pinay_mangatkatay

Of online chatting and virtual sex

2006-06-20T19:31:00.000+08:00

AFTER having defined the protocol for International Networking, the works of computer programmers Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn in coming up with a shared use of computers, in which packets of information are sent on from one computer network to another, have created today’s challenges in dire need to protect society from abuses brought about by the proliferation of online pornography and virtual prostitution.

The Internet, The Web

The design of the Internet was done in 1973 and published in 1974. There ensued about 10 years of hard work, resulting in the roll out of the Internet in 1983. Prior to that, a number of demonstrations were made of the technology – such as the first three-network interconnection demonstrated in November 1977 linking Satnet, Prnet, and Arpanet in a path leading from Menlo Park, California to University College London and back to the University of Southern California in Marina del Rey, this according to a FAQ site provided by Tim Berners-Lee who pioneered the global hypertext system.

While the Net is a network of networks, basically involving computers and cables for different sort of programs such as the electronic mail, the World Wide Web nicknamed Web is an abstract and or imaginary space of information. One finds computers on the Net. One finds documents, sounds, videos, a load of information on the Web with the use of different languages between computers called “protocols” to provide a service.

While people don’t really want to know about computers and cables, the word Internet has stuck more over the term Web. By making the Net useful, it is the Web that draws people to go online, marking an increase in real time use every year. With videoconferencing and streamed audio channels, and online gaming and chatting, people are observed to have become more and more interested in the Web. But while this accessibility to files of information has helped some in research works and other worthwhile purposes, it has also led to cyberprostitution operated mostly by foreign nationals, and the easy access of pornographic sites that open a conservative society like Cebu to the concept of bangbus (group sex), hentai-manga (sex cartoons), and virtual sex as done during chatting sessions in either the main room, over voice chat, and in private message boxes.

Internet use, chatting online

The United States tops the number of Internet users worldwide with 185,000,000 as of 2005. This means that 63 per 100 Americans were online last year. This was followed by densely populated China with 94,000,000 or seven active Net users per 100 Chinese. Japan tails with 64,160,000 or 50 per 100 Japanese.
Here in Cebu, it is estimated that in less than a week, close to five hundred people come to every Internet café that mostly has an available 20 computer units. Seeing that one wage earner has to save his keeps over a period of time of from one to two years to be able to buy a computer unit and complete peripherals that the average US citizen could buy for the price of a month’s salary, the scenario has inspired entrepreneurs in the putting up of Internet cafés around to deal with the specific needs of a captive market. As a regular chatter since 1997, I find the chatroom to be the most democratic venue for _expression you can ever find. There’s no one who can control it, except of course if the chatroom you are using is your own and you display it on “Public” mode or if you are connected to a chat channel with an active operator called in chat lingo as “chandman” such as ICQ or MiRC. But what’s most interesting in rooms (from Cebu Tambayan to OFW to Metro Manila Barkadahan) at the Yahoo Messenger chat channel is who’s trying to control it. There is the game of the forces of _expression to control operation versus the creative impulse to express.

Cybersex in the city

Long before an American was caught here for hiring women willing to simulate sex on web camera using sex toys – dildo, vibrator – and long before a woman was arrested in Minglanilla for having children pose nude in front of webcams in exchange for a certain amount from Caucasian customers, cybersex has already proliferated in Bislig, Surigao del Sur.
In fact, the report via a giant television network mentioned that Internet cafés in Bislig and other key cities in Mindanao have helped pump up the economy with more and more people utilizing available technology.

I tried to contact the president of the Internet Operators Association of Cebu to give his side to the issue on cybersex but he could not be reached for comment.
The exposé revealed of economics as the very reason why women – even married ones – would willingly strip before the webcam in exchange for payment done through quick money transfer firms. Though it was only recently that those into abuse of computer use were apprehended, obviously for lack of laws regulating cyber operations, cybersex has long been accepted into the sub-culture of online chatters. “Mas maayo ni dili mi masakit. Kaysa naman pakalat-kalat mi sa karsada,” says Jee, 22, of Poblacion, Minglanilla, a former guest relations officer who learned to chat the other year. “Mas maayo pud ni kay mga Amerikano man akong customers. Di man sila ma-shock nga makahibalo nga homosexual ko. Nya klaro pa gyud sila mobayad maskin ang ilang makita kay enhanced nga boobs,” butts in Hannah, 18, of Sangat, San Fernando but who frequents Jee’s place. Jee explained that it is wrong for authorities to go after Internet café operators because cybersex happens mostly within the confines of homes. “Kon naa sila’y angay gukdon kanang parehas ni Woolbright nga gihimo nang negosyo. Nag-hire na ug mga babaye. But for as long as the act is done in private, wala sila’y pakialam – example, nako – kon unsaon nako akong lawas.”

Last August, I met Choebe, 34, married with four children. She lives in Ibabao Estancia, Mandaue City. While I was also chatting online with my virtual boyfriends – two Pinoys and one Indian national studying in Australia – I noticed that Choebe’s husband Joe was there as her “official coach”. By the way, it is also another accepted culture in online chatting to have more than one boyfriend which one calls either “bana, kabit, lover, or fling.” Joe would tell Choebe to stand so her American virtual boyfriend would be able to get a good look at her figure. Then Joe would tell her to “show cleavage” and tease by raising her skirt up to “show some more skin”. And it is Joe who picks the “probable customers” and would tell Choebe to drop conversations with the rest whom he finds uninterested in “paying the asking price.” I learned from Choebe that she and Joe do chat for a living. “Pamugasay na gyud ni kay upat among anak, wa pud mi mga klarong trabaho. Nakabantay man akong pares (Joe) nga makakwarta ang uban kon maghubo atubangan sa mga Amerikano bisan gani yoyi (slang for homosexual). Sugot man gani sha magminyo ko ug Amerikano pero di lang mi magbuwag, padad-an lang daw nako sila ug ang mga bata ug kwarta.”

In Talisay, I learned of Dennis, 19, who has a virtual girlfriend in Australia named Irene, a Filipina married to an Aussie. Dennis said he got hooked to online chatting because Irene would now send money for his education. “Nindot ni naa pa tay uyab na usahay palami-an tag storya, nya naa pay sulod ang ATM,” he said with a mischievous smile.

While I was in Talamban, I noticed two men in their early 20s who were busy clicking on, trying to access a beautiful girl named Melanz in China, cajoling her to talk to them via the voice features. When asked why would they push around for one girl, they said, “pusta-anay mi asa’y una tabi-on ni Melanz sa PM (private message).” The two find chatting the easiest way to get a girlfriend. “Mas dali ipanguyab sa chat, gamay lang nga storya I love you na dayon. Nya sunod ana magtinawganay na’g langga or honey. Pero dali lang sad mabungkag kay daghan man pud sha’g kapilian sa iyang ka-chat.” Meanwhile, Mil, 46, separated, running a general merchandise store, frequents chatrooms in search of probable sex partners whether on the phone or for real. “Yeah, I must admit that I do have fears when it comes to hiring services of call girls or prostis. I invite girls to meet me or to have sex with me on the phone. Some do ask for a fee though. But most of the time I end up having everything for free. Maypa’g mo-chat.” Others come online simply to broaden a network of friends like Yammy, 36, of Gingoog City but who is already in Canaan, Connecticut; and sisters Aida, 45, and Dolly, 41, of Germany. Most of these people are overseas contract workers who are embattled by solitude and the longing for home and family. Talking with “kababayans” they say help them fend off boredom and deal with homesickness, just like Ji Pajaron, 32, from Hilongos, Leyte but who works as caregiver in Israel. There are also those who can’t talk about sex at home that they seek a venue where such is discussed in a no-holds-barred manner just like Fux, 18, of Bindoy, Negros Oriental and Onol, 20, of Cansojong, Talisay who both often end up asking me to indulge with them in sex chat. At Cebu Tambayan 2 which can be accessed by getting a Yahoo Messenger download and clicking on Chat: Regional, then Philippines channel, chatters are composed of a motley crew of beauties and beasts, the honest and reliable, the trickster and heel, the comic, the gross and weird, the conservative and perverts. I am a regular here and an organizer of the recent Grand Eyeball. At times, one could cluck a tongue at the absurdity of this whole enterprise happening 24/7 when online chatters in the guise of anonymity converge at this specific virtual room, as CT2 becomes the most democratic venue for _expression one can ever find. At a click of the mouse and punches on the keyboard, there is now that struggle for power as oftentimes the chatroom becomes a battlefield rather than a sanctuary of peace, a warzone rather than a pagod of prayer. Most of the time, discussions would go overboard and maniacal rather than the upholding of diplomacy. And yes, we do have more of the bad mouths than those sticking religiously to their lanes. But during the grand eyeball, we ended up with the conclusion that real time chatting or online chatting is beautiful and invincible in the new age. Like poetry, it seeks to intertwine justice and the arts to find the stability of truth. And because truth is very elusive in the chatroom, the grand eyeball provides a space for one to decipher whether one is a person or a myth. The event comes with the realization that when you click that person at the other end of the line, you will know he or she is for real because he or she doesn’t go overboard with this privilege of chatting in the guise of anonymity. (/30)

Grrrrrrrrr......what's wrong with us guys? (Part II)

2006-06-14T19:16:00.000+08:00

Today is the 60th commemoration of Philippine Independence Day since this was changed to June 12 from its original July 4 celebration. It was former President Diosdado Macapagal who deemed it proper to endorse to the Congress, through Proclamation No. 28, the urgency of enacting a measure to fix June 12 statutorily as Philippine Independence Day.

Two years after the endorsement on May 17, 1962, Republic Act 4166 changed the date to June 12, officially.

“The solemn ceremony of the raising of the Philippine flag and the lowering of the American flag in recognition of Philippine Independence by the United States in Luneta, Manila on July 4, 1946 was one of the momentous events in our history,” this according to writer Carminda Arevalo in her article “The hand that rocks the cradle”.

Arevalo explained that our flag stood as witness to the glorious events of our history. It encountered the most significant events in the Filipinos’ fight for freedom. Flying alone in the wind, it brings back the glory of our struggle, not only against invaders, but our question for a just and free society.

Two years ago I was in Butuan City for a tour when I so happened to notice a tattered national flag waving from a pole at the public plaza. To my disgust, upon noticing disrespect for the value of history upon which we as a people had won some kind of independence, I brought the matter to the attention of the chief of the Visitor/Tourist Information Center, which is just 15 meters away from the flagpole.

Having allowed the display of a tattered flag is, I reckon, an act of negligence on the part of the officials of the city and its cultural and historical office, putting their sense of patriotism and nationalism in question.

It is the weakest of alibi for them to reason out they failed to notice that a new flag is needed, and the strongest gesture of the lack of concern to have at least somebody mend the tattered part if purchase of a new flag is not covered by any governmental budget, put that way.

Recently, it is a pitiful sight that such predicament happened in our waters, in barangay Carreta, Cebu City where a tattered flag (grrrrrrr……) hang from the porch of the barangay hall. Imagine community officials one in allowing the display of that tattered flag? What do you think would that speak of community leaders?

And the greatest irony ever is that the tattered flag (grrrrrr….again!) flew on a National Flag Day, May 28.

Well, such could be taken as a communal expression of defiance to a reported poor governance of the incumbent administration maybe; but it still is a poor display of mockery at the state of this nation. Because how ever inefficient some of our leaders have become, such could not tarnish the spirit for which the national emblem stands for.

The flag remains to be a symbol of our nationhood, so that utmost respect and care should be given to such. Though this has been deliberately used in the wrong manner as what happened during some mass protests, the state of hopelessness that these mass actions would like to project should not overshadow what was atoned for to redeem our sense of independence.

***
ADDY BUDDY. “(Re: What’s wrong with us, guys? Part I) Yes a very tough and good question, ngano man gyud mag-ilog pag angkon nga sila naka-una pag-summit sa Everest? Ang importante naka-summit dili kung kinsa ang naka-una. On telenovela, yes sakto dyud imo observation, ang storyline bati, sobra ka-bakya so with other Tagalog movies na di gyud worth imo gastosan kay wa gyuy hinungdan. Btw, if we love to eat a day old chick, The FREEMAN one-day-old history isn’t good (online). Yes, true one-day old na sad ang The FREEMAN online issue today, I hope this can be corrected soonest.<ppoculan@aboitiz.com>; “I have come across your write-up on The FREEMAN regarding the site in Naga your group has identified for the mangrove reforestation. I remembered the article you wrote earlier this month on the same topic imploring the readers in supporting your plight of upholding the biodiversity of our shorelines. I am affiliated with the website www.istorya.net and we are a group of people who have somehow logged in to the site and shared our ideas. We have come up with various outreach programs and are continually looking for projects where we can channel the enthusiasm of combined adrenaline (for the lack of anything else to blame it on ). On reading the earlier article you penned, i had taken down your mobile number and e-mail address and had in mind to contact you in one way or another to ask if our group may be of any assistance in the event you might need additional manpower when have undertaken a project regarding the mangrove preservation initiative. The article you wrote has sparked an interest as to how we might initiate our own mangrove plantation project.” - Clarissa Mae “Mayyang” Derecho <ndai_mae@yahoo.com>.

TEXTPRESS URSELF. “Nice write-up bwt Butandings girl! Ur ryt, education cud play a vital role n d stoppage of fishng out our ocean giants, l8s educ8 our fshrmen b4 8s 2 l8. Anway I lyk ur courage 2 tackle dat issue bwt d ocean giants, 2 tel u karon pasad ko kblo how impt d r pala in our ecological balance. Thanks 4 d nfo, napukaw sad ako interes bec. we have samwhat similar probz. I am rily cncernd wd d illegal catching of pawikans here…” - Mel, Bantayan island 8-June, 09:39:46.; “Congrats 4 dat wel written colum u hav 2day. So u r bak 2 ur old excellent self instead of being d PR writer of bands – Rolex. Mobile phone numbers withheld.

Grrrrrrrrr......what's wrong with us guys? (Part I)

2006-06-14T19:14:00.000+08:00

All four Mondays of A Space in Space this month will tackle, in parts, acts unbecoming of human beings; man’s actions that provoke the conservationist, inflame the patriot, arouse a teeth gritting “grrrrrrrr” from a passionate climber, and enrage a televiewer for TV programs that continue to insult the intelligence.

First, there’s the bothering plight of the whale sharks - the “butandings” that thrive mostly in the waters of Donsol, Sorsogon. Sometimes, they are sighted in Visayan waters as they migrate to Australia.

Second concern is the flying of a tattered flag on a National Flag Day, May 28, to run until next Monday the 12th, Independence Day. Two years ago, I called the attention of the Visitor Information Center officer in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte for a tattered flag waving from a pole at the city plaza. After sometime, I couldn’t imagine it could also happen in my waters. Imagine barangay officials of Carreta one in allowing the display of a tattered flag? What would that speak of community leaders?

Well, such could be taken as a communal expression of defiance to a particular governance, maybe; but it still is a poor display of mockery at the state of this nation. Because how ever inefficient some of our leaders have become, such could not tarnish the spirit for which the emblem stands for.

The flag remains to be a symbol of our nationhood, so that utmost respect and care should be given to such. Though this has been deliberately used in the wrong manner as what happened during some mass protests, the state of hopelessness that these mass actions would like to project should not overshadow what was atoned for to redeem a sense of independence.

Third concern is on climbers who went up (or did they race?) on Everest, (though this was for the umpteenth time denied), came back questioned as to who really came first as if that was the only thing that’s important to do on Everest. What’s wrong with us guys? Far as I know, we climbers weren’t trained that way. We weren’t supposed to pit racing skills against fellow mountaineers, or test how far in projectile motion could our pees reach, as we only have our very own self to conquer. Mountain savvy taught us not only this one tangible, immutable and concrete love of the great outdoors, but also the golden principle “that climbing is not about reaching the summit all the time. It is knowing when to go down.” If indeed we Pinoys are one in putting our “first man” there, why were there two giant networks clawing and axing their way to Sagarmatha so desperately?

We climbers are supposed to teach others that there is so much about mountains that’s worth the try – the challenge, the camaraderie, the sense of mission. Climbing provides for us most of what have been missing in civvy streets. But now, with the claims on who had legitimately summitted first, aren’t we showing the world we have carried not backpacks there, but our division, literally on higher ground and in the international alpining arena?

Fourth grrrrrr: Geezzz, why can’t our telenovelas switch to more sensible storylines, and put an end to the bullshits of old-time soap-opera formula like themes on the fight for inheritance, killing the wife to gain possession of the man, kidnappings in struggle for power and stardom, Romeo-and-Juliet love affairs --- I would want to throw up to these “laspag, gasgas na” items!

Now back to the butandings. Though they serve as swimming testimonies to the fact that not all sharks attack, despite their 300 rows of teeth, these gentle ocean giants have suffered much too much from acts unbecoming of human beings.

Recently, fishermen towed a baby butanding, estimated to be about two years old yet, from seawaters of Mactan island to Talisay City.

The baby whale shark got killed obviously because of dehydration, exhaustion, and the loss of blood through wounds inflicted on it, most especially around its tail which was tied with a nylon cord. On local television, children were seen jumping on top of the dead baby butanding, others giving it a stomp, a pinch, a prick in a manner that speaks of the merger of curiosity and ignorance.

Weeks ago, another report on the death of a butanding in Montreal, Masbate enraged me. The whale shark sustained 13 wounds believed inflicted by either spears or bullets.

The argument raised on such carnage is economics-based – those fishermen have to survive, and thus have to catch the butanding for commodity, and also a source of income. The other point is on the poor education, or the lack of it, of these fishermen when it comes to man’s interconnectivity with the environment, the key role man plays in the ecosystem, and the call for man’s participation to preserve biodiversity.

Okay, so what’s the big fuss over carnage of butandings? Why would extend an empathy for such gentle ocean giants? Preservation of the largest, believed the oldest living fish, is beneficial in studying the effects of global warming on migratory fish and in determining the effects of pollution to plankton-feeding sea creatures.

Carnage and or poaching disrupts conservation efforts and the active compilation and tracking of these creatures that offer research little haul in understanding behavior, longevity, reproduction and benefits due to their solitude.

Besides, sharks are the apex predators in the sea, and their being on top of the ocean food chain reportedly makes them important. Apex predators prey upon healthy animals and thus, ensure diversity and control populations. When apex predators are eliminated from any area, such results to ecological imbalance. Sharks, as apex predators, maintain the health of the oceans – 4/5th of the planet’s surface. It has been pointed out that an ecological imbalance in the environment spanning 4/5th of the world could cause real problems for the other 1/5th.

Now, the big challenge is to bring behind bars environmental offenders or educate fishermen to reconsider the choice of butandings to appease hunger pangs.

***
TEXTPRESS URSELF! “hi maria, god bles u richly I like what u wrote. Yes, I agree wit u life s d coffee nt d cup (Re: LIFE IS COFFEE article) lif is beautiful its us dat unmake it not itself. – jrom 8-May-2006 22:38:34. Mobile phone number withheld.

"Bakasi" ug "Lansiao" gihukad sa Jimmycycle

2006-05-31T22:12:00.000+08:00

JIMMELOU DACLISON. Kining nag-antipara nga milumpong sa pagkagitarista ug pagkavokalista mogitik sa kwerdas sa iyang bag-ong gitara (tungod kay ang iyang karaang instrumento iya mang gibunal nga naghatod sa pagkapusgay niini atol sa usa ka mainitong pasundayag sa Minglanilla) aron kahatagan ug katagbawan ang mga sumusunod sa ilang mga kantang linawgaw nga giilang nagpasiugda sa pagkuyanap sa paningog nga Bisrock.

Si Jimmy mao ang tingog likod sa “Bakasi”, usa ka Sugbuano nga termino sa “eel”, kansang sabaw giisip nga makapalagsik sa pagkalalaki. Hinungdan man gani nga naikag si Jimmy nga suwaton ang mga benepisyo sa paghigop ug sabaw sa bakasi ug pagkaon sa unod niini nga nakahatag ug tugob nga kalagsik ug lahutay sa natad sa pakighilawas.

EXPEDITO SIABOC. Ang bahista sa pundok mas gusto nga tawgong Choyex Doyek. Ug susama kang Jimmy masiawon usab niyang giyagyag dihas “Pilok sa Kanding”, ang usa ka linawgaw nga pangantalita sa uban nga gusto gayud magpagamit ug intimate adult toys, ug ang “Lansiao”, nga laing matang sa sinabaw nga sud-an nga giisip nga makahatag ug dugang kabaskog alang niadtong buot mahimong kampeyon sa sangka sa kama.

ARNIEL ONG. Mas pilion niyang tawgong Potenciano sa wa mabutyag nga hinungdan. Ang iyang pagpakang sa concave metal plates nakahatag ug usa ka matang sa orgasmo matag jamming session ug linawas nga pasundayag.

Ang tulo ka mga tinun-an sa Cebu Institute of Technology nagkatapok ug nagkurambos ug mugna ug kanta ubos sa ngalang Jimmycycle ug giila nga usa sa mga pioneers sa Bisrock nga mga banda.

Ginamit ang mga impluwensiya sa Nirvana, Silverchair, Creed, Pearl Jam, Rivermaya ug Eraserheads, ang matag pasundayag sa Jimmycycle nahimong makalingaw ug tugob sa kinabuhi.

Sugdan nato kang Jimmy. Tawga siya’g Grungechy Boy. Unsa kaha ang nakapatukmod kaniya nga sudlon ang natad sa pagkanta? Sa usa ka pakighinabi, siya misaysay nga sa dihang diha pa siya sa grade school, usa ka higala mitudlo kaniya pagduyog pinaagi sa gitara. Usa usab siya ka sakop sa children’s choir kaniadto.

Sa dihang diha na siya sa high school, nahimo siyang sakop sa usa ka banda sa ilang tulunghaan. Nanukar sila ug mga covers sa mga kantang gipasikat sa Radiohead ug Eraserheads. Ug bisan pa man nga sa dihang ang E-heads ana-a sa kinapungkayan sa kasikat niadtong mga tungora, ang iyang dakong interes sa grunge music nga gipalambo sa bandang Nirvana, nahatod ning panahona ug nagpabiling kinaham niyang tipo sa musika.

Sa laing bahin, si Choyex gikan sa bandang “No Earth” ug matud pa nagsugod pagtukar sa bass guitar sa unang ang-ang sa kolehiyo. Siya nagkanayon nga kinaham gayud niya ang istilo sa mga kantang gipasikat sa NOFX, MxPx, Green Day, ug Blink 182. Gikahibalag ni Choyex silang Jimmy ug Potenciano sa usa ka pasundayag. Si Potenciano ug Jimmy maoy mingduol kaniya ug nangimbitar nga patukaron usab siya isip kauban sa tapok sa Jimmycycle. Tuod man nitunga si Choyex, apan atrasado na kining naabot sa ilang jamming session.

Usa ka sarkastikong Potenciano ang nagyawyaw: “Murag rockstar ang ani**l!” Si Jimmy, sa laing bahin, mikomento pagkahuman niadto ug “What the heck! Mo-uli dayon inig human sa gigs kay nagdali sa chicks pero wala’y chicks nga ebidensya. Sige lag pa choy-choy.”

Ug bisan pa man niini, nagka-bonding ang tulo ug nahilakip gyud si Potenciano sa pundok. Si Potenciano nagagikan sa bandang “5wounds” ug nagsugod sa iyang pakang-pakang sa drums sa dihang freshman pa usab sa kolehiyo. Iyang naila-ila niadto si Jimmy ug kauban ang iyang giilang sila si Archie Bautista ug Robert Luceno, nagkapundok sila aron kahatagan ug pagkaalim ang nagnangnang nga mga samad sa ilang dakong kasibot nga baklayon ang tunokong dalan paingon sa kalampusan. Si Potenciano nag-idolo sa Blink 182, Green Day, ug Wolfgang, gawas sa Nirvana, Rivermaya ug Silverchair isip musical influences.

Nakapugnit gayud ug pagtagad ang Jimmycycle gumikan sa ilang kantang nag-ulohan ug “Unsa Ning Tama-a?”, usa ka sarkastikong paagi sa pagsaway sa mga nahitumpayak sa paggamit ug illegal nga drugas: “Unsa ning tamaa, Wa' ko kasabot, Gusto kong mo kaon, Di ko ka tulon, Gusto kong matulog, Di ko ka tulog, Unsa ning tamaa, Wa' ko kasabot….ngano mang ni-enter? Wa man tay apil?”

Ug sa dihang nakalaksi na ug pagtagad ang Jimmycyle tungod sa mga makapatisngi nga dugukan sa ilang mga kanta, miapas na pud ug pagsakmit ug igo-igong requests ang “Peling Gwapa” ug “Kodigo”. Ang nahauna may kalabutan sa mga babayeng sobra ra kaayo ang pagsalig sa kaugalingon nga nagtoo nga maanyag sila, gisimba ug gipantasya sa kalalakihan, samtang ang naawahi atake sa mga tawong tapulan nga mahiligon sa paggama ug kodigo aron lang gayud makapasar sa usa ka pasulit o mga susama niini nga tumong ug tinguha.
Ang mga masabawong mga kanta sa Jimmycycle, gidihogan sa pag-aprubar sa nagkabaga niining mga sumusunod, nakatukmod usab sa pagsulbong sa lain pang mga tracks sa album sama sa “Lostrid”, “Barako”, “Tomboy”, ug “Emo Ako”. Ug niining tungora nagkanayon si Jimmy nga buot niyang ang Jimmycycle mahinumduman sa pagka-prangka ug pagkapintok sa mga mensahe sa ilang mga kanta tungod kay ila mang gipang-isa ang mga isyu nga dili sarang matuki kon ang atong katilingban padayong gawngan sa belo sa pagkatigpakaaron-ingnon.

Alang sa R18-rated nga lyrics ug website nga rated PG, mas pilion nako nga kamo na ang makasusi kon unsa ang ulohan sa ilang album nga mapalit sa Guerilla Wear Boutique, Mango Square Mall, Melrose Sports sa Raintree Mall ug A. Salonga Music Center sa SM City Cebu Mall. Susiha usab ang www.geocities.com/jimmycycle007 ug alang sa mga direct orders text 0917-6987722. Email o ipuno sila sa friendster: jimmycycle007@yahoo.com.

Sexuality tackled the wacky Jimmycycle way

2006-05-31T22:08:00.000+08:00

JIMMELOU DACLISON. This bespectacled guy with a chick-sounding name will strum strings of a new guitar (yes, because he had his aged guitar smashed in a euphoric performance at a recent Bisrock concert in Minglanilla) to allow an audience the mouthing of wacky songs that already dominated Bisrock airwaves for quite a time. Jimmy is the voice behind “Bakasi”, a Sugbuano term for “eel”, its soup treated an aphrodisiac. The very reason why Jimmycycle got interested in writing how some men would want their virility sustained the cheapest way – a slurp of “sabaw sa bakasi”.

EXPEDITO SIABOC. This bassist refused, and begged and prayed never to have his true name revealed, but sorry Choyex Doyek we have to stick to basic facts. And standard operating procedure dictates that when your story takes to the paper, the national identifications system becomes unnecessary as there is Jimmy who can provide details a text away (what’s the use of the unlimited short message service, by the way, highway?). Choyex Doyek is another person fond of discussing his sexuality the funny way, and he has a mouthful of that literally (hee-hee!) that are compiled in the songs “Pilok sa Kanding”, a playful look at intimate adult toys and “Lansiao”, another soupy serving of double meanings, from erection to dereliction.

ARNIEL ONG. Okay he prefers to be called Potenciano, for whatever that means. And he strikes concave metal plates with a clanging gusto, you won’t ever question his obsession for products labeled with a shimmering Zildjian. He caps the foreplay in every jamming session to give audience a Bisrock orgasm that is beyond definition – it takes a Bisrocker to understand another Bisrocker, that’s what!

The trio reports to school at the Cebu Institute of Technology. Choyex in his architecture classes, Potenciano in tinkering with computers for his computer engineering projects and Jimmy in his electronics and communications engineering pursuits. Collectively, they are Jimmycycle.

It was on that very first night as an observer at the Handuraw Events Café that I came to appreciate a Jimmycycle performance. You can just imagine three rockers with the power twice the figure. Power play might have been triggered by the combined influences of Nirvana, Silverchair, Creed, Pearl Jam, Rivermaya and Eraserheads that fuel such a drive for an enthusiastic, ecstatic and explosive performance, every time!

Okay let’s start with Jimmy. Call him Grungechy Boy. What ever pushed him to sing? He said that when he was in grade school, a friend taught him to play the guitars. He was a member of a children’s choir back then, and his friend and him were focused on playing the guitar for good, fine-tuning and polishing and honing a talent that they consider a life.

In high school, he was a member of a band in their school. They played some covers of Radiohead and Eraserheads (what’s with the head, Grungechy Boy?). Though the E-heads were at the summit of popularity that time, his big interest in grunge music like that propagated by Nirvana, until now makes it his favorite type of music, he said.

Meanwhile, Choyex was from the band “No Earth” and started playing bass in college as a freshman. He says he loves the music of NOFX, MxPx, Green Day, and Blink 182. Choyex and the two crossed into each other’s paths in one of their gigs. Potenciano and Jimmy approached him to play for Jimmycycle. But owwwww this guy came late during a jamming session.

A sarcastic Potenciano blurted out: “Murag rockstar ang ani**l!” Jimmy on the other hand would comment, “What the heck! Mo-uli dayon inig human sa gigs kay nagdali sa chicks pero wala’y chicks nga ebidensya. Sige lag pa choy-choy.”
Meanwhile, Potenciano was from the band “5wounds” and started to play drums also in college as a freshman. He met Jimmy and formed a band with a certain Archie Bautista and Robert Luceno and thus the sound of the “blistering of wounds”. They mentioned of Chuck Wagon Grill where they played regularly as members of Scream of Cebu’s Underground Music (SCUM). Potenciano looks back at Blink 182, Green Day, and Wolfgang, aside from Nirvana, Rivermaya and Silverchair as influences.

Jimmycycle also hit it good with “Unsa Ning Tama-a?”, a sarcastic song on illegal drug use: “Unsa ning tamaa, Wa' ko kasabot, Gusto kong mo kaon, Di ko ka tulon, Gusto kong matulog, Di ko ka tulog, Unsa ning tamaa, Wa' ko kasabot….ngano mang ni-enter? Wa man tay apil?”

As soon as Jimmycycle was recognized for the amusing subjects in their sound, “Peling Gwapa” and “Kodigo” also started picking up. The former is about women getting the feel and the “poor assumption” of being physically attractive and adored and wanted, while the latter swats those involved in making “kodigos” just so to pass an examination and the like.

The smorgasbord of soupy songs dashed with spicy attacks on people's goofiness, is capped by a cornucopia of other songs that slap us with biting realities, like that in “Lostrid”, “Barako”, “Tomboy”, and “Emo Ako” of which Jimmycycle would want to be remembered for being downright honest on tackling subjects that remain taboo to a society shrouded by the veil of Christendom.

Delivered the wacky way, Jimmycycle upheld a radical stand that human sexuality should not be a topic that would continue to suffer from incredible ignorance, confusion and misinformation. Negative attitudes toward sex and sexuality have proven to be more potent than ignorance in stunting the sexual and emotional lives of so many of our youngsters, resulting instead to teen pregnancy, early parenthood, abortion, drug/substance abuse, sexually transmitted/venereal diseases, suicide, and population explosion. This has happened over and over in time – like a cycle - as young people are unfortunate to have entered into a critical period of their life ignorant about the purpose of sex, confused about sexuality and guilty about gender preference.

It is the hope of the group that matters of sex and sexuality could be discussed among family councils, so problems could be prevented by accurate information and the constructive and positive messages about sexuality and love that their funny yet honest-to-goodness songs try to convey.

For R18-rated lyrics and site that’s rated PG, I reckon that you get a personal copy of their CD available at Guerilla Wear Boutique, Mango Square Mall, Melrose Sports at Raintree Mall and A. Salonga Music Center at SM City Cebu Mall and check www.geocities.com/jimmycycle007 instead. For direct orders text 0917-6987722. Email or add them at friendster: jimmycycle007@yahoo.com.

Glass of Dirt: Bisrock metalheads (in vernacular)

2006-05-31T21:52:00.000+08:00

Ang mga rockumentaries nagdokumento kon giunsa nga ang psychedelic rock, European classical music ug British blues, nga gitawag ug stylistic origins, naghatod sa pagkagama sa nagkalandrakas nga subgenres sa heavy metal gikan sa death ngadto sa doom, gikan sa folk ngadto sa trash; ug nakakulit ug dalan nga mahatod ang panagsambog nga nakapahimugso na usab sa Christian metal, funk, industrial, nu metal ug uban pa.

Ang 1970s nga istilo sa musika nga gitamod sa mga susama sa Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin ug ang tropa sa mga gitawag ug metal maniacs, nakaimpluwensya sa tawong tabunon – ug tuod man nakahatod sa ebolusyon sa Bisrock metal.

Heavy metal music - mao kini ang naglagubo kanunay sa utok nilang hardcore metaller Lawrence “Loloy” Amante (vocals and guitars), headbanger Great “Gege” Englis (drums) ug metalhead Warren Martinez (bass) nga naglangkob sa Bisrock metal band nga “Glass of Dirt”.

Ginamit ang impluwensya sa bandang Alice in Chains, Sound Garden, Metallica ug Black Sabbath, ang tulo mipahimugso sa paningog sa Glass of Dirt, ang giingong nag-inusarang heavy metaller sa Bisaya rock music scene.

"Malipayon kaayo mi nga naapil mi sa line-up sa mga bandang Bisrockers. Based on feedbacks sa among mga performances, duna nay nahinangop ug nakadayeg sa kabug-at sa among music nga impluwensiya sa death metal," saysay ni Loloy.

Ang Glass of Dirt nagdala sa bansagong “bug-at". Sa termino sa musika, nagpasabot kini ug “thick, heavy, guitar-and-drums-centered sound typical of metal music” nga mogamit ug “highly amplified distortion” sa gitara, sama sa buhaton ni Warren sa pagtukar niya ug “repeated riffs and pounding rhythms” nga gitimbangan sa “typical intentional gruff sounding vocals” nga gipahaum ni Loloy, ug sinambugan sa makapalayat-layat nga drumplay ni Gege.

Sa tuig 2005, sa dihang diha na ang Bisrock music genre apan dili pa lang susama karon nga pwerte nang paka-paka ug piti-piti gumikan sa kasibaw nga namugna niini, ang pundok nakabuhat na ug album nga may ulohang "Digest". Aduna kini 12 ka mga kanta, 7 niini nasulat sa Iningles, 4 sa Tinagalog, ug usa sa Sugbuanong pinulungan nga may titulong "Dragon".

Nahitabo kini human maghugpong ang mga pwersa nilang Gege sa “Onion Glass” ug Loloy ug Warren sa “Men on Patrol”, mga banda nga aktibo sa panahon sa Scream of Cebu Underground Music balik sa katapusang mga yugto sa dekada 90.

Ang "Digest" gisumite sa 93.1 Smash FM sa pamasin nga kon dili man tanang kanta matukar, ang “Dragon” makabugwak ug nagkayo-kayong pagtagad gikan sa mga tigpaminaw. Apan pakyas ang Dragon nga maapil sa playlist. Bisan pa man tuod ug wala’y lyrics nga binastos o pamalikas ang maong kanta, gibalibaran kini tungod sa gihulagway niining sitwasyon sa paggamit ug ginadiling drugas.

Apan sa tinood, ang Dragon matud pa ni Loloy, nga maoy naghablon sa mga pulong niini, usa ka atake sa mga nangaungo na’s makapakuyaig nga bisyo. Didto sa imong kuwarto/naglikit ka ug tissue/foil sinaw kaayo/pagbubo mo way yabo/Dagway nimo mura ug dragon/Ang imong lawas kabungkagon/Siga na kaayo, kalimutaw nimo/Hait na kaayo, tinutukan nimo..."

Midungag si Loloy nga nahimuot siya sa sangputanan sa pag-ban, “Ang naka-ironic lang gyud kay during our live performances, mas dali matiman-an sa mga tawo ang Dragon nga walay airplay sa radio kaysa kadtong mga kanta nga gipatukar sa radio. Duna man gyud gani mopalit sa among CD aron lang gyud madungog ang Dragon.”

Dinhi na nakaamgo ang Glass of Dirt sa impact sa mga kanta nga Binisaya.

“Mao gyud na ang nag-propel namo karon nga mo-prioritize gyud mi ug Binisaya nga kanta unya last option na lang nang English ug Tagalog," apas sumpay ni Warren sa gibuhiang pamahayag sa iyang duha ka bandmates.

Alang sa dungag nga kahibalo, e-mail glassofdirt@yahoo.com o bisita sa http://glassofdirt.multiply.com. Mapalit ang “Digest” sa Manu-Ent sa E-Mall ug JB Music sa SM City.

Dream Satellite for Manatad

2006-05-31T21:49:00.000+08:00

In earnest hopes of reaching out to indigent students in mountain barangays, The FREEMAN Foundation visited Manatad Elementary School in Sibonga town, which is part of Cebu's 1st district, located 50 kilometers southeast of Cebu City, or about an hour drive from the city, and another two-hour ride onboard a motorcycle-for-hire (habal-habal) from the Poblacion.

The purpose of the ocular inspection last February was to find out if the school could accommodate a television set in line with the foundation's special project, dubbed "Balik Eskwela", in coordination with Operation Damayan of the Philippine Star News' Dream Satellite Project in line with its 28th anniversary.

Three television sets are already in our Administration building which are scheduled for turnover to three school-beneficiaries in Sibonga, Bohol and Siquijor.

TF General Manager Melandro "Boy" Mendoza first came to barangay Manatad last year to supposedly hand over a Dream Satellite unit, as part of the multimedia tools that the company will be giving out to support the call for schools to come up with educational equipment aimed at improving teaching strategies and methodologies. However, the school doesn't have a proper place for the equipment.

Sir Boy even noticed that the pupils used empty cans of infant formula as improvised chairs. Thus, he suggested to the foundation for the possible procurement of chairs and tables and the launching of a drive to solicit cash donations to fund the repair of the school building.

Recently, the University of San Carlos Campus Lions Club donated a check for tables and chairs of six classrooms in response to an earlier report on the need for renovation of classrooms and procurement of new equipment in preparation for the Balik Eskwela project.

The check was formally turned over to Sir Boy early last week by club secretary Sheryl Antoinette Go and witnessed by club president Derek Go and club founder Devin Go with Janet Montenegro of TF Marketing department and
Ma. Faith Maroto of TF Circulation department.

Derek specified that the donation for tables and chairs for two classrooms were sourced out from club funds, while club member Jose Mari Gochangco donated said equipment for two classrooms, Devin for one classroom, and another club member Jason Yu for one classroom.

