variations online - Philippine High School for the Arts

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE PHILIPPINE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS
JUNE 2013-JANUARY 2014 LOS BANOS, LAGUNA, REGION IV-A VOL. XXXVII NO. 1
In light of the PHSAKO project
more exposure trips were lined up
for students to further immerse
themselves in art. (Photo by Paola
Bettina Mauricio)
ART SCHOOL REVIVAL
PHSA launches ‘PHSAKO’
Catherine Regina Borlaza
The Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) opened AY 2013-2014 with the launching of
PHSAKO, a program that aims to revive and reform the culture and tradition of the school
through various projects for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents; and the rehabilitation
of school facilities (See sidebar).
The program, initiated by
PHSA’s new executive director,
Dr. Victor Emmanuel Carmelo
“Vim” Nadera Jr., began
with the earlier roll-out of the
Annual Nationwide Search for
Young Art Scholars (ANSYAS)
from the usual December to
September of this year, to cover
more ground and attract more
applicants.
Meanwhile, art talks by
established artists (dubbed
“Yakag”), a lecture series
by successful alumni (called
“Alumnayan”), and career
talks by industry and academe
professionals
were
made
staples in the school calendar
to enrich student experience.
To boost morale, monthly
birthday
celebrations
for
students (dubbed “Dakutan”)
and for faculty and staff (called
“Patak-Patak”) are also held.
Other projects included in
the program are the plans to
produce a coffeetable book and
PHSA welcomes
3 new personnel
Trisha Pauline Ilarde
The PHSA has appointed
three new personnel to
beef up its roster this AY
2013-2014.
Dr.
Vim
Nadera,
Flaudette May Datuin, and
Maria Victoria Jimenez
were named Director
IV, Art Studies 3 and 4
teacher, and Guidance
Counselor, respectively.
Nadera was a former
member of the PHSA
Advisory Council. He is
an award-winning poet,
fictionist,
playwright,
and essayist.
Datuin,
on
the
other hand, is a visiting
instructor. She is the
Associate Professor in the
Department of Art Studies
at the University of the
Philippines (UP) Diliman.
Meanwhile, Jimenez
is a licensed guidance
counselor who obtained
her master’s degree in
UP Diliman.
PHSA executive director
Dr. Vim Nadera shares his
plans for the school. (Photo
by Meeko Camba)
CD project featuring PHSA
alumni
(tentatively
titled
“Kuwarenta“), in preparation
for the 40th anniversary of
PHSA in 2017. Fund-raising
campaigns involving PHSA
graduates are also in the works.
The launching of “Kids
Tearn (Teach & Learn) Kids”,
free seminars and workshops on
the arts to be conducted by PHSA
students; the establishment of
a PHSA basketball team (to
be called the Ambassadors of
Goodwill); and the renewal of
ties with Goethe Institute and
other cultural centers that would
broaden the artistic and cultural
horizons of PHSA scholars are
also in the pipeline.
PHSAKO will also include
the Director IV’s plans for
each major, among them:
to have the first Makiling
Creative Writing Workshop;
bring the dance majors around
the Philippines and even
abroad for performances;
establish a studio for the
music majors to record
their original compositions;
advocate children’s rights
and environmental protection
in the theater arts students’
performances; and put up
Museong Makiling for visual
artists to exhibit their works.
‘Perya ni Andres’ raises
funds for Yolanda relief
Ligia Griselda Daroy, Lora
Noreen Domingo & Svetlana
Riguera
To mark Andres Bonifacio’s
sesquicentennial, the PHSA,
in cooperation with Museo
Pambata, put together “Perya
ni Andres”, an event which
aims to commemorate the revolutionary hero and to raise
funds for the victims of the
super typhoon Yolanda.
The one-day public event,
which was held at the Museo
Pambata along Roxas Boulevard, from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00
p.m. on November 30, featured
performances from PHSA students and appearances from
National Artists for Literature
Virgilio Almario, F. Sionil Jose,
and Bienvenido Lumbera.
Proceeds from the games
and booths shall go directly to
Yolanda victims.
According to the event press
release, “[t]here [were] eight adjoining booths, representing the
diversity of the Katipuneros,
School amps up facilities
Catherine Regina Borlaza & Svetlana Riguera
“To convert every nook and cranny around the school into
an art space.” This is the goal that PHSA executive director
Dr. Vim Nadera is pursuing as he leads the rehabilitation
of the PHSA campus under the PHSAKO program.
The rehabilitation of
the Clubhouse, the repair
of old school buses, and the
disposal of asbestos roofing
materials that started in
early 2013 were among those
prioritized in the facilities
improvement efforts.
Meanwhile,
closed
circuit television (CCTV)
surveillance cameras were
installed in select cottages
around the dormitory area,
while smoke detectors were
installed in every room.
The Araliwang Awit
student lounge was opened
in the Cafeteria to serve
as a venue for recreation.
The room houses board
games, books, a TV set and a
stereo set donated by AWIT
Foundation.
The school also procured
two vehicles, a set of
speakers, and 16 emergency
lights;
and
conducted
a repair of the Marvilla
dormitories, Ballet Studio,
and the Vargas area.
Plans to put up a
“silungan” near the dorm
area where PHSA students
can entertain parents and
visitors are also underway.
A lounge for the PHSA
Employee Association will
also be built to serve as the
hideaway of faculty and staff
during breaktime, along with
the small souvenir shop that
sells PHSA memorabilia.
Ibarangs, PH reps abroad
Reya May Laplana
Five students of the PHSA flew out of the country to represent
the Philippines in various international events held in different countries in Asia.
Student pianists Nathan
Domagas, freshman; Janna
Peña, sophomore; and Warren
Garrido, senior, flew to
Matsumoto, Japan, to join the
Suzuki World Conference on
March 28. The event was held at
different venues in Matsomoto
including
the
Matsomoto
Performing Arts Center.
Meanwhile, student pianist
Matthew Calderon, senior,
attended the 2013 Summer
Piano Institute and Festival on
June 16. The workshop was held
at the Siew Toh Conservatory
of Music, National University,
in Singapore.
Visual arts student Camille
Cabatingan,
senior,
went
to Tokyo, Japan to receive
an award after winning the
competition held by the
International
Foundation
for Arts and Culture, at the
Ritz-Carlton Hotel. She was
the sole representative of the
Philippines in the International
High School Arts Festival. Her
winning artwork entitled “‘Sang
Dosenang Mukha: Art in Unison”
was exhibited at the National
Art Center of Japan together
with the artwork of PHSA
alumna Corinne Caro (QuirinoValera ’13).
WHAT’S INSIDE?
‘Perya ni Andres’ was a fun
tribute to a Filipino hero,
and for a worthy cause.
who came from different provinces. Each tent [had] its own exciting and educational activities.
There will be a roleta, beto-beto,
pabunot, crafts booth, tessellation, memory games, and other
perya games”.
Adventures in New
York, Angkor Wat,
Bali, and Seoul
5
OS battle: iOS7
vs. Android
Kitkat 4.4
9
Poetry
and photo
haiku
Sports editorial:
Pacquiao
for President?
7
11
2
JUNE 2013JANUARY 2014
OPINION
EDITORIALS
Saving the ANSYAS
istory was made in Iloilo City last October 4-6
H
when only a “staggering” number of three hopefuls
showed up to audition in the Annual Nationwide Search
of Young Art Scholars (ANSYAS)--an unfortunate
situation, considering the manpower and resources
deployed to ensure a considerable turnout of applicants.
Among the problems posed in an assembly between
the Director IV and the Philippine High School for
the Arts (PHSA) scholars on the dwindling number
of auditionees were: the anxiety of parents, the fear
of the students themselves, and the fact that the
PHSA is virtually unknown in most of the country.
Apprehensions about the school’s system and the
location of the school itself discourage a heft of parents
and students from thinking about the opportunities that
a scholarship grant presents.
Talented students who are willing to hone their
skills in Makiling are the lifeline of the PHSA. While a
weekend of online promotion of the ANSYAS is a good
start, it is not enough. The school needs direct interactions
down the mountain—more enrichment programs and
more workshops with other places and people, wider
than Wi-Fi or Internet coverage, to strengthen ties and
inspire more talented students from all over the country
to hone their skills in this so-called “haven for artists”.
EYE OF THE TIGER
Rekindling humanity
eorge W. Bush said, “The worst of Nature brings
G
out the best in our fellow human beings”. To that,
we could add, “it also brings out the worst from its
people”, based on the tragic onrush of unfortunate
events that succeeded Yolanda.
“Slow response” was blamed on our government
with how they mishandled, or rather, how they’re trying to handle this feat of mass destruction; and if some
of the government officials were to help, their names
and faces would be stamped in whatever relief goods
they hand to the victims. It is rather inhumane to still
manage to put ourselves first in times when we really
need, more than ever, to embody the bayanihan spirit.
The world has stepped up to help our country with
generous donations and humanitarian missions.
However, it would be easier to rehabilitate and recover the areas that were damaged and wiped away
by the wrath of Yolanda if only we felt the presence,
support and effort of our national government. Local
governments could rekindle their leadership and regain peace and order amidst the trauma they’ve been
through, but they’ll need the national government as
well to provide the needs of their provinces.
How P-Noy will react or handle these current situations will tell how great or how weak his presidency
is. For now, it seems like the glory of our country in
slowly rising up from the muck and ravage Yolanda
left for us to pick up, is really in the faithful hands of
the Filipinos who are eager to help others, and also
in the hands of, ironically, some of our old colonizers
and foreign friends who bonded with our people to
regain the greatness of our nation once more.
