PacMan Hits Sydney - Australian Filipina Magazine

AustralianFilipina
lifestyle and business magazine
june/july 2010 Vol 1 No 05
POLITICS
IN THIS ISSUE
PacMan Fever Hits Sydney .........p1
Her Son, Jose Rizal Awards.........p2
Play Reviews ..................................p3
Long Live, Rizal ............................p4
Lea Salonga in Sydney ..................p7
Black Eyed Peas DJ Exclusive.....p8
Living on Filipino Time.............p13
Honey, I’m broke! ..................... p13
My Gallipoli Experience ......... p15
Sexy Soul Food ...........................p16
Lil Justice needs your help ........p19
All-4-One in Australia ...............p19
Lola makes history .....................p20
Photos: out and about ...............p21
Her Story: How I Met Lea.........p23
Poetry: Pinoy Tutubi .................p23
EDITOR’S NOTE
This is our biggest online edition yet and
it’s all because the past two months have
been an extremely busy time for the local
community!
June was the month of various
Independence Day celebrations, giving
everyone a great excuse to dust off their
Filipiniana and party with friends.
The month also coincided with two
historic events. On 7 June, the community
braved the cold to watch ‘Lola’ at the State
Theatre (p. 20), then from June 17-20, the
long-anticipated play, ‘Her Son, Jose Rizal’
came alive onstage at Tom Mann Theatre.
Australian Filipina congratulates everyone
involved for a job well done (p. 2-5).
As if those events weren’t enough to keep
us on our toes, the hottest DJ on the planet,
Fil-Am DJ to the Black Eyed Peas, Poet
Name Life, was in town for a couple of
days. There was no way our music fanatic
Michelle Baltazar was going to let the
opportunity to interview him pass: check her
one-on-one interview with Poet (p. 8).
All that running around made us think
about food more. Luckily, there’s Filipino
soul food without the calories prepared by
our very own master chef and star cooks
(p. 16).
Oh yeah, Pacquiao is coming to town.
Prepare for the pandemonium!
Mimmette xo
P.S. Big thanks to this edition’s production
designer, Chu Yook Liew www.chueydesigns.com
PacMan
Fever
Hits Sydney
Photo credit: www.insidesports.ph
Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, is coming to Sydney next month (August 14-15) and already, more than
1,000 tickets have been pre-sold to a welcome dinner organised for his unofficial visit to Australia.
Manny Villon, the Philippine-Australian Community Foundation Inc. chair, told local community media that
Pacquiao’s visit was arranged through his friend, the Hon. Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson, the Governor of Ilocos Norte.
‘’One of Mr. Pacquiao’s intentions is to induct officers of the Mindanao (Sarangani) Association of Australia,” he said. In May, Pacquiao became the Hon. Congressman Pacquiao when he was elected as Member of the
House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, representing the province of Sarangani.
While final details are yet to be confirmed, Pacquiao is set to attend a welcome reception dinner on August
14, hosted and organised by the Mindanao (Sarangani) Association of Australia, the Alliance of Philippine
Community Organisations, Inc. (APCO) and the Global Ilocanos Association.
More than 1,000 tickets have already been pre-sold to the dinner event within days of the news, with the
organisers deciding on a venue that could potentially accommodate at least 2,000 fans and supporters.
The following day (August 15), the people’s boxing champion and Gov. Singson will be at the PhilippineAustralian Cultural Centre (PACC) at 80 Grange Avenue, Schofields during the Philippine Australian Community Festival. The festival will run from 11am to 4pm and will feature a program of entertainment, food stalls
and a raffle with the winning tickets to be drawn by Pacquiao.
Final confirmation on Congressman Pacquiao’s visit will be announced by Mr Villon soon.
Australian Filipina magazine will keep you posted. Join us on Facebook under Australian Filipina or email
[email protected] to be added to our mailing list.
TEXT BY MICHELLE BALTAZAR, JAIME PIMENTEL AND MINERVA SANTOS.
The Australian Filipina w w w . a u st r a l i a n f i l i p i n a . c o m 1
CULTURE
CULTURE
Thoughts on the
Sunday matinee
Rizal
play
Her Son,
Knowing little about Rizal before the play,
NICOLE DOUGHTY left the theatre with a newfound appreciation for the suffering endured by
Filipinos during Spanish colonial rule.
Highlights and Awards
Jose Rizal
A
rmando Reyes’ Sydney play ‘Her Son, Jose Rizal’ was an emotionpacked 90 minutes, unfolding the events surrounding the
eponymous hero’s childhood, early student years, and decision to
allow himself to be exiled to Dapitan and ultimately become a martyr of
the Philippine Revolution.
Knowing little about Rizal before I went into the Tom Mann Theatre,
I emerged with an appreciation for the suffering undergone by citizens
of the Philippines during Spanish colonial rule, and a determination to
buy a copy of ‘Noli Me Tangere’: that is how captivating and clear the
narrative was.
Even allowing for this limited knowledge, and without a copy of the
program, the delivery of the dialogue by all the cast members always
ensured that the most uninformed, as well as the most knowledgeable
viewers, knew exactly what was taking place. The two young actresses
who played the roles of child and older Soledad are to be commended
for their performances; most of the tears and the laughter that occurred
amongst the audience were during their scenes.
This same praise must also extend to the actress playing Dona
Teodora (Sally Anolin-Clark), whose motherly pride and anguish at her
son’s achievements were palpable every time she set foot on stage – the
standout performance of the Sunday matinee session.
Michelle Baltazar has described RJ Rosales as a heartthrob, and that
he is, playing the defiant young Rizal with great energy. However, I was
slightly confused by the final scene, which seemed to depart from the
‘historical tragedy’ tone set by the rest of the play in an almost Australian
Idol-esque pop performance by Rosales. The fact that I didn’t understand
the lyrics of the significance of the song may have contributed to
that, but it still felt slightly out of place, and seemed to merely be an
opportunity to capitalise off Rosales’ pop star power.
This section, as well as the cheesiness of the backing music, detracted
from the overall tone and quality of the play, with its beautifully detailed
costumes and the obvious care that has gone into other aspects of the
performance. Though it is too late now to see the play in Sydney, I have
heard that it will be touring Australia, and it is vital viewing for Filipino
Australians, whether they are familiar with Philippine history or not.
4.5 / 5 stars
Highlights and Awards
Photo credit: Craig Peihopa
L
eonor Orosa-Goquingco’s one act play ‘Her Son, Jose Rizal’ was
shown over four nights at the Tom Mann Theatre in Surry Hills,
Sydney. Hurrah for Director Armando Reyes and his cast of
budding thespians. Truly a commendable job. It was fine, simple, clean
theater. RJ Rosales, as Rizal, carried the performance magnificently.
