Acting skills are at levels expected of the students' age and experience. Production elements like lighting design are par for the course, since everyone has to use the same standard designs. Limited time and resources, the exhaustion from travelling to Manila, and other factors thrown into the mix are what participants have to deal with on top of preparing for their shows.

What one expects and hopes to witness are effort, enthusiasm and, most importantly, sincerity. On these points, most of the groups were definitely up there. But at the end of the day, sometimes all an audience wants is good show.

University of San Agustin Little Theater has done just that: a damned good show. The group's dance drama "Tarangban*" is a based on a sugidanon (oral epic) that tells the journey (in English, Filipino and Kinaray-a) of Prince Humadapnon.

The show is great fun: there is adventure, search for love, magic, monsters, battles. The chanting (by members of the Panay Bukidnon Society) throughout the tight show adds a unique aural texture; the rousing music and sound design is exhilarating.

The choreography hits the right notes with movements that range from sweeping to angular. The costumes use interesting silhouettes and textures: eerie body shapes were created for a gaggle of evil sirens that had masks placed on top of heads instead of on faces, abaca hair, and upturned skirts that became giant hoods.

All these elements come to a whole and create fantastic imagery on stage. One imagines what the show must be like if done with its original five-level set design and full lighting design. (Someone please bring this group back to Manila to perform in a bigger venue with their complete production elements!)

The show is a timely reminder that with several movies lifted from Greek mythology ("Clash of the Titans" and "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief") coming out soon, parents and teachers should (must) ensure that Filipino children (and adults) are aware of and are given the chance to appreciate our very own myths and stories.

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100308-257313/Theater-of-the-young-the-here-and-now

How Cynthia Llantada conquered cancer without using drugs

How a woman conquered cancer without using drugs
By Walter Ang
February 16, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Cynthia Llantada recovered from breast cancer without chemotherapy and radiation treatments in just 14 months. Numerous requests for her to recount how she did it spurred her to write "Healthy by Choice," a book where she inventories the different alternative healing practices that she underwent.

This personal account is careful and consistent in reminding readers that it is not meant to replace the advice of experts. Llantada points out that it is important for readers to consult qualified professionals: medical doctors who practice both conventional and alternative medicine, as well as naturopathic doctors and nutritional therapists, among others.

Nonetheless, she advocates taking one's health into one's own hands. "My doctors didn't make my decisions for me," she proclaims. Llantada engaged doctors as consultants and made her own choices.

Finding out
In a scenario that will sound all too familiar to many readers, Llantada recounts how fastfood for most of her meals, lack of exercise and sleep, pressures from work, deliberately reducing her water intake (to avoid having to go to the bathroom for long work meetings), overdependence on antibiotics and pain medications, stress from daily three hour commutes, and a general lack of time invested in downtime or relaxing took a cumulative toll on her body.

In 2002, she found a golf ball sized lump in her breast and subsequent tests revealed numerous cysts and tumors in her breasts, liver and uterus. She was told that cancer metastasis was a strong possibility and was eventually diagnosed to have stage three cancer?where only 40% of those stricken survive within five years.

With a strong conviction that "the body can heal itself," Llantada eschewed the usual chemotherapy and radiation treatments. She argues that most conventional treatments merely mitigate symptoms and not necessarily cure the cause of cancers.

Instead, herbal supplements, reflexology, acupuncture and hydrotherapy were her first few selections from an arsenal of non-conventional therapies that eventually included nutrition therapy, water purification, and even the use of "scalar energy" enhanced products such as pendants and water to recalibrate the "voltage" of her body's cells.

How to choose
Llantada had been a sickly child prone to colds, asthma attacks and bronchitis. Her father routinely asked her to think of what she might have done to trigger these respiratory illnesses to make her aware of how she might avoid recurrences. This inculcated in her "the skill of decision analysis" which led her to a career in finance and became her method of dealing with her cancer diagnosis and in taking "calculated risks in trying out natural therapies."

Llantada notes that while surgery and pharmaceutical drugs are "sometimes the best short term answers for certain problems," she contends that it can be frustrating when treatments end up not just killing the disease but also the person. As such, she points out, "there is no one way to solve health problems" and that it is therefore important to read, research and inquire "to learn from the successes and mistakes of others."

She credits her "untiring energy to update herself on health improvement techniques" in helping her make "practical informed choices" in dealing with her condition.

The first step, she posits, is that "a good diagnosis is important before one can decide on solutions to a medical problem." She relied on Dr. Efren Navarro to perform Beta Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) Urine Immuno Assay tests on her to fully diagnose her cancer. The book explains the principle behind the test, but basically, the higher amount of HCG found in the blood or urine, the more active the cancer.

