Humanizing the Bible

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Last week the 2nd St. Paul National Bible Quiz was launched and opened to both Catholics and Protestants. Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, speaking at the launching, said: “The Bible does not only teach the truth about religion, about life, but it is a way of cleansing ourselves of biases, prejudices, sometimes even anger. It can defuse these things.”

The Bible is often referred to as the Holy Scriptures, and being holy, it is often thought to be beyond the reach and understanding of the ordinary man. Indeed, there was a time when Catholics had to obtain permission to read the Bible.

But now it is presumed that a copy of the Bible is in every Christian home and that it is often read and consulted for valuable advice. But is it? It would seem that it is not so widely read even in a supposedly Christian country like the Philippines. For instance, at the recent Christmas program of a newspaper, at the “give me” segment of the program, no one could immediately present a copy of the Bible. An employee was able to present one after several minutes, but he was late because he had recently rearranged the bookcase in his office.

The Bible is a living, pulsating book that needs to be “humanized.” It should be considered a friend, an adviser, a teacher, a guide whose advice is needed for daily living. It is perhaps one of the best and greatest books, or more precisely, collection of books, ever written. The Bible is theology, a set of moral and ethical rules, history and literature.

As theology it contains the sacred writings of the Jewish and Christian religions. John Howard Yoder, professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, likens the Bible to the ground floor of a building. He said that “it is the ground floor that one has to go through to get to the stairs that would lead to the other floors.” Rosales said the central point of the Bible is Jesus, and indeed from the Christian point of view, the Bible is the revelation of God in Jesus Christ.

The Bible is a guide for moral and ethical behavior. The most important rules are contained in the Ten Commandments which are supposed to be followed by every good Christian. Carolyn Oehler, a religious writer, said that the Bible “presents human beings as moral agents who have a responsibility for themselves and their world.” But in a supposedly Christian country like the Philippines, the Ten Commandments are more honored in the breach than the observance. “Thou shalt not steal” and “Thou shalt not commit adultery” are just two of the commandments that are often violated by both those in high and low places in society and government.

The Bible stands on less solid grounds as history. Writer Gustav Niebuhr notes, for instance, that archaeology has turned up no physical remains to support the Bible’s story of the Exodus: “There is no evidence for the wanderings of the Israelites in the Sinai desert.” A group of scholars argues that biblical accounts of early Israel, including the stories of David and Solomon, have little, if any basis, in history. But archaeology is also adding to the biblical narrative. For instance, in 1993, a stele referring to the “House of David,” the first real evidence that refers to the biblical king, was unearthed.

But it is as literature that the Bible (particularly the King James version) has had the greatest impact and influence on writers, poets, artists and intellectuals in general. Who can forget such lines as “Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples,” “for dust thou art and unto dust shalt return,” “a land flowing with milk and honey,” “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” and “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

The Bible covers more than a hundred literary genres, including chronicle, proverb, maxims, psalms, oracle, apocalypse, parable, song, epistle, hero story, gospel, epic, tragedy, comedy, parable, lyric, nature poem, drama, oratory, dramatic monologue, doom song and love poem.

It is good that the St. Paul National Bible Quiz is being conducted and is open to both Catholics and Protestants. It should help promote the widespread reading of the Bible. It should help humanize and popularize the Bible. The Bible is a book not only for all times, but also for our times, when public morals, ethics and conduct have fallen to a new low and when people are often at a loss at where or to whom to turn for guidance.


When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
Source: Philippine Daily INquirer

The invasion of Lingayen

By JULIUS P. VICENTE

January 16, 2011, 12:58am

ATV in Lingayen Gulf (photo by RUDY LIWANAG)

"I shall return!”

These words were made famous by American General Douglas MacArthur after he left the Philippines in the midst of World War II and later returned to fulfill his promise to liberate Filipinos from Japanese forces.

Now, the immortal words are being spoken by visitors to Lingayen in the province of Pangasinan.

Imagine going through the path of war, starting with a visit to the Gulf of Lingayen which was a vital station for American troops in their assault against the Japanese Imperial Forces at the northern part, and straight to the heart of Metro Manila.

The Lingayen Gulf actually served as a supply depot and runway for US attack planes in order to support the warfare in Manila and to bring the old glory of the country under American supervision.  

Sixty-six years later, that episode became history and what was destroyed was reconstructed. Lingayen regained its old charm and became the famous tourist destination that it is today.

Lingayen is actually the seat of the government of Pangasinan province. It is located along the Lingayen Gulf, consisting of 32 barangays and seven sitios. It is also the birthplace of former president Fidel V. Ramos.

Since Lingayen was devastated during the war, many important structures were renovated under the Philippine War Damage Commission of the United States of America, one of which is the Provincial Capitol Complex of Pangasinan. 

The Capitol was built in 1917 and is one of the architectural treasures of the Philippines as declared by the National Commission Culture and Arts. It is also the center of the provincial government.

Another must-visit is the Veterans Memorial Park. In honor of the brave soldiers during the war, the park displays the pictures of famous Lingayen Gulf Landings heroes and other war memorabilia like tanks and fighter planes. The famous Lingayen Gulf Landing of General MacArthur is celebrated every January 9.

