Stories

Doctoral music graduate’s generosity of spirit benefits future musicians

December 16, 2021

Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable fall 2021 graduates.


International student Ramon “Chino” Alfonso Soberano, who graduates this fall with a Doctor of Musical Arts in violin performance, wants all musicians to be able to achieve their goals.



Last summer in his home country of the Philippines, Soberano taught free virtual masterclasses and lectures to future generations of violinists. The virtual classes were co-taught at three institutions that were instrumental to his development as a musician — the Philippine Research for Developing Individual Soloists (PREDIS), School of Music at St. Scholastica’s College and the University of the Philippines College of Music.


At ASU, Soberano served as co-president for the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) Student Committee in the School of Music, Dance and Theatre from fall 2018 through spring 2021.


“As a founding member of IDEA, the thoughtful conversations with student members and faculty, cross-disciplinary collaborations and advocacy work have taught me to serve as a compassionate and effective leader,” Soberano said.


Soberano said his involvement with IDEA made him realize that the field of music, as other fields, has issues of equity, inclusion and diversity that disproportionately affect some people more than others.


“We should continue to strive in addressing these issues through continuous conversations with open ears, minds and hearts so that everyone has the equal opportunity to achieve their goals as a musician,” Soberano said.


Soberano was a member of the Herberger String Quartet and the ASU Symphony Orchestra. He has performed as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician in Arizona and Illinois, and with the University of the Philippines College Orchestra, the Manila Symphony Orchestra and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.


He has taught for ASU’s String Project and community outreach music programs at the Manchester Music Festival and Taconic Music, Inc. in Vermont.


In his most recent lecture recital associated with his doctoral research, “The Contemporary Filipino Violin: An In-Depth Study and Performance Guide of Ramon Santos’ ‘Tanaw II’ (1984) and Conrado del Rosario’s ‘Darangun’ for Solo Violin (1985),” Soberano received high praises from both composers.


Santos said, “Thank you for playing my piece so superbly and so intelligently. I would say that this is the best interpretation of the piece.” And del Rosario said Soberano gave an “excellent performance of my composition ‘Darangun’ for solo violin.”


“Chino was a wonderful teaching assistant for my studio from 2017–19,” said Danwen Jiang, professor of violin in the School of Music, Dance and Theatre. “He is a wonderful colleague, an excellent role model to his peers and a valuable asset to our school and community at large.”


Question: What was your “aha” moment when you realized you wanted to study the field you majored in?


Answer: It was during a visit to my relatives in Jacksonville, Florida, when I was around 7 years old. My grandaunts knew how to play piano and taught simple tunes to me on the piano. I had so much fun that I asked my parents if I could learn piano when we got back home in the Philippines. Our house did not have much space for even an upright piano, so my mom suggested the violin since it is smaller.


Q: Why did you choose ASU?


A: The most important aspect was the teacher. I chose ASU because of how excellent Professor Danwen Jiang, my violin professor, was as a mentor and pedagogue. Her expertise and guidance have helped me further discover my potential as a professional musician. In addition, ASU values creativity and interdisciplinary collaborations, and I value these concepts as well. I firmly believe that to be a 21st century musician one has to be versatile and open to new discoveries.


Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?


A: Professor Danwen Jiang, my violin teacher, taught me an important music and non-music related lesson. The most memorable piece of advice she gave me was that being great at performing your instrument is not the only ingredient in becoming a professional musician. One has to be well-rounded and also learn other non-music performance skills such as effective teaching, networking and marketing. Being a kind, fair and respectful musician are desirable qualities that open more doors of opportunity.


Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?


A: Do not lose sight of what is happening inside and outside of yourself. Inside, be mindful of your health and wellness. Health is more important than squeezing one more hour of practice time at the expense of eating a healthy meal and/or getting a good night’s sleep. Abusing your body can have consequences later on in life. Outside, do not be out of touch with issues happening in our world today such as climate change, racial/gender discrimination, poverty, etc. that are affecting us all. In these difficult times, we should be more compassionate to each other and advocate for people who are directly affected by these issues.


Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?


A: The “secret garden” in the courtyard at the Herberger Institute office. When school gets busy and crowded, this is a little oasis of quiet and serenity. I would sometimes eat my lunch in that courtyard just to unwind from the busyness of school.


Q: What are your plans after graduation?


A: Aside from searching for jobs, I am excited about taking on personal projects, including discovering and performing new and/or underperformed repertoire, finishing my website and continuing to give masterclasses and lectures at various music institutions, including the Philippines.


Q: Did you receive any scholarships while at ASU, and if so, which ones? What did it mean to you to be able to receive this funding?


A: I received the Special Talent Award Scholarship, the Katherine K. Herberger Scholarship and (was) a teaching assistant. It was such an honor to receive these awards, and I am forever grateful to the donors, faculty and administration for helping me financially during my doctoral studies. Receiving these awards from such a distinguished institution helped me realize that I have potential in growing to be a better musician.


Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?


A: I would like to address global food insecurity and hunger. So much of our waking lives is dependent on what and how much food we eat, even impacting our mental health and decision-making. I believe if the general population has easier access to healthy and natural food resources, the world can be a little bit better.


