Designing Darna
By Walter Ang
July 12, 2003
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Say you're a superheroine and you battle evil elements of society like robbers, gang members, evil snake-haired women and all sorts of nasty characters. It's great that you have a magical stone you can swallow to give you superpowers, but where in the world are you supposed to have your wardrobe done?
Your outfit should be able to withstand the rigors of flying, hand-to- hand combat and other calisthenics involved in fighting crime. And of course, being the ultra Pinay superheroine that you are, you'd have to look just abso-bloody-lutely fantabulous! Why just play when you can also display?
For Ballet Philippines' August production of "Darna," a multi-media show with dance, flying and music, the task of creating the right look for the cast of characters fell to the able hands of Liz-Fjelle Batoctoy. Saturday Super Special sought her out with our noses. You know you've found her when you get to the house that exudes the distinct aroma of rugby. The quiet white facade of the house belies the cornucopia of activity and colors and textures inside it. What greeted us were rows and rows of heads, transluscent and opaque torsos, wide metal frames in all shapes, sketches of monsters, aliens and other fantastical beings. Oh yes, and bottles of rugby.
Liz and her husband Benny Batoctoy are well known in the movie and theater industries for their work in prosthetics. They have provided creatures for movies like the recent Spirit Warriors 2. In the theater scene, the couple made waves with their colorful costumes and props for Trumpets' "Little Mermaid." Among other productions, Liz designed the eerie and unsettling set for Tanghalang Pilipino's "Drakula" last year. With degrees in Fine Arts
(Sculpture) and Stage Design from England, Liz came to settle in the Philippines in the early 90s and has been adding her slant to the local design scene ever since.
Designing process
Liz has already designed for a few Darnas before, including the movie version with Anjanette Abayari. This, however, doesn't relax her standards for new designs. "I try to do something different each time," said the svelte, blonde designer. "I always believe it's going to be better each time."
In fact, such is her dedication to the designs that she "went around in circles just figuring out if I should include a sando in Darna's outfit or not." You'd expect that kind of fervor for details from someone who also said, "Wonder Woman's costume is so boring, isn't it?"
"The process always involves a lot of redesigns," explained Liz. "It's based on the timeframe and the availability of materials." And what materials indeed! Fabric, latex foam, fiberglass, and steel wires are just some of the stuff she uses for her costume designs. We wouldn't be surprised if we saw a dancer wearing a kitchen sink onstage.
Liz uses locally available materials as often as she can. "Necessity is the mother of invention. Sometimes you just discover new materials or techniques as the need arises," she explained. While Liz sometimes has to order her polyuretha-whats-its foams from abroad, she never has to worry for want of fabrics. "Divisoria is great! You see all sorts of fabrics you would've never imagined. It's also a lot, lot, lot, lot cheaper than other places."
Color palette
While the materials provide a range of textures to the costumes, Liz ties it all together by assigning color motifs to specific characters. Darna (played by the beautiful and sultry BP dancers Christine Crame and Kris Belle Paclibar) is given striking red and gold, while her arch-enemy Valentina (played by Earth-saver Chin-chin Gutierrez and Dreamgirl Tex Ordoñez) is robed in maleficent purple and black. The taong bayan are given earthy greens and browns, while Valentina's boy-toys get to parade around in gaudy hues of fuchsia and lime green.
Once the final designs are rounded up, BP's costume staff goes to work. Production manager Ida Elopre is all praises for her core team, "Manang Terry, Manang Senyang and Manang Diding handles all the sewing requirements while our dependable technical director Manong Ago helps execute props and headdresses."
The dancers will usually test the initial products in rehearsals for comfort, ease of movement, and durability. This production poses some challenges because the dancers will be flying. While other shows with flying usually hide the equipment, BP's "Darna" will deliberately show the harnesses, cables, and pretty much the entire flying mechanisms ? similar to a marionette show. Liz has to incorporate the harnesses into her designs, as well as make sure the fabrics and construction of the costumes will withstand the highly physical milieu of the show. From sketches on paper to fully- realized ensembles, the costumes in this production will surely take flight once "Darna" starts its run. Audiences will have another layer of the show to appreciate--seriously fun eye-candy.
Ballet Philippines' "Darna" opens Aug. 1 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater. Call 551-0144 and 551-1003 for details.
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Cake Artist Judy Uson
Cake Artistry
By Walter Ang
May 4, 2003
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The most striking feature about Judy Uson's cake is the flower décor. They are so vibrant and beautiful that it will be a pity to take them off just to eat the cake. Until you realize they're not real.
"It's so easy to put fresh flowers on cakes, but I'm known for making my own sugar flowers. People are usually amazed to find out they are edible and they love to touch the flowers," she said. Judy's floral décor reflects this woman's passion for wedding cakes.
Ironically, Judy didn't even like to cook when she was a child. "I didn't even know how to cook sinigang! But I was never intimidated since I grew up in a family who loves to cook," she said.
Her husband Batch Uson, who can whip up a romantic dinner for two, eventually challenged and inspired her to explore the kitchen.
Pretty soon, kith and kin discovered her predilection and talent for baking. "After getting my first professional order," Judy said, "I was very happy with the feedback and went into it full-time."
Variety
Responses have been positive. One client's mother was so elated that, after the reception, she barged into the honeymoon suite just to tell the newlyweds how all her friends were raving about the cake.
Judy offers carrot cake, lemon butter cake and chocolate pound cake in fondant icing. While "a lot of people still like fondant, I offer them alternatives," she explained. "My clients have other choices like white chocolate curls or layered chiffon custard cakes flavored with orange-lemon butter cream icing. Instead of sugar flowers, they can have sugar glazed fruits (real ones this time)."
One of her popular creations in a tower of mini chiffon cakes, a product of a 40-year-old recipe, dressed to look like one big cake. The couple can keep the top fondant layer, while guests partake of the chiffon cakes. "It's very popular. Whenever they announce that guests can start getting their own cakes, the wedding hosts will joke, 'Hey wasn't there a cake back there just a minute ago?' The biggest one I ever did was 400 mini versions of the main cake as a gift for wedding sponsors."
Visual treat
Once the type of cake is chosen, the design comes into play. A Fine Arts graduate, Judy taps into her creative roots and lets loose a palette of colors, shapes and textures in her cakes. "If a painter's medium is oil or watercolor, my medium is sugar," she claimed. "I like to think of myself not merely as a cake maker, but as a cake artist."
She never imposes a particular design on her clients. Instead, Judy relishes the chance to collaborate and come up with a design best suited for the couple. "Sometimes I can tell what a coupled will like and I'll suggest 'You're a Precious Moments cake' or 'You're a classic cake.' Debutantes are challenging because some are very ladylike while some are whimsical," she explained.
Judy's ebullient personality makes it easy to earn her client's confidence. "I always tell them to call me even if it's not related to their cake order. One bride-to-be even commented, 'Wow, I'm not just getting a cake, I'm gaining a friend, too.' It feels nice when they treat you out for coffee long after the wedding just because they loved the cake you did for them."
Dedication
"A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event and it will live in your memory forever. I am entrusted with an important part of that event," she said. As such, she always pays close attention to the detail and craftsmanship of her cakes. "I really make sure it's clean and smooth and I like to make everything edible, down to the beads that I use for some designs. I also handpaint the cakes."
Her insistence on freshness usually leaves Judy only one to two days to prepare a cake. "I can do it five days before, but I don't," she said. Judy's past work experience as an event manager and producer for audio-video productions has given her the skills and temperament to "deliver, no matter what. If you can't sleep, you don't. I will do whatever it takes to make sure a cake is perfect for that special day."
Even though the responsibility rests heavy on her shoulders, "I'm so happy to have finally found something that I love to do. Whenever I see the guests' reactions or when they take pictures with the cake as background, all my tension and tiredness just melt away."
It helps that Judy's family is behind her all the way. Husband Batch sometimes assists with the deliveries, while five-year-old daughter Noee helps by requesting for divine intervention, "Dear Jesus, please make Mommy's cakes beautiful."
Call 0917-8975839 or e-mail judyuson@jeepney.ph
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REVIEW: Philippine High School for the Arts' "Rossum's Universal Robots" and "The Tempest"
Look do we have here! A promising group of young thespians
By Walter Ang
April 30. 2003
Philippine Daily Inquirer
"No one can hate man more than man himself," said the poster heralding a twinbill presentation by the Philippine High School for the Arts.
Despite the bleak and ominous tone of the poster, after watching the show at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Huseng Batute Theater I announced to my friends that, "I haven't had this much fun watching a theater production in a very long time!"
Having seen too many plays and musicals that were too pretentious, too commercial, and too unoriginal, this recital cum graduation by the theater majors of the country's only arts high school was definitely a breath of fresh air.
The young students from all over the country gave off a vibrant, earnest energy in the two comedies they presented. They had an obvious passion for the craft and art of theater that renewed my faith in the form.
"First and almost"
The matinee featured Czech writer Karel Capek's RUR (Rossum's Universal Robots). Graduating senior Nina Angela Rumbines shone in her portrayal of Helena Glory, the idealistic and vulnerable young woman on a humanitarian mission to liberate the robots in Rossum's Universal Robots factory.
Rumbines was paired with fellow senior Jean Marc Cordero who made a nasty yet funny Damon, the factory's general manager who falls in love with Glory. Other seniors in the cast included Mary Aimee Leduna (Alquist) and Joseph Keith Anicoche (Dr. Gall), whose German accent was spot on.
It was Damon who said, "No one can hate man more than man himself," when the handful of humans inside the robot factory realize too late the repercussions of playing God. The play ends on a positive note, but still gives the audience a lot to think about in this day of genetic manipulation and robotic advancements.
One of the most hilarious parts of the play was the cast's use of commonly mispronounced/misused English phrases interspersed into the Filipino translation of the late Rogelio Sicat. Teacher/overall director Herbert Go, who is also associate artistic director of the CCP resident theater company Tanghalang Pilipino, said the use of these phrases was inspired by a line in the play, "Well, well, well indeed."
This gave way to the cast's use of uproarious lines like, "Well, well, well! Look do we have here," or "So far, so good, so far," and "First and almost, it's not your problem anymore, it's my problem anymore!" These unexpected lines (which can be found online at www.jeepneygang.com/bola/jokes.html) kept the audience rolling in stitches and diluted the tension during heavy scenes, keeping the tone light and easy.
Apart from acting, Rumbines also designed the set, while PHSA alumni Kristine Balmes had costume design responsibilities. Balmes' simple yet creative use of black and silver created a funky and otherworldly look to the robots. The whole look of RUR was very textured and very, dare I say it, cute!
Look and feel
While Rumbines gave "RUR" an industrial and electronic look with large metal sheets, she evoked the isolated island setting of the second play, William Shakespeare's "The Tempest," by using sand and bamboo. Balmes took off from this stark setting and filled the characters' costumes with all colors of the rainbow. The candy colors and varied patterns added vigor to Rody Vera's sterling Filipino translation "Ang Unos."
Go constantly exposes audiences to material in Filipino translation as it shows "the breadth and depth and versatility of the Filipino language as a medium of translation." Go and Vera have collaborated before as director and translator, respectively, with Dulaang Talyer's "Antony at Cleopatra" and Tanghalang Pilipino's "Rhythm Method."
In their latest effort, most male roles were given to female actors, and Skyzx Shannah Labastilla was easily the standout with her earthy and eloquent portrayal of Prospera. Other seniors in this tale of magic and enchantment include Alison Segarra (Miranda), the sultry Isablle Antoinette Martinez (Bastiana), and Roselyn Loria (Antoinetta).
Onwards
As Prospera's magic tempest brought over a ship full of old enemies to the island, her spirit slave Ariela carries out the legwork. Senior Anna Rea Catamora brought down the house by portraying Ariela as a lithe, flexible creature that would contort would every line. Audiences would stand up from their seats just to see what kind of pretzel shape Catamora had turned herself into whenever she had to speak! Her imitation of a frog was definitely one of the great scene stealers of the evening.
The play ends with old trespasses forgiven and new loves forged; as with most Shakespeare comedies, all's well that ends well. This recital, however, is not the end for these high school graduates who've had to juggle a regular academic workload with extensive arts training for the past four years.
As senior Roselyn Loria believes, "What's past is prologue. What's been done over the years is mere warm-up for the events ahead." If the recital is any indication, this batch of graduates is certainly all fired-up for the world ahead.
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By Walter Ang
April 30. 2003
Philippine Daily Inquirer
"No one can hate man more than man himself," said the poster heralding a twinbill presentation by the Philippine High School for the Arts.
Despite the bleak and ominous tone of the poster, after watching the show at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Huseng Batute Theater I announced to my friends that, "I haven't had this much fun watching a theater production in a very long time!"
Having seen too many plays and musicals that were too pretentious, too commercial, and too unoriginal, this recital cum graduation by the theater majors of the country's only arts high school was definitely a breath of fresh air.
The young students from all over the country gave off a vibrant, earnest energy in the two comedies they presented. They had an obvious passion for the craft and art of theater that renewed my faith in the form.
"First and almost"
The matinee featured Czech writer Karel Capek's RUR (Rossum's Universal Robots). Graduating senior Nina Angela Rumbines shone in her portrayal of Helena Glory, the idealistic and vulnerable young woman on a humanitarian mission to liberate the robots in Rossum's Universal Robots factory.
Rumbines was paired with fellow senior Jean Marc Cordero who made a nasty yet funny Damon, the factory's general manager who falls in love with Glory. Other seniors in the cast included Mary Aimee Leduna (Alquist) and Joseph Keith Anicoche (Dr. Gall), whose German accent was spot on.
It was Damon who said, "No one can hate man more than man himself," when the handful of humans inside the robot factory realize too late the repercussions of playing God. The play ends on a positive note, but still gives the audience a lot to think about in this day of genetic manipulation and robotic advancements.
One of the most hilarious parts of the play was the cast's use of commonly mispronounced/misused English phrases interspersed into the Filipino translation of the late Rogelio Sicat. Teacher/overall director Herbert Go, who is also associate artistic director of the CCP resident theater company Tanghalang Pilipino, said the use of these phrases was inspired by a line in the play, "Well, well, well indeed."
This gave way to the cast's use of uproarious lines like, "Well, well, well! Look do we have here," or "So far, so good, so far," and "First and almost, it's not your problem anymore, it's my problem anymore!" These unexpected lines (which can be found online at www.jeepneygang.com/bola/jokes.html) kept the audience rolling in stitches and diluted the tension during heavy scenes, keeping the tone light and easy.
Apart from acting, Rumbines also designed the set, while PHSA alumni Kristine Balmes had costume design responsibilities. Balmes' simple yet creative use of black and silver created a funky and otherworldly look to the robots. The whole look of RUR was very textured and very, dare I say it, cute!
Look and feel
While Rumbines gave "RUR" an industrial and electronic look with large metal sheets, she evoked the isolated island setting of the second play, William Shakespeare's "The Tempest," by using sand and bamboo. Balmes took off from this stark setting and filled the characters' costumes with all colors of the rainbow. The candy colors and varied patterns added vigor to Rody Vera's sterling Filipino translation "Ang Unos."
Go constantly exposes audiences to material in Filipino translation as it shows "the breadth and depth and versatility of the Filipino language as a medium of translation." Go and Vera have collaborated before as director and translator, respectively, with Dulaang Talyer's "Antony at Cleopatra" and Tanghalang Pilipino's "Rhythm Method."
In their latest effort, most male roles were given to female actors, and Skyzx Shannah Labastilla was easily the standout with her earthy and eloquent portrayal of Prospera. Other seniors in this tale of magic and enchantment include Alison Segarra (Miranda), the sultry Isablle Antoinette Martinez (Bastiana), and Roselyn Loria (Antoinetta).
Onwards
As Prospera's magic tempest brought over a ship full of old enemies to the island, her spirit slave Ariela carries out the legwork. Senior Anna Rea Catamora brought down the house by portraying Ariela as a lithe, flexible creature that would contort would every line. Audiences would stand up from their seats just to see what kind of pretzel shape Catamora had turned herself into whenever she had to speak! Her imitation of a frog was definitely one of the great scene stealers of the evening.
The play ends with old trespasses forgiven and new loves forged; as with most Shakespeare comedies, all's well that ends well. This recital, however, is not the end for these high school graduates who've had to juggle a regular academic workload with extensive arts training for the past four years.
As senior Roselyn Loria believes, "What's past is prologue. What's been done over the years is mere warm-up for the events ahead." If the recital is any indication, this batch of graduates is certainly all fired-up for the world ahead.
Google Scan:
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Rebirth of Romance: The Registry wedding venue
Rebirth of Romance
By Walter Ang
March 30, 2003
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Tucked into the heart of San Juan, the cozy and relaxed atmosphere of the "The Aviary" once attracted countless couples in search of good food and romantic evenings. Many were disappointed when it stopped operations.
However, managing partner Ferdie "Pido" Villanueva would still receive inquiries to book the space for wedding receptions long after the fine-dining restaurant had closed shop.
Even former customers and friends all continued to espouse the virtues of the location. Encouraged by their constant prodding, Pido rounded up a new group of partners and set forth to renovate the place into its new incarnation, "The Registry." No longer a restaurant, but now a venue to be rented out for special occasions.
Like a glorious phoenix reborn, The Registry formally opened with a grand affair complete with a pair of models dressed up as newlyweds alighting from a silver Jaguar before they proceeded to the ceremonial ribbon cutting.
The opening also featured a photo exhibit of "Ninangs" photographed by Dominique James with the 30 x 40 prints produced by Imagesetters.
"We wanted to highlight the importance of Ninangs in weddings," said partner Bong Lozano. "This is our tribute to them." Featured Ninangs were prominent personalities that included UNIFEM Phil. Committee chair Olga Martel, National Commission on Women president Nona Ricafort, S Magazine publisher Aster Amoyo, Mandaluyong City first lady Carmencita Abalos and Pasig City vice mayor Lorna Bernardo among many others.
