20 NOVEMBER 2018

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18 SPOTLIGHT Tuesday, 20 November 2018 Daily Tribune Bringing out the Buddha in all of us Siddhartha: The Musical, staged at The Theatre at Solaire recently, was a kind of play not only meant to entertain but also to instruct By John Iremil Teodoro “All the hurt we try to hide inside our souls/Can be erased if we take away/Desire, like fire, can die/If we try…” sings the Buddha while teaching the Noble Path. “Right thought, right understanding/ Right speech, right action/Right mindfulness, right concentration/This is the Noble Path/The eightfold things JONNA Mae Daquipil (right) as Queen Maya and Francis Isidro as King Suddhodana. you need to do/To find enlightenment in you,” answers the chorus of his monks and lay followers. Siddhartha: The Musical, staged at The Theatre at Solaire recently, was a kind of play not only meant to entertain but also to instruct. “Dulce et utile,” as the good old Horace would say about the function of literature, and that’s what I got when I watched this musical last 28 October. The book, lyrics and music are by Cebuano composer Jude Gitamondoc. It is the story of the life of the Indian prince who became the Buddha, based on the Biography of Sakyamuni Buddha, written by Fo Guang Shan (Buddha’s Light Mountain) founder, Venerable Master Hsing Yun. The musical was directed by former Ballet Philippines artistic director Paul Alexander Morales; thus, the production dance numbers were simply lovely. Prince Siddhartha was born 2,600 years ago in Kapilavastu in ancient India. A seer had prophesized that he would be a great leader like his father or become a great spiritual teacher. His father did everything to stop this from happening to the point that he built Woven with creativity walls around the palace to insulate the young prince from the outside world and prepare him for kinghood. This did not stop Siddhartha from becoming a monk and later on a great Buddha. After more than 100 performances around the world and over 10 years since its premiere in 2007, the musical was presented with live music performed by the Manila Symphony Orchestra under the baton of musical director Jed Balsamo. Prince Siddhartha was born 2,600 years ago in Kapilavastu in ancient India. A seer prophesized that he will be a great leader like his father or become a great spiritual teacher. Leading the cast were Cebuano musical artists Benjie Layos as the Buddha, Junrey Alayacyac as Siddhartha, and Vince Sendrijas as Ananda, the loyal cousin of Prince Siddharta. The cast included the artists, students and scholars of FGS at the Guang Ming Institute for the Performing Arts in Cebu and Guang Ming College in Manila. They could sing! The snappy choreography was by Al Bernard Garcia, dramaturgy by Katherine Sabate, stage design by Ohm David with video and light projections by GA Fallarme, costumes — which were a visual feast — by James Reyes, and lighting design by Roman Cruz. Siddhartha: The Musical is indeed a beautiful fruition of Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s vision in founding the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order in 1967 on four principles: To propagate Buddhist teachings through cultural activities; to foster talent through education; to benefit society through charitable The exhibit not only aimed to create awareness on traditional weavers and hand-woven textiles, but also introduce the concept of sustainable fashion to the market programs; and to purify human hearts and minds through Buddhist practice. The musical is about the Buddha that showcases the talents of scholars. It is an entertaining way of reaching out to people to invite them to consider the philosophy and practice of Buddhism. As a Catholic, I couldn’t help but think of Jesus’ teachings while watching the musical. Jesus and Siddhartha were great teachers. If they are still being followed until today, it is because their teachings are useful to us in our life here on earth. Much of the human sufferings nowadays, such as poverty, wars, environmental degradation and human rights violations will be eradicated if we follow their teachings. But we are greedy and selfcentered. We are the ones making our lives difficult because we could not let go of our earthly desires and so we hurt each other. When will we listen and follow Jesus or the Buddha? I have no answer but definitely we need artistic productions such as Siddharta: The Musical to remind us from time to time. Venerable Master Hsing Yun, in his book On Buddhist Democracy, Freedom, and Equality, says that “all can become Buddhas.” In the Catholic faith, all the faithful