Paola Bettina Mauricio
editor in chief
Patricia Samantha Narvaez
associate editor
Lois Veronica Villar
Paula Madeline Candelaria
Trisha Pauline Ilarde
Marielle Beatriz Villas
Beatrice Goyena
Reya May Laplana
features & literary editors
Artgiveson Arreglado
Catherine Regina Borlaza
science & technology editor
Martina Herras
Carmela Isabel Evangelista
web & social media editor
managing editor
news editors
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT
PUBLICATION
OF THE PHILIPPINE
HIGH SCHOOL
FOR THE ARTS
National Arts Center
Mt. Makiling
Los Banos, 4031
Laguna
Region IV-A
www.phsa.edu.ph
Vol. XXXVII No. 1
June 2013January 2014
layout editor
community editor
sports editor
Elijah Luiz Canlas, Jerom Andrei Canlas
Ligia Griselda Daroy, Lora Noreen Domingo
Ma-I Saffron Germaine Entico, Amber Garma, James
Jonelle Lanante, Amina Raizel Matavia, Svetlana
Riguera, Jan Mikaela Villanueva
writers
Maria Payb Biglete, Katrina Catalan,
Andrew Constantino, Asia Simone Entico,
Tristan Paul Guinid
illustrators
Meeko Angela Camba, Kevin David Cantos,
Warren Albert Garrido, Julia Daphne Ocampo
photojournalists
Emma Lim-Izon, Marza Palentino
Nadeth Rae Rival
advisers
Patricia Samantha Narvaez
hough the PHSA has
Tmany
been in existence for
years, there is still
undeniable concern in the
recent past about finding
an executive director who
can complete the prescribed
six-year term. The constant
change in leadership has
left the school on its toes,
wavering, and more fragile
than ever.
Enter new Director IV
Victor Emmanuel Carmelo
“Vim” Nadera Jr., a fellow
artist who is enthusiastic
about the school, who aims
to put us back on the ground,
and who hopes to open a
Waiting for alleged change
new chapter where we are
reassured that we’re in the
right hands. It wasn’t long
before the students learned
to appreciate him for being
there and for actually having
plans for the school.
What a lot of people
doubt is if these plans will
actually be realized, or if
these plans will be thrown
into the pile of scrapped
ideas we’ve been collecting
for years.
The PHSAKO program,
created to ensure that
all sectors of the PHSA
community are included,
offers opportunities for the
students and the alumni
to showcase their talents.
However, these plans, no
matter how well-thoughtout or well-organized, if not
efficient and not taken action
into, will not make any sort
of change to the school.
Some arts of the PHSAKO
program are already taking
place and are already
coming to order. However,
as with most cases, plans
are launched, die halfway
through, until they are
Alumna-yawn
“Alumnayan” series
Tthehe
is an interaction between
PHSA community and its
graduates through scheduled
sessions of lectures and
activities.
Unfortunately,
though it hopes to inspire
students, it is viewed as a
mere inconvenience by some
of them.
Originally
envisioned
to reach out to the present
members of the community
and to reconnect them to
their roots, the “Alumnayan”
accorded invited alumni the
opportunity to share their
experiences
as
students,
and current students to
share theirs as well. At the
same time, this series of
talks served as an alumni
homecoming of sorts.
With this, the exchange
of thoughts and experiences
hoped to motivate the
students to do well in
the field they chose to
pursue. While this was its
initial
objective,
the
“Alumnayan” has evolved
into more of an interaction.
the
previous
From
sessions, there was a dearth
of activities where students
and teachers could learn.
Much time is consumed by
student discussion, instead
of using that time for handson work. To be frank, the
“Alumnayan” is just as
interesting as listening to
an artist talk or a curator
droning on about the exhibits
in a gallery. Its being held
on a monthly basis alarmed
many, for it seemed that a
lot of time would be wasted
sitting through a lecture
instead of rehearsing in their
respective majors.
This project talks about
everything
yet
produces
hardly anything. It might
be best if it provided
better opportunities for the
community to get to know
our alumni. Or better yet,
the time the activity takes
up should be divided so the
forgotten. It is then that the
PHSAKO fails to achieve its
objectives. Hopefully, after so
many years, we’ll succeed in
making this program work
for the betterment of the
school. If not, then it only
means that we are not doing
enough to make the school
a better place. And when
we are able to pull through,
there are endless possibilities
of extending the program,
including the provision of
needed facilities like better
computers, or a Creative
Writing room.
The PHSAKO project,
if executed properly, will
surely strengthen the ties
and build a network among
artists whether young or
old, Ibarang or not, and
local or foreign. And these
refurbishing projects of the
school will make it a better,
safer place to house and
hone the young and talented
artists scattered across the
country.
With a more secure and
plaid system and with a
present and dedicated leader,
the school will flourish.
SCUBA-DOO
Artgiveson Arreglado
community can not only learn
about the alumni, but also
learn new things to help hone
their craft. It needs to focus on
experiences like having small
workshops that would benefit
everyone by learning about
art fields besides their own.
Immersion
in
activities
creates
a
better
that
will
understanding
influence us student artists.
After
all,
experience
proves to be a better teacher
than just another lecture.
JUNE 2013JANUARY 2014
OPINION
HEADPHONE PHEROMONE
Out in the open
ompared to the rest of Asia,
the Philippines is arguably
C
the most open-minded towards
homosexuality (despite being
dominated by the Catholic
faith). Prominent figures in
the entertainment industry
are openly gay, and most of us
find nothing wrong with that.
It is ironic, however, that when
a celebrity admits to being a
homosexual at the height of
his career, the revelation is met
with mixed reactions.
Hoping to put to rest
speculation over her sexual
orientation,
pop
singer
Charice Pempengco finally
confirmed that she is indeed a
lesbian. While her confession
garnered applause from all
around, it also caused several
of her long-time supporters to
turn on her. Pempengco said
that she expected such, but
hoped people would accept
her for who she is.
The loyalty of these
“supporters”
is
rather
questionable. Thinking on
average, everything about
the singer they grew to love
remains. The only difference
now is that she is being honest
about herself. But why is it that
a person’s sexuality affects
how we see and treat him?
In Colorado, the parents of
six-year old Coy Mathis filed
JUST KEEP SWIMMING
a complaint after Mathis was
barred from using the female
restroom in her school. Prior
to the case filing, Mathis was
only permitted by Eagleside
Elementary School to use
the male restroom and the
clinic’s restroom. This is
because Mathis was born
male, but has identified
as female since the age of
four. The school reasoned
that “his” use of the female
restroom would make the
other students uncomfortable.
Months after Mathis was
taken out of Eagleside in
favor of home schooling, the
court’s final decision ruled
in favor of young Mathis.
Transgender
advocates
everywhere saw the court’s
decision as a huge step toward
gender equality.
It’s sad that the lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender
(LGBT)
community
is
constantly misunderstood and
mistreated.
Homosexuality
isn’t some disease. We
shouldn’t
treat
anyone
differently or judge them for
who they choose to be.
Even the current head of
the Catholic faith Pope Francis
was heard saying: “If someone
is gay and seeks the Lord with
good will, who am I to judge?”
Past our sexual orientations,
Compiled by Catherine Regina Borlaza
and Jerom Andrei Canlas
“I guess my perspective on different art fields [became] more open and I learned how to use my talents
and skills for my field, and how to collaborate with
others.”
- Roberta Santos, freshman visual arts major
Paola Bettina Mauricio
we’re all the same. I think it
is best we begin treating each
other as such.
I often find myself going
over this quote from late
grunge pioneer Kurt Cobain:
“I’d rather be hated for who
I am, than be loved for who I
am not”.
While some may disagree,
I admire Pempengco’s courage
in choosing to come out. In
fact, I think we should be
taking pointers from her and
Mathis.
While we cower at the
fear of being
judged, they
can
proudly announce to
the world who they are.
Unlike the rest of us, they’re
at least comfortable with
themselves.
And I find nothing wrong
with that.
“Our hearts go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon
bombing, and our thoughts are always with them and their
families... The fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is young, and in the
same age group as many of our readers, makes it all the more
important for us to examine the complexities of this issue and
gain a more complete understanding of how a tragedy like this
happens.” - The Editors (Rolling Stone)
Lois Veronica Villar
he
statement
was
released by the editors of
T
the Rolling Stone after the
outrage that sparked over
the cover of their August 1,
2013 issue which featured
Boston bomber Dzhokhar
Tsarnaev. The magazine,
famous for putting musical
legends on their covers,
was criticized and accused
of “glamorizing terrorists”
by means of putting the
19 year-old on the same
pedestal as epic rock stars.
The
controversy
started when the Rolling
Stone revealed their cover
photo: that of a baby-faced
Tsarnaev, with ruffled hair
and an unflinching, innocent
stare which made him look
somewhat more like a rock
star than a teenage terrorist.
Hundreds and thousands of
observers, including loyal
fans, were enraged and
disparaged the magazine on
its Facebook page, trashing
the choice of the magazine to
put him on the cover. Some
said that the act “made him
look like some cool rock
god” and “it’s horrible”.
Others gave their own
opinion as to whom the
magazine should have put
on the cover instead: “Maybe
a photo of the little eightyear-old boy that was killed
by this piece of garbage
would have made a better
cover.” Most commenters
expressed their anger and
SURVEY
How were you changed or reborn in Makiling?