New Look
Guests to the opening were the first to see The Registry's facelift. "It's now softer and lighter. The antiquated atmosphere of 'The Aviary' was brightened," explained partner Bing Bernardo. Apart from some cosmetic retouching, much of the old-Manila charm still pervades the space. From the grand white wrought-iron gate, one can already glimpse the delights inside: several areas with personalities of their own.
The Patio (capacity to fit 180 pax) is the first area, filled with towering bamboo and rows and rows of horsetails. The most appealing part of the patio is that its landscape can be customized to suit whatever whim or fancy one may have.
An accomplished garden designer, Pido explained, "The look can be changed depending on what our clients want. Tropical, Asian Zen, rose garden, there are endless possibilities!" The look can be continued into the Indoor Garden that fits 250 pax.
The adjacent garden is lush with wildly exotic foliage of the humongous varieties. Bromeliads from Hawaii and Florida, as well as ferrox cycads from Africa, flank the ground while gigantic staghorn ferns (one of the hardest to culture) adorn the elevated gazebo. It's a most romantic spot for garden weddings, with a 25 foot high two-layer waterfall at the back, flowing into a pond filled with giant kois as long as 3 feet.
Beside this is a flight of stairs that lead up to even more function areas. The Gothic Hall (150 pax) is replete with candelabras, chandeliers, and elegant antiques from ancestral homes. This hall includes gold-leafed wooden arches, tiled floors, and french windows that lead to the stately balcony.
Beside the hall is the Green Alcove, which can comfortably fit 50 pax. Both these rooms, including the downstairs Indoor Garden, overlook the aviary filled with brightly hued macaws and talking cockatoos from Australia and the South American rainforests.
The stainless steel kitchen is also on the second floor and will be home to several affiliated caterer: Auffrance Catering, Batis Asul Catering, Hizon's Catering, Josiah's Catering, Juan Carlo Catering, Nina's of The Aviary, Portico 1771 of Malate, and VS&F.
Just outside the Gothic Hall is a bridge that crosses to the Bamboo Hallway (25 pax) and right beside it is the Bridal Room where the newlyweds can take a breather away from the crowd. All the different textures, colors, atmospheres, flora and fauna stems from Pido's wish for people to have a sensual experience.
"The sound of the waterfall creates such a serene and soothing sound. The flora and fauna are a delight for the eyes. This is a wonderful environment not only for wedding receptions, but as well as the ceremony itself, theme parties, debuts, and other special occasions," he said.
"In fact, children's parties would also be wonderful. For them, we bring out the snakes and tarantulas. They have a great time since they see and touch plants and animals they would only normally find in picture books."
With such accouterments, The Registry truly is a feast for the senses. The partners are all confident that their hands-on approach to managing the venue, from design to coordination, will surely make any blushing bride beam with joy and pride.
The Registry is at 233 J. Abad Santos St., Little Baguio, San Juan. Call Bing Bernardo (0917 523-2368) and Bong Lozano (0917 891-7805).
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By Walter Ang
March 30, 2003
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Tucked into the heart of San Juan, the cozy and relaxed atmosphere of the "The Aviary" once attracted countless couples in search of good food and romantic evenings. Many were disappointed when it stopped operations.
However, managing partner Ferdie "Pido" Villanueva would still receive inquiries to book the space for wedding receptions long after the fine-dining restaurant had closed shop.
Even former customers and friends all continued to espouse the virtues of the location. Encouraged by their constant prodding, Pido rounded up a new group of partners and set forth to renovate the place into its new incarnation, "The Registry." No longer a restaurant, but now a venue to be rented out for special occasions.
Like a glorious phoenix reborn, The Registry formally opened with a grand affair complete with a pair of models dressed up as newlyweds alighting from a silver Jaguar before they proceeded to the ceremonial ribbon cutting.
The opening also featured a photo exhibit of "Ninangs" photographed by Dominique James with the 30 x 40 prints produced by Imagesetters.
"We wanted to highlight the importance of Ninangs in weddings," said partner Bong Lozano. "This is our tribute to them." Featured Ninangs were prominent personalities that included UNIFEM Phil. Committee chair Olga Martel, National Commission on Women president Nona Ricafort, S Magazine publisher Aster Amoyo, Mandaluyong City first lady Carmencita Abalos and Pasig City vice mayor Lorna Bernardo among many others.
New Look
Guests to the opening were the first to see The Registry's facelift. "It's now softer and lighter. The antiquated atmosphere of 'The Aviary' was brightened," explained partner Bing Bernardo. Apart from some cosmetic retouching, much of the old-Manila charm still pervades the space. From the grand white wrought-iron gate, one can already glimpse the delights inside: several areas with personalities of their own.
The Patio (capacity to fit 180 pax) is the first area, filled with towering bamboo and rows and rows of horsetails. The most appealing part of the patio is that its landscape can be customized to suit whatever whim or fancy one may have.
An accomplished garden designer, Pido explained, "The look can be changed depending on what our clients want. Tropical, Asian Zen, rose garden, there are endless possibilities!" The look can be continued into the Indoor Garden that fits 250 pax.
The adjacent garden is lush with wildly exotic foliage of the humongous varieties. Bromeliads from Hawaii and Florida, as well as ferrox cycads from Africa, flank the ground while gigantic staghorn ferns (one of the hardest to culture) adorn the elevated gazebo. It's a most romantic spot for garden weddings, with a 25 foot high two-layer waterfall at the back, flowing into a pond filled with giant kois as long as 3 feet.
Beside this is a flight of stairs that lead up to even more function areas. The Gothic Hall (150 pax) is replete with candelabras, chandeliers, and elegant antiques from ancestral homes. This hall includes gold-leafed wooden arches, tiled floors, and french windows that lead to the stately balcony.
Beside the hall is the Green Alcove, which can comfortably fit 50 pax. Both these rooms, including the downstairs Indoor Garden, overlook the aviary filled with brightly hued macaws and talking cockatoos from Australia and the South American rainforests.
The stainless steel kitchen is also on the second floor and will be home to several affiliated caterer: Auffrance Catering, Batis Asul Catering, Hizon's Catering, Josiah's Catering, Juan Carlo Catering, Nina's of The Aviary, Portico 1771 of Malate, and VS&F.
Just outside the Gothic Hall is a bridge that crosses to the Bamboo Hallway (25 pax) and right beside it is the Bridal Room where the newlyweds can take a breather away from the crowd. All the different textures, colors, atmospheres, flora and fauna stems from Pido's wish for people to have a sensual experience.
"The sound of the waterfall creates such a serene and soothing sound. The flora and fauna are a delight for the eyes. This is a wonderful environment not only for wedding receptions, but as well as the ceremony itself, theme parties, debuts, and other special occasions," he said.
"In fact, children's parties would also be wonderful. For them, we bring out the snakes and tarantulas. They have a great time since they see and touch plants and animals they would only normally find in picture books."
With such accouterments, The Registry truly is a feast for the senses. The partners are all confident that their hands-on approach to managing the venue, from design to coordination, will surely make any blushing bride beam with joy and pride.
The Registry is at 233 J. Abad Santos St., Little Baguio, San Juan. Call Bing Bernardo (0917 523-2368) and Bong Lozano (0917 891-7805).
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Touring with Ballet Philippines' "Shoes++" around the country
These shoes are made for dancing
By Walter Ang
Aug. 18, 2002
Philippine Star Week Magazine
July 29 Thursday
I wake up at the ungodly hour of 4am so I can be at the Cultural Center of the Philippines by 6am. I'm lucky enough to be part of the cast (as the lone actor) in Ballet Philippines' National Tour of their highly acclaimed show, "Shoes++," and we leave Manila today.
By the time we get to the airport, it is raining hard and Artistic Director Denisa Reyes is worried. The menacing Manila weather has already given one dancer dengue fever. Having our flight delayed is the last thing anyone wants. We are relieved when they announce boarding for our flight. There are some first time airplane riders among the delegation that includes the dancers and they get a lot of good-natured teasing.
BP's last national tour was in 1997, so this time around, everyone is excited and raring to go. I grew up in the city so the travel to 6 different venues is appealing. And, of course, who wouldn't pass up the chance to work with one of the country's premiere dance companies.
We arrive in very sunny Cagayan de Oro and buckle down to work shortly after lunch. We are being hosted by the Cagayan Capitol College and we have our first Lecture Demonstration in the Gymnatorium (gym+auditorium). The Lec-Dem is a short program geared towards students that features the history of dance development from classical ballet to post modern dance.
In the question-and-answer portion, a little boy fires off a great first question: "How do you do it?" Reyes is amused and challenges her dancers to answer such a "loaded question!" She talks to the students with enthusiasm, pride and passion. It was great to see the students gamely asking about dance or dancing as a career. The one question that tickled everyone's fancy was if dancers were allowed to have "sweethearts." The much cheered answer is yes.
July 26 Friday
"Shoes++" features dances with different kinds of footwear like the usual toe shoes for ballet dancers as well as rubber shoes and get this, diving flippers. The last dance, "Tambok and Padyak," showcases bakya in fun, foot-stomping choreography. One truly interactive part of the tour is that we'll be having local kids dance in "Tambol" as part of the show. There are apparently more kids than originally anticipated and we have to buy extra pairs of bakya for them to wear. Thus, I spend the morning with Production Manager Dennis Maristany on a last-minute buying spree for materials we need for the show.
We arrive at the venue to see our set already in place on the stage. The staff and crew (sets, lights, sounds, and tour managers) work fast, are efficient and always try to make the venue as comfortable for the performers as they can. Reyes has great rapport and synergy with them and it's great to see them working together. No egos or tempers and they all work together to iron out kinks in the production.
During our rehearsal in the evening, everyone works hard to get used to the new venue, as well as making the local kids feel welcome as part of the show. Associate Artistic Director Alden Lugnasin had already made the rounds of all our venues a month before and he's had to choreograph the kids from each venue in preparation for our arrival. Reyes gives out copious "notes" after rehearsals to the dancers. "Put your leg up higher in this part. Lower there. Jump wider. Move to your left."
July 27 Saturday
We had a great matinee and evening show today! One of our tour managers from the CCP Outreach Division tells us how the audiences were so overwhelmed and awestruck with the show that they find it hard to applaud. "They're so mesmerized!"
I can relate to the feeling because when I saw "Shoes++" for the first time last year, I had the same reaction. The show is a great way to introduce dance to audiences because it's not the usual classical ballet with leotards and tutus. Instead, it makes dance a fun thing to watch. Hopefully, it will make audiences interested enough to explore other dance forms as well.
For many of us who are on tour for the first time, we slowly begin to realize the great importance of what we're doing. Reyes has been constantly reminding us that bringing the arts to our countrymen is a very big deal. Now that we've actually experience doing a show for the tour, we finally know what she's talking about. It gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling all over to see the smiles of the audience's faces. There is a real and palpable hunger for the arts! I find it frustrating that so many people living in Manila City ignore the performing arts when they have access to the most choices.
Denisa recounts her own experience coming back from training in New York City. "I thought I was this New Yorker who knew it all, but when I went on my first national tour, I realized how wrong I was." She tells me, "I really want my dancers to go on a national tour before they go on international tours." She stresses the value of teaching and sharing with our countrymen. Sometimes we Pinoys think being nationalistic is baduy, but talking to Denisa makes you ashamed to even consider such a notion.
Taking her cue, I try to interact with the audiences as much as I can. We only have a short time in each venue before we have to pack up and travel to the next. After the shows, I'd go up to some of them and talk to them a little bit. It's always great to find out the different reactions audiences have to a show. Younger kids love "Tambol," while most teenagers are titillated by "Love Lies Bleeding," a sensual chair-dance with two dancers in jazz shoes.
July 28 Sunday
We leave early morning via a bus ride for our next venue: Central Mindanao University in Musuan, Bukidnon. After lunch, the dancers invite me to join their Pilates class and routine barre work and floor exercises. Knowing how much Pilates sessions cost, I gamely said yes for a free session! As for the barre work, the writer in me couldn't resist a chance to experience something new. (So this is what ballet dancers do!)
A few hours later: my abdominal muscles are still trying to kill me for putting them through that class. Thank god I'm not a dancer! We never realize how much work dancers put into their craft. They jump and twirl on stage like it's the easiest thing in the world to do. Joining them in their workout made me feel like a complete dork with two left feet. I couldn't even get my leg up the barre.
It really is inspiring to work with these dancers. They work hard and dance hard all day long (6 ? 8 hours a day at least). It gets incredibly hot on the tour since most of our venues are open-air and there's no airconditioning. But they dance anyway, sweat dripping from their bodies like the CCP fountain. And if you only knew how much they get paid, you would cringe. "Our office messenger gets paid more!" exclaimed an incredulous friend when I told her the amount. Despite all of that, their dedication and commitment really shines through. I've never head them complain. They show up for work and they dance. Amazing. Calling philanthropists out there to give to BP's Salary Grant Program, please!
Rehearsals with the local kids after dinner. I like this bunch the best so far. Some of the kids here have no formal dance training (some are children of the local farmers) but I like their energy the best. They're so excited and bubbly and eager to be part of the show. Whenever we feel tired, we just take one look at them to get our energy boost.
July 29 Monday
Another two successful shows down, even if I do say so myself. We have 4 free days following since one venue cancelled at the last minute. The past few days have been very hectic and intense with set- ups, rehearsals and performances. The break will give everyone a chance to settle down a bit and finally relish the experience.
After dinner, we view a videotape of the evening's performance where we go through another round of notes. Reyes rattles off notes for the dancers as well as the technical staff: "More lights here. Louder music there. Too dark! Too much echo!"
"It always feels weird to see yourself on video," said one dancer. But everyone knows the importance of improving for the show and the rest of the tour. We pay attention and make mental notes on where and how to better ourselves.
July 30 to Aug 3
The next few days are spent touring different places in Bukidnon including swimming at a resort. (Mental note to self: don't ever swim with dancers again. They all have flat stomachs and I look like a fat-pregnant cow beside them.) Oh but the food! Plenty of lechon for everyone and fruits galore! Reyes teases some of the dancers, "You have to watch your weight! Tikim lang! (Taste only!)" First time durian eaters (like myself) take the opportunity to learn to like the exotic fruit.
We spend evenings vegging-out while watching (sheepish grin) telenovelas. "She's the real daughter but doesn't know it yet!" After the dancers wash their own costumes, we have little chats where we get to know each other more. Apart from their common thread in dancing, they come from all walks of life and have such interesting life stories to tell.
From my conversations with some of the dancers, what becomes apparent is how vital the CCP's Outreach Program is in the search for new artists. Several BP apprentices and members were discovered through these kinds of tours. Whenever a BP choreographer or teacher sees talent in local dancers, they recommend them for scholarships to the annual summer workshop and it goes from there.
In fact, students usually come up to Reyes after the shows to ask for workshop and scholarship information. Clearly, there is a hunger that needs to be fed. So who says the CCP is elitist? When you see the faces of audiences lighting up because they're experiencing an art form for the very first time, the letters CCP spell an entirely different experience.
Aug 3 Saturday
We're boarding the WG&A Superferry 14 as we move on to our next show in Sigma, Capiz--excited, eager and raring to go.
"Shoes++" will also tour Tagbilaran, Tacloban, Ormoc and Baybay, Leyte. It returns to the CCP on Aug. 23 to 25.
By Walter Ang
Aug. 18, 2002
Philippine Star Week Magazine
July 29 Thursday
I wake up at the ungodly hour of 4am so I can be at the Cultural Center of the Philippines by 6am. I'm lucky enough to be part of the cast (as the lone actor) in Ballet Philippines' National Tour of their highly acclaimed show, "Shoes++," and we leave Manila today.
By the time we get to the airport, it is raining hard and Artistic Director Denisa Reyes is worried. The menacing Manila weather has already given one dancer dengue fever. Having our flight delayed is the last thing anyone wants. We are relieved when they announce boarding for our flight. There are some first time airplane riders among the delegation that includes the dancers and they get a lot of good-natured teasing.
BP's last national tour was in 1997, so this time around, everyone is excited and raring to go. I grew up in the city so the travel to 6 different venues is appealing. And, of course, who wouldn't pass up the chance to work with one of the country's premiere dance companies.
We arrive in very sunny Cagayan de Oro and buckle down to work shortly after lunch. We are being hosted by the Cagayan Capitol College and we have our first Lecture Demonstration in the Gymnatorium (gym+auditorium). The Lec-Dem is a short program geared towards students that features the history of dance development from classical ballet to post modern dance.
In the question-and-answer portion, a little boy fires off a great first question: "How do you do it?" Reyes is amused and challenges her dancers to answer such a "loaded question!" She talks to the students with enthusiasm, pride and passion. It was great to see the students gamely asking about dance or dancing as a career. The one question that tickled everyone's fancy was if dancers were allowed to have "sweethearts." The much cheered answer is yes.
July 26 Friday
"Shoes++" features dances with different kinds of footwear like the usual toe shoes for ballet dancers as well as rubber shoes and get this, diving flippers. The last dance, "Tambok and Padyak," showcases bakya in fun, foot-stomping choreography. One truly interactive part of the tour is that we'll be having local kids dance in "Tambol" as part of the show. There are apparently more kids than originally anticipated and we have to buy extra pairs of bakya for them to wear. Thus, I spend the morning with Production Manager Dennis Maristany on a last-minute buying spree for materials we need for the show.
We arrive at the venue to see our set already in place on the stage. The staff and crew (sets, lights, sounds, and tour managers) work fast, are efficient and always try to make the venue as comfortable for the performers as they can. Reyes has great rapport and synergy with them and it's great to see them working together. No egos or tempers and they all work together to iron out kinks in the production.