are being called to “sainthood.” Of course, this is very difficult to do but this is the only way. To become a Buddha is to achieve enlightenment and reach nirvana or perfect tranquility. To become a saint is to live with God in heaven in perfect bliss. JUN Rey Alayacyac as Prince Siddhartha. Watching Siddhartha: The Musical was both pleasurable and painful: pleasurable because of the artistic rendition of the Buddha’s life on stage, and painful because I know I am far from being worthy of nirvana nor of heaven. I went out of the theater with a quiet and humbled heart grateful for the blessing of hope, hope that someday, with much hard work and moral courage, I will achieve my own enlightenment. “Pinto X Aura: Inabel” recently brought together renowned homegrown designers Edgar Madamba, Niña Corpuz and Sherwin Otto Sacramento in an exhibition featuring their creations using cotton inabel or hand-woven fabrics from Ilocos. In this partnership between Pinto Art Museum and SM Aura Premier, the exhibit aimed to revive a dying tradition. With weavers getting older, fewer young people willing to learn the intricate patterns, and raw materials like handspun cotton thread and natural vegetable dyes getting scarcer, the exhibit not only aimed to create awareness on traditional weavers and handwoven textiles, but also introduce the concept of sustainable fashion to the market. The traditionally woven cloth comes from northern Luzon, particularly in the Ilocos Region and some areas in the Mountain Province. Commonly made from yarns of cotton and dyed from the sap of a plum called sagut, the Ilocos handwoven textile is known for being colorful and strong. Manually woven through a wooden loom, the textile is made from creativity, imagination, positivity, respect, discipline and keenness. Commonly made from yarns of cotton and dyed from the sap of a plum called sagut, the Ilocos hand-woven textile is known for being colorful and strong. METICULOUSLY designed Inabel A-line gown accented with salmon beads by Edgar Madamba. Dr. Joven Cuanang, Pinto Art Museum owner and one of the founders of House of Inabel, is an active supporter of Barangay Lumbaan Weavers Association. His interest in hand-woven textile started after learning about Magdalena Gamayo who, at 88 years old, was given the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or National Living Treasure Award in 2012. He was saddened when he found out that there were only three active weavers and the farmers have already stopped planting cotton, preferring tobacco instead. Dr. Cuanang then pushed for the revival of the cotton industry and in 2015 encouraged farmers to plant cotton again. He provided them with a pump, the initial seedlings and a two-hectare tract of land. Today, they have a 22-hectare plot dedicated to cotton farming. They were also able to encourage more locals to try weaving. Currently, there are 18 weavers. During the exhibit, the designers showcased the beauty and versatility of inabel. Madamba exhibited his intricately woven beaded gowns, a few of them with a twist of modern Filipiniana. Broadcast journalist and fashion designer Niña Corpuz of Niña Inabel, on the other hand, showed how inabel could be worn by all members of the Ottoman Red Label’s Collection of hats, shirts and sheets. family, highlighting her holiday collection for kids, as well as those for kids and moms, her take on denim and inabel, and her bestselling inabel V-neck square tops. Niña enjoys dressing up her daughters using the native textile and says that is where her career as a fashion designer started. Filipino-Italian Sherwin Otto Sacramento of Ottomondi Red Label took a more casual approach with street wear and t-shirts as well as hats and bags accentuated with inabel. Sacramento was one of this year’s winners of the Bench Design Awards. Guests included art collector and philanthropist Dr. Cuanang, Greenfield president and chairman of the Board Jeffrey Campos, Kannawidan Foundation’s Betty Factora Merritt, program host and curator Rene Guatlo, broadcast journalist Julius Babao, and travel writer Gabby Malvar and wife Ginggay. M i s s E a r t h Philippines 2018 Silvia Celeste Cortesi, Miss Earth Eco- Tourism Philippines Halimatu Yushawu, Miss Water Philippines Berjayneth Chee and Barcino’s Teresa and Jordi Rostoll also attended the event. NIÑA Corpuz’s daughters Stella and Emily with their baby brother Lucas wearing clothes from their mom’s Inabel collection. PINTO x Aura brought together inabel designs by local designers Edgar Madamba, Niña Corpuz and Ottoman Red Label in an exhibition at SM Aura Premier. Installation art pioneer at the CCP