This Heart Season’s much-anticipated show, “#LoveThrowback,” blends two uber hot catchphrases — throwback and hugot lines — to come up with twice the romance you seek at the PICC Plenary Hall on Feb. 13.
The concert features the Philippines’ most iconic Original Pilipino Music singers and balladeers of the last four decades: Rico Puno, Marco Sison, Raymond Lauchengco, Gino Padilla, Chad Borja, Wency Cornejo, Roselle Nava and Nina. That’s a total of eight performers compared to other Valentine shows that offer four headliners at the most — it’s twice the romance power!
Director Calvin Neria with Marc Lopez as musical director present 28 songs in a two-hour show that will be stitched together by hugot lines flashed on a video wall, doing away with spoken spiels.
Rico, noticed then by record producers as a performer in folk houses and lounges, started the trend of incorporating Tagalog lyrics in English songs like his rendition of “The Way We Were.” For this show, he renders his smash hits “Kapalaran,” “Buhat” and “Macho Gwapito,” among others.
Marco got his career break after winning a singing contest on GMA 7’s noontime variety show Student Canteen in the late ‘70s. His songs like “My Love Will See You Through,” “Make Believe” and “I’ll Face Tomorrow” lorded the ‘80s.
Raymond, after his stints in musical theater, joined mainstream show business and got his biggest break as one of the lead stars in the trendsetting film Bagets. As a singer-actor, some of his hits are “Saan Darating Ang Umaga,” “So It’s You,” “Farewell” and “I Need You Back.”
Gino, the singer behind hits like “Gusto Kita,” “Let The Love Begin,” “I Believe In You” and “Closer You and I,” won as Song of The Year in Awit Awards. He is also known as the artist who starred in a worldwide advertising campaign of a softdrink brand alongside singing superstar Tina Turner.
Wency, the most remarkable vocalists of pop-rock band AfterImage, shared his distinct voice to phenomenal hits like “Habang My Buhay,” “Mangarap Ka,” “Next In Line” and “Hanggang,” which reaped three major trophies in the Awit Awards.
Chad became one of the most in-demand and sexiest balladeers in the ‘90s song “Ikaw Lang.” He was also a favorite duet partner of female singers. His album Show Me The Way churned out hits like “Summer Without You” and “Kung Ako Lang Sana.” Chad’s collaboration with Japanese pianist and composer Yutaka Yokokura “Yakap” also became a hit.
Roselle started her career as part of the youth-oriented show AngTV on ABS-CBN. Her career as a singer propelled after the success of her single entitled “Bakit Nga Ba Mahal Kita” and “Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita,” both used as movie soundtracks. Her rendition of “You,” originally performed by Basil Valdez and composed by Gerry Paraiso, gave her the Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist in Awit Awards. Roselle is a multi-platinum record awardee and her voice captured the hearts of many Filipinos, most especially the hopeless romantic.
Rounding up the roster in “#LoveThrowback” is Nina, tagged as OPM’s Soul Siren. With 10 Awit Awards and the recognition as the first-ever female OPM singer with a Diamond Record Award, Nina truly deserves to be called as one of local music’s treasures. Her body of work and numerous awards are a testimony to her dedication and passion for her craft.
Her album entitled Nina Live! became the benchmark in acoustic recording and made her the number-one female R&B singer in the country. Her string of hits includes “Someday” and her cover of “Love Moves In Mysterious Ways,” “Jealous” and “Through The Fire.”
This powerhouse cast of “#LoveThrowback” guarantees the audience to give them an unforgettable and once-in-a-lifetime Valentine’s Day celebration. Boasting of OPM hit songs, beautiful voices and stories about life and love, “#LoveThrowback” is a show that knows no time, space and age as it talks purely about a universal feeling, love. It is a show for everyone. Showtime starts at 8:30 p.m.
Produced by MKFAE Productions and Royale Chimes Concerts & Events Inc. in cooperation with Echo Jham Productions, the show is supported by Luxent Hotel, Mossimo, GlutaMAX, Nice Day Coffee and Mantego Ads Corp.
Media partners Retro 105.9 DCG FM, Mellow 94.7, Energy FM 106.7, Barangay 97.1 DWLS-FM, Pinas FM 95.5, 105.1 Crossover, Philippine Star, Business World, Inquirer.net, Clickthecity.com, Pep.PH, Philstar.com, Philippine Concerts, MNL Online, Soundcheck Manila, Astroplus, Odyssey, Manila Concert Scene, Legato Music Mag, GIST.ph, and MB.com.ph.
Tickets are available at SM Tickets (472-2222), Ticketnet (911-5555) and Ticketworld (891-9999). You can use your BdO (Banco De Oro) debit/credit card to purchase tickets and get a 15 percent discount. For more info and sponsorships, call Royale Chimes Concerts and Events Inc. at (0918) 497-2121 or (0906) 418-0786.

TOP BANDS AT HRC. Hard Rock Café (HRC) closes the month of January 2016 with a series of special shows featuring a sampling of the country’s hottest and most talented show bands. Dance the night away with Red Picasso on Thursday (Jan. 28), party with the unique grooves and sounds of Part 3 on Friday and Sunday (Jan. 29 and 31), and power your Saturday evening with energy-packed repertoire of Streetbeat on Jan. 30.
Certified hard rockers can come and see the show and look forward to a series of evenings jam-packed with beautiful music with these amazing show bands as they dish our live today’s hottest chart-toppers, homegrown favorites, standard classics, and the most popular party anthems from the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and 2000s. All shows start at 9 p.m.

PREGNANT CHALLENGES. The iBuntis team of Grand Challenges Canada and GE Philippines held ultrasound training of healthcare workers of Banna, Ilocos Norte, on Jan. 19 and 20, 2016.
Participants were (from left to right) Dr. Analyn Ngo (iBuntis Team/Manila Doctors), Martin Crisostomo (Government Affairs Manager, GE Philippines), Carlito Abadilla II (Mayor of Banna, Ilocos Norte), Dr. Remedios Peralta (Chief Health Officer of Banna, Ilocos, Norte), Dr. Godofreda Dalmacion (iBuntis Team/UP Manila), Joanne Dawn Seno (Sales Manager-Ultrasound, GE Philippines), Dr. Ramon Reyles (iBuntis Team/Makati Medical Center), Dr. Emmanuel Baja (iBuntis Team/UP Manila), Dr. Denise Lauren Dalmacion (iBuntis Team/UP Manila).

On the cover of Beatriz M. Robles’ new book, A Sensual World: What Do You See?, is an image that appears as an innocent question mark — the contours of a woman’s torso or a complex blend of both. The black and white colors mark it like a Rorschach test to examine a person’s personality characteristics and emotional functioning.

The picture strongly suggests that the sensuality of a woman wafts from the pages of the book, a whiff of desire, a bouquet of wants. Made up of 80 irresistible vignettes, A Sensual World conjures erotic images only to be brought down to reality with a flip of the page as visualized by the author’s titled pastel drawings printed in grayscale.

Like metatalk that uncovers hidden meanings in what a person says, A Sensual World is like literary double-talk purposely invented so as to confuse, amuse or even titillate the reader. But it is treated as a vignette-and-answer game that serves as a check of the reader’s own understanding or misunderstanding.
There is definitely a sense of calculated mischief about these musings, explaining Robles’ ongoing fascination with the female psyche. Most girls have unexpressed thoughts with her friends while growing up and it seems Robles has not outlived hers.
Romantic to an outsider who is not privy to this understanding, Robles is engaged in the idea of secret desires. On a certain level, this can go far deeper than one can discover on one’s own. The vignettes are very personal, but can be easily shared by others.
Enchanting images systematically embellish the book, unraveling meanings or purposes. Women are definitely conversant with this kind of talk — iterations of self, no less than a Rorschach test in reverse.
The drawings gravitate toward the whimsical to the wild. This reviewer hopes these will not be spoilers, but who can miss Mouthful (“There, I make a sudden grab of your hot rod in front of me”), which is about brushing your teeth. Or Touching (“I let my lips meet the tip of your hole.”) about playing a clarinet.
The language is definitely double talk and the imagery so sensual that they lead the reader into a teasing game — only to be let down by its mundane subject. This turns the strategy into something that can become touching or tense-filled depending on involvement. Just go with the stream of consciousness for pure joy.
Between the global and the local, between genius and its virtue, or among a single secret and its infinite answers, A Sensual World is a naughtiness buster. You will see your quotient if you keep tabs on answers, but you have to self-indulge.
The book is pure literature and not ersatz science and your fun is in the overlap of the cusp. The advice is to read slowly, one vignette daily and not to preempt yourself. Then the book will give you approximately three months’ worth of mind massages. It’s really up to you how to maximize the reading pleasure.
This is Robles’ second volume after the inspirational book, Life through Letters: A Writer’s Journey from Sunrise to Sunset, also edited by Danton Remoto and published by Anvil Publishing.
Copies of A Sensual World: What Do You See? are now available at National Book Store and Powerbooks.

A NEW BEGINNING. Get a dose of Hannah Pauline Manaloto, L.A. Santos, Chad Angeles and Janina Gonzales’ youthful vibe, strong drive and immense talents as they perform live in a post-Valentine concert entitled, “One… A New Beginning,” on Feb. 20, 2016, Saturday, 7 p.m., at the Music Museum with guest Ms. Roselle Nava.
LA, 15, is a grade 9 student at the University of Sto. Tomas. He was a basketball junior varsity player but re-discover his love for music just recently. His first performance as a singer was at the Stylistics concert at Solaire Hotel and Casino, followed by a front act stint during Air Supply concert last March 2015, and as Guest Artist on Legendary Juke Box Queens, an Eva Eugenio, Imelda Papin and Claire de la Fuente starrer, last May 2015. LA just began playing the guitar and piano so he could write his own songs. He also performs with a group called, Winchester Street.
Chad, 19, is a student at DLSU College of St. Benilde. A trained singer, he started taking up formal voice lessons when he was 12 under Muzik Corner, owned by multi-awarded recording artist and former actress, Roselle Nava. His vocal training helped built an impressive portfolio that displays a long list of events and concert performances, and TV show guestings.
Janina, 21 is a singer-dancer who can even play the guitar for her performances. Her wide repertoire lists songs from Billy Joel to Sam Smith, Christina Perri, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, and even Pinoy alternative music scene favorite Up Dharma Down. Her biggest achievement so far is making it as one of the finalists of GMA’s singing talent search, Protégé (Season 1).

DECIDE TO BE HEART-HEALTHY. People are catching on to the idea that one must cut down on bad cholesterol at all costs. There is no more question to this as several government of different countries have already initiated, successfully banned and/or regulated the availability of bad fat from food sources. And the results have been amazing. Deaths due to heart-related diseases have significantly been reduced.
Don’t wait for this to happen here. The decision to be heart healthy can be made for us. But it is our responsibility to make it a personal decision. Inform yourselves on how to remove bad cholesterol from your diet and get assistance from ATC Garlic Oil.
ATC Garlic Oil helps prevent hypertension and heart disease by regulating cholesterol levels and blood pressure in the body. This also stops blood clot from forming and effectively lowers the blood pressure and reduces the risks of stroke and heart attack. ATC Garlic Oil also contains soybean oil, which provides essential nutrients such as protein, fiber and healthy fats while offering protection against heart disease.
ATC Garlic Oil is recommended to be taken one capsule every day. It is available at Mercury Drug and leading drugstores nationwide at P4.50 per piece.

INSIGHT 1! It now appears that the reason Luis Manzano’s Deal or No Deal that airs from Monday to Friday at 5 p.m. over ABS-CBN went Barangay Edition is to pre-empt the introduction of the weekdays airing Willie Revillame’s Wowowin that broadcasts pre-taped from its Kalayaan Studio at 5:30 p.m. over GMA7.  It turns out as a David and Goliath faceoff between Bobet vidanes who presents a more populist and fresh, exciting game show as Luis’ director and newbie Adrian Gret’s beefed up presentation with its Las Vegas style packaging as Willie’s helmer. And Willie’s benefitting from Kapuso network tie-up that has made it TVC-rich. Who will rule? For sure, experience over experimentation!

NO BIG CELEBRATION FOR 50TH ANNIV OF THE BEATLES’ CONCERT IN MANILA? “Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr don’t want to go back here in the Philippines,” shared Beth Mercado of Royale Chimes Concerts and Events who is attempting to bring the surviving Beatles back to Manila in time for the 50th anniversary of their two soldout shows at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium on July 4, 1966.
“My business partner in the UK already tried to convince them but sad to say they really don’t want to come back to Manila,” added Beth. Royal Chimes has a mother company in Great Britain which negotiates talent bookings.
This is the first time that a local concert importer talked about the issue with finality. Nothing had been heard from Ely Buendia who announced last year to bring Ringo for the same anniversary.
Allan Villegas of Random Minds Inc. who is also trying to do the same said, “‘Yung agent na kausap ko still hoping he’ll say yes. Update kita.”
Yes, that’s the current update on the issue. They are standing pat on their word not to return despite hot acts like Cathy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber doing shows here successfully without incident. It’s good Madonna or even the King of Pop Michael Jackson has more business sense.
The Manila swing must bring terrible memories for both of them and they are punishing Filipinos for a commission they had nothing to do with. They could not be blamed either. After being heckled and manhandled where members of their entourage were physically hurt, their plane was held on the tarmac to be able to confiscate their illegal earnings.
Royal Chimes will bring the Bootleg Beatles as a replacement. Every year, it brings the “best” tribute group to hold shows here. It plans to make them recreate the Beatles repertoire of the 1966 concert.