Keep on rolling
disappointment
towards
the magazine, stating their
cancellation of subscriptions
and
never
buying
the
magazine again.
When considered, the
act of putting Tsarnaev on
the cover of the Rolling
Stones is not as disgusting
as it seems. While the
reactions of most Americans,
especially Bostonians, are
understandable, one must
take into consideration the
Rolling Stone’s reasons for
taking this story.
The magazine did not
wish to put the 19 year-old on
a pedestal or on the same line
as the legendary rock stars
we idolize today. The Rolling
Stone’s intentions were clean
and simple: the majority of
their readers are on the same
age level as Tsarnaev.
The article was not about
how he bombed Boston, but
more of his own story—how
certain things and events
affected him as a person,
specifically, as a young
adult. It’s clear from the
statement released by the
Rolling Stone that the story
was not about a bomber or
an alleged terrorist, but of
a young man growing into
a society—and a religion—
that he eventually couldn’t
keep up with. It’s a story the
majority of the young adults
today face.
Peer pressure was what
pushed him to his state, and
the message of putting him
on the cover, albeit subtle, is
a message that tells the world
a tragic story of what became
of a young man with a bright
future ahead of him.
3
It’s a sad thought, but it
can be considered from this
young man’s story that the
youth today are pushed too far
from their limits. Family and
school are often the root cause
of the youth losing their minds
and giving up. An even worse
thought, is what the public see
from this article.
The fact that they see the
young man’s actions glorified
and not what went behind it
says much about their failure
to look at things from a
different angle and their lack
of incentive to dig deeper
into the cause of each action.
Maybe this controversy says
less about the Rolling Stone,
and more of the society and
their values.
“I became more [friendly] and more independent.
I became more active because of my batchmates,
classmates, roommates and new friends.”
- Angel Joyce Esteban, sophomore music (viola) major
“How I studied changed. At my old school, I didn’t bother to do so well. I didn’t even try to sleep late for my studies. With my scholarship in Makiling, I value my grades
and the scholarship itself, enough to even stay awake till
dawn just to finish my assignments. ”
- April Jasmin Rosales, junior theater arts major
“I took a huge role of being guardian and mother to all
143 students in Makiling. I changed how I handle kids
and it isn’t my duty as a guard to give advice to the Ibarang, but I still do because it’s my duty as their mother.”
- Elgen Manguerra, lady guard
“I tried to learn more based on my experience here. If I
wanted to know about something, I sought advice and
information from elders or other people to improve
myself.”
- Cristina Narvasa, Health and P.E. teacher
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
I wish that there would be no fallouts for AY 2013-2014.
I also wish that there would be heaters for all the dorms.
I wish that excellence and respect be treasured in the minds and
hearts of everyone.
Maria Victoria Jimenez
Resident guidance counselor
I wish the student lounge would be open all the time.
Roberta Santos
Freshman visual arts major
Since the PHSA administration has prioritized the installation
of CCTV cameras, I wish they would also prioritize the broken
washing machines.
Beatrice Goyena
Senior creative writing major
I wish that there would be more interaction between students
of different majors in the PHSA and between Ibarangs and students of other schools.
Svetlana Riguera
Sophomore creative writing major
M.A.T.I.A.S.
(musika. akda. titik. indak. awit. sayaw.)
a light-hearted visual commentary that sheds light on student issues
Katrina Catalan
Katrina Isabelle Catalan
4
JUNE 2013JANUARY 2014
FEATURES
BONIFACIO AT 150
Reintroduction
To A Hero
The Digital Natives
Ma-I Saffron Germaine Entico
eet Generation Z, also known as The Digital Natives, iGeneration, and Generation
M
Me. Born from the mid 1990’s until 2010, the members of this generation have
been exposed into a world more dangerous yet wonderful than before.
Beatrice Goyena
he
Philippines
went
Ttrouble
through a lot of toil and
to earn the label of
being a republic. The country prides itself on this fact,
and it has always been the
foundation of elementary
History classes. A major
progenitor of this venture was the Katipuneros, a group
of Filipinos driven by their shared vision of an unfettered country. Led by Andres Bonifacio, the campaign
was able to amass thousands of convinced and enlightened Filipinos from all over the country.
Despite lacking a formal
classroom education, Bonifacio proved to be a man
forged by both wisdom and
resilience, two factors that
were able to embody the Filipino spirit all throughout
the revolution. But in spite
of all this glory, his selfless
act of dedicating himself to
the campaign for Filipino
freedom remains to be an
entity underrated by most
books and discussions.
Bonifacio, having been
forced to stop his education prior to the death of
his parents, settled for the
choice to acquire knowledge from any scholastic
material at hand. He was
able to read Jose Rizal’s
El Filibusterismo, a novel
that eventually submerged
Bonifacio in insurgence.
He joined La Liga Filipina, a group of elite scholars
established by Jose Rizal. La
Liga intended to serve as
the mediator between the
Philippines and Spain, but
unfortunately the group
fell apart shortly after the
arrest of Rizal. It dawned
on Bonifacio that what the
Philippines needs is not
reformation, but rather rev-
olution—a movement that
demands the transparency
of progress.
After a meeting with
people who shared his
same goals, the Kataastaasang Kagalanggalang
na Katipunan ng mga
Anak ng Bayan (KKK) was
formed. Bonifacio was proclaimed as its “Supremo”,
and the pursuit for freedom became its lifeblood.
A lot of people recognize
Bonifacio as the national
hero of the Philippines for
his remarkable influence on
the country’s evolution. Others also even consider him to
be the first Philippine president. One thing is for sure:
without him, we would
probably still be in the hands
of our colonizers and obscurity. In the Filipinos of today,
it is apparent that Bonifacio’s
blood is flowing through
them, fulfilling its role as an
important sigil for change
and rebirth. The Million
People March, rallies aiming
to abolish Pork Barrel, the
mass expansion of enlightenment—these are just some
of the movements intending
to preserve the freedom the
Philippines had to fight for.
THE IN-BETWEEN
a play review of Jimmy Flores’ Kudeta! Kudeta!
Martina Herras
efore the chimes inside the Cultural Center of the PhilipB
pines’ Tanghalang Huseng Batute ends, a blind man lugging
an electric guitar is led onstage. After he sits in the far right cor-
ner, people start to roll in one by one; a taong grasa begging the
audience for money; a man with a bandage wrapped around his
head; looking dazed and confused about where he is; and a frustrated cigarette vendor, who exits the theatre as soon as he realizes that nobody in the audience is interested in buying his wares.
Kudeta! Kudeta! is about a
comatose patient (Garry Lim)
who was shot during the Marcos revolution. While he appears to be in a lopsided version of the Epifanio De los
Santos Avenue, he soon finds
out that he is in limbo!
Soon after, the patient is approached by a beggar (Opaline
Santos) who reveals himself to
be a rogue devil planning a rebellion against heaven and hell.
The devil asks him to pray to
the heavens for a justified coup
d’etat, and after a few moments,
receives an answer as a blind
man (Myke Solomon) reveals
himself to be an angel high up
in the ranks. Finally, the patient
is given the choice to go back to
his comatose state and live doing nothing, or to be damned to
hell for all eternity for agreeing
to a coup d’etat against the high
heavens.
Kudeta! Kudeta! is a satirical comedy; making comments
about the country’s govern-
ment and how it is run by using
key substitutes such as heaven,
hell and angels.
What else made the play
unique was its staging and
direction. Ariel Yonzon’s decision to create a commotion
even before the start of the actual play pulled the audience
into the story and engaged
each one as if we were a part of
the play.
Overall, the play was successful in giving its viewers
the idea that just like the beggar, people try and try to make
a difference through protests
and rallies but are still unsuccessful to this point. Why? Because the decision, as much as
they tell us that it is our decision, will always rely on its
leaders. Evidence that position
and power would always, unfortunately, win.
Kudeta! Kudeta! was directed by
Ariel Yonzon and first staged as
part of Virgin Labfest 9’s Set A.
There are two different
divisions of Generation Z:
Z1 and Z2. Z1 and Z2 may
be of the same generation,
but are separated by how
their characteristics differ
in significant aspects.
Those who are in Z1 are
born sometime around
the mid 1990’s until 2005.
Z2 children, on the other
hand, are born around
2005 until 2010.
Diversity has worked
its way into the world of
Generation Z through the
Internet and other kinds of
media, making their music
and fashion tastes vary a
lot more.
They may not have
witnessed the 9/11 or the
disaster at the Berlin Wall,
but they have grown up
with global warming and
pollution
everywhere
they go. They have also
witnessed a lot of hate,
both in and out of the
virtual world. Because of
this, most children from
this era would naturally
have a desire to change the
world for the better.
People from Z1 are
characterized as savvier,
smarter,
and
more
flexible individuals then.
They are also more socially
responsible compared to
the last generation, thanks
to social media and online
sites. They are witnesses to
the beginning of the digital
era, and are also born during
a time of increased use of the
internet. They may have at
“This generation
might either be
the rise or fall
of humanity; it
all depends on
what they do and
choose to do in
the future.”
least seen and used big bulky
TVs, VCDs, and cassettes.
Z1’s oldest members, who
are now in their early twenties,
are either currently joining or
are already in the workforce.
Meanwhile, its youngest
members are about as young
as nine years old.
Pocket-sized Realities for
CHILDREN
Z2 shares several
similar characteristics with
Z1. Their only differences
lie in their being born in
different years and Z2
people being born with
technology by their side.
They most likely have not
heard of vinyl records or
cassettes. CDs are also
becoming more and more
like old cassettes: slowly
forgotten. They are very
dependent on technology
and seem to lack privacy.
