DOING DRESSAGE

It's been decades since I've attended an equestrian event. Three decades, actually. So when a friend invited me to attend a dressage event at the Manila Polo Club, I jumped at the opportunity to attend with them.

In my excitement, I left early to avoid the traffic at McKinley and set out to meet them at the rendezvous spot which was the Sanctuario de San Antonio at Forbes Park. The serenity of this Franciscan church belies the privacy of the community it serves. At the day of my visit, I spent time waiting for my friends at the parish office while weddings were taking place at the church. 

Well manicured gardens and seating areas near the community center had some human traffic and the flashy cars of both parishioners and wedding entourage were coming in and out with some regularity. The community center was obviously reserved for various activities of church organizations, you could hear the choir vocalizing in one of the upper rooms. At around the time I had decided to attend anticipated Mass, the invitees to the dressage were close by to pick us up.

It took all of five minutes and a few short turns to get to Manila Polo Club. An immediate turn to the right after the guard post and we were at the paddocks and stables area. Just as I remembered where it would be... I wasn't surprised to see a handful of spectators at the riding arena. After all, any equestrian event in this country is reserved and appreciated only by the very, very rich.

Dressage is a French term , most commonly translated to mean training, is a highly skilled form of rodong performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an "art" sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery.

Given the above definition, a rider and his horse starts out at the beginner level and goes through six other levels before they can reach the major tournaments as specified by the Federation Equestre Internationale, the international governing body for these events. After passing through these levels, they can, provided they become masters of the art move on to international levels of competition. The "small tour" has four categories: The Prix St. Georges, Level 1, Intermediate 1, Intermediate A and Intermediate B.  The "big tour" has three levels: Intermediate II, Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special.

Dressage is not a flashy event. Unlike show jumping, dressage is more like a drill. Think of it as a pas de deux between horse and rider. The rider directs the horse to go through a standard set of drills or steps given a specific time frame. Based of how well they complete the standard passages given, they are given a score ranging from zero to ten by each of the judges. So basically, the competition standard  is set not among the competitors but on how well each one completes the tasks. The competitors, although seeking a better routine than their counterparts, are more concerned on how their mount can do better for themselves.

On this given afternoon, there were four  who executed the standard gaits from walks, to trots, to canter... They never ever go on a full gallop. Set against the lush greenery of the Polo Club and the setting sun, the participants went through the necessary paces to accomplish the tasks at hand. It ended all too soon since there were just our group of six people, the four riders and their horses and just a few relatives of the participants ( whose family names sound like Manila's who's who). They were even surprised to see us watching the event. 

After exchanging some pleasantries, we made our leave and eventually came across former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto and Mrs. Romulo. We did the same thing asking to be photographed with the honorable couple as we did earlier with the riders. As quietly as we came in, we left the area and made our way back to EDSA where I took a ride home. Alas, I was born on the other side of the paddocks...

CARMINA BURANA

photo from Ballet Philippines archives*

When the curtain rises in a ballet production and there is no set, it can only mean one thing - the medium is the dance!

Such was the case in Carmina Burana, Ballet Philippines' opening salvo for the 49th Season. I attended the performance on a Saturday evening not expecting anything. Having trained and performed as a dancer with the company for many years, I know in my heart that all of the company's productions would be nothing short of spectacular. Was I surprised that they outdid themselves this time? Certainly!

Ronelson Yadao's Sama Sama; photo from Ballet Philippines archives

The show opened with Ronelson Yadao's choreography; Sama Sama, highlighting the company's male ensemble. It was a light-hearted piece showcasing how far the company's male dance technique has progressed this far. Very simple costumes in white tees and black jeans, undermine the fluidity and strength the men of Ballet Philippines has achieved. These guys are all young and at the height of their virility and they make the steps look so easy. That's the choreographer's trick! You really can't tell if the dancers are just hamming it up or just winging it... And boy, were they enjoying it. I can't help but notice how some of the dancers have improved. Danilo Dayo and John Ababon have earned their solo parts, I'd say. Even the male apprentices have managed to keep up with the principals in a fun, energetic number. Can't help but notice how Yadao also managed to incorporate some folk dance steps into the movement. The Coconut Nut segment was a noticeable ode to a "Maglalatik" deconstruct. This piece was a great curtain-raiser, I wouldn't be surprised if they included it as part of a repertoire for a tour.

