I had my first pitch with my new team today. After wrapping up the pitch materials at 4:00 am, I had to fly off for a trip to Bacolod I had planned months ahead. I heard it went swimmingly so I'm elated - I feel like I'm floating on a Gondola! (Obvious inside joke) Still, I feel bad I wasn't there to see it for myself. So, this video is dedicated to my new partner and the big head of innovation, Corey Cruz. You know why this is for you ;) This was supposed to be a post about my new team but alas, I haven't had time to write that up. Or take funny photos of them. Soon. Soon.
Most people who come across my wee little blog are but passersby. They arrive here because of a specific Philippine related entry but may never come back a second-time around. I know the world won't stop because I did not post the past couple of months. So I didn't feel too awful exiting the blogosphere for a bit. Although, I feel that I do have a handful of loyal readers who might have missed me.
This entry is dedicated to you. Just wanted to say, HELLO! I'M ALIVE.
In fact, the past couple of months have been the busiest I've ever had. Aside from busting my butt at the day job, I have brand new blog underway. It is all set to launch but I cannot reveal too much, only that I've found an amazing bunch to jump start it with me.
Why, to the beautiful beaches of Siquijor of course!
To experience an All Souls Weekend dedicated to experiencing the occult- a weekend of ghost hunting and possible interactions with aswang locals, in one of the most mystical islands in the Philippines!
I was very enthusiastic about all of that until friends started warning me with their stories of "kulam". Kulamis actually a Tagalog noun which literally means bewitchment or hex. If you irk a powerful mangkukulam (voodoo witch lady), a spell as trivial as a persistent itch and as bad as vomiting cockroaches can be cast on you . Horror writer, Yvette Tan, said that Siquijor was a lovely place but she came back with two of her fingers seemingly having a life of their own. She couldn't type properly for days. That definitely made me think twice about about ghost hunting. Also, I might just skip the town tour and stay in my comfy resort.
I researched on how to steer clear of trouble in spooky provinces, but I couldn't find anything useful. So I guess I'll just rely on the advice of my friends.
I stumbled upon this video from my Twitter feed. It seems like a lot more people out there are clamoring for changes. Good to know the momentum is building. For the longest time, I've felt that there is something monumental on the way, a paving of the roads for a better and brighter Philippines. Team Manila said it in this shirt-- the first thing I ever bought from them.
Manila Renaissance Movement
There is a current running through particular individuals and certain groups. This electricity possesses them to ask questions like, "Why do a majority of Filipinos want to leave the country?", "Why can't we be the no. 1 tourist destination in Southeast Asia?" or "Why do we keep getting lame politicians to run our beautiful country?"
Recently, the big question for me is, "Why have our noontime shows looked the same since the 1980s?". After the whole Willie Janjan Macho Dancing Debacle, the real issue for me is not that they put a kid on to dance lewdly for money. It's the fact that it is tolerated and even enjoyed. This is the norm for our television viewing public.
I was disturbed to hear the opinions of my neighbor. She's a well-meaning housewife, who despite knowing the wrongness of the situation sided with Willie. She said, "He still gives the most money amongst all of them!". I wanted to say, "Yes po, he does. But that's not his money. Moreover, that show perpetuates the idea that you can get rich quick by sharing your sad story, making fun of your flaws, or worse sending your child to gyrate for laughs."
Where's our pride?
That's why I'm happy to see videos like the one from Meeting of the Minds Manila. It shows that the current is running wild in a lot of people. Fueled by their experiences and their desire to make a difference, they band together. And when they do, you can feel fireworks in the room. It reminds me of the Mabuhay Guides and how when we first got together, we were stunned to realize just how many of us wanted the same thing for the Philippines. This video gave me hope.
With that I also have to applaud efforts from individuals such as Monique Wilson who is calling all artists to support better programming in lieu of the Willing Willie debacle. I'm proud of influencers like Emily Abrera who retired an advertising legend but remains active on issues such as these.
Everywhere, I see pockets of hope--people coming together and finding common ground to spark a change. It's uplifting. People feel something amazing is on the way. They feel that way because they want it badly. They see the potential of the country and they're asking why it can't be.
Now it's time to ask yourself, "Do you feel it? Are you part of this?"
I visited Baguio last year with my good friend Foxy and other lomo friends to celebrate the LCA’s 25th birthday. I learned quite a bit about it. A historical rumor goes to explain how Baguio was built because the top ranking US official of the time was so annoyed by the country’s tropical climate, he wanted to move the capital elsewhere. Baguio, having an elevation of 1500 meters, became the prime target. That’s why Baguio is now known for being the summer capital of the Philippines.
The Americans had quite the grand plan for Baguio. They had it designed by the preeminent architect/city planner of the 20th century, Daniel Burnham. His famous works include Washington D.C., Chicago, and Manila. If you look around those capitals, you’ll find it laden with classical influences. Burnham took a lot of inspiration from Greek and Roman styles and wanted everything to be grand. Burnham envisioned the city with a healthy population of 25,000 people but as of 2010, Baguio residents are numbering 301,000 up. Maybe that’s why the nippy air has disappeared. Without the wonderful cold weather and the airiness, Baguio has become just like Metro Manila.
Still, if you look closely, you’ll find there’s still some magic to the mountain. Hidden in the congestion and overpopulation, are spots of fun. Like PNKY Café and Inn – a bed and breakfast with personality, Oh My Gulay Bar and Resto, and Bencab’s Museum. If all else fails, there’s always ghost hunting.
musa manila has been swirling around in my head for roughly two years now and I’ve always stopped myself from jumping right in. Excuses include: I need the perfect name. I need material. I need time to refine it. I wonder who will read it. I want it to be perfect. But now I feel the time is ripe. You see, approximately a month from now, I’m going to be a year older. It’s time to do something meaningful for myself.
This blog is about finding a muse in the land I live in and the culture that’s thriving on it. I want to find inspiration in the blood that flows through me because I love being a Filipino. I want to discover how to be more Filipino every single day. musa manila is a chronicle of the journey.
This blog is like the Filipino dessert that mixes together unrelated ingredients such as ice, beans, gelatin, purple yam, and cream into something fun. Here’s a yummy serving of my own halo-halo musings on art, advertising, history, fashion, photography and inspiration.
