Posts Tagged ‘the philippines’

Mindanao Art Artists’ Chance

Usually, it is the Manila based art artists were given chance to show their talents and works on both local and international prestigious painting exhibitions, but now the Mindanao based art artists were given once in a lifetime chance to show off their hidden talents and works which was usually neglected, not known, and eclipse by the work of the Luzon based art artists.

Thanks to Brenart International who accommodates Filipino Mindanao Art artists to do an exhibit in their premier art galleries in Belgium. Yes Brenart International is premier art galleries in Belgium.

The painting exhibit is entitled “Tanaw Mindanao”, which show cases of course the art works of four Mindanao artists, namely Rameer Tawasil, Joel Geolamen, Kublai Ponce-Millan and National Artist for Visual Arts Abdulmari Asia Imao.

The painting exhibit on Brenart International will be special because this is the first time a Filipino art works will be featured on the galleries of Brenart International wherein mostly a Belgian art works, the pre-Columbian, ancient Oriental and African arts are displayed or exhibited. So, it is really a very rare chance among Filipino art artists and even more the Filipino art works are Mindanao’s best art artists’ masterpieces wherein their audiences are European people.

The Brand New Blames Of PNoy

Blame, blame, blame; excuse, excuse, excuse, is the way the Aquino administration is doing again as it was on his very first days blaming the former administration of this and that, without realizing that the nation will break into two by showing self-conceit. But most intelligent Filipinos laugh only at his empty self-conceit.

This blame and excuse mechanism of his administration have fueled more the Chinese government and the Chinese people into anger and bitterness toward the present Philippine government, wherein the Aquino administration blame the bloody failure of the tourist bus hostage incident at Manila to the Philippine National Police force and to the Media who cover live the incident, though in reality he is the primary responsible for the fiasco; For not only he is the president of the Philippines but also the Commander in Chief of the military and the police force. Thus, not only the Chinese were angry with him but also his fellow Filipinos for his lack of initiative and irresponsibleness.

How can the trauma of the Chinese people be healed, if PNoy will not step down from his seat as the Philippine president to show that as a leader he made mistake in leading the Philippines to a better path. Shame on him indeed, if he continue to show empty conceit and play blame game.

The Author of the “Pacific Rims” Book

Filipinos got used in a traditional book-launching by either their fellow Filipinos or international foreign author who came here in the Philippines to launch their books in the country, but recently both were merged. That is, a book launching authored by a foreign author but speaking in almost fluent Tagalog language. Is that amazing?

This interesting foreign author is a basketball fanatic named Rafe Bartholomew who just got curious about Filipinos success on sports arena who flew in the Philippines last 2005 wherein he created a book entitled “Pacific Rim”, as a proof of his good stay in the Philippines which supposedly to be only 1 year but becomes 3 years.

His book is about Philippine sports, particularly Philippine basketball, being him as a fan of basketball, which was released, not only in the Philippines but also in New York and San Francisco, wherein his book was greatly appreciated and patronized.

His almost fluent tagalong speech or way of speaking Tagalog language is one of the plus factor why Filipino book lovers were charm and got interested to buy his book wherein his never really disappoint the expectations, thus his book becomes a hit.

Why Eat Bulaga Stand Still?

There are a lot of noontime shows on different Philippine TV channels that comes and go, but Eat Bulaga remains standing for already 3 decades now; wonder what its secret?

A noontime show actually can be varied, that is, it could be a game show, a talk show, a kiddie show, a sitcom or a comedy show, a drama series, or even a news or educational show. However, in the Philippines, a noontime show is stereotype as a show that show cases variety of games and fun that covers the noontime slot from 12 noon until 2 p.m.; six times a week. This is has been for past 30 decades now and continually ruling the Philippine Television noontime slot wherein the first noontime show is not Eat Bulaga, but the Student Canteen show which primary aim then of the show is to entertain students eating on the canteen while they are having their lunch break. The Student Canteen is aired then on CBS Network (now ABS –CBN channel 2) which only last a 3 decades due to the CBS Network then was one of the Philippine TV Network that forced to go off air because of Martial Law or was forced by the Marcos Administration to be closed, while the RBS (now GMA channel 7) was left unclosed because it is just a mere Philippine TV network that showcases almost foreign shows on its time slots, just like RPN 9 today.

After the closing of the Student Canteen show, another show was formed and was aired on RBS network; and after this show, Eat Bulaga was born but it was not aired first on GMA channel 7 rather it was first aired on RPN 9, then move to ABS-CBN channel 2 and then finally to GMA channel  7

Eat Bulaga has been on 3 channels for many years and was never owned by any of the 3 channels it was aired (though ABS-CBN tries to buy it from TAPE –Television And Production Exponents, Inc, company but TAPE never sold it, thus they force to move Eat Bulaga to GMA Channel 7), rather it was owned by an independent company – the TAPE. And for this reason Eat Bulaga is just a mere concessionary show on the Philippine TV networks it was aired and not owned by the Philippine TV network itself, thus Eat Bulaga cannot be axed or off air by the Philippine TV network it was aired, despite if its TV ratings declines on the ground; the independent company who owns it will just move it into another Philippine TV channel for another brand new concessionary contract, if its ratings declines from the former TV network it was aired and if the former TV network it was aired and if the former TV network it was aired decided to end the contract of airing Eat Bulaga on their TV network.

