Restaging RAMA HARI

Last time I had a blog entry was three weeks ago. I was gushing over Pinoys winning international beauty contests. Then I had to stop again because I was too busy attending to the costumes of bothe Rama Hari and the CCPDS December evaluation program of The Nutcracker.

Both are challenging in terms of logistics but Rama Hari has the extra edge as it is a collaborative effort original works of National Artists Bien Lumbera (Literature), and Badong Bernal (Theater Design), libretto translation by Rolando Tinio, music by Ryan Cayabyab, and choreography by Alice Reyes (Artistic Director Emeritus of Ballet Philippines.

I was part of the production during the 1983 staging of said ballet when I was still dancing many moons ago. This year, I am costume consultant for costumes making sure the designs of Badong remain pure and intact. It was a most daunting effort as some of the costumes date back three decades and so badly in need of repair. In some instances we had to pattern a new set of costumes following Badong's design aesthetics.

Tita Alice would require some changes from time to time as she would recall how some of the scenes and costumes were required to look. When you put them all together with the lighting and music onstage Rama Hari is a tour de force performance. Opening night was so exciting as the artists of Ballet Philippines danced to a sell-out performance with the National artist Bien Lumbera and Maestro Ryan Cayabyab in attendance along with the original cast of Rama Hari.

Needless to say, Paul Morales' task of putting the ballet of Rama Hari with singer Christian Bautista and Karylle in the lead as well as OJ Mariano and Kahlila Aguiluz as alternates was brilliant. Opening night audience was enthusiastic as evidenced by the huge meet-and-greet attendance after the show.

Now I can concentrate on the costumes for the recital...

Ayala's Lights

Makati is all lit up again this Christmas season. They switched on the lights ahead of the other cities. And what a treat it is. It started out as some sort of experiment but the Light and Sound show was a hit and so it has become a part of the Ayala Christmas tradition to hold it at the Ayala Triangle.

They used a gazillion LED lights to  spark up the show. The music they used this year is mostly  Filipino Christmas carols that have a slightly edgy electronic slant to it. The islands on Ayala avenue have been festooned with sets of tableau of stylized Christmas trees while the palm trees have been wrapped with yards and yards of Christmas lights. The effect is dazzling, to say the least.

I find that it gives so much cheer to a rather staid and formal business district. After work, employees mill around the park waiting for the show to start and then they either head off to the row of restaurants in the Ayala Triangle complex. Either that or they line up for a ride home. I don't see anyone complaining... Well, maybe the regular joggers at the park do because now they have to contend with a lot of human traffic and they need to work their route around the waiting public.

The show starts at 6:00 p.m. and every thirty minutes thereafter.  The Light and Sound show will run until the 30th of December. To celebrate the holiday season, there will be anticipated Misa de Gallo to keep the nine day novena Masses going which will be held at 6:30 p.m. from the 15th - 23rd of December.

Other cities have followed the Ayala's lead in making Christmas cheery and bright. Makati does it in an understated glamorous way...

Changing Standards of Beauty

If you're Filipino, chances are you take beauty pageants seriously. And why ever not? Filipinos are blessed with olive skin and a mish-mash of whatever features their forefathers have handed down to them by virtue of  birth. Recently, Filipinos have been bestowed some beauty titles that have remained elusive for years.

June Macasaet image from Misosology/rddantes.com

June Macasaet is all male and boy, does he sizzle... A native of Batangas, June has been in demand as a commercial and ramp model for various consumer products and fashion brands. He also joined the usual rounds of male beauty pageants and emerged runner-up in the Century Tuna Bodies and  top winner for Manhunt Philippines. His recent triumph allowed him to compete in the Mr. International Manhunt pageant where he won the crown winning over strong Latino and European contenders. If we take into consideration preparations taken by Puerto Rico and Venezuela for their contestants, we really should be proud that June won. That's an achievement!