Also, in a meeting with Rep. Eduardo "Eddie" Rivera Gullas of the first district of Cebu, the congressman facilitated assistance through district engineer Daisy Toledo for the construction of a classroom to house the Dream Satellite unit.

Along with TFF Administrator Dr. Remedios Yap-Bacasmas, reporter Garry Lao, Maroto and Sir Boy, we presented the project proposal and glad to have already touched first base in the first phase of this project.

To give you an idea how miserable the state of the school is, I would cite the report of Liv Campo, stating that, "the public school seemed, at first glance, abandoned had it not been for the presence of pupils scurrying about the place waiting for their teachers to arrive."

“The steep path and the rains did not hinder the seven-man team to climb the mountains of Sibonga leading to the place where the said school nestled," the report went.

Upon reaching the place, the group was met by the sight of classrooms with broken windows. At a closer look inside each of the four dilapidated buildings, housing three classrooms, run-down desks and rickety chairs were noted.

According to Charity Peresores, the school’s Grade 3 teacher, these desks and chairs were even borrowed from the Sibonga Central School.

“Ako gyung gihangyo ang principal. Unya amo pa nang ipa-repair kay gubaon man,” Peresores said on the equipment that actually the mother school had discarded.

Meanwhile, a proposal will also be presented to Ms. Annalee Duran Flores, Mall Marketing Manager of SM City Cebu this week for the possible donation of educational tools like books for Grades 1 to 6.

The core group is scheduled to conduct an assessment on the number of enrollees and a consultation with parents and teachers for needed manpower during the construction of the building, and the scheduled fun day for the Balik Eskwela to happen in either late part of June or early part of July in line with The FREEMAN's 87th year in the community newspapering industry.

The foundation is also knocking on the hearts of TF readers to help provide school supplies for the pupils there. The foundation is also open for cash donations. Let me just remind the reading public that all donations must be coursed and accepted at The FREEMAN Foundation and will be issued official receipts. This policy is implemented to protect the foundation's integrity and the good intentions of you - donors.

Also, it has been decided that the foundation will accept all donations on behalf of patients and be the one to allocate specific funds to beneficiaries.

The decision was reached after having noticed that some unscrupulous individuals took advantage of the old scheme of accepting donations by not informing the foundation about the actual condition of the beneficiaries. As coordinator of this special project, I would not allow an inch of these kind of people to prey on the innate goodness of those who have been very supportive of our mission to be of service.

The foundation learned that some guardians and/or relatives of beneficiaries collected benefits for their patients even though these patients already died. Donors do not have to worry though because your donations are in good hands since it is the foundation itself that settles hospital bills and purchases medicines for the patients.

On how you could be of further help to indigent pupils in Manatad or to our sick indigent children, please email me at pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com, or text 0921-5323616. Thanks for living a purpose-driven life!

Glass of Dirt: Bisrock metalheads

2006-05-31T21:44:00.000+08:00

Rockumentaries documented how psychedelic rock, European classical music and British blues, as stylistic origins, led to the creation of various subgenres of heavy metal from death to doom, from folk to trash; as well as paved way to the fusion of from Christian to funk, and from industrial to nu metal.

The 1970s music style exemplified by the likes of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, among a host of metal maniacs, went on to influence the brown race - and had inspired the evolution of Bisrock metal.

Heavy metal music has constantly been in the heads of hardcore metaller Lawrence "Loloy" Amante (vocals and guitars), headbanger Great "Gege" Englis (drums), and metalhead Warren Martinez (bass) of Bisrock metal band "Glass of Dirt".

With the influences of Alice in Chains, Sound Garden, Metallica and Black Sabbath, the trio gave birth to the sound of Glass of Dirt, the only heavy metallers of their kind in the Bisaya rock music scene.

"Malipayon kaayo mi nga naapil mi sa line-up sa mga bandang Bisrockers. Based on feedbacks sa among mga performances, duna nay nahinangop ug nakadayeg sa kabug-at sa among music nga impluwensiya sa death metal," Loloy expressed.

Glass of Dirt is labeled "bug-at" for their thick, heavy, guitar-and-drums-centered sound typical of metal music that is characterized by the use of highly amplified distortion of guitars, like that of Warren's, with the playing of repeated riffs and pounding rhythms matched by the typical intentional gruff sounding vocals provided by Loloy, capped by Gege's drumplay.

According to Loloy, their "bug-at" sound becomes their edge as they don't have a musical match yet with other bands in the Bisrock world. This he likes because it is part of his desire to be known for their musicality and the accompanying sentiments of their songs, and not having to be pressured on satifying an audience.

"Ang among gusto nga masakyan nila among mga kanta, dili kay mo play mi para masatisfy sila or ang ilang mga requests because that defeats the purpose of our being an indie band," Gege added.

Sometime in 2005, at such a time when Bisrock has been there already but hasn't yet reached this so-called state of renaissance, the group was able to release independently an album entitled "Digest" with 12 songs, 7 of which are written in English, 4 in Tagalog and only one in the vernacular entitled "Dragon".

This was after Gege of "Onion Glass" merged with Loloy and Warren of "Men on Patrol". Said bands were part of the Scream of Cebu Underground Music scene back in the late 90s.

"Digest" was submitted to 93.1 Smash FM in the hope that if not all songs would be played, "Dragon" being delivered in Cebuano would create some pyromaniacal stirs over the airwaves. Unfortunately, Dragon wasn't able to make it to the playlist. Though the song doesn't contain any offensive or explicit lyrics, the notion on drugs is said to have been labelled by the station as "somewhat bothering".

With words woven by Loloy himself, Dragon is an attack on the physical physique of a person hooked on substance abuse. "Didto sa imong kuwarto/naglikit ka ug tissue/foil sinaw kaayo/pagbubo mo way yabo/Dagway nimo mura ug dragon/Ang imong lawas kabungkagon/Siga na kaayo, kalimutaw nimo/Hait na kaayo, tinutukan nimo..."

Though Dragon failed to make it to the airwaves, other tracks "Burns Inside" with its light-at-the-end-of-tunnel sort of message and "Nalilito" which Loloy described to be a kick-ass song got the approval of Ram "Milby" Dizon and Bré Ambungan - two disc jockeys who anchor "YourVoice, YourChoice Tingog Kabataan" program.

"Ang naka-ironic lang gyud kay during our live performances, mas dali matiman-an sa mga tawo ang Dragon nga walay airplay sa radio kaysa kadtong mga kanta nga gipatukar sa radio. Duna man gyud gani mopalit sa among CD aron lang gyud madungog ang Dragon," Loloy recounted.

It was then that Glass of Dirt realized the impact of songs in the vernacular.

"Mao gyud na ang nag-propel namo karon nga mo-prioritize gyud mi ug Binisaya nga kanta unya last option na lang nang English ug Tagalog," Warren said.

Now what's with the glass? The group explained that they chose the name as the properties of glass stood for their kind of music and mind frame.

"Like the hard material that can be made into many shapes, and like its being often clear but can also be made in colors, such speaks for the members of Glass and the songs we have written - transparent, relatively strong, heard-wearing, essentially inert, and biologically inactive material which can be formed with very smooth and impervious surfaces. These desirable properties lead to a great many uses of glass," Loloy explained.

"However, here comes our being brittle that when we break we become sharp shards, our weaknesses and the world's impurities all contribute to the making of a glass of dirt," he added.

"But these properties can be modified or even changed entirely with the addition of other compounds and the application of heat treatment. Our mistakes in the past we would like to share to our listeners because we would want our heavy metal influences to induce life-changing decisions," Loloy summed up.

Glass of Dirt thanks Smash FM and other Bisrock bands - like Jimmycycle which Loloy said was the first Bisrock band he heard with "Lansiao" for a start - and those supporters because although majority of their songs are in English and Tagalog, they are already recognized as part of the Bisrock community.

Right now, Glass of Dirt is preoccupied with writing new materials for a CD they are planning to release third quarter of this year. The 5-song Extended Play album would include "Basol" written by Gege and an unrecorded song "Kuyaig" penned by Loloy.

"Surprisingly, nahibaw-an na sa mga tawo during our live gigs unya wala pa gani namo na record sa studio nang Kuyaig," Loloy noted.

"Kuyaig" is another attack on how drug abuse would reduce one into another laughing stock, looks-wise, "nakuyaig na ka, nakuyaig na ka/pirti na gyung dauta/nakuyaig na ka/pirti na gyung niwanga/nadaut sa bisyo, natay-og ang ulo/undangi na ninyo/bisyo nga way ayo.

Meanwhile, Gege penned "Basol" based on what a relative had went through. "Naa na sad sila, wala'y laing mahimo kung di basolon ka/naa na sad sila/walay laing mahimo kung di paluhaon ka...O dulot sa bukog ang insulto, duot sa bukog ang pagtunto, sakto na."

Also, Glass of Dirt was tasked to write "Tingog sa Mamumuo" with help from the studio Vann Aznar, of another Bisrock band, "Gangrene", runs. The song was to become a theme song for dyLA's May 1 Labor Day celebration, it being associated with a labor group.

"Digest" was mixed at the Backyard Studio Project, while their EP album will be done at Zzubu Records. For more info, e-mail glassofdirt@yahoo.com, or visit http://glassofdirt.multiply.com. Get a copy of their "Digest" album at Manu-Ent at Elizabeth Mall and JB Music at SM City.

Get Ossified!

2006-05-31T21:28:00.000+08:00

Pleased by the perceived sense of concretion at the sound of the term “ossified” exploited by a Social Science professor in a discussion, Bernard Fario (vocals), Dante Taactaac (guitar), Ronnel Bual (bass), Jose Condor, Jr. (drums), and Rheggie Ybañez (keyboards) grouped to the inspiration provided by Bisrock music and christened their band “Ossified!” – to stand firm and unified to the call on making music, whatever challenges this decision might pose.

Unlike other band members who started making music in some neighborhood, these teeners’ musicality bloomed when their paths crossed at the University of Cebu main campus. As engineering students they started the “bond to band” upon realizing that they all have the inclination to create music, a common denominator that draws them together.

Fario, who stands as big brother, main man, songwriter, and spokesperson of the group rolled in a heap of a bundle, shared that they first learned the medical term “ossification” from their college instructor who taught “Rizal’s Life and Works”.

“We kind of like the sound of it and the sternness implied by its meaning,” says Fario.

In medical terms, ossification is the process of bone formation, in which connective tissues, such as cartilage are turned to bone or bone-like tissue. The ossified tissue is invaginated with blood vessels. These blood vessels bring minerals like calcium and deposit it in the ossifying tissue. It is thought that this process led to bone as a structural element in vertebrates.

As for the band, the word means to become rigid in habits and in opinions when facing the challenges in pursuing their passion, their kind of music. And coupled with the growing resentment demonstrated by their parents to the concept of band-ing, the youngsters’ bulldog tenacity to pursue their musicality has also been dared.

According to Ms. Zarah Smith of Handuraw Events Café, a haven of artists, where I first watched a live Ossified! performance, the band is “makalingaw” as Fario catches attention with his antics more than his “Hagtik Titik” orientation, pertaining to literary works, at the Lakandiwa, the school organ of the University of Cebu. Together with Dante, Ronnel, Jose and Rheggie, a buffoon-like Fario performs with so much life in an intermittent display of antics, faces, hoots, grooves, shaking and jiggling, and trembling as though shocked with volts of current.

As a songwriter with his poetic heart, he penned sweet lines typical of “Balitaw” that later on achieved stereophonic appeal with the help of the other four, and thus the birth of carrier “Deep Pressed” of an album in the making entitled “Ma’da ra’g Smile”. They may not be as musically advanced as other bands considering that their song materials are still in the raw, but the boys at such young ages are already bent on trailblazing for the blossoming of cultural revival.
Appreciation of the legacy of the Balitaw, which is a mark of the musicality of the Visayans as kundiman is to the Tagalogs and dal’lot is to the Ilocanos, is one of the challenges they have to incorporate into their creations while thriving to carve a name in the Bisaya rock music scene that has now found a niche in mainstream music.

Fario takes care of the verses, the rest of the Ossified! pack provides tunes.
“Sometimes we chipped in a few lines, but we really leave it up to Fario because he is more of a son of the plume,” Rheggie pointed out.

Fario said he wrote most of the lines of four songs, they have completed, in two hours at max, arranging the marriage of thoughts and emotions.

The would-be carrier track in their supposed EP to be available in the next months dubbed “Mad’a ra’g Smile”, is entitled “Deep Pressed” which is about being in a state of snafu (situational normal all f**cked up!). Ossified! blares, “I hate being like this/sobra pa ka sa mga kurakot nga pulis/ I hate being like this/ baho pa ka sa mga basura ug sa mga ipis/ I’ve been in love and I’ve been hurt/di na ma-in love sa babaye nga flirt.”

Personally, I like the auditory feel of “Ma’da ra’g Smile” because this is a song about hope for hopefulness. Despite raging teen angst delivered by quite a number of bands, Ossified! tackled smoothly a teener’s common dream in such a way that veered from the tenor of being mad or angry or upset or irate, “ang mga taghoy sa kalanggaman, nagapanlimbasog nga imong madunggan/ Ako unta may tumang hinagiban/Aron ang tanan mapuslan/Si Eva ka….sa paraiso ko/Prinsesa ka ….sa gingharian ko/Si Juliet ka…..ako si Romeo/Kanus-a kaha kini mataghapan/ Sa damgo posible ang tanan/Sa tago puno ako sa kalipay/Mad’a, mad’a ra’g smile…”

Ronnel said that they are one in choosing “Problem Solving” as their anthem as a band reflective of the principle they are living and the call they would want the youth to heed, “ato nang isinggit nga dili ta palupig/sa mga problemang dagko pa sa mga bukid/ayaw na paglagot og dili na magbagutbot/ayaw pagsapot-sapot kay ang kalibutan nagtuyok…”

Meanwhile, “Bahawpenings” is another testimony to Fario’s rich literary orientation, “didto sa baybayon, hinumduman ko atong kagahapon/may hugot nga panumpa/hangtod sa langit kita mag-uban/kalipay nga walay sukod, bahala’g magkilat magdugdog/bisan pa mapuno ko sa utang, basta dili lang ka mawagtang…”

Sensibility, intelligence, performance level that’s beyond the influence of drugs – these are the qualities that make Ossified! the next band to watch as it takes its trail to create a concrete mark in local independent music.

Dante shared it would be a joy to find somebody singing their songs in the next weeks.

“That we would call achievement,” Dante said.

Jose added that the biggest challenge that they are facing right now is that on creating an impression, and defining as well as refining their musical direction.
“It would be very nice to see a compact disc generation compile our songs that speak of the ossification of this passion invaginated with the fiber of our aspirations,” Jose mused.

Listen to cuts of their raw materials over dyLA, 909 on your dial, on June 16, Friday as Ossified! becomes guest band for the “OKRyan” program in a live interview with this writer. For requests, listen to 93.1 Smash FM “YourVoice, YourChoice Tingog Kabataan” program, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30-11:30 am.

Add and check friendster: ossified_bisrock@yahoo.com.

The trees in our minds

2006-05-22T17:42:00.000+08:00

Saturday, the 6th of May. While the core group of volunteers of The FREEMAN Foundation was heading to a site in Tuyan, Naga for a scheduled ocular inspection relative to our desire to conduct a tree-planting activity in time for this paper’s 87th anniversary, I got thrilled at the thought that as coordinator of this special project I would be able to lead a humble start of a long-term project to be dedicated to the late Baby Kara Tejam.
Baby Kara was one of sick indigent children that The FREEMAN Foundation had attended to. She was only a little over a year old when she was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. When the foundation learned of her family’s need to raise P200,000 to fund her operation, a campaign was published in this paper’s public service section.

The fund drive served as a barometer on our readers’ innate goodness. In less than two weeks, the amount was raised. But Baby Kara failed to hold on to dear life. Until today, and every time I write a piece about how Baby Kara’s memories left us in tears as we watched her fund drive end along with her vulnerable life, the desire becomes an urge to seek for the creation of a tree park where her spirit could live among trees.

In a strategic planning in December, I came up with two proposals – a mangrove propagule planting activity for a coastal reforestation project, and a tree park to be dedicated to the memories of little Baby Kara whose fate all squeezed our hearts.

In the morning of May 6 we were already shown a site at Inoburan, Naga for our mangrove propagule planting on July 15. But before we could start checking the site for the proposed tree park, we already were served of disheartening issues that translate into threats to the “trees conceived in our minds”.

Love of trees

I could hear the beat of enthusiasm reverberating from the hearts of my co-volunteers with their reception from that moment I presented the proposals. It doesn’t take one to be an established arborist to manifest his one great love of trees. I know and feel that they too have learned over in time the benefits of planting trees.

They were one with me as I discussed during the strategic planning that if each of us could at least bring five trees to maturity that would mean 80 trees. Eighty trees would mean 20 natural cooling systems. If we would be able to nurture 80 trees to maturity on slopes that would mean stabilization of the topsoil. Remember that when it rains hard, the topsoil loses its friction with the subsoil, triggering mudslides and floods that are threats to lives and properties.

I did imagine that if about a hundred employees of this paper would be able to take good care of their saplings and bring these to maturity, there would be 500 trees at the park for our Baby Kara. Having these trees around would create a mini-forest that would act like a huge water reservoir, preventing flashfloods from occurring. It would be buffering water because of its storage capacity to keep water in streams even during dry season.
In the long run, the tree park would be able to create a habitat for both plant and animal life. As it encourages vegetation, it would create biological corridors that would allow these animals to move between natural jungle areas often cut off to them by farms and towns and industrial zones. Reforesting can also store certain tree species crucial to endangered birds.

Aside from economic values, trees are very good in carbon sequestering. Trees store carbon and as long as they are not burned or allowed to rot, the wood will lock up carbon, helping to slow global warming.

Threats to the trees in our minds

But before we could even check the site we were already posed with the challenges to restudy first our plan and consider points such as if our trees would not become obstructions in the desired place where we would want to plant them. Says a representative from Wild Bird Club Phils, Inc. Nilo Arribas, Jr. “your tree might end up at the wrong place. Think a hundred times of the chances of your trees being able to reach maturity. It is not about quantity, this is about how many saplings would be able to grow into trees.”
The fact that the timberland area belongs to the government, there is also the threat that one day our trees might end up chopped and sold at the market to give way to a cleared area for the site of an industrial zone should this become a priority of the local government of Naga.

After a consultation with community partners and officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office, we considered to drop the tree-planting project for the meantime. Hope we won’t appear chickens for doing so, but we have to be practical. Our would-be efforts are for an ailing environment. Our intention is pure, and we don’t want to mess up with any town officials or any entities that might find industrial zones valuable over reforestation programs.
The decision to postpone the tree-planting activity came after we were told to consider that we need to shed considerable amount for the fencing of our area, then provide a guard who would conduct roving to secure the area from stray animals that might feed on saplings. Also, constant monitoring is needed so the saplings would be watered and tree guards replaced if necessary, and the area brushed from weeds that might compete in soil nutrients. And then, there is the big need to educate settlers in the area so they would not chop down these trees and sell them as firewood in the market. As economics is the very reason why settlers would cut down trees, we were challenged to help in providing an alternative livelihood for the community.

At lunchtime, the core group decided to vote for the pushing of our coastal reforestation undertaking in Inoburan, Naga which is easier to organize and facilitate.

Okay, our love of trees is “inalienable”. We cannot profess to be hardcore arborists, but the desire has already transmuted to passion. But how far can this love of trees carry our intentions is the big question. After having been enlightened of the pros and cons, we realized that the real challenge lies not on the planting of trees, but on sustaining them to maturity.

Mantequilla flavors "Bolinaw"

2006-05-15T21:41:00.000+08:00

Perhaps you already had a rich treat of anchovies in vinegar, minced ginger, siling labuyo and realized why Cebuanos love to eat anchovies raw, in a serving style called “kinilaw”.

“Oh kinilaw nga bolinaw/ikaw ang akong gihuna-huna/buntag, udto, ug hapon/ikaw ang akong handumon suka, sili ug luy-a/kinilaw’ng bolinaw,” Mantequilla blares at the thought that its beloved Tañon Strait will soon be losing its communities of anchovies once impending oil explorations and reclamations of foreshores would become a government priority in the name of so-called progress and development.

This is the sentiment embedded in the song “Bolinaw”, flavored by the musical taste of Mantequilla from Pinamungajan town facing Tañon strait that separates Cebu from Negros province.

Mantequilla is comprised of Cliff Jude Cocjin (vocals, Computer Science student at the Cebu Doctors University), Salipada “Lip-lip” Cerna (drums, Physical Therapy student at CDU), Neefrey Cocjin (lead guitar, Radiologic Technology student, CDU), Jowell Rico (bass guitar, Electronics and Communications Engineering student at the University of Cebu) and Ric Ryan “Doming” Cañada (lead guitar, Electronics Technology student at the Cebu School of Science and Technology). Other than Doming who hails from Hilongos, Leyte, three of Mantequilla have all shared a melting and a solidifying of dreams and aspirations since they were classmates back in Sta. Monica Academy in Poblacion, Pinamungajan. Though Neefrey was a schoolyear ahead of the three, he hangs out with the pack as he is elder brother to Cliff Jude.

From teenage rascals to passionate musicians, the band considers their friendship through time as the backbone that gives strength to their attempt in pursuing their craft with the music of Deftones, Korn and Rage Against the Machine as influences.

In an interview with the group at their rented pad, it was learned that the first four guys mentioned above began to group as a band when they played for morning service in their high school campus right after the flag ceremony.

“Siyempre, pag run by sisters na-a man jud nay part after sa flag ceremony na we would sing praise music. Didto nagsugod ang among banda-banda,” Lip-lip said emphasizing how he started his “drumming” stint.
When asked on the choice of their band name, it was also learned that the group had chosen Mantequilla from five choices for its Spanish sound, and for the properties of butter which speak for the band’s versatility as it was able to play hardcore music years back, down to its Bisrock sound transition recently.

A firm solid when refrigerated, butter softens to spreadable consistency at room temperature and melts to a thin liquid consistency at 32-35 degrees Centigrade.

Besides, butter is the everlasting delight of the connoisseur, the faithful ally of the culinary arts, and the constant symbol of good living, food critics say.

It is also said that through time and across the globe, butter has had a sacred quality. From ancient civilization to date, butter has symbolized the powerful, life giving and sacred; the good, the happy, the healthy and pure. It has sustained lives, cultures and civilizations for millennia, though this has lately been refuted by health buffs and nutritionists for its high level of cholesterol.

It was also mentioned that butter is a culinary treasure as old as Egyptian King Tutankhamen’s tomb. In fact the Bible mentioned in Judges 5:25, “she brought forth butter in a lordly dish”.

And like the churning of milk to get the fat needed in the production of butter, agitation is part of the process, so as to come up with the best of the product. This happens at the collaboration in the pooling in of materials for the completion of the 10-track album.

Other than “Bolinaw”, “LQ (Lovers Quarrel)” and “Ibog-Ibog” are two songs that constantly receive airplay requests over at 93.1 Smash FM via the program “YourVoice, YourChoice Tingog Kabataan” because of the emphasis of the stages one has to go through when nurturing a romantic relationship.

Hearts would melt like butter at the romantic, introspective, interrogative lines of LQ, “nganong sige man gyud ta ug away, nganong dili ta magsinabtanay/ nganong wala man kay salig nako, undangon na lang ni nato/ngano kung ikaw ang sapoton, maabtan pag ugma usa maulian/ug ngano kung ako ang sapoton, gamay nimong gakos ako maulian.”

“Ibog-Ibog” is inspired by their “kilig” moments as teenagers getting a crush on the girls of their dreams, “Kung makakita ko nimo, makompleto gyud ang akong adlaw kay ikaw man ang akong kusog….kung kahibaw lang ka nga ikaw ang babaye sa akong damgo/ kung kahibaw lang ka nga unsa ko kalipay kung makita tika/ kung ako magul-anon ikaw dayon ang pangitaon.”

The other tracks talk of motherly love, like in “Mama”, which they would like to be highlighted in time for Mother’s Day; a look at life’s simple pleasures in “Pobre” and the struggle for survival in “Manglilimos”.

Noteworthy is the design of the album that’s a thought shower of Rayhoundz including the inverted victory signs to form the M for Mantequilla. Album is engineered, mixed and mastered by Paul Cañada of Zzubu Recording Studio. To know more about the group, visit www.myspace.com/mantequilla2005. Email mantequilla_theband@inbox.com. For bookings, call Cliff Jude at 09174701262.

Cool script

2006-05-05T20:11:00.000+08:00

People were milling around and huddling at tenant stalls and booths, walking to and fro food stations, spilling onto the basement of Robinsons to shop for groceries while I was throwing questions for a most-wanted interview with Kadangyan band main men Baba Mitra and Iligan City-born Jean Marquesto who already took the name John Govinda. Both are proponents of local ethno-tribal music.

Despite the buzzing, humming, and droning noises of shoppers, the two visual artists-turned-musicians managed to express their message louder – embrace back cultural roots to efficiently move with the call of the times so to strengthen nationalist pride.

Baba Mitra, who is of Ifugao descent, is vocalist of Kadangyan deemed “godfather of local ethno-tribal music”, of which I had expounded in an article for the Entertainment section dated January 12 (The Kadangyan mystique: The life they live is their music).

Getting him to sit down for an interview transported me back to beautiful, verdant Ifugao. Back in 2002, along with other participants to the first ever Explore 2002: North Philippines Expedition, I got immersed in the culture of the Ifugaos as we toured inside the Ifugao Museum in Linda, municipality of Kiangan where burial jars, weaponry, furniture, kitchen utensils, ritual paraphernalia, garments and implements, and other tools of human workmanship had amazingly connected with the lives of those brown people of the ancient Ifugao world.

We had a short trip to the Nagacadan Rice Terraces, a part of the rice terraces system of Banaue. We joined Ifugao performers from the Kiangan School of Living Traditions in their dance-ritual of courtship, marriage and burial.

One of special memories I had was when I motioned to Ifugao Governor Teddy Baguilat, Jr to take center stage. The beatings of the gangsa carried both of us away as we leapt and strode with our stretched arms. Our palms and fingers spoke in a dance-ritual offered to Kabuni-an. Together, we soared like birds, mighty and free, to the anthem of the Gran Cordillera.

Meanwhile, John Govinda who gave up his plans to study medicine is from Iligan City. John shared with Baba this passion to retrace links with past culture and together the two promoted ethno-tribal music that employs indigenous musical instruments emphasizing on strong cultural continuity over time.

Through what they call drug-free music, the fusion of North Philippines’ gangsa and South Philippines’ gong allowed for the message to reverberate in support to universalism and peace, that it is possible for music to touch ideologies and philosophies without having to break up, destroy, erase, collapse, or, worst indoctrinate.

The group performed the other day for a fashion show at the Elizabeth Mall entertainment area and held a concert at the parking lot of the Ayala Center Cebu yesterday showcasing a repertoire of their 10-track self-titled debut album they themselves produced. As usual, the hypnotic mantra in Babanam (actually O Babanam Kevalam) mirrored what Kadangyan stands for – “datu sa kultura” (rich in culture).

With the acceptance of their music into mainstream, receiving raves over the airwaves as supported by UR105 and Killer Bee, they are able to wow crowds despite the fact that some of today’s youth find them outrageous in the manner they dress up o project their inner selves.

With worthwhile activities like propagating the use of recycled trash for musical instruments, the group is also into the reeducation of the public on Alibata (baybayin scripts). And this is what I would want to expound in this column.

Baybayin is actually more appropriate term than alibata. Speaking of etymology, it comes from the Tagalog root word “baybay” meaning to spell or from the word pagbabaybay or spelling.

At a tent booth near the Fountain area of Robinsons, featuring one of their drums using for material the hide of a deer accidentally killed of which the group had used to give birth to the spirit of the dead deer, the duo embarked on free henna tattooing for every P500 purchase at any Robinson tenant/shop/stall.

One can choose from a variety of tattoo designs, but the most interesting of these is the ancient script baybayin often referred to as alibata, a term coined inexplicably to mimic the first two letters of the alphabet of the Maguindanao people - alif and bet - derived from Arabic.

A passionate John, with his Muslim inspiration being from the area, through his collaboration with Baba hopes that many out there would soon find themselves delving into the study of the baybayin script, interested to perhaps initiate a forum, discussion, or a conference.

Setting up a booth for a henna tattoo exhibit is John and Baba’s way of encouraging new opportunities to interact with enthusiasts on learning the ancient writing scripts and writing systems of the Philippines.

Now why am I bringing this up? My fascination for baybayin came at such an early age. Though back in grade 4, the lessons were limited, one trivia stuck in my head that other loads of information were not able to overwrite through time. That of knowing that though major languages (yes dear! languages, not dialects!) in the Philippines are now written using the Roman alphabet, these languages were first represented using a script related to and directly or indirectly derived from the Bugis and Makassar scripts of Celebes.

I remember one advertising congress held here in Cebu some years back when George Escalona of Tattoo Museum painted my name in henna using the baybayin script. I went gaga over those pretty fascinating strokes of graceful loops, crooked lines, wavy arrows, cute zigzags, and an inverted fat heart beautifully tattooed in the native script on my left arm. Those spoke so much of the beautiful past of my Tribu Sibo people, and of the Pintados, as well. It is so sad though that the two forms of these indigenous scripts that still survive to date are not used here in Sugbo. The scripts are used by the Tagbanwa of Palawan and Mangyans of Mindoro today.

It is believed that the Philippine scripts were derived from Kavi script or old Javanese, perhaps indirectly through the Buginese. The Buginese origin of the Philippine scripts best accounts for the fact that the latter cannot represent the final consonants of syllables since Buginese has the same limitation.
I brought up this Kadangyan initiative in the hope that many of us most especially the young people would take interest in promoting advocacy for “cool-tural revival”.

Kadangyan is not only about music inspired by the ancient world. It is here to promote a culture of excellence.

The Kadangyan mystique: The life they live is their music

2006-05-05T19:52:00.000+08:00

Their music is classified ethno-tribal for employing indigenous musical instruments and expounding on strong cultural continuity over time. The genre is tribal pertaining to a system that governs groups of people dwelling in small communities sharing common norms and social institutions and experiencing internal cohesion.

Their music is considered Earth as it gives more prominence on the afterbeat over the downbeat. Theirs is labeled World music, as the message is of universalism and peace, touching ideologies and philosophies without having to break up, destroy, erase, collapse, or, worst, indoctrinate!

So much had already been written about Kadangyan, Ifugao term for “datu sa kultura” (rich in culture), that to dig up a fresher angle would require one to sit down with the band’s main men --- Iligan City-born Jean Marquesto aka John Govinda on Muslim gong, and the son of the Gran Cordillera Baba Mitra on vocals. The rest are Jerome Resuera on drums, Rolly Resuera on bass and Rolo Manayan on percussion, proudly Sugbuanons.

With a little download session at www.fiestamundo.com/kadangyan, shrouded by the seemingly ambiance of trance, I entered into a page of the lives of these visual artists-turned musicians. These lives they are living, they said, happen to be their music.

Their self-titled 10-tracked debut album featured a repertoire of the cultural anthropology and folk traditions of northern and southern Philippines beginning with the hunt song “Anup” to the chant “Umaga”. There’s also the intertwining of brown tapestry of the indigenous cultures of the Ifugao, the Iliganon, the Maranao and the Sugbuanon in “Iba’t-Iba”, to the hypnotic mantra in Babanam (actually O Bhavanam Kaiwalam), which means Infinite Love. Their love of environment is manifested in “Kalikasan”, and their mission to support universalism is passed on orally with the fusion of native tongues in Elal-lay (“the real spirit in this material world”) that showcases the belting out of “kayamanan at kasikatan di namo kinahanglan (wealth and fame ain’t a necessity).”

The site also offers a glimpse of an August 2005 interview with video jock John Joe via MTV Siesta and a sampler-video of the carrier track “Babanam” that featured the “lagapak” of the flip-flops over the mouth of a bamboo tube, a Kadangyan ingenuity, which espouses the concept of non-distortion of musical creations.

Come weekend, prepare to be mesmerized once again by the Kadangyan mystique. Get ready to shed tears for this infinite love of “cool-ture”, the environment, and a God perceived in kaleidoscopic shapes, forms, patterns, images.

Like a child long lost in a river of influences, brace to hug back a Mother thought to have long-perished as we all embrace back cultural roots – the tribal wisdom propagated by Kadangyan, the “godfather of local ethno-tribal music”.

Cultural preservation, per se, is not a Kadangyan goal, Baba Mitra pointed out. Rather the group is working for culture to evolve, to move with the swell of the influences without losing a grip on tribal wisdom. Sad to note that with these various influences through the ages, most Filipino people have lost touch of their cultural identity and could not even point out the true makeup of a Filipino.

This predicament has become a challenge to Kadangyan on how to make way for the thread of ethnic unity to come splendidly amid cultural multiplicity in this country.

“We have music that’s truly our own to be proud of, and we have started from here to create consciousness that would give way to the recognition of cultural roots so that we may be able to know who we really are as a Filipino and move from there to deal with our social issues and concerns,” Baba Mitra said during the interview at Robinsons where their henna tattoo exhibit opened last Wednesday and will wrap up this Sunday, mall hours, at the Fountain Area.

Kadangyan points out that there’s so much more to external wealth that’s only superficial. Beyond such is richness in knowledge, morals, culture, friends, and philosophy that a Filipino could possess if only he would take pride in recognizing his roots. “Plant without roots will not flourish,” Baba Mitra stressed.

To connect the present to its roots would also mean to trace what makes up a “lumad Sugbuanon”. The absence of a tribal community here in Cebu only shows that we had long given up our cultural identity to western influence. It has been written that traditional tribal cultures must have been dissolved as a result of the confrontation with a variety of influences. This gives weigh to the observation that the national culture of the Philippines is strongly influenced by western civilization, and that many modern Filipinos have grown up with the view of having no other cultural past other than a colonial one.

Enters Kadangyan with its promising Earth music to help reconnect the severed link.

Kadangyan with its mission of supporting universalism and peace will perform at the E-Mall to provide scoring to a fashion show this Saturday at 2pm and will perform at the Ayala parking area at 11pm. On Sinulog Day, the band will still be at the Ayala parking lot to continue with its mission of promoting cultural appreciation through the genre of their music.

John Govinda eagerly shared his excitement over the group’s upcoming show with recycled trash for percussion. On behalf of Kadangyan, he would like to thank the people who fully believed and supported them in their cause, their album and gigs, and hopes that same support will be given to the second album they are currently working on with “Huminga Ka Ng Malalim” as carrier.

Other than that, another interesting thing about Kadangyan is their work on the promotion of environmental concerns and humanism, moral and drug-free music, aside from the promotion for the appreciation for Philippine ethnic music and the revival and evolution of the vanishing Philippine culture.

“You need not indulge in drugs to set a beautiful mind free,” Baba Mitra said. “This is all about natural high!”

As Kadangyan finds acceptance in mainstream music, there still dangles the thought that what it is propagating might not be able to win everyone. For its 5-point mission to find realization, Kadangyan can only do so much. The challenge now is to allow that Kadangyan mystique to inspire us move on as a people on top of our Hispanic, Chinese, American, Hindi and Malay influences.

“The beauty of every place in the world is its own culture,” John quipped.

May this advocacy be sustained to deal with the great need for the development of national cultural identity in the Philippines as this would mean that once knowledge on cultural traditions become embedded in the nation’s psyche, our one love for the “katutubos” and their lifestyle follows in line.

I think that what we miss as a brown race is the appreciation for one beautiful tapestry of indigenous cultures and the love for this intricate weaving of tribal wisdom that should have strengthened our cultural pride.

Junior Kilat to spray the bratatats on Sinulog day

2006-05-05T19:45:00.000+08:00

Expect homegrown reggae artists of the famed Junior Kilat to release electronic spark discharge and heat up the 26th Sinulog celebration with a spray of their onomatopoeic lyrics lifted off from an old school comic book – the bratatats of “Ako si M16”, adjudged Song of the Year at the NU 107 Rock Awards 2005 that outplayed Bamboo’s “Hallellujah”, Parokya ni Edgar’s “Mang Jose” and Sugarfree’s “Hari ng Sablay”, among others.

Laden with the seemingly “indiscriminate firing” in its bratatats and bang-bangs employed by the Kilat dub guerrillas, the song is actually the group’s attack on the illegal arms deal that allegedly transpired between military crooks and rebels cracked in the most antic method the band described as “done in a rarer style of reggae”.

Before the local reggae world had been “bratata-ed” by “Ako si M16”, there was already the wacky “You are free to dance to the reggae bet (actually it’s beat) “Hoy agta! Nag unsa ka diha?” which is worth paying of one’s attention as the message varies proportionately with “Suyop”, only that the latter is delivered in reverse psychology to give those into drug/substance abuse a picture of how they are entangled in their own mazes.

Junior Kilat admirers took as national anthem the hilarious line “Kon moabante pinabackward, kon moatras pinaforward , singled out from “Original Sigbin” said to be referring to the half-goat, half-dog creature of Visayan folklore described a consumer of both squash and charcoal. Sigbin may stand metaphoric of the group’s songs with the fusion of genuine reggae, dub and dancehall.

With the seemingly rude clicking of tongues after singing “kung di pa lang sala ang manakla, gitaklaan na unta!” (if it weren’t rude to click a tongue at someone), the 10th track of “Party Pipol Ur on Dub TV” album entitled “Kung Di Pa Lang Sala”, throngs after throngs of smitten fans rooted for them with the honesty in their songs, and could not quite wait to be served with the next helping.

Earlier, the band could have taken the name Leon Kilat Junior in homage to the Bacong-born revolutionary Pantaleon Villegas (Leon Kilat or Lion Lightning), who figured prominently in the Tres de Abril uprising here in Cebu City, only that they gave up the idea as the name was already taken by another band. Despite the absence of a member named Junior, the band created Kilat that did not proverbially strike once in same places, but a couple of times which prompted the band to take the gigs back to where it had officially been accepted. In time for the Sinulog celebration, Junior Kilat will once again take center stage to entertain the Bisdak crowd that catapulted them to the music charts and billboards.

With a host of musical influences like Lee Scratch Perry, Sly and Robbie, Eek-A-Mouse, Prince Far-I, Yoyoy Villame, Max Surban and the Teletubbies, frontman Errol “Budoy” Marabiles would again wag his antics on Sinulog day with cohorts Diana Freese (drums), Gina Pestaño (keyboards) Arcie Ybañez (guitars), Cleofas Quijano (trombone), Christian “Bangin” Atienza (turntables), and Tiano Evangelista (bass) who also produced and directed Budoy’s wacky RCTV magazine program on small-scale industry dubbed “Ismol Tym”. Sorry to say that those who rooted for Jad Dapat (guitars) would fail to see the man this time as he is in Australia, this was disclosed by drummer Diana Freese. Nevertheless, his Bisdak spirit is one with the group.

