Naquem.

Note: This photo-essay was featured in the 05-11 Sept 2014 issue of FilAm Star. The author/blogger is the Manila-based special news/photo correspondent of the paper. Photos by the author. The article can be accessed in pdf format from this link: http://www.filamstar.net/images/stories/pdf/287.pdf

Nora Aunor receiving her certificate and tropy as 2014 UP Gawad Plaridel awardee from UP CMC

Dean Roland Tolentino, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan & UP President Alfredo Pascual.

The title takes off from Hiroshima mon amour, a 1959 French New Wave movie directed by Alain Resnais about relationships, memory and forgetfulness, with throwbacks to the effects of the atomic bombing of that Japanese city. One glaring effect was loss of hair of the bomb victims.

There were four blasts in the Manila in August but these were non-nuclear. They were cultural. They did not even come within the purview of Kris Aquino’s prayers for the safety of her brother President Benigno Aquino III. According to reports, he asked that these be stopped. It appears that his sisters fear of untoward incidents that may occur during the month because their parents both died in August.

The trophy was designed by National Artist Napoleon Abueva.

The August bombs were recognitions of the artistic intelligence of Nora Aunor: Best Actress award for her performance in the movie Hustisya in the Directors Showcase of Cinemalaya X (August 10); Tunay na Alagad ng Sining award from the Quezon City Public School Teachers Association for helping propagate the national language through her films (August 19); the UP Gawad Plaridel 2014 award from the UP College of Mass Communications (CMC) for her excellence as a transmedia practitioner (August 27); and the Artista ng Mamamayan award from the Alliance of Concerned Teachers and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (ACT-PUP, August 29).

Aunor did not lose hair however. These awards were bestowed without any moral scruples whatsoever, thus, repudiating the presidential prerogative and the snobbery that excluded her from the list of 2014 National Artists.

The UP Gawad Plaridel and ACT-PUP Artista ng Mamamayan awards ceremonies showed that the popularity and acclamation of Nora Aunor straddles the widest social spectrum. The UP audience accorded her decorous albeit thunderous applause; at PUP, the atmosphere was typical of a fun-filled movie fan day with loud cheers and yells especially when she spoke of familiar vignettes in her life and movie career. The UP event required her to be formal – she wore a Filipiniana gown. In PUP she was more informal in slacks and leather jacket.

The 2014 UP Gawad Plaridel was awarded in her official name: Nora Cabaltera Villamayor.

Nora delivering her Plaridel lektyur.

In his message, UP President Alfredo Pascual spoke of “Villamayor’s stature as the iconic Superstar of Philippine cinema ... from her numerous, highly acclaimed, timeless and relevant performances in film, music, television and theater.” He expressed the great pleasure that the UP community joined the UP College of Mass Communication (CMC) “in recognizing the unique artistry and versatility as a singer, and for portraying with keen intelligence and uncommon sensitivity an amazing range of cinematic roles, as an actress.”

In his opening remarks, UPD Chancellor Michael L. Tan described himself as a Noranian. He said, "Wala pong tumpak at akmang salitang makapaglalarawan kay Nora Aunor dahil siya ay kaisa-isang artistang Pilipino na kumurot sa ating buhay, sa pamamagitan ng kanyang mga awitin, pelikula, pagganap sa entablado, sa radio, at sa telebisyon.” (There is no correct or adequate word to describe Nora Aunor because she is the only Filipino artist who has touched our lives through her songs, movies, and performances on stage, radio and television.)

“Kayo po, Ate Guy, ay ang Pambansang Alagad ng Sining!,” Tan told the honoree. (You, Ate Guy, is the National Artist!)

In his closing remarks, UP CMC Dean Dr. Roland B. Tolentino echoed Aunor’s sentiments regarding the National Artist award: “[M]aski wala mang tropeo o karangalang igawad sa akin ang mga nasa kapangyarihan, iniluklok naman ako ng mga kababayan ko habang buhay sa kanilang mga puso bilang isang artista ng bayan.” (Those in power may not have given me any token of recognition but my countrymen have enshrined me forever in their hearts as a national artist.)

Speaking directly to Aunor, Tolentino said, “Gusto ko lang din idagdag, Nora, na sa pagpaparangal sa iyo ng Gawad Plaridel ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, kahanay ka na sa mga skolar ng bayan, guro at kawani ng bayan na iniaalay ang buhay para sa paglilingkod sa bayan. Tunay kang superstar ng bayan, at muli ngayon, artista ng bayan!” (With this Gawad Plaridel, you have joined the ranks of the scholars, teachers and workers who are dedicating their lives to serve the nation. You are a true superstar, and from now on, a national artist.)

Nora received her Artista ng Mamamayan award from

ACT officials & PUP President de Guzman.

At the PUP Tanghalang Bayan, ACT emphasized that Ms.Aunor deserves the honor of being National Artist for Film, citing outstanding achievements that have won recognition from various national and international organizations, and the continuing admiration of her artistry and support for her work in film and television: “Sa ilang dekadang nakalipas ng pagbabahagi niya ng kanyang sining sa sambayanan ay hindi kumupas ang pagmamahal sa kanya ng pangkaraniwang mamamayan na patuloy sa pagsuporta at pagtangkilik sa kanyang mga palabas maging ito man ay pampelikula at pantelebisyon. ... Tunay nga, hindi man nahirang bilang pambansang alagad ng sining, si Nora Aunor pa rin ang isa sa mga natatanging artistang minamahal at patuloy na ipinaglalaban ng mamamayan.”

The UP and PUP audiences had the awesome pleasure of listening to insightful fragments of her Cinderella /Superstar story.

Nora with her certificate & trophy from ACT & PUP.

She told the UP community regarding her award: “Isang malaking karangalan at hindi ko makakalimutan. Isa ito sa pinaka-importanteng nangyari sa buhay ko. ... Ang nararamdaman ko ngayon ay iba, eh. Iba kapag UP ang nagbigay sa iyo ng karangalan. Sabi ko nga kanina, hanggang Grade 2 lang ako pero pagtayo ko sa stage ng UP ay parang graduate na din ako ng Unibersidad. Masayang masaya ako.” (I am greatly honored by this award, and I will never forget this. This is a very important event in my life. ... I have a very different feeling since UP is giving me this honor. I only reached Grade 2, but as I stand on this stage, I feel like I graduated from here. I am very, very happy.)

A similar sentiment was expressed in PUP. She said she was deeply overwhelmed by the warm acceptance of the students and teachers there. She clarified though that she eventually finished Grade 6.

One story that everyone enjoyed is about her musical path to the Tawag ng Tanghalan championship, which started with her first contest piece in a local competition: “You and the Night and the Music.” This was however a winning or losing piece while she mastered other songs from the radio for competitions in Bicol to Manila.

She regaled audiences with her odyssey from Guy-and-Pip movies to critically acclaimed and award winning films like her own production of Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos and the indie Thy Womb.

She delighted with her descriptions of the directorial styles of Ishmael Bernal, Lino Brocka, Mario O’Hara and Joel Lamangan. The audience heartily applauded when she dropped iconic lines like: “My brother is not a pig!” (from Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo), “Walang himala!” (from Himala).

Nora addressing the PUP community & Noranians.

In closing, she asked for the cooperation of the present generation of movie performers in the production of quality pictures. To the young artists, she enjoined them to do relevant pictures that are recognized here and abroad: “(G)umawa kayo ng pelikulang makabuluhan ma makkikilala hindi lamang dito sa Pilipinas kundi [maging] sa ibang bansa."

She plans to produce movies again and to set up her own indie film outfit after she has completed pending movie projects. After Hustisya, she has three more movies scheduled to be shown before the year is over. She invited the audiences to watch out for the indie films Dementia (which opens this September), Whistle Blower and Padre de Familia.

She said she has no regrets whatsoever, and what she's doing now recalls the start of her life's journey. "Lahat ng ginagawa ko ngayon ay paglingon sa aking pinanggalingan."

That reminds of her last laugh at the end of Hustisya.

Note: This photo-essay was featured in the 12-18 September 2014 issue of the FilAm Star, a weekly newspaper published in San Francisco, CA "for the Filipinos in mainstream America," with the title "2014 Ramon Magsaysay awardees honored / Pinoy teacher Randy Halasan recognized for Emergent Leadership." This author/blogger is the paper's Special News/Photo Correspondent based in Manila.

RMAF Streamer at the CCP Lobby

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) presented the month of August as Magsaysay Festival Month with the theme “The Spirit Lives On”, reflecting the mission of the award program, which started 57 years ago, of “honoring greatness of spirit in selfless service to the peoples of Asia.”

That spirit certainly inspired the Magsaysay laureates, which are, to President Benigno Aquino III, “those who have dedicated their lives to serving the marginalized and the oppressed, while at the same time mobilizing entire communities to follow suit.” Aquino was the guest of honor during the presentation ceremonies on 31 August 2014 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

President Aquino III (center) with the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation Board of Trustees (group to his left) and the 2014 Ramon Magsaysay awardees (group to his right).

“This year’s roster,” Aquino said, “is composed of individuals imbued with the missionary zeal to promote social justice, and each one of them has taken a personal stand to contribute to the improvement of the communities in which they live.”

He pointed out “[t]he innovations of Ms. Saur Marlina Manurung and Mr. Randy Halasan, who have poured their hearts and souls into their work to educate indigenous communities.” He cited The Citizens Foundation (TCF) of Pakistan, “which has been focused on education for all, regardless of religion, gender, or economic status.”

Halasan's portrait (inset) is not part of his exhibit panel

Our countryman Randy Halasan, 32, from Davao City is the school-in-charge of Pegalongan Elementary School, which is located in the hinterlands of Malamba, Marilog District of the city. It takes him seven hours to reach the place: “two hours by bus, an hour over extremely rough roads by habal-habal motorcycle, four hours of walking and crossing the waters of two treacherous rivers [Sinod and Davao].”

When he was first assigned there in 2007, there were only two of them teaching multi-grade classes between Grades 1 and 6 in a two-room schoolhouse. “With no electricity and only primitive amenities ... [His] first thought was to seek a reassignment ... the first chance he could get.”

He did not leave. He is still there as a member of the Matigsalug community with a strong compassion “for the children who also walk miles and cross rivers just to get to school” and a “sense of duty to help the defenseless forest tribe against encroaching powerful outsiders.”

The Pegalongan School has already expanded to nine rooms; it now has eight teachers for 210 students. A cultural-minority high school has also been established.

Halasan has gone beyond the classroom: “Envisioning a food-sufficient community, he inspired fellow teachers to donate seeds and encouraged the villagers to plant fruit trees and vegetables. [The Pegalongan farmers] now have a collectively-owned rice-and-corn mill, a seed bank, a cattle dispersal project, and horses for transporting their products. By 2014, the Matigsalug community of Pegalongan will become both stewards and beneficiaries of the rehabilitation of one hundred forested hectares in their area. And Halasan’s youthful graduates are helping their elders protect their legal rights to their ancestral domain.”

The RMAF awarded Halasan for Emergent Leadership in recognition of “his purposeful dedication in nurturing his Matigsalug students and their community to transform their lives through quality education and sustainable livelihoods, doing so in ways that respect their uniqueness and preserve their integrity as indigenous peoples in a modernizing Philippines.”

The Emergent Leadership award was created in 2000 to honor “greatness of spirit among men and women forty years old and below. Another Filipino received this award in 2004: Benjamin Abadiano.

Left to right: TCF representatives Aleed Riaz & Ahsan Muhammad Saleem, Wang Canfa and Randy Halasan receiving their certificate and medallion from Pres. Aquino.

RMAF recognized Saur Marlina Manurung of Indonesia for “her ennobling passion to protect and improve the lives of Indonesia’s forest people [the Orang Rimba], and her energizing leadership of volunteers in SOKOLA’s customized education program that is sensitive to the lifeways of indigenous communities and the unique development challenges they face.”

SOKOLA’s major program is the Sokola Rimba or Jungle School. SOKOLA has become “a network of fourteen schools in ten provinces, run by volunteer teachers and trained Orang Rimba youth, benefitting ten thousand children and adults.” The volunteer teachers follow wherever the forest people move to hunt and gather food. They stress on “basic literacy for children and practical skills to cope with the changing forest environment” because the Orang Rimba now “have to deal with the encroachment of forest-exploiting businesses, government agencies, threatening their basic rights, livelihood, and community cohesion.”

The Citizens Foundation (TCF), from Pakistan, was recognized for “the social vision and high-level professionalism of its founders and those who run its schools, in successfully pursuing their conviction that, with sustained civic responsiveness, quality education made available to all—irrespective of religion, gender, or economic status—is the key to Pakistan’s brighter future.”

TCF, a non-profit organization, was launched in 1995 with a mission “to remove barriers of class and privilege” through affordable, quality education and “to make the citizens of Pakistan agents of positive change.”

The TCF network has grown from five schools and 800 students in 1996 to “one thousand schools spread over a hundred towns and cities, with over 145,000 students ... and guided by 7,700 teachers and principals.” All their teachers are women because of their “desire to open up employment opportunities to women.”

Left to right: Hu Shuli, Saur Marlina Manurung and Omara Khan Masoudi receiving their certificate and medallion.

President Aquino invited attention to the winners in other areas: “Mr. Wang Canfa, a lawyer from China who has worked tirelessly to protect the environmental rights of pollution victims, and to hold polluters accountable ... Mr. Omara Khan Masoudi who, while working in the National Museum of Afghanistan, went to great lengths to literally hide his country’s cultural treasures from those who threatened to steal or destroy them ... [and] Ms. Hu Shuli, a prominent Chinese journalist, who has ably fulfilled her duties as a journalist towards promoting good governance.”

Wang Canfa was recognized for “his discerning and forceful leadership—through scholarly work, disciplined advocacy, and pro bono public interest litigation—in ensuring that the enlightened and competent practice of environmental law in China effectively protects the rights and lives of victims of environmental abuse, especially the poor and the powerless.”

Wang, an environmental lawyer, founded the Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims (CLAPV) in 1998. With its volunteer lawyers, CLAPV has handled more than 13,000 environmental complaints, filed more than 550 cases, and has scored victories against chemical, steel, mining, waste incineration and other plants. The Center also participates in legislation, reviewing environmental laws and regulations, and helping set up some legal systems to better protect the rights of victims, and strengthen the punishment of polluters.

Wang’s public interest Beijing Huanzhu Law Firm, which specializes in environmental law and provides free services, bolsters CLAPV’s litigation efforts.

Omara Khan Masoudi, from Afghanistan, was recognized for “his courage, labor, and leadership in protecting Afghan cultural heritage, rebuilding an institution vital for Afghanistan’s future, and reminding his countrymen and peoples everywhere that in recognizing humanity’s shared patrimony, we can be inspired to stand together in peace.”

Masoudi became deputy director of the National Museum of Afghanistan in 1998. He witnessed the destruction of the country’s cultural treasures, which the Taliban considered anti-Islamic, including the famous, sixth century Buddha statues of Bamyan. Seventy percent of the museum treasures were destroyed, looted or lost.

Masoudi and some of his colleagues were able to hide some of the most precious objects like the world-famous Bactrian treasure consisting of some 20,000 ancient ornaments. Safety locations included secret vaults underneath the city streets of Kabul.

When Taliban rule ended in 2002, Masoudi was appointed museum director. He led the rebuilding of the museum, restoration of historical monuments, repair of broken museum objects, and resurrection of the treasures they hid and saved. Much work is still continuing in these areas although the museum reopened to the public in 2004.

Hu Shuli, from China, was recognized for “her unrelenting commitment to truthful, relevant, and unassailable journalism, her fearless promotion of transparency and accountability in business and public governance, and her leadership in blazing the way for more professional and independent-minded media practices in China.”

In 1998, Hu established and edited the business magazine Caijing, which became popular because of the quality of its coverage and its groundbreaking investigative reporting. Their Caijing reports led to the ousting of high public officials, the prosecution of corporate leaders, and reforms in China’s stock market. She has been dubbed “the most dangerous woman in China.”

