BORAKAY 2009

Meet TANGY, my new Mr. P desk lamp at the office. Yes, by the looks of him, he's going to get more fondling than I do.

MABUHAY! BIENVENIDO! WELCOME!

BART GUINGONA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

Click on image to enlarge.

SUPERPASYAL is a supporter of the Ayala Musem.

MALIGAYANG PASKO!

Jesus is the reason for the Season.

ATENEO DE MANILA TURNS 149

In celebration of the University’s second Sesquicentennial theme, Deepening Spirituality, the Ateneo community is warmly invited to TAKE AND RECEIVE: THE FIRST FESTIVAL OF ATENEO MUSIC

Sunday, 7 December 2008, 6:30PM
Church of the Gesù

FEATURING:

Ateneo Boys Choir (Daisy Marasigan, Conductor)
Ateneo Chamber Singers (Jonathan Velasco, Conductor)
Ateneo College Glee Club (Ma. Lourdes Hermo, Conductor)
Ateneo High School Glee Club (Jose Emmanuel Aquino, Conductor)
Dulaang Sibol (Dr. Onofre Pagsanghan, Managing Director)
Jesuit Music Ministry (Fr. JBoy Gonzales, SJ, Director): Blue Symphony, Bukas
Palad, Himig Heswita & Musica Chiesa

AND

the premiere "Take and Receive” medley arrangement of RYAN CAYABYAB

**
Take and Receive: The First Festival of Ateneo Music
Ateneo choirs to stage free thanksgiving concert for the community

On Sunday, 7 December 2008, 6:30PM, Ateneo’s singing groups will treat the community to an evening of sacred, liturgical, and inspirational music through the concert, Take and Receive: The First Festival of Ateneo Music, at the Church of the Gesù, Ateneo Loyola Heights campus.

The concert gathers Ateneo’s home grown and award-winning groups, the Ateneo Boys Choir, Ateneo High School Glee Club, Dulaang Sibol, Ateneo College Glee Club, and Ateneo Chamber Singers. They will perform with the Jesuit Music Ministry artists, Blue Symphony, Bukas Palad, Himig Heswita and Musica Chiesa.

Distinguished Filipino musician and composer Ryan Cayabyab’s medley arrangement of the different “Take and Receive” compositions by the Filipino Jesuits will be one of the highlights of the concert.

Fans and supporters of these Ateneo singing groups can expect to be regaled by the songs that have made these groups both distinct and popular,resonating Ateneo’s fine musical legacy and the unique spirituality that inspires its music.

Dulaang Sibol is the Ateneo High School theater club founded and directed by Onofre Pagsanghan. Bukas Palad, meanwhile, was co-founded by Fr. Manoling Francisco,SJ 20 years ago. The Ateneo College Glee Club, the oldest university chorale in the country and winner in the 2006 Miltenberg (Germany) Choral Competition and Ateneo Chamber Singers, winner in the 2006 Tolosa (Spain) Choral Contest,will showcase their world-class talent in polyphony and classical music.

Another highlight of the concert is a tribute by the Jesuit Music Ministry artists to Fr. Eddie Hontiveros, SJ, or “Fr. Honti,” the acknowledged Father of Philippine Liturgical Music, who passed away in January 2008. The Mass hymns that Fr. Honti composed in the 1970s, after the Second Vatican Council called for inculturation of the liturgy, continue to be sung in every parish to this day, an enduring testament to the intimacy of his music with the heart of the Filipino and the message of Jesus Christ.

Take and Receive: The First Festival of Ateneo Music marks the Ateneo’s 149th anniversary, the year of “Deepening Spirituality,” the second theme of a three-year
countdown to Ateneo’s 150th anniversary, or sesquicentennial. Ateneo de Manila
University will celebrate its sesquicentennial on December 10, 2009 with the theme “Building the Nation."

--
Mimi D. Agbay
Project Coordinator - Ateneo Sesquicentennial
Phone No.: +632 426.6001 loc. 4083
Mobile No.: +63 917.8933379
http://150.ateneo.edu

HERE, THERE, EVERYWHERE

There are veritable
familiar surprises
in every
nook
and cranny
of this
everlasting
and
mysterious
city -

steamed dimsum
horse-drawn carriages
ambulant peddlers
sampaguita girls.

There are
good memories
to bring
home
from
esteros
(of all places!)

and
old restaurants
guarded by
wild pigs
(not for dinner!)

There is

family
kindred
self

in
Manila’s
every
corner.

KOMIKERA, 5th Edition

The 5th Edition of KOMIKERA opened last November 18 at the Ishmael Bernal Gallery of the University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI). KOMIKERA is a triumvirate of talented women namely Teta Tulay, Lea Lim and Vivian Limpin.

Photos to follow.

THE SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS: NATIONAL ORCHID GARDEN

Founded in 1859 in its present site, the Singapore Botanic Gardens epitomises the tropical island's luxuriant parks. Spread over 52 hectares and close to the centre of the city, the Gardens showcases many outstanding plant collections. Some highlights include the National Orchid Garden, the Ginger Garden, and the Evolution Garden. The numerous plant species here, including many rare specimens, reflect the Singapore Botanic Gardens' richness and diversity of plant life. Love orchids? The present orchid enclosure has 20,000 orchid plants on display. The National Orchid Garden promises sprawling orchid displays, water features, and an exotic bromeliad collection from Central and South America. Or head on down to Symphony Lake where outdoor concerts provide entertainment amidst a lush milieu. (Source: Singapore Tourism Board & The Singapore Botanic Gardens)

In comparison however, the Jardin Botanico of Manila was established during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. The garden was resurrected by the Americans under the supervision of John C. Mehan, who was in charge of sanitation and cemeteries. It was the place of choice for weekend outings with its mini-zoo, decorative ponds, and diverse flora (Source: The Heritage Conservation Society). It is now more known as the Mehan Gardens and is nowhere near what it originally was. In 2002, the NHI declared the area a National Historical Landmark because it was the site of the Parian and the city's first botanical garden. But I digress.

