A state of national calamity has been declared by Philippines' president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The archipelago has been hit hard with 4 typhoons the past 4 months. However, Typhoon Durian (Typhoon Reming, in the Philippines), has been the most devastating; its devastating winds and rains have struck the recently erupted Mayon volcano. Through massive flooding and volcanic mudslides, the typhoon and volcano combination has left thousands injured, missing, or dead, and has displaced tens of thousands more, and affected hundreds of thousands throughout the Philippines.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
apl's BEBOT: FRONTPAGE OF LA TIMES
Thanks to Ryan Rubianes for the heads-up!
Anyway, the article appeared in the Column One section of today's front page, which is usually geared towards the minorities, ethnicities, and smaller stories of Los Angeles.
Filipinos' hip-hop anthem
Allan Pineda of the Black Eyed Peas honored his homeland with a rap in Tagalog. 'Bebot' has become a surprise phenomenon.
By David Pierson, Times Staff Writer
November 22, 2006
Hey, man, all of you listen
to me Here comes the real Filipino
Came from the barrio — Sapang Bato
Went to L.A. and labored
In order to help my mother
Because life is so hard
But the disposition's still bright.
---
SO begins the story of Allan Pineda, a member of the hip-hop band the Black Eyed Peas, who two years ago wrote a song about his journey from a poverty-stricken district in the Philippines to Los Angeles' Atwater Village.
The lyrics were personal, written entirely in Tagalog, the dominant language of the Philippines. Pineda wanted to recount his experience as a Filipino American but wasn't sure how much the song would resonate with others — especially the Black Eyed Peas' teenage fan base.
The song, "Bebot" (Tagalog slang for "hot chick"), appeared on the Black Eyed Peas' multiplatinum-selling album, "Monkey Business," released in June 2005. The album contained several chart-toppers, but "Bebot" — as Pineda expected — wasn't one of them.
But over the last year, "Bebot" has become a phenomenon in ways Pineda, 31, said he could never have imagined.
The musical story of his immigrant experience has become an unlikely rallying cry in California's Filipino American community.
With its choppy beat and shouting chorus of "Filipino! Filipino!," the song became a showstopper at weddings and birthday parties. Teenagers — many of whom don't even speak Tagalog — choreographed dance routines to it.
But it was the lyrics, not the beat, that had lasting resonance.
The Filipino American community is famous for putting its cultural identity behind assimilation. Though they're the second-largest Asian group in California behind the Chinese, they have never established set "Filipino" neighborhoods — the equivalent of Monterey Park for Chinese Americans or Little Saigon for Vietnamese Americans. There is a historic Filipinotown west of downtown L.A., but the U.S. census found that less than 15% of its residents are actually Filipino.
Many Filipinos arrive in the United States speaking English, immediately making assimilation easier.
"Part of the problem is we blend in so well," said Winston Emano, an executive at an L.A.-based public relations firm and a community activist. "We have a rapid rate of assimilation. Put a Filipino in Antarctica, and in one month they'll be one with the penguins."
For Emano and others, "Bebot" is a vibrant reminder of their cultural past, an easy-to-digest history of their shared experience.
"It's a cultural bridge," Emano said. "Kids say, 'Hey, he's talking in my parents' language.' "
Pineda was surprised by the passions "Bebot" stirred. So, early this year, he financed two music videos for the song.
The first paid homage to Stockton's Little Manila, which was the largest Filipino community outside the Philippines in the 1930s and '40s. It showed how migrant workers toiled to provide money for their families back home and offered a glimpse of the racism early immigrants encountered.
The second video showed Pineda's early days hanging out in L.A. with his bandmates and mostly Filipino American friends.
The videos were big hits among Filipinos, who plastered Web links to them on MySpace and YouTube.
But Pineda now had a bigger goal. Though his record label felt the videos had limited prospects because they were sung in Tagalog, he hoped to prove the label wrong. He wanted the videos to air on MTV and VH1.
"There's still a struggle," Pineda said. "We just got to keep trying."
When eating, we use our hands
What we eat, chicken adobo
The balut being sold at the
corner
Share the glass already
My friend, let's start drinking.
PINEDA grew up in a slum outside Angeles City on the island of Luzon. His mother was Filipino. He never met his father, who was an American in the U.S. Air Force, Pineda said.
His first connection to the U.S. came when a charity group found him an American sponsor, who started sending him the equivalent of 7 cents a day to help pay for food. Pineda had problems with his eyes, so his sponsor — a lawyer named Joe Ben Hudgens — wanted to adopt him so he could receive better medical care in the U.S.
His mother agreed, and after seven years of waiting, he arrived to live with Hudgens, a deputy Los Angeles County counsel. It was 1989; Pineda was 14.
Hudgens was living in the Wilshire district at the time but decided to look for a neighborhood where there were mostly Filipinos. The best he could find was a block in Atwater Village, a diverse section of northeast L.A. that included some Filipinos.
"I didn't want him to be lonely. I suppose I was thinking, 'Let the neighborhood help raise him like they do in the Philippines,' " said Hudgens, now 69.
Hudgens, a single parent who spent long hours at work, encouraged Pineda to have friends over any time. Soon, they were practicing rap and dancing.
"I still don't quite know how all this happened," Hudgens said of Pineda's fame. "He has a performer's instinct. He loves to entertain."
Pineda attended John Marshall High School, which, like the surrounding neighborhood, was a mix of cultures. Despite the cultural shift, he was thrilled to be in America. By 16, he was immersing himself in the local hip-hop scene. He went to parties at homes and nightclubs across Southern California, where he made connections that led to the formation of the Black Eyed Peas. The group rose to prominence in the late 1990s with an upbeat brand of rap and stunning dance moves. Their multiculturalism — Filipino, Latino and black members — set them apart.
But Pineda said that despite the success, he still felt a yearning to write and sing about his culture.
He wanted to pen a song about his roots that people could dance to. It took him about two days in the band's sound studio in Atwater Village. Bandmate Will.I.Am, the group's producer, came up with the beats and started Pineda on his way by chanting "bebot, bebot, bebot" in the cadence familiar to fans today.
He struggled with the right words, so he called a friend's mother for translations.
"It was a hard task," Pineda said. "I'd never written a rap in Tagalog before. It's hard to rhyme."
The song is filled with cultural references central to Filipino American life: They celebrate by sharing beer, using their hands to eat the nation's signature dish (chicken adobo) and swallowing balut, fermented duck eggs still in their shell.
"Every Filipino can relate," Pineda said.
In the modern video, the band arrives at a party riding a Jeepney, the ubiquitous mini-bus seen in the Philippines. An opening scene shows a doting Filipino mother asking one of Pineda's bandmates if he wants chicken adobo.
The historic video resonated in other ways. Set in 1936, it begins with Pineda working in a Stockton asparagus field. Pineda said he wasn't aware of Stockton's history until he learned about it from the videos' director, Patricio Ginelsa.
"I was overwhelmed," Pineda said. "I could relate. They were farmers doing the same thing they do in the Philippines. And their main objective was sending money back home too."
The Little Manila Foundation has been trying for years to generate interest in preserving the Rizal Social Club and other structures on the decaying Stockton street that once was filled with Filipino farmworkers.
Dillion Delvo, the group's president, credits the video for a recent surge of interest in his district and efforts to preserve it.
"It's very powerful for kids to see images of people who look like us from the past," added Emano. "It opens up an entirely new world to them, one that they certainly can't find in their history books in school. And it's come from arguably one of the world's most successful pop bands."