CARPENTERS AND THE PLATTERS IN THE LOVE PLAYLIST. All will agree that the Carpenters and The Platters are music icons.
The Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter. Producing a distinctively soft musical style, they became among the best-selling music artists of all time. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded 11 albums, 31 singles, five television specials, and a short-lived television series.
Before the Carpenters, there was The Platters in the ‘50s and ‘60s, an American vocal group. They were one of the most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre. The act went through several personnel changes, with the most successful incarnation comprising lead tenor Tony Williams, David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed, and Zola Taylor.
The group had 40 charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1955 and 1967, including four no. 1 hits. The Platters were one of the first African American groups to be accepted as a major chart group and were, for a period of time, the most successful vocal group in the world.
Catch is “The Love Playlist” of Carpenters and Platters at the Midas Tent (Midas Hotel and Casino) to hear the best love songs of the Carpenters and The Platters on Feb. 14 and at KIA Theatre, Araneta Center on February 15, 8 p.m.
“The Love Playlist” of Carpenters and Platters features Laurie Briggs as Karen Carpenter with the world-renowned The Fabulous Sounds of The Platters, headed by Donne Ray Radford, a fourth generation member of The Platters.
Laurie has been touring the world for over a decade now as Karen Carpenter and as part of the tribute act called The Karpenters. Her fascination with Karen’s voice and music started when she was eight years old. “It [Karen’s music] moved me and I started to emulate the sound I heard,” she says.
Laurie’s show incorporates all the wonderful hits of the Carpenters as it takes you on a nostalgic journey through the life and times of the Carpenters, performing all the hits including “Close to You,” “Masquerade,” “Top of the World,” “Sing,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “Superstar,” and “Please Mr. Postman.”  
When you watch “The Fabulous Sounds of The Platters,” get ready to be enthralled all over again by classics such as “Only You,” “The Great Pretender,” “Twilight Time,” “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” “Harbor Lights,” and more hits of The Platters.
For more info and sponsorships, call Royale Chimes Concerts and Events Inc. at (0918) 4972121 or (0906) 4180786.

TAKE CARE OF WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING. Our heart’s main function is to pump blood to the rest of the body. It supplies oxygen and nutrients to the body. Without the heart, your body will stop functioning. That’s why it is of utmost importance to take care of your heart. This is something that is both hard and easy to do.
ATC Coenzyme Q10 is called “The heart energizer.” With proper diet and exercise, it helps improve the heart’s ability to pump more blood. It also lowers the viscosity of the blood, making it even easier for the heart to function normally. It functions as antioxidant, which protects body from damage caused by harmful molecules.
ATC Coenzyme Q10 is recommended to be taken 2-3 capsules a day, preferably with warm water. It is available at Mercury Drug and other leading drugstores nationwide for only P18 per capsule.

INSIGHT 2. Touchy! Touchy! Touchy! Just because the Philippine National Police has regulation power does it mean it can complain every “spot” in its “clean” image. Like it made a big issue out of James Reid wearing a police uniform in a bridal shower scene in the On the Wings of Love when it is clearly a fun sequence not intended to mock!... A Sensual World: What do you see? is Beatriz Robles’ second volume as edited by Danton Remoto and published by Anvil Publishing. after the inspirational book, Life through Letters: A Writer’s Journey from Sunrise to Sunset.

Love ‘em or just like ‘em. Fondant cakes tantalize and mesmerize us with their sight, smell and savor.
A three-tier round butter rum sponge cake in turquoise fondant decorated with cascading, candy-colored classic and exotic blooms, exhilarated my mood as if I had chanced upon the amazing flowers of spring. Its beauty gently grabbed attention — a promise of an extraordinarily sweet feast.

That is how I felt when I received a fondant cake on my last birthday from my friend Bill Perez of La Esperanza Bakery. I had always wanted to taste it ever since he proudly posted on Facebook: “I may not be an award-winning painter, but wait until you taste my fondant cake.”
And I took the statement as a personal endorsement of his fondant cake business, which he established in 2010 at 49 D. Atienza corner C. Tirona Streets, Batangas City, Batangas.
La Esperanza Bakery specializes in cakes for wedding, birthday and special occasions. The fondant cakes are made according to a theme or motif as specified by the client. Cakes can be done in butter rum, mocha, chocolate, red velvet, carrot pineapple walnut, banana date walnut, or other flavors based on request. They can be fashionably embellished by decorations created from fondant, gumpaste or fresh flowers, or real objects in complementary color combinations.
Preferred by celebrities and the well-heeled, it can be made all edible layers but many fondant cakes have mock tiers for stability and ease of transport specially to distant destinations.
Exclusively created, usually after a one-on-one talk with the client about its details, fondant cakes are high-end cakes executed by hand techniques from start to finish. Its relatively high price is justified by the amount of time, money and skill allotted to making each completed fondant cake. “It usually takes two days to make due to the intricacy of design,” Bill specifies.
Cakes can be bought straight from the shelf, but fondant cakes are made of high-quality materials by signature cake shops. And like France’s leading couture houses, the business is a tradition and a standard. La Esperanza Bakery’s story of sincere ways of satisfying consumer wants and its way of focusing on the expected go more than a hundred years back.

A STORY OF HOPE. In 1903, Maximo Sarmiento, a resident near the old market of Batangas City, opened a grocery and dry goods store. As his family had opened credit with the Pana grocery store, the business thrived despite stiff competition from Chinese businessmen. It was one of only two Filipino-owned businesses that did, the other an old botica.
The place was eventually converted into Panaderia La Esperanza after World War II to signify hope, the name’s English meaning, by Bill’s great grandfather, Ramon Sarmiento, who had a daughter named Nicasia. Young Pascual Perez worked as a baker there and fell in love with Nicasia and they eventually turned partners in running it. Bill’s father, Abelardo Perez Sr., is their son.
La Esperanza Bakery sold mainly breads such as pan de sal, ensaymada, biscocho, kalihim, londres, pasencia, jacobina, hopia and paborita, among others. But it was widely known for its specialty, the Spanish pastry originally known as Corona del Rey.
Passed on to Bill’s grandfather by a Spanish pastry maker before the Japanese Occupation, it is a sweet pastry similar to pilipit. The two-inch diameter, crown-shaped dough complete with a hole in the middle is fried, dipped in sugar syrup before being rolled on white sugar. As it incorporates gin, the pastry has a fine texture and crunch.
It was love at first munch, but Batanguenos found the Spanish name difficult to pronounce so it was eventually colloquialized to “oocan.” From neighborhood kids to First Lady Imelda Marcos, the specialty has a loyal following that is still in high demand to stay as Bill’s current product.
To contemporarize the business, however, La Esperanza Bakery now specializes in fondant cakes as innovated by Bill, borne out of his passion for sweets.

BILL’S PASSION. “I’ve always had a sweet tooth and loved eating cakes bought from Goldilocks and Red Ribbon. I would even ask our baker to duplicate them, but couldn’t. Out of frustration, I started experimenting with cakes and icings by reading recipe books and attending baking seminars in Manila such as Sylvia Reynoso, Heny Sidon, Maya Kitchen and others,” Bill narrates.
Using a trial-and-test method, Bill sampled cakes from different cafés and pastry shops and experimented by baking and giving them to friends for feedback. His expertise reached such a point where he could detect a cake’s ingredients and baking procedure just by tasting it.
A graduate of BA Psychology from UP Diliman, Bill eventually turned into a self-taught cake master. This skill encouraged him to put up his own bakeshop in 1995. Called Happy House Bakeshop, it sold cakes and pastries. It closed down in 1997 only to reopen in 2010 under the name of the original bakery, La Esperanza.
He made his first fondant cake for his brother’s wedding in 1999. His inspiration came from a Wilton Cake Decorating Catalog. Relatives and friends began to ask him to make fondant cakes for them until he started to sell them.
“Initially learning to work with fondant, I found one of the hardest parts was actually covering the cake and having it look smooth. I struggled with pleats around the bottom, trying to avoid cracking and tearing, avoiding corn starch or powdered sugar spots all over it,” he recalls his newbie days as a fondant cake maker.
These predicaments had him figuratively banging his head against the work table. As an advice to those new to fondant, Bill suggests to combine watching videos with other available information.
He referred to pictures and instructions, watched YouTube videos and read forums. While there is an overload of available information on the subject, he felt they were too scattered to learn efficiently. “I watched adept hands do quick work of covering a cake with fondant with no issues, but I struggled to figure out their processes,” he comments.

TURNAROUND. His turning point came when Marbee Shing, a friend from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, asked him to do the cake for her 2005 wedding at the Shangri-La Hotel. Wanting a new cake designer who was not Metro Manila-based, she also required an innovative design.
Bill customized a four-layer white cake with candied sugar tulips and butterflies. The bride gushed over the most important cake in her life. She so loved the creation that she featured Bill as an up-and-coming wedding supplier in a one-page article in Wedding Essentials, July 2005 issue, upon her appointment as editor.
This led to a flurry orders. His satisfied clients raved about his original designs as “beautiful” and “delicious.” This resulted in repeat customers, frequently the whole family ordering from him for every occasion and the all-important referrals that multiplied his clientele.
His fondant cake business flourished that he’s now supplying hotels and caterers in Batangas such as Hotel Ponte Fino and Lima Hotel.
Consult with Bill for your order by landline via (043) 7027615 or send an e-mail @ laesperanza1903@yahoo.com.

Valentine’s Day celebrations have turned so elaborate they are extending the romance beyond Feb. 14.

LOVE PLAYLIST OF CARPENTERS AND PLATTERS. “We are not a tribute group, but the fourth generation of The Platters,” emphasized front man Donne Ray Radford, a fourth-generation member who performs with Laurie Briggs as Karen Carpenter and Douglas Masuda as the Elvis Presley of Japan doing the front act at the Midas Tent (Midas Hotel and Casino) on Feb. 14 and at Kia Theater, Araneta Center on Feb. 15, 8 p.m.
“We thank Beth (Mercado of Royale Chime Concerts and Events, Inc.) for bringing us again this year as she did last year, which was a wonderful experience for us,” shared the dapper and eloquent Donne Ray, who is even better than the other vocalists of the Platters.
Laurie has been touring the world for 15 years as Karen Karpenter and as part of the tribute act called The Karpenters. She opened the media conference with an extraordinary rendition of “Top of the World.” She revealed her fascination with Karen’s voice and music started when she was eight years old. “Her voice moved me and I started to emulate her ever since.”  
“Twenty-four carat gold-plated,” described Douglas of this elaborate belt a la Elvis bought from Graceland. He will add more romantic nostalgia and fun as he performs three hits from the King of Rock and Roll.
Tickets for the Feb. 15 show is only available at Ticketnet (911-5555). For the show at Midas Tent on Feb. 14, tickets are available at SM Tickets (472-2222), Ticketworld (891-9999 and Ticketnet (911-5555). Use your BDO (Banco De Oro) debit/credit card to purchase tickets at 20 percent discount. For more info, call (0918) 4972121 or (0906) 4180786.

ONE BILLION RISING (OBR). With the theme Rise for Revolution 2016, this year’s campaign will escalate the collective actions of mainly female activists worldwide, and amplify their call for systemic changes towards ending violence against women and girls once and for all.
OBR founder Eve Ensler and global director Monique lead the One Billion Rising activists their rising events, artistic uprisings, panel discussions, press conference, town halls, movies, articles, gatherings, poetry, art, posters, actions, and protests to take place at the Rizal Park, Manila, on Feb. 14 starting 8 a.m.
Eve and Monique Wilson will spend a week in the Philippines, in multiple cities particularly Cebu, Tacloban, Manila, Angeles City rising for and with a cross section of Filipina communities including Gabriela Women’s Party, comfort women, youth activists, labor activists, indigenous groups and more.
In Davao City on Feb. 12, they join with activists from many grassroots communities including workers, urban poor, peasants, teachers, students, women’s groups, community groups, families of migrants, LGBT groups, and groups for the rights of sex workers.
They join Lumad communities, who are currently displaced because of militarization and living in evacuation camps in the city as they rise for rights, against militarization, against mining and environmental plunder and against political oppression and killings.
Political will can accomplish the impossible as Eve pointed out. She cited the outlawing of genital mutilation by Gambia’s President ended the primitive practice against women directly as a result of the lead of One Billion Rising. “Continue the Revolution!” Eve stressed.

THE ROYALS. Regine Velasquez and PLDT Home DSL warm hearts this Valentine with ‘The Royals’ concert with Martin Nievera, Eric and Angeline Quinto on Feb. 13, Saturday, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Photo shows the doting mother onstage with her only son Nate (left) and with PLDT VP and marketing director Gary Dujali (right) at her most recent presscon with PLDT Home. But being Mommy to four-year-old Nate is her utmost priority.
A typical day for Regine involves bringing Nate to school, picking him up and playing with him. She considers time as the most valuable thing she can give to her loved ones.  As her schedule gets filled up each day with rehearsals and shows, Regine is very happy with how technology helped her strengthen her connection with her family especially with Nate.  
It is essential for Regine to be connected at home and even on-the-go because Internet connection doesn’t only help her strengthen her relationship with her family, but also helps her push for what she is passionate about.
The new PLDT Home DSL Speedster Fam Plan 1299 now offers five times faster speeds of up to 10 megabits per second (Mbps), the Speedster Fam Plan has shareable monthly data allowance of 50 gigabytes (GB).
To enjoy the Speedster Fam Plan’s data sharing feature, subscribers can get a Smart mobile line that comes with a free smart phone for an additional P299 per month or with a free iPhone for P799 per month. Subscribers can share 6 GB of the 50 GB monthly data allocation to up to four mobile phone lines, which they can use even outside the home. Bundled with the Speedster Fam Plan, these are all conveniently billed under one subscription.

HE SAID, SHE SAID. Catch RJ Dela Fuente and Julianne Tarroja in a special Valentine concert on Feb. 14 (Sunday, 8:30 p.m.) at 19 East, in Sucat, Paranaque, titled “He Said, She Said.” The show marks the very first mainstream collaboration between RJ and Julianne and offers the personal views and opinions of the two talented artists on love and relationships through a sampling of chart-topping love songs, anthemic “hugot” ballads and homegrown favorites.
RJ started singing in special concerts and events in California, USA as he appeared as a special guest in the shows of Sharon Cuneta, Martin Nievera and Brian McKnight. RJ was a contestant on American Idol season 10 and made it past the competition’s early rounds singing before judges Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steve Tyler. This year, he recorded Nonoy Zuniga’s “Never Say Goodbye,” which is part of the official soundtrack of TV 5’s Bakit Manipis Ang Ulap starring Cesar Montano, Diether Ocampo, Meg Imperial and Claudine Barretto.    
Multi-awarded singer Julianne, on the other hand, has been in the music industry since 2007 as she consistently shared her story through the songs she performed in the Philippines and Asia. Pegged as an inspirational artist who speaks to the youth and women of her generation, she inspires through her testimony of beauty, hope, and courage such as her breakthrough single “Tulak ng Bibig.”
Opening the show is singer-songwriter Josh Buizon with his pop-alternative band Over October.
For ticket reservations call 0928-6134905 and/or 0915-3082308.