Though the Kilat song lineup may sound confusing as to where it is directing its audience at times when it comes to value formation and or social responsibility, it sure found a niche in the capital where there’s an enduring atmosphere of discrimination for Bisdak artists. In fact, the band was nominated Best New Artist side by side with Hale, Brownman Revival, Pedicab and Paramita; Album of the Year for “Party Pipol” and Gina Pestaño for Best Album Packaging in the NU Rock Awards.

Marabiles attributes their success to those who brought copies of their songs and passed them around to share with friends and relatives in Manila. Sans royalty, Marabiles finds it flattering for their music to find acceptance in another venue. This was averred by the rest of the group who shared that though the burning of CDs hasn’t a bit sparked up their personal coffers, they find that the consequence for such form of publicity is working to their advantage and just what a rising band would normally pray for.

Last year, Kilat struck front act for the MTV Pilipinas Award and jammed with various artists like Radioactive Sago Project that romped away with the Video Award of the Year for their “Astro” project. The band proudly recalled that the “bullet-peppered” performance of M16 before a non-Cebuano speaking audience (or that majority of it) served as barometer on how much appeal they have in the capital Whew! I doff my rasta cap to this bunch of musicians!

Such acceptance could well be understood as reggae fanatics, wherever they are in the Philippines, share this understanding on the desire for emancipation from mental, spiritual, political and economic slavery. And that the imposition of thought control becomes the main subject for reggae artists whose works reveal striking qualities of good oratory on the deployment of both classical, traditional and innovative rhetorical skills to various causes – political independence, economic advancement and the restoration of racial pride, not to mention the playup of musical instruments that gives heads reasons to rock and fingers to thump and feet to stomp.

It is now hoped that the Kilat craft, in exaltation of the Sugbuano language, would effectively touch a wayward generation with reggae myoozik’s intense desire to unite people everywhere in whom burns the unfulfilled wish for freedom, equality including musical space and dimensions, and dignity as a race.

If the patterns of reggae music employed persuasive strategies coupled with the functionality of its aesthetics to serve as an effective device that a musician and orator uses in order to achieve intellectual and emotional effects on an audience, then let the Kilat spirit spice up and nurture this Bisdak generation.

Hail to reggae myoozik! Hail to Bisdak talents!

Nganong Ni-Enter! debut album sa Konigs gilusad

2006-05-05T16:31:00.000+08:00

Hugyaw ang nahitabong paglusad sa pinakaunang album sa Bisdak hip-hop nga pundok Königs nga may ulohan "Nganong Ni-Enter!" nga adunay dose ka mga kanta nga gipahaum sa tuno, bunal, ug paningog sa hip-hop/rap music.
Nagkauyon ang tulo ka sakop - silang Naw-t-dog, Garvie ug Brent - sa pagbunyag sa pundok ug Königs (gikan sa pulong nga Swiso-Aleman, ang koenigs nagakahulugan ug "kings" kon mga hari. Ang saktong pagbasa niini mao ang koi-nigs.) Tungod kini kay gipakahari man nila ang talento sa Bisdak sa pamuhat ug mga huni ug awit. Tam-is kaayo palandongon diha sa usa ka linya sa ilang mugna ang: Dili titulado/ngano?/Dili ilado/ngano?...Cebu ni bai/Dili mo katandog sa among garbo/ayaw'g labay kon makakita mo’g talento.
Ang "Nganong Ni-Enter" nga silbing carrier track usa ka maalamon nga paggaray-garay sa mga pulong nga nagbatbat may kalabutan sa paghulagway sa usa ka tawo nga nahitumpawak sa pagpayuhot ug paggamit og ginadiling drugas, ug ang sangpotanan sa maong bisyo - ang pagkawala sa direksiyon ug bili sa kinabuhi, lakip na ang saktong pangisip. Masungogon kining nagkanayon: Nganong ni-enter man! Nganong gisugdan! M'o na asa na man natanggong nas prisuhan/naay kwartahan sa rehab gipadala's ginikanan/tungod sa bisyong way ayo/daghan nang nawad-an.
Lab-as pa ang pagkahaw-as sa pundok sa ilang malamposong pakigtambayayong sa Dice and K9 Mobbstarr nga maoy nigama sa official soundtrack sa lilas "Enteng Kabisote 2" nga gibitoonan ni Vic Sotto, nasundan gilayon kini ug gig atol sa nilabay nga Sinulog. Ang tulo ka sakop sa Königs nga managsilingan sa Talisay City - si Naw-t-dog nga kanhi sakop sa laing hip-hop nga pundok, ang Brownian Method; si Garvie nga maayo kaayo modala ug pinasagitsit sa likod sa mga kanta aron katagaan ug igong "hoomp" ang bunal sa tuno sa hip-hop, ug ang balaknon usab nga si Brent nga maoy nangunay pagmugna ug pag-abanid sa mga pulong sa "Nganong Ni-Enter!" mipalumpayat sa bagang du-ot sa mahiligon sa rap music diha sa luna nga nabakantehan sa karaan nga pamuhatan sa SSS sa Osmeña boulevard.
Nausban pa gayud ang paghugop sa mga Bisdak nga mahiligon sa hip-hop sa dihang gilusad na sa katapusan ang ilang debut album diha sa Handuraw Events Café sa Mabolo niadtong miaging Biernes atol sa "RNB Hip Hop Rap Nights".
Ang maong album nga gitawag sa tulo ug "labor of their love to propagate Bisdak hip-hop culture" gi-mix ug gi-master sa 6000 Goonz label ni Dice Rosaroso sa Dice and K9 Mobbstarr, gipagawas sa Alpha Music, ug gipakatap sa Harmony Music.

Gawas sa makalingaw kaayong paghulagway sa mga abusado nga “nangenter” paggamit ug ginadiling drugas, ang album aduna usay track nga "Pop Chick" kauban si Hi-C sa Dice and K9 Mobbstarr. Mahitungod kini sa usa ka ambongan nga lalaki nga buot mosakmit sa kasingkasing sa usa ka dalaga, apan bisan pa man sa iyang ka chickboy maglisud siya pagduol niini ug labaw pang dili makasugakod bisan "hi" na lang o "hello" tungod kay permi na lang siyang maunhan sa kaikog, kauwaw ug kataha.
Lain pang makalingaw nga track mao ang "Ungo Ka!" nga bunal kaayo ang “hardcore” nga elemento niini apan nakapasamot sa pagpatigbabaw sa panaglubid sa novelty ug hip-hop. Mahitungod kini sa dagway sa usa ka tawong palahubog ug kusog pa gyud moyupyop. Daw manggitik ang mga singgit sa tulo: “Kalkag kag buhok, ungo ka!/ Baho kag ilok, ungo ka!/ Lagom na'g lagos, ungo ka!/ Sige lang kag yupyop, ungo ka!”
Ang ubang mga kanta lagmit gayud nga adunay maigo ug mayatakan tungod kay may kalabutan kini sa kauna-unahon sa mga babaye ngadto sa mga lalaki, hinungdan nga buhaton lang sila ug pulutan sama sa gibatbat dihas “Ms. Appetizer”. Ug ang usa mao ang kalaay sa kalibutan ug sa mga buluhaton kon walay kuwarta. Gisaysay dihas "Wawart" nga maayo pa ang patay kay naa pay molimos ug kwarta. Makapahimuot nga ang buta misanggaak na lang ug: "Asa na mang kwartaaaaa?"
Samtang ingon niini ang dagan sa mga tracks sa album, nahinabi ning tagsulat si Naw-t-dog alang sa pagtino kon kinsa ang iyang giigo sa "Funky Juan". Matod pa ni Naw-t-Dog, ang maong rap naghulagway sa iyang kaagi sa dihang iyang gipakita ang iyang dakong pagtamod nga may ugma ang hip-hop music sa Cebu. Iyang gusto lang pahibaw-on ang matag mahiligon sa rap nga ipadayon ang gugma sa maong natad sa arte bisan pa man ug dunay mga tawo nga kusog manggamit ug mangwarta sa ilang mga pasundayag. Dinhi nakat-on ug leksiyon si Naw-t-dog nga ihatag ngadto sa tawong angayan ang iyang pagsalig ug ilhon pag ayo ang iyang mga katrabaho.
Ang tulo malipayon kaayo nga nisaysay nga sa AstroPlus pa lang daan sa SM City Cebu, ang ilang album mihalin na ug 50 kabook, nga matawag na og kalampusan alang sa usa ka pundok nga pasulbong pa lamang.
Silang Naw-t-dog, tinun-an sa Computer Science diha sa Asian College of Technology; si Garvie nga tinun-an ug Mass Communications sa University of San Jose-Recoletos ug si Brent nga ana-a sa Southwestern University alang usab sa pagtoon ug Mass Communications nakiglambigit sa SOS Village, usa ka institusyon nga nag-atiman sa mga ilong tuwapos, pinaagi sa pagbuhat ug kanta isip "jingle" ug ingon man ang “Nganong Ni Enter!” nahilakip sa Philippine Red Cross Album, usa ka pahat sa pundok aron makatigom ug pundo alang sa mga buhat sa kalooy.

In the raw: The oxymoron that is Santing Scalawags

2006-05-05T16:22:00.000+08:00

More and more of our children today are battered by issues on broken families, deterioration of cultural and family values, and the reported widespread corruption even in the educational system, the displacement-misplacement of family members exported to some foreign labor forces to do mostly domestic work, these among a heap of other concerns.

A group of Talamban youngsters picked up these subjects knowing that the surge in the scarcity for work opportunities here and the exporting of human resources greatly affect them. Though they consider the songs they penned as something raw yet, the subjects are considered perennial. The issues speak of the lack of concrete programs on development of technical skills and the proper forum for the healthy discussions and debates on their topmost concern – sex and sensuality, access to education, career and or employment opportunities; including the strengthening of franchises for the handy “trisikads” and motorcycles-for-hire to the legalization of hemp for its industrial and medicinal values.

Raw musical compositions, so their works may seem, but the meaty messages in the lyrics of Santing Scalawags speak of the restlessness of our youth and of the things that our government and most adults failed to prepare for them – a better life – them being next in line.

Santing Scalawags is not only a reggae band, it is a walking, cymbal-clanging, drum-beating personified oxymoron composed of teeners Ron Miguel “George Bagul” Martinez (vocals), 17, 2nd year student at the Talamban National High School; Jhurry “Jammir” Dyguaso (percussions), 19, first-year Fine Arts student at the University of the Philippines; Christopher “Snoop” Flores (drums), 18, 2nd year Information Technology student at the University of Southern Philippines; Kreutzerr “Krutch” Capidos (guitar), 17, first-year Nursing student at the Cebu Doctors University; Jonathan “NatNat” Labrador” (bass), first-year Nursing student at the University of the Visayas; and other members Encabo Robocop and Clyde Buan, both 19, 2nd year IT students at the USP; and Wilson “Kaspa” Arela (backup vocals), 18, 3rd year student at the Talamban NHS (Night School).

Santing is colloquial equivalent or street slang for “something”. In the vernacular, “santing” is a surge in blood pressure, a rise of temper, a mood swing, almost the same feeling as that of the rising of the hair at the nape but not responding to the stimulus of fear, rather of anger or dismay or excitement.

And though the group adopted the name Scalawags to speak of their hyperactivity, of their restless, of their silly goofiness and of being at times rascals and mischiefs, they are using the name to raise a cause, to come up with a voice on how the young people of today think and work. With roots, rock, reggae musical influences as vast as O-shen, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, and Robert Nesta "Uncle Bob" Marley, as well as the dancehall style-ly of Buju Banton, and Chaka Demus and Pliers, Santing Scalawags believes that good things can still develop out of some worst situations.

Santing’s songs are the amplification of our young children’s stories, issues and concern. Most of the time, the youth are seen but never heard despite being referred to as the “new generation of prime movers”. These songs speak of the trails adults could have blazed for them had we only had the conviction to make a sacrifice, and paths we could have bushwhacked had we only gotten the will to be selfless at times.

Mask Rider Black for example is their attack on the spate of killings here done vigilante-style. “Mask Rider Black is on de attack, mga pamilya na watak watak, mga kaliwatan puros gahilak, mga luha dili na mupatak; sa mga panghitabo, kawatan din-a gyud moguho, mga tulisan bantay bantayan, basin sila ang mosunod sa listahan, sa mga tawo nga wa mailhan.”

“Mask (masked) Rider Black dili malihayan basta maagian ka sa kadalanan, mga taong sad-an dili mahatagan ug hustisya sa mga kapulisan; hasta ebidensya dili makit-an morag gitabunan sa mga politician. Bang! Bang!”

And long before President Arroyo placed the nation under Executive Order 1017 or the State of National Emergency, the group has already been blaring out with “Put Out de Fire” - Put out de fire that’s been burnin me country/shoot de water to the people in ja prayer rally/why do you get to do this to me/when we try to make it in a peaceful way/As ja police tries to block our way/but we proceeded/With the use of ja Bible and pray/But there you go use some force/But I believe coz we carry the cross/And the words our Father gave us/All of ja evil will bow down to us/Ei it’s “The Lady in Red” and have u heard all the things she said?/She said “for the sake of our country we gotta call for the state of emergency/hypocrisy/have you forgotten what’s democracy/it’s a free country where people can say/all of ja things that they wanna say.

In the raw yet, having been contented with exposures in various gigs at campuses, Santing Scalawags is yet to produce an album of their compilation expected to be delayed for lack of funds. Yet, despite the oxymoron that puts their songs in conflict with their band name, they have proven to speak their mind on what our divided society failed to prepare for them.
***

TEXTPRESS URSELF! 27-Feb 15:48:57 "Nabasa ko po ang inyong main heading na SEX.SEXUALITY.SEXUAL RESPONSIBILITY. LOVE. Gusto ko pong malaman kung ano ang kaibahan ng love sa like - Anonymous. 27-Feb 14:02:15 "Hi ms. eleanor, Im ariel, 23 yrs old. i love ur column 2day. Its good dat u open ds topic to confused & guilty teenager's bout sex. 27-Feb 17:07:54 "Hi, I'm a reader. I have read your magazine about sex and love.. Is sex really needed in love? Pwede sa sunod maghimo pa ka og mga readers digest sa love og sex? My name diay is Kenrick Avila, 17 from Compostela.

Phylum: Gibahig nga "alternative music"

2006-05-04T21:14:00.000+08:00

Gitawag sila kanhi-ay og “Phylum Prodigals”, matawag og tukmang bansagon alang sa lima ka mga batan-on nga naglarawan sa mga sayop nilang mga panahom sa kinabuhi. Mao kini ang unang pamahayag nga gibuhian sa bandang Phylum – gibahig nga “alternative music”.

Apan bisan pa man sa ilang kanhi pagkalatagaw, gipahimug-atan sa lima ang ilang hukom nga susama’g tubig mokulit og bag-ong dalan. Sa sulod lamang sa upat ka bulan gikan sa ilang matawag og “reinvention”, ang lima nahimong “Phylum”.

Sa mas hingkod nga paagi, ilang giatubang ang hagit nga pinaagi sa musika kansa nakapatandog kanila ug nakapausab sa dagan sa ilang kinabuhi ug panaghinigalaay, mahimo usab kining panig-ingnan sa uban nga walay kalainan kanila nga gibukotan sa mga nagkadaiyang matang sa mga suliran. Silang Ian Raye Biñan (vocalist, computer engineering student sa Cebu Institute of Technology), Charleston Miparanum (lead guitarist, BS Law graduate sa University of the Visayas), Ariel Junald Corcuera III (rhythm guitarist, marine electronics technology stude at the Cebu Technological School), ug ang magsoon nga silang Anthony “Nene” Talledo (bass guitarist), ug Josephus “Jojo” Talledo (drummer), susamang tinun-an sa nautical science sa University of Cebu) mao ang tingog ug ritmo nga nagpaluyo sa Phylum, kansang carrier track nag-ulohan ug “Palagot sa Contra”, ug laing mga kanta sama sa “Left Me, Luisita, Time Machine, E2Y-E2Y, Txtmyt, I’m Sorry, Scandal, Keep and Kaibigan”.

Ang Palagot sa Contra ug ang E2Y-E2Y nakadawat na ug ubay-ubay nga airplays sa 93.1 Smash FM dinhi sa dakbayan. Ang pundok mao ra usab ang niprodyus sa ilang album nga may susamahang ulohan sa pangalan sa banda.

Gibitbit gayud sa lima ang taxon nga “phylum” nga may kahulogan nga “classification of life”. Ang pundok mibahig ug mga himno ug katugbang niining mga hubad. Gihugpong kini sa usa ka sistema sa pagkahan-ay nga nagbatbat sa mga tingusbawan nga makagama ug napulo ka kanta kansa kapanalaminan sa ilang mga kinabuhi ug ang katakos sa musika nga makahatag ug damlag.

Bisan pa man ug nagkadaiya ang ilang mga kasinatian, ang hibla sa musika nagkutay kanila, nakahikap ug nakapatandog, nakapaalim ug samad, ug nakapaamgo sa dakong kamahinungdanon niining hinulaman tang kinabuhi.

Adunay magsoon sa sakop sa Phylum ug ingon man sila “magka-berkz” (short message lingo sa barkada) nagkauban ug usa ka silinganan, nagdungan pagdako maong matawag ug magkatalirongan. Kini nagpasabot lamang nga naila na nila ang matag usa kanila gikan pa sa pagkabata. Kining maong gitawag ug panaghugpong kon “bonding” maoy nakapaaghat nila nga seryosohon na nga patumanan ang ilang kamahiligon sa paggaray-garay ug kanta ug ngadto sa pagpasundayag.

Pahayag pa ni Ariel “Like most struggling musician-performers, we had our share of being booed, sneered, and jeered at, like in Plaza Independencia, the most cruel of all venues.”

Apan salamat sa inspirasyon nga gihatag sa uban kanila kansa may mga ginikanan nga mahiligon usab sa awit, napatumanan nila ang ilang kaugalingon nga palamboon ang ilang “musical inclination”.

“Sa una boo-han mi kay mokanta mi ug Binisaya. May gani karon nausab na ang trend. Singgitan na sad mi nga Bisaya na puy tukaron,” nagkanayon ang umaabot nga manlalaban nga si Charleston.

Ang album sa Phylum gilusad na sa 93.1 Smash FM pipila ka adlaw gikan sa pakighimamat ning tagsulat sa lima diha sa tugkaran sa karaang balay sa mga kaliwatan ni Charleston sa Bontores, Basak, ning dakbayan sa Sugbo.

Si Charleston midalit ug sampol sa iyang gisuwat nga kanta, ang “Keep” nga may kalabutan sa panaad nga magmahal, mounong, ug mahigugma sa kanunay nga maoy kinahugyawan sa tanang mga mananoy niyang mugna kay kuninitan man gayud kini sa mga gitawag ug “incurable romantics”.

Ang “Txtmyt” lingaw kaayong miatake sa mga minyo nga sige pa ug pailad sa mga mangingilad sa text. Samtang ang “Luisita” naghisgot may kalabutan sa pamayhon sa usa ka babayeng laksot nga nakatrato ug ambongan. Sa dihang nahibaw-an ang hinungdan kon nganong daw sa nidukot ang lalaki sa babaye, nakita nga adunay maanindot nga taras si Luisita - ang kabulawanon sa iyang kasingkasing. Samtang, ang carrier track “Palagot sa Contra” may kalabutan sa “pasuya” taliwala sa mga kanhi managhinigugmaay nga karon nakakaplag na ug bag-ong minahal.
Tungod sa naghitak nga ilegal nga pagpangopya ug mga kanta, mas gipili sa Phylum nga iapud-apud na lang ang ilang album sa direkta nga paagi. Mapalit kini P150 matag CD. Ang album may tatak nga “Nostalgic Content”, samtang ang album cover graphics design niini nga tribal-inspired gipahaum ni Roel Rosario sa Cyberwheltz. – Tinagik ni Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros, mga hulagway kuha ni Chendrina Villarino Rosaroso

Phylum: Gibahig nga “alternative music”
Tinagik ni Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros
Mga hulagway kuha ni Chendrina Villarino Rosaroso

Gitawag sila kanhi-ay og “Phylum Prodigals”, matawag og tukmang bansagon alang sa lima ka mga batan-on nga naglarawan sa mga sayop nilang mga panahom sa kinabuhi. Mao kini ang unang pamahayag nga gibuhian sa bandang Phylum – gibahig nga “alternative music”.

Apan bisan pa man sa ilang kanhi pagkalatagaw, gipahimug-atan sa lima ang ilang hukom nga susama’g tubig mokulit og bag-ong dalan. Sa sulod lamang sa upat ka bulan gikan sa ilang matawag og “reinvention”, ang lima nahimong “Phylum”.

Sa mas hingkod nga paagi, ilang giatubang ang hagit nga pinaagi sa musika kansa nakapatandog kanila ug nakapausab sa dagan sa ilang kinabuhi ug panaghinigalaay, mahimo usab kining panig-ingnan sa uban nga walay kalainan kanila nga gibukotan sa mga nagkadaiyang matang sa mga suliran. Silang Ian Raye Biñan (vocalist, computer engineering student sa Cebu Institute of Technology), Charleston Miparanum (lead guitarist, BS Law graduate sa University of the Visayas), Ariel Junald Corcuera III (rhythm guitarist, marine electronics technology stude at the Cebu Technological School), ug ang magsoon nga silang Anthony “Nene” Talledo (bass guitarist), ug Josephus “Jojo” Talledo (drummer), susamang tinun-an sa nautical science sa University of Cebu) mao ang tingog ug ritmo nga nagpaluyo sa Phylum, kansang carrier track nag-ulohan ug “Palagot sa Contra”, ug laing mga kanta sama sa “Left Me, Luisita, Time Machine, E2Y-E2Y, Txtmyt, I’m Sorry, Scandal, Keep and Kaibigan”.

Ang Palagot sa Contra ug ang E2Y-E2Y nakadawat na ug ubay-ubay nga airplays sa 93.1 Smash FM dinhi sa dakbayan. Ang pundok mao ra usab ang niprodyus sa ilang album nga may susamahang ulohan sa pangalan sa banda.

Gibitbit gayud sa lima ang taxon nga “phylum” nga may kahulogan nga “classification of life”. Ang pundok mibahig ug mga himno ug katugbang niining mga hubad. Gihugpong kini sa usa ka sistema sa pagkahan-ay nga nagbatbat sa mga tingusbawan nga makagama ug napulo ka kanta kansa kapanalaminan sa ilang mga kinabuhi ug ang katakos sa musika nga makahatag ug damlag.

Bisan pa man ug nagkadaiya ang ilang mga kasinatian, ang hibla sa musika nagkutay kanila, nakahikap ug nakapatandog, nakapaalim ug samad, ug nakapaamgo sa dakong kamahinungdanon niining hinulaman tang kinabuhi.

Adunay magsoon sa sakop sa Phylum ug ingon man sila “magka-berkz” (short message lingo sa barkada) nagkauban ug usa ka silinganan, nagdungan pagdako maong matawag ug magkatalirongan. Kini nagpasabot lamang nga naila na nila ang matag usa kanila gikan pa sa pagkabata. Kining maong gitawag ug panaghugpong kon “bonding” maoy nakapaaghat nila nga seryosohon na nga patumanan ang ilang kamahiligon sa paggaray-garay ug kanta ug ngadto sa pagpasundayag.

Pahayag pa ni Ariel “Like most struggling musician-performers, we had our share of being booed, sneered, and jeered at, like in Plaza Independencia, the most cruel of all venues.”

Apan salamat sa inspirasyon nga gihatag sa uban kanila kansa may mga ginikanan nga mahiligon usab sa awit, napatumanan nila ang ilang kaugalingon nga palamboon ang ilang “musical inclination”.

“Sa una boo-han mi kay mokanta mi ug Binisaya. May gani karon nausab na ang trend. Singgitan na sad mi nga Bisaya na puy tukaron,” nagkanayon ang umaabot nga manlalaban nga si Charleston.

Ang album sa Phylum gilusad na sa 93.1 Smash FM pipila ka adlaw gikan sa pakighimamat ning tagsulat sa lima diha sa tugkaran sa karaang balay sa mga kaliwatan ni Charleston sa Bontores, Basak, ning dakbayan sa Sugbo.

Si Charleston midalit ug sampol sa iyang gisuwat nga kanta, ang “Keep” nga may kalabutan sa panaad nga magmahal, mounong, ug mahigugma sa kanunay nga maoy kinahugyawan sa tanang mga mananoy niyang mugna kay kuninitan man gayud kini sa mga gitawag ug “incurable romantics”.

Ang “Txtmyt” lingaw kaayong miatake sa mga minyo nga sige pa ug pailad sa mga mangingilad sa text. Samtang ang “Luisita” naghisgot may kalabutan sa pamayhon sa usa ka babayeng laksot nga nakatrato ug ambongan. Sa dihang nahibaw-an ang hinungdan kon nganong daw sa nidukot ang lalaki sa babaye, nakita nga adunay maanindot nga taras si Luisita - ang kabulawanon sa iyang kasingkasing. Samtang, ang carrier track “Palagot sa Contra” may kalabutan sa “pasuya” taliwala sa mga kanhi managhinigugmaay nga karon nakakaplag na ug bag-ong minahal.
Tungod sa naghitak nga ilegal nga pagpangopya ug mga kanta, mas gipili sa Phylum nga iapud-apud na lang ang ilang album sa direkta nga paagi. Mapalit kini P150 matag CD. Ang album may tatak nga “Nostalgic Content”, samtang ang album cover graphics design niini nga tribal-inspired gipahaum ni Roel Rosario sa Cyberwheltz.

Makapasanting ang matang sa kinaadman sa Santing Scalawags

2006-05-04T21:12:00.000+08:00

Nagkadaghan ang mga kabatan-unan karon nga gibati-bati sa nagkalandrakas nga isyu may kalabutan ang pagkabuak-buak sa mga banay, ang inanay nga pagkagabok sa bili sa pamilya ug kultura, ang gikatahong nakakatap na ug nakagamot nga corruption bisan pa man sa pamuhatan sa nagpadagan sa mga reglamentos may kalabutan ang edukasyon, ang di na malalis nga pagkahurot sa mga propesyonal dinhi sa nasud tungod kay inanay na man silang gipang-export diha sa puwersa sa pamuo sa laing nasud.

Kini pipila lang sa mga isyu nga gikulitan ug nota ug gihatagan ug bulok dihas mga kanta nga gimugna sa usa ka pundok sa mga batan-on sa Talamban, ning dakbayan.

Bisan pa man sa kalinghod pa sa kasinatian sa maong mga batan-on, nigilak na ang kalantip sa ilang pangutok ug namuwak daw antuwanga ang ilang pagpakabana.

Pamulong pa sa mga sakop sa Santing Scalawags nga nahasi na gayud sila sa kakulang sa oportunidad makatrabaho ug tarong dinhi sa atong nasud. Bisan pa man ug matawag ug linghod pa ang ilang kasinatian sa panukar, ang ilang gipiling mga hilisgutanan hingkod na susama sa paglig-on sa sistema sa libreng edukasyon, oportunidad sa pagpangempleo, kawsa pagpahingusog sa prangkisa alang sa mga trisikad ug mga habal-habal nga ilang gilarawan nga maoy klarong naay gamit tungod kay adunay mga tawong walay sakyanang kaugalingon apan ang padulngan lagyo ug hilit.

“Nganong gukoron man gyud nang klarong nanginabuhi, nga pwede man na tagaan ug pamaagi nga mahimong legal, unya mobati pa nang mga drayber nga dunay dignidad ang ilang klase sa panginabuhi,” mao kini ang ilang panahom.

Hilaw pa ang ilang mga komposisyon ug gani nabalaka sila nga dili nila madali-dali paggama ang ilang album tungod sa kakulang sa pundo ug suporta alang kanilang mga local ug bag-o pa lamang sulbong nga independent reggae band, apan ang maundanong mga mensahe sa lyrics sa Santing Scalawags naghubit sa kaaktibo unta sa mga batan-on ug kadali pasundon kon ang gobyerno ug ang mga tawong hingkod nag-alirong kanila andam pa lang untang nitagana alang kanila ug usa ka mas maanindot nga kinabuhi.

Ang Santing Scalawags gilangkuban nilang Ron Miguel “George Bagul” Martinez (vocals), 17, 2nd year student sa Talamban National High School; Jhurry “Jammir” Dyguaso (percussions), 19, first-year Fine Arts student sa University of the Philippines; Christopher “Snoop” Flores (drums), 18, 2nd year Information Technology student sa University of Southern Philippines; Kreutzerr “Krutch” Capidos (guitar), 17, first-year Nursing student sa Cebu Doctors University; Jonathan “NatNat” Labrador” (bass), first-year Nursing student sa University of the Visayas; ug silang Encabo Robocop ug Clyde Buan, parehong 19, 2nd year IT students sa USP; ug si Wilson “Kaspa” Arela (backup vocals), 18, 3rd year student sa Talamban NHS (Night School).

Gibunyagan nila ug Santing ang grupo, nga dalin-as lang sa “something” kon “aduna”. Ang “santing” mahimo usab nga sabton nga pagsaka sa alta presyon, sa di maayong buot, sa pagsaka sa dugo ug kalit sa ulo nga gamiton nga expression kon gisapot, gilabdan, nalagot, nakuratan, nahisagmuyo ug kaha sobrang pagkahinam.

Gisumpayan nila kini ug Scalawags nga may kalabutan sa ilang pagkaki-at, pagkalawgaw, panagsang pagpabadlong, ug nag-awas-awas nga enerhiya dinala sa ilang kabatan-on. Apan bisan pa man sa ilang nakab-ot nga pangalan, mas gipili gihapon sa maong mga batan-on nga gamiton ang ilang pagpakabana batok sa mga sakit sa katilingban aron makapukaw sa pagkapabana pinaagi sa makapasanting nga kahibalo.

“To raise a cause, to come up with a voice on how the young people of today think and work, that’s what we would like to give to the Cebuano community,” mao kini ang ilang hinugpong nga baruganan.

Kinupuan sa inspirasyon nga dala sa ilang mga roots-rock-reggae influences nga sila si O-shen, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, ug Robert Nesta "Uncle Bob" Marley, lakip ang dancehall style-ly artist nga si Buju Banton, ug Chaka Demus and Pliers, ang Santing Scalawags may dakong pagtoo nga adunay maayo pang motumaw taliwala sa kagubot karon nga gitagamtam sa nasud. Kining maong kaayo mamatikdan pinaagi sa paghatag ug luna kanila nga gitawag ug “new generation of prime movers”.

Ang ilang Mask Rider Black nga kanta ilang pamaagi isip pagsaway sa sunod-sunod nga patay dinhi sa dakbayan ala vigilante-style. “Mask Rider Black is on de attack, mga pamilya na watak watak, mga kaliwatan puros gahilak, mga luha dili na mupatak; sa mga panghitabo, kawatan din-a gyud moguho, mga tulisan bantay bantayan, basin sila ang mosunod sa listahan, sa mga tawo nga wa mailhan.”

Ug sa wala pa gipakanaug ni Presidente Arroyo ang Executive Order 1017 kon ang State of National Emergency, ang pundok mipalanog nas ilang panahom niini pinaagi sa “Put Out de Fire” - Put out de fire that’s been burnin me country/shoot de water to the people in ja prayer rally/why do you get to do this to me/when we try to make it in a peaceful way/Ei it’s “The Lady in Red” and have u heard all the things she said?/She said “for the sake of our country we gotta call for the state of emergency/hypocrisy/have you forgotten what’s democracy/it’s a free country where people can say/all of ja things that they wanna say.”

Matawag pa tinood ug hilaw pa ang matang sa musika sa Santing Scalawags tungod kay pending pa karon ang ilang album tungod sa kakulang sa pundo. Kuntento na lamang silang nagpasundayag tuyok sa mga tulunghaan dinhi sa dakbayan. Bisan pa man, mapasigarbohon ang Santing Scalawags nga nakasulti sila sa ilang panahom nga walay lipud-lipud batok sa usa ka nabahin nga katilingban nga yanong nalimot nga ang maong pagkabahin-bahin ug pagkabingkil-bingkil sa mga ideolohiya walay natabang alang sa pag-agak, pagsapnay ug pagsagakay sa mga kabatan-unan nga makita ang ilang luna ug bili ning kalibutan.

Blood of the Stone: Poetry in Motion

2006-05-04T20:18:00.000+08:00

The album “Love Crime Calligraphy” is the passion of poet and musician Eric Goden Lomocso, the twang in the heart of Alexter Sopsop, and the beat in the head of Gerber Rosado who, with the primary influence of Eric, both committed to the laying of bass and drumplay arrangements that breath audio life to Eric’s free verses.

Collectively called Blood of the Stone, the trio produced an organic art form that is not only a contribution to the coming of age of the local rock/alternative music genre, but also an avenue to promote a culture of poetry here.

“Blood of the Stone is the hot, molten material that's brewing beneath this planet. Earth is, literally, a stone floating in the vast universe. I chose this band name because it sounds elemental,” band vocalist and guitarist Eric explains.

Blood of the Stone recorded the 11 tracks of “Love Crime Calligraphy” in just eight hours in the name of passionate artistic spontaneity and ambition, he added.

The tracks Ninth Life, Bavarian Flake, One Way, Outdated Player, Intergalactic Love Song, Momentarily, Love Crime Calligraphy, Yellow Rose, Black Heart, In the Fat Corners of Desire and carrier track Bad Love are products of the mix of inspirations that include prominent jazz, blues and world music artists as well as prominent rock acts of diverse styles from the 50s to the 90s. And also of the influences of visual artists Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Salvador Dali, and Frida Kahlo; filmmaker Luis Buñuel, and poets Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire, Stephané Mallarmé, Octavio Paz and 1971 Nobel Prize for Literature laureate Pablo Neruda who so appreciated poetry able to find him in what he described to be segments of “interplanetary palpitations”.

Eric pointed out that "Love Crime's dark romanticism is kind of closer to Baudelaire's, a tragic 19th century French poet considered as the father of modern symbolism."

He narrated that he first conceived Blood of the Stone in the spring of 2003 in Los Angeles, California. There, Eric recorded a three-song demo with bassist Tobar in a four-month partnership.

In November of the same year, Eric decided to fly back home to Talisay City, Cebu and work on his idea here.

Later on, bassist Alexter Sopsop, guitarist Jason Bangueran and session drummer Chito Axalan joined the group. The following year saw both the guitarist and drummer leaving, but a replacement drummer named Eduard Tompong was quickly found and the group resurfaced as a trio. This according to a piece of information lifted from www.fiestamundo.com/bloodofthestone where two of their songs are posted.

Eric noted that Eduard played the drums in Love Crime album. But also lost his commitment to the group late last year, so that his space has to be filled in by Gerber Rosado who joined last January.

Further, the profile went that in between gigs, the band was busy gathering and rehearsing materials for its first album. They were then able to land a recording session at Backyard Project Studio with the help of a certain Christopher Racal. Despite not being in good shape physically due to a fever and throat infection, Eric was able to complete the recording of their debut album “Love Crime Calligraphy”, in just eight hours. Three weeks later, it was mixed and mastered in 11 hours.

The album was released to critical acclaim from local rock fans. By the third quarter of 2004, the trio became a duo with the departure of the bassists. Despite this setback, the band status among Cebu’s hard to please punk audiences is said to have never diminished a bit. They are still very well respected for their decision not to play any cover versions and perform only original songs.

Love Crime Calligraphy would be the first in a series of eight planned albums featuring some 80 songs Eric has written. Already the second album is in the pre-production phase and with new member Gerber in, the band is busy writing a new page in Cebu’s rock history.

Eric mentioned that Blood of the Stone musicians, whether active or inactive, are highly influenced by classic rock bands in the 60s and 70s. As he combined their influences with his taste taken from Latin, jazz and world music artists, such give his songs a "unique sound".

Also during the interview, Eric shared of his appeal for support to the realization of these albums.

In a letter, Eric said that, “Cebu’s youth is currently experiencing a growing musical wave. The city is slowly producing a new breed of talented songwriters. However, it is sad to say that the Cebu music scene has been a badly neglected cultural field. It is always the imperial Manila’s dictate that prevails in our local music scene. Local promoters would rather pay Manila musicians and show bands a large sum to perform here, and have Cebuano recording songwriters play for peanuts and beer.
“So how discouraging does it get when it comes to developing our culture here?,” Eric asked.
“Have we given up, yet? Absolutely not. Our hard work is slowly paying off. Thanks to 91.3 Smash FM’s earnest support to local bands, whose compositions are now being played on air. However, the job of making Cebu an independent music capital is far from over. We need more direct material and spiritual support from you, fellow Cebuanos.
“Blood of the Stone is one of Cebu’s latest and promising bands. It aims to revolutionize Cebu’s music scene with its unique sound and poetry. It independently released an album in the English language without the help of the big promoters.
“Blood of the Stone is currently arranging 10 Bisaya songs that can compete with international standards. The album title is Duyan sa Kalimot (Cradle of Oblivion).
“Unfortunately, the band doesn’t have the resources to realize the artistic concept. The cost of producing this album is P30,000. (Manila bands would pay like P100,000 by the lowest estimate).
“We need your support. Any amount will do. It will be remembered dearly in Cebu music history,” Eric’s letter closed.
Aside from support given by 93.1 Smash FM – Cebu’s Rock Fortress; Y101, KillerBee Cebu, Cagayan, and Butuan; Monster Radio, and NU107, Blood of the Stone calls on to rally behind the promotion of Bisrock and local indie artists.
Support can also be channeled by clicking onto www.fiestamundo.com/bloodofthestone and www.soundclick.com/bloodofthestone. Love Crime Calligraphy costs P100 available at Lomocso compound in Upper Mohon, Talisay city. For band info, text 0906-9271583.

Four beautiful women

2006-05-04T19:46:00.000+08:00

My grandmother, Paulita, never got her diploma in grade school which could have already promised during her time an opportunity to teach primary education. But her love of reading is so contagious, it seems like a strain of good bacteria that multiplies rapidly to bring book voracity to an outbreak.
Her challenge “basaha bisan putos sa buwad” had been passed on gracefully to two generations, which is why even without a college diploma my mother was able to land a job at the cosmetics department of what was Good Earth Emporium in Manila in the late 60s.
She got a job because she convinced the owner of Good Earth she is literate enough and good enough to compete with other workers who were on college level, because she got her education from the “putos sa buwad”, candy wrappers, and even “komiks” which only finds appeal among the “baduy” crowd.

“Uy, kay ngano gibugoan sila sa writer sa komiks?” And she would exalt on the brilliance of Ilocano author-illustrator Vincent Benjamin Kua, Jr. of the “Cecilia Sebulo” and “Touchstone” fame.