Orosa-Goquingco’s play is brief and seeks to encapsulate the human
drama between Rizal’s mother Donã Teodora and her son Jose, as well as
the relationships between Jose and his brother Paciano and sister
Soledad. The short play offers viewers a primer on Rizal, connecting
and telescoping events in perhaps too convenient a manner for those
who would seek to understand Rizal on a broader, deeper and more
ideological level. But as a way of introducing the national hero to an
audience totally unfamiliar with Rizal, it is at least a beginning.
Take Rizal’s human side, for example, Orosa-Goquingco does not tell
us much about Rizal’s relationship with Leonor; and poor Josephine
Bracken gets no mention. Neither does the play elaborate on Rizal’s
ideological ideas and activities, not the content of his poems, novels
and essays. But of course there has been a great deal written about
Rizal for those who want to pursue these matters. You will find
biographies galore, and movies as well. One of his novels has been
turned into an opera. And now there is the more recent musical ala
Broadway entitled ‘Sino Ka Ba, Jose Rizal?’ (shades of Jesus Christ
Superstar). In fact, RJ Rosales’s finale (Adios Patria Adorada)
is from this musical.
Our congratulations again to all those who gave the Filipino
community in Sydney a touch of much needed pride with this
presentation of ‘Her Son, Jose Rizal’. This is just what the Filipino
community in Australia needs, a bit of class in the cultural front. We look
forward to more from this theatre group.
And the award goes to...
The FAC (Fine Artists Collaboration) hosted a lively evening
of camaraderie to celebrate the successful stage production
of ‘Her Son, Jose Rizal’. The victory get-together was held at
Lidcombe Community Centre on 26 June with buffet dinner and
musical programme organised by Armando Reyes, director of the
production, assisted by Albert Dimarucut, Neria Soliman, Albert
Prias and Charles Chan.
Highlight of the evening was the awarding of (LOGA) Leonor
Orosa-Goquinco Awards through the secret voting of the Best
Male Actor and Best Female Actress. Three top nominees from
both categories were deliberated by the five secret judges who
attended the four- day showing. They decided who to award the
trophies, which were donated by Kate Andres, one of the lead cast
L-R: RJ Rosales as Rizal, Kate Andres as Dona Teodora, Ala Paredes as Soledad
member as Dona Teodora and associate producer of the stage play.
ELIJAH MERJUDIO, acting as the young Rizal, won Best Male
Actor, while REIANNE URQUEZA as the young Soledad won
Best Female.
The three top nominees for the BEST MALE PERFORMERS
were BOB MENDOZA as Father Lopez, ANGELO REFUERZO
as Paciano and Elijah. For the BEST FEMALE PERFORMERS,
the top three were ALA PAREDES as Soledad, Reianne as young
Soledad and SALLY ANOLIN-Clark as Dona Teodora during
the matinee.
The matinee performers had more reasons to celebrate because
the cast boasts of more performers nominated as best actors and
actresses. Nominee Anolin- Clark had numerous supporters who
clamoured for a repeat performance.
- BY NERIA SOLIMAN
The Australian Filipina w w w . a u st r a l i a n f i l i p i n a . c o m Photo credit: Bob Reyes
- BY DING ROCES (Read his great blog on dingrocespo.blogspot.com)
L-R: RJ Rosales, Sally Anolin-Clark (Dona Teodora), Isajane Noble (Soledad)
2
Some of the cast and crew of the play.
End of my
identity crisis
VERA ESPERANZA MANALAC will forever
remember the play as the beginning of the
end of her identity crisis.
On the anniversary of what would be his birthday, Filipinos from all over
Sydney gathered to remember, celebrate and pay tribute to the national
icon and hero Jose Rizal.
Her Son, Jose Rizal perfectly encapsulates the full beauty of Filipino
tradition, culture and history. The play is one that encourages the values
of nationalism and courage. It reminds audiences of how one man
and his family stood against many and how his actions showed courage
louder than any words spoken ever could. Jose Rizal is the reason why
the Philippines is a nation free to rule themselves as they see fit, without
the extortion that they once faced under Spanish and American rule.
As an Australian-born Filipina, I have always taken interest in the
history and culture of my parent’s heritage. However, the language
barrier and the texts available have always made this a limited task. Apart
from the stories of my father and the few books, which he asks his
friends to bring as ‘pasalubongs’ (gifts), it was not until I watched the
play that I could begin to understand and appreciate the struggles that
the native Filipinos faced during the Spanish occupation.
For the last 20 years, I have never been able to fully comprehend what
it means to be Filipino. The difference between Australian and Filipino
lifestyle often makes this a difficult task. I think a lot of Australian
Filipinos share this crisis of identity with me.
That’s why I will forever remember the play as marking the beginning
of the end of my crisis! It reveals that we are a nation whose history was
full of pain, suffering and struggle. Yet a nation that despite these are
still a nation filled with passion and faith. Traits that we, as a community,
should be proud of.
The most important message I took away was the importance and love
that the Rizals had within their family. I think this is a value, which many
Filipinos can come to appreciate. A message that no library or textbook
can ever expose or illustrate. It was this part of Filipino culture that the
play showed that up until recently was very foreign to me.
The small criticism I have is on the few excerpts in Tagalog and
Spanish. However, if you are planning on seeing the play, this could be
easily remedied by bringing along a parent or someone who is familiar
with the language that will be able to translate.
Other than that I thought it was beautiful. It’s perfect if you want to
know more about Filipino culture and heritage or just looking for a night
of socialising, good entertainment and beauty.
The Australian Filipinawww. austral ianf il ipina. com
3
That strong and independent women had
a central role in Rizal’s life was evident in the
play, which revolved around the strong bond
between Rizal and two of the women closest
to him; his mother, Teodora Alonzo and his
younger sister, Soledad.
Isaac, the eldest of the Reyes children,
thought one of the most touching moments
in the play was the scene that captured those
familial ties the most – the scene where Rizal
asks his mother’s blessing to stand his ground,
even if it costs him his life.
“He is saying he’s willing to die for his
country. Now for a mother, that’s hard. She’s
got her nationalistic ideals on one hand but
then she’s got that motherly instinct on the
other hand, and she’s trying to reconcile these
two things. I think that played out really well
onstage,” said Isaac.
To their dad, Enrique, it was a special
moment to bring his family together in one
room to re-acquaint themselves with their
noble lineage.
He was particularly moved by the scene
where Soledad gave Rizal a diamond ring that
came with special instructions. “She mentioned
that it came from Saturnina, my great
grandmother. That was quite touching.”
Identity
Long Live,
Rizal
“I am recognising his true genius
as a writer, discovering more of his
wit and humour, which perhaps was
lost a little in the translations.”
More than 100 years since his death, Philippine national hero Jose Rizal
continues to inspire his countrymen around the world, including his FilipinoAustralian descendants who watched the play ‘Her Son, Jose Rizal’ and went
home with a renewed sense of their ancestor’s noble legacy.
MICHELLE BALTAZAR writes.
- Adele Reyes, Jose Rizal’s great-great-grandniece
U
niversity student Jared Reyes, a Filipino-Australian living in
Sydney, recalls writing his Year 10 report on Philippine national
hero, Jose Rizal. None of his schoolmates knew who Rizal was
but Jared thought it was important they were at least made aware of him.