They are likely to be more
open about sharing their
lives to others, and proof
of this is the pervasive
social outburst all over
Facebook. This generation
might either be the rise
or fall of humanity; it all
depends on what they do
and choose to do in the
future.
These generations are
still being observed and
compared to each other,
meaning that no one still
has seen what Generation
Z is capable of doing.
Even so, those that have
observed them already
know that this generation
would have a great impact
on the world.
Text by Catherine
Regina Borlaza
Illustrations by Tristan
Paul Guinid
ou’d never expect to find certain contexts, such as child abuse or divorce, when you’re unY
der the domain of children’s literature. Filipino writers, though, are constantly trying
nowadays to do just that: explain taboo topics to mere six- to ten-year-old children.
Three
unusual
and
quirky Filipino children’s
books have been dominating
bookstores with alluring
illustrations
and
childfriendly
language.
Ang
Lihim ni Lea, Ang Ikaklit Sa
Aming Hardin and Papa’s
House, Mama’s House—all
three books written in a
child’s perspective, aiming
to change what children’s
storybooks should contain.
Ang Lihim ni Lea, written
by Augie Rivera, follows a
simple story of a little girl
named Lea who possesses
the magical power of going
through doors. When she
tries to go through her
school’s door, she falls flat on
the floor, earning her a bump
on her head. Her teacher
noticed her strange behavior,
only to find out that Lea’s
father touches her private
part, and forces her to watch
vulgar videos with him. Ang
Lihim ni Lea gives hope to
abused children—to let them
know that they are not alone;
that other children have the
same story and same struggle
as they do. It makes children
see the harsh realities of life
by incorporating Lea’s story
and point of view.
On the other hand, Ang
Ikaklit sa Aming Hardin, by
Bernadette Villanueva Neri,
is about Ikaklit, a daughter
of
same
sex
parents.
Through the point of view
of Ikaklit, this metaphor was
emphasized in the story:
“A family is like a garden.
Who planted the seed is not
important. It also doesn’t
matter whether a woman or
a man takes care of them.
What’s vital is how well the
garden is tended.” The story
aims to prove to children
and adults alike that love
conquers all obscurities
and complications in any
kind of relationship.
Papa’s House, Mama’s
House, written by Jean Lee
Patindol, also has a child
speaker in the story who lives
in two separate homes—
her Papa’s house and her
Mama’s house. Through
the questioning of the child,
beautiful and metaphorical
explanations
of
why
married couples tend to part
unraveled throughout the
story. Metaphors like “Do
you think trains and planes
can travel together?” arises
that will make the readers
realize the gist of separation.
The book helps parents
explain to their children
a heart-rending situation,
but also explains a timely
struggle parents go through
which has the capacity to
greatly affect their children.
Children’s stories these
days aim to break the box
of conventional fantasy and
adventure
stories.
What
makes
these
storybooks
special is the kind impact it has
on children, because children
themselves are speaking to
the young audience—like
letting a gigantic capsule
of reality slide with ease
through their throats, down
to their system.
A little dose of reality
could wake children up to
explore and be enlightened
through reading.
JUNE 2013JANUARY 2014
FEATURES
5
The (Really) Big Apple
TRAVELOGUES
Text & Photo by Svetlana Riguera
fter an exhausting ten-hour train ride through America, we
A
pulled unto the Grand Central Station amidst a faint drizzle.
Still, I wasn’t irritated, even if we only had flimsy hoodies to keep
A Piece of Heaven
us from getting wet as we dragged out suitcases through the crowds.
After all, I was getting rained on in New York City.
“It’s not practical to own a
car in New York,” I remember
my cousin saying, the morning we set out. “Everyone either rides the train, gets a taxi,
or walks.”
And so throughout our
three-day trip, we travelled
to every single one of our
destinations by foot. In New
York, where sidewalks are
four times the width of those
in Manila, walking allowed
us to fully take in the famous
city, with its crisp, cool air that
smelled faintly like shaved
ice and giant skyscrapers that
decorated the skyline.
Our first stop was the 9/11
memorial, where we explored
the very site of the infamous
9/11 attacks on New York’s
World Trade Center. Where
the two towers had been
Bali, Indonesia
New York City, USA
Text & Photo by Meeko Angela Camba
ali, Indonesia, commonly referred to as the “island of the gods,”is known as one of the world’s most
B
popular tourist destinations. Even before going there, I had already heard a lot of things about the
place. But what intrigued me the most was the thought of what that little island had that made people from
all over the world call it the “last paradise”, the “dawning of the world”or even the “center of the universe”.
Almost the entire province is surrounded by vast,
fine-sand beaches where one
could truly relax and enjoy
peace and quiet. The beach can
also give you a heck of a challenge when it comes to surfing.
Historical and significant
temples can be found across the
island. One of the most noticeable things you would find in a
province is how much the people remain intact with their traditions. Houses, buildings and
even their shopping malls were
built and patterned after how
structures used to look. In visiting these places, you would
encounter a lot of boutiques
and other souvenir stores that
showcase authentic Balinese
products, most of which are reasonably priced, making shopping a really fun experience.
Another factor that makes
Bali truly world-class is their
mouthwatering food. Ditch
the sweets and try any Balinese delicacy, because I assure you that eating spicy
food is no piece of cake.
However, the best thing
about Bali is none of the things
mentioned above. The best
thing about Bali is the people
and the atmosphere, both of
which engages you in belongingness. The people would
make you feel as if you never
left home. Everywhere along
the streets, people would
greet you and wish you good
fortune. All of them wore
smiles on their faces like it
was the most important accessory they could ever wear.
Visiting Bali will renew you in ways you never
thought possible. It is a haven for people who have
had their plates full and are
looking for a chance to slow
down. It is a place where
problems and misfortunes
become
less
important.
Baliiswheretimeiswillingto
wait for you to make a decision.
Temple Run
knocked down by hijacked
airliners, four new buildings
loomed above us, their silver
edifices glistened almost blindingly under the afternoon
sun. Various memorabilia
were sold, the most poignant
being a flag of the United
States made with the names of
those who had perished in the
incident.
Still, the highlight of the trip
was undoubtedly the sight of
Times Square in the night time.
Everything about “the center
of consumerism” was largerthan-life: an array of huge lights
with assorted colors. There
was nothing natural about the
place—one could never expect
to feel a sea breeze or hear the
rustle of leaves—but it wholeheartedly embraced its artificialness, making Times Square
unforgettably picturesque in a
way that nothing else could.
It was drizzling again when
we boarded the train, and as we
dragged our suitcases across
the streets of New York one last
time, I still didn’t mind.
Because after all, I was
getting rained on in New
York City.
Soul Adventure
Seoul, South Korea
Text by Jan Mikaela Villanueva & Photo from Visitseoul.net
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
o get to Seoul, South Korea, you would most likely disembark
T
at the Incheon I==nternational Airport, named the World’s
Best Airport for eight consecutive years. The place is spotless,
Text & Photo by Kevin David Cantos
ngkor Wat in Cambodia is truly the place to go for those who are interested in art, photograA
phy, and architecture. It is also an ideal place for those who seek deliverance from the hubble
of modern-day society.
Just like the game Temple
Run, Angkor Wat is a place
that is both fun and interesting.
It would test your stamina, too!
Built by the Khmer Civilization
between 802 and 1220 A.D., the
Angkor Wat represents one
of humankind's most amazing and enduring architectural marvels. The temple has
a causeway that is 250 meters
long that serves as the main access to the monument. I ran to
take pictures of the statues and
landscapes!
Angkor Wat’s enormous
building embodies the Khmer
Civilization’s vast culture
through its stone carvings and
architecture. Their stone carv-
ings depict the two religions
Hinduism and Buddhism. I
saw Buddhist icons that prove
that Buddhism is still a relevant
part of the Khmer’s daily life.
The stairs of the temple were
very hard to climb because
they were highly elevated and
had small steps that were said
to symbolize struggles in life.
Angkor Wat is considered
to be the “center of the world”
because it is a replica of the universe and an earthly model of
the cosmic realm. Its central
tower symbolizes the mythical
mountain, Meru, located at the
center of the universe. The other towers represent the peaks
of Meru, and the walls corre-
spond to the mountains at the
edge of the world. Angkor Wat
is also well known for its magnificent sunrise and sunset.
Through this temple, the
Khmer civilization lives on.
With their majestic towers and
architecture, their carved detailed structures, the temple is
a boiling pot of ancient culture.
In Angkor Wat, I felt the artist
in me thirst for other beautiful
and enticing artworks that represent the culture of other countries. The whole experience
was tiring, but being exposed
to a different way of living and
culture was invigorating and if
given a chance, I would certainly go back to Cambodia.
spacious, and bright. The Arrival Hall, with its gardens amidst
shops, definitely makes a great first impression!
Once in Seoul, shopping is
a must. Namdaemun Market,
the largest traditional market
in Korea, offers a wide variety
of items at bargain prices.
Or you may opt to take
a tour first! Not to be missed
is Gyeongbukgung Palace,
Korea’s main royal palace
and the heart of the Joseon
Dynasty. The most beautiful
and the grandest of all five
Seoul palaces, it boasts of
majestic throne halls, gardens,
giant trees, and a square pond
with an islet in its center. The
National Palace Museum of
Korea and the National Folk
Museum of Korea and the
Children’s Museum of Korea
are also within its precincts.