Observe all the beautiful girls
Your beauty really drives me
crazy
The sweetness that is never
tiresome
You're the only one I want to be
with.
UNTIL the song was released last year, the word "bebot" was something of a relic, even in the Filipino American community. Both the modern and the historic videos are filled with beautiful Filipino women dancing.
But as the song became a community touchstone, it also set off a backlash.
Some Filipino women objected to the portrayal of women in the modern video — both the sexy dancing "bebots" and the nagging mother.
Pineda said the portrayal of women in the video is a loving one, based on his memories of growing up.
"That's the trait right there," he said. "Go to a Filipino household and the mom is always trying to feed you. They're always trying to advise you."
Liza Marie S. Erpelo, 33, a language arts professor in Northern California, said it felt stereotypical to her.
"The mother was doing all this screaming," Erpelo said. "I giggled at first; then I thought, 'Why am I laughing?' "
One of Erpelo's classes at Skyline College in San Bruno deals with Filipino stereotypes and the cultural isolation many Filipinos feel here. She is now using "Bebot" in her class, prompting heated discussions about the value of Pineda's song as a rallying cry for the Filipino community.
"What merit does that song have, saying, 'Hot chick, hot chick'?" she asked.
Whatever the effect, the videos' sexy look definitely had an MTV flavor. And Pineda and director Ginelsa felt the videos had a shot at both MTV and VH1 despite the fact they were sung in Tagalog.
The "Bebot" team got excited when MTV sent a correspondent to do a segment on the making of the videos.
But the report ran only on MTV Chi, a year-old niche channel aimed at Chinese Americans.
By the fall, Pineda was more sanguine. He was pleased the song was a hit in Asia. He also was touched by the way "Bebot" was embraced by the Filipino community.
"I hoped it would be played in the States, but it is more popular in Asia, which I appreciate," he said. "The main purpose was to get this out to the Filipino community. People don't realize there's a huge one in America."
You're Filipino — shout it out
— c'mon
If you're beautiful — shout it out
— c'mon
If your life is valuable — c'mon
Thank you for your support.
ON a recent Saturday night at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown L.A., Pineda accepted the Role Model Award from the Filipino American Library during a formal gala attended by hundreds who dined on chicken adobo made specially by the hotel kitchen.
Pineda was introduced by fellow Filipino entertainer Tia Carrere, who said, "His story is the American dream."
"Bebot" began blaring from the P.A. system and the guests jumped to their feet to cheer as the famously fashionable Pineda bounced to the stage in a navy blue suit, pink tie and glossy white sneakers.
After a few words of thanks in Tagalog, Pineda dedicated the award to his Filipino mother and adoptive father, both of whom beamed from the audience.
"I want to thank the Filipino community for embracing me as a Filipino artist in this game," he said. "I represent Filipinos every day, every second. I'm a proud Filipino."
Pineda shimmied and leaped offstage as once again "Bebot" filled the room.
david.pierson@latimes.com
Anyway, the article appeared in the Column One section of today's front page, which is usually geared towards the minorities, ethnicities, and smaller stories of Los Angeles.
Filipinos' hip-hop anthem
Allan Pineda of the Black Eyed Peas honored his homeland with a rap in Tagalog. 'Bebot' has become a surprise phenomenon.
By David Pierson, Times Staff Writer
November 22, 2006
Hey, man, all of you listen
to me Here comes the real Filipino
Came from the barrio — Sapang Bato
Went to L.A. and labored
In order to help my mother
Because life is so hard
But the disposition's still bright.
---
SO begins the story of Allan Pineda, a member of the hip-hop band the Black Eyed Peas, who two years ago wrote a song about his journey from a poverty-stricken district in the Philippines to Los Angeles' Atwater Village.
The lyrics were personal, written entirely in Tagalog, the dominant language of the Philippines. Pineda wanted to recount his experience as a Filipino American but wasn't sure how much the song would resonate with others — especially the Black Eyed Peas' teenage fan base.
The song, "Bebot" (Tagalog slang for "hot chick"), appeared on the Black Eyed Peas' multiplatinum-selling album, "Monkey Business," released in June 2005. The album contained several chart-toppers, but "Bebot" — as Pineda expected — wasn't one of them.
But over the last year, "Bebot" has become a phenomenon in ways Pineda, 31, said he could never have imagined.
The musical story of his immigrant experience has become an unlikely rallying cry in California's Filipino American community.
With its choppy beat and shouting chorus of "Filipino! Filipino!," the song became a showstopper at weddings and birthday parties. Teenagers — many of whom don't even speak Tagalog — choreographed dance routines to it.
But it was the lyrics, not the beat, that had lasting resonance.
The Filipino American community is famous for putting its cultural identity behind assimilation. Though they're the second-largest Asian group in California behind the Chinese, they have never established set "Filipino" neighborhoods — the equivalent of Monterey Park for Chinese Americans or Little Saigon for Vietnamese Americans. There is a historic Filipinotown west of downtown L.A., but the U.S. census found that less than 15% of its residents are actually Filipino.
Many Filipinos arrive in the United States speaking English, immediately making assimilation easier.
"Part of the problem is we blend in so well," said Winston Emano, an executive at an L.A.-based public relations firm and a community activist. "We have a rapid rate of assimilation. Put a Filipino in Antarctica, and in one month they'll be one with the penguins."
For Emano and others, "Bebot" is a vibrant reminder of their cultural past, an easy-to-digest history of their shared experience.
"It's a cultural bridge," Emano said. "Kids say, 'Hey, he's talking in my parents' language.' "
Pineda was surprised by the passions "Bebot" stirred. So, early this year, he financed two music videos for the song.
The first paid homage to Stockton's Little Manila, which was the largest Filipino community outside the Philippines in the 1930s and '40s. It showed how migrant workers toiled to provide money for their families back home and offered a glimpse of the racism early immigrants encountered.
The second video showed Pineda's early days hanging out in L.A. with his bandmates and mostly Filipino American friends.
The videos were big hits among Filipinos, who plastered Web links to them on MySpace and YouTube.
But Pineda now had a bigger goal. Though his record label felt the videos had limited prospects because they were sung in Tagalog, he hoped to prove the label wrong. He wanted the videos to air on MTV and VH1.
"There's still a struggle," Pineda said. "We just got to keep trying."
When eating, we use our hands
What we eat, chicken adobo
The balut being sold at the
corner
Share the glass already
My friend, let's start drinking.
PINEDA grew up in a slum outside Angeles City on the island of Luzon. His mother was Filipino. He never met his father, who was an American in the U.S. Air Force, Pineda said.
His first connection to the U.S. came when a charity group found him an American sponsor, who started sending him the equivalent of 7 cents a day to help pay for food. Pineda had problems with his eyes, so his sponsor — a lawyer named Joe Ben Hudgens — wanted to adopt him so he could receive better medical care in the U.S.
His mother agreed, and after seven years of waiting, he arrived to live with Hudgens, a deputy Los Angeles County counsel. It was 1989; Pineda was 14.
Hudgens was living in the Wilshire district at the time but decided to look for a neighborhood where there were mostly Filipinos. The best he could find was a block in Atwater Village, a diverse section of northeast L.A. that included some Filipinos.
"I didn't want him to be lonely. I suppose I was thinking, 'Let the neighborhood help raise him like they do in the Philippines,' " said Hudgens, now 69.