There is also the most romantic attraction in the province – the Lingayen Gulf. The beach of Lingayen is an extension of the South China Sea that stretches 56 kilometers. The best time to wander in this area is in the afternoon when the sunset touches the sand that creates a glimmering yellow hue. No wonder locals call it the Yellow Beach.

Try cruising around Limahong Channel. This body of water is linked with Agno River, and is famous for shrimp baiting. It was believed that during 18th century, a Chinese pirate named Limahong used this river as his escape route from the Spaniards.

Since Pangasinan is known as the home of the best fish sauce or bagoong, take a tour of its factories in Barangay Pangapisan and learn how the delicacy is made. Bagoong Festival is celebrated during the last week of April, highlighting the rituals of bagoong-making through street dancing. 

There are various resorts and hotels for visiting tourists. One of these is El Puerto Marina Beach Resort and Spa. It is the only resort in the area adjacent to Lingayen Gulf Coast. With the waves that the sea creates, the resort is perfect for skim boarding, surfing, and kayaking.

Considered as the “most romantic place in the Philippines” because of its calm and clean atmosphere, Lingayen is a place of discovery that you will surely want to visit again and again.

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.

Eating carrots 'makes you more attractive': study

LONDON (AFP) – Eating strongly coloured vegetables and fruit such as carrots and plums makes people more attractive, according to a new British study.January 8, 2011, 11:47pm

Researchers at St Andrews and Bristol universities studied the relationship between skin colour and attractiveness, and found people with a yellow skin hue were perceived as particularly healthy and attractive, the Grocer magazine reported.

They also established for the first time that yellow pigments, or carotenoids, from certain fruit and vegetables played a key role in producing yellowness in skin.

As part of the study, 40 volunteers rated 51 Scottish Caucasian faces for healthiness and attractiveness.

The results will be published in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour in March, the magazine said.

Ian Stephen, one of the scientists involved in the project, said the link between yellowness and carotenoids opened up new strategies for encouraging young people to eat more fruit and vegetables, especially as it took just two months of increased consumption to produce visible results.

He told the Grocer: "Telling people they might have a heart attack in 40 years' time if they don't eat more healthily is one thing. What we can do is say, 'This is what you could look in a couple of months if you increased your fruit and veg intake'."

Love is a force-and it’s real

By Cory Quirino
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Embrace this indestructible you, because it is the foundation of true wellness
ALL OF us need to believe one life-affirming truth: that we are truly loved, and more importantly, that we are lovable.

Deepak Chopra, MD, in his book “The Path to Love,” stresses this point. But what does love have to do with a new you? Everything. For how can we embark on self-transformation if love, the most powerful of forces, cannot be marshaled from within?

You want to change? Then face yourself in the mirror and repeat these two lines as instructed by Chopra: “I am completely loved, I am completely lovable.” Truth is, few people can hardly do this, because looking at yourself honestly, you can see flaws.

With a new pair of eyes, think about this. What you see in yourself as flawed is really an accumulation of scars of pain and hurt, wounds inflicted upon you over a lifetime. Thus, when you look in the mirror and honestly see yourself, this same mirror does not reveal the real truth that survives beyond the hurt.

Beneath it all, your innocence is intact, if you choose to acknowledge it. And the passage of time cannot erase this. This is the reason behind the belief that inside everyone is that seed of goodness, of childlike innocence and wonder rooted in the spirit. And if you or I lose sight of this, we will continuously see ourselves for all our experiences, and not our essence. Undoubtedly, experiences can destroy and obliterate love.

Begin with the self

Once we limit our view of ourselves, then the inevitable happens—we find ourselves attracting and experiencing a limited amount of love and lovability. The good news is, this can change.

Know, right this minute, that you are mind, body, and spirit, and this union will create and continuously produce the love you have to give. No union—no complete love. Perfect unity—complete love.

Yes, love is a force. And it is as real as gravity. To be upheld in love, every minute of every day of our lives, is not some Cinderella fantasy—it is, as Chopra says, our natural state.

Ultimately, love can restore, renew, revive. It can bring us closer to God.

So, embrace this indestructible you, because it is the foundation of true wellness—the harmony of body, mind and spirit.

Start with your checklist. It may look like this:

New Year’s Resolutions 2011—More power and success

BODY: More greens in my meals every day

Water daily (10-15 glasses)

Exercise daily (30-45 minutes)

Sports (biking, swimming, running)

Sleep six to eight hours nightly (before midnight, if possible)

Vitamin-mineral supplementation

Slow, deep breathing exercises upon waking up and before sleeping

Organic food

MIND: More...

Peace of mind through meditation

Control over my perceptions and attitude (anger, impatience, irritability)

Balance between office and home

Positive approach or attitude toward people and situations

SPIRIT: More...

Prayer time

Forgiveness and understanding

Focus on love, not hatred or mistrust

Community/civic service

Time for family and loved ones

Giving, not taking

Acceptance, not judgement or condemnation

Faith, trust and hope

Your 2011 regimen

BODY: A fresh green salad a day

Fresh juice—power cleanser

In a juicer, combine:

2 stalks celery

1 green pepper

½ ampalaya (seeded)

2 cloves garlic

¼ onion (white) optional

1 whole green or red apple (peeled)

2 slices fresh ginger (optional)

Drink this daily before breakfast. It’s a super detox drink. Follow with fruits and oatmeal for breakfast.