During our rehearsal in the evening, everyone works hard to get used to the new venue, as well as making the local kids feel welcome as part of the show. Associate Artistic Director Alden Lugnasin had already made the rounds of all our venues a month before and he's had to choreograph the kids from each venue in preparation for our arrival. Reyes gives out copious "notes" after rehearsals to the dancers. "Put your leg up higher in this part. Lower there. Jump wider. Move to your left."
July 27 Saturday
We had a great matinee and evening show today! One of our tour managers from the CCP Outreach Division tells us how the audiences were so overwhelmed and awestruck with the show that they find it hard to applaud. "They're so mesmerized!"
I can relate to the feeling because when I saw "Shoes++" for the first time last year, I had the same reaction. The show is a great way to introduce dance to audiences because it's not the usual classical ballet with leotards and tutus. Instead, it makes dance a fun thing to watch. Hopefully, it will make audiences interested enough to explore other dance forms as well.
For many of us who are on tour for the first time, we slowly begin to realize the great importance of what we're doing. Reyes has been constantly reminding us that bringing the arts to our countrymen is a very big deal. Now that we've actually experience doing a show for the tour, we finally know what she's talking about. It gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling all over to see the smiles of the audience's faces. There is a real and palpable hunger for the arts! I find it frustrating that so many people living in Manila City ignore the performing arts when they have access to the most choices.
Denisa recounts her own experience coming back from training in New York City. "I thought I was this New Yorker who knew it all, but when I went on my first national tour, I realized how wrong I was." She tells me, "I really want my dancers to go on a national tour before they go on international tours." She stresses the value of teaching and sharing with our countrymen. Sometimes we Pinoys think being nationalistic is baduy, but talking to Denisa makes you ashamed to even consider such a notion.
Taking her cue, I try to interact with the audiences as much as I can. We only have a short time in each venue before we have to pack up and travel to the next. After the shows, I'd go up to some of them and talk to them a little bit. It's always great to find out the different reactions audiences have to a show. Younger kids love "Tambol," while most teenagers are titillated by "Love Lies Bleeding," a sensual chair-dance with two dancers in jazz shoes.
July 28 Sunday
We leave early morning via a bus ride for our next venue: Central Mindanao University in Musuan, Bukidnon. After lunch, the dancers invite me to join their Pilates class and routine barre work and floor exercises. Knowing how much Pilates sessions cost, I gamely said yes for a free session! As for the barre work, the writer in me couldn't resist a chance to experience something new. (So this is what ballet dancers do!)
A few hours later: my abdominal muscles are still trying to kill me for putting them through that class. Thank god I'm not a dancer! We never realize how much work dancers put into their craft. They jump and twirl on stage like it's the easiest thing in the world to do. Joining them in their workout made me feel like a complete dork with two left feet. I couldn't even get my leg up the barre.
It really is inspiring to work with these dancers. They work hard and dance hard all day long (6 ? 8 hours a day at least). It gets incredibly hot on the tour since most of our venues are open-air and there's no airconditioning. But they dance anyway, sweat dripping from their bodies like the CCP fountain. And if you only knew how much they get paid, you would cringe. "Our office messenger gets paid more!" exclaimed an incredulous friend when I told her the amount. Despite all of that, their dedication and commitment really shines through. I've never head them complain. They show up for work and they dance. Amazing. Calling philanthropists out there to give to BP's Salary Grant Program, please!
Rehearsals with the local kids after dinner. I like this bunch the best so far. Some of the kids here have no formal dance training (some are children of the local farmers) but I like their energy the best. They're so excited and bubbly and eager to be part of the show. Whenever we feel tired, we just take one look at them to get our energy boost.
July 29 Monday
Another two successful shows down, even if I do say so myself. We have 4 free days following since one venue cancelled at the last minute. The past few days have been very hectic and intense with set- ups, rehearsals and performances. The break will give everyone a chance to settle down a bit and finally relish the experience.
After dinner, we view a videotape of the evening's performance where we go through another round of notes. Reyes rattles off notes for the dancers as well as the technical staff: "More lights here. Louder music there. Too dark! Too much echo!"
"It always feels weird to see yourself on video," said one dancer. But everyone knows the importance of improving for the show and the rest of the tour. We pay attention and make mental notes on where and how to better ourselves.
July 30 to Aug 3
The next few days are spent touring different places in Bukidnon including swimming at a resort. (Mental note to self: don't ever swim with dancers again. They all have flat stomachs and I look like a fat-pregnant cow beside them.) Oh but the food! Plenty of lechon for everyone and fruits galore! Reyes teases some of the dancers, "You have to watch your weight! Tikim lang! (Taste only!)" First time durian eaters (like myself) take the opportunity to learn to like the exotic fruit.
We spend evenings vegging-out while watching (sheepish grin) telenovelas. "She's the real daughter but doesn't know it yet!" After the dancers wash their own costumes, we have little chats where we get to know each other more. Apart from their common thread in dancing, they come from all walks of life and have such interesting life stories to tell.
From my conversations with some of the dancers, what becomes apparent is how vital the CCP's Outreach Program is in the search for new artists. Several BP apprentices and members were discovered through these kinds of tours. Whenever a BP choreographer or teacher sees talent in local dancers, they recommend them for scholarships to the annual summer workshop and it goes from there.
In fact, students usually come up to Reyes after the shows to ask for workshop and scholarship information. Clearly, there is a hunger that needs to be fed. So who says the CCP is elitist? When you see the faces of audiences lighting up because they're experiencing an art form for the very first time, the letters CCP spell an entirely different experience.
Aug 3 Saturday
We're boarding the WG&A Superferry 14 as we move on to our next show in Sigma, Capiz--excited, eager and raring to go.
"Shoes++" will also tour Tagbilaran, Tacloban, Ormoc and Baybay, Leyte. It returns to the CCP on Aug. 23 to 25.
Flying high with some help from Down Under
Flying high with some help from Down Under
By Walter Ang
July 1, 2002
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Dancers in tutus turning pirouettes may have ballet audiences somewhat jaded. But things are about to change. The dancers will do more than just leap and bound. Apart from lining up an eclectic mix of material for its 33rd season, Ballet Philippines has also begun taking flying lessons. Flying with harnesses, that is.
The flying lessons are in preparation for an upcoming production about a stone-swallowing, flying-dynamo of a local heroine slated for next year. This new production is in line with BP artistic director Denisa Reyes' efforts to create new works that speak to the sensibilities of today's younger audiences. After all, enticing and capturing the young audiences today is key to establishing a long- term relationship with its audience.
The Australian Embassy had heard about Denisa's plan and recommended Gavin Robins for a possible artistic collaboration. Known as one of Down Under's leading movement directors, Robins has an impressive body of work ranging from choreographing pop-star Tina Arena's concerts to the opening number for the Sydney Olympics 2000. He has also been involved in straight plays and street performances. He has choreographed the aliens in the sci-fi TV series "Farscape."
Perhaps his most notable involvement is as performer and co-devisor of the Legs on the Wall Physical Theater Company. A short video featuring highlights of this company's previous works wowed recently the press with its impressive images of dancers flying and contorting through the air, suspended by wires and harnesses akin to bungee cords.
Not afraid to fly
Robins' cutting-edge works in dance, acrobatics, ashtanga yoga and aerial theater, and BP's upcoming production were ingredients ripe for a blending. Things fell into place and with a grant from the New South Wales Ministry for the Arts and the Australian Council; the tall, buff choreographer arrived in May. His stay, the first of a series of visits, involves teaching the BP dancers on the use of different "flying" equipment.
The workshop is being held at the Sinag Arts Studio -- whose staff includes noted lighting designer Shoko Matsumoto. "You have to give dancers time to embrace a new physical language. We have a height of five meters (in the studio) to play with now," said Robins, "It's a good height to train with. Then we'll move onto the eight meters the CCP Main Theater has to offer."
The students have taken well to the techniques and equipment used in movies like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Spiderman" and "The Matrix." On their first day, the dancers were already "running up the walls and flying," said Robins, "from the little time I've spent with the Filipino dancers, they've displayed a dynamic risk-taking energy yet at the same time, an intrinsic notion of play."
Something special
A part of the workshop had one dancer walking along the walls much the same way Michelle Yeoh did in "Crouching." "Movies these days have changed the way we view theater. I'm looking to bring that kind of movement into theater. This is the kind of thing popular with younger audiences. I'm excited. We need to be a step ahead visually and push the boundaries."
Denisa Reyes is clearly delighted at the possibilities of this collaboration. "We will be creating something very special, very different. Our collaboration efforts won't be seen till we stage our show next year, but we want to prepare well for it," she said.
Albeit that particular production is still a year away, in the meantime, BP won't be leaving audiences on the ground. After all, there's a full season to look forward to. Ballet Philippines' 33rd season opens on July 5 with "Joie de Dance" -- a tribute to dancer Cecile Sicangco (yes, the lady in that milk commercial) after 15 years of dancing.
Sicangco's farewell performance will be presented as part of the French Spring Festival and she'll be dancing a piece specially choreographed for her by Guillaume Compain. "Joie de Dance" will also feature former BP dancer Ernest Mandap, now a principal dancer of Brumachon-Lamarche Company, who will return to perform Claude Brumachon's "Les Indomptes" (The Untamed).
Immediately following is the national tour of last year's smash- hit "Shoes++." With its wonderful showcase of different forms, funky pizzaz and a sazzy shoe-saleslady, "Shoes++" will visit Ilocos, Lucena, Batangas, Olongapo, Iloilo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon and Davao.
Alden Lugnasin's whimsical piece "Flippers" was a crowd pleaser last year (Who knew one could dance while wearing diving flippers?) and is not to be missed. "Shoes++" returns to Manila for a repeat run in Aug.
The season includes wholesome family fun with "Cinderella" in Dec. and ends with a homecoming of guest artists from around the globe in "Neo-Filipino: Balikbayan."
Ballet Philippines will mount "Joie de Dance" on July 5 at 8 p.m. and on July 6 and 7 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The performance is in connection with the French Spring in Manila. Call 551-0221 or -1003.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=51o1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=kiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2161%2C23584502
By Walter Ang
July 1, 2002
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Dancers in tutus turning pirouettes may have ballet audiences somewhat jaded. But things are about to change. The dancers will do more than just leap and bound. Apart from lining up an eclectic mix of material for its 33rd season, Ballet Philippines has also begun taking flying lessons. Flying with harnesses, that is.
The flying lessons are in preparation for an upcoming production about a stone-swallowing, flying-dynamo of a local heroine slated for next year. This new production is in line with BP artistic director Denisa Reyes' efforts to create new works that speak to the sensibilities of today's younger audiences. After all, enticing and capturing the young audiences today is key to establishing a long- term relationship with its audience.
The Australian Embassy had heard about Denisa's plan and recommended Gavin Robins for a possible artistic collaboration. Known as one of Down Under's leading movement directors, Robins has an impressive body of work ranging from choreographing pop-star Tina Arena's concerts to the opening number for the Sydney Olympics 2000. He has also been involved in straight plays and street performances. He has choreographed the aliens in the sci-fi TV series "Farscape."
Perhaps his most notable involvement is as performer and co-devisor of the Legs on the Wall Physical Theater Company. A short video featuring highlights of this company's previous works wowed recently the press with its impressive images of dancers flying and contorting through the air, suspended by wires and harnesses akin to bungee cords.
Not afraid to fly
Robins' cutting-edge works in dance, acrobatics, ashtanga yoga and aerial theater, and BP's upcoming production were ingredients ripe for a blending. Things fell into place and with a grant from the New South Wales Ministry for the Arts and the Australian Council; the tall, buff choreographer arrived in May. His stay, the first of a series of visits, involves teaching the BP dancers on the use of different "flying" equipment.
The workshop is being held at the Sinag Arts Studio -- whose staff includes noted lighting designer Shoko Matsumoto. "You have to give dancers time to embrace a new physical language. We have a height of five meters (in the studio) to play with now," said Robins, "It's a good height to train with. Then we'll move onto the eight meters the CCP Main Theater has to offer."
The students have taken well to the techniques and equipment used in movies like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Spiderman" and "The Matrix." On their first day, the dancers were already "running up the walls and flying," said Robins, "from the little time I've spent with the Filipino dancers, they've displayed a dynamic risk-taking energy yet at the same time, an intrinsic notion of play."
Something special
A part of the workshop had one dancer walking along the walls much the same way Michelle Yeoh did in "Crouching." "Movies these days have changed the way we view theater. I'm looking to bring that kind of movement into theater. This is the kind of thing popular with younger audiences. I'm excited. We need to be a step ahead visually and push the boundaries."
Denisa Reyes is clearly delighted at the possibilities of this collaboration. "We will be creating something very special, very different. Our collaboration efforts won't be seen till we stage our show next year, but we want to prepare well for it," she said.
Albeit that particular production is still a year away, in the meantime, BP won't be leaving audiences on the ground. After all, there's a full season to look forward to. Ballet Philippines' 33rd season opens on July 5 with "Joie de Dance" -- a tribute to dancer Cecile Sicangco (yes, the lady in that milk commercial) after 15 years of dancing.
Sicangco's farewell performance will be presented as part of the French Spring Festival and she'll be dancing a piece specially choreographed for her by Guillaume Compain. "Joie de Dance" will also feature former BP dancer Ernest Mandap, now a principal dancer of Brumachon-Lamarche Company, who will return to perform Claude Brumachon's "Les Indomptes" (The Untamed).
Immediately following is the national tour of last year's smash- hit "Shoes++." With its wonderful showcase of different forms, funky pizzaz and a sazzy shoe-saleslady, "Shoes++" will visit Ilocos, Lucena, Batangas, Olongapo, Iloilo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon and Davao.
Alden Lugnasin's whimsical piece "Flippers" was a crowd pleaser last year (Who knew one could dance while wearing diving flippers?) and is not to be missed. "Shoes++" returns to Manila for a repeat run in Aug.
The season includes wholesome family fun with "Cinderella" in Dec. and ends with a homecoming of guest artists from around the globe in "Neo-Filipino: Balikbayan."
Ballet Philippines will mount "Joie de Dance" on July 5 at 8 p.m. and on July 6 and 7 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The performance is in connection with the French Spring in Manila. Call 551-0221 or -1003.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=51o1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=kiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2161%2C23584502
How I posed nude for painters and survived the ordeal
How I posed nude for painters and survived the ordeal
By Walter Ang
April 17, 2002
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The challenge: 2bU! needed someone willing to pose nude for a group of artists and then write about the experience. My response: Yes.
I don't know why the request sounded so appealing. Perhaps it spoke to my adventurous side. Perhaps it spoke to my ego ? the idea was tinged with glamour, "I will be immortalized as a piece of art!" I even suggested the final artworks could be titled, "Handsome Naked Young Man," but Lito Zulueta, the Arts Section editor, looked absolutely mortified.
Of course, I had some concerns. The whole world was going to see my, er, shortcomings. After all, you can't go nude without showing your, uhm, equipment. What if my equipment would start to "act up"? Sometimes those things have a mind of their own! I was also worried if the place would be cold since every guy knows what low temperatures can do to their equipment. Also, I am a fidgety person. How in the world was I supposed to stay still for hours on end?
Just do it
I arrived early at the house, aptly located in bohemian Malate, where the session would be held. The artists and their amiable manager, Delan Rebillos, filed in one at a time as his lovely wife, Jae, made introductions. I made small talk with artists Sam Penaso and Tres Roman as they showed me some of their works. Sam had done distorted human figures in his "Hubog" series that I really liked. People with a sense of humor, irony and whimsy would love Tres's series "Tribute to Frued."
I may not have any background on visual arts, but that doesn't mean I couldn't appreciate what these artworks had to offer. "And that's what our group "the artery", is here to do," said Delan, "To demystify 'art' and make it accessible to everyone."
Merienda was served but I had too many butterflies in my stomach so I had to decline while everyone else was happily munching away. We then proceeded to a room with a bed set up with white sheets. I disrobed with only a malong to preserve what little modesty was left. I was shown what pose I should take and, without no fanfare at all, I slipped the malong off. I never felt "exposed" or embarrassed because the artists immediately got to work and everyone was very accommodating, going out of their way to make sure I was comfortable.
Red wine was served and that really helped me relax. It was very quiet and all I could hear was the "skritch, skritch, skritch" of their tools (palette knife) or medium (oil, charcoal, pastes) on the materials they were using (paper, canvass, velour). I stayed as absolutely still as I could. I didn't want to compromise the artists' works.
The artists were very kind and kept telling me to let them know when I wanted to rest. Pretty soon, Delan and Jae started a conversation with me, which was a lifesaver since I was getting sleepy. Finding out that the model can actually talk while posing was the first of many discoveries that afternoon.
I was pleased at myself when he mentioned that 35 minutes had already passed. "I've been still for that long?!" I was so sure my muscles would be screaming murder barely five minutes into it. We eventually took a break and the artists did touch ups on their works while I shook off the kinks that were starting to form. I peeked at the different colors and shapes that were beginning to take form and was very excited.
After that first break, I was less rigid and would ask everyone all sorts of questions about their craft. What do artists feel when they give away or sell their art, don't they miss their works? Do they render works everyday or only when the mood hits them? They had pretty insightful answers and it was interesting to find out that, similar to writer's block, artists can get artist's block as well.
Amazing
I did the first pose for another hour and took a look at the artworks. It was amazing. Some of them were able to execute two works with different styles from my first pose alone! To see all those different styles from these five artists was really inspiring. All those reds, blues and other hues in different strokes and lines really makes one think of the many ways one can view the world and how one thing (the model) can provide the impetus for new creations
(the artworks).
We took a longer break before I did my second pose since the artists were visibly drained. People may think artists have it easy "just painting" but it takes a lot of effort. You could see exhaustion in their faces. My second pose was easier since I was made to lie down. "So you can rest!" they all chimed in.
The artists and I both got our second winds and we were seriously back to work. By then, our conversations were about everything and anything under the sun. I got to find out the rate for nude models. It starts at P400 per hour for unknowns and as high as high as P2,000. I could have made P1,600 that day!
