ANAC TI PATING

Watch Out For "Anac Ti Pating" to be shown on June 2012 at the Sineng Pambansa Festival in Davao!!!

“ANAC TI PATING”

SYNOPSIS

“Anac Ti Pating” happens in one school year from June to March. Sixto Mangaoang is a Math wizard in Grade 5, he however also has the penchant for drawing and writing. For his English Class project, Sixto decides on writing a short story for children about a shark living in the forest in the Cordilleras. Sixto ‘comes-of-age’ in this school year, he develops a friendship with his neighbor, the retired Dr. Rayos, who encourages Sixto to strive hard to pursue his dreams. Sixto also befriends his Korean neighbor, a boy about the same age as he, despite their awkward first meeting. Sixto experiences first love. Sixto stands up to the school bully. Sixto discovers the truth about his birth.

ART OR PORNOGRAPHY?

(I do not own this photo. I just got it from the web. If you are the owner of this photo and would like me to remove it. Please tell me through the comments page.)

LETTER TO POPE BENEDICT XVI

His Holiness Benedict XVI
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City State, Europe


Most Holy Father,


The Philippines has recently been hit by another typhoon. Countless have lost what little property they possessed. Thousands are now homeless. And that is only in Metro Manila. Those residing in the provinces are resilient folk. They will get back to their business of living each day as before. Working on the land or fishing off the sea. 


The urban poor in Metro Manila are a different story.

They live in shanties in the squatter areas, mostly on reclaimed land from Manila Bay. Thousands live on the street, under bridges, sidewalks. They barely eat three meals each day. They have few clothes. Most go barefoot.

The Catholic Church is a rich organization. Why can't you alleviate the plight of your flock? Relocate these people to higher ground. Build vertical tenements for them so that they no longer clog our waterways with their trash. They will be out of harm's way during typhoons, and the metropolis will be able to cope with flooding once these vulnerable areas are cleared for water to be able to pass freely.


Open up your vast landholdings (not only in Metro Manila, but around the country) for these development projects. And once you've given them housing -- educate them. Majority of the best educational institutions in our country are run by the Catholic Church. But ironically, cater only to the rich. Can you not instruct these Universities to have a counterpart that would provide the same quality education but at a lower cost if not free for the Urban Poor? The Vatican has enough resources for this undertaking.

Education will help them help themselves. Provide skills so that later on they will be able to get jobs. Or even acquire skills to be entrepreneurs.


The Catholic Church has power over our people and our country. Wield that power to lift your flock up from poverty. You like to boast that the Philippines is the only Roman Catholic country in Asia -- but, sadly it is lagging behind its Asian neighbors. Surely, you would want us to showcase that Catholicism can and should be able to provide basic needs of the people?!

By doing so, you will prove that The Roman Catholic Church is a force for good!


With Love in Christ,


Martin

LET'S NOT BE APATHETIC AND UNCOUTH

Yesterday I started a page on Facebook called "The Baguio We Want" -- I was wanting for a 'venue' where concerned citizens  could get together and discuss issues that are of interest and relevance to the city. This effort was partly due to the numerous status updates I've read regarding the Irisan Dumpsite slide during the last typhoon and also the alarming concern of (mostly) mothers with regards to the disappearances of teenage females in Baguio. I was zealous in spreading the page to all my friends on Facebook.


Subsequently I made a petition also yesterday to take down the Billboards on Session Road.  Again, I shared the link with numerous friends and groups on FB. 


On the U.P. Baguio Alumni Association Facebook Page, I posted said link and immediately I got a comment. I am copy-pasting the thread for everyone to read. I have changed the person's name to 'Alumnus' to protect his privacy.


Alumnus: "yes remove na rin natin ang mga lahat ng sense of commercialization sa Baguio! Remove SM Baguio, remove na ang mga old buildings remove na natin lahat! remove na rin natin lahat ng tao para wala na problem ang mother earth! lahat iremove na natin!!! take them down"




Me: (I clicked on his profile and found out he works in advertising) "With all due respect Alumnus, I also work in advertising -- hindi nga lang sa print or billboards (mas sa TV and AVPs ako) anyway, let's not be defeatist about this. If you have gone up to Baguio lately, hindi naman talaga kanais-nais ang billboards sa Session Road. Ang gulo-gulo tignan. Some are almost even as large as the buildings they're on. Where is the sense of 'aesthetics' and Urban Planning here? Remember that the environs have a direct and great impact on the people within a specific community. Kung 'topsy-turvy' ang kapaligiran -- walang sense of order -- ergo, walang disicipline ang mamamayan, walang cohesion, walang civic pride.