Paulita bore two women who became mentors and thus proved influential to how I had held the reigns of this life – her second daughter, Rosie, taught me to be independent, even if I know the term is a misnomer; and she taught me to fight back and say no to all forms of poverty and oppression. The other, Monic, taught me to literally climb my mountains to show her how much I love her.

My mother, Rosie, should have made another Josefa Llanes Escoda for her nationalistic pride, or another Florence Nightingale for her nursing skills, or a Pinay JK Rowling for her fantasy bedtime stories. But she was poor and had lots of siblings after her that she had to take good care of when her mother left the domestic life for a moment to save herself from the violence of a husband.

My mother stood as second mother, big sister, nanny, teacher to her five younger sisters and brothers. The others were able to finish school with her support. While she felt she actually had none of an academic achievement, my mother is the wittiest person I’d ever had encountered – she is practical, talks in a no-holds-barred manner; she is an oxymoron being a compassionate spitfire, to her tender mercies should always come justified; and she inculcates in us her children the love of reading for it is the only way we can see the world and taste and feel and smell it the way we would want it to be seen, to be tasted to be felt and smelt. It was from her I imbibed this kind of stubbornness, this sternness, this sarcasm, this hate for thought control, and from her too I learned to be gentle, and humble and compassionate, as she pointed one time outside of our storm-struck hut, “look, even tall trees bend.”

My aunt, Monic, lived high up in the mountains of Panique in Aroroy, Masbate. At the age of 14, I started on a journey to find my way to her. She was a special person to me, one who exerted her efforts to combine “retasos” or pieces of clothes sold “por kilo” to sew me some pair of shorts and blouses, and skirts and Hawaiian mumus when I was so much younger. To her, I was not only a niece. I was a daughter too. After an exchange of correspondence since I was in grade school, I literally took my way to her to feel again her hugs and listen again to her stories. My aunt’s simplicity is infectious. Monic is a person who finds delight in the accomplishment of her household chores and in servitude to a husband who goes out every night into the open sea to do spearfishing as a living and takes care of the coconut groves by day.
I had to cross eight rivers, and walk serpentine paths to find her hut in Panique. “Sus, Auntie, unsa ning lugara diyes sentabos na lay plete langit na!,” I blurted out and saw how the remark etched the laugh lines on the surface of her cheeks browned by the sun that scorches the coconut groves and corn farm that she and my Uncle Tim till. But too I found myself laughing at the feel of “langit na!” – sure that was my baptism as first major climb into what later on would transpire as a life spent mostly in the great outdoors.

It was there in Panique on one moonlit night, while we were out on the balkon flooded by the moonshine exchanging conversations, that I had proven to myself how much I love Auntie and the mountains that sustained her. Auntie could have been a great chef, or another passionate teacher, or a social worker. But again, like my mother, she never finished school. She was tasked to support younger siblings. And it was from her I first saw how it is when one would bushwhack and clear thorny paths for those next in line. And I sighed “oh, what a heart! Oh, what a commitment!”

My younger sister, Nanette, was a returnee at the University of San Jose-Recoletos in the late 90s, and according to school policy a returnee couldn’t qualify for major honors at graduation such as Summa Cum Laude or Magna Cum Laude. But with her gradepoint average of 1.2 on graduation time, she marched with one of those given Academic Excellence Awards. It gave me goose bumps to see her march her way to victory after her stint as an intelligent but skinny and poor irregular student – for working at night and studying at daytime in her bulldog tenacity to hoist herself out of the muck of poverty. Hers was the real multitasking, in the sense of the word. And hers is the victory that’s the sweetest!

In line with the celebration of the International Women’s Month, I would want to bow in curtsy to these four beautiful, smart, good-hearted women. They are the women who helped iron out for me the notion that love is the principle of existence and its only end, that the works of Lucy Maud Montgomery and Ralph Waldo Emerson and Samuel Langhorne Clemens are inspiration, thus invaluable; that the existence of God should and never become an issue, that motherhood is a choice and not a path, that single blessedness is a gift which allows one to exercise the right to whether or not raise a family for a much better purpose and direction, and that they taught me mountains already set the perfect example on how to sustain the hunger and thirst of children in the lowlands.
The celebration of the International Women’s Month makes lot of sense being able to see these four women move about in my waters, blaze trails toward better lives, and rub on to others their infectious spirits.

***
TEXTPRESS URSELF! 10-Mar 17:52:09 “Fans lang ko sa phylum by naa ky num ni mark alota of uc banilad ky namaligya man knu na cd sa phylum? – Ron2x of banilad, assistant cook sa santrap restaurant; 9-Mar 21:42:51 “Hi gudeve! I jst want to ask a favor..Can u feature Missing Filemon or Phylum..Thank u n mor power 2 ur column at freeman..Im Jury C. (Note: These local indie bands had been featured two weeks ago. Thanks. Watch out for Indephums, By Request!) 9-Mar 22:19:41 “Blood of the Stone ROCKS! Nice job u did ms. Eleanor. Eric rocks for cebu. As for me, he s a true musician. A musical genius. And not jst for the colors of paper bills. Lets help promote d bisrock culture in Cebu. – Anonymous.

Indephums, by request!

2006-05-04T19:30:00.000+08:00

This one goes out to the memory of the late Rolando de Guzman whose gift of music inspired the direction of a local independent band on the upsurge, and to texter Dianne Amores who over and over again requested to have her friend Nantoy, who is celebrating his birthday today, be featured along with his bandmates at Indephums - another pod of indie Bisrock (Bisaya rock) musicians.
Nantoy is Renan Cuizon (gitarista), brother to Ryan (tambolista) and along with Ronan de Guzman (bahista, of whom the late Rolando rubbed off his being a music lover) with Ray Arsenal (vokalista) are collectively called Indephums, a compound proper name taken from “Independent Humans.”
In a late night interview at the Cuizon residence in Sunrise Village, barangay Pardo, Cebu City, I was somewhat given the ambiance of a knights-in-round-table discussion as I was throwing questions at the group’s efforts to be recognized as a potential prime mover in giving Sugbuano lyrics not only a tune, a melody, a twang, a hum, a whistle, or a yodel, but the respect and the dignity that the Sugbuano tongue so long deserves.
According to them, Indephums is derived from the words “Indep” for independent and “hums” for humans.
“We have chosen this name because the four of us are independent humans. But mao ra ni independent nga manawag gihapon og mama ug papa,” Ray says with a grin.
Behind the lyrics, which is a potpourri of subjects from matters of the heart written by incurable romantics, to plain silly-goofiness, down to the subliminal look at socio-political issues, are the beautiful minds of four men passionate about their music and whose diverse methods of upbringing and musical influences collide to produce songs that I bet would jolt and bolt, audio-wise, even the dissensitized critics of Bisrock music.

What I admire most about Indephums, aside from the thundering roll of their drumplays, is the fact that the quartet already veered away from a past age of excesses in the trappings of being rockers, a subculture that worshipped drugs, sex and fleeting fame. For Indephums, real high comes when your decision to run on the right track and to be responsible for your actions pays off with the way you are respected and well remembered.

“Negatibo”, the carrier track of their 2005 Extended Play album, opens up with “kinsa katong magpa-ubos bulahan, kung ikaw tawo palabi ra kaayo, tan-aw nimo ikaw ang gamhanan, sige padayon sa imong pagtoo kay ikaw mahulog sa kayo.” And then Indephums underlines the message how negativism corrupts man’s innate goodness in “ikaw ang bulahan, ikaw ang gitagaan ikaw untay makahupay pero imahe sa kaayo gipatay, imong gihatag ang kalipay pero gibawi kay nagmahay.”
Meanwhile “Limitasyon” sometimes mistaken as “Maayo Kang Sunogon” for its somewhat pyromaniacal chorus line razes with the message for man to move around and about in his sphere, lest be burned for going overboard or for messing up in somebody else’s waters. “Milapas ka sa imong limitasyon mas maayo nga ikaw mamalandong; kay tan-aw mo sa imong kaugalingon way molabaw maayo kang sunogon. Mas daghan og amigo kung ikaw maayo, mas daghan ang mutabang og dili ka hikalimtan…”
I find “Insakto” a perfect modifier for how this very song was arranged, making it my favorite pick. “Dungga, akong pangandoy paminawa kay kini intawn panagsa ra, dili mahimong kaduha, dungga ayaw intawn deadmaha, kay ang sakit di na makaya, insakto na…”
“Hukom (Suya)” is a creative approach on delving into the psychology of suya (envy). “Ngano man jud ang tao masuya, kung masuya ka ikaw ang ala-ot, kalmahi ug atimana imoha, ngano man makatabang ba na?…Magkahi-usa kitang mga igsoon, pag-inamigo palamboon…Sakto ang giingon dili ka makabasa sa huna-huna sa isig katawo mao nga ayaw dali-dali ug hukom…”
Other tracks are “Hulmigas” which is about an ant of course and how it has made its way to the lyrics of the song based on the emotions of birthday boy Nantoy, and “Angay Na Ba?,” taking on the theme of love found and love lost.
The 2005 EP Album which costs a minimal P50 comes with a thought-pondering flasher against the illegal copying and distribution of songs: “Sa mga mopirata aning CD maayo unta kuhaon namo ni Lord. Kamo ang hinungdan nganong di na mi makabuhat ug album,” writes Ray who produced the album and designed the CD jacket through his Rayhoundz Archives endeavor.
Down memory lane, Ronan recalled he was standing along the road near where he lives in Pardo, when brothers Renan and Ryan approached him and asked him if they could pool their musical creativity and form an alternative yet heavy rock band.
So it went to pass that the band was formed with a certain Thomas as vocalist that time. Later, he left the band and a certain Brylle stepped into the rocking picture. The band decided to record compositions around August of last year.
In September, there happened to be a band competition at a mall here in the city. In there, the original Indephums met Ray who performed for his band Hunchbox. Later, Indephums decided to let go of Brylle for reasons that are off record. After that, Ronan called up Ray and asked if he knows someone who could be vox to Indephums. Ray did audition for the band. After their so-called first jamming session, he was received well into Indephums. Now, the band is concentrating on Bisrock compositions.
All songs at the EP album were recorded at Backyard Project Studio with special thanks to Hanz Nator of Econo140 and Micmic Demetrio, this was learned from their www.myspace.com/indephums site that you Bisrockers should check out as four of their songs, including the heart-melting “Path of Silence” which will be part of the next album, are posted to serve as your sampler to Indephums’ “mugna”.
Before closing the interview, Indephums made this appeal to the local music market, “People of Cebu, you can request our song Negatibo sa 93.1 Smash FM through DJ Ram and DJ Bré Ambungan. And you can buy copies from Manu Ent. at E-Mall and also from Handuraw. Suportahi ang local og Bisaya nga musika. If you guys don’t like Bisrock, ayaw lang sawaya. Let’s respect our individuality.”
For your comments, write indephums_theband@yahoo.com. For gigs contact 0926-3346472.

Bré Ambungan sa Smash Fm - Aktibo pagpasupot sa tingog sa kabatan-unan

2006-05-04T19:24:00.000+08:00

Gawas sa pagpangunay sa pag-atiman sa tulumanon nga "YourVoice, YourChoice Tingog Kabataan" nga nanganaw-kanaw sa sibyaanang Smash FM, 93.1 sa dial sa inyong mga radyo, ang giilang Rock Fortress sa dakbayan sa Sugbo, si Segundo Bré Abrea, Jr. labaw pa gayung natinong aktibo sa natad sa pag-organisar sa mga kalihukan sa mga kabatan-unan.

Kining maong aktibong pagboluntaryo isip facilitator naglatay na sa ugat ni Bre Ambungan nga usa ka aktibista kinsa kabahin sa National Youth Commission ug sakop sa nasudnong konseho sa National Anti-Poverty Commission - Youth and Students Sector.

Isip usa sa mga nagtamod ug nagduso nga kahatagan ug gibug-aton ang katungod sa mga kabataan, gilibot na ni Bré Ambungan ang mga kasuok-suokan dinhis sulod ug gawas sa Sugbo alang sa pagdumala ug mga seminars/trainings alang sa mga nagkadaiyang pundok aron mamahimong mapuslanon ang mga kahibalo ug talento sa kabatan-unan.

Tuyo ug tinguha ni Bré nga makatampo sa pagpahingusog sa mga kabatan-unan pinaagi sa Tingog Kabataan Organization nga iyang gipangulohan sukad pa niadtong 2001. Gawas sa pag-utingkay sa iyang profile sa www.friendster.com/profiles/ambungan, ila-ilaha si Bré Ambungan ang anchorman sa "YourVoice, Your Choice Tingog Kabataan" matag Martes ug Huwebes, 9:30 am to 11:30 am, nga may kalabutan sa pagduso usab sa Bisaya rock (Bisrock).

Angga: bré_ambungan.
Star Sign o Zodiac: Sagitarrius.
Edukasyon: AB-Philosophy batch2000, BS-Psychology batch2004 (with MA units Industrial Psychology).
Adlaw'ng Natawhan: December 2, 1978.
Lugar nga Natawhan: Dakbayan sa Sugbo.
Email address: af2b9@yahoo.com
Bulok sa mata (way labot contact lens!): Itom.
Bulok sa buhok: itom
Sukod sa tiil/sapatos: 8.5
Gitas-on: 5’2”.
Mga igsoon: Fay Margarita(36) Mayla Concepcion(35) Alvin Toribio(34) Yumi Victoria(28).
Tipo sa musika: Christian Contemporary Music, Inspirational, the “PROUD-to-be-PINOY” songs, ug ang atong pinalangga nga BISROCK Music.

Nakasulay ka na ba nga......

…..nasakitan sa emosyonal nga aspeto? Y not, coconut?!
…..nagtago ug sekreto? Of course, golf course..
…..adunay kintahay lang nga amigo/amiga sa imong imahinasyon? Hala, kuyaw na ni.. wa pod intawn oi..
…..nihilak samtang nagtan-aw ug salida? Oo. Documemantary films pod usahay..
…..nakatungtong sa entablado? Yup, graduation sa elementary, high school ug college.. didto sa USC cultural center. Kadaghan pod to oi kay cge man mi praktis
…..nahimong sarkastiko? Kantahan jud ko ani ug Liar Evil kon moingon kog wala o dili... bwahahaha..

MGA PABORITO -

Banda/mga banda: BISROCK bands
Music Album/s: “I Am I” by Facilitators’ Circle, Bisrock albums nga dli pirated, Les Miserables, Miss Saigoin, ug uban photo album dri..
Bulok sa sapot: Abohon o di ba itom! O bisan unsa kung libre.
Ting-init? O ting-uwan? Ting-uwan!
Karakter nga kenengkoy? Simba sa "Lion King".
Ilimnon: MILO everyday!!
Kanta: “Golden Fiendship” by Glenn G. Glarino
Sorbetes: Mangga, ube ug mocha
Paboritong Hisgutan: Physics.
Artistang Babaye: Sauna si Heart Evangelista.. dli na man ko karon updated sa movie scene
Artistang Lalaki: Kiefer Sutherland (Jack Bauer sa "24").
Salida sa Telebisyon: 24 sa Channel 23

May kalabutan sa panarbaho....
* Unsa ang matang sa imong panarbaho?
Sa 93.1 SMASH FM, akong gidumala ang 9:30-11:30TTh program: yourVOICE,yourCHOICE TINGOG KABATAAN kauban si djRAM nga maoy mokuting sa mga gadgets. Gawas sa SMASH, mo-facilitate ko ug mga training programs, workshops ug seminars sa mga pundok, LGUs, lakip na niini ang mga relihiyosong pundok, NGOs, ug corporate teams kauban si Al Nino Capangpangan sa CHILL OUT VENTURE ginamit ang Adventure-Based Programming. As an on-call facilitator of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc (RAFI) Kool Adventure Camp, I get to be with the team during camps and with their post-camp and youth-development programs.

* Unsay mga dagkong hagit ang nag-atubang kanimo sa matang sa imong trabaho?
Whether sa SMASH or during trainings, I facilitate or with the institutions I volunteer in, ang usa ka butang nga common mao ang empowerment: encouraging our artists in the music scene to make themselves be heard; being an agent of awareness for personal growth; supporting groups that are geared towards youth and community development. Mao ni ang mga challenges that keep me going. (hala! Kanus-a kaha ko magminyo aning storyaha noh?)

· Ning tungora, labaw gayud ang Bisrock tungod kay?
We have the skills. We have the talents. Panahon na nga we all get back to our own culture – atong kaugalingong pinulongan. Enough with the criteria of Imperial Manila ug sa gitawag ug Neo-Colonialism for quality music. Enough na pud anang mga giant record labels nga nagdikta sa atong mga airwaves ug unsang mga bandaha ang motukar – leaving our local bands far down their list. We deserved to be listened to. Mabuhi tang tanang mga BISROCKERS!!

Life is coffee

2006-05-04T19:16:00.000+08:00

It used to be a rule of thumb for my girlfriends and I to put our classmate Jose Allan Garcia on "ignore mode" back in grade school. Allan was voted "unwanted" for being class bully.

After about two decades, Allan is never the same person again. In a class reunion last December, our roads crossed once more, and led to the realization that we all had gone through painful stages to metamorphose into the very beautiful person we are being called for. Allan was apologetic for his so-called "misdeeds and misfits" and explained on his poor class deportment back then. He said his inner struggles and his marriage changed him a lot. And we noticed that some things were never the same again.

Recently, Allan posted a note at our Yahoogroup, and this has come to arrest my attention. The class bully that I once knew had etched across our yahoogroup message box a note on a life of simplicity and contentment, coffee being employed as a metaphor to a purpose-driven life. Read on.

Allan posted: "A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together tovisit their old university lecturer. Conversation soon turned intocomplaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, thelecturer went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee andan assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, some plain-looking and some expensive and exquisite, telling them to help themselves to hot coffee.

"When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the lecturer said: "Ifyou noticed, all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken up, leavingbehind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to wantonly the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems andstress. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but youconsciously went for the better cups and are eyeing each other's cups."Now, if life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society arethe cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, but the quality oflife doesn't change."Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffeein it."Don't let the cups drive you...enjoy the coffee."

Choose coffee, not the cup

Life has remained to be very, very, very beautiful despite the backbreaking round of drudgery. It isn't life that is complicated, as how some would want it to appear. Man has chosen to make it complicated. Life has always offered us serenity and tranquility. Man has chosen not to understand differences. Life has never been that painful. Man has chosen war to settle conflicts. Life is meant to be lived in love. Man has chosen indifference.

The message of the Resurrection is for us to choose coffee, not the cup. Choose to know that there are those who love and that understanding will always be there, even when we feel most alone. Choose to give a kind word, a reassuring touch, a warm smile every day of our lives. Realize that what we feel we lack in one regard may be more than compensated for in another. Choose to see our future as one filled with promises and possibilities by learning to view everything as a worthwhile experience.

Choose to determine one's self-worth, and not be dependent on another's judgment of one's accomplishments. Choose to feel love and be loved! Choose to feel we are blessed, as our souls were already redeemed by amazing grace! Happy Easter, everyone!

TEXTPRESS URSELF! 6-Apr 15:03:04 "Gud d! As n hafy au ko ng read s Q'A n bre ambungan. (Re: Fast Facts on Bre_Ambungan of Smash FM) il b hs fan na jud! Gwafo mn sd i sha bsan niwang! - Anonymous.

The continued beating of Scrambled Eggs

2006-05-04T18:58:00.000+08:00

How would you like your eggs? Sunny-side-up? Soft-boiled, done omelet-style, or poached? Neil “Bomberman” Lumeran (bass), Nelson “Chang” Martizano (drums), Louie “Lewy” Espinosa (guitars) and group newbie Jay-r “Ichoy” Siaboc (vocals) who hail from Toledo City, of Cebu’s northwestern coast, want theirs scrambled.
Nah! You may attempt at a giggle or a hearty laugh at the thought of men’s eggs preferred scrambled, but the eggheads indeed named their band after how they would want eggs served at “Payag ni Badong”, their “tambayan” near the University of San Carlos-Talamban campus.
Unknowingly, the regular chow of scrambled eggs became a prelude to “Itlog sa Tiki”, their debut album released in 1996, and to what is to be its follow-up, the “Tumbi Yataki, a 13-track album. These two are products of their determination to carve a mark in local musicmaking with rock, pop and alternative genres as influences.
Back to the Payag, this became an inspiration in coming up with “Humba”, a track in their first album, which goes a little something like, “humba lami nga sud-an labina’g na’kay sili sa imong sawsawan, paborito nga paniudto sa Payag ni Badong…power kaayo.”
Scrambled Eggs has already a feather on its cap as it romped away with Artist of the Year plum in 1996 awarded by dyRT’s Brown Underground Sounds program that pioneered the spirit of Bisdak band-ing, band-ship, band-ism, whatchamacallit. And even with the exit of Surigao-born vocalist Clenn Sunico who penned most of the tracks, the group is determined to stay visible after a three-year hiatus.
Apart from Johnny-come-lately Jay-r who is not at all a green horn in standing as frontman for bands having had stints as vocalist, hopping from band to band, the three are the voices behind “Kada Uli Hilot”, inspired by a cowboy song by Fred Panopio done in a style dubbed yodel.
The song may leave behind an afterthought as to how shallow such topic could be, as in “kung ako’y mulakaw, unya inig uli hilot; kung di ko kalakaw, dili sad ko makahilot; kada uli hilot, kada uli hilot”, but mind you, Scrambled Eggs took on efforts to explore the mix of novelty and the sounds of activism to raise social issues.
“Kutsara Tinidor”, for example, is a look at the shackles of abject poverty that has long tied marginal children of this nation to a hand-to-mouth existence. “Si Butsoy wala pay gikaon, si Amboy kanal ang giinum, si Inday ukay sa basurahan karon. Patilawa di kamaong mag tinidor, pakan-a di kamaong magkutsara.”

To explain how the album got its title, Neil who also acts as manager of the group, said that it still is Payag-inspired, as the group collaborated with the words and chords of “Sabaw”.
“Tumbi, yataki unya pikpika kaduha, tan-aw udto na karon ug kinahanglan momata, panlupig sa imong isig katawo gipasagdan mo sila, labi na kung imong mata gabuka ug gitan-aw mo silang natunaw sa kainit sa sabaw; kulang pa ang imong disiplina, tanang kurso gihagbong wa magtarong ug iskuyla…”
For the record, Scrambled Eggs has long been here, performing with those who pioneered Bisrock-iness like Antonio’s Madness, Damian Paniki, The Roots and Ambassadors of “Naulipon sa Gugmang Giatay” fame. When asked on how they have survived almost ten years of rigors moving about in a local music scene that used to have only a handful who had showed appreciation, the group singles out passion as main reason. Now that encompasses what being a “fayter” is.
In a late afternoon interview with the group at the Ayala Botanical Gardens, they mentioned of their great love of music that allows for longevity to tail like a shadow. The Bisrock crowd looks forward to an eggnog prosit with Scrambled Eggs’ long-time sizzling on the pan of local entertainment.
Fresh from an April 8 gig at Handuraw Events Café, haven of Bisrock music enthusiasts, and an April 22 gig on Earth Day, Scrambled Eggs will be performing with other Bisrock bands on May 13 in Minglanilla, May 19 at the Mactan Marina Mall parking lot, and on the 29th in Pinamungajan in time for the town fiesta.
“We extend our thanks to 93.1 Smash FM and its two disc jockeys Bré Ambungan and Ram for beating up the airwaves with cuts from our second album, making it possible to continuously pummel the air with the music of the eggmen,” says Neil.
Aside from Smash, the group looks back with gratitude at Backyard Studio, and all the Bisrocker bands they had worked with for making possible the continued beating of Scrambled Eggs.Egg the band on to work with the reprisal of their songs at the “Itlog sa Tiki” album, a most wanted project for this year, by supporting the Tumbi Yataki album which is available at Salonga Music Store – SM City Cebu, Backyard Studio in Lahug, Kahayag Café and Manu Ent at Elizabeth Mall. Costs P175. Call Neil at 09172476138 for bookings or email rem_gbg@yahoo.com. Visit www.myspace.com/scrambledeggs, www.scrambledeggs.tk and friendster site: scrambledeggs@yahoo.com.

Lessons from dogs and the Liloan lighthouse

2006-05-04T17:22:00.000+08:00

Inspired by a required material for a reading report entitled “Grace Saves the Crew,” my infatuation for lighthouses has continually tailed me like a shadow, and that the desire to become a parola in the next life hasn’t at all waned.
Shipwrecked 10-year-old Grace assured her companions on a lifeboat that hope is near with the flicker of light from the parola – the lighthouse standing sturdy against the storm and dark mantles of cloud on a bay point. Grace imbibed that wisdom from her grandfather who had been lighthouse keeper for most of his life.
It had been ages since I happened to flip the pages of that reading material, but for every time I am asked how would I like to be in the next life or if I’m zapped or petrified to transform into an object of use, ermm…great use, the answer would always be to become a lighthouse, an awesome structure that serves as refuge when in face with the turbulent waves of life and sorrow at the extreme.
On the last ten remaining hours of 2005, I was with my mountaineering team – my small peer group – but we weren’t literally on a climb. We were there salivating at the opportunity to be able to reach atop the Liloan lighthouse which today stands as a living testimony to American engineering and architecture of 1904.
The group decided to gather at the foot of the parola to appreciate how “astig” (play-up of “tigas” which means “tough”) it has become through the ages. The other reason why we decided to travel 18 kilometers out of Cebu City was to get upclose with the parola for fear that with the ongoing development of a high-end residential subdivision there in barangay Catarman, set to become the 24th seaside lighthouse community in the world and the first in the country, we might one day lose access to this lighthouse, and would only savor her beauty gained through ages and purpose either on postcards or aboard a marine vessel standing on bay waters.
As we were huddled on a small tarpauline spread for a sit-upon, we shared a serving of some “doggy stories” with the ushering in of 2006 deemed Year of the Metal Dog based on Chinese lunar calendar.
With the sky momentarily lightened up by the colors of flares and fireworks that some had already indulged in ahead of the midnight bang, the mention of dogs created vivid recollections of those beautiful dogs in stories which were once introduced in my reading and writing classes.
There’s the dog who lost his way, but couldn’t quit forget how his master smelled, and has returned home in most amazing manner in Anton Chekhov’s Kashtanka. Then there’s White Fang (who was actually a wolf-dog) – the canine that starred in Jack London’s literary masterpiece on adventures in the frozen wastes of the Yukon territory.
Another story, The City of Pompeii, retold the life of Tito and his loyal dog buried alive in molten lava spewed by furious Mt. Vesuvius. Early excavation teams unearthed remains of a dog with teeth sunk onto a loaf of bread believed it had scavenged from a bakeshop hours before the eruption to feed to a starving master. The dog was believed to have belonged to an orphaned street kid Tito.
Though most of us would rather raise a brow or shrug a shoulder to superstitions on the lucks and jinxes the dog might bring to our lives, I do bank on the characteristics of dogs to influence, in some way, our decision-making powers and our priorities this year.
For one, a dog’s loyalty amazes most of us. The dog is said to be man’s best friend, however the line may sound overused today. It has been proven in time that a dog is a loyal companion and a reliable help in times of danger.
Dogs, classified by zoologists under Canis familiaris, are among the first animals domesticated by man about 2,000 years ago. They herded sheep and cattle, and protected them from wild animals. Such dogs became known as sheep dogs and cattle dogs.
Dogs are grouped into classes. Working dogs like the Doberman, the Great Dane and the St. Bernard are raised to do tasks like herding sheep and cattle, protecting and watching over lives and properties, guiding the blind or pulling sleds, and other heavy objects.
Sporting dogs such as the Golden Retriever, the Pointer and the Field Spaniel are those used for hunting birds. They bring back the birds or animals that their masters shoot or hunt for as a sport.
Toydogs and lapdogs like the Pomeranian and the Chihuahua are petted like toy dolls.
Above all, the enormous power of a dog’s senses, especially those of smell and hearing, can be utilized efficiently for crime prevention, crowd control, tracking, and drug detection.
While I was there with back flat on the tarp, stretched below the parola, I was playing at the thought that maybe if the leaders of both the church and the country do learn from the characteristics and purpose of both lighthouse and dog, we would have hope in the light that flickers whenever events involving our faith and us as a people threaten inner and social peace, and our loyalty we can always give like a dog that wags its tail in thanks to a master who feeds it no better than morsels.

***
ADDY.BUDDY. “I love to eat all of those (referring to “Of Timbura, Chikinini and Boy Bawang” – January 2 issue). I like your column…well said very well said….HNY2U. !!! best wishes and more power to you…” – pepe <PPoculan@aboitiz.com> Jan. 2- 13:14:11

Aggressive Audio: Artist of the Month sa Handuraw

2006-05-04T16:15:00.000+08:00

Human sa pag-isa kanila isip usa sa mga kinaham ug hugyaw nga banda nga ang basihan mao ang mga requests sa ilang mga kanta nga patukaron sa 93.1 Smash FM-Cebu’s Rock Fortress, ang Aggressive Audio bag-o pa lamang giisip nga Artist of the Month sa Handuraw Events Café (Artists Haven) sa Mabolo.

Kining maong pagpili kanila isip Artist of the Month base sa mga botar gikan sa ubay-ubay nga nagsunod kanila nga larino nang makahubit ug makakanta sa mga lyrics sa “Senior Citizen” aka “Ang Tiguwang”, ug sa lain pang matawag nga hit tracks sama sa “Lingin” ug “Kugmo” nga nilangkob sa ilang debut album “Pwerteng Lingina”.

Ang “Pwerteng Lingina” usa ka paagi sa pundok isip pagtuki sa mga butang nga lingin nga naglibot kanato nga matawag ug espeho sa atong kinabuhi nga nagtuyok.

Gawas sa pagsaksi sa pag-abot na sa panahon sa Bisdak rock gumikan sa nagkainit nga musicality sa mga local independent rock artists ug sa mga magdadayeg niining matang sa music style niadtong Marso 4 atol sa Bisrockers night sa Handuraw, usab akong nasaksihan kon giunsa sa Aggressive Audio, nailang experimental/blues/jam band, pagdani ug pag-aresto ang pagtagad sa mga mahiligon sa Bisrock.

Silang Eugene Corpin (vocals), Randolf Silvano (lead guitars), Sidney Alburo (rhythm), Joel Ablanque (drums) ug Vincent Ngalis (bass) wala magdahom nga balik sa ilang yanong sinugdanan sa dihang sila gitawag pa ug Teenage Chaos, mamahimo silang ingon niini ka agresibo may kalabutan sa ilang musika nga nakapakanlat sa atensyon sa mga tigpaminaw gikan sa sagad langyaw nga paningog ngadto sa Bisrock.

Usa ka matawag ug musical struggle alang sa Aggressive Audio nga likayan ang sobrang kagaan sa Bisdak nilang mga kanta nga typical sa novelty nga istilo sa musika. Apan dili kini malikayan kay ang mga sakop sa Aggressive Audio natural nga mga komikero, ug kining kagaan sa ilang kanta daw gapas nakapahimo sa ilang kanta nga daling nakatuhop sa alimpatakan sa mga tigpaminaw. Dali masakyan ang lyrics ug tuno sa mga tracks sa album tungod kay kini audio-friendly man.

Sama pananglitan sa “Medya Galon” nga kon buot hunahunaon daw simple lamang kini nga pag-ihap nga ingon ug countdown susama sa paghatod sa natad sa siyensa ug laboratoryo ngadtos kawanangan. Ang “Medya Galon” nakapagitik sa akong gusok ug nakapahurot sa akong kusog ug ginhawa sa pag-apas ug ihap sa kantang may kalabutan sa mga manginomay ug tuba.

Sugdi sa “ang baynte nahimong baynchingko,” ug ang pag-ihap mahitabo sa paatras nga pamaagi, nga matapos sa “dos, uno, y medya” ug dayong bunal sa katapusang pulong nga inubanan ang pwersa alang sa igong kinahanglanong impact sa “galon!” Ug karon duwa-i sa imahinasyon nga anha pagasugdan ang paatras nga pag-ihap gikan sa “ang baynchingko nahimong singkwenta”. Tan-awon nako kon asa kutob ang bulhot sa inyong gininhawa sa pag-roll back sa mga numero nga mouli sa “dos, uno y medya… galon.” Bisan tuod ug matawag ug linawgaw, apan sa mga nagkalingaw nga Bisrockers niadtong gabii sa ilang pasundayag, lakip ang akong kasingkasing nga nag-jogging sa ilang gibuhat. Ug kon ikaw rockista nang daan, dayag na lang nga ang matag bunal sa drums maka-uyog sa imong paghatag ug bili sa lokal nga talento.

Ang “Lingin, Tangkong, Hanggang Kailan, ug Feeling Lang” pipila lamang sa mga kolaborasyon sa pagtagik ug liriko nilang Eugene ug Sidney kansa mipasiaw nga wala silay suliran mahitungod sa pagsulat sa lyrics, aduna lang pag-abot sa mga chicks.

Sa pagtan-aw ug balik sa ilang naagian, nahibaw-an ning tagsulat nga sa usa ka band showdown diin si MC Rey sa local rap-hiphop group Brownian Method dili makalitok ug tarong sa pulong “chaos” sa ilang karaan nga ngalan - ang Teenage Chaos, mao nga sa dihang pag-anunsiyo niya iyang gibunyagan ang pundok ug Aggressive Audio.

Wala mamarog ang Teenage Chaos sa pagtoo nga dunay laing banda nga gitawag, apan sa dihang gisenyasan silang MC Rey nga sila mao na ang sunod motukar, didto na nagsugod nga nakatatak na ang maong pangalan kanila.

Si Eugene ug ang kanhi lead guitarist nga si Archie Uy nagsugod isip mga kolitos dihas Mabolo Parish Church ug tungod kay katalirongan man sila diha sa Mabolo, normal na lang nga magtukar-tukar sila may kalabutan sa mga kanta sa simbahan.

“Kanang Senior Citizen play-up jud na siya sa usa ka charismatic song kay nindot man gud ug tuno nya okey ra pud dali siya masakyan,” pagpasabot pa ni Eugene mahitungod sa local chartbuster nga “Senior Citizen”, nga gianggaan ug “Ang Tigulang”.

“Ang Tigulang bisan bako, maningkamot, mobarog, motindog, aron molabyog,” singgit sa kinabag-an atol sa Bisrockers night sa Handuraw nga miwara-wara sa ilang mga kamot ug mitagtag sa ilang mga ulo ug misadsad sa ilang mga tiil atol sa gihimong pasundayag sa Aggressive Audio.

Wala palandunga sa Aggressive Audio nga maabot sila ug ingon niini na kalayo may kalabutan sa gilawmon ug gilapdon sa ilang musika, nga gilarawan nilang “pakatok ra lagi wa dyud mi motoo nga mo-click ni”. Apan silang tanan nagkahiusa sa pag-ingon nga layo rang makab-ot sa grupo kining maong kalampusan kon wala pa si Archie kansang presensya ana-a lang gihapon bisan pa man ug ato-a siya gawas sa nasud nagtrabaho.

“Naka-promise mi ni Archie nga di mabungkag ang band,” nagkanayon si Sidney, “so that wherever the road may take us, we vowed to be intact, as Archie also promised to join us as soon as he comes home. Kay mao ra gyud ni iyang gusto nga tibook lang gihapon ang iyang nasugdan.”

Apan sa wala pa molarga si Archie, nakaabag siya sa recording sa upat ka kanta diha sa Backyard Studio Project, ug mapasalamaton kaayo sila kang Micmic Demetrio, kini nahibal-an ning tagsulat gikan sa manager sa Aggressive Audio nga si Ysai Perez. Kining upat ka mga kanta nilangkob sa ilang ikaduhang album nga wala pa mapahaumi ug titulo.

Usab, ang pundok mapasalamaton nilang deejay Ramil Dizon ug Segundo Bré Abrea, Jr. sa 93.1 Smash FM sa pagpakanaw-kanaw sa kahanginan sa mga requests sa mga Bisrocker fans. Si Randolf mapasalamaton sa tanang taga barangay Taytay, Badian sa ilang suporta, samtang si Joel magpasalamat sa tanang kahigalaan ug kasilinganan sa Guadalupe nga sila nihangop sa musika sa Aggressive Audio.

Si Sidney, Eugene ug Vincent gusto magpasalamat sa tanan nilang mga magdadayeg dihas Cabantan, ug labaw sa tanan sa ilang manager nga si Ysai Perez nga maoy nabundakan sa tanang “dirty works”.

Ang Aggressive Audio aduna nay nabuhat nga mga pasundayag sa Casbah sa FGU sa Ayala ug matag pasundayag nila dili gayud malikayan nga makamugna ug labi pang paghangop sa Sugbuanong pinulongan.
Dayag na lang nga ang Aggressive Audio agresibo kaayong mipakatap sa paghatag ug bili sa tam-is nga pinulongan sa habagatang bahin sa Pilipinas.

Sa gustong makabaton ug kopya sa ilang CD balor ug P150, lakat sa JB Music o sa Kahayag Café (igsoong establisamento sa Handuraw Events Café). Dugang impormasyon ana-a sa www.myspace.com/aggressiveaudio. Ug sa gusto modapit sa Aggressive Audio sa ilang dapit, pakigsabot kang Ysai Perez sa 09189493911.