He wanted to share the story of one of the greatest Filipinos who ever
lived – but is unknown on Australian soil.
What his schoolmates didn’t know was the report meant more than he
let on: Jose Rizal was his great great granduncle.
The family linkage comes by way of Rizal’s eldest sister, Saturnina,
whose great grandson is Jared’s father, Enrique Reyes.
Enrique married Helen Anne Philips, who is of English, Welsh and
Scottish descent, and the couple moved to Australia in 1985 where they
raised their three children: Isaac, Adele and Jared.
The past collided with the present when all five attended the June
19 gala of the play ‘Her Son, Jose Rizal’ at the Tom Mann Theatre in
Sydney. Those who were seated near row M, seats number 8 to 15, didn’t
know it but they were watching the play right next to the living, breathing
relatives of Rizal.
Jared said being among the audience at the play inspired him to find
out more about his heritage.
“I’m fairly disconnected from my Filipino culture especially living in
Australia, from a small country town where we’re the only Asian family,”
he said.
“But coming here and seeing a packed-out theatre of Filipinos …
there’s no excuse for me not to get involved.”
His sister Adele thought the play was “epic and very dynamic” and
admired the camaraderie among the cast.
“We could feel the bond between the cast members and it was just
something that really made me feel proud of my heritage and of my
family,” she said.
Like Jared, the play made Adele reflect on her family roots. “As I
watch the play, I was thinking about how I felt a little removed from the
history and my culture in the Philippines.”
A trip back ‘home’ two months ago revived her interest and she’s
also started re-reading Rizal’s works in Spanish, having learnt the
language last year.
“I am recognising his true genius as a writer, discovering more of his
wit and humour, which perhaps was lost a little in the translations.”
While she has read Rizal’s novels ‘Noli me Tangere’ and ‘El
Filibusterismo’, her favourite is Rizal’s letter to the women of Malolos,
written to a group of Filipina women who in 1888 defied the local
authorities when they pushed for more education.
The Australian Filipina w w w . a u st r a l i a n f i l i p i n a . c o m From L-R: Ala Paredes, Isaac Reyes, Jared Reyes,
Adele Reyes and Enrique Reyes.
Modern day revolutionaries
Their mother Helen said the play was a
revelation in many ways. Leaving the theatre,
they passed by a monument of Jose Rizal right
next to Central Station, an experience that only
strengthened her children’s resolve to learn
more about Rizal.
“We have always taught our children to
‘remember who they are’. Hopefully, this has
taken on new meaning for them.”
Adele has certainly shown the gene
connection, working three jobs for several
months just so she can save enough money to
do missionary work in Arizona. For 19 months,
Adele joined the Arizona Phoenix Spanish
Speaking Mission, helping the local Hispanic
community.
“I wanted to experience a life devoted to
serving others,” she said.
But like Rizal, would she and her brothers
die for their country?
“That’s a tough question … after seeing this
play, and of knowing of my roots, I would like
to say yes, I would die for my country - and
proudly,” said Adele.
She added that it’s not so much about dying
for a country but standing up for what is right.
Isaac and Jared agree.
“A country is the product of the policies and
the socialisation that is present in that country
at that moment. So would I die for a country
that is sending its troops into war for stupid
reasons? No. Would I die for a country that
From L-R: Isaac Reyes, Jared Reyes
and Adele Reyes
would stand for the ideals of Jose Rizal? Yes, I
would,” said Isaac.
He laments, however, that Rizal’s legacy is
lost to some Filipinos.
“I have observed with disturbing frequency
fellow Filipinos who, when quizzed about their
background, make attempts to dilute their
Filipino ancestry,” he said, explaining they
would do this by playing up their Spanish or
Chinese ancestry (or both) and playing down
their Filipino ancestry.
“At the end of the day, the Philippines is a
melting pot of various cultures and races.
I would like to see more people responding
with ‘I am a Filipino’ with head held high.”
“Tito Jose was proud of his heritage and
this is something I would like to see more of,
particularly in Filipino-Australians.”
Judging by Isaac, Adele and Jared’s
sentiments, Rizal’s sense of national pride lives
on, more than 100 years later.
“At the end of the day, the
Philippines is a melting pot of
various cultures and races.
I would like to see more people
responding with ‘I am a Filipino’
with head held high.”
- Isaac Reyes, Jose Rizal’s great-great-grandnephew
To their dad, Rizal’s heroism manifests itself
in various forms today.
He said if he was asked the same question
about dying for his country, his honest and
immediate answer would be “no”.
“But I would like to add my sentiment that
there are thousands of Filipino migrants quietly
battling to raise and educate their children to the
best of their ability here in Australia,” he said.
These Filipinos and their children, more
than 1.2 million in Australia according to the
latest census, make a decent living and have
successfully adapted to their host country.
“All of them are unsung, albeit modest,
heroes of our time.”
“Rizal would be proud of them.”
Note from Enrique Reyes, great-grandnephew of
Jose Rizal, on the play
“I knew it was going to be a special
day - a gala night show about Rizal
on his birth anniversary. I knew I
had to organise the whole family and
a few friends to be there. And yes, it
turned out to be very special.”
“Helen and I were pleasantly
surprised to be upgraded to nearly
front row seats from way back. There
we could feel and almost touch the
energy and the enthusiasm of the
cast, it was electric. The costumes
were good and the singing was
excellent. I wished then that there
was a bit more singing, but then it
would detract from the heroic theme
the one-act play had. It was perfect.”
4
The Australian Filipinawww. austral ianf il ipina. com
5
Society
Lea Salonga
Cast and production members of
‘Her Son, Jose Rizal’ met with
Philippine icon, award-winning
singer and actress Lea Salonga, at
an intimate gathering and dinner in
Sydney last month.
in Sydney
L
ea Salonga was in Sydney last month
to rehearse for the Manila production
of “Cats (Now and Forever)”. She will
play the glamour cat, ‘Grizabella’ alongside an
international cast at the Main Theater of the
Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) from
July 24.
Despite her gruelling schedule, the country’s
international pride accepted the invitation of
Ms Kate Andres, community leader and among
the lead cast of ‘Her Son, Jose Rizal’, to meet
and dine with fellow cast members, family and
friends.
Among those who welcomed Ms Salonga
at Star City (the venue of the Cats musical
production in Sydney) were Ms Andres, (as
“Dona Teodora”), Elija Merjudio (as “Pepe”),
Isa Noble as (as “Soledad”), Claudio Trinidad
(costume designer), Emy Milan (as guest in
Town Fiesta), Tom Merjudio (as Paciano),
Lennie Merjudio (as another guest in Town
Fiesta) and RJ Rosales (as Jose Rizal).