Brando Miranda's Vivaldi Concerto; photo from Ballet Philippines archives*

Brando Miranda's Vivaldi Concerto, on the other hand, showcased the company's mettle in neo-classicism. Three couples performed in ensemble work and pas de deux. Katrene San Miguel, Monica Gana and Sarah Alejandro and respective partners Erl Sorilla, Lester Requindin and John Ababon flitted in and out of the stage with ease exhibiting nearly flawless partnering. The women sparkled in this piece enabled by the danseurs' steady support. Katrene was her usual "coquettey" self.  Monica was a picture of innocence and naivete. And Sarah was the strong woman of the world. Each of the ladies performed with great aplomb never faltering with their pirouettes en pointe. It helped, of course, that their partners never let them down. Some of the lifts were very risky but there were no second thoughts in their execution. The pressages and some overhead lifts made my heart skip a little bit but they were saved at the last minute which would have been unnoticeable to the trained eye. The piece ends as it began, all six dancers dancing together to guitar soloist' Aaron Biag's  melodious strains. Brando's  choreography remains as light and entertaining as ever.

Ronelson Yadao in Season of Flight; photo from Ballet Philippines archives*

Season of Flight by Norman Walker was first performed in June 1972. An abstract piece taking its inspiration from the movements of birds, this piece has been performed by the company to critical acclaim in its world tours. For this performance, the leads were ably performed by Ronelson Yadao, Eugene Obille and Jemima Reyes. It's refreshing to see Jemima dancing barefoot for a change. For once, she's not en pointe! We know she can be fearless when she's literally on her toes but dancing opposite Ronelson who is an accomplished modern dancer, she manages to stand her ground. Great casting for this one, really. The two have a chemistry that isn't hard to miss. Eugene Obille as the third wheel is a looming presence with his huge frame.  This is the piece that prepares the viewer for the piece d' resistance of the evening.  The younger company members form the corps d' ballet have been given the task of dancing in a Norman Walker choreography and they imbue the piece with a youthful quality that was less... heavy...

Carmina Burana by Alice Reyes, photo from Ballet Philippines archives*

After the interval came Alice Reyes' Carmina Burana.  Now, I'm not afraid to say how fortunate these young dancers are. Many years ago, as a young dancer being launched with the very first junior company called Ballet Philippines II, the other dance scholars and apprentices had to learn the Taberna section of Carmina Burana. We never got to perform it, though. Last minute changes had to be made and eventually the seniors did the piece for us. Decades later, Carmina Burana is  resurrected for the 49th Season to the delight of newer dancers and newer audiences alike. 

Carmina Burana; photo from Ballet Philippines archives*

Carl Orff's oratorio is a strong piece on its own. It has stood as an independent piece of music for centuries. Used as background music to highlight cinematic scenes, audiences are more familiar hearing Carmina Burana in epic battle scenes for big budgeted movies.  The company's principals and soloists were used to full effect on this choreography. Denise Parungao, Jemima Reyes, Sarah Alejandro, Ronelson Yadao, Victor Maguad, Lester Requindin along with the corps delivered the goods.  Writhing, nubile bodies either sporadically exploding in movement in scattered sections or moving in unison as one collective mass of human flesh, Alice Reyes mastery in choreography comes to the fore. She's able to relate a story using dance as a narrative... if only for this, then she deserves her title as National Artist!

Kudos also goes to the musicians that went along on this journey with the company. It was a tough repertoire to play and sing. The ABS-CBN Orchestra, Philippine Madrigal Singers, Our Lady of Fatima University Chorale, Kilyawan Boys Choir, guitarist Aaron Biag, baritone Noel Azcona and coloratura soprano Ma. Cristina Viguila- Navarro all had a share in making it a memorable evening. It was obvious that conductor Gerard Salonga has moved away from the shadow of his famous sister. He manages to steer his musicians to create moods for his audience with his artful musical direction. Lyrical pastoral scenes, almost comical pop tunes, reverberating choral crescendos all blended together with passionate dancing to climax into one brilliant performance. The only move-able set piece for Carmina Burana was a reconstruction from National Artist Salvador Bernal's original design. Apparently,  this set has remained as timeless as the dance piece. Everything comes together with exceptional lighting design from Katsch Catoy, no less.  The dancers' bronze skin is highlighted by soft amber while the set glows in fiery red in some sections. I just love it when all the elements come together in a cohesive performance.

Hold on to your season tickets, folks! Ballet Philippines'  49th Season  has only just begun...



*Official photographers for Ballet Philippines are Jojo Mamangun and Justin Alonte

NATURE TRIP WITH MAGSAYSAY AWARDEES II

It just recently occurred to me that I have never written about the National Museum of Natural History. This is the perfect time to do it since I am showing the rest of the  awardees around the museum for the entire morning. On this tour were the awardees and their companions, the security detail and the rest of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation staff involved in the tour.