So Eat Bulaga’s secret to 3 decades of success is not indeed a real secret anyway, rather it was just a pure business matters.

Quick Ticket To Stardom

“I want to be a star, quick!”, Yes, Sure.

The emergence of internet, especially the video uploading site, particularly YouTube, as well as the reality shows have swamp the Entertainment industry with disposable instant superstars which only last for 1 year or months of stardom wherein every year there is a brand new star and celebrity produced by the reality shows replacing the glittering stardom of the former winners, however some former winners are able to survive the competition and tightly cleaved on their distinct star quality which can never be eclipsed by any new comer emerging from where one also come forth.

In the Philippines, there is a star that was produced by a reality show in the Philippines wherein his star quality remain shining despite of all his successors in the reality show he come forth, that is Mr. Sam Milby. Sam Milby is the top and now very famous star and celebrity that come out from a reality show – Pinoy Big Brother-, according to the survey done among who is the most reality show produced stars that is continually making success in the Philippine Entertainment industry.

In the other hand, in terms of internet stardom, the only Filipino that emerges as a bigger and even international star resulting from her YouTube videos is of course – Ms. Charice Pempengco. The video uploading site has given her almost fainting star status in the defunct local talent search in the Philippines, a bigger and wider boost.

To summarize, though there are many channels and free platforms today in order to be famous and fabulous, the only thing that remains a star shining is his or her own distinct talent, wherein the new channels and platforms have just given their respective talents to be noticed in a larger and real scale without a lot of scripting and tailoring done in a commercialized talent show.

A  Pageantry of Tears and Cheers

Recently, the Philippines have experience a rare spectacle of mixture of tears and cheers almost within a succeeding days wherein the main audience is the world. What transpires within these days has been a talk of the town not only within the locals of the Philippines but in the world.

The momentous days are as follows:

August 21 – this day is suppose to be a solemn commemoration of the 27^th death anniversary of former Philippine senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino as well as the reminiscent of the People Power which was spark by his death, when the Philippine beauty pageant wolrd was shock by a news about the sudden death of 2009 Binibining Pilipinas International Melody Gersbach. She died in a car-bus collision accident.

The cheerful reminiscent of what Ninoy have done have been mixed with tears of bereavement for an untimely demise of a Filipina Beauty title holder.

August 23 – this is the day when the Philippines’s image was tainted with shame again by the bloody end of the failed attempt to end the tourist bus hostage drama which took the lives of 8 Chinese nationals and the life of ex-Filipino police officer hostage taker, wherein the Hong Kong government and Chinese people show great disappointment about what have happened; wherein, early hours before the hostage, the Chinese nationals as well as those passengers in the bus have a cheerful disposition seeing that they are bound for a relaxing and peaceful destination somewhere in the Philippines. However, their cheers become traumatic tears of sorrows and grief.

August 24 –On Manila time, Philippine bet for Miss Universe 2010 beauty pageant Maria Venus Raj have managed to be on the top 5 finalist and won the Miss Universe fourth-runner position, which brings great cheers and smile among Filipinos simultaneously with the shame, anger and sorrows Filipinos and Chinese felt about the bloody end of the bus hostage drama in Manila.

She managed to be in the Miss Universe 2010 pageant despite earlier months she was stripped of her crown as Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2010 because of a confused and attempt to send a genuine document proving she was indeed a pure Filipino citizen. But eventually she indeed able to manage, and still she indeed though her answer to the pageant question,”, major, major” was somewhat laugh of.

Up until these days, the pageantry of tears and cheers on the mentioned days still lingers: Is Nonoy worth voted for a Philippine presidency despite of the “kapalpakan”(clumsiness) that is happening on his first months of administration? Are the Filipino policemen under-trained, particularly on such incident? Is the Philippines still safe for foreign tourists?, and when will the wound or the trauma of the Chinese people and the Hong Kong country be healed against the Filipinos?

Finally, it is proven that a Filipina have still guts to win the Miss Universe pageant despite of some clumsiness along the pageant.

Housing Woes in the Philippines

Housing program is basically a never ending problem in the central point of the Philippine archipelago – Metro Manila Philippines. For it is where all class and types of Filipinos conglomerate into a congesting situation due to Manila is the center of commerce and industry wherein most Filipinos thought to gain a lot of opportunities for them to grow and progress financially and materially, thus squatting is rampant throughout Manila though there are spacious lots in their respective provinces wherein they could own it legally than just squatting which end up their houses being demolished because of lack of legal ownership of the lot or real estate their houses were erected.