Also in attendance were Evelyn Zaragoza,
publisher of Philippine Community
Herald and part of the Production Team as
Promotions and Publicity Manager; Emma
de Vera, publisher and daughter Jane Crame,
owner of Travelaccess; Tyrone Andres, Angie
and Jennifer Agcaoili, Jamie Parker, Alex Chan
(Boon Chocolates) and Michelle Baltazar
(Australian Filipina magazine).
Ms Salonga graciously signed autographs,
posed for the cameras and dined with the ‘Her
Son, Jose Rizal’ cast and friends at the private
dining room of Sean’s Restaurant, also at Star
City.
She talked about how impressed she was
with the Cats production in Sydney, how she
juggles a hectic career and motherhood, and
‘Glee’, the American TV show that’s caught the
world by storm.
Among the night’s prized treasures was a
special note she wrote for everyone involved in
the play.
“I am delighted that Lea obliged and the cast
members of ‘Her Son’ were ecstatic,” said Ms.
Andres.
The Australian Filipinawww. austral ianf il ipina. com
7
MUSIC
Hey,
Mr DJ
“All of a sudden, everyone’s doing
electro. It was like going from
‘I don’t know if the masses are
ready for this’ but now - it’s hot.”
.
D
When Australian Filipina writer MICHELLE
BALTAZAR caught up with Black Eyed
Peas DJ and producer, Poet Name Life,
she discovered a multi-talented artist with
a heart of gold and a megawatt smile.
The Australian Filipina w w w . a u st r a l i a n f i l i p i n a . c o m 8
J Poet Name Life is on top of the world.
Born Jaime Lim Munson, the Filipino-American DJ coproduced chart-topper ‘Boom Boom Pow’ for Black Eyed
Peas (BEP) and boasts the number one dance album on iTunes,
Total Club Hits 4.
More importantly, he got the girl. In April this year, Poet became
an honorary Australian when he got engaged to Melbourne-based
top model Lucy McIntosh (pictured).
No wonder he was beaming as he sat with his fiance in the VIP
room of Lady Lux, an exclusive nightclub in a hidden alley just off
The Strip in Kings Cross, Sydney. Poet flew in to Australia from
South Africa where he just finished performing as BEP’s DJ on the
eve of Africa’s first World Cup.
Performing a one-night-only set at the club, Poet gave his
local fans a taste of why he is one of the most sought-after DJ/
producer/writer/re-mixer wherever he goes. He took over the decks
well after midnight and got the crowd going on the dancefloor with
a high-energy mix of electro, dance, hip-hop and everything in
between.
He’s come a long way from the shy kid who went to John
Marshall High School in Los Angeles, the school where he met Apl.
de.ap from BEP.
“He was my first friend there. I didn’t know anybody because I
just came off junior high,” he says, recalling how intimidated he felt
about going to the “big school”.
“Then on my first day, I got off the car and I saw this guy doing
windmills and breakdancing on the lawn at the front of the school.
There was a circle of people watching him. I go over there and it
was Apl - it was Allan Pineda.”
Poet met Will (Will.I.Am of the BEP) in the same school, too,
and they’ve all become firm friends since (“Apl was my ‘kuya’
because he was a year above me”). He even got both Will and Apl
to try their hand at Djing in recent years.
“Oh yeah, I got them into that. That was my call - I take credit
for that.”
That highschool friendship spawned musical success in their adult
life as Poet worked alongside BEP as their songwriter, producer and
DJ.
To think that ‘Boom Boom Pow’ wouldn’t have made it to the
airwaves if it weren’t for a 13th hour collaboration mainly between
him and Will.I.Am.
“The album was done already and that was a last-minute song.
We literally did that song like the night before we had to turn in the
album to the label.”
Poet said they’ve already locked down “Showdown”, “Imma Be”
and “Meet Me Halfway” but Will.I.Am said something was missing.
“It was just like, we had all those other songs [but] the album
didn’t feel complete. We started making this beat, with Will - we did
it at his house,” he said.
“So we were making the beat while him and Fergie were making
up the lyrics and everyone was at his house. I remember that night,
it was so crazy.”
The Australian Filipinawww. austral ianf il ipina. com
9
MUSIC
“To us, if 10 people turned up, that was
like a sold-out show. We just wanted to perform and show the other side of our music
like the DJing and the battling.”
The Australian Filipina
w w w . a u st r a l i a n f i l i p i n a . c o m
While Poet knew it was going to be a hit, the
group was taking a big risk using hard electro
beats at a time when those same beats were
played in raves not record studios (but since
‘Boom Boom Pow’ dropped, hits by Lady
Gaga, Rihanna and Usher all have hard electro
tunes).
“All of a sudden, everyone’s doing electro. It
was like going from ‘I don’t know if the masses
are ready for this’ but now - it’s hot.”
Performing to an audience as many as 30,000
today, and working with Justin Timberlake,
Travis Barker (Blink-182) and Joe Hahn of
Linkin Park, Poet’s recent gigs are a far cry
from the days he (and the BEP crew) would
play to small, empty bars.
“To us, if 10 people turned up, that was like
a sold-out show. We just wanted to perform
and show the other side of our music like the
DJing and the battling,” he said.
“It was always just fun to do, no matter if it’s
just one person or just us in the bar.”
His passion for music runs deep. While in
school, he played all the musical instruments
he could get his hands on. His dad loves to
play the guitar while his mom was into writing
poems. His grandmother opened his eyes and
ears to classical music and jazz.
His voice softens a little when he talks about
his lola (grandmother in Filipino).
“She was one of the first teachers in L.A.
that put it down for Pinoys back in the ‘50s,”
he says with pride.
He credits his lola for the path he chose.
“Growing up in LA at that time, there were
a lot of gangs so it’s either you went on that
[musical] route or the gang route so I was lucky
that my grandma, my lola, enforced that love
for music in me.”
He says that his lola, who is well into her late
80s, listens to his music all the time and squeals
“Black Eyed Peeeeaaazzzz!” when she hears
BEP songs.
From electro to psychedelic
No matter how busy Poet’s life gets, what
with being the DJ of the BEP tour this year,
new albums in the pipeline and a transatlantic
relationship (“Lucy and I always talk on
Skype”), he says that he’s on blogsites every
other day listening to what others are playing
(“You have to keep your ear out.”).
He predicts that more people will soon start
listening to psychedelic music, similar to the
1960s psychedelic pop, rock and folk music but
with a 21st century feel.
“With the wave of music that I found online,
I was thinking, wow, it’s really psychedelic right
now.”
Asked what his advice is to other DJs
who want to make it big, he says that being a
producer keeps his skills up.
“Knowing the music that’s being made
and being on top of the techniques and the
programs, that helps.”
“Not only that but being friends with all the
other DJs, like keeping it within the DJ family
is how we evolve and keep on top of our
game.”
For Poet, collaborating with other DJs works
better than fighting with them.
“I saw this guy doing windmills and breakdancing
on the lawn at the front of the school ... it was Apl
- it was Allan Pineda.”
He believes the younger generation is
discovering music by Pink Floyd, Janis Joplin
and Jimi Hendrix and that is influencing the
music they then create, mix or share with
friends.