Maria de Lourdes Martins Cruz of Timor Leste was one of seven children born to a coffee planter. She studied at a Jesuit school in Yogyakarta, Indonesia and eventually joined the Canossian Sisters but left before taking her final vows. She felt her calling was outside of the convent walls. She founded the Instituto Seculare Maun Alin Iha kristo (ISMAIK) that was dedicated to uploifting the poor through projects in health care,education, farming, animal husbandry, and other self-help initiatives. Notwithstanding the conflicts between the Indonesian and Timor-Leste militant armies in liberating the country from Indonesia, Mana Lou (as she is fondly called), crossed military lines and talked to Indonesian soldiers and refugees spreading a message of peace and solidarity and was allowed to establish a place of refuge in her father's coffee estate. eventually this was to grow to include a school for girls, orphanages, homes for the sick and a place where people of different religious beliefs and politics could find safety and peace. Her work has magnified into seven houses all over Timor Leste which is run by volunteers and are now referred to as "schools of life".

The simplicity of her approach to needs based problems has been effective in alleviating the plight of the poor in Timor Leste.

Vo Thi Huang Yen of Vietnam was born and raised in a remote village in Vietnam's Dong Nai province. Beset with polio at two and a half years of  age,  she refused to become  a dependent  due to her condition and rose above her malady. She pursued a degree in Agricultural Economics and also in Education from the Ho Chi Minh University. She also received a scholarship from the University of Kansas where she received a graduate degree in Human Development. Turning her back on opportunities in the U.S., she returned to Vietnam. These degrees tucked under her belt did not give her an advantage in her homeland. She was turned down in her first job application due to her condition. From then on, she established the Disability Research and Capacity Development (DRD) with three other persons with disability; whose aim was to create  an equal and non-discriminatory society for PWDs, To date, the DRD has helped  assist some 15,000 PWDS with skills and capacity building activities, scholarships, job placements, donations for assistive devices and computers, and using social media, a website on laws for the disabled, and a digital map showing PWD accessible public buildings.

She has recently obtained a doctorate degree from La Trobe University in Australia while directing activities of the DRD in Vietnam. Her inclusion in this year's roster of awardees affirms that her selfless dedication to improve the lives of the disabled, and increasing the opportunities for them in  Vietnam. 

Bharat Vatwani from India, is a psychologist by profession. Dining out with his wife one evening, both witnessed a  thin, unkempt, mentally ill person drinking water from a canal. They talked to the man, a mentally-afflicted college graduate,  took him to their clinic to be washed and treated and reunited him with his family. This led to the establishment of the Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation in 1988 aimed at rescuing  mentally ill persons living on the streets, providing free food, shelter and psychiatric treatment and eventually, returning them to their families. Starting with a 2 bedroom tenement house, they could only treat three people at a time. However, their work became public when they unknowingly treated a street person who was a Mumbai art professor who suddenly disappeared. Learning what the Vatwanis had done the school's faculty and students organized an art exhibit that raised US$22,357.00. The Vatwanis used this amount to buy property in Mumbai for a 20 bed facility in 1997. Private and corporate donations started to come in that helped them expand their work. By 2006, they have expanded operations to a 120 patient facility that spread in a 6.5 hectare property and had 5 buildings. They are now aided by police, social workers, and referrals. Their services range from personal hygiene, medical check-ups, psychological treatment, all done in the Karjat facility where they can engage in simple farming activities and in the multi-religious meditation center. 

Mr Vatwani's work comes as a much needed "shot in the arm" in rescuing the mentally ill destitute patients which are literally scorned by Indian society.

Sonam Wangchuk also from India comes from the province of Ladakh. He was one of the many children of a local leader, he had a difficult education  due to discrimination of minorities in the Kashmir region, schools lacked teaching equipment, teaching standards were poor, textbook content was locally irrelevant  and the medium of instruction was alien in the mountains. An engineering student at  the National Institute of Technology at 19, he tried to support himself by offering tutorial services to other students who were preparing for the national college matriculation examinations. Renting a hotel function room he advertised a coaching program that drew close to a hundred students. After graduating from  an engineering degree, he founded the Students' Education and cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) and started coaching Ladakhi students, 95% of whom used to fail the government exams. Piloted in a village school, the program involved training teachers in "creative, child-friendly and activity based education", introducing curricular changes to make subjects relevant to Ladakhi culture and context, prioritizing English over Urdu to prepare students for higher education and promoting the Ladakhi language. Event tually the program was adapted into 33 schools and became a veritable movement. He established the Operation New Hope in 1994 to expand and consolidate the partnership-driven  educational reform program.The program has already trained 700 teachers, 1,000 Village Education Committee (VEC) leaders. and dramatically improved the success rate of  students in matriculation exams from a mere 5%  in 1996 to 75% in 2015. in 1998, he opened the SECMOL school with a permanent faculty, volunteers, 300 students.  It is an alternative boarding school that also offers review, certificate and associate-level courses, rebuilds student confidence, develops life skills, revisits  the fundamentals and offers courses ranging from leadership training to solar power installation. His ideas and model programs have been adapted in educational systems in the Himalayan Belt as well as Switzerland.