The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents its last venue grant exhibition for 2018 entitled “CONTINUUM/ The art of Alan Rivera/A reconstruction of memories.” Unveiled on 17 November at the fourth-floor galleries, it is the first retrospective exhibition of the late artist. His works were shown in exhibitions in the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Japan and the United States. Most of Rivera’s works are installations — conceptual, timeand space-related — thus, in effect, they are theories and philosophies culled from his psycho-sociocultural past that he struggled to externalize and elevate into artforms for most of his lifetime. Alan Rivera (1941 to 2015) was born in Cebu City. He studied at the University of the Philippines, architecture at the University of Santo Tomas and industrial design in Mapua. Rivera joined his first group exhibition in 1966 and had his first solo exhibition at the CCP Small Gallery in 1972. Other solo exhibitions followed at Luz Gallery, Alliance Francaise Manila, the Northern Territory University Art Gallery (Australia), the Ayala Museum, the Museo Iloilo Gallery and The Drawing Room, among others. His works were shown in exhibitions in the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Japan and the United States. He was also known as a co-founder of the informal artist group Shop 6 in the 1970s. Commendation of Rivera’s practice include the CCP 13 Artists in 1972, an Asian Cultural Council grant in 1994- 1995, the Art Association of the Philippines Competition in 2000 and residencies in the Samba Likhaan Artist’s Village in Quezon City and in Perth and Darwin, Australia. Rivera was a multi-faceted artist who expressed himself through drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, installation, performance, writing, photography and film. “CONTINUUM/The art of Alan Rivera/A reconstruction of memories” may be viewed until 3 February 2019 at the CCP’s Bulwagang Fernando Amorsolo (Small Gallery), Pasilyo Victorio Edades (fourth floor Hallway Gallery) and fourth floor Atrium. Viewing hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday, or until 10 p.m. on nights with evening performances at the CCP Little Theater. For more information, contact the CCP Visual Arts and Museum Division at 832-1125 local 1504/1505, mobile 0917-6033809, or email (ccp.exhibits@gmail. com). ALAN Rivera.
Tuesday, 20 November 2018 Daily Tribune LIFESTYLE 19 On reading over social media It’s a commitment. There are times when I have some space in the office, so I get to put in 500 words a day. I feel empty when I’m not doing literary work. If it’s all work, I feel like I’m neglecting something important How does one develop the discipline to be a writer in this age of social media and blogs? For this three-time Palanca awardee, it has to do with choosing reading over spending time aimlessly scrolling on social media. If you ask his advice to aspiring writers today, it’s to own an e-reader that can hold multiple titles and allow one to read anytime, anywhere. That and writing daily. Joe Bert Lazarte is one of only two winners of the 68th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, who bagged two prizes in separate categories. He won first prize in the Short Story category for “Describe the Rapture” and second prize for the One-Act Play for “Senator Pancho Aunor’s Blue Balls of Despair and Disillusionment.” A senior creative communications manager for an integrated resort, Lazarte mostly wrote his winning pieces during free weekends. He cites celebrated writer Stephen King as his ultimate peg, writing 1,000 to 1,500 words a day, even without inspiration. Even if it’s “crap,” as he puts it, he keeps it in a page and edits or revises from there. “It’s a commitment. There are times when I have some space in the office, so I get to put in 500 words a day. I feel empty when I’m not doing literary work. If it’s all work, I feel like I’m neglecting something important,” Lazarte said. While he gets story ideas from everywhere, Lazarte said he always makes it a point to write with the national psyche in mind. “For the Palanca, I try to have something that would resonate with the national psyche. It has to be of national significance. For example, a revolution is not purely revolution. There’s a love story there somewhere,” Lazarte said. For this three-time Palanca awardee, it has to do with choosing reading over spending time aimlessly scrolling on social media. True enough, Lazarte’s short story “Describe the Rapture” is about a freelance copywriter tasked to write the brochure copy for Torre de Manila, infamously known as the “national photobomber.” Lazarte said he found