The way Poet sees it, music has come full
circle. From psychedelic in the 60s, to bassline
in the 70s, electronic in the 80s, ‘fusion’ music
in the 90s to hip hop in the last decade, today’s
generation of listeners have better access to all
musical genres through technology.
When he’s not online scouting for the
slickest beats, Poet is managing multiple
projects. He has a new group called the
‘Crybabies’ and is about to wrap up his solo
electro album called ‘Thank You For Being
With Us’.
But no matter where his career has taken
him, Poet hasn’t forgotten his roots. He gives
back to the Filipino community by helping
Filipino talent through Jeepney Music (with
Apl) and as a ‘big brother’ in a community
youth outreach program in LA.
The Australian Filipinawww. austral ianf il ipina. com
“I have no beef with other DJs. I share all
my music.”
With his feet firmly on the ground and
that generous Pinoy smile, it’s hard not to like
Poet. He may be one of the hottest DJs on
the planet but with such a positive vibe around
him, he is the coolest, too.
This page, top: DJ Poet Name Life
with hands on decks at Lady Lux.
Facing page: Michelle Balthazar
interviewing DJ Poet Name life.
Facing page:(bottom) The DJ and his
Australian fiance, Lucy Macintosh.
11
humour
Living on
Filipino Time
By Kat Mayo
I
f there’s one thing Australia has failed to wean out of me it’s my
inability to be on time. Filipinos call this ‘Filipino time’; Aussies call it
being late. I try my best. My clocks and watches are set at least fifteen
minutes ahead. I put things in my calendar half an hour before they
start. But nothing has worked. My husband has resorted to scheduling
activities an hour ahead, just to ensure I’ll be ready on time.
My chronic lateness is a running joke with my Aussie friends. What
they don’t seem to understand is that I regard the clock, with its
authoritarian precision and merciless advance, as a mere guide to life
rather than its master.
It’s not you; it’s me
Aussies take my lack of punctuality personally, but I think most
Filipinos would agree that our lateness has nothing to do with
disrespecting our friends’ time. I have no sense of time. Filipinos are
eternal optimists, and we think everything will take no more than fifteen
minutes. We have to get to a party at Blacktown from Parramatta? Yeah,
half an hour should be okay. It’ll take me five minutes to shower, get
dressed, do my hair, wrap the present…
If all else fails, blame the kids
Kids make excellent scapegoats for being late. When a midwife
mentioned that, out of necessity, parents of twins tend to be more
organised and therefore more punctual, I thought she was out of her
mind. Not only will friends find twins an acceptable excuse for being an
hour late for a party, they’ll praise you for managing to get there at all.
When to be on time
I’ve been late to baptisms, weddings, funerals and everything in
between. But there are certain times when being late means you risk
being ostracised by your family and friends. If you have a special role in
an event—if you’re a ninang or part of the bridal party—then it’s a good
idea to get there on time. I was smack bang on time for my own wedding
and you should have seen the surprise on everyone’s faces. That’s how
my husband knows I love him.
When scientists decode the human genome, maybe we can finally
discover a biological cause for Filipino time. I’ll be first in line for the
cure. It’ll only take me fifteen minutes to get ready.
money
Money Makeover
Authors: Vanessa Rowsthorn and
Nina Dubecki
Publisher: Wrightbooks
Available in bookstores nationally and
on www.thenile.com.au
Check out www.moneygirl.com.au
Honey, I’m broke!
Ladies, there’s a new book out called ‘Money Makeover’ by the same
women behind the finance website called www.moneygirl.com.au.
It is easy to read from page one to finish, spiced up with financial
limericks and real-life case studies that will help you learn more
about finance without the mumbo-jumbo.
Broken down into four chapters, the book goes through the
basics on shares, super funds and managed funds. There are sections
on how to manage your money when you’re single, when you have a
partner and when you have kids.
The best thing about ‘Money Makeover’ is that it keeps it simple.
The authors lay down hard-to-grasp knowledge into bite-size
chunks so you don’t feel overwhelmed. You can easily finish a
chapter while having your Sunday brunch.
If you haven’t picked up a book about finance before, we
recommend giving ‘Money Makeover’ a shot. It’s light reading that
packs a serious punch if you want to give your finances a facelift.
Australian Filipina is giving away a copy of Money Makeover to
one lucky reader. All you have to do is follow Australian Filipina on
Facebook and tell us in 25 words or less why you want to give your
finances a makeover.
The winner will be announced on 15 July. Email us on michelle@
australianfilipina.com. Don’t forget to include your email, mobile
number and mailing address.
The Australian Filipinawww. austral ianf il ipina. com
13
Travel
My
Gallipoli
Experience
20 minutes to the entry point. After we’ve gone
through security, we were issued with a blanket
and an information pack.
We got seated in the area near where the
Kiwi team was. Then it was a matter of trying
to catch a few winks sitting up on the viewing
platform [others slept on the floor] while trying
to keep warm, with the temperature only in the
vicinity of 10 degrees Celcius.
From about 4 a.m., there were presentations
on big screens, information and film clips on
the Anzac heroes, cultural presentation by a
group of Maori performers and performance
by the Australian Royal Navy Band. There was
a surreal atmosphere as dawn broke at 5.30
a.m. and the official dawn service commenced.
We felt the presence and felt connected to the
spirit of the thousands of soldiers who gave up
their lives 95 years ago on this sacred ground.
The keynote speakers were Governor-General
Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC and
the Hon John Key, Prime Minister of New
Zealand: we all felt this was an experience of a
lifetime.
We went to the Australian commemoration
service at Lone Pine after. The walk from
Anzac Cove to Lone Pine was mostly uphill
and took 40 minutes. It was certainly a difficult
walk (but certainly would have been doubly so
for the soldiers). The Governor-General, the
Ambassador to Turkey, the Hon Peter Doyle
and Hon Allan Griffin [Minister for Veterans
Affairs] spoke at this commemoration service.
Again we felt very privileged to have had the
opportunity to pay homage to the courageous
soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their
country and its people. At the close of the
service, Consul Andrew Koc-McDonald made
time to say hello to the team.
Following the Lone Pine service, we made
our way to Chunuk Bair for the New Zealand
commemoration service. It was another 45
minutes of uphill walk to get there. When
we arrived at the venue, we were told that the
grandstand was already full and that we could
watch the service from the big screen just
outside the venue. So we sat at the grassed area,
until the service was completed and we could
join our bus for our trip back to the hotel.
The following day we sadly left for our
various destinations but felt content to hold in
our hearts our memorable experience.
The Australian Filipinawww. austral ianf il ipina. com
15
This year, VIOLI CALVERT was at the dawn service held on the sacred
site of Anzac Cove in Gallipoli, Turkey. She shares her unforgettable
memories from the day.
