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3 Top Newsmakers by momar G. Visaya

10 The sweeT smell of success: mally roNcal’s filipiNo-iNspired beauTy sTaTemeNT

14 Jerry sibal: eleVaTiNG The arT of eVeNT desiGNiNG by momar G. Visaya

18 babaylaNs iN america: rediscoVeriNG our iNdiGeNous rooTs aNd TradiTioNs by malou liwaNaG-bledsoe

22 Gawad kaliNGa fouNder ToNy p. meloTo: iNsTilliNG hope, buildiNG dreams for filipiNos

26 liViNG la Vie boheme: Two filipiNos shiNe iN ‘reNT’ reruN by momar G. Visaya

30 ruNway-ready look? Jay Nicolas sario shows Them how iN ‘proJecT ruNway’ by momar G. Visaya

34 Jr celski: coNqueriNG The odds To fulfill his olympic dream by momar G. Visaya

37 Gel saNTos relos: embraciNG life as a filipiNo-americaN by dymphNa calica-la puTT

41 chef romy doroTaN: shares his passioN for food by momar G. Visaya

44 a fresh spriNG breeze: lea saloNGa reTurNs To New york for a series of shows aT The café carlyle by momar G. Visaya

47 The music of her hearT: world-class piaNisT cecile licad performs for a Good cause by momar G. Visaya

52 loida flores Viriña: 50 years of lauGhTer aNd Tears

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Top Newsmakers by MoMar G. Visaya / aJPress

Kevin NadalBobby Lopez

Rafe Totengco

Jaygee Macapugay

Reynaldo “Ronnie” Alejandro

Cristeta Pasia Comerford

Efren Peñaflorida, Jr.

Stephanie Reese Charice

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delicious creations,” Mrs. Bush said.Cristeta Comerford is the first female, first

Filipina and first executive chef of ethnic minority to be in charge of feeding the first family. She not only plans and prepares the food for the First Family and the never-ending guests at the White House; she also creates menus for state dinners, holiday functions, receptions and official luncheons hosted by the President and the First Lady.

“Being a Pinoy at the White House, Filipino values and traits are innate in me. My faith and belief is an integral part of who I am now. It’s always there, always a part of me. Even if I

prepare a French classical cuisine, it is Filipino because I am a Filipino,” said Cristeta.

And in the New Year, the world will witness Comerford take on a new exciting challenge. She joins forces with Chef Bobby Flay to battle against popular chefs Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali in a two-hour special episode of Iron Chef America on January 3, 2010 titled Super Chefs Battle.

Considering her record of amazing feats, it would be no surprise indeed if Cris comes out a winner—again!

Rafe TotengcoNew York-based fashion accessories designer

Rafael Felix (Rafe) Totengco’s foray into the fashion world began way early in his life. His

WE began publishing LifEASTyle Magazine last July to celebrate the life and style of Filipinos in the East Coast, particularly New York and New Jersey. The journey though doesn’t just stop in Manhattan, Queens or even the Jersey Shore since our reportage knows no boundaries.

As we say goodbye to 2009, we can’t help but be grateful for God’s grace and faithfulness in this interesting and memorable year. Several misfortunes challenged the world like the recession and the swine/H1N1 flu. And some tragedies again tested the Filipinos’ resiliency (i.e. Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, the Maguindanao massacre). The Queen of England described 2009 as a year best forgotten, many say that maybe she had a point.

But there are some who have had a banner year in 2009, many of them Filipinos.

Indeed, there were many of our kababayans who prominently hogged the limelight in the world stage, earning them worldwide recognition and bringing honor to our country. Some of them are among the movers and shakers who made it to the cover of Asian Journal’s LifEASTyle Magazine.

Here, we present 9 newsmakers for 2009.

White House Executive Chef Cristeta Pasia Comerford

At the start of 2009, there were many talks about who the Obamas would pick as the new administration’s head chef. There were many names of candidates being presented as the choice of the First Couple. But on January 9, 2009, Obama’s transition team announced that Filipina Cristeta Comerford would be retained as the administration’s head chef.

”Cristeta Comerford brings such incredible talent to the White House operation and came very highly regarded from the Bush family,” Michelle Obama said in a statement released by the transition team. “Also the mom of a young daughter, I appreciate our shared perspective on the importance of healthy eating and healthy families.”

What an achievement—to be chosen by the President of the United States of America for a key post within the White House. Former First Lady Laura Bush, who highly recommended Cristeta, said she was delighted that Ms. Comerford had accepted the job. “Her passion for cooking can be tasted in every bite of her

interest in fashion began when he was still in grade school in Bacolod City when he began sketching and illustrating.

He ran Schizo, a clothing business in Manila until he was 21. In 1989, he moved to New York to pursue a career in fashion design. He enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and gained experience working as a design assistant.

In 1994, a Soho boutique asked him to produce a collection of belts and watch- bands. When they sold out instantly, the boutique requested for Rafe to design a grouping of handbags to sell alongside the small leather goods. One year later, the first collection of Rafe

handbags debuted.It has been an arduous trek to the

top from then.The Rafe brand has grown to

include women’s handbags, shoes and small leather goods. Known for its balance of fashion and function, Rafe blends uptown sophistication with downtown edge, while remaining classic enough to be worn for many seasons to come.

Over the years, Rafe Totengco has become one of the most acclaimed among the new generation of American designers, garnering awards and nominations from the Accessories Council, The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Fashion Group International and other award-giving bodies in the fashion industry.

Kevin NadalWhen one is described as a

professor of psychology and a historian, the image that comes to mind is a serious, no-nonsense guy. Yet, Professor Kevin Nadal does not fit that description. In fact, he is also a stand-up comedian. Truly, Kevin Nadal is unique.

He describes himself as a one-man show.

A professor, psychologist, performer, activist, and author,

Nadal received his doctorate in counseling psychology from Columbia University in 2008. As an assistant professor of mental health counseling and psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice- City University of New York, he has published several works focusing on Filipino-American, ethnic minority, and LGBTQ issues in the fields of psychology and education. He has been involved in the Pilipino American, Asian Pacific American, and ethnic minority communities for as long as he can remember.

A California-bred New Yorker, Kevin is also a stand-up comedian and spoken word artist who has performed across the United States since 2000. He was named one of

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People Magazine’s hottest bachelors in 2006 and has been featured in many TV shows and news magazines.

Nadal launched his first book, Filipino-American Psychology: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice in 2009.

Robert Lopez/Avenue QThe Tony-award winning Avenue Q may

have ended its six-year run on Broadway last September, but there’s still a lot in store for Robert Lopez, co-creator of this critically-acclaimed musical.

Apart from Avenue Q ’s tour and ongoing shows in London, theater-goers will have new plays to see such as the musical adaptation of the Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo now playing at Walt Disney World, which Bobby and his wife Kristen, a lyricist co-wrote, and a new play Bobby is co-writing with South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

Not a lot of people know that Bobby is part-Filipino. “My grandmother, who’s half-Filipino and half-Scottish was on board the last ship of G.I.s that docked in Seattle from the Philippines. She was pregnant with my father, at that time, and actually, gave birth to him en route! “ “And so I was always interested in finding out more about the Philippines, reading a lot about it in Encyclopedia Americana when I was little, although I have never sailed out to go. I’m not a globe trotter or anything, I think most of my family’s past generations have journeyed enough for me. Plus, we don’t have a nanny!” (Bobby and Kristen have a daughter Katie.)

“Such a shame though because I had wanted to see Avenue Q when it was produced in Manila in 2007! I didn’t find out

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about it until it was in the process and I was really anxious about letting them know I was part Filipino. I did meet with the director, Bobby Garcia, though, when he was in New York and I really liked what he did with it. “ Bobby (Lopez) also sent a letter in the Manila production’s program journal as a message to the audiences.

“There aren’t too many people with my exact heritage. So in terms of culture and tradition, I can’t say,’ Yes that’s exactly what it’s like!’ Maybe I can relate to people like President Obama who were born of different cultures and backgrounds...”

Ronnie AlejandroReynaldo “Ronnie” Alejandro, author

of numerous coffee table books on the Philippines joined our Creator peacefully last August after battling cancer. He was 67.

Ronnie arrived in New York in 1969 and lived here for four decades. It is in the city where he morphed from a dancer to a librarian, from a choreographer to a gourmet chef to a cultural writer.

With his prolific work in very different fields, Ronnie was featured by both the dance and food critics of the New York Times.

“He was very prodigious. He had a full-time job at the New York Public Library but he still found time to work on his other passions. He must hold the record of having the most number of coffee-table books, with

A portrait of the late Ronnie Alejandro

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40 titles focusing on a variety of topics from dance to food to design to stamps,” Loida Lewis said during Ronnie’s memorial.

He has chronicled extensively an interesting array of Philippine history and tradition—from dance to music to art and fashion, travel and food. Before he died, Ronnie was in a hurry to finish his book on the 60s, among many other projects he had lined up.

Among the titles he authored were Selyo, Pasig: River of Life, Flowers of Baguio, Laguna de Bay: The Living Lake, The Adobo Book: Traditional and Jazzed Up Recipes, Sayaw Silangan-The Dance of the Philippines, Philippine Dance, Philippine Cookbook, The Flavor of Asia, Restaurant Design, and Classic Menu Design, along with two books about Filipinos in New York: Pinoyork and Pinoy Guide to the Big Apple.

Jaygee MacapugayFilipina-American theater actress Jaygee

Macapugay took on the role of a lifetime, that of the former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, in the New York premier of Imelda, A New Musical last October.

“I am feeling really excited. This is an extremely challenging role because the character is equally loved and hated. We have been rehearsing for the past weeks and working hard to come up with a great show,” Jaygee told the Asian Journal a week before the opening of the musical.

Set against the backdrop of modern Filipino history, the musical traces the rise

of a beauty pageant contestant to become First Lady of the Philippines. It is a story of a powerful and controversial figure and her fall from grace, with a parallel story line that follows the political dissent and assassination of Ninoy Aquino, and the rise of his wife, Corazon Aquino.

“This is the first Filipino musical that I have ever been a part of and I am just so glad to be a part of it. This is an all-Filipino cast and it is very important for us that we are playing Filipino roles this time around,” Jaygee explained.

Born in Chicago, IL to Filipino parents who are both Malolos, Bulacan natives, Jaygee had what she considers a life-changing experience in the Philippines when she visited last year.

It was her fourth visit, but the first time with friends and not her family. She told us that she had a show in Cambodia, so she decided to squeeze in a trip to Manila before flying back to New York.

“I know what it’s like to grow up as a Filipino-American, but I realized how little I knew about it. It was for me a short vacation where I got to know my relatives as an adult,” she related.

Efren Peñaflorida, Jr.The CNN’s 2009 Hero of the Year is

Efren Geronimo Penaflorida, Jr., the founder of Dynamic Teen Company in Cavite—an organization that is aimed towards educating impoverished kids through a pushcart

classroom. Thus far, 1,500 kids have been given a chance at a good future through Dynamic Teen’s 10,000 strong volunteers.

He summed up the spirit of volunteerism and change with this message to the world, “I always tell my volunteers that you are the change that you dream and I am the change that I dream. And collectively we are the change that this world needs to be.”

For the past 12 years, Peñaflorida and his team of teen volunteers have taught basic reading and writing to children living on the streets. Their main tool: A pushcart classroom. Stocked with books, pens, tables and chairs, his Dynamic Teen Company recreates a school setting in unconventional locations such as the cemetery and municipal trash dump. Today, children ranging from ages 2 to 14 flock to the pushcart every Saturday to learn reading, writing, arithmetic and English from Peñaflorida and his trained teen volunteers.