The main entrance where you get a copy of the map and other brochures.

If you visit early in the morning, the park is already full of people jogging.

THE NATIONAL ORCHID GARDEN: BURKILL HALL

Built in 1866, Burkill Hall is a fine example of an early colonial bungalow. Burkill Hall used to be the Director’s House, and its current name commemorates the only father and son pair, Isaac and Humphrey Burkill, to hold the post of Director of Singapore Botanic Gardens. Weddings and receptions are also held here.At the back of the Burkill Hall is the VIP Orchid Garden and here the real hybrids of some of the VIP orchids are on display.

Isn't this so amazing? This is the Dendrobium Michael Jeffrey named after the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia during his visit in 2004.

And of course, one which is named after our President - the Aranthera Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It wasn't in bloom during my visit. Too bad. :-(

This is GMA's Aranthera. They are taller than the President herself.

Singapore's national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquin. Our sampaguita, on the other hand, was adopted as the Philippines' national flower in 1934 by Governor Frank Murphy through Proclamation No. 652.

White dendrobium sprays line the pathways. So, so beautiful. We have this kind of variety in Davao and is very expensive at Php 250/dozen. The Bangkok dendrobiums are cheaper at Php 320/3 dozens. Tsk, tsk.

The Tan Hoon Siang Mist House is home to several more rare orchid varieties. Misters are all over and sprays the plants on a regular basis. Tan Hoon Siang is Chinese of Perenakan descent, a descendant of a philantropist who is widely respected in Singapore.


My favorite orchid, the Phalaenopsis amabilis. Nothing can compare to the graceful elegance of pure white Phalaenopsis in full bloom. Their popularity helped increase the worldwide demand for orchids. The good thing is, they are among the easiest plants to grow indoors thus making them a very popular choice as indoor ornamentals in Asian homes and hotels around the globe. Whenever I am hospitalized (which is rare), some friends would send me pots of white Phalaenopsis. Sweet! In Manila's flower markets, a long stem of 10-15 flowers sell for Php 500.

The beautiful Cattleya, my mother's personal favorite. In Manila, this sells for Php 250-350 per flower.

A popular orchid among florists, the Oncidium, it belongs to a large family of 750 epiphytic orchids which grow in select areas around the world. It is commonly known as the Dancing Ladies.

Breathtaking!!!!

Now that is a tall durian tree!

THE NATIONAL ORCHID GARDEN: COOL HOUSE

Located in the heart of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the Cool House houses several species of plants usually found only in rainforests (of the montane kind). It has a collection of several upland orchids as well as very interesting carnivorous (or insectivorous) plants. Some of the plants are quite common in the Philippines and are usually found in places of not very high elevations like Bukidnon or Antipolo.

C'mon, let's get in!

The Cool House has a daytime maximum temperature of 25 Celsius and a night time minimum of 15 Celsius, with daily relative humidity of about 90%. It was designed to capture for the public the beauty of canopy landscapes of tropical montane forest with their many interesting epiphytes. It is no wonder that this newly added gem of botanical display has become one of the main attractions for the half a million visitors to the National Orchid Garden each year.

A man-made stream which is probably run by a motor pump gushes through this gully. It intends to imitate the streams in the uplands which cut through thick vegetation and provides the much needed moisture for the plants in these areas.

Is this the Darlingtonia californica ?

There's the stream behind and beneath this railing. Also, you can see the airconditioning vents which control the temperature inside this facility.

A tree fern (the Dicksonia antartica ?) from Australia reaches as high as the glass ceiling.

Pitchers, probably the Heliamphora chimantensis.

The Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). It's so beautiful to see one up close. You can actually reach out and touch it - that is, if you dare. Just kidding! :-) If you feed a Venus Flytrap something that doesn't move, e.g., a dead insect, it will not close tightly over it. You need to squeeze the trap and move the food around so it imitates the action of a live insect.

On a regular basis, mist is released by vents from the ceiling. Once outside again, you can complete the tour of the Garden via a pathway. The signages are very helpful so do not fail to read or you'd get lost.

After a looong tour of the Botanic Gardens, you'd end up at this gift shop near the entrance which sells orchids dipped in gold. Perfect for framing or as jewelry accents. Other products are also available.

I forgot to do the standard pose at the Orchid Garden Gate. When in this humid city, it helps to bring with you a HUGE bottle of water and, well, in my case, a fan. Very helpful. After this, you can exit the Garden via the long paseo as seen below passing by another lake (the Swan Lake). The gate at the end of it exits at Bukit Timah Road, if I'm not mistaken.

Swan Lake. The beautiful sculpture called Flight of Swans (for obvious reasons) was installed in May of 2006.





And with that we end our tour of the National Orchid Garden at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. :-)

For more information, please contact:
Visitor Services
Singapore Botanic Gardens
1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569
Telephone: 6471 7138/6471 7361
Fax: 6473 7983
Email: NPARKS_SBG_Visitor_Services@NPARKS.GOV.SG

SUNRISE, SUNSET

Actually both photos are morning shots of Macajalar Bay as the Cebu Ferry approaches Cagayan de Oro. Taken with a instamatic; Fuji film 100.

AVENIDA RIZAL + OKTOMAT

Coming up next: SUPERPASYAL return to Avenida Rizal and sees it in a different light.

SASHA (SHYLY) PRESENTS

Photos are from Sasha's first roll of Fuji Superia 400. The rest were overexposed or shot in very low light (how idiotique). Well, so much for a greenhorn. I have every intention of getting better pictures in the future.

After complaining to friends, V.L. texted back, "Ok na yan. Sa photojournalism profession, before the advent of digital, we used to say, you only get the best shot on the 36th frame. :-)" Hmmmm...

