My Binondo Friends

Binondo is a restless city, stuck in reverse, and set in motion by a flurry of color, noise and feet. It blisters from the friction of heat and skin.

Decades have gone by since 1584 when it was created for the Sangleys, or Chinese Immigrants, yet the past still swelters in the air. A nagging reminder of a Manila that could have been. A Manila that I had yet to see, even if a has-been is the only thing left for me to appreciate.

China Town, Binondo, Divisoria… different names for an enclave people don’t often get excited to see. At the time I didn’t have enough funds for the beach, but I think there are other ways to discover the Philippines.

So, my Binondo Friends, namely Jen, Kevin and myself — we set out to explore the city of half-baked buildings eternally under construction.

The first thing I told Jen and Kevin when we met up at the Ayala MRT Station was “Hassle ng jeans!!!” (It’s a hassle to wear jeans!) It’s too hot to wear jeans, but for girls in Divisoria, it’s even hotter to wear shorts in the eyes of the locals. Nonetheless I tried to dress comfortably, with a baggy shirt, and a big bag for water, money and shopping.

From Ayala we took the train to Recto where we found a jeep to take us to Divisoria.  None of us have taken this route before, but we eventually made our way along the wearisome one hour ride.

First stop was Divisoria, the market district, similar to the Park Square of Makati or Green Hills of the North. Commerce is what Binondo is known for, in the past as a business hub, in the present as the place for cheap buys.

It was a jungle outside and inside Mall 168.

But we are warriors.

And we (fine, I was) ready to make a killing.

According to the Chinese, “168” is a lucky number, and it roughly translates to “road to success,” which probably explains the loot I brought home that day.

Back outside, the sexy shorts were waiting for me.

I didn’t need umbrellas but I thought they were pretty. A rainbow for the rain.

 My parents warned me that I’ll meet all kinds of characters in Binondo, hidden in the stalls of the vendors. Luckily, I spotted some of them first.

Binondo is always on-the-go, with tricycles zooming by, or men with carpets on their shoulders, maneuvering their way through the crowd. I can still hear the buzz amplified by karaoke songs being blasted through the shopkeeper’s speakers.

It’s hard to absorb and capture quirks with one panoramic view. So you focus on the details.

Until you understand that the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

Pop cola, chillin’ together  on a hot summer’s day.  Very Pinoy.

Kevin, tunay na lalaki (real man.)

While making our way to China Town, I saw a horse drawn carriage pass by. “Why don’t we take a calesa,”I suggested,  and we did, which was cooler than taking a trike like originally planned.

Jen: “You’re in China Town when the signs are accompanied with a Chinese translation.

Even in China town, it’s never just chinese, like the rest of the polylingual Philippines.

Finally, authentic Chinese food at Wai Ying Fast Food restaurant, which brought back fond memories of a date I once went on. Here, authenticity is cheap. Even if no roasted duck was available, any kind of mami is a good way to cap off a long and fun day.

Or some macca ice cream.

Perhaps old Manila is a has been,  but our attempt to discover it should never be.

Beyond ‘nosebleed’

My pet peeve and personal passion is what makes a Filipino a ‘Filipino.’  Why are we judged on how well we speak English? This article was originally inspired by Veronica Pedrosa’s response to the Azakals/ Clavio controversy on Interaksyon.

An interesting read is a blog entry that someone tweeted to me after reading my article. It’s about speaking in english versus tagalog, especially teaching in schools. The point of education is to get get the lesson across to the students in a clear and concise manner. The text may be in English but you can use tagalog examples to supplement the learning.

 This is for all my Filipino friends with accents!

GAWAD KALINGA. With friends and kids of NTC Village-Gawad Kalinga.

MANILA, Philippines – In the Philippine college setting, we’re familiar with the frequent judgments made on that classmate who speaks better English than most.

Adults say that looking up to them is tantamount to colonial mentality. More deprecating comments dismiss them as “nosebleed” – because exerting effort to speak English the way they do or simply understanding what they say demands too much effort and causes tremendous strain.