Through his group, Peñaflorida has successfully mentored former gang members, addicts and dropouts, seeing potential where others see problems. In December 2008, someone from CNN got wind of Efren and his group’s efforts and got in touch with them, suggesting that they submit Efren’s story for CNN Hero of the Year. And in November of this year, Efren was proclaimed the winner.

Efren considers it a great honor to be regarded as a modern-day hero but believes that no one is too ordinary to be heroes. “We should all start the change from within,” he says. “All of us, we should

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open our minds and hearts to accommodate to the needs of the less fortunate and release the hero within. We are all capable of contributing to our community and to our country.”

ChariceShe has been referred to by Oprah Winfrey

as “the most talented girl in the world.” “She’s going to be the next superstar,” David Foster said as Charice performed during a private party he had with his friends last week.

Truly, ever since 2007, when a YouTube video made Charice an internet phenomenon, everything that happened to her has been nothing but remarkable. She was invited to do a recording for a music publishing company in Stockholm, Sweden, and to guest in the South Korean talent show “Star King.” Soon after, Charice was invited to guest in The Ellen Degeneres Show, The Paul O’Grady Show in London, England, and in The Oprah Winfrey Show. Through the recommendation of Oprah, music producer David Foster took Charice under his wing. Charice has performed onstage with top international stars like Celine Dion, Josh Groban, David Foster, Alicia Keys and Andrea Bocelli.

2009 saw Charice become an established international sensation. She performed at two presidential pre-inaugural events

in Washington, D.C. This fall, she went on a successful 10-city concert tour with David Foster and Friends. She is part of the Chipmunks’ latest flick Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, and wowed Los Angeles as the special guest in the Christmas concerto, Handog ng FASO sa Pasko.

With her brilliant voice, Charice has affirmed that Filipino singers are some of the best in the world. With her international debut album slated for release in January 2010, Charice can look forward to another brilliant year in 2010.

Stephanie ReeseLast November, Stephanie Reese embarked

on an undertaking she has always dreamt of doing, and became the first Filipino-American singer to perform at the Carnegie Hall. It is the same venue where Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez and Broadway star Lea Salonga wowed both American and Filipino audience in 1991 and 2005, respectively.

When she Reese visited the Philippines to do volunteer work for Gawad Kalinga a couple of years ago, little did she know that she’d be creating a name for herself in her mother’s home country.

She was already known outside Manila, at least in the theater circuit as she has tackled

the roles in Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, The King and I, and of course, as Kim in Miss Saigon.

Before she knew it, she was performing before audiences who were clamoring for encore numbers and who awarded her with much-deserved standing ovations. For her, there was no turning back.

It was not the first time that Stephanie performed at the famous concert hall. When she was younger, her choir participated in a show at the Carnegie Hall. This time however, the stage was hers alone.

“I was a small girl singing in a choir when I first performed at the Carnegie [Hall]. To be able to star in my own show on the very same stage has been my childhood dream,” she recalls.

What made the show more special was the fact that through the show, Stephanie generated funds which will be donated to Gawad Kalinga to build an entire for the poor in the Philippines.

Like these newsmakers of 2009 who all look forward to a brighter New Year, let’s join them and greet 2010 with very high hopes. Have a blessed and prosperous New Year!

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEASTyle January 1, 2010.

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POWER PEOPLE

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The sweet smell of success

Filipino-inspired beauty statementMally Roncal’s

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Everyone knows that showbusiness is an exciting business. With all the glitz and glamour that come with the biz, people can’t help but be in awe of the stunning celebrities they see on film, on TV and on magazines. But behind every beautiful celebrity lies a masterful celebrity make-up artist. One such artist is Filipino-American Mally Roncal.

Mally grew up in upstate New York where her parents instilled in her the philosophy that “the things that make us different are the qualities that make us beautiful.” This same statement has guided Mally on her road to success.

As a young girl, Mally has always been interested in color and make-up, experimenting with her mother, who happens to be an incredible beauty herself. With her parents both being doctors, initially Mally was determined to follow in her parents’ footsteps. Still, she never abandoned her inner passion for art, makeup and fashion. Fortunately, with encouragement and inspiration from mentors (including fashion stylist team Mathu and Zaldy, and celebrity hair stylist Danilo, whom she met while designing for Kalinka), Mally decided to let her pre-med education take a backseat and instead pursue her ultimate dream: to explore the power of make-up.

And it seems Mally did make the right move.

Mally quickly moved to the top of the “it” list of “who’s who” in the beauty industry, quickly becoming one of the industry’s most sought-after talent. With her passion for art, color, and design, along with her charm, infectious enthusiasm and bubbly personality, it is no surprise that some of the world’s top celebrities turn to her to prepare for their most important career moments. In addition to that, Mally has also been featured on several top-rating TV shows like Oprah, The Today Show,

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Isaac, The View, and many more. Her long list of clientele includes Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Hayden Penettierre, Rihanna, Teri Hatcher, Celine Dion and supermodel Petra Nemcova (who was an image model for the Kamiseta fashion line back in the Philippines).

Some of the best-selling magazines also has Mally on top of their lists for their pictorials for her flawless make-up technique, incredible beauty tips and witty copy. According to her long-time agent Jim Indorato, “Mally has a unique relationship with everyone she touches. She gives them the support and love to believe in themselves, which ultimately effects how they look and feel.”

Mally is truly an artist as she has the ability to create a diverse range of looks from natural

and elegant, to colorful and ultra-glamorous. Her beauty philosophy emphasizes healthy, breathable skin that looks flawless and dewy, which is what most Hollywood stars aim for. According to Mally, “Make-up is simply the accessory that allows someone’s true nature and beauty to outwardly manifest itself.”

Recently, Mally introduced the Mally Beauty make-up collection, where she takes her message—‚and her make-up—to women everywhere. Among the bestsellers are the Perfect Palette Total Face Kit, Discovery Kit, Paint the Town Ultimate Brush Kit, and the City Chick Nude Lip Kit, among others.

To complete the whole package, Mally has also launched her newest product: a signature fragrance of a modern floral citrus theme with a captivating tropical twist. Core to the

fragrance is the sampaguita flower, the national flower of the Philippines as captured in nature by Givaudan’s Scent-trek technology. The sampaguita flower, has been scientifically and artfully reconstructed in its natural expression without damage to this delicate flora resource. This multilayered fragrance is said to wrap you in the love, happiness and hopeful energy that powers Mally’s open, warm philosophy and life. One spray and the scent will lift your spirits… the Mally way!

For more information on Mally and her products, please visit http://www.mallybeauty.com or contact The Brooks Group at (212) 768-0860.

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEASTyle January 8, 2010.

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MALLY’S fresh approach and confidence to create new looks for her clients, which run the gamut from soft and natural to dramatic and ultra-glamorous, continues to set her apart in the beauty industry. Her natural gift for making clients look and feel beautiful has landed her an impressive list of celebrity clientele including musical artists, actresses, runway models, fashion designers, and more. Here are some of Mally’s most devoted clients:

Music • Alicia Keys • Ashlee Simpson-Wentz • Beyonce • Celine Dion • Janet Jackson • Jessica Simpson • Jill Scott • Kelis • Lee Ann Womack • Lil’ Kim • Mary J. Blige • Pink • Rihanna • Taylor Swift • Thalia

Film

• Amanda Bynes• Angelina Jolie• Anna Paquin• Brittany Snow • Carmen Electra• Gretchen Mol• Jamie Lee Curtis• Jennifer Coolidge• Keri Russell• Maggie Gyllenhaal• Rosalyn Sanchez • Rosario Dawson

TV • Allison Janney• Calista Flockhart• Jane Krakowski• Kelly Osbourne• Linda Cardellini• Lisa Kudrow• Mariska Hargitay• Molly Shannon• Teri Hatcher• Zooey Deschanel

Fashion

• Claudia Schiffer • Heidi Klum• Iman• Kimora Lee Simmons• Paulina Porizkova• Shalom Harlow

Designer shows

• Tracy Reese• Isaac Mizrahi• Betsey Johnson• Marc Bouwer• Badgley Mischka

Miscellaneous

• Dylan Lauren• Jessica Seinfeld

Mally Roncal’s Celebrity Clientele

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by MoMar G. Visaya / aJPress

EvEnt DEsign as an artJErry sibal

Elevating the Art of Event Designing

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IT TAKES sheer talent to transform ordinary get-togethers into something spectacular and worth remembering. It takes luck to make it big in an industry where the weak gets trampled on. Fortunately for Jerry Sibal, he has both... and more.

“I arrived in this country with only $300 and a suitcase full of faith,” Jerry said in his speech, during the US launch of his book at the world-famous Cipriani’s Wall Street last November, as hundreds of his friends and clients gathered to celebrate the momentous event with him.

Armed with the talent he had and the hard work and discipline instilled in him by his parents Jose and Valentina, Sibal conquered the odds and created his own personal journey to success. How he came to the United States as a Filipino immigrant to become one of today’s top event designers in America is no mean feat.

Jerry works really hard in every event that they stage. He gets a kick out of getting those creative juices flowing, getting input from his clients on what they want and executing them with such élan.

“I tell the clients that sometimes, less is more. I’m here to create not only your vision, but also to balance things for you,” he says. Those who have had a glimpse of his work, however, may note that the artist is entirely too humble, for indeed, Sibal’s creations bear the mark of true originality and artistry.

Jerry’s events offer a cornucopia of arresting images and installations that transport guests into a different, more beautiful universe. Just last month, he led the relaunch of the redesigned Trianon and Mercury Ballrooms of Hilton New York, with a look inspired by a retro 1960s pop art design concept with a modern twist.

Right before the In Vogue grand event, Jerry sat down with us for a chat. He tells us that among all the work he has done for various companies and individuals, he is particularly proud of the time he created settings for 22 casinos, covering a number of cities in America.

He is also pleased with the work he did for Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic in Chicago. “What I like about him is his simplicity. He is so down to earth, simple and humble,” Jerry says.

Jerry professes gratitude for the rare opportunity given to him by the international book publishing company Stewart, Tabori & Chang, a division of Harry Abrams, Inc. of New York to create an inspirational high-end coffee table book containing 200 colored photographs of his works in prominent venues and events.

“I am not an author, though. I’d rather design,” Jerry says between laughs.

In his sought-after book, the New York-based events designer reveals how he fills any space with the most unique special touches, the most spectacular flowers and the most creative designs.

An Event to Remember: Creating Spectacular Special

Occasions presents a portfolio of some of Sibal’s finest and most visionary work—with dramatic and remarkable photographs that will make you wish you’d been there. Throughout the interview, Sibal reveals how he coordinates architecture, lighting and audiovisual systems, interior decor, tabletop arrangements, and his trademark floral extravaganzas to create such gloriously spellbinding environments.

Flipping through the pages of the book, one sees unforgettable celebrations of every description imaginable.

“This book is my legacy… a result of God’s blessings, combined with my hard work. I’m thankful to everyone who supported me,” Sibal says. The fruit of his labor was first presented in his hometown of Manila last September 15 at the Makati Shangri-La, then New York last October 19.

Born in 1958 in Manila, Philippines to Filipino and Chinese parents, Sibal earned his degree in architecture in 1980 before embarking on a career that has seen him teaching Chinese painting and Chinese and Philippine folk dance in the Philippines, traveling overseas as a government-appointed Goodwill Ambassador.

He eventually moved to New York and worked for Oprah Winfrey’s favorite designer, renowned floral designer Preston Bailey. In 1996, Sibal opened his own firm, Design Fusion, with business and lifetime partner Edwin Josue, a

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successful real estate agent. They started by doing friends’ events, and walking from one hotel to the next, presenting and introducing themselves.

Design Fusion has since created event concepts nationwide for clients including Hilton, Bank of New York, the Marriott Marquis, and the Museum of Modern Art. Jerry Sibal is known in New York, as a preferred partner for Chelsea Piers, Cipriani and the Hilton hotels, with more and more partnerships brewing.

“I think it is a great opportunity to work in this field because we get to meet a lot of new people. I really feel blessed. I love to create and sometimes money is not even an issue,” he says.

Sibal’s background in architecture and interior design and his interest in traditional Chinese painting are reflected in his typically clean and contemporary style, which often incorporates large, artful floral arrangements. For a 2008 corporate event at the Millennium Broadway Hotel, Sibal created an indoor version of Central Park, complete with arbors, lampposts, and benches.

Sibal says he started quite small, with only $8,000 as starting capital—“good for three months’ rent!” he laughs. He had to “knock on doors and sometimes get treated badly, but that’s

okay,” he shares. The good thing about being in New York, he says, is that if you have talent and determination, you can go places.”

And go places, Jerry surely did.Jerry has brought unparalleled skill and

vision to many events in venues from all over and outside the country such as New York City’s Metropolitan Museum, Miami Beach’s Setai Hotel, Atlantic City’s Borgata Casino and Doria Phampelij Museum in Rome to outdoor settings such as the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and a California hillside with breathtaking Pacific Ocean views. He has also impressed clients such as Virgin Atlantic, Citigroup, Smith Barney, The New York Bank of Mellon, New York Yankees, Marriott Marquis Hotel and countless individuals and celebrities, including Celine Dion.

No huge budget for an event? Jerry offers some tips, explaining that one does not need to spend an arm and a leg for an event to be breathtaking and spellbinding at the same time.

“It is important is to keep it very simple. Look around the house, be creative and use things that are in your storage or attic. Don’t be afraid to be judged. The most important thing is that you enjoy the process,” he says.

Jerry considers each of his projects—whether

it is a private birthday party or holiday dinner, a lavish wedding or bar/bat mitzvah, a corporate retreat or charity ball—as a distinctive work of art.

Design Fusion has served scores of corporate, cultural and private clients, producing startlingly original settings and floral arrangement that have won Sibal praise as a “non-pareil designer of environmental settings” from such media voices in the United States and overseas as Inside Weddings, Daily Candy and Martha Stewart Radio.

He is recognized as a design expert by art critics and institutions like Macy’s and Architectural Digest. Sibal has handled prestigious events attended by personalities like President Bill Clinton, Bono and Mario Batali, while encompassing venues in the US, Asia and Europe.

“New York City has been so good to me and Edwin so we both have been giving back,” Jerry states, counting the American Cancer Society and the New York Food Bank as some of their favorite charitable organizations.

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEASTyle January 15, 2010.

Photos courtesy of Lui Garing of Design Fusion

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BABAYLANS IN AMERICARediscovering our indigenous roots and traditions

Carrying the legacy of Filipino indigenous knowledgeThe Center for Babaylan Studies hosts the 1st International Babaylan Conference in April

by Malou liwanaG-aGuilar / aJPress

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Many of us here in the United States may not have heard the term, babaylan, and even if we did, we wouldn’t know what it means. The Center for Babaylan Studies (CFBS) was organized in order to work with others, dedicated to the path of the Babaylan. Headed by its Project Director Leny Strobel, who is an Associate Professor in American Multicultural Studies at Sonoma State University, the center was created after more than five years of research and discovery to continue the exploration and illumination of Babaylan indigenous wisdom and spirit toward the empowerment and healing of individuals and communities. Strobel also sees the center as a container for future collaborative projects, research and discussions that could bring the Babaylan tradition out of the rubble of the colonial lahar it is buried in.

According to artist and teacher Carlos Villa, “Babaylan is a Filipino word that refers specifically to an individual or a group of healers, mostly women, who were acknowledged by friends and family as possessing extraordinary gifts. These may be having a gift of vision, an ability to see through schemes or situations, the gift for healing—a specific touch or intuited or passed-on knowledge to specific processes of “fixing” and “putting” people and things together. The first priority of all Babaylan [is] her community.”

In the Philippines, the Babaylan is identified by her community, recognizing her as someone who has the ability to mediate with the spirit world, has her own spirit guides and is given gifts of healing, foretelling and insight. She may also have knowledge of healing therapies such as hilot and/or arbularyo. She is a ritualist, a chanter and/or diviner. They may be called by other names by the languages of indigenous communities—Mombaki, Dawac, Balyan or Balian, Catalonan, Ma-Aram. However, modern Filipinos may remember the arbularyos or hilots who may also have the gift of traveling to the spirit world or non-ordinary states of reality in order to mediate with the spirits.

Sadly, these traditions and beliefs that existed amongst our ancestors were lost due to western colonization. Our colonizers came and made us think that our native ways were inferior to theirs. Under colonial rule and with Christrianization, the Babaylan tradition was suppressed and silenced, derided and demonized. Babaylans were branded as witches, condemning their teachings as pagan and satanistic. Because of this, most Filipinos began to look down on their indigenous culture, losing their identities as natives and strived more to be westernized like their colonizers.

Today, we carry fragments of these traditions in our cultural memory. The CFBS believes that we need to first believe that those memories are important and must not be trivialize or dismissed. In the United States, the organizers of CFBS believes that we can empower ourselves and our

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Photos courtesy of www.babaylan.net andand http://babaylanfiles.blogspot.com

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communities by learning about the Babaylan traditions. Deepening our connection with our Filipino roots can help us make choices that someday can benefit us and our communities.

Babaylan Conference/ Gathering 2010

In 2008, Strobel and a number of Filipino-Americans went to the Philippines to attend the Kapwa 2 Conference in Iloilo. They were introduced to babaylans, chanters, ritualists and scholars, which made a lasting impact on them.

Pursuing the vision to reconnect with the spirit of the Babaylan traditions, the CFBS will host the 1st International Babaylan Conference in April 2010 at Sonoma State University. This gathering of healers, artists, scholars, activists, performers and other culture-bearers will share Babaylan-inspired work through ritual, ceremony, dance, poetry, film, academic panels, conversations and workshops.

With the theme, “Filipino Knowledge Indigenous Systems and Practices: Their Relevance in an Age of Globalization,” the conference will present the work of artist/scholar Grace Nono, who spent the last fifteen years as an apprentice to primary babaylans who taught her sacred and oral chants and narratives; Katrin de Guia, founder of Heritage and Arts Academies of the Philippines and Virgil Apostol, a recognized healer in the Ilocano Ablon tradition.

Virgil ApostolKatrin de Guia

Strobel believes that the Babaylan conference is timely and relevant. “There is a growing realization in mainstream society,” Strobel explains, “that indigenous knowledge and practices carry the ancient wisdom that enabled people to survive the genocide and holocausts brought by modern civilizations.” Stories of healing by an arbularyo, hilot, mombaki, bailan/beliyan/babaylan, catalonan, dawac or ma-aram run strong in the Filipino and Fil-Am families and communities. Many women passed down knowledge of healing herbs and massage techniques, while others

were respected for their ability to speak with spirits. These women, and sometimes men, provided advice and healing for the community.

For more information about the Babaylan and conference, please log on to www.babaylan.net or contact and contact@babaylan.net.

*Special thanks to Ms. Leny Strobel of the Center for Babaylan Studies and Lorial Crowder for their assistance.

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEASTyle January 1, 2010.

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G AWA D K A L I N G A F O U N D E R

Tony P. MelotoInstilling hope, building dreams for Filipinos

Nurturing the needy

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Tony Meloto at his book signing for Builder of Dreams. Photos by Andy Tecson

Tony Meloto is a dreamer. He dreams that the Philippines will rise out of poverty and become a first world nation by 2024. He dreams that the day will come when no Filipino will be a squatter in his own homeland; when OFWs will no longer have to work abroad and be separated from his family; when our nation becomes one of the richest countries in Asia, if not the world.

There are many dreamers like Tony. The big difference is that when Tony Meloto dreams, many take notice, and listen. And many dare to believe.

Who is Tony Meloto? Born to humble beginnings in Bacolod,Philippines, Tony Meloto studied in Ateneo de Manila on a scholarship program and graduated to lead a successful business career. He had a life-transforming spiritual encounter with God in 1985, and gave more of his life to a Catholic organization, Couples for Christ. As one of its leaders, Tony was heavily involved in the Couples for Christ’ outreach program in Bagong Silang, a huge relocation site for “squatters” in Metro Manila. It was there that God opened Tony’s eyes and gave him a vision; a life purpose.

The squatters living in Bagong Silang desperately needed the basic necessities of life, both physical and spiritual. Tony saw the need to not only get them out of poverty, but to uplift their spirits, remove their “slum mentality,” and instill new hope. But one man can’t do it alone. Thus, Gawad Kalinga was born; wherein new homes will be built for and by the poor with the help of sponsors. The homes will form a Gawad Kalinga (GK) village, where families will be taught right Christian values and skills to form a new livelihood. Children are given proper education and GK volunteers provide counseling and guidance.

Tony Meloto formulated the guidelines that governed each Gawad Kalinga project. He shared his vision with friends who embraced the project. GK, launched in 2003, thus built one new home at a time for the poorest of families. Being given a new home, the beneficiaries have been instilled with a renewed sense of worth and responsibility, because although they were not made to pay for their new and sturdy homes, they would need to help out in making new homes for other needy families, side-by-side with the volunteers of Gawad Kalinga. Thus began one of the greatest examples of a good act propagating efforts to do even more good acts for others. Crime rate went down in the communities and slowly, the poor started to rise out of their impoverished lifestyles and mentality.

As Gawad Kalinga started building homes and communities, God moved in the hearts of thousands of individuals and companies

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to give their donations and support. People from around the world adopted villages and volunteered their time and energy to the communities. GK became a model template to the world as one of the solutions to help the poor.

One recent proof of this happened less than two months ago when Tony Meloto was invited as one of the speakers in the APEC CEO Summit 2009 in Singapore, attended by more than 800 of the world’s top business leaders headed by US President Obama. In the summit, GK was showcased as the global model of social development consistent with the UN Millennium Development Goals that seeks to reduce poverty by half by 2015. Tony shared that since its launching more than 6 years ago, GK has transformed over 1700 poverty ridden and crime-laden communities throughout the Philippines. Emerging as the Asian model for community development and poverty alleviation, GK has provided successful program templates that have been replicated in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Cambodia.

The phenomenal success of Gawad Kalinga has inspired Tony to write a book, Builder of Dreams, which he launched in Manila last September and in LA during Thanksgiving week-end. Meloto said the book captures the dreams of every Filipino. “It embodies the hope of Filipinos who dreamt of better times after 400 years as second class citizens. We are emerging the Filipino spirit. It will unleash our greatness. There are growing armies of Filipinos who vow to bring the dream together. The American dreams have prospered in the US. The best and most progressive Filipinos in the US are building their Filipino dreams, through Gawad Kalinga,” Meloto said.

GK’s goal is to create a GK template in every town and to replicate this in every barangay with the support of local government units (LGU). Right now, there are more than 360 LGUs in the Philippines that have adapted the GK template. Tony shared,

“In our engagements with over 360 LGUs, I have always challenged the top local executive to become “the best mayor” his town ever had. Most of them have responded enthusiastically and we are seeing more and more of them becoming agents of change and builders of hope in their municipality. The ultimate target is to reach 5 million families by sustaining the effort until 2024, or 21 years after we launched GK in 2003 as a global patriotic movement to bring the Philippines out of poverty and our people out of shame.”

When asked about the key to his success in promoting the GK program, Tony humbly said he is just a good talker and storyteller.

When he shares his dreams and visions for the future, people listen and are moved to action. In this first week of the new year, as people are listing down new resolutions, it would be a good time to “listen” to Tony Meloto and dream with him. Here below are excerpts from his 2008 speech during the San Beda Law School Commencement Speech, titled “Justice For All.”

“The Philippines has become a country of squatters due to a fundamental flaw in our character: our concept of private ownership is not anchored on social justice but on plain and simple selfishness and greed. Due to our loss of integrity, our history is playing out like a Greek tragedy. We are smart, we know what is wrong with us, yet we can’t seem to use our genius to lift ourselves out of our collective misery and shame. Humor, sarcasm, and cynicism- lately, through text messaging- have become our common outlet for personal and societal frustration and helplessness.”

“Many of us who live comfortably in our gated communities even have the unchristian insensitivity in this religious country to blame the poor for being poor- “kasi tanga, dahil tamad” (because they are dumb and lazy)- to cover-up for our accountability, our failure to practice authentic Christian stewardship, and our neglect of social justice. After keeping majority of our people landless and homeless in the countryside, we blame them for squatting in the urban areas in order to survive. I am not saying that we should justify squatting which is illegal, but we should simply stop blaming the victims and to sincerely seek correction of an unjust system.”

“Take the high road. Go for integrity and honor above money and power. Your vision for success must be anchored on principles and values, not on greed and ambition. Money and power will come… and will last… and will be a source of happiness… if they are earned without shame and if they are used to promote the good of others.”

“Serve the greater good. Commit yourself to the bigger collective benefit, not just pursue your limited self-interest. Your families’ welfare will best be served not by confining them in the walls of your exclusive villages, but by joining us work for social justice until there are no more Filipinos who are squatters in their own land and no more troubled slums that will raise criminals who will harm our children.”

“If we do that effectively and expeditiously, we will stop many of them from squatting in Metro Manila and other cities; and hopefully, even do reverse migration back to the countryside in the future to those presently living miserable lives in our urban slums. We will recover our lost treasure and regain our social capital

by bringing out the gold in our people who have been covered with dirt for generations because of neglect and exploitation.”

“If we fuel the momentum and continue to raise the bar of excellence, the ugly shanties that constantly remind us that we are a third-world country will soon disappear, the fields will be green with abundance, and those who have taken arms will go back to the comfort of their families and start to live in peace.”

“Finally, love this country with all your heart and value the privilege of being Filipino. For you to live in honor, you have to treasure your birthright and to raise the dignity of our people most of whom live without honor because of poverty and corruption.”

“Despite what’s happening around us, you can look forward to better times ahead if you do justice to your talent and you use it well to build a just and caring society. We have hit rock bottom and there’s no place to go but up, if we play our cards right. It defies simple human logic why this country shall remain poor while our Asian neighbors are achieving rapid growth, when our land is richer and our people are more gifted than most of them.”

“The future of the world is in Asia and the Philippines will become the center of attention soon because it is the most attractive in the region. We have to be ready because visitors and investors will come and our exiles will come home. Just build and they will come. The sons and daughters of our nation are starting to arrive to help repair our broken walls; foreigners will bring the wealth of other nations to our shores.”

“The time to complain is over. It is now time to act and to find answers. It is now time to build communities, no longer the time to march in the streets.”

“It is now time to heal the wounds of division and to mend what is broken. To everything there is a season. Now is that season. Now is the moment of your life to shine. This is the time to show the world how truly intelligent and wonderful you are- because you are a Filipino.”

“Show all the critics and the cynics how wrong they are when they say that this country is hopeless. Show them that every Filipino can be a miracle worker who can turn slums into beautiful communities, squatters into proud homeowners.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, say goodbye to the old Philippines and to the old Filipino. Say goodbye to poverty and hunger, to squatters and slums, to scavengers and beggars, to dirty politics and corrupt politicians. Let us welcome the new Filipino… who will build a new Philippines, guarantee justice for all, and make this a great and prosperous nation.”

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEASTyle January 29, 2010.

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Living La vie Boheme

a Tale of Two Filipinos Chasing Their Dreams by MoMar G. Visaya / aJPress

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‘90s as they live their Bohemian lifestyles and deal with love, loss and AIDS. The show’s songs range from edgy rock numbers to ballads such as the now classic Seasons of Love. The musical has been translated into 15 languages in 25 countries.

“As it ended on Broadway, it gave the opportunity for other theater companies throughout the United States to stage it so that gave the opportunity for us to audition in these productions like this one here in Hoboken, which

is very close to New York, where I live,” Llanes said.

After fulfilling his obligations with this production, the California-born Llanes is set to fly to Manila to further pursue his dreams.

“I will be traveling to Manila to do Xanadu and Legally Blonde. I auditioned from New York and sent my video clips to them,” he shared with a lot of excitement.

Born to a Thai father and a Filipino mother,

Two Filipinos Shine in ‘Rent’ RerunThe musical Rent, much-loved by theater-goers

and musical fanatics, may have officially ended its Broadway run two years ago but various productions around the globe have been busy staging the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical.

Last month, Rent had its run at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts in the San Francisco Bay Area. This week, a new production opened in Hoboken, New Jersey and two Filipino actors are in the cast.

Glen Llanes, a Filipino-Thai-American, is essaying the role of Angel, one of the most colorful characters in the production. His understudy, Jerome Amanquiton, is the other Filipino in the ensemble.

“Playing Angel has always been my dream role, that is why I am very grateful for this opportunity,” Llanes shared.

Asked what he thought of Angel’s character, Llanes said that Angel is someone who has a lot of positivity and happiness and would like to share that with others.

“She always looks at life as a glass full, no matter what obstacles she has,” he added.

Angel Dumott Junard is one of the seven major characters in the musical. She is a drag queen percussionist with AIDS, who falls in love with Tom Collins, a gay philosophy professor and anarchist with AIDS.

Rent is the story of friends who struggle to survive in New York’s East Village in the late

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Llanes last visited the Philippines when he was a kid.

“I haven’t been to the Philippines in a while that’s why I auditioned for the part. I wanted to experience Manila now that I am older and see what it has to offer. I am very excited to see what opportunities are out there for me,” he added.

While Llanes may be returning to Manila to follow his dreams, Jerome Amanquiton did the opposite.

A physical therapist by profession, Amanquiton left his hometown of Iloilo and arrived in the United States back in 2005, working in Chicago. When his contract ended in 2007, he decided to move to New York.

His only exposure to music was through church choirs but deep within him, like Llanes, his passion for singing was bursting.

At the age of 32, he bagged his first musical last year and essayed the role of Thuy in a New Jersey production of Miss Saigon.

For Rent, he is an understudy for Angel, and a member of the ensemble.

“It is really hard to break into the business, especially for Filipino actors because most of the time we are after the same roles. We all go through a grueling audition process. That is why we are working hard to give our best in every performance,” he said.

Amanquiton knew that if he really wanted to pursue his musical dream, he would have to work harder. So as soon as he arrived in New York,

he began taking workshops to further hone his talent.

When he felt he was ready, he began to go to auditions and casting calls. Now, he looks forward to them because for him, these auditions are a major part of his learning process.

Asked for his advice to younger Fil-Ams who want to be in the theater industry, Amanquiton said, “Just go out and enjoy. It’s not just about auditioning and getting the part. Take in the entire experience.”

Amanquiton knew in hindsight that he was taking a big risk but he did it nonetheless because he knew that he has his day job as a fall back.

The fact that he is already in his ‘30s also did not prevent him from chasing his dream.

“I would say it took a lot of courage on my part to do this, and I left a stable job in Chicago to pursue my dream here in New York. I had to do this,” he said.

For the Ilonggo theater novice, the story

goes back to his passion.“Singing has always been, and will always be

my passion. Physical therapy was my passport to the States. The desire was always there. I decided to come here to New York. I don’t want to grow old and regret the fact that I didn’t do something about that desire,” he shared.

For two weeks, Llanes and Amanquiton will work hard to be steps away from their own respective goals. Being cast in one of the best-loved musicals of all time is a blessing and a great opportunity for both actors.

Together, these two Filipino actors represent the striking difference between pursuing parallel dreams. One left the homeland to seek the proverbial American dream while the other is flying back to see what opportunities are in store for him there.

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEASTyle February 5, 2010.

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Runway-Ready look?

Jay Nicolas Sario shows them how in ‘Project Runway’

by MoMar G. Visaya / aJPress

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A FILIPINO-American designer has made it to the new season of the highly successful reality show Project Runway, which returned to the show’s roots in New York City and premiered on Lifetime Network last month.

Jay Nicolas Sario, the current visual merchandiser and lead stylist of Gap Inc.’s kids division is the first Filipino designer to ever make it to the show, which is now on its seventh season.

In a phone interview with the Asian Journal, the 31-year-old Sario said that he followed all the six previous seasons of Project Runway. He finally mustered enough courage to try out for the show when a friend auditioned last season and did well. He is ecstatic to be the first Philippine-born designer to participate in the show.

“I’m proud to be able to represent and be part of history,” exclaimed Sario, who was born and raised in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. He and his family moved to Hawaii when he was 17. He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area five years later and has lived there since.

“I tried out because I have a friend who tried out for Season 6 and made it really far. When I saw how far he was able to go, I said, ‘If he can do it, then I should be able to do it as well’. I created a portfolio knowing that Season 7 was casting,” he added.

A month later, he got a call from the

casting director asking him to go to Los Angeles to meet with Tim Gunn and the rest of the crew. He drove down to LA with another friend who also tried for both seasons 6 and 7.

“I think we were neck-to-neck, and it was between the two of us because we were both Asians, we were both tiny and really talented and funny. I ended up being chosen,” he shared.

It was on his birthday last June when Project Runway executives called him up to tell him that he has been cast for the new season. “I was ecstatic and when I first heard about it, I screamed,” he said.

Sario said that the episodes aired on television make it appear easy and since he was able to follow the previous seasons, he thought he knew what to expect. He admitted he was wrong.

“I have been designing my entire life but I wasn’t doing it as a full-time job because of my work as the lead stylist at Gap Kids. Going to the show, where we had to design garments 24/7, that was something I wasn’t really prepared for. It was too intense living and working with 15 other great designers,” he said.

Sario believes that he was able to use his background as a stylist in some of the challenges in the show and considers this

background as one of his strengths. “Fashion designers rely on stylists. I have

that advantage because not only can I design clothes but I can also bring them together to come up with a distinct look,” he said.

He proved his mettle on the show’s second episode when he bested everyone by designing a dress made out of burlap, a coarse canvas woven from jute, hemp, or a similar fiber, used especially to make sacks.

Not only did he make it to the top three that week, he was also declared as the winner of the challenge because he was able to create an elegant little black dress from the lowly potato sack.

Fashion Forward Filipino

Sario said that he has always been into fashion, for as long as he can remember. A lot of it has to do with his upbringing back home in the Philippines.

“I have always loved fashion. I always browsed Filipino fashion magazines back home. My family —they’re not fashion designers—but they love fashion. I remember my mom back then, she was very trendy and fashionable. I remember one specific outfit she wore—I was 7 or 8 years old I think —she had this strapless romper, which was long and pretty. She lived like she was one of Charlie’s Angeles,” he said.

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 Playing Favorites Season: I love the fall season. I love to layer and wear scarves. It is cozy. Summertime you can

only wear shirts and shorts. I love creating the fall look. Design inspiration: I look at a lot of architectural pieces—it can be a building or a home, car or

any type of object that has dimension and texture. Style icon: I have always admired Sarah Jessica Parker. If I were a girl, I would wear a tulle skirt

and a tank top. Designers: Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Rodarte and Marc JacobsMovies: Kill Bill and The Devil Wears Prada TV Shows: American Idol, Glee, America’s Best Dance Crew, Flipping Out, Top Model, Housewives of

Atlanta Book: Memoirs of a Geisha Color: Green Fabric: Tweed, wool, denim and leather

Sario believes that Filipinos are inherently fashionable, and we love to mix and match.

“Filipinos dress very eclectic and that is my point of view as a designer. A woman should be able to buy stuff from all over the world and not have to worry about finding something to wear it with,” he said.

At the age of 11, he realized that fashion was what he wanted to do.

Prior to that, he was drawing stick figures and fashion illustrations. During breaks in class, he would sketch and draw. His classmates then began to notice that he could actually design clothes.

During their junior and senior prom, he ended up designing most, if not all of the girls’ gowns and dresses. Two weeks before the prom, the girls, one after the other came to him and asked for designs, which they would then bring to the seamstress.

His passion for fashion escalated when he moved to the United States. He further cultivated his design skills at the Honolulu Community College and Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, where he had a full scholarship.

Design aesthetic “I gravitate towards structure and texture.

For some reason, I love things that are really dimensional. You don’t have to look at a garment to wear it, you can just close your eyes and feel it and love it,” Sario said, adding that he also loves colors and goes for vibrant and exuberant fashion.

Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs are two of the designers that he admires and looks up to.

“They are creative, innovative and come up with the most refreshing and unique things. They are just so talented. I wish I can work with them someday,” he shared.

For Jay Nicolas Sario, Project Runway is his stepping stone for more success in the fashion industry and for that, he is very thankful. With his stint in the show, he is a step closer to realizing his dream of starting his own label.

“Now that I have been introduced out there, I need to constantly do this. I need to have a collection every season and that’s what I am going to do. The show has pushed me to really design for a living,” he said.

Project Runway is hosted by supermodel and fashion maven Heidi Klum, with Michael Kors and Nina Garcia as the judges who weigh in on the best and worst of the runway.

The hit series provides budding designers with an opportunity to launch their careers in fashion, under the watchful eye of mentor and Liz Claiborne Chief Creative Officer Tim Gunn.

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEASTyle February 12 2010.

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Photos courtesy of Lifetime Network

Jay Nicolas Sario and Seth Aaron Henderson enjoy a light moment on the couch.

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JR Celski : Conquering the

Odds to Fulfi l l His Olympic Dream

The Fil-Am Comeback Kid

by MoMar G. Visaya / aJPress

Photos courtesy of www.nbcolympics.com and Associated Press

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FOR one Filipino-American, to be able to skate at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver was a childhood dream. Getting a bronze medal in this Olympic debut was just an icing on the cake.

John Robert Sabado Celski was 12 years old when he watched Apollo Anton Ohno win the gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake. He was an inline skater back then but seeing Ohno inspired him to try and make the transition to speed skating as well.

He trained hard and at the age of 15, barely making it to Team USA at the Olympics in Torino because he was underage by 17 days. Celski went back into training and for more than a couple of years, he gained more confidence. He won two gold medals and two bronzes at the world championships last year and by September, he made it to Team USA, and he was on his way to his dream to compete in the Vancouver Games.

Unfortunately, he faced yet another hurdle. Celski had already qualified for the 1,500, the 1,000 and the relay but during one of the Olympic trials in Michigan, he fell and cut his leg an inch from his femoral artery when his skate lodged in his left thigh.

“I had to pull it out,” JR said as he recalled the accident. “I saw my femur. It’s not fun seeing things you don’t normally see in your body.”

The harrowing and gruesome injury didn’t just put his Olympic dreams on hold, his coaches wondered if he’d be able to walk again because of the extent of his injury.

“I thought my whole career was over,” Celski told the media at a press conference in Vancouver. “I thought at one point that I might die that night.”

Celski wasted no time and after the surgery, he underwent aggressive therapy and thus began his arduous path to recovery. His Olympic dream may have been dashed but his drive remained steady. His goal was still the same: to skate in the Olympics.

On Saturday, February 13, JR Celski’s lifelong dream happened.

He skated in the Olympics, and when the dust settled after the pileup, he found out that he won the bronze medal in the short-track speedskating’s 1,500 meters. His colleague and idol, 27-year-old Apollo Anton Ohno won the silver and South Korean Lee Jung-Su won the gold.

With this bronze medal, Celski solidified his position as America’s next great short-track skater, following in the shadow of Ohno. He is looked as Ohno’s successor especially since he won five medals in last year’s world championships. Comparison between the two is expected especially since both skaters, originally from Federal Way, Washington, a suburb of Seattle, traversed similar career paths.

“He’s been kind of a phenom in the sport,” Ohno recently told the Associated Press. “He’s very, very young. A ton of potential.”

Last week, a couple of days before the opening of the Olympics, JR posted a shoutout to his fans and friends in his online journal.

“This is the moment that I have been waiting

for. I am feeling strong, and I hope to shock the world in the next few weeks. Your support has been tremendous. It is what gets me through thick and thin. I smile because I know I have awesome family, friends and fans,” he said.

Ambition JR Celski is the youngest among the three sons

of Bob and Sue Celski. He was born on July 17, 1990 in Monterey, California. He is named after two important men in his life—his father Robert John and his Mom’s late brother, Al Mendoza Sabado, Jr. who was lovingly called “JR” by his five sisters.On his third birthday, he received a pair of plastic Playskool adjustable inline skates. And thus began his career.

By the age of four, Celski was inline skating and with his dad and his two big brothers, Chris and David, were members of Pattison’s West Skating Rink’s Team Extreme, the same in-line skating club that produced Ohno.

At the age of five, JR’s competitive skating began along with playing soccer and inline hockey. Seven years later, he chose to transition to short track ice speed skating. When he was 14, JR and his brother, then 23-year-old Chris moved to Southern California so that JR can bring his ice speed skating to a new level by working with renowned speed skating coach Wilma Boomstra.

His parents told JR to go follow his dream, even if that meant leaving their home in Federal Way. The Celski family called JR’s Olympic dream as “The Family Project”.

Challenge

It was whirlwind for the next couple of years. JR’s schooling and skating progressed rapidly and he was ranked in the US top ten. He made his first Junior World Team at age 14, but he was declared too young by the International Skating Union to skate the competition. The next year, he took the silver medal at US Juniors and was competing in Mercurea Ciuc, Romania at the World Junior Championships where he was taken out during a race and hit the boards, injuring his lower back.

Never taking a break from skating since he was four, JR took this opportunity to think what he really wanted to do. In the meantime, he spent quality time with his family and his lifelong school friends. He attended the Business and Industry Academy of Todd Beamer HS where he raised his GPA back to 4.0 and given future business insight into his dream of running his own construction company and owning a chain of restaurants.

After being away from a sport he has loved since he was four, JR began to miss skating badly and his enthusiasm was rejuvenated. After a 16-month break, JR and his dad returned to Long Beach and

JR Celski : Conquering the

Odds to Fulfi l l His Olympic Dream

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Lakewood High School was ready with open arms to take him back in the Merit Scholar Program as was Coach Wil. At age 17, JR graduated from Lakewood High with High Honors.

After the American Cup I in September 2008, he made his first Senior World Cup Team and was asked to join the US National Short Track Ice Team in Salt Lake City, where he now resides.

Now, at the age of 19, JR Celski is an Olympic medalist, and an inspiration to many.

“I came very close to death this year with my cut, and have found a new appreciation for life. I saw how fast it could have been taken away from me, and know now that I am on this earth for a purpose, and that is to affect people in a very positive way,” Celski wrote on his online journal.

The seven-inch cut required 60 stitches to repair his lacerated quad muscle and necessitated months of intensive therapy and recovery. He was on crutches for six weeks. His rehabilitation was overseen by orthopedic surgeon Eric Heiden, who won five long-track speedskating gold medals at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.

Though he never kept a journal before, JR said he created this online journal in his website to be able to share news about his activities to his friends, relatives and fans.

This journal documented his way to recovery, as he wrote stories about his recovery process. He returned to the ice eight weeks after the injury, with a different perspective.

“I know this sounds crazy, but I am thankful that this happened to me. I am in a big test right now against myself. Much larger than any test I’ve been put through in my entire life before,” JR wrote, “I have been put in a situation where the odds are all stacked against me, and am I going to just give up and quit now? They say you’re not a true athlete if you haven’t gone through struggle and hard times.”

His journal also gives his fans an opportunity to look at his personal life, like the Filipino aspect of his life.

A Pacquiao fan, he posted a photo of him rocking a Pacman shirt through his Twitter account. In his 24-Hour fitness commercial, Celski is also seen wearing a Pacquiao short while working out.

A couple of days after the Pacquiao-Cotto fight last November, he wrote on his journal: “I watched

JR Celski, front, leads the pack during the third heat of the men’s 1500m semifinals short track skating competition at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.

the Pacquiao vs. Cotto fight last Saturday with my sister at her house. He killed it. I was so happy watching that fight, because people don’t believe how good he is. Believe it, and watch him destroy Mayweather Jr. when the time comes.”

During his recovery, he moved temporarily to the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs where he was able to bond with his brother David and his wife, who he calls “Ate” Brit. David is stationed at Fort Carson, an army base in Colorado Springs.

“He leaves for Iraq again in March or April of next year, so I am spending as much time with them as I can before I go back to Salt Lake City. Last night we went to a Filipino party, and I ate more food than I had in the past two weeks! Delicious sinigang, pork menudo, chicken adobo, and pancit. Makes me miss my mom’s cooking,” JR wrote.

During last Friday’s opening ceremony, JR’s family and friends from Federal Way watched from the sidelines.

“Just to watch him walk in the opening ceremonies, for us, was like watching a miracle, after what had happened to him,” Sue told the media. “Then to see him on the ice in practice. There were a few tears. And for what he did last night, it was just amazing for us. The fact that he even got to the finals of an Olympic race, that was huge.”

Celski will also skate in the 1000m and the 5000m relay in Vancouver. The 1500m was his first competition since the accident.

“Right when I got back on the ice I was

really hesitant, especially going fast. Yeah, I had flashbacks, of course,” he said. “I actually fell on the ice in practice. I needed that to mentally prepare myself for what could happen in the future.”

But he had no fear Saturday night. “I didn’t think about my leg the whole time,” he

said. (With AP wire reports) ***

Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEASTyle February 19, 2010.

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by DyMPhna CaliCa-la Putt / aJPress

Embracinglife as aFilipino -American

Gel Santos Relos:

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She still cannot sing the Star Spangled Banner. Every time she tries, her eyes well up in tears

and she would remember how much she misses singing Lupang Hinirang.

“Yes, I miss the Philippines and I will always be proud of my being Filipino” she told the Asian Journal.

Veteran broadcast journalist Gel Santos Relos has always been a patriotic Pinoy. This was showcased throughout her 20-year career in Manila as a multi-awarded TV and radio personality.

With just the titles of her various top-rated ABS-CBN programs in the Philippines, such as Tatak Pilipino, Pulso, and Hoy Gising, it was obvious that her aim was to capture the pulse and the heartbeat of Filipinos. It was her goal to showcase everything that is Pinoy.

Prior to her long media career, Gel was an instructor in Broadcast Communication at the University of the Philippines where she also graduated with honors. The school is recognized as a bastion of academic excellence and nationalist thought, where love of country and pride in being Filipino is paramount.

Thus, when Gel moved to the United States with her family in 2001, her difficulties were far more complicated than most Filipinos.

While others were concerned about learning how to talk with an American accent or trying to live without household help, Gel was going through an internal struggle. In her mind, she

was trying to resolve how it would be possible to continue loving her motherland -the Philippines- and accept her new home, the United States.

Still, Gel tried to immerse herself in her new world. She became the marketing director of a health care facility in New Jersey for a year. When the family moved to the West Coast, she became a licensed realtor in California, serving a mostly Filipino clientele.

The chance to live in different coasts was due to the job of Gel’s husband, Dr. Rene Relos, who was completing his surgical residency at that time. It was actually her husband’s career as well as a special visa Gel received from the US government that brought the couple and their four children to the country in 2001.

That time, Gel was granted permanent resident status in the US as an “alien with extraordinary ability.” The government grants

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this achievement-based opportunity to live in the US to certain individuals who have documented proof—like awards and citations—who are at the very top of their field.

It was when her family moved to the West Coast that Gel was able to renew her ties with ABS-CBN which produces, among others, Citizen Pinoy and Balitang America. These programs are shown on The Filipino Channel (TFC) and seen by subscribers all over North America.

It is her work at TFC that helped her resolve the internal struggle that has been nagging at her since her move to the US.

And it is precisely this struggle that is also constantly motivating her to help Filipinos “navigate their new life in America” through her work.

When Gel and her family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area from the East Coast in 2005, she was offered a job to co-anchor Citizen Pinoy with lawyer Michael J. Gurfinkel. The TV show brings information and public service on matters pertaining to US immigration laws. Its mission is to bring Pinoy families together, Gel noted.

In 2007, Gel also became the news anchor of Balitang America, TFC’s 30-minute news program that airs Mondays through Fridays. The show is a valuable resource of Filipinos in the US and Canada for news stories, events, special reports and in-depth interviews.

In 2009, Gel received the honor of being one of the “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in America” from the Filipina Women’s Network because of her work at TFC.

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This distinction sealed her commitment to serve the Filipinos, especially the Filipino-American community, through her work as a communicator, she noted.

Meanwhile, Gel’s two TV programs have enabled her to reach out to Pinoys and help them survive the daily troubles they encounter as immigrants. These include possible internal struggles about conflicting love and loyalty to the US and the Philippines that Gel,

herself experienced when she first moved to the country.

Recently, however, Gel has resolved this struggle and has started embracing her new identity as a Filipino in America.

“It is an internal coming to terms with my new reality,” she told the Asian Journal in a recent interview.

“I guess what is important is that I have made a conscious decision to move toward this direction,” she added.

It is this direction that what she wants other Filipinos in America to take as well, with her TV shows. “I believe it is important for Filipinos to cherish and preserve our Filipino heritage even as we work on assimilating to the American culture,” she said.

Gel has recently started writing The Fil-Am Perspective, a weekly column in the Asian Journal. It is read by Filipinos in the four US cities where the newspaper is circulated weekly and in Los Angeles where it is circulated twice a week.

“My column (is) a forum for us Filipino-Americans to discuss issues in America and in the Philippines,” Gel said.

She added, “(It) will also focus on strengthening our ties to the Philippines as we rediscover who we are as Filipinos, the experiences we had in the Philippines, and how we can make our affinity to the Philippines and America help us get the best of both worlds.”

Gel always tries to remind viewers that whatever happens in the US affect Pinoy families back home. “We need to have the voice and the influence to help our kababayans back home,” she said.

“Our being Filipino enriches us, and there is so much about our character and culture that will enrich what we contribute to America‘s heterogeneous culture and vibrant democratic processes,” she also said.

With her work in the media, she hopes to ultimately motivate the Filipinos in America to reach out, have a voice, and become more engaged citizens in the United States and the bigger global community.

For now, Gel is still trying to sing Star Spangled Banner without crying. But with the acceptance and understanding of what a Filipino-American is, she knows she will succeed.

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEASTyle February 26, 2010.

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Chef Romy Dorotan S h a r e s H i s P a s s i o n f o r F o o d

by MoMar G. Visaya / aJPress

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Last year in March, after 14 years as a neighborhood restaurant in Manhattan’s SoHo district, the restaurant Cendrillon closed. Frequent diners, foodies and fans all felt sad that their favorite Filipino joint in the city has closed shop.

Less than a year later, owners Romy Dorotan and Amy Besa opened a new restaurant in a new neighborhood in a new borough. Last year in November, Purple Yam opened its doors to enthusiastic diners in the up- and-coming neighborhood of Ditmas Park in Brooklyn.

“Business is really good,” Chef Romy tells us during one of our recent visits to Purple Yam. On our first visit for brunch on a Saturday, all the tables were packed. Same thing happened on our next visit for dinner a few days later. Good thing we reserved a couple of days in advance.

The economic climate, on the verge of recovery as analysts say, has helped Purple Yam. That and the high quality of food being served combine for a great gastronomic experience. It is about half an hour subway ride from Manhattan and strategically located a couple of blocks away from the Cortelyou exit of the Q train.

The restaurant’s atmosphere is cozy, much like its previous incarnation. Perry Mamaril’s famous bamboo installations still adorn parts of the wall, making it a nice place where friends can hang out and families can have decent dinners.

Cendrillon followers would be happy to note that Purple Yam retained the classic Filipino dishes like adobo, lechon kawali, spring rolls, fresh lumpia. Aside from the staples, the restaurant also offers an extensive beer and wine list, including soju, the famous Korean alcoholic beverage. Purple Yam is also the place to be for that ice-cold bottle of San Miguel Beer to match the dishes on the table.

On our first visit, we had ukoy, lechon kawali, tapsilog, dumplings and chicken adobo. We had bibingka (rice cake topped with gouda and French feta cheese) and an assortment of home-made ice cream (macapuno, ube, jackfruit and avocado) for dessert.

A few days later, I returned to try their dinner offerings alongside Ruben and Janet Nepales who were in New York to interview Martin Scorsese and Leonardo di Caprio. Over goat curry, laing, kare-kare, tocino sliders in purple yam buns and bagoong fried

rice, we swapped stories and caught up on each others’ activities. Chef Romy sat down with us and regaled us with his stories, particularly when he just moved from the Philippines during the mid-’70s.

Expanding the marketPurple Yam broadened the Asian offerings

aside from the favorites and hired a Korean chef who previously worked with them as a waiter.

Doing so means that the restaurant is targeting a broader market. Chef Romy is quick to point out though that it goes beyond just broadening the market.

“Our goal is not just to broaden it but also to deepen our understanding on the different cuisines in Asia. We try to make them as good as the original,” he says, adding that he intents to further explore the dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

As restaurateurs, Romy and Amy are striving to be a part of the community of cooks and restaurants here in America who are trying to use very good local ingredients and organic materials.

They are challenged sometimes since they have to use Filipino products, like calamansi and the ube itself, which are imported from the Philippines.

Chef Romy explains that they needed a new identity as a restaurant when they decided to move. They thought of “ube” but then it needed explanation to people who do not know about it. They used Purple Yam instead.

The components, according to Chef Romy are working well—their neighborhood and its environs are being noticed by a lot of people now; Filipino fans and old Cendrillon followers have also been trekking to the new place because they miss the food so much.

Cendrillon wasn’t really a Filipino restaurant back when they were just starting. It intended to be an Asian grill but critics began calling them a Filipino restaurant.

“It was a good thing. Naging mas Filipino kami,” Chef Romy recalls.

Goodbye, SohoAccording to Chef Romy, Cendrillon closed

shop because of two things: there was a drastic change in the neighborhood and they lost their base in the Soho neighborhood and the rent was just skyrocketing.

“Kahit na punuin namin yun day in and day out, lugi pa rin,” he says.

Throughout the 14 years they stayed in Soho, they noticed the area’s gentrification and because the economy drove most of the residents away, their customer base dwindled. The support from the Filipino community and their friends who frequent the place were still there but it was not enough. Despite the lackluster economy, their rent was still high.

Chef Romy believes that they made the right decision and moved out at the right time, just when the economy was shifting gears.

“We would not have a chance had we stayed. To stay there, we would have needed

a bigger capitalization and we would have needed a

Purple YamCendrillon Gets Reinvented

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national exposure like Mario Batali. We have a loyal following but we’re just a neighborhood restaurant,” he adds.

Romy and Amy also looked in Manhattan but it was still pricey so they looked somewhere else.

“Mas long-term kami so we looked at neighborhoods. We want to develop our customers as our food evolves,” he says.

In Brooklyn, they found the place.“There’s a lot of room for growth here. We fill

up a gap in the neighborhood. Other Brooklyn areas are fast becoming saturated with restaurants, making competition really tough,” he adds.

The couple chose the neighborhood to be Purple Yam’s home because it is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country.

Brooklyn is not actually a Filipino neighborhood, compared with Queens and Jersey City, two other Filipino enclaves in Metro New York. Romy and Amy live in Brooklyn though ironically enough, they didn’t know about the area before.

“We knew Park Slope, Fort Greene, of course Williamsburg. We didn’t know about Ditmas Park until one of our customers suggested that they look around. We did and we found this place,” Chef Romy admits.

Hello, BrooklynNow, they are not just a “neighborhood

restaurant” because according to Sam Sifton, The New York Times’ chief food critic, Purple

Yam is the perfect neighborhood restaurant.“We are very happy about it especially

since they recognize the dynamics within the neighborhood. We give something to the neighborhood and they get something from us in return,” Chef Romy says of the accolades.

Mainstream publications and definitive foodie guides such as The New York Times and Time Out New York have been singing praises about Purple Yam.

As Time Out mentioned though, Filipino cuisine has been for the longest time, neglected by the mainstream media. It is still very much under the radar compared with its Southeast Asian counterparts like Thai and Vietnamese, even Malaysian.

“A lot of Filipino restaurants are concentrated in areas where Filipinos live, and they are not immediately available anywhere else. Even if they want to eat in Filipino restaurants, it is not convenient for them to do so,” Romy explains.

Now, fans of Filipino cuisine in the city craving for that trademark Cendrillon

dishes just need to hop on a Q train going to Brooklyn and get off at Cortelyou Rd. stop. Walk two or so blocks and you’d be transported back to where you want to be—whether it is back home in the Philippines to enjoy good food or back in SoHo to reminisce the good old times of Cendrillon. Either way, you’d find yourself full... And happy.

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEASTyle March 5, 2010.

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Lea Salonga returns to New York for a series of shows at the Café Carlyle

A fresh spring breeze

by MoMar G. Visaya / aJPress

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New York City has always been special for Lea Salonga, that is why she gets giddy and excited every time she returns to the city that embraced her and made a few of her dreams come true.

The setting was at the studio of celebrity photographer Robert Kim somewhere in the city’s fashion district. Los Angeles-based concert producer Vic Perez gathered Lea and Patti Austin for a photo shoot for their upcoming concert series and invited the Asian Journal to take a peek into what fans may expect when the two famous performers come together onstage next month.

In between breaks and impromptu song numbers by the photographer himself, we asked Lea questions about their upcoming show, her thoughts on Billy Elliot and other Broadway musicals, the national elections in the Philippines this May and yes, even the weather.

Here are excerpts:Asian Journal: Welcome

back to New York. What brings you here?

Lea Salonga: I have a reading at the Playwrights Horizon on my birthday (Feb. 22), and I am also doing Broadway Bakwards at the Lincoln Center. I also have a three-week long series at the Café Carlyle from March 9 to 27. I’ll be away from home for a while. It’s okay. It’s New York.

AJ: Are Rob and Nicole with you?

LS: No, I’m here solo. My family in Manila has been ping-ponging being sick, and we’ve been passing it around. I am actually happy to be away from my family right now so that when I recover from this, I don’t catch anything new. I’m quite happy being away right now but I do miss everybody at home.

AJ: You are working on a collaboration with THE Ms. Patti Austin...

(Then, Patti Austin, who was getting her hair and make-up done, interjects: “Get it right! The Ms. Patti Austin” and breaks into laughter.

LS: I would never get that wrong. (laughs) I

have listened to her, I’ll be honest now...PA: Be careful, be careful. I just started in the

business a couple of years ago.LS: I have listened to a lot of her pop stuff

and sung a lot of it on TV. She is incredibly popular in the Philippines and everybody, at a moment’s notice can sing any of her popular songs. When we worked together the first time, it was a big thrill for me because it was her. I was

backstage mouthing the words to everything she was singing when she was up onstage. It’s nice to be able to work together again.

AJ: So you have worked with her before.LS: Before this, yeah. We never actually got

to sing together, which kinda was a shame.AJ: How many shows will there be in this

tour?LS: We have three for now. Our producers

will release the dates soon.AJ: You just had a successful concert at the

PICC called Your Songs. Are there any plans

to bring that show to your audience here in America?

LS: Thank you. It will be a little elaborate to bring it because of the sets—we had those big LED screens. We toured it within the Philippines. We were able to bring it to Cebu and Bacolod, but we had to cut down on the orchestra and a lot of things which kind of makes me feel bad because it sounds really great

when the orchestra is a little bigger and the band is a bit lusher. If we can find a way to make that possible and bring it here, that would be great.

AJ: And you actually sang a Lady Gaga song.

LS: Oh yeah! (laughs). It’s all over YouTube now. It’s crazy. The concept of the show was requests from the viewers. One of the overwhelming requests was Poker Face by Lady Gaga.

AJ: There must have been a ton of requests for songs you have never performed before.

LS: Exactly.AJ: How were you

able to whittle down the number of songs?

LS: It was crazy. Even after the dress rehearsal, we whittled it down some more. We cut stuff, we changed some things, we cut out a verse here and there. If there was something that we felt the audience at the dress rehearsal did not respond to, then we cut it.

AJ: And you are also doing Cats!LS: Yes, I’ll be doing Grizzabella.AJ: You have a very busy year.LS: I do. I’m looking at it and I’m getting

kinda cross-eyed. I’m trying to just take each show as it happens, take each performance little by little. I look at my schedule slowly instead of trying to look at the bulk because it will just drive me nuts.

AJ: I read somewhere that you have never done Memory before.

LS: I probably had done it in a concert but

Lea Salonga: Her Journey So Far

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I can’t ever remember (laughs), which is ironic given the name of the song is Memory. I’ve never done Grizabella before. To be able to kind of do this, it will be fantastic I think.

AJ: And she’s onstage for how long?LS: Twelve and a half minutes. That is all. I

was actually told by the musical director about that, and I was, ‘You are kidding me.’ It seems much longer than that because of the impact that’s he has on the show.

AJ: You always get excited when you travel to New York.

LS: Always.AJ: Do I need to ask why?LS: No, I will tell you why anyway. I’m not

exactly a native New Yorker but I first came here when I was 19 going on 20, so I said goodbye to my teens in the city. I first lived alone in the city. So in a way, I kind of left my childhood and became an adult here. Even though I’ve lived in so many other places, I feel a great affinity and bond with being in New York. Every time I come here, I’m like, ‘I’m so happy to be here much more than I think any other place, besides Manila’.

AJ: What are your favorite things to do here?LS: I make it a point to meet my friends, have

dinner. I love going to shows. That’s one of the things I really love doing—that’s a passion and past-time for me. I have three more shows to see.

AJ: What have you seen?LS: I saw Billy Elliot again. I love the show

so much. I’d probably want to see over and over again because you get a different kid every time you see it. There’s an Asian Billy who is returning to show next month after getting injured.

AJ: Among the current shows, what else have you seen?

LS: I have seen Next to Normal, Rock of Ages, South Pacific and I’ll be seeing Memphis, In the Heights and A Little Night Music.

AJ: What can fans expect from your Café Carlyle show?

LS: There’s definitely going to be songs from the musicals I have done. We have also chosen

from the catalogue of music from the writers of Taylor, the Latte Boy. There’s also going to be a Tagalog portion because it is part of who I am. There’s going to be some new stuff.

AJ: Are you currently working on a new album?

LS: We are planning to release Your Songs as a live concert album. Past that, I think we are going to the studio hopefully this year to do something.

AJ: Are you endorsing anyone in the elections?

LS: No. I’ve never done it and I don’t like doing it. I’d like to quietly support who I am voting for and be able to wholeheartedly respect whoever wins.

AJ: What’s your wish for the Filipinos especially during the election period?

LS: I wish for peaceful elections. I wish

for a clean and fair process. I am wishing for a very uneventful 10th of May. That’s really all I can ask for right now. You’re like, ‘it’s not gonna happen’. Hey, a girl can dream. I would really like to see for the entire process not be hampered by controversies, vote-buying, corruption. We don’t need that right now.

AJ: Are you going to exercise your right to vote?

LS: Yes, although I still haven’t made up my mind. I listen to somebody speak, I’m like ‘Oh, I like him’ then I listen to somebody else and I go, ‘Oh, he has a valid point, too.’ I haven’t quite decided whose name I will actually select.

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEASTyle March 12, 2010.

Photos by Momar G. Visaya, AJPress

Lea Salonga poses with music legend Patti Austin

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Photo by Ken Go

World-class pianist Cecile Licad performs for a good cause

T h e m u s i c o f h e r h e a r tby MoMar G. Visaya / aJPress

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Cecile Licad Shares her Music for CharityClassical pianist takes center stage in New York to

raise funds for Filipinos affected by disastersFor Filipinos around the world, the name

Cecile Buencamino Licad conjures images of a piano virtuoso, an accomplished musician who has made a big name for herself in the industry and a Filipina who continues to amaze people with her God-given talent.

Aside from being the most celebrated pianist from the Philippines, Ms. Licad is also known for her generous heart, particularly when it comes to sharing her time and talent for causes that she considers near and dear to her heart.

After her masterful performance at the benefit concert held at the Philippine Center, the world-renowned Licad, with her deep alto voice, spoke with the media and shared her thoughts on helping out fellow Filipinos who need help.

“I’m just happy that I can share my music, and that I can help. It is always a pleasure for me to play music,” she said.

Ms. Licad chose to honor one of her favorite composers, Frederyk Chopin, in honor of his 200th birth anniversary.

“This is special. I just love playing his music so much,” she added.

The concert was born out of necessity, especially since Handang Tumulong Foundation, the newly-formed organization was thinking of ways to raise funds. Deputy Consul General Millie Thomeczec knew Ms. Licad from before, and she broached the idea to her. Right there and then, Ms. Licad agree to do the show.

The pianist is thankful that kababayans continue to support her and said that performing has somehow become second skin to her.

“I see colors, amazing colors in my head when I perform and my emotions always come out, whatever they may be. I feel happy when I perform so that is projected in my music,” she shared.

For many in the audience, it was a little night of mesmerizing music.

“It was my great pleasure of seeing and hearing her perform again. I’d been an avid fan of her since I was a music student myself back in Manila. And as I mentioned, her mother was one of teachers at Santa Isabel Conservatory of Music,” Grace Matubis said.

The audience got so captivated that they sent e-mails to the Philippine Consulate, which helped organize the event to benefit the organization Handang Tumulong Foundation. The organization is geared to raise funds,

which can be immediately disbursed and sent to the Philippines when needed.

Most of them expressed their gratitude to Ms. Licad for giving back to the community, especially since Consul General Cecille Rebong announced before the start of the concert that Ms. Licad was doing it gratis et amore.

“It was a wonderful and well-attended concert. Marami pong salamat for doing so much for our fellow Filipinos,” Lani Misenas said.

Ave Pimo, one of the event organizers and a member of the foundation, was likewise thankful—both to community members who trooped to the consulate that evening and to Licad for her performance.

“We cannot thank her enough for sharing that wonderful gift that God has given her. We pray for her continued success,” Pimo said.

Ms. Licad is known for her technical virtuosity and large repertoire, which ranges from acclaimed interpretations of Mozart and Beethoven classics to the Romantic Literature of Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Schumann, and Rachmaninoff to the modern works of Debussy and Ravel.

For the concert at the Philippine Center, Ms. Licad played the 24 preludes of Chopin to honor him on his 200th birthday last February.

Last February, Licad was in Syracuse also in celebration of the Chopin bicentennary. Playing Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra (SSO) under conductor Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Licad, according to reviews, received a rousing standing ovation and drew praise for her “masterful” second movement.

After the intermission during the concert at the Philippine Center, “the pianist’s pianist,” as she is called, played three pieces of Filipino famous composer Francisco Buencamino Sr. Cecile’s mother Rosario Licad, a piano graduate, is Buencamino’s niece.

Licad performed Kumintang, Mayon and Larawan before the very appreciative crowd. She has always paid homage to her illustrious uncle, performing many of his renaowned works in international performances.

Handang TumulongThe Handang Tumulong Foundation

expected to raise $15,000 from the concert to help flood and calamities victims in the Philipines, said its president Nelsie Parrado.

“We have proven that every Filipino in the US is always ready to provide assistance to kababayans in the Philippines. With Handang

Photos by Sarah Black

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Tumulong, when a calamity hits, we will be ready to send support back home through a standby relief fund,” said Consul General Cecile Rebong.

Earlier this year, the Handang Tumulong Relief Fund Committee in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General New York announced that relief and rehabilitation funds for the victims of typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng and Santi reached $77,921. Such donations have been remitted to various organizations in the Philippines.

The Foundation’s main mission is to have a ready fund to aid victims of recurrent calamities in the Philippines and the amount generated during Ms. Licad’s show will constitute the organization’s seed fund.

Licad as a Child ProdigyMs. Licad is one of the most recognizable

pianists in the world, thanks to the early training she had back in the Philippines. As a young kid, she has been regarded as a protégé, especially since she began her studies on piano at the age of three with her mother. At seven years old, the piano prodigy made her public debut in Manila.

When she was 14, Licad played for renowned pianist Rudolf Serkin, who would soon mentor her at the Curtis Institute of Music.

Her road to success has brought her to perform with various celebrated conductors and major symphony orchestras such as Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and Philadelphia Orchestra in various concert halls around the world.

In Asia, she has performed with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo’s NHK Symphony and her native Philippine Philharmonic. Among the conductors with whom she has collaborated with are Claudio Abbado, Andrew Davis, Charles Dutoit, Kurt Masur, Sir Neville Marriner, Zubin Mehta, Seiji Ozawa, André Previn, Mstislav Rostropovich, Gerard Schwarz, Michael Tilson-Thomas, David Zinman, Pinchas Zukerman, as well as the late Sir Georg Solti and Eugene Ormandy.

Regardless of the location, Licad makes it a point to showcase her best, whether it is a full-packed hall, or an outreach in Tuguegarao, Cagayan, or an intimate show at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center.

As a highly regarded chamber musician, she has performed regularly with ensembles such as the New York Chamber Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Guarneri Quartet, Takacs Quartet, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Music from Marlboro. She also appeared as guest soloist on tour with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra in Leipzig, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Cologne, among other European cities. Her summer festival appearances have included Caramoor, Tanglewood, the International Music Festival of Seattle, Mostly Mozart Festival (in both New York and Tokyo) and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.

Next year, Licad will make history when she debuts in Russia with the Russian State Orchestra at the famous Tchaikovsky Hall as soloist in Brahms No. 1. Her first Russian engagement came after she appeared with a touring Russian orchestra in Germany as soloist in Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 last year.

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEastyle March 19, 2010.

Mesmerizing music filled the Philippine Center during Cecile Licad’s benefit concert. The piano virtuoso is shown with officials from the Philippine Consulate General New York led by Consul General Cecilia Rebong (top row, left) and Deputy Consul General Millie Thomeczec (top row, right) and some of the founding members of Handang Tumulong Foundation, Inc. AJPress photo by Momar Visaya

��20Th e h e a d l i n e s . Th e d e a d l i n e s . Th e b y l i n e s . Th e Ti m e l i n e .

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oUR Love oF CoUnTRY • CheeRS

To TWenTY gLoRioUS YeaRS

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C e l e b r at e ! as the asian Journal approaches its 20th anniversary, we would like to pause, look back, count our blessings and remember the moments and the people who have made this journey possible.

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��20Th e h e a d l i n e s . Th e d e a d l i n e s . Th e b y l i n e s . Th e Ti m e l i n e .

T w e n T y M o M e n T o u s y e a r s o n e M a g n i f i c e n T J o u r n a l

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hiSToRY anD The ameRiCan DReam • TWenTY

evenTS ThaT ShaPeD oUR CommUniTY, oUR

CoUnTRY, oUR DeSTinY • TWenTY inSPiRing

PeoPLe Who TooK The JoURneY WiTh US

• TWenTY momenTS ThaT inSPiReD

oUR Love oF CoUnTRY • CheeRS

To TWenTY gLoRioUS YeaRS

anD BeYonD!

C e l e b r at e ! as the asian Journal approaches its 20th anniversary, we would like to pause, look back, count our blessings and remember the moments and the people who have made this journey possible.

it’s our way of thanking you for the trust and confidence you have shown us through the years, both in good and challenging times. here’s looking forward to the next 20 years and beyond. Please join us as we celebrate our new journey together .

RogeR LagmaY oRieL

Publisher

Cheers!

our Turn To Tell our s tory. our History.we’ve Kept a Journal. we’ve Kept a Page for you.

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50 years of laughter and tearsLoida Flores Viriña

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The very core of the movie and TV industry is the story or the script. All films begin with the written word; that’s why, the scriptwriter has often been referred to as the genesis of the movie or TV show.

In the Philippines, some of the most acclaimed, highest-rated, longest-running, and addictive dramas and comedy shows on Philippine television are the masterpieces of multi-awarded scriptwriter, Loida Flores Viriña. She is the genius behind such

legendary drama series as Gulong ng Palad, Flor de Luna, Ginang Milyonarya and primetime hit comedy shows Home Along Da Riles, Oki Doki Dok, Onli in da Pilipins, Baltic & Company and Si Tatang Kasi.

Loida’s scripts are well-crafted stories of human relationships that inspire, motivate, touch, and move people. “May puso ang kanyang mga scripts,” described Linggit Tan, Vice President of ABS-CBN. “Loida’s stories were always filled with good values,” said

Ben Aniceto, former station manager of ABS-CBN, which has been Loida’s home station for more than three decades.

Not only were Loida’s shows inspiring, they also seemed to be addictive to televiewers.

“When Gulong ng Palad was shown on TFC in 2005, my friends and I all hurried home every night so as not to miss one episode,” admitted Priscilla Trias from New Jersey. “We made sure we finished our homeworks early so we can watch Flor de Luna,” shared Jenny from Manila. “We grew up on Home Along Da Riles. It was our family’s favorite TV show for many, many years,” said Yolette from Las Vegas. Surveys prove Filipinos agree with these viewers for Loida Virina’s shows consistently topped the ratings.

The prolific writer, known to family and friends as Loy, has received numerous awards and commendations in the course of her over 50 years in the industry. Some of these awards include:

• CAT Awards Nominee as Outstanding TV Comedy Writer for Si Tatang Kasi (1970)

• PATAS Awards Nominee for Outstanding Writer for Comedy Baltic & Company (1976)

• PATAS Awards Nominee for Outstanding Writer for Drama, Gulong ng Palad (1978)

• Gintong Parangal sa Larangan ng Panitikan mula sa Bayan ng Malabon (1982)

• Outstanding Citizen of Caloocan Award in the Field of Journalism (1983)

• Gawad Parangal ng Francisco Balagtas sa Larangan ng Panitikan—Surian ng Wikang Pambansa (1986)

• Gawad Parangal Bilang Scriptwriter sa Nakaraang 25 Taon, mula sa Screenwriters Guild of the Philippines (1989)

• 10th Star Awards for Television-Ading Fernando Lifetime Achievement Memorial Award(1996)

• Catholic Mass Media Award for Best Comedy Show Home Along Da Riles (2001)

• Palanca Awards Judge for One-Act Play, Three-Act Play and Teleplay Categories 1985-1999

• Golden Quill Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Television (2006)

• Palanca Awards Chairman Board of Judges for Teleplay (2006)

Born February 3, 1931 in Caloocan City, Loy at the San Francisco bridge

One of RP’s top scriptwriter of all timeLoida Flores Viriña

Drama & ComeDy Queen

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Metro Manila, Loy comes from a family of writers. “Writing runs in our family. My father, Fernando Palma Flores, was a Spanish and Tagalog novelist. My mother, Silvina, had a brother, Gerardo Chanco, who was also a Spanish and Tagalog novelist. My two eldest siblings, Carolina Flores-Trinidad, aka Lina Flor, and Virgilio “Beer” Flores were also writers,” said Loy.

She studied in Caloocan Elementary School and Caloocan High School where she graduated with honors. Loy recalls, “Ever since I was a child, I’ve always been attracted to the arts. I joined declamation contests, school plays, performed in radio and children shows. During the Japanese occupation when I was 10 years old, I even acted in stage shows around Manila as a child actress. When I was in high school, I began to write short stories and was the literary editor of our school organ at Caloocan High School, The Voice. I was also vice president of our Dramatic Club.”

“I’ve always dreamed of entering college and becoming a journalist. All my five elder siblings were not able to earn a college degree and upon reaching fourth year high school, I was determined to take up journalism against all odds. Unfortunately, my father was only a government employee, sidelining as a novelist and did not earn enough to help me pursue my dream. Fortunately, I learned about my eldest sister, Lina, then already an established writer, being commissioned by DZRM, to write a radio soap opera, Gulong ng Palad. Without her knowledge, I went to the radio station to audition for a role. She expressed disapproval upon seeing me, fearing that the radio executives might accuse her of nepotism. However, the executives chose me to play the lead role of Luisa despite my sister’s objections. I was paid ten pesos with or without performance Monday to Friday, which amounted to two hundred pesos a month, a princely sum in the ‘50s. With my salary, I was able to give half to my mother and with the remaining one hundred pesos, I was able to enroll at UST, College of Philosophy and Letters as a journalism working student. I had to do without

textbooks and relied on the library. There were times when I had to walk from UST to Escolta (where the radio station was located) and back when I was short of allowance. But the sacrifices were all worth it! I finished Bachelor of Literature in Journalism in 1953, cum laude!” recalled Loy.

Loida’s radio performance as Luisa of Gulong ng Palad was so outstanding that in the book about the history of radio in the

Philippines, the author described Loy’s voice as that

of the ideal Filipina.

“If I were to be asked which Filipino artist

I would pick to paint the typical Filipina of the ‘50s, I would choose Fernando Amorsolo. And if I would be asked whose voice would fit Amorsolo’s woman if she were to come to life, I’d choose Loida’s. Yes, Viriña’s saccharine voice has that quality that radiates Filipina femininity; sincere, warm, guileless and understated sensuality,” wrote the author, Ben Aniceto.

Gulong ng Palad, the radio series, lasted till 1956. By that time, Loy had already married her high school sweetheart, Benjamin Viriña. Loida then tried her hand at radio scriptwriting, and wrote for Eskinita, a radio drama starring Charito Solis and Eddie Rodriguez, followed by a musical-comedy,

Darigold Jambo Jamboree starring Leila Benitez and Eddie Ilarde. Then began her career as a scriptwriter.

“In 1959, I was taken in by LVN Pictures Inc. as their movie PRO. This time, I shifted to print, promoting movies, writing press releases and feature articles about LVN stars, writing trailers and movie ads, etc. Along with these duties, I wrote and directed Fiesta ng LVN, a weekly radio program, starring Pugo, Bentot, Patsy featuring comedy skits and movie pluggings. It was at LVN where I was given the chance to write screenplays by the LVN matriarch, Doña Sisang de Leon. I wrote screenplays for our then young stars

Marita Zobel, Luz Valdez, Diomedes

Maturan, etc. I stayed with LVN and Dalisay Pictures till the death of Doña Sisang,” continued

Loy. “It was in 1968 that I

started writing for television. My

first TV family show was Ang Honey Ko

Naman in Channel 5, starring Gloria Romero

and Juancho Gutierrez,” said Loy.

Since she started her scriptwriting career over 50

years ago, Loy’s imagination has produced well-loved stories

for radio, television, and the silver screen. Whether comedy or drama—

it was no struggle for her to please television’s million viewers; whatever

the task, Viriña wrote with obvious flair and ease. Some of her TV shows include The Charito Solis Show, Gloria-Luis Show, Nida-Nestor Show, Si Tatang Kasi, Ginang Milyonarya, My Family Tri, Naku Po Tatang, Misis Milyonarya, Kikong Mapangarap, Baltic & Company, Gulong ng Palad (an adaptation of the radio series), Flor de Luna, Andrea Amor Sang Yugto, Home Along Da Riles, Home Along Da Airport, Onli in da Pilipins, Oki-Doki-Dok, Pwedeng-Pwede, Kaya ni Mister, Kaya ni Misis and Da Pilya & Di Pilot.

She was also the screenplay writer of many movies such as Tararajing Potpot; Somewhere over the Rainbow; Haw-Haw,Di Karabao; Kamandag ni Pedro Penduko; Si Mahal, Nakialam na Naman; Jack and Jill sa Amerika; Home Along Da Riles I and II; Gulong ng Buhay; Oki-Doki-Dok, The Movie; Wanted, Perfect Father ; Hataw, Tatay, Hataw; and Home Sic Home.

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Loida Virina with her family during her grandson’s wedding. Her 5 sons ( Conrad, Cesar, Chris, Lito and Jay) are at the back and her only daughter (Cynthia) is in front (beside the bride).

When Loida’s husband, Ben Viriña, a college professor & Department of Public Information bureau chief died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 44, she took on full-time jobs to help raise her six children—Cesar, Cynthia, Conrado, Carlito, Christopher, and Benjamin Jr. She was a Script Supervisor at the Social Communication Center, and a Media Specialist with the Department of Public Information, before she became the Head of the Cultural Affairs & Tourism Office of the Caloocan City Government from 1979 to 1995.

“For many years, I worked full-time in the office until 5pm, and then, right after dinner with my kids at home, I wrote scripts from around 8pm-1am. I often only slept for five-six hours,” admitted the hardworking “superwoman.” Upon retirement from the Caloocan government in 1995, Loy became Creative Consultant and Scriptwriter for Comedy of Channel 2 until 2008. “I get bored when I’m not working and so I remain active up to today, as a script consultant,” admitted Loy, which could very well be the

reason why she doesn’t seem to age and remains as sharp, witty and creative as ever.

Asked what her favorite and memorable script is, Loy answers, “I consider each of the countless scripts I wrote for the past 50 years as memorable. It is because each script that I wrote through the years contributed to what I am today. I feel fulfilled as a writer, not only because of the lucrative monetary compensation but also because, I strongly believe that writers, in our own little way, can help in improving our society by what we write. We should write scripts that will not only entertain the viewers but will also instill Filipino moral values to the viewing public.”

Looking back over her outstanding writing career for the past five decades, Loy says, “ I have been truly blessed. I’ve received many citations and awards but all those blessings would not have been possible without God.” As proof of her dependence on God, Loida has never written a script without writing down the Prayer to the Holy Spirit on the top page of her script outline. “It has become my habit to ask God for wisdom before anything else. Whatever talent we have, we owe to the

Lord Jesus and to no one else. Without Him, we are nothing!”

Therein, perhaps, lies the secret to Loida Viriña’s success. Consciously focusing on God to help her, she is able to keep her creativity flowing ever more consistently. After all, our minds are limited, but God’s is unlimited.

Jokingly referred to as a “manufacturer of writers,” Loy proudly shares that five of her six children are writers and one is an art director. “Thank God they are all successful in their chosen fields,” said Loy.

While she admits that genetics contributes to making one a writer, Loy is quick to add that “it is not creative talent alone that makes a successful writer. One should also have the patience, a sense of responsibility, and dedication to your craft and diligence.” All of which, thank God, Loy has in vast measures, enabling her to add so much richness to lives of countless Filipino families, through the power of her pen. (AJPress)

***Published in the Asian Journal New York & New Jersey LifEastyle March 26, 2010.

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