MIND: Think nothing negative today. Ban the doubts.

SPIRIT: Be one with your spirit.

AFFIRM TODAY: “I leave behind the old and embrace the new me today!”

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.

Love and light!

E-mail the author at coryquirino@hotmail.com

US nursing homes see influx of much younger residents

January 8, 2011, 4:43pm

In this photo, quadriplegic Adam Martin, left, works with physical therapist Wes Bower at the Sarasota Health and Rehabilitation Center. It's no longer unusual to find a nursing home resident who is decades younger than his neighbor. (AP/Chris O'Meara)

SARASOTA, Fla. – Adam Martin doesn't fit in here. No one else in this nursing home wears Air Jordans. No one else has stacks of music videos by 2Pac and Jay-Z. No one else is just 26.

It's no longer unusual to find a nursing home resident who is decades younger than his neighbor: About one in seven people now living in such facilities in the U.S. is under 65. But the growing phenomenon presents a host of challenges for nursing homes, while patients like Martin face staggering isolation.

"It's just a depressing place to live," Martin says. "I'm stuck here. You don't have no privacy at all. People die around you all the time. It starts to really get depressing because all you're seeing is negative, negative, negative."

The number of under-65 nursing home residents has risen about 22 percent in the past eight years to about 203,000, according to an analysis of statistics from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. That number has climbed as mental health facilities close and medical advances keep people alive after they've suffered traumatic injuries. Still, the overall percentage of nursing home residents 30 and younger is less than 1 percent.

Martin was left a quadriplegic when he was accidentally shot in the neck last year by his stepbrother. He spent weeks hospitalized before being released to a different nursing home and eventually ended up in his current residence, the Sarasota Health and Rehabilitation Center. There are other residents who are well short of retirement age, but he is the youngest.

The yellow calendar on the wall of Martin's small end-of-the-hall room advertises activities such as arts and crafts. In the small common room down the hall, a worker draws a bingo ball and intones, "I-16. I-one-six." As Martin maneuvers his motorized wheelchair through the hallway, most of those he passes have white hair and wrinkled skin.

"It's lonely here," Martin says, as a single tear drips from his right eye.

Martin exchanges muted hellos with older residents as he travels down the hall to smoke outside. His entire daily routine, from showering to eating to enjoying a cigarette, is dictated by the schedules of those on whom he relies for help.

He usually wakes up late, then waits for an aide to shower him, dress him and return him to his wheelchair. He watches TV, goes to therapy five days a week and waits most days for his friend to bring him meals.

He mostly keeps to himself, engaging in infrequent and superficial conversations with his elders.

Martin's parents are unable to care for him at home. His father is a truck driver who is constantly on the road, and his stepmother is sick with lupus. Medicaid pays his bills; it could take a lawsuit for him to get care outside a nursing home.

Advocates who help young patients find alternatives to nursing homes say people are often surprised to learn there are so many in the facilities. About 15 percent of nursing home residents are under 65.

"When I tell people I try to get kids out of nursing homes, they have no idea," says Katie Chandler, a social worker for the nonprofit Georgia Advocacy Office.

Federal law requires states to provide alternatives to institutional care when possible, though its implementation varies from place to place. Navigating the system can require a knowledgeable advocate and, sometimes, litigation.

Not all younger nursing home residents are there for good. Some nursing homes are seeing an increase in patients who come to recover there instead of in a hospital, because it is cheaper for their insurance company.

Like Martin, many younger residents have suffered a traumatic injury. Others have neuromuscular diseases such as multiple sclerosis, or have suffered a stroke.

Brent Kaderli, 26, of Baytown, Texas, became a quadriplegic after a car accident in 2006. He hopes rehabilitation will help him gain enough strength to move into an assisted living facility and eventually, to an apartment with his girlfriend.

He shares his nursing home room with an older man who suffers from dementia. It is not ideal, but because his parents' home is not modified to accommodate his wheelchair, he thinks it's the only option right now.

"Just knowing that one day I will be better, I'm still hoping and praying for that. In the meantime, I think about my family and my friends, what I used to be able to do, and I stay sad a lot," he says. "This is probably the best that I could have at this point."

The same generational tensions that exist outside nursing homes are inside them as well, and are sometimes exacerbated by the often close confines.

Older residents complain about loud music and visitors, younger residents complain about living with someone with dementia or being served creamed spinach. Many nursing homes try to house younger residents together, though in many cases their small numbers make that difficult.

For young people who find themselves newly disabled, the psychological and social needs are often even more challenging than their physical demands. That presents a challenge for nursing homes that are used to serving people near the ends of their lives.

At Bayshore Health Center in Duluth, Minn., 34 of the 160 residents are younger people, all living in private rooms in their own wing. The staff has found that subtle changes can improve their lives.

Instead of bingo night, there are poker games and outings to nightclubs. For someone who stays up late watching a movie, breakfast can be served at 10 a.m., rather than 7 a.m. Pizza is offered in place of lasagna; Mountain Dew and Coke are poured instead of coffee and tea.

Still, many younger residents sink into depression because of their physical limitations, their loneliness and their nursing home surroundings.

"For them it's a life sentence. When you're 40 years old you know you're never getting out. This is the way your life will be forever and ever. Amen," says Diane Persson, a gerontologist who has written about the boom in younger nursing home residents.