As a “foreign Filipino” born in Jakarta and raised in an international high school, the only thing more worthy of judgment than speaking primarily in English throughout college here is, when it’s done with a twang.

While I can be judged for speaking “good English,” other Filipinos fear being judged for not speaking English well enough.

The divide became clearer to me recently when a friend from Davao revealed his insecurity about speaking in English. Because his provincial accent makes him sound different, he’s sometimes embarrassed to speak up, so he doesn’t. This is such a waste because he has a lot of wonderful things to say.

My friend and I are Filipinos of entirely different backgrounds – I’m a so-called sosyal city dweller while he’s a provinciano from the provinces – yet we both relate to a similar kind of “nosebleed.”

Who’s a Filipino?

It’s the double standard that clouds judgments and bleeds issues of identity in our country, both personal and national in nature. It’s the insecurity that prevents people from being loud and proud of who they are wherever they are from.

Does language alone make a Filipino? Who is the Filipino – the one who speaks English or Tagalog fluently?

Last March we saw a trace of this issue in the Azkals-Arnold Clavio controversy where two Filipino football players with foreign roots were accused of pretending to be “kayumanggi” or brown-skinned.

Other mixed or “tisoy” athletes and artists face similar discrimination and rejection despite sacrificing time and putting in hard work to represent their country.

It’s also ironic how a country that profits from its English-speaking abilities in call centers and celebrates Filipino pride in part-blooded American Idol contestants criticizes others for not being Filipino enough.

Cosmopolitan

Yet British author David Irving once described Manila as the first cosmopolitan city. Because of the Galleon trade, we were a transnational meeting place for travelers from distant lands who met and exchanged goods.

I love the idea that the Philippines was globalized even before we put a name to the phenomenon, and before the rest of the world started opening their doors.

This is why the delusion that only brown-skinned Filipinos who speak Tagalog fluently are genuinely Filipino has become more than a pet peeve of mine. I used to avoid or ignore it (whichever came first!) but now it fuels a passion to challenge the backward and misguided idea of what a “tunay na Pinoy” is.

To me the derogatory “nosebleed” tag simply means we’re not trying hard enough to understand and that we’re being close-minded about who we are, most especially in the globalized 21st century.

It’s precisely the reason why I think national identity is complex and should not be limited to trivialities such as skin color or accent, but defined in terms of  attitude.

EXPLORING BINONDO. The author discovers Chinatown.

Understanding our roots

What I’ve noticed about the multicultural Filipinos I’ve met is that they make more of an effort to understand their roots, unafraid to walk among their people, to take jeeps and buses, and strike up a conversation to learn more about their history.

On the other hand, many of my privileged Filipinos classmates, who have lived here since birth, already sweat or raise an eyebrow at the mention of a commute. Many have not travelled around the Philippines. Their blood, despite being pure, is anemic. It lacks the spirit to discover the Philippines beyond their comfort zone, level of thinking, and degree of exposure.

Let me cite a few nights ago — when I was walking the streets of Marikina with some French exchange students — as an example. What a ridiculous sight we were.

The French were accompanying the Filipinos to protect us in the streets of our own country. They said that while most of their Filipino classmates are surprised and afraid to hear about and visit where they live, they always end up reassuring them, “It’s not as dangerous as everyone thinks.” It’s the bane of the bigot that produces these kinds of “nosebleeds.”

To paraphrase Filipino author Ninotchka Rosca in her political novel about the Philippines, “Not beautiful gestures, not beautiful words spelled the difference between whether or not one did or did not belong to the seven thousand one hundred islands except the willingness, indeed the capability, sir, to take risks on the archipelago’s behalf.”

In the last 4 years of college, I’ve learned that being a Filipino isn’t a birth right. Neither does it run through the blood in our veins.