Hu and her colleagues formed in 2009 the Caixin Media Group in Beijing, which has multimedia platforms. She is the editor-in-chief of Caixin (China Economics & Finance) magazine, which reports on corporate fraud and government corruption, among others. Its September 2014 special edition chronicles the rise and fall of the former senior party official Zhou Yongkang.

Like all the other awardees, Randy Halasan of the Philippines delivered a response.

The six 2014 Magsaysay awardees join the community of 301 other Magsaysay laureates who have received Asia’s highest honor.

Randy Halasan joins the roster of 45 Filipino awardees, which include National Artists Lino Brocka, Nick Joaquin, Bienvenido Lumbera and Francisco Sionil Jose, National Scientists Angel C. Alcala and Ernesto Domingo, and Pres. Corazon Aquino, among others.

In the conclusion of his address, President Aquino reflected on “how we can harness democracy to make sure that our progress is felt by every last citizen, especially by those who are most vulnerable. President Magsaysay, in his credo, had already envisioned our pursuit of inclusive growth. He said that “the little man is fundamentally entitled to a little bit more food in his stomach, a little more cloth on his back, and a little more roof over his head.” “

Guest enjoying post-ceremony sidelights at the exhibit area.

Note: This photo-essay appeared in the 18-25 September 2014 issue of the FilAm Star, "the newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America", a weekly published in San Francisco, CA. The author is the paper's Special News/Photo Correspondent based in Manila.

Asexual propagation of bamboo using cuttings.

Typhoon Luis was expected to hit Metro Manila last Sunday (14 September) but we had to meet with our volunteer group of fisherfolks in the coastal barangay of our town in Zambales. We are preparing for the nesting season of marine turtles (pawikan), which starts by the end of this month, and they are getting ready to patrol when darkness falls the eight-kilometer stretch of seashore for nesting marine turtles.

When the rain stopped briefly, we inspected the bamboo nursery at the Hiyas ng Kalikasan tree farm of our colleague. She informed us that there are now ten species there, and before we left for Manila later in the afternoon, mature culms of yellow bamboo had been secured for cutting and planting.

Initially, we are using asexual or vegetative propagation method with two-node and one-node culm cuttings directly potted for rooting in polybags under the shade of the big trees. We may use other propagation methods later.

Environmental protection is the core mission of our non-government organization (NGO), KaTIMPUYOG Zambales. Pawikan conservation is what we address from October to March through the hatchery we put up at the coastal barangay. Reforestation is the other major thrust of our program plans. We have been in touch with the Ayta community leaders in the northern town of Botolan who have been collecting seeds and wildlings of indigenous trees from the mountain forests, nurturing them in their nursery for reforestation purposes.

Our NGO submitted two proposals for inclusion in the Annual Investment Program (AIP) of the provincial government for 2015: one for eco-tourism development, which revolves around the pawikan conservation program with the operating hatchery as model, and one for environmental management with the setting up native tree and bamboo nurseries as start-up of reforestation programs in the province. Livelihood opportunities for the local communities may be generated alongside these two programs.

Our group is looking at a mix of native hardwoods, fruit and ornamental/flowering trees for ecologogical balance. Experts have highly recommended bamboo as ideal for the stabilization of the Sto. Tomas riverbank. This river traverses the three towns of San Marcelino, San Felipe and San Narciso as it wends to the West Philippine Sea.

For the bamboo program, we take guidance from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through their latest publications, primarily ‘The Philippines Recommends for Bamboo’ (2012) and ‘Bamboo for Riverbanks Stabilization. Information Bulletin No. 341/2011’.

Starting top left, clockwise: bayog, wamin, pole and yellow bamboos

PCAARRD recommends eight species for riverbank stabilization whose local names could be very familiar in communities where they abound: kawayan tinik (Bambusa blumeana), kawayan kiling (Bambusa vulgaris), bolo (Gigantochloa levis), anos (Schizostachium lima), buho (Schizostachium lumampao), giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper), bayog (Bambusasp.1) and laak (Bambusa sp.2). Other species available in the locality can also be used. Abra province, for example, has puser (Cyrtochloa puser) and bikal (Dinochloa sp.), while Davao del Norte has kayali (Gigantochloa atter).

This giant grass, bamboo, has a wide spreading root system. This “net-like root system of bamboo holds the soil together ... and keeps twice as much water in the watersheds ...” The litter that accumulates underneath also reduces rain run-off and helps prevent soil erosion. Thus, planting the Sto. Tomas riverbank with bamboo species found in abundance in our province would effectively control erosion, and reduce the threat of flooding in our town when the river swells during the rainy season.

The bamboo clumps can be effective in risk mitigation since the “sturdy poles serve as windbreakers blocking strong winds in the surrounding environment during typhoons.”

In addition, a healthier environment would be enhanced since “bamboo can sequester 12 tons of carbon from the air per hectare and generates 35% more oxygen compared with other trees.” Urbanites should take note of this as a derived benefit from setting up aesthetic bamboo gardens (bambuseta) in their yards.

Aside from environmental benefits, the current resurgence of interest in bamboo derives from its being a good alternative to the dwindling supply of wood and its great potential for other commercial applications.

Clump of kawayan tinik.

Bamboo is highly renewable producing new shoots annually, and as we have mentioned, species can be propagated using culm cuttings. Bamboo is a fast grower. Culms reach full height in about 60-90 days, 30 meters in some species, are matured and ready for harvest in 3-5 years.

Nurseries can grow various bamboo species and sell them as planting material to commercial farmers. There is also a growing market for ornamental types; hence, these can be grown in pots for the wholesale market or retailed to bamboo enthusiasts.

According to PCAARD, there are now more than 62 bamboo species in the country while there were only 47 identified in 1991. The increase came about through importation or introduction by garden enthusiasts. Ornamental bamboo species of foreign origin include kawayan dilaw (green stripe), buhong dilaw (golden), wamin/Buddha’s belly, pole/monastery, and Chinese dwarf bamboos, among others.

Bamboo shoot (labong): gourmet food in Western countries,

Young and tender bamboo shoots (labong) can be an income earner from the local and international food markets. In Western countries, this is a gourmet food available usually as canned imports. There is a rule for harvesting shoots: “only four should be left to grow every year ... [those] that will emerge should be removed or those that are of good size should be harvested for food.” There was a time when harvesting shoots was banned in our town because of an apparent depletion of bamboo poles supply. Labong was sold on the sly in the public market.

Bamboo poles are lightweight but they are both hard and durable, thus making them a viable source of strong building and construction materials such as concrete reinforcements, and panel boards, among others. Using new processes and equipment, bamboo can also be used in manufacturing high-value engineered products like bamboo veneer and bamboo tiles for structural and non-structural building components.

Treated bamboo poles are still used in building traditional Filipino houses. For example, our FilAm cousins from California recently built a bamboo house in their farm in our town. They incorporated wood, ceramic tiles and glass in the predominantly bamboo structure. There are no engineered bamboo tiles. For flooring, they used the traditional long treated bamboo slats.

A bamboo house owned by FilAms from California.

Production of bamboo musical instruments and creating a niche market for these are in the commercial eye of PCAARRD. The old Pangkat Kawayan, the active Las Piñas National High School Bamboo Orchestra, the PUP Banda Kawayan, and the Musikong Bumbong of Obando City immediately come to mind. The durability of bamboo as a component of musical instruments is evident in the 902 pipes of the Las Piñas Bamboo Organ that had never been replaced yet since 1816.

PUP Banda Kawayan members and their bamboo musical instruments.

There is now an increasing demand for bamboo furniture because of the dearth of wood, hence, the rising cost of wood furniture. The handicrafts industry is also meeting demands for traditional, ethnic and decorative bamboo products.

Bamboo craft was part of our elementary schooling. In Industrial Arts classes, public schoolboys in the 1950’s to the 60’s built bamboo chairs, wove bamboo winnowing baskets, and made bamboo sieves. Industrial Arts is no longer in the curriculum, but the market for handicrafts for households and farms still exists.

A furniture set made of bamboo.

Other bamboo products that PCAARRD have looked at for market potential are charcoal briquettes from bamboo processing wastes, bamboo charcoal, and light distillate.

It is acknowledged that the bamboo industry is an emerging one. “To hasten its progress,” an advocate wrote, “there is a need to accelerate plantation of premium bamboo species, both for the production of culms and edible shoots.”

Note: This photo-essay was on the filam special page of the 26 Sep-02 Oct 2014 issue of the weekly FilAm Star, 'the newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America', published in San Francisco CA. This blogger is the Special News/Photo Correspondent in Manila of the newspaper.

The Inang Bayan at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani compound
designed by the sculptor Eduardo Castrillo

The sun was out and the floodwaters that came with Typhoon Mario were all gone on Sunday, 21 September 2014, the 42^ndanniversary of the declaration of Martial Law by Ferdinand Marcos.

We dared to see a five-hour film in black-and-white by Lav Diaz: “Mula sa Kung Ano ang Noon (From What Was Before)”, which recently won the Pardo d’oro (Golden Leopard) grand prize at the 2014 Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. It was being screened for free as “handog sa bansa” (gift to the nation) of the Film development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Sine Olivia Pilipinas and SM Cinema. The film is said to be based on the film maker’s memories as a young man in his village in Maguindanao before the onset of Martial Law.

“I was just an observer,” Diaz told filmmaker Pepe Diokno in an interview published in the Philippine Star, “but I could see it, how hell was coming in. There was so much happening in our village. Suddenly, there were killings that we didn’t understand. Suddenly, there were burnings of houses that we didn’t understand. We would hear wails from the forest — scary. It turned out, it was the military. They conditioned everything, they started everything. People would come. There would be a carpenter, a shoe seller — they turned out to be military agents. They started destroying the barrio. Martial Law was a well-oiled machine.”

When Martial Law was declared toward the end of the movie, we learn that the village was classified as part of the war zone based on the case built by a military agent. The female sergeant was immersed there for two years under the guise of a vendor of sleeping mats and other household items.

After his frank discourse with the lieutenant, the priest became the subject of surveillance. The officer ordered one of his men to keep the priest under constant watch. The polite argument was about the military presence there. A camp was to be built albeit temporarily at the school yard. The officer contended it is for keeping peace, the religious argued it would disrupt the lives of the people. True enough, families would eventually evacuate to safer grounds.

The Wall of Remembrance bearing the names of martyrs and heroes like Ninoy Aquino and the Escalante martyrs.

The last frames focused on two activists, purportedly from the University of the Philippines, hanging upside down and being tortured by the militia.

The movie actually spurred us to visit the Bantayog ng mga Bayani (Monument to the Heroes) the next day. This is neighbor to the National Power Corporation (NPC), Transmission Company and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) complex on Quezon Avenue. We only passed by the Bantayog during all the years we worked in NPC. Our first purposeful visit was in November 2011 when a fraternity brother’s name was inscribed as a martyr-hero on the Wall of Remembrance.

The Bantayog is the memorial center honoring men and women who lived and died in opposition to the repressive regime under the Marcos dictatorship for fourteen years, 1972 to 1986. The landmark is a 14-meter Inang Bayan (Mother Philippines) Monument designed by the sculptor Eduardo Castrillo. It depicts a fallen man, held in one hand by a woman symbolizing the Motherland while the other hand reaches out for freedom.

Exhibit: Popular Bayan Ko and photo-cutout
of Sen. Jose Diokno

The other distinct feature is the Wall of Remembrance of black granite, where the names of martyrs are inscribed. The first sixty-five martyrs were enshrined here in 1992, which include Ninoy Aquino. Today there are now more than two hundred names of heroes inscribed comprising “those who gave their all for the sake of freedom, justice, and democracy during the Marcos years but died after the EDSA Revolution.”

The Bantayog Museum has several sections. One portrays “the economic, political and social problems of the 1960s (mass poverty, abusive government officials, violation of civil liberties) that gave rise to popular discontent especially of the youth” during the pre-martial law years.

The death of democracy is shown by the documentation on the methods of torture, and the model of a prison cell done by an ex-detainee. The memorabilia from the period of resistance include underground publications, the “mosquito press,” reports from the various civil-society groups at that time, and expressions of international solidarity.

Museum visitors will also find reminders of the assassination of Ninoy Aquino and the nationwide protests that ensued. The scale model of a military tank surrounded by a photographic mural of the people on EDSA brings to mind the “People Power Revolution” of February 1986.

We gave some time to read the exhibit of a pastoral letter dated 11 August 1973 by four Catholic bishops of Western Visayas led by then Archbishop Jaime Sin of Jaro who were “deeply disturbed by recent events [in July] in the local Church of Antique ... One priest was taken prisoner and one church building was declared off limits to the people. Many priests are warned to limit their pastoral work, and rumors circulated discrediting all. It has all the appearance of harassment.”

EDSA 1 reminder.

Fr. Benjamin E. Alforque is still alive and well, but he has a story to tell that many other religious, like the Antique priest, might have gone through and did not survive. “I’m afraid but I must write to let young people know,” he said in his article in the 21 September issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Fr. Alforque, fresh from the seminary and on regency at the Virgen de Regla parish of Lapu-Lapu City, was arrested in October 1973 being accused of subversion. He wrote of the physical, mental and moral torture he went through for eight months and 13 days. He confessed he lost his faith in God for some time while in prison. He regained his faith that enabled him to give Holy Communion to his torturers later on.

A Hall of Remembrance features the capsule biographies and individual photos of the enshrined martyrs and heroes. These can also be accessed through the website of the Bantayog.

Remembering the departed with candles and roses.

We looked up our friends Antonio Hilario (Tonyhil) and Antonio Tagamolila (Taga), and our fraternity brother Wright Molintas, who all died in the field. The two Antonios were our friends at the university when the winds of the First Quarter Storm were stirring. Our fraternity brother was of 1980’s vintage, and was known for his Ibaloi name: Ka Chadli. There was also Denis Deveraturda, a young province mate who was our classmate in an elective subject. He was killed in February 1972 before the declaration of Martial Law. We also remembered Monico Atienza who gave us lifts on his motorcycle during our brief stay in Batangas in 1970. He survived the war against the dictatorship.

“... let us not forget those who fell during the night. Let us honor the Filipino patriots who struggled valiantly against the unjust and repressive rule of Ferdinand Marcos. Let us build a memorial to those men and women who offered their lives so that we may all see the dawn... For as we remember those victims of authoritarian rule, we shall become more vigilant about preserving our freedom, defending our rights, and opposing any attempt by anyone to foist another dictatorship upon us. ... In honoring our martyrs, we proclaim our determination to be free forever.” This is the rationale of the Bantayog in its final concept paper..

The Oct 1971 Phil. Free Press editorial opposing extension of presidential term beyond 1973, and

the Sept 1972 issue of the only newspaper allowed to operate after the declaration of Martial Law.

Thus, “Never again to Martial Law, Never again to Dictatorship!” is a timely call as the media is abuzz with loud talks of ChaCha (sharter change), term extension of Benigno Aquino III, and clipping the powers of the judiciary.

Note: This photo-essay appeared in the 17-23 October 2014 issue of the FilAm Star, the weekly "newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America," which is published in San Francisco, CA. This version includes more pictures. The author/blogger is the Manila-based Special News/Photo Correspondent of the paper.

The set of commemorative stamps shows the histo-

rical Tandang Sora and Emilio Jacinto Shrines, the

SM North EDSA that started the shopping mall trend

in MManila, and the UP Ayala Technohub, the first

campus-based technology park in the Philippines.

(This is a photo-scan of actual stamps issued by

PhilPost for the Diamond Jubilee.)

The afternoon rains did not spoil the spirit of celebrating the 75^th anniversary of Quezon City. The grand celebrations went on under the hot morning sun and the afternoon drizzles and downpours of the 11^th and 12^th of October .