ART LEADS. Marlin Lopez, ARTlead Best Artist 2015, joins the “2016 Panagbenga Artshow: A Tribute to Nature” at the Baguio Museum located at Governor Road, Baguio City, from Feb. 16 to 29. He exhibits the 24-by-24-inch oil-acrylic-on-canvas The Sun, the Sea and the Wind (2016). Based on his experience as a farm owner, Marlin describes the abstract painting as “a rough strokes to a rough start of 2016 because of weather disturbance that affect rice crops in Nueva Vizcaya.”

MOOD SWINGS. Bob Dylan is not beyond going heavy metal. From folk, he switched from rock to spiritual and took on permutations in between except heavy metal, which he is doing just now in a different way.
Rockers have this natural fascination for entrances, from the predictable to the philosophical.
Ringo Starr sings of it as a tell-tale sign of love (“Waiting for your knock, dear, on my old front door/I don’t hear it, does it mean you don’t love me anymore?”). Jim Morrison made it the name his psychedelic band as an entry of perception when “cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.” For Bob Dylan, they are heavy metal or iron gates as art.
Dylan held an exhibit, “Mood Swings,” of eight iron works and seven paintings that satirize popular magazine titles like Life and Archeology Today at the Halcyon Gallery in London. It ran from Jan. 16 to 25, 2016, a second edition. He did a similarly titled show in the same venue in 2013.
Rock’s poet laureate takes the literal meaning of mood swing to create ornate metaphors out of junk scrap metal that takes its meaning to a higher level. They swing that abruptly and apparently changes of mood of the given space.
For Dylan, gates are divides and dividers that mark public and private areas in a matter or moment of a swing. He defines them as free-standing and wall-hanged sculptures, demarcations of the negative space they allow.
The factually elusive storyteller writes in his autobiography, Chronicles: “(Gates) can be closed, but at the same time they allow the seasons and breezes to enter and flow. They can shut you out or shut you in. And in some ways there is no difference.”
Dylan’s childhood had been swayed by iron. Born and raised in Hibbing, largely known as the Iron Belt of Minnesota, he lived it daily. Going heavy metal is not common to him although expressed at late term.
He picks from his stock file of bits of found objects from machinery to large gears in the junkyard at his Los Angeles studio, lay them down the floor in possible arrangements, editing them for variations before welding them together.
What he comes up with are rhythmic arrangements that resonate rock, colors certain elements silvery to grab attention very much like a song’s hook. They turn into witty and whimsical interpretations of ordered chaos, reflecting the divergence of rock.
If David Bowie had passed to another dimension, Dylan is still earth-bound. What he’s up to next must be another mood swing.

COMFORT WOMAN SHOUTS OUT TO PNOY. “‘Yung tuwid na daan mo, baliku-baliko,” shouted out 85-year-old frail Narcisa Claveria of Lila Filipina at the media launch of the fourth year of One Billion Rising with Eve Ensler and Monique Wilson at Romulo Café, Makati City only to contrast with her robust determination to seek redress of her injustice.
With the theme Rise for Revolution 2016, this year’s campaign escalated the collective actions of mainly female activists worldwide, and amplify their call for systemic changes towards ending violence against women and girls once and for all.
Accompanied by Ritchie Extramadura, Lola Narcisa was among the sector representatives who participated in the forum with Joms Salvador of Gabriela, Connie Regalado of Migrante, Ka Nitz Gonzaga of Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kharlo Manalo, Zen Soriano, Rep. Emi de Jesus of Gabriela Women’s Party and Alaine Maestro of Gabriela Youth. All pointed to the government of President Aquino as the cause of their current troubles.
Eve traced the violence committed on comfort women, the women and girls forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army in occupied territories before and during World War II. And they are unable to get justice for the longest time from the Japanese government with the tacit cooperation of their own governments including the Philippines.
Asked by Buzzstation if a female president can end the violence against women, all sounded off that it will not. Lola Narcisa recalled that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo promised to help comfort women but lied big time.
But political will can accomplish the impossible as Eve pointed out. She cited the outlawing of genital mutilation by Gambia’s President ended the primitive practice against women directly as a result of the lead of One Billion Rising.
“Continue the Revolution!” Eve stressed.

LET THE RIVER REST. Ploning director Dante Nico Garcia started IsDA Revolution, a festival last year that gives the Puerto Princesa Underground River three days of rest while an International New Media Convergence was happening all over Puerto Princesa.
This year, he is set to do Let the River Rest again on July 12 but he needs to buy all the pass to the river on those dates right away before it gets booked.
Please look at his online campaign, and he hopes you will be able to figure out a way to help him or just share the link on your timeline: http://igg.me/at/nMlsVKWS7-Q.                                     
The year culminates with a free online film made by the participants. We released the first one on Facebook and YouTube last Christmas: https://www.facebook.com/MrsRecto/posts/1071076.
He need helps to make it happen again this year. You can be part of it yourself by buying a lifetime membership card: https://www.facebook.com/IsDaRevolutionPhilippines.         
Or you can be a benefactor of a young artist from remote areas of Palawan by buying from this online shop:www.facebook.com/FourEightCo.
View the short film explaining his advocacy: https://www.facebook.com/316004525205634/videos.
Dante hopes you can partner with him in raising a generation of artists dedicated in producing content that presents #BeautifulPhilippines and #PositiveValues.

Unlike last year when one tribe dominated the Dinagyang Ati competition, 2016 proved to be a mixed year for every competing tribe, according LEAD multimedia artist Elvert Banares, a true-blooded Ilonggo, who was Radyo Bombo guest analyst with Edwin Duero while at the same time taking the images used for this column.
The Dinagyang Festival is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City, Philippines held on the fourth Sunday of January, or right after the Sinulog in Cebu and the Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan. It is held both to honor the Santo Niño and to celebrate the arrival on Panay of Malay settlers and the subsequent selling of the island to them by the Atis.
In 2015, Banares observed that many tribes had elements that were off. All tribes need a good production designer who should work well with their costume designers as Dinagyang is a very visual festival (remember that Bakunawa performance by Panayanon years back? That was perfect!).
“Still, I am puzzled why the judges (too biased to let their once favorite tribes win again?) failed to see the beauty of Salognon’s performance by naming them fourth. This tribe has been robbed of a championship last year and they should be second this year. Anyway, second opinions are always welcome in the arts because, quite frankly, people need to see the perspectives of others, too,” he opined.
All tribes of Dinagyang Ati 2016, Panayanon, Pan-ay, Dagatnon, Salognon, Familia Sagasa, Ilonganon, Paghidayon, Baybayanon and Paghidaet had very “off” design elements especially in costumes and backdrop/panel designs.
In the warriors side, huge headdresses dominated the festival — to Dinagyang’s advantage (hello, Instagram!). And the best ones come from Panayanon (all of them), Salognon and, for the sake of the photos, Pan-ay and Dagatnon.
But the rest look very similar to one another. The biggest loss of Dagatnon (a tribe that gave a solid performance) was that “green leaves” costume. Whoever designed that need to go back to the old drawing board.
Many of tribe’s side warriors were dressed in blankets with belts. You can just imagine when watching this live (like us who are right in front of the performance area). You will see the disconnect visually speaking.
Gone were the days when the side warriors were dressed similarly with the warriors. Tribu Familia Sagasa was one of those rare tribe that had visual unity. This year, Panayanon edges out every tribe because of this factor.
Female costumes do not match the male warrior costumes. Except for the costumes worn by the Salognon female dancers when they first entered the performance area, all the other female costumes were kitsch and do not add to visual unity.
Dinagyang, no matter how you argue about the other elements, is both a dance and visual festival. The costumes make the dance. And vice versa. Simply put, costumes must be great in both form and function. This was Salognon’s lapse in 2016 (but hey, they won!). If you ask me if their performance and choreography gave Panayanon tight competition, I’ll say, “Hell, yeah!”
If you ask me if they delivered a winning performance, I’d say, “Yes, just like Panayanon.” But if you ask me if the tribe was visually united in terms of production and costume design, I’d be the first to say, “No.”
The costumes of their side dancers (three changes all over the performance) and their female dancers (first part, great! final part, dud!) did not match the quality (colors, textures, volume, materials etc.) and grandeur of the warriors’ costumes.
In my book, this affects the over-all look of the entire performance. This is why, despite of a rousing performance of Salognon, they landed second (a one-point difference with Panayanon). Salognon’s 2016 performance was the best choreography by the talented Errol Villalobos in years (I already saw this during the rehearsals).
Pan-ay was the tribe that delivered the safest performance (nothing new and nothing disgusting too). But both the choreographers of Pan-ay and Dagatnon need a good team of Production designers and visual artists. Given a good team, Pan-ay’s Ria Espanola can bring a tribe to the top.
This year, I missed the signatures and touches of Vincent Rae Jaena (who used to choreograph Salognon and is now with Buntag-Tala). Buntag-Tala’s performance was one of the weakest this year. Jaena needs to get back on track. Like Ross John Peconcillo, He is one of Iloilo’s most promising too.
So this brings me down to one tribe, which delivered a wonderful performance and had consistent production and costume designs: Panayanon. It’s time the 2013-2015 Dinagyang champion choreographer Romel Flogen remove those large shields (every tribe followed suit when he started this years ago) so we see what his tribe is known for: dancing in precision.
The cubes were a breath of fresh air and look ma, no panels to cover them (although that waterfall backdrop was off). Despite of my very minor complaints, Panayanon was 2016’s winner for me. We saw elements not present in many tribes.
Dinagyang 2016 winners were Salognon, champion; Ilonganon, second; Pan-ay, third; Paghidaet, fourth; and Baybayanon fifth.
Like his practice whenever he is involved in art-related competition, Banares Choices are Panayanon, champion; Salognon, second; Dagatnon, third; Pan-ay, fourth; and Ilonganon, fifth.
Best in Performance was Panayanon, while Best in Choreography was Salognon. Best in Warrior Costume was Panayanon, while Best in Female Costume was Salognon (Intro segment only). Best in Costume (whole tribe) was Panayanon while Best in Production Design was Panayanon. Best in Single Panel Design was The Cube for Panayanon, while Best in Innovation was Panayanon. Best in Musicm was Salognon while Best in Discipline was Panayanon/Salognon.
“I’m excited for next year. Salognon and Panayanon will face the Ilonggos fare and square. The rest of the choreographers will surely level up. So then, let the games begin. Let the warriors dance, dance and dance. But first, everyone should say goodbye to these panels, risers and bad female costumes,” Banares gives his forward-looking wrap-up.
Hala Bira mga kasimanwa! Viva Señor Sto. Niño!

“The main thing is to be moved, to love, to hope, to tremble, to live,” French progenitor of modern sculpture Auguste Rodin said about heart in art. This is often depicted as a rendering of the heart shape in various permutations of love in its limitless interpretations.

As organized by the Office of the Mayor of Mandaluyong City in cooperation with the Kapisanan ng mga Pintor sa Pilipinas (KPP), the HeART (Kalayaan sa Sining) group exhibit explores this theme at the Atrium Building, Mandaluyong City hall in celebration of the National Arts Month and Valentine’s Day from Feb. 23 to 26, 2016.
Considered both Love Month and National Arts Month, it provides the theme of HeART (Kalayaan sa Sining). It will feature visual translations of theme by selected contemporary artists their own idea of love and art form combined using the media of their preference. Thus, the exhibit’s title.