Martin fears that may be true for him. He used to look forward to joining the Army and earning a college degree in science or engineering. Now he simply looks forward to visits from his friend Paul Tuttle, who on this day brings him nachos he feeds him along with sips of water.

"If I'm not here, he's got no one his age to talk to about football or anything," Tuttle says, wiping Martin's face.

Propped in his wheelchair, Martin says: "It makes you feel old. If that's all you're around, that's what you become."

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.

Source: Manila Bulletin

23-year-old developer starts building homes

January 10, 2011, 11:47pm

Perez

MANILA, Philippines – He’s president of his own real estate development firm. He deals with architects, engineers, contractors, and construction workers. He designs modern living spaces. He is Gabriel Perez, and he is only 23. How did he get there?

“It was a whirlwind of events,” said Gab in the conference room of his company Green Asia, an office whose interior espouses the “quality is the highest form of luxury” aesthetic he strives for — clean, stark, crisp and linear details have an uplifting effect on employees and guests alike. “But once I got the full grasp of the industry, I realized it was best to strike immediately as the real estate market is currently up.”

Indeed, while classmates at the Ateneo de Manila University were looking forward to a much-deserved break after graduation, Gab, who holds a degree in Management Economics, was kept busy processing the SEC papers for Green Asia. Thanks to an investment from his family, the would-be developer then set off to tackle his first projects: a couple of houses designed for starting families in Filinvest, Quezon City; and the Angelica Manor, an eight-floor, low-density-population condominium located in Ortigas Avenue.

Close to completion, the building, which was named after his mom, has already attracted a number of prospective homeowners to invest in its units — from a tidy 21-sqm studio for students to a more spacious two-bedroom affair. The terms are friendly to refuse – no down payment, no interest, and ready for move-in.

Though he makes it sound so easy, the venture has not been without its challenges. As a self-described “hands-on” head of his start-up company, he’s always out in the field, sourcing materials in places like Binondo or visiting hot and dusty construction sites. He also had to face realities like dealing with the tedious bureaucracy.

And then of course there is his youth and inexperience: is this 23-year-old, who, prior to heading Green Asia, interned at Discovery Suites and St. Lucia Realty’s marketing arm, Orchard Property Marketing, taken seriously by the seasoned developers?

“I think I am!” he said. “I don’t pretend to know everything so I’m not shy to ask people for advice.”

Gab, who at the beginning would write down every unfamiliar construction term to later ask experts to explain their purpose, said with a chuckle, “this a hands-on school now. But I love it.”

Building a successful business, according to Gab Perez:

Love what you do. Even a generous capital on a sure-fire venture won’t guarantee a thriving business if you’re not passionate about your work. For Gab, who always liked “luxurious surroundings”, the idea of “picking out materials” as well as the instant gratification of “seeing my construction ideas materialize the next day” are what attracted him to real estate development.

Take risks. Entrepreneurs rely more on instinct, he said. Age may have something to do with his derring-do attitude; this is the time to try new things and learn from your mistakes.

Surround yourself with good mentors. Gab’s family gave him more than the financial backing for this real estate development venture. From his engineer dad, he learned “to always give clients more than their money’s worth.” Meanwhile, his mom (a physician with a keen eye for design) advises him constantly on construction tricks of the trade. As supportive as they are, the Perezes also know when to hold back. When it comes to his business, Gab is left to make decisions on his own.

Master your market. Acknowledging the emerging “green market”, Gab included “A Life in Green” to give homeowners tips on how to save energy and help Mother Nature in the company website www.greenasia.com.ph. Aside from going environmental, Green Asia’s living spaces are specially designed for young professionals and starting families who want the same things: “to move-up in life, to stop renting and actually have a home to call their own.”

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Organic farm in Lipa City

By ZAC SARIAN

January 5, 2011, 1:58pm

MANILA, Philippines – An increasing number of organic farming enthusiasts are getting serious in pursuing their projects.

One of them is businessman Manuel “Nonong” Bagatsing who is developing a 16-hectare farm in Brgy. Adya, Lipa City, into a certified organic farm.

He calls his farm Kahariam which is an acronym derived from the initials of his children. The son of former Manila Mayor Ramon Bagatsing, Nonong has long been involved in farming because his father loved farming, especially horse breeding. He has been involved in ranching in Zambales until the unreasonable demands of the New People’s Army in Central Luzon forced him to give up the cattle project altogether. But that did not stop his interest in farming.

Today, he has turned over the management of his IT business in Manila to his son so that he could devote most of his time to the Kahariam farm. At first, he went into the production of lettuce in greenhouses that he supplied to supermarkets in Manila. The production was good but the marketing was not satisfactory to him. He said that there was so much spoilage and rejects by the supermarkets. And payment for the harvest was at least a month after delivery.

Three years ago, he gave up the production of leafy greens because he had spotted a better potential in producing vermicompost which is used in organic farming instead of chemical fertilizers. The greenhouses were converted into vermiculture beds using the African Nightcrawler earthworm which he feeds with horse manure mixed with 30 percent leaves and other biodegradable waste products from the farm.

Today he is producing 150 to 300 tons of vermicompost a month which he sells for P6 to P7 per kilo, depending on the volume purchased. His price is very much lower than the going retail price in the Metro Manila market which is anywhere from P20 to P30 per kilo.