Meanwhile,
Ibarangs
would most probably enjoy
Samcheongdong-gil, a street
lined with cafes, museums,
antique shops and art galleries.
The Samcheong Art Market
offers a variety of decorated
accessories handcrafted by
young artists.
Also a popular destination
is Bukchon Hanok Village,
which is packed with Korean
traditional houses or “hanok”.
The blue and white tiled stairs
leads to the magnificent view
of the surrounding villages and
the Cheonwadae, the official
residence of the President
of Korea. For an ultimate
immersion into Korean culture,
the Asian Art Museum with its
diverse exhibits is a must-see.
Add “Travel to Seoul” to
your bucket list, and experience
a treat for your artistic soul.
Three Faces
of
Yolanda
THREE EKPHRASIS
Catherine Regina Borlaza
I. Baby Bea Joy—a baby born in an improvised clinic at Tacloban Airport
The first few eyelashes fluttered open and close—a daughter
of the colossal waves and the storm surge has been born
into an anxious and ravaged city that forced itself out
of the receding seas and clouds. They scour and devour
the lost city, and the walking dead that roamed its stricken
streets, barefoot and swathed in their own skin or clothes
drenched with salt water looking for warmth, looking for
a womb to carry them into a better place—a home for hope.
II. The Escapists—a little girl from Guiuan
She rode off into a distant city, far from her own city—the lost city, they say.
It was sucked into a black abyss, hurdled and crushed by unforgiving waves
that left her solemn face, tired of tears and wiping them with what was left
from the storm—her pink lampin. Her dainty fingers were sordid
from digging out memories, tormenting ones she tried to get rid off
with whispers of incantations and the inevitable mark of our ‘Saviour’.
She rode off into a distant city, far from her own city—the lost city, they say,
And its vulnerable people were to find a place, find a new home
away from this wreckage. Even after they’ve left, an impending ghost
lurks into their membrane of memory every now and then—a crying ghost
They once were under the command of the sea and the rain in their city—
The lost city, they say, that was brought down by our own ‘Saviour’.
III. Our Port of Calling—
The heft of a piece of a p
Resting around a little b
Unforgiving and unforg
to explore and unravel h
of debris, of his people
bodies buried in wrecka
His hope—his hope out
Waiting for a plane to ta
Out of this hellish port,
Closer to him, tightly ar
Untitled
Lois Veronica Villar
She woke with her hair in tangles, as if she was fresh out the bath. But she
didn’t feel clean at all. Her eyes burned from the glare of the sun, and her throat
felt like an internal desert as if the sun had made its way inside her mouth and
stayed there. Her words came out in rough, throaty coughs and water when
she tried to speak, and it was only when she had tried to wipe the water from
her mouth did she realize how much her body was aching. It was like the time
her husband had beaten her into submission. Did he beat her again? She tried
to move, but her body couldn’t carry her own weight, and she felt as though
something was pinning her to the ground. Something hard, something heavy.
Did he use the bat this time and buried her under the remains of their baby’s
crib? Or did he finally burn the house while she slept, like he said he would?
***
Half past five in the afternoon but it felt like midnight. That’s how the past
few days had been for her. The sun shone and hid, but every day, she felt the
cold and the emptiness midnight had always brought. She slept beside a little
girl with her frail grandfather and a teenage boy who did nothing but cry for
his mother since he got to the gym. Around her were people she probably
walked past at least once in the local market. She recognized neighbors, police
officers, nurses, even the sari-sari store owner down her street. But none of
them looked anywhere close to faces she was familiar with. All of them were
exhausted, traumatized, terrified, and dying.
Going out to look at the world beyond the walls of the gym twice a day had
become a habit for her. She had no idea what she was looking for, or what she
was expecting to see but she knew she had to go. There was something pulling
her outside and it wasn’t just the smell of death and disease that dominated
over the smell of air inside the gym.
Outside was a wasteland. It was the picture she thought she’d only see in
movies. People were running in circles looking for family. They were digging
bodies out of piles of bodies, carrying bodies that slumped on logs, walls, and
what was left of their city. To her left, she could see pale, bloody faces. To her
right were swarms of flies hovering over the remains of an old man. Behind
her were kids, teenagers, mothers and fathers echoing the cries of babies; and
ahead of her she saw not a ghost town, but rather, a zombie apocalypse. No one
looked human.
‘This place is familiar,’ she thought to herself. She had walked past this
street a hundred times over; she could probably draw it, if he hadn’t burned
her hand with a pot of boiling water. But this doesn’t come close to the picture
inside her head, and ‘this’ was now nothing more than a memory.
Casualties of Noise
Beatrice Goyena
What did the moon say when he found a blanket in the rubble?
The moon had scars on his face and
his heart, where once a photographed family stood proudly
at the bedside table, commanding the systole and diastole
of flood water into their humblest abode.
The moon would sew the blankets again
after the sun calls it a day.
But for now, he’d need to dive into the sea to search for
his family, the masters of the systole and diastole
of his blood.
We wish we’d know what would happen
next in this subbed telenovela,
but the breaking news comes in and we see:
a picture frame floating on the flood,
the clouds becoming makeshift blankets,
the moon, bleeding, silent.
Photos in “Three Faces of Yolanda” from Gazettenet.com
Background Illustration by Artgiveson Arreglado
The Weather Report
A POSTSCRIPT TO PABLO
Dianne May E. Torres
The numbers are out:
714 dead, 890 missing, 1,906 injured
eight days post-landfall—
not names nor faces, nor what they
mean(t) to those left behind.
No one measured the stench
of death over our town,
the salt of our tears.
No one counts the times
thunder jolts us awake,
sleepless nights
prayers said,
hope lost.
The numbers are out:
cost of damage, help deployed
and still to come.
a goodbye to haiyan;
No update on the state
of our dreams, whether (or how)
they can weather this destruction.
s
Carmela Isabel Evangelista
i. that
teach me what it feels
to be a storm
hollow inside;
and I’ll teach you what it is
to be a human
with no home to turn back to
and no family,
Calling—a boy waiting in Tacloban Airport
ece of a paper-thin cardboard was the heft of the wounded world
a little boy who was shielding himself, and inseparable from it.
d unforgetting creases formed above his eyes that were yet
unravel his orphic home—the home submerged in a sea bed
s people who were walking away from the traumatic scenes:
n wreckage, the musty scent of war zones, a heavy heft of havoc.
hope out of this mad city—was escaping it by waiting;
ane to take him away, waiting for a havoc to eat him
sh port, or waiting for the heft of the world to draw
ightly around him, deeper in him, to save him.
ii. c o n d o l e n c e s
No matter how pretty the candle is,
when it burns, it burns—
wax heats and melts
then it cools.
Then the color, design
or flame doesn’t matter.
PHOTO HAIKU
ble?
y
Meeko Angela Camba, Kevin David Cantos, Warren Albert Garrido & Julia Daphne Ocampo
how stale soup starts to taste good
when nothing else is left in you.
And what do dead
need of wax?
8
JUNE 2013JANUARY 2014
COMMUNITY
Ibarangs take art trip to Laguna
Amber Garma
The Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) student body was given the chance to visit different
places in Laguna during the Art around the Lake Field Trip organized by the school faculty on June 19.
The field trip doubled
as a photo and caption
contest. Groups, arranged by
the Student Council, were
tasked to take pictures of
the places and caption each
picture, supposedly having
completed a total of 10
pictures per place by the end
of the trip. The best photos
will be picked out of them.
The tour included visits
to Pila Church, the Pila
Municipal Center, the Santa
Cruz Provincial Hall, the
Santa Cruz Arts Center of
Laguna, the Santa Cruz
Church, the Lumban Church,
the Paete Church, the Pakil
Church, also called the El
Shaddai Church, and the
man-made Caliraya Lake.
These sites have been
part of the cultural heritage
of Laguna for a long time
and deserve to be known
by the public. Some have
survived
high-magnitude
earthquakes, and have been
surviving for years. All the
sites are located around the
lake, hence the field trip
name ‘Art Around the Lake’.
‘Aninong Makiling’ show in Museo Pambata
Artgiveson Arreglado
The PHSA visual arts students have officially started their shadow play project
entitled “Aninong Makiling”, which has been going on since February until
December of this year at the Museong Pambata Bayani Hall, Roxas Blvd, Manila.
Handcrafted wooden masks
Paola Bettina Mauricio)
hang in
Paete, Laguna. (Photo
by
NEWS BULLETIN
PHSA students go on exposure trip
The theater arts and creative writing students witnessed
“Aanhin pa ang Pag-ibig kung ang Puso ay Pagod na sa
Pagpintig”, a fundraising production at The University
of the Philippines Los Baños on July 3.
The students went to see works by Jose Rizal,
Fernando Amorsolo, Jose Joya, and many more. There,
they learned about the history and theories behind some
of the paintings, including Juan Luna’s famous “Parisian
Life”.
Afterwards, they went to the Philippine Senate,
where they listened to a discussion on the importance of
breastfeeding. The students then had the chance to meet
Nick Pichay—a lawyer who also happens to be a graduate
of PHSA. (Elijah Luiz Canlas)
Musika Ibarang heard on local radio
Selected students from the PHSA’s very own Musika
Ibarang were featured in a local radio show aired via
Master’s Touch 98.7 FM on July 27.
The students, Andrew Constantino, Matthew
Calderon, Raphael Espada, David Ipapo, Meeko Camba,
Marlee Pabico, Janna Peña, Yvette Parcon and Samuel
Asistores, were interviewed and given a chance to play a
musical piece on air.