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON. HeART (Kalayaan sa Sining) features KPP as founded by Mayor Benhur Abalos and Rogelio “Maestro” Orobia in 1995 and organized by his son, Abe Orobia, and Ral Arrogante in 2016.
Maestro Orobia has been active in the art scenario since 1983. A Master Art from Thompson Education Direct, he is an event organizer, art educator, civic leader, theologian, philanthropist, writer, media broadcaster, photographer and sculptor. Blessed with multi-faceted talents and skills, he is rated total man of art.
As an artist, Maestro Orobia’s works are described by critics as fashioned by an artist with no such corruption in his heart pertaining to his unique rendition of colors and sense of style. His numerous art collectors, good media reviews, followings and side-by-side successful exhibitions are convincing affirmation of his strength as a painter.
As its president, Abe who is a professor and lecturer organized KPP to help artists in various fields. In 1995, ex-Comelec and MMDA Chairman Abalos purchased Abe’s prophetic tiger mural when Mandaluyong was not yet a Tiger City. Last year, Mayor Abalos sponsored the group exhibit of the Orobia family including the patriarch, Maestro Orobia.
When they were asked to hold another family exhibit this year, they proposed to include other artists from Mandaluyong City and other locations, leading to this group exhibit.
HeART (Kalayaan sa Sining) is held with the valued assistance of Nolan Angeles, head of the Cultural Arts Department of Mandaluyong City.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS. The exhibit features the works of members of the Mandaluyong Artists League with Arogante as president.
Arrogante is a self-thought artist who ingeniously puts together copper parts into witty metal sculptures. He has assembled clocks, animals or anything with wheels and wings from copper used as electrical, automotive, or computer parts. The basic form of the objects depicted are shaped by creatively tying or connecting copper scraps together. Some sculptures derived from Arrogante’s everyday experiences and surroundings can be manipulated and moved by the viewers.
Arrogante balancing wires Chop-chop Fish will be installed together with the shark sculpture, Anak ng Pating. Wellers Vicencio’s oil on canvas Thru Thick and Thin portrays the outmost love of a man and woman passionately locking lips and holding hands while wearing a common bracelet to symbolize oneness and togetherness under all circumstances, no matter how difficult.
Dan Libor’s acrylic on canvas Walang Pagbabago is a sarcastic commentary of love of country depicting Dr. Jose Rizal biking in our time above a panorama of environmental degradation.
Rene Canlas’ painted the plein aire watercolor Lovers Fountain during a visit at Pinto art museum in Marikina City for its nostalgic and romantic setting.
The typical love story of an Overseas Filipino Worker inspired Emman Nicasio’s diptych Long-Distance Relationship a.k.a. #LDR reflects his situation when he was based in Singapore. The pets that the couple are cuddling represent the thing they left with their love ones which resonates the line “I left a piece of me with you.” But despite the mushiness, these cute cuddles as replacement subject of affection ease the couple’s sadness for each other.
Ethel Dimacuha mixed media on canvas Mix Match 2 depicts her first love, art. Non-objective and subjective at the same time, she collaged different found objects on a textured canvas and let her creative spirit flow freely as she applied and combined colors that are dictated by her heart.
Coneth Amido’s mixed media Calm Serenade shows a child strumming a ukulele not for himself but for everything around him because Mother Nature listens if you sing. A depiction of love for God’s creation, seemingly whimsical and fantasy-like, it speaks more about everyday occurrence and the beauty of life. the idea is to capture a deep moment with the viewer and let them find their own perception based on personal interpretation and observation.
Emman Acasio’s acrlic on canvas Maayang Umaga emphasizes the love within the family by depicting simple life in the province in which every member of the family helps each other and loves one another. Moreso, it reflects love and respect for nature being the provider of everything we need to survive and thrive.
Sonny Fernando’s Something in the way she moves...is a skillful building of a abstract composition that leads the viewer to see a perceived mood or emotion symbolized by the assemblage of geometric forms. What is in his mind questions the meaning of what seems to be the swaying motion of trajecting lines very contrasting to the sharp and calculated composition. Undoubtedly, this artist from Tarlac has pushed the boundaries of geometric abstraction to intentionally affect the mind of the viewer.
Other participating artists are Nonilon Alipio, Jeth Bernal, Joey Cobcobo, Camille de la Rosa, Ethel Dimacuha, Mary Rose Domingo Gisbert, Oying Madrilejos, Joyce Maristela, Omi Reyes, Joel Tabuena and Godfrey Torres, Carlito Amalla, Alfred Capiral, Joey Cobcobo, Janos de la cruz, Jose Leo de Castro, Noell Farol, Homer Fernadez, William Gaudinez, Judeo Herrera, Jisu Kim, Daniel Libor, Angelo Magno, Yvette Manotoc, Jonathan Nicolas, Abe Orobia, Rogelio Orobia, Vincent Padilla, Wilfredo Pollarco, Wilfredo, Roberta Rossi, Bernard Temporosa, Jareds Yokte, Tony Zamora and Juert Asejo.
During the opening of HeART, the KPP will award Mayor Abalos a plaque designed by Maestro Orobia in recognition for his valuable patronage of the arts.

After the dramatic coronation of the 2015 Miss Universe and PLDT Home DSL ambassadress Pia Wurtzbach in Las Vegas, the whole nation is, indeed, very excited about the homecoming of the most talked about beauty queen today.
Wurtzbach bested 79 women from various parts of the globe to claim the country’s third Miss Universe title. She follows in the footsteps of Gloria Diaz, who won in 1969, and Margie Moran, who brought home the crown in 1973.   

“We are among the millions of Filipinos who are very excited to welcome home our very own PLDT Home DSL ambassadress and now Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach.” PLDT VP and Home marketing director Gary Dujali said.
Wurtzbach was joined by fellow beauty queens Bb. Pilipinas International Janicel Lubina, Bb. Pilipinas Supranational Rogelie Catacutan, Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinenal Christi Lynn McGarry, Bb. Pilipinas Tourism Ann Lorraine Colis and first and second runners-up Hannah Ruth Lulu Sison and Kimverlyn Suiza in a courtesy call right after the conclusion of the 2015 Bb. Pilipinas pageant at the PLDT headquarters in Makati City.
“I’m happy to be part of the PLDT Home family,” Wurtzbach said during the courtesy call. “I share the same values with the brand and I’d like to use my influence to infuse family bonding. Sharing my time with my family is the most important for me as it strengthens my connections with them. “
“Just like Pia, we want to help build strong bonds among family members with our number-one broadband brand Home DSL. She has been with us throughout the year as we aggressively went around the country bringing the family-sized broadband connection of Home DSL to more Filipino homes nationwide,” Dujali added.
In 2014, Bb. Pilipinas Universe MJ Lastimosa also traveled nationwide to promote the benefits of having a strong and reliable family-sized connection of Home DSL. The brand is expected to not only bring beauty queens but more inspiring personalities across the nation as it continues to bring their services closer to more Filipino homes.”
Wurtzbach is set to come home to the Philippines on Jan. 23 with a scheduled visit to PLDT headquarters within her stay. For more details, check out pldthome.com.

WHAT IS WILLIE DOING?
Advanced 55th birthday greetings to Willie Revillame on Jan. 27!  
After insider information that Willie’s Wowowin will go daily starting mid-February, he happily bid goodbye on Sunday in a farewell show. Tracing his career in GMA-7 and his suceessful return last year, he went through the game show’s highlights to show how well-received it is without stating any trouble. Yes, just like that, without hinting what his future plans are.
With the buzz that GMA-7 is tring to find a suitable weekday slot for Willie’s game show, Buzzstation thinks he will return with a daily show in mid-February as this column had buzzblasted.

HOW WILL THE OSCARS DO DAMAGE CONTROL? This year’s Academy Awards set for Feb. 28 is facing an Afro-American boycott threat for the first time in many years for its all-white slate of major nominees for the second year in a row.
Spike Lee posted on his Instagram account: “We cannot support it and [I] mean no disrespect... But, how is it possible for the second consecutive year, all 20 contenders under the acting category are white? And let’s not even get into the other branches,” Lee wrote on Instagram. “Forty white actors in two years and no flava at all. We can’t act?! WTF!!’
Then Jada Pinkett Smith whose husband, Will Smith, starred in Concussion, said she would not be attending it. The two prominent African-Americans announced that they will boycott this year’s Oscars over a lack of diversity among nominees.
But not Chris Rock, who is hosting the red carpet event. He is not backing out despite the buzz he’s under great pressure from the black community to quit. They think such an action would greatly help initiate progress on the issue.

AN OFFER FROM THE GODFATHER YOU CANNOT REFUSE. Like Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now was re-released into Apocalypse Now Redux to include edited scenes, The Godfather and The Godfather II had been combined and will air as The Godfather Epic on HBO throughout the month. It is also available on-demand and via HBO Go.
Never-before-seen scenes will be added for a total airing time of seven-and-a-half hours. It will combine both award-winning films cut together chronologically with additional footage left out of the theatrical screenings. The Godfather Epic is available uncensored and without TVCs.

MMFF EXECOM’S VESTED INTEREST GROUPS. A meeting called by the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival  Executive Committee (execom) finally revealed its composition.
According to Boots Anson-Roa, who is an execom member in her capacity as head of the Movie Workers’ Welfare Foundation (an MMFF beneficiary), members were producers Marichu Maceda and Jesse Ejercito, distributor Dominic Du, filmmaker Mark Meily, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, Sen. Grace Poe, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chair Toto Villareal, Christiana Caparas of SM Cinemas, Marcus Ng of Metro Manila Theaters Association, Tito Cruz of the Bureau of Broadcast Services, Mio Chiongson of the advertising industry, Wilson Tieng of Solar Entertainment, and Jag Garcia of DLSU-College of Saint Benilde and Rowena Reyes-Capulong of Far Eastern University.
Buzzstation’s analysis of the Honor Thy Father brouhaha — that the execommembers were “vested interests” — proved correct. The term is defined as stakeholders who are “either directly or indirectly involved with the movie industry.” They are considered resigned as their tenure ends at the end of the year, but are subject to reappointment.
It is also not clear if Du represents the Motion Picture Anti-Film Piracy Council, which is still an existent organization as he is listed as a “distributor,” meaning he represents Axinite Digicinema.
It also revealed that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, which spearheads the MMFF, was no longer represented in the ExeCom. It is not clear when this took effect as the last MMFF, chairman Emerson Carlos was still its head. In fact, it appeared without a head during the time of the meeting and Roa as interim head.
Reading the names of members reveals that some of them are not actively involved in execom affairs but were likely represented.
For one the execom must be more transparent about its membership and activities so it will not be trated with suspicion. The MMFF board of jurors must also be revealed during the awards night for greater credibility.

Monique Wilson announced that Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues and founder of One Billion Rising who will arrive and stay in the country for two weeks, will lead this year’s strikes all over major capital cities in the Philippines on Feb. 14, tentatively scheduled at the Rizal Park. It’s V-Day, the day for victory, vagina and Valentine’s!
From the global success of Eve’s The Vagina Monologues though the stagings of Monique in the Philippines since 2000, One Billion Rising, a global strike to end violence, has been a most amazing three years: One Billion Rising (2013), One Billion Rising for Justice (2014) and One Billion Rising: Revolution (2015).
One Billion Rising has changed social/political activism from red to pink, empty rhetoric to meaningful action, destructive to constructive.
Monique is at the forefront in the Philippines of this new kind of activism. With accumulated angst involved in meeting rape, abuse and maltreatment against women face to face, you’d think she would be an angry woman. Quite the opposite, she is a happy female, the impression she gave at the launch of One Billion Rising: Rise for Revolution 2016 at Café Romulo in Makati City.
“I’m full of rage,” she shared during a one-on-two interview with Pablo Tariman. She didn’t look like it as she looked so beautiful even if she is currently under treatment for blood cancer. Could the black she wore be a tell-tale sign of this depression? I failed to ask.
“It’s just I know how to handle it. When I met a raped Lumad, I was so angry I cried for three hours. I had to talk it out in a phone call (with a person close to me) to calm down,” she confided.
Monique was wearing a talaingod bead necklace given to her by a female Lumad chieftain, Bai Bibiyaon Ligcayin Bigcay, as a sign of the confidence she had earned from the oppressed cultural minority. The Lumads are suffering from repression by the military to protect the interests of foreign miners in their ancestral lands.

ESCALATING REVOLUTION. The One Billion Rising: Rise for Revolution 2016 shouts out:
“One Billion Rising: Rise for Revolution 2016 is an escalation of the first three stages of our campaign — One Billion Rising, One Billion Rising for Justice, and One Billion Rising: Revolution.
“We’ve danced. We’ve demanded justice. We’ve demanded changes.
“This year we are radicalizing our actions — enlarging, deepening and expanding the revolution.
“We need to continue to radically shift consciousness and be braver, bolder, more creative and determined with our actions.
“And we need to focus on the most marginalized women and girls to bring about true, long lasting change.
“Change can happen if…
“Grassroots movements and marginalized communities are in the lead.
“Change can happen if…
“We demand accountability – making sure our justice calls are realised.
“We will continue to demand justice, and we will continue to highlight the issues surrounding the social injustices inflicted on women, and to keep highlighting where these issues connect. We will continue to challenge institutions, governments, policies, laws — and make these systems, which are responsible for creating situations of poverty and violence, accountable.
“Change can happen if…
“We harness out creativity and energy
“We will keep highlighting, creating and envisioning new, brave and radical artistic initiatives to bring in the new revolutionary world of equality, dignity and freedom for all women and girls. There is nothing more powerful than art as a tool for transformation.
“Change can happen if…
“We Act Now.
“And We Act Together.
 “Why continue the call for Revolution?
Revolution can be expressed in the “for who” and “for what.” It is broad enough to include all issues, and also particular enough to be specific about issues communities want to highlight and raise. It does not diffuse focus, rather — it enhances it.
“The Revolution call helps sustain the focus of what One Billion Rising is – a call for Change. Structural, systemic, long term change.
“Systems have not changed yet, therefore the call for Revolution remains urgent and necessary, to deepen what it can mean, and escalate actions around it. Major changes are still needed, particularly in ways of thinking and consciousness about violence against women issues.
“Revolution allows creative and artistic expressions, multi-sectoral involvement, and more importantly —  provides a unique space to engage people from all walks of life. It allows the use of imagination, art and political actions — and allows everyone the freedom to localize all their campaigns.
“Above all Revolution can bring everyone from the personal to the political — from the “I” to the “We.” It harnesses collective energy because it is hopeful and envisions possibilities and a future.”
 
THE CALL FOR RISE FOR REVOLUTION 2016:
“Listen! Act! Rise!
“Amplify the Voices of Marginalized Women
“Bring National and International Focus to Their Issues
“Bring New Artistic Energy to Create This Possibility
“Raise Other Issues That Have Not Been as Visible
“Amplify Revolution as a Call for System Change
“Platform Voices That Have Not Been Heard Within Local Campaigns
“Call on People to Rise For Others
“Call Upon People of Privilege to Rise for Those Who are Not
“Create Synergy and Connection
“Continue to Call for State Accountability and Justice
“Keep Highlighting the Economic Context of Women
“Remain inclusive, intersectional and comprehensive
“Keep Connecting the Body with Revolution
Rise for Change and Equality.”

WEEKDAYS WOWOWIN TO TAKE DEAL OR NO DEAL TIMESLOT. Although still unannounced, Buzzstation projects that Willie Revillame’s daily game show, Wowowin, will take the 5 p.m. timeslot by Feb. 1. Is it going to air from the barangays? If it is,  ABS-CBS’s Deal or No Deal which doing Barangay Edition starting Jan. 25, 2016 had pre-empted Wowowin.