He can sell his vermicompost at a very reasonable price because he has a relatively low cost of production.

The horse manure, the main raw materias, is virtually free except for the cost of hauling. He has a lot friends who are into horse breeding in Lipa who freely give the manure to him. In fact, they are thankful that somebody is getting the manure from their farms. He has two trucks hauling no less than 10 tons of horse manure a day.

Nonong said that in the beginning, they tried different kinds of manure for feeding to their worms. These included manure of goats, cows, pigs and horses.

They observed that practically all the worms transferred to the bed of horse manure. Usually, the substrate or feed materials are turned into vermicompost in two months if one kilo of worms is placed in one square meter of substrate. If two kilos are placed, the vermicompost is ready for harvest in 30 to 45 days.

The vermiculture beds are no taller than 16 inches. If the bins are more than 16 inches tall, there will be less ventilation in the lower portion and that is not good for the worms. Aside from the vermibeds under greenhouse (about 4,000 square meters), Nonong also has vermibeds on 5,000 square meters under and between mature mango trees.

The other focus today is organic rice production. In initial trials using nothing but vermicompost, he was able to harvest 133 cavans per hectare. He is now preparing seven hectares for planting to organic rice.

He says there is an unlimited market for certified organic rice which is usually sold at more than double the price of the ordinary rice. He was also able to produce jasmine rice which we tasted during our visit.

He grows other products on the farm like fruit trees, vegetables, strawberry, free-range chicken, tilapia, catfish and others. But these are minor projects mainly for testing the efficacy of his organic fertilizer. His produce are for his family’s own consumption as well as for giving to friends.

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.

This Frenchman loves the Mangyans -and everything else about the Philippines

By Lito Gutierrez
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Date

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‘This country conquered me,’ says wandering blueblood and now Mindoro resident Hubert d’Aboville, who’s organizing an arts festival to benefit tribal communities
ONE OF the first things Frenchman Hubert d’Aboville (pronounced “uber daboveel”) did when he settled in the Philippines in 1981 was to acquire a sprawling piece of land at the foot of Mount Malasimbo, a few kilometers from the then-unsullied seaside resort town of Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro. He would develop close kinship with his neighbors, the seven Mangyan tribes who lived in the mountains of the island.

He would imbibe the natives’ customs and traditions, appreciating their craft and learning their dialect, when he was not attending to his business in Makati.

He had come to the Philippines in the early 1980s to head the office of the French global timber company Becob. Later he would put up his own Paris-Manila Technology Corp. (Pamatec), a social enterprise that seeks to bring power-generation technology to the country’s poorest communities. “I wanted to go into high-impact, eco-cultural projects,” he said.

The Mangyan, however, were not the first beneficiaries of d’Aboville’s endeavors; the Masbateños were.

Revolutionary tax

In 1999, Pamatec broke ground for a project that would bring electricity to about 120,000 residents of the poverty-stricken island. Masbate was a hotbed of communist insurgency, and the rebels did not just harass project workers, but also destroyed equipment and supplies worth hundreds of thousands of euros.

They wanted the Frenchman to pay “revolutionary tax.” In a letter, “Luz del Mar, communications officer, Jose Rapsing Command, CPP-NPA Masbate,” after citing what “she” knew of the project’s multi-million euro financing, asked d’Aboville to send as a negotiator “not technical or security personnel)... but (a) finance officer or management personnel who (can) commit to decisions.”

D’Aboville could have just thrown in the towel and pulled out. But instead, he flew to Europe to talk with Luis Jalandoni, one of the rebels’ top leaders in exile.

The Masbate insurgents backed off, and the project was finished in 2009. He would write a book, “Management of an International Project against Poverty,” about the Masbate project, an excellent guide for private sector poverty-alleviation programs.

Now d’Aboville has trained his sights and his unrelenting drive on his “native” Puerto Galera, hoping to transform the island into a top-tier “eco-cultural” travel destination.

200 feet above sea level

On Feb. 18-19, in his Villa Malasimbo, d’Aboville, now 55, is hosting a music and arts festival. The estate, 7 km from the town, is about 200 feet above sea level, overlooking the bay.

Artists will display their works, and musicians from all over the country will perform, but the centerpiece would be Mangyan art and their way of life.

With tickets at P3,900 each, he hopes that the crowd he attracts would be the sophisticated, high-end kind that would make Puerto Galera a favored destination. He shudders at the thought of Puerto Galera becoming another Boracay.

He is so devoted to the place that in the mid-1990s, he went on a personal crusade to get Puerto Galera a membership to the highly exclusive Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World. The club was founded in Berlin, Germany, in March 1997 as a movement to protect the environment and the development and enhancement of marine resources worldwide. It has the blessings of the Unesco.

D’Aboville’s projects in Masbate and now Puerto Galera are just two indications of his deep affection for this country and his commitment to its progress.

Slept at Luneta Park

With nary a clue about the Philippines, he first came to Manila as a backpacker, fresh from college with a business degree in 1977.

With just a few euros in his pocket, he scrounged for the cheapest fares, washed dishes and slept in parks. In Maui, he slept in a hollowed-out bush which he sometimes shared with vagrants. In Manila, the first thing he asked upon landing was where the park was.