Kung ang tao nga takes pains to make him/herself look presentable, can't we demand the same from our communites?!"


Alumnus: "Puki mo defeatist, simple lang yan. At hindi masyado maraming blah...

Occam's razor "the simplest solution is the best solution"

a. Sunugin ang Baguio and let nature take its course.
b. Kung napapangitan ka sa Baguio ngayon, wag ka tumingin.

Where's the sense of aesthetics? Where's the sense of blah? Puki mo... yung mga simpleng problema nga eh super pagtatalo eh. Yan pa kaya mga sinasabi mo na sense of togetherness. idealist twit"

Me: "You're contradicting yourself. Simple lang yan. Ayaw mong mag-sign ng petition. Don't sign. You have to resort to name calling?!"

Alumnus: "Feeling nagmamalinis ka. 

O sige na kalinisan ka na. Papetipetition ka pa blah! leche"

I left it at that.

My first reaction upon reading those comments was: 'And those exactly are the kind of people that make Baguio what it is today -- The Apathetic and Uncouth'

Now, the reason behind "The Baguio We Want" page and the "Take Down Those Billboards" petition is precisely to rally the citizenry to get our act together. We need to move and behave as one community -- a strong community that works with the system. And to ensure that the system works.

I am hoping that "The Baguio We Want" transcends from being a mere FB page and burgeon into a 'movement'. A 'movement' that is free from the partisan and divisive politicking of late. And I am engaging this in today's Social Media, because I believe these platforms are effective for social change as we have seen in other communities/nations.

"The Baguio We Want" is non-political and non-sectarian. It is likewise open to all citizens regardless of sexual preference, ethnicity, or demographic (social class, age, education). 

"The Baguio We Want" is Us! It is us ordinary citizens who want the same thing for Baguio and ourselves. We want a Clean Baguio. We want a Green Baguio. We want a Safe Baguio. We want a Peaceful Baguio.

So you may ask, what are WE going to do?

We can start by asking questions. And demanding answers. And to ask more questions if we're not satisfied. (Sometimes the answers are just a google away).

Let us also get involved in the transformation of our beloved city. Let's involve our children and family members. Let's get involved as students in our schools or as parents in PTA meetings. Let's involve our close friends. Let's get involved in our businesses and offices. Let's get involved in our Barangays. Let's get involved in our Civic Organizations, our Clubs, our Athletic Organizations. Let's get involved with the Media. You get the picture...

And then let's work WITH City Hall. With the Police, Fire, Health, and City Planning Departments. Let us let them know we are doing OUR part and that they SHOULD do theirs.

The Taking-Down-Of-Billboards is just the first step. Please sign the petition:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/take-down-those-billboards.html

Thank You Very Much! Dios Ti Agngina kadakayo Amin!

BAGUIO CITY COUNCIL STINKS

Sometime in 1998 or 1999 I met a British guy in Manila. Upon learning that I was from Baguio City, he started ranting about our local politicians. Apparently, this guy was negotiating in behalf of a British Non-Profit that was hoping to put up an incinerator to solve the already burgeoning problem of waste disposal in the city. It was to be an honest-to-goodness Build-Operate-Transfer scheme as the Non-Profit was going to shoulder all costs. They were only asking that the City of Baguio provide the location for said incinerator. 

He continues to tell me that the City Council then refused to sign any agreement unless they be given "grease money". The British Non-Profit, of course, declined, and so they decided to leave and pursue their project in Vietnam instead.

The local council today likes to blame Mother Nature with the ever-convenient "force majeure" as an excuse. I say, blame it on the local officials. What happened at the Irisan Dumpsite is a direct result of their lack of planning and management and corrupt practices. They ought to be liable for this.

note:  I only met this British guy once, and I have failed to write down notes, nor get his name. It has been more than ten years since this happened. Had I been a blogger then, I would've been more meticulous in my gathering of facts. This is basically a recollection of that exchange. But I still remember though certain names he mentioned who were members of the City Council during that period. I think I shall go through the council's files to investigate this further. I also urge the local media to look into this as well.

photo by Harley Palangchao taken from abs-cbn news

BRILLIANT IDEAS FOR THE OLDE PHONE BOOTHS (seriously)

I wonder where all the old phone booths went? I hope they didn't end up in some dump or recycle bin. PLDT could still make use of them...