This Heart Season’s much-anticipated show, “#LoveThrowback,” blends two uber hot catchphrases — throwback and hugot lines — to come up with twice the romance you seek at the PICC Plenary Hall on Feb. 13.
The concert features the Philippines’ most iconic Original Pilipino Music singers and balladeers of the last four decades: Rico Puno, Marco Sison, Raymond Lauchengco, Gino Padilla, Chad Borja, Wency Cornejo, Roselle Nava and Nina. That’s a total of eight performers compared to other Valentine shows that offer four headliners at the most — it’s twice the romance power!
Director Calvin Neria with Marc Lopez as musical director present 28 songs in a two-hour show that will be stitched together by hugot lines flashed on a video wall, doing away with spoken spiels.
Rico, noticed then by record producers as a performer in folk houses and lounges, started the trend of incorporating Tagalog lyrics in English songs like his rendition of “The Way We Were.” For this show, he renders his smash hits “Kapalaran,” “Buhat” and “Macho Gwapito,” among others.
Marco got his career break after winning a singing contest on GMA 7’s noontime variety show Student Canteen in the late ‘70s. His songs like “My Love Will See You Through,” “Make Believe” and “I’ll Face Tomorrow” lorded the ‘80s.
Raymond, after his stints in musical theater, joined mainstream show business and got his biggest break as one of the lead stars in the trendsetting film Bagets. As a singer-actor, some of his hits are “Saan Darating Ang Umaga,” “So It’s You,” “Farewell” and “I Need You Back.”
Gino, the singer behind hits like “Gusto Kita,” “Let The Love Begin,” “I Believe In You” and “Closer You and I,” won as Song of The Year in Awit Awards. He is also known as the artist who starred in a worldwide advertising campaign of a softdrink brand alongside singing superstar Tina Turner.
Wency, the most remarkable vocalists of pop-rock band AfterImage, shared his distinct voice to phenomenal hits like “Habang My Buhay,” “Mangarap Ka,” “Next In Line” and “Hanggang,” which reaped three major trophies in the Awit Awards.
Chad became one of the most in-demand and sexiest balladeers in the ‘90s song “Ikaw Lang.” He was also a favorite duet partner of female singers. His album Show Me The Way churned out hits like “Summer Without You” and “Kung Ako Lang Sana.” Chad’s collaboration with Japanese pianist and composer Yutaka Yokokura “Yakap” also became a hit.
Roselle started her career as part of the youth-oriented show AngTV on ABS-CBN. Her career as a singer propelled after the success of her single entitled “Bakit Nga Ba Mahal Kita” and “Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita,” both used as movie soundtracks. Her rendition of “You,” originally performed by Basil Valdez and composed by Gerry Paraiso, gave her the Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist in Awit Awards. Roselle is a multi-platinum record awardee and her voice captured the hearts of many Filipinos, most especially the hopeless romantic.
Rounding up the roster in “#LoveThrowback” is Nina, tagged as OPM’s Soul Siren. With 10 Awit Awards and the recognition as the first-ever female OPM singer with a Diamond Record Award, Nina truly deserves to be called as one of local music’s treasures. Her body of work and numerous awards are a testimony to her dedication and passion for her craft.
Her album entitled Nina Live! became the benchmark in acoustic recording and made her the number-one female R&B singer in the country. Her string of hits includes “Someday” and her cover of “Love Moves In Mysterious Ways,” “Jealous” and “Through The Fire.”
This powerhouse cast of “#LoveThrowback” guarantees the audience to give them an unforgettable and once-in-a-lifetime Valentine’s Day celebration. Boasting of OPM hit songs, beautiful voices and stories about life and love, “#LoveThrowback” is a show that knows no time, space and age as it talks purely about a universal feeling, love. It is a show for everyone. Showtime starts at 8:30 p.m.
Produced by MKFAE Productions and Royale Chimes Concerts & Events Inc. in cooperation with Echo Jham Productions, the show is supported by Luxent Hotel, Mossimo, GlutaMAX, Nice Day Coffee and Mantego Ads Corp.
Media partners Retro 105.9 DCG FM, Mellow 94.7, Energy FM 106.7, Barangay 97.1 DWLS-FM, Pinas FM 95.5, 105.1 Crossover, Philippine Star, Business World, Inquirer.net, Clickthecity.com, Pep.PH, Philstar.com, Philippine Concerts, MNL Online, Soundcheck Manila, Astroplus, Odyssey, Manila Concert Scene, Legato Music Mag, GIST.ph, and MB.com.ph.
Tickets are available at SM Tickets (472-2222), Ticketnet (911-5555) and Ticketworld (891-9999). You can use your BdO (Banco De Oro) debit/credit card to purchase tickets and get a 15 percent discount. For more info and sponsorships, call Royale Chimes Concerts and Events Inc. at (0918) 497-2121 or (0906) 418-0786.

TOP BANDS AT HRC. Hard Rock Café (HRC) closes the month of January 2016 with a series of special shows featuring a sampling of the country’s hottest and most talented show bands. Dance the night away with Red Picasso on Thursday (Jan. 28), party with the unique grooves and sounds of Part 3 on Friday and Sunday (Jan. 29 and 31), and power your Saturday evening with energy-packed repertoire of Streetbeat on Jan. 30.
Certified hard rockers can come and see the show and look forward to a series of evenings jam-packed with beautiful music with these amazing show bands as they dish our live today’s hottest chart-toppers, homegrown favorites, standard classics, and the most popular party anthems from the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and 2000s. All shows start at 9 p.m.

PREGNANT CHALLENGES. The iBuntis team of Grand Challenges Canada and GE Philippines held ultrasound training of healthcare workers of Banna, Ilocos Norte, on Jan. 19 and 20, 2016.
Participants were (from left to right) Dr. Analyn Ngo (iBuntis Team/Manila Doctors), Martin Crisostomo (Government Affairs Manager, GE Philippines), Carlito Abadilla II (Mayor of Banna, Ilocos Norte), Dr. Remedios Peralta (Chief Health Officer of Banna, Ilocos, Norte), Dr. Godofreda Dalmacion (iBuntis Team/UP Manila), Joanne Dawn Seno (Sales Manager-Ultrasound, GE Philippines), Dr. Ramon Reyles (iBuntis Team/Makati Medical Center), Dr. Emmanuel Baja (iBuntis Team/UP Manila), Dr. Denise Lauren Dalmacion (iBuntis Team/UP Manila).

On the cover of Beatriz M. Robles’ new book, A Sensual World: What Do You See?, is an image that appears as an innocent question mark — the contours of a woman’s torso or a complex blend of both. The black and white colors mark it like a Rorschach test to examine a person’s personality characteristics and emotional functioning.

The picture strongly suggests that the sensuality of a woman wafts from the pages of the book, a whiff of desire, a bouquet of wants. Made up of 80 irresistible vignettes, A Sensual World conjures erotic images only to be brought down to reality with a flip of the page as visualized by the author’s titled pastel drawings printed in grayscale.

Like metatalk that uncovers hidden meanings in what a person says, A Sensual World is like literary double-talk purposely invented so as to confuse, amuse or even titillate the reader. But it is treated as a vignette-and-answer game that serves as a check of the reader’s own understanding or misunderstanding.
There is definitely a sense of calculated mischief about these musings, explaining Robles’ ongoing fascination with the female psyche. Most girls have unexpressed thoughts with her friends while growing up and it seems Robles has not outlived hers.
Romantic to an outsider who is not privy to this understanding, Robles is engaged in the idea of secret desires. On a certain level, this can go far deeper than one can discover on one’s own. The vignettes are very personal, but can be easily shared by others.
Enchanting images systematically embellish the book, unraveling meanings or purposes. Women are definitely conversant with this kind of talk — iterations of self, no less than a Rorschach test in reverse.
The drawings gravitate toward the whimsical to the wild. This reviewer hopes these will not be spoilers, but who can miss Mouthful (“There, I make a sudden grab of your hot rod in front of me”), which is about brushing your teeth. Or Touching (“I let my lips meet the tip of your hole.”) about playing a clarinet.
The language is definitely double talk and the imagery so sensual that they lead the reader into a teasing game — only to be let down by its mundane subject. This turns the strategy into something that can become touching or tense-filled depending on involvement. Just go with the stream of consciousness for pure joy.
Between the global and the local, between genius and its virtue, or among a single secret and its infinite answers, A Sensual World is a naughtiness buster. You will see your quotient if you keep tabs on answers, but you have to self-indulge.
The book is pure literature and not ersatz science and your fun is in the overlap of the cusp. The advice is to read slowly, one vignette daily and not to preempt yourself. Then the book will give you approximately three months’ worth of mind massages. It’s really up to you how to maximize the reading pleasure.
This is Robles’ second volume after the inspirational book, Life through Letters: A Writer’s Journey from Sunrise to Sunset, also edited by Danton Remoto and published by Anvil Publishing.
Copies of A Sensual World: What Do You See? are now available at National Book Store and Powerbooks.

A NEW BEGINNING. Get a dose of Hannah Pauline Manaloto, L.A. Santos, Chad Angeles and Janina Gonzales’ youthful vibe, strong drive and immense talents as they perform live in a post-Valentine concert entitled, “One… A New Beginning,” on Feb. 20, 2016, Saturday, 7 p.m., at the Music Museum with guest Ms. Roselle Nava.
LA, 15, is a grade 9 student at the University of Sto. Tomas. He was a basketball junior varsity player but re-discover his love for music just recently. His first performance as a singer was at the Stylistics concert at Solaire Hotel and Casino, followed by a front act stint during Air Supply concert last March 2015, and as Guest Artist on Legendary Juke Box Queens, an Eva Eugenio, Imelda Papin and Claire de la Fuente starrer, last May 2015. LA just began playing the guitar and piano so he could write his own songs. He also performs with a group called, Winchester Street.
Chad, 19, is a student at DLSU College of St. Benilde. A trained singer, he started taking up formal voice lessons when he was 12 under Muzik Corner, owned by multi-awarded recording artist and former actress, Roselle Nava. His vocal training helped built an impressive portfolio that displays a long list of events and concert performances, and TV show guestings.
Janina, 21 is a singer-dancer who can even play the guitar for her performances. Her wide repertoire lists songs from Billy Joel to Sam Smith, Christina Perri, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, and even Pinoy alternative music scene favorite Up Dharma Down. Her biggest achievement so far is making it as one of the finalists of GMA’s singing talent search, Protégé (Season 1).

DECIDE TO BE HEART-HEALTHY. People are catching on to the idea that one must cut down on bad cholesterol at all costs. There is no more question to this as several government of different countries have already initiated, successfully banned and/or regulated the availability of bad fat from food sources. And the results have been amazing. Deaths due to heart-related diseases have significantly been reduced.
Don’t wait for this to happen here. The decision to be heart healthy can be made for us. But it is our responsibility to make it a personal decision. Inform yourselves on how to remove bad cholesterol from your diet and get assistance from ATC Garlic Oil.
ATC Garlic Oil helps prevent hypertension and heart disease by regulating cholesterol levels and blood pressure in the body. This also stops blood clot from forming and effectively lowers the blood pressure and reduces the risks of stroke and heart attack. ATC Garlic Oil also contains soybean oil, which provides essential nutrients such as protein, fiber and healthy fats while offering protection against heart disease.
ATC Garlic Oil is recommended to be taken one capsule every day. It is available at Mercury Drug and leading drugstores nationwide at P4.50 per piece.

INSIGHT 1! It now appears that the reason Luis Manzano’s Deal or No Deal that airs from Monday to Friday at 5 p.m. over ABS-CBN went Barangay Edition is to pre-empt the introduction of the weekdays airing Willie Revillame’s Wowowin that broadcasts pre-taped from its Kalayaan Studio at 5:30 p.m. over GMA7.  It turns out as a David and Goliath faceoff between Bobet vidanes who presents a more populist and fresh, exciting game show as Luis’ director and newbie Adrian Gret’s beefed up presentation with its Las Vegas style packaging as Willie’s helmer. And Willie’s benefitting from Kapuso network tie-up that has made it TVC-rich. Who will rule? For sure, experience over experimentation!

NO BIG CELEBRATION FOR 50TH ANNIV OF THE BEATLES’ CONCERT IN MANILA? “Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr don’t want to go back here in the Philippines,” shared Beth Mercado of Royale Chimes Concerts and Events who is attempting to bring the surviving Beatles back to Manila in time for the 50th anniversary of their two soldout shows at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium on July 4, 1966.
“My business partner in the UK already tried to convince them but sad to say they really don’t want to come back to Manila,” added Beth. Royal Chimes has a mother company in Great Britain which negotiates talent bookings.
This is the first time that a local concert importer talked about the issue with finality. Nothing had been heard from Ely Buendia who announced last year to bring Ringo for the same anniversary.
Allan Villegas of Random Minds Inc. who is also trying to do the same said, “‘Yung agent na kausap ko still hoping he’ll say yes. Update kita.”
Yes, that’s the current update on the issue. They are standing pat on their word not to return despite hot acts like Cathy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber doing shows here successfully without incident. It’s good Madonna or even the King of Pop Michael Jackson has more business sense.
The Manila swing must bring terrible memories for both of them and they are punishing Filipinos for a commission they had nothing to do with. They could not be blamed either. After being heckled and manhandled where members of their entourage were physically hurt, their plane was held on the tarmac to be able to confiscate their illegal earnings.
Royal Chimes will bring the Bootleg Beatles as a replacement. Every year, it brings the “best” tribute group to hold shows here. It plans to make them recreate the Beatles repertoire of the 1966 concert.

CARPENTERS AND THE PLATTERS IN THE LOVE PLAYLIST. All will agree that the Carpenters and The Platters are music icons.
The Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter. Producing a distinctively soft musical style, they became among the best-selling music artists of all time. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded 11 albums, 31 singles, five television specials, and a short-lived television series.
Before the Carpenters, there was The Platters in the ‘50s and ‘60s, an American vocal group. They were one of the most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre. The act went through several personnel changes, with the most successful incarnation comprising lead tenor Tony Williams, David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed, and Zola Taylor.
The group had 40 charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1955 and 1967, including four no. 1 hits. The Platters were one of the first African American groups to be accepted as a major chart group and were, for a period of time, the most successful vocal group in the world.
Catch is “The Love Playlist” of Carpenters and Platters at the Midas Tent (Midas Hotel and Casino) to hear the best love songs of the Carpenters and The Platters on Feb. 14 and at KIA Theatre, Araneta Center on February 15, 8 p.m.
“The Love Playlist” of Carpenters and Platters features Laurie Briggs as Karen Carpenter with the world-renowned The Fabulous Sounds of The Platters, headed by Donne Ray Radford, a fourth generation member of The Platters.
Laurie has been touring the world for over a decade now as Karen Carpenter and as part of the tribute act called The Karpenters. Her fascination with Karen’s voice and music started when she was eight years old. “It [Karen’s music] moved me and I started to emulate the sound I heard,” she says.
Laurie’s show incorporates all the wonderful hits of the Carpenters as it takes you on a nostalgic journey through the life and times of the Carpenters, performing all the hits including “Close to You,” “Masquerade,” “Top of the World,” “Sing,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “Superstar,” and “Please Mr. Postman.”  
When you watch “The Fabulous Sounds of The Platters,” get ready to be enthralled all over again by classics such as “Only You,” “The Great Pretender,” “Twilight Time,” “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” “Harbor Lights,” and more hits of The Platters.
For more info and sponsorships, call Royale Chimes Concerts and Events Inc. at (0918) 4972121 or (0906) 4180786.