This Diamond Jubilee date happened to be the second Sunday of October, which is, in the Roman Catholic church calendar, the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, the religious and historical La Naval, the “pintakasi” or patroness of the city, enshrined at the Dominican Sto. Domingo Church on Quezon Avenue.

Seventy five years ago, on 12 October 1939, President Manuel L. Quezon signed the city’s charter, Commonwealth Act. No 502, originally Bill No. 1206 that the National Assembly deliberated on. A hot issue of argument was amending the original city name of Balintawak to Quezon. Historical accounts tell that Quezon himself had to be convinced to have the city bear his name. When he was consulted, he is said to have replied, “Why can’t you wait until I’m dead, before you name anything after me?” He was eventually convinced.

Quezon envisioned a “paradise for working men - dwellings with all the comforts of sanitation and with playgrounds near-by for children, to be constructed by the government and given in sale or lease to the laborers or employees at cost” after a tour of the possible site of his dream city.

The Diliman estate of the Tuason family was deemed best site for a government housing project for laborers and employees. On September 27, 1939, President Quezon stressed the “necessity of early approval of the charter of the proposed city in Diliman site.” Bill No. 1206 was proposed by Assembylman Ramon P. Mitra of the second district of Mountain Province, and approved on September 28, 1939.

The Quezon Heritage House, relocated from New Manila to the Quezon Memorial Circle, is now a

museum of Quezon memorabilia. The room of President Quezon features his formal white attire,

his boots and a bed sheet embroidered with his name.

In 1939, the population was estimated at around 58,000. The population peaked to around 2.8 million in the national census of 2010 with the annual population growth rate was estimated at 2.42 percent for the period 2000-2010.

The Quezon City folks who attended the celebrations at the Quezon Memorial Circle or at their district centers comprised a broader demographic definition of working class: from informal settlers to residents of affluent villages or high-rise condominiums.

The youth participated in sports, musical and dancing events. The senior citizens from all the six city districts had their sunny morning program of dancing exhibitions at the Circle. Large contingents from the districts and other guests aimed to dance at the largest Zuma fitness outdoor party and break the Guinness World record set by India in September 2012. This was rained out, but reports say that many participants were not dismayed and went on Zumba dancing wet and wild.

High school children with colorful props along the route of the La Naval’s exit

from the Misa ng Bayan venue (left). Senior women in indigenous Mindanao

costumes for their dance exhibition (right).

This year the city’s Gawad Parangal that started in 2002 became honorific for the Commonwealth President and city founder. The 2014 roster of Manuel L. Quezon Gawad Parangal awardees comprise ‘workers’ of different distinctions: actress Nora C. Aunor; woman leader Dr. Lilia B. De Lima; economist Dr. Benjamin E. Diokno; Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.; OFW advocate and journalist Susan V. Ople; National Artist for Music Ramon P. Santos; SC Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes P. A. Sereno; broadcast journalist Howie Severino; DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson; CCP President Raul M. Sunico; Jollibee Chairman and CEO Tony Tan Caktiong; and investigative journalist Marites D. Vitug.

The city charter defined the boundaries of QC comprising 7,355 hectares composed the eight big land estates that government acquired, and barrios carved out from Caloocan, San Juan, Marikina, Pasig, Montalban and San Mateo. Some barrios reverted back to Mandaluyong and Marikina in 1941, and additional ones were acquired from Caloocan in 1948.

Within these boundaries would spring in the 1950s the first morphs of Quezon’s government housing project: the Project 1 to 8 homes. The ‘Project’ still remains part of postal addresses while upper-scale villages with foreign-sounding names continue to be developed within the city limits. Informal settlements though blight the social fabric of the city even as urban development is pursued with by public and private partners.

The construction of the College of Liberal Arts and College of Law buildings of the University of the Philippines in Diliman started by end-1939. World War II interrupted, and the transfer officially began ten years later.

At the QC Food Festival on Maginhawa: Two sisters and a cousin charm with their smiles

and dishes at their Fat Dads food stall (left). Foodies can also order dish sets called Quiapo

Ilalim, Monumento, etc. and enjoy them inside this vehicle at Gerry’s Jeepney.

Sikatuna Village near UP-Diliman campus has provided lodging places for students, a viable market of food establishments that can offer budget meals. Most of these eating places are on Maginhawa Street; thus, its whole stretch was the venue of the whole-day Quezon City Food Festival on October 11 where foodies enjoyed indoor or al-fresco the signature dishes of restaurants there.

Farther away from the city center is La Loma, the iconic place of the crispy lechon. Also on the 11^th, seventy five lechons were brought in parade into rows of long tables covered with banana leaves for boodle feasting. It was free to ticketed delegations from the city districts. Participants, including Mayor Herbert Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, were provided with paper bibs printed with the slogan “Salu-salong Saya sa La Loma” and thin right hand plastic kitchen glove for the kamayan eating style. The boodle fun did not take very long to finish. As someone jested, the lechons were completely zapped “sa isang kisap-mata” (in the blink of an eye).

Typical lechon scene in La Loma (left). Mayor Herbert Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte enjoy

eating lechon kamayan style (right).

Outstanding institutions located in several city districts also received the Manuel L. Quezon Gawad Parangal: Kamuning Bakery (QC’s pioneer bakery); Pangkat Kawayan (unique youth orchestra and bamboo ensemble); Quezon City High School (QC’s first public secondary school); Quirino Memorial Medical Center (leading government tertiary medical center in QC); and Veterans Memorial Medical Center (QC’s most outstanding public institution for 2014).

The historical and religious institution, the Sto. Domingo Church, like UP was also a migrant. It settled in Quezon City after World War II. The original church in Intramuros was razed to the ground during the liberation of Manila.

The image of the La Naval at the Misa ng Bayan held at the Quezon Memorial Circle (left),

and at the grand procession in her honor from Sto. Domingo Church (right), both on 12 October.

With the Diamond Jubilee celebration and the feast of the La Naval in synch on 12 October, the program that day opened with a Misa ng Bayan, which was graced by the image of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, at the Quezon Memorial Circle. In attendance as guest of honor was Vice-President Jejomar Binay, who, as expected, drew media and crowd attention after the religious services.

The civic Jubilee events were capped by the Parangal ceremonies at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, which featured performances of world-class Filipino entertainment and musical talents. On the religious side, Roman Catholic devotees were not dampened by the afternoon rains to proceed with the grand procession honoring the La Naval.

Sci-fi characters roam around the Quezon Memorial Shrine to entertain Jubilee

celebrators (left). Clowns on stilts stand tall over young martial arts kids (right).

In his address before the National Assembly in 18 September 1939, President said, “I dream of a capital city that, politically shall be the seat of the national government; aesthetically the showplace of the nation – a place that thousands of people will come and visit as the epitome of culture and spirit of the country; socially, a dignified concentration of human life, aspirations and endeavors and achievements; and economically, as a productive, self-contained community.”

The Quezon City Resiliency Initiatives for 2014-2020 include the innovative waste-to-energy plant in Payatas [the former dump site of the city’s garbage], the city government is looking at as a possible business venture of the QC Development Authority and Public Private Partnership scheme.

Klinika Bernardo, the city-owned diagnostic and treatment facility for HIV-AIDS strategically located on EDSA, is at the forefront of the city’s health initiatives. Reportedly, it is the first government unit to include HIV-AIDS among its health priorities. Its Computerized Health Information Tracking System (CHITS) is the city’s low cost computerization initiative interconnecting 65 local health centers for effective and efficient delivery of health services. Five of these health centers have dialysis clinics, three already have completed the requirements for licensing to operate.

Still on people watch though is the Philippine Children’s Medical Center on Quezon Avenue. There had been announcements that it will no longer be transferred to another site. The move to relocate raised a big howl of protest from the public. Apparently, developers around the area were eyeing the hospital site as well, and city hall supported the transfer.

The float of barangay Payatas used recyclable waste materials

and highlighted their onsite waste-to-energy and housing projects.

QC calls its socialized housing program “precedent-setting in scale and deeply rooted in terms of sustainability and multi-partnership arrangements.” There are ten housing projects going on; around 2,400 units have been constructed with around 8,000 more to go. Housing beneficiaries are trained in livelihood projects by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP). Scholarships are made available to children who are qualified to enter college.

May a sustainable housing program put an end to violence that expectedly comes with the demolition of informal settlements in the city. May MLQ’s dream of “paradise for working men” come to pass.

Note: This photo-essay was featured in the 07-13 November 2014 issue of FilAm Star, the weekly "newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America" published in San Francisco, CA. The author/blogger is the Philippines-based Special News/Photo Correspondent of the paper.

The Philippine indigenous population is estimated to be between 10 and 20 percent of the official total population of about 92 million in the national census of 2010, which reportedly included an ethnicity variable for the first time.

We have yet to see an official figure but roughly, the higher estimate would be around 19 million indigenous Filipinos from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi. It’s for them that Presidential Proclamation 1906 of 05 October 2009 declared October every year as National Indigenous Peoples’ Month.

In December 2009, the first Indigenous Peoples’ Festival was held in Roxas City. Tagged Dayaw in October the next year, it became the official festive celebration of Philippine indigenous cultures led by the Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts (SCCTA) of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in partnership with other government agencies, private companies and non-government organizations. Dayawconnotes respect in Ilokano, a sense of pride in Hiligaynon, and praise in Waray.

Dayaw 2014 carries the theme “Katutubong Filipino para sa Kalikasan at Kapayapaan (Indigenous Filipino for the Environment and Peace)” to three festival venues: Baguio City in October, Bacolod City and Zamboanga City, both in November.

Indigenous Peoples (IPs) from Luzon, Mindoro and Palawan came together at the convention center in Baguio City for two days, 22 and 23 October, and showcased the richness of their respective cultures and heritage: Ibaloy/Kankanaey, Bikolano, Bolinao/Pangasinense, Bugkalot, Iloko, Ivatan/Itbayat, Kalanguya/Ifugao, Kalinga, Kapampangan/Tagalog/Sambal, Kasiguranin, Mangyan cluster, Palawani/Molbog/Jama Mapun, Tagbanua/Pala’wan/Batak, Tinggian/Itneg, Agta/Ita/ Kabihug, Apayao/Isnag, Ayta of Tarlac, Pampanga, Bataan and Zambales, Balangao/Bontok/Applai, Gaddang/Isinay, and Ibanag/Yogad/Itawit/Malaweg.

Their Dayaw was a kaleidoscope of colorful traditional costumes, headgears and accessories, alongside those that bear heavy influences of colonial and modern fashion styles. Ears listened to a symphony of indigenous musical rhythms from gongs and other ethnic instruments of the Cordillera and other ethnic groups, and the lilting dance tunes of the Ilocano, Tagalog, Pangasinan, Quezon and Bicolano lowlanders.

The cooking demos provided a tasting binge of exquisite ethnic cuisines like the Ifugao tangbul of cattle hide and meat cooked for an hour over hot coals in a bamboo tube, the Ivatan version of arroz Valenciana, the fried rice cake called Jaa of the Jama Mapun, and dishes of buting and kurapan sea shells from Casiguran, Quezon, among others.

The big hits in the demonstration of traditional games were the Zambales Aytas’ basketball, where players shoot the ball into a basket at the back of a running opponent, and the wrestling match of the Bugkalots, which is intended to test the strength and endurance of their menfolk. Foursomes or more of Bontoks intertwine their legs and hop around in a game called pakpakaak. The Jama Mapuns have the batin, which is similar to the patintero. Some games are common like the ‘tatsing’ or hitting of targets (shells to the Ivatans, large lipay seeds to the Tinggians) out of an encircled area.

Demonstrations of traditional crafts such as mat and cloth weaving elicited great attention; likewise, the products displayed or sold. Schools of Living Traditions (SLT) help preserve these crafts and other cultural forms for the next generations.

A flagship program of the SCCTA, the SLT is intent on “perpetuating knowledge on traditional performances, crafts, oral traditions and indigenous language .... [in] a venue where a “culture specialist/master” of a particular traditional art form imparts to a group of interested youth the skills and techniques of such form .” There are now more than 600 SLT benefitting around 18,000 young people who learn traditional crafts – mat/basket/cloth weaving; making musical instruments, traditional medicine, pottery making, dancing, music and chanting, traditional cuisine, affirming “mayamang kultura ng katutubo”.

In the Baguio Dayaw, twelve elderly SLT Cultural Masters were honored: Rosa B. Fianza and Meriam Garas (for making of tradional attire called daoit with patda embroidery); Sebia Bucok , Emilia Bangibang and Carina Amsiwen (for cloth weaving and accessories making); Cornelio Cafayan (for history and culture and playing of Gaddang traditional instruments like the tongatong and barembeng);Rebecca Mataba, Teodoro Tillema, Michael Kiwas and Modesta Batiller (for music and dances); Nurmida Abubakar Jamili (mat weaving); Sublito Tiblak (tabig and tingkop making).

In pursuit of the festival theme, the IPs had an indoor campfire-like round of information exchange on the initiatives of their communities to protect the environment, and on their indigenous methods of keeping peace among themselves.

Planting trees and protecting forests, sustaining soil fertility, and water resources management were common threads in their interactive discussions. These indicate their strong attachment to their ancestral lands and all the resources contained within their territories. In this regard, tenurial security is a major concern of the IPs, and the processing of their Certificates of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADTs) remains a priority task of the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

As to conflict resolutions, many of these communities still resort to the traditional peace pacts and the mediation of the councils of elders although small town politics sometimes adversely affect the ages-old peacekeeping processes.

Their rights are recognized by the Constitution, amplified by Republic Act 8371 or the IPRA, “The Indigenous Peoples’ Act of 1997”, which recognizes, protects and promotes these rights, and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) was created for these purposes.

Zambales Aytas playing their version of basketball.

According to the IPRA, Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples refer to “a group of people or homogenous societies ... who have continuously lived as organized community on communally bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed and utilized such territories, sharing common bonds of language, customs, traditions and other distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions and cultures, became historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos.” Also included are “ peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which inhabited the country, at the time of conquest or colonization, or at the time of inroads of non-indigenous religions and cultures, or the establishment of present state boundaries, who retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions, but who may have been displaced from their traditional domains or who may have resettled outside their ancestral domains.”

These legal definitions somehow provided context to the address of Dr Al Anwar Anzar, NCCA Commissioner for the SCCTA, during the opening program. He told his audience of indigenous groups that “you are the true maharlika because you did not succumb to colonization.”

The people of the archipelago during the pre-Hispanic times were independent communities or villages of tribes or clans. Many were “reduced” or settled into towns under the church bells by the Spanish colonizers. But there were also communities who remained independent with their own political governance, socio-cultural and justice systems.

Anzar reminded that colonization resulted in the categorization of the Filipino people into cultural minorities or majorities. He emphasized that we should not allow history to repeat itself by setting Filipinos apart.

Wrestling is a test of strength among the Bugkalots.

“Let’s not forget that indigenous peoples are not tourist attractions,” he also counselled, “they are part of our history, the color of the nation.”

His hopeful vision is of Dayaw all in one place, and all the indigenous peoples from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao achieving a higher level of understanding and peace, which can happen if they have full trust with each other.

“We must value our heritage,” he said, “and Dayaw is an effective strategy to strengthen our culture.”

Note: This photo-essay was featured in the 14-20 November 2014 edition of FilAm Star, the weekly 'newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America' published in San Francisco, CA. The author/blogger is the Philippine-based Special News/Photo Correspondent of the said paper.

Candle-lit sharing of messages to the public during the 'Rise Up for Abundant Life'
liturgical commemoration of Yolanda at the St. Andrew's Theological Seminary.

It's been a year since Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda with its 155 mph winds and seven-meter high storm surge flattened towns and cities and snuffed out lives in Eastern Visayas, The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is still validating the number of casualties although it had set its body count at 6,300. Observers claim that this may go up to more than 10,000 if the casualty or missing lists from all affected barangays are tallied.