Source: https://news.asu.edu/20211210-doctoral-music-graduates-generosity-spirit-benefits-future-musicians

In this new Filipino restaurant in London, an exuberant mural is getting a lot of attention

Meet the man from Tayabas, Quezon, who brings a slice of ‘Pinas with him wherever he goes


Filipino visual artist Kulay Labitigan (left); interior of Kasa & Kin in Soho, London


London’s gastronomic epicenter, Soho, recently welcomed a new Filipino restaurant in its fold: Kasa & Kin. It was conceptualized by the owners behind Romulo Cafe, and serves contemporary Filipino cuisine developed by a team that includes a Michelin-starred chef. But those are not the only reasons why Kasa & Kin is being talked about. There’s also the stunning mural that wraps the restaurant interior in kaleidoscopic patterns, harlequin imagery, and the exuberant plumage of an Ibong Adarna, brightening everyone’s meals.


The artist behind the mural is 31-year-old Kulay Labitigan, a rising Filipino visual artist and “experiential” illustrator in London with a knack for storytelling.


Basag na Banga


Born in Tayabas, Quezon, Kulay finished Fine Arts from the University of the Philippines Diliman and arrived in the UK on a scholarship grant to study MA in Narrative Environments at Central Saint Martins-University of the Arts London, one of the world’s top art and design schools.


The mural design for Kasa & Kin is particularly special for Kulay as an immigrant living in the UK. “Adarna symbolizes a multitude of meanings for different people,” he says. “In Francisco Balagtas’ tale, the mythical bird was a healer of the ailing king, a reference to the many Filipino medical professionals who are in the UK’s health service. The bird is also closely associated with nesting, which comes back to the meaning of Kasa & Kin being a home. But what resonates to me more is the bird as an animal of flight and migration. These are powerful reflections for every Filipino and non-Filipino dining in the restaurant,” Kulay muses.


Flying Changed Me


The making of Kulay


Kulay has been making art for the past 15 years, exploring various media and creative areas such as theatrical production, 3D installation arts, and illustrations. Some of his illustrations are featured in select Jollibee stores across the UK including the one in London.


Kulay grew up in Tayabas to a family of handicraft makers, farmers, and entrepreneurs. In a quaint town with deep local traditions, he often spent his childhood replicating the religious imageries drawn on the ceiling of the 16th century San Miguel de Arcangel Basilica and watching plays and shows in the local theater. He says this was when he discovered art.


After studying for two years in UP Los Baños, he transferred to UP Diliman and specialized in industrial design. It was a period when he began designing theatrical sets for independent and professional stage productions.


He would eventually be taken under the wing of top scenographer and production designer Gino Gonzales. In London, he was mentored by the late Filipino visual artist, David Medalla, known for his “auto-creative” artworks and participatory ideas, founder of the London Biennale, and highly respected within Europe’s artistic community.


Kulay likes to use the word “creative talesmith” to describe himself. “As a ‘creative talesmith,’ I find immense joy and fulfillment in connecting dots, developing narratives, and applying them to real-world scenarios,” he says. “I do believe that above anything, story is the universal language. It is the currency of our time. Sometimes, stories do not even need words to be told. From actions to events, carefully sequenced segments trigger our emotion and consciousness, shaping our understanding of our world and ultimately our being. This is how stories become transformative.”


https://www.instagram.com/p/CVrDUkYtbyj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link


Memories of home


Including the mural in Kasa & Kin, many of the works Kulay is proudest of offer references to the Philippines, his childhood town in Quezon, and musings of home manifested through various media.


Like the set of toys for adults he made to instill a greater appreciation of cultural monuments in Tayabas. This won the UP School of Fine Arts award for Best Thesis in Industrial Design in 2012.


In 2017, he designed the set and identity for a Filipino community festival in Blacktown, Australia called Mahal Kita Future Bayan.


In Tayabas, he mounted his own shadow-in-the-street project during Maundy Thursdays for three consecutive years, creating shadow folkloric images on empty abandoned walls along highways when locals were making the annual hours-long panata walk to the Kamay Ni Hesus Shrine in Lucban, Quezon.



“In 2015 I ventured into a creative soul searching. I packed my whole life in a 30-kilogram suitcase and hopped on a plane headed to the other side of the globe, a place I have never been to but I now call home,” says Kulay, which leads to the current chapter in his story. “Studying design in London afforded me the opportunity to understand my creative voice, fine-tune my artistic style and methods, and discover that everything I have been looking for in this journey are things I already have and already am.”


To hear Kulay say it, moving to London has been a life-changing move. “This extraordinary experience made me realize that home transcends the physical and that my own roots and life story of growing up in rural Philippines – including my anecdotes as a Southeast Asian gay man and all fragments of my personal concept of home – informs my creative practice,” the young Filipino talent explains. “I am proud to see that this has made my work relevant, distinct, and most importantly, a medium that connects and gives people who experience my art a sense of belonging.”


Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/art/12/04/21/in-london-kulay-labitigan-tells-the-story-of-home

For pharmacy board topnotcher, engineering was her first choice

December 6, 2021

Kennedy Caacbay, ABS-CBN News


Nicola Christine Rivera of the University of the Philippines-Manila, Pharmacist Licensure Examination topnotcher


MANILA—After topping the November 2021 pharmacist licensure examination, Nicola Christine Rivera of University of the Philippines in Manila shared some advice to aspirants in her field as they prepare for the board exams.


“As early as now, build a healthy mindset. Kasi ang kalaban mo sa board exam mostly is fear and anxiety. ’Yun ay ’yung takot ka mag-take kasi nakakatakot bumagsak,” Rivera said.


(As early as now, build a healthy mindset. Because the enemy is your fear and anxiety, the fear of taking the exam because you’re afraid to fail.)


“Hindi mo pa nalalaman na kaya mo naman pala, pero kaya mo naman talaga. You just have to enter the room and take the exam.


(You may not know that you can do it, but you really can do it.)