The feature served to drum up interest for the
ANSYAS nationwide auditions. (Martina Herras)
Marc
Vincent
Cosico,
visual arts program adviser,
in
coordination
with
Nina Lim Yuzon, founder
and president of Museo
Pambata, started the project.
“Aninong
Makiling”
is
staged every first Saturday
of the month, with different
themes and performances.
Last February, in line
with the National Arts month,
four groups composed of last
academic
year’s
freshmen
and sophomore visual arts
students lit the stage with four
different shadow plays, two of
which were restaged in June.
On the first Saturday of
July, this academic year’s
freshmen
and
sophomore
visual arts students performed
shadow plays, including a story
depiction of “Prinsipeng May
Mahabang Ilong” in celebration
of National Children’s Book
Month. Two more shadow plays
were performed on August to
mark Buwan ng Wika. In September, the junior
visual arts and creative writing
students collaborated to perform
Renaissance Man
Text by Ligia Griselda Daroy
& Illustration by Wika Nadera
Ibarang birthdays marked monthly
Students of the PHSA have been attending “Dakutan”,
a monthly get-together to celebrate Ibarangs’ birthdays.
Held every last week of the month, the activity aims
to instill stronger bonds and relationships among the
Ibarangs. The Student Council, with the help of PHSA
executive director Dr. Vim Nadera Jr., gives out a small
token for the celebrators and organizes games and
activities for the whole community to participate in.
Nadera hopes that this will be an Ibarang tradition to
be continued in the years to come. (Ligia Griselda Daroy)
PHSA admits 37 new scholars
For AY 2013-2014, the PHSA accepted 37 young artistscholars out of the pool of auditionees in the last year’s
ANSYAS.
The new batch was named Joya-Montano for National
Artist for Painting, Jose T. Joya and National Artist for
Theater, Severino Montano. Batch Joya-Montano consists
of two creative writing majors, 10 visual arts majors,
seven folk dance majors, eight ballet majors, three theater
arts majors, and seven music majors.
The annual Mutya’t Lakan and Freshman Night for
the new batch was held last June 13, hosted by the senior
class Alcuaz-Avellana. (James Jonelle Lanante)
Ibarangs recently welcomed
Dr. Victor Emmanuel Carmelo
“Vim” Nadera Jr., playwright,
poet, performance artist, and
psychologist, into the community as the PHSA’s Director IV for
the next six years. But what else
do we know about him?
That he is a man of both arts
and sciences! Dr. Nadera actually graduated from UST with a
Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 1984 and and with a Master of the Arts in Psychology,
cum laude, in 1996. He received
his PhD in Philippine Studies
from the University of the Philippines in 2002.
What opened his eyes as a
young artist was joining Stop
Trafficking of Pilipinas. Since
then, he has conducted poetry
therapy for cancer patients in
Metro Manila, and has been
active in the performance poetry scene. He is also awardwinning writer and author of
numerous books.
a shadow play adaptation
of the classic by Antoine de
St. Exupery, The Little Prince.
The Anino Shadow Play
Collective, whose members
are mostly PHSA alumni,
originally held the contract
with Museo Pambata, but
due to inactivity, it was taken
over by the PHSA students.
PHSA VAs bring the art of shadow play to Museo Pambata. (Photo
courtesy of Marc Vincent Cosico)
Wider roads
before tall buildings
An open letter to the Los Baños mayor
Dear Mayor Cesar Perez,
First, I want to thank you and your administration for
your continued efforts towards improving Los Banos. From
an agricultural area, it is now an industrialized town. And
with over 2,000 commercial establishments, Los Banos is now
more convenient to the growing population of students and
the residents, who before, commute for 30 minutes to Calamba
for the materials that they need.
Transportation also is not a problem. More buses pass by
Los Banos from Sta. Cruz and Manila and other public vehicles.
Amidst all these actions suggesting improvement, the
heavy traffic due to the narrow roads is something that has
been overlooked. This could cause delay in the exporting
and importing of products and is an overall waste of time for
commuters and of gasoline for every driver and car owner.
Of course, it is a normal notion for traffic to occur in
emerging industrial areas, especially because there are more
vehicles operating on the town’s roads. But beyond delays,
we must also be concerned about accidents, and especially
prevent those that involve victims being “side swept” due to
narrow sidewalks.
Putting railings that separate the sidewalks from the
road is an effective temporary measure to ensure safety. But
Los Banos is only beginning to emerge. There are still more
companies which would want to invest in an ideal town like
it, especially because it is a center for Philippine education and
agriculture, a town with wonderful sights and history, and
also because the government leading it is striving to be above
mediocre.
Los Banos roads are slowly shrinking into a one lane
space, and its effects are starting to overwhelm the good
it could offer. Traffic has to flow like water on a clear river.
When this happens, there will no longer be any stagnancy for
improvement.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Sincerely yours,
Lora Noreen Domingo
JUNE 2013JANUARY 2014
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
GADGETS REVIEW
techy spur of innovation
phablet fad
Marielle Beatriz Villas
Is having a two-in-one gadget
even possible?
Introducing the phablet,
a kind of smartphone that
features screen sizes ranging
from 5.0 to 6.9 inches and
designed to merge utilities of a
smartphone and a tablet, hence
the name.
Phablets boast
of their large screens which
make mobile web browsing
and multimedia viewing a lot
easier. Other features such
as increasing screen power
efficiency and longer battery
life make the phablet more
popular for techie fans. Along
with those advantages, you
can watch movies on the go
or try unlimited web surfing
without having to worry
about losing battery. Also,
phablets are cheaper and more
practical than buying a highend smartphone or a tablet
separately.
Others say that
the phablet is one of
the most groundbreaking
and sought after gadgets
of the year...
While Reuters say that 2013
is “The Year of the Phablet”
some techie experts say that
the phablet may be “a fad and
will not last long.” Others say
that the phablet is one of the
most groundbreaking and
sought after gadgets of the
year and it is too early to judge
its impact to the world market.
Photo from Cnet.com
Though critics have different
opinions about the phablet, it
is up to us, consumers, if the
phablet would be a hit or a miss.
even have a five-megapixel
camera and a 16GB storage
and face detection.
Google Glasses can help
people with their jobs or with
work. Most professionals
go to offices to type reports,
memoranda, or emails onto
computers day in and day
out. Imagine having work
done on a virtual screen
anywhere through voice
command. Admittedly, the
brick-and-mortar
working
world has been slow in
allowing
employees
the
independence to use such
a new tool would allow.
Students would even be
able to use the glasses to be
“home-schooled”.
an uprising
of the geeky
glasses
Elijah Luiz Canlas
These
days,
stereotypical
geeks everywhere are known
for their use of glasses. But
with Google’s latest invention,
even non-geeks can experience
life through a different
perspective--through Google
Glasses.
Google Glasses is like a
smartphone with a touchpad
at the side of the glasses. Slide
it backwards and it shows
current events and news, like
the weather. Slide it forward
and you get information
about past events and
information
about
your
phone like calls, photos, and
videos. The Google Glasses
Photo from Cnet.com
Google
Glasses
is
indeed
an
advancement
for technology. With the
amazing features it brings us,
it can be a very convenient
device. However, we might
rethink purchasing the pricy
device for it may possess
dangers we, the public, have
yet to discover.
iOS 7 vs. ANDROID 4.4 KITKAT
Ligia Griselda Daroy
has been one of the world’s pioneer smartphone producers, providing one of the most
Apple
popular mobile devices before its Google counterpart released the Android operating system
Due
to
the
recent
smartphone revolution of the
21st century, numerous mobile
phone producers have been
integrating Android operating
systems with devices by
Samsung,
HTC,
Alcatel,
and others. This has caused
friction between companies
to rise, with the notable war
between Apple and Android
to intensify.
It is no lie that Apple
is notable for its sleek and
simple design, with an easy to
use operating system which
a lot of users adore. But with
the recent rise of Android
products (and the flailing
Windows) products, it looks
like Apple will soon have to
give up the throne as the most
popular cellphone producer.
With Android’s recent
alliance with Nestle’s Kitkat
chocolate wafer bars, their
market has been booming
since they set out to create
“confectionary perfectionary”
with their new Android 4.4
Kitkat. News about the new
Android was released early
September alongside the news
pertaining to the September
10 conference about the new
upcoming iPhone devices.
With the recent news of
the iOS 7, Apple users have
9
D I G I V A R
VARIATIONS GO DIGITAL
Carmela Isabel Evangelista
eek and you will find, they say. Bursting in the pockets
Ssmartphones
with internet-dependent applications in high-tech
and tablets, the world takes on the challenge.
It’s not that hard,
really. Everything is on
the internet nowadays.
Books, movies, music,
games, crack, and even
the answers to your math
homework. Through a
single wire, networking
becomes so much easier:
you can talk to people
three hundred miles away,
order pizza, do group
projects, ask for tutorials,
and even post pictures
of your lunch to friends
(#yum #nofilter). You can
look up the names of your
old kindergarten friends
on social networking sites
and you might be able to
come in contact with them,
get back in touch; or you
can bookmark the blog of
your favourite band and
keep track of how their
latest album or concert
tour is going. The internet,
through the click of a
button, makes the world
and much of everything
in the world—from pizza
to your family—so much
more accessible.
According to a recent
survey by the ITU World
Telecommunications,
in
2013, over 41% of the
world’s households are
connected to the internet.