While there were lives lost, there are the survivors coping with the terrible loss of loved ones, and trying to move on despite the anguish and lingering fears.

Ferdinand ‘Nick’ and Doris ‘Chai’ Quieta of Tanauan, Leyte lost all their four children: the eldest, a young lady of 11, and the youngest, a little baby, just a year-old. Both are agriculturists, alumni of the Visayas State University. Before the storm struck, Chai brought her kids to the safety of her mother’s concrete house. Seventeen perished in that house - the Quieta children, their cousins, and their grandmother.

Wena Sanchez and Cha Escala, young women filmmakers from Leyte, tell their heartbreaking struggle to live on through their documentary ‘Nick and Chair’. Sanchez came to know about their despair through her sister-in-law, who happen to be the couple’s classmate and close friend, and godmother of one of the children.

Chai tells that she felt that with the loss of their children, they had no more need for planting. She found a packet of seeds though in her bag, and she thought that if these sprout in a few days, she will take that as a sign for them to move on, and they did. Pretty soon, they were encouraging their neighbors for everyone to set up a communal garden and show the world that they can stand on their own.

The documentary ‘Nick & Chai’ by Cha Escala & Wena Sanchez is
about a couple who lost all their children.

For six months, from March to September 2013, the filmmakers captured the despair and hope, tears amid little joys, prayerful and playful moments, daily trips to the mass grave, planting and sharing the harvests from the garden, and being parents to the neighborhood children.

Nick says, "Everything reminds us of our children. When we see plants, we see them. When we see chickens, we see them. When we look at the moon, the stars ... We've accepted everything. It's just the longing that's ahrd to deal with." When he spoke before a gathering of his fellow alumni, he asked them to put their right hand over the heart, and loudly proclaim with him and Chai that "life goes on."

'Nick and Chai' won the Best Picture award in the Quezon City International Film Festival on 05-11 November, just in time for the Yolanda commemoration. It could very well be the message of hope to the world when it goes to various film festivals abroad.

The story of Nick and Chai was amplified by testimonies of two other survivors during the “Rise Up for Abundant Life” Typhoon Haiyan Commemoration organized by the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) at the Saint Andrew’s Theological Seminary in Quezon City.

Meriam Rosario of Estancia, Ilo-ilo and Toto Cajes of Baje,Samar showed other slices of life after Yolanda in various communities.

Rosario lamented that up to now they have not yet received the attention of government. They were moved from the coastal areas to the bunkhouses provided by the NCCP and built on hilly grounds. She grieved about harassment of women, and how DSWD denied relief benefits to people like her who joined groups advocating faster response to their plight. “Hindi pa kami okay,” she said, “isa ako sa di pa nakabangon.”

Survivor Toto Cajes speaking about the death his loved ones

On the other hand, Cajes could not help but cry as he recalled how his family desperately clung to the ceiling during the surge but they felt like they were in a washing machine with the waters churning around them. He lost his wife and two children. One survived because he clung to branch of a mango tree. He said they have not received any assistance yet from government.

The “Rise Up” commemoration gave a view of the response of religious organizations to the relief, recovery and rehabilitation needs of the people after Yolanda.

Just like in any disaster scenario, many individuals, non-government organizations and government agencies particularly the DSWD immediately organized relief operations to distribute basic food items and other primary needs of the survivors.

Generally, the NCCP member churches embarked on rehabilitation programs after their relief missions. Some of them like the Board of Women’s Work of the United Methodist Church provided psycho-social support to the survivors. Skills training was also a component of their rehabilitation projects.

Display on post-Yolanda rehabilitation work of the NCCP.

The ‘Anglican Relief for Typhoon Yolanda Survivors’ had men and women working together in the housing project. In Palo, Leyte, people were taught the natural farming system and organic feeds formulation for hog and poultry raising using resources found in the community. Their approach asks the community to use their resources and capacities instead of highlighting their needs and problems. They also want the community to pay back so that other communities can use the fund for similar ventures, say, housing.

The DAMBANA ( Damayang Simbahans sa Panahon ng Disaster) response is embodied in the PrayFastBuild concept. The ‘Fast’ asks the donor to give up a meal or snacks so that he can help in raising funds. Thus, relief materials went to various provinces, shelter and livelihood for families in Capiz, and agricultural seedlings, implements and fishing boats to Western Samar.

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) captured their rehabilitation-in-action through these programs: (a) aerobic rice planting; (b) solar lights beyond borders; (c) pig raising, pay it forward style; and (d) returning life, uplifting hopes.

‘Rise Up for Abundant Life’ symbols: coconut seedling, water, lighted candle, Bible and cross.

With regard to government, the word is out that President Benigno Aquino III has approved the Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan (CRRP) for areas hit by Yolanda.

According to the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR) headed by Secretary Panfilo Lacson, “the lives of Typhoon Yolanda victims shall be restored and built-back-better [using] Php170.92 billion, allocated for the four primary rehabilitation areas: Infrastructure (Php35.15 B), Social services (Php26.40 B), Resettlement (P75.68 B), and Livelihood (P33.68 BT).

The infrastructure allocation is for the repair, rehab or reconstruction of national roads and bridges, airports, ports, classrooms, school buildings, LGU halls, public markets, among many others.

Social services cover college scholarship grants, textbooks, health services and medicines, forest land rehab, agroforestry development, shelter assistance, assistance to LGUs in the formulation of Comprehensive Land-Use Plan (CLUP), among others.

The resettlement fund for the victims is for housing units, safe and suitable resettlement sites, sustainable livelihood opportunities in new settlement sites, and other related projects.

The livelihood allocation is for, among others, expansion of food and income base, and capacity development in local employment promotion and local economic development.

The government committed to complete the 25,000 projects under the CRRP in 2016. President Aquino grumbled about doing things right in reply to criticisms on the slow response of government to disaster. The question nags: will government deliver within that tight timeline?

Photo-grab of an IBON Foundation slide showing government assistance to affected families

Then there are the foreign donors, whose pledges or actual contributions can be viewed online at the Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (FAITH) through http://www.gov.ph/faith/full-report.

The latest posting tells that foreign aid pledged is USD 1,643,038,277.66, comprising cash (USD 1,011,033,311.26) and non-cash (USD 632,004,966.40) pledges.

The foreign aid received is USD 386,590,532.07. The total cash received by government is USD 26,788,176.68, and the non-cash is USD 28,459,720.94. The total received by NGOs, multilaterals and others is USD 330,836,632.01.

According to reports, OPARR refers LGUs or national government agencies to foreign donors, or the foreign diplomats and international agencies go to OPARR to look for projects they can finance. In most cases, foreign donors and governments are the ones that implement their projects.

The European Union, for example, has provided humanitarian assistance and early recovery interventions. Lately, it spoke of the high vulnerability of the Philippines to climate change, and it is offering its assistance under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Roses for the liturgical commemoration of Typhoon Yolanda.

NCCP also stressed “Climate Justice” as the underlying theme of the “Rise Up” commemoration because Yolanda/Haiyan showed the country’s vulnerability to climate change. Their continuing prayer is for “people [to be] prioritized over profits – clean energy instead of monopolized fossil fuels, rehabilitated and protected forests instead of large-scale mining, lives and livelihood of the people over big businesses.”

Note: This photo-essay appeared in the 21-27 November 2014 edition of FilAm Story, the weekly "newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America" published in San Francisco, CA. This author/blogger is the Manila-based Special Photo/News Correspondent based of the paper.

A typical Angnuno figure in the Angono landscape.

The town’s name Angono is said to have been derived from “Angnuno” or “Ang nuno”, the mythical dwarf of Filipino folklore. Thus, it does not surprise that sculptures of a small bearded man with a conical hat can be found all over the place as decorative pieces in buildings, yards and pedestals of barangay or street markers.

The higante (giant) is the other iconic Angono figure, which slightly derives from the fearsome towering creature of the Pinoy folkloric underworld. The town’s higante though has human features. The head is made of papier mache and the face is shaped to resemble a familiar character of the community, may be a neighbor, a government official, or even a National Artist like painter Carlos ‘Botong’ Francisco or musician Lucio San Pedro.

The body construct is of bamboo. The lower half is a cylinder around four to five feet in diameter made up of bamboo loops and strips, and curved at the top to make the waist. Thus, whether male or female, the higante is made to wear a colorful skirt, which hides the man inside who provides the higante’s feet. The skirt has an inconspicuous peeping hole for the man to see where he is going.

The ornate retablo altar of the Angono church

All in all, the higante may be as tall as twelve feet although some are now smaller and lighter for young boys to carry.

The higante has its bamboo hands built in akimbo, and the explanation is historical. According to town historians, Angono used to be a hacienda during the Spanish past. The giant effigy was crafted by the farmers as their satirical symbol of protest against the cruelty of their landlords. Thus, it was a caricature of the hacenderos or hacenderas who had their hands high up on their hips when they went around bossing the tillers of their farmlands.

The tradition started with only a family of higantes – the trio of a bearded father, his wife with hair tied in a knot and wearing dangling earrings and their young son -- heading the procession honoring the town patron saint San Clemente during his fiesta day on November 23.

The traditional higantes father, mother and son (top photo),
and the Jollibee tatay, nanay, ate and kuya (bottom).

Through the years, the number of higantes in the religious procession grew bringing more colorful fun to the fiesta celebration from the way they walk, dance, turn around, and bend or bow to each other or to the viewing public. It’s said that they used to scare the children too.

They have ceased to be the old protest symbols. They are now artistic expressions of the Angono people. Popular accounts say that the Higantes Festival came about in the late 1980s upon the suggestion of one of the town artists, the late Perdigon Vocalan, who also put up the very well known Balaw-Balaw Specialty Restaurant where so called exotic dishes are the culinary centerpieces.

The Higantes Festival this year came a week earlier (November 16) than the town fiesta (November 22-23). The Festival was thus socio-civic, obviously designed to pursue Angono’s tourism agenda.

Higantes with familiar faces: Mayor and
vice-mayor (top left), National Artists Botong
Francisco and Lucio San Pedro (bottom).

The religious celebration is a wet tradition. On San Clemente’s day, revelry includes dousing with water although people dressed up on their way to work may be spared the wet treatment as decreed in a municipal ordinance, which reportedly penalizes ‘offenders’. Visitors are advised beforehand to get prepared for the wetting when they go around town, watch the street and fluvial processions, and also for getting a douse of muddy water from Laguna de Bay when the fluvial procession returns.

This water element could have been considered by the Angono tourism officials when they set the Festival apart from the fiesta proper. Most of the higantes population will still participate in the religious procession with the higante family still leading the way.

In the old days, the higantes depicted the farmers, fishermen, vendors and other familiar characters that made up this rural town of Rizal. In the November16 festival this year, the characters we saw among the many tall and small higantes, many in traditional Filipino costumes and some in modern attire, included representations of the mayor and vice-mayor, and possibly other local officials, a Muslim effigy, a Jollibee higantes family comprising tatay, nanay, ate and kuya, and the National Artists Botong Francisco and Lucio San Pedro advertising a laundry soap.

Parade of higantes included Manny Pacquiao (top left) and a

Muslim representative (bottom right).

Our visit to Angono was completely memorable because of the visit to the house of the real artistic giant Carlos ‘Botong’ V. Francisco, proclaimed National Artist for Painting in 1973. The restored house cum studio is now a museum. Our fraternity brod Jay-r Pinpino arranged this Sunday visit with Carlos Francisco II, grandson of the National Artist, an artist himself, and ‘Totong’ to his friends.

We took a look at the various awards and citations that Botong received, reproductions of his famous mural paintings hanging in the National Museum, Manila City Hall, or in private collections, and pictures showing him at work on his “Bayanihan” mural, as a Boy Scout leader, among others.

We were curious about the whereabouts of studies he made for his mural paintings, sketches of his set and costume designs for the classical Filipino movies like Siete Infantes de Lara, Ibong Adarna and the Juan Tamad series, etc.

Totong told us that when his grandfather died, his daughter who lived in America brought with her the collection of Botong’s works. Upon her death, her brother (Totong’s father) brought these back to the Philippines. They are now being evaluated and indexed before they go into a conservation depository. There are several companies interested to take custody of this collection of art works, and one of them is Iglesia ni Cristo. Good news is that a special exhibition is coming very soon.

Relief sculptures on "The Art Gallery of the Streets" based on
Botong's illustrations in Serafin Lanot's book of poems (top
photo), and Lucio San Pedro's famous song "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan"
(bottom).

Botong and Lucio San Pedro lived on the same street: Doña Aurora in Barangay Poblacion Itaas. Parades and processions pass this way. It leads to the church.

The marker says that the barangay hosts “The Art Gallery on the Streets”, open for free viewing any time, comprising relief sculptures mounted on walls along streets, principally on Doña Aurora. These are all based on Botong’s drawings, paintings and murals executed by Angono artists Charlie Anorico, Gerry Bantang, Atoy Apostadero, Alex Villaluz and Edwin Moreno.

These relief sculptures translate Botong’s painterly interpretation of historical events such as the martyrdom of Rizal or the first mass at Limasawa to visitors. They also recreate tradition, customs and practices such as bayanihan, orasyon, harana and the fiesta in visible forms for the modern sightseer.

Sculptures based on Botong's 'History of Medicine'

(top photo) and 'Juego de Prenda' (bottom).

This “Art Gallery on the Streets” is indeed a fitting tribute to the real higantes Botong and Lucio.

There’s a new term we learned as we went down Doña Aurora Street: endramada. Pairs of bamboo poles are planted on opposite sides of the street, and between each pair, across the street, an endramada is hanged bearing symbolic objects, may be representing the livelihood of the town, barangay or house owner.

We were looking at a fish between “Viva” proclamations of Cristo Rey and San Clemente, colorful shirts, big cut-outs of colorful muffins, a net with a mermaid and fish figures, jersey t-shirts of different colors, and, because Christmas is approaching, stars and Christmas lights.

This endramada tradition could have died with the changing times and lifestyles if not for the intervention of Botong Francisco. The story goes that he invoked the importance of Doña Aurora Street to their lives and he asked the men to pledge that they will keep this tradition alive even if the other streets would cease to do so.

Thus, if we dare wake up again so early in the morning to make the trip to Angono on November 23, fiesta day of San Clemente, we will pass under the canopy of endramadas, possibly soaking wet, in the company of the colorful higantes as the procession wends its way from the church to banks of Laguna de Bay.

Endramadas on Dona Aurora Street.

By the way, we’ve been warned too. It’s not only water that will keep flowing. Shots of distilled spirits will come every which way. Douse and souse!

Note: This photo-essay was the special feature of the 28 Nov-04 Dec 2014 edition of FilAm Star, the weeky 'newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America.' This blogger/author is the Manila-based Special News/Photo Correspondent of the paper.

Message of the IFJ-NUJP to President Aquino: "58 Dead, 5 Years, 0 Justice"

Five years ago, on 23 November 2009, 58 men and women were gunned down in Barangay Salman of Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province. They were on a convoy to the Commission on Elections office in the provincial capital town of Shariff Aguak to file the certificate of candidacy of then Buluan vice-mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu for governor of the province.

The victims of what is now considered the worst election-related violence in Philippine history included, among others, Mangudadatu’s wife and 32 journalists and media workers. Some of them were dumped in a pre-dug mass grave using a backhoe of the provincial government.

The alleged masterminds behind the massacre - Andal Ampatuan, Sr., Andal Ampatuan, Jr. and Zaldy Ampatuan - and 109 of their followers have been arrested and charged. The trial has been going on since 2010 with hearings conducted twice a week, but it is slowed down by postponements of hearings.

Banner of the NUJP at Bantayog ng mga Bayani.

“58 dead, 5 years, zero justice,” the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NJUP) rated the country’s judicial system during their press conference at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Shrine in Quezon City on 23 November,

The IFJ is representing more than 600,000 journalists in 134 countries. It has conducted several missions to the Philippines with regard to the Maguindanao massacre and had made recommendations and requests to the government.