“For future pharmacists, everything you do is for your future patients and for the practice of pharmacy profession here in the Philippines and abroad.”


Rivera said she was first eyeing a career in engineering, but her mother convinced her and her sisters to pursue professions in the medical field.


“(Being a pharmacist) isn’t my first dream. Nu’ng first year gusto ko nang mag-shift kasi hindi ko alam kung gusto ko,” she said.


(Being a pharmacist is not my first dream. When I was in my first year, I wanted to shift to another course because I didn’t know if I wanted it.)


But the experiences from her third and fourth years in college helped her settle in her career path.


“Pharmacy as a profession, it is a very diverse and versatile career. Masyado siyang maraming opportunities for direct and indirect interactions . . . Kasi mahaba ’yung process ng drug discovery and development, up to provisions ng medications to patients.”


(Pharmacy as a profession is a very diverse and versatile career. It has so many opportunities for direct and indirect interactions . . . Because the process of drug discovery and development, up to provisions of medications to patients, is lengthy.)


Rivera — who got a rating of 93.90 percent, best among the 1,207 who passed — said it was her friends who found out about the good news first.


“It was overwhelming, pero hindi ko siya mapaniwalaan kasi hindi ko siya nakikita,” she said, adding she wasn’t expecting to top the exams as she wasn’t confident in her scores after she took the test.


(It was overwhelming, but I couldn’t believe it because I couldn’t see the results yet.)


She also shared that taking board exams was different in the COVID-19 pandemic.


“Ngayon kasi, during the pandemic, there’s additional fear and anxiety for your personal safety na mag-positive ka few days before exam, or may mangyari sa loved ones mo,” Rivera said.


(During the pandemic, there’s additional fear and anxiety for your personal safety, that you might test positive a few days before exam, or something might happen to your loved ones.)


Encouraging all exam takers, she said: “They should not beat themselves up, and don’t let failures define their hard work.”


Rivera finished BS Industrial Pharmacy at UP Manila in 2019.


The results were released on Friday night by the Professional Regulation Commission, with 1,207 out of 2,371 passing. UP Manila was the top performing school with a 98.18 percent passing rating.


UP Manila graduates also led the 2021 physician board examination in October.


The November 2021 pharmacist licensure examination results can be accessed here.


Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/05/21/for-board-topnotcher-pharmacy-wasnt-even-first-choice

Greg Zuniega, PHSA’s first alumnus-turned-director

November 29, 2021

By Irene de Jesus Obligacion


Our featured artist today is pianist Greg Zuniega. He graduated valedictorian of his batch at the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) and was consistently on the Chancellor’s List, earning the highest point average for two semesters he spent at the University of the Philippines (UP), as a Maria-CCP (Makiling Academy) scholar.


Pianist Greg Zuniega performs and lectures in classical and Filipino music.


He pursued further studies at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory and finished his undergraduate and post graduate degrees at the Royal College of Music in London. He is also a holder of the following degrees — BS Economics (London School of Economics) and Master’s in Public Management (UP).


He has performed in North America, Europe and Asia. He has been a featured soloist of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO); Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) and the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra.


We interviewed Greg in our radio program, “Culture Carousel” aired every Saturday from 12noon to 1 p.m. at 98.7DZFE-FM, the Master’s Touch. Here is that interview.


You received the Tagere Gold Medal for Excellence by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. What was the experience like?


The Royal College of Music’s patron was the Queen and she attended our awarding ceremony, which was very exciting. I feel blessed that this special event was part of my young life as a musician, which was very challenging as I had to juggle studies with my work as a freelance musician (playing in hotels, weddings, or as a resident church pianist, and in chamber music concerts, etc.) As I was a scholar, but had to work towards my other expenses, the award was an added bonus to what I learned in London.


You graduated valedictorian from PHSA and is now its director. How does it feel to be the first graduate from PHSA and be in that position?


The PHSA has been in existence for 44 years and my appointment as its director — first alumnus to occupy such a position — means that somehow, the PHSA is in the right direction since it was mandated to develop young artists who are being equipped to become the country’s cultural leaders and to preserve and promote Filipino art and Filipino artists.


What is an excellent artist for you?


When I was young, my definition of excellence was focused on honing one’s craft, practicing toward perfection, to the point of having narrow single vision. Now that I am more mature, excellence has something to do with being able to contribute something to society — in particular, Philippine society — where there are big issues such as poverty, over population alongside little support for the arts. An excellent artist in an underdeveloped country such as the Philippines needs to educate his/her audience, especially the young generation, which does not have the proper exposure to classical performances either in music or dance.


Now that you are a teacher, what are the most important things you can advise your students to enable them to become outstanding artists like yourself someday?


We have to encourage young artists as distractions abound nowadays. Now that the pandemic is still not in full control, many of our artists have faced unemployment.


However, I believe in the resilience and creativity of Pinoys, who had to temporarily think of earning a living the unusual way such as doing online business. Discipline is a basic requirement for all artists and the determination to be heard by an audience is equally important. While artists constantly face pressure and uncertainty, it is important to have faith in God, the ultimate source of all wisdom and creativity.


Source:https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/11/28/the-sunday-times/arts-awake/greg-zuniega-phsas-first-alumnus-turned-director/1823855

GOSSIP GIRL: Indonesian superstar is a Filipino who started out as ‘basurero’

November 12, 2021

by Giselle Sanchez


Leo Consul


“My first hamburger came from the trash I collected in the buses that I cleaned for ten pesos a day when I was a kid. My stepfather was a basurero and he trained us to be the same, so we can have money to go to school. My mother left me with my stepfather when I was a kid. But he loved me just like his own children. Because of this, my stepbrothers were kinda jealous of me when we were kids, so one of them stabbed me with a ballpen under my eye. I still have the battle scar,” Leo Consul chats with your resident Manila Bulletin Gossip Girl in the Instagram app.