Mr Wangchuk's contribution to Ladakhi Society underscores the need for adaptive learning and harnessing science and culture effectively to raise learning standards in his province.

We made our way to the National Museum of Natural History after our photo ops at the Rizal Monument and were welcomed at the rear entrance by the administration and staff of the museum and assigned to us was Lau de los Santos. The museum was designed in such a way that it highlights the flora and fauna of our country according to the elevation. Each floor features specimens from the stratospheric to the subterranean. We were welcomed by the president of the museum Mr. Ramon del Rosario. After the necessary introductions and another backgrounder into the museum by  guide Lau, photo ops for the group with the Tree of life as a background they were ushered to the fourth level where the tour was to start.

Incidentally, the museum building was designed by Antonio Toledo in 1930 and was formerly used as the Department of Agriculture and Commerce in 1940. The Department of Tourism  used the building as their headquarters until 2015 and later moved to their offices in Makati City. The building was then donated to the National Museum foundation and retrofitted under the design team of Architect Dominic Galicia and Interior Designer Tina Periquet. 

The rest of the party took the regular elevators and we met them at the gallery entrance. We toured each level dutifully allowing photo opportunities among the awardees as they admired the museum's grandeur. Truly, the Philippines is blessed with its rich biodiversity. From cloud rats, civet cats, bugs and butterflies, flying lemurs and bats, this museum does not fail to impress. At the canopy level were a myriad group of specimens: primates and birds, more rodents, snakes. as went lower through the galleries, we showed the guests the raison d' etre per room. Particularly interesting was the mangrove section and the class showcases for different plants. finally as we got to the ground level, we were ushered into the atrium where the skeleton of Lolong was displayed.  Along within that room were the recent discoveries of rhinoceros bones and arrowheads. These archeological discoveries displace the Tabon man as the earliest inhabitants of the Philippines. These remains date back 700,000 in our history.

Mr del Rosario requested us to view a short audio-visual presentation on the ground floor and then made the special announcement that the galleries that were still closed off to the public was available for us for special viewing. What a treat! I won't spoil the anticipation of those who want to see the closed galleries when they open so let's just pretend I didn't see anything...

After the closing commentaries. the party made its way to Greenbelt 1 in Makati for a sumptuous lunch hosted by the family of fellow awardee Mr. Howard Dee at Peking Garden. Special dishes were prepared for those who had dietary restrictions while the rest had crispy fried green salad with almonds, Peking duck breast wraps, mushroom saute, crispy Peking duck bones and a dessert of mango and tapioca. Lunch was a fun affair that lasted to mid-afternoon then before departure, the obligatory phot ops were taken before some of the guests proceeded to Greenhills for pearl shopping and the rests of the guests went to the Mall of Asia and some back to the hotel.

NATURE TRIP WITH MAGSAYSAY AWARDEES I

This is the third year I have done guiding duties for the awardees of Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. For sixty years now the foundation has ferreted out ordinary individuals who have, in their own simple way achieved extra ordinary things benefiting a larger base of people either from one community, province or country.  I am very fortunate to have done the guiding for them along with fellow Mabuhay Guide Yael Fernandez. This year, though, marks the maiden year that I will be showing them around Manila on my own. Apparently, Yael could not make it on this particular Sunday morning (2 September, 2018).

I have written about the Ramon Magsaysay Awards in previous posts. The institution serves to honor the memory of our third president of the Philippine republic who has distinguished himself as a paragon of socio-political change and moral fortitude. The board of directors of the foundation with Ms. Carmencita T. Abella at its helm gives citations to people whose singular vision, courage and strength have improved the situation, inspired the thinking, and changed the lives of a greater majority. This year's awardees have been conferred the RM Awards for their acts of compassion and selfless devotion to the cause they champion. The awards are given in formal ceremonies at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines on the 31st day of August coinciding with the ;ate president's birth anniversary.

Youk Chhang rreceiving his award (*photo credits to owner)

Officially, the tour started at nine a.m. with a short bus tour to the Rizal Monument for official photos. All the awardees were able to join the tour with the exception of Mr. Youk Chhang of Cambodia who went on a sentimental journey to retrace his steps when he moved to Bataan as a refugee in his younger years. A victim of the Khmer Rouge genocide that lasted from 1975-1979, his family was enslaved by the Khmer Rouge in a rural commune. He experienced torture and witnessed the death of his father, five of his siblings along with sixty of his relatives in the commune. At seventeen he was able to cross the Thai border to freedom and made his way to the United States where he earned a graduate degree in a political science after which he returned to Cambodia after the transition to a stable government to take on the task of documenting the horrors of  the Khmer Rouge regime. 