Every year I watch with awe the solemn
dawn service ceremonies held in various
parts of Australia. Each time, they involved
the same ritual - the solemn laying of the
wreath on memorials for the thousands of
courageous soldiers who sacrificed their lives
for their country and the beseeching tune of
the trumpet playing ‘The Last Post’. Then these
are followed by marches by now a handful
of surviving soldiers, referred to as ‘diggers’,
and families of the soldiers who have passed
on. Like millions of Australians, I watched
within the comfort of our home the television
broadcast of this revered historical event.
This year, however, I had a memorable
experience of not only watching a Dawn
Service in person but also doing it on the
sacred site of Anzac Cove in Gallipoli. As
media & PR officer of the Australian Handball
Federation, I covered the participation of
the Australian Men’s Handball Team in the
Gallipoli Tri Nations Tournament held during
21 – 24 April 2010. Following the conclusion
of the tournament, we had the lifetime
experience of attending the dawn service.
The very first steps I took on the land where
thousands of soldiers perished brought goose
bumps all over me. I felt their presence and felt
connected with their spirit. A number of these
men were as young as sixteen and seventeen
years of age when they signed up for service
for their country.
As there were thousands of people expected
to attend the dawn service, there were strict
rules regarding security checks and entry
arrangements. The travel involved a bus ride of
half-hour, ferry ride of half-hour, another 20
minutes bus ride to drop-off point and walk of
food
Sexy
Soul Food
Aileen Vidal Reardon
Neria Soliman
A new wave of Filipino chefs is making it possible to eat all-time favourites
such as adobo and lechon manok with a healthy twist.
Words and Images by MICHELLE BALTAZAR
D
iet lechon? Not quite, but for Filipinos who love their pork
crackling, there is life after gravy. This month, the NSW
government launched a cookbook featuring five Filipino recipes
with more taste, less calories.
The recipes were selected from over 200 other recipes that the NSW
Multicultural Health Communication Service received when it ran a
recipe competition last year designed to encourage members of the
Filipino, Chinese, Italian, Samoan and Sri Lankan community to develop
healthy eating habits.
Neria Soliman, well-known in the community for her culinary
achievements (a published food author and dietician, she has won awards
and regularly writes a food column) was the winner of the Filipino
Recipe Competition for her ‘Adobo Supreme’.
Those who can’t live without bagoong (fermented fish)
can breathe a sigh of relief. The Lechon Manok with
Salad Ilocano was among the top five Filipino recipes.
Her recipe still features the ingredients that make ‘adobo’ one of the
most popular dishes in the Philippines (soy sauce, bay leaf, peppercorn,
vinegar and garlic). The big difference, however, is that she uses skinless
chicken pieces and adds crushed pineapple to taste.
It is still served with hot, steaming rice but with fresh salad on the side.
Soliman said the secret to eating healthily is not to deprive yourself
of the food you love but to eat them in moderation. A traditional
Filipino feast is often meat-heavy but vegetable-light, which is why she
encourages Filipinos to add more vegetables and fruits to their diet.
Her recipe wasn’t the only one that got the thumbs up from the
competition judges. Four Filipino finalists also had their recipes
published in the multicultural cookbook.
For seafood lovers, finalist Eduardo Delaguiado shared his recipe
called ‘Pinoy style mixed vegetables, fruits and prawns’. The dish is an
explosion of taste, what with ingredients that include pear, apple and
carrot mixed with water chestnuts, broccoli, snow peas, capsicums and
mushrooms. It’s like a fruit and vegetable party with an Asian twist
(Eduardo recommends fish stock and oyster sauce mixed in for flavour).
Those who can’t live without bagoong (fermented fish) can breathe a
sigh of relief. Sheila Constantino’s ‘Lechon Manok with salad Ilocano’
made it to the top five.
Highlighting that it’s all about portions, her recipe requires one
tablespoon of bagoong (salted and fermented fish paste), which is just as
well because sweet potato leaves (camote leaves) just don’t taste the same
without it.
Ever heard of ‘binakol na manok’? Me, neither. But variations of this
dish (the English translation ‘chicken and coconut juice doesn’t do it
justice) has been handed down from one generation to the next. Aileen
Vidal Reardon continues that legacy here in Australia with her own
version. The health kick comes from the spinach and pawpaw thrown
into the pot. And yes, you can still use coconut juice (but switch to the
“lite” coconut version if it becomes a favourite).
Last but not least, Maria Gonzalez serves up what she called ‘saucy
vegetable rice topping with sardine omelettes and tomato salsa’. It’s a
healthy choice for those who want to follow the golden rule of having
fish rich in omega-3 oil at least once a week. The ‘tomato salsa’ bit may
sound complicated but Gonzalez’ instructions show that it’s easier than
it sounds.
The cookbook is free and, as an incentive, the NSW government
is also offering a free and confidential health coaching service. The
telephone-based service gives callers access to a qualified health coach
who can help them set healthy lifestyle goals and meet them.
People can find out more how to Get Healthy by calling 1300 806 258
or log on to www.gethealthynsw.com.au.
The Australian Filipina w w w . a u st r a l i a n f i l i p i n a . c o m 16
Maria Gonzalez
Sheila Constantino
Our top Filipino masters of the kitchen talking about food.
Eduardo Delaguiado
The Australian Filipinawww. austral ianf il ipina. com
17
dance
Lil Justice
needs your help
Hip hop crew Lil Justice – the ‘baby’ version of Australia’s Got Talent
winner Justice Crew - needs the Filipino community to dig deep to make
their dreams come true.
These five cute and super-talented kids bagged the first prize at the
National Hip Hop competition held at the Hills Centre, Sydney in May,
earning the right to represent Australia in the Hip Hop International
competition to be held in Las Vegas from July 27 – August 1.
There’s just one slight problem – they need to raise at least $50,000 to
cover the trip including transport, accommodation, meals and entry fees.
In less than three weeks.
They’ve already started raising funds through mufti days at their
schools, dinner + entertainment nights, busking, corporate and local
government sponsorship. But they need every help they can get.
Their next fundraising event is on Sunday, 18 July, at Seven Hills (see
www.justicecrew.com for details) featuring performances by Justice Crew
and, of course, Lil Justice themselves. If you can make donations or
know businesses that can help sponsor the trip, contact Anna Jaques on
0404 299 882 or Angelico Estil on 0417 553 791.
L-R: Faith Estil, Aaliyah Reid, Michael Flores, Isaiah Reid, Kathleen Hernandez.
GOOD MUSIC
So Much In Love
Chart topping nineties RnB group, All-4-One, is heading to Australia
for their inaugural national tour, alongside iconic Aussie 90’s R&B
band, KULCHA, both performing at The Metro Theatre, George
Street in Sydney on July 16th.
The Los Angeles-based super group, who have sold more than
15 million albums worldwide, will give fans the rare opportunity to
reconnect with their favourite R&B hits such as world number one
song ‘I Swear’ and other songs such as ‘So Much In Love’ and ‘I Can
Love You Like That’.