inspiration for this story from a lot of things. Himself a freelance writer for 12 years, all the ambiance and moods he had writing at home ─ alone figured in the story. “It started as a draft in 2005 and it evolved over the years. I was looking for something to complete it, then I saw The Shape of Water. One of the minor characters is a freelance artist who always got his work rejected. I liked the character. He was alone in the world and his only friend was his female neighbor. To make it more significant, I looked for a national issue and decided on Torre de Manila,” Lazarte said. Lazarte started joining the Palanca Awards five years ago and despite not winning in the first three, didn’t stop until his time came. Last year, he won third prize for his short story, “Don’t Blink.” It was his first time to write a one-act play for the 68th Palanca Awards and felt “awesome” when it got the judges’ nod. He revealed that he plans to keep writing and joining the competition until he gets about a hundred of them. THREE-TIME Palanca awardee Joel Lazarte. From page 20 A dream girl named Charisse Alcantara, the ad agency, called me up. He was asking if I was interested in taking a job elsewhere. It was a hotel daw. He said, ‘And we know that they’re looking for a PR manager and we offered to help find one.” “I was interviewed by the GM,” recounted Charisse. “Then, I was interviewed by the owners, the Martels, Tony and Rudy. They asked me what my experience in hotels was. I said none, except as a guest. They said never mind. Anyway, I knew about public relations work, they said. Then, I was invited to a party even if they had not hired me yet. I think they wanted to check how I would behave in a social event.” Stranger to Lifestyle news hens If she had any qualms, it was that, Charisse relates, “I was new in the industry. I didn’t know any media person. So, we had to start from scratch before we opened. There were the likes of Jullie Yap Daza. She was already the Jullie Yap Daza. So, I called her and I introduced myself. ‘I am Charisse Garcia, I am the PR manager of a new hotel that is opening. May I invite you? I would like to meet you.’ Charisse said, “First, never be complacent. Always be hungry to learn and on the lookout for ideas, be aware of the goings-on in the city and in the industry. “I had to introduce myself. So, the first time we met, it was at La Mancha, that restaurant with a windmill. She was very nice. After that, I called Ethel Timbol and Deedee Sytangco. Next, I called up Letty Jimenez Magsanoc and Tere Orendain, and so on. The press ladies all warmly received and supported me, a greenhorn, thus starting decades of friendship and relationships that I value to this day.” Century Park was fun. “I was always awed by the lavish productions and preparations for big events, like when the atrium of Century Park Sheraton was converted into one big banquet and performance hall for the Opera Ball. We had mammoth productions like Chefs on Parade organized by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines for which I would chair the publicity committee.” There was also a special bonus for her while working at Century Park. She met her future husband, Jun, who was working in the same hotel. They would have a daughter named Cara. Charisse’s transfer to Mandarin Hotel in Makati, where she would meet more friends and level up to newer heights, came about because, “Our sales director in Century Park, who moved to Mandarin, CHARISSE Chuidian at the City of Dreams with Amba Marcos, Francine Arias and Romina Gervacio. asked me to move to Mandarin. I said what for when I could just wait for my retirement. I told GM Michael Gibb that since I had been with Century Park for 16 years, I could either stay put or I move to the corporate division.” “I was flown to Hong Kong for a day to also be interviewed by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s PR head, after which followed an offer I couldn’t refuse,” she said. Working at Mandarin gave her a new and different high. Every year, the hotel would host its iconic Chinese New Year celebration. They also launched an exciting interactive hotel buffet called “Paseo Uno.” Most unforgettable was when she entertained Andrea Bocelli at Mandarin. “Then, his impresario, Mrs. Rosemarie Arenas, invited us to her private beach. I sat next to Andrea Bocelli as he quietly hummed and sang a few lines. He was singing to himself, actually but at that magical moment, everything for me stood still, save for Andrea’s voice. This once-in-alifetime experience was, of course, made possible by the fact that I am working in a prestigious hotel.” As a public relations