What personifies nationalism is the beautiful attempt to understand our culture, notwithstanding the language barrier and social class that paralyzes a rich and complex country like the Philippines. It’s the attempt to speak up and challenge the “nosebleed” tag attached to an accent that might accompany a Filipino’s brown, yellow, or white skin. – Rappler.com

View original article here.

It’s ‘astig’ being a Yahoo! Intern

Indeed, Yahoo! is astig.

The pristine white walls accented with their trademark royal purple color is a testament to a place where professionalism meets creativity. The prestige of saying that “I write for Yahoo,” or “I intern at Yahoo” was always met with “Oh that’s so cool!” from friends who asked me what I’ve been up to lately.

It’s hard not to fan girl when Yahoo! Philippines is one of the premier digital internet companies in the world, but you forget to be intimidated when the work, the people and the place are fun. I may have been the lone intern for the months of January to March but the stint never felt lonely.

You make your internship what it is and Yahoo! never limits how much you want to learn. All you have to do is ask — questions about people’s work, to pitch a story, tag along in a shoot, write for a different section, etc — none of which was in my official job description. They’re flexible if the intern is flexible.

While I’ve written and worked with other companies before, this is the first time I’ve learned about the business and technical aspect of the industry. Even in editorials, the numbers are just as important as the words.

My Pops is right when he says there’s a business side to everything, even for the artsy fartsy careers, which is something my communication upbringing is quickly trying to learn. As my boss Erwin Oliva, country editor for Yahoo! Philippines always tells me. If you can master both then you’re an asset anywhere, whether in the Philippines or abroad.

With my mentors at the Yahoo! She press launch. Top left: Charley Braga Bautista, Lifestyle editor; Bottom left: Erwin Oliva, Country Editor;

Speaking of my boss, and my other office mates as well, being surrounded by talented people with years worth of experience and accomplishments under their purple belt is not only inspiring but humbling. That was my realization after having drinks out with them one night. The burden of my generation is that we demand and expect a lot from the getgo, but what have we really accomplished at twenty-something?

Last December I applied to be an editorials intern, but I learned more than how to tighten my writing skills. Thank you to the Purple family for the the experience and the opportunity. Let me take you through my days at Yahoo! Philippines!

Yahoo! door handles will greet you in the morning. Excellent branding everywhere!

I arrive at my desk which has my name on the tag and the telephone. Pretty awesome.

The coffee I look forward to starting my day every morning. Really good! Unlimited too.

Sometimes I walk around the office whenever I need a break. I look around at some of the quirky interior designs like this doodle.

Editorial meetings and lunch out with the staff

Sometimes I buy chocolate at the 711 down stairs. I see this really cute trashcan. Monsters invade the fort!

The office is near Burgos Circle so sometimes I walk around, explore and shoot the skyline.

I want to work at the Fort because it's so aesthetically pleasing!

The "tree" found in the center of Burgos Circle which I didn't really pay attention to until I saw it in the day light. Beautiful!

Feed the media! Delicious fine dining at the Prada LG Press launch

One day I asked Jason Domantay, who's the video producer and reporter for Yahoo! Philippines if I could tag along on a shoot. So I did! I love going to these places I probably would never have gone to otherwise.

The sights you see in top secret places.

Drinking some coke in a plastic bag (old school!) As Jason told me, the work isn't always that glamorous. Lots of waiting.

My favorite tag along was interviewing/shooting with Boys Night Out! They were nice to me (kind of) haha! But fun, fun, fun interview where I saw a side of them I haven't heard of before.

One word to sum up my internship -- not just astig but ASTEEG!

View some of my Yahoo! articles here

Is everyone a cosplayer?

Rica Facundo -- Media. This wont be the last time you see this pairing

People have a lot of assumptions about the cosplay industry, but I think we only judge what we do not understand.

So, attending and covering my first ever cosplay event at Alodia Gosienfiao’s Birthday Bash was intense, interesting and fun.

It’s just a theory and an observation, but what I find fascinating about subcultures is how they relate to the mainstream. Ironic, right?