1. Turn them into 'smoking sections' along Ayala Avenue. Make sure there's an exhaust or filter in the roof  so passersby won't complain of the smoke when a user opens the door.


2. Remember our terrarium projects in science class? Why not transform these phone booths into terrariums and scatter them around the metropolis. You could make a simulation of a tropical rain forest (ferns, lianas, moss...etc.)  No primates though.


3.  Attach shelves inside the phone booths. Let people put used books they wish to share with other people -- like a community book drop -- locate these booths inside malls. Tada! An instant public library at no cost to readers! Call the project: 'The Old School'


4. In the same breadth, make them a drop-off for used/old mobile phones, batteries, accessories, etc for recycling later on.


5. Make the booths 'charging stations' for one's laptop or mobile phone in public spaces.


6. Tint the glass, install a mirror inside, make them into dressing areas for our inner Supermen... seriously, when you need a quick change while out in the streets (for whatever reason) or when you're avoiding a stalker or simply to retouch your make-up or change your soiled shirt. These shouldn't be open for 24 hours though, who knows what people would do inside them during off-hours.


7. Make them into 'Solitude' zones for all those who wish for a few minutes of silence from all the din and humdrum of city life. Or when you're alone and overwhelmed with emotions, it'd be a good place to cry without anyone seeing you. Or to shout out your frustrations! Better to soundproof said booths then.


8. Seal them tight and put tropical fish. Scatter booths around the metropolis for that zen feel.


9. Rent them out to the manghuhulas in Quiapo (palm reading, tarot card reading, etc. ) Make sure to install AC.


10. SERIOUSLY: I want one for when I move into that dream loft or old warehouse -- I'll convert one into my shower. No wait, I want two old phone booths. The other I'll install a waterless urinal for my buddies to use when they come over for all-night drinking fests!  


Please, MVP let me have two?!

THE ACCEPTANCE SPEECH THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN...

(Laida Lim sent me a text message last Sunday afternoon saying she couldn't make it to the Cinemalaya Awards Night and was hoping I could be her "rep" -- apparently she was holed up in Baguio for personal reasons -- had I attended the Awards ceremony, this would've been my acceptance speech...)


Presenters: And the Award for Best Production Design goes to... (drum roll...)   Laida Lim for "Nino"!!!  To accept the award is the Art Director for "Nino"  Martin Masadao...


(I go onstage...)


Me: (clutching trophy) "Laida Lim is in Baguio at the moment and asked me to accept this award on her behalf... actually, she texted me earlier around 3PM, 'Martin, we're having a canao at the Cafe By The Ruins, the anitos tell me, we're going to win tonight -- scoot over at the CCP, bruha... I can't go down, thank everyone for me, please'


"I'm sure Laida would like to acknowledge everyone in the Art Department -- Carlo, Dee, our set men, etc. And given the measly budget of this film, we would like to thank all our friends and relatives -- both living and dead -- from whom we begged, borrowed and stole our props, sets, and costumes!  


"But, let me tell all of you, the challenge Laida and I had -- and I think the challenge for any Production Designer and Art Department is -- 'How do you attempt to design a film, when your director is an award-winning Set Designer to begin with?!'


"Well, the answer to that is: You Don't (pause) Even Attempt (pause) To Do That. What you do is: you sit down, with your director, go through the script, listen intently to all the 'shit' he's telling you, along the way you can give some suggestions, but you never stray too far... Thank you, Loy (Arcenas) for sharing with us your wonderful vision that is 'Nino' and for steering us in the right direction.


"On a personal note, I would like to pay homage to Fides Cuyugan-Asensio... (Applause, standing ovation, etc). Fides endeared all of us slowly, and day by day, as we were filming 'Nino'. She crept to our hearts in her own special way -- coming to the set on time, never complaining about the food, the heat, the long hours -- she exhibited discipline, humility and grace -- unparalleled and rarely seen among the lesser actresses of today. Fides, we were just honored to have worked with you on this project. Fides, you showed us what true artistry is all about. And thank God, you kept your figure all these years so you could fit perfectly into that vintage Aureo Alonzo terno that Laida unearthed from her mother's baul!


"Maraming salamat! Mabuhay ang Cinemalaya!"