Hudgens, a single parent who spent long hours at work, encouraged Pineda to have friends over any time. Soon, they were practicing rap and dancing.
"I still don't quite know how all this happened," Hudgens said of Pineda's fame. "He has a performer's instinct. He loves to entertain."
Pineda attended John Marshall High School, which, like the surrounding neighborhood, was a mix of cultures. Despite the cultural shift, he was thrilled to be in America. By 16, he was immersing himself in the local hip-hop scene. He went to parties at homes and nightclubs across Southern California, where he made connections that led to the formation of the Black Eyed Peas. The group rose to prominence in the late 1990s with an upbeat brand of rap and stunning dance moves. Their multiculturalism — Filipino, Latino and black members — set them apart.
But Pineda said that despite the success, he still felt a yearning to write and sing about his culture.
He wanted to pen a song about his roots that people could dance to. It took him about two days in the band's sound studio in Atwater Village. Bandmate Will.I.Am, the group's producer, came up with the beats and started Pineda on his way by chanting "bebot, bebot, bebot" in the cadence familiar to fans today.
He struggled with the right words, so he called a friend's mother for translations.
"It was a hard task," Pineda said. "I'd never written a rap in Tagalog before. It's hard to rhyme."
The song is filled with cultural references central to Filipino American life: They celebrate by sharing beer, using their hands to eat the nation's signature dish (chicken adobo) and swallowing balut, fermented duck eggs still in their shell.
"Every Filipino can relate," Pineda said.
In the modern video, the band arrives at a party riding a Jeepney, the ubiquitous mini-bus seen in the Philippines. An opening scene shows a doting Filipino mother asking one of Pineda's bandmates if he wants chicken adobo.
The historic video resonated in other ways. Set in 1936, it begins with Pineda working in a Stockton asparagus field. Pineda said he wasn't aware of Stockton's history until he learned about it from the videos' director, Patricio Ginelsa.
"I was overwhelmed," Pineda said. "I could relate. They were farmers doing the same thing they do in the Philippines. And their main objective was sending money back home too."
The Little Manila Foundation has been trying for years to generate interest in preserving the Rizal Social Club and other structures on the decaying Stockton street that once was filled with Filipino farmworkers.
Dillion Delvo, the group's president, credits the video for a recent surge of interest in his district and efforts to preserve it.
"It's very powerful for kids to see images of people who look like us from the past," added Emano. "It opens up an entirely new world to them, one that they certainly can't find in their history books in school. And it's come from arguably one of the world's most successful pop bands."
Observe all the beautiful girls
Your beauty really drives me
crazy
The sweetness that is never
tiresome
You're the only one I want to be
with.
UNTIL the song was released last year, the word "bebot" was something of a relic, even in the Filipino American community. Both the modern and the historic videos are filled with beautiful Filipino women dancing.
But as the song became a community touchstone, it also set off a backlash.
Some Filipino women objected to the portrayal of women in the modern video — both the sexy dancing "bebots" and the nagging mother.
Pineda said the portrayal of women in the video is a loving one, based on his memories of growing up.
"That's the trait right there," he said. "Go to a Filipino household and the mom is always trying to feed you. They're always trying to advise you."
Liza Marie S. Erpelo, 33, a language arts professor in Northern California, said it felt stereotypical to her.
"The mother was doing all this screaming," Erpelo said. "I giggled at first; then I thought, 'Why am I laughing?' "
One of Erpelo's classes at Skyline College in San Bruno deals with Filipino stereotypes and the cultural isolation many Filipinos feel here. She is now using "Bebot" in her class, prompting heated discussions about the value of Pineda's song as a rallying cry for the Filipino community.
"What merit does that song have, saying, 'Hot chick, hot chick'?" she asked.
Whatever the effect, the videos' sexy look definitely had an MTV flavor. And Pineda and director Ginelsa felt the videos had a shot at both MTV and VH1 despite the fact they were sung in Tagalog.
The "Bebot" team got excited when MTV sent a correspondent to do a segment on the making of the videos.
But the report ran only on MTV Chi, a year-old niche channel aimed at Chinese Americans.
By the fall, Pineda was more sanguine. He was pleased the song was a hit in Asia. He also was touched by the way "Bebot" was embraced by the Filipino community.
"I hoped it would be played in the States, but it is more popular in Asia, which I appreciate," he said. "The main purpose was to get this out to the Filipino community. People don't realize there's a huge one in America."
You're Filipino — shout it out
— c'mon
If you're beautiful — shout it out
— c'mon
If your life is valuable — c'mon
Thank you for your support.
ON a recent Saturday night at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown L.A., Pineda accepted the Role Model Award from the Filipino American Library during a formal gala attended by hundreds who dined on chicken adobo made specially by the hotel kitchen.
Pineda was introduced by fellow Filipino entertainer Tia Carrere, who said, "His story is the American dream."
"Bebot" began blaring from the P.A. system and the guests jumped to their feet to cheer as the famously fashionable Pineda bounced to the stage in a navy blue suit, pink tie and glossy white sneakers.
After a few words of thanks in Tagalog, Pineda dedicated the award to his Filipino mother and adoptive father, both of whom beamed from the audience.
"I want to thank the Filipino community for embracing me as a Filipino artist in this game," he said. "I represent Filipinos every day, every second. I'm a proud Filipino."
Pineda shimmied and leaped offstage as once again "Bebot" filled the room.
david.pierson@latimes.com
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
funny how one man can do all this...
Well, as I suspected would happen, Youtube took down the Pacquiao-Morales III clip from the last post. I'm sure the full fight is out there on the internet somewhere...maybe try these forums...
There are some other videos out there that relate to the fight last Saturday, but the following are the ones I always love to watch.
After watching these, one thing is very clear: no one else can unite the entire Filipino people as Manny can and bring them this much collective joy. No movie star or politician (much less the President) can do this.
His supporters comprise of the poor/rich, rural/urban, administration/opposition, Catholics/Muslims, Luzon/Visayas/Mindanao, domestic/overseas, young/old...pretty much everyone.
He is in a very powerful position in the Philippines, and I think he knows it. He just has to be wary with all the politicians/other people will try to use him for personal/political gain....
Anyway, on to Youtube clips of Filipinos going crazy in jubiliation:
Video 1: complete w/ the mahjong table
Video 2: I love the little kid jumping in the sofa
Video 3: I love the reactions here =)
Video 4: this from a theater in SM City Iloilo (Western Visayas)
Video 5: this from the Cebu Coliseum
Video 6: last one. This is from the Greenbelt, a very upscale mall in Makati, Metro Manila.
There are some other videos out there that relate to the fight last Saturday, but the following are the ones I always love to watch.
After watching these, one thing is very clear: no one else can unite the entire Filipino people as Manny can and bring them this much collective joy. No movie star or politician (much less the President) can do this.
His supporters comprise of the poor/rich, rural/urban, administration/opposition, Catholics/Muslims, Luzon/Visayas/Mindanao, domestic/overseas, young/old...pretty much everyone.
He is in a very powerful position in the Philippines, and I think he knows it. He just has to be wary with all the politicians/other people will try to use him for personal/political gain....