It may look like a small
number to the original
7 billion figure of the
world’s whole population,
but, truth exposed, the
sheer amount of people
(in all our differences)
makes the web the ideal
platform for those seeking
an audience. Why do you
think there are so many
powerhouses in the online
world—Youtube,
pixiv,
deviantArt,
Wattpad,
FictionPress, tumblr?
Although late to the
bandwagon, the Philippine
High School for the Arts’
official
school
paper,
Variations—or Var, as it
is fondly called—is no
exception. As the school’s
official school publication
and newspaper, Var has
finally made its way to
the cyberspace. Armed
with a tumblr blog and its
own section in the school’s
official website, Var, being
digital, can now reach
more readers and be closer
to
students,
teachers,
and other people from
around the globe alike. It
also makes the process of
sharing news much easier
and faster than when the
newsletter is still printed
out on paper, which takes
a few months to complete
Being digital makes it
easier for other people to
find out about the mystery
of the arts school along the
slopes of Mount Makiling.
Var mainly shares the latest
news updates on awardwinning alumni and the
happenings with the school
and its current students. In
a way, advertises PHSA
to readers beyond the
mountain. More people
means farther arms to
reach the budding artists
out there who just might
not really know about this
opportunity called PHSA.
After its publication in
print, Variations digital (at
http://variationsdigital.
tumblr.com/) shall be
launched in January.
The Appendix Mystery Solved
Jerom Andrei Canlas
or centuries, scientists have long wondered what the
Ftheir
significance of the appendix was to our system. Finally,
quest and pondering has ended.
Photo from
Digitaltrends.com
been speculating about a
new generation of iPhones
to be released alongside
the new iOS. True enough,
Apple released during early
September the news about
the iPhone 5S and the budget
iPhone 5C.
Apple has the tendency
to give their users what they
want them to want, and
not what they ask for. The
additional features Apple
users have been demanding
don’t seem to be present
in the new iOS, aside from
major tweaks with regards to
design and appearance. Aside
from the conventional three
dimensional look, Apple is
going for a colourful look, with
the trademark flat-looking,
minimalist appearance of
Android phones and Windows
devices. Although iOS 7 may
look like a children’s coloring
book, Apple has invested on
improving the layering and its
animations.
But of course, Apple’s new
releases have also sparked
interest among Android lovers
and Apple bashers; is Apple
hopping on the Android
bandwagon? Since Android
has been levelling with Apple,
Apple seems to be adjusting
its ways in order to restore
the love people once had for
them, but will adapting a flatlooking, minimalist layout and
design gain their followers
back? How about some new
products, Apple?
Photo from
Medicinenet.com
The function of the little
organ has been discovered.
The appendix serves as a
home for good bacteria that
fight menacing diseases
like dysentery and cholera.
This function, however,
has an expiry date. When a
child reaches 11 years old,
the little organ becomes
functionless. This is why
it’s okay for people to have
their appendix removed.
However, scientists believe
that the appendix reboots the
digestive system.
With the advancement of
technology and our deeper
understanding of science,
we’re closer to solving the
other phenomenon such as a
cure for cancer, immortality,
finding other life forms, or
time travel. The mystery of
the appendix is finally solved
and could be etched out of the
other billions of mysteries we
have yet to solve.
10
JUNE 2013JANUARY 2014
COMICS
HOW TO SOUND COOL
HOROSCOPES
ariaPPayb
ayb B
MM
aria
Biglete
iglete
Illustrations by Artgiveson Arreglado
& Maria Payb Biglete
Aries
Taurus
Your crush
will finally
acknowledge
your existence.
Ikut-ikot lang.
Gemini
Cancer
Keep your
pinchers
to yourself.
The odds
are in your favor.
Leo
Be swift as a
coursing river,
and mysterious
as the dark side
of the moon.
Virgo
Caution:
the CCTV is
watching you.
Libra
Scorpio
Stay calm to
avoid having
more issues
than Vogue.
Live for the
applause.
Sagittarius
Asia Simone Entico
WAR IS HELL
Tristan Paul Guinid
Capricorn
Try something
different for a
change; you just
might like it.
Bothered by the
Duran’s wake-up
call? invest in
earmuffs!
Aquarius
Pisces
Just say yes
already!
Beware of broken
water dispensers.
MAZE
PINTUAN
By Artgiveson Arreglado
HIDDEN OBJECTS
From Variations 2011
BRAIN FREEZE
WHAT HAPPENS IN GURL WORLD
TISSUE PAPER
EARPHONES
COCKROACH
CONVERSE
WRISTWATCH
STICKMAN
COMB
HEADBAND
SMILEY
COW
KEY
HEART
CROWN
LIZARD
Andrew Constantino
Katrina Catalan
JUNE 2013JANUARY 2014
SPORTS
11
‘Palarong Ibarang’ kicks off;
BE faculty take over games
Trisha Pauline Ilarde & James Jonelle Lanante
The Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) held its annual sportsfest last October 21-24 at
the National Arts Center with four teams competing for the championship crown.
The theme for this year
is cellphone brands. Team
Happle Hiphone bagged the
top spot, followed by Gacer,
Fokia, and Ebakberry. Nicole
Uy, senior visual arts student,
and Bryll Dumandan, freshman folk dance student, were
named the Most Valuable
Players of the event. Both are
members of the winning team.
The first day of the event
included preparations for
cheering, and T-shirts and banderitas design, while the sec-
ond day was the start of some
major and minor games, with
the pageant and dance showdown as the highlights. More
games were done on the third
day which highlighted pool
and table games; while the
fourth day included tie-breakers and the awarding ceremony at night.
The major games included
in the sportsfest were basketball, badminton, volleyball,
kickball, pageant, cheering,
and “Amazing Race”.
Team Happle Hiphone are this year’s “Palarong Ibarang” champions.
(Photo from Trisha Pauline Ilarde’s Facebook account)
POLAR BEAR
Paula Madeline Candelaria
ften times, we are mistaken
O
for the little people:
small build, little chance for
winning. And often times,
we correct those mistakes,
matching tooth for tooth
or even beyond with our
athletes. There is Manny
Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire,
retired Lydia De Vega, once
named the fastest woman in
Asia, The Azkals and so much
more. This can only prove that
even if we are little people,
we are far from being under,
if not underestimated, in the
competitive world of sports.
New management
Starting AY 2013-2014, “Palarong Ibarang” was integrated
into the Basic Education (BE)
curriculum to cultivate better
sportsmanship among students.
From being a project of
the Student Council (SC), the
games were placed under the
supervision of Health and
Physical Education (P.E.) instructor Cristina Narvasa and
the management of the seniors, batch Alcuaz-Avellana.
Funds for the event, previously
handled by the SC, was turned
over to the BE faculty.
The seniors assisted in the
games as part of their requirements in P.E. for the third quarter. They acted as program advisers, officials, “peace-makers”,
equipment managers and accommodation assistants for
visiting alumni, parents, and
guests. The SC, meanwhile,
were retained as program and
guideline advisers.
Planning for the sportsfest
was handled by Narvasa with
SC President Jerom Canlas and
Vice-President Lois Veronics
Villar; and senior Class President Beatrice Goyena and VicePresident Meeko Camba.
Little lion men
The Smart Gilas Pilipinas
National
Team
led
by
Coach Chot Reyes placed
second in the FIBA Asian
Championships last August.
This win not only bagged
the team a silver medal but
also a ticket to Spain for the
FIBA Basketball World Cup
alongside Iran and South
Korea, our country’s first
entry in over thirty years.
Although the Philippines’
last time in the world cup was
in 1978, we should not forget
that we have achieved the
most amongst all Asian teams,
placing third in 1954 with
Carlos Loyzaga named in the
Mythical Five.
The Smart Gilas Pilipinas
have won several times in
the past, like placing first
in the 2012 William Jones
Cup. Despite this winning
background, Filipino skeptics
and haters were as much apart
as the fans in the play of the
FIBA Asian Championships.
It is sad to note that one
of the largest factors that
contribute to our underdog
appearance in sporting events
is our own skepticism for
victory.
However, everybody was
silenced when all odds were
stacked against the team
during the first quarter of their
match against South Korea
and Gilas Pilipinas triumphed,
with even Alapag securing a
three pointer at the last second.
It should also be noted that our
very own Jayson Castro was
named in the Mythical Five.
It may be a long time since,
but this is not our first feat in
basketball, and
certainly not the last. Even
with the hordes of people
pegging us as the underdog,
we must stand strong and
united to support
Gilas because they represent
our country. It is only with this
unifying hope, which is
apparent in every Pacquiao
fight, that we can truly call
ourselves victors. Let us stand
tall and proud because we
have yet to prove our full,
driving force as the mighty
race of little lion men.
Ibarangs place in chess meet
Patricia Samantha Narvaez
Violin majors Merlin Mendoza, senior, and Alain de Asis,
sophomore, bagged the second and fourth place, respectively,
during the Laguna District II Meet held at the Bayog Elementary School, on September 27 and 28.
Physical
Education
Coordinator Cristina Narvasa
entered the two students into
the meet after they triumphed
in the last year’s Chess Category
in the Palarong Ibarang with
Mendoza at first place and de
Asis at second place.
The two are the first to
enter a sports competition
against fellow schools from the
Laguna District II.
Ibarangs can be athletes, too.
(Photo by Cristina Narvasa)
EDITORIAL
Pacquiao for President?
anny Pacquiao is, without a doubt, an excellent
M
boxer. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of
Pacquiao as a politician. As a member of the House
of Representatives, he has amassed an outrageous
amount of absences in congress sessions; his reason
mainly being his training for upcoming matches.