In Luneta, he would be accosted by young hooligans, whom he must have charmed because not only did the boys stop harassing him, one of them even invited him to his shack in Tondo, which he accepted.

“I woke up the following morning with my arm as big as my leg,” he said, referring to the mosquito bites he got.

But he was astounded with the generosity and kindness.

From Manila, his meager cash and abundant sagacity would take him to such ultimate destinations as the sun-soaked beaches of Bali and the freezing, treacherous reaches of Afghanistan’s Khyber Pass.

At that time, the Afghans, led by the Taliban, were trying to kick out the Russians, and when d’Aboville reached the capital Kabul, Russian MIGs had just bombed the presidential palace. D’Aboville took pictures of the corpses and sold them, along with his story, to a journalist covering the war.

Cattle class

Once, he discovered that the ticket he bought for a boat trip was literally in cattle class; it was the cargo hold for livestock. “At the last minute, as the boat was about to set off,” he recalled, “I slipped out and went up to the captain’s lounge, where the captain was playing chess. I asked if I could play, and that’s where I was for the rest of the voyage.”

Fact is, d’Aboville could have traveled under more pleasant circumstances, instead of knocking around among the unwashed.

D’Aboville comes from French nobility. In his office at the Pamatec building in Makati hangs a photo of a palace in his native Brittany, in front of which posed a big, elegantly dressed crowd. “That is where we lived,” he said, “and those people are my family.”

But the blue blood that runs in the clan must also be streaked with a sense of high adventure. In 1980, one of his kuyas, Gerard, the fourth child of six brothers and three sisters, rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, from Cape Cod in northeast US to their native Brittany. Eleven years later, he would make a similar journey across the Pacific, from Washinton state in the US to Japan.

D’Aboville said Gerard has been to the Philippines a few times. (Their youngest brother Guillaume and a cousin Guy would also marry Filipinas and settle in the Philippines.)

In fact, he, who is eighth in the brood, and some of his brothers once got on a motorcycle to join the ultimate off-road motor sports event, the 10,000-km Paris-Dakar rally.

D’Aboville says his “personal journey... has taken me to many exotic places on this planet. I came, I saw, but I was not conquered. But the Philippines conquered me.”

He would fall under the spell of Ara Valenzuela, then working in hotel public relations and who, according to d’Aboville, “was as fascinated by France as I was fascinated with the Philippines.”

Ara, a progeny of the illustrious Dr. Pio Valenzuela, would study and work in France, and D’Aboville would plead with her to return to the Philippines to get married. They have four children.

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.

For more information about the Malasimbo arts and music festival, check www.malasimbofestival.com. or call tel. no. 0917-818-1418.

Traveling A–Z: Albay

By Vince G. Lopez

January 9, 2011, 1:02am

Cagsawa Ruins

 Home of the majestic Mayon Volcano, the province of Albay is located in the Bicol region of the Philippines.

The Volcano, which is known for its near perfect cone, is the major attraction for local and foreign tourists who visit the province for its enamoring natural wonder.

But aside from the wonderful backdrop of a majestic volcano, the province is also home to numerous wonders as well. Waterfalls, caves, natural springs, beaches, as well as marine life, abound in the Bicol province. Another popular tourist spot near the province is Donsol. An hour away from Albay, the site offers a memorable whale watching experience, including interaction with the said marine animals in Sorsogon.

The province is the 26th smallest province in the province. The physical terrain of this Bicol province is generally mountainous with scattered fertile plains and valleys. Albay also prides itself with unique delectable cuisines as well as its fine handicrafts made of the finest abaca, handicrafts, cutleries and ceramics.

Fast facts

Local Dialect: Bikol / Bicol

Festivals:

• Magayon Festival – a feast in honor of the legend behind the creation of Mayon Volcano and is celebrated during May.

Must See:

•Putsan Beach – The long graceful curve of the province is also the original source of ancient ceramics and potteries in Bicol.

•Mayon Volcano - The awe-inspiring site of the near perfect cone stands 7,946 ft. and has a notched rim where a pool of building lava and rich coal deposits can be found.

•Cagsawa Ruins - The belfry ruins stand as a symbol of the province’s impressive landscape, history and its people’s resiliency.

•Sogod beach - Located in Bacacay, the beach is one of the province’s well-known summer get-away spots.

•Bugsucan Falls – Blending perfectly with a natural spring, this natural wonder in Tiwi is perfect for picnics and bathing.

•Busay Falls – one of the highest falls in the country with its seven-tiered cascading foams.

•Hoyop-hoyopan Cave – Legend has it that the cave was originally a dwelling place for natives during the primitive era. It is also one of the most famous destinations in the province.

How to get there:

Bus Terminals in Cubao and Pasay offer trips going to Legazpi, Albay. The province of Albay can also be reached via air through Legazpi airport where arriving passengers are initially greeted by the province’s crowning glory, the Mayon Volcano.

Source: Manila Bulletin

TAGUM: The City of Festivals

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

January 12, 2011, 12:11pm

Barangay Musikahan (Photo courtesy of the Tagum Information Office)

Tagum, only an hour travel from Davao City, is endowed with awe-inspiring come-ons: The mesmerizing Mount Apo, the endangered Philippine Eagle, and the endearing waling-waling.  The fine beaches of Island Garden City of Samal are just a few minutes away by boat. Tagum City has no natural attraction to speak of – except for the short beach line blessed with black sands.