Anyway, on to Youtube clips of Filipinos going crazy in jubiliation:
Video 1: complete w/ the mahjong table
Video 2: I love the little kid jumping in the sofa
Video 3: I love the reactions here =)
Video 4: this from a theater in SM City Iloilo (Western Visayas)
Video 5: this from the Cebu Coliseum
Video 6: last one. This is from the Greenbelt, a very upscale mall in Makati, Metro Manila.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
pacquiao v. morales 3 (on youtube...for now at least)
If you didn't get to watch the fight on Saturday, here's the Pinoy broadcast feed. I couldn't find Round 2 though.
Rounds 1 and 3
...Top Rank Inc. may force Youtube to take this video down, so watch it while you can!
*cough*www.keepvid.com*cough*
Rounds 1 and 3
...Top Rank Inc. may force Youtube to take this video down, so watch it while you can!
*cough*www.keepvid.com*cough*
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
sipa halloween: nightmare on temple st.
It's almost Halloween...that means it's almost time for our annual philanthropy event @ SIPA (Search to Involve Pilipino Americans).
This is one of 4 seasonal community events SIPA holds (the others being a Christmas event, an Easter event, and their Super Summer Celebration). The main goals of this event are to bring the Historic Filipinotown community (especially its youth) together to celebrate a happy and safe Halloween within the controlled confines of the event. There's always plenty of food and lots of games for everyone to take part in; however, the main draw of SIPA Halloween is its Haunted House.
SIPA Halloween has become an annual philanthropy for Troy Philippines. Troy Phi over the past years has built and run the Haunted House (run meaning scaring everyone who enters the house). Everyone who has ever taken part in this event (the children/SIPA Staff/Troy Phi members) has had a lot of fun, and we will continue to take part in SIPA Halloween for many years to come.
In 2005 SIPA Halloween's Haunted House took place in the new Temple Gateway Youth & Community Center for the first time. This venue is a lot bigger than previous venues and has better sound/AV systems to scare everyone with.
This year, we have the support of other local Filipino collegiate organizations such as CPP Barkada (congrats on SPUF BTW), CSUF PASA, UCI Kababayan, CSULB PAC, and TDB-Long Beach.
---
Below is a video from last year's SIPA Halloween. This video features Cory as the tour guide, Mondo in a screaming match, Camille rolling on the ground in a box, many many others, and a whole lot of screaming...
This is one of 4 seasonal community events SIPA holds (the others being a Christmas event, an Easter event, and their Super Summer Celebration). The main goals of this event are to bring the Historic Filipinotown community (especially its youth) together to celebrate a happy and safe Halloween within the controlled confines of the event. There's always plenty of food and lots of games for everyone to take part in; however, the main draw of SIPA Halloween is its Haunted House.
SIPA Halloween has become an annual philanthropy for Troy Philippines. Troy Phi over the past years has built and run the Haunted House (run meaning scaring everyone who enters the house). Everyone who has ever taken part in this event (the children/SIPA Staff/Troy Phi members) has had a lot of fun, and we will continue to take part in SIPA Halloween for many years to come.
In 2005 SIPA Halloween's Haunted House took place in the new Temple Gateway Youth & Community Center for the first time. This venue is a lot bigger than previous venues and has better sound/AV systems to scare everyone with.
This year, we have the support of other local Filipino collegiate organizations such as CPP Barkada (congrats on SPUF BTW), CSUF PASA, UCI Kababayan, CSULB PAC, and TDB-Long Beach.
---
Below is a video from last year's SIPA Halloween. This video features Cory as the tour guide, Mondo in a screaming match, Camille rolling on the ground in a box, many many others, and a whole lot of screaming...
Thursday, October 19, 2006
ARAY KO! EPISODE 1
I'm going to embed our youtube videos here.
Carlos, Chris and Albert GO TO JOLLIBEE
CRIBS: Webb Tower
It's actually 3 parts, but I decided to hold off on the meeting recap because there was SO MUCH good stuff to put in that it was too big to upload. =) Enjoy!
Carlos, Chris and Albert GO TO JOLLIBEE
CRIBS: Webb Tower
It's actually 3 parts, but I decided to hold off on the meeting recap because there was SO MUCH good stuff to put in that it was too big to upload. =) Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
The "Bebot" open letter
All TP members should have received this copy of the letter through email, but I'll post it to the blog for everyone to see.
This letter was written to "Bebot" director Patricio Ginelsa, apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas, and Xylophone Films in response to the 2 videos. Please read this before going to Thursday's meeting.
---
To Apl.de.Ap, Patricio Ginelsa/KidHeroes, and Xylophone Films:
We, the undersigned, would like to register our deep disappointment at the portrayal of Filipinas and other women in the new music videos for the Black Eyed Peas' song, "Bebot." We want to make it clear that we appreciate your efforts to bring Filipina/o Americans into the mainstream and applaud your support of the Little Manila of Stockton. However, as Filipina/o and Filipina/o American artists, academics, and community activists, we are utterly dismayed by the portrayal of hypersexualized Filipina "hoochie-mama" dancers, specifically in the Generation 2 version, the type of representation of women so unfortunately prevalent in today's hip-hop and rap music videos. The depiction of the 1930s "dime dancers" was also cast in an unproblematized light, as these women seem to exist solely for the
sexual pleasure of the manongs.
In general, we value Apl.de.Ap's willingness to be so openly and richly Filipino, especially when there are other Filipina/o Americans in positions of visibility who do not do the same, and we appreciate the work that he has done with the folks at Xylophone Films; we like their previous video for "The Apl Song," and we even like the fact that the Generation 1 version of "Bebot" attempts to provide a "history lesson" about some Filipino men in the 1930s. However, the Generation 2 version truly misses the mark on accurate Filipina/o representation, for the following reasons:
1) The video uses three very limited stereotypes of Filipina women: the virgin, the whore, and the shrill mother. We find a double standard in the depiction of the virgin and whore figures, both of which are highly sexualized. Amidst the crowd of midriff-baring, skinny, light-skinned, peroxided Pinays some practically falling out of their halter tops there is the little sister played by Jasmine Trias, from whom big brother Apl is constantly fending off Pinoy "playas." The overprotectiveness is strange considering his idealization of the bebot or "hot chick." The mother character was also particularly troublesome, but for very different reasons. She seems to play a dehumanized figure, the perpetual foreigner with her exaggerated accent, but on top of that, she is robbed of her femininity in her embarrassingly indelicate treatment of her son and his friends. She is not like a tough or strong mother, but almost like a coarse asexual mother, and it is telling that she is the only female character in the video with a full figure.
2) We feel that these problematic female representations might have to do with the use of the word "Bebot." We are of course not advocating that Apl change the title of his song, yet we are confused about why a song that has to do with pride in his ethnic/national identity would be titled "Bebot," a word that suggests male ownership of the sexualized woman the "hot chick." What does Filipino pride have to do with bebots? The song seems to be about immigrant experience yet the chorus says "ikaw ang aking bebot" (you are my hot chick). It is actually very disturbing that one's ethnic/national identity is determined by one's ownership of women. This system not only turns women into mere symbols but it also excludes women from feeling the same kind of ethnic/national identity. It does not bring down just
Filipinas; it brings down all women.
3) Given the unfortunate connection made in this video between Filipino pride and the sexualized female body both lyrically and visually, we can't help but conclude that the video was created strictly for a heterosexual man's pleasure. This straight, masculinist perspective is the link that we find between the Generation 1 and Generation 2 videos. The fact that the Pinoy men are surrounded by "hot chicks" both then and now makes this link plain. Yet such a portrayal not only obscures the "real" message about the Little Manila Foundation; it also reduces Pinoy men's hopes, dreams, and motivations to a single-minded pursuit of sex.