“But growing up, I forgave him, and now we really treat each other like real brothers. During high school, I was a scholar in Cape Bolinao High School and I worked my way through high school by being a dishwasher on weekdays and a salesboy during weekends. In my sophomore year in high school, I finally met my mom and my stepsister, who is based in the United States. My stepsister Nellie helped me in my schooling during my college years in U.P. Baguio where I graduated. I was also a working student during my college years as a local TV host at ABS-CBN regional network group. After college, I tried to audition for several acting and singing gigs here in Manila, but I was not as successful and life was getting more difficult with the bills I needed to pay, so I decided to apply as an English teacher in an Indonesian school. It was here in Indonesia where I got my break first as a host in Eat Bulaga Indonesia, then It’s showtime Indonesia and several TV shows then I started doing teleseryes. I am currently in one teleserye and filming two movies.”


He was in between breaks from taping the number 1 teleserye in Indonesia “Terpasa Menikahi Tuan Muda” shown in the number 1 television network in Indonesia ANTV where their television program has an 18.9 share in the ratings game versus its competing teleserye which only has a 3.8 share in the pie. Indonesia has more than 250 million people and 90 percent love watching teleseryes.



What is interesting is despite his successful acting career in Indonesia, the handsome matinée idol in Indonesia still wants to try out show business here in the Philippines.



“My stepfather dreams of watching a teleserye in the Philippines with me in it. He doesn’t want to transfer to Indonesia because of his age, so I decided to sign up with Cornerstone Entertainment in the Philippines. Hopefully, they can make that happen next year after I finish my teleserye here and two movies line up for me here. I owe a lot to my stepdad for giving me a life when my mom abandoned me. But I have forgiven my mom already. Harboring ill feelings will be futile,” the half Ilonggo-half Pangasinense tells Gossip Girl.


His fondest memory of his stepfather was when his stepfather saved up to give him his first Rubber shoes. It was a fake pair of Nike rubber shoes called Mike. For the longest time, he just wore broken slippers. This inspired him to write his book “A Thousand Miles in Broken Slippers” in English and translated in Bahasa. You can purchase the book on Amazon.


Source: https://mb.com.ph/2021/11/09/indonesian-superstar-is-a-filipino-who-started-out-as-basurero/

P&G’s Evelyn Chua-Ng: Finding the right work-life balance

October 23, 2021

by Marianne Go – The Philippine Star

Chua-Ng


Executive profile:


MANILA, Philippines — At the prime of her life, Evelyn Chua-Ng, 43, is an outstanding example of a successful career woman who has achieved a perfect work-life balance, grounded by a strong Christian faith.


Evelyn is currently the vice president and regional comptroller for Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa of American consumer manufacturer Procter & Gamble or simply P&G, a post she has held since 2016.


A 20-year veteran of P&G, Evelyn was scouted by the consumer firm while she was still finishing her business administration and accountancy degree at the University of the Philippines Diliman.


She joined the group in 2001 and initially worked in the Philippines as part of the Asia Internal Controls. After only two years, she got her first international posting in Singapore where she stayed for two and a half years before moving on to China in 2005 and eventually staying for a much longer period of six and a half years.


In China, Evelyn was initially the finance director for Greater China skin and cosmetics sales from 2005 to 2007, and overlapping her role with the additional responsibility as Greater China SK-II global business unit plus globalization F& A director from 2006 to 2007.


From 2007 to 2008, she was assigned as finance director for Greater China baby care and Oral C product supply, and concurrently the Huangpu plant site controller.


From 2008 to 2011, she was promoted to finance senior director of the Greater China baby care global business unit.


After her back-to-back international postings, Evelyn returned to the Philippines in 2012 to assume the chief financial post for P&G Philippines, a role she kept up to 2014.


By 2015, aside from being the Philippines chief finance officer, she was elevated to tax senior director of P&G.


Continuing to soar even higher, Evelyn in 2016 became Asia comptroller and Asia Pacific tax operations vice president, with that role further expanded in 2019 to cover AMA or AsiaPacific, Middle East and Africa, as well as Greater China comptroller.


She is now the highest-ranking Filipino woman in P&G Philippines.


What is even more remarkable, is that she was able to climb the corporate ladder, get married and raise a family of four beautiful girls ranging from 12 to four years old.


How did she achieve such a feat?


According to Evelyn, she actually had no career goals at the start. But what has defined her since her high school years, and what was ingrained in her by her parents, is “doing everything excellently.”


Likewise, she believes that her strong Christian faith is what has kept her grounded. Referring to a Bible verse she reveals that “doing things for Christ keeps my standards high…it is not just about pleasing my human bosses…”


Evelyn’s success could also be attributed to her choice and the opportunity given to her by P&G back in her college years in UP Diliman, specifically in her third year in 1998 when she was chosen to do a summer internship with the company that eventually led to a job offer after she graduated.


She points out that when P&G recruits and hires, the company does so “not necessarily just for a role.” The company she said, every two to three years moves employees around, changes their roles, allowing them to choose if they want to be a “generalist or a specialist.” In her case, Evelyn opted to specialize in finance and general accounting.


But even as she was pursuing her professional career, Evelyn also chose to forge ahead and balance her life by marrying a co-P&G colleague and initially having and raising two daughters while posted in China, and another two when she returned to the Philippines.