Meriam Webster defines subculture as “…a social group exhibiting characteristic patterns of behavior sufficient to distinguish it from others within an embracing culture or society.”

But I think subcultures might be an intensified and exaggerated microcosm of everyday realities. Cosplay, which is short for “costume play,” is the act of putting on costumes to look like fictional characters from comic books, games, etc.

Some people say that cosplay might be a form of absurd escapism, which is a  ”habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine.”

To put it simply — I think everyone puts on a costume or a mask in order to fulfill a desire to belong to a community. In that sense, we all cosplay, some with decked out army gear, others with simply 4 inch heel stilletos.

To non-cosplayers, our fictional characters are ourselves.

I see so many people escaping reality by paradoxically trying to participate in it with projections of who they want to be, especially in the eyes of their audience — their fellow peers maybe?

Abraham Maslow knew in his hierarchy of needs that a sense of belonging is part of human nature and that feeling left out sucks.

I’m not an expert and I won’t be donning an anime costume any time soon, but the cosplayer isn’t very different from me, or you. I might be wrong so feel free to comment for any other insights.

Anyways, below is the article I wrote. It felt like a moshpit with people shoving, pushing, and shouting whenever Alodia came out or prizes were being given away. But like any other concert experience, that’s also part of what makes an event fun ;-)

The best thing about going to events alone is being able to meet interesting people. You'll be surprised if you just talked to the person next to you! Photo by Geoffrey Sobrevilla

I finally found my Superman! Herbert Chavez won Best Male and he's also known as "the guy who underwent plastic surgery to look like Clark Kent."

When the cosplay queen celebrates, legions come

By Rica S. Facundo

FILLED UP. Photo by Mineski

MANILA, Philippines – It was an unlikely family reunion at Alodia Gosienfiao’s Birthday Bash, where a legion of characters came to celebrate, whether decked in layers of battle armor or simply armed with a camera.

Despite the commotion caused by thousands of cosplay and gaming enthusiasts surrounding the stage, on their feet or even sitting on the floor, the SM Cyberzone still felt like a home for a community just doing what they love.

“I was hoping only at least my cosplay, online, and gaming friends would attend. But boy was I wrong!” exclaimed Alodia about the overwhelming turn out of the event, which took barely a month to plan.

“We had so many old faces in the community as well as a lot of new ones,” she said.

From Voltron to international celebrities to plain old supporters in regular jeans and T-shirts, it was an epic homecoming for the thousands of supporters left spellbound by Alodia in the last 9 years.

LINA INVERSE. Photo by Kira Hokuten.

Lina Inverse

Because of the growing cosplay industry, the number of attendees who came out to strut their wings, helmets, swords, and hammers, should come as no surprise. But it did, most especially to Alodia.

“There were also a total of 91 cosplayers who registered in the Cosplay Showdown! That’s a lot,” she said.

From 91 cosplayers only 31 were shortlisted to compete during the actual program with photographer Jay Tablante, sister Ashley Gosiengfiao, set designer Raffy Tesoro, comic book illustrator Harvey Tolibao, and comic book Leinil Yu as judges.

Due to the massive crowd of fans, Alodia, who was dressed as Lina Inverse, a famous character from DOTA, could not go down the stage and “pick a cute guy in the crowd,” as originally planned.

Adoring fans

On the other hand, it was unsurprising to hear the overflowing amount of testimonials, revelations and dedications coming from fans both local and international.

“Mas mahal ko si Alodia kaysa kay Justin Bieber (I love Alodia more than Bieber),” said one fan being interviewed on stage. Bieber has 19,241,006 followers on Twitter while Alodia only has 117,762.

SO CLOSE. Photo by Rica Facundo

Distance was never a factor for the fans of Alodia who made an effort to give well-wishes and adoration for the cosplay queen.

Danny Choo, a successful Japanese pop culture blogger and also the son of noted fashion designer Jimmy Choo sent a video message, while one fan at the front of the stage flashed a message from his friend in Baguio.