The next two hours flew by quickly. When we were all done and I stretched a little bit, I took a few minutes to gaze at all the artworks laid on the floor and table. According to Delan, the total worth of all five artists with one artwork each can reach P80,000. The total output that day was 15 pieces. You do the math.
But what it's all worth in money isn't even the issue. To have seen all the effort that went into it makes for a very interesting viewpoint and accomplished feeling. I kept looking at the works and it was a very strange, yet pleasing moment. Albeit I kept thinking "This is me?!" I was tickled pink with what I saw. I was exhausted and famished but I got that fuzzy, warm feeling all over me. And the muscle kinks disappeared.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=21g1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=iyUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=922%2C7554423
By Walter Ang
April 17, 2002
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The challenge: 2bU! needed someone willing to pose nude for a group of artists and then write about the experience. My response: Yes.
I don't know why the request sounded so appealing. Perhaps it spoke to my adventurous side. Perhaps it spoke to my ego ? the idea was tinged with glamour, "I will be immortalized as a piece of art!" I even suggested the final artworks could be titled, "Handsome Naked Young Man," but Lito Zulueta, the Arts Section editor, looked absolutely mortified.
Of course, I had some concerns. The whole world was going to see my, er, shortcomings. After all, you can't go nude without showing your, uhm, equipment. What if my equipment would start to "act up"? Sometimes those things have a mind of their own! I was also worried if the place would be cold since every guy knows what low temperatures can do to their equipment. Also, I am a fidgety person. How in the world was I supposed to stay still for hours on end?
Just do it
I arrived early at the house, aptly located in bohemian Malate, where the session would be held. The artists and their amiable manager, Delan Rebillos, filed in one at a time as his lovely wife, Jae, made introductions. I made small talk with artists Sam Penaso and Tres Roman as they showed me some of their works. Sam had done distorted human figures in his "Hubog" series that I really liked. People with a sense of humor, irony and whimsy would love Tres's series "Tribute to Frued."
I may not have any background on visual arts, but that doesn't mean I couldn't appreciate what these artworks had to offer. "And that's what our group "the artery", is here to do," said Delan, "To demystify 'art' and make it accessible to everyone."
Merienda was served but I had too many butterflies in my stomach so I had to decline while everyone else was happily munching away. We then proceeded to a room with a bed set up with white sheets. I disrobed with only a malong to preserve what little modesty was left. I was shown what pose I should take and, without no fanfare at all, I slipped the malong off. I never felt "exposed" or embarrassed because the artists immediately got to work and everyone was very accommodating, going out of their way to make sure I was comfortable.
Red wine was served and that really helped me relax. It was very quiet and all I could hear was the "skritch, skritch, skritch" of their tools (palette knife) or medium (oil, charcoal, pastes) on the materials they were using (paper, canvass, velour). I stayed as absolutely still as I could. I didn't want to compromise the artists' works.
The artists were very kind and kept telling me to let them know when I wanted to rest. Pretty soon, Delan and Jae started a conversation with me, which was a lifesaver since I was getting sleepy. Finding out that the model can actually talk while posing was the first of many discoveries that afternoon.
I was pleased at myself when he mentioned that 35 minutes had already passed. "I've been still for that long?!" I was so sure my muscles would be screaming murder barely five minutes into it. We eventually took a break and the artists did touch ups on their works while I shook off the kinks that were starting to form. I peeked at the different colors and shapes that were beginning to take form and was very excited.
After that first break, I was less rigid and would ask everyone all sorts of questions about their craft. What do artists feel when they give away or sell their art, don't they miss their works? Do they render works everyday or only when the mood hits them? They had pretty insightful answers and it was interesting to find out that, similar to writer's block, artists can get artist's block as well.
Amazing
I did the first pose for another hour and took a look at the artworks. It was amazing. Some of them were able to execute two works with different styles from my first pose alone! To see all those different styles from these five artists was really inspiring. All those reds, blues and other hues in different strokes and lines really makes one think of the many ways one can view the world and how one thing (the model) can provide the impetus for new creations
(the artworks).
We took a longer break before I did my second pose since the artists were visibly drained. People may think artists have it easy "just painting" but it takes a lot of effort. You could see exhaustion in their faces. My second pose was easier since I was made to lie down. "So you can rest!" they all chimed in.
The artists and I both got our second winds and we were seriously back to work. By then, our conversations were about everything and anything under the sun. I got to find out the rate for nude models. It starts at P400 per hour for unknowns and as high as high as P2,000. I could have made P1,600 that day!
The next two hours flew by quickly. When we were all done and I stretched a little bit, I took a few minutes to gaze at all the artworks laid on the floor and table. According to Delan, the total worth of all five artists with one artwork each can reach P80,000. The total output that day was 15 pieces. You do the math.
But what it's all worth in money isn't even the issue. To have seen all the effort that went into it makes for a very interesting viewpoint and accomplished feeling. I kept looking at the works and it was a very strange, yet pleasing moment. Albeit I kept thinking "This is me?!" I was tickled pink with what I saw. I was exhausted and famished but I got that fuzzy, warm feeling all over me. And the muscle kinks disappeared.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=21g1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=iyUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=922%2C7554423
Filipino student has exchange year in USA
The year of living away
By Walter Ang
March 13, 2002
Philippine Daily Inquirer
AFTER my high school graduation, I spent a few agonizing weeks deciding if I should take a year off as an exchange student to the U.S.A. My father and I asked inputs from our relatives and got opinions ranging from skepticism ("You'll lose interest in going to school when you return because all your former batchmates will be ahead of you.") to enthusiastic encouragement ("It's a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity!").
I was fortunate enough to have already experienced a 4-week study tour stint in Seattle. That trip was already beyond my wildest expectations, so I hadn't expected repeating the experience on a longer timeframe. A one-year program was recommended to my dad and he confided that he was a frustrated exchange student and it was his dream to let his children experience it.
I was giddy, excited, scared and occasionally nauseous at the chance of spending a year alone abroad living with a host family. I'd go to college, meet people and "expand my horizons." Going through an agency would drastically reduce the cost versus doing the arrangements on our own, but I still worried about the cost since it wasn't simply like buying peanuts in the park.
Go west
We finally decided and a few months later, I was smack in the middle of Clinton City in Iowa state. Not yet quite a farming town but not exactly a bustling metropolis, it was an interesting change of environment for someone who grew up inhaling the noxious fumes of downtown Manila. All that big, blue sky unobstructed by tall buildings. And all those cornfields!
The first few months were a whirlwind of activity. Getting used to living with another family, meeting the seven other European exchange students who were in the same exchange program, adjusting to the school system and so on.
I hung out a lot with the other exchange students since we were all in the same boat. We clung to each other for support and constantly compared notes on our experiences. It got a little slow as the months wore on. After all, we were teenagers and got bored easily. The nearest mall was 45 minutes away (and that's going the maximum speed on the highway)!
And even though we had already been told the "real" America was nothing like "Melrose Place" or all those other chi-chi shows you see on TV, deep inside, you always kind of compare. I did have moments where I had to stop and pinch myself because living with a family of tall, blonde-haired, English speaking Caucasians did feel like I was in a TV show on certain occasions. It was very surreal at times!
Another life
But through it all, it was great fun to experience so many new things. I got to know my very amiable host-family, the Wheelers. We'd do a lot of things like go on trips or spend Thursday nights watching "e.r." together. My host dad Jerry liked to listen to classical music in his basement office-nook. My host sister Sarah and I would have fun conversations while she drove me to school. While host brother Noah and I loved to make fun of everything we saw on TV. My host mom Cheryl made me a wonderful blue quilt for Christmas that year and I still use it as a blanket to this very day.
I got to rake leaves during the fall (it smells ? er, different!). In winter, we'd sometimes wake up at the ungodly hour of 4a.m. to shovel snow off the driveway so we could leave on time at 6a.m. It was a little tough for me in winter because I experienced Seasonal Depression, although I didn't realize it at the time. I guess coming from a tropical country, not getting my fair share of UV rays from the sun affected me more than I cared to admit.
That same winter, the exchange students took a limousine to Chicago. The limo was cheaper with the bill split between us compared to buying individual bus tickets. Apart from being oh-so-glamorous, the service was door to door, not bus station to bus station! On New Year's Eve, we ate at a fancy restaurant complete with paper hats
("Just like on TV!") and forgot to tip the waiters. They ran out to the street after us!
Travel was just part of the perks in the program. We were "ambassadors of goodwill," forging ties and friendship in behalf of our respective countries. We were invited to speak at Ladies' Clubs, churches, and even with the local boy scout troop. "Do you have a moon in Europe?" someone once asked Anne from Belgium. "We have two! One of them is purple," she deadpanned, tired of being asked such silly questions.
I once got asked if Filipinos really ate dogs. To which I gave the prepared answer, "It's not good, it's not bad. It's just different." Sometimes I would add, "After all, cows are sacred in India and you guys love hamburgers."
Away from home
Transplanted from everything that you're familiar with gives you a chance to find out who you are without your old friends, without your family, without your usual arsenal of comfort zones. It's a great way to learn who you are and what you're capable of, even if you don't realize it at the time.
But in the end, it dawns on you that no matter where you are and where you're from, you're more likely to find similarities with people rather than differences. My host dad Jerry once asked me what kids in Manila liked to do in their spare time. I shrugged my shoulder and said, "Hang out at the mall." He laughed, "I guess teenagers around the world are all the same!"
We got our certificates of completion when school ended in May. I rushed back for the June opening of school here (the Europeans got to stay and travel some more). I became the only freshman student on "irregular" status on the first semester because I had some of my classes credited. But I had more fun that way because I got to meet more people instead of being stuck with my blockmates all the time. But that's another story.
An article like this is never going to be enough to recount all the wonderful, crazy, hilarious things that went on in my one-year stay away from home. I can't believe how many years have actually passed since. But I always remember it like it was just yesterday. I still keep in touch with my family in Clinton.
To all the parents out there, if you have the means to send your children away for an extended period of time, I strongly, strongly urge you to do so. It'll be a gift that's priceless.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o641AAAAIBAJ&sjid=dyUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1945%2C12741158
By Walter Ang
March 13, 2002
Philippine Daily Inquirer
AFTER my high school graduation, I spent a few agonizing weeks deciding if I should take a year off as an exchange student to the U.S.A. My father and I asked inputs from our relatives and got opinions ranging from skepticism ("You'll lose interest in going to school when you return because all your former batchmates will be ahead of you.") to enthusiastic encouragement ("It's a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity!").
I was fortunate enough to have already experienced a 4-week study tour stint in Seattle. That trip was already beyond my wildest expectations, so I hadn't expected repeating the experience on a longer timeframe. A one-year program was recommended to my dad and he confided that he was a frustrated exchange student and it was his dream to let his children experience it.
I was giddy, excited, scared and occasionally nauseous at the chance of spending a year alone abroad living with a host family. I'd go to college, meet people and "expand my horizons." Going through an agency would drastically reduce the cost versus doing the arrangements on our own, but I still worried about the cost since it wasn't simply like buying peanuts in the park.
Go west
We finally decided and a few months later, I was smack in the middle of Clinton City in Iowa state. Not yet quite a farming town but not exactly a bustling metropolis, it was an interesting change of environment for someone who grew up inhaling the noxious fumes of downtown Manila. All that big, blue sky unobstructed by tall buildings. And all those cornfields!
The first few months were a whirlwind of activity. Getting used to living with another family, meeting the seven other European exchange students who were in the same exchange program, adjusting to the school system and so on.
I hung out a lot with the other exchange students since we were all in the same boat. We clung to each other for support and constantly compared notes on our experiences. It got a little slow as the months wore on. After all, we were teenagers and got bored easily. The nearest mall was 45 minutes away (and that's going the maximum speed on the highway)!
And even though we had already been told the "real" America was nothing like "Melrose Place" or all those other chi-chi shows you see on TV, deep inside, you always kind of compare. I did have moments where I had to stop and pinch myself because living with a family of tall, blonde-haired, English speaking Caucasians did feel like I was in a TV show on certain occasions. It was very surreal at times!
Another life
But through it all, it was great fun to experience so many new things. I got to know my very amiable host-family, the Wheelers. We'd do a lot of things like go on trips or spend Thursday nights watching "e.r." together. My host dad Jerry liked to listen to classical music in his basement office-nook. My host sister Sarah and I would have fun conversations while she drove me to school. While host brother Noah and I loved to make fun of everything we saw on TV. My host mom Cheryl made me a wonderful blue quilt for Christmas that year and I still use it as a blanket to this very day.
I got to rake leaves during the fall (it smells ? er, different!). In winter, we'd sometimes wake up at the ungodly hour of 4a.m. to shovel snow off the driveway so we could leave on time at 6a.m. It was a little tough for me in winter because I experienced Seasonal Depression, although I didn't realize it at the time. I guess coming from a tropical country, not getting my fair share of UV rays from the sun affected me more than I cared to admit.
That same winter, the exchange students took a limousine to Chicago. The limo was cheaper with the bill split between us compared to buying individual bus tickets. Apart from being oh-so-glamorous, the service was door to door, not bus station to bus station! On New Year's Eve, we ate at a fancy restaurant complete with paper hats
("Just like on TV!") and forgot to tip the waiters. They ran out to the street after us!
Travel was just part of the perks in the program. We were "ambassadors of goodwill," forging ties and friendship in behalf of our respective countries. We were invited to speak at Ladies' Clubs, churches, and even with the local boy scout troop. "Do you have a moon in Europe?" someone once asked Anne from Belgium. "We have two! One of them is purple," she deadpanned, tired of being asked such silly questions.
I once got asked if Filipinos really ate dogs. To which I gave the prepared answer, "It's not good, it's not bad. It's just different." Sometimes I would add, "After all, cows are sacred in India and you guys love hamburgers."
Away from home
Transplanted from everything that you're familiar with gives you a chance to find out who you are without your old friends, without your family, without your usual arsenal of comfort zones. It's a great way to learn who you are and what you're capable of, even if you don't realize it at the time.
But in the end, it dawns on you that no matter where you are and where you're from, you're more likely to find similarities with people rather than differences. My host dad Jerry once asked me what kids in Manila liked to do in their spare time. I shrugged my shoulder and said, "Hang out at the mall." He laughed, "I guess teenagers around the world are all the same!"
We got our certificates of completion when school ended in May. I rushed back for the June opening of school here (the Europeans got to stay and travel some more). I became the only freshman student on "irregular" status on the first semester because I had some of my classes credited. But I had more fun that way because I got to meet more people instead of being stuck with my blockmates all the time. But that's another story.
An article like this is never going to be enough to recount all the wonderful, crazy, hilarious things that went on in my one-year stay away from home. I can't believe how many years have actually passed since. But I always remember it like it was just yesterday. I still keep in touch with my family in Clinton.
To all the parents out there, if you have the means to send your children away for an extended period of time, I strongly, strongly urge you to do so. It'll be a gift that's priceless.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o641AAAAIBAJ&sjid=dyUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1945%2C12741158
Tanghalang Pilipino's Filipino version of Goldoni's 'The Liar'
Tanghalang Pilipino's Filipino version of Goldoni's "The Liar"
By Walter Ang
Feb. 2, 2002
Most people have a traumatic first time with the performing arts as they are required to sit through some heavy drama piece for school.
And if being a "captive" (literally) audience wasn't enough, they'd have to write a reaction paper (500 words, at least!) on who the playwright was (Brecht who?) and use highfalutin words to extol the virtues of what they just saw.
But watching plays and musicals does not have to be baduy and can be quite entertaining, enjoyable and even, gasp, fun. Especially if you give it a try without having your terror of a teacher twist your arm to go. Those who are feeling adventurous, or even just mildly curious, can give Tanghalang Pilipino's production of "Ang Sinungaling" a go.
Director Nonon Padilla "steals" conventions from Chinese Peking opera to stage this Filipino translation of an Italian play. How's that for starters? Different cultural influences are always a delight to see onstage, providing the audience with a fresh perspective on what could potentially be old and stodgy material. Just last year, the same company staged Shakespeare's Macbeth in an Asian setting, too.
A comedy written by Carlo Goldoni and translated by Ony de Leon, the play revolves around all the trouble caused by chronic liar Leilo, played by the Apo Hiking Society's Boboy Garrovillo. Leilo arrives in Venice, Italy and launches lie upon lie from his lips to woo the sisters Rosaura and Beatrice. The comedy comes in when servants, families, rival suitors and a dancing messenger/waiter get caught up in the complicated web of fallacies.
Sense of humor
Audiences used to watching productions in English need not feel intimidated by the language. Using Filipino as the spoken medium helps make the comedy bawdier and funnier since the silliness of the situations take on a more familiar tone. And who wouldn't be amused by the hilarious send ups of local personalities like FPJ, Kris Aquino and L.A. Lopez?
Chinoy fare is, as expected, up for jabs by the characters in the play ? anything and everything from funny accents, popular Chinese restaurants to Taipan-owned malls and banks. Fans of anime
(especially Dragonball Z) will marvel the Goku-type hair (big and all over the place) of some characters. Chinoys out there with a sense of humor and irony are going to love this show.
The deliberate use of Peking opera as a framework for the play is, as director Padilla claims, "a strategy ? to present to contemporary audiences a picture of Philippine contemporary life." Not strict in its usage of Peking Opera conventions, the production merely borrows and, on occasion, pokes fun of, the stereotyped movements of that form. But it's a comedy after all and all that really shouldn't matter unless you're one of the students required to write about it. Those unlucky students can probably get some ideas from the directors' notes in the programme--done in the size of a CD liner note and one of the most creative and slick programmes I've ever seen.
Kitschy decor
The atypical programme is only an appetizer to the visual treat the play has in store. In the Tanghalang Huseng Batute (the one in the basement) of the CCP, a red, black and gold checkered set designed by Gino Gonzales greets the audience as they come in. The design looks Chinese yet has a certain Italian flair to it as well (harlequin costumes come to mind).