Her success in balancing her work and family commitment, she admits, was having “a strong support system and network,” primarily with a very supportive husband, Garry, and competent nannies to help raise her daughters, allowing her to focus on her work, knowing that her daughters are well taken cared of.


Allowing her to work and raise a family, she acknowledges that P&G offers flexible work hours that allows employees to work from home…way before the pandemic.


“Flex work hours was already practiced in P&G as early as 15 years ago. Hybrid work is, thus, nothing new for the company,” a trend that Evelyn feels will continue in the future, post-pandemic.


The post pandemic work situation, as Evelyn sees it, will continue to involve flexible work arrangements and digital technologies.


However, the caveat will be, according to Evelyn, the underlying trust between the employers and workers, noting that workers have to be self-driven to get results and must be accountable for their output, which will lead to a win-win solution for both employees and companies.


Additionally, Evelyn also points out that P&G has embraced equality and inclusion in its workplace, resulting in a 50-50 balance in all management levels.


Evelyn, in fact, now leads P&G Philippines’s Equality and Inclusion Council.


“I’m privileged to work in a company where senior leaders truly live and breathe an inclusive culture. This is a big enabler as it levels the playing field for everyone. Working with the P&G local office and other regional headquarters throughout my career, I never felt like I was not listened to or my ideas were dismissed because of my gender,” she said.


Even so, Evelyn believes that there is still a need to continue to break the so-called “glass ceiling,” noting that while the total workforce now has a 50-50 balance, “Why does that number go down?” Especially as it get to the top posts.


She cites research that has shown that diverse and inclusive organizations deliver stronger business results. Thus, she continues to ask the question, “Why does the glass ceiling still exist?”


Evelyn believes there is still a need to change predisposition and biases of the male population at the c-suite level, who oftentimes ignore personal choices of females by not offering them top level positions.


For her, male managers “need to provide more support and offer the right sponsorship” to their female employees.


“Don’t make the career decision for your female managers,” noting that the male managers oftentimes have made “the sub-consconscious decision that women coming back after they are mothers may not want to take opportunities.”


On the contrary, Evelyn stresses that the question should be asked and that the males should not make that career decision, especially since they may be surprised that females, when posed the question do believe that “I can do both,”


In her own experience, Evelyn relates that “big opportunities could be scary because of risk of failure is very high.” Her advice, though, is “go for it,’’ repeating the adage that the biggest risk also yields the biggest success or reward.


She recalls that her own work-life balance mentor in P&G, when she reached a similar crossroad as a junior manager, had asked her that if she did not take the opportunity presented to her, would she work less? If she was not likely to work less, then her mentor told her “might as well get the right pay for the work your are doing!”


To aspiring young females about to embark on their own career path, Evelyn’s advice is “Don’t overthink it!”


She suggests that when an opportunity presents itself, the decision-making process should be focused on the moment rather than looking too far ahead into the future and at other variables that might come into play at a much later time.


“When at that point needed to make a decision… don’t think about five to 10 years, focus only on what is there right now, and go for it!


Evelyn is clearly happy with the decisions she has made up to this point, appreciating her choice to have a big family, who during the pandemic has kept her happy and busy.


For her own daughters, Evelyn is trying to impart to them the need to have clear priorities…something that was also taught to her by her mentors in P&G.


“You have to be clear on what your priorities are and realize your time.”


For Evelyn her priorities, thus, include being a mother and wife, for whom she reserves her weekends for the family and maintaining their spiritual development.


Another key element she wants to be able to give to her daughters is life skills…”making sure what is the right thing to do; making ethical choices; having the right work ethic.”


As such Evelyn and her husband teach their children not so much with the goal of just getting good grades, but rather “Did you do your best? Did you prepare for it?”


And lastly, Evelyn refers to the Japanese concept of “Ikigai” or finding that intersection where your passion lies, what your strengths are, and what your purpose is. “Ideally, if you can find the intersection where all three meet, there you get more success.”


Source: https://bit.ly/3GglTEw

Essential worker

IT executive finds new meaning in her work during the pandemic


By Leah C. Salterio



“The constraints are both obstacles and opportunities. So in essence, the challenge is doubled: overcome the obstacles and meet the moment of opportunity.”



Stratpoint Technologies chief executive officer Mary Rose De la Cruz is one of those rare individuals, who has put into good use what she pursued in school. She has a computer science degree from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, a master degree in computing from Macquarie University in Australia and a master in business administration from the UP Diliman College of Business Administration.


De la Cruz joined Stratpoint Technologies in 2010, initially as chief operating officer (COO). Within five years, she assumed the position of chief executive officer (CEO) in September 2014. Previous to Stratpoint, she was head of delivery at Headstrong Philippines, now GenPact, a global information technology outsourcing firm.


Up a notch


Stratpoint Technologies, whose roots can be traced to Sillicon Valley in California, has been delivering enterprise-grade solutions for more than 20 years. In 2015, executive chairman Paco Sandejas acquired Sequel Solutions and rebranded it Stratpoint Technologies.


“The opportunity to work with Silicon Valley technology and startups is what attracted me to join the company,” De la Cruz admits. “I always knew that working in software was meaningful work, but this pandemic has taken things up a notch. Now, I know that I’m doing essential work for businesses to continue operating safely during the crisis.


“Our DNA has always been at the forefront of emerging technologies, such that it was actually inevitable that we would be one of the first digital natives. We were always going to be the first to adopt digital when the wave arrived due to our curiosity and passion to apply new technology to solve problems.” Through the years, Stratpoint Technologies satisfied clients who used its library. For instance, “Iris” is a natural language library that enables chatbots to respond to customer inquiries in a conversational manner, providing a 24/7 assistant.


