Cebu loves the Arts

(painting by: Sofronio Ylanan Mendoza)

9 Visayan Artists will be honored  with the Garbo sa Bisaya Award for elevating the Visayan Arts. It will be scheduled on a a four-day from November 16 to November 19.  The nine honored artists will include Edward Defensor, Lamberto Henchanova, Dennis Ascalon, Brenda Fajardo, Cristina Sollesta Taniguchi, Hermogena Borja Lungay, Luis E. Yee Jr., Carmelo Tamayo and Sofronio Ylanan Mendoza.

Congrats!! :-)

Cebu bows down to Queen of Cebu 2010

(Photo taken from: Queen of Cebu Profile in Facebook)

In a place where beauty flourishes in almost like a day to day basis, its no longer quiet a shock that Cebu can put up a show that will not only promote what the world has often perceived as beautiful but beautiful among those who would one can consider as alternatives. Last year, Clothes for Life Foundation organized QUEEN of Cebu 2009: A PAGEANT FOR ALTERNATIVES. The event became a huge success as Cebu's best designers, photographers, choreographers, beauty experts and stylists have gathered round as Cebu bowed down to its Queen. Indeed, the pageant crowned three deserving beauties Queen of Cebu World was crowned to Miss Marianne Arguelles, Queen of Cebu International was crowned to Miss Paula Gerinea and the whole Universe was ruled by the obvious winner Queen Rain Marie Madrigal.

(Photo taken from: Rain Marie Madrigal's Facebook Profile)

The success of last year's Queen of Cebu raised the clamor for Cebu to once again take on the universe and crown its new queen. And this year on November 6, 2010 at the Pacific Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront at 7:30 PM, 21 Goddesses will gather as they come and conclude the show with only one Venus to be hailed as Queen 2010. Tickets will be available at P1,500; P800; P300 and P150. True to the Beauty Pageant's Creed of Beauty with a Purpose, all proceeds will go to charity specifically the Little Lamb Children's Center. See you there because Everyone bows down to the Queen!!!

Creative Cebu Council

(Photo from: http://www.bigstockphoto.com)

The Department of Trade and Industry together with Cebuano Artists will work together and launch the the Creative Council of Cebu.  It was formed to further explore the creative industries of Cebu after it was recognized by the British Council Philippines as a Creative City.

The council will be a non-profit organization and will be composed of artists and entrepreneurs in the creative field. The council will work closely together and help promote the promising creative industry in Cebu.  The council will be represented from the areas of Photography, Film, Literature, Visual Arts, Theatre, Music, Fashion Design, Architecture, Advertising and Design, and Multimedia.

I personally think this gives many talented Cebuano individuals to be able to seek for opportunities that can help them hone their talent. I am a patriot of Cebuano talent! Some direction and guidance about the industry is much needed and hopefully they can create avenues for training and development! 

CEBU’s history repeats itself

(Photo from:  www.thegrandeurtraveler.com)

On Wednesday; October 13, 2010, history will almost repeat itself as a replica of a Spanish Galleon will come and visit the shores of Cebu.  The galleon Andalucia will highlight the activities in store for the Dia del Galleon (day of the galleon) festival. The Dia del Galleon aims to celebrate and remember the importance and contributions of the galleon to the world’s history.  This is the 1^st celebration of the Dia del Galleon and is organized by the Baler 400 Steering Committee and the National Commission for Culture and the arts.

As cited by the National Commissioner, it is important to let the people know their history since it is through them that they learn. The Galleon will be staying in Cebu for four days.  For more information about the Dia del Galleon festival please see community billboards in local newspapers.

CEBU CITY: No Place for Future Venus Rajs?

Aside from being a world-class island flocked by diverse people and a rich culture that is truly Filipino but with a distinct Cebuano flavor, the CEBU province is probably one of the few remaining places in the world to have beauty pageants that doesn’t have a swimsuit round. As a beauty pageant enthusiast and as a citizen of a country who loves beauty pageant next to a Kris Aquino Controversy, this is definitely sad and disappointing. Although the aim of the Cebu Provincial Government is noble for women, somehow the move can also sacrifice a few artistic, and self-expression moves.

Ever since Gloria Diaz, Margie Moran and among many other women who bagged international titles in honor of our country, beauty pageants have become one of our past times and entertainment. These women became respected in their chosen fields. Although I admit, that some local pageants can be a good outlet for people’s mockery and would probably promote women as sex objects, banning pageants from having the swimsuit round might not really be the best solution. Instead I think they should assign a governing body to events like this and before the actual date of these events some specifications should be implemented.