We do understand that Filipino America faces a persistent problem of invisibility in this country. Moreover, as the song is all in Tagalog (a fact that we love, by the way), you face an uphill battle in getting the song and music video(s) into mainstream circulation. However, remedying the invisibility of Filipina/os in the United States should not come at the cost of the dignity and self-respect of at least half the population of Filipino America. Before deciding to write this letter, we felt an incredible amount of ambivalence about speaking out on this issue because, on the one hand, we recognized that this song and video are a milestone for Filipina/os in
mainstream media and American pop culture, but on the other hand, we were deeply disturbed by the images of women the video propagates.
In the end we decided that we could not remain silent while seeing image after image of Pinays portrayed as hypersexual beings or as shrill, dehumanized, asexual mother-figures who embarrass their children with their overblown accents and coarseness. The Filipino American community is made up of women with Filipino pride as well, yet there is little room in these videos for us to share this voice and this commitment; instead, the message we get is that we are expected to stand aside and allow ourselves to be exploited for our sexuality while the men go about making their nationalist statements.
While this may sound quite harsh, we believe it is necessary to point out that such depictions make it seem as if you are selling out Filipina women for the sake of gaining mainstream popularity within the United States. Given the already horrific representations of Filipinas all over the world as willing prostitutes, exotic dancers, or domestic servants who are available for sex with their employers, the representation of Pinays in these particular videos can only feed into such stereotypes. We also find it puzzling, given your apparent commitment to preserving the history and dignity of Filipina/os in the United States, because we assume that you also consider such stereotypes offensive to Filipino men as well as women.
Again, we want to reiterate our appreciation for the positive aspects of these videos the history lesson of the 1936 version, the commitment to community, and the effort to foster a larger awareness of Filipino America in the mainstream but we ask for your honest attempt to offer more full-spectrum representations of both Filipino men and Filipina women, now and in the future. We would not be writing this letter to you if we did not believe you could make it happen.
Respectfully,
Lucy Burns
Assistant Professor
Asian American Studies / World Arts and Cultures, UCLA
Fritzie De Mata
Independent scholar
Diana Halog
Undergraduate
UC Berkeley
Veronica Montes
Writer
Gladys Nubla
Doctoral student
English, UC Berkeley
Barbara Jane Reyes
Poet and author
Joanne L. Rondilla
Doctoral candidate
Ethnic Studies, UC Berkeley
Rolando B. Tolentino
Visiting Fellow, National University of Singapore
Associate Professor, University of the Philippines Film Institute
Benito Vergara
Asian American Studies / Anthropology, San Francisco State University
---
Go here to see reactions from Patricio's Myspace blog.
Here is an article that talks about some of Patricio's experiences while making the video.
---
Don't forget, Thursday's meeting is in ACC 205, not Tommy's Place.
This letter was written to "Bebot" director Patricio Ginelsa, apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas, and Xylophone Films in response to the 2 videos. Please read this before going to Thursday's meeting.
---
To Apl.de.Ap, Patricio Ginelsa/KidHeroes, and Xylophone Films:
We, the undersigned, would like to register our deep disappointment at the portrayal of Filipinas and other women in the new music videos for the Black Eyed Peas' song, "Bebot." We want to make it clear that we appreciate your efforts to bring Filipina/o Americans into the mainstream and applaud your support of the Little Manila of Stockton. However, as Filipina/o and Filipina/o American artists, academics, and community activists, we are utterly dismayed by the portrayal of hypersexualized Filipina "hoochie-mama" dancers, specifically in the Generation 2 version, the type of representation of women so unfortunately prevalent in today's hip-hop and rap music videos. The depiction of the 1930s "dime dancers" was also cast in an unproblematized light, as these women seem to exist solely for the
sexual pleasure of the manongs.
In general, we value Apl.de.Ap's willingness to be so openly and richly Filipino, especially when there are other Filipina/o Americans in positions of visibility who do not do the same, and we appreciate the work that he has done with the folks at Xylophone Films; we like their previous video for "The Apl Song," and we even like the fact that the Generation 1 version of "Bebot" attempts to provide a "history lesson" about some Filipino men in the 1930s. However, the Generation 2 version truly misses the mark on accurate Filipina/o representation, for the following reasons:
1) The video uses three very limited stereotypes of Filipina women: the virgin, the whore, and the shrill mother. We find a double standard in the depiction of the virgin and whore figures, both of which are highly sexualized. Amidst the crowd of midriff-baring, skinny, light-skinned, peroxided Pinays some practically falling out of their halter tops there is the little sister played by Jasmine Trias, from whom big brother Apl is constantly fending off Pinoy "playas." The overprotectiveness is strange considering his idealization of the bebot or "hot chick." The mother character was also particularly troublesome, but for very different reasons. She seems to play a dehumanized figure, the perpetual foreigner with her exaggerated accent, but on top of that, she is robbed of her femininity in her embarrassingly indelicate treatment of her son and his friends. She is not like a tough or strong mother, but almost like a coarse asexual mother, and it is telling that she is the only female character in the video with a full figure.
2) We feel that these problematic female representations might have to do with the use of the word "Bebot." We are of course not advocating that Apl change the title of his song, yet we are confused about why a song that has to do with pride in his ethnic/national identity would be titled "Bebot," a word that suggests male ownership of the sexualized woman the "hot chick." What does Filipino pride have to do with bebots? The song seems to be about immigrant experience yet the chorus says "ikaw ang aking bebot" (you are my hot chick). It is actually very disturbing that one's ethnic/national identity is determined by one's ownership of women. This system not only turns women into mere symbols but it also excludes women from feeling the same kind of ethnic/national identity. It does not bring down just
Filipinas; it brings down all women.
3) Given the unfortunate connection made in this video between Filipino pride and the sexualized female body both lyrically and visually, we can't help but conclude that the video was created strictly for a heterosexual man's pleasure. This straight, masculinist perspective is the link that we find between the Generation 1 and Generation 2 videos. The fact that the Pinoy men are surrounded by "hot chicks" both then and now makes this link plain. Yet such a portrayal not only obscures the "real" message about the Little Manila Foundation; it also reduces Pinoy men's hopes, dreams, and motivations to a single-minded pursuit of sex.
We do understand that Filipino America faces a persistent problem of invisibility in this country. Moreover, as the song is all in Tagalog (a fact that we love, by the way), you face an uphill battle in getting the song and music video(s) into mainstream circulation. However, remedying the invisibility of Filipina/os in the United States should not come at the cost of the dignity and self-respect of at least half the population of Filipino America. Before deciding to write this letter, we felt an incredible amount of ambivalence about speaking out on this issue because, on the one hand, we recognized that this song and video are a milestone for Filipina/os in
mainstream media and American pop culture, but on the other hand, we were deeply disturbed by the images of women the video propagates.
In the end we decided that we could not remain silent while seeing image after image of Pinays portrayed as hypersexual beings or as shrill, dehumanized, asexual mother-figures who embarrass their children with their overblown accents and coarseness. The Filipino American community is made up of women with Filipino pride as well, yet there is little room in these videos for us to share this voice and this commitment; instead, the message we get is that we are expected to stand aside and allow ourselves to be exploited for our sexuality while the men go about making their nationalist statements.