De la Cruz (right) with colleagues Sonny Carlos and Kevin Ventura at the AWS re:Invent 2019 in Las Vegas


Chilling at the Santa Monica Pier in California during a much needed break. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS


“With Iris, our chatbots are able to look for a more complete context, rather than just looking for a specific keyword from user messages, enabling them to better identify how to respond to a person’s inquiry,” De la Cruz explains. “Instead of you trying to figure out what keywords will trigger the right response from a bot [short for robot in software program], the bot will figure out what you’re looking for and give you the proper response. Iris helps businesses to grow, saving them time while increasing their customer engagement.”


Stratpoint Technologies has helped a number of prestigious clients embrace the digital transformation and eventually, innovate and level up. The roster includes Globe, ABS-CBN and Unionbank among other enterprises, which have praised the company as a valued partner, particularly for its several software engineering and innovation initiatives.


De la Cruz says: “Our clients are those who want to innovate, so naturally, it was never easy — timelines were always short. The apps have to look good and feel amazing. But we like to challenge ourselves and were rewarded by the thanks and appreciation of our clients and seeing the benefits of our work with our client’s customers.”


Tough job


Operating and functioning in the new normal, Stratpoint Technologies, fortunately, did not experience any major adjustment unlike most ventures. “The shift to virtual wasn’t a stretch, because we are born-in-the cloud (software company), and we are used to working in a distributed manner due to our overseas clients,” De la Cruz says.


De la Cruz herself made sacrifices. “Like everyone else, it’s the in-person interactions that we miss the most,” she says. “Culture and collaborations are just so much easier and more fun when the team is together in one place.


“I think we vastly underrated how much support from in-person interactions with co-workers contributed to our success. We only realized its value when we lost it due to WFH (work from home) in this pandemic.”


As CEO of Stratpoint Technologies now facing heightened challenges, De la Cruz shares how tough and difficult her job has become lately. “Taking care of the people I work with — both Stratpoint Technologies employees and our clients — is the hardest part, because we are all going through stressors to our physical and mental health,” she says. “The constraints are both obstacles and opportunities, so in essence, the challenge is doubled: Overcome the obstacles and meet the moment of opportunity.”


De la Cruz didn’t nurture a specific career ambition when she was growing up. “I just was intensely curious about the world and liked science and math,” she says. “I guess I wasn’t sidetracked, since what I saw ahead of me was not a path, but an open field.”


To unwind, she goes for a tennis match or a round of golf. She also enjoys cooking and travelling. Juggling her time between work and home, De la Cruz admirably manages to keep a balance between the two. “Prioritization is key and being present in the moment,” she insists. “So, that it’s quality time that’s spent with people that matters the most.”


And despite a hectic schedule, she feels that one should never forget to prioritize health. “I start my day with a workout, prayer and meditation and end my day with a walk, if time permits. Weekends are for play and connecting with others, doing the same thing most people do: shopping, eating and just hanging out.”


When the Covid-19 situation clears up, De la Cruz expresses her desire to travel out of the country, one thing that she misses most, along with attending events and connecting with nature. “I hope to go to Wimbledon,” the tennis buff says.


That trip to the UK to catch high-stakes tennis matches is certainly one that the IT executive is looking forward to. In the meantime, she keeps the faith that Stratpoint Technologies will consistently stay afloat despite the formidable challenges it faces in the months ahead.


Source: https://bit.ly/3GojojM

UPV College of Management Batch 1992 donates for the Delian Day Care Center

September 8, 2021

The UP Visayas College of Management batch 1992 contributed funds for the construction of Delian Day Care Center in Coron, Palawan. Aside from this, they also provided books and other school materials for the children. This project is spearheaded by UP alumni Cyril Gepanayao and Gabriel Jover.


The UP Visayas College of Management batch 1992


Before and after construction of Delian Day Care Center



Cyril Gepanayao and Gabriel Jover interacting with the children after distribution of school materials


Shared by Arnold Paulo Ermitaño

How conserving an art practice also conserves nature

August 7, 2021

by Pao Vergara


With the ubiquity of nature photography and videography, thanks to electronic media, one housewife’s passion is reviving a lost art–while also protecting a bigger future

PRESERVATION THROUGH ART From left: Artworks in the project include Hari II, acrylic on canvas, by Maxi V. Ramos, 2020; Beyond Extinction, acrylic on canvas, by Raynante Carandang, 2021; and Palawan’s Beau, acrylic on canvas, by Vanessa Tria, 2021

On an overcast morning at the Conrad Manila, World Nature Conservation Day 2021 saw various sectors and organizations unite to add splashes of color to an otherwise gray week as the venue hosted “Para sa Kalikasan,” an exhibit centered around a seemingly dying craft.


When the phrase “nature documentary” gets mentioned, what often comes to mind is high-definition, 1,080 pixel, 60 frames-per-second shots of swaying savanna grass or lions chasing prey. But before all this, naturalists painstakingly recreated every wing, claw, and fin, branch, stem, and leaf by hand.


Naturally (hehe), the traditional method was relegated in favor of the obviously more efficient choice, where action–data–that was harder to capture before is now quite literally a click away. Of course, this hasn’t necessarily made the job easier, as National Geographic photographers brave extreme weather, terrain, and waiting to get the job done.


And yet, this very ubiquity of audiovisual technology has also brought with it saturation—terms like screen burnout, digital detox, and screen sickness have become buzzwords, what more now, amid a seemingly endless quarantine where the four walls of an LCD screen are quite literally one’s gateway to the world outside, the best substitute so far given an evolving virus.