Fashionistas with a sharp eye will catch familiar Italian designer logos interspersed into the set. The costumes (also by Gonzales) are rich in color and very tongue-in-cheek, including some ensembles that incorporate kitschy Chinese plastic decor that seemed to have been (and probably were) bought from the sidewalk stalls of Quiapo or Chinatown.
The actors company gave strong performances all around. The three female leads had good comic timing and the guys seemed to have fun hamming it up for the laughs. While Garrovillo certainly has a mischievous air about him, we wonder if a younger, more pilyo-looking actor might have been more suited to the charismatic liar role? Roeder, who portrayed Leilo's father Pantalone, could have switched roles with Garrovillo.
The material seems to slow down the action a bit in the beginning of the second act, but over all, the punchlines and visual gags keep the audience pretty much rolling in the aisles. Starting off the year with a good laugh would seem a pretty good way to go, and that's no lie.
By Walter Ang
Feb. 2, 2002
Most people have a traumatic first time with the performing arts as they are required to sit through some heavy drama piece for school.
And if being a "captive" (literally) audience wasn't enough, they'd have to write a reaction paper (500 words, at least!) on who the playwright was (Brecht who?) and use highfalutin words to extol the virtues of what they just saw.
But watching plays and musicals does not have to be baduy and can be quite entertaining, enjoyable and even, gasp, fun. Especially if you give it a try without having your terror of a teacher twist your arm to go. Those who are feeling adventurous, or even just mildly curious, can give Tanghalang Pilipino's production of "Ang Sinungaling" a go.
Director Nonon Padilla "steals" conventions from Chinese Peking opera to stage this Filipino translation of an Italian play. How's that for starters? Different cultural influences are always a delight to see onstage, providing the audience with a fresh perspective on what could potentially be old and stodgy material. Just last year, the same company staged Shakespeare's Macbeth in an Asian setting, too.
A comedy written by Carlo Goldoni and translated by Ony de Leon, the play revolves around all the trouble caused by chronic liar Leilo, played by the Apo Hiking Society's Boboy Garrovillo. Leilo arrives in Venice, Italy and launches lie upon lie from his lips to woo the sisters Rosaura and Beatrice. The comedy comes in when servants, families, rival suitors and a dancing messenger/waiter get caught up in the complicated web of fallacies.
Sense of humor
Audiences used to watching productions in English need not feel intimidated by the language. Using Filipino as the spoken medium helps make the comedy bawdier and funnier since the silliness of the situations take on a more familiar tone. And who wouldn't be amused by the hilarious send ups of local personalities like FPJ, Kris Aquino and L.A. Lopez?
Chinoy fare is, as expected, up for jabs by the characters in the play ? anything and everything from funny accents, popular Chinese restaurants to Taipan-owned malls and banks. Fans of anime
(especially Dragonball Z) will marvel the Goku-type hair (big and all over the place) of some characters. Chinoys out there with a sense of humor and irony are going to love this show.
The deliberate use of Peking opera as a framework for the play is, as director Padilla claims, "a strategy ? to present to contemporary audiences a picture of Philippine contemporary life." Not strict in its usage of Peking Opera conventions, the production merely borrows and, on occasion, pokes fun of, the stereotyped movements of that form. But it's a comedy after all and all that really shouldn't matter unless you're one of the students required to write about it. Those unlucky students can probably get some ideas from the directors' notes in the programme--done in the size of a CD liner note and one of the most creative and slick programmes I've ever seen.
Kitschy decor
The atypical programme is only an appetizer to the visual treat the play has in store. In the Tanghalang Huseng Batute (the one in the basement) of the CCP, a red, black and gold checkered set designed by Gino Gonzales greets the audience as they come in. The design looks Chinese yet has a certain Italian flair to it as well (harlequin costumes come to mind).
Fashionistas with a sharp eye will catch familiar Italian designer logos interspersed into the set. The costumes (also by Gonzales) are rich in color and very tongue-in-cheek, including some ensembles that incorporate kitschy Chinese plastic decor that seemed to have been (and probably were) bought from the sidewalk stalls of Quiapo or Chinatown.
The actors company gave strong performances all around. The three female leads had good comic timing and the guys seemed to have fun hamming it up for the laughs. While Garrovillo certainly has a mischievous air about him, we wonder if a younger, more pilyo-looking actor might have been more suited to the charismatic liar role? Roeder, who portrayed Leilo's father Pantalone, could have switched roles with Garrovillo.
The material seems to slow down the action a bit in the beginning of the second act, but over all, the punchlines and visual gags keep the audience pretty much rolling in the aisles. Starting off the year with a good laugh would seem a pretty good way to go, and that's no lie.
Set and costume designer Gino Gonzales: Shaper of Things to Come
Shaper of Things to Come
By Walter Ang
January 27, 2002
Sunday Inquirer Magazine
When Gino Gonzales was a child, he looked forward to processions. He just couldn't get enough of the pomp, the music, the assorted folk and costumes that lift such events from the doldrums of summer.
It would be this seminal "fascination for visual spectacle" that would ultimately shape his future as a production designer. Gino took up Communications at the Ateneo, worked in public relations for exactly two weeks and knew irrevocably that he "wanted to do theater."
In college, he had assisted renowned production designer Salvador "Badong" Bernal in several plays for the student theater group Tanghalang Ateneo and went on to his first professional stint: designing for the musical "Alikabok."
The curtain had since risen on Gino's career as he went on creating shapes, spaces, textures, silhouettes, colors and forms for actors and audiences alike. Constantly encouraged by his mentor Bernal to take up further studies abroad, Gino found that serendipity would eventually take him there.
While some Fulbright officials were in town, he managed to score an interview and subsequently a scholarship from them. When the Asian Cultural Council directors were visiting manila, he got an interview with them as well, clinching a grant for his living expenses.
So in 1998, with the blessings of his doctor father and landscape designer mother, off Gino went to New York University to pursue a three year Masters in Fine Arts Degree in Theater Design. Early on during his studies, one of his professors started literally ripping apart his scale model. "I kept saying, `No, no, no!" and all my classmates were laughing," Gino recounts with a smile. "He just did it ? no apologies, no explanations. He moved things around, and afterwards, the design seemed much better. It taught me to be more critical of my work."
The intense training was not lost on this particular student. "I feel lucky I was able to work with brilliant professors whom I trusted. Studying was a joy." The joy faltered a bit in the beginning when Gino found his course "tough and demanding." He was "ready to go back to Manila during the first semester," he confesses.
Gino's epiphany came when he caught an opera with a production design that made him cry. "It was the sheer beauty of it all. When it moves you like that, you realize what design can do to touch your audience. I wanted to do that." Of course, things are always easier said than done. "I thought the work I'd done in Manila would prepare me for working in the U.S. I was wrong. The work ethic so different," Gino reveals. "I had to prove myself."
This tall and lanky artist stuck to his (glue)guns, worked 18-hour days with his classmates, got to train with international theater personalities both off and on Broadway, was recommended by his department chair to design the costumes for the world premiere of Filipino American playwright Han Ong's "Middle Finger," and, not surprisingly, graduated with a prestigious Seidman Award and Meler Award under his belt. Whew!
Returning to the Philippines in September last year, Gino planned on taking a vacation. No way. Projects were waiting for him. First up, he was tasked to design the set for Ballet Philippines' well- received "Shoes." He filled the stage with plastic shoeboxes and turned it into a funky, pseudo-department store. Next, the Philippine Association of Theater Designers and Technicians (PATDAT) appointed him assistant curator for their "Hugis at Hubog" exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum. This unique exhibit of designs form the performing arts showcases the creative output of the country's foremost designers and craftsmen in sets, props, costumes, and lighting.
In the exhibit, this 28-year-old's designs as presented in sketches and scale models are shown side by side with the works of the country's most prolific and renowned designers, among them Eric Cruz "El Camino Real"), Bobot Lota ("Rent"), and husband and wife team Benny and Liz Batoctoy ("Little Mermaid").
Selecting the best works from "hundreds and rows and rows" of sketches , photographs and other pieces for the exhibit was no easy task. "We decided to be brutal with our standards," reveals Gino. "even my pieces had to go through the same rigid screening." One easily sees how the same standards are applied to his working methods as well.
Gino considers research as essential in arriving at the desired final design that he feels is usually taken for granted in the local industry. "Anything you put into a design has to have weight. It has to mean something. It can't be arbitrary," he explains. Never sticking to just any one signature style, Gino constantly reinvents his approach to design by gleaning inspiration from whatever material he works with. "Depending on the show, I can be inspired by the text or the music or other aspects."
As the year begins, Gino is currently tackling the production design requirements of Tanghalang Pilipino's "Ang Sinungaling" by Carlos Goldoni. Despite his hectic homecoming, Gino is not complaining. "I'm committed to being back and being part of the driving force that will help the local industry," he says proudly. Audiences will surely have much to look forward to in the shape of things to come.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4lo1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=kiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=913%2C21795170
By Walter Ang
January 27, 2002
Sunday Inquirer Magazine
When Gino Gonzales was a child, he looked forward to processions. He just couldn't get enough of the pomp, the music, the assorted folk and costumes that lift such events from the doldrums of summer.
It would be this seminal "fascination for visual spectacle" that would ultimately shape his future as a production designer. Gino took up Communications at the Ateneo, worked in public relations for exactly two weeks and knew irrevocably that he "wanted to do theater."
In college, he had assisted renowned production designer Salvador "Badong" Bernal in several plays for the student theater group Tanghalang Ateneo and went on to his first professional stint: designing for the musical "Alikabok."
The curtain had since risen on Gino's career as he went on creating shapes, spaces, textures, silhouettes, colors and forms for actors and audiences alike. Constantly encouraged by his mentor Bernal to take up further studies abroad, Gino found that serendipity would eventually take him there.
While some Fulbright officials were in town, he managed to score an interview and subsequently a scholarship from them. When the Asian Cultural Council directors were visiting manila, he got an interview with them as well, clinching a grant for his living expenses.
So in 1998, with the blessings of his doctor father and landscape designer mother, off Gino went to New York University to pursue a three year Masters in Fine Arts Degree in Theater Design. Early on during his studies, one of his professors started literally ripping apart his scale model. "I kept saying, `No, no, no!" and all my classmates were laughing," Gino recounts with a smile. "He just did it ? no apologies, no explanations. He moved things around, and afterwards, the design seemed much better. It taught me to be more critical of my work."
The intense training was not lost on this particular student. "I feel lucky I was able to work with brilliant professors whom I trusted. Studying was a joy." The joy faltered a bit in the beginning when Gino found his course "tough and demanding." He was "ready to go back to Manila during the first semester," he confesses.
Gino's epiphany came when he caught an opera with a production design that made him cry. "It was the sheer beauty of it all. When it moves you like that, you realize what design can do to touch your audience. I wanted to do that." Of course, things are always easier said than done. "I thought the work I'd done in Manila would prepare me for working in the U.S. I was wrong. The work ethic so different," Gino reveals. "I had to prove myself."
This tall and lanky artist stuck to his (glue)guns, worked 18-hour days with his classmates, got to train with international theater personalities both off and on Broadway, was recommended by his department chair to design the costumes for the world premiere of Filipino American playwright Han Ong's "Middle Finger," and, not surprisingly, graduated with a prestigious Seidman Award and Meler Award under his belt. Whew!
Returning to the Philippines in September last year, Gino planned on taking a vacation. No way. Projects were waiting for him. First up, he was tasked to design the set for Ballet Philippines' well- received "Shoes." He filled the stage with plastic shoeboxes and turned it into a funky, pseudo-department store. Next, the Philippine Association of Theater Designers and Technicians (PATDAT) appointed him assistant curator for their "Hugis at Hubog" exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum. This unique exhibit of designs form the performing arts showcases the creative output of the country's foremost designers and craftsmen in sets, props, costumes, and lighting.
In the exhibit, this 28-year-old's designs as presented in sketches and scale models are shown side by side with the works of the country's most prolific and renowned designers, among them Eric Cruz "El Camino Real"), Bobot Lota ("Rent"), and husband and wife team Benny and Liz Batoctoy ("Little Mermaid").
Selecting the best works from "hundreds and rows and rows" of sketches , photographs and other pieces for the exhibit was no easy task. "We decided to be brutal with our standards," reveals Gino. "even my pieces had to go through the same rigid screening." One easily sees how the same standards are applied to his working methods as well.
Gino considers research as essential in arriving at the desired final design that he feels is usually taken for granted in the local industry. "Anything you put into a design has to have weight. It has to mean something. It can't be arbitrary," he explains. Never sticking to just any one signature style, Gino constantly reinvents his approach to design by gleaning inspiration from whatever material he works with. "Depending on the show, I can be inspired by the text or the music or other aspects."
As the year begins, Gino is currently tackling the production design requirements of Tanghalang Pilipino's "Ang Sinungaling" by Carlos Goldoni. Despite his hectic homecoming, Gino is not complaining. "I'm committed to being back and being part of the driving force that will help the local industry," he says proudly. Audiences will surely have much to look forward to in the shape of things to come.
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Johnson's Pure Essentials Teen Cheer Competition 2001
It's the girls' time to shine
By Walter Ang
November 28, 2001
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Mobs greeted me at all three gates of the Araneta Coliseum. Parents were screaming at guards because they were not being allowed in for the Johnson's Pure Essentials Teen Cheer Competition.
I waited for the crowd to disappear before going in. When I asked one of the women at the gate, she muttered something about it being "standing room only" inside.
The oath of sportsmanship was already underway when I entered. If anyone had doubts that cheerleading was an actual sport, s/he should go to a competition like this to be convinced otherwise. It is not just a sport, but a difficult one at that! After a nationwide elimination search, 13 schools finally made it to the coliseum that day. Young women dressed in their school colors whipped up a storm as they performed their repertoire?they danced, they cheered, they yelled, they flew. And, boy, did they ever fly!
The Sisters of Mary School girls were the daintiest of the bunch, looking very lithe in their elegant costumes. Their 10-minute presentation incorporated rhythmic gymnastics routines, including a swaying stunt (or human pyramid to us noncheerleaders). The result was graceful and unique, but lacked the expected and necessary spunk and punch for a cheering competition.
Assumption College (AC) had good energy, used interesting music like "Moulin Rouge's" "Cancancan" song and was the only school that had flawless musical segues. It also had the scariest looking spotters and bases?these are the guys who lift and throw the girls into the air. Those guys looked like they were forced-fed steroids and testosterone! Bases get stepped on a lot and have to lift bodies, while spotters have to be quick on their toes to catch falling bodies.
Winners all
The AC girls were my bet for second runner up, but Poveda Learning Center took that one with its sharp and fun choreography as well as clean stunts and great basket tosses (3-4 bases throwing a "flier" into the air.)
School of the Holy Spirit was first runner up with its great ability to dance in sync aided by clean and sharp choreography. The girls had the healthiest glow among all the contestants and had an infectious, perky energy. One cheerleader looked like Gabrielle Union from the movie "Bring It On" from certain angles. Her mouth was opened wide in a smile from the moment she stepped on the floor until her team left.
Miriam College delivered on all the criteria used to judge the competition. It showed off its assets with dynamic and creative choreography that incorporated technique and skills. The girls danced in sync and the presentation made good use of everyone on the team?not just highlighting the fliers. They also had a strong background cheering squad that had dynamic choreography as well. All these factors combined to assure them of the grand prize. MC also won for cutest costume although it seemed to me De La Salle Zobel's costumes were cuter, with the nifty stylized letter Z in front.
We've got spirit
Other schools lost points for being unable to make clean stunts. Usually the bases and climbers (the girls on the tippy-top of the stunts) were bunched up together and slow on the lifts. And the dismounts were clumsy and didn't' have enough of a snap?some of the more creative dismounts even had girls blowing kisses before falling off the top. Elpidio Quirino High School relied too much on their fliers and climbers (although very impressive) and didn't have enough on choreography.
Colegio de Sta. Cecilia seemed to have too many spotters. This made their climbers seems less able since there were so many people waiting to catch them if they ever fell. But everyone was impressed when the CDSC girls had one leg in the air when their music conked out. And we all know the drill when the music stops: you freeze wherever you are. Troopers that they were, the girls had their legs up there for the longest time and endured it all.
Interesting to note was O.B. Montessori's rotating stunt and Pedro E. Diaz High School's use of Hotdog's (a band from ancient times) "Bongga Ka `Day" to end their presentation. Yes to using more original Filipino music next time, please!
Overall, the schools gave performances that showed a high level of commitment and effort. The girls performed stunts, twisted their bodies this way and that, fell on occasion but always scrambled back up?all this with a smile permanently attached to their faces! It was remarkable to see climbers dance on top of a base's shoulders or hand like it was the simplest thing in the world to do.
And you have to hand to those hardy bases who lifted and threw with all their might. It's tough to be in high school, no question. And to have hours and hours worth of practice and pressure added to your list of things to do is no joke.
It was great to see the fantastic support of parents, siblings, schoolmates and friends. Girls usually have to take a back seat to the boys in interschool sports competitions, so this was a great way for them to take centerstage for a change. Having private and public schools on one playing filed was also a good idea. However, one can't help but notice the economic differences?materials for costumes, props used and even the physical build of the girls. I don't need to tell you which girls had more "energy reserves" in their bodies.
Perhaps there should be a budget ceiling for costumes and props next time just to help even the playing field a little bit more. Or maybe they could come up with "public-private sister schools" teams to compete next time. It could help drive home the objective of friendship, exchange of ideas and sharing and all that.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EKhjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1330%2C13502033
By Walter Ang
November 28, 2001
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Mobs greeted me at all three gates of the Araneta Coliseum. Parents were screaming at guards because they were not being allowed in for the Johnson's Pure Essentials Teen Cheer Competition.