After a seven-year absence in the studio, the Grammy-award
winning group, comprising of Tony Borowiak, Jamie Jones, Delious
Kennedy and Alfred Nevarez, has released a new album called ‘No
Regret’, and is celebrating this release with a worldwide tour.
The Australian tour will kick off in Perth on 10 July and then head
to Brisbane and Melbourne, before their final concert in Sydney on
16 July.
They will perform an eclectic mix of old and new including old
school R&B songs from their new album including ‘I Luv That Girl’,
‘Good Start’ and the soulful ‘Old Fashion Lovin’.
“Our voices are stronger, our harmonies are better, our showmanship
has developed as a result of all the touring and performing we’ve
done. Now we’re ready to have renewed success and take this album
all around the world,” said Delious.
Marco Selorio, founder and managing director of touring company,
HOOPDREAMZ, said it is All-4-One’s dynamic and timeless music
that prompted him to back the Australia tour.
For tickets, go to www.ticketek.com.au, www.metrotheatre.com.au
or www.hoopdreamz.com.au.
The Australian Filipinawww. austral ianf il ipina. com
19
2010 SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL
Asked whether there is anything about
Filipino films that makes them uniquely
Filipino, he said his films are influenced by
the culture, and he’s seen the same thing with
Filipino filmmakers not just in the Philippines
but around the world.
“It’s our cultural attitudes and the way we
perceive life,” he said.
That is, Filipino resilience always shines
through, in the Philippines and abroad.
“If you see ‘Lola’, you’ll see the hardship in
life and you will think, you know, they really
survive. Kahit anong pagsubok (regardless of
their trials), they can survive,” said Brillante.
OUT AND ABOUT
Sinta welcomes Brillante
Lola makes history
The Filipino-Australian community is the first ethnic community to
work together with the Sydney Film Festival in a film premiere by
supporting Lola, finalist of the prestigious Sydney Film Festival Prize.
BY MICHELLE BALTAZAR
A shining example of Filipino film-making
came to Sydney last month. Brillante Mendoza’s
latest film ‘Lola’ was in Official Competition,
vying for the main prize awarded at the 2010
Sydney Film Festival.
It’s a prestigious award that came with
a $60,000 cash prize, the largest sum ever
awarded for a film in Australia. But for
Brillante, like many film-makers, it’s never been
about the money. To this day, Brillante said he
is still trying to pay some debts owing to postproduction houses that helped him make his
earlier films.
Despite the funding issues, Brillante said he
has no regrets. Since his first film ‘Masahista’
(English title: The Masseur) in 2005, the
profilic filmmaker has gone on to direct eight
more films (see filmography), including his
latest project ‘Lola’, meaning ‘grandmother’ in
English.
Brillante said he’s proud to show ‘Lola’,
which means grandmother in English, to the
Filipino-Australian community.
“Of all my films, I think this is the most
accessible to most audiences, in a way, he said.
“I think Filipinos could easily relate to
this story because, as Filipinos, we’re very
close to our grandparents, specially to our
grandmothers.”
While the June 7 screening marks the film’s
Australian premiere, ‘Lola’ has already won
two awards, Best Film at the Miami and Dubai
International Film Festivals.
Brillante said the film was inspired by news
items he saw on TV.
“There were two different news items that
my writer and I tried to pull together and turn
into a narrative. These are existing stories, not
imagined stories,” he said.
It’s important to Brillante that his films
are rooted in real life, even if it means some
criticise his films as showing only the ‘dark’ side
of the Philippines – the kind of stories that
most Westerners perceive as synonymous with
impoverished countries.
Brillante admits that his films aren’t what
you’d expect from many conventional Filipino
filmmakers, particularly in a country that loves
their teleseries and romantic comedies.
“What I’m filming is not the dark side,
it’s more the truthful side. Actually, I think
one of the reasons why my films are being
acknowledged and supported is because
audiences see a truthful story. They are honest
stories that we can learn from.”
Born in Pampanga, Brillante now lives in
Mandaluyong, Philippines where he runs his
production company.
He was a guest of the Sydney Film Festival
and stayed in Sydney for less than a week.
Despite the brief visit, Brillante caught up
with his ‘kababayans’ at a welcome reception
organised by Sinta Group (www.sinta.com.
au). Clare Stewart, the festival director, graced
the reception where she thanked Sinta and the
Filipino community for their support (Writer’s
note: we were stoked that Clare came to the
community’s humble event at Marble Bar
despite her crazy schedule during the film fest!).
At the premiere, the film attendees where
greeted by Filipino-Australians dressed in
Filipiniana. According to Clare, the 2010 film
fest marked the first time that a community
ever helped the SFF this way, meaning FilipinoAustralians claimed a historic first.
Before Brillante left, he attended a thank-you
dinner with the Sinta crew (which included
Natalie Palomo (pictured with Brillante and
Clare), Sinta/Australian Filipina photographer
Johan Westen and Michelle, Australian Filipina’s
publisher). Guests also include actor and TV
presenter Aprille Lim.
“I’m really happy for all the support of the
Filipino community. We’re all one in this. This
honour [of competing for the Sydney Film
Festival Prize] is for the Philippine community
and the Filipinos all over the world.”
Many thanks to Brillante, Raymond, the Sydney
Film Festival (Clare, Estelle, Alyssa and Benjamin),
Lantern Group (Charlotte), Johan Westen for
photography, volunteers, Angel, Veronica, Mimmette,
Kenneth, Joseph, Aprille and EVERYBODY.
To all the sponsors, Western Union, Revesby Press,
Travelaccess and Travelex - salamat po. Sinta xo
L-R: Natalie Palomo, film director Brillante Mendoza and festival director Clare Stewart.
The Australian Filipina w w w . a u st r a l i a n f i l i p i n a . c o m 20
Assorted photos from the Lola film welcome reception and premiere, the cookbook launch with PACSI and winner
Neria Soliman (above pic) and the Rizal play.
have you been spotted? email [email protected] for pics.
The Australian Filipinawww. austral ianf il ipina. com
21
HER STORY
Lea
How I met
Sometimes, some dreams do come true. One
ardent Lea Salonga fan meets her idol.
Michelle Baltazar with Lea and her daughter, Nicole.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – To many Filipinos,
Lea Salonga needs no introduction. Her name
is synonymous with the best and brightest the
Philippines brings to the global stage. She’s
been an idol to the nation since I was a little
kid. My younger brother and I used to pretend
we were Lea and Gerard, making a mango shake
when they did an episode about it on TV.
By the time I was in my early teens, she was
one of only two posters on my bedroom wall
(the other one was Manilyn Reynes, hah!). But
just when I thought she couldn’t get any bigger,
she was discovered in the worldwide search for
the lead of the Broadway musical ‘Miss Saigon’.
That was 1989 and Lea was barely 18. She
went on to win the Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk,
Outer Critics and Theatre World Awards for
her performance. Since playing ‘Kim’, she has
scaled new heights in her international career,
becoming a constant source of national pride.