NATURE TALKS GM Linda Pecoraro and Malaysian Ambassador Norman Muhamad

In response to this, people have taken to more tactile pursuits—you or someone you know is likely a platito or platita, an overnight woodworker, or an aspiring master chef or bartender at this point. All these contexts made for the perfect time for the kick-off of “Para sa Kalikasan.”


Bing Famoso was a housewife who finished an arts course at the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila in 2016 as her kids left the nest. In 2018, as the National Museum of Natural History’s new building was being completed within the National Museum complex, Famoso pitched the idea of reviving fauna and flora painting to the organization’s board.


While they readily approved, time and resources were understandably devoted to the new building’s opening, which eventually became a contemporary icon when it did finally welcome the public. Famoso waited a whole year before the Philippine Fauna Art Society (PFAS) was formally recognized.


She thus took on the task of documenting via painting the country’s endemic species, plants included. “As kids, we were taught to identify lions and giraffes, but not our own species,” says Famoso. Given the Convention on Biological Diversity’s recognition of the Philippines as containing two-thirds of the earth’s biodiversity or around 70 to 80 percent of the world’s plant and animal species, this was—and is—quite the task.


Ever enthusiastic, Famoso made numerous open calls, starting with her immediate networks, for help in this undertaking. This resulted in many exhibits, the latest and to date the largest being “Para sa Kalikasan,” featuring more than 160 works by more than a hundred artists from the Philippines and Malaysia.

IN THE DEPTHS OF THE CANVAS Other pieces include Endemic Beauty, oil on canvas, by Erneil Jeoffrey, 2021; and Bluespotted Angelfish, acrylic on canvas, Mary Irma Lara, 2021

A handful of works are displayed as of press time at Conrad Manila’s Gallery C. The rest are in a virtual exhibit currently under construction by the PFAS.


Biodiversity isn’t confined to the Philippines, as many birds and aquatic creatures share migratory routes and nesting areas around Southeast Asia. As such, the PFAS, with backing from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reached out to the Malaysian Art Society, the Penang Art Society, and the Universti Teknologi Mara Faculty of Arts and Design.


Economic development and nature conservation are not an either-or choice. You can have both. —Norman Bin Muhammad, Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines


National borders, after all, are artificial. Norman Bin Muhammad, Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines, notes a shared urgency given both countries’ vulnerability to the effects of human-induced climate change. He recognizes that Malaysia and the Philippines are still developing countries. “Economic development and nature conservation are not an either-or choice. You can have both,” Muhammad says.


The diversity of the project goes beyond the canvas and extends to the artists, too. Ysay Rodriguez took formal training as a painter at UP Diliman, where her critical eye was trained to scrutinize the details in how a work was made.


CONSERVATIVE ART SUPPORT Guests from left: Nestor Jardin, Bing Famoso, Amb Norman Muhamad, Elizabeth Sy, Peggy Angeles, Linda Pecoraro

The open call received submissions from both amateur and professional artists, some of whom were children, scientists, and even gallery regulars, the big names of the scene. Meanwhile, Famoso is gleefully surprised at local masters’ participation.


Now working with the PFAS as a co-curator, Rodriguez has since learned to set her critic lenses aside and view things with a “beginner’s mind,” an experience which she shares is heartening for her, a democratization of art.


Acknowledging screen detox and LCD burnout, Rodriguez shares that the virtual exhibit is designed to be as tactile as possible, not simply presenting images as you scroll endlessly. She shares that many galleries have moved from a “scroll-based” presentation to a 3D remodeling of an actual gallery with the first-person view of someone standing amid the paintings. “You can walk around,” Rodriguez says.


“When many of the artists completed their works, they didn’t expect that they’d be in a virtual exhibit instead of a gallery,” she expounds. “As part of the PFAS support team, it’s my responsibility that a work is experienced in-person gets the best virtual translation.” As a traditional painter, Rodriguez had to teach herself some programming language just for this project.


It’s interesting how an old art form finds new expressions through new technology, all for the sake of community-initiated science communication, the better to raise awareness, versus your standard PSA.


The virtual exhibit is currently under development, follow the Philippine Fauna Art Society on social media for upadtes, or have an artsy lunch date at the Conrad Manila, with yourself or anybody else, all while keeping safe. Philippinefaunaartsociety.cargo.site | +639178614054 | [email protected] | +63288339999


Source: https://mb.com.ph/2021/08/05/how-conserving-an-art-practice-also-conserves-nature/

‘1941’: In Cordillera, film is a cultural weapon vs distortion

August 1, 2021

By: Vincent Cabreza

HISTORY OF BENGUET PEOPLE: A mural at the Benguet provincial capitol based on illustrations by the late history professor Geoffrey Carantes depicts the story of the province’s indigenous peoples like the Ibaloy and Kankanaey. (EV ESPIRITU / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

BAGUIO CITY, Benguet, Philippines — National Artist Kidlat Tahimik found himself taking a small part in a locally produced war movie that strives to depict a “genuine Cordillera” when the Japanese Imperial Army invaded the country during World War II.


“I thought the last thing I’d ever be involved in is an action film,” said Kidlat, a pioneer in independent cinema, who performs in “1941.” The film started shooting at Tuding village in Itogon, Benguet province, on July 13.


The movie is “a star-crossed romance” between a Japanese general played by Mark Philipp Neumann and Dexter Jaimee Tampoa, who stars as a school teacher.