“Well fanboys kami, obvious ba?” said Silver from Segatron, the band which opened the birthday bash. They serenaded the crowd with “Hey, Hey Alodia,” which they wrote especially for her.

Standards of cosplay

Alodia knows how to bring out the best from people. By challenging herself in the various characters she portrays and by competing overseas, she’s paving the way for aspiring present and future cosplayers.

“She’s the girl who opened the mind of the people in the Philippines about what cosplay is and how the cosplayer should be,” said Herbert Chavez, who won the award for Best Male and Best Performer, for his Superman outfit.

AS SUPERHERO. Photo by Rica Facundo.

“This is an opportunity for the cosplayers and gamers to merge. It’s actually a good idea that she threw her birthday party publicly,” said Isabel Cortez who won the award for Best Female, for her Starcraft outfit.

BEST FEMALE. Photo by Rica Facundo.

Both Herbert and Isabel have been cosplaying for only 2 years.

But John Andrew De Los Santos, who was the president of Alodia’s first-ever Fanclub in 2003-2004, volunteers what he thinks is what sets Alodia apart from other cosplayers – both locally and internationally.

“Sila ma-cosplay para manalo. Si Alodia ma-cosplay para ma-enjoy. Si Alodia,kahit pagod na pagod na siya, sige smile pa rin siya.”  (They’re into cosplay to win. Alodia is into cosplay to enjoy. Even if she’s dead tired, Alodia still keeps on smiling.) – Rappler.com

View original article here

Alodia’s Birthday Wish

Forgive me. I’m going through a backlog of stories I covered in the last couple of weeks haha.

I was only supposed to cover the event itself, but the night before I was also asked to write a pre-event feature on Alodia Gosiengfiao’s Birthday Bash. Being the “yes-person” I am (which I sometimes think is synonymous with crazy haha), I took on the challenge and wrote this without any interviews in person.

The next day I met a well-known cosplay blogger. When he found out that I was the face behind the byline he gave me one of the best compliments ever.

“In one night you captured Alodia in a way that that bloggers have taken years to figure out.” (Not verbatum, but essentially that’s what he said.)  #Kilig

As much as I personally enjoy what I do, a big part of the drive is to do it justice for the people who are reading, which in this case are the fans.

I’m not that familiar with the cosplay world, but Alodia is the kind of person who can pique anyone’s interest in it. Fascinating subculture that needs more exposure. Read on!

Alodia's Birthday Bash Official Poster

MANILA, Philippines - Who can pull off planning a big birthday bash for over 1.05 million fans on Facebook and 100,000 followers on Twitter in barely a month? Cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao can.

It was only in late February when the opportunity to materialize the fantasy world of “costume play” or “cosplay” for short into a birthday shebang presented itself.

And Alodia, being the passionate and dedicated person that she is, didn’t hesitate to grab it.

Even in the face of time pressure she still manages to balance other commitments, such as preparing for her role in the Kimmy Dora movie sequel and making her much anticipated birthday costume.

So, what’s her driving factor?

“I just thought of how it would be amazing to have a party with fellow enthusiasts who have the same hobbies,” she said.

Growing up, moving forward

As she celebrates her 24th birthday Alodia said, “Aging has only reminded me of how much the cosplay and gaming community has grown over the years.”

Since 2003 Alodia has not only been part of the cosplay industry but she helped shape it. In the last 9 years fans and fellow cosplayers in the Philippines and in other Asian countries like Singapore, Indonesia, and Hong Kong have enjoyed watching her grow up.

“I think a big part of their adulation is they have seen her grow into the international celebrity she is now,” said Ren Cayetano about why he thinks everyone loves her. Cayetano is one of Alodia’s close friends and one of the event organizers.

While Alodia is undoubtedly an attention-grabbing young lady, it’s her dedication in perfecting her craft that makes her seem more stunning. Underneath the costumes and makeup her fans see the overflowing sense of sincerity.