Last week, the IFJ with an international delegation and NJUP conducted a mission in the country on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the massacre. Their purpose was to investigate the government’s effort to secure justice for the victims. The mission visited the massacre site; and spoke to families of the victims, members of the local media community in southern Mindanao, the police, justice and government representatives including Justice Secretary Leila De Lima.

Banner of the UP College of Mass Commucations in the campus.

The IFJ-NUJP mission will issue a full report on December 23 on these key concerns: (a) a climate of fear continues to pervade southern Mindanao, and has led to self-censorship and safety fears for local media; (b) media organizations have failed to address the safety issues affecting their staff; (c) witnesses in the case remain vulnerable with one being killed in the past week taking to at least four who have been murdered before giving evidence in the trial; and (d) five years on and the families of the victims continue to suffer financially and psychologically and more must be done to support them particularly as they have been subject to offers of bribes to drop their civil actions in the case.

“The Philippines is undoubtedly an epicentre of impunity,” said Jane Worthington, IFJ Asia-Pacific acting director, “and this massacre puts the world’s attention on the inability of governments to investigate crimes against journalists. This was the single largest slaughter of media workers and five years on not a single conviction has been recorded.”

Australian representative Mike Dobbie, who has led all IFJ missions since 2009, said: “It’s clear there has been little progress in ensuring justice for the massacre victims, while the suspects in the crime continue to make efforts to stall the case at every turn.”

Philippa McDonald, vice president of the journalists union in Australia (the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, MEAA) and a director of Oceania’s Media, Safety and Solidarity Fund expressed how heartbreaking it is to witness the grief and the trauma of the families of the victims all this time. “Children are growing up without a breadwinner, families are facing dreadful financial hardship and they’re suffering enormously,” she said. “Their faith that justice will be delivered is severely shaken.”

Editha Tiamzon, widow of Daniel
Tiamzon, one of the media workers
killed in Ampatuan.

The lingering grief and the trauma were strongly felt from the recollection of Editha Tiamzon, wife of Daniel Tiamzon, a media worker of UNTV, who, she said “was the last one to be dug up from the mass grave.”

When she walked around the art installation recreating the dead bodies of the massacre victims in various arrangements of disarray, she could not help but cry especially when she was reading the names of murdered journalists and media workers, one of them being her husband.

The art installation was composed of representations of the dead bodies of media workers: dismembered or in gestures of pain and suffering. They were made of newspapers signifying their kind of work.

Mrs Tiamzon cried when she went around the art installation recreating

the massacre scene littered with dead bodies.

Taking off from the Maguindanao massacre, Schave De Rozario, the General Secretary of the National Union of Journalists Malaysia and representative of the South East Asia Journalists Union (SEAJU) spoke of the “the coldblooded murders of journalists seem to be a growing solution resorted to by politically linked groups, the powerful and corrupt in the South-East Asian region”.

“The scourge of impunity across the region as a result of this massacre indicates that these forces in the region believe that it is OK to kill journalists and for politicians to do nothing,” he said. “The region needs action and governments must move to protect media freedom.”

Nonoy Espina, director of the NUJP, spoke of the climate of fear that is still very strong in Maguindanao and the rest of the region. He expressed concerns about the safety of journalists. He cited journalists in Davao being accused of being sympathizers of the New People’s Army, of being placed under surveillance, and also of journalists in Quezon and southern Tagalog provinces being threatened.

The art installation with the remembrance wall of the

Bantayog ng mga Bayani as background

During these more than four years of President Aquino’s term, 33 journalists have been killed. “Most of the murdered,” Espina said, “received threats first.” He mentioned that of the 177 murders of journalists, there had been 10 convictions so far of look-outs, drivers, etc. but zero of masterminds.

The IFJ-NUJP mission said that Justice Secretary De Lima acknowledged the failings of the judicial system. According to the mission, she told them that “there is still a culture of impunity and that is something that we’re trying to address and eradicate.”

The mission is encouraged by her remarks that financial support for the families of the victims on her agenda and she is intending to raise it with President Aquino.

Art installation representations of victims.

Note: This photo-essay appeared in a slightly different format in the 05-11 December 2014 issue of FilAm Star, the weekly 'newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America', published in San Francisco, CA. This author/blogger is the Special News/Photo Correspondent in the Philippines of the paper.

Protest. We listened to the voice of protest from young Manobos during two occasions: the Manilakbayan ng Mindanao Para sa Pagkain at Kapayapaan demonstration at Gate 2 of Camp Aguinaldo on 26 November, and the Annual Honoring of Martyrs and Heroes at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Center two days later.

According to reports, the Manilakbayan, a contingent of around 800 peasants, indigenous peoples and urban poor from Mindanao, travelled by foot and by caravan for 14 days, and arrived in Metro Manila on 21 November.

Young Manobo girls in the Manilakbayan rally.

They are here to inform the public of the human rights situation in the different regions of Mindanao, and to press for action on their urgent demands for food and peace there. They will be here for protect actions until 10 December, International Human Rights Day.

The young Manobos, who are of high school age, explained that they are from the federation of villages called Salugpungan Ta Tanu Igkanugon, which means “unity in defense of ancestral land”, specifically from Talaingod, Davao del Norte. One of them is a young datu, which is explained by his beaded head covering.

“We want green farmlands,” one protest placard read, “not the [green] camouflage uniform of the soldiers.” They want the military to stop camping in their schools and communities. They’ve added their voices to the call to resist Oplan Bayanihan, the counterinsurgency program of the government aimed at all the internal security threats to the nation being implemented by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“Save our Schools” is their urgent call. They explained that ever since army troops occupied their Salugpungan Ta Tanu Igkanugon Learning Center (STTILC), they have stopped schooling. They stressed that “Edukasyon ang aming kailangan, hindi mga sundalo sa aming eskwelahan (education is what we need, not soldiers in our school).”

Presentation of grievances using Manobo cultural

forms: chant and dance.

The young Talaingod Manobos have learned to draw public attention to the plight of their lumad through theatrical presentations, which incorporate elements from their traditional culture, on the street and on stage.

In the 26 November rally, for example, they dipped their feet in a thick blood-red liquid before doing a traditional round dance at the conclusion of the program.

At the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, they recited, chanted and presented in dance the violation of their human rights using both their traditional cultural and the modern theatrical idioms. They presented in song and dance the diaspora of the Manobos from their ancestral domains, harassment of women and killings that they attribute to the militarization of their villages.

Some social media reporters posted pictures of mass actions in Liwasang Bonifacio and Mendiola to commemorate Bonifacio Day. The Manillakbayan contingent participated too and the young Manobos in their traditional attire also used this protest platform to call attention to their demands.

The battle is for the hearts and minds of Filipinos in the countryside, which include indigenous peoples comprising diverse ethno-linguistic groups. In Mindanao, the ancestral lands of the lumads like the Manobos are in the mineable forested mountainous areas. Displacement from their homes breeds contempt for authorities because they attribute this to the protection of vested interests of big business, local and foreign, like the mining companies, who are thought to be after the rich mineral resources there.

Manobo round dance with feet dipped in blood-red liquid.

The AFP Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) dated 2010 with an implementation timeframe until 2016, available from the internet, includes military environment as one of the ‘significant characteristics of the area of operations’.

“The greatest hindrance to stronger civilian-military cooperation,” it says, “is the continued perception of human rights violations allegedly committed by military personnel. Also needing to be addressed are perceptions and allegations that some misguided members of the military are embroiled in political and even parochial concerns in localities they are assigned to.”

How the military carries out the IPSP’s strategic courses of actions should overcome these negative perceptions and eventually win the hearts and minds of people in their areas of operation.

Celebration. The date was 30 November, the 151st anniversary of Andres Bonifacio. It was also the Annual Pawikan Festival, the ninth since its inception in 2006, in barangay Nagbalayong in Morong, Bataan.

Body painting competition with pawikan as motif.

The village was in fiesta mood and the majority of celebrators were young. There were no protest banners, no demonstration, nothing political. There was a parade that ended at the celebration venue, the pawikan conservation center where turtle eggs are re-nested for hatching. The center has released about 70,000 hatchlings through the years. During the opening program, the provincial governor spoke of environment protection, in general, and the pawikan conservation, in particular, in relation to the Bataan economic development plan.

A very well-trained choral group of Ayta schoolchildren from Abucay town sang the national anthem and another musical number during the opening program.

Well-trained choral group of Ayta schoolchildren of Abucay, Bataan

There were twelve contingents of elementary and high school students in colorful costumes for the street dancing competition with the theme of pawikan conservation. Some groups were garbed as marine turtles and danced the ritual of laying eggs. There were poachers too who come to steal them for the market and the dining table, but their efforts are thwarted by the protectors who collect them for the hatching in the conservation center.

Streetdancing with pawikan conservation as choreographic theme.

While the street dancing was going on, another competition was in progress: body painting with marine turtles again as motif. Young ladies served as the canvasses of the artists.

It was evident that environmental protection and pawikan conservation has become part of the consciousness of the young citizenry of Bataan province. In this instance, they understand why it is important to protect an endangered wildlife species.

Protest and celebration -- two diverse portraits of young Filipinos today: the young Manobos representing the youth participants in street parliaments, and the young from Bataan representing those who declare their advocacy for other causes through street dancing. May lasting peace be achieved within their lifetimes.

Aftermath of Hagupit in Catbalogan, Samar village.
Photo by Rommel L. Rotor.

Its international name was Filipino for whiplash; thus, “Hagupit” already invoked sharp excruciating pain when this typhoon was forecast to surpass the ferocity of Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan that claimed thousands of lives in Eastern Visayas last year. Fortunately, when it became “Ruby” inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), it weakened as it made several landfalls starting in Samar.

The alerts on possible flash floods, landslides and storm surges went out as Hagupit/Ruby moved towards the Eastern Visayas. Most threatened were the Samar provinces. The Public Storm Warning Signal (PSWS) escalated from number 2 to 3 from December 4 to around midnight of the 5th.

Catarman, Samar folks crossing flood waters.
Photo by Gabriel Nabong Caalim.

Certainly, the victims of Yolanda are still suffering, and many prayers could have been said for the typhoon to dissipate before landfall or digress from its projected path so that they are spared from another traumatic experience. Definitely, government went on full preparation, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation Council (NDRRMC) mobilized all counterparts in the local governments to avoid a Yolanda scenario, and President Benigno Aquino III warned that he would be unforgiving for any failure unless it’s force majeure.

Morning of the 5th, our friend Charo, fellow history researcher and netizen from Samar, posted that she was packing her archival documents and books in plastic for storage, hoping that no storm surge will reach them. Their house in Catbalogan is about 40 meters from the sea, and they would be evacuating to a safer house far from the coast.

Procession passing by replica of Spanish-era house.

Signal #3 remained hoisted over the Samar provinces on the 6th. Charo posted that the authorities went house to house that morning in their area for forced evacuation. She said that all 17 evacuation centers of Catbalogan were packed, all hotels fully booked, and the churches and convents were also occupied by evacuees, some coming from Borongan town and the islets of Rama, Cinco, Bagongon,Darahuwat, Basiao, Mahaba and other coastal barangays as early as Friday. According to her, even in Dolores, Eastern Samar, where landfall was expected that evening, people from the islets fronting the town were also in the evacuation centers.

For sure, residents of Metro Manila monitored Hagupit/Ruby through the PAGASA Weather Bulletins, social media postings and the TV weather reports.

The typhoon was hardly felt on the 6th. Even then, many prayers could have been said for the protection of communities under siege by the fierce winds and heavy rains of Hagupit/Ruby. It can be said that the Marian devotees included pleadings that the procession of the 7th honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary in Intramuros, Manila be not spoiled by rains.

Hooded Marian procession participants.

On Sunday, December 7, signal number 3 over the Samar provinces reduced to #2 late in the afternoon when Hagupit hit Masbate.

Netizens posted that the Catbalogan City DRRMC and Coast Guard confirmed that there was no storm surge in the city, that there was flooding but this was caused by the extremely heavy rains. The posts also identified coastal and island municipalities of Samar that were hit hard: Talalora, Sta. Rita, Villareal, Zumarraga and Daram where majority of houses were completely damaged.

From our friends Facebook posts, we learned that the small town of Dolores survived the biggest typhoon so far that had hit the area although there were three casualties. The mayor of Daram had a more detailed report from 46 barangays of what had been washed out or partially/totally destroyed: farms, houses, schools, wharves, motorized boats and bancas, but there were no casualties.

Marian procession participants.

Metro Manila had gloomy skies the whole of Sunday, but no rains fell. With much rejoicing, pomp and ceremony, did the grand procession of around 90 icons and statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary went around Intramuros in celebration of the feast of the Immaculate Concepcion.

Undaunted by the prospect of rains, thousands of Marian devotees joined the procession, many of them accompanying the popular images of the Nuestra Señora (Our Lady) with various titles from provincial towns like the Pilar of Imus, Cavite; Aranzazu of San Mateo, Rizal; Fátima of Valenzuela, Bulacan; Ina Poon Bato of Botolan. Zambales; Divina Pastora and Soledad, both from Nueva Ecija; Salambao from Obando City, Soledad de Porta Vaga, Merced and Remedios, both from Pampanga, Casaysay from Lipa, Batangas, among many others. There were brass bands like the Obando and Pakil town bands playing anthems associated with particular icons.

It’s the large delegation from Pakil, Laguna, seemingly almost all the Catholics of the town, which has captured our admiration in the past years. Just as they do in their town during her fiesta in September, they come to sing and dance the turumba on the streets of Intramuros in honor of their Nuestra Señora de los Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows).

According to Pakil folklore, the first turumba dates back to 1788, and the term is derived from “natumba sa laki ng tuwa,” meaning rolling down from joy. The first two lines of the turumba song goes: “Turumba, turumba Mariangga, Matuwa’t tayo’y magsaya / Sumayaw sa tu-turumba, Puri sa Birheng Maria (Singing and dancing to honor the Virgin Mary).”

Five of around 90 Marian images from different parts of Luzon.

The rains came to Metro Manila on Monday, 8th December; signal number 2 was raised in the morning but reduced to 1 before midnight. The rain was moderate, and there were no accompanying gusty winds. Tuesday, 9th December, was still wet but Hagupit/Ruby was already moving out to the West Philippine Sea.

We read from Facebook posts of the Catbalogan City mayor's post-Hagupit/Ruby statement. “Another miracle!", she said, We survived Yolanda, we survived Glenda and now we survived Ruby!” She spoke of the city as a ship that has finally docked after a very rough journey. As ship captain, she said, she was very much fortunate and thankful that her passengers were very cooperative during that night sailing.

She could very well be speaking for all the villages, towns and cities that suffered heavily from Hagupit. They’re starting all over again, picking up the pieces with assistance from government and non-government organizations, from friends and town mates here and abroad.

No rains fell on the jubilant devotees of Mary who lit candles, sang or dance in her honor during the procession around Intramuros. as

Note: This photo-essay is the filam special feature of the 19-25 December 2014 edition of FilAm Star, the weekly 'newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America' published in San Francisco, CA. There are more pictures in the paper, the pdf copy of which is available online at http://www.filamstar.net/images/stories/pdf/301.pdf

This "Kalesa" was judged the best of the 12 lantern floats
from the College of Fine Arts.

The 15th of December was the last day of final examinations week, hence, the last day of classes of the first semester in the new academic year of the national university that started in August. This coincided with the day of the traditional annual Lantern Parade around the Diliman campus. To avoid disturbance to those taking the final hurdles in the afternoon, the university authorities had the festive parade start at six o’clock, two hours later than was customary.

The Lantern Parade sort of kicked in the synchronized Christmas holidays and semester break that will make up a month-long vacation for the UP academic community, the students and faculty.