You did not show up on the day
we were to meet again.
I waited in the rain
near an old, abandoned building
at the corner of Roxas Boulevard and T.M. Kalaw
hoping the rather charming setting would remind you
of Wong Kar Wai’s In the Mood for Love.

In the end, you realized you weren’t in the mood

And I, not really in love.

COMING RIGHT UP

I've always known it. For a blog that's been taking you in and around Manila (and even beyond) - 3 years and counting! - things are bound to get serious. I'm looking forward to finally getting an entry level DSLR, the Nikon D60. I think it'd be a great tool for a greenhorn. She will be nicknamed Giek when she arrives.

Giek will be joining Sylvia (my Panasonic Lumix point-and-shoot bought from Singapore last year; named after Sylvia Plath) and...

Sasha, a recent purchase in Hong Kong (thanks, M.S.!) and Iris, a plastic instamatic which I've had for so many years now. She takes pictures with a soft halo around the subject. I think I will revive her very soon.

EXHIBIT: JOEY VELASCO

Joselito “Joey” Salvador Alvir Velasco is a young businessman and "heartist" who has endeared himself to many Filipinos through his numerous works - all heartwarming, moving and oftentimes coming across as a subtle rebuke of Philippine society. I took the liberty of taking photos of his paintings during this exhibit (no flash, mind you) to share to those who may not have the time - or the chance - to go out of their homes or offices. I hope that this feature contributes to the propagation of Joel Velasco's message of hope, deliverance and introspection so that we may all, one way or another, be agents of change or at the very least make a difference in the world we live in.

The exhibit was alloted a space along the passageway of Glorrietta 3 in Makati. A video, Sa Kambas ng Lipunan, was also being shown to a rather large group of passersby. I will update this blog soon to include the texts that accompanied each work. It's going to take some time though, so bear with me. :-)

Joe Velasco first came to the national consciousness with this painting entitled Hapag ng Pagasa (Oil on Canvas, 48" X 96") done in 2005 which portrays 12 children he has met on the streets of Metro Manila. A huge billboard of this work can be seen along Guadalupe, near the San Carlos Seminary.

Let there be peace of Earth (2007). A picture of contradiction. Note wall clock at 3 o'clock position.

Kalakbay (2007). As Joey was finishing this painting, two of his subjects - farmers - in this work were shot to death reflecting the long battle that Filipino farmers have to fight for the right to till their own land.

This is the work that really touched me, Hele (2008). It features three children afflicted by Down's Syndrome, a rather common affliction among children in the Philippines. I have had the chance to live with an adult with this condition and I have seen the love and attention his parents poured over him; their understanding was truly beyond measure. People with Down's may appear detached, but they really are very observant of their surroundings and are often quite intelligent.

In this corner of Hele are these words: "DEUS CARITAS EST, et, qui manet in caritate, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo" representing the second half of 1 John 4:16, "So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." - the opening lines of Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, released on Christmas of 2005.

Manunubos (2008) is a moving work featuring a family - or a Filipinized Holy Family for that matter - holding court in a garbage dump. There is that ethereal soft light that emanates for the main subjects separating them from the darkness and sadness of their surroundings. Note also the children bearing gifts (see details below).

A loaf of bread, which is sold and seen arranged one on top of each other in stalls and bakeries all over these islands during the Holiday season - a common feature on the Filipino Christmas or New Year table.

Two cans of 555 sardines being handed over by the boy.

The subject is a caddie on some golf course and when a community commissioned Velasco to paint them a Mary & Child Jesus scene, he used the girl caddie as his subject to represent Mary.

A rather different way of looking at the Agony in the Garden, this time in a decrepit corner with tired, old wheels and rusty galvanized iron.

Mga Munting Simon Sireneo (2008)

Come Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me (2007). A haunting image of Christ holding up a tattered Philippine flag, both a scathing and humbling take on how we have come so low in many aspects - in self respect, in human rights, and in upholding and supporting the culture of life in our country.

Paleta de Sangre (2008). A very interesting story accompanied this work. I think you must go to Velasco's exhibits and read it yourself.

That We May Live (2007). One of the most powerful images in this exhibit, That We May Live draws you the facial expressions of the children carrying Christ's dead body.

Read more about Joey Velasco here, here and here. Special thanks to B.C. for inviting me to this exhibit. You are truly heaven sent.

BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!

Here's a short list of the books I got from the recent Manila International Book Fair at the Mall of Asia's SMX.

FROM BOOKMARK: The Filipino Bookstore

The Romulo Reader (P50)
Coconut Cookery of Bicol by Honesto General (P100)
The Philippine Cookbook (2nd Edition) by Virginia Roces de Guzman & Nina Daza Puyat (P250)
Cuaresma (P250)
Dreamweavers (P250)

FROM ANVIL

Songs of Ourselves: Writings by Filipino Women in English (P80)
Letters by Bienvenido Santos (P80)
Ang Hayop na Ito! ni Rio Alma (P20)
A Filipino Werewolf in Quzon City by Tony Perez, Edited by Jessica Zafra (P50)
Cubao-Kalaw Kalaw-Cubao by Tony Perez (P225)
Cubao Midnight Express by Tony Perez (P160)
In The Name of Democracy: Selected Speeches of Corazon C. Aquino (P125)
Spiritual Register by T.M. Kalaw (P200)
Tikim: Essays on Philippine Food & Culture by Doreen Fernandez (P395)

What I didn't buy but I should have given that I blog about historical places a lot:

ENDANGERED: Notes on the 1st International Filipino-Spanish Conference on Architecture (P400) from the Instituto Cervantes.

------------------
Thanks to Vivian Limpin for the photo. Ang cute ng baboy. Go figure. :-)

TOURS! SUPPORT!