Scrambled Eggs: "Kada Uli Hilot"

2006-05-04T15:57:00.000+08:00

Sa unsang paagiha sa pagsilbi ang buot nimong mahitabo sa imong kinaham nga itlog? Malasado? Pinirito? O pina-omelet style? Silang Neil “Bomberman” Lumeran (bass), Nelson “Chang” Martizano (drums), Louie “Lewy” Espinosa (guitars) ug ang bag-ong kaplag sa pundok nga si Jay-r “Ichoy” Siaboc (vocals), mga taga dakbayan sa Toledo sa amihanang kasadpang bahin sa probinsiya sa Sugbo, nagkahiusa nga ang sud-ang itlog isilbi sa “scrambled” nga paagi.
Oopssss…ayaw sa diha pagtukiki o kaha buhi’g katawa sa huna-huna sa mga itlog ning mga tawhana nga ilang ipa-scramble. Atong klarohon nga ang maong paagi sa pagsilbi sa itlog nahitabo diha’s “Payag ni Badong”, ilang tambayan duol sa University of San Carlos-Talamban campus.
Wala lamang damha nga ang maong putahe nga ilang pagasaw-an matag abot sa takna nga magkasinabot silang mag-atubang ug panimo-timo mao na diay ang mohatod kanila sa pagsagop sa maong pangalan sa dihang ila nang gigama ang “Itlog sa Tiki”, ang ilang debut album nga gilusad niadtong 1996. Ug nga gimanghoran sa follow-up album nga “Tumbi, Yataki” nga gilangkoban sa trese ka kanta.
Kining maong duha ka mga albums produkto sa ilang determinasyon nga makakulit ug marka sa lokal nga paggama ug musika nga may impluwensya sa rock, pop ug alternative genres.
Balik sa Payag, nahimo kining inspirasyon sa dihang gigama nila ang “Humba”, usa ka track sa ilang unang album nga naghubit sa di malalis nga kalami sa usa ka matang sa sud-an nga kinaham sa mga Bisdak, “humba lami nga sud-an labina’g na’kay sili sa imong sawsawan, paborito nga paniudto sa Payag ni Badong…power kaayo.”
Ang Scrambled Eggs aduna nay ikapasigarbo may kalambigitan sa ilang pagpanukar tungod kay sa tuig 1996 ila nang nasakgaw ang titulong Artist of the Year sa tulumanong “Brown Underground Sounds” sa dyRT nga maoy nakapasugod sa konsepto sa Bisdak nga banda-banda. Ug bisan pa man sa pagbiya sa ilang kanhi bokalista nga si Glenn Sunico nga maoy nitagik sa kalab-anan sa ilang mga kanta, padayon ang musikanhong pagbatil sa Scrambled Eggs human sa tulo ka tuig nga pahulay.
Ang Scrambled Eggs mao ang paningog luyo sa “Kada Uli Hilot” nga basi sa kinawboy nga kana nga gipasikat ni Fred Panopio nga migamit sa istilong yodel.
Mamahimong kalataw-an o kaha may implikasyon sa double meaning ang maong kanta basi sa lyrics niining nagakanayon, “kung ako’y mulakaw, unya inig uli hilot; kung di ko kalakaw, dili sad ko makahilot; kada uli hilot, kada uli hilot,” apan gipaningkamotan sa Scrambled Eggs nga ang mosunod nga mga tracks may dugukan nga activism aron ikapasupot ang mga isyung sosyo-politikal.
Sama pananglit sa “Kutsara Tinidor”, nga usa ka pagtuki sa kadena sa grabeng kapobre nga nakapaalaut sa mga bata nga nahitumpayak sa gitawag ug musimos nga pagkinabuhi, “si Butsoy wala pay gikaon, si Amboy kanal ang giinum, si inday ukay sa basurahan karon. Patilawa di kamaong mag-tinidor, pakan-a di kamaong magkutsara.”
Gipaningkamotan karon sa Scrambled Eggs ang reprisal sa mga kanta sa unang album, “Itlog sa Tiki” aron mapalanog ilabi na gayud sa 93.1 Smash FM ang mga unod sa maong mga musikanhong mugna.
Ang Tumbi, Yataki album nga tag P175 mapalit sa Salonga Music Store – SM City Cebu, Backyard Studio sa Lahug, Kahayag Café ug Manu Ent sa Elizabeth Mall. Alang sa bookings, pakigsabot ni Neil nga maoy nibarog isip manager sa pundok, sa 0917-2476138, email rem_gbg@yahoo.com. Bisitaha ang www.myspace.com/scrambledeggs, www.scrambledeggs.tk ug ilang friendster site: scrambledeggs@yahoo.com.

Wala damhang bug-at nga lakang sa Stonestomp

2006-05-04T15:53:00.000+08:00

Kampeyon sa nahitabong Battle of the Bands Showdown nga gipasiugdahan sa Boss Grill diha sa Mango Avenue niadtong 2004, ug napiling kampeyon na usab sa “Upon This Rock” sa sangka sa mga banda sa Mandaue City Sports Complex sa nakalabay nga tuig, ang Stonestomp naningkamot na usab sa pagdaug ug usa ka luna sa kahanginan alang sa ilang musikanhong mugna – ang “Wala Ko Magdahum”, usa sa tulo ka mga kanta sa ilang Extended Play album.
Ang kantang “Wala Ko Magdahum” gihan-ay sa lead guitarist sa pundok nga si Evert Sestoso. Apan matud pa ni Evert ang sugilanon nga naglimin sa maong kanta mao ang kasinatian sa gugma’g kinabuhi sa ilang bokalista nga si Morris Aniñon.
Ginaingon nga gi-internalize ni Evert ang maong kasinatian ni Morris aron mapalutaw ang emosyon diha sa mga linya sa kanta ug sa mismong melodiya niini: “Ako usa ka tambay nga nahigugma kanimo inday…kalami sa akong gibati nga kita nagkasinatiay/apan wala ko magdahum nga nabugnaw ka na karon/ kalit lang nahanaw paglabay sa panahon.”
Kining maong track sa ilang EP album nakakudlit na usab ug pagtagad, basi sa mga requests gikan sa mga tigpaminaw sa 93.1 Smash FM, sa tulumanong “YourVoice, YourChoice Tingog Kabataan” human duola sa pundok si DJ Ram Dizon aron i-sumite ang usa ka sampler nga may tulo ka kanta – ang “Tigpatuman”, “Korikong”, ug ang “Wala Ko Magdahum”.
Gawas ni Evert ug ni Morris, ang Stonestomp gilangkoban nilang Kenneth “K-Noy” Pacubas isip rhythms guitarist (IT student sa Cebu Institute of Technology), Daryll Cerilla sa drums (tinun-an sa Don Carlos Gothong Memorial High School), ug John Lester “Lepard” Pardillada sa bass (Commerce – CIT). Si Morris nga vocalist social work ang educational background, University of Southern Philippines; samtang si Evert gradwado sa Commerce sa CIT ug nagtrabaho sa ETJ Finance Corporation.
Ang Stonestomp nga ang buot ipasabot “bug-at nga lakang” naporma sa tuig 1996 sa dihang ang kasagaran sa sakop niini ana-a pa magtungha sa high school. Ang orihinal nga mga sakop niini mao silang Mario Baculi (vocals/guitar), Evert (lead guitar), John (bass), ug Eric Acebis (drums). Ang mga mosunod nga mga katuigan nakasaksi sa pag-apil ug pagbiya sa mga membro niini sa nagkadaiyang mga rason.

Niining tungora, nanlimbasog ang Stonestomp nga makakawhat sa pagtagad sa masa, pinaagi sa ilang kantang “Tigpatuman” nga usa ka pagtuki sa papel nga gihuptan sa mga tigpatuman sa balaud sa atong katilingban. Si Morris madungog nga mibirit sa linyang “kita mo ba ang kasakit ug among mga singgit/ang pahiyum ug katawa luyo sa problema/singot ug dugo nga among gipuhonan/para sa kaugmaon imong giusikan. Tigpatuman sa kalinaw kanunay lang kaming naglantaw/pasagdan bang mahanaw ang paglaum nga among gihandom/Asa ka karon igsoon, naglibog ka ba ug nabalaka/kahadlok mo wagtanga/ang kahayag imo rang makita.”
Ang gibug-aton sa dugukan sa primerong track sa ilang album gisundan sa usa ka kanta nga nihubit ug usa ka kataw-anan nga sugilanon may kalabutan ang “Korikong”, usa ka matang sa sakit nga nakahatag ug kakatol sa panit sa katawhan, ilabi na ang mga bata nga mas daling taptan, niadtong dekada 80. Gisulat ang maong track ni John Pardillada kansa miangkon nga siya mismo wala makaikyas sa korikong sa dihang siya bata pa, hinungdan nga nahuna-hunaan niyang isaysay ang maong kasinatian nga karon iya na lang gikataw-an, “pagkapait sa akong pagkabutang/puros katol akong kalawasan/sige’g kutkot hangtod nga mawagtang/lami’ng ibag-id sa kalibunan.”
Usab gihimakak ni Evert nga siya kanhiay nga kritiko sa musikang Bisrock. Iyang gipasabot nga dili tinood ang mga huna-huna nga nisakay lamang siya sa Bisrock tungod kay nakakawhat naman kini sa pagtagad sa mga tigpaminaw.
Siya nagkanayon nga pipila ka tuig ang nilabay, ang pundok nagsugod na ug latid ug mga kantang Bisdak sama sa “Selosa”. Apan wala lamang kini mahatagi ug airplay sa dihang ila kining gi-sumite sa dyRT sa kanhi tulumanong “Brown Underground Sounds”.
“Pagkatinood lang gyud, dako kaayo nang sayop moingon sila that after experimenting with music genres, I have jumped into the Bisrock bandwagon for its popular support kay diha na nang song namong “Korikong” summer of 2005 pa. Depensahan lang nako ang attack batok nako na nanaway ko sa Bisrock music kay pagkatinood kon nanaway pa ko, wala ta ko nikanta aning line-up of songs namo ron,” panapos ni Evert.
Alang sa uban pang impormasyon, text sa Stonestomp sa numero isip 0918-4252988 (Evert) ug 262-1283/0919-6423675 (Morris). Bisitaha ang www.myspace.com/stonestomp. - Mga hulagway kuha ni Kei Go

Mga minugbong lilas ni "Victor Louie Villanueva"

2006-02-20T17:22:00.000+08:00

Mga minugbong lilas
ni “Victor Louie Villanueva”

Susama sa mga batan-ong bulahan kaayong nakahupot ug katakos sa pakig-indigay sa natad sa arte, ang 21-anyos nga si Victor Louie Villanueva mipalambo sa iyang hilig sa pagdibuho, ngadto sa combat sports, ingon man sa advertising nga mao ang natapos niyang kurso sa University of San Carlos-Talamban campus.

Bisan dili man tuod makita ang iyang kontribusyon sa lilas “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” nga gigaling sa CineMalaya, isip marketing assistant ubos sa pundok ni Ms. Amor Olaguer sa UFO Pictures, apan si Victor usa sa nakapahugyaw sa nakalabay nga Salida nga gipahigayon sa Handuraw Events Café diha sa Mabolo.
Ang iyang kaigmat, kalawgaw, kalantip sa pangisip makita sa iyang duha ka mga mugna – mga minugbong lilas nag-ulohan ug “Bitin na Pagmamahal” (Interrupted Love) ug “Naglaway”.

Ang duha niya ka mga mugna nahilakip sa napulo ka minugbong lilas nga gipasundayag alang sa Salida, ipahigayon matag tulo ka bulan diha sa Handuraw, igsoong establisamento sa Kahayag Café.

Ang ubang mga lilas nga nahilakip sa screening mao ang mga mugna nilang Jurly Maloloy-on, Jr. ("The Witness" ug "Sila" ni Denis Judilla ug Benjie Ordoñez), "Kadauwan" (Everytime It Rains) by Benjie Ordoñez nga migamit sa huni sa kubing (jaw harp) sa indie reggae band Balde ni Allan; "Mata" ug "Pusod" ni Cheryl Baldicantos, "Zwangtta" (Koreano nga pulong buot ipasabot “loser”) ni Michael Barrientos, "Miko" ni Paolo Dy, "Night Shift" ni JK Go, ug "The Haunted" ni Jerrold Terog.

Ang mga nanan-aw nahugyaw sa baleg usa ka gutlo niyang “Bitin na Pagmamahal” nga nakadaug ug ikaduhang ganti sa “Smart Cuts”, usa ka bangga sa panglilas pinasiugdahan sa MOV International Digital Film Festival 2005. Ang maong lilas may kalabutan sa konsepto sa short messaging service nga gipahaum sa karaang panahon. Giduwaan sa maong salida ang “fantasy elements” diha sa posibilidad sa paggamit ug “text service in typical Filipino courtship” sa panahon nga ang Pilipinas ilawom pa sa pagdumala sa mga Katsila. Ang ubang detalye niini, ana-a nakapostada sa www.movfest.com.

Ug susama usab sa mga mahiligon sa natad sa panglilas, si Victor miisip sa “Citizen Kane” ni Orson Welles, sugilanon sa usa ka publisher nga nailhang si William Randolph Hearst, nga usa sa mga labing maayong lilas nga nagaling.

Bisan pa man ug gipili ni Victor nga ang iyang mga mugna magtuki sa “play-up of fantasy elements”, dili niya ikalimod nga ang rebolusyong gigamit sa Citizen Kane may kalabutan ang “cinematic and narrative techniques and experimental innovations in photography, editing and sound” mao ang iyang gihimong inspirasyon “to move on with innovations in filmmaking along with a host of other cinematic influences.”

Ug usab dako ang iyang respeto sa nigama sa “Battle Royale” ug "Princess Mononoke" (animation), parehong Hinapon nga salida nga alang kaniya repleksyon sa iyang personalidad.

Malipayon kaayo si Victor nga ang iyang mga mugna nahilakip sa Salida nga gipasiugda sa Sinebuano. Ang Salida usa ka kalihukan nga naglangkob sa mga mugna sa mga Bisdak nga mahiligon sa paggaling ug mga lilas. Laraw niini mahatagan og igong kahibalo ang katilingban nga aduna diay mga salida nga ginama og Bisdak. Ang Sinebuano usa ka gamay nga pundok sa mga gitawag ug “passionate independent filmmakers” nga inyong mahimamat, makasandurot ug makukabildohay pinaagi sa ilang Visayan online community – ang “iStorya.net”, usa ka message board alang sa mga hilisgutanan may kalabutan ang independent filmmaking.

Bisan pa man tuod ug si Victor dili sakop sa Sinebuano, padayon ang iyang suportang gihatag sa Sinebuano alang sa usa ka kawsa – kini mao ang pagpalambo sa independent digital filmmaking dinhi sa Sugbo ug nga ipahibalo kini sa kadaghanan labi na niadtong mahiligon usab niining maong natad sa arte.

Layo pa nga mamahimong “movie hub in Asia” ang Cebu, sukwahi sa unang gikataho, tungod kay “back to square one in the field of moviemaking” man ang Sugbo, pahayag pa ni Sinebuano executive director Benjamin “Benjie” Ordoñez.

Dako-dako pa kuno ang ilang trabahoonon alang sa pagpahibalo sa katawhan nga ang mga lilas gipasundayag sa Salida naghubit sa inspirasyon sa mga karaang Sugbuano nga mga sine sama sa “Manok ni San Pedro”, “Badlis sa Kinabuhi”, “Bugas Mais”, ug “Mutya sa Saging Tindok”.

Sa paglaum nga ugma damlag makagama ug tinag-as na nga pelikula, si Victor Louie Villanueva mitoon pinaagi sa mga workshops may kalabutan sa actual shoots diha sa International Academy of Film and Television isip pangandam sa mas halapad nga tabil. Gikuting niya karon ang produksyon sa iyang duha ka mga bag-ong minugbong lilas - comedy ug fantasy – nga hayan mahiapil na usab sa sunod nga hugna sa Salida alang sa pagduso sa “local digital filmmaking.”

Phylum: Classified alternative music

2006-02-20T17:20:00.000+08:00

Phylum: Classified alternative music

They were once classified “Phylum Prodigals” to match their own kind of iniquities, so they revealed. In a matter of four months, a stream of awakenings engulfed them. Confessions had it that music touched them and offered a kind of healing from emotional torment. Like water, music created for them a path, a direction that led them to reinvention. Now, with a more mature approach to their musical ingenuity, the self-confessed Prodigals have metamorphosed into “Phylum”, classified “alternative music”.

Ian Raye Biñan (vocalist, a computer engineering student at the Cebu Institute of Technology), Charleston Miparanum (lead guitarist, BS Law graduate from the University of the Visayas), Ariel Junald Corcuera III (rhythm guitarist, a marine electronics technology stude at the Cebu Technological School), Anthony “Nene” Talledo (bass guitarist, nautical stude at the University of Cebu) and Josephus “Jojo” Talledo (drummer, nautical science stude at UC) are the voices and rhythms behind Phylum, with carrier track “Palagot sa Contra”, and other songs “Left Me, Luisita, Time Machine, E2Y-E2Y, Txtmyt, I’m Sorry, Scandal, Keep and Kaibigan” that have already received airplays via Smash FM here. The group produced the self-titled album themselves, with album cover graphics design provided by Cyberwhelz.

Donning the taxon “phylum” to stand for classification of life, the group segregates hymns and meanings in an order and a system that so speak of their earnest dream to burn 10 tracks which mirror their very own lives made diverse by experiences but glued together by the touch of music and its healing power to serve a better purpose. That which to understand the kind of understanding music itself has long offered us Chordates in an arrangement of notes and chords, like the ways of taxonomy that a genus must pair off with a specie.

Phylum members are “mag-cuzinz” (cousins) and “ka-berkz” (peers) who had their share of ups and downs having grown up at a common neighborhood, thus having known each other so well from childhood. Despite a helping of bitter memories, some dreams that never found their way yet, heartbreaks, and other tearjerker whatchamacallits, they manage to lean on to the promise that music has this ability to change lives for the better. And so they began getting serious about penning songs and executing these in live musical performances to express a collage of emoticons that are as funny and witty, cruel and cunning, passionate and driven as their personalities. Like most struggling musician-performers, they had their share of being booed, sneered, and jeered at, “like in Plaza Independencia, the most cruel of all venues,” recalls Ariel.

But somehow they managed to hold on to the end of the rope waiting for the tide to turn to the other side. Thanks to the art of composure and the inspiration given by their respective roots who were first in line to have explored this musical inclination. “Runs in the genes, modesty aside,” blurts out a bubbly Ian.

“Sa una boo-han mi kay mokanta mi ug Binisaya. May gani karon nausab na ang trend. Singgitan na sad mi nga Bisaya na puy tukaron (We used to get booed for singing in the vernacular. It’s a good thing the trend has changed. Now the crowd goes for Bisdak songs),” recalls the lawyer-in-the-making cum Phylum main man Charleston with a laugh.

Phylum the album was already launched over Smash FM days before this writer met them at the yard of Charleston’s ancestral house in Bontores, Basak, Cebu City for this desired interview. In a jamming session (sort of!), the gents gave in to my smooth prodding (is there an oxymoron, guys?) of song sampler done in the live manner. Minus synthesizers and other gadgets, the samples emanated from Anthony’s acoustic guitar. Ian hit the notes and the rest provided some musical choreography.

There is a zing as spontaneous as the songwriter himself, Charleston, in the track “Keep” which instantly became my favorite as the song offers the vow of security and of being wanted and of the privilege to belong, which is a wanton want of most incurable romantics.

If I were to make analogous the song “Txtmyt” to a movie genre, it is reversed black comedy I reckon. There is the embedded sense in its lines in the guise of humorous tones. The rest of the songs make play-ups of love stories. This to give musical form to various images of love situations.

Meanwhile, “Luisita” is tricky. Though the character is fictitious and has nothing to do with the Hacienda Luisita mess, it throws in a riddle after a zillion turns at your boomset. Though it has attacked a person’s worst physical features, it somehow exulted the beauty that exudes from within. If first heard, one would just see the plain girl Luisita, but on a broader picture it could stand for mankind itself and the irony on why most people tend to pick on the worst of every person, when it is easier to find the best in one.

Carrier track “Palaban sa Contra” is about the typical approach of “pasuya” (mode used by a person to make another person jealous/envious of just about anything) in between lovers who found their way, lost their way, and found their way in another’s way, but would still want to pick on lost ways.

Beleaguered by rampant piracy, Phylum chooses to distribute their music directly at P150 per CD. Yes, their compositions have already been copied illegally and distributed mostly at stalls in downtown Cebu (crackdown, anyone?).

The album, marked “Nostalgic Content”, comes with a tribal-inspired design, hooks that look more like pincers to stand for the functionality of Phylum’s music in touching fellow youths who might have been troubled by money matters, problems of the heart, the pressure to have a career, familial woes, and battering the I-don’t-seem-to-belong blues.

Phylum says it loud here to patrons, “let the Phylum pincers give you a clutch, as this is the music that will fasten you to the strong belief that amid the world’s backbreaking round of drudgery, doubt and misery, your dreams are just waiting to be realized. Aside from faith anchored in the Almighty, we have allowed music to take control and bring forth internal healing from all our woes. We prescribe the theme of love to you, however nostalgic our brand of songs may seem.”

***

For comments, reactions, suggestions, contributions and indie band feature requests, crank up my email addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com or text 0921-5323616. Thanks!

Salida features short flicks "by Victor Louie Villanueva"

2006-02-20T17:18:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE

FOR THE LOVE OF DIGITAL ART
Salida features short flicks
“by Victor Louie Villanueva”

Like most gifted young adults of today, independent filmmaker Victor Louie Villanueva spends life in dabbling with drawing, digital art, cartooning, and surfing; panning his interest from combat sports to graphic design, to advertising, and then to travel. Pursuits that capture in frames his restlessness!
He may not be as visible as other proponent in making “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” roll reels in cinemas for two weeks here (credited to intensive marketing of the product under Ms. Amor Olaguer of UFO Pictures where he was marketing assistant), but Victor was one of those given a thundering applause at the Handuraw Events Café in Mabolo for his wackiness, wag and wit embedded in his creations – two short films “Bitin na Pagmamahal” (Interrupted Love) and “Naglaway” (Saliva-ing) featured along with other eight short flicks for Salida, a quarterly film viewing activity at Handuraw, a sister establishment of Kahayag Café.
Other films screened include the works of Jurly Maloloy-on, Jr. ("The Witness" and "Sila" with Denis Judilla and Benjie Ordoñez), and "Kadauwan" (Everytime It Rains) by Benjie Ordoñez that employs the music produced by the kubing (jaw harp) of indie reggae band Balde ni Allan. Also featured were "Mata" and "Pusod" by Cheryl Baldicantos, "Zwangtta" (Korean word for loser) by Michael Barrientos, "Miko" by Paolo Dy, "Night Shift" by JK Go, and "The Haunted" by Jerrold Tarog.
The audience roared with the display of Victor’s wit, cooed to his obviously incurable romantic nature, and applauded for his play-up of the elements of fantasy. He bagged second place for the 60-second film “Bitin na Pagmamahal” submitted to MOV International Digital Film Festival 2005 by Filmless Films, under “Smart Cuts” (a 60-second filmmaking contest by Smart) incorporating the concept of short messaging service in typical Filipino courtship set during the Spanish era. To know more about this, log on to www.movfest.com.
As a film buff, Victor considers “Citizen Kane” by Orson Welles, the story of publisher William Randolph Hearst, one of best films ever created. Though he is more into the play-up of fantasy elements, he spoke of Citizen Kane’s revolution in cinematic and narrative techniques and experimental innovations in photography, editing and sound, which he said serve as inspiration to move on with innovations in filmmaking along with a host of other “cinematic” influences.
And too he has the praises for “Battle Royale" and "Princess Mononoke" (animated), both Japanese films, because according to him, these movies reflect more of his personality.
He is glad his works found their way into Salida, organized by Sinebuano. Salida is an event that showcases works by Cebuano movie enthusiasts and filmmakers themselves. The activity aims to create awareness that new Cebuano films do exist here. Sinebuano is a small group of passionate independent filmmakers that can be reached through the Visayan online community called “iStorya.net”, a message board for topics on indie filmmaking.
Though Victor is not at all a member of Sinebuano, he said he backs up the Sinebuano team’s effort as they burn images captured by portable videocams in one advocacy. This is because in an uphill struggle for Cebuano independent filmmakers, there are lots of awareness programs that still have to be put in place to make people realize that there are Cebuano digital films that are being made. The very reason why the event Salida was initiated.
Though far from becoming “a movie hub in Asia” as Cebu is back to square one in the field of moviemaking, they have to make people aware that there are new digital Cebuano films being made here after movies that long ago spoke of Sugbuano lifestyle like “Manok ni San Pedro”, “Badlis sa Kinabuhi”, “Bugas Mais”, and “Mutya sa Saging Tindok”. This was learned form Sinebuano executive director Benjamin “Benjie” Ordoñez.
Hoping yet to come up with full-length movies, 21-year-old Victor Louie Villanueva, an advertising graduate from the University of San Carlos-Talamban campus has had workshops in actual shoots at the International Academy of Film and Television in preparation for the wider picture. He is currently working on two new short flicks – in the comedy and fantasy genres - scheduled for viewing for the next Salida in the second quarter of this year in a bid to boost local digital filmmaking.

***
TEXTPRESS URSELF! 8-Feb 07:49:23 “Gud mrng! I just read ur article about lisa & todd beamer, I love reading it. Whn I read d latter part, I cnt hid my tears falling…- Mrs. Lyn Villanueva, Lapu-Lapu City; 13-Feb 19:55:28 “ I rily lykd ur articl abwt d musician, armor. Im Eric Lomocso of blood of d stone. My song vigilante s currently being aird on smash fm.” 14-Feb 14:03:43 “Happy Valentines! U knw I always read ur article coz it’s very informative, am one of ur fans. Am 53 yr od, a mother of 3.” – Mrs. Eva Ponce-Pinat. Mobile phone numbers withheld. For your comments, reactions, suggestions, and contributions crank up my email addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com. Or visit my updated site: www.pinaymangatkatay.blogspot.com. Buzz me at 09215323616. Thanks for making The FREEMAN a part of your reading habit!

Oh, immortal one!

2006-02-06T13:30:00.000+08:00

Oh, immortal one!

Negev of shallow waters gasped the breath
upon seeing my art flew with the saline wind
trying so hard to know you, so very hard to fathom you
as if I have been issued this license to do so
my life has long been overflowing with
questions but even logical answers
become very unreal most of the time
what's the use of these frail attempts to
conquer your soul, understand your being
much happier are the corals for they have
found a niche in emerald green waters
much victorious are the seagulls now
able to mock me, jeer at futile moves
to connect with you, to bond with you
how much better are sunrays able to etch
upon the sea some serpentine ripples
how much better is the pale moon
able to provide waters with a burning luster
how much stupefying are the clouds
reflected upon you accompanying
the skyline with a promise
true and unwavering
there goes my envy for the
clownfish' fidelity to the anemone
there goes my jealousy for
tossing waves lapping banks of seven thousand isles
consistent -
insistent -
persistent -
Very well known that skyline die momentarily
to renew strength and hope
and even the clutter of clouds fade abruptly
to give space to more important thoughts
Wise men come on bended knees
to the lull of your whimperings
carry one answer at a time
to the mazeboard of life
rebuking, refuting learned
things that once seemed to work wonders
I don't seem to know you
but I dare fathom
You who stood long before me
accustomed to the passion of
seafarers and wonderlusts
gallivanting in this broken paradise
of minute lands and deep trenches
peals of your laughter, they mimic
the passion of a burning universe
exalting our sorrows, praising our pains
snubbing dreams that have been slowly taking shape
this wary thought is a
cornucopia of shattered plans
embracing the lightness of conventions
and hell-racing to perceive the smell and taste
of the gospel of fanaticism
or was it indoctrination?

Must have told me to muster
courage bigger than what the hemisphere could cover
deeper than where the sunshine could penetrate
Is it mortal sin to make attempts to know you
to sink in deep into troubled waters
the better to understand your tranquility
move in to the demands of a pretty crazy world
ride on the waves of uncertainty
where childhood is a stage
that the waves will watch from time to time
waves afoam will store
playful giggles and wanton recklessness
but, pray tell me true
what do you know about travel?
what is that to you if the outdoor is my home?
what else could be new, what else do I need to know?
forces combined to make me a part of your sprints and sprays
You, the immortal sea!

you and me and the waves

2006-02-06T13:23:00.000+08:00

you and me and the waves

the waves...
they bring back memories again
life's details from far and beyond
from that very moment I posted
your indecision on the walls of my heart

the waves...
they come to shores racing, lapping
as if today wouldn't have its curtains down
as there is only the strength of today
believed never ever to fade away

the waves...
they draw the memory of one childhood
this dreamy-eyed youth hopes to take the world
unafraid of the tempest, strong-limbed to conquer peaks
braveheart to glide against the uncertainty of the winds

the waves...
they define what should be true today
they set life's tempo, trend and mood
they stand what is holy for the hour
they accept you for your carnal desire

Made for masquerade

2006-02-05T22:16:00.000+08:00

Made for masquerade

the white waves' caps somehow
taught me again to smear and smudge
lined surface with words full
of life - and of exaggeration
in lieu of a sure answer to pangs of pain,
strikes of anxiety; to beats of love
and strokes of passion; to screams of
ANONYMITY

i was always told to love, never to feign affection;
to let go in the end while keeping the friendship alive;
to be free of the emotional struggles
wrestled through all of these times;
to be truly proud of this magical
EXISTENCE

i was made to smile
though my heart's been smashed a zillion times;
to pretend and to suffer
silently the sting of
UNBELONGINGNESS

i was made to dance
to your kind of music;
to move with your groove;
to take in easy drags of complicated
STEPS

i was made your laughing stock
yet, i was totally blind;
it is only in you i've learned to trust...
despite shame, i have continued to love without
MEASURE

i am nothing but a puppet
hands tied with strings to poles
i amuse audience with this cruel spell
designed to become a speck of dust in the
AIR

Moonrising in Sta. Fe

2006-02-05T22:09:00.000+08:00

Moonrising in Sta. Fe

One Good Friday...
I watched the rough rhythm of Sta. Fe's waters
With mind befuddled by worldy cares
I pored through hues painted on distant horizon
Touched by the twilight's sunken grave.

I was mesmerized by a fading sun
Lissomely splaying its last enticing rays
Its crimson banner gently faded
When the sky's curtain pulled to a close.

In lieu of the sun, the moon took centerstage
And meted out words of wisdom and of praise
It successfully untangled strands of my thought
Once trapped in confusion to grasp sober truth.

One Good Friday night...
I gaped in awe at the moon rising in Sta. Fe
Made solemn those conversations between my God and me
Ebbs and flows of sobbing came, one heart learned to fly
Painstakingly sketched in mind a moon drawn on Sta. Fe's sky.

Morga's Creek

2006-02-05T18:43:00.000+08:00

Morga's Creek (A Comma Poem)

Silhouette, crept, past, slithering, streams, on, Morga's, bosom,
Spirits, were, set, for, adventure, - and, uncertainty, somewhat,
Shadows, as, huge, as, boulders, filled, Morga's, mountainscape,
Souls, carried, torches, ablaze, with, passion, for, the, outdoors,

Soft, shafts, of, moonlight, cut, deep, into, the, eerie, woods,
Sallying, Morga's, creek, hummed, hymns, on, immortality,
Souls, drank, the, gurgling, waters, and, mountain, dew,
Silent, songs, melted, abruptly, the, night, trekkers', hearts,

Was it that hard for the two of us?

2006-02-05T18:35:00.000+08:00

Was it that hard for the two of us?

I.
wondered upon these lonely steps
of an empty, frustrated heart
waiting for rhymes to flourish
from the creaking door of your touch
capturing elusive time
as the starless night deepened into eternity
poignant-sweet memories of you
spoiled the drowsiness in me!

II.
wondering what went wrong
with the seed of love we'd sown
devoured by taunting, mocking seconds
on a cloudy, summer storm?
or trampled upon by huge waves
as they alternately pass
carrying upon their crests
the promises we'd woven once?

III.
promises you'd whispered
kissed the abyss of my soul
asking...wanting...
wishing for more
but the traitor wind blew those
three lovely words away
was it that hard for the two of us?
for our feelings to stay?

Manunggal!

2006-02-05T18:29:00.000+08:00

Manunggal!

A lonely stretch of scattered clouds
Cloaked Manunggal's bald crown with bands of cobalt
Crossed high heavens below the stars' lethargic hiccups
Cheered the distant horizon with nary a word
Slicked wet by Tañon's Strait's playful spews
Licked good by darkness' slimy tongue.

A lonely stretch of scattered clouds
Must had, in wild abandon, passed by roaring oceans
And passionately embraced the waves' sonorous laughter
But, then, these clouds had slowly disintegrated
When the envious Kanlaon blew its fiercest winds
Which ripped and tore the clouds' fragile bonding.

Charcoal gray Manunggal stood out on this side of the universe
Incandescent smears of ray brushed her deforested peak
In the language of silence, to every mountaineer, she did speak
Then her ridges sung an old hymn on the twilight's tolling
When the enveloping shroud of night was declaring
The graceful exit of one Saturday.

Demise

2006-02-05T18:23:00.000+08:00

Demise
by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

Laid stiff 'neath a cold earth mound
My eyes searched for answers
Across the sky.
Unmeaningfulness.

For two scores and a decade -
I befriended nobody but Solitude.

I had a heart, and a name too.
Yet, I am unworthy to be remembered.

Am eaten up by years of silence
Unspoken agony, stream of tears.
Now boxed up, deprived of
Existence --- forever.

Flesh went back to dust
Dreams didn't find their way.
Found no meaning in schoolworks,
Household chores and
Earning a living.

Loser!

Everything's been taken
The body, the soul
To take
Part of the clouds and
The brown cold clay
Beneath.
Deep beneath.

Eyes closed.
Am destined to be born in glory
Only to put a sour end
To every sweet sweat
Which flowed out of
Labor ----- and pain!

Campuswatch: ICT education integration seen to transform teaching methods

2006-02-05T18:16:00.000+08:00

ICT education integration seen
to transform teaching methods

for Campuswatch

With the vision of initiating radical change in teaching methodologies among Philippine schools through the Information and Communications Technology education curriculum, Computer Assisted Learning initiated a half-day forum dubbed “Transforming Philippine schools through ICT education.”
Close to a hundred participants composed of principals, school administrators and supervisors, as well as computer education teachers from Cebu towns and component cities gathered for the forum at the Conference Hall C of SM City Cebu last January 27.
The forum was a look into a mode of integrating ICT, with the use of multi-media technologies, into the basic education curriculum and was conducted to give principals, school directors and computer teachers, ideas on how to assess whether their schools are ICT-ready.
With the fast pace and quick turnover of technology and the high cost of hardware investment, the forum posed a question on whether the school’s ICT curriculum is updated or outdated, and if it is responsive to the growing requirements of the industry’s digital workplace.
It carries the agenda of revolutionizing education through ICT by learning what it means to have a defined ICT curriculum, and on how a school can maximize the potential of the existing hardware and software. And in the process make ICT education a rewarding experience for faculty staff and students.
The CAL Integration Program offers schools a comprehensive ICT education curriculum, student’s textbooks, training, and licensed software.
CAL assistant director/assistant vice president Josephine Manaplad opened the forum with an explanation that CAL is a subsidiary of Informatics and is one of the world’s leading international computer schools for students ages 4 to 16, and for adult beginners as well. And that the ICT plays a vital role in almost every aspect of life, recognizing the need to train people at a younger age so that they can become better equipped for the ICT needs of the workplace in a technology-driven economy.
Jesus Huenda, OIC assistant chief, Curriculum Development Division, Bureau of Secondary Education at the Department of Education in his lecture on “DepEd issues and strategies for ICT in education” offered the CAL EdICT package in spiral curriculum and terminal books determined to provide a set of the ICT curriculum courseware per grade or year level.
The courseware includes a teacher’s manual, syllabus, course outline, lesson plan and textbook and or handouts and activity sheets. The curriculum would be regularly reviewed and updated, in step with dynamic changes in the ICT field.
Course materials covers topics such as basic word processing skills, manipulating documents, and mail document merging that will ensure pupils the proper way of working with a word processor.
Topics such as manipulating spreadsheets, data handling and table handling are seen to help the pupils build the necessary skills to build a meaningful data spreadsheet. Meanwhile, topics on animations, transitions and illustrative charts can aid pupils in developing meaningful audio-visual presentations.
Exploring ICT in databases is seen to enable the pupils gain essential skills such as building forms, creating queries and developing data formats to generate a productive database. Other materials include the study of Macromedia Flash wherein students can design unique and amazing audio-visual content; Macromedia Dreamweaver that allows students to construct remarkable content for the Web.
The CAL Integration Program offers schools a comprehensive ICT education curriculum, student’s textbooks, training, and licensed software. Dr. Judiana Corriente, OIC assistant division school superintendent of the Division of Cebu Province graced the forum and gave her reaction on the CAL EdICT program which is seen to bring to a higher level the creativity and resourcefulness of both educators and students here. – Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

The love of Lisa and Todd Beamer

2006-02-01T00:06:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE
Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros
Visit www.philstar.com

The love of Lisa and Todd Beamer

Blurb: “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40: 30-31)

Lisa Beamer. A homemaker, mother, and the widow of Todd Beamer, one of those who perished aboard United Airlines Flight 93, 9-11. She spoke eloquently of the “need to move on in life without hatred.”

Todd Beamer. Cool friend, a martyr in the end. Athletic. A huge fan of Chicago Bulls, loves his wife and sons more than anything on earth. Perished at the age of 32 in the ill-fated United Flight 93 without being able to see the birth of his third child, Morgan.

With the help of Ken Abraham, a professional writer with world-class credentials, the beautiful Christ-centered love story of Lisa and Todd Beamer is masterfully woven in the book “Let’s Roll”, in memory of 9-11 casualty Todd, who used the phrase to mean “we’re going to do what we need to do here; let’s put our best foot forward.”

Surprised by love

Lisa said she was “surprised by love”. About 12 months before she graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois, she said she began dating a guy she met in her campus. She described the guy to have some great character traits, so that they developed a strong relationship. For the first time, she could imagine wanting to spend the rest of her life with someone. And that a few months into the relationship, they became engaged.

Yet, surprisingly, something inside her felt it just wasn’t right! Deep down, she knew that for all of his admirable qualities, the man and her were not right for each other. Besides, she didn’t want to marry at 22 or 23. She wanted to be on her own first and prove that she could take care of herself. Moreover, she realized that both of them needed more time to mature emotionally. She knew she had to call off the wedding.

Before that, Todd sat down in the seat next to Lisa on the first day of the Senior Seminar at Wheaton. But their contact was extremely limited, Lisa recounted. He smiled casually; and Lisa noticed his red plaid shirt and his relaxed manner. Because the seminar was in a roundtable discussion, Lisa got the opportunity to observe Todd as he interacted with other students.

“Soon, I realized he was not at all the way I had assumed. He was actually rather humble, soft-spoken, bright, and articulate. I was particularly impressed by his willingness to listen to the opinions of others and let them take the lead in discussion,” Lisa said.

The two became sort of partners in the class, sharing ideas on projects and calling each other about upcoming assignments. Definitely impressed with Todd, Lisa was a little dismayed that she hadn’t gotten to know him earlier in their college years. She regarded their relationship as a budding friendship. She wouldn’t know until much later that Todd’s thoughts were more on the romantic side. But because she was dating someone else at that time, there was no place in her life for Todd Beamer…or so she thought.

For a while, Lisa was quite content living by herself. She had just come out of a serious relationship (after she broke off engagement), so that she wasn’t looking for another one. She was just 22 and had a cute little apartment over a shop in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, with her own furniture and decorations, her own car and a new job. What else in life did she need,” she asked.

Little did she know that in September of that same year, Todd and some buddies of his were discussing her and her future. While Todd and longtime friend and roommate Keith Franz were staying at Keith’s parents’ home in Medinah, another friend – Dave Ochs – stopped by.
According to Keith, Dave told Todd, “I have some great news for you. Lisa Brosious broke off her engagement.”