I waited for the crowd to disappear before going in. When I asked one of the women at the gate, she muttered something about it being "standing room only" inside.
The oath of sportsmanship was already underway when I entered. If anyone had doubts that cheerleading was an actual sport, s/he should go to a competition like this to be convinced otherwise. It is not just a sport, but a difficult one at that! After a nationwide elimination search, 13 schools finally made it to the coliseum that day. Young women dressed in their school colors whipped up a storm as they performed their repertoire?they danced, they cheered, they yelled, they flew. And, boy, did they ever fly!
The Sisters of Mary School girls were the daintiest of the bunch, looking very lithe in their elegant costumes. Their 10-minute presentation incorporated rhythmic gymnastics routines, including a swaying stunt (or human pyramid to us noncheerleaders). The result was graceful and unique, but lacked the expected and necessary spunk and punch for a cheering competition.
Assumption College (AC) had good energy, used interesting music like "Moulin Rouge's" "Cancancan" song and was the only school that had flawless musical segues. It also had the scariest looking spotters and bases?these are the guys who lift and throw the girls into the air. Those guys looked like they were forced-fed steroids and testosterone! Bases get stepped on a lot and have to lift bodies, while spotters have to be quick on their toes to catch falling bodies.
Winners all
The AC girls were my bet for second runner up, but Poveda Learning Center took that one with its sharp and fun choreography as well as clean stunts and great basket tosses (3-4 bases throwing a "flier" into the air.)
School of the Holy Spirit was first runner up with its great ability to dance in sync aided by clean and sharp choreography. The girls had the healthiest glow among all the contestants and had an infectious, perky energy. One cheerleader looked like Gabrielle Union from the movie "Bring It On" from certain angles. Her mouth was opened wide in a smile from the moment she stepped on the floor until her team left.
Miriam College delivered on all the criteria used to judge the competition. It showed off its assets with dynamic and creative choreography that incorporated technique and skills. The girls danced in sync and the presentation made good use of everyone on the team?not just highlighting the fliers. They also had a strong background cheering squad that had dynamic choreography as well. All these factors combined to assure them of the grand prize. MC also won for cutest costume although it seemed to me De La Salle Zobel's costumes were cuter, with the nifty stylized letter Z in front.
We've got spirit
Other schools lost points for being unable to make clean stunts. Usually the bases and climbers (the girls on the tippy-top of the stunts) were bunched up together and slow on the lifts. And the dismounts were clumsy and didn't' have enough of a snap?some of the more creative dismounts even had girls blowing kisses before falling off the top. Elpidio Quirino High School relied too much on their fliers and climbers (although very impressive) and didn't have enough on choreography.
Colegio de Sta. Cecilia seemed to have too many spotters. This made their climbers seems less able since there were so many people waiting to catch them if they ever fell. But everyone was impressed when the CDSC girls had one leg in the air when their music conked out. And we all know the drill when the music stops: you freeze wherever you are. Troopers that they were, the girls had their legs up there for the longest time and endured it all.
Interesting to note was O.B. Montessori's rotating stunt and Pedro E. Diaz High School's use of Hotdog's (a band from ancient times) "Bongga Ka `Day" to end their presentation. Yes to using more original Filipino music next time, please!
Overall, the schools gave performances that showed a high level of commitment and effort. The girls performed stunts, twisted their bodies this way and that, fell on occasion but always scrambled back up?all this with a smile permanently attached to their faces! It was remarkable to see climbers dance on top of a base's shoulders or hand like it was the simplest thing in the world to do.
And you have to hand to those hardy bases who lifted and threw with all their might. It's tough to be in high school, no question. And to have hours and hours worth of practice and pressure added to your list of things to do is no joke.
It was great to see the fantastic support of parents, siblings, schoolmates and friends. Girls usually have to take a back seat to the boys in interschool sports competitions, so this was a great way for them to take centerstage for a change. Having private and public schools on one playing filed was also a good idea. However, one can't help but notice the economic differences?materials for costumes, props used and even the physical build of the girls. I don't need to tell you which girls had more "energy reserves" in their bodies.
Perhaps there should be a budget ceiling for costumes and props next time just to help even the playing field a little bit more. Or maybe they could come up with "public-private sister schools" teams to compete next time. It could help drive home the objective of friendship, exchange of ideas and sharing and all that.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EKhjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1330%2C13502033
French Film Fest 2001 at Shangri-La Mall
French Film Fest 2001 at Shangri-La Mall
By Walter Ang
June 2001
I caught two films at the French Film Fest held recently at the Shangri-La Cinema. The lovely people at the French Embassy and Alliance Francaise de Manille made the film fest part of their French Spring Festival and admission was at my favorite price, free.
Foreign films are not for every one. An open mind for cultural differences and nuances must be the first consideration. Speed reading skills are also a practical consideration. After all, apart from the word 'oui' and 'omlette du fromage' (courtesy of popular cartoon nerd Dexter) not everyone understands French. Only the subtitles are our saving grace. And they didn't even translate 'oui' anymore, for that matter.
The first movie I caught will be familiar to comic book lovers of two warriors from a Gaulish village. 'Asterix and Obelix Vs. Caesar' was a hilarious look at how these two and their fellow villagers fight off the nasty Roman empire with the help of a magic potion that gives them all superhuman strength.
Village people
Gerard Depardieu is the perfect person to incarnate Obelix (they're in production to do another installment and this time they'll be going up against Cleopatra) and he plays it with the perfect combination of oafish sweetness and genteel humor. Roberto Benigni, who shot to worldwide recognition with 'Life is Beautiful', was funny and fabulous as everyone's foil, Destructivus.
Their Julius Caesar had the most wonderful Roman nose imaginable (read: humongous) and the actor they picked to play a Roman general called Caius Bonus is, by far, the only human person I've seen who looks like a cartoon character. I swear if I didn't know the guy was a real person, I would've thought his face was computer generated.
The movie's visual appeal and production design was inventive and fun, and Asterix's village looked like it emerged from the pages of the comic book. The movie kept with the comic's funny treatment of the characters' names like Semiautomatix, Panoramix, Cacofonix and Parfarnalia. Of course, the audience just loved Obelix's dog's name: Dogmatix.
One thing I noticed though was the audience's reaction to one of the scenes in the movie. When the Roman soldiers got ready to attack the village, they formed phalanxes, the military move where soldiers interlock their shields. I guess this move must not be as well known as I thought it was since the audience laughed and thought their formation hilarious. Oh well.
Segue to black
The only other movie I got to see was 'Code Unknown'. This one starred the luminous Juliette Binoche, who last made waves with the Oscar nominated 'Chocolat'. Code Unknown is a far cry from the light comedy Asterix offered. The movie's subtitle stated as much: seven unfinished stories.
The movie's format was interesting as they had the first scene contain several different characters interacting in a street altercation. From that point onwards, most of the characters in that first scene shot off into their own tangent storylines, thus beginning the seven independent stories.
The stories had no 'formal' beginnings. You didn't know what the character's backgrounds and motivations were. The scenes were mostly 'a day in the life of' these characters as they sought to resolve one problem or another. You had the range of Juliette Binoche's character, an actress with a strained relationship with a photographer, to an illegal refugee from Bosnia. With so many characters and no neat resolutions, there was a lot left unsaid.
All throughout the shifts from one story to the other, I felt as if I was channel surfing, only someone else as holding the remote control. Perhaps this is what all movies will be like in the future. In this day and age of shortened attention spans, one wonders what kind of gimmickry or innovative idea will a two hour movie have to come up with next to catch an audience?
Speaking of audiences, I experienced another strange reaction from the audience. With seven stories to show, the movie relied on a simple technique to segue from one story to the next. The screen would go blank for a few seconds. Every time the screen went blank however, the audience let up a collective wave of sighs and groans and 'tsk, tsks.'
They let out this reaction with the same intensity as if the movie had been suddenly stopped by a power outage. The problem was they let out the same exact reaction with the same exact intensity each time the screen went to blank. We probably went through, and I'm not kidding, three dozen blank screen segues before most of the audience finally got it and kept quiet. Either that or they must've gotten tired of reacting so strongly. Well, c'est la vie.
By Walter Ang
June 2001
I caught two films at the French Film Fest held recently at the Shangri-La Cinema. The lovely people at the French Embassy and Alliance Francaise de Manille made the film fest part of their French Spring Festival and admission was at my favorite price, free.
Foreign films are not for every one. An open mind for cultural differences and nuances must be the first consideration. Speed reading skills are also a practical consideration. After all, apart from the word 'oui' and 'omlette du fromage' (courtesy of popular cartoon nerd Dexter) not everyone understands French. Only the subtitles are our saving grace. And they didn't even translate 'oui' anymore, for that matter.
The first movie I caught will be familiar to comic book lovers of two warriors from a Gaulish village. 'Asterix and Obelix Vs. Caesar' was a hilarious look at how these two and their fellow villagers fight off the nasty Roman empire with the help of a magic potion that gives them all superhuman strength.
Village people
Gerard Depardieu is the perfect person to incarnate Obelix (they're in production to do another installment and this time they'll be going up against Cleopatra) and he plays it with the perfect combination of oafish sweetness and genteel humor. Roberto Benigni, who shot to worldwide recognition with 'Life is Beautiful', was funny and fabulous as everyone's foil, Destructivus.
Their Julius Caesar had the most wonderful Roman nose imaginable (read: humongous) and the actor they picked to play a Roman general called Caius Bonus is, by far, the only human person I've seen who looks like a cartoon character. I swear if I didn't know the guy was a real person, I would've thought his face was computer generated.
The movie's visual appeal and production design was inventive and fun, and Asterix's village looked like it emerged from the pages of the comic book. The movie kept with the comic's funny treatment of the characters' names like Semiautomatix, Panoramix, Cacofonix and Parfarnalia. Of course, the audience just loved Obelix's dog's name: Dogmatix.
One thing I noticed though was the audience's reaction to one of the scenes in the movie. When the Roman soldiers got ready to attack the village, they formed phalanxes, the military move where soldiers interlock their shields. I guess this move must not be as well known as I thought it was since the audience laughed and thought their formation hilarious. Oh well.
Segue to black
The only other movie I got to see was 'Code Unknown'. This one starred the luminous Juliette Binoche, who last made waves with the Oscar nominated 'Chocolat'. Code Unknown is a far cry from the light comedy Asterix offered. The movie's subtitle stated as much: seven unfinished stories.
The movie's format was interesting as they had the first scene contain several different characters interacting in a street altercation. From that point onwards, most of the characters in that first scene shot off into their own tangent storylines, thus beginning the seven independent stories.
The stories had no 'formal' beginnings. You didn't know what the character's backgrounds and motivations were. The scenes were mostly 'a day in the life of' these characters as they sought to resolve one problem or another. You had the range of Juliette Binoche's character, an actress with a strained relationship with a photographer, to an illegal refugee from Bosnia. With so many characters and no neat resolutions, there was a lot left unsaid.
All throughout the shifts from one story to the other, I felt as if I was channel surfing, only someone else as holding the remote control. Perhaps this is what all movies will be like in the future. In this day and age of shortened attention spans, one wonders what kind of gimmickry or innovative idea will a two hour movie have to come up with next to catch an audience?
Speaking of audiences, I experienced another strange reaction from the audience. With seven stories to show, the movie relied on a simple technique to segue from one story to the next. The screen would go blank for a few seconds. Every time the screen went blank however, the audience let up a collective wave of sighs and groans and 'tsk, tsks.'
They let out this reaction with the same intensity as if the movie had been suddenly stopped by a power outage. The problem was they let out the same exact reaction with the same exact intensity each time the screen went to blank. We probably went through, and I'm not kidding, three dozen blank screen segues before most of the audience finally got it and kept quiet. Either that or they must've gotten tired of reacting so strongly. Well, c'est la vie.
Awful banks
Awful banks
By Walter Ang
November 7, 2001
Philippine Daily Inquirer
When I got pick-pocketed earlier this year, I had to call two banks to have my ATM cards blocked. I was hoping I wouldn't have too much trouble doing so, but I guess I didn't hope hard enough. I called up Equitable-PCIBank first. The lady (I failed to get her name) who helped me was receptive and very quick. In less than five minutes, my card was blocked. I even asked her if she had the hotline number for another bank and she graciously looked for it, even if she didn't have to. I was very impressed and started feeling better already.
But when I applied for a replacement card at the Soler branch in Binondo, five days had already gone by and it still wasn't ready. I raised my voice and told them I wouldn't leave until they found out what was going on. As the guy in charge was making phone calls to the head office, one of the tellers started scowling (even though she wasn't handling my situation) and banged the phone receiver down in front of me when she also couldn't get through. Then she kept asking me in an acid tone, "Do you need to withdraw? You can withdraw over the counter!" I replied, "That's not the point!"
I waited another week to claim my card. By then, I was sure word had already gotten around the small branch and every single employee was waiting to catch a glimpse of the irrational, demanding client--me. A teller took one look at me, smiled with a knowing look and smugly asked, "Bakit ngayon ka lang? One week na kaming naghihintay." (What took you so long? We've been waiting a week.)
I kept quiet, claimed my replacement card and left. All banks in the Binondo area are notorious for having awful customer service. They have no queues and people just come in, flop their documents down on the counter and rely on the "I'll come back for it later" system. It's horrible.
Red tape
Metrobank gave me the most trouble. I couldn't find the hotline number so I tried my luck with any number I could get from the directory. I explained that I knew I hadn't called the correct department and asked if they could at least give me a number I could call. The guy on the other end of the line wanted me to call the branch (Roosevelt) where the account was opened. He explained that only the Roosevelt branch had the authority to block my ATM card. It was already 5:30pm and I was sure no one would answer my call.
I refused to call the Roosevelt branch and asked if there was any other way. As he was explaining my concerns to his officemates, I overheard a lady saying, "Ay, ayaw ko ng ganyan." In the end, they were finally able to block my card after all. God only knows why they couldn't just block my card from the beginning instead of telling me to do all sorts of other things.
If you've never been stolen from, you have no idea how terrible feels. No one reports a stolen card for the fun of it. I was already feeling horrible and then I have to get that kind of (non) help from the bank? Even if the employees weren't in charge of blocking cards, basic human decency dictates a certain amount of courtesy if you're going to talk to someone who's just been a victim of a crime.
Closed
When I called Metrobank Roosevelt branch manager Flor Kwan to confirm the blocking of my card and to relate my experience and all she uttered was a disinterested, "Okay." No explanations on why they don't have a centralized card blocking system. Not a smidgen of sympathy nor an offer to rectify the situation.
Due all the trouble they gave me, I decided to close my account. Imagine if I were unfortunate enough to lose my ATM card again! I certainly wouldn't need the grief they'd certainly give me.
The officer at the bank who entertained me didn't even ask why I was closing my account. The Metrobank Roosevelt branch doesn't care about their depositors enough to try and keep them. I don't care to keep my money with them. In fairness to the bank however, I have to say their Call Center's assistant manager Lucy Jorayeb was receptive to my complaints and was very apologetic.
I think banks everywhere should hire people who've worked in fastfood outlets. At least they'd be nicer, more courteous, faster and more efficient. They should just hire Human Resource trainers who've worked in the fastfood industry to give better training to their employees. If fastfood employees have to say good morning and smile and be quick on their feet, why can't bank employees? We certainly give them more money!
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By Walter Ang
November 7, 2001
Philippine Daily Inquirer
When I got pick-pocketed earlier this year, I had to call two banks to have my ATM cards blocked. I was hoping I wouldn't have too much trouble doing so, but I guess I didn't hope hard enough. I called up Equitable-PCIBank first. The lady (I failed to get her name) who helped me was receptive and very quick. In less than five minutes, my card was blocked. I even asked her if she had the hotline number for another bank and she graciously looked for it, even if she didn't have to. I was very impressed and started feeling better already.
But when I applied for a replacement card at the Soler branch in Binondo, five days had already gone by and it still wasn't ready. I raised my voice and told them I wouldn't leave until they found out what was going on. As the guy in charge was making phone calls to the head office, one of the tellers started scowling (even though she wasn't handling my situation) and banged the phone receiver down in front of me when she also couldn't get through. Then she kept asking me in an acid tone, "Do you need to withdraw? You can withdraw over the counter!" I replied, "That's not the point!"
I waited another week to claim my card. By then, I was sure word had already gotten around the small branch and every single employee was waiting to catch a glimpse of the irrational, demanding client--me. A teller took one look at me, smiled with a knowing look and smugly asked, "Bakit ngayon ka lang? One week na kaming naghihintay." (What took you so long? We've been waiting a week.)
I kept quiet, claimed my replacement card and left. All banks in the Binondo area are notorious for having awful customer service. They have no queues and people just come in, flop their documents down on the counter and rely on the "I'll come back for it later" system. It's horrible.
Red tape
Metrobank gave me the most trouble. I couldn't find the hotline number so I tried my luck with any number I could get from the directory. I explained that I knew I hadn't called the correct department and asked if they could at least give me a number I could call. The guy on the other end of the line wanted me to call the branch (Roosevelt) where the account was opened. He explained that only the Roosevelt branch had the authority to block my ATM card. It was already 5:30pm and I was sure no one would answer my call.
I refused to call the Roosevelt branch and asked if there was any other way. As he was explaining my concerns to his officemates, I overheard a lady saying, "Ay, ayaw ko ng ganyan." In the end, they were finally able to block my card after all. God only knows why they couldn't just block my card from the beginning instead of telling me to do all sorts of other things.
If you've never been stolen from, you have no idea how terrible feels. No one reports a stolen card for the fun of it. I was already feeling horrible and then I have to get that kind of (non) help from the bank? Even if the employees weren't in charge of blocking cards, basic human decency dictates a certain amount of courtesy if you're going to talk to someone who's just been a victim of a crime.