The mid-afternoon was rainy but as soon as the rains stopped and the skies cleared, the festive participants, many of them costumed, from the different academic units, offices and organizations started assembling at the University Avenue with their colorful lanterns and floats. The usual crowd of spectators also began spilling into their favorite viewing sites like the steps of Melchor and Palma Halls or behind the barricade fronting the reviewing deck of Quezon Hall.

This lantern float of the Institute of Islamic Studies was deemed
the best in the competition: a house of clear plastic bottles with
Muslim Southern Philippines decorative motifs.

This year’s December theme is “Pasundayag Diliman: Pag-uugat at Pagyayabong.” The term “pasundayag” is a Cebuano word which means “celebration”. The month started with the Pagiilaw sa Pasko at the Oblation Plaza on December 1 when the lights of the white lanterns of the University Avenue and the Plaza were turned on. On December 13, Karolfest 2014, an inter-college choral competition for students and faculty/staff, was held at the UP Theatre.

The Paligsahan ng Mga Parol, the popular Lantern Parade, of course, was the climax of the Pasundayag.

When it started in 1922, the Lantern Parade reflected the folk tradition of carrying lanterns to light the way to the dawn masses during the Spanish times. Thence, it has evolved into an annual event shaped by the changing social and political climate in the university and the nation. The use of modern technologies has likewise greatly altered the creation of lanterns and floats as well as the manner of visually presenting the themes or messages of the participating groups.

Fine Arts lantern floats (clocwise from top left): Pandango sa Ilaw; Sitsiritsit Alibangbang;
Leron Leron Sinta; and Pen Pen De Sarapen.

The parade may be a collective expression for peace, harmony and understanding in the spirit of Christmas; definitely, it is a multi-sectoral celebration regardless of religion, political ideology and sexual orientation. For many advocacy groups, it has become another platform for voicing protests against or concerns on issues affecting the university and the nation.

Thus, seeing Christians, Muslims, people of other faith, political groups like Kabataang Makabayan, labor unions like the Philippine Airlines Employees Association, UP Babaylan transgenders from the LGBT sector, etcetera, did not pull surprises anymore in this year’s Lantern Parade.

Fine Arts lantern floats(clocwise from top left): Ang Pipit; Sarung Banggi; O Ilaw ;
and Bayan Ko.

The lanterns were up for competition, and the most creative made out of recycled materials were judged on originality, imagination and appropriateness to the parade theme. Four prizes were at stake: the first prize worth Php25,000; the second at Php20,000 and the third at Php15,000.

The lantern floats of the participating units depicted their unique interpretation of the Pasundayag theme. The College of Arts and Letters highlighted palo-sebo, the Center of Women’s Studies palayok breaking, both for children at play during fiestas. The lantern float of the Institute of Islamic Studies was deemed the best -- a house made of clear recyclable plastic water bottles with decorative motifs from southern Muslim Philippines. The College of Engineering had a technology-driven lantern float depicting renewable energy; the sunflower bud bloomed fully to rotate as solar panels. This garnered the second best prize.

Fine Arts lantern floats: Tinikling (top) and
Tong Tong Pakitong-kitong (bottom).

For many years now, the College of Fine Arts has become Hall of Famers with their creative lanterns. They are exempted from competition; hence, their thematic lantern groupings now serve as the exciting finale of the grand parade.

For this year, their twelve lanterns were interpretations of Filipino folksongs and kundimans like “O Ilaw”, “Pandanggo sa Ilaw”, “Tinikling”, “Leron, Leron, Sinta”, “Sitsiritsit, Alinbangbang”, “Ang Pipit”, “Kalesa” and “Sarung Banggi”, nationalistic anthems like “Bayan Ko” and “Alerta Katipunan”, and children chants like “Pen Pen De Sarapen”, “Tong Tong Pakitong-kitong”. The “Kalesa” was judged the best among them, and was awarded a special cash prize of Php25,000.

After all the prizes including those for the Karolfest (choral competition among musical groups in the campus) had been announced and awarded to the winners, the medley of “Pasko Na Naman” has been sang by the winning choirs, and the parting message from UP President Alfredo Pascual has been heard, the fireworks display from the Beta Epsilon Fraternity lit up the UP Diliman skies with loud cheers from the celebrators.

Fine Arts interpretation of Alerta Katipunan using puppet lanterns.

The fun did not actually end after the last burst of the colorful fireworks. Many trooped to the Sunken Garden for partying at the Maskipaps 2014.

‘Twas the eve of a long vacation for the UP community.

Maligayang Pasko, everyone!

Note: FilAm Star, the weekly 'newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America' featured one picture I took during the subject Oblation Run in the front page of the 19-25 December edition, which also carries my photo-essay on the Lantern Parade at UP Diliman, The online pdf copy can be downloaded from http://www.filamstar.net/images/stories/pdf/301.pdf.

Picture cured for 'general patronage'

The Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity (APO) held their traditional Great Oblation Run at the Palma Hall of the University of the Philippines Diliman campus on 12 December 2014. This is the 37th year when members of the fraternity run naked as a symbolic protest action to issues presently confronting the nation. APO calls this Run their Ritual Dance of the Brave.

In a public statement, APO called for "accountability and sustained action on the part of those in power to respect the rule of law."

It called attention to the "latest addition to the still-existing pork barrel system" particularly the "insertion of various lump allocations in the 2015 budger." In this regard, it said, government leaders should "comply with the Constitution, respect rather than challenge its authority on this matter, and strike down such policies that will violate our country's dignity."

Original picture.

APO also urned government "to address the culture of impunity" in the country today, citing several manifestations like the case of the slain transgender Jennifer Laude involving an American service man, the squalor of evacuation camps in Zamboanga City, the plight of Yolanda victims who have yet to achieve normalcy in their lives, the millions of farmers who are still denied right to own lands they till, struggles of workers for better wages, the lives of more than 300 political prisoners, and the lack of progress in the Maguindanao Massacre trials.

In hoping for a better future, APO called Filipinos to work together towards restoration of the rule of law, to take action towards the legislation of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill, and the Genuine Freedom of Information Bill.

Note: This photo-essay was featured in pages 1 and 10 of the 09-15 Jan 2015 issue of FilAm Star, the 'newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America' published in San Francisco, CA, The author/blogger is the Philippine-based Special News/Photo Correspondent of the paper. The pdf version of the issue can be retrieved from http://filamstar.net/images/stories/pdf/303.pdf

This streamer with the logo and theme of the papal visit

features the portrait of Pope Francis as a young man.

The two-hour Mass of Mercy and Compassion at the Quirino Grandstand of Rizal Park at 3:30 PM on Sunday, January 18 will be the culmination of the apostolic visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines on 15-19 January 2015.

The Mass is the only papal event that will be open to the public. All other events in Manila, all on 16 January, are invitational: the courtesy visit to President Benigno Aquino III and meeting with the diplomatic corps in Malacañang; mass with bishops, priests, and religious men and women at the Manila Cathedral; and meeting with families at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

On the 18^th, before the Mass at Rizal Park, Pope Francis will meet with religious leaders in front of the 400-year old Arch of the Centuries and with 24,000 representatives of the youth sector at the grandstand and open field of Pontifical University of Santo Tomas.

The public will have opportunity to get a glimpse of the pope during the motorcade from UST to the Rizal Park where around 1.2-million faithful are expected to converge. Considering the ebb and flow of the crowd to and from the venue, the figure could reach 5-million, according to Secretary Herminio Coloma of the Presidential Communications Office, which was the count during the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1995.

According to the church leaders, Pope Francis requested that he be allowed to roam around Rizal Park to greet and bless the people before he celebrates the Mass, as he is wont to do in Rome.

A mural of the five Popes who have blessed the
Manila Cathedral-Basilica done by Gruppo Biswal.

Rev. Rufino Sescon Jr., executive secretary of the papal visit committee, informed that the papal route around the park (Kalaw, Maria Orosa, Padre Burgos avenues, Roxas Boulevard and the South Road) to the grandstand is being demarcated with concrete barriers by the Department of Public Works and Highways together with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to ensure the safety of the pope. Because of their experience in managing the feast of the Black Nazarene, the Hijos de Nazareno of Quiapo have also been asked to assist in crowd control in designated areas around Rizal Park during the event.

At the Mass venue, areas have been designated for 500 representatives each from various sectors such as the people with disabilities, urban poor, religious community, lay leaders and youth, and representatives for government. All bishops had been asked to send representatives from the marginalized sector in their parishes.

Since the Mass coincides with the feast of the Sto Niño, according to Fr. Carmelo Arada, Jr. of the Service Committee on Liturgy, it will be in character to welcome Pope Francis with a Sinulog dance as he moves around Rizal Park blessing the people. Participants from Cebu will lead the dancing, and he asked the people to bring their own images of the Sto. Niñofor this welcome gesture.

The Pontiff will say the Mass on an altar designed “to bring the Philippines and its elements close to [him]” in the words of Fr. Alex O. Bautista, architect/designer of the altar and papal chair. “The [design] concept is to serve liturgical purpose ... have Filipino character and reflect the simplicity of [Pope Francis],” he said.

There will be no flower decorations. Instead, the San Francisco and pandan plants, which are very common in many Philippine backyards, will be used to adorn the altar. The pandan plants recall the iconic Nuestra Señora de Guia image atop a cluster of pandan plants. The canopy will use decorative bamboo handicrafts from Bulacan.

Pope Francis’s affection for children is the subject of this

painting by a Gruppo Biswal artist.

Fr. Bautista described the altar table as an image of hands lifted up in prayer and offering. The decoration is inspired by the anahaw leaf, which, he said, symbolizes the strength of the Filipino people. The marble top is from Romblon, and this will be covered with piña cloth from Bulacan.

The papal chair will also blend Filipino elements like the guava fruit and anahaw leaf with the papal coat of arms. A small shepherd with the words “Ang Mabuting Pastol” (The Good Shepherd) will be carved on top of the seat’s backrest, reflective of the “Mercy and Compassion” theme.

The Pontiff will concelebrate the Mass with 2,500 priests and 200 bishops. While it will be in English based on the third edition of the Roman Missal, it will essentially be multilingual using the seven major Filipino languages.

Pope Francis will lead the Profession of the Faith (recitation of the Apostle’s Creed) in Filipino. Representatives of the urban poor, religious, youth, professionals, and government will read the prayers of the faithful in different Filipino languages. A blind person and a Grade VII student from the Guadalupe Seminary will be two of the readers.

The Mass songs composed by Fr. Manoling Francisco, S.J., are also multilingual. He fused Western music with Filipino indigenous rhythms like those of the Kalinga and the Singkil, and the melodic and chord patterns of the kundiman. The song ‘Glory to God’, for example, has the antiphon in English, verse 1 is ala Kalinga, verse 2 in Filipino, and verse 3 ala Singkil. ‘Tinapay ng Buhay’ has lyrics in Latin, English, Spanish, Filipino and two other local languages.

Concrete barriers installed along the route of the

papal motorcade.

A choir of 1,000 voices from various parishes will lead the singing with accompaniment from a 200-member orchestra.

The Mass will be capped with the lighting of candles and the singing of the 1995 World Youth Day song ‘Tell the World of His Love.’ This is why the people are asked to bring candles. Pope John Paul II led that World Youth Day celebration here in Manila twenty years ago.

For those who would not be able to get a good view of the Mass, 18 giant LED screens will be installed.

The millions of Filipinos at Rizal Park and those who will watch multi-media live coverage of the Mass will certainly give the Argentinian Pontiff full attention for ten minutes when he delivers his homily, his address to the Filipino people, presumably on “Mercy and Compassion” in the manner that has struck the hearts and minds of listeners worldwide.

Being buddy with the Pope through his standee at the Archdiocese of Manila building.

Note: This photo-essay appeared in the 23-29 January 2015 issue of FilAm Star published in San Francisco, CA. The author/blogger is the Manila-based Special Photo/News Correspondent of the paper.

“If you don’t learn how to cry, you cannot be a good Christian.” - Pope Francis

Tearful encounter of street children and Pope Francis at UST.

Filipino-speaking Fr Matthieu Dauchez, executive director of the ANAK-Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation [ANAK-TNK], recalled that he gathered all the 260 children from their residence homes for boys and girls the day before Pope Francis celebrated the mass for the clergy and the religious at the Manila Cathedral on 16 January. He thought the Pontiff will pass by their Blessed Charles de Foucauld home for girls since concrete barriers have been installed on their street, and this would be a great chance for children to see the Pontiff at close range.

While the mass was going on, the house was visited twice by the security people. First, they came to inspect the house. The mass was about to end when they came back to make seating arrangements, and thus Fr. Dauchez already sensed that the pope is indeed coming to see the children.

In September last year, children in the homes and on the streets wrote letters to the pope asking him to include them during his visit. About a thousand letters were brought to Rome by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.

Only the Pope and the Cardinal knew what they would do after the mass. Our friend at the Arzobispado a block away reported that he heard loud cheering from the crowd at the back of the cathedral, and when he looked, he saw them walking out the back door and moving toward the Charles de Foucauld. This was totally unscheduled, not in official papal itinerary.

Jun Chura, Glyzelle Palomar with Fr. Matthieu Dauchez of ANAK-TNK at

their press conference on the day Pope Francis returned to Rome.

The visit lasted for almost an hour. The first ten minutes saw the children hugging the Pope. Fr Matthieu described how excited the children even after he has left: they kept on talking about it. Unbelievable, he said, they almost did not sleep. This visit was sort of magical to them. He has brought them “pagasa” or hope.

Jun “Michael” Chura (14-year old Grade IV student) and Glyzelle Iris “Techie” Palomar (12 years old, Grade V) were at the Charles de Foucauld event. They would see Pope Francis again on Sunday at the “Encounter with the Youth” event at the University of Santo Tomas.

Jun and Glyzelle delivered the testimonies that shook not only Pope Francis but also everyone in the audience and those watching the live streaming on the social media.

Jun Chura, 14, is in Grade IV.

Jun wrote the testimony all by himself without any coaching from Fr. Matthieu and the foundation volunteers. He was only asked to make it shorter because it has to be delivered in 3-4 minutes. In the published program, he was to speak alone, but Glyzelle was added to give a female face to his story, which is typical of street children. She was given the question portion.

Jun introduced himself as a former street child. He has been in a residence home for boys in Quezon for the last four years.

“Because of the fact that my family was not anymore able to send me to school, I went away from home and left my family,” he began his testimony. “Then I was feeding myself with what I can find in the garbage. I did not know where to go and I was sleeping on the sidewalk. I was looking for a piece of carton to make a mat. And I was trying to overcome this situation even if my body was so dirty like my companions in the street. They were also overcoming their situations in spite of the fact that their bodies were dirty also.”

Food that sustained him day after day were leftovers from restaurants, or what he could buy using money he made from selling broken material, plastic bottles, or papers.

“When I was in the street,” he revealed, “I witness also things I don’t like, terrible things that happened to my companions ... I saw that they were taught how to steal, to kill also, and they have no respect anymore for the adults. Sometimes they were quarrelling because of the things they stole. I saw also some children who were taught how to use drugs like shabu, cigarettes or marijuana.

Glyzelle Palomar, 12, is in Grade V.

“I saw also some of my companions sniffing solvent or glue. These are drugs also. .... When I was in the street I was also very careful because I saw also some of my friends being fooled by adults. They were pretending to give us money to catch attention and approach the children and let them think that they will be given something to eat, or the opportunity to study and care, but the truth is that they have other goal and they will use you, like for cleaning their homes, and sometimes they have malicious goals like sexual abuse. There are so many abuses happening in the street! “

The street educator from ANAK-Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation [ANAK-TNK] provided the turning point in his life.

“After a certain number of days, suddenly I found back hope because there is a street educator from ANAK-TNK, who asked me if I want to join this agency helping children living in the street. He asked me if I wanted to join, and at first I decline the proposal. Few days after, when I learned that Tulay ng Kabataan is really taking care of street children who are not anymore with their families, I realized that not all people have no heart. There are still people with hearts ready to help children in need.