Dear friends,

This week, I will be teaching public school teachers how to appreciate the National Museum, thanks to you all. I thank you for all your kind words and letting others know about my tours. I attach my schedules for the rest of September, October and now November. There have been some dates removed for October so please use this schedule as the latest to send to your friends. Starting September 27, our Amorsolo retrospective will be showing and you will have a wonderful experience seeing the best of this National Artist's work in the National
Museum. I have included too a tour of the new Jaime Laya and Family gallery of contemporary paintings hanging at the National Gallery of Art. So, more to enjoy and maybe repeat your visit!

Many thanks again for joining my tour and for helping our public school teachers.

John L. Silva

WHAT SASHA WANTS, HE GETS

I haven't had the time, really, but Sasha has been badgering me that he wants to see more of the world. In that case, I'm taking Sasha to see the beautiful Manila Bay sunset on Monday, good weather permitting.

HEAVEN ON EARTH!

The 29th Manila International Book Fair celebrates the power of literature to cross boundaries of time, place and culture, Through books, through language, we can live in a world without borders. In five extraordinary days, we present you with a series of events that expand your horizons, and enrich your ideas, each one carefully crafted and programmed.

Our celebration of books and all that it contains is one of the longest-running in Asia. It is also one of the most accessible and affordable, Through the years, we have welcomed millions of Filipinos to the Manila International Book Fair, which is for everyone of all ages, of all tastes and means and dreams. This year, we are happy to announce that the Book Fair becomes ever more international opening up to other cultures while continuing to champion the best of what Philippine publishing has to offer.

The world comes to Manila this September for the sharing of stories and the meeting of minds.

Details:
SMX Convention Center, Seashell Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City
September 12 - 16, 2008 10:00 A.M - 8:00 P.M., Daily

EXHIBIT: HIS ART, OUR HEART

Fruit pickers under the Mango Tree (1937)

2008 will see the coming together of the works of Fernando Amorsolo, the Philippines' first National Artist (c. 1975). Entitled His Art, Our Heart, different artworks according to genre will be exhibited in the following venues :

The Ayala Museum exhibition ‘Amorsolo’s Maidens Concealed and Revealed’ will be from Oct. 23 to March 8, 2009. It "will survey Amorsolo’s rendering of women as a means of following his career, and will draw attention to his maidens from the American period and his studies of nudes from the post-war years as a tribute to his brilliance. "

The GSIS Museum's ‘Rituals and Amorsolo’, from Oct. 2 to Dec. 20, “underlines how rituals reflect values, beliefs, and shared knowledge, how it brings about interactions among people, places and objects, how it expresses the core of social identity of communities, how it fortifies social structures and institutions, and perpetuates social values. Portrayals include baptisms, praying the Angelus, a family’s walk to Sunday mass.”

The Lopez Memorial Museum’s ‘Tell Tale: The Artist as Storyteller, Amorsolo as Co-Author’, from Sept. 24 to April 4, 2009, is illustrative of Amorsolo’s generation of artists, of how Amorsolo became subject to the workings of image-making industries central to the crafting of fictions — about what it was to be a citizen, to be learned/civilized, to be devout, to be Filipino in the transitional junctures of Spanish-American rule. Beyond looking at illustrations as potboilers, the exhibit hopes to look at how artists such as Amorsolo may have brought other layers of meaning upon texts primarily intended as didactic instruments.”

The Metropolitan Museum’s ‘Philippine Staple: The Land, the Harvest, the Maestro’ will display a harvest field of rice-related pieces and outstanding landscapes.”

At the National Museum’s ‘Master Copy’ from Sept. 25 to Jan. 15, 2009, the drawings transfigure into portraits that imagine the national self and the imperialist other, the Filipino and the American, a President like Manuel Roxas or a Gov. Gen. like Francis Burton Harrison, an elegant American lady or a nameless Katipunan revolutionary immortalized in oil after their stint in sketches.”

The Jorge B. Vargas Museum’s ‘Amorsolo: His Contemporaries and Pictures of the War, Capturing Anxieties’, from Sept. 23 to Nov. 16, will feature the works of Amorsolo and his contemporaries spanning the Second World War (1941-1945) until the immediate postwar years (1946-1947), family and official portraits commissioned by Vargas, and genre paintings. Works by peers — Manansala, Saguil, Miranda and Castañeda — will also be showcased.

The Yuchengco Museum’s ‘Mukang Tsinoy’ will be from Oct. 1 to Jan. 17, 2009. They will exhibit paintings commissioned by Tsinoy families.

Do not miss this once-in-a-lifetime art event.

THE PASIG RIVER FERRY SERVICE: A RIDE DOWN MANILA'S BELOVED RIVER OF LIFE

On the occassion of Araw ng Maynila (Manila Day), we first paid a visit to the long-abandoned and dreary Plaza Mexico on the outskirts of Intramuros (near the Bureau of Immigration in case you haven't got a clue where it is) and then took the 45-minute, 27-kilometre, Php 40-ride on the new Pasig River Ferry service from Plaza Mexico, Manila to Barangay Kalawaan in Pasig City (Line 1) and ends at Barangay Sta. Elena in the river city of Marikina (Line 2; the Marikina line is not yet operational as of this writing). We, however, hopped off at Guadalupe instead as we had no intention of going much further.

Anyway, you have no idea how truly excited I was to finally ride this thing. It's so fascinating to finally be able to traverse the length of the Pasig River - the same river that gave birth to the City of our Affections - and get a feel of its age, its whims and fancy, and its faded (but returning) glory.

The current Pasig Ferry service is not the first in these parts. It is antedated by the Magsaysay Lines (operated for only a year; Escolta to Guadalupe) and the Pasig Star Craft (began in 1997; Escolta to Bambang) by over a decade during the time of the Ramos administration during whose time the revitalization of the river was seriously undertaken under the Clean and Green Foundation headed by then First Lady Amelita Ramos.

The current service was inaugurated by the current President, Gloria Arroyo, on February 12, 2007. The project was built at the cost of US$ 176M and was financed by the Asian Development Bank under its Pasig River Environmental Management and Rehabilitation Sector Development Program. The service is expected to serve approximately 28,000 passengers a day.