Todd’s eyes were said to have opened wide, as though he’d just seen or heard something amazing.

Shortly after that, another friend, Steve Hellier, and Todd saw Lisa at church, sitting with some friends.

“You ought to ask her out,” Steve suggested to Todd.

“Naaaaahhh, she’s still hooked on that other guy,” was Todd’s reply.

“No, she’s not,” Steve insisted.

“Well, I don’t have her phone number.”

“If I get her number, will you ask her out?” Steve then asked.

A few weeks later, in late October, Todd called Lisa in her apartment, but she wasn’t home. Kara, a former college roommate was visiting and took the message. Curious, Lisa called Todd back that night, and exchanged small talk for nearly half an hour. Todd came to the apartment to pick Lisa up for their first date on November 2, 1991.

From their first date, it was clear to Lisa that Todd was a guy who had a clear focus on life. She admired him that he had a strong work ethic and a direction in life in which he wanted to go. Todd told her he wanted to finish his master’s degree in business. Lisa thought: Motivated, intelligent, fun to be with, great sense of humor, quick to smile, and funny too. This guy could be a keeper.

Lisa knew Todd cared for his family, too. He spoke often with his sisters and parents, and Lisa saw that as a good thing. She thought, Most likely, he will one day love his own wife and children in a similar way.

Keeping with their Thanksgiving tradition of hiking up Turkey Mountain, Todd and Lisa made the trek up the slope on November 24, Todd’s birthday. It was a crisp, cool day, and when they reached the peak, they looked out over the incredible view. The New York City skyline was visible in the distance, and they could clearly make out the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center towers. They were talking about their future when Todd suddenly asked, “Well, would it be so bad to be my wife?” hearkening back to the question he’d asked when they first started dating. The twinkle in Todd’s eyes told Lisa he was asking her to marry him.

Todd pulled out an engagement ring and placed it on her finger. Todd later teased Lisa as to why he wanted to get engaged on his birthday rather than on Thanksgiving or Christmas. “If we get engaged on a holiday, the ring is considered a gift. So if something happens and we break up, I can’t get it back!”

There was no danger of him getting the ring back. Lisa, said, she was head over heels in love with Todd Beamer.

A day Lisa will never forget

September 11. She was getting ready to go to the grocery store when the phone rang. She ignored it since she was about to walk out the door. But the answering machine picked up the call, and she heard the familiar voice of her friend Elaine Mumau who sounded stressed.

“Hi, Lisa. I know Todd is traveling today…and I was just calling to check on him…Do you have your television turned on? … Have you seen what’s happening?”
Lisa grabbed the phone. “Elaine, what are you talking about?”

“Turn the TV on,” Elaine instructed. “There’s been a plane crash at the World Trade Center.”

So Lisa turned on the teevee and saw the Twin Towers enveloped in a huge plume of smoke. A second plane had just smashed into one of the towers, tearing a gaping hole in the building and setting it ablaze. Commentators described the scene in shocked, pensive tones. Lisa stood in front of the teevee, petrified by the horrific sight. Before long the newscasters reported that two planes – an American Airlines flight and a United Airlines flight – were missing and might have been the ones that hit the towers.

“As I sat on the bed that Tuesday morning of September 11, my world had suddenly come to a halt. For a long time after I saw the crash site on television and heard the news that it was a United flight that had crashed in Pennsylvania, I stared blankly at the field outside our window, trying to make sense of it all,” Lisa told Ken Abraham in an interview for the book “Let’s Roll”.

Shortly after noon United Airlines called. Sitting on the corner of Todd’s and her bed, she picked up the telephone on the nightstand.

“Mrs. Beamer, my name is Nick Leonard from United Airlines. I’m sorry to inform you that your husband was a passenger aboard Flight 93 that has crashed in Pennsylvania.”

“I know,” she replied calmly. She didn’t break down crying hysterically. She didn’t yell or scream or make outbursts at all. Although the United Airlines rep made no reference to terrorist activity aboard the flight, there was never a thought in her mind that that was a random accident. No one around her thought that the crash was due to an equipment failure or pilot error. Almost immediately reports circulated on the news that federal aviation authorities had reason to believe that the plane had been hijacked in a similar manner as those that had struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. There were even reports that some people had made cellular telephone calls from the plane before it had gone down.

Strangely, Lisa felt some sense of relief in knowing that Todd had been aboard a plane that had crashed without hitting a building or another national landmark, causing further death and destruction or calamity in the country. Tragic as it was, the plane had gone down in a reclaimed field that had once been a coal strip mine and was now a grassy meadow in a rural area of Pennsylvania. It was the only terrorist attack that day in which no lives were lost on the ground as a result of the crash.

The most unsettling moments came when Lisa thought about the third baby she was carrying. Todd and her had been so excited as the pregnancy progressed. As her hands grazed her belly, she was reminded that she is now a single parent of two – David and Drew – and expecting another.

I love you (as recorded)

The family had heard that other passengers aboard Flight 93 had contacted loved ones by cell phone and that the passengers had planned some sort of attempt to overthrow the hijackers. Everyone speculated about Todd’s possible involvement.

One question nagged Lisa: If others were making calls aboard the flight, why hadn’t Todd called her? He lived with a cell phone practically attached to his ear. If others found the means and the time to call, why hadn’t Todd?

Friday evening, around 9 pm, Nick Leonard, the family liaison with United Airlines called.
“Lisa, the FBI has released information that Todd did make a phone call from the flight. He called on the GTE Airfone aboard the plane, and the call went to an operator’s switchboard stations in the Chicago area. The FBI has been keeping the information private until they’ve had an opportunity to review the material. But now they’ve released it.”

It was clear from the information Nick read that Todd hadn’t been murdered by the terrorists. Quite the contrary – he had been actively involved in communicating with someone on the ground, providing information about the hijackers in hopes that somehow he and some of the other passengers could devise a plan to thwart the terrorists’ efforts. As Nick relayed the operator’s summary, Lisa scrawled quickly in staccato form: “… do we know where he was sitting? 10 in front, 27 in back…flight attendant next to him – told him what had happened in first class…what do they want? Ransom?…Todd – Jeremy Glick discussed together to “jump”…[hijacker]…said, going down, we’re ok, we’re coming back up, we’re turning around – I think we’re headed north…completed the Lord’s Prayer with him…asked Jesus to help him – knew he wasn’t going to make it - … told about family, made a promise to call Lisa to tell that he loved his family and wife and children very much…Todd said, are you ready, let’s roll – put phone down but never came back on…could hear screaming in background…”

The Shanksville crash site

The plane had come down in an open field, an area that had once been a coal strip mine and since had been reclaimed, graded, and replanted. Off in the distance, Lisa could see a farmhouse, but there were no buildings anywhere else for miles. Silently Lisa thanked God for that. Compared to the horrific scenes of devastation at Ground Zero and the Pentagon, the Shanksville crash site seemed almost serene.

Because of the reclaimed strip mine, the ground was softer than other surrounding areas. The plane had pierced the earth like a spoon in a cup of coffee: the spoon forced the coffee back, and then the coffee immediately closed around the spoon as though nothing had troubled the surface. Anything that remained of Flight 93 was buried deep in the ground.

At the top of the bluff overlooking the site, a makeshift altar area had been constructed from several bales of hay. Two small flags and one large flag were stuck in it. A cross with white bunting was on the side of the hay-bale memorial.

Lisa had been told in advance that families of the victims would be able to place wreaths, flowers, notes, pictures, or other personal items at the crash site memorial area.

As her special mementos of Todd, Lisa left an Oracle pen, a Chicago Bulls cap, some pictures of Todd and the boys, a container of M&M’s (one of Todd’s favorite candies), notes from family members expressing love and pride of Todd, and a book A Life of Integrity by Howard Hendricks that Todd and the guys had been using in their Friday-morning breakfast group.

And this note she didn’t only leave on the site but she has been living up to: “To Todd, my husband, my everyday hero. Thank you for loving God, loving us, and always playing hard. Thank you for teaching me patience and mercy. I love you and promise to finish our journey well. See you later…”

***

Wow! How many of us can love with a love like that? If you want a copy of the book “Let’s Roll” by Lisa Beamer as told to Ken Abraham, drop by at OMF-Literature, Ramos street. Costs PhP875. I tell you, it is a precious find. If you want to borrow, come to my workstation and sign up my borrower’s card. It pays to be in love, all day, everyday!

***

Share your views about love and your love story and get published on the V-Day. Crank up my email addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com. Or text me at 0921-5323616. Join our Banat News Love Note Writing Contest and win fabulous prizes. For previous articles, visit www.pinaymangatkatay.blogspot.com. Thanks!

Rainy Tuesday morning under Armor's Psychedelic Sun

2006-01-30T01:15:00.000+08:00

There was a downpour though, but pelted not on the pavement, nor the roof. The rain surprisingly came soft and soothing like the sound of his harmonica. “Rainy Tuesday Morning” is one of his musical compositions, an execution of the fusion of musical influences as vast as Asin, Joey Ayala, Beck and The Blue Man group, U2 and Bob Dylan, and various avant-garde and tribal musicians he mentioned.

And of course, the sun was still in its slumber beyond the languid shoulders of some celestial horizons when we streamed from the Internet his other work, “Psychedelic Sun”, side by side our discussions on the inspiration behind the words, the emotions, and the cords he so handsomely crafted as he venerated the sun that shines on sinners and saints alike.

Armor, of Ilonggo descent, played for my photographer and me his harmonica and his guitar that so blended well as if I was listening to The Corrs’ “Paddy McCarthy”. I hope the comparison is not an insult to the genius of more talented local musicians, but to find Armor play live at my workstation provided me this "MTV Unplugged" atmosphere.

Armor is currently doing solo performances with his guitar, harmonica and the drum machine.

“Sometimes with the sequencer, tribal instruments and toys I circuit bended. But live performance is just an extension of my music," Armor explained.

His real gigs are those times he spent planning, performing, recording and mixing different musical elements. In so doing, Armor described he is transformed into someone he wants to be.

“I become a scientist when my fingers move the different knobs and faders of the mixing console. I become a poet when I scribble the rhymes and metaphors. I become a rebel when I take off my shirt and plug the guitar in front of the microphone. And when I sing, I become a rock star!,” an emphatic Armor enumerated.

Nineteen of his 40 creations, errr…chorus lines, are posted at www.fiestamundo.com/armor. Full rendition of the songs is available at www.songplanet.com/armor. Most notable of these songs are "Rainy Tuesday Morning" and "Psychedelic Sun".

Music compels Armor to travel

Ang pagkadi ni Armor sang banwa sa Sugbo indi lang gid para sang iya mga kabiyanan kag mga kautoran na adi di. Armor makes this side-trip because he heard so much of the Cebuanos' deep love of music.

"I am amazed at the Cebuanos’ love of music that nestles deep down in your culture," he said.

More than anywhere else he had been, he loves the reception here when it comes to independent musicmakers like him.

Born January 6 in Jaro, Iloilo City, Armor later on found himself getting into hobbies and interests in songwriting, and song and jingle production and later on got a knack for creative writing having been equipped with a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications major in Journalism degree from the West Visayas State University.

In 1991, he became a recording artist of Hiligaynon Records, and became a basic guitar instructor at the Yamaha School of Music, still in Iloilo in 1993. His creative writing led him to The Mediator, a college publication, as literary writer in 1995. In 1997, he was news writer for The Visayan Tribune; and a contributing writer for The Daily Informer in 1998.

Then he left the country for Oman where he worked as musician in Sur Beach Hotel in 1999; at the Hilton Hotel in Manama, Bahrain in 2000; and New Peninsula Hotel in Dubai in 2001. But he got tired of singing covers. He said doing such is an insult to the gift that he has as a musician. Had it not only been for monetary compensation, of course, he would have left outright when he was requested that very first night of work to sing songs that are readily available over FM stations, and Internet music chart Top 40s or at LaunchCast.

Indeed, fiestamundo very well described such situation - that for most artists, expressing their craft is sacrifice. They have odd jobs to feed their families and work nightly gigs to express their musical gifts. Others abandon any dreams of creativity to earn a stable living singing an endless repetition of Top 40 covers in the hotel lounges, bars and cruise ships of the world. Only a rare few achieve superstar status that will enable them to live comfortably in their chosen profession.

After sometime though, Armor returned to the country and did musical scoring for “Hablon”, an Ilonggo film, in 2002; for a stageplay “Wala Makakita Sang Pamanag-banag” also on same year. Today his works are featured at www.fiestamundo.com, a site dedicated to artists like him who at some point, began to get dissatisfied with copying songs that did not reflect Pinoy soul and who we are as a people.

Like that philosophy that fiestamundo is incorporating in its mission, Armor felt that artists have not been given an opportunity to lead the way into creating music that reflect our distinct identity and the vote of confidence to express originality and creativity, the reason why Filipino popular taste has remain stuck with, American cover songs for example.

Armor travels to promote his music

"It is a fact that we existed in a world where the advancement of audio technology results in a reinvention of presenting the beauty and science of poetry and sound," Armor wrote at his site at songplanet dot com.

"My songs are the result of this evolution. I mix electronically generated drumbeats and bass lines with live guitars and keyboards. I also use toys, tribal instruments and real life audio recordings.

"I wrote the poetry. And when I sing, I tell stories of stars and satellites, of the colors of the oceans like the eyes of a girl, of temples, mountains and skyscrapers that stand high like our hopes and aspirations as a human race. Thus my songs are crafted almost electronically. Yet it has a soul.

”I have several past recordings which includes “Sa Gihapon (As Always )” in 1991, my first single; “Ice Cream, Cakes and Chocolates (1995)”, my first album; and "Sunshine Satellite (2002)."””””

Armor first made his local chart debut in 1991, when he was still with his former band, "Balangaw". The single “Sa Gahipon” stayed at number 1 for four consecutive months. Deciding to go solo in 1995, his debut album “Ice Cream, Cakes and Chocolates” includes ten original tracks that fused acoustic guitar with ethnic and techno rhythm. The lead single “Bola” received a fair amount of radio play. He then released his second album in 2002. The twelve-track CD was entitled "Sunshine Satellite" which he collaborated with a certain songwriter/keyboardist Kristin Perez.

The following year he released his third album, "Walking on a Third World Street", which now fuses elements of new wave and electronica with poetic lyrics.

Two singles "I Wanna Be a Belly Dancer" and "We Are All Atoms" managed to top Internet music charts. Then in 2004, Armor released his fourth album "Primitive Device", which now fuses tribal sounds with electronic backbeats. Aside from recording and live performance, Armor has also worked as a musical scorer for various Ilonggo films and musical plays. He has also hosted songwriting seminars and helped other indie bands record their song in his home studio. He is currently working on his fifth album.

Armor said he is planning to release a CD, which will include live acoustic performances of his gigs here in Cebu, his tribute to the Cebuanos for upholding independent music. Among his accomplishments are staying as Top 100 artists at songplanet.com since July 2004, the only Filipino indie artist to be included on the charts. He is on # 59 with 128 airplays of his songs on Internet radio as of January 2006. "We Are All Atoms" is currently playing on Cebu City's 93.1 Smash FM.

Armor will be interviewed live via mobile phone by 90.1 FM Pinoy Rock Radio in America by Filipino DJ Kokoy sometime in February. Last year, he was interviewed by American DJ Jill No Jack for the "Lucky Fokker Show, by Francis Brew for NU 107’s "In-D-Raw" program and VJ John Doe for MTV Siesta.

Before Armor heads on to bring his music to Davao, catch him play live at Windsor Castle (Ninoy’s Payag) along Escario street Wednesdays at 9 pm. And other days at Café Shang in Mactan island. Such is also opportune time for one to get a copy of his album as he plays ten of his original compositions live in each of these venues.

After Armor would have finished touring the Visayas region and part of Mindanao early this year, he will return to Iloilo and live, in what he calls primitive style, in his native beach house for months to start working on his next CD before he comes back here. Kabay pa nga updan naton si Armor sang iya panakayong musika!

***

For your comments, reactions, suggestions, and contributions, crank up my email addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com. For band/indie artists feature requests, text me at 09215323616. For previous articles, visit www.pinaymangatkatay.blogspot.com. Thanks!

Caption:

Armor playing the guitar and harmonica simultaneously to accompany his original composition "Love". Photos by Chendrina Villarino Rosaroso

noyPi

2006-01-30T01:13:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE
MARIA ELEANOR ELAPE VALEROS

www.philstar.com

noyPi

The content of one of the electronic mails sent to me is quite disturbing. This is an open letter via email allegedly penned by a certain Art Bell, said to be a radio talk show host in Nevada, USA.

The email told of Bell as a broadcaster who had "taken advantage of the power and privilege he has when he used hateful words and racial stereotypes that breed further ignorance and intolerance in our society." As a backgrounder, Bell is a radio talk show host who has two programs that he broadcasts from his home in Nevada and that is rebroadcast by 400 stations across the country. He is said to have authored two books, lived in Okinawa, Japan for some years, and anchored a radio program on the English station there. He had been here in the Philippines as he had traveled fairly extensively around the world, and in fact married a Filipina, which had raised brows as to why he had drafted a hate mail against us noyPis.The hate mail read: "Filipinos make me puke. As we've all come to notice, in the past few decades, Filipinos have begun to infest the United States like some sort of disease. Theirextensive involvement in the U.S. Armed Forces is proof of the trashy kind of qualities all Filipinos tend to exhibit on a regular basis. You can see this clearly by studying the attitudes and cultural icons of most Filipino-Americans."Are they really Asian? Well, we have come to accept the fact that Filipinos come from a part of the world known as Southeast Asia. But the term "Asia" is used in the wrong way. You may notice that contemporary Filipino-Americans try very hard to associate themselves with groups that we know as Asian. I cannot count the number of times I have seen a 'ThirdWorld' Filipino try to connect themselves to the Chinese or Japanesepeople. There is no connection and here's why: The Philippines is a thirdworld country. Nothing respectable has ever been created by Filipinopeople during our entire human history. Young Filipino men in Americahave become obsessed with "import racing". They have an enormouslyperverted affection for Japanese cars. It's a common phenomenon. In theirminds, these Filipinos somehow believe that they are Asian and that itsomehow connects them to Japanese people and Japanese cars. They oftentake credit for the ingenuity of Japanese people and say how it's an"Asian thing", term derived directly from AfricanAmerican slang "black thang". It's a black thang. It's an Asianthang."You can see the connection. It's even funnier that, in Japan, Filipinosare heavily discriminated against. The only Filipinos that can livesuccessfully in Japan are the Filipino prostitutes." (***Ouch!)

"Try visiting a young Filipino's web site too.You'll see something called the "Asian IRC Ring". It has to do with the chatrooms. The most horrible thing about this is that these trashy people are trying to associate themselves with Asia again and all they talk about is sex!""""

Okey now noyPis, hold your cool there! Because however disturbing the attack maybe on us, recent fed information said that this is just a form of smear campaign by a jealous American broadcaster who would want to destroy Bell. And that there is no way Bell would have the heart to initiate a hate drive as such, as he married a Filipina. Nevertheless, there is this touching campaign now to answer Mr. Bell in a civilized manner so as not to make his alleged biases reaffirmed.

A reaction that came in after his email had circulated went: "I find this funny, Bell is right in some ways where we, as Filipinos don't actually have an "identity". I think this is due to the confusion of our mixed races from Hispanic, Chinese, American and Malay origins. I see itin malls, imagine young generations wearing ski caps and ski goggles in a tropical country, baggy low rise pants like that of African Americansliving in the Bronx of New York, not to mention endless whiteningproducts being sold at department stores and drug stores."But his ignorance also blinds him from the other truth. That while we may glorify animé shows and Japanese online gaming, he is not aware that a nameless Filipino may be responsible for some technical aspects of some Japanese software. He is not aware of our contribution to the societyin general - in technological advancements that may have aided post warnavigations and landing on the moon, that the antibiotic Erythromycin wasdiscovered by Dr. Abelardo Aguilar from Iloilo creating the brand"Ilosone"; and while Thomas Edison may have discovered the electric light bulb and the fluorescent lighting was thought up by Nikola Tesla, the fluorescent lamp we use today was invented by Agapito Flores (a Cebuano named Benigno Flores of Bantayan Island, according to the Philippine Daily inquirer), a Filipino scientist. The Americans helped then-Philippine President RamonMagsaysay to develop it for worldwide commerce.

"That the personal physician of former U.S. President Bill Clinton is Eleanor "Connie"Concepcion Mariano, a Filipina doctor who was the youngest captain in theUS Navy; that a Filipino writer Jose Rizal could read and write at age 2, andgrew up to speak more than 20 languages, including Latin, Greek, German,French and Chinese; and that Edgardo San Juan made the prototype of the moon rover or moon buggy used by the Apollo 11 moon landing mission."Or that a Filipino genius was responsible for the near hiatus in the Pentagon and White House nearly infiltrating their closely guardedsecrets with the "ILOVEYOU" bug. Nuisance maybe, but still one heck of a'beautiful mind' not to be underestimated.The reaction came with a punch saying, "Another sad reality that although most Filipinos working overseas are domestic helpers and prostitutes, who does he think educates the toddlers of Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Tokyo? Parents of these countriesrarely have time spent with their children, leaving them to theirFilipino nannies. And with regard to prostitution, Filipinos are not theonly ones working as one. Filipinos are hardly seen starring in pornographic movies. There might be a few Filipinos we haven't seen, but most are from Mr. Bell's race."

Well, here now comes the most touching part of the email that prompted me to bring this out in publication so as to correct on how some netizens had pictured us:"noyPis may not be perfect, but at least we still have values for one thing. We don't put our aging parents in nursing homes because they're simply old and worthless and we don't have as much numbers of single mothers who get pregnant in their very early teens and eventually become parasites of the government for years and years."

Then, an excerpt from the piece of Patricia Evangelista, 19-year-old Filipina, grand prize winner of an extemporaneous speaking contest in the United Kingdom, was underlined that we noyPis may have lost our identity because of various influences and or the matting effect of these influences over our cultural psyche, but "we are the 40,000 skilled nurses who support the UK National Health Service."

noyPis maybe are victims of patronage politics that have so destroyed dreams of building up a strong Republic, but the borderless world presents a bigger opportunity. noyPis are the quarter-of-a-million seafarers manning most of the world's commercial ships, the software engineers in Ireland, construction workers in the Middle East, doctors and caregivers in North America, and the musical artists in London's West End.(/30)

captions: PHOTOS BY JESERIE CADAMPOG REDONDO AND JOSEL VENCILAO PENDEJITO

noyPi00. Why would one hold a hard heart against us noyPis when all we would want to do is work in harmony with the international community by bringing our values and virtues learned through our family-oriented lifestyles? JESERIE CADAMPOG REDONDO

noyPi01. Why would one keep a heavy heart against us noyPis when most of us are trained from childhood to be hospitable hosts, reliable friends and good listeners? JESERIE CADAMPOG REDONDO

noyPi02. Why would one cast a smirk upon us noyPis when we are such a happy people with our composure saved by our humor and our ability to sing our hearts out amid crises that rock our country? JESERIE CADAMPOG REDONDO

noyPi03. We maybe are at a loss on our identity as a people, but we don't put our aging parents in nursing homes just because they're "simply old and worthless". noyPis make sure the young and the not-so-young mix well just like the potpourri of our influences - Hispanic, Chinese, American, and Malay origins. JOSEL VENCILAO PENDEJITO

noyPi04. Who in the world would ever hate a race like this attuned to the simplicity required of these trying times? JOSEL VENCILAO PENDEJITO

We chat! We converge! We click!

2006-01-30T01:06:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE

We chat! We converge! We click!

Text by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

A color on a canvas can be beautiful in itself, so it has been said. However, the artist excels not by slathering one color across the canvas but by positioning it between contrasting or complementary hues to allow the original color to derive richness and depth from a milieu of unlike colors.

Room 2 of Cebu Tambayan, one of several chatrooms on Yahoo Messenger, is a beautiful canvas in itself that is even made livelier by hues splayed and splattered by a community of online chatters speaking their minds through the keyboards with their spontaneity vis-a-vis the opposing force of repression and the principle of action-reaction. With the interconnectivity comes a niche for methods such as injunction-disjunction and induction-deduction adopted in the exchange of conversations.

At Cebu Tambayan 2, chatters are composed of a motley crew of beauties and beasts, the honest and reliable, the trickster and heel, the comic, the gross and weird, the conservative and perverts, and of curz the "tweeners" - or those who simply border or are in between.

At times, one could cluck a tongue at the absurdity of this whole enterprise happening 24/7 when online chatters in the guise of anonymity converge at this specific virtual room, as the chatroom becomes the most democratic venue for expression one can ever find. There's no one who can control it (except stations that do have operators-administrators, say IrCQ and MiRC). What's more interesting at YM is who's trying to control it.

There is now the game of the forces of repression to control operating versus the creative impulse to express. Most relationships created on cyberspace are seemingly doomed to fail as diversity - though offering the lavish colors of romance and the wondrous design and texture of conversations and relationships on virtual village - offers small space for unity.

Oftentimes, the chatroom becomes a battlefield rather than a sanctuary of peace, a war zone rather than a pagoda of prayer. Most of the time, discussions go overboard and maniacal rather than the upholding of civil relations and diplomacy.

But even when such become hurting experiences to sensible online chatters, grand eyeballs end up like a commodity being craved by those hooked to the hypnotic spell of this computer peripheral device christened "mouse".

The GEB of real time chatters at Yahoo’s Cebu Tambayan 2 (CT2) last August 6 held at the Boy Scout Camp, Capitol Hills was a gigabyte of poetry personified in people who took time to converge from as far as Germany, Singapore, Boston and Saudi Arabia, Manila, Butuan City, and Iligan City.

At the Boys Scout Camp, I met upclose and personal the rest of those who share with me the same passion – simply_jessie (Jeserie Redondo - moderator of our CT2 yahoogroup), smilekopermi (Susan Padua-Albo) kim_pang_ga (Karina Immaculada Apale), potatored (Rex Edward Apale), labod_sad (Agnes Abellana), nyhavn (Arnel Aranton), femme_fatale (Lyra Faye Baynosa), micro_cheat (Maranatha Illustrisimo), venyang_waffa (Venice Gonzales), torch (Hector Luzon), alain (AJ Cabardo), vanes_mae (Edna Schell), lloren_74 (Emily Cadutdut), gotonitz (Domingo Untal), ugly (Vilma Bongo West), joan rodarodz (Joan Roda), liza_anne_for_u (Lilibeth Flordeliz), highlight (Alexander Listones), rbyan (Randel Bryan Ebrada), inot (Antonio Cortes II), misty (Rearlyn Buctot), zastful_19, suplada_gamay, druglord and boy_berig.

The CT2 crowd of online chatters who find delight in the amazing sense of interconnectivity the virtual world provides with just a click of the mouse gathered for real to strengthen the bond already started with the institution of SCQ yahoogroup or the Senior Chatters Qualified. The GEB bannered the theme: "We chat! We converged! We clicked!"

A plethora of chatters that are either cruel or compassionate, weird or conventional, bully or kindhearted, stupid or brilliant, gross or comic, pervert or angelic, the youth or the not-so-youth, the kind, creative and sensible met and played games, did some teambuilding activities, sang songs via the videoke system, swam at the pool and ate dinner togther, barhopped, chat with webcam, and slept together at this inn, serving from minute to minute affection in bear hugs, mwahs and tsup-tsups!

CT2 peepz have already passed that stage of facing virtual calamities just like flooding wherein nasty chatters key in a flashflood of messages obviously to create mess. And then some are at the mercy of booters who kick chatters out of the rooms using booting softwares. We also encounter spats with chatters who are just there to piss others off and or annoy with their unsolicited green jokes or invitations for sex chat.

After all the trouble, SCQ did pull through with the GEB. By the way, Pinoy and Pinay chatters working out of the country who got the heart to share their blessings for the gathering sponsored the CT2 GEB. Big thanks go to egomez in Norfolk, California; tobeb in New Jersey, ugly of singapore, pinay2care of germany, atlantic_express of the UK, joe_millionaire; doisneau_ethnies (the GEB was dedicated to him), mr. anonymous, zhimpee of florida, summerscent of singapore, and pacs8 and gotonitz of Boston, Massachusetts.

Special thanks also go to SFO4 Bernardo Cortes del Mar of the Bureau of Fire Protection with Cris Comendador for facilitating the teambuilding activities, to Alo Catering Services for a smorgasbord of gastronomic delights able to feed the proverbial multitude, to Bryan Sacmar for the transportation, to the videoke service, to the printing shop that made our shirt designs "sport-able" (the attagirls and the whattamen never looked that great! smile!), to Fountainhead for such a lovely cake, and above all the Almighty for making great things possible.

Real time chatting or online chatting is beautiful and invincible in the new age. Like poetry, it seeks to intertwine justice and the arts to find the stability of truth. Matter of fact is, truth at the chatroom is very elusive. The GEB provides a space in space for one to decipher whether one is a person or a myth. The event comes with the realization that when you click that person at the other end of the line, you will know he or she is for real because he or she doesn’t go overboard with this privilege of chatting in the guise of anonymity. (Text by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros for A SPACE IN SPACE)

caption: The regular online chatters of Cebu Tambayan 2 in our Grand Eyeball held at the Boy Scout Camp, Capitol Hills, Cebu City last August 6, 2005.

86th Freeman moon

2006-01-30T00:59:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE
MARIA ELEANOR ELAPE VALEROS

86th Freeman moon

A handful of stars was generously sprinkled on a satin soft dawn sky that night of July 18. They glittered and shimmered, their serene countenance were intermittently freckled by sleepy mantles of clouds lit up by one moon - one I always call The FREEMAN moon.

I bored a gaze at it, gaping in awe. "How many FREEMAN moons have come and gone unnoticed, unacknowledged?"

I gulped down the effluent moonshine that fled from its illuminating body and counted the years of my stay at The FREEMAN. Seven years! Before I became part of this organization, I used to drop by at the Philippine Information Agency to check on this paper’s Environment page, Cultural/Historical reports, and Science and Technology -– the latest in computers, technology transfer, and updates on what was yet a new world to explore: the Internet.
Little did I know fate would bring me here, and provide me a niche in here.

I remembered the very first time I had witnessed what Guttenberg had contributed to the world. The roaring and rolling of printing machines became a new genre of music to appreciate. Each machine had its language, had its stories to share like a war veteran babbling of battles fought, of medals donned. It’s as if each would tell me, "I was here long before you learned to read and write! Innumerable issues that extend to the concept of the EXTRA-EXTRAs had been printed out of my gut, recording historic events that connect the present to its past; a vital witness how men and women-chroniclers, in a working team, collide minds to minds and purge their creative juices."

The FREEMAN, my home for the last seven years, turned 86 this month. I would be last to greet TF "happy birthday" because I was waiting for the 86th FREEMAN moon to rise on some new horizon – the best metaphor to stand for my enthusiasm. Seeking to be vibrant everyday. More vibrant than it was yesterday.

My inkwell runs out of appropriate terms to describe how proud I am to be part of a community newspaper that carry out in its stories the catchphrase of being "free, fair and fearless".

For seven years with TF, I deal with the word survival that is taught in terms never to be misunderstood.

For your comments, reactions, suggestions and contributions, crank up my addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com.

A father's eloquent example

2006-01-30T00:56:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE
MARIA ELEANOR ELAPE VALEROS

www.philstar.com

A father’s eloquent example

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Thanks to Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Washington, USA who first had the idea of "father's day" that she had thought of while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909 to honor her father William Smart, a Civil War veteran.

The celebration of a national Father's Day was supported by US President Calvin Coolidge in 1924. Then in 1966, Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day. President Richard Nixon signed the law which finally made it permanent in 1972.

This allows due recognition for fathers who empower us with their simple eloquent examples, just like Father Damien of Moloka'i - my best example of father's love personified. He shone through the silent eloquence of his love for a community suffering from Hansen's disease (leprosy).

According to accounts, no person is as central to the history of Kalawao and Kalaupapa (Hawaiian islands) as Joseph De Veuster, best known to the world as Father Damien.

It was told that he arrived during the early days of Kalawao’s history, when people with Hansen’s disease were being rounded up throughout the Hawaiian islands and shipped to the isolated settlement on Moloka`i.The account went: "Joseph De Veuster was born in Tremeloo, Belgium, in 1840. He arrived in Honolulu on March 19, 1864. There he was ordained in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace on May 31 and took the name of Damien.

"His first calling was on the big island of Hawai`i where he spent eight years. He often traveled great distances to minister to the people of his districts of Puna, followed by Kohala and Hamakua.

"In 1873, he learned of the need for priests to serve the 700 Hansen’s disease victims confined on the island of Moloka`i. He and three other priests volunteered to go in succession. Damien was the first, and soon he was on a boat carrying cattle and 50 patients bound for Kalawao.

"Damien was the most famous but not the first caregiver or religious worker to arrive at Kalawao. He followed congregational ministers, Catholic priests, Mormon elders, and family and friends of patients who went voluntarily to Kalawao to help. Slowly, Kalawao became a place to live rather than a place to die, for Father Damien offered hope. He spoke the Hawaiian language. Assisted by patients, he built houses, constructed a water system, and planted trees. He also organized schools, bands, and choirs. He provided medical care for the living and buried the dead.

"Father Damien had lived in Kalawao 12 years when it was confirmed that he had contracted Hansen’s disease. Although the disease is not highly contagious, Damien had not been careful about hygiene. Over the years he had done nothing to separate himself from his people. He dipped his fingers in the bowl shared with other patients. He shared his pipe. And he did not always wash his hands after bandaging open sores.

"Father Damien was 49 years old when he died April 15, 1889 at Kalawao. Shortly before his death, he wrote his brother Pamphile, "I am gently going to my grave. It is the will of God, and I thank Him very much for letting me die of the same disease and in the same way as my lepers. I am very satisfied and very happy."

"He was buried in the cemetery next to his church, St. Philomena. The people of Kalawao had lost their strongest voice. Damien’s death was widely noted throughout Hawai`i and in Europe. As the years passed, his life of devotion served to inspire thousands. Because Kalaupapa remained an isolation settlement and the world could not come to his church and grave, Damien’s remains were exhumed in 1936 and reburied at Louvain, Belgium.

"In 1995, a relic composed of the remains of his right hand was returned to his original grave at Kalawao, to the great joy of Kalaupapa and the rest of Hawai`i. Damien’s life of service and fatherly love to the sick and outcast continues to serve as an inspiration."

If only all fathers were made with a heart like his, it would be easier for the world to feel and see the transforming power of the human spirit.(/30)

Like the air

2006-01-30T00:49:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE
MARIA ELEANOR ELAPE VALEROS

May 2005

www.philstar.com

Like the air

Weeks back, Mother's Day was celebrated. I wasn't able to pen down that time a tribute for all the wonderful moms worthy of recognition. I felt guilt for being immersed with my passion for the great outdoors, negotiating the Rio de Cagayan in a familiarization tour, forgetting all about this article I had to submit before hie-ing off to northern Mindanao.

I flew out of Cebu without ever handing in this story intended to exalt the purpose why moms are given to us. Middle of last week, my mother quipped while we were having lunch: "Twenty-three years na si nanay sa yuta."

I counted back the years. Yes, May 18 was my grandmother's 23rd death anniversary. I moved on to retrieve this file and determined to have this on print. This is for my mom and my grandmother and for their potent influences - my mother with her great sense of humor, generosity, and passion for reading; my grandmother for being a woman of sensibility and substance.

"Gikan kos Santo Niño, mora nako shag nakita nilaray padulong sa hagkanan. Gikan kos San Jose, mora nako shag nakita sa hagdanan," my mother went on.

And then tears began welling in her eyes. Obviously, she missed her mom, and that going to the places where my grandmother used to frequent gives her the chance to relive all those precious moments in time.

"Mother's love is like the air. It's so commonplace you won't ever notice it till the supply is cut off."

I wonder how many of us appreciate our mothers and show this appreciation in ways they feel or sense. It's true that we are often guilty of taking our mothers for granted and accept their love as if it were our right, without giving them anything in return.

Take my case for example. There was only a single tear which dropped from my weary, burnt eyes. My heart ached for a while. And the aftermath was a single tear - a manifestation that somehow, in my mother's moving out, I got hurt.

She blew her nose thrice or more, that I wasn't able to give a count but then I was sure she did cry. She had suffered a lot, but I knew she would suffer some more and that she would endure a bucketful of pain because she is willing to love unconditionally.

If onlys were uttered, but one could never change her destiny. Not even a river of tears could. That's maybe the reason why only a single tear dropped from my eyes. They were just too tired to give a damn. All I wanted to do was to go back to sleep as the sound of her footsteps faded down the wooden stairs.

She went away to work in Manila in the hope of sending us - her three children - to school. My sister was completing at that time a degree in elementary education. I was struggling with my journalism studies, while my brother was a graduating high school student.

Our momentary separation gave me the feeling we are parts of one beautiful tapestry ripped into a thousand segments. She said her "bye" tenderly. It sounded more like "I love the three of you". Her farewell played once more that lullabye she used to sing when my days revolved around a course flour-cloth hammock and the milk overflowing from her taut breast buds provides salvation at the strike of hunger pangs.

She carried a travelling bag on her shuddering, weary shoulder. This person who bore me had all the reasons to sacrifice time and her very own life - we are family.

In all her pain, she made me strong. She has always believed in the Divine Providence, in love being absolute, and the beauty of life thriving like lotus on murky waters. You'll never get to know she suffered. For she did it, silently!

With the parting was the message: "Hold on." It means more than holding on to something physical. It's holding on to a lot of things beyond what my mind could conceive. She wrote after some time though, and scribbled: "Elaine, be good. You're firstborn. Do your part. You have to trailblaze to clear the path for those next in line. You are weird, but I do miss you."

Am I worthy to be missed? Often, she would tell me I have an attitude problem. That I must change it before it would eat up my system. But I hated her demanding so much from me just because I'm firstborn. I was struggling that time to weave a life of my own - resisting to embrace conventional wisdom. Most of her words weren't taken seriously. Advice fell on deaf ears.

But when she left us behind once, I did miss her scoldings! I did realize that mother's love is like the air. I had never known it was there, till she went away and the supply temporarily ran out.

For your comments, reactions, suggestions and contributions, crank up my addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com.

The Skimmers

2006-01-30T00:43:00.000+08:00

A space in space
Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

www.philstar.com

The skimmers

Lanky Mark is obviously obsessed with his skimboard (skiffle to Americans, skidboard to Aussies and Kiwis). He is in love with the offshore wind that had playfully tussled his unkempt hair before it headed out to sea. His eyes were admiring the frothy seashore, lapped endlessly by the waves he had fallen head over heels with. And then he ran to pick up the right wave – the very secret of skimming.