While this may sound quite harsh, we believe it is necessary to point out that such depictions make it seem as if you are selling out Filipina women for the sake of gaining mainstream popularity within the United States. Given the already horrific representations of Filipinas all over the world as willing prostitutes, exotic dancers, or domestic servants who are available for sex with their employers, the representation of Pinays in these particular videos can only feed into such stereotypes. We also find it puzzling, given your apparent commitment to preserving the history and dignity of Filipina/os in the United States, because we assume that you also consider such stereotypes offensive to Filipino men as well as women.
Again, we want to reiterate our appreciation for the positive aspects of these videos the history lesson of the 1936 version, the commitment to community, and the effort to foster a larger awareness of Filipino America in the mainstream but we ask for your honest attempt to offer more full-spectrum representations of both Filipino men and Filipina women, now and in the future. We would not be writing this letter to you if we did not believe you could make it happen.
Respectfully,
Lucy Burns
Assistant Professor
Asian American Studies / World Arts and Cultures, UCLA
Fritzie De Mata
Independent scholar
Diana Halog
Undergraduate
UC Berkeley
Veronica Montes
Writer
Gladys Nubla
Doctoral student
English, UC Berkeley
Barbara Jane Reyes
Poet and author
Joanne L. Rondilla
Doctoral candidate
Ethnic Studies, UC Berkeley
Rolando B. Tolentino
Visiting Fellow, National University of Singapore
Associate Professor, University of the Philippines Film Institute
Benito Vergara
Asian American Studies / Anthropology, San Francisco State University
---
Go here to see reactions from Patricio's Myspace blog.
Here is an article that talks about some of Patricio's experiences while making the video.
---
Don't forget, Thursday's meeting is in ACC 205, not Tommy's Place.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Bayanihan Dance Co. Performance (9/30 @ Glendora, 8p)
Just a reminder...Celeste and I need to know by Thursday night an exact number of people going to the Bayanihan National Dance Company performance at the Robert D. Haugh Performing Arts Center in Glendora, CA on September 30. It's $24 for students + 3.50 service charge for ordering it online. We will be buying the tickets at one time so we can all sit together (it's reserved seating), so if you want to go, email us at culture@troyphi.com ASAP.
Here are a couple of videos on Youtube I found of the Bayanihan Dance Troupe - the national dance troupe of the Philippines (they haven't toured the US in 5 years):
Itik-Itik
Aray
Maglalatik
Kappa Malong-Malong
Habanera de Jovencita
Here are a couple of videos on Youtube I found of the Bayanihan Dance Troupe - the national dance troupe of the Philippines (they haven't toured the US in 5 years):
Itik-Itik
Aray
Maglalatik
Kappa Malong-Malong
Habanera de Jovencita
Friday, September 15, 2006
On Dual Citizenship and Voting in Philippine Elections
...I'm just putting this out there for anyone that qualifies and/or is interested. This is long and may get complicated, so contact me for more info if you're interested.
Take a look at the article below (written on 8/19/06) from the Philippine News website:
--
Dual citizens gain reprieve on poll listup
By Rio Araja
The Commission on Elections yesterday approved a one-month extension of registration for Filipinos overseas including those who have acquired dual citizenship.
Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. and commissioners Florentino Tuason Jr., Romeo Brawner, Rene Sarmiento and Nicodemo Ferrer approved Resolution 7694, following a Supreme Court decision allowing expatriates to register as overseas absentee-voters.
The Court invoked Republic Act 9225, otherwise known as the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003, reaffirming the suffrage right of Filipinos who were granted dual citizenship.
The high court ruled that there is no provision in the Dual Citizenship Act stipulating “dual citizens to actually establish residence and physically stay in the Philippines first before they can exercise their right to vote.”
The commission will utilize the one-month grace period to inform the Filipinos overseas about their right to take part in the poll process starting next year.
The OAV registration is supposed to end on Aug. 31.
James Arthur Jimenez, Comelec spokesman, said the poll body is likely to grant another extension “if the response is good.”
SC ruled that there is no provision in the Dual Citizenship Act stipulating “dual citizens to actually establish residence and physically stay in the Philippines first before they can exercise their right to vote.”
Abalos directed OAV registration centers in all Philippine Postal Corp. offices abroad and other centers at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and Ninoy Aquino International Airport to accept the applications of absentee-voters until Sept. 30.
---
So what does this mean?
If you are a dual citizen of the Philippines and any other country, you now have the right to vote in Philippine national elections (like the upcoming 2007 senatorial elections) without having to sign an Affidavit of Intent to Return.
The whole Philippine Overseas Absentee Voting system started in 2003; however, registration turnout for the 2004 national elections was very low because people did not want to sign the Affidavit of Intent to Return which would have meant that they must establish physical residence in the Philippines within 3 years.
Just last month the Philippine Supreme Court ruled that dual citizens don't have to sign said affidavit anymore to register to vote. This could mean that a dual citizen that hasn't even stepped foot in the Philippines his or her entire life could vote in Philippine national elections.
So if you are a dual citizen right now and is interested in voting, you have until September 30 2006 to register. Contact me or the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles for more info.
---
But wait, what if I'm not a dual citizen? Am I qualified to be one?
You are qualified to be a dual citizen if at least one parent was a Filipino citizen at the time of your birth, and that your birth must was reported to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate which exercises jurisdiction over the place of birth.
You can apply for dual citizenship if you qualify at the Philippine Consulate or Embassy.
What are the benefits of being a dual citizen?
Taken from the LA Consulate's website:
right to vote in Philippine national elections
- right to own land and property in the Philippines
- right to engage in business or commerce as a Filipino
- right to travel bearing a Filipino passport
- other rights and privileges enjoyed by Filipino citizens
---
Ok, this is getting long. Bottom line, if you are interested in either becoming a dual citizen or voting in the 2007 Philippine national elections if you currently are a dual citizen, contact me or the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles.
Take a look at the article below (written on 8/19/06) from the Philippine News website:
--
Dual citizens gain reprieve on poll listup
By Rio Araja
The Commission on Elections yesterday approved a one-month extension of registration for Filipinos overseas including those who have acquired dual citizenship.
Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. and commissioners Florentino Tuason Jr., Romeo Brawner, Rene Sarmiento and Nicodemo Ferrer approved Resolution 7694, following a Supreme Court decision allowing expatriates to register as overseas absentee-voters.
The Court invoked Republic Act 9225, otherwise known as the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003, reaffirming the suffrage right of Filipinos who were granted dual citizenship.
The high court ruled that there is no provision in the Dual Citizenship Act stipulating “dual citizens to actually establish residence and physically stay in the Philippines first before they can exercise their right to vote.”
The commission will utilize the one-month grace period to inform the Filipinos overseas about their right to take part in the poll process starting next year.
The OAV registration is supposed to end on Aug. 31.
James Arthur Jimenez, Comelec spokesman, said the poll body is likely to grant another extension “if the response is good.”
SC ruled that there is no provision in the Dual Citizenship Act stipulating “dual citizens to actually establish residence and physically stay in the Philippines first before they can exercise their right to vote.”
Abalos directed OAV registration centers in all Philippine Postal Corp. offices abroad and other centers at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and Ninoy Aquino International Airport to accept the applications of absentee-voters until Sept. 30.
---
So what does this mean?
If you are a dual citizen of the Philippines and any other country, you now have the right to vote in Philippine national elections (like the upcoming 2007 senatorial elections) without having to sign an Affidavit of Intent to Return.