Such talk about swimsuits in beauty pageants came once again as a hot topic because PB Member Arleigh Sitoy wanted to amend the Provincial Code to allow candidates to wear swimsuits. However, PB Member Agnes Magpale cleared out the issue and said there’s no need to amend the code because such only prohibits those skimpy bikinis that tend to project women as sex objects. The swimsuit category can still be a part of any pageant given that it’s based on internationally-accepted standards on female beauty pageants.

Well I guess that’s actually good news. After all people do have all the right to whatever choice of clothing they want to wear, on the other hand it also requires responsibility and some moral approach. Lewdness and misconducts are still unacceptable. I think as a country that takes its beauty pageants seriously, I think the people can be good judges as to when women are projected as mere objects or when they are treated as MAJOR, MAJOR role models. So I guess, we’ll be seeing more of Venus Rajs in the near future then?

Cebuano Designer: Cary Santiago's Avian

One of the best things that has flourished in Cebu is its fashion industry. A lot of excellent couturiers have took the world of fashion by storm and one of them is our very own Cary Santiago. And the best thing about Cebu, is that you can actually get to have close encounters with these popular people because as a little island in the heart of the Visayas Region the probability of meeting these people is high!

Just recently METRO MAGAZINE, METRO WEDDINGS together with METRO SOCIETY sponsored the master couturier's AVIAN Collection to celebrate METRO's 10 years of fashion. The collection was inspired by birds and to quote him, "I’ve always had a fascination with winged creatures—especially the Philippine Eagle, and birds of prey. In fact, my winning collection for the Young Designers Competition in 2004 was inspired by the Philippine Eagle. And I presented a bird-inspired collection back when I was in Beirut, but it had a different treatment," says Cary.

Having a chance to actually get a glimpse of how those artistic wonders became into such elegant dresses was more than a privilege. I personally came into close encounters with his creation, and I can say his creations took a life of its own with his own true signature and artistry!

It makes me proud to be a Cebuano!!!!

CEBU FIESTA: PORO TOWN FIESTA 2008

I am so lucky to have been chosen to host the coronation night and the evening of all evenings in our town fiesta.. it would be my second time to host such event.. its a little bit big in our town coz imagine u'll get to be on stage and all eyes are set on you.. its not really big but its usually a start of something bigger.. hehehe.. its a flattering spot to be because like what my friend keith told me.. its usually other people who would suggest for you and not you suggesting for yourself.. and mostly the people who have done the spot and made programs memorable were my idols before (e.g. uncle boboy, tita may and many more) and yes! i am doing it for the second time around! although i am not an adlib person but i should say i am a little more particular on the concept of the whole show.. or i want a little touch of me be put on the main program.. before it used to be a spice girl sequence done by little kids (which was cute by the way) now its more on the interiors and the concept.. i get high when i conceptualized u know..

this year i am so inspired by movies like 300, and christianity stuff that i made THE FRUIT OF EVE as the main theme...and if only i can strut an empire cut dress i'd wear it all the time! hahahahahahah....

here's a little taste of the story that i wrote for the program:

Right after jesus’ death, the roman empire particularly the women grew more and more exposed to the doctrines left by Christian philosophers and writer. While the men busied themselves with waging wars, conquering lands and searching for JESUS’ cup used in the last supper, the women had an increasing interest for the real fruit of eve.

The book of genesis, tells us the story of two creations namely adam and eve who were entrusted by the CREATOR to be the caretaker of the garden of eden. In the garden they were allowed to be free except to go anywhere near the FORBIDDEN tree or far worst eat its FORBIDDEN FRUIT. But eve was lured by a serpent to take a bite of such fruit and took along adam with him util he himself also took a bite of the fruit. From then on, God casted them out of the paradise and punished them. Since then people until the roman times have been intrigued and interested as to what the real fruit of eve was.

One particular empress who supported its search and excavation was empress maleficent of rome. She organized search parties and silent crusades searching for fruits that would come as close as the description of the scriptures but nothing has been found. While wars and conquering lands have become a movement to prove masculinity, the search for eve’s fruit has become a source of feminine power. The empress became desperate and she then promised that the woman who would find the right fruit would take her place as empress. Until five women came to take and claim her place….

dance moves and choreography will be done by glendell elizalde... interiors will be done by the master himself mr. pablo zurita... concept by yours truly...

disclaimder: the story of eve's fruit is partly history and hugely a product of the writer's imagination.. it is not in the intention of the writer to change and contradict history.. it is solely for creative purposes! amen....