What I really liked about her was how she
seemed to take it all in her stride, cleverly
juggling her studies, full-time career, numerous
extracurricular activities and now, family. Like
many Filipinas around the world, I wanted to
be as brainy, talented and formidable as her.
So, you can only imagine how many thoughts
were going through my head at the prospect
of meeting her. Would I like her? Would she
like me? What can we talk about? What if I say
something really bad and she stomps out? Did
I brush my teeth?
It was Wednesday morning (June 9) when
I got the phone call. Tita Kate (Kate Andres
from ‘Her Son, Jose Rizal’) called me to ask
if I was interested in meeting Lea. We both
knew Lea’s in town to rehearse for the Cats
production in Manila.
Tita Kate scored an introduction with Lea
through sheer determination, dropping a
letter addressed to Lea at the hotel reception
of Star City, where she’s staying with her
daughter Nicole. Representing the Fine
Artists Collaboration (FAC), a newly-formed
community group for the arts, Tita Kate got
Lea to agree to a brief catch up and dinner
with the cast members of the play (it may have
helped that the lead cast is RJ Rosales, who
knows Lea personally).
The invite was to meet at the Mill Room in
Star City on Thursday (June 10) followed by
dinner at Sean’s Restaurant, also in Star City.
Thursday morning came. I was so excited
I couldn’t think straight. I was trying to act
cool because there’s still a chance she might
not turn up. I told my brother, jokingly, that
my sole mission that day is to make sure Lea
doesn’t take a restraining order against me. I
had to keep dismissing this fantasy dialogue
in my head where I ask her to sing something
from ‘Miss Saigon’ or add me on Facebook. I
had to remind myself that, one, she’s not a toy
(who should sing at my bidding) and, two, she
must get lots of requests from acquaintances
wanting to be her next best friend (yaiks, not
cool).
She was supposed to meet us at around 7pm
but the time rolled along and there was no sign
of her. I began to worry that I dragged my
good photographer friend, Johan Westen, to
take photos for nothing. But after 7.30pm-ish,
I couldn’t believe it but there she was and her
gorgeous (and gregarious) daughter Nicole in
tow. A momentary silence descended in the
room as everyone tried to digest the fact that a
superstar is among them.
Tita Kate made the introductions; there was
some small talk and before I knew it, someone
handed Lea a photo to sign and it was a flurry
of photo opps, signatures requested and
gift-giving. While all the cameras were going,
I noticed Nicole quickly made new friends,
comfortably doing her own thing, posing for
some of the photos, too.
poem: pinoy tutubi
and left the restaurant. It was only when she
was completely out of our sights that I was
able to return back to my old self, jumping up
and down, screaming “I met Lea! I met Lea!”
and doing my victory jig in public, much to the
amusement of Tita Kate and the rest of the
gang.
My only problem is, the one time I
overheard someone speak out what I was
thinking all along (how much I’m in awe of
her), Lea made it clear that she didn’t want
to be referred to, in third person, as the Lea
Salonga.
Then when someone suggested that others
should be told she’s in town, she graciously
rejected the idea, saying she’d rather stay below
the radar rather than create a stir during her
brief visit.
I get it; she is just doing her thing, and
happens to be doing it well. Minor celebrities
or extremely brilliant artists who are often
insecure, love to be surrounded by sycophants.
Not Lea: she preferred to have a stimulating
conversation about ideas, politics and, of
course, arts and entertainment, than be
showered with praises every second.
Was she smart? Yes. Was she nice? Yes. Did
she ask me what it’s like to live in Australia?
No. Did she ask me what I do for a living?
No. Did we talk about the weather? Yes, very
briefly.
I don’t know about the others but, to me,
it was an awkward meeting. Like a blind date
except you’ve googled the other person. She
was having dinner with strangers and everyone
wanted to ask her questions, take more photos
and sign autographs.
What’s great about her, and one that caught
me offguard, was that having placed her in this
pedestal for so long, she is – gasp – normal.
That if there was a parallel universe where
I didn’t know any of her career achievements,
I would see her just like I do many of my
good friends: smart, strong-willed, driven and
focused.
She was very gracious, thanking the
waiter whenever he came around to serve
us. She attended to Nicole when she called
for her. And despite just coming out of a
gruelling rehearsal for Cats, Lea kept a lively
“Like a blind date except
you’ve googled the
other person.”
“What’s great about her, and
one that caught me offguard,
was that having placed her in
this pedestal for so long,
she is – gasp – normal.”
conversation and didn’t seem like she was in a
rush to leave, talking with dinner guests which
included Tyrone Andres, Alex Chan, Rosary
Coloma and Jane Crame (Sidebar: I’m listing
their names for posterity’s sake!).
She smiled through a hundred camera
clicks. New to this, I was a bit startled by how
painful the bright flashes were to my eyes. I was
fearful I’d go blind and can only imagine how
staring back at those ruthless lens since she was
a young child performer would have been like.
I was lucky to be seated next to her (Thanks,
Tita Kate!). She talked about how much she
loves the TV show ‘Glee’, how impressed she
On Twitter, Lea describes herself as an
actor, singer, wife, mommy, writer, traveler and
foodie. She didn’t say superstar, international
icon, one of the most influential women in the
Philippines, powerful charity supporter and
women’s health rights advocate.
That’s cool. I’m a grown-up now. I don’t
put posters on my bedroom wall anymore.
But I still love Lea because our chance
meeting proved to me why she is a star and an
inspiration. Shhh. Just don’t tell her I said that.
(Continued from left page)
So there I was. Was she pretty? Of course.
Alex Chan, Michelle Baltazar, Star City senior staff (standing) and Lea Salonga.
was with the Australian production of Cats,
how much she loved the apple pie and the
cheesecake we had for desserts, and how much
she’d love to get the next iPhone. She also
spoke about her upcoming role as ‘Fantine’ in
the 25th anniversary production of the musical
Les Miserables in London on October 3 at the
O2 Arena in North Greenwich (yep, it’s in my
calendar. Fingers crossed!).
The two occasions where she spoke louder
than usual (you know she’s a stage performer
because her vocal projection was unbelievable)
was when we discussed politics (how she would
vote for a politician based on their actions, not
their catchy jingles) and her frustration that the
Reproductive Health Bill in the Philippines is
yet to go through.
She mentioned a couple of times she was
tired, yet to my surprise, she stayed for dessert
(one of those memories I’ll treasure forever is
when she asked if I would like to share dessert
with her, which really meant sharing desserts
with everyone but, hey, that still made me feel
special).
By the time we finished eating, it was well
past 10.30pm and was time to go. A few of us
had final photos taken before she said goodbye
The Australian Filipinawww. austral ianf il ipina. com
Our Australian Filipina writer, Michelle
Baltazar, managed not to faint or squeal
the night she met Lea. Just.
Visit www.leasalonga.com to find out more about
her upcoming performances (in ‘Cats’ on July 24 in
th Philippines and in the 25th anniversary production of ‘Les Mis’ in the UK on October 3).
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