The whole Philippine Overseas Absentee Voting system started in 2003; however, registration turnout for the 2004 national elections was very low because people did not want to sign the Affidavit of Intent to Return which would have meant that they must establish physical residence in the Philippines within 3 years.
Just last month the Philippine Supreme Court ruled that dual citizens don't have to sign said affidavit anymore to register to vote. This could mean that a dual citizen that hasn't even stepped foot in the Philippines his or her entire life could vote in Philippine national elections.
So if you are a dual citizen right now and is interested in voting, you have until September 30 2006 to register. Contact me or the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles for more info.
---
But wait, what if I'm not a dual citizen? Am I qualified to be one?
You are qualified to be a dual citizen if at least one parent was a Filipino citizen at the time of your birth, and that your birth must was reported to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate which exercises jurisdiction over the place of birth.
You can apply for dual citizenship if you qualify at the Philippine Consulate or Embassy.
What are the benefits of being a dual citizen?
Taken from the LA Consulate's website:
right to vote in Philippine national elections
- right to own land and property in the Philippines
- right to engage in business or commerce as a Filipino
- right to travel bearing a Filipino passport
- other rights and privileges enjoyed by Filipino citizens
---
Ok, this is getting long. Bottom line, if you are interested in either becoming a dual citizen or voting in the 2007 Philippine national elections if you currently are a dual citizen, contact me or the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Jollibee, anyone?
Jollibee is, well, kind of a big deal.
With more than 1200 locations in the Philippines, Jollibee is Pinoy fast food. The restaurant chain also beats McDonald's in the Philippines, making almost double the revenue of the American giant "McDo."
In the Philippines, most of Jollibee's meals are priced between P19 and P30. The exchange rate as of Sept. 7, 2006 is 50 pesos to 1 dollar. According to my calculations, a meal at Jollibee would cost you around 50 cents... in the Philippines, that is.
Just what makes Jollibee so good? The well dressed and happy bee mascot, I think.
Edit: ...and below (taken in June 2005 at a Consulate Independence Day event) is said mascot. -- R
But most likely, it's the fact that Jollibee caters to the Pinoy palate. Offering sweeter spaghetti, Filipino-style Yum burgers, Palabok Fiestas, rice meals, crunchy ChickenJoys, and tropically flavored desserts, it's no wonder that Jollibee wins. When was the last time your McDonald's carried Langka pies?
My only objection is... the height requirement. I went to the Philippines in 2003 and they had all these flyers up to be a Jollibee worker. Apparently, to join the team you have to be around 5'3.
I guess I'm not Jollibee material.
Anyway, embedded below are some Jollibee commercials to entertain you. Some big-name Filipino artists are included in Jollibee's campaign, including MYMP (Make Your Momma Proud), Sarah Geronimo, and Sam Milby.
With MYMP.
With more than 1200 locations in the Philippines, Jollibee is Pinoy fast food. The restaurant chain also beats McDonald's in the Philippines, making almost double the revenue of the American giant "McDo."
In the Philippines, most of Jollibee's meals are priced between P19 and P30. The exchange rate as of Sept. 7, 2006 is 50 pesos to 1 dollar. According to my calculations, a meal at Jollibee would cost you around 50 cents... in the Philippines, that is.
Just what makes Jollibee so good? The well dressed and happy bee mascot, I think.
Edit: ...and below (taken in June 2005 at a Consulate Independence Day event) is said mascot. -- R
But most likely, it's the fact that Jollibee caters to the Pinoy palate. Offering sweeter spaghetti, Filipino-style Yum burgers, Palabok Fiestas, rice meals, crunchy ChickenJoys, and tropically flavored desserts, it's no wonder that Jollibee wins. When was the last time your McDonald's carried Langka pies?
My only objection is... the height requirement. I went to the Philippines in 2003 and they had all these flyers up to be a Jollibee worker. Apparently, to join the team you have to be around 5'3.
I guess I'm not Jollibee material.
Anyway, embedded below are some Jollibee commercials to entertain you. Some big-name Filipino artists are included in Jollibee's campaign, including MYMP (Make Your Momma Proud), Sarah Geronimo, and Sam Milby.
With MYMP.
With Sarah Geronimo, my favorite, and Sam Milby- that Fil-Am who's the crush of the country right now even though he can't speak Tagalog.
Sarah Geronimo again! <3>
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Pinoy Visions (9/6) and FPAC (9/9 - 9/10)
As part of the upcoming Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture on Sep. 9-10, the Association for the Advancement of Filipino Arts and Culture, Inc. is presenting the 13th edition of PINOY VISIONS, showcasing the best upcoming Pinoy filmmaking talents since 1994.
It's being held this week in various events leading up to FPAC, and Troy Phi is planning an outing to the third part of Pinoy Visions, which will be at the David Henry Hwang Theatre in Downtown LA from 7:30p-9p. It's a great way to see firsthand new, unique perspectives in film from Filipino and Filipino-American directors.
Among the film shorts and music videos shown that night are both Bebot videos from the Black Eyed Peas. There will also be documentaries (ex. The Debutantes of Orange County), narratives (ex. Sikyu and Grandma's Recipe), and some animation (Sabong Spell) as well. For the full list of films, please visit the following website: http://vconline.org/pinoyvisions06/daythree.html
General admission is $8. Rides can be arranged if necessary. If you want to go, email Celeste and me at culture@troyphi.com as soon as possible.
--
Also, a reminder that FPAC is coming up, and we're having a bus taking people there on Sunday the 10th...please email me if you're going to that too. Riding on the bus is free, $3 for admission to FPAC ($5 for a two-day pass).
Friday, August 25, 2006
TP Teaser 2006!
TP on youtube.com!
So, after hours of work, the teaser is FINALLY UP. Thank God, haha. Anyway, check it out! It's only 2 minutes of your time and the video is accompanied by audio from the wonderful Nikka Costa, 'Everybody Got Their Something.'
Take a look at it and see just how YOU could be involved in Troy Phi!
Also, forgive me for forgetting the talented Jasmine Trias at Barrio Fiesta picture, but I figured that it was already on the flyers for the meeting... that, and everyone's seen enough of her. *wink*
Enjoy!
The video is embedded below:
So, after hours of work, the teaser is FINALLY UP. Thank God, haha. Anyway, check it out! It's only 2 minutes of your time and the video is accompanied by audio from the wonderful Nikka Costa, 'Everybody Got Their Something.'
Take a look at it and see just how YOU could be involved in Troy Phi!
Also, forgive me for forgetting the talented Jasmine Trias at Barrio Fiesta picture, but I figured that it was already on the flyers for the meeting... that, and everyone's seen enough of her. *wink*
Enjoy!
The video is embedded below:
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Philippines Air Force Ones
The Philippines Air Force Ones were made by Nike as a tribute to Joze Rizal. The Philippines Air Force Ones are out now, but in extremely limited quantities - 500 pairs! Available at Kix-Files
For more information on Jose Rizal check out:
For more information on Jose Rizal check out:
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Survey says...
Here are the survey results from this past spring's TP Family Feud. The questionnaire was put up on troyphi.com less than two weeks before the meeting. You may find the results interesting.
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Wednesday, August 09, 2006
filipino food - overlooked by the rest of the world
Ashley told me about this recent article in the Honolulu Advertiser entitled "Lost in Translation." No, it's not about the movie, but rather about why Filipino cuisine has remained almost exclusively within the Filipino community. (Example: Go to the Max's in Glendale and see how many non-Filipinos eat there daily).