“Yes, we are aware of those shortcomings,” admits Rey T. Uy, the workaholic mayor of Tagum City.  Now on his third term, he has brought Tagum into what it is now: the economic hub of Davao del Norte.  In fact, Tagum has been singled out as one of the 20 “most viable and most competitive business sites” in the country based on a study conducted by the Asian Institute of Management.

Without natural attractions, the city government – with support from other organizations and religious institutions – launched nine festivals and five city events.  “Anytime of the year, people can come to our city and enjoy the festivities and celebrations,” Mayor Uy points out.

This year, the biggest event happens on February 12-19.  Tagum is hosting the Third International Rondalla Festival – after Naga City hosted it in 2004 and Dumaguete City in 2007.  Aside from the Philippines, performers from China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Russia will showcase their plucked string ensemble during the festival.

The Philippine participants are Andres Bonifacio Elementary School Alumni Rondalla and Philippine Normal University Rondalla, both  from Manila, Cainta Rondalla Ensemble of Rizal, Celso Espejo Rondalla of Las Piñas City, Dipolog City Community Rondalla, Kabataang Silay Rondalla Ensemble, Quezon Rondalla, RTU Tunog Rizalia Rondalla of Mandaluyong City, The Sisters of Mary School Boystown Rondalla of Cavite, University of the Philippines Rondalla of Quezon City, University of Southeastern Philippines Rondalla of Davao City, and Tagum City National Comprehensive High School Rondalla.

After the rondalla event is the Musikahan Festival on February 21-27. It is a distinct cultural event that celebrates the Filipino excellence in music compositions, performance, and production.  “We want to provide the youth with more opportunities to excel in the music industry,” explains Cromwell Bonghanoy, the city information officer.

The merry month of May has two big events: Summer Sports and Flores de Tagumeño Festivals.  The former is a celebration of sportsmanship and camaraderie through simultaneous tournaments of different sports events while the latter revives the Roman Catholic traditions of fiestas introduced during the Spanish era.

On the third week of July, streets of Tagum come alive with the observance of Binuhat Festival.  This is an advocacy celebration recognizing the rights and social contribution of the gay community in different fields of endeavors – from technical aspects to business and academe, from creative to performing arts.

Durian Festival is celebrated either during the month of August or September (depending on which month the controversial fruit is in season).  This is a month-long celebration showcasing the delectable durian produced by beneficiaries of the government-initiated plant now pay later program and other durian growers of the city.  One of the highlights is the interschool and professional culinary competitions that feature durian as the main ingredient – from cakes, pastries, and bread to coffee, cocktails and mocktails.

On October 10, Tagum celebrates Kaimonan Festival, a cultural event of indigenous people where different tribal songs, dances and music rituals are performed for the glory of God (Magbabaya) as a way of thanksgiving and merrymaking of God’s generosity.  Also observed during the occasion is the Panagsawitan, a traditional way of converging and sharing of blessings among members of the different tribes and an avenue of rekindling the culture, norms and traditions of tipanod (original settlers) of Tagum City.

On the last week of October is the Pakaradjan Festival, a special gathering of dominant Muslim tribes in the city, particularly K’gans (the original settlers), Maranaos, Maguindanaos, Iranons, and Tausogs.

The Food Festival, celebrated on the second week of November is an extravaganza feast of food offered by various restaurants, hotels and catering companies and showcasing their crafts and expertise in food preparation and hospitality management.

Celebrated on the second week of the month is the Indayog Festival.

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.