To have good wave judgment, say, employing some spectral profile to decipher the contents of the sea's brains, would lead to a successful flip or a headstand. Using such technique, Mark amazed me with an ollie bringing his body to a turnaround with skimboard magically glued to his feet like iron filings attached to a horseshoe magnet. I was left there some distance from him shaking my head, clapping like another Chapman wild over Lennon, my eyes deepoceangreen with envy.

I just happened to bump into lanky, bubbly Mark and his crowd of skimmers at the remaining minutes of my stay in Agusan. I was walking my way from Trianggulo in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte to the port to catch the boat back to Cebu after a successful climb to Mt. Magdiwata, a caving activity and a trip to the Agusan marshland in line with the Naliyagan festivity of Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur when a guy named Rich called my attention.

"Miss, climber ka?" he asked. He was there sitting on this bench in a carenderia, while there I was slowing down my pace some minutes before he had thrown at me the question hoping to feast on adobong dabong (stir-fried bamboo shoot) for lunch at the eatery.

After we went through that rite of exchanging halllleerrrrs, and after getting my serving of the tempting bamboo shoot strips fried in soy sauce made all the more palatable by the aroma of crushed garlic, Rich ushered me to his motorbike and sped away to their office in barangay Talisay, close to the Nasipit wharf. I met the rest of the gang – fellow nature freaks I would say - skimmers Bryan, Ronky, and Mark.

It was so easy to connect with them as we shared the same passion and love for the great outdoors. We easily jibed, except that though I love the surf, sand, sea, sun and the froth at the breaking of seawaters, I am a total stranger indeed to skimboarding. Well, it’s because my being uncoordinated remains a strong force to reckon with.

Mark was the most talkative. Oh, well, they all talked about lots of "nature stuff", but Mark had the most stories. I spent most of the afternoon with him while waiting for the Cebu-bound ship. He did an aerial to begin with, catching the air off of a wave and landing back on the face of the wave.

And there I was etching on the sand what I believe am only good at – figuring out this relationship between the art of skimming on waves and the art of skimming the waters of life. Mark said something that it would be best to choose a flat beach. Of course, of what good will bumps and humps and jagged and rocky areas do to your board and skimming pursuit? The sight of dents and the pain of failure for sure.

"See here, L (my name shortened)," Mark shouted like a pro-skim instructor waving his skim and pointing to the surf "the best time to begin running for a wave is right after the wave breaks. Once we reach the water or wet sand, we throw down the board so we can jump on it."

He did the act with so much ease and grace that for a beginner like me would give tummy knots. Somewhat physically challenging! I learned that it is more difficult than it looks at first and many people don’t stick with skimboarding because learning to ride the skag is too hard.

However, with persistence and patience, even the most uncoordinated person can learn to skimboard. That's what am told, so I bank on the encouragement (*smile!). Well, all aspirants have to take a few bruises learning how to get themselves first on the board. Close to the real picture. We do have our brushes with the bruise-inducing, pressing issues of our lives. The art of gliding through either harsh or tamed waves is for us to muster.

To skim through life, we must be prepared for the waves and learn to inhale the offshore winds and exhale inshore winds. To deal with our skims, we must keep our weight centered over the board, keeping it pointed towards the ocean. Talking of balancing our priorities, our schedules, our decisions, our quality time. Toward the ocean. Not against it. Toward the sun. Not against it. There might be instances when nature would call us to go against the elements. Say, fly a kite against the winds or be like the pink salmons traveling back home against the currents. But with skim, we learn both to face the harshness and the friendliness of the oceans. With life, we bring ourselves to look at our concerns squarely. It is common to accelerate too quickly and lose control in skimming so that it is important not to run too fast. That brings us closer to the facts of life: Man can play neurotic and can be one. With fame, fortune and wealth all fleeting he easily loses control. So skimboarding rule applies to life as rule of the thumb: Don’t run too fast. Just run this race. Run and arrive somewhere.

Then the skimboard meets the ocean, the riders' weight must be on their back foot so the nose of the board does not catch on the water. If this is applied to how we deal with life, we would be neatly gliding up over the waters of challenges instead of plowing through it.

By being insistent, persistent and consistent, the rest of the moves would be executed flawlessly. If the rider has enough speed, balance and ability to turn, he can do various maneuvers while banking off the wave and riding toward the shore. Unlike surfing, skimboarding allows for the ability to spin, greatly increasing the rest of the possibilities on moves.

Skimming I think is not just awesome. But very awesome! No wonder it has won popular approval even in the absence of early records and even if its history is shrouded in mystery. Here in Cebu, how the sport was introduced to local folks is not annotated but there is the Liloan Skimmers Club headed by Daisy Senido creating waves in this kind of aquasport. It is expected then that this art of riding a board across water or wet sand would take more beach buffs creating more tricks where there’s about an inch of water.

After that ceremonial rite of tying around my right ankle a piece of his life and culture – his Manobo tribal necklace – Mark encouraged me to take an idyll with the waves through skimming, to have my own magical transport to some other horizon through the skimboard, and to love the psyche of every skimboarder. Well, I do am beginning to love the sport long before I can even do my very first ollie. Matter of fact is, I have been beautifully skimming through my life's waters all these years.

(For your comments, reactions, suggestions and contributions crank up my addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com).

Vaya con Dios, 'torni Arbet

2006-01-30T00:09:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE
MARIA ELEANOR ELAPE VALEROS

Vaya con Dios, ‘torni Arbet

It was Friday afternoon, 1 pm. I was preparing for my health tips and trivia segments for a weekly one-hour radio program over dyLA produced by Women’s Feature Service, an international wire agency that works to place into mainstream media the pressing issues faced by women and children across continents and walks of life, when my co-anchor and former senior editor Marivir Montebon-Auxilio, in a phone call, informed me I don’t have to arrange for another guest for our 3 pm program as she got somebody to talk on the issue of women dragged into virtual prostitution by a Caucasian who operated an Internet café here that allowed customers online pleasure (say cybersex) with the women.

The guest's name I heard was "Anna Yongco".

She was introduced to me by Marivir when I arrived at the technician’s room of the radio station. But since that was the first time we met, Marivir took care of introducing her on air. She was Attorney Arbet Sta. Ana-Yongco who worked on cases involving violations against women and children, and an advocate working to address on major global concerns such as women trafficking or modern-day slavery, child prostitution and pornography.

She shone in her field without that air of arrogance most lawyers have. She was expounding on women trafficking, emphatic but never intimidating. In her soft-spoken unassuming manners, she was able to put the message across that women are pressed with the major issue of "the struggle for power". She cited we feminist advocates should be alarmed that Cebu has unfortunately become both as the main passage and destination point in the trafficking of both women and children. Her point was recently supported by data from a survey released by a non-government advocacy group, saying that no less than 1.2 million children have been trafficked for prostitution, child labor and domestic servitude in 2003 alone.

Yesterday, ‘torni Arbet was laid to rest after four bullets took her precious life morning of October 11 inside her office at the corner of Alcohol and Sikatuna streets in barangay Zapatera. She had handled mostly pro bono cases, particularly the Ecleo parricide case, and others like that of the shooting of a prominent Danao city businessman, of a man sentenced to 26 counts of death penalty for raping his own twin daughters, and another case involving a girl rescued from sex slavery.

Sharing ‘torni Arbet’s feminist advocacy, I can’t help from being angered by such a senseless killing. "Kon naglagot man diay, dapat mokiha! Ayaw lang patya! The person killed was a good woman, wife, sister, and lawyer alone in her fight. She was the lone prosecutor in the Ecleo case. With that one-hour she spent with us over the radio, she showed us how firm she is in her stand to free women from the claws of virtual prostitution. ‘torni Arbet told me it is part of the fight, to educate women so they will have options and or alternatives other than trading their flesh in exchange for cold cash, including the virtual flesh vending. She said some women don’t know what quagmire they are entertaining because they simply don’t realize they are victims. Expounding this stand but without imposing, she left behind a message that the best thing an educated woman would do is to get a fellow woman out of that quagmire of ignorance, to walk with her another mile, and show her there are better paths for women to take.

'torni Arbet was shot while she was reading her Bible at her office. You can just imagine the ruthlessness of the gunman! Her death is indeed a loss to the legal profession, an attack against the judicial system, a loss to our feminist advocacy. I remember her words well "the attack on women and children is an issue involving people enslaved by their struggle for power". Even in her death, she carried the issue of being attacked by people enslaved by their hunger for power, of people who enjoy moving around brandishing their arrogance, happy at phasing out good people from the face of the earth to whitewash their guilt, cowards who can’t overpower a woman’s wit in the sala of justice other than to silence her with the gun.

As for ‘torni Arbet, vaya con Dios! You fought a good fight. They had taken your body, but not your spirit. They might have tipped the weighing scales, but never will have the power over it! They will continue entertaining their arrogance and it will fan the embers of their malevolence, but good shall triumph in the end. It has been written, it shall come to pass! (/30)

Bag-ong Kaplag...

2006-01-30T00:00:00.000+08:00

Bag-ong Kaplag: Si Armor ug ang iyang mga musikanhong mugna
Tinagik ni Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros
Mga hulagway kuha ni Chendrina Villarino Rosaroso

Mibutho sa buhatan ning maong pamantalaan si Armor, usa ka bag-ong sulbong nga electronic folk artist, bag-ohay pa lamang gikan pagkahuman sa iyang “live” nga pasundayag sa Café Shang diha sa Mactan. Miagi siya pagtuyo ning maong pamuhatan alang sa paghatag og katin-awan mahitungod sa iyang mga musikanhong mugna nga inanay nang nakakablit sa pagtagad sa mga mahiligon usab sa huni nga pinahaum sa electronic folk nga kategorya sa musika.

Bisan pa man dili kadto Martes nga kaadlawon, apan ang sayong kabuntagon mibagis sa pamayhon sa babaye nga iyang gihulagway diha sa iyang orihinal nga komposisyon “Rainy Tuesday Morning” kansa nangantalita sa yanang nga namugna sa bunok sa uwan sanglit nagpanghadlok man kining mahugawan ang iyang lapa-lapa kon makayatak sa lapokong dalan.

Diha hinoon kadtoy kalit nga ulan nga inay mobundak sa aspaltadong dalan, o mobati-bati pagbunal sa sin nga atop, nahimo naman hinoong mananoy daw huni nga namugna sa silindro ni Armor. Ang “Rainy Tuesday Morning” usa sa iyang orihinal nga komposisyon diin iyang gilubid ang mga impluwensya sa iyang mga kinaham nga mga mag-aawit ug banda nga sama sa Asin, Joey Ayala, sa inilang U2 sa Britanya, ug si Bob Dylan ug Beck and The Blue Man sa Tinipong Bansa sa Amerika.

Ug labaw pa gayud nga sa dihang nahapit si Armor ning maong buhatan, ang adlaw nahikatulog pa sa likod sa nanghuyhoy nga abaga sa kasadpan samtang gikugihan namo pag-ugkat gikan sa Internet ang iyang laing mugna, ang “Psychedelic Sun”, kuyog sa akong kahinam nga nakigkumbati pagsukit-sukit kaniya mahitungod sa iyang inspirasyon nga naglimin dihas mga pulong, pagbati, ug sepra nga maayo kaayo niyang pagkabalay samtang siya nagasimba sa Haring Adlaw tungod kay nibidlisiw man kini dihas balaan ug makasasala sa walay pagpalta ug pagpinig.

Si Armor, kansa Ilonggo ug kaliwatan, midalit sa iyang katakos sa pagkuskos sa iyang sista nga gidunganan sa pagtayhop niya sa silindro. Sa pagkakaron, siya makita nga solong mopasundayag sa iyang katakos sa pagtukar niining mga instrumentoha ug usab sa drum machine dungan sa iyang pagkanta.

“Sometimes with the sequencer, tribal instruments and toys I circuit bended. But live performance is just an extension of my music," matud pa ni Armor.

Apan alang kang Armor ang iyang matuod nga pasundayag naa sa iyang paggahin og panahon sa pagplano, sa recording ug sa mixing sa iyang mga kanta.

Napulo ug siyam sa mga koro sa iyang kap-atan ka mugna nahipatik nas www.fiestamundo.com/armor. Ang kinatibuk-an niining maong mga kanta mapalgan sa www.songplanet.com/armor sama sa nahisgutan nang "Rainy Tuesday Morning" ug "Psychedelic Sun".

Musika nakapaaghat kang Armor nga mobiyahe

Ang pagkadi ni Armor sang banwa sa Sugbo indi lang gid para sang iya mga kabiyanan kag mga kautoran na adi di. Gibuhat kini ni Armor tungod kay nakadungog man siya sa nakagamot nang gugma sa mga Sugbuanon sa natad sa panggama og mga huni’g awit.

"I am amazed at the Cebuanos’ love of music that nestles deep down in your culture," ni Armor pa.

Nahadiin-diin na si Armor, apan dinhi lamang sa Sugbo niya nakita ang dakong kahangop alang sa mga independent musicmakers nga pareha kaniya.

Nahimugso niadtong Enero 6 sa Jaro, Iloilo City, si Armor nakabaton sa ngadto-ngadto sa abilidad pagsulat ug kanta, ingon man mga “jingles”, ug nakat-on ug creative writing sa dihang nagtoon siya alang sa pagkab-ot sa Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications major in Journalism degree gikan sa West Visayas State University.

Mibiya siya sa nasud nanimpalad dala ang katakos sa pagkanta sa Sur Beach Hotel sa Oman niadtong 1999; sa Hilton Hotel sa Manama, Bahrain (2000); sa New Peninsula Hotel sa Dubai (2001). Apan gilaay si Armor sa pagkanta sa mga huning gipasikat sa mga laing music artists, labi na gyud sa mga langyaw. Alang kaniya dakong insulto sa iyang talento ang iyang gibuhat ug nga kon dili pa lang kuno tungod sa konsiderasyon sa panapi, sigurado kuno nga sa unang gabii pa lang sa iyang pagtugtog hinanali niya kining gitalikdan.

Si Armor padayon sa iyang tim-os nga tingusbawan

Nagplano siyang magpagawas og CD sa iyang “live acoustic performances” dinhi sa Sugbo. Iya kining matawag og halad alang natong mga Sugbuanon nga misuporta sa klase sa iyang musika. Matala nga kalampusan ni Armor ang pagkahiapil sa Top 400 artists sa songplanet.com sukad pa sa Hulyo 2004. Siya mao lamang ang Pinoy nga independent music artist nga nahilakip sa maong talaan. Siya ana-a karon sa ika 59. Ang iyang laing musikanhong mugna nga nag-ulohan og “We Are All Atoms” ana-a nanganaw-kanaw na karon sa 93.1 Smash FM dinhis dakbayan.

Sa dili pa dad-on ni Armor ang iyang musika sa Davao, mapaminawan siya nga live mopasundayag diha sa Windsor Castle (Ninoy’s Payag) dalan Escario matag Miyerkules sa alas-9 sa gabii. Sa laing mga adlaw naa siya sa Café Shang sa Mactan diin kadtong buot makabaton ug kopya sa iyang upat ka mga album – Ice Cream, Cakes and Chocolates, Sunshine Satellites, Walking on a Third World Street ug Primitive Device, makahimo sa pagpalit samtang siya mokanta ug live napulo sa orihinal niyang mga mugna dihas gikasulti nang mga dapit-pasundayaganan.

Human unya sa misyon ni Armor sa dakbayan sa Davao pagpakatap sa iyang musika ug pag-apud-apud sa iyang CD, mobalik siya sa Iloilo alang sa laing obra, ang ikalima niya nga album, usa niya ipadayon ang iya nang nasugdan dinhi sa Sugbo. Kabay pa nga updan naton si Armor sang iya panakayong musika! – Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros, mga hulagway kuha ni Chendrina Villarino Rosaroso

Caption:

Si Armor mihalad ug usa sa iyang kap-atan ka orihinal nga komposisyon, nga may ulohan “Love” dinuyugan sa gitara ug silindro. Mga hulagway kuha ni Chendrina Villarino Rosaroso

The Vanilla Hills Experience

2006-01-29T19:24:00.000+08:00

Text by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

August 10, 2002

Visit www.philstar.com

MOON as red as blood shone above Boholano horizon. Slowly, its rays flooded onto the sea turning the vast sheet of water abruptly into silver. Three shadows of excellent form trudged upon rocks. Finally, we found each a throne, sat there, and did some moongazing.

It was a Saturday night. The last Saturday of July. Fifty-six senior scouts from the University of the Visayas-Mandaue, University of San Jose-Recoletos, Mandaue City National Comprehensive High School, Mandaue City Science High School, St. Louis School, Mt. Olives Christian School, and Cabangcalan, Campu Lapu-Lapu, and Pakna-an National High Schools set a bonfire at the Vanilla Hills Eco Park and Scout Camp.

The gathering was in consonance to Executive Order 98, the observance of the National Disaster Awareness Month. The boys had their Emergency Service Course conducted in cooperation with Rescue 160 of the Bureau of Fire Protection, of which this writer is one of the volunteers.

Day 1. We left as early as six in the morning from the premises of the Lahug Elementary School where the participants of the Emergency Rescue Service course were gathered. A mini-bus took all fifty-six participating senior scouts to the municipality of Argao. Upon arrival in Argao, the boy scouts were immediately transferred to a dump truck, provided by the municipality, bound for Butong. These boys are to trek to the campsite: Vanilla Hills Eco Park and Scout Camp owned and developed by Mr. Juan Sala, the same owner and developer of Discovery Hills in Babag, Cebu.

Together with a certain Roy, we facilitated the spelunking activity at Triangle Cave. Billy Jack Bahian, Mark Jephen Francisco and Christopher Oyangoren of the University of the Visayas; and Joanne Villamor assisted the boys in penetrating the cavern; while Marites Arañas and I lectured the students a little of what we know about caving. Aside from Triangle Cave with its tawny-stained ground and marvelous limestone formations, there are quite a number of caves in Vanilla Hills waiting to be explored.

After unrigging the ropes, the group trailblazed back to the camp. We emerged some distance from the foot of the towering steel viewing deck. There, we agreed to have some fun by rappelling down the tower.

Day 2. I had my rapt attention all to the lambent flames emitted by an early morning sun. Sunrays beamed through the eastern vanilla sky, launching a brand new day on Vanilla Hills. This day was when the scouts submitted themselves to a rigorous Emergency Rescue Service test. The rescue group gave them two scenarios: a plane crash and a truck loaded with passengers which haplessly lost its brakes and rolled over a ravine. The scouts responded to the needs of the surviving victims according to how they had interpreted the basic emergency action principles.

After the tree-planting activity, Mr. Yndig, the scoutmaster, declared a break-camp. The handing out of certificates followed after a sumptuous lunch of sinugbang isda, mawos nga ginamos, piniritong buwad, and kinilaw nga bulinaw. (/30)

Atop Prayer Mountain

2006-01-29T17:04:00.000+08:00

Atop Prayer Mountain
by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros
Visit www.philstar.com

DOWN south of Cebu lie charming idyllic towns of tranquil azure waters to dive into, creamy sandy beaches to comb, pristine coves to discovr, fantastic waterfalls to abseil, awesome labyrinthine systems to explore, challenging rivers to tame, rocky hills to trek, and cool mountain peaks to scale, say Prayer Mountain in Butong, Argao where Vanilla Hills Eco Park and Scout Camp is.

Prayer Mountain is about 800 feet above sea level, located 19 kilometers from Argao's town proper. On its peak stood an over 30-foot-high stell viewing deck, protruding into the sky, a vantage point where every adventurer can get a sweeping view of two straits dividing Cebu from nearby islands - Bohol strait in the east where the island of Bohol lies, and Tañon strait in the west where Negros island is. Down below, lying on the eastern side of Tañon strait are the municipalities of Dumanjug, Moalboal, and Badian; and off its coast are Zaragoza and Pescador islands, the latter being one of the best diving spots in Cebu.

Finding ourselves on top of the world, we screamed till our lungs burst, as gusts of strong wind tousled all the more our already unkempt hair.

Later that night, we watched a lovely moon that rose over Bohol and enjoyed the cold wisps of mountain breeze that momentarily whipped our napes. A world down south of Cebu, a world freely-given, freely-laid. Fresh air unmetered. Lethargic stars untagged. Mantles of cloud uncoded with bars. Indeed, nature is a grand symphony conducted by one Creator.

As we slumped onto ash gray rocks, sculpted and grooved by rainfall, we entertained our peace. Tall grasses swayed with the blowing of the mighty wind. What lapsed was an eardrum-piercing silence, broken only when time took us discussing "weird and stupid" dreams. Dreams that were never destroyed by tragic circumstances or ripped by fangs of discouragement. We all believed that while being a rescue volunteer is the most difficult task we have to endure, it never takes much time to master the skills. Insistence, persistence, and consistence in training make for perfection.

Being of service is born in the mind and nests in the heart. There only can it find rest. (Text and photos by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros together with fellow Rescue 160 volunteers and Rovers Scout mountaineers Batch 55-Cebu council: Billy Jack Bahian, Marites Arañas, Alex Salazar, Joanne Villamor, Christopher Oyangoren, and Mark Jephen Francisco)

Maze

2006-01-29T16:42:00.000+08:00

Poem by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

1.16.2002pm

ONE NIGHT...

Wrote your name, Maze, on a handpainted sky

where careening clouds stormed celestial horizon

it all had taken your whispers, whimpers

it all carried away your million-dollar promises

ONE LONELY NIGHT...

when time seemed to have stood still

when nary a waft of air or a breeze blows

I uttered your name, Maze, onto the dead wind

it took me by surprise to have missed you this much

certainly, love has a gazillion faces.

ONE LONELY WEDNESDAY NIGHT...

I fought back tears and guilt pangs

torn between keeping the faith and having you, Maze

wish we get some time to storm distant horizon

find out if we are really made for each other.

ONE LONELY WEDNESDAY JANUARY NIGHT...

I praised high heavens for your love

your name I wrote on a handpainted sky

where careening clouds covered my sham

for I believed I have always loved you, Maze

always has, always will

if only to starve my doubts.

The Pres. Ramon F. Magsaysay, Sr. Millennium Trek

2006-01-29T15:30:00.000+08:00

Text by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros
Visit www.philstar.com

March 18, 2000; Saturday morning. Raging lathery waters, in delicious shade of mocha, rampaged upon river stones and smashed on ebony boulders. The current was indeed strong, but it never succeeded in taking away the faith the mountaineers had. As the waters' tumultuous outburst cascaded down from uphill streams and spilt its froth into the gushing river, which separated the mountain barangay of Tabunan and the foot of Mt. Manunggal, we were determined to make a milestone for the new age - conquering a mountain peak and having communion with nature.

August of 1982. I was only in grade 4 then. In a social studies class, we had lessons on volcanoes and mountains, mentioning prominent ones in the Philippines. My teacher, a spinster, was so dear to us because she really treated the whole class like her own little kids - seeing to it that we learn the lessons by heart. For our homework, Miss Cecille Ramacho asked us to list down the volcanoes and mountains we knew of. Upon reaching home and eager to comply with the assignment, I asked my father about mountains, mountain ranges, and volcanoes in the Philippines. There was my mother too who mentioned of Vesuvius and Krakatoa. But because we were only limited to the Philippines, I listened to my father more. He said there's this very beautiful Mt. Matutom in Marbel, South Cotabato. So, the next day, I presented to Ms. Ramacho my social studies workbook with a list of ten mountains. She was not so pleased with the last item - the Mt. Matutom thing - saying she was doubtful.

She then asked me where in the world did I ever hear of it. That was the first time I argued with a teacher. Never mind if she was older than me. I trusted my father more even if he hadn't had any college degree, for that matter. It was a sorry state for an educator to have taught a lesson she wasn't even well-informed of, I reckoned.

Then the name of Mt. Manunggal popped up in that same class when she started enumerating the beautiful mountains and volcanoes of the Philippine archipelago. In connection to that Mount Manunggal thing, she started discussing about the late President Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay - dear to the hearts of the common tao, champion of the masses - who was given the moniker "my guy". My mother said a song was written about him which went: "Mambo, Mambo Magsaysay; Mabu-Mabu-Mabuhay, our democracy will die kung wala si Magsaysay."

I was only a grader then, amazed to the point of applauding the fact that once this country had a good president but who haplessly met his death in a plane crash aboard his private plane, Mt. Pinatubo, on Mt. Manunggal with Nestor Mata, the journalist, as the lone survivor. Given such information, I went home with all the questions in my mind. So I had to confront my father who I found to be busy scanning my Nancy Drew books. "Why did you not ever inform me about Mt. Manunggal? It is here in Cebu. Why of all mountains was it forgotten? Had you remembered, I could have proudly written it as first item on my list," I insisted. My father only shook his head and plainly recited "I forgot".

He forgot. And must have now forgotten how I insisted Mt. Manunggal on my list. But I haven't forgotten a dream - to someday set foot on a mountain I so long to climb, I so long to discover. Along with a few friends from the University of the Visayas Mountaineers (UV-M), I reached its peak at 1:00 in the afternoon. There, I met residents of barangay Magsaysay who welcomed the visitors while some mountaineers had already pitched their tents on the campsite. I went straight near the late President's bust where information about him was inscribed in marble. Meeting the "guy" - the sculpted Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay gave me a lot of realizations. Dreams are just waiting to be realized. That kid in her grade four social studies class had finally stepped on the reddish brown soil of Mt. Manunggal, over three thousand feet overlooking the pristine beauty of Tañon strait, and the proud peak of another wonder - Mt. Kanlaon on Negros island.

The activity dubbed "The President Ramon F. Magsaysay, Sr. Millennium Trek" began at barangay Tabunan, with an uphill climb that took us four hours. It was organized by the local government of Balamban to commemorate Magsaysay's death anniversary. I appreciate the way the Good Lord blessed me with a reliable pair of feet that never gave the slightest problem as I travelled the terrain's serpentine path. Fact is, I was just too stubborn to let go of that great opportunity. I was just too bold to explore greater heights even if people around me tend to be pessimistic at times. Expectations are born out of wishes, and those wishes are motivated by dreams as inspired by ideals. Remember the story of the mountain and the squirrel? I have, time and again, been amazed at the way a mountain can carry forests on its back, how the world looks up to it, the way it provides us with quenching waters that spring from its rocks, and how our dining table is filled with the fruits of its earth.

At seven in the early evening, thick fog covered the vicinity of the camping grounds. It was very, very cold indeed that I had to wear three layers of clothing. Strong gusts of wind threatened to swipe our tents out of sight, but then thanks to the expert backpackers who fastened them well to the ground. The thick fog completely covered the hypocrisy of the world below I always deal with, while puffs of cool mountain breeze blew all the boredom I had felt for the past weeks as I had engaged myself in thankless jobs. From where I was comfortably and peacefully stretched out, I could see strobe lights blinking in synchrony to dance music. The discotheque, sponsored by the municipality of Balamban in coordination with its active youth organization, was the highlight of the activities for that night. There was a showdown of talents beforehand participated in by various mountaineering societies and clubs from different universities and colleges of Cebu and the provinces.

Alone in a blue-green tent and laid on a blue soft earth pad at 9:00 in the evening, I could see the thick fog slowly gave way for the moonshine to pour in over us as a handful of stars littered beside the moon. In what one might call as a "quick sojourn" into the grandeur of the universe, I chuckled at how people - in numerous times and occasions - had denied the simple and plain truth: that over all creation, there is this Almighty Hand in charge of its details and whereabouts. I am simply convinced that nothing in this troubled yet still very beautiful world popped into existence without the consent of the Supreme who knows where to place what, and how to sustain who.

I somehow left a trail of footprints on Mt. Manunggal that may not withstand the tests of grueling times, and a track of rebellious spirit that may not at all survive nature's wild forces. So too did I carry home with me a lot of things: memories captured within the borders of photographs, the sense of achievement inspired by Magsaysay's story, and the revitalized energy to conquer new horizons together with fellow mountaineers who love the great outdoors. But most of all, I brought home the idea of simplicity - that inkling to desire desirelessness.(/30)

Of boulders and river-trekking

2006-01-29T14:42:00.000+08:00

Of boulders and river-trekking
Text by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros
visit www.philstar.com

BOULDERS. Such tough creations. They come in smooth, in shapes like peeled potatoes; while others are rough, and sharp like slivers of glass. But whichever of the two kinds I encounter, I hold on to each piece with a heart beating in awe and throbbing in pure joy; and a sense of reliance on the ability to manage "bouldering" with the strongest of convictions.

These huge stones protruding from riverbeds lift an ecstatic me to a higher dimension, both in the figurative and literal sense. These rocks have faces scarred by the rain's intermittent dropping, its countenance bronzed by a tropical sun. To each scar, I take faithful holds, planting my toes carefully on each crevice grooved by the rain; hoping never to slip down when faced with mossy and slimy ones. Each gecko-crawl, left hand against right foot, right hand against left foot, moves my heavy body inches closer to a destination. And after clawing on to the hardness, emerging at the top of every boulder gives me a queen-like pride able to dethrone fear, able to defy the pull of gravity.

Sometimes, it would take half of a day to complete a trail, or a whole day at most (excluding night treks) to negotiate each river here in Cebu. One I could not forget was that of spectacular Dao in Malabuyoc with all of its Colombian appeal - palms establishing roots in rock crevices, vines hanging down like veils on cliffsides, freshwater prawns rippling bank puddles, and wild monkeys swinging from limb to limb.

RIVERS. Raging or tamed. They all amaze me. I have a penchant for watching rivers cascade down the back of the earth, sallying and babbling and all. Their murmurings I love to listen to whenever their cool brim wash my sandals and my feet. Their bubbles, I admire, swiftly popping when carried in whirlpools to drain into the vast seas and oceans. Their gurgling and rushing and swooshing tickle the strings in my childlike heart. And each of these twangings jabs my memory with the lessons on creation.

Finally, out of finishing every river trek, I find the joy in praising the Almighty, even when it dawns on me that the tarck is only half-beaten. After every conquest, I content myself with the delight of knowing my boundaries, my limits. Yes, because every river's mouth is a small hole on a rock or a narrow passage on the earth's belly, and the rest of its story is locked up behind it, so that everything else becomes a mystery. Almost always, I'm left knocked down, kneeling on pebbles, softened by the goodness of a Sustainer. "Men may come and men may go, but rivers go on forever," so goes poet-of-the-first-caliber Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Believe me when I say that most people think it's weird for me to leave the convenience of home, to wander in forests and mountain ridges just to be able to take an idyll with rivers. Boy! Some people would never ever learn to realize the joy in every river trek undergone. Every step taken is like a scene in a movie. It tackles infinite beauty. It discusses about life on a more vivid picture. Scenes pose most especially to give pleasure to the senses, to gladden the weary heart.

With river-trekking, you have all the time in the world to pause and take time to appreciate this form of creation, one of God's best manifestations. As you walk through the vistas of indescribable beauty, each step intensifies feelings. Each wandering step to the Unknown stimulates the senses. This state of grace, accentuated by the surrounding splendor, breaks through even the toughest exterior.

And most of all, every river can be likened to life. Beautiful but delicate. It gives you very little idea on when you'll have your last glimpse of it. (/30)

Rainy Tuesday morning under Armor's Psychedelic Sun

2006-01-29T14:37:00.000+08:00

Rainy Tuesday Morn under
Armor’s Psychedelic Sun
by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros
Photos by Chendrina Villarino Rosaroso

Blurb: “I become a scientist when my fingers move the different knobs and faders of the mixing console. I become a poet when I scribble the rhymes and metaphors. I become a rebel when I take off my shirt and plug the guitar in front of the microphone. And when I sing, I become a rock star!"

It was no Tuesday dawn at all when electronic folk artist Armor dropped by at my workstation fresh from his gig at Café Shang in Mactan island. But the dawn seemed to have smelled of the Tuesday scent of a woman picking on the stink of muck the rain had stirred in the song Armor had created.

There was a downpour though, but pelted not on the pavement, nor the roof. The rain surprisingly came soft and soothing like the sound of his harmonica. “Rainy Tuesday Morning” is one of his musical compositions, an execution of the fusion of musical influences as vast as Asin, Joey Ayala, Beck and The Blue Man group, U2 and Bob Dylan, and various avant-garde and tribal musicians he mentioned.

And of course, the sun was still in its slumber beyond the languid shoulders of some celestial horizons when we streamed from the Internet his other work, “Psychedelic Sun”, side by side our discussions on the inspiration behind the words, the emotions, and the cords he so handsomely crafted as he venerated the sun that shines on sinners and saints alike.

Armor, of Ilonggo descent, played for my photographer and me his harmonica and his guitar that so blended well as if I was listening to The Corrs’ “Paddy McCarthy”. I hope the comparison is not an insult to the genius of more talented local musicians, but to find Armor play live at my workstation provided me this "MTV Unplugged" atmosphere.

Armor is currently doing solo performances with his guitar, harmonica and the drum machine.

“Sometimes with the sequencer, tribal instruments and toys I circuit bended. But live performance is just an extension of my music," Armor explained.

His real gigs are those times he spent planning, performing, recording and mixing different musical elements. In so doing, Armor described he is transformed into someone he wants to be.

“I become a scientist when my fingers move the different knobs and faders of the mixing console. I become a poet when I scribble the rhymes and metaphors. I become a rebel when I take off my shirt and plug the guitar in front of the microphone. And when I sing, I become a rock star!,” an emphatic Armor enumerated.

Nineteen of his 40 creations, errr…chorus lines, are posted at www.fiestamundo.com/armor. Full rendition of the songs is available at www.songplanet.com/armor. Most notable of these songs are "Rainy Tuesday Morning" and "Psychedelic Sun".

Music compels Armor to travel

Ang pagkadi ni Armor sang banwa sa Sugbo indi lang gid para sang iya mga kabiyanan kag mga kautoran na adi di. Armor makes this side-trip because he heard so much of the Cebuanos' deep love of music.

"I am amazed at the Cebuanos’ love of music that nestles deep down in your culture," he said.

More than anywhere else he had been, he loves the reception here when it comes to independent musicmakers like him.

Born January 6 in Jaro, Iloilo City, Armor later on found himself getting into hobbies and interests in songwriting, and song and jingle production and later on got a knack for creative writing having been equipped with a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications major in Journalism degree from the West Visayas State University.

In 1991, he became a recording artist of Hiligaynon Records, and became a basic guitar instructor at the Yamaha School of Music, still in Iloilo in 1993. His creative writing led him to The Mediator, a college publication, as literary writer in 1995. In 1997, he was news writer for The Visayan Tribune; and a contributing writer for The Daily Informer in 1998.

Then he left the country for Oman where he worked as musician in Sur Beach Hotel in 1999; at the Hilton Hotel in Manama, Bahrain in 2000; and New Peninsula Hotel in Dubai in 2001. But he got tired of singing covers. He said doing such is an insult to the gift that he has as a musician. Had it not only been for monetary compensation, of course, he would have left outright when he was requested that very first night of work to sing songs that are readily available over FM stations, and Internet music chart Top 40s or at LaunchCast.

Indeed, fiestamundo very well described such situation - that for most artists, expressing their craft is sacrifice. They have odd jobs to feed their families and work nightly gigs to express their musical gifts. Others abandon any dreams of creativity to earn a stable living singing an endless repetition of Top 40 covers in the hotel lounges, bars and cruise ships of the world. Only a rare few achieve superstar status that will enable them to live comfortably in their chosen profession.

After sometime though, Armor returned to the country and did musical scoring for “Hablon”, an Ilonggo film, in 2002; for a stageplay “Wala Makakita Sang Pamanag-banag” also on same year. Today his works are featured at www.fiestamundo.com, a site dedicated to artists like him who at some point, began to get dissatisfied with copying songs that did not reflect Pinoy soul and who we are as a people.

Like that philosophy that fiestamundo is incorporating in its mission, Armor felt that artists have not been given an opportunity to lead the way into creating music that reflect our distinct identity and the vote of confidence to express originality and creativity, the reason why Filipino popular taste has remain stuck with, American cover songs for example.

Armor travels to promote his music

"It is a fact that we existed in a world where the advancement of audio technology results in a reinvention of presenting the beauty and science of poetry and sound," Armor wrote at his site at songplanet dot com.

"My songs are the result of this evolution. I mix electronically generated drumbeats and bass lines with live guitars and keyboards. I also use toys, tribal instruments and real life audio recordings.

"I wrote the poetry. And when I sing, I tell stories of stars and satellites, of the colors of the oceans like the eyes of a girl, of temples, mountains and skyscrapers that stand high like our hopes and aspirations as a human race. Thus my songs are crafted almost electronically. Yet it has a soul.

”I have several past recordings which includes “Sa Gihapon (As Always )” in 1991, my first single; “Ice Cream, Cakes and Chocolates (1995)”, my first album; and "Sunshine Satellite (2002)."””””

Armor first made his local chart debut in 1991, when he was still with his former band, "Balangaw". The single “Sa Gahipon” stayed at number 1 for four consecutive months. Deciding to go solo in 1995, his debut album “Ice Cream, Cakes and Chocolates” includes ten original tracks that fused acoustic guitar with ethnic and techno rhythm. The lead single “Bola” received a fair amount of radio play. He then released his second album in 2002. The twelve-track CD was entitled "Sunshine Satellite" which he collaborated with a certain songwriter/keyboardist Kristin Perez.

The following year he released his third album, "Walking on a Third World Street", which now fuses elements of new wave and electronica with poetic lyrics.

Two singles "I Wanna Be a Belly Dancer" and "We Are All Atoms" managed to top Internet music charts. Then in 2004, Armor released his fourth album "Primitive Device", which now fuses tribal sounds with electronic backbeats. Aside from recording and live performance, Armor has also worked as a musical scorer for various Ilonggo films and musical plays. He has also hosted songwriting seminars and helped other indie bands record their song in his home studio. He is currently working on his fifth album.

Armor said he is planning to release a CD, which will include live acoustic performances of his gigs here in Cebu, his tribute to the Cebuanos for upholding independent music. Among his accomplishments are staying as Top 100 artists at songplanet.com since July 2004, the only Filipino indie artist to be included on the charts. He is on # 59 with 128 airplays of his songs on Internet radio as of January 2006. "We Are All Atoms" is currently playing on Cebu City's 93.1 Smash FM.

Armor will be interviewed live via mobile phone by 90.1 FM Pinoy Rock Radio in America by Filipino DJ Kokoy sometime in February. Last year, he was interviewed by American DJ Jill No Jack for the "Lucky Fokker Show, by Francis Brew for NU 107’s "In-D-Raw" program and VJ John Doe for MTV Siesta.

Before Armor heads on to bring his music to Davao, catch him play live at Windsor Castle (Ninoy’s Payag) along Escario street Wednesdays at 9 pm. And other days at Café Shang in Mactan island. Such is also opportune time for one to get a copy of his album as he plays ten of his original compositions live in each of these venues.