Mr Youk Chhang  (*photo from Wikipedia)

He has taken on the responsibility of collating vital information, evidence and research and documentation on the horrors in Cambodia during that period. His work has served as a basis for evidence for crimes against humanity and published and digitized for online public access, introduced digital mapping of over 23,000 mass grave diggings and countless interviews with both victims and perpetrators in ensuring that these events are never forgotten and that the future generations will never experience these horrors again. To date, he is establishing the Sleuk Rith Institute which will house a museum, archives, a library, research center; and a graduate program on crimes against humanity to sustain the Documentation  Center of Cambodia (DC-CAM) as a resource center for a world deeply scarred and still threatened by genocide. 

Youk Chhang (*Getty images)

Youk Chhang's personal tragedy not only serves to remind future generations of past horrors but wishes to transform it to a positive force in attaining and preserving justice in his nation and the world.

Mr. Howard Dee (*photo credits to the owner)

Also unable to experience the tour is Mr Howard Dee of the Philippines. Mr. Dee was born to a middle class Chinese family engaged in the lumber business based in Tondo, Manila. After completing his studies at the University of the East, he carved out a name for himself as a successful businessman as a shareholder of  Unilab which was a pioneering local pharmaceutical company. In 1970 he established the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), composed of business corporations that allotted 2% of their profits for social development.

Eventually, he left Unilab and PBSP and established the Assisi Development Foundation with Jesuit priest Francisco Araneta, S.J. The ADF has saved 10.5 million Filipinos with 4,123 projects. It incubated ASA Philippines in 2004 that has become the largest, best-performing micro-finance institutions in the country. Together with the Catholic Church, they started the Hapag-Asa, a integrated feeding program that has fed 1.8 million Filipino children. He also mobilized a concerted effort among corporate entities, civil society, media and church groups called Tabang Mindanao (Help Mindanao) that served to provide assistance of food, shelter, water systems,  farm support and health and education assistance to families displaced by the drought, armed conflict and deportation of Filipinos from Sabah. The ADF also took up the cudgels for the Indigenous Peoples of Mindanao through legislative and educational assistance, scholarship, leadership training and IP development programs, like the Pamulaan Center for Indigenous People's Education in Mindanao.

Mr Dee's mild demeanor yet, persevering spirit aids him in quietly working to establish a balanced solution to emergencies thus being a conduit to government assisted programs. He has been approached by government to lead peace-building and reform initiatives such as the National Peace Conference (1990-1992),  Peace Talks with Communist Party (1993-1994) and the Bangsamoro Basic Law Peace Council (2015). He has served for five Philippine administrations in four different capacities across sectral and party lines. Mr Dee was our host for lunch but since he was still suffering from a lingering malady. In his stead his children welcomed us and fellow  awardees to a sumptous lunch at the Peking Garden in Greenbelt I.

THE WRITE STUFF

I am fascinated with anything pre-colonial. I also happen to be a calligraphy enthusiast. And so when a Baybayin Seminar Workshop was posted on Facebook, I had no second thoughts about signing up for the event. Organized by the Social Sciences Club of the Philippine Normal University under the auspices of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the workshop was a half day affair that was open to the public. Surprisingly, there were other students from different universities in Manila who made the effort to join the workshop. I was, however, the only one past the half century mark. it was  rather amusing for the adviser of the Social Science Club;  Prof. Arsenia Gomez to have mistaken me for one of the speakers.

It wasn't difficult to find the venue. The Geronima T. Pecson auditorium is right smack on the second floor of the  main building. The security were friendly and well-informed of the event. I just needed to sign on the master list when they could not find my name on the master list and they waved me through. Like any other school program, it didn't start on time. They had to wait a little for  the two speakers to arrive and then a little more for some of the students of the other universities. By two p.m., the national anthem was played and an invocation followed.

The first speaker was Mr. Leo M. Batoon of the National Museum. His presentation, The Origins and Prospects of Baybayin, was indeed an eye-opener. He clarifies the differences between baybayin and the alphabet. Incidentally, the word "alibata" which referred to our particular script is a misnomer. The term itself  is a coined word referring to the alphabet: the first three letters alpha and beta. Not quite an exact term for our way of communicating.  Baybayin is not an alphabet. Baybayin is a syllabary. An alphabet combines letters to form sounds... sounds into words    and words into ideas. Baybayin represents a syllable. They form words when put together according to the sound the words make. We spell words as pronounced  and so baybayin makes it easier for us to convey what we want.