This test has been found to detect cancers many months before symptoms appear: brain cancer (29 months ), fibrosarcoma of the abdomen (27 months), skin cancer (24 months), and bone cancer (12 months). Throughout her journey with cancer, Llantada would use this test to monitor the effectiveness of her chosen therapies.

She retained the services of Dr. Teresa Valeros, a naturopathic doctor who specializes in whole body detoxification through methods such as diet modification, supplements, and colon irrigation.

Clean then strengthen
After cleansing her body, Llantada went on to strengthening her body with good food, quiet time for her mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and other less known healing methods like brushing her skin and jumping on a trampoline to strengthen her lymphatic system.

She lists down all of these in the book and provides the rationales and principles involved in a conversational and non-medical tone as well as practical ways to incorporate these into one's life. She includes a bibliography that cites the sources of her research and suggestions for further reading.

As a word of caution, Llantada tells readers about the phenomena of "healing crisis" or the "Herxheimer Reaction"?how the body can become ill when one begins healing therapies since it is expelling accumulated toxins at a much faster rate than normal. She reminds readers of the normalcy of this phenomena and not to get discouraged.

Llantada ends the book with tips for healthy daily living. Simple and doable tips include chewing food properly (digestion begins in the mouth), drinking oxygenated water and even monitoring the appearance of one's stool as a way to gauge if the body's internal organs are working up to par. She also gives a list of locally available foods that are nutritionally packed and have inherent healing properties that range from antibiotic to purgative.

Eight months after her diagnosis, Llantada felt her energy level return, although the tumor grew to the size of a papaya. She believes that her efforts kept the tumor benign and from spreading to other parts of her body. Surgery was finally scheduled to remove the one kilo mass, ending her ordeal with cancer. She was back to work in three weeks and more than five years later, she continues to maintain her health through the therapies she used.

"Healty by Choice" is available in bookstores.

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/wellness/wellness/view/20100216-253398/How-a-woman-conquered-cancer-without-using-drugs

With Easy Pha-max' Green Ribbon campaign, green is the color of health

Green is the color of health
By Walter Ang
February 9, 2010
Manila Bulletin

Powdered wheatgrass drink manufacturer Easy Pha-max has launched a "Green Ribbon" campaign to generate awareness of the importance and benefits of preventive health.

"It's somehow modeled after the `clean and green' campaigns that promote environmentalism," says Edward Ling, Easy Pha-max CEO. "But this campaign focuses on encouraging all Filipinos to be proactive in taking care of their health and to strive for a balanced, quality life."

The company is promoting green as the color of optimum health and all that it stands for, such as eating organically grown food in a balanced diet; devoting ample time for exercise, stress-reduction, and spiritual needs; and even caring for the environment. "Wearing a green ribbon serves as a visual reminder to yourself and to everyone who sees it that we should all take care of our health," he says.

The Green Ribbon campaign will be supported by a series of activities that aims to educate Filipinos about the value of preventive health care. Lectures on health and nutrition; leisure and sports rallies; outreach programs, among others, are scheduled to be rolled out across the country starting in Metro Manila and will cascade all the way to Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The campaign is a logical progression of the company's efforts in educating the public on the the benefits of its main product. It uses the catchy slogan "Wheatgrass C.A.N.," where the acronym stands for the three major advantages of taking wheatgrass: cleanse, alkalize, and nourish.

Wonderfood
Wheatgrass is the young grass sprouted from wheat grains. Wheatgrass has high levels of nutrients which include vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, bioflavonoids, phytochemicals and more than 100 types of enzymes.

Wheatgrass has been found to neutralize free radicals that damage cells and lead to different diseases like cancer. It has also been found to neutralize toxic substances in the body like
drugs, heavy metals, and carcinogens, by breaking them down into substances that can be eliminated more easily without taxing the body's natural detoxifying systems like the liver, circulatory (blood), digestive and excretory systems.

Ling notes that virtually all degenerative diseases, including cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and kidney disease are associated with excess acidity in the body. If there is too much acid present, the body will use up its nutrient reserves to neutralize the acids. "For instance, your body will leach calcium from both your bones and teeth in an attempt to neutralize acids and this can lead to osteoporosis and fractures. The body can also utilize iron in your blood and this can lead to anemia," he explains.

Acidity can be neutralized by bicarbonates, chlorophyll and alkaline minerals that can be found in fruits and vegetables. Wheatgrass has been hailed as the "King of Alkaline Foods" because it is the most alkaline among vegetables due to its high amounts of calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and iron.

"Details of the benefits of wheatgrass can be found in our website www.wheatgrasscan.com," says Ling. Aside from instant wheatgrass drinks, Easy Pha-max builds on its mission to promote preventive health by manufacturing other products such as instant coffee and soymilk drinks incorporated with wheatgrass; colon cleansing drinks, and drinks for diabetics using charantia as the main ingredient.

Green activities
The Green Ribbon campaign was jumpstarted with a lecture on cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is projected to become the leading cause of death worldwide this year.