There are fifteen (15) stations (or 14) on the route, each costing P80 million. The service is provided by twin-engined, double-hulled fiberglass catamarans manufactured by the Australia-based Nautical Transport Service, Inc. (NTSI), each costing Php 15 million. These are the same kind used on Sydney Harbour and Brisbane River and were designed by JSOPHIL Enterprises in association with Sydney-based Scott Cole (of Sidney Side Cruises) and built in Manila (in Pureza to be exact). Each catamaran has a length of 25 metres, speed of 22 knots and can accomodate 15o passengers.

The line is currently being operated by the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission.

As El Cineaste wrote in skyscrapercity.com, "Help the Pasig River Ferry by taking it frequently. I have promised myself to ply it every weekend. It's really therapeutic; the river may not be like the Seine of France or the Thames of England, but [the] Pasig is as old and as historic as the aforementioned rivers."

Indeed. What a lovely way of putting it.

A beautiful view of the El Hogar, site location of many film and video shoots. In English, El Hogar means "the home." No idea if this is the building's original name. It was most recently used as a shoot site for a film entitled Room 213 by Keith Sicat.

A view of the Plaza Mexico station. The airconditioning is not working yet. It is very small. It doesn't look like it will cost P80 million to build it, but whatever. :-)

The adventure begins in the next entry.

ARAW NG MAYNILA FEATURE: THE PASIG FERRY ADVENTURE - FROM PLAZA MEXICO TO GUADALUPE (PART UN)

This is a nice view from the side of the terminal; there's the Manila Central Post Office, FEATI and SM Carriedo with its characteristic disk roof (not rotatory, I'm afraid). There's a man paddling his small boat behind one of the catamarans. On this day, several milkfishes have been released by the recent typhoon from their pens at the Laguna de Bai hence the riverbanks are full of people hoping to get the chance to catch something for lunch.

A ferry, bathed in light, sits beside the terminal awaiting its passengers. The river is very calm today.

Another one is slowly perking beside the first ferry.

Now there's two of them side by side. There's only one gangplank. You get to the other ferry through the first one which is right beside the terminal. Amusing, isn't it?

Leaving the terminal now, yipeee! An adventure trip come true! The Plaza Mexico terminal retains the flavor of Spanish-period Filipino architecture. This is in compliance with the rules that govern the Walled City and its environs as enforced by the Intramuros Administration.

The first (or last) station is Plaza Mexico named after the commemorative plaza nearby. The Plaza celebrates 100 years of Philippine-Mexican Friendship.

This hollow shell of a building is the Pacific Commercial. It used to house Citibank. Despite having fallen into disuse, however, it still retains most of its beauty and still exudes strength and power.

Jones Bridge. This end lies on the side of Binondo, Manila's Chinese old business district. From here you can see the famous fried chicken house, SAVORY.

I am reminded of the brass sculpture of little boys jumping into the river in Singapore which you can also see when you take the river tour from Boat Quay.


Our first stop was Escolta Station. The station is a delight to watch from the Jones Bridge. It is very clean and compact, standing as it is on the renovated portion of the Muelle del Banco in Escolta, Manila's first financial and business district.

The majestic, neo-classical 82-years old (c. 1926) Manila Central Post Office basking in the sun. It was designed by Juan Marcos de Guzman Arellano. The Jones Bridge above was also designed by Arellano, but do note that the Jones Bridge we know now isn't the original as most of these Arellano structures were destroyed during WWII. Anyway, please find below a photo of how the original structure looked like courtesy of The National Archives.

Moving on...

On your left is the FEATI University, the only university in the country (or probably in the world) with a light rail transit bisecting its campus. For most of us who spent our childhood in Manila (and in these parts of the metro), we remember with fondness the words, LOOK UP, YOUNG MAN, LOOK UP.

QUIAPO STATION. I was very disappointed when we reached the Quiapo Station. I mean, there's no station to speak of as if putting this stop here was just an afterthought. The squalor surrounding this area is just too difficult to comprehend. Here you can also see the Quiapo (Quezon) Bridge with its moderne concrete posts. Beneath is Quinta Market, famous for its numerous shops selling Philippine traditional handicrafts.

No, this isn't the market I was referring to earlier. :-(

AYALA BRIDGE. This bridge, Ayala Bridge, heralds the entrance of the ferry into the territory of the Hospicio de San Jose. Located at the Isla de Convalescencia, Hospicio de San Jose is a Catholic Welfare institution and a home of orphans, abandoned and special children and elderly people. Let me post here its history (courtesy of the Archdiocese of Manila website):

The establishment of Hospicio de San Jose was made possible y the charitable legacy of Don Francisco Gomez Enriquez and his wife Dona Barbara Versoza. In gratitude for having been cured of a fever, Don Francisco donated four thousand pesos (P4,000) in 1778 for the establishment of a Hospicio General for the poor of Manila. It was said that several others followed the first sum during the couple's lifetime.

Unfortunately, they did not live long enough to see the actual foundation of this home they envisioned to take care of the city's poor and unwanted children.The initial purpose of the establishment of the institution was mainly to respond to the urgent need of the indigent clientele and the mentally/physically handicapped people during those times.

Since its foundation in October 1778, Hospicio de San Jose has continued to meet the needs of the indigent people including the physically handicapped and the elderly people.The institution was first known as Hospicio General and was later changed to its present name Hospicio de San Jose. The newly established welfare institution was then named after St. Joseph, its present saint.

Hospicio de San Jose was formerly located at Pandacan, and then transferred to Intramuros, then to Binondo, Nagtahan and Echague. It was only 1810 when Hospicio de San found its permanent home at the Isla de Convalescencia or the Island of Convalescents.On December 27, 1810, a Board of Directors governed Hospicio ded san Jose through a Royal Decree, under the chairmanship of the Archbishop of Manila. The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul came to Hospicio de San Jose only on June 1, 1866 as the administrators and were entirely responsible for the whole operation of the institution.