Mr. Leo Batoon of the National Museum

Leo Batoon does one better by saying that Filipinos relied more on the spoken word and oral tradition to convey thoughts and emotions rather than write them down. Ergo, we have intangible world heritage traditions like the Hudhud of Ifugao, the Darangen of the Tausugs and the Hinilawod of Panay. These are passed on from one generation to the next by virtue of our oral tradition.

Our method of writing originated from the Hindu missionaries from India during the reign of King Ashoka (268-232 BC). This written script eventually filtered down to us by way of Indonesia.  And so, the script has undergone a modicum of adaptation and alteration. we developed Baybayin to become our own. And so the earliest evidence we have of our written script is the Laguna Copperplate that dates back to 900 A.D. Accidentally found in the river banks between Pila and Liliw, Laguna, the piece of metal relates how a slave and his family earned freedom by repaying their debt in gold. The next archeological find was the Butuan Ivory seal which was dated at 1002 A.D. The Ticao Tablet was found, then the Butuan Paleograph (14-15c). The most recent find was the Calatagan Clay pot that had baybayin inscribed around the pot's lip (15c.).

At the moment, four groups of indigenous people still use baybayin as a written form of communication.: Palawan, Tagbanua, Hanunoo Mangyans and Buhid Mangyan. The awareness for  baybayin is re-emerging. This interest has prompted no less than Representative  Leopoldo Bataoil to file House Bill 1022 seeking to make Baybayin as the National Writing System:

"The bill declares there is a need to promote, protect, preserve and conserve "Baybayin" as the National Writing System of the Philippines, using it as a tool for cultural and economic development to create a consciousness, respect and pride for the legacies of Filipino cultural history, heritage and the country's authentic identity."

• The bill also requires newspaper and magazine publishers to include a Baybayin translation of their name in Baybayin.

• Lastly, the measure shall direct the appropriate government agency to disseminate knowledge and information about Baybayin by distributing reading materials in all levels of public and private educational institutions and government and private agencies and offices.

• Bataoil said that this shall instil awareness of Baybayin as the national writing system and to conduct staff trainings for the proper handling of these documents.

• The NCCA is tasked to protect, preserve, and conserve Baybayin as a National Cultural Treasure.

 
• The NCCA, together with the DepEd, Department of Interior and Local Government, and Commission on Higher Education shall formulate the implementing rules and regulations of the bill.

The next speaker was Leo Emmanuel Castro. He is an accomplished artist (Hibla Sanghabi), an advocate of baybayin and an NGO administrator (Sanghabi). He further expounds on  Mr. Batoon's presentation with facts regarding the earliest acknowledgement by the Spaniards of Baybayin. 

• Mr Castro reinforces the early acknowledgement by the Spaniards in 1613 when the term baybayin is mentioned in the Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala.
• The term alibata was coined by Paul Versoza (1913) taking into account the first three letters of the Arabic script; alef ba ta, because it oddly looked similar to the arabic. While the alphabet is coined from the first two letters "alpha" and "beta" taken from the Greeks.
• Spanish historians Fr. Pedro Chirino, S.J. and Antonio de Morga notes in their own accounts that Filipinos had established their own method of writing that was easy to learn and that everyone could read. However, Mr. Castro avers that writing was a personal pre-occupation amongst friends and acquaintances. And that baybayin had its counterparts in  other regions. In Ilocos the scriptis known as "kurditan". In the Visayas, it was called "badlitan" while in Pampangathey called it "kulitan"
• The very first book printed in the Philippines in 1593, Doctrina Christiana were printed iin Spanish, Tagalog and Baybayin

And so, as an artist, educator and advocate of baybayin, Mr. Castro taught the participants the mechanics of learning how to write in baybayin. In more than 15 years of writing and teacing baybayin to enthusiasts and now, millenials he is such an expet at baybayin he doeasn't need to copy the symbols from a "codigo". It is worth remembering that baybayin is phonetic. Ergo, the words are spelled as pronounced. It is therefore possible to apply the use of  baybayin for other languages. Consisting of only 17 syllables, putting them together is easy to recall. To pause for a sentence a slash/line is drawn (/). To end a statement, the slash or line is doubled (//) . To indicate an a strong or mellow accent, a symbol (>) is placed above or below the syllable. The use of Baybayin actually progressed into the Spanish colonial era. The Spanish friars actually added the symbol(+) beneath or at the right of the syllable to indicate that a syllable's letter can stand alone along with other syllable to spell a word. Since there were no punctuation marks, the syllable ba was used to mark an interrogative statement.

I had so much fun learning how to write in baybayin in one afternoon that I now spend at least 30 minutes a day using it to write words.After all, once baybayin in re-introduced into the mainstream, one should be able to understand what the syllabary really means. I actually appreciate it for its simplicity and fluid lines. Once it gets re-introduced into our school system, it will be seen in all public places and in dailies and transport. My experience tells me I should practice more...