TAKE CARE OF WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING. Our heart’s main function is to pump blood to the rest of the body. It supplies oxygen and nutrients to the body. Without the heart, your body will stop functioning. That’s why it is of utmost importance to take care of your heart. This is something that is both hard and easy to do.
ATC Coenzyme Q10 is called “The heart energizer.” With proper diet and exercise, it helps improve the heart’s ability to pump more blood. It also lowers the viscosity of the blood, making it even easier for the heart to function normally. It functions as antioxidant, which protects body from damage caused by harmful molecules.
ATC Coenzyme Q10 is recommended to be taken 2-3 capsules a day, preferably with warm water. It is available at Mercury Drug and other leading drugstores nationwide for only P18 per capsule.

INSIGHT 2. Touchy! Touchy! Touchy! Just because the Philippine National Police has regulation power does it mean it can complain every “spot” in its “clean” image. Like it made a big issue out of James Reid wearing a police uniform in a bridal shower scene in the On the Wings of Love when it is clearly a fun sequence not intended to mock!... A Sensual World: What do you see? is Beatriz Robles’ second volume as edited by Danton Remoto and published by Anvil Publishing. after the inspirational book, Life through Letters: A Writer’s Journey from Sunrise to Sunset.

Love ‘em or just like ‘em. Fondant cakes tantalize and mesmerize us with their sight, smell and savor.
A three-tier round butter rum sponge cake in turquoise fondant decorated with cascading, candy-colored classic and exotic blooms, exhilarated my mood as if I had chanced upon the amazing flowers of spring. Its beauty gently grabbed attention — a promise of an extraordinarily sweet feast.

That is how I felt when I received a fondant cake on my last birthday from my friend Bill Perez of La Esperanza Bakery. I had always wanted to taste it ever since he proudly posted on Facebook: “I may not be an award-winning painter, but wait until you taste my fondant cake.”
And I took the statement as a personal endorsement of his fondant cake business, which he established in 2010 at 49 D. Atienza corner C. Tirona Streets, Batangas City, Batangas.
La Esperanza Bakery specializes in cakes for wedding, birthday and special occasions. The fondant cakes are made according to a theme or motif as specified by the client. Cakes can be done in butter rum, mocha, chocolate, red velvet, carrot pineapple walnut, banana date walnut, or other flavors based on request. They can be fashionably embellished by decorations created from fondant, gumpaste or fresh flowers, or real objects in complementary color combinations.
Preferred by celebrities and the well-heeled, it can be made all edible layers but many fondant cakes have mock tiers for stability and ease of transport specially to distant destinations.
Exclusively created, usually after a one-on-one talk with the client about its details, fondant cakes are high-end cakes executed by hand techniques from start to finish. Its relatively high price is justified by the amount of time, money and skill allotted to making each completed fondant cake. “It usually takes two days to make due to the intricacy of design,” Bill specifies.
Cakes can be bought straight from the shelf, but fondant cakes are made of high-quality materials by signature cake shops. And like France’s leading couture houses, the business is a tradition and a standard. La Esperanza Bakery’s story of sincere ways of satisfying consumer wants and its way of focusing on the expected go more than a hundred years back.

A STORY OF HOPE. In 1903, Maximo Sarmiento, a resident near the old market of Batangas City, opened a grocery and dry goods store. As his family had opened credit with the Pana grocery store, the business thrived despite stiff competition from Chinese businessmen. It was one of only two Filipino-owned businesses that did, the other an old botica.
The place was eventually converted into Panaderia La Esperanza after World War II to signify hope, the name’s English meaning, by Bill’s great grandfather, Ramon Sarmiento, who had a daughter named Nicasia. Young Pascual Perez worked as a baker there and fell in love with Nicasia and they eventually turned partners in running it. Bill’s father, Abelardo Perez Sr., is their son.
La Esperanza Bakery sold mainly breads such as pan de sal, ensaymada, biscocho, kalihim, londres, pasencia, jacobina, hopia and paborita, among others. But it was widely known for its specialty, the Spanish pastry originally known as Corona del Rey.
Passed on to Bill’s grandfather by a Spanish pastry maker before the Japanese Occupation, it is a sweet pastry similar to pilipit. The two-inch diameter, crown-shaped dough complete with a hole in the middle is fried, dipped in sugar syrup before being rolled on white sugar. As it incorporates gin, the pastry has a fine texture and crunch.
It was love at first munch, but Batanguenos found the Spanish name difficult to pronounce so it was eventually colloquialized to “oocan.” From neighborhood kids to First Lady Imelda Marcos, the specialty has a loyal following that is still in high demand to stay as Bill’s current product.
To contemporarize the business, however, La Esperanza Bakery now specializes in fondant cakes as innovated by Bill, borne out of his passion for sweets.

BILL’S PASSION. “I’ve always had a sweet tooth and loved eating cakes bought from Goldilocks and Red Ribbon. I would even ask our baker to duplicate them, but couldn’t. Out of frustration, I started experimenting with cakes and icings by reading recipe books and attending baking seminars in Manila such as Sylvia Reynoso, Heny Sidon, Maya Kitchen and others,” Bill narrates.
Using a trial-and-test method, Bill sampled cakes from different cafés and pastry shops and experimented by baking and giving them to friends for feedback. His expertise reached such a point where he could detect a cake’s ingredients and baking procedure just by tasting it.
A graduate of BA Psychology from UP Diliman, Bill eventually turned into a self-taught cake master. This skill encouraged him to put up his own bakeshop in 1995. Called Happy House Bakeshop, it sold cakes and pastries. It closed down in 1997 only to reopen in 2010 under the name of the original bakery, La Esperanza.
He made his first fondant cake for his brother’s wedding in 1999. His inspiration came from a Wilton Cake Decorating Catalog. Relatives and friends began to ask him to make fondant cakes for them until he started to sell them.
“Initially learning to work with fondant, I found one of the hardest parts was actually covering the cake and having it look smooth. I struggled with pleats around the bottom, trying to avoid cracking and tearing, avoiding corn starch or powdered sugar spots all over it,” he recalls his newbie days as a fondant cake maker.
These predicaments had him figuratively banging his head against the work table. As an advice to those new to fondant, Bill suggests to combine watching videos with other available information.
He referred to pictures and instructions, watched YouTube videos and read forums. While there is an overload of available information on the subject, he felt they were too scattered to learn efficiently. “I watched adept hands do quick work of covering a cake with fondant with no issues, but I struggled to figure out their processes,” he comments.

TURNAROUND. His turning point came when Marbee Shing, a friend from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, asked him to do the cake for her 2005 wedding at the Shangri-La Hotel. Wanting a new cake designer who was not Metro Manila-based, she also required an innovative design.
Bill customized a four-layer white cake with candied sugar tulips and butterflies. The bride gushed over the most important cake in her life. She so loved the creation that she featured Bill as an up-and-coming wedding supplier in a one-page article in Wedding Essentials, July 2005 issue, upon her appointment as editor.
This led to a flurry orders. His satisfied clients raved about his original designs as “beautiful” and “delicious.” This resulted in repeat customers, frequently the whole family ordering from him for every occasion and the all-important referrals that multiplied his clientele.
His fondant cake business flourished that he’s now supplying hotels and caterers in Batangas such as Hotel Ponte Fino and Lima Hotel.
Consult with Bill for your order by landline via (043) 7027615 or send an e-mail @ laesperanza1903@yahoo.com.

Valentine’s Day celebrations have turned so elaborate they are extending the romance beyond Feb. 14.

LOVE PLAYLIST OF CARPENTERS AND PLATTERS. “We are not a tribute group, but the fourth generation of The Platters,” emphasized front man Donne Ray Radford, a fourth-generation member who performs with Laurie Briggs as Karen Carpenter and Douglas Masuda as the Elvis Presley of Japan doing the front act at the Midas Tent (Midas Hotel and Casino) on Feb. 14 and at Kia Theater, Araneta Center on Feb. 15, 8 p.m.
“We thank Beth (Mercado of Royale Chime Concerts and Events, Inc.) for bringing us again this year as she did last year, which was a wonderful experience for us,” shared the dapper and eloquent Donne Ray, who is even better than the other vocalists of the Platters.
Laurie has been touring the world for 15 years as Karen Karpenter and as part of the tribute act called The Karpenters. She opened the media conference with an extraordinary rendition of “Top of the World.” She revealed her fascination with Karen’s voice and music started when she was eight years old. “Her voice moved me and I started to emulate her ever since.”  
“Twenty-four carat gold-plated,” described Douglas of this elaborate belt a la Elvis bought from Graceland. He will add more romantic nostalgia and fun as he performs three hits from the King of Rock and Roll.
Tickets for the Feb. 15 show is only available at Ticketnet (911-5555). For the show at Midas Tent on Feb. 14, tickets are available at SM Tickets (472-2222), Ticketworld (891-9999 and Ticketnet (911-5555). Use your BDO (Banco De Oro) debit/credit card to purchase tickets at 20 percent discount. For more info, call (0918) 4972121 or (0906) 4180786.

ONE BILLION RISING (OBR). With the theme Rise for Revolution 2016, this year’s campaign will escalate the collective actions of mainly female activists worldwide, and amplify their call for systemic changes towards ending violence against women and girls once and for all.
OBR founder Eve Ensler and global director Monique lead the One Billion Rising activists their rising events, artistic uprisings, panel discussions, press conference, town halls, movies, articles, gatherings, poetry, art, posters, actions, and protests to take place at the Rizal Park, Manila, on Feb. 14 starting 8 a.m.
Eve and Monique Wilson will spend a week in the Philippines, in multiple cities particularly Cebu, Tacloban, Manila, Angeles City rising for and with a cross section of Filipina communities including Gabriela Women’s Party, comfort women, youth activists, labor activists, indigenous groups and more.
In Davao City on Feb. 12, they join with activists from many grassroots communities including workers, urban poor, peasants, teachers, students, women’s groups, community groups, families of migrants, LGBT groups, and groups for the rights of sex workers.
They join Lumad communities, who are currently displaced because of militarization and living in evacuation camps in the city as they rise for rights, against militarization, against mining and environmental plunder and against political oppression and killings.
Political will can accomplish the impossible as Eve pointed out. She cited the outlawing of genital mutilation by Gambia’s President ended the primitive practice against women directly as a result of the lead of One Billion Rising. “Continue the Revolution!” Eve stressed.

THE ROYALS. Regine Velasquez and PLDT Home DSL warm hearts this Valentine with ‘The Royals’ concert with Martin Nievera, Eric and Angeline Quinto on Feb. 13, Saturday, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Photo shows the doting mother onstage with her only son Nate (left) and with PLDT VP and marketing director Gary Dujali (right) at her most recent presscon with PLDT Home. But being Mommy to four-year-old Nate is her utmost priority.
A typical day for Regine involves bringing Nate to school, picking him up and playing with him. She considers time as the most valuable thing she can give to her loved ones.  As her schedule gets filled up each day with rehearsals and shows, Regine is very happy with how technology helped her strengthen her connection with her family especially with Nate.  
It is essential for Regine to be connected at home and even on-the-go because Internet connection doesn’t only help her strengthen her relationship with her family, but also helps her push for what she is passionate about.
The new PLDT Home DSL Speedster Fam Plan 1299 now offers five times faster speeds of up to 10 megabits per second (Mbps), the Speedster Fam Plan has shareable monthly data allowance of 50 gigabytes (GB).
To enjoy the Speedster Fam Plan’s data sharing feature, subscribers can get a Smart mobile line that comes with a free smart phone for an additional P299 per month or with a free iPhone for P799 per month. Subscribers can share 6 GB of the 50 GB monthly data allocation to up to four mobile phone lines, which they can use even outside the home. Bundled with the Speedster Fam Plan, these are all conveniently billed under one subscription.

HE SAID, SHE SAID. Catch RJ Dela Fuente and Julianne Tarroja in a special Valentine concert on Feb. 14 (Sunday, 8:30 p.m.) at 19 East, in Sucat, Paranaque, titled “He Said, She Said.” The show marks the very first mainstream collaboration between RJ and Julianne and offers the personal views and opinions of the two talented artists on love and relationships through a sampling of chart-topping love songs, anthemic “hugot” ballads and homegrown favorites.
RJ started singing in special concerts and events in California, USA as he appeared as a special guest in the shows of Sharon Cuneta, Martin Nievera and Brian McKnight. RJ was a contestant on American Idol season 10 and made it past the competition’s early rounds singing before judges Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steve Tyler. This year, he recorded Nonoy Zuniga’s “Never Say Goodbye,” which is part of the official soundtrack of TV 5’s Bakit Manipis Ang Ulap starring Cesar Montano, Diether Ocampo, Meg Imperial and Claudine Barretto.    
Multi-awarded singer Julianne, on the other hand, has been in the music industry since 2007 as she consistently shared her story through the songs she performed in the Philippines and Asia. Pegged as an inspirational artist who speaks to the youth and women of her generation, she inspires through her testimony of beauty, hope, and courage such as her breakthrough single “Tulak ng Bibig.”
Opening the show is singer-songwriter Josh Buizon with his pop-alternative band Over October.
For ticket reservations call 0928-6134905 and/or 0915-3082308.

ART LEADS. Marlin Lopez, ARTlead Best Artist 2015, joins the “2016 Panagbenga Artshow: A Tribute to Nature” at the Baguio Museum located at Governor Road, Baguio City, from Feb. 16 to 29. He exhibits the 24-by-24-inch oil-acrylic-on-canvas The Sun, the Sea and the Wind (2016). Based on his experience as a farm owner, Marlin describes the abstract painting as “a rough strokes to a rough start of 2016 because of weather disturbance that affect rice crops in Nueva Vizcaya.”