One of Manila's prominent ladies, Dona Margarita Rojas who was also one of its benefactors suggested to the Governor General to invite the good sisters of Charity to come to the Philippines to take care of the island's poor, sick, handicapped and abandoned.

ARAW NG MAYNILA FEATURE: THE PASIG FERRY ADVENTURE - FROM PLAZA MEXICO TO GUADALUPE (PART DEUX)

Part Two of our Pasig River Ferry coverage begins with the Nagtahan Bridge, still in the city of Manila. Nagtahan Bridge is the largest among all the bridges which crosses the river Pasig. It is also known as Mabini Bridge because it is quite near the Mabini House, which is inside the compound of the Presidential Security Group of the Malacañan Palace complex. This area of Manila is called Pandacan.

TRIVIA: The Pasig River is crossed by a number of bridges in the city of Manila alone. Eastward, they are the Roxas Bridge (commonly referred to as the Del Pan Bridge), Jones Bridge, McArthur Bridge, Quezon Bridge, Ayala Bridge, Nagtahan Bridge (also known as Mabini Bridge), Pandacan Bridge, and the Lambingan Bridge.

Outside the city of Manila, the following bridges cross the Pasig: Makati-Mandaluyong Bridge, Guadalupe Bridge, Carlos P. Garcia-C5 Bridge, Sixto Antonio-Bambang Bridge, Arsenio Jimenez-Kalawaan Bridge, and the C6 Bridge. Have you lost count already? :-)


Established in 1574 by Franciscan missionaries, Pandacan is widely known today as the place where major oil depots of the country are found. The name Pandacan came from the local pandan tree (Scientific name: Pandanus fascicularis Lam) grew abundantly along the banks of the river. It was originally designed to be Manila's industrial center hence the presence of refineries and factories in the area. Among notable national figures who hail from Pandacan is Apoliniario Mabini. It was home to Francisco Baltazar and Lope K. Santos. Imelda Marcos considered it her home in Manila pre-Malacañang days. Incidentally, portions of the Presidential Palace are actually in the Pandacan territory so I guess history has a way of playing with our lives and imagination.

It is also famous for its Cathlic church which honors the Sto. Niño de Pandacan.

A Pasig Ferry being repaired and outfitted along the route.

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Station, the only school stop of the ferry service. Hyacinths hug the station from all sides. PUP is a state university located in Sta. Mesa. It was established in 1904 as the Manila Business School as part of the city school system. It was renamed as the Philippine School of Commerce and was merged with the Philippine Normal School from 1933 to 1946. By virtue of Republic Act 779, the PSC was again changed to Philippine College of Commerce in 1952 which subsequently was converted into a chartered state university now known as the Polytechnic University of the Philippines by virtue of Presidential Decree Number 1341 issued by the President of the Philippines on April 1, 1978. Whew! What a lot of name changes!

An old, rusty railway bridge. Pandacan was a major terminal stop for the 121-years old Philippine National Railways (c. 1887 as Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan; cornerstone laying of the Tutuban station). The line begins at Sta. Mesa and ends at Pandacan (not very long, isn't it?). I might have gotten my data wrong. Will update this portion later.

Oil tanks. Name it, they just might have it!

Residencias Manila, begun during the term of former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza. There are housing projects...

... and then there are housing projects.

The past several years has seen the demolishment of houses that have been built over the river.

One of the houses has a streamer that reads, "Bahay mo, Ipaglaban mo!". This pretty much speaks of the continuing fight of the urban poor for a home of their own in this increasingly tight, busy, and dog-eat-dog world of Metro Manila.

The Lambingan Station marks the end of the Manila part of the route. Sta. Ana, where Lambingan is, is the border of the city with Makati.

Lambingan Bridge.

It was nice to see thick foliage in this area. I hope more trees are planted along the route. Some of the spots in Pandacan were really depressing.

ARAW NG MAYNILA FEATURE: THE PASIG FERRY ADVENTURE - FROM PLAZA MEXICO TO GUADALUPE (PART TROIS)

The sight of the Power Plant Mall signals that we have arrived in the City of Makati (former name: San Pedro de Makati, shortened to Makati on by Act 2390 of the Philippine Legislature in 1914). A coal-powered power plant used to stand on this very spot hence the name of the mall. It was incorporated into the Rizal Province in 1901 and was separated yet again in 1975 and became an independent city in 1995 (RA 7584). In July of 1937, Makati became the home of Manila's first airport, the Nielson Field, using 42 hectares of land leased from the Ayala family. Philippine Airlines' inaugural flight took off from Makati for Baguio in March of 1941. The former runways are now known to us as Paseo de Roxas and Ayala Avenue. The former airport tower, known as the Nielson Tower, is now the permanent home to the Filipinas Heritage Library. :-) More on this in a future post.

Without a doubt the trip can be described as leisurely and one can really sit back, relax, and take in all the view possible from your side of the ferry. To be honest, not all of the scenery is worth taking photos of. Anyway, you can always bring a book with you to read during the unexciting spots.

The ferry seats are wide and comfortable despite being made of tough plastic. The airconditioning doesn't make the interiors very cold, but otherwise the temperature inside is tolerable.

This looks dangerous, but this serves as the fastest way to cross the river for residents along the Pasig. It takes the place of the jeepney which takes the circuitous route. This one goes straight from point A to B with ease. It's the route Superman would have taken, you know.

Some of Makati's high rises loom into view.

The controversial billboards of Guadalupe Viejo. They have been stripped bare because of the recent typhoon which hit the metro. TRIVIA: On Bernardino St. of Guadalupe stands the city's oldest and most historical landmark, the Sanctuario de Guadalupe, which was restored during the leadership of the revered Cardinal Jaime Sin.