MOROCCANS IN MANILA

Mention Morocco to any individual and immediately, they conjure up exotic images of grand mosques, starry nights in the desert, romantic escapades on a dromedary's back, a cacophony of smells and sounds in a busy market place,  or a wistful love story of a helpless heroine desperately falling for a masculine sheik as pictured in those paperback romance novels. Whatever it is, Morocco is on my bucket list.

I have had the privilege of meeting and touring the ambassador of Morocco; His excellency Ambassador Fassi along with his friend, Mr Jacinto around Intramuros. Eventually, it led to two more tours when his wife and son swung by Manila during Spring break and when his in-laws arrived for a short holiday. Another opportunity came up when I received a call from Ms Lulu Casas to guide guests of the Rustan's Group of Companies around a rainy Manila at the height of the monsoon season.

Head of delegation is  Mr Khalid Fathi (Director, Moroccan National Tourist Office in China), Mr Mchachti Adbelaziz and wife Mrs Belmoudden Kharmisssa, Mr, Charhaoui Youssef, Mr. El Azali Soufiane, Mr Issarghine Badr and Mr. Chaaroun Zakaria. Unfortunately, the only English speaking member of the group and the lady guest opted to stay in the hotel and the gentlemen who went on the trip neither spoke nor understood any English. I don't speak Arabic but broke ground with my faltering French and passable Spanish. That's how the commentaries were   delivered and we got the tour underway. This was a fun group of young guys accompanied by a more mature gentleman who served as our interpreter. I spoke in Spanish and he would relay the commentaries in either French or Berber. We stopped in the parking area near Harbor Square at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex after  going through the Mall of Asia and the sites at CCP. It was odd for me to witness non-Filipinos to whip out their mobile phones and start taking selfies. That was really amusing but i made an offer to take their photos with the marina as their backdrop.

From there, we went to the Rizal Monument where obligatory photos were taken and they even had photos taken steering a calesa. the rains remained intermittent but the group's mood was lightening. someone asked if there were mosques in Manila. I took my queue from there and asked the driver to take us to Quiapo where the Ahlan Wassalan Grand Mosque is located. Apparently, they had wanted to do morning prayers in the mosque where our Muslim brothers welcomed them with open arms. Then it was off to Intramuros where I showed them around San Agustin church. They were receptive to seeing the church, taking photos in the contemplation garden. Meanwhile, my interpreter showed a lot of interest in the details of the vestments and the religious artifacts. Apparently he is himself, an artisano... a jeweller by trade. It had started raiining again so this group called it a day and headed back for a luncheon with Ambassador Tantoco at Rustan's in Makati.

The second group of Moroccans happened to be a smaller group. This time, they spoke English and so there was no language barrier at all. My guests on this Sunday were Fatim Zarah Ettalbi, her brother Mohammed Ettalbi and Houda Touil. Zarah is a fashion designer whose line of clothing is making its maiden appearance in Rustan's super stores. Her fashion label is Zain. It introduces traditional Moroccan design aesthetics updated to fit the modern woman. The luxe label aims to preserve traditional weaves and embroidery that will help empower women in Moroccan rural areas.

Designer Fatim Zarah Ettalbi and her collection. *photo from Metro.Style

I met them at the lobby of   the Ayala Museum to view the Gold of Our Ancestors collection which I am very proud to show to visitors to the country. They marvelled at the craftsmanship of the jewelry pieces and inspected the details on some featured pieces under magnifying glass. Right next to the gold collection is the textile exhibit which we pored over with sheer interest. At the start of the exhibit, we started talking about the embroidery and the detail of the head scarves. The Arab influences in the design did not escape them. It actually became a point of interest in our discussions. 

Moroccan designer Fatim Zarah Ettalbi. Photo from Metro Style*

The Moorish- Spanish connection and the Hindu-Arab-Spanish-Manila connection as far as influences could not be denied. They observed this fact when I showed them around the Ayala Museum's dioramas. These Moorish influences reached Manila when Hindu  and Arab traders introduced the Islam religion way before the arrival of the Spaniards around the tenth century. On their part, The Moors were in Morocco up to the time that they conquered Spain for eight hundred years. And so the cross-cultural exchanges continued unabated. The design influences in Spain and the Philippines has many similarities... even words for garments surprisingly sound almost alike. The Moroccan word for trousers is sarawal... is it any different from our own term salawal?

We then went to the National Museum of Anthropology where I showed them the textile exhibits. We talked about the same back-strap looms and the embellishments on the Muslim garments from the south of the Philippines. Apparently, we follow a certain pattern in the manner of adornment and design very uncannily similar to theirs. That made the tour more meaningful on my part. Distant  as Morocco and Manila may seem...there is a continuing thread in our histories that bind us together! Zain is now available at Rustan's. 