But age won’t be a factor for Alodia’s future. She knows that she’ll have to adjust. “I think at my age it would be a bit hard to cosplay 12-year-old female characters,” she said.

No time to party crash

Unlike her celebration last year, which was also a public event dedicated to cosplaying, it’s the first time Alodia is planning her own event instead of being invited to one as a guest or a judge.

From conceptualizing the activities, to writing the materials for public relations to meeting with the partners, Alodia was involved in almost every step of the planning process.

Although lack of time was always her potential party-crasher Alodia doesn’t mind. “I lack sleep but it’s all right. I’m having fun doing all these,” she said.

“Alodia’s very hands on,” said Ren. Aside from the planning itself, as the guest of honor, she also has to prepare for her costume and performance.

In the past few days “she had to buy a new sewing machine in order to finish it on time,” he said, all while cording with the team as well.

Her birthday wish, your birthday gift

On March 31, Saturday, at the SM North Edsa Cyberzone, Alodia’s Birthday Bash will showcase her passions — namely cosplay, photography, and gaming.

Among other things, fans can expect a cosplay competition, array of performances by artists, cosplay gallery, gaming competitions, and the “Garden of the Gods Stage,” which has acrylic floor panels and a huge LED wall background.

While her costume is still a surprise, Alodia hints that “it’s from a popular video game and it’s predominantly red.”

But while this is Alodia’s event, the focus wont’ be on her. Part of her birthday wish is “to celebrate my passions with fellow artists, cosplayers, gamers and enthusiasts,” she said.

Because of all her passion and hard work, Ren said, “Hopefully, on Saturday, she would have a few seconds to block everything out and see their smiles.”

After 9 years in the industry, on Saturday, fans can give Alodia her birthday gift — a smile. - Rappler.com

Original article here

God is silent

I’m not the best personal example of a devout Catholic. I have my own qualms about God and religion, but since it’s Holy Week, I am re-posting this as a personal reminder to self.

God is silent. According to my philosophy teacher this is the hymn that the unbeliever crosses their unbelief to. The atheist who does not hear Him because he has no reason and experiences  to believe otherwise.

But during brunch last Sunday my mother, the devout Catholic, a believer who puts her trust in God and has received enough blessings to believe in His mysterious love, vented.  She wonders: “When will He answer my prayers? I know, no, actually I believe and trust that whatever happens is part of His  plan.”

God is silent. Even for the Catholic.

Surprisingly, I learned that even Mother Teresa, the embodiment of compassion and goodness was said to have suffered the silence of God. Pope Benedict says that “All believers know about the silence of God. ”

Later that night I attended Mass and for once in a long time genuinely listened (and laughed!) to the priest’s well written and animated sermon. He talked about God (well, obviously), but ironically he preached about that silence we experience when He doesn’t seem to be listening. The silence that frustrates our burdens and echoes within our souls.

The priest continued,  saying that only one who is humble and obedient will find spring in the desert. Only those who do not have humility in the heart will be bothered by the circumstances that he can not control.

That’s when I thought back to my earlier conversation with my mother and how society, like my mother and myself, will always encounter God’ silence for as long as there are problems to pray about. And yet, despite the silence, my mother, the believer chooses to believe anyway.

I told my mom shortly after eating brunch that maybe another way to believe in Him is to believe in yourself. Personally I feel that we need to stop leaving our problems just to prayer. I think this inaction is characteristic of most Catholics (and maybe of everyone in general.)  What is faith without active commitment? It’s called the unbelief of the believer.

Perhaps it is in the face of God’s silence where humility resides and peace can be found not necessarily just in Him but in ourselves. Do we necessarily need to FEEL his PRESENCE in order to believe? How about believing in his presence even in the absence of it?

TAKE MY YOKE ON YOU, AND LEARN OF ME; FOR I AM MEEK AND LOWLY IN HEART: AND YOU SHALL FIND REST TO YOUR SOULS. MATTHEW 11:29 

For a God who is silent, he sure had a lot to say that Sunday.

Original post on July 4, 2011