“When I joined ANAK-TNK, I was very surprised to see that there are people really ready to help and then I started to dream again. I told myself that when I will finish my study, I will be the one helping street children like me before. I will be able also to help my own family and the ANAK-TNK which was the one helping me to continue my study.

“I know today that I will be able to continue my study because ANAK-TNK is at my side, and do not stop helping me and my companions from the street.”

Glyselle stays at the Blessed Charles de Foucauld residence home for girls. Her lines were few but memorable because she cried when she threw her questions to Pope Francis: “There are many children neglected by their own parents. There are also many who became victims and many terrible things happened to them like drugs or prostitution. Why is God allowing such things to happen, even if it is not the fault of the children? And why are they only very few people helping us?”

Jun said that walking toward the pope and embracing him are very memorable to him. “Masarap yakapin si Pope,” she remembered, “parang tatay ko siya”. She said the questions themselves actually made her cry.

In response, Pope Francis discarded his prepared speech, switched to Spanish and spoke his mind: “I invite each one here to ask yourselves, have I learned how to weep, to cry? If you don’t learn how to cry, you cannot be a good Christian.”

These three former street children are studying at Manila High School in Intramuros.

All the former street children residing in the ANAK-TNK homes were all crying too as they watched the UST drama, according to Fr. Matthieu.

Jun Chura hopes to be able to finish schooling so that he can help other street children. Glyzelle Palomar dreams to study psychology and become a social worker helping street children. Fr. Matthieu says the success of their mission can be seen in their former residents who have become street educators, or who have married and implanted in their children the values they gained during their years at the foundation homes.

ANAK-TNK started in 1998. At this time, there around 1,300 children in the foundation under its four different programs: street children (13 centers including a nursery and 1 carpentry); mentally challenged youth (3 centers and 2 workshops), poor urban community (7 centers); and scavenger children (1 center).

The girls of Blessed Charles de Foucauld home having fun with media people.

“They need your love ... We need your help!,” implores ANAK-TNK. Help can be in kind, cash or check or donations online. They can be reached at 632-435-5912 or 63-906-375-8264, or by email at communication@anak-tnk.org.

Note: This photo-essay was featured in the 06-12 Feb 2015 edition of FilAm Star, the weekly 'newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America' published in San Francisco, CA. This author/blogger is the Manila-based Special Photo/News Correspondent of the newspaper.

Source: Philippine National Police Webpage

Ms. Erica Pabalinas, widow of Senior Inspector Ryan Ballesteros Pabalinas, expressed it all for the families of the Fallen 44: “My husband gave his life to claim peace. He placed service to the people before anything else. ... It is a clear manifestation that my husband has put duty first before family, and I understand. Slowly, I accept that my husband can't be with us anymore. [I console] myself that he died a hero. ... For the grieving wives, just like me, let us be strong for our children because behind every brave SAF trooper is a strong wife. Behind every brave SAF trooper is a strong wife!” She told President Aquino, “... we seek for your help to attain justice. Please, sir president, please help us.”

Medalya ng Katapangan& citation awarded to the Fallen 44.

Pabalinas was 31, and he has been with the police force since 2006 after graduating from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) with a bachelor’s degree in public safety.

His was the last voice heard from the battleground. He was the radioman of 55^th SAC who had been asking for support since as early as 7 o’clock of the morning of January 25.

In his eulogy, PNP-SAF OIC Noli Taliño recalled that there were efforts “from different approaches, but [they] could not penetrate the bulk of the enemies until about 1 p.m., when that voice was nowhere to be heard. There was a radio silence, very long silence.”

“I realized,” he said, “that that voice will never be heard again. And I know that voice belonged to Ryan, or Senior Inspector Ryan Pabalinas.”

The last man standing, according to a GMA 7’s 24 Oras news report, was Senior Inspector Max Jim Ramirez Tria, 27, from Catanduates, also a graduate of PNPA, who had been with the PNP since 2005.

Mother of PSI Rennie Tayrus gets comforted by visitors

The Fallen 44 and the survivors were awarded the Medalya ng Katapangan (PNP Bravery Medal), one of the highest decorations of the PNP, “for gallantry in action during an armed encounter with lawless elements/Southern Philippines Terrorists on January 25, 2015 in Brgy. Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao.”

The citation says they were the” 72 personnel of 55^thand 84^th Special Action Company, SAF who served the warrant of arrest against Zulkifli Bin Hir a.k.a. Marwan and Basit Usman, when they encountered the enemy force numbering more or less 700. Although outnumbered, the SAF troopers held their ground, fought up to their last breath and accomplished their mission. [Their] “exceptional acts of bravery in utter disregard of [their] personal safety and selfless devotion to duty clearly manifest commitment to serve the people worthy of emulation by fellow policemen and a source of pride for the Philippine National Police.”

These young men, 27 to 39 years of age, were college graduates. Most of them finished criminology. Those who went to PNPA earned a bachelor’s degree in public safety.

Father of PO2 Joel Dulnuan kept vigil.

They were either still single, getting ready for marriage, or had started building a family. They left behind grieving parents and siblings, or anguished wives left alone to configure the future of their young children.

Mrs. Trinidad Tayrus, 62, mother of Senior Inspector Rennie Lumasag Tayrus recalled that they first received news of the battle early on Monday morning. On Thursday, when there was no more more word about his son, two of his sisters flew to Davao and then proceeded to Cotabato. It was in the morgue there that they were able to identify their brother because of a mole at the bridge of his nose even if his body was mangled.

Tayrus, 28, graduated from PNPA and had been in the service since 2011. He also finished criminology at the Western Mindanao State University in Zamboanga City. Although he learned that he passed the licensure exam for criminologists in October 2014, he never saw his certificate, according to his mother.

He was the second to the youngest of nine siblings, and the only son. He was the silent type, said his mother: “matapang sa giyera” but “mahina sa ligawan.”

The son of PO3 Rodrigo Acob Jr with his father’s medalya

It’s now an all-female family that remains in Ticwas, Dimalinao, Zamboanga del Sur. The father died five years ago. The couple did not finish elementary schooling but they were able to raise their children through hard work. Mrs. Tayrus said that each of the children took responsibility of the younger one so that each could complete their studies.

From his father, we learned that PO2 Joel Bumidang Dulnuan, 30, from Ocapon, Villaverde, Nueva Vizcaya, had a girlfriend from Zamboanga. They were engaged to get married next month. They already have one child, who is more than a year old.

Senior Inspector Gednat Garambas Tabdi , 27, from La Trinidad, Benguet, got married last October to a nurse from Basilan province. He was first brought to his hometown, but, according to reports, he will be buried by his wife in Zamboanga. She is five months pregnant, and a boy Tabdi is coming.

PO3 Rodrigo Fernandez Acob Jr, 34, and PO3 Andres Viernes Duque Jr., 37, hail from the same town, Aurora in Isabela province. Acob had been with PNP since 2002 while Andres joined four years later.

Honor guard for slain SAF commando

Theirs were young families. Acob left behind two children: a 12-year old boy and a 3-year old girl. Duque’s youngest, a boy, was born four months ago, and the older ones are both girls, who are now first and second year high school students. Being close friends, Acod stood as godfather to one of Duque’s children.

PO2 Nicky De Castro Nacino Jr., 30, was from Baler, Aurora. He was the oldest of six children: four girls and two boys. His sister described him as a health buff, “maganda ang katawan”. He also wanted that he and his wife should look fit and beautiful when they go out together. They have one child, a boy, whose name they plan to change to Nicky III in memory of his father.

These are some of Fallen 44 who went through special trainings such as the Maritime Tactical Operations Course, Tactical Explosive Entry Course, Urban Counter Revolutionary Warfare Course, SAF Commando Course, and PNP Scout to merit their Tagaligtas patch.

As veterans of the Zamboanga Siege of September 2013, they received the Medalya ng Kagalingan “for meritorious and invaluable services rendered as member of the SAF”, or the Medal ya ng Kadakilaan “for courage and gallantry in action during the fierce firefight with members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)”, or “acts of heroism as member of administrative support during the joint combat operations against members of the MNLF.”

Going home: funeral honors for the fallen trooper.

Oplan Exodus did not turn out victorious like the Zamboanga Siege. Yes, there could have been a “joyful moment” when the Tactical Command Post received the text message "Mike One, bingo", mission accomplished, but it turned into a long day of despair as the SAF commandos, waiting for extraction, perished in the killing cornfield of Tukanalipao.

President Benigno Aquino III gave a check for Php250,000 to each of the families from the President’s Social Fund before the Fallen 44 were brought home for burial. But the nation remains in mourning, and waits for the truth about the Mamapasano Massacre to come out. “Thorough investigation! No to justifaction! Justice must be served! ... Give justice to our massacred comrades,” remain urgent pleas from the police force as well as from the Filipino people.

Note: This photo-essay appeared in a slightly different version and title in the 20-26 February 2015 issue of the FilAm Star, a weekly newspaper published in San Francisco, CA 'for the Filipinos in mainstream America.' This author/blogger is the Manila-based Special News/Photo Correspondent of the paper.

The candidates for the selection of Team Philippines to Intel ISEF 2015 in Pittsburgh, PA.

As the nation was watching live on television the first day of the Philippine Senate hearing on the gruesome killing of the 44 PNP-SAF commandos in Mamapasano, Maguindanao, some 130 high school students from all over the country were converging far away at the Tagaytay City International Convention Center for the annual National Science and Technology Fair (NSTF) on 10-12 February 2015.

Research team prepare their exhibit.

The NSTF is affiliated with the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF). It is the nationwide research competition of the Department of Education (DepEd) to promote science and technology consciousness among the youth. It is the culmination of a series of fairs from the school to the regional level aimed at discovering the most creative and the best student researchers who will represent the country in the Intel ISEF and other international fairs. This year’s Intel ISEF will be in Pittsburgh, PA in May.

While the senators tried piecing together bits and pieces from various civil and military authorities to establish responsibility and accountability for the botched Oplan Exodus, the young S&T talents were setting up their exhibits to show results of their own meticulous scientific investigations on a wide array of topics in the life and physical sciences.

DepEd Undersecratary Dina Joanna S. Ocampo, who was guest speaker on opening day, admitted that the Tagaytay event was her first science fair exposure, but she enthused that she found the science research projects the convergence of subjects that students learn in school: scientific methodology, communications, math, statistics, ethics, critical thinking, computer science, etc.

She was looking at investigative studies that the young scientists conducted within January to December 2014 following international rules for pre-college research, the guidelines for Intel ISEF 2014-2015.

The young scientists proudly raise their regional posters during the “Shout Out” of the opening program.

This year’s competition was among the first place winners from the 16 regional science fairs and those from the Philippine Science High School (Pisay) system fair in the individual and team categories for life and physical sciences. The playing field had 34 individual researchers and the same number of teams with at most three members each. All in all, some 130 young scientists filled the convention center with fun and excitement after brief sober encounters with the board of judges.

Mr. Joseph Roni Jacob, a DepEd education program specialist and the NSTF program manager, made sure that the three-day event focused on the students.

The young scientists had their “Shout Out” during the opening day program where they introduced themselves as regional troupers. Their banners were colorful posters they themselves crafted depicting iconic images unique to their regions. This echoed the ISEF tradition of country representatives running to the stage with posters replete with their national symbols.

“Oozing with talent,” Jacob described the high school scientists. And that’s exactly what he had printed on the golden yellow T-shirts that the students wore during the fair. Their talents probed into various areas like nanomaterials, bioremediation, microbiology, software development, environmental management, medicine and health. Some of their explorations utilized materials from the natural terrestrial and marine environment.

He made sure that the spotlight was on them alone: the recipients of special awards from DepEd or from international groups, and the grand prize winners in the individual and team categories in the life and physical sciences.

Medals for the grand prize winners.

There were all in all six (6) individual and six (6) team grand prize winners: a total of 24, the best among more than 130 science talents in the competition.

Of these grand prize winners, three (3) individuals and two (2) teams were proclaimed candidates for the selection of Team Philippines that will go to the Intel ISEF in Pittsburgh. They will first undergo mentoring, and the final delegation will be announced in March:

Quantification and characterization of proteins from Acanthaster planci skin and spine: its latent role in marine and human pathogens and blood clotting inhibitions (potential management of coral infestation). Mary Carmelle Antonette Gindap. Iloilo National High School, La Paz, Iloilo City. Region 6.

One-step synthesis of biomemetic superhydrophobocity nanofibers copper stearate film electrodes via electrochemical deposition method. Angelo Gabriel Urag. Father Saturnino Urios University, Butuan City. Region 13.

Life Sciences (Individual) grand winners

In ovo anti-angiogenic screening of Gynura nepalensis (Ashitaba) on Anas platyrynchos (Duck) embryo using chrorioallantoic membrane assay. Rizza Ann Vibar. Las Pinas National HS, Las Pinas, MManila. National Capital Region.

Hypoxic-ischemic cerebral cell death and locomotory-cognitive damage mitigation using squid (Thysanoteuthis rhombus) waste integument constituent: Simulated non-arrhythmia inducing mortal stroke evolution disruption. Team of Kenneth Michael Antonio, Marian Cabuntocan &Thea Marie Tinaja. Bayugan National Comprehensive High School. Region 13.

Toxicological effect of the bioactive compounds in giant taro (Alocasia macorrhizos) against coconut scale insects (Aspidiotus destructor). Team of Sam Jethro Cudillo, Armie Grace Pepino &Millene Ruth Edradan. Caraga Regional Science HS, Surigao City. Region 13.

Life Sciences (Team) grand winners from Regs. 7 & 13, and PSHS-CLC

The other grand winners were:

Ficus nota(Blanco) Merr. Moraceae fruit extract for “In vitro” antioxidant and genotoxicity cctivities. John Parlo Rosido. Agoo Kiddie Special School, Agoo, La Union. Region 1.

The antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity screening of the ink of sea hare (Dolobella auriculariaLightfoot) or donsol. Team of Sophie Alohilani Iturralde, Mel Michelle Dawn Ramirez & Vanity Temblor. RTPM-Dumaguete SHS. Region 7.


Physical Sciences (Individual) grand winners

Luminescent activity of Photobacterium leiognathi isolated from squid ink as its potential as bioindicator for oil contamination. Team of Joseph Neos Cruz, Jailah Mae Valentin & Celine Bueno. PSHS-Central Luzon Campus. Clark, Pampanga.

Polyaniline-based fish freshness sensor through digital imaging colorimetry. Team of Marjorie Gold Maningas, Je-Anne Alodia Presado & Janella Umbina. PSHS-Central Luzon Campus. Clark, Pampanga.

Pomelo (Citrus maxima) and Marang (Artocorpus odoratissimus) fruit peelings as potential biosorbent in oil spills. Team of Cresart Ulysses Mata, Annafer Dumalagan & Jerald Nituda. Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School, Matina,Davao City. Region 11.

Physical Sciences (Team) grand winners from Regs. 11 & 13, and PSHS-CLC

Nanochemical remediation of organochlorine pesticide residues and heavy metals in agricultural soil. Moises Marion Silvestre. Juan R. Liwag Memorial HS, Gapan City. Region 3.

Madness Blocker: a cyber eye program for social media and online games. Ashly Katrene Pineda. Nabuslot National HS, Oriental Mindoro. Region 4b.

Angelo Gabriel Urag

Almost all the grand prize winners are in their senior year. Those who will go to Pittsburgh would have received their high school diploma by then and getting ready for college.

Angelo Gabriel Urag though is still in Grade 9 and will go through the K-12 curriculum. He was in the Intel ISEF 2014, and he is now vying for membership in Team Philippines to ISEF 2015. There had been two repeaters in the ISEF. Urag may yet be the third.

Note: This photo-essay appeared in a slightly different version in the 27 Feb -05 Mar 2015 issue of the FilAm Star, 'the newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America' published in San Francisco,CA. The author/blogger is the Manila-based Special News/Photo Correspondent of the said paper.