Closed
When I called Metrobank Roosevelt branch manager Flor Kwan to confirm the blocking of my card and to relate my experience and all she uttered was a disinterested, "Okay." No explanations on why they don't have a centralized card blocking system. Not a smidgen of sympathy nor an offer to rectify the situation.
Due all the trouble they gave me, I decided to close my account. Imagine if I were unfortunate enough to lose my ATM card again! I certainly wouldn't need the grief they'd certainly give me.
The officer at the bank who entertained me didn't even ask why I was closing my account. The Metrobank Roosevelt branch doesn't care about their depositors enough to try and keep them. I don't care to keep my money with them. In fairness to the bank however, I have to say their Call Center's assistant manager Lucy Jorayeb was receptive to my complaints and was very apologetic.
I think banks everywhere should hire people who've worked in fastfood outlets. At least they'd be nicer, more courteous, faster and more efficient. They should just hire Human Resource trainers who've worked in the fastfood industry to give better training to their employees. If fastfood employees have to say good morning and smile and be quick on their feet, why can't bank employees? We certainly give them more money!
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-6djAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=950%2C2755074
REVIEW: Tanghalang Pilipino's "Carmen"
Love-spurned soldier stabs wanton sex goddess
By Walter Ang
Nov 3, 2001
The first opera I ever watched was a shortened English version of Macbeth. For an opera novice, 90 minutes of the stuff wasn't too bad to get introduced to the art form. (Although I must admit I came out of the theater thankful that it wasn't any longer.) This time around, the opera was George Bizet's Carmen. In chamber version (read: shortened) and in Tagalog, it seemed interesting enough to try out.
With two friends, I caught the story of Carmen ? a "wanton sex goddess" (Bridget Jones-speak for you) who toys with the feelings of geeky, milquetoast soldier Jose. His love spurned by this free spirited bohemian, Jose goes into a convoluted rage ("Turns into a serial killer," said my friend) and eradicates everyone in sight, including Carmen. All of this while singing, of course. And that, little boys and girls, is the lesson of this story: always be wary of the quiet ones. They're the ones who go crazy and start shooting everyone.
In this Tanghalang Pilipino and Philippine Opera Company production, director Nonon Padilla interspersed the singing with monologues ? "letters" from OFWs that tell of the pathos in their lives away from home ? in an "experimental collage juxtaposing the opera Carmen with the lives of Pinoys living abroad."
Padilla likes to make his audience think and this time is no different. The monologues tackled the eventual problems and situations encountered by our OFWs ? lost loves, lost lives, the difficulties of living a transposed existence. The director aimed to parallel their experiences with Carmen's own gypsy life. This concept is not easy to digest however, and it takes some effort to reconcile the two.
Brought to life by the very able ensemble, the monologues seemed to take more prominence (perhaps of its grimmer tone) and the opera seemed to become mere a backdrop. When the show ended with bleak statistics of the OFW diaspora (for example, every year, 600 OFWs do not come home alive), the opera is reduced to a mere afterthought.
Breaks
The opera featured Jay Valencia-Glorioso as Carmen (alternating with Josephine Roces-Chavez) and Eladio Pamaran as Jose (alternating with Nolyn Cabahug) who sang to the music conducted by Joesfino Toledo. Unfortunately, it did not feel as if there was enough passion and love onstage. The monologues seemed to douse most of the emotional build-ups in the opera.
It felt like watching two productions for the price of one. In fact, the monologues themselves could very well be spun-off and developed into an independent production. "The OFW Monologues" as an answer to the "The Vagina Monologues" perhaps?
With the Filipino translation by Jose Capino, an opera in our own tongue is at least more appealing than some foreign language where you have no idea what's going on. In this case, for audience members who aren't well-versed in Filipino, the opera also provided English supertitles. For all the grief we give Americans and their supposed lack of grammar skills, our own mastery of Filipino isn't so hot.
Just like subtitles except that it's flashed above the stage, during the night we saw the show, the supertitles were more annoying than helpful. Mostly off-cue, the titles were late or did not match the lyrics and not all the actors' lines had translations, which defeated the purpose.
The show runs two hours without intermission, but there's no need to raise those eyebrows since it runs at a fast pace and is over before you know it. Is it possible that since TP has a largely student audience, the monologues were used to keep the youth's notorious short attention spans on track?
It did seem the monologues served as a sort of "commercial break," ? before you could tire of the opera, the monologues stepped in to change the pace and vice-versa. Opera need not be an intimidating endeavor with productions like these. Not exactly a full-blown version of what opera is perceived to be, this at least gives the audience a taste of what it can be.
By Walter Ang
Nov 3, 2001
The first opera I ever watched was a shortened English version of Macbeth. For an opera novice, 90 minutes of the stuff wasn't too bad to get introduced to the art form. (Although I must admit I came out of the theater thankful that it wasn't any longer.) This time around, the opera was George Bizet's Carmen. In chamber version (read: shortened) and in Tagalog, it seemed interesting enough to try out.
With two friends, I caught the story of Carmen ? a "wanton sex goddess" (Bridget Jones-speak for you) who toys with the feelings of geeky, milquetoast soldier Jose. His love spurned by this free spirited bohemian, Jose goes into a convoluted rage ("Turns into a serial killer," said my friend) and eradicates everyone in sight, including Carmen. All of this while singing, of course. And that, little boys and girls, is the lesson of this story: always be wary of the quiet ones. They're the ones who go crazy and start shooting everyone.
In this Tanghalang Pilipino and Philippine Opera Company production, director Nonon Padilla interspersed the singing with monologues ? "letters" from OFWs that tell of the pathos in their lives away from home ? in an "experimental collage juxtaposing the opera Carmen with the lives of Pinoys living abroad."
Padilla likes to make his audience think and this time is no different. The monologues tackled the eventual problems and situations encountered by our OFWs ? lost loves, lost lives, the difficulties of living a transposed existence. The director aimed to parallel their experiences with Carmen's own gypsy life. This concept is not easy to digest however, and it takes some effort to reconcile the two.
Brought to life by the very able ensemble, the monologues seemed to take more prominence (perhaps of its grimmer tone) and the opera seemed to become mere a backdrop. When the show ended with bleak statistics of the OFW diaspora (for example, every year, 600 OFWs do not come home alive), the opera is reduced to a mere afterthought.
Breaks
The opera featured Jay Valencia-Glorioso as Carmen (alternating with Josephine Roces-Chavez) and Eladio Pamaran as Jose (alternating with Nolyn Cabahug) who sang to the music conducted by Joesfino Toledo. Unfortunately, it did not feel as if there was enough passion and love onstage. The monologues seemed to douse most of the emotional build-ups in the opera.
It felt like watching two productions for the price of one. In fact, the monologues themselves could very well be spun-off and developed into an independent production. "The OFW Monologues" as an answer to the "The Vagina Monologues" perhaps?
With the Filipino translation by Jose Capino, an opera in our own tongue is at least more appealing than some foreign language where you have no idea what's going on. In this case, for audience members who aren't well-versed in Filipino, the opera also provided English supertitles. For all the grief we give Americans and their supposed lack of grammar skills, our own mastery of Filipino isn't so hot.
Just like subtitles except that it's flashed above the stage, during the night we saw the show, the supertitles were more annoying than helpful. Mostly off-cue, the titles were late or did not match the lyrics and not all the actors' lines had translations, which defeated the purpose.
The show runs two hours without intermission, but there's no need to raise those eyebrows since it runs at a fast pace and is over before you know it. Is it possible that since TP has a largely student audience, the monologues were used to keep the youth's notorious short attention spans on track?
It did seem the monologues served as a sort of "commercial break," ? before you could tire of the opera, the monologues stepped in to change the pace and vice-versa. Opera need not be an intimidating endeavor with productions like these. Not exactly a full-blown version of what opera is perceived to be, this at least gives the audience a taste of what it can be.
Review of movie "Hotel Splendide"
Review of 'Hotel Splendide'
By Walter Ang
October 2001
In the dreary, wet Saturday afternoon that Jolina visited the city (the typhoon that is), I was contemplating whether or not to venture out the safe confines of my house. After sweeping and mopping, doing the dishes and praying the laundry would dry despite the continuous downpour, I had my fill of domestic chores and went to catch the British filmfest at the Shangri-la Mall.
Sponsored by the British Council, this year's fest was dubbed "Light and Shadow." Surprisingly, the queue wasn't as long as the one during the summer French filmfest. My friend offered that perhaps British dry humor is more difficult to appreciate. Either that, or the rains make staying home seem more fun than getting stuck in traffic and floodwaters.
Also, now that the schoolyear is underway, it's a little harder to get to the mall to catch the filmfest. Another place that's hard to get to is the Hotel Splendide ? a run-down, sad-looking "health" resort smack in the middle of a coastal islet. The sky is always dark, dank and dreary; the halls are cold and rigid.
It's a family enterprise managed by the very stiff eldest brother Dezmond Blanche (Stephen Tompkinson). Brother Ronald (Daniel Craig) runs the kitchen and serves variations of eel and seaweed cuisine every night, while troubled sister Cora (Katrin Cartlidge) treats the handful of long staying guests with colonics, cold water showers and other nasty services.
Regime
Guests trudge along under the droning voice recordings left by "Mummy", who has long passed on. She has a menacing, lingering presence as her remains were ceremoniously "buried" in the hotel's central heating system. The system uses the guest's "by-products" as fuel to warm the hotel ? one of Mummy's brilliant ideas, which, of course, includes the "regime" undertaken by the guests.
Things change when the chef's former lover Kath returns. Unresolved feelings surface, old wounds break open, repressed love kindles and sparks fly. Kath was the former sous chef and this leads to some colorful kitchen sparring that brings the hotel and its guests to life. Mummy never really approved of Kath and the heating pipes moan, groan, swell and shudder at her return.
Director Terence Gross has the cheery, permanent resident Stanley Smith (Hugh O' Conor) narrate the goings-on as the movie proceeds to its fitting conclusion. In the end, the sky is still dark, dank and dreary, but it is no longer forlorn as in the beginning. Hotel Splendide is darkly comic with enough oddball characters to keep it going.
The luminous Toni Collete (who played the mother in The Sixth Sense) plays Kath and fills the screen with a light, happy presence. Tompkinson plays the deranged,Oedipal Dezmond with ham and panache that could top John Lithgow. With only an admission fee of P20, the British filmfest deserved a much bigger audience.
By Walter Ang
October 2001
In the dreary, wet Saturday afternoon that Jolina visited the city (the typhoon that is), I was contemplating whether or not to venture out the safe confines of my house. After sweeping and mopping, doing the dishes and praying the laundry would dry despite the continuous downpour, I had my fill of domestic chores and went to catch the British filmfest at the Shangri-la Mall.
Sponsored by the British Council, this year's fest was dubbed "Light and Shadow." Surprisingly, the queue wasn't as long as the one during the summer French filmfest. My friend offered that perhaps British dry humor is more difficult to appreciate. Either that, or the rains make staying home seem more fun than getting stuck in traffic and floodwaters.
Also, now that the schoolyear is underway, it's a little harder to get to the mall to catch the filmfest. Another place that's hard to get to is the Hotel Splendide ? a run-down, sad-looking "health" resort smack in the middle of a coastal islet. The sky is always dark, dank and dreary; the halls are cold and rigid.
It's a family enterprise managed by the very stiff eldest brother Dezmond Blanche (Stephen Tompkinson). Brother Ronald (Daniel Craig) runs the kitchen and serves variations of eel and seaweed cuisine every night, while troubled sister Cora (Katrin Cartlidge) treats the handful of long staying guests with colonics, cold water showers and other nasty services.
Regime
Guests trudge along under the droning voice recordings left by "Mummy", who has long passed on. She has a menacing, lingering presence as her remains were ceremoniously "buried" in the hotel's central heating system. The system uses the guest's "by-products" as fuel to warm the hotel ? one of Mummy's brilliant ideas, which, of course, includes the "regime" undertaken by the guests.
Things change when the chef's former lover Kath returns. Unresolved feelings surface, old wounds break open, repressed love kindles and sparks fly. Kath was the former sous chef and this leads to some colorful kitchen sparring that brings the hotel and its guests to life. Mummy never really approved of Kath and the heating pipes moan, groan, swell and shudder at her return.
Director Terence Gross has the cheery, permanent resident Stanley Smith (Hugh O' Conor) narrate the goings-on as the movie proceeds to its fitting conclusion. In the end, the sky is still dark, dank and dreary, but it is no longer forlorn as in the beginning. Hotel Splendide is darkly comic with enough oddball characters to keep it going.
The luminous Toni Collete (who played the mother in The Sixth Sense) plays Kath and fills the screen with a light, happy presence. Tompkinson plays the deranged,Oedipal Dezmond with ham and panache that could top John Lithgow. With only an admission fee of P20, the British filmfest deserved a much bigger audience.
Of mooncakes and bookends: celebrating Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival in Manila
Of mooncakes and bookends
By Walter Ang
October 3, 2001
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is always fun. At the very least, it gives you a day where you can pig out on great food. On a more formal note, this festival that falls on the 15th lundar day of the 8th lunar month is a day to think of family. Sometimes mistakenly called the Moon Festival; the festival is a day for reunion, with the round shape of the moon symbolizing family, abundance and prosperity.
If you think about it, a day where it's "official" to have a little fun with family isn't so bad now that the world isn't feeling so cheerful. Chinoys (or the much longer label, "Filipinos of Chinese descent") around the country have a chance to bond and strengthen a few cultural roots.
Kids get to play a popular dice game that involves confusing dice combinations that will either win you a dinky consolation prize (usually a ballpen) or the biggest, grandest pot of the day (which could be a new cd player if the sponsors are generous). Regardless of the prizes to be won however, it's the coming together that's important.
What's most funny about the Mid-Autumn Fest (among other Chinoy celebrations) is that usually, most of my Pinoy friends are more excited about it than I am. They're the ones who are the first to look for mooncakes. Whenever the festival looms close, morning greetings are punctuated with "And don't forget my mooncake!" All in good fun, of course.
Sweet treats
You can't live in the Philippines and not know about mooncakes. Sweet treats that come in round-shaped bronze-colored pastries filled with sweet lotus seed or red bean paste. Tons of the stuff are sold in Chinatown a couple of weeks prior to the day of all days. Sidewalks are lined with metal tins and whatever new containers they've thought up to make the stuff hipper for the younger crowd. I've heard of mooncakes with cartoon character faces ? I guess the novelty cake concept has spread to these kinds of sweets as well. People descend in droves into the little streets of Ongpin in Chinatown and leave with armfuls, bagfuls or car trunks filled to the brim with the stuff.
As for my friends, I'm happy to oblige their requests for mooncakes. After all, food doesn't taste as good as when it's being shared with good friends and sprinkled with great conversation and stories. Speaking of stories, there's a funny one about the ubiquitous fruitcake. There are only ten fruitcakes in the whole world and that nobody really eats them, they just get circulated from one family to the next. There are times when I tend to think that the same might hold true for mooncakes.
Surplus
The first few pieces you get to eat are always fun, but once you realize you're left with a dozen or so of the stuff and you can't give them away anymore because it's too late, it's not so fun anymore. You have to endure several days' worth of eating mooncakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner just to finish off your surplus.
Sometimes, you have to think creatively to get rid of excess mooncakes. Of course, one can always go the altruistic and magnanimous route and donate to charitable organizations. Then, there's always your classmates, orggmates or officemates.
If you're having problems with one of your subjects, you can always give a couple to your teacher to help sweeten her disposition. Also, you can give one to your boss if you're positioning yourself for a raise. Just make sure you don't wait too long after the Mid-Autumn Festival, otherwise she'll figure out you're just using her to get rid of your leftovers. Her disposition may just turn sour instead of the desired sweet!
We could probably even contribute to the world of science using mooncakes. Scientists who study microscopic germs like Neisseria gonorrhea, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Aaron Carter need to grow the germs first. They use a growing concoction they call "culture media". We all know what kind of stuff can grow on leftover food if you leave it out for too long (it's not a pretty sight), perhaps scientists can use it as a new kind of culture medium.
At the end of the day, if you still have a couple of cakes left, I suppose you could use them as hockey pucks, doorstops, paperweights, or as fancy bookends. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FahjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1415%2C15936203
By Walter Ang
October 3, 2001
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is always fun. At the very least, it gives you a day where you can pig out on great food. On a more formal note, this festival that falls on the 15th lundar day of the 8th lunar month is a day to think of family. Sometimes mistakenly called the Moon Festival; the festival is a day for reunion, with the round shape of the moon symbolizing family, abundance and prosperity.
If you think about it, a day where it's "official" to have a little fun with family isn't so bad now that the world isn't feeling so cheerful. Chinoys (or the much longer label, "Filipinos of Chinese descent") around the country have a chance to bond and strengthen a few cultural roots.
Kids get to play a popular dice game that involves confusing dice combinations that will either win you a dinky consolation prize (usually a ballpen) or the biggest, grandest pot of the day (which could be a new cd player if the sponsors are generous). Regardless of the prizes to be won however, it's the coming together that's important.
What's most funny about the Mid-Autumn Fest (among other Chinoy celebrations) is that usually, most of my Pinoy friends are more excited about it than I am. They're the ones who are the first to look for mooncakes. Whenever the festival looms close, morning greetings are punctuated with "And don't forget my mooncake!" All in good fun, of course.
Sweet treats
You can't live in the Philippines and not know about mooncakes. Sweet treats that come in round-shaped bronze-colored pastries filled with sweet lotus seed or red bean paste. Tons of the stuff are sold in Chinatown a couple of weeks prior to the day of all days. Sidewalks are lined with metal tins and whatever new containers they've thought up to make the stuff hipper for the younger crowd. I've heard of mooncakes with cartoon character faces ? I guess the novelty cake concept has spread to these kinds of sweets as well. People descend in droves into the little streets of Ongpin in Chinatown and leave with armfuls, bagfuls or car trunks filled to the brim with the stuff.