MOOD SWINGS. Bob Dylan is not beyond going heavy metal. From folk, he switched from rock to spiritual and took on permutations in between except heavy metal, which he is doing just now in a different way.
Rockers have this natural fascination for entrances, from the predictable to the philosophical.
Ringo Starr sings of it as a tell-tale sign of love (“Waiting for your knock, dear, on my old front door/I don’t hear it, does it mean you don’t love me anymore?”). Jim Morrison made it the name his psychedelic band as an entry of perception when “cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.” For Bob Dylan, they are heavy metal or iron gates as art.
Dylan held an exhibit, “Mood Swings,” of eight iron works and seven paintings that satirize popular magazine titles like Life and Archeology Today at the Halcyon Gallery in London. It ran from Jan. 16 to 25, 2016, a second edition. He did a similarly titled show in the same venue in 2013.
Rock’s poet laureate takes the literal meaning of mood swing to create ornate metaphors out of junk scrap metal that takes its meaning to a higher level. They swing that abruptly and apparently changes of mood of the given space.
For Dylan, gates are divides and dividers that mark public and private areas in a matter or moment of a swing. He defines them as free-standing and wall-hanged sculptures, demarcations of the negative space they allow.
The factually elusive storyteller writes in his autobiography, Chronicles: “(Gates) can be closed, but at the same time they allow the seasons and breezes to enter and flow. They can shut you out or shut you in. And in some ways there is no difference.”
Dylan’s childhood had been swayed by iron. Born and raised in Hibbing, largely known as the Iron Belt of Minnesota, he lived it daily. Going heavy metal is not common to him although expressed at late term.
He picks from his stock file of bits of found objects from machinery to large gears in the junkyard at his Los Angeles studio, lay them down the floor in possible arrangements, editing them for variations before welding them together.
What he comes up with are rhythmic arrangements that resonate rock, colors certain elements silvery to grab attention very much like a song’s hook. They turn into witty and whimsical interpretations of ordered chaos, reflecting the divergence of rock.
If David Bowie had passed to another dimension, Dylan is still earth-bound. What he’s up to next must be another mood swing.

COMFORT WOMAN SHOUTS OUT TO PNOY. “‘Yung tuwid na daan mo, baliku-baliko,” shouted out 85-year-old frail Narcisa Claveria of Lila Filipina at the media launch of the fourth year of One Billion Rising with Eve Ensler and Monique Wilson at Romulo Café, Makati City only to contrast with her robust determination to seek redress of her injustice.
With the theme Rise for Revolution 2016, this year’s campaign escalated the collective actions of mainly female activists worldwide, and amplify their call for systemic changes towards ending violence against women and girls once and for all.
Accompanied by Ritchie Extramadura, Lola Narcisa was among the sector representatives who participated in the forum with Joms Salvador of Gabriela, Connie Regalado of Migrante, Ka Nitz Gonzaga of Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kharlo Manalo, Zen Soriano, Rep. Emi de Jesus of Gabriela Women’s Party and Alaine Maestro of Gabriela Youth. All pointed to the government of President Aquino as the cause of their current troubles.
Eve traced the violence committed on comfort women, the women and girls forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army in occupied territories before and during World War II. And they are unable to get justice for the longest time from the Japanese government with the tacit cooperation of their own governments including the Philippines.
Asked by Buzzstation if a female president can end the violence against women, all sounded off that it will not. Lola Narcisa recalled that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo promised to help comfort women but lied big time.
But political will can accomplish the impossible as Eve pointed out. She cited the outlawing of genital mutilation by Gambia’s President ended the primitive practice against women directly as a result of the lead of One Billion Rising.
“Continue the Revolution!” Eve stressed.

LET THE RIVER REST. Ploning director Dante Nico Garcia started IsDA Revolution, a festival last year that gives the Puerto Princesa Underground River three days of rest while an International New Media Convergence was happening all over Puerto Princesa.
This year, he is set to do Let the River Rest again on July 12 but he needs to buy all the pass to the river on those dates right away before it gets booked.
Please look at his online campaign, and he hopes you will be able to figure out a way to help him or just share the link on your timeline: http://igg.me/at/nMlsVKWS7-Q.                                     
The year culminates with a free online film made by the participants. We released the first one on Facebook and YouTube last Christmas: https://www.facebook.com/MrsRecto/posts/1071076.
He need helps to make it happen again this year. You can be part of it yourself by buying a lifetime membership card: https://www.facebook.com/IsDaRevolutionPhilippines.         
Or you can be a benefactor of a young artist from remote areas of Palawan by buying from this online shop:www.facebook.com/FourEightCo.
View the short film explaining his advocacy: https://www.facebook.com/316004525205634/videos.
Dante hopes you can partner with him in raising a generation of artists dedicated in producing content that presents #BeautifulPhilippines and #PositiveValues.

Unlike last year when one tribe dominated the Dinagyang Ati competition, 2016 proved to be a mixed year for every competing tribe, according LEAD multimedia artist Elvert Banares, a true-blooded Ilonggo, who was Radyo Bombo guest analyst with Edwin Duero while at the same time taking the images used for this column.
The Dinagyang Festival is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City, Philippines held on the fourth Sunday of January, or right after the Sinulog in Cebu and the Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan. It is held both to honor the Santo Niño and to celebrate the arrival on Panay of Malay settlers and the subsequent selling of the island to them by the Atis.
In 2015, Banares observed that many tribes had elements that were off. All tribes need a good production designer who should work well with their costume designers as Dinagyang is a very visual festival (remember that Bakunawa performance by Panayanon years back? That was perfect!).
“Still, I am puzzled why the judges (too biased to let their once favorite tribes win again?) failed to see the beauty of Salognon’s performance by naming them fourth. This tribe has been robbed of a championship last year and they should be second this year. Anyway, second opinions are always welcome in the arts because, quite frankly, people need to see the perspectives of others, too,” he opined.
All tribes of Dinagyang Ati 2016, Panayanon, Pan-ay, Dagatnon, Salognon, Familia Sagasa, Ilonganon, Paghidayon, Baybayanon and Paghidaet had very “off” design elements especially in costumes and backdrop/panel designs.
In the warriors side, huge headdresses dominated the festival — to Dinagyang’s advantage (hello, Instagram!). And the best ones come from Panayanon (all of them), Salognon and, for the sake of the photos, Pan-ay and Dagatnon.
But the rest look very similar to one another. The biggest loss of Dagatnon (a tribe that gave a solid performance) was that “green leaves” costume. Whoever designed that need to go back to the old drawing board.
Many of tribe’s side warriors were dressed in blankets with belts. You can just imagine when watching this live (like us who are right in front of the performance area). You will see the disconnect visually speaking.
Gone were the days when the side warriors were dressed similarly with the warriors. Tribu Familia Sagasa was one of those rare tribe that had visual unity. This year, Panayanon edges out every tribe because of this factor.
Female costumes do not match the male warrior costumes. Except for the costumes worn by the Salognon female dancers when they first entered the performance area, all the other female costumes were kitsch and do not add to visual unity.
Dinagyang, no matter how you argue about the other elements, is both a dance and visual festival. The costumes make the dance. And vice versa. Simply put, costumes must be great in both form and function. This was Salognon’s lapse in 2016 (but hey, they won!). If you ask me if their performance and choreography gave Panayanon tight competition, I’ll say, “Hell, yeah!”
If you ask me if they delivered a winning performance, I’d say, “Yes, just like Panayanon.” But if you ask me if the tribe was visually united in terms of production and costume design, I’d be the first to say, “No.”
The costumes of their side dancers (three changes all over the performance) and their female dancers (first part, great! final part, dud!) did not match the quality (colors, textures, volume, materials etc.) and grandeur of the warriors’ costumes.
In my book, this affects the over-all look of the entire performance. This is why, despite of a rousing performance of Salognon, they landed second (a one-point difference with Panayanon). Salognon’s 2016 performance was the best choreography by the talented Errol Villalobos in years (I already saw this during the rehearsals).
Pan-ay was the tribe that delivered the safest performance (nothing new and nothing disgusting too). But both the choreographers of Pan-ay and Dagatnon need a good team of Production designers and visual artists. Given a good team, Pan-ay’s Ria Espanola can bring a tribe to the top.
This year, I missed the signatures and touches of Vincent Rae Jaena (who used to choreograph Salognon and is now with Buntag-Tala). Buntag-Tala’s performance was one of the weakest this year. Jaena needs to get back on track. Like Ross John Peconcillo, He is one of Iloilo’s most promising too.
So this brings me down to one tribe, which delivered a wonderful performance and had consistent production and costume designs: Panayanon. It’s time the 2013-2015 Dinagyang champion choreographer Romel Flogen remove those large shields (every tribe followed suit when he started this years ago) so we see what his tribe is known for: dancing in precision.
The cubes were a breath of fresh air and look ma, no panels to cover them (although that waterfall backdrop was off). Despite of my very minor complaints, Panayanon was 2016’s winner for me. We saw elements not present in many tribes.
Dinagyang 2016 winners were Salognon, champion; Ilonganon, second; Pan-ay, third; Paghidaet, fourth; and Baybayanon fifth.
Like his practice whenever he is involved in art-related competition, Banares Choices are Panayanon, champion; Salognon, second; Dagatnon, third; Pan-ay, fourth; and Ilonganon, fifth.
Best in Performance was Panayanon, while Best in Choreography was Salognon. Best in Warrior Costume was Panayanon, while Best in Female Costume was Salognon (Intro segment only). Best in Costume (whole tribe) was Panayanon while Best in Production Design was Panayanon. Best in Single Panel Design was The Cube for Panayanon, while Best in Innovation was Panayanon. Best in Musicm was Salognon while Best in Discipline was Panayanon/Salognon.
“I’m excited for next year. Salognon and Panayanon will face the Ilonggos fare and square. The rest of the choreographers will surely level up. So then, let the games begin. Let the warriors dance, dance and dance. But first, everyone should say goodbye to these panels, risers and bad female costumes,” Banares gives his forward-looking wrap-up.
Hala Bira mga kasimanwa! Viva Señor Sto. Niño!

“The main thing is to be moved, to love, to hope, to tremble, to live,” French progenitor of modern sculpture Auguste Rodin said about heart in art. This is often depicted as a rendering of the heart shape in various permutations of love in its limitless interpretations.

As organized by the Office of the Mayor of Mandaluyong City in cooperation with the Kapisanan ng mga Pintor sa Pilipinas (KPP), the HeART (Kalayaan sa Sining) group exhibit explores this theme at the Atrium Building, Mandaluyong City hall in celebration of the National Arts Month and Valentine’s Day from Feb. 23 to 26, 2016.
Considered both Love Month and National Arts Month, it provides the theme of HeART (Kalayaan sa Sining). It will feature visual translations of theme by selected contemporary artists their own idea of love and art form combined using the media of their preference. Thus, the exhibit’s title.

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON. HeART (Kalayaan sa Sining) features KPP as founded by Mayor Benhur Abalos and Rogelio “Maestro” Orobia in 1995 and organized by his son, Abe Orobia, and Ral Arrogante in 2016.
Maestro Orobia has been active in the art scenario since 1983. A Master Art from Thompson Education Direct, he is an event organizer, art educator, civic leader, theologian, philanthropist, writer, media broadcaster, photographer and sculptor. Blessed with multi-faceted talents and skills, he is rated total man of art.
As an artist, Maestro Orobia’s works are described by critics as fashioned by an artist with no such corruption in his heart pertaining to his unique rendition of colors and sense of style. His numerous art collectors, good media reviews, followings and side-by-side successful exhibitions are convincing affirmation of his strength as a painter.
As its president, Abe who is a professor and lecturer organized KPP to help artists in various fields. In 1995, ex-Comelec and MMDA Chairman Abalos purchased Abe’s prophetic tiger mural when Mandaluyong was not yet a Tiger City. Last year, Mayor Abalos sponsored the group exhibit of the Orobia family including the patriarch, Maestro Orobia.
When they were asked to hold another family exhibit this year, they proposed to include other artists from Mandaluyong City and other locations, leading to this group exhibit.
HeART (Kalayaan sa Sining) is held with the valued assistance of Nolan Angeles, head of the Cultural Arts Department of Mandaluyong City.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS. The exhibit features the works of members of the Mandaluyong Artists League with Arogante as president.
Arrogante is a self-thought artist who ingeniously puts together copper parts into witty metal sculptures. He has assembled clocks, animals or anything with wheels and wings from copper used as electrical, automotive, or computer parts. The basic form of the objects depicted are shaped by creatively tying or connecting copper scraps together. Some sculptures derived from Arrogante’s everyday experiences and surroundings can be manipulated and moved by the viewers.
Arrogante balancing wires Chop-chop Fish will be installed together with the shark sculpture, Anak ng Pating. Wellers Vicencio’s oil on canvas Thru Thick and Thin portrays the outmost love of a man and woman passionately locking lips and holding hands while wearing a common bracelet to symbolize oneness and togetherness under all circumstances, no matter how difficult.
Dan Libor’s acrylic on canvas Walang Pagbabago is a sarcastic commentary of love of country depicting Dr. Jose Rizal biking in our time above a panorama of environmental degradation.
Rene Canlas’ painted the plein aire watercolor Lovers Fountain during a visit at Pinto art museum in Marikina City for its nostalgic and romantic setting.
The typical love story of an Overseas Filipino Worker inspired Emman Nicasio’s diptych Long-Distance Relationship a.k.a. #LDR reflects his situation when he was based in Singapore. The pets that the couple are cuddling represent the thing they left with their love ones which resonates the line “I left a piece of me with you.” But despite the mushiness, these cute cuddles as replacement subject of affection ease the couple’s sadness for each other.
Ethel Dimacuha mixed media on canvas Mix Match 2 depicts her first love, art. Non-objective and subjective at the same time, she collaged different found objects on a textured canvas and let her creative spirit flow freely as she applied and combined colors that are dictated by her heart.
Coneth Amido’s mixed media Calm Serenade shows a child strumming a ukulele not for himself but for everything around him because Mother Nature listens if you sing. A depiction of love for God’s creation, seemingly whimsical and fantasy-like, it speaks more about everyday occurrence and the beauty of life. the idea is to capture a deep moment with the viewer and let them find their own perception based on personal interpretation and observation.
Emman Acasio’s acrlic on canvas Maayang Umaga emphasizes the love within the family by depicting simple life in the province in which every member of the family helps each other and loves one another. Moreso, it reflects love and respect for nature being the provider of everything we need to survive and thrive.
Sonny Fernando’s Something in the way she moves...is a skillful building of a abstract composition that leads the viewer to see a perceived mood or emotion symbolized by the assemblage of geometric forms. What is in his mind questions the meaning of what seems to be the swaying motion of trajecting lines very contrasting to the sharp and calculated composition. Undoubtedly, this artist from Tarlac has pushed the boundaries of geometric abstraction to intentionally affect the mind of the viewer.
Other participating artists are Nonilon Alipio, Jeth Bernal, Joey Cobcobo, Camille de la Rosa, Ethel Dimacuha, Mary Rose Domingo Gisbert, Oying Madrilejos, Joyce Maristela, Omi Reyes, Joel Tabuena and Godfrey Torres, Carlito Amalla, Alfred Capiral, Joey Cobcobo, Janos de la cruz, Jose Leo de Castro, Noell Farol, Homer Fernadez, William Gaudinez, Judeo Herrera, Jisu Kim, Daniel Libor, Angelo Magno, Yvette Manotoc, Jonathan Nicolas, Abe Orobia, Rogelio Orobia, Vincent Padilla, Wilfredo Pollarco, Wilfredo, Roberta Rossi, Bernard Temporosa, Jareds Yokte, Tony Zamora and Juert Asejo.
During the opening of HeART, the KPP will award Mayor Abalos a plaque designed by Maestro Orobia in recognition for his valuable patronage of the arts.