However, though there are a lot of real estate communities being developed throughout the Philippines, it is inaccessible and can’t afford by a less learned and financially poor and destitute Filipinos, respectively. Yes, the Philippines then and up to present administration is trying and struggling to form an effective government housing program for the poor Filipinos to solve the congesting problem, basically on Metro Manila and to stop the battle between the lot owners and the Filipinos who love to squat on real estate properties they don’t legally own.

For every year, there is a struggle between the squatters and the house demolition team that demolished squatting houses on the lot of the real estate owner.

The Philippine government has settled some squatters that become homeless due to the demolition process into a government own house resettlement community which was founded and created by the government itself. However, these free housing programs have not yet solved the squatting problems.

What Went Wrong or the Way is Wrong?

The image of the Philippines in the world has been marred again by what happened on the bloody ending of the recent tourist bus hostage drama that happened at Rizal park, wherein some Hong Kong tourist nationals were greatly affected because some of them have lost their love ones and even have injured greatly by the hostage incident which of course outraged the Hong Kong citizens abroad. Who is the one who will not be outraged by the mishandling of the bus hostage drama that result the injury and death of their innocent fellow citizens? They have indeed a right to show bitterness toward Filipinos because the Filipinos become too irresponsible and clumsy on their treatment of the bus hostage drama.

Yes, the Filipino police has been so criticized and blame for their lack of effective tactics and schemes to end the hostage drama peacefully which they themselves publicly admit and even of course the New Philippine president –Pnoy- was blame due to as a president he stands as their military and police chief. So what was his directive or command, to kill the hostage taker? Why does the SWAT team decided to use sniper gun to shoot and kill the suspect? Are they doing this without the command of the New Philippine president or by the order of the new Philippine president which is their chief since they see and perceived the hostage taker as a mad police though he was a multi-awarded cop? Is their perception toward the hostage taker –Senior Insp. Rolando Mendoza- as a mad police, the reason why some of his request were not met and was shoot to kill, without considering that there are innocent people inside the bus that will be greatly affected if they kill the hostage taker? If this is so, truly it was indeed the mistake of the Filipino policemen and their Chief PNoy, as was reported that they admitted their failures.

Drive Green Drive

If you are living in a fully urbanized community whether in the Philippines or not, the fast and the furious modern lifestyle will cover your nostrils with smogs and smokes everywhere due to largely by continuing combusting of carbon dioxide of motorized vehicles, like your BMW, Ford, Honda or whatever you drive along the road. And due to this, the motor association of the Philippines has set a drive to drive green.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. ( CAMPI) is the one who set a green carpet to this green drive to promote and advocate clean and green driving in the Philippines through using alternative fuels for vehicles, like electricity, diesel, hybrid combination of recycled and bio materials that burns cleanly on the vehicle engines; fuel-efficiency that cut off extra cost for refueling your vehicles; and eco-driving tips like : 1.) regular car maintenance that use right specification of oil engine for one’s type of vehicle. 2.) Making a necessary adjustments for your driving needs, that is if your vehicle is not designed for heavy load driving, don’t stuff it with much unnecessary load because the additional weight could flat your wheels; and other adjustments like mapping ahead your road plans to avoid unnecessary stop-over. 3.) Don’t drive fast and reckless.4.) Know one’s limits. 5. Minimize the air-conditioning of your car and vehicle.

Actually the Chamber of Automotive Manufactures of the Philippine Inc (CAMPI) has set a 3^rd Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) having the motto: Drive the Green Road.

If you are interested in their advocates and wanted to know more you can get a copy of their “Green Motoring Guide” guide book at their office, since the motor show, I think, already ended.

Two Philippine Buses That Detours to Hell

Have the buses in the Philippines have jinx? Yes, another two bus disasters strikes the Philippine roads that shocks most Filipinos which happen consecutively on this month of August; Two buses that sheds blood of its passengers that is driving toward the grave of its passengers, as if the angel of death is with them.

The first Philippine bus that drives into hell is the Benguet bus that is bound for San Fernando La Union which came from Baguio city wherein it detours toward the ravine area of the Naguilan road last August 19, 2010 resulting into 41 corpses recovered from where the Benguet bus fell. The bus fell into grave bed because of a faulty brake, as it was reported.

The second Philippine bus that drives but got stranded into hell is the tourist tour bus that carries tourist Hong Kong nationals at Rizal park (Quirino Grand Stand) last August 23, 2010,that supposedly plan to visit a recreational place in Manila which turn out their supposed happy and relaxing trip into a very distressing and horrible trip to bloodshed when the bus was surprise hitched a ride by a former multi-awarded police named, Senior Insp. Rolando Mendoza wherein according to reports was falsely accused of a crime he did not commit and was dismissed from the office due to its which compels him into great disappointments, bitterness and madness that took the tour bus as his way to get attention from the Aquino government to help him in his case.

However, he was shot on the head by the SWAT team that resulted into his death, as well as the other tourist passengers were wounded and fell into death; without doing a clever tactics to end the bus hostage drama in a peaceful way without shedding any blood. How poor is their present tactics compare to other cases like this like the case of Jun Ducat which end the bus hostage drama in a peaceful way without shedding any blood.