A white-and-blue MRT coach crosses the rail bridge atop the Guadalupe bridge. Methinks the MRT system is a gift we all should be thankful for. I can't imagine traveling from North Manila to the South without this train system. Think hours of being stucked in traffic!

The Guadalupe bridge comes into view with the Guadalupe MRT Station above it.

The water may be generally brown but at least it isn't black - which is what it was several years ago before the revive-the-Pasig (Buhayin ang Pasig) movement. Already, signs of life have returned to Manila's most important river.

A play with words, this is what this is. "Pasiglahin" comes from the Tagalog word sigla which means vitality, ergo the tagline Ilog Pasiglahin means to restore the river's vitality. Not bad for a long-term plan (IF it is long term at all, but I'm crossing my fingers).

A quick peek into the bridge reveals very simple mechanisms for moving this ferry about. You can trust Filipino sailors in doing a great job in this business.

I'm very excited about this tap card! Finally the technology has reached us in Manila. This is the system widely used in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Our ferry leaves Guadalupe to proceed to the few last stations in Pasig City. Note the beautification done by the City of Makati on the waterfront. Soon there's be tap card or mCASH card for those who use the system frequently. It saves the trouble of having to line up and sign your name on the manifest every time you ride the ferry.

This was our last stop - Guadalupe Station in Makati City. From here, people working in these parts can take connecting jeepney rides to their offices. It can be convenient on a clear day, but I can imagine it to be hellish on rainy days. Well, we have yet so much to work on.

This is the waterfront of the Guadalupe Station. Looking forward to traveling the entire length up to Marikina soon! Mabuhay ang Pasig Ferry! Maligayang araw ng Maynila!

CCP DREAM THEATRE IS RENAMED TANGHALANG MANUEL CONDE

A special tribute to Manuel Conde, pioneer of Philippine independent filmmaking, will be held during the 2008 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and Competition on July 11-20 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The tribute will include the launching of the book, The Cinema of Manuel Conde, by Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson during the opening of the exhibit on this maverick of the Filipino cinema and the first public screening after many decades of Conde’s films, especially the famous 'Genghis Khan', the first Filipino movie to be invited to participate in an international film festival, in this case the very prestigious Venice Film Festival of 1952.

Manuel Conde (1925-1985) was a director-writer-actor-producer who made 40 films from 1940 to 1963. He established his own film organization, MC Productions, because he wanted to do movies with an independent spirit that studio producers would not touch. The most important Conde films that embody the independent spirit that is celebrated by Cinemalaya today are his Juan Tamad films in which Conde successfully transformed the slapstick comedy into timely social satire.

Conde’s uncommon courage in satirizing social and political evils, his playful but insightful revitalization of genre movies, his unflagging and absolute dedication to artistry and, most of all, his passionate and absolute commitment to his truth, definitely qualify him to be called the “Father of Independent Filmmaking in the Philippines”.

Six Conde films will be shown during the 2008 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and Competition at the Tanghalang Manuel Conde (formerly CCP Dream Theater). These are Genghis Khan (1950), Ibong Adarna (1955), Verganza (1958), Señorito (1953), Cruz na Kawayan (1956) and El Robo (1957). The Conde films will be shown on July 17-19 with screenings set at 12:45 PM for Ibong Adarna, Cruz na Kawayan and Verganza and 3:30 PM for Señorito, El Robo and Genghis Khan.

Cinemalaya is presented by the Cinemalaya Foundation, Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Film Development Council of the Philippines and Econolink Investments Inc. Cinemalaya is an all-digital film competition aimed at discovering new Filipino filmmakers. Cinemalaya will be highlighted by the screening of world premieres, director’s cuts and the very best Filipino independent films on wide-ranging and controversial topics. Films from Cinemalaya 2005, 2006 and 2007 will also be shown. A major event of the Festival will be the Cinemalaya Independent Film Congress with the theme Spreading the News: Promoting, Distributing and Exhibiting Indie Films.

This year, Cinemalaya also will feature a new children’s section dedicated to children’s films and a retrospective of Manuel Conde films. For information, please call the CCP Marketing Department at 551-7930 or 832-1125 local 1800 to 1808 and the CCP Box Office at 832-3704 0r 832-1125 local 1409.

Source: Clickthecity.com

EXHIBITS: JUAN LUNA & JOSE SANTOS III

SUPERPASYAL is a supporter of the Ayala Musem. Click on the photos to enlarge.

FOR ALL THE VICTIMS OF TYPHOON FRANK

SUPERPASYAL dedicates this post to all the victims - living, missing and dead - of typhoon Frank. May the Heavens hear our prayers for peace, healing and reunion.

Photo: Dove of Peace, Pablo Picasso

APOLOGIES

Sorry for not being able to post travel photos lately. I've been so busy! I hate it, i hate it, i hate it, i hate itttt! :-(

CINEMALAYA 2008 OPENS!

The 4th Edition of the much-awaited Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival opens on July 11, 2008 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Here are the synopsis of the ten (10) full-length films:

• 100 by Chris Martinez is about a terminally ill woman’s list of things to do before she dies. With Mylene Dizon, Eugene Domingo, Tessie Tomas, TJ Trinidad, etc.

• Baby Angelo by Joel Ruiz and Abi Aquino shows what happens when an aborted baby is found near a small apartment complex. The lives of some tenants are turned upside down as they are forced to confront the ghosts of the past. With Jojit Lorenzo, Katherine Luna, Ces Quesada, etc.

• Boses by Ellen Ongkeko Marfil is about the friendship that develops between a violin teacher and his student, a mute, abused boy. They discover each other’s strengths and weaknesses by expressing them through violin. With Coke Bolipata, Ricky Davao, Meryll Soriano, Cherry Pie Picache, etc.