Now comes the question: Would the “Pound for
Pound King” make a good presidential candidate?
With the aforementioned in mind, perhaps not. Even
if he would be eligible to run for the presidency in
2016 (he would be younger than the required age
of 40 as stated under Article VII, Section 2 of the
Constitution), a glaring fact is that he is the number
one absentee member of the Fifth Congress. Out of
the 168 sessions, he has only attended 108 sessions.
If he can’t fulfill his duties as a Congressman, what
more as the President?
After being told to take things easy by Feliciano
Belmonte, Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Pacquiao said that running for President is merely
“aspirational” and vowed to improve both his boxing
and legislative skills for the country. “When I started
boxing, of course I was planning… and thinking
about [becoming] a great champion. So when I entered
politics, it’s the same thing,” said Pacquiao. “but you
know, it’s far away. It’s God’s will.”
As the people’s champ, Pacquiao’s generosity
and willingness to help his fellowmen is very
much already on display. But these are not enough.
Perhaps, if he puts as much effort in his legislative
duties as he does for his boxing career, he might
have a chance of actually becoming a decent
candidate and even a good President.
Seniors, juniors race around UP
Patricia Samantha Narvaez
Students from batches Alcuaz-Avellana and Imao-Jose raced
around the University of the Philippines (UP) Oval and posed
next to famous sculptures and figures as part of an activity
for their Arts Studies class under visiting instructor Flaudette
May Datuin on June 24.
Structures and sculptures
the students visited included
the Vargas Museum, the
B i g B i r d i ns t a l l a t i o n, t he
Hardin ng Mga Diwata
sculpture more known as the
Nine Muses, the Magdangal
statue or ‘Babaeng Oble,’ the
Bonifacio statue, the Ray Gun,
the UP Parish of the Holy
Sacrifice, the UP Sundial,
the UP Carillon, the Tatlong
Babaeng Nagsusulsi ng Unang
Watawat ng Pilipinas or the
Tres Marias statue, and
UP’s most famous Oblation,
mostly created by National
Artist Napoleon Abueva.
Four groups from Batch
Imaje, and seven from Batch
Cuavella,
dashed
and
scattered
across
the
campus
struggling
to
finish first regardless of
chronology of the track.
The a c t i v i t y challenged
the strength, stamina and
persistence of the students
who all ended up sweaty and
toiled at the end of the race.
Ibarangs wow Ateneo crowd
Andrew Constantino
Students and alumni of the PHSA performed a concert at the
Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Escaler Hall on July 26 to
strengthen and celebrate the relationship between the school and
the university and the Society of Jesus.
PHSA executive director Dr. Vim Nadera
(Photo Courtesy of Camille Cabatingan)
sits atop the
VA
seniors’ wheelchair,
“Wheel Crane City”.
VAs join wheelchair art project
Marielle Beatriz Villas
The Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) visual arts (VA) students, teachers, and alumni
participated in the “Hapi Wheelchair Parade” at the Mind Museum in Fort Bonifacio, Global City,
on July 20.
The participating artists
were encouraged to turn their
wheelchairs into vibrant and
colorful artworks.
Visual arts seniors Justine
Erika Abe, Mark Neal Alday,
Camille Cabatingan, May
Antoniette Barbarono, Roni
Joni Reyes, Jehanne Micaela
Sanchez, Nicole Jeannea
Uy, and Marielle Beatriz
Villas collaborated to design
a wheelchair made out of
wood, cardboard, wire, and
resin.
Dr. Victor Emmanuel
Carmelo “Vim” Nadera Jr.,
PHSA executive director,
also participated in the
event by doing performance
art. During the parade,
Nadera sat on the students’
wheelchair as a traffic
enforcer.
Visual
arts
teachers,
Marc Vincent Cosico, Leo
Gerardo Leonardo, and Don
Salubayba as well as PHSA
alumni, Kawayan de Guia
(Abueva, ‘96) and Leeroy
New (Villa-Celerio, ‘03)
were also participants. They
joined the parade around
Global City along with other
known artists in the industry.
The wheelchairs were
displayed at St. Luke’s
Medical Center Global City
afterwards.
An
exhibition
that
followed
aimed
to
commemorate
the
birth
LATEST NEWS
Variations, CWs bag DSPC awards
Magdalena, Laguna—Having gained recognition both in
the individual and group contests, Ibarangs once again
prove that creative writing (CW) and campus journalism
can successfully go together.
Three CW majors took home awards in the English
category of their respective events in the Division Schools
Press Conference (DSPC) held on October 17-19 at the
Ananias Layco Memorial School. Paola Bettina Mauricio,
editor in chief, bagged second place in Feature Writing;
Catherine Regina Borlaza, Science & Technology editor,
won second place in Editorial Writing; and Beatrice Goyena,
emerged fifth place in Copyreading and Headline Writing.
Meanwhile, Variations, PHSA’s official student
publication, landed fifth place in the Best School Paper
competition. The paper also won third place for its Features
page, fourth for its News page, eighth for its Science &
Technology page, 10th for its Editorial/Opinion page, and
third for its page layout and design.
Mauricio, Borlaza, and Goyena, as well as Variations,
will compete again as part of Laguna’s delegation to the
Regional Secondary School Press Conference on January
26-29, 2014 at Dasmarinas, Cavite. (Lora Noreen Domingo)
anniversary of Apolinario
Mabini, who was heralded
as the sublime paralytic.
The
activities
were
undertaken to highlight the
celebration of the National
Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week, and
were presented by the
Philippine
Academy
of
Rehabilitation
Medicine,
Bonifacio Art Foundation,
Inc., The Mind Museum, and
St. Luke’s Medical Center,
Global City, Taguig.
TA alumna gains
best actress nom
in Cinemalaya
Amina Raizel Matavia
Theater arts alumna Krystle Valentino (QuirinoValera, ‘13) was nominated alongside major
theater and film actresses
Irma Adlawan and Eugene Domingo for her
performance in “Purok 7”,
a film directed by Carlo
Obispo for the New Breed
Category of Cinemalaya.
Valentino plays the
role of Diana, a 14 year-old
countryside girl, who struggles as she and her younger
brother, played by Miggs
Cuaderno, await the fate of
their OFW mother who has
been convicted of drug trafficking in China.
In the audience for the
performance were university
professors, department heads,
Hesuit priests, and college
students.
The Jesuits, known for
their strong foundation in
education and spirituality,
are also pillars of the arts and
culture.
Other concert venues such
as the Cultural Center of the
Philippines, Paco Park, and
Philippine General Hospital
are lined up for the rest of
the academic year to serve as
performance laboratories for
the PHSA music majors.
Senior music majors play for an Atenean audience. (Photo Courtesy
of Matthew Calderon)
Musicians grace Paco Park
Catherine Regina Borlaza
Musika Ibarang, the resident music company of the PHSA,
was the featured artistic group in “Paco Park Presents” on
several Fridays of the months of June, July, and August at
Paco Park, Manila.
The
Musika
Ibarang
performances, organized by
PHSA’s resident music program
coordinator Gj Herman Gomez,
started on June 28 with freshman
guitarist Samuel Asistores,
senior violinist Joy Sevilleno,
and senior pianist Matthew
Calderon.
Meanwhile, junior guitar
major Lyon Lopez, senior
voice major Meeko Camba,
senior clarinet major Andrew
Constantino,
and
senior
violin major Raphael Espada
performed on July 12.
“Paco Park Presents”,
established in the 1980s, is a
weekly musical performance
held every Friday from 6 p.m. to
7 p.m. with the park onlookers
as the audiences.
The participation of Musika
Ibarang is part of Gomez’s goal
of having students perform
off-campus more frequently so
that they get exposed to new
venues and new audiences.
“Ayoko na they just perform
for batch recitals. I try to give
them the best venues in the
most unlikely places,” he said.
CW faculty wins Palanca
Svetlana Riguera
Nadeth Rae Rival, PHSA’s resident creative writing program coordinator, was conferred the first prize in the 63rd
Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature on
September 1 at the Peninsula Manila, Makati City.
PHOTO STORY
Valentino is “a gem”.
(Photo from Inquirer.net)
Folk dancers show their winning smiles after emerging victorious
in ‘Sayaw Pinoy’. (Photo from the Phsa Ako Facebook page)
Dr. Rofel Brion, head of
Interdisciplinary Studies of
the ADMU, along with Gj
Herman Gomez, coordinator
of the music program of the
PHSA, set the event.
Guitar
major
Samuel
Asistores, freshman; piano
major
Janna
Peña
and
voice major Yvette Parcon,
sophomores; and piano major
Matthew Calderon, clarinet
major Andrew Constantino
and violin major Raphael
Espada, seniors were joined
on stage by flutist Gomez and
pianist Katherine FernandezAsis (Abueva, ’96).
A review of the film in
Starweek Magazine of the
Philippine Star calls Valentino “among the gems in
this year’s cast” and hails
the young actress “whose
face mirrored a gamut
of emotions without the
slightest hint of theatrics”.
The film ran from July
27 to August 4 in the Cultural Center of the Philippines and in Alabang
Town Center.
Rival, 23, won first prize
in the English Short Story for
Children category.
Her work, entitled “Marvino’s League of Superheroes”, is about a young and
aspiring visual artist who
creates illustrations of Filipino national heroes.
The Don Carlos Palanca
Memorial Awards for Literature was established in 1950
to promote literary works of
Filipino writers.
Rival is awarded her Palanca. (Photo courtesy of Nadeth Rae Rival)