director, Charisse has met international celebrities and leaders, even from way back her Century Park days. The list includes Claudia Schiffer, Sergio Mendes, Beyonce and, yes, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Eventually, Mandarin would close its doors, and Charisse moved to BUSINESSMAN Bob Miller and Charisse. her next hotel stint. Today, she is the vice president of Public Relations of the City of Dreams where, once again, she continues to be a leader in the hotel public relations field. Again, she has received international celebrities, as well as the billionaire high rollers of the world of casinos. She also received Robert de Niro, who co-owns Nobu, the iconic trendy and chic Japanese restaurant. This is a new game for Charisse, and yet she remains the same lady as she was in the 1970s -- sweet, humble and refined. Finally, I asked her what she would advise our young careeroriented women who would pursue the same path that she had taken. Charisse said, “First, never be complacent. Always be hungry to learn and on the lookout for ideas, be aware of the goings-on in the city and in the industry. Keep up with the trends and evolve with the times. Be truthful, because this helps you earn credibility and the respect of everyone you deal with. Do not be content with ‘puwede na.’ (good enough). What’s worth doing is worth doing right.” “Do not be content with ‘puwede na.’ (good enough). What’s worth doing is worth doing right. Charisse’s is the story of a hometown girl who came to Manila to pursue her studies, graduated from college, and went on to work in big companies, until finding herself a place in the hotel industry. If she stayed long, it’s because she never gave up. She has also been consistently credible. For those who want to succeed in the social world, here’s a tip from Proust: It’s not about yourself, it’s about the good that you do. Charisse never called attention to herself despite all her highprofile jobs. She just worked, and they noticed her. And, of course, it pays to be pleasant. As naturally pleasant as Charisse. Tackling ‘f‘ word There will be nine talks on zine, comics, publishing, printmaking, sticker, design multimedia and virtual reality The people behind Komura; Studio, a literary and creative space, wants to talk about the ‘F’ word that most creatives tend to shy away from: finances. The upcoming Komura; Studio event on 24 November is an intimate conference on funding independent creative pursuits for storytellers, bringing industry shakers and creative doers from all over Southeast Asia to talk about what it means to turn passion into livelihood. The event features nine panelists from a whole slew of industries, all of whom will be giving their insights on the nuts and bolts of sustaining a creative venture. Panel from the Philippines include artist, curator and co-founder of Artbooks PH Ringo Bunoan; spoken word artist and radio host Kooky Tuason; Veer Technologies and VR Philippines founder Cristopher David; comics artist Manix Abrera; designer and Diyalogo co-owner Ian Quimbo; artist and educator Rommel Joson; and computer scientist and CIIT founder Niel Dagondon. Speakers from Southeast Asia include Indonesia-based artist and Krack! Studio co-founder Malcolm Smith; and Singaporebased book designer and The Press Room Singapore founder Kelley Cheng. There will be nine talks on zine, comics, publishing, printmaking, sticker, design multimedia and virtual reality. There will also be the Komura; directory launch, after-hours conversations and socials and Echoes PH live gigs Inspired by the runaway library in Haruki Murakami’s award-winning novel Kafka on the Shore, creatives Kayla Dionisio and Czyka Tumaliuan conspired to create a literary respite for honest exchanges of curiosities and playful explorations of storytelling in tech and print. What started as the first independent experience-driven book fair in the Philippines, Komura; has evolved after its launch on 16 November 2017, spawning initiatives focused on providing holistic support for independent creators. Komura; will be held at Warehouse Eight on 24 November, 2 to 11 p.m. The event is limited to 120 seats. Regular tickets cost P3,000, while the student rate is P2,700. Tickets are inclusive of admission to nine talks on funding creative pursuits, a Komura; Studio kit, afternoon snacks, unlimited coffee by Candid and a gig. Tickets at the door will be P3,500, subject to availability. Go to Facebook event page bit. ly/komurastudionov and to registration page bit.ly/rsvpkomurastudio. Warehouse 8 is at La Fuerza Plaza, 2241 Chino Roces ave., Makati City.
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