• Brutus by Tara Illenberger focuses on two Mangyan kids who are hired by illegal loggers to smuggle logs from the mountains of Mindoro. They discover a world of greed and ideological conflict that plagues the home of their people.

• Concerto by Paul Morales is about a piano concert held toward the end of World War II in a forest outside Davao City. Values are questioned as a family treads the thin line between enmity and friendship with the occupying Japanese troops. With Jay Aquitania, Meryll Soriano, Shamaine Buencamino, Nonoy Froilan, Elijah Castillo, etc.

• Huling Pasada by Paul Sta. Ana and Alvin Yapan effects an instructive confluence of paths between a writer and a taxi driver who becomes a street child’s father figure. With Agot Isidro and Neil Ryan Sese.

• Jay by Francis Xavier Pasion is about two protagonists with the same name — a gay TV producer who documents the case of a gay hate crime victim, also named Jay. Eventually, the producer is drawn to the secret life and love of his subject. With Baron Geisler and Coco Martin.

• My Fake American Accent by Onnah Valera and Ned Trespeces. A workplace comedy that follows the lives of call center agents for six months.

• Namets by Jay Abello follows the ongoing flirtation between Manuel and Lourdes, whose lives revolve around food.

• Ranchero by Michael Christian Cardoz unfolds in a small provincial jail, where Ricardo is about to be released. But a knife is reported missing, and the story takes some unexpected turns. With Gary Lim, Jess Evardone, Daniel Magisa, etc.

Call 551-7930 or 832-3704 for more details.

EXHIBIT: PAULINA CONSTANCIA

It's been a long time! Welcome back, Ms. Constancia!

“Thy summer, O earth, thy rainy season, thy autumn, winter, early spring, and spring; thy decreed yearly seasons, thy days and nights shall yield us milk." (Atharva Veda)

Diverging Paths by Dylan Gozum. Location: Our Lady of the Philippines Trappist Abbey, Jordan, Guimaras Island.

MALIGAYANG ARAW NG KASARINLAN!

In keeping with the 110th year of our independence from Spain, I went on a mind-boggling three-film extravaganza of Filipino films. I started with Aureus Solito's Tuli, followed by Peque Gallaga's Oro, Plata, Mata and finally, Himala by Ishmael Bernal. First, I am thankful that these films are finally on DVD. Was so glad to have found them while browsing through Astrovision at Rob's Ermita.


Anyway, Tuli was a digital work by the indie director Aureus Solito that was shown at the Cinemanila and at Sundance. This was his second film after the celebrated Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros. I am not sure if this film ever had a local commercial run because it received an X rating from the MTRCB for a lesbian kiss, among others. I think the topic was rather risque at best, although it wasn't really the crux of the story. Artfully shot with a little sepia glow to it (or maybe that's just how most Pinoy films are when viewed on DVD), it has a rather engaging narrative. Bravo to the young actors; they really deviated much from their protected-teen images to deliver very endearing and convincing performances.

I thought I'd never ever get to see this Gallaga masterpiece. You know, in my college days, people will only get to see this film by visiting the UP Film Center in Diliman and that alone doesn't even guarantee you a screening. Nestor de Torre brought this along with him during his national speaking tour and that's when my Mom saw it in Xavier University. Now, you can own a legit copy of this obra maestra for only Php 199. So cheap for something so priceless (note the irony in this sentence).

ORO, PLATA, MATA (Gold, Silver, Bad Luck - or something like that; Mata means something else in Spanish actually and it's not "death"!) was filmed in 1982 and set entirely in Negros (where Gallaga hails from). It won in that same year the Gawad Urian for Best Picture, direction, cinematography, production design, musical score and sound. If at all, we only have the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines and the Philippine National Bank (funder?) to thank for this film. It was also shown during the opening night of the first (and last) Manila International Film Festival in 1983 at the Manila Film Center. I loved the performances of the women actors, everyone deserving of an award (if only!). I loved Liza Lorena, most especially. I have always been a huge fan of hers. Too bad she isn't given any substantial roles these days. Gossip says Mitch Valdez regretted doing the topless scene, but hey! That was integral to her role as a liberated, US-educated doctor. Kuh Ledesma's role here is weird. She appears as a diwata. She represents, of course, the innocence (and the destruction thereof) that was inherent in the national character that was left scarred by the war.

My interest in ORO, PLATA, MATA was piqued by my current interest in this Thai soap entitled Four Reigns, which came from a book written by a former Prime Minister about a woman whose life spanned four kings. I was thinking that perhaps there could be a Philippine equivalent, and I think Oro is it. Compared to Four Reigns, however, Oro has so much tension - name it, it has it - and sex and violence and intrigue, something which is sorely lacking in its Thai equivalent (which made me think Four Reigns will never make it to local television). Every Filipino cineaste worth his salt should make Oro, Plata, Mata required viewing.

Lastly, I saw Himala. By now, it was already past mignight but I've been having problems sleeping lately that I didn't even quite notice the time. I have seen this thrice, twice on ABS-CBN and last night on DVD. Yes, you can now own a copy of this precious Bernal for only Php 199! Himala premiered in 1981. Although it didn't get the elusive Urian nod, it won in the 1982 Metro Manila Film Festival (Best Actress, Best Film, Screenplay, etc.) was eventually shown in Chicago and Berlin. The Manunuri, however, made up for its oversight by declaring Bernal the Most Outstanding Filmmaker of the Decade (1971-1980). He also was conferred the National Artist Award albeit posthumously. Himala was also shown, along with Oro, during the opening of the 1983 Manila International Film Festival. I don't need to mention here what this film says about the Filipino, but the need to believe in something is still a quest for so many.

LIFE GOES ON

Despite the recent news of old Arctic breaking off, life goes on elsewhere. The earth may be old and tired, but the closer you look at the ground around you life continues to blossom in oh so many ways. Now that's reason enough to celebrate. (Shot at The Mango Farm, Antipolo City with a Canon EOS 10D)