It is directed by its producer Jennylyn de los Santos Floresca and by Perry de Guzman, a fight director of popular ABS-CBN series, “Ang Probinsyano.”


Floresca, who hails from the Cordillera, wrote the dialogues in Kankanaey, Japanese and Filipino to lend authenticity to the period, and tapped local actors like broadcaster Peter Wasing, Kidlat and members of the mixed martial arts’ Team Lakay, who play local guerrillas.


The film is the latest project in a growing list of Kankanaey cinema. Kankanaeys of Benguet province have been portrayed in films like the community-led “Ganab di Anos” (Fruit of Perseverance), which was written and produced by Nestor Clemente in 2009.

UNIQUE: The Cordillera’s unique traditions and practices have been depicted in films and preserved in documentaries. (EV ESPIRITU / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Distorting culture


Digital technology has allowed young Cordilleran filmmakers to tell genuine indigenous Filipino stories, said Kidlat (born Eric de Guia), and are finally able to present their truths.


Popular entertainment has a long history of distorting Igorot culture, said Far Eastern University film and mass media instructor Kristine Camille Sulit who presented a paper on the growth of indigenous peoples’ (IP) cinema at the 3rd International Cordillera Conference at the University of the Philippines (UP) Baguio.


Sulit cited the 1968 film, “Igorota,” directed by Jose Nepomuceno, which “fails to explore the culture of the Bontoc Igorot to explain ‘bare-breasted Igorotas.’”


“The display of [lead actress] Charito Solis’ breasts only served as the film’s primary spectacle,” she said.


Broadcast giants were equally at fault, Sulit said. The use of the “lumad” term “Bagani” (warrior) as the title of a fantasy television show fueled public discussions about mainstream media’s cultural appropriation of indigenous peoples’ language and traditions.


The use of media to assert power dates back to the early 1900s when the American colonial government used photography, and subsequently cinema, to show Anglo-Saxon superiority by picturing American soldiers standing side by side with the short, loincloth-wearing brown IP, Sulit said.

GUARDIAN: National Artist Kidlat Tahimik is among the keepers of Cordillera culture. (EV ESPIRITU / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Correcting mistakes


Unwittingly, if not by design, contemporary movies sustain this dynamic—this time between the “superior” lowlander and the “infantilized” highlander, she said.


A 2004 Joel Lamangan film, “Sabel,” which tackled mining and ancestral domain, required a mainstream Filipino character to rescue an Ibaloy community, Sulit said.


She said the 2006 romantic comedy, “Don’t Give Up on Us,” by director Joyce Bernal, presented the lead character “as someone who can’t match the lifestyle of [his romantic interest] because he is from Banaue [town in Ifugao province, home to the rice terraces] and she is from fast-paced Manila.”


But the rise of indigenous Filipino filmmaking may correct these mistakes by becoming “cultural weapons” that dispel stereotypes of indigenous peoples, Sulit said. She said local indigenous films are a facet of “Fourth Cinema,” a political movement that combats misrepresentations in “First Cinema” (Hollywood films), and is set apart from “Second Cinema” (the wave of European filmmakers), and the Third World perspectives of “Third Cinema.”


For example, “Ganab di Anos,” Sulit said, illustrates Kankanaey life by using vegetable gardening when it narrated the story of cousins who gave up school to tend to their farms, only to preach the value of education as their lives improved.


Even potatoes grown in the community became virtual characters in a film that showed the minute-by-minute process of producing food to connect the audience to Kankanaey daily life, she said.


Indigenous peoples cinema also helps enrich new generations who are struggling to understand their heritage, said Benguet State University humanities instructor Peter Dalocdoc Jr., whose paper for the UP Cordillera conference tracked films that define the modern Kankanaey.


Dalocdoc said community filmmaking in the Cordillera could have been started in 1992 by Samuel Dangpa’s Vernacular Video Ministry, who produced religious short films in local dialects that were shown in churches.


Local film production houses soon sprang up and rolled out small-budget dramas and romances, Dalocdoc said. These were sold in compact disc format, but the trade fared badly because of competition from cable and free television.


Some of these movies have been rediscovered by young Benguet residents who connected with their “vivid constructions of [present day] Kankanaey identity,” Dalocdoc said.

The promotional poster of “1941.”

Portraying traditions


Some short films have scenes portraying traditions such as the community dance called “tayaw,” which the new generation can barely perform, Dalocdoc said.


Others have stories about migrating to Baguio City when traditional economies break down back home or when young men seek out romantic partners.


Unlike these community cinematic endeavors, “1941” is a full-scale production, on which Floresca had invested P5 million.


Floresca said she conducted research into the Japanese occupation, but had tried to humanize the Japanese soldiers whose brutality lent to their portrayal as “evil” in many war films.


Kidlat said this “Asian sensitivity” portrayed in “1941,” and common to many Cordillera feature films, was among the reasons why the project attracted him.


Camp John Hay in Baguio was bombarded by Japanese airplanes on Dec. 8, 1941, after it attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, triggering the Pacific leg of World War II. But the war also ended at Camp John Hay, where Japanese Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita signed the surrender papers on Sept. 3, 1945, after he was cornered a day earlier in Kiangan, Ifugao, by Filipino and American soldiers.


Floresca assembled a professional film crew and veteran stuntmen who would play the role of Japanese invaders.


“We are supposed to shoot in various parts of the region,” said Al Nanca, one of the stuntmen.


They would battle Team Lakay athletes whose roles allowed them to express their “inner Cordilleran warriors,” said Team Lakay founder and coach, Mark Sangiao.


Source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1467155/in-cordillera-film-is-cultural-weapon-vs-distortion