"Martial Law in the Philippines" by Adi Baen-Santos

It’s the 29^th anniversary of the EDSA People Power revolution. According to reports, the EDSA People Power Commission decided to keep the celebration very simple this year in preparation for an ‘all-out’ 30^th commemoration next year.

President Benigno Aquino III and his family though are expected to attend the mass at the People Power Monument along EDSA today (25 February), which Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle celebrates. Last year, Aquino skipped EDSA and went to Cebu for the commemorative program.


Macario Sakay from Norman Dreo's mural.

Yesterday, former President Fidel V. Ramos led the flag raising and wreath laying ceremonies at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani to honor past heroes including the military personnel who joined the EDSA revolution. Cory Aquino, the president’s mother, Ramos and Senator Juan Enrile were among the key figures of that historic peaceful revolution.

The opening to the public on 19 February of the SiningSaysay: Philippine History in Art was very appropriate for the low-key People Power anniversary celebration. This is a collaborative art and history project of the University of the Philippines, the UP Alumni Association and the Araneta Center, Inc.

“SiningSaysay combines Sining (art) and Kasaysayan (history),” explained Prof. Grace Javier-Alfonso, in the “grand manner” painting or history art tradition of the UP College of Fine Arts.

The exhibit comprises 30 murals created by top Filipino artists from UP, each canvas measuring 6 feet x 12 feet. These are visual images of historical events and personalities from the pre-Hispanic times to the present. The collection is mounted at the Gateway Gallery at the 5^th floor of the Gateway Tower Mall in Cubao, Quezon City.

SiningSaysay will be on view for the next two years with the aim of “engag[ing] the public [and the artists] in a continuous discourse in Philippine history” in order “to build a sense of nationhood and contribute to the people’s pride.”

To those who joined the EDSA People Power Revolution in February 1986, Angel Cacnio’s “Filipinos Unite to End Martial Law” mural evokes the promise of change for the better with the restoration of democracy. Whether that came about is a continuing subject of public discourse.

"Filipinos Unite to End Martial Law" by Angel Cacnio

The canvas of Adi Baen-Santos on “Martial Law in the Philippines” would recall to the First Quarter Storm generation one of the nation’s darkest moments: when Ferdinand Marcos placed the country under Martial Law on 21 September 1972. The mural depicts what Marcos deemed threats to the nation: communism, the Muslim secessionist movement, restive labor sector, student activism, and the oligarchs. The political dynamics of the time are represented by the images of Ninoy Aquino, Jose Maria Sison, Nur Misuari, and Imelda Marcos fluttering with ‘the true, the good and the beautiful’ blue ribbon.

"Restoration of Democracy Continues" by Grandier Bella

Cacnio and Baen-Santos are in the last four of the 30 murals. The next two are recent historical memories: Michael Velasco’s “Ramos/Estrada Administration” and Grandier Bella’s “Restoration of Democracy Continues”.

Velasco portrays the watch of presidents Fidel V. Ramos and Joseph Estrada, the central image has them riding a jeepney with the iconic symbol of the centennial of the declaration of Philippine Independence on 12 June 1898.

This canvas invites public discourse esp. with regard to the pending Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). The Ramos administration negotiated with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and appointed Nur Misuari chairman of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development. Estrada recently opined about an ‘all-out war’ following the Mamapasano event that resulted in the death of 44 SAF troopers.

Bella has former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and President Aquino occupying the left and right sides, respectively, of the canvas. There is no telling though of the rift between the two with the pursuit of Aquino’s “matuwid na daan” promise to do away with graft and corruption in government. In the whole, it’s a cheerful canvas which is shared by Manny Pacquiao, Efren Penaranda and a beauty queen. There’s a reminder though that Senator Trillanes once led a military uprising during the Arroyo watch.

Depending on one’s leisure, the viewer can browse through the texts after viewing each canvas for full appreciation of the visual images.

Petroglyphs detail from Junyee's "Pre-historic Philippines" canvas

We. started with two canvases on “Pre-historic Philippines”. Junyee tells us that there’s an evidence of a writing system, the petrogylphs found in the Angono caves, still undeciphered today, consisting of line and geometric incisions, and drawings of human figures. Benjie Cabangis shows us the spiritual beliefs of pre-historic peoples, and the representation of the representation of their anitos.

The next two are about “Peopling the Philippines” (Simkin de Pio and Gig de Pio). One learns that the Filipinos belong to the Austronesian Race. We’ve always thought we are of the Malay race.

“Pre-Hispanic Philippines” ( Randy Solon) shows the various ethno-linguistic groups that peopled the archipelago which had their own socio-political, economic and cultural institutions: the Ilongots, Gaddangs, Igorots in the North and the Manobos, Bilaan, Bagobo, Tiboli, Yakan, Palawanon and the Tausug in the South. The canvas is embellished with colorful images of pre-Hispanic Filipinos from the Boxer Codex.

National Artist Abdulmari Asia Imao painted “Muslims in the Philippines” which shows how they faced Christianity (represented by the images of retablo altars) during the Spanish and American regimes.

"Chinese in the Philippines" by Janice Young

Janice Young’s “Chinese in the Philippines” is peopled by many prominent Filipinos with Chinese blood: Jose Rizal, Emilio Aguinaldo, Sergio Osmena, Pedro Paterno, Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee, Cardinal Sin and Cory Aquino. The old generation is depicted by gray images of coolies and workers, which reminds that sometime in the 1600s, there was a great debate even among the religious whether the Chinese should be expelled from the country or not. Today’s young Tsinoys are represented in the canvas as well.

"Women Empowerment in the Philippines" by Grace Alfonso

Another interesting people canvas is Grace Alfonso’s “Women Empowerment in the Philippines.” She depicts the Filipina’s active role in society from pre-Hispanic times to the present, from the babaylan to the contemporary women who continue to fight for women’s rights. In between are the likes of Gabriela Silang, Tandang Sora, the suffragettes, and the women activists of the Martial Law years.

"History of Labor in the Philippines" by Neil Doloricon

Neil Doloricon shows us the “History of Labor in the Philippines” through the faces of Isabelo de los Reyes who established the first labor union in 1901, and other labor leaders like Jacinto Manahan, Pedro Abad Santos and Crisanto Evangelista atop the dynamic portrayals of laborers at work or on the march.

The History Art tour took us to “The West Discovers the Philippines” (Bim Bacaltos and Ding Hidalgo) which narrate the expedition of Magellan, the battle of Mactan and his death at the hands of Lapu-Lapu.


Detail from Salvosa's "Galleon Trade" mural.

Jonah Salvosa’s “Galleon Trade” is a colorful narrative of the galleons plying between Manila and Mexico. Details also show the building of the Walled City (Intramuros) and the coming of the various religious orders that would figure prominently in the establishment of pueblos and churches all over the country.

We went through the colonial periods the nation’s proud and brave history: the Spanish colonial period, how we responded to it via the early revolts, the reform movement, and eventually, the Philippine Revolution (murals by Vincent de Pio, Aileen Lanuza and Romy Mananquil); and the Filipino experiences during American colonial regime, how we re-asserted our independence, how we felt betrayed (Don Artificio, Norman Dreo and National Artist BenCab).

The Commonwealth Period is represented by canvases from Cris Cruz (“The Philippines under the Stars and Stripes”) and Romy Carlos and Norman Dreo (“Quezon/Osmena Administration”). One sees here the transfer of the University of the Philippines to Diliman from its Manila campus, and the creation of Quezon City.

The peaceful narrative is interrupted by “Occupied Philippines” by Julius Samson showing the atrocities of war at the bottom part and the return of MacArthur as focal point.

The post-WW2 era is depicted by canvases showing the governance of Manuel Roxas (“Building from the Ashes” by Norly Meimban), of Elpidio Quirino (“Quirino Presidency” by Romy Carlos and Michael Velasco), of Ramon Magsaysay, Carlos Garcia and Diosdado Macapagal (“Post-War Philippines” by Ben Infante). These canvases highlight major events or achievements during their presidencies.

"Muslims in the Philippines" by Nationalist Artist Abdulmari Asia Imao

Our SiningSaysay tour was capped with light moments on two canvases: “Philippine Festivals” by Romy Carlos to remind us of fiesta times in our hometowns or popular tourist sites; and “Philippine Icons and Symbols” by Denes Dasco to recall for us our badges or icons of identity like JP Rizal, Andy Bonifacio, mango, bahay kubo, and the Philippine Eagle.

That was one enjoyable educational artistic tour of our history!

Note: This photo-essay appeared in a slightly different version in the 06-12 March 2015 issue of FilAm Star, 'the newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America,' published in San Francisco, CA. The author/blogger is the Manila-based Special News/Photo Correspondent of the weekly paper.

We first sighted him in Manila during the first anniversary of the Million People March to Stop Pork Barrel: the Stand Up, Sign Up at the Rizal Park on 25 August 2014. He was on stage for some time as one of the emcees during the program held there. We followed his expressions of support for this advocacy in the social media, but we did not know he would come home in time for this mass action.

It looks like Bernardo Bernardo is back for good after 12 years in the United States as an “artist of extraordinary talents.” He arrived in San Francisco in 2002, settled in Los Angeles in 2009, and in between those years, according to his online biographies, he plied his artistic ‘trades’ in the East Coast, West Coast and the Midwest as host, singer, stand-up comedian and stage actor.

As stage actor, he was in the musical “The Long Season” as a Pinoy cannery foreman in Alaska, and in “Voyage,” a play based on the lives of four generations of Pinoy immigrants in Alaska. He was most involved in the play “The Romance of Magno Rubio” by Lonnie Carter based on a short story of Carlos Bulosan. We saw him play the role of Prudencio, one of the five Pinoy laborers in “Magno Rubio”, when it was mounted in New York in 2007. We learned he translated this play to Filipino, and directed its staging in Los Angeles for which he won the L.A. Weekly Theater Award for Best Direction 2012.

During his American sojourn, he received several awards, the latest being the LAFACE 2012 Filipino-American Heritage Achievement Award for Entertainment, along with Certificates of Recognition from the State of California, the County of Los Angeles, and the City of Los Angeles for "outstanding contributions to the Filipino-American community through Music and Entertainment."

Now back in the country’s entablado, he is the president and artistic director of Studio Connections International, a new player in the Philippine scene, whose vision is “to help form alliances among performing arts companies in order to raise professional and artistic benchmarks in educational Philippine Theatre.” From its company profile, we gather that the company aims to “Create [a larger audience for Filipino theater using the national language], Educate [through training programs in acting, directing, playwriting and production management], and Connect [with other production outfits with a similar sense of responsibility to our art and responsive mindset to the challenges of our evolving contemporary society]”.

Its first venture is a partnership with the De La Salle College of St. Benilde School of Design and Arts (SDA) in presenting Philippine Educational Theater Association’s Haring Lear, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s King Lear by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, directed by Nonon Padilla.

Bernardo turned 70 early this year. It may be the ripe age to perform Haring Lear, the aged ruler (“the foolish king,” says director Padilla) who decided to give up his power and divide his kingdom among his three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. He did not like his favorite daughter Cordelia’s simple declaration of affection for him though, so he disowns her and gives her away to the King of France. Thus, two older sisters ended up equally splitting the kingdom between them.

This Filipino King Lear is set in a futuristic world. The actors are all male, which was how Shakespeare’s plays were staged during his time, with the female roles played by men. Everyone is bald in this case. The actors are all from the PETA Kalinangan Ensemble: Gary Lim (Gloster), Buddy Caramat (Goneril), George de Jesus (Regan), Abner Delina Jr (Cordelia, Lakayo), Nico Dans (Edgardo), Rhenwyn Gabalonzo (Edmundo), Lambert de Jesus (Kent), Roy Calilong (Oswaldo), Renan Bustamante( Duke ng Albanya), Jeff Hernandez (Duke ng Cornualles, Ikalawang Kapitan), Jason Barcial (Duke ng Burgonia, Utusan, Sundalo), Jess Evardone (Tagapaglingkod,Matandang Lalaki, Duktor ni Cordelia, Eraldo) and McDonnel Bolanos (Hari ng Francia, Maginoo, Utusan, Sundalo, Kapitan).

The costumes appear to be Japanese kimono inspired. This reminds that the famous Japanese director Akira Kurosawa also adapted King Lear for his award-winning movie, Ran, where the emperor divided his kingdom among three sons, not daughters.

Bernardo’s costume change to modern comfort clothes tells us that Lear is timeless. This is when he realizes the deceit of his two daughters, and when begins to slip into insanity. His tale happens today. Snatches of it sometimes jar the familiar run of news programs, or serve as motif of a TV series or a Filipino movie.

The power struggle after the division of the kingdom is a web of hatred, intrigue and betrayal involving two families: the king’s and that of Gloster (Gloucester) with his two sons Edmundo and Edgardo. The mad Haring Lear briefly regains his sanity when he reconciles with his daughter Cordelia where a glimmer of love flickers. Everyone dies though except Edgardo who will become the ruler of Britain.

Bernardo Bernardo held us captive throughout the play especially when he was raging in the storm, and during the final dying moments with Cordelia. He had an excellent support from the ensemble of PETA actors.

He is back. Those who grew up watching the long-running sitcom “Home Along the Riles” would certainly remember his Steve Carpio character who gave Dolphy contravida moments in every episode.

Source: Philippine National Police Webpage

Medalya ng Katapangan& citation awarded to the Fallen 44.

Pabalinas was 31, and he has been with the police force since 2006 after graduating from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) with a bachelor’s degree in public safety.

His was the last voice heard from the battleground. He was the radioman of 55^th SAC who had been asking for support since as early as 7 o’clock of the morning of January 25.

“I realized,” he said, “that that voice will never be heard again. And I know that voice belonged to Ryan, or Senior Inspector Ryan Pabalinas.”

The last man standing, according to a GMA 7’s 24 Oras news report, was Senior Inspector Max Jim Ramirez Tria, 27, from Catanduates, also a graduate of PNPA, who had been with the PNP since 2005.

Mother of PSI Rennie Tayrus gets comforted by visitors

These young men, 27 to 39 years of age, were college graduates. Most of them finished criminology. Those who went to PNPA earned a bachelor’s degree in public safety.

Father of PO2 Joel Dulnuan kept vigil.

He was the second to the youngest of nine siblings, and the only son. He was the silent type, said his mother: “matapang sa giyera” but “mahina sa ligawan.”

The son of PO3 Rodrigo Acob Jr with his father’s medalya

PO3 Rodrigo Fernandez Acob Jr, 34, and PO3 Andres Viernes Duque Jr., 37, hail from the same town, Aurora in Isabela province. Acob had been with PNP since 2002 while Andres joined four years later.

Honor guard for slain SAF commando

Going home: funeral honors for the fallen trooper.

Hiroshima mon Aunor: the August blasts for the people’s artist

Pinoy teacher Randy Halasan 2014 Ramon Magsaysay awardee for Emergent Leadership

Resurgence of the pliant but hardy kawayan

“Never Again to Dictatorship!”

Quezon City celebrates its Diamond Jubilee

Dayaw: celebrating the rich cultures of Philippine indigenous peoples

Typhoon Yolanda commemoration: survivors rising through tears and lingering fears

A weekend with Higantes and Botong Francisco in Angono

On the Maguindanao massacre 5th anniversary: “58 dead, 5 years, 0 justice”

Two young voices: protest and celebration

Marian procession as typhoon Hagupit threatened

Lantern Parade: a living tradition of the University of the Philippines

APO closes 2014 with its geat Oblation Run at UP Diliman

Preparations for visit of Pope Francis reach fever pitch

Street children cry out for good Christians

Glimpses of the lives of the Fallen 44

The Philippine National Science & Technology Fair 2015 'oozed with talent'!

SiningSaysay: time travel into Philippine history through art

Bernardo Bernardo returns to the entablado Filipino

Glimpses of the lives of the Fallen 44