PH ‘Mother,’ ‘Doña’ make it to gallery of Asian cinema greats

By Bayani San Diego Jr. Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines—A “Doña” and a “Mother” from the Philippines have landed in a milestone book on Asian cinema, joining a gallery of the most glamorous and accomplished female artists and entrepreneurs in show biz. LVN Pictures’ Narcisa B. de Leon (aka Doña Sisang) and Regal Films’ Lily Monteverde (aka Mother Lily), both producers, headed film companies during the two golden ages of Philippine movies in the 1950s and 1970s. They are included in the 2010 coffee table book “Asian Women in Film,” joining 26 other screen luminaries like Chinese actresses Gong Li, Nancy Kwan and Maggie Cheung, Indian actress Aishwarya Ray, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, Indian film critic Aruna Vasudev and Japanese director Kinuyo Tanaka. Also in the book are Malaysian director Yasmin Ahmad, Indian choreographer Farah Khan, Japanese costume designer Emi Wada and Indonesian producer Mira Lesmana, among others. There are only two Filipinos in the book, a legacy project of Cathay Organization, one of Singapore’s foremost entertainment and leisure groups. It was published last year on the occasion of the company’s 75th anniversary. In the introduction, Cathay Organization executive director Choo Meileen said the book was envisioned as “a special memento” to pay tribute to her grandmother, Loke Cheng Kim, who founded the business empire in 1935. “It would be a great pity if the efforts and achievements of these women, including my grandmother, were lost,” she wrote in the intro. She lauded these “great” women for their impact on the film industry and their respective communities. Enduring classics Monteverde told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that she was “honored” by her inclusion in the book—especially since she looked up to Doña Sisang. “As a kid, I was a fan of LVN movies,” she said. “At 14, I had a scrapbook of newspaper clippings on LVN star Nestor de Villa. When he got married, I burned the scrapbook! I wanted him to marry me, instead.” Mother Lily has produced over 1,000 movies and, like Doña Sisang, helped the country’s leading directors to create enduring Filipino classics. Apart from commercial hits, Monteverde also produced cinematic gems like Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila By Night,” Mike de Leon’s “Sister Stella L,” Peque Gallaga’s “Scorpio Nights,” and Elwood Perez’s “Bilangin Mo ang Bituin sa Langit” in the 1980s. Her first film as producer was “Magsikap: Kayod sa Umaga, Kayod sa Gabi,” released in 1974. Although she has passed the company’s management to daughter Roselle Monteverde-Teo, she remains gung-ho about the movies. Defiant one Mother Lily has often been described by filmmakers as “tough, results-oriented.” Perez called her an “authentic, a creative genius—a caring friend and an astute businesswoman.” Monteverde defied her conservative Chinese-Filipino upbringing. “I’ve always been independent. I started cutting classes at age 10 to watch movies.” Even though her family, including a sister who was an Assumption nun (Sister Regina), disapproved of show biz, she persevered. Her passion Mother Lily jestingly recalled that her father almost disowned her when she married basketball player Remy Monteverde, and Sister Regina stopped talking to her when she produced “bold” movies in the 1970s and 1980s. “Making movies is my passion. It’s my life,” she said in the book’s essay (written by Singapore-based Filipino journalist-educator Victor Valbuena). In an interview, Monteverde said she was impressed by the book’s Singapore-based crew. “They flew to Manila to interview me and take my portrait. They said that I worked quickly.” Similar philosophies Taking after Doña Sisang’s example, Monteverde said she ran her studio like a household. “Directors and actors have their moods. I have to be a mom to them—stern when I have to, but nurturing as well.” As a result, drumbeaters christened this Tiger Lily as the local industry’s Mother Lily. Doña Sisang had the same philosophy in managing LVN Pictures, her granddaughters Nenita Eraña and Ching Escaler told the Inquirer. Valbuena also sat down with Eraña and Escaler for the landmark book. Eraña and Escaler said they told Valbuena that their grandmother was strict. “She got involved even in the private lives of the stars because she wanted them to remain wholesome,” Eraña said. One of Big 4 Former LVN star Delia Razon agreed, saying that Doña Sisang was a disciplinarian. “She took care of everything. She even helped me build my house.” “My lola (grandmother) was very hands-on in the studio,” Escaler said. “While she read scripts at her desk, I would do my homework beside her.” Apart from popular movies, De Leon also produced some of the more important films in the first golden age of Philippine cinema—including National Artist Lamberto Avellana’s “Badjao” and “Anak Dalita” and Manuel Silos’ “Biyaya ng Lupa” in the 1950s. Under her leadership, LVN grew into one of the local industry’s Big 4 studios—along with Sampaguita, Lebran and Premiere. Doña Sisang’s first film as producer was “Giliw Ko,” released in 1939. “She was an amazing woman. She only finished fourth grade but she mastered different businesses because she was inquisitive,” said Escaler, a former United Nations ambassador. Young ‘censors’ Movie-making was a family activity, Eraña said. “We used to joke that we, her apos (grandchildren), were the original MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.)” Eraña explained that Doña Sisang’s grandchildren acted as a focus group committee, previewing films before their release. “Our lola would ask for our comments and she’d instruct the director to make the necessary corrections.” But like any lola, Doña Sisang was also doting to her grandkids, Escaler said. “We were close. Every Sunday, we would hear Mass and have breakfast with her in her house,” Eraña said. Preserving legacy Eraña and Escaler said they enjoyed reminiscing with Valbuena for the book. They consider themselves lucky that they were able to get to know their lola before she died at age 88 in 1966. “I was in my teens then. It’s sad that the present generation don’t know my lola and her contributions to Philippine cinema,” Eraña said. For this reason, the family has donated LVN movie stills, scripts and other important documents to the Lopez Museum. They also handed over surviving prints of LVN movies to the ABS-CBN archives. “Only a hundred of the 500 LVN movies have survived,” Escaler said. “We want the public, especially film scholars, to have access to the LVN collection. I plan to donate copies of the book to the UP and Ateneo libraries.” The coffee table book features vintage photos from the LVN archives. Other greats When they received copies of the book last Christmas, Eraña and Escaler were pleasantly surprised. They called the book “a beautiful Christmas gift to our family.” “I am thankful to Mr. Valbuena and the rest of the Cathay team for remembering and honoring our grandmother,” Escaler said. Eraña presented another copy of the book to her 93-year-old mother Amada de Leon-Eraña, daughter of Doña Sisang. “I will read the article with her,” she said. “We’re proud of our lola. Unfortunately, the family no longer owns LVN.” But through books like this, her grandmother’s memory will be kept alive for posterity, Escaler said. Cathay Organization’s Choo pointed out that the publishers considered several other “great” Asian women, including the Philippines’ Charo Santos-Concio (president of ABS-CBN), China’s Zhang Ziyi, Hong Kong’s Anita Mui, Iran’s Shoreh Aghdashloo and Japan’s Rinko Kikuchi, for their “contributions to the world of film and for paving the way for many generations of Asian women to come.” When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs. Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer