I will see you Summer '09. I will, I will, I will.
Image Sources:
Digital Photographer.com
Asia Travel Pictures.com
Myscrapbook-lyh.blogspot.com
Travel Blog.org
Labels: beach, busuanga, coron, palawan, summer
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Sunday, October 26, 2008
I will see you Summer '09. I will, I will, I will.
Image Sources:
Digital Photographer.com
Asia Travel Pictures.com
Myscrapbook-lyh.blogspot.com
Travel Blog.org
See the rest of the post here...
Friday, October 24, 2008
Two plays by acclaimed writer Rogelio Braga will be presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the UP Repertory Company to help raise funds to buy food and other necessities for some 900 families displaced by the war in Mindanao.
Ang Mga Mananahi and Ang Bayot, Ang Meranao, at ang Habal-Habal sa Isang Nakababagot na Paghihintay sa Kanto ng Lanao del Norte will be presented on October 29 and 30, 4 and 8 p.m., at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute.
The fundraising effort is part of the Pikit Relief Mission, which provides assistance to people severely affected by the armed conflict between government troops and the Muslim rebel groups in North Cotabato.
In the play "Ang Mga Mananahi," four Muslim women perform an act of bravery as the war rages between the government and Bangsa Moro freedom fighters.
"Ang Bayot, Ang Meranao, at ang Habal-Habal sa Isang Nakababagot na Paghihintay sa Kanto ng Lanao del Norte" is the unusual rendezvous of two beautiful and sharp-tongued creatures living on the fringes of society. They courageously travel the rough and "older-than-history" roads of discrimination, hypocrisy, bigotry, social divides, corruption and unspoken violence in order to arrive at a decent friendship.
Award winning filmmaker Nick Olanka directs "Habal-Habal" while Paul Santiago directs "Ang Mga Mananahi."
Tickets, priced at 250 pesos, may be purchased at any of the following venues:
~ UP Repertory office, Vinzon's Hall, UP Diliman (0915-588-1782, 0916-612-5404 and 0918-779-7982 and 0926-812-2336)
~ Young Moro Professional Network, g108 Jocfer Bldg., Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City, c/o Aradelria Belleng (0920-652-9066)
~ UP Office of the Student Regent, Vinzon's Hall, UP Diliman c/o Shan
~ UP Muslim Student Association, Vinzon's Hall, UP Diliman c/o Tani Basman
the CCP Box Office (832-1125 local 1409).
*Reposting or forwarding of this invitation is very much encouraged. Other forms of support and donation, are very much welcome. Please contact the UP Repertory office.
*Sources for this article: CCP events pages and this blog.
Labels: mindanao, rogelio braga, theater, up rep
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Sunday, October 19, 2008
Since I realize that my posts of late have been quite down, if not at all depressing, here's some comedy then. The Sarah Palin guest stars on SNL.
SNL, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are just love.
I gotta give it to Gov. Palin. And here I was thinking Republicans couldn't take a joke. I stand corrected.
Complete links to SNL/Sarah Palin/Tina Fey videos here: The Huffington Post. Enjoy!
Labels: comedy, humor, sarah palin, snl, tina fey, video
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Saturday, September 20, 2008
I have been hearing a lot of stories these days wherein Filipino children, from Filipino families, living in the Philippines, fail their Elementary Filipino classes. That is just simply and utterly infuriating.
I do understand the importance of the English language in this country, in this globalized world, for that matter. I'm a language instructor, proud Filipino, living in the Philippines, teaching English to European students, as a matter of fact. How more globalized can you get than that?
>I will, however, declare, here and now, that I will never go to the extent of wiping out traces of my language, our language, from the generation that will come after mine, only because another language takes prestige in this century.
I understand, of course, that this is a personal choice. People have the liberty of choosing what language they use with their children. I respect that. Before making that choice, however, consider this point well and good.
Linguistically speaking, children are a clean slate. They can acquire as many languages as they can. During the years before they hit adolescence, a child's language-acquisition tool remains open. That means as long as there is input, children can learn the language of their parents, of their friends and whatever language they are taught in school.
Call me presumptive but don't you want your children speaking not one but two (maybe even three or four) languages? Won't that be more of an advantage than, say, just one?
When that happens, we will be no better than ordinary Americans, too proud to learn a language other than English. Look at what's happening now in the land of the free. They are scurrying to learn Spanish and other languages slowly gaining importance globally.
My point is that it's really illogical, not to mention disadvantageous, not to allow your children to learn a language other than English. I think parents have this fear that speaking Filipino to children will somehow lower their chances of learning "correct" English, which, really, has no basis.
I've said this again and again. Not only are humans multilingual but they are also multidialectal. They have the ability to learn and speak different versions of the same language. Notice how when you speak English at work is different from when you speak English with your friends? Really, learning Standard English (what parents consider "correct" English) and non-Standard English/es ("incorrect" Englishes) is not impossible.
Remember that, parents out there. You do not have to wipe out what Filipino culture is left in your children. Being successful, in school, in business or in whatever career you may have, does not have to be contrary to being able to speak Filipino. Keep that in mind.
Labels: culture, english, filipino, linguistics, politics, spanish
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Sunday, June 1, 2008
I meant it when I said that the Philippines was a beautiful country. I believed that then and I still believe it, especially now that I have had the priviledge of seeing its beauty up close.
I saw things I thought I would have to have deep pockets to see. That was actually the best thing about it. It was traveling at its finest.
This summer, I saw the province of Bohol. It was beautiful.
I've always wondered what traveling was. People have always made a distinction between a tourist and a traveler. They say a tourist, with their noses stuck on their guide books and maps, don't know what they're missing. Travelers, meanwhile, are those who don't know where they're going.
I don't exactly know what I was. And I can't say I found out what traveling really meant during this trip. I just knew I was discovering things I didn't know about 'til then. Whether that made for a tourist or a traveler, I didn't really care. I just enjoyed the ride.
* Photo credits (from top): Photos of the Visayan sunrise by Leny Longasa. Photos from Balicasag Island and Virgin Island by Paul Garcia. Photos of the Bohol man-made forest and the Boholano panorama by Michael Traje. Boat sail photo by Paul Garcia. Dusk photos by Rachelle de Leon.
Labels: beach, bohol, panglao, summer
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Monday, April 14, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
I came across this advertisement here this morning. It's for the metro railway system of the city of Madrid, Spain.
On one hand, it does make you laugh. It's really funny. On the other hand, I worry about what the makers of the ad think of the Philippines as well as what the Spaniards themselves will think upon seeing it. Well, without further ado, here it is:
I'm not sure if Spaniards think that the Philippines is still what it was when they left: backwards, underdeveloped, agrarian (all still applies, if you think about it). Add the fact this is the advertising industry. It uses stereotypes because they effectively serve as a shorthand language with which to convey their messages. (Of course, the downside is that the stereotype will continue to perpetuate.)
I think I should be offended. But I'm not. Just like what the blog from which I got this said, it's the don't-call-my-mother-fat concept that's operating here. So I should be offended.
I don't know. Maybe, having studied communication and mass media gave me high media literacy and as such, I don't get offended by these things. I don't know. What you do think?
By the way, the voice-over in the end says, "The railway system that the whole city wants to have when it becomes big: the Madrid Metro. Let's go."
Labels: culture, humor, metro, politics, spain, spanish, video
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