                                               

*photo from Metro.Style

PERRY'S PASSION

I call her Tita P out of respect and love. In truth, there isn't much of an age difference between us. It just so happens that I had her as my mentor and close confidant in my journey as a dance artist. Perry Sevidal started her early dance training with Effie Nanas School of Ballet and then eventually ended up with what was then known as the CCP Dance Company (now Ballet Philippines). She paid her dues as a dance artist and reached her status as soloist. Chances are, if there was a need for demi- character roles, she would get it. She is fleet-footed and has the gift of a quick pick-up allowing her to learn her pieces in an instant. She was everybody's pixie, fairy, cygnet and columbine doll rolled into one. Roles she mastered through her stint until she eventually decided  to bid farewell to the company.

Perry's love affair with dance stretches out through a few decades and she is still at it! I was delighted to get an invite to her recent dance recital at the CCP Little Theater and promised to see her show. When she left Ballet Philippines she decided to put up a small dance school in Makati. Her first venture was promising considering there weren't that many schools back then. From a converted warehouse near the railway close to Buendia, she transferred to another spot close by on the top floor of a building and then she moved to her current dance studio along Sampaloc Street in San Antonio Village, Makati. This one is her very own spot. Her studio has a viewing gallery above the dance floor where excited moms can watch their little girls in tutus twirl around to classical music. The studio is a marvel in design. She can elect to take everything apart and pack it away if she does decide to change location; which she hopefully will not do.

This recent recital of Tita P is rather special. It is her 24th Summer Dance Workshop Recital! Yes, the lady has never left the dance world. It's amazing for an independent dance school to survive for nearly a quarter of a century. Tita P has almost single-handedly run the operations of her school with the aid of important and current stars of the ballet-world. She was kind enough to give me the opportunity to design some of her recital costumes in the early years; a task which I took to heart because it gave me the opportunity to explore my creativity. Thank you for that, Tita P. This time around, it is her nephew Michael Miguel who designed her La Bayadere/Rio themed costumes.

The first part of the recital showed dance students of various levels dance to melodic strains of the tragic Indian love story of a doomed temple dancer (Nikiya) and a noble prince (Solor).  The Minkus score is very dramatic with peaks at certain points that are highlighted by strong bravura variations. Thankfully, her soloists and leads were up to par with their dance technique. Nothing can be more disappointing than seeing knock-knee'd dancers and girls dancing off-center. But starting at a young age with Tita P as their dance instructress, these dancers have obviously been trained well. The baby ballet class and the two boys were lovable! There are some girls that are being groomed for bigger future roles and will probably end up in the big three dance companies of the Philippines if not abroad. Solor and Nikiya essayed their roles bravely despite the opening jitters. I see a bright future ahead of them.

The second part of the recital is where everybody tends to relax and just enjoy their performance. The contemporary/modern dance sections danced to the upbeat soundtrack of Rio. It was here where some of Tita P's former dance students paid it forward by being hip-hop, jazz, tap, modern ballet dance teachers along with Ballet Philippines dance artists Gia Gequinto, Earl Sorilla and Sarah Alejandro and Lester Requindin. Katsch Catoy's lighting is another marvel to behold while Teacher Marissa Aboitiz' rousing finale elicited animated applause from the audience. This is the part where kids dance all out gyrating and contorting their bodies to Brazilian beats. This was indeed fun, but at one point, in comes Tita P in her "duster" and  laundry basin dancing to Pilita Corrales' "Dahil Sa Iyo" as choreographed by Earl Sorilla. That number brought the house down, although it only added to the high energy of kids doing their thing on stage. Obviously, everyone was having fun.

This is where Perry Sevidal Ballet stands out as a school. Everyone knows that ballet equals discipline! Tita P's love for children and her innate passion to share her art to the younger generation inspires them to dance well and do their best. I didn't see the usual baby ballerina bawling her eyes out on stage. No stage fright here! It's just Tita P drawing out the same passion she has from her "kids". If the kids love her, so do the mothers. Some of them have even enrolled in their Adult Ballet courses. Why shouldn't they? They're already there watching their kids learn to dance. It's a perfect mother-daughter bonding avenue.

From here, Perry Sevidal Ballet can only move forward... They start training again today, 16 June, 2018. This is the start of their 25th year as a dance school. No mean feat considering she has developed dancers to become members of the professional ballet companies in the country today. The others who, for some reason, could no longer become performers give back by teaching the younger basic ballet classes. And those of us, who neither perform nor teach have continued to keep in touch with her and watch some of her recitals. If there's anything I learned from her, it's that passion is contagious...