After Armor would have finished touring the Visayas region and part of Mindanao early this year, he will return to Iloilo and live, in what he calls primitive style, in his native beach house for months to start working on his next CD before he comes back here. Updan ta si Armor sang iya panakayong musika!

***

For your comments, reactions, suggestions, and contributions, crank up my email addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com. For band/indie artists feature requests, text me at 09215323616. For previous articles, visit www.pinaymangatkatay.blogspot.com. Thanks!

Caption:

Armor playing the guitar and harmonica simultaneously to accompany his original composition "Love". Photos by Chendrina Villarino Rosaroso

Walang tulugan for German "Kuya Germs" Moreno

2006-01-25T23:43:00.000+08:00

Entertainment section

Walang tulugan for German "Kuya Germs" Moreno
by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

www.philstar.com

There's no dozing off for Master Showman German "Kuya Germs" Moreno as he moves on with his dreams of revitalizing the bankability of local filmmaking, after romping away with a Lifetime Achievement Award recently from the Aliw Awards, proof of his being an institution in the local entertainment industry.

Last Saturday evening (ermmm...Sunday dawn actually!), Kuya Germs brought up again the issues on the backbreaking taxes imposed upon celebrities that primarily induces the slowdown of moviemaking, which eventually led to the slump.

Done in the usual Q&A format, showbiz writers Emy Abuan and Veronica Samio sought the ken of the former president of the Kapisanan ng mga Artista ng Pelikulang Pilipino on how could the dying movie industry be resuscitated to its ritz and glitz.

With 52% of the industry's gains remitted to national coffers, the industry is left with 48% that is divided among producers and cinema/moviehouse/theater operators, says Kuya Germs, mentioning of other factors considered as forms of attack on the local entertainment industry such as the influx of foreign films that now goes beyond Hollywood-produced. Korean movies have gained a strong following among a younger crowd and have become an additional glowing threat to Pinoy films.

Then he counted in the producers themselves who have chosen to go on hibernation from making over a hundred films last year to a little over 50 as of latest count. He lamented that some active producers back then lately only make movies whenever there is a film festival. Above all factors is the blatant illegal reproduction of videos or piracy that sends movie industry haplessly on all fours.

The issue on excessive taxation and the need for a legislative action was already discussed in a consultative meeting of the Film Development Council of the Philippines headed by director Laurice Guillen last year where film leaders gathered to discuss on approaches to reviving the ailing domestic film industry, Kuya Germs cited this.

But the continued social and political unrest in the country has put off follow-up discussions as issues that should not have been priorities were the ones attended to by legislators, even by those in position who had had a stint with the entertainment industry, he chuckled at this.

However, Kuya Germs obviously shied away from the question on why he had to leave the KAPP post, only saying that aside from the requests of former KAPP president Rudy Fernandez and the proddings of the late Fernando Poe, Jr. to hold on to the post, he long felt the need to pass on the torch which is appropriate after a term of six years to give way for others who might have the potential of moving the industry now in a slump back in kinesis.

With his evasion from talking straight from the shoulders on why he gave up the post allowed the circulation of rumors that he himself is convinced the industry players themselves are the ones who pushed wrong buttons that led to the eventual bogdown of a once money-making mill.

Well, Kuya Germs is already Kuya Germs and everybody who knew what he went through to become a pillar of the industry have already saved the respect for his views that even when he wasn't able to expound on some important points, he will always be listened to, his ken sought after.

I think Kuya Germs failed to mention that the producers themselves are the ones so tied up with old movie formulae (gasgas na ang tema!) and that the entertainment industry also failed to serioulsy take independent filmmaking. Also, giant networks are culprits for putting into free television productions as costly as those done in the movies with high-paid stars back then.

Let me cite an essay by director Marilou Diaz Abaya to best speak for my idea on why showbizness has reached this miserable state it has right now. It has been reiterated that reforms should be adopted in the Philippine movie industry, reforms that would earn and deserve the privilege of self-regulation; reforms that would direct at making better and varied genres of movies; and reforms that would share space with the viewing public in order that they, too, may empower themselves and exercise their right to uphold their faiths, their convictions, and their sensibilities.

Meanwhile, apart from being recognized for his achievement as an entertainer that could best be represented by his collection of payaso (clowns), Kuya Germs beamed with pride to stay on top spot as most-watched program via GMA Pinoy TV, a 24-hour international channel designed for all Filipinos overseas.

Walang tulugan (the yell he is known for) is a popular call to keep awake so as to focus on the mission of the entertainment industry which so names it. Kuya Germs won't doze off, he says, until he comes up with the first 10 of the Walk of Fame, patterned after that in Hollywood. He called on Mayor Sonny Belmonte for support to have this realized in Quezon City, being "City of Stars".(/30)

ASMS Batch 90

2006-01-25T23:19:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE
Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

Visit www.philstar.com

ASMS Batch 90

It took a text message on an invite to join asms_90@yahoogroups, initiated by my grade school chum Cynthia Alcover-Tiu, for me to be able to trace the whereabouts of my grade school batchmates, some of whom I haven’t heard of for over 15 years already.

As of latest count, the yahoogroup has 40 members scattered all over the globe after a 12-year educational residence at the Andres Soriano Memorial School de La Salle in barangay Don Andres Soriano, Toledo City (read: 12 years! as there were Kindergarten (Level 1) and Grade 7 (Level 8) before conferred upon the certification to enroll in first year high school which is Level 9).

On December 29 and 30, the ASMS Batch 90, who each has moved on upholding the seal of green and white of the La Sallian family, will have a reunion. The gathering aims to reconnect what bonding has been cut off temporarily by distance as each tread unfamiliar waters in search for his or her place under the sun. The convergence will also encourage batchmates to reminisce that once we were brought to ASMS to experience what it’s like to be detached for eight hours from home everday, 5 days a week, in preparation for our "own battles".

We came in schoolyear '78-'79 to discover things on our own. We met new friends in school, shared things and ideas and knew that ideas differ at times and that was part of the whole excitement. We discovered that in school there were lots of things to do – various worlds to explore, horizons to surge into, and answers to be known.

For a time, we got so engrossed with the whys, the hows, the whos, the whens, and the wheres; sometimes things really got a little tricky and that’s when we weren't sure of what’s happening, but then we always had the big folks - our brilliant and dynamic teachers - to help us out and show how things should be done.

In spite of all the seeming hustle and bustle of school work, each of us always found time to be alone with ourselves – to write, to read, to ponder, or to relax.

Four of my batchmates, Jay Leanda, Mark Rembrandt Carredo, Armi Alforque and Johanna Go are fine examples of how the La Sallian graduates have moved on with the swell of tides, upholding the spirit of our scholarly anthem: "Hail, hail Alma Mater. Hail to Soriano’s school. We hold your banner high and bright the seal of green and white."

They are men and women honed by the system of Individually Guided Education. Back then, when the demand to strengthen manpower resources, the backbone of the economy, became the call of the times, all social agencies were posed with the challenge to help do their share in the development programs of the government in the New Order that eventually took a transition.

The Andres Soriano Memorial School, in its sincere attempt to answer such an urgent call, took pride in successfully producing a group of intellectuals seen to help boost the country's human resources. Graduates may have not been that mature enough to throw in their lots that time, but the academic preparations initiated by ASMS for them were modest steps towards the building of great aspirations for their brighter future. Our parents and teachers could only do that much for us. Much of where our fates have anchored now lie within the conviction and determination driven by the kind of educational training we had in our 12 years of stay at ASMS.

The torch was alighted by our burning hunger for education. The total perspective of our horizon had been blueprinted by the system of Individually Guided Education backed by excellent student support services in the form of clubs and guilds and counseling programs, aside from civic works through Scouting, Marian Movement, and the Citizens Army Training. It was the thrust to provide quality education and open doors to technology transfer so as to equip us with the needs of the highly competitive global village, considering the increasing demand for computer literate workers.

Curricula were attuned to the call of the times - personality development and enhancement of communication skills with emphasis on character building.

The next steps were ours to take. We moved on believing that our lives are the greatest miracle, that we ought to appreciate such. That we should enjoy and endure the mysteries of joy, pain, and anxieties that lead us to be truly alive, and to be aware of our truly being alive. In misery or ecstasy, at every phase, we were taught there is something real, beautiful and significant in life for the young and the old. That life is beautiful! And how life is made even more beautiful when you're a La Sallista as you are bound to succeed!

We each tread "our waters", and come December 29 and 30 will share how life, despite of the backbreaking round of drudgery, remains to be very, very beautiful indeed!

****
Calling on Batch 90 of the Andres Soriano Memorial School de La Salle, inquiries on the reunion and on how to join the asms_90@yahoogroups.com, please call moderator Cynthia Alcover-Tiu @ 09173232232 or crank up this addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com.

captions:
# 1. Mark Rembrandt Carredo with wife Janet Tan and daughters Liliana (Ian) and Naejana (Han-han) in Suzhou, China. Mark works for Fairchild Semiconductors.

# 2. Jay Serafica Leanda, former CAT-1 Commandant and team captain of the basketball varsity team sees opportunity at Philips in Laguna.

# 3. Armi Abella Alforque and Johanna Go are both in the United States, Armi in Las Vegas and Johanna in New Jersey.

Balak ni Eleanor...

2006-01-25T23:15:00.000+08:00

Anino sa mga dahong nagbad-ay bad-ay, nagsinukmatay, nagsinungogay, nagsinapnayay, ug nagtinandayanay sa yuta sa barangay Paril

Tinagik ni Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

Libuan ka anino sa nagpaninggit nga dahon
miparayeg sa sabakan ning yutang kulonon
mihiyod-hiyod tinayhupan sa hanging aya-ay
sa lunhaw nga balili mapangahasong mitanday.

Buot mopasapnay, namugos makiglambigit
nagpangislo sa di matukib nga agulo'g panampit
midason pagsarap sa mga bitoong nangahagtak
mipupho sa mga tipaka sa gipanday kong balak.

Sa langit kuli nang motabas ang maikogong dag-om
ang kilat dili na mohadla sa pagtipas sa sawumsom
panganod wa manungog sa paglumos sa mga bitoon
pagbugalbugal nakawang kay ang dalugdog nahilom.

Sapnayon sa mga anino ang napukang kahayag
sapupuhon sa mga bukton ang nagtingang lamdag
kalimtan ang pangindahay nga sa yamog hunaran
ang samad nga namugna sa dughan sa kalikupan.

May huning midunggab sa kahilom nga makabungog
mga anino mikaransay sa dinagaang ug tinagubtob
ang taknaan sa panahon mipunting sa kamatuoran
dahon mosala'g mohaya ning abog sa kawanangan.

The kindred spirit connection

2006-01-25T23:07:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE
by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

Visit www.philstar.com

The kindred spirit connection

The idea on twin flames and soulmates gnawed on me once again the moment I learned of Reese Witherspoon's latest screen-starrer "Just Like Heaven" (opposite actor Mark Ruffalo) as a doctor on this feel-good movie about falling in love, and the truth about the genuineness of the proddings of the chakra (the heart), twin flames and soulmates.

The idea of twin flames and soulmates may be absurd to some as of course with a serving of rationalization it is you who definitely choose who you'll love or bond or connect with among a zillion acquaintances. But even a skeptic would in some way enjoy at a point when pondering on the concept of soulmates and the delight this could bring when one really finds his or her other half. So it has been said that the idea of a soulmate has both conscious or unconscious elements that even if we do not intellectually believe in such, the idea still affects us as many people openly and consciously yearn for a soulmate, believing that one person - the right person, that is! - is just somewhere out there waiting to be found.

Besides, I would want to continue discussing on love for those who find delight in this topic of interest as manifested by their text messages and a posted note in my e-box. These readers whose mobile phone numbers I would want to withhold for privacy purposes, went, "12-Sept-2005 09:45:57 gudmorning. this is only about that pencil illustration on your freeman article. is that by john raynes?; 12-Sept-2005 08:28:39 Gud morning Eleanor. Ive jst finished reading ur article in d lifestyle section of freeman today. Im impressed by what u say about coelho's books. Ive read some of his buks but not yet the 11 minutes. Im a teacher in usjr. We r presently discussing about sex and sexuality. Is it possible 2 invite you as classroom resource speaker? - Tseko143; 12-Sept-2005 17:53:53 Hello, Eleanor, I read u article. R u a literary critic and a writer too? How old r u, if u dnt mind? R u married alrdy? Im askng coz ur views cud reflect ur status. - rowland; 12-Sept-2005 17:13:39 Ur column in d freeman LOVE AND SEX, dated today is very interesting. Cn u gve me more info bwt 8? - jake; (and this one is heart-warming because this person Killuazolbick I featured back then in this column has now gone to school after a little prodding and is into the habit of reading The Freeman) 12-Sept-2005 14:30:29 bro, gud pm. kmusta? kulba.a gyd sa imu page noh dli mn gyd ma wala ang yenyang (yin and yang) nga logo, ni skwela namn ko bro naa ko sa uv nag skol mao BZ na ang lyf; 13-Sept-2005 16:31:45: Hi! I'm ben. I read ur article at frman about paulo coelho. im ntrsted 2 met u & we b frnds.; 14-Sept-2005 12:44:19 - Iv read ur column. I dnt knw, bt i thnk we share a comon idea bout life, love & SEX. - xtian; 13-Sept-2005 10:14:43 - Just read ur article in freeman yestrday's issue about love and sex. I like that article (Anonymous); 13-Sept-2005 17:27:10 - Gud pm im ed always ko ga read sa imung column sa freeman im amaze sa inyung topic love&sex keep up da gud work god bless. And from my ebox i found this note from renz ryan: halu good day to you. i'm renz, 3rd year college.i hav just read your article about love and sex....eleven minutes. i do really love the topic.about love and in life in general."

Thanks guys for your feedback. Your responses provide teeth to the premise that love is at the core of our identity. In every human being there is a deep need for love - not only to be loved, but to give love as well. This basic need is written all over our hearts.

Aside from the feedback, this article is also fueled by men like Ronald Kayuu who said to me he is very much a believer in soulmates as according to him everyone is connected to everything in this world because we all share in the same life force and we all come from one source, one love, one heart. This statement is contrary to what a grade school batchmate of mine Mark Rembrant Carredo who now works for Fairchild Semiconductors in Suzhou,China emailed me: "No.. there is no such thing as soulmates. Soulmates for me should be the perfect couple. I dont believe in perfect couple. Depende ra gyud na sa usag-usa how they can work out their differences and "indifferences". Tanan gyud tingali couple moagi gyud ug away. This can either strenghten further the relation or ruin it."

Back to the idea of soulmates. The concept of soulmates arose from Greek mythology. According to the story, our ancestors once had two heads and four arms. They did something to offend a god so that they were punished. The god split them down the middle, resulting in the creation of humans. As a punishment, we are condemned to spend our lives searching for the other half, our soulmates.

It has been said that various religions and spiritual paths believe in reincarnation and the concept of karma. Through reincarnation, soulmates may spend many lifetimes together in past lives. Other spiritual methods of searching for one's soulmate are astrology, numerology, palm reading, personality types, and magic. Modern spiritual paths often blend western and eastern philosophies.

Studies revealed that many people choose their mate according to criteria that may not answer their soul's yearnings. Surveys conducted showed that most of the people questioned who had been married for more than 15 years had married someone they did not consider to be a soulmate! This led to the conclusion that only a few newly wedded couples will find this sort of deep, "heaven sent" love within their marriages. Yes, you may call that a bummer!

Confusion about love is a human dilemma that has plagued people. In ancient times, oracles were consulted to aid parents in arranging marriages for their children. In modern times, authentic tools like Numerology, Astrology, Tarot and I-Ching reportedly help humans step outside ego-based emotions to gain clarity about the people and situations that matter most. Because as the infatuation wears off and as the challenges of daily life ask more of the relationship, one will be confronted with the question: Will your hearts' desires collide in conflict or support each other in a lifetime of loving commitment?

The task now is to consciously propose a real-world definition for soulmates.

Real-world soulmates are reportedly those in relationships who are both doing personal growth work in the face of challenges like the real-world upsets, the sensitivities, and human differences, problems or emotionally-charged issues. This only means that soulmates can either be lovers, bestfriends, siblings, relatives, peers or a combination of.

Becoming soulmates is the result of two people opening up even in the face of challenges in this dance of soulwork described as the courageous self-opening, expanding, and growing as a chosen response to challenges that close down in on most people.

Doing soulwork enables one to succeed in building a partnership, a bonding, a kindred spirit connection that the best way to describe that in words is that you are soulmates.

The challenge now is for you to strive to become a soulmate to others waiting for love personified!

For your comments, reactions, suggestions, and contributions, crank up my addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com or text me @ 09215323616. I'll dance with you in this soulwork to establish a kindred spirit connection.

Gary V: MTV Generations awardee

2006-01-25T22:43:00.000+08:00

Gary V: MTV Generations awardee
by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

Visit www.philstar.com

Donning the Champ's Belt for being the first recipient of the MTV Pilipinas 2005 Generations Award that acknowledges the excellence he has poured into his craft and his spirituality in contemporary Gospel songs, as well as his contribution in the harnessing, promotion and acceptance of original Pilipino music not only in the country but also overseas, and for being an exemplar of both character and talent to a string of songbirds and a pod of budding artists, Gary "Mr. Pure Energy" Valenciano received the award that speaks best of his elevation into an icon in Philippine music industry.

The award in the form of a belt of a boxing champion tops other recognitions such as the five Aliw Awards as 1983 Best Male Entertainer in Hotels, Night Clubs and Restaurants; 1984 Entertainer of the Year; 1987 Entertainer of the Year; 1987 Best Concert of the Year, "Pure Energy"; nine Awit Awards for the year 1988 for "Take Me out of the Dark"; 1987 Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Religious Song, Best Inspirational Song, Best Ballad Performance, Moving Thoughts; 1987 Album of the Year, "Eto Na Naman", and 1990, Best Arranger for Vocal Recording and Best Pop for Middle of the Road Performance, among other awards for film and television.

Before the recognition was handed over to him, bands Session Road and Sugarfree did a repertoire of Gary V.'s classic hits "Eto na Naman" and "Di Bale na Lang" arranged to a weaving of accompaniments typical of the new age, but careful enough not to insult his maturity, debase his bankability, or blaspheme his creativity that has cut deep into the lives of every music enthusiast from no particular age bracket he has touched through music in a span of over two decades.

The Generations Award recognized that never in the history of the entertainment industry in the Philippines has there been a talent as versatile and as respected as Gary V - singer, actor, composer, producer, musical director and arranger, dancer, and musician.

Sporting on a hairdo inspired by animé characters typical of youngsters today, with hairstrands standing on ends after a little squeeze and massage of styling gel, Gary looked years younger that his dancing prowess not only "jammed" with that of his secondborn, Gabriel (Gabby) but also his age.

Surviving many life-threatening moments, that kind of life he anticipates will soon be cut short by the complications of diabetes mellitus, and of which he had fought for like a real warrior even when his heart is like a child, Gary saw himself last Monday, September 19, with Gabby beating the drums to "Hataw Na" (yes, no other accompaniment) backed up by PowerPlay. You would never see in him the signs of a sick man. Gary V. is positive energy personified!

Meanwhile, Gabby not only got his father's good looks, but also that prowess for struts - the grooves Gary's generation is best remembered. Father and son beat the drums and gyrated to "Hataw Na" to the amusement of the audience, some at the side of the centerstage gone gaga over the musical bonding the duo shared.

Gary recognized the musical genius of artists - those who had stayed this or that long - and those just budding and some bidding. He appreciated his songs being sung by Sugarfree and Session Road, saying it is nice to hear renditions of his chartbusters arranged by musical geniuses who utilize new devices and techniques to achieve a sound that would match the taste craved for and consumed by this generation, audio-wise.

"That's what I would really want to hear, my songs sung by these people, giving it a finer tune, giving it a new sound that appeals to whom this is made for," Gary V. said as he waved the champ's belt to a legion of cheering admirers.(/30)

Siren song of Sagarmathaji's heights

2006-01-25T22:35:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE
Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros

Visit www.philstar.com

Siren song of Sagarmathaji's heights

BLURB: "Why bother climb? You cannot stay on a mountain summit forever, you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below. But what is below does not know what's above. One climbs. One sees. One descends. One sees no longer. But one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know." - Rene Daumal

Mountain savvy propelled me up Apo Namalyari's abode on a pre-Valentine climb organized by TeamXplore Luzon-Philippine Backpackers for the 4th Viva-San Mig Lite Mt. Pinatubo conquest and Camp-Out a year ago. Prior to this, my passion for climbing fueled by the achievements of two professional mountaineers German national Erik Weihenmayer and Regie Pablo of the Batangas Backpackers brought me up the 4,200-foot Mt. Hibok-Hibok of Camiguin, Mt. Bandilaan of Siquijor, Mt. Magdiwata of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, Mt. Cabalian of San Juan, Leyte; Mt. Arayat of Pampanga, Mt. Kanlaon of Negros Oriental, Kalon-Barak of Sarangani, Kitanglad range of Bukidnon, Aliwagwag in Tarragona, Davao Oriental; Kiangan in Ifugao, and the Cordillera ranges of Nueva Vizcaya.

Sightless since he was 13 years old caused by a hereditary disease of the retina, Erik Weihenmayer conquered Mt. Everest (Sagarmathaji or "mother goddess of the earth" to Tibetans) with all of his awakened guts, his blindness to failure, and a beautiful mind. He carried his fervent conviction that no killer peak can ever become an obstacle for a man who believes he can do away with adversity. Meanwhile, Regie Pablo, the Vice President for Luzon of the Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines, Inc. and an Honorary member of the Batangas Backpackers climbed the Razdelnaya Peak of Kyrgyztan on an acclimatization climb prior to taking the dreaded 27,758-foot Mt. Muztagh-Ata in the borders of China and Pakistan.

Now I am cheering for Regie and the rest of the Pinoy "mangatkatays" (climbers) who are exposing themselves to harsh conditions to be able to wave up there on the perpetually snowcapped peak of Sagarmathaji the Philippine emblem, amid the fact that many climbers from up there failed to come home to tell the story as they were claimed by cerebral edema or the swelling of the brain brought on by high altitude.

High altitude cerebral edema occurs when fluid leaks from oxygen-starved cerebral blood vessels, causing severe swelling of the brain, and it can strike with little or no warning. As pressure builds inside the skull, motor and mental skills deteriorate with alarming speed - typically within a few hours or less - and often without the victim even noticing the change. This could result to coma. Unless the afflicted party is quickly evacuated to lower altitude, this leads to death.

At beyond 18,000 feet, dehydration becomes an inevitable by-product of heavy breathing in such desiccated air. This is where oxygen canisters, regulators, and masks are utilized for the breathing in of compressed gas. At 25,000 feet is the Death Zone where corpses of climbers litter along the way, them now one with the carpet of ice spread out on top of cracks and crevasses.

For non-climbers, it would be very hard to understand why Regie Pablo, Ariel Ambayec, Erwin "Pastour" Emata, Leo Oracion, Levi Nayangahan, Karina Dayondon and team doctor Ted Esguerra took on this challenge, particularly on what the team would like to prove to the world, when more skilled and seasoned climbers equipped with the state-of-the-art gadgets and gears were even slapped with failure and death on Sagarmathaji's gale-swept vertex.

Ambayec reportedly suffered a mild stroke in the course of the ascent to Mt. Muztagh-Ata, Pablo almost lost a finger due to frostbites, Nayangahan is also frostbiten, and Emata's right ring finger has to be operated on due to frostbites. So what drives them to go forward up the high-wind-raked summit of Sagarmathaji? And what have we to rejoice about on these climbers' accomplishment?

To borrow "Into Thin Air" author-climber Jon Krakauer's words, mountaineers have this palpable hunger for climbing, this unalloyed enthusiasm for the mountains, climbing considered as the most important thing imaginable - an ardor for such that's "undiminishable".People who don't climb mountains - the great majority of humankind, that is to say - tend to assume that the sport is a reckless, Dionysian pursuit of ever escalating thrills. But the notion that climbers are merely adrenaline junkies chasing a righteous fix is a fallacy, at least in the case of Sagarmathaji.

Above the comforts of home, the Filipino expedition team has come to primarily endure the pain in subjecting to weeks after weeks of toil, tedium and suffering. It is now noticeable that these climbers are seeking above all else something like a state of grace.

As I watch the Filipinos come closer and closer an inch at a time to the dreaded Hillary Step, a steep notch in the summit ridge, which lies some 200 vertical feet below the top of the peak, that presents some of the most technically demanding climbing on the standard route up Sagarmathaji, the oomping-thumping of their hearts become audible. I know they have already felt the siren song of Sagarmathaji's heights.

Climbing provided to "mangatkatays" most of what had been missing on civvy street - the challenge, the camaraderie, the sense of mission, author-climber Krakauer pointed out.

For some, attempting an ascent to Sagarmathaji's peak is an intrinsically irrational act - a triumph of desire over sensibility. But I do believe in Regie Pablo and his team that even when this climbing pursuit has tragic results, the Pinoy himself doesn't know this when he sets out on his adventure. Untrammelled by the wicked cold-swept environment, I am pretty sure determination would carry them a long, long, long way the way I have carried their love for climbing as an inspiration.

We Pinoys - labelled as "astigs" (tough) - wherever we stand on the globe, on our on Sagarmathajis, must always extend our reach beyond our grasp, or what should this concept of heaven for?

***
TEXTPRESS URSELF! "Hi! Ds s john. R u a new ager? Ur views about lyf n love n such reflect a liberal new age thnking. M a practitioner of witchcraft. N fact ur column n my artcle shard a page last halowen edition...2004...R u psykik s d title. Dn had anodr article - eye of newt, toe of frog..ur yinyang n d colum spiks volumes n also d alibata...want 2 knw mor bwt ur views. Kudos! sent: 19-Sept-2005 15:13:39; "Once, ve read Coelho's Alchemist. N snce den 8 has snt me to jorney n search of my own personal legend. Luv 2 join ur club. I'm 29 yrs old, male, married." - edelson; sent: 18-Sept-2005 11:41:20; "SAUL MATES...a story abt SAUL, a roman soldier hu punshd any1 hu follwd d teachns of Jesus Chrst whl on d road 2 Damascus, a blndng lyt frm d sky hit SAUL's eyes wc made him blind. he ws able 2 c agen whn SAUL realzd Jesus ws hs SOULmate. n d next life, SAUL bcme PAUL, a great devotee of Chrst. I am krsnaraja n2 bhakti-yoga.I cud be ur SAULMATE, u knw. M a freemn readr. I lov nito's pun d sal. Jerry & i wnt 2 same skol, colegio del sto nino. I'm a gov't doctor. Grad bats '83 gullas college of medcne sent: 19-Sept-2005 15:17:08. Mobile phone numbers are withheld.

EBOX. For your comments, reactions, suggestions and contributions, crank up my email addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com or text me at 09215323616. Reading sessions on Coelho, Neruda and Gibran is scheduled on October 1 at Tops in barangay Busay at 8pm. We can meet at JY Square at 7:30pm. Text or post me a notice. Thanks.

Star Troopers: We move it, move it!

2006-01-25T22:14:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE
by Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros
visit www.philstar.com

Star Troopers: We move it, move it!
(Taking The FREEMAN to a place it has never been before!)

Blurb: "We indeed moved it, moved it! And took this company to a place it has never been before. But such could not have been possible if Sir Boy didn't assure us we can do it. All the man did to catapult our egos to great heights is simply to believe in what we were doing. "Hindi naman sa pinilit kayong manalo. Total nandito na rin lang kayo laban na kung laban. Kaya nyo yan! (You are not forced to win! But since you're already here, fight a good fight. I assure you, you can do it!)"

The cheerdance competition as part of the opening program of the 12th Cebu City Trimedialympics or the Mayor Tomas Osmeña Cup came in as the toughest challenge posed this year for us employee-members of THE FREEMAN Star Troopers squad as we don't have the luxury of time for rehearsals. Besides, the last time I joined one was back in fourth-year high school. I'm a lazy feline, that's what, I never have the freewill to flex muscles and arch backs to still be able to do the back handspring, back flip, the split, or the cartwheel - though I still do a romancing with the dance!

Forming the cheerdance squad for The FREEMAN Star Troopers to hoomp and whoomp to the "bem-bem" beat of Axxel's "Crazy Frog" became the first big question. Rumors within the circle went that since some of us had never ever performed before a crowd, it would be very hard to bring the name of the company to victory. Aside from that, detractors said we are a bunch of writers, strivers, proofreaders, and support staff --- not professional dancers. Next, came the question on the attention given us by management most especially on our team's request for uniforms. As some jealous workmates began mocking at the team's "bankability" to bring home the proverbial bacon, I got emotionally challenged.

"Ipapanalo namin 'tong uniform na to (We would make sure this uniform wins)," I told myself silently as I watched our General Manager Melandro "Boy" Mendoza prepare breakfast as early as 4am of September 25, Sunday. The team slept at his rented space in Figuerroa street near the C. Padilla area. For me, Sir Boy that Sunday morning was inspiration personified as he proved to meet us halfway amid our weaknesses, shortcomings and "iniquities". Some of us, I must confess, had not been zealously showing interest to excel in such endeavor as manifested by what transpired during our 3-week rehearsal. We hardly even got a quorum until Sir Boy came into the picture to personally supervise our pace.

After a series of rehearsals done at 6pm to 9pm on weekdays and at the Tejero Sports Complex on weekends, verbal personal attacks ensued that eventually led to the walkout of a support staff, and this writer flaring up at the administration building over the issue on our uniforms charged to salary deductions should we fail to grab victory. I found it disheartening to discover jealous colleagues. I would never care if the team would be rejected by other dailies, I could understand very well ridicule and rejection. But for homemates, I took to heart the challenge that eventually lead me to keeping the uniform (please see photos) free of charge.

Since "Crazy Frog" carried the theme: "Move it, move it!", the team was motivated to leap frog-crazy to great heights beyond our grasp so we could bring The FREEMAN to "a place it has never been before". Such conviction seeped only on the third week when squad members had already bonded well and digested in Sir Boy's criticisms.

We indeed moved it, moved it! And took this company to a place it has never been before. But such could not have been possible if Sir Boy didn't assure us we can do it. All the man did to catapult our egos to great heights is simply to believe in what we were doing. "Hindi naman sa pinilit kayong manalo. Total nandito na rin lang kayo laban na kung laban. Kaya nyo yan! (You are not forced to win! But since you're already here, fight a good fight. I assure you, you can do it!)"

KAYA NYO YAN! (YOU CAN DO IT!) It is the only line I was waiting for for others to follow suit. Assure us that even if we are no UP or UST pep squad, or no Maneouvres or X-People, we can always be the best that we can be because we believe we are good and we can move things to places they've never been before. Thanks to Sir Jerry Tundag, our editor-in-chief, for allowing Chendrina, our layout artist, and I to leave our posts for the rehearsals; to my fellow editors who gave way and showed their understanding that I should be away from my area for two hours; to our propsgirls Jasmin Uy and Liv Campo who prepared those party poppers, a new version of the poompooms; to everyone who cheered for us and assured us that we had a great performance. You also moved it, moved it and took this company to a place it has never been before.

TEXTPRESS URSELF! 27-Sept 14:59:16 "Gud pm, i'v read ur column n 1 of d publications here n cbu (freeman) im curious of what ds club all about, wud u mind asking about ur organization? - Lyn of Danao

EBOX. For your comments, reactions, suggestions, and contributions, crank up my email addy: pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com or text me @ 09215323616. Greetings go to a TF reader Rowland Eturma. Halleur, row! Birthday wishes go to my workmates who like me are October birthday celebrants Chendrina Rosaroso (October 4) and Maribeth Berongan (October 10), to fellow "mangatkatays" Leila Monteñedo (October 16), Marites Arañas (October 29) and Jeffrey Soriano (October 31) of Norkis. Many more peaks to climb, soon!

Today carries eternity

2006-01-25T22:10:00.000+08:00

A SPACE IN SPACE
MARIA ELEANOR ELAPE VALEROS

Visit www.philstar.com

Today carries eternity

Blurb: "The future belongs to God, and it is only he who reveals it, under extraordinary circumstances. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better. Forget about the future, and live each day according to the teachings, confident that God loves his children. Each day, in itself, brings with it an eternity."

To the lethargic pitter-patter of raindrops matched by the lull of the Gregorian Chant track "Moment of Peace", my head was a whirlpool of this chant I picked from a chapter of Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist: "The future belongs only to God. Today already brings in itself an eternity."

I turned a new leaf last week, on the 12th. I felt as though I have long journeyed - taking a day one step at a time, recovering from past issues and calamities, learning to let go of the lofty expectation of perfection that I have placed upon myself and others; learning to use my anger as a fuel to create something good, rather than denying it or holding it inside until I self-destruct or strike out at another; choosing to be hopeful rather than hopeless and to act from faith rather than react from fear; getting a life rather than merely surviving it.

I thought of and then thanked the many influences who all shaped me to keep this mind that I have right now. Pastor Rick Warren who penned "Purpose-Driven Life" assured me that God was thinking of me long before I ever though about Him. Warren's works enlightened me on my Creator's purpose for my life predating my conception. That God long wanted to have me into His one great, big, happy family before I existed, without my input. Yes, I may be able to choose my career, my passion for climbing, and many other parts of my life, but I don't get to choose my purpose.

I once lived a life in rebellion. Plenty of times, my attitude problem had been singled out as not only an issue, but already a force to reckon with for it gave me and others the hurts - damages beyond repair.

Today, I stand at this virtual summit able to leave a painful past behind; engaged in gospel truth that long before I was conceived by my parents, I was already conceived in the mind of God. That I am not an accident. That my birth was no mistake or mishap, and that my life is no fluke of nature. That my parents may not have planned me, but God did. That he was not at all surprised by my birth, and that in fact he expected it. That it is not fate, nor chance, nor luck, nor coincidence that I am breathing - and encoding at this very moment on this litany of thanksgiving.

Then, very much like his works, Pablo Neruda and his "Poetry" touched me and reminded me that we writers listen unceasingly to the call to fill a mighty void with words that rhyme with the throbbings of the flesh and the pumpings of our blood. He made me conscious of my duty as fulfiller, and at the same time faced with the unavoidable task of critical communication within a world which is empty and is not less full of injustices, punishments and sufferings because it is empty - and I also feel the responsibility for reawakening the old dreams which sleep in boulders as I travel with my pen with me, to chronicle the silence of wide-stretching plains or the stories of both purling streams and thundering rivers, and the hush-hush of dense primeval forests that's older than humanity.

We writers coin modifiers to describe just about anything our eyes would set upon, and we are intoxicated by this chore of weaving fables and braiding names. Our exaggerations or our abundance of rhetoric, our truths and our errors affect the humanity that is interconnected with our inspirations and delusions, honorable misfortunes, lone victories, splendid defeats.

Now, I'm moving on to my 8th year here at The FREEMAN, and I'm doing a curtsy for all those who believe in me and those who read me through this column, my contributions to the Entertainment page and travel. I am aware that as a writer my exaggerations or abundance of rhetoric, my truths and my errors affect the humanity interconnected with my inspirations, my delusions, my honorable misfortunes, my lone victories and splendid defeats. We writers coin modifiers to describe just about anything our eyes could set upon, and we are intoxicated by this chore of weaving fables and braiding names. But, I do thank those who believe. Only those who believe know how potent the arrow of faith is and how real is forever.

You readers are the sun and center of every writer's solar system. Your praises and your sarcasms that belonged once to the future carried with it the promise of eternity today. You prove that this song I have been crafting has never been sung in vain.

***

EBOX POST. I am happy to read about oil reserves, production, and consumptions, published by The FREEMAN October 10 entitled "The end of oil, the end of civilization". You awaken the consciousness of the non-technical people and readers of a major newspaper.Your estimates were very realistic and this problem of declining oil production is a known fact in the upstream oil industry yet we do not admit it because it will scare shareholders and investors in the oil business. By the way, I am a chemist working for the past 23 years in the lab of a leading service company in the oilfield. We are involve in the actual drilling, maintenance, and sustained production of oil and gas. Today there are about 50 drilling rigs operating 24 a hours a day making a hole on the ground to find more oil in the desert and offshore of Saudi Arabia. More oil and gas wells are drilled just to maintain production of around 10 million barrels per day. As what Dick Cheney once said, "We in the oil industry has to deal with this pesky problem that once we find oil and pump it out of the ground we have to turn around and find more just to stay even, just to stay in business". That is exactly what we are doing every day: Plug and abandon the depleted wells while drilling new holes somewhere else to find more oil just to sustain the production rate of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has 260 billion barrels of oil reserve. At 10 million barrels per day production rate, all the oil will be pumped out of the ground before the year 2080. But as of now we are increasing it gradually to their target 12-13 million barrels per day by 2008 or 2009. In that rate, all their oil wells will be dry before 2056. No amount of science or engineering can produce oil in a well with completely depleted reserve.When the output of a well declines, we try to stimulate by cleaning the production path with acid, or fracturing the formation to open more production channels downhole. But if the oil is almost drained completely the well will just continue to decrease its output until it reaches zero. To keep on supplying oil to the market, another new well with a production rate similar to the plugged and abandoned well in photo (when it was at its peak of production rate) should be gushing with oil. This is just to keep the supply steady. But the demand is increasing!!! So the solution is for every well we plug and abandon, we need two new well producing. This is the trend as world demand for oil keeps on increasing every year. Anyway, this is just my short comment on your article but the "Fast facts five" you mentioned are very close to all of us now. Conservation of fuel, and finding non-petroleum fuel in commercial quantities are urgent now to prevent/delay going back to stone age lifestyle. Regards, Lorenzo Gallego - Laboratory Engineer, Schlumberger Dowell S.A. Ltd.
***
TEXTPRESS URSELF! 10-Oct-2005 21:44:55 Helo! Gud pm. im richard from talamban. Im amazed aftr i read some part of ur column. This is a reality not jst a fact. As I read along, im beginning to picture the future. I realized how catastrophic ds may be. Lets jst hope and pray 4 d best for all mankind. Ds s the most nteresting column Ive ever read. More space to come!; 10-Oct-2005 13:51:51 "Hi! I'm Ronald Q., an OFW in Saudi Arabia. Your article about THE END OF OIL made me chill. Life is too short, it's time we have to make the best of it.; 10-Oct-2005 20:12:23 "Gud evening ma'am, i liked your article today. After reading ur article i plan to buy a solar lamp. I'm irving fabular of lapu2x ct - Mobile phone numbers withheld.

For your comments, suggestions, reactions and contributions, crank up my addy:pinay_mangatkatay@yahoo.com or text me @ 09215323616. Thanks to my legion of readers, reactors and contributors. Let's have a Grand Eyeball soon to discuss on how to improve this page. Shalom!