TV personality Bernadette Sembrano served as host and invited speakers included oncologist Dr. Anthony Abad, medical director of the Philippine Oncology Center Corporation, and cancer specialist Dr. Roger Salindong. Abad gave the audience a comprehensive lecture on what cancer is all about: its causes; how lifestyle, genetic and environmental factors can contribute to cancer; and methods of treatment. Salindog gave the audience tips on alternative ways to manage the disease.

The launch also announced that the Green Ribbon campaign will have a series of weekend getaways dubbed "So Easy Life Camp," where participants will go through detoxification by taking So Easy Colon Cleanse, a drink that helps remove mucoid plaque (leading cause of colon cancer), while taking part in lectures, stretching and massage sessions, breathing exercises and other activities.

"There will also be games and dance sessions and a chance to unwind from the stress and rigors of daily life. Participants will meet new friends and it's easier to go through detoxification when you're with a group instead of doing it alone," says Ling. "Participants can expect to look and feel healthier, more youthful and radiant. They can take what they learn from these camps and apply it to their lives."

For details on So Easy Life Camp, call 887-3277 or 0915-393-5535.

Also published online:
http://mb.com.ph/articles/242520/green-color-health

Rep stages Valentine musical comedy

Rep stages Valentine musical comedy
By Walter Ang
February 2, 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Couples who want to do something more than the usual dinner-movie combo for their Valentine's date this year can consider catching Repertory Philippines' staging of "Romeo & Bernadette," a modern comedic twist on the Shakespeare classic "Romeo and Juliet."

"There's romance, it has kilig moments, it's a comedy, there's singing and dancing?all the stuff that we Filipinos love in a show," says Rep associate artistic director Joy Virata. "There will be a four-piece band that will play the musical's songs that are actually popular Italian tunes with adapted English lyrics and modern arrangements. Audiences may recognize the melodies since they've heard them used in many movies and television shows."

Audiences who usually stay away from Shakespeare needn't fear. There won't be any complicated old English words, Elizabethan corsets, or funny looking pointy shoes since the musical is set in Brooklyn, New York in the 1960s.

Project Runway Philippines season two finalist Santi Obcena is doing the costume design while Virata directs the show written by Emmy Award-winning Mark Saltzman. The world premiere staging of "Romeo & Bernadette" in the USA was nominated for seven Florida Carbonell Awards.

"In the original Shakespeare tragedy, Romeo and Juliet die in the end. In this one, it turns out that Romeo just took too much of a sleeping potion and ended up in a very long coma," says Virata. "He wakes up in the 20th century and sees a girl who looks like Juliet, but is actually Bernadette, daughter of disreputable, most feared mob chief Sal Penza."

To make sure the cast gets the accent of "Italian-Americans-from-Brooklyn" just right, Virata devoted two weeks of rehearsals just for accent work. "I simply googled `how to speak in an Italian accent!'" she says with a laugh. "I made them watch movies like `My Cousin Vinnie.' It helped a lot that we were able to cast Jim Paoleli, a returning Rep actor and a real Italian American who grew up in Brooklyn. He became our accent coach."

Virata is a veteran Rep actress and has done countless light romances and comedies, the most recent one being "Duets" this January, where she and co-star Miguel Faustmann played four different characters each.

"Because of the roles I've done, I feel like comedy is something I understand and, as a director, I can share that understanding with my actors," Virata says. "Farce is actually one of the hardest kinds of productions to do. Even though the situations are exaggerated for comic effect, actors still need to show a level of truth to make it real for the audience. So I handpicked the best actors I could find for this musical to make my job easier," she adds with a laugh.

Cris Villonco, whose last production for Rep was playing Ophelia in "Hamlet," returns from a year-long stint with Hongkong Disneyland to take on the role of Bernadette. Virata is all praises for the actress despite Villonco's own admission that she's more used to portraying "serious and deep" characters.

"As an actor, Cris is intelligent and open. As a director, that's all I really need," says Virata. "I actually asked her while she was still in Hong Kong to play this role of a vulgar, sexy, spoiled brat who, deep within, is a well of tenderness capable of true love. I'm glad she accepted the offer. She's doing great."

Villonco says, "It's impossible to be too serious with the material since it's campy and fun." Partnering with Villonco as Romeo is PJ Valerio, the latest resident male ingénue in Rep's stable of actors. Valerio was in the musical comedy "Altar Boyz" and has played romantic leads in "Disney's Mulan" and last year's "Fantastiks." Romeo's counter ego Dino del Canto will be essayed by very capable character actor Red Concepcion.

The young actors are supported by Rep veterans such as Liesl Batucan, Dido de la Paz, Juno Henares, and Jaime Wilson. Rem Zamora, in addition to being the show's assistant director, has been tasked to play eight different roles and will have to contend with three accents: Russian, Irish, and Brooklyn. "The hardest accent I had to learn is an Irish one where I have to be extra careful not to sound Indian," he says with a laugh.

Deanna Aquino choreographs, John Battala does lighting design and Dennis Lagdameo designs the set.

"Romeo & Bernadette" runs from Feb. 5, 2010 until the end of the month at Onstage Theater, Greenbelt 1, Makati City. For details, call 8870710.

Also published online:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100201-250566/New-Rep-comedy-has-many-kilig-moments

Move that body with chiropractor Martin Camara

Move that body
By Walter Ang
February-March 2010 issue
Garage Magazine

Anyone can suffer from bone and muscle problems: young or old, physically fit or not. From athletes to people who sit behind desks at work, no one is immune to stress, tension, overexertion and other factors that can cause misalignments in the spine. These displacements may cause irritation to the nerves surrounding the spine, resulting in various malfunctions in the body like slip disc, scoliosis, back or shoulder pain, etc.

Through chiropractic treatment, conditions that affect our bones and muscles, ligaments and cartilage, and even the nerves, can be dealt with. "Chiropractic emphasizes diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine," says chiropractor Dr. Martin Camara.

Camara studied chiropractic at Palmer College of Chiropractic-West, California and graduated Cum Laude. He has served as part of a chiropractic expert panel for the World Health Organization and has been a sports doctor and chiropractor for the Turino Winter Olympics 2006, Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the Asian Indoor Games 2009.

One of the treatments most equated with chiropractic is spinal manipulation. It operates on the principles developed by Daniel David Palmer more than a hundred years ago. Palmer believed that the body has a natural healing ability and that misalignments of the spine can interfere with the flow of energy needed to support health.

"The goal of chiropractic therapy is to normalize this relationship. Unlike conventional medicine approach which is to focus more on treating the symptoms rather than the cause, we always begin by looking for positive aspects to build wellness upon. We identify the potentials that the person still has and then maximize those potentials," Camara says.

If misalignments in the spine are detected, the chiropractor will generally apply a gentle force to correct this. Treatments help improve spinal structure, and therefore, posture, too. "When a body regains its normal range of mobility, it becomes more efficient. Pain is relieved and performance is improved," he says.

Aside from the obvious reasons why patients seek out this kind of treatment like pain relief, there are "good side effects" that are borne out of the treatments. "Patients find that they sleep better, can breathe better or feel more energetic," he adds.

Camara notes that an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure. "Things like posture and improper sleeping or sitting positions are seemingly small, insignificant events that actually add up cumulatively over time to cause injuries. People can come in for preventative adjustments or maintenance," he says.

Camara heads Intercare Healthcare Systems, a health center that offers chiropractic as well as other related disciplines that aim to "help clients attain their own state of optimal functioning." While the main modes of treatment at Intercare involve manual therapy including manipulation of the spine, the center advocates a holistic approach and, therefore, also offers myotherapy, acupuncture, monitored exercise programs, and even health and lifestyle counseling, among many other treatments.

"We integrate traditional, medically-oriented models of care with alternative and complementary methods. We use several natural, drugless, non-surgical, and non-invasive disciplines and techniques to bring the body back into balance in order to alleviate the pain," he says.

Myotherapy is a form of deep massage used to reduce tension and pain originating at specific points in the body. Those points, called trigger points, form when muscle is damaged, such as may happen at birth, during athletic exertion, or in an accident. Trigger points can cause muscle spasms that lead to pain elsewhere in the body.

"Myotherapy releases muscle spasms, improving circulation and oxygenation of the muscles. This brings about proper function and a healthy tone to ailing muscles," says Camara. "Our team of myotherapists know the appropriate trigger points to treat for which affected muscle. This is something that typical massage therapists in spas are not trained to do."

Myotherapy is beneficial for a host of conditions from as simple as muscle tightness and sprains to more serious situations involving sciatica and scoliosis.

Camara also uses his own proprietary instruments called I-Smart (Intercare Specific Myofascial Active Release Tools) that help him identify problem areas in a patient's body. Camara developed these tools based on his training in the Graston technique, a healing method that uses stainless-steel instruments to detect and "break up" scar tissues that limit a patient's range of motion and cause pain. The Graston technique is used by professional sports teams, universities and healthcare institutions in the USA.

"These tools are like my stethoscope, they help me better feel what's wrong under the skin," he explains. "If you can imagine muscle fibers as thick ropes side-by-side and some ropes become misaligned due to injury or misuse, the I-Smart method helps realign these ropes," says Camara.

With the many treatment options available at Camara's disposal, patients needn't worry about which to choose. "We provide a personalized, comprehensive and multidisciplinary healthcare program customized to the patient's needs," he says.

For details, visit www.intercare-centers.com.