An excerpt from the article (the rest can be seen here):
--
...As a Filipino who loves the food of his culture, Flores has argued for years that it's time for Filipino food to break out. But as a businessman, he's concluded that the only place you can be successful with a Filipino restaurant is in a neighborhood where many Filipinos live. A chain called Jolly Bee (um, that's not how you spell it) has done well in Filipino communities in California, for example. (not necessarily -- look at the abstract of this 2002 LA Times article here.)
"But you don't see a Filipino restaurant in Kailua. You don't see one in Hawai'i Kai," he said. "You see Filipinos eating in Chinese restaurants, but you don't see Chinese eating in Filipino restaurants. It's just how it is."
NO UPSCALE ATTENTION
Nor has Filipino food made it into the high-end mainstream, where deconstructed, dandied-up versions of local dishes enter the $20-a-plate circle.
If there's anyone on O'ahu who could give Filipino cuisine a haute makeover, it's Elmer Guzman, the Maui-born Filipino chef trained by Emeril Lagasse and Sam Choy. But when Guzman went out on his own last year, he opened The Poke Stop, a take-out place focused on seafood.
"I thought about it and thought about it," he said of the high-end Filipino restaurant idea. "I knew it wasn't going to work. Maybe in San Francisco; not in Hawai'i." Given the already narrow audience for big-ticket dining, and the general lack of understanding of Filipino food, "you'd be taking a big chance." This despite the fact that many, many of the line cooks in top restaurants are of Filipino descent, he said.
Guzman also was concerned about communicating the subtleties of his culture's "soul food." On the surface, many Filipino entrees have a sameness: they begin with onion and garlic, they're simmered or boiled, they feature a lot of vegetables, they're flavored with different meats or seafoods, plus dried shrimp or fish sauce. To those who know the difference between pinakbet and sari-sari, both vegetable stews, the nuances are obvious, but they're likely lost on the rest of the audience, he said.
Guzman featured a few Filipino-style dishes when he was chef at Sam Choy's Diamond Head Grill — adobo leg of duck with crispy skin, for example. But, he said, "the thing about it was, visually, you don't have the wow. You might have the flavor, but not the wow appearance. People eat with their eyes." There's also the fact that the minute patis — the fish sauce that's the Filipino cooking equivalent of shoyu in Japanese cuisine — hits the heat, it sends out a powerful scent, one that some diners might not appreciate.
Guzman's comments hint at another point that may explain why Filipino food has not spread: Many entrepreneurial immigrants have been willing to doctor the foods of their home, toning down potent flavors and eliminating unfamiliar ingredients, to make the food acceptable to a Western audience. But, said Stephanie Castillo, a filmmaker and lover of her mom's Filipino cooking, "I don't think Filipinos thought of their food as something to be marketed...."
An excerpt from the article (the rest can be seen here):
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...As a Filipino who loves the food of his culture, Flores has argued for years that it's time for Filipino food to break out. But as a businessman, he's concluded that the only place you can be successful with a Filipino restaurant is in a neighborhood where many Filipinos live. A chain called Jolly Bee (um, that's not how you spell it) has done well in Filipino communities in California, for example. (not necessarily -- look at the abstract of this 2002 LA Times article here.)
"But you don't see a Filipino restaurant in Kailua. You don't see one in Hawai'i Kai," he said. "You see Filipinos eating in Chinese restaurants, but you don't see Chinese eating in Filipino restaurants. It's just how it is."
NO UPSCALE ATTENTION
Nor has Filipino food made it into the high-end mainstream, where deconstructed, dandied-up versions of local dishes enter the $20-a-plate circle.
If there's anyone on O'ahu who could give Filipino cuisine a haute makeover, it's Elmer Guzman, the Maui-born Filipino chef trained by Emeril Lagasse and Sam Choy. But when Guzman went out on his own last year, he opened The Poke Stop, a take-out place focused on seafood.
"I thought about it and thought about it," he said of the high-end Filipino restaurant idea. "I knew it wasn't going to work. Maybe in San Francisco; not in Hawai'i." Given the already narrow audience for big-ticket dining, and the general lack of understanding of Filipino food, "you'd be taking a big chance." This despite the fact that many, many of the line cooks in top restaurants are of Filipino descent, he said.
Guzman also was concerned about communicating the subtleties of his culture's "soul food." On the surface, many Filipino entrees have a sameness: they begin with onion and garlic, they're simmered or boiled, they feature a lot of vegetables, they're flavored with different meats or seafoods, plus dried shrimp or fish sauce. To those who know the difference between pinakbet and sari-sari, both vegetable stews, the nuances are obvious, but they're likely lost on the rest of the audience, he said.
Guzman featured a few Filipino-style dishes when he was chef at Sam Choy's Diamond Head Grill — adobo leg of duck with crispy skin, for example. But, he said, "the thing about it was, visually, you don't have the wow. You might have the flavor, but not the wow appearance. People eat with their eyes." There's also the fact that the minute patis — the fish sauce that's the Filipino cooking equivalent of shoyu in Japanese cuisine — hits the heat, it sends out a powerful scent, one that some diners might not appreciate.
Guzman's comments hint at another point that may explain why Filipino food has not spread: Many entrepreneurial immigrants have been willing to doctor the foods of their home, toning down potent flavors and eliminating unfamiliar ingredients, to make the food acceptable to a Western audience. But, said Stephanie Castillo, a filmmaker and lover of her mom's Filipino cooking, "I don't think Filipinos thought of their food as something to be marketed...."
Monday, August 07, 2006
the mayon evacuation
It looks like the famed "perfect cone" Mayon Volcano in the Philippines is about to have a major eruption again, threatening many surrounding villages. The government has ordered the evacuation of up to 50,000 people who live within an 8-km radius of the volcano.
An excerpt from the Inq7 article, found here:
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LEGAZPI CITY -- Bundled in Army trucks, jeepneys and private cars and hugging their dearest possessions, thousands of villagers fled their homes yesterday after one of the Philippines’ deadliest volcanoes blasted out clouds of ash, indicating a major eruption was imminent.
The government ordered the forced evacuation of anywhere from 35,000 to 50,000 villagers after declaring an 8-km zone on the southeast sector of Mount Mayon a “no man’s land.”
Waiting for a truck on a roadside in Barangay Mabinit, one of the most threatened villages, an elderly woman nervously clutched her rosary beads and made the sign of the cross.
Nearby, a half-naked man carried bundles of newly cut firewood on his shoulder. Other men had toddlers in their arms.
“It could just be hours or a matter of two days before a major eruption will occur,” resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta told an emergency meeting of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council.
Whole families clutching sleeping mats, pillows, frying pans, radios, plastic food and water containers and sackfuls of clothes joined the massive flight.
Behind them, mushroom-shaped ash clouds towered overhead.
Megaphone in hand, Mayor Noel Rosal roamed Mabinit, appealing to residents to leave.
One of the country’s 22 active volcanoes, Mayon has had a violent history of 47 eruptions since 1616. Its worst eruption buried Cagsawa town and killed 1,200 people in 1814. A 1993 eruption killed 77 farmers.
‘Hazardous and explosive’
Laguerta gave the grim forecast after Mayon belched ash columns towering from 300 to 800 meters on the 23rd day of its restiveness. More ash ejections were expected during the day.
This prompted the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to raise the alert one notch higher to level 4, which meant that a “hazardous, explosive eruption” was imminent....
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