As for my friends, I'm happy to oblige their requests for mooncakes. After all, food doesn't taste as good as when it's being shared with good friends and sprinkled with great conversation and stories. Speaking of stories, there's a funny one about the ubiquitous fruitcake. There are only ten fruitcakes in the whole world and that nobody really eats them, they just get circulated from one family to the next. There are times when I tend to think that the same might hold true for mooncakes.
Surplus
The first few pieces you get to eat are always fun, but once you realize you're left with a dozen or so of the stuff and you can't give them away anymore because it's too late, it's not so fun anymore. You have to endure several days' worth of eating mooncakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner just to finish off your surplus.
Sometimes, you have to think creatively to get rid of excess mooncakes. Of course, one can always go the altruistic and magnanimous route and donate to charitable organizations. Then, there's always your classmates, orggmates or officemates.
If you're having problems with one of your subjects, you can always give a couple to your teacher to help sweeten her disposition. Also, you can give one to your boss if you're positioning yourself for a raise. Just make sure you don't wait too long after the Mid-Autumn Festival, otherwise she'll figure out you're just using her to get rid of your leftovers. Her disposition may just turn sour instead of the desired sweet!
We could probably even contribute to the world of science using mooncakes. Scientists who study microscopic germs like Neisseria gonorrhea, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Aaron Carter need to grow the germs first. They use a growing concoction they call "culture media". We all know what kind of stuff can grow on leftover food if you leave it out for too long (it's not a pretty sight), perhaps scientists can use it as a new kind of culture medium.
At the end of the day, if you still have a couple of cakes left, I suppose you could use them as hockey pucks, doorstops, paperweights, or as fancy bookends. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FahjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1415%2C15936203
Butterfly farm and crocodile farm in Palawan
A Visit to Paradise
By Walter Ang
September 19, 2001
Philippine Daily Inquirer
This is your intrepid 2bU! correspondent traversing the lush island paradise of Palawan. We have come to conquer the city of Puerto Princessa via an Air Philippines flight from Manila. To rest up for the adventure ahead, we spent the night at the tony Spanish villa- inspired Asturias Hotel. We all had a short nightcap at the lobby's Scenario Bar before turning in for the night.
After devouring a hearty breakfast, we dropped by the butterfly farm first. They showed a video of the butterfly's life cycle that we all thought was hilarious. We felt like a bunch of kindergarteners with this video voice over telling us not to do this and not to touch that and all sorts of other precautions.
I grew up in fume-filled Metro Manila, so butterflies were, and still are, a rarity. It was interesting to see all these colorful flying insects hovering about. There were plates laid out with gumamelas and sliced bananas to attract the little creatures but all you had to do was look up and they were all over the garden. You just had to look a little harder for the ones that were camouflaged like leaves.
The highlight of the morning was when our guide showed us two butterflies that were, well, in flagrante delicto. The garden boasts of its Yellow Breadwings, the second largest butterfly in the country, but it also has a few other creatures that call it home. If you loved the movie "A Bug's Life," then this place will give you a chance to see those computer generated bugs for real. They've got big, juicy millipedes, a walking stick and some fantastic Malay scorpions, among other creepy crawlies.
Crocodilus Park
Moving on, we ventured to the Palawan Wildlife Refuge and Rescue Center, more popularly known as The Crocodile Farm. The skeleton of the largest crocodile ever captured in the country greeted us as we entered the center. All 17 feet and 6 inches of its hide was stretched across the wall like an ominous welcome sign.
When we got to the holding area for the adult crocs, it felt like we were in Jurassic Park ? there were metal walkways and everything. There were so many crocs that were just lying there and not moving at all. Our guides Glenn Rebong and Rene Baylon explained that these reptiles stay very still because of their opportunistic nature. They're all waiting for the first piece of food to come along. That's when the action gets going.
Of course, our guides were quick to dispel the myth that crocs are manhunters. They only attack when they're hungry or protecting their young. They can't even tell the difference between humans and the rest of the animals they usually munch on!
We also had a peek at the infirmary where injured crocs and those born with congenital defects (like missing tails) were kept. 2bU!'s favorite was a croc who had a calcium deficiency and, as a result, had no teeth. Although it is still fed regularly, it looked so forlorn. And who wouldn't be melancholy if the rest of your kind can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime and you had none!
Baby, baby!
At the nursery, baby crocs were placed in tubs all lined up in the warehouse. We got a chance to hold one, but to make it safe, its snout was held together with rubber bands. The tiny little thing wriggled as I held it by its neck and tail and it gave out the cutest little croak when we took pictures.
The croc's underside was smooth and it reminded me of Zoology class with all those frogs we had to poke, prod and dissect. Baby crocs are a lot less slimy and messy than frogs, I assure you. But, just like frogs, they do move a lot. Unlike the adults, these were hyper little devils and would snap and scatter every so often.
Their sudden movements would elicit screams from the correspondents as we jumped with fright. The Center is currently being funded by the DENR, but proposals have been made to let the local Palawan government have a bigger hand in running the center to attract more tourists.
I wish we had enough time to explore the underground river, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It would also have been fun to visit the Vietnamese refugee camp and taste their cuisine, which a friend has done and bragged about. But then, it gives me a great excuse to visit Puerto Princessa again.
2bU! readers can get the best deals on trips to Palawan by getting in touch with the Network of Independent Travel Agents. Call 522-2434 and they'll refer a travel agent nearest you.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PqhjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=431%2C37903202
By Walter Ang
September 19, 2001
Philippine Daily Inquirer
This is your intrepid 2bU! correspondent traversing the lush island paradise of Palawan. We have come to conquer the city of Puerto Princessa via an Air Philippines flight from Manila. To rest up for the adventure ahead, we spent the night at the tony Spanish villa- inspired Asturias Hotel. We all had a short nightcap at the lobby's Scenario Bar before turning in for the night.
After devouring a hearty breakfast, we dropped by the butterfly farm first. They showed a video of the butterfly's life cycle that we all thought was hilarious. We felt like a bunch of kindergarteners with this video voice over telling us not to do this and not to touch that and all sorts of other precautions.
I grew up in fume-filled Metro Manila, so butterflies were, and still are, a rarity. It was interesting to see all these colorful flying insects hovering about. There were plates laid out with gumamelas and sliced bananas to attract the little creatures but all you had to do was look up and they were all over the garden. You just had to look a little harder for the ones that were camouflaged like leaves.
The highlight of the morning was when our guide showed us two butterflies that were, well, in flagrante delicto. The garden boasts of its Yellow Breadwings, the second largest butterfly in the country, but it also has a few other creatures that call it home. If you loved the movie "A Bug's Life," then this place will give you a chance to see those computer generated bugs for real. They've got big, juicy millipedes, a walking stick and some fantastic Malay scorpions, among other creepy crawlies.
Crocodilus Park
Moving on, we ventured to the Palawan Wildlife Refuge and Rescue Center, more popularly known as The Crocodile Farm. The skeleton of the largest crocodile ever captured in the country greeted us as we entered the center. All 17 feet and 6 inches of its hide was stretched across the wall like an ominous welcome sign.
When we got to the holding area for the adult crocs, it felt like we were in Jurassic Park ? there were metal walkways and everything. There were so many crocs that were just lying there and not moving at all. Our guides Glenn Rebong and Rene Baylon explained that these reptiles stay very still because of their opportunistic nature. They're all waiting for the first piece of food to come along. That's when the action gets going.
Of course, our guides were quick to dispel the myth that crocs are manhunters. They only attack when they're hungry or protecting their young. They can't even tell the difference between humans and the rest of the animals they usually munch on!
We also had a peek at the infirmary where injured crocs and those born with congenital defects (like missing tails) were kept. 2bU!'s favorite was a croc who had a calcium deficiency and, as a result, had no teeth. Although it is still fed regularly, it looked so forlorn. And who wouldn't be melancholy if the rest of your kind can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime and you had none!
Baby, baby!
At the nursery, baby crocs were placed in tubs all lined up in the warehouse. We got a chance to hold one, but to make it safe, its snout was held together with rubber bands. The tiny little thing wriggled as I held it by its neck and tail and it gave out the cutest little croak when we took pictures.
The croc's underside was smooth and it reminded me of Zoology class with all those frogs we had to poke, prod and dissect. Baby crocs are a lot less slimy and messy than frogs, I assure you. But, just like frogs, they do move a lot. Unlike the adults, these were hyper little devils and would snap and scatter every so often.
Their sudden movements would elicit screams from the correspondents as we jumped with fright. The Center is currently being funded by the DENR, but proposals have been made to let the local Palawan government have a bigger hand in running the center to attract more tourists.
I wish we had enough time to explore the underground river, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It would also have been fun to visit the Vietnamese refugee camp and taste their cuisine, which a friend has done and bragged about. But then, it gives me a great excuse to visit Puerto Princessa again.
2bU! readers can get the best deals on trips to Palawan by getting in touch with the Network of Independent Travel Agents. Call 522-2434 and they'll refer a travel agent nearest you.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PqhjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=431%2C37903202
Nature Trip to Coron
Nature Trip to Coron
By Walter Ang
September 12, 2001
Philippine Daily Inquirer
2bU! arrived as the sun was setting into the earth, casting a glow across the clouds. After landing in Busuanga Island (found at the northern tip of Palawan) via a 19 seater Seair plane, we took an hour jeepney ride to Coron town. We used air, land and, finally, water transportation (a 5 minute boat ride) to reach DiveLink Resort.
Nestled into the hillsides of Uson Island, the bright yellow color of the resort's jetty was already visible from afar. Welcomed by the indefatigable resident manager Maween Reyes, we shared dinner and stories that night. Buffet was served in a charming miniaturized boat as 2bU! and other members of the media were told of the exciting activities that were lined up for us.
In the light of the morning sun, we were able see our cottages in their full Caribbean colors of red, blue and yellow (as are even the bathrooms tiles). Cristina Matta (whose husband Noel co-owns the resort along with Bobong Velez and Henri Blasckiewicz) said the colors were chosen to make the resort "a happy place." The cottages, with endearing fruit names (I stayed in Buko), contain no aircons and television sets. "And they can never, ever have one," said this gracious lady. "The lack of amenities is meant to encourage guests to come out and bask in nature."
Treasure hunting
Dapper Noel Matta, who also heads the security committee of the Palawan Provincial Tourism Council, gave us the lowdown on why Coron is such a hotspot for divers. In 1944, as the second World War was coming to an end, freight ships of General Yamashita docked in Coron.
The ships supposedly carried treasures that the Japanese army looted from Indochina (Cambodia, Myanmar, Burma). Some were even disguised as Red Cross ships but Gen. William ''Bull'' Halsey sent his planes to bomb them anyway since Japan never signed the Treaty of Paris.
There are now 37 total wrecks with 14 diveable sites ? certainly a haven for divers and treasure hunters. We were told of fake "treasurehunters" who buy cheap vases, allow coral to grow on them for about three months and claim these "artifacts" were scavenged from the wrecks. Caveat emptor!
And speaking of buyers beware, since the tourism scene in Coron is pretty much still in its infancy, have the resort arrange any tours or diving trips you wish to take. They know which establishments and operators are reliable and safe. You wouldn't want your day ruined by hooking up with inexperienced or unsavory characters.
Picturesque
Even if Coron is a divers' hotspot, it accommodates non-divers as well. Our multi-talented guide Robert Agusto prepared a whole day of non-diving activities. We started off with swimming at the Twin Lagoons where the water was a clear, rich blue. There were magnificent limestone cliffs all around us; giant monolithic sentinels guarding us as we swam.
Next up was kayaking at a lush, picturesque mangrove that was so serene and teeming with a silent energy. For a city slicker like me whose main form of exercise is channel surfing, the kayaking was quite a workout for my biceps and triceps!
Nothing will compare, however, to Kayangan Lake, an Hall of Famer for being one of the cleanest lakes in the country. This fresh-water lake is accessible by a short climb up a small hill, then down again. When I caught a full view of the lake on my way down, I had to stop in my tracks. It was just oh-so-beautiful.
There we were, appreciating this piece of untouched nature. The silence punctuated by our "Oohs" and "Ahhs." All day long, you could hear people say "Ganda, ganda!" ? and you could only nod in agreement. It was wonderful to just bob contentedly in the water with our orange life-vests (aside from the safety, you needn't tire yourself out so you can concentrate on looking at the sights).
We kept joking that this would be a perfect spot to shoot a porno movie. Both Maween and Robert seem to recall that someone already did. It was supposedly called "Bakit May Pakpak Ang Ibon" ("Why birds have wings," but the sexual innuendo is completely lost in the translation.)
To the ends of the earth
Last stop for the day was Maquinit Hot Springs where we settled down in the fantastic hot salt-water. There we soothed our muscles ? so unused to that much physical activity. And as the sun was setting yet again, I thought to myself, "So this is what an eco tour is like!" You hear about it all the time, but when you actually get to see nature at its best, you gain a deeper appreciation for the word. More people should get to see Coron; let's just hope they keep it clean!
Foreign tourists, mostly Italians and French, have come to visit Coron's beauty, but its guests are still primarily local tourists. The owners are appreciative of the WG&A vessels now plying the Coron route. "For around P6,000, you leave Manila Friday night after school or work and rest on the ship. Spend two days here with all meals and tours inclusive. You leave Coron Sunday night and arrive in Manila early Monday morning. It's great for the weekend market." For those without sea legs, Seair flies to Busuanga from Manila and Puerto Princessa.
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By Walter Ang
September 12, 2001
Philippine Daily Inquirer
2bU! arrived as the sun was setting into the earth, casting a glow across the clouds. After landing in Busuanga Island (found at the northern tip of Palawan) via a 19 seater Seair plane, we took an hour jeepney ride to Coron town. We used air, land and, finally, water transportation (a 5 minute boat ride) to reach DiveLink Resort.
Nestled into the hillsides of Uson Island, the bright yellow color of the resort's jetty was already visible from afar. Welcomed by the indefatigable resident manager Maween Reyes, we shared dinner and stories that night. Buffet was served in a charming miniaturized boat as 2bU! and other members of the media were told of the exciting activities that were lined up for us.
In the light of the morning sun, we were able see our cottages in their full Caribbean colors of red, blue and yellow (as are even the bathrooms tiles). Cristina Matta (whose husband Noel co-owns the resort along with Bobong Velez and Henri Blasckiewicz) said the colors were chosen to make the resort "a happy place." The cottages, with endearing fruit names (I stayed in Buko), contain no aircons and television sets. "And they can never, ever have one," said this gracious lady. "The lack of amenities is meant to encourage guests to come out and bask in nature."
Treasure hunting
Dapper Noel Matta, who also heads the security committee of the Palawan Provincial Tourism Council, gave us the lowdown on why Coron is such a hotspot for divers. In 1944, as the second World War was coming to an end, freight ships of General Yamashita docked in Coron.
The ships supposedly carried treasures that the Japanese army looted from Indochina (Cambodia, Myanmar, Burma). Some were even disguised as Red Cross ships but Gen. William ''Bull'' Halsey sent his planes to bomb them anyway since Japan never signed the Treaty of Paris.
There are now 37 total wrecks with 14 diveable sites ? certainly a haven for divers and treasure hunters. We were told of fake "treasurehunters" who buy cheap vases, allow coral to grow on them for about three months and claim these "artifacts" were scavenged from the wrecks. Caveat emptor!
And speaking of buyers beware, since the tourism scene in Coron is pretty much still in its infancy, have the resort arrange any tours or diving trips you wish to take. They know which establishments and operators are reliable and safe. You wouldn't want your day ruined by hooking up with inexperienced or unsavory characters.
Picturesque
Even if Coron is a divers' hotspot, it accommodates non-divers as well. Our multi-talented guide Robert Agusto prepared a whole day of non-diving activities. We started off with swimming at the Twin Lagoons where the water was a clear, rich blue. There were magnificent limestone cliffs all around us; giant monolithic sentinels guarding us as we swam.
Next up was kayaking at a lush, picturesque mangrove that was so serene and teeming with a silent energy. For a city slicker like me whose main form of exercise is channel surfing, the kayaking was quite a workout for my biceps and triceps!
Nothing will compare, however, to Kayangan Lake, an Hall of Famer for being one of the cleanest lakes in the country. This fresh-water lake is accessible by a short climb up a small hill, then down again. When I caught a full view of the lake on my way down, I had to stop in my tracks. It was just oh-so-beautiful.
There we were, appreciating this piece of untouched nature. The silence punctuated by our "Oohs" and "Ahhs." All day long, you could hear people say "Ganda, ganda!" ? and you could only nod in agreement. It was wonderful to just bob contentedly in the water with our orange life-vests (aside from the safety, you needn't tire yourself out so you can concentrate on looking at the sights).
We kept joking that this would be a perfect spot to shoot a porno movie. Both Maween and Robert seem to recall that someone already did. It was supposedly called "Bakit May Pakpak Ang Ibon" ("Why birds have wings," but the sexual innuendo is completely lost in the translation.)
To the ends of the earth
Last stop for the day was Maquinit Hot Springs where we settled down in the fantastic hot salt-water. There we soothed our muscles ? so unused to that much physical activity. And as the sun was setting yet again, I thought to myself, "So this is what an eco tour is like!" You hear about it all the time, but when you actually get to see nature at its best, you gain a deeper appreciation for the word. More people should get to see Coron; let's just hope they keep it clean!
Foreign tourists, mostly Italians and French, have come to visit Coron's beauty, but its guests are still primarily local tourists. The owners are appreciative of the WG&A vessels now plying the Coron route. "For around P6,000, you leave Manila Friday night after school or work and rest on the ship. Spend two days here with all meals and tours inclusive. You leave Coron Sunday night and arrive in Manila early Monday morning. It's great for the weekend market." For those without sea legs, Seair flies to Busuanga from Manila and Puerto Princessa.
Google Scan:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OKhjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2137%2C34397685
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