INSIGHT! Although prices hardly breached the P20.0 million mark at Leon Gallery’s The Asian Cultural Council Philippines Art Auction 2016 on Feb. 20, 2016, Arturo Luz’s Magbabanig sold at P21.02 million including premium, grabbing the top rank. The auctions superstars hogged the top eight slots, but a newcomer Jose John Santos III’s Untitled ranked second at P10.51 million.

Hernando R. Ocampo’s Untitled and Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s Mother and Child tied at third at P9.93 million. Ronald Ventura’s Lost Race took fourth rank at P8.18 million. Then Lee Aguinaldo’ Linear Explosion No.2 got fifth rank at P9.81 million Fernando Zobel’s Selene III (Fases) and new entrant Elmer Borlongan’s Vulcanizing Shop tied at sixth rank for P6.42 million. Fernando Amorsolo’s classic theme, Under the Mango Tree, took seventh for P5.840 million. Onib Olmedo’s prize winner, The Apartment, snapped eighth, sold for P5.61 million.
Perhaps due to the availability of more important lots and/or a tell-tale sign that the auction market is leveling off, we will have definitive indications in the Leon Gallery’s Spectacular Mid-Year Auction 2016.

Family connections strengthened. The Sottos, Oyo Sotto and Kristine Hermosa Sotto, paint the picture of a happy and connected family with loving parents raising three growing kids. With the celebrity power couple driving the foundation of brood Kiel, 7 Ondrea, 4, and Kaleb, 1, it is important for them to find ways to maintain strong connections with their kids.
“Our days are full of errands that usually revolve around our kids’ schedules, especially now that Kiel and Ondrea have school,” Tin shared. “We all wake up early and have breakfast together, and then Oyo and I separate to take them to their schools if there’s no driver. While the kids are in school, we do our errands and work out. Then after school, we make sure that they get their homework done before we have our family bonding time.”
Like any other family, their best days are spent watching movies and eating. Other than the annual trips abroad and sporadic trips to the cinema, the Sottos love to stay at home, where they say find everything they need. “Aside from streaming movies from iflix and Fox, we also watch a lot of cartoons as preferred by the kids,” Oyo said. “We’re so happy to have easy access to our favorite movies and shows whenever we want, on top of strong Internet and the PLDT TVolution Stick that lets us enjoy them in the big screen.”
Backed by the discipline and mode-ration imposed by the parents, the Internet plays a huge role in the Sottos’ lives. Aside from entertainment and connectivity, the Internet lets Oyo and Tin look up recipes and read the news. “Ondrea loves it when we read stories to her, while Kiel, being more visual, prefers to watch TV to be educated,” Tin added. “It’s really all in the Internet.”
The Internet now strengthens family connections even beyond the home. Thanks to the country’s first data sharing feature by the newest PLDT HOME DSL broadband plan, the Sottos stay in touch even outside the house. It is now easy share the connection of their HOME DSL to their mobile phones — whether it’s to get updates on Kiel’s most recent commercial shoot, plan their next travel getaway or simply share different experiences to make those experiences more meaningful.
The PLDT HOME DSL Speedster Fam Plan 1299 offers speeds of up to 10 Mbps and a monthly data allocation of 50 GB. Families who upgrade their Speedster Plan with a Smart Mobile Plan 399 or Plan 600 can share 6 GB of the 50 GB monthly data allocation to their smart phones. They may get up to four Smart mobile phone lines bundled with their Speedster Fam Plan, all conveniently billed under one subscription.
“As we always say, Internet today is not just about high-speed connectivity” PLDT VP and Marketing Director Gary Dujali said. “It is about the Internet helping build strong connections among family members within and beyond the home. We are more than happy to hear that families like the Sottos make the most out of technology in nurturing their bonds to each other wherever they may be.
Powered by the PLDT Group’s robust and resilient fixed and wireless networks, the Speedster Fam Plan will also allow families to access and enjoy exclusive offers from PLDT HOME and Smart’s other digital lifestyle partners such as Zalora, foodpanda and Airbnb, whether at home or on mobile.
For more information, log on to pldthome.com.

HeART (Kalayaan sa Sining ) opening swarmed! Not only was the National Arts Month celebration well-organized, it was also well-attended by artists, collectors and art enthusiasts. Photo shows the crowd present at the opening ceremony. (First row, from left) Ethel Dimacuha, Lino Acasio, Rolly Dalupan, Noni Alipio, Joel Tabuena, Godfrey Torres, Kim Jisu, Mayor Benhur Abalos, Ral Arrogante, Maestro Orobia, Mary Rose Gisbert, Joyce Ann Maristela, Coneth Amido, and Daniel Libor (Second row) Emman Acasio, Abe Orobia, Rowel Vicencio, Judeo Herrera, Camille de la Rosa, Councilor Charisse Marie Abalos and Joey Cobcobo.

Like father, like son. If Maestro Rogelio Orobia, who founded Kapisanan ng mga Pintor ng Pilipinas in 1995, is like his son, Abe Orobia, who is both a visual artist and organizers of artists and art exhibits, so are Lino Acasio and his son Emman Acasio. Abe organized HeART (Kalayaan sa Sining) with Ral Arrogante held at the Atrium building of the Mandaluyong City Hall from Feb. 23 to 26,  
Lino exhibited his acrylic on canvas Maayang Umaga that emphasizes the love within the family by depicting simple life in the province in which every member of the family helps each other and loves one another.
Emman showed his diptych Long-Distance Relationship aka #LDR that reflected his situation when he was based in Singapore. Their styles reflect meticulous attentions for details and restrained use of colors that the father must have passed on to the son.

Amazing evenings at HRC. Hard Rock Café (HRC) closes the month of February with a series of great performances from the country’s top artists and show bands.
Singer Paula Bianca performs back-to-back with show band Part 3 on Feb. 27 (Saturday), while Part 3 is set to power the house on Feb. 28 (Sunday), and Kudos Loves 80s will have the ultimate throwback musical party on Feb. 29 (Monday).
Hard rockers can look forward to amazing evenings of beautiful music as these artists dish out live a sampling of today’s hottest chart-toppers, homegrown favorites, standard classics, and energy-packed party anthems.
HRC recently celebrated its 20th anniversary in the business and it continues it advocacy to provide Filipino music lovers an alternative entertainment venue that provides quality and topnotch entertainment from the country’s biggest and most respected bands and artists. All shows start at 9 p.m.

BIASED REPORT! “The sale of ¿A Do...Va la Nave? — P46.72 million or $995,731.05, including buyer’s premium and value added tax — is the highest for an artwork at a local auction, and a new Philippine auction record for Luna, Ramon E.S. Lerma, chief adviser at Salcedo Auctions, told Rappler via email on Tuesday, September 29, (2015),” reported Lynda Corpuz of Rappler.com in “Rare Juan Luna painting fetches record P46.72M at PH auction,” published Sept. 29, 2015, and updated Jan. 14, 2016.
An article clearly about Salcedo Auctions, the report declares the sale of ¿A Do...Va la Nave? as “the highest for an artwork at a local auction.” This is erroneous. In fact, it is only third in rank as Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s Fish Harvest at Dawn (1979) that sold for P52.6 million holds the distinction and Benedicto Cabrera’s Sabel (2003) for P46.7 million holds second rank. Both were sold at Leon Gallery, a local auction house. Prices also include add-ons.
Corpuz also states in the same report: “The painting shows a skiff bobbing along a turquoise sea. There are six elegantly garbed women sitting languidly on the boat, with the one perched highest, presumably Luna’s most favored model, Angela Duche, Salcedo Auctions wrote.”

‘SAVAGE: JUAN LUNA IN PARIS.’ Such loose reports are plugging Juan Luna. Howie Severino — in the I-Witness documentary shot in Paris, France, entitled “Savage: Juan Luna in Paris,” also entitled by Severino in the less controversial “Juan Luna in Paris” on GMA 7 on Feb. 28, 2016 — alluded that Duche is the same model in Luna’s My Girlfriend, the unidentified boseto (study) of a reclining Caucasian woman Portrait of a Lady and The Parisian Life, all at the National Museum of Fine Arts.
 Severino posted in his Facebook timeline: “The woman in Juan Luna’s The Parisian Life was based on his model Angela Duche. He spent a lot of time with her, while raging with jealousy about his suspicion that his wife Paz was having an affair.” (“Juan Luna Sa Paris.”)
As he stated in the documentary and repeated when asked on Facebook: “Kamukha niya, notebooks ni Juan Luna.”
Following is the thread of our chat:
EDGAR O. CRUZ: Howie, assumption ‘yan. Even the National Museum gave that the title Portrait of a Lady, not the Portrait of Angela Duche. Did you check the painting’s tag? It is even identified (in some reports) as supposedly Paz.
HOWIE SEVERINO: Definitely not Paz — we examined photos.
EOC: Then that’s an opinion, not necessarily fact. Alfredo Roces, another authority on Juan Luna, stated that Caucasian women look identical. He did not state Duche or even Paz. BTW, brave ang documentary mo, well-documented.
HS: But Juan Luna himself mentions Duche in his notebooks as his model in his paintings. Better source than Alfredo Roces. Pls. compare with Paz photos — it’s very clear they are not the same. Caucasian women do not all look alike. Besides, Paz was not purely Caucasian —  look at her mom Juliana, very Indio ang features.
EOC: Thanks for doing the documentary. Did Luna specifically write (Duche) was the model for My Girlfriend, Portrait of a Lady and The Parisian Life? Ang attribution mo vague. Please post images you were referring to here. I’m quoting Mr. Roces as an answer when I argued with him that Paz does not look entirely Caucasian. Also, you are basing your comparison on faded photos. How accurate?
HS: What’s Mr. Roces’ basis? The ladies in several of Luna’s most famous paintings had the same face. Paz photos are on the Internet. But you do not have to believe me. If you were not convinced by my documentary, so be it. We did our best.
EOC: Mr. Roces’ basis? His expert opinion!
EOC: Did Luna only have one model? Do you know that Paz’s parents are both pure Spanish? As a documentarian, you must be open to questions about your assumptions and conclusions. I praise you for doing that now, but it also requires open-mindedess to answer them.
HS: Haven’t I answered already? But if you’re still skeptical, that is your right and I cannot force you to see things my way. Even experts like Roces need evidence. That’s why I ask.
EOC: I’m seeking for the truth.
HS: Yes, Mr. Roces has the evidences in his book on Luna.
Which book? What evidence did he cite? Did he mention the Luna notebooks that contain the Duche references? I read the Roces book Rage, which is a fictionalized account of the Luna story.
EOC: I am sure Mr. Roces is a credible writer.
HS: I’m afraid even the experts are not sure of the truth when it comes to who that woman in The Parisian Life is. But I’m very sure Paz is not her. She does look like other women in Luna’s paintings like the reclining nude with a rosary. You can see that for yourself. Pls don’t take my word for it. Check the evidence yourself.
EOC: I have no idea of the notebooks that you are referring to, that is why I asked photos to be posted here.
HS: You are free to believe Roces. I respect him myself. But no one is right about everything.
EOC: Rage is a more truthful word than savage. Who editorialized?  Yes, Howie, you are right... including us.
HS: Savage is the word that Luna’s lawyer used. I’m not editorializing. That was Luna’s defense in court — that he is a savage so the normal legal and moral standards cannot apply. Sad, but that’s what happened. Look it up if you don’t believe me again. Or watch the docu again when it is replayed next Tuesday night.
EOC: Yes, the title of your documentary editorialized. You are aware of it. If not, why did you remove the word in your title in a Facebook post? The correct way to do it is to put savage in qoutation marks as in “savage” so you will not be doubted.
HS: If you think I editorialized, I can live with that. It’s a documentary that has a point of view. But I did not invent the word; it’s in court documents. If you disagree with my point of view or did not like the work, I can live with that, too. I will respect your opinion. Hope you respect mine.
EOC: So you admit you editorialized.
HS: So you didn’t mean what you said? Here’s what you said: “BTW, brave ang documentary mo, well-documented.”
EOC: I mean every word I used. Well-documented can mean the images used in the document, right? I’m impressed with the extent your team went through to document its POV. Something wrong with that?
HS: Thanks for the compliment and your honest point of view.
EOC: I do not compliment; I just state my real opinion. Expecting your next historical documentary.