Image from normannorman.wordpress.com*

On the other side of the spectrum, there is Kevin Balot. I saw Kevin being interviewed by no less than Boy Abunda on the segment of Bandila on ABS CBN. It's not surprising how Kevin won over contestants of the same persuasion. Kevin admitted that he is not yet completely transgender.... he has decided to go through with it after his reign as Ms International  Queen 2012. Sharp wit, lady-like demeanor and a pretty face are qualities which helped him wrestle the crown from a long line of Thai cross-dressers.

image from pinoyrepublic.net*

This native of Tarlac comes from a tight family of three siblings. He was the only boy. He claimed he would join beauty pageants for money. On a good day/evening he would come home with at least seven thousand pesos as prize money.  His recent coup, he says made a good relationship with his father even better.

image from missosology*

Kevin says he never changed his name even during pageants as a sign of love and respect for his parents. He has one year to fulfill his duties and then probablyy stay in Thailand for his sex change.  Kevin's long tresses and petite build would make REAL girls jealous...

Taking fitness to the extreme is Luzviminda McClinton. She first caught our attention when she became a housemate in the Pinoy Big Brother season 4 edition. She eventually got eliminated... but definitely not for her physique! This housewife from Paranaque recently bagged top prize during the World Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation Southwest US Championships in Oklahoma. With her recent win, she also earned a license in the professional division of the bodybuilding federation world-wide. 

She will make the usual courtesy call at Malacanan Palace after a rousing welcoming activitity and then she flies off to Berlin for another competition. Just look at those rippling muscles...

Burda'ng Taal Standouts

The recent collection/collaboration of designers for Burda'ng Taal Habing Pinoy was a success in that it put to the forefront of fashion the dying art of embroidery in the province of Batangas. Although there are other pockets of embroiderers in other parts of Luzon such as Lumban and Bulacan, the Taalenos have tried time and again to salvage the craft by teaching it to their progeny.

Richard Papa's caped creation

No less than Governor Vilma Santos Recto  delivered an opening address via video presentation as she , sadly, could not make it to the event. However, Vice-Governor Marc Leviste was on hand to welcome the guests and present the participating designers with a balisong (fan knife) for which the province is also known for. Michael Carandang, Emy-award winning producer of America's Next Top model and Batangueno, hosted the event.

Governor of Batangas Vilma Sanots Recto

I'm amazed at the turn-out for the show. Somewhere else in the SMX was the Comic Convention where a lot of the attendees were in Cosplay costumes. You'd think the younger audience would be in the lower floor for that. But, no, fashion is alive and well in the country. No doubt about that!

Bergamo's fashion-forward Barong collection

Some designers' works were, at least in my opinion, exactly in line with the show's concept. Bergamo's extensive Barong Tagalogs pushed the envelope by pairing the exquisitely embroidered tops with jhodpurs and harem pants. Some models had their sleeves rolled up. Anthony Nocom, on the other hand, stuck to wearing it the formal, conservative way which was fine by me. Simple, elegant... no fuss!

Anthony Nocom's no fuss pieces

JC Buendia's black and white pieces stretches the concept of day to night dressing pairing off classic tops with shorts. No wonder he's a favorite of dressing up Philippine politicos for their state visits. Very stately and clean, his work elicited applause.

JC Buendia's classic number

Randy Ortiz added a dash of color in muted tones of turquoise and lavander. His mermaid gown had a Tudoresque slant to it but oddly, it works well with the material. 

Randy Ortiz' serpentina gown

Oskar Peralta had monochromatic gowns with heavy detailing. His pieces hark back to the 80's reminiscent of Ernest Santiago's Valera-award winning printed Maria Claras. But he infuses it with his own stamp of individuality with uneven cuts and an opera coat for his other gown. 

Oskar Peralta's monochromatic pieces

All in all the show was a success. Even the concept pieces presented were wearable (if one had the chutzpah) such as creations by Lito Perez, Fanny Serrano and Edgar San Diego. While some were almost architectural in construction like the pieces made by Roland Lirio, Richard Papa and Ole Morabe. With a range like that, the art of embroidery should last a few more centuries... that's if we continue to demand the use of hand-made, hand-woven products maybe not just from Taal but from other localities as well.

Dong's Divine Design

I have know Dong Omaga-Diaz for years. The fact that we don't always see each other hasn't obscured our relationship as friends. Thankfully, there's Facebook! And so from time to time I do get reactions or comments in the photos I post or on whatever status I feel like putting on my page. 

I think the fashion world has all but forgotten me. Not that I have a great reputation as a designer or fashionista. But sometimes I yearn to get invites again to view fashion shows and collections from some designers I have met over the years. So when I saw Dong's posting on Philippine Fashion Week I grabbed the opportunity to angle for an invite. Dong actually included me in his guest list.

I wanted to see the show for two reasons: a) Dong was participating in it, b) it featured the all-but-dying art of embroidery from Taal, Batangas. History buff and tour guide that I am, my interest was piqued by the show's focus. I was thankful Dong actually replied to my comment. 

Dong's accomplishments as a designer have been highlighted many times, the high-point being Dong winning a special award for his collection which was shown in competition in Paris. His prize was a scholarship in Paris for a year. One writer even went as far as comparing his design aesthetics to Elsa Schiaparelli's. 

For this show, Dong is one of many collaborators. His three piece contribution to highlight Taal's embroidery was nonetheless demure and easily wearable. Done in jusi and combined with (was that Jersey?) other fabrics the simplicity of his collection was just divine. Day to night dressing would never be a problem. 

He opens with a Watteau in natural tones the front panel of which was heavily embroidered with the uneven back panel fluttering in soft layers behind. The second piece was a slim pencil skirt in heavy floral embroidery with a close-to-the-body top that had a missing sleeve on the left arm. A big bow accents the top and counterbalances the broken symmetry of the missing sleeve. The third piece is a soft billowy full biased skirt with a simple round necked top and girly cap sleeves. For accent, he belted the piece with clusters of irregular champagne pearls. This is actually the first time I've seen a few pieces of his that don't scream DRAMA! But don't get me wrong, these three pieces didn't recede into oblivion with the other creations.

Until your next fashion show, Dong! 

Nstra. Sra. del Pilar

Recently I went to the historic Sta. Cruz Church. I say historic because the church was built during Spanish colonial times (circa 1596) to address the growing spiritual and religious needs of a rapidly rising elite made up of Filipino- Chinese half-breeds. Eventually, some of them have become the new rich that were residents of Binondo, the district where the Chinese were bundled together across the river from Intramuros.

Sta. Cruz Church was built a few years after the Church of Binondo when the priests had their hands full attending to the needs of a rapidly growing Filipino-Chinese population that were to become Manila's new Taipans. Sta Cruz Church is also where the British troops held the formal ceremony for the return of entire Philippine archipelago back to Spain in 1764 as the 7 Year War between Britain and France ended.

I was there on the 12th of October to honor the Nstra. Sra. del Pilar on her feast day. An exact replica of our Lady was brought over from Zaragoza, Spain around the mid-19th century to be the patroness of the chrurch. This same image was, for a time, kept in a vault at the Philippine National Bank for safekeeping and was only brought out for public viewing after the end of World War II in 1945.

According to legend, Our Lady appeared to St. James the Greater to console him in a moment of desperation as he was preaching in the area around the 2nd of January, 40 A.D. In the vision, Mary appeared atop a pillar on which she instructed St. James to not be disheartened, to continue spreading the Word of God and to start building the church on which the adoration of Christ will be spread. Ergo, the devotion to Nstra. Sra. del Pilar and the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela are linked together. 

Our Lady's appearance in this instance is noteworthy. It was believed that she appeared to St. James while she was still alive and has not yet assumed into Heaven. Aside from that, She appeared to him accompanied by a multitude of Angels and also having a prop in the form of a pillar. 

In Manila and in Zamboanga City, the image of our Lady is venerated with a nine-day Novena. At Sta. Cruz church, the feast day climaxes this Sunday, 21 October with merry-making and a procession with her image atop a carroza that winds through the district.

A Reaction Paper on Republic Act 10175

When Sir Thomas Lee Cook invented the internet, his intent was for all the world to revel in a new-found freedom that was unhindered by boundaries dictated by nationality, creed or religion. Many have taken advantage of what the internet has to offer and for good measure. Bloggers,  content writers and aspiring  armchair journalists have taken to cyberspace to air out views on certain issues. Lately, there has been a spate of negative reaction from netizens on the passing of Republic Act 10175 otherwise known as the Cyber Crime Prevention Act of 2012.  

What is it about?

In layman’s terms, the state recognizes the need for providing an environment for the development, advancement and optimal use of information and communications technology (ICT) and the need to protect and safeguard its use from all forms of misuse, abuse and illegal access. In this light, the state sees the need to combat and prevent these offenses by facilitating their detection, investigation and prosecution in both domestic and international levels.

My Reaction

I believe the government’s desire to take an active step in preserving the pristine intent on the use of cyber-space. For all intents and purposes, the internet was created to benefit the citizens of  the world as far as information dissemination, access to cyber-data, and security systems are concerned.

How often have we suffered from destroyed operating systems due to viruses lethal to our computer data? How many government websites have been hacked into as an offshoot of mischievous pranks? How many subscribers have been the victim of internet scams robbing them of their hard-earned cash? How many reputations have been besmirched from intimate videos posted on social network sites? The list goes on and on…

Upon reading the transcript of the law, I see nothing that would have merited such a violent reaction from the frequent users of the internet. Then again, when you look at the law, you

realize it was formulated in such a way that it is open to free interpretation. It was written in such loose legalese that it can be tweaked according to one’s own slant and purpose.

Salient Points

Repunblic Act 10175 indicates the following as crimes under section 4 of its provisions: a) offenses against the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data, b) computer-related forgery,  c) content-related offenses, d) other offenses. Under these four categories fall the specific crimes respectively:  a)  illegal access, interception, data and system interference, misuse of devices, cyber squatting; b) forgery, fraud,  and identity theft; c) cybersex, child pornography, unsolicited commercial communications, libel ;  d) aiding, abetting and attempting the commission of crimes.

I would have been content to take it all in stride except that under section 4 number c it becomes evident that an insertion made as libel was a direct offshoot of  one law-maker’s faux pas in his CONTRA Y TURNO speech. And this is the contention of most netizens in that had anyone ticked a facebook page against the esteemed senator, anyone could have been sued for libel.

No less than  Usec. Ed Sy of the Department of Justice defended the government’s position in saying that all efforts to prove an offender’s guilt must undergo legal procedure prior to action being taken.

The penalties involved herein must also be administered by the concerned authorities. The National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police have been tasked to monitor such offenses and execute the arrest and implement the corresponding penalties. Given that these two government agencies are also susceptible to corruption, who will ensure that these agencies will conduct the investigations without prejudice? The agencies in question must be proven to be without blemish or unquestionably devoid of malice.

It is therefore with great relief that due to all the brouhaha the passing of  Republic Act 10175 caused , the Department of Justice has issued a Temporary Restraining Order for 120 days.

Bully!

Let’s face it… we were bullied at some point in our young lives!!! WE might have been unaware of it especially since we were so distraught over the emotional pain and the dread that the next day it can happen all over again…

I don’t think bullying will ever be erased from the face of the planet. If it happened back then and continues until now, it will be one of those things that will exist for many more years. It happens everywhere… in playgrounds, in schools, in neighborhoods and even in the home. And it doesn’t matter whether it takes place in the humblest reclamation areas or in the poshest villages, if  you’re the victim of a bully you either suffer in silence or you fight back!

Back then, bullying was far more benign than it is now… It was between the bully and the victim and the parents only intervened when they were called by the guidance counselors. Very often, bullying was considered a rite of passage: the victim better wise-up in dealing with the bully so he can overturn how he is treated or he’ll never learn to cope with the assault. It can range from name-calling, hiding personal stuff, or setting up the victim to be a fall-guy for a prank. There was no gun-toting parent barging in to threaten a minor’s life. At worst, parents resorted to shouting their lungs out to prove their child’s “innocence”.

The recent incident on bullying in a prestigious Catholic school hit the headlines when the victim suffered the humiliation of getting suspended instead of the bully. The sad part is, a bully will often work with one or two people as accomplices. Sometimes they get caught, very often they go scot-free. And when an irate parent points a gun at the victim of bullying instead of castigating his own son who happens to be the bully, you tend to question the adult’s judgement. Did nobody teach him anything while he was growing up? Was he treated so badly in his youth that he taught his child to be tough on others? In this case it’s the sins of the father carried forward.

I just want to be clear on something. I AM NOT JUDGING ANYBODY.  This article isn’t meant to point an accusing finger on anyone. It just so happens, I know the family of the victim. They’re the nicest people anyone could ever meet. And the fact that I, too, was bullied even until college. I merely want to relate how I settled the score. Who knows, I might ignite a spark of ingenuity in the victims…

During my collegiate years, there were three guys who kept bugging me about my sexuality. They would have a hey-day trying to out me in public places like the college quadrangle or the gym (two were actually on the swim team). They would poke fun at me and call me names. They would snicker after I passed by.  Then a funny thing happened… I FOUGHT BACK!

You can’t blame me… I was just seething with hatred and I had no one to turn to. I just wanted the bullying to stop. Period! One afternoon many years ago the bullies were teasing me while I was seated at a bench in my school’s drop-off point. They were calling me names and laughing to ridicule me. In the loudest voice that I could muster for everyone to hear I shouted… “Kung hindi ko pa alam. May lihim ka ring tinatago…” ( as if I didn’t know. You have your own secrets to hide)… I swear, I was never bothered again…

As it turns out, after college I would bump into batch mates and friends and they would tell me stories about how the others fared in life. True enough, two of the bullies came out in their thirties. One of them even contracted HIV and was disowned by his family. He has since passed on to meet his Maker…

That’s poetic justice!

Knowing Your Body

There's an old familiar adage that "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." If there's one thing I learned in my 53 years of existence on this planet, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY!

So when I do my yearly re-accreditation as a Mabuhay Guide, I undergo a physical exam just to be sure I can still get tasks done and still be gainfully employed while I work towards enjoying my golden years. In an age when everything is within easy reach or with just the push of a button, it seems making life easier has also made it less healthy.

In my own little way, I'd like to share information that can help my readers in understanding certain body functions, blast a few myths about fitness and maybe get you thinking about getting to know ( and loving) your body more.

KNOW YOUR SOMATOTYPE! Now before you reach for your thesaurus, it just simply means body type. Go to a private spot and undress in front of a mirror. There are three basic somatotypes as seen in the photo below:

Ectomorph - which is my body type. The ectomorph is characterized by a long and lean body. This body type is your usual slim, svelte guy or girlfriend who never seems to gain any weight no matter how much food they eat. Body fat is almost nil and the tendency to get fat is almost an impossibility (depending on age and metabolic rate).

Mesomorph - this is the body type I've been longing to have for myself even if I know I'm never gonna get it.  This type is characterized by heavy-set bone structure. This is the ideal body type for body builders. The mesomorph is the guy in the gym who's not into endless amounts of supplements, doesn't do humongous amounts of weightlifting nor endless crunches to achieve that bulky ripped musculature that men envy and women swoon over. 

Endomorph - this is the biggest of the body types. This body type is heavy-set and fleshy as well. If unchecked, this type has the tendency to go both ways: either they start looking like the Hulk when they do weight training or they become obese when they let go.

KEEP ACTIVE! Now that you know your body type get into an activity that you enjoy and that you will stick to for the rest of your life. Not all activity will guarantee that you'll end up in the shape that you want. There are exercises that bulk you up and others that slim you down:

  

Cardio - These exercises are fast paced and routinary. I know! Get your ipod charged. The silhouettes below indicate some of the types of cardiovascular activities which will help you burn calories and get rid of fat. These are exercises that are designed to get your heart rate up and sustained over a period of time or over distance.

Resistance - These are exercises that are meant to build up or at least tone muscles through any form of resistance either through weight training or through bands. The images below show the movement using elastic bands. These can be done using light weights depending on how much one can hoist. These are done in a controlled environment like a fitness gym or a studio or even a room in your house provided you're willing to invest in some equipment.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! You're body is a self-functioning, self-repairing machine. Granted no one is perfect! But your body will tell you what you need provided you listen to it. If you have a wound, the body will repair itself... ergo, your scars. When you're thirsty your lips turn dry and chapped (an indication that you're actually already dehydrated) then you have to drink. When you're hungry you experience the pangs and then you compensate for it by over-eating. When you miss meals, your body begins to think you're starving yourself and it goes into survival mode. It will try to hold on to as much fat as it can to maintain its regular functions. Remember, extra calories are converted into fat and burned when you need it.

In the same manner, your brain actually takes twenty minutes to tell you that you are full. So don't wait for that feeling of being full (by then you have already over-eaten). So my advice would be: Don't miss meals and hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!

DO MEASURE YOUR ASSETS - when you're weighing yourself everyday to find out if you're gaining or losing weight, stop! Your weight is dependent on a lot of factors: food intake, water retention, fat to muscle ratio, etc., etc.' etc... You know when you've gained weight... and you can tell... when your shirts get tighter, your pants are harder to zip and button up and nothing seems to fit! It means you gained a full size up. 

An athlete and couch potato can have the same weight at say, 150 lbs. However, their bodies use calories differently. The more muscles one has, the higher the metabolic rate. Ergo, the athlete burns more calories even while at rest by virtue of the amount of muscles he has packed on. That's optimizing your calories. The fat guy stores the calories as fat... to be burned and used up later when he decides he wants to leave the couch he's laying on and lift something heavier than the TV's remote control.

NEVER TOO LATE! If you've resolved to keep fit at a young age you have a lifetime of strength and stamina to live on. Congratulations! Although genetics dictates how well your health goes and how long you'll live, a fitness lifestyle gives you an edge on the quality of life you will live. Everyone grows old and eventually passes on... true. However, it doesn't mean you're doomed if you've stumbled into a fitness lifestyle in your late 20's -early 40'2. Any age is a good time to start exercising... I started when I was dancing in my teens (back then I was 120-130 lbs)...

I'm 53 now... I'm 5'10" at 147 pounds. Blood sugar count at 108. Blood pressure is 120/90. I'm working on reducing my fat ratio to a lean 10%. I'm not perfect but I'm as fit as I'll ever be... =)

John and Yoko

Sarita is back in circulation. She was home in Coron for a while and when she got back to Manila she had a friend from high school to entertain who happens to be on holiday. I, on the other hand, celebrated my birthday just yesterday. So Sarita decided to call another friend ( Fides) and organized a lunch at Greenbelt 5. The restaurant had not been named until Mama June and I arrived in the area.

Sarita 

Then Fides arrived a few minutes later. Fides and I celebrate our birthdays exactly a month apart. Then Jojo arrived from his office. Jojo was available to join us for lunch. His office was set to re-launch operations after  a lengthy renovation. The launch was to be in the afternoon. And then  as we were partaking of the feast in comes Leslie. So the party of five was complete. Fides, June, Sarita, myself, Jojo and Leslie (in that order on the photo below)

John and Yoko is the  higher end restaurant that's owned and operated by Marvin Agustin who is more associated with his other chain of restos called Sumo Sam. But John and Yoko is a bit more glitzy... retro with a touch of 80's disco. The interiors a warmly lit but punctuated by purple neon. The seats have reproductions of period characters

Now, the food is the usual Japanese food fare but given some ooomph with different flavors that pop. For starters we had the Star Kani Salad. Crispy greens with a tangy vinaigrette complete with crab meat and mango balls. The interesting ingredient was the caramelized almond crumbs.

The Soba salad was quite delicate. Served cold as soba should be served the panco crumbs and slivers of silken tofu. The dressing was laced with Japanese shoyu (soy sauce). Buckwheat noodles were quite tasty with the shards of nori (seaweed) thrown in to the mix.

The Tuna and Salmon Sashimi were nicely and sliced a bit generously. Both were fresh and firm and when dipped in wasabi and soy. The slices have a substantial thickness to it unlike thinly sliced sashimi from other restaurants.

The Agedashi Tofu was tasty and salty as I like it to be. It needed a lot more pieces per serving though. The silken tofu was light and soft. I with the crust had been a  little thicker and crustier though.

Now the sushi came in three variants: California Maki, Dynamite sushi and Tuna Maki. The California Maki was pretty standard and I would have wanted a little more dusting of igarashi (fish roe). The dynamite roll was the one I liked best. The balance of spicy chilli was just right with the dipping sauce I made of wasabi and shoyu. The Kani sushi had delicate strips of crab on it and crisp lettuce as well.

The tempura was great. At least there was a lot of shrimp under the breading. I just was used to crispy panco on the outside so when I dip it in the ginger sauce it would still retain its  crispness a bit. The main surprise was the Bacon Dory. Slivers of cream dory were wrapped in bacon and drizzled with something almost like a tonkatsu sauce. That was a treat! Thanks, Sarita!!! Jojo's birthday is up next... let's see what's comin' up...