BORAKAY 2009

Meet TANGY, my new Mr. P desk lamp at the office. Yes, by the looks of him, he's going to get more fondling than I do.

MABUHAY! BIENVENIDO! WELCOME!

BART GUINGONA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

Click on image to enlarge.

SUPERPASYAL is a supporter of the Ayala Musem.

MALIGAYANG PASKO!

Jesus is the reason for the Season.

ATENEO DE MANILA TURNS 149

In celebration of the University’s second Sesquicentennial theme, Deepening Spirituality, the Ateneo community is warmly invited to TAKE AND RECEIVE: THE FIRST FESTIVAL OF ATENEO MUSIC

Sunday, 7 December 2008, 6:30PM
Church of the Gesù

FEATURING:

Ateneo Boys Choir (Daisy Marasigan, Conductor)
Ateneo Chamber Singers (Jonathan Velasco, Conductor)
Ateneo College Glee Club (Ma. Lourdes Hermo, Conductor)
Ateneo High School Glee Club (Jose Emmanuel Aquino, Conductor)
Dulaang Sibol (Dr. Onofre Pagsanghan, Managing Director)
Jesuit Music Ministry (Fr. JBoy Gonzales, SJ, Director): Blue Symphony, Bukas
Palad, Himig Heswita & Musica Chiesa

AND

the premiere "Take and Receive” medley arrangement of RYAN CAYABYAB

**
Take and Receive: The First Festival of Ateneo Music
Ateneo choirs to stage free thanksgiving concert for the community

On Sunday, 7 December 2008, 6:30PM, Ateneo’s singing groups will treat the community to an evening of sacred, liturgical, and inspirational music through the concert, Take and Receive: The First Festival of Ateneo Music, at the Church of the Gesù, Ateneo Loyola Heights campus.

The concert gathers Ateneo’s home grown and award-winning groups, the Ateneo Boys Choir, Ateneo High School Glee Club, Dulaang Sibol, Ateneo College Glee Club, and Ateneo Chamber Singers. They will perform with the Jesuit Music Ministry artists, Blue Symphony, Bukas Palad, Himig Heswita and Musica Chiesa.

Distinguished Filipino musician and composer Ryan Cayabyab’s medley arrangement of the different “Take and Receive” compositions by the Filipino Jesuits will be one of the highlights of the concert.

Fans and supporters of these Ateneo singing groups can expect to be regaled by the songs that have made these groups both distinct and popular,resonating Ateneo’s fine musical legacy and the unique spirituality that inspires its music.

Dulaang Sibol is the Ateneo High School theater club founded and directed by Onofre Pagsanghan. Bukas Palad, meanwhile, was co-founded by Fr. Manoling Francisco,SJ 20 years ago. The Ateneo College Glee Club, the oldest university chorale in the country and winner in the 2006 Miltenberg (Germany) Choral Competition and Ateneo Chamber Singers, winner in the 2006 Tolosa (Spain) Choral Contest,will showcase their world-class talent in polyphony and classical music.

Another highlight of the concert is a tribute by the Jesuit Music Ministry artists to Fr. Eddie Hontiveros, SJ, or “Fr. Honti,” the acknowledged Father of Philippine Liturgical Music, who passed away in January 2008. The Mass hymns that Fr. Honti composed in the 1970s, after the Second Vatican Council called for inculturation of the liturgy, continue to be sung in every parish to this day, an enduring testament to the intimacy of his music with the heart of the Filipino and the message of Jesus Christ.

Take and Receive: The First Festival of Ateneo Music marks the Ateneo’s 149th anniversary, the year of “Deepening Spirituality,” the second theme of a three-year
countdown to Ateneo’s 150th anniversary, or sesquicentennial. Ateneo de Manila
University will celebrate its sesquicentennial on December 10, 2009 with the theme “Building the Nation."

--
Mimi D. Agbay
Project Coordinator - Ateneo Sesquicentennial
Phone No.: +632 426.6001 loc. 4083
Mobile No.: +63 917.8933379
http://150.ateneo.edu

HERE, THERE, EVERYWHERE

There are veritable
familiar surprises
in every
nook
and cranny
of this
everlasting
and
mysterious
city -

steamed dimsum
horse-drawn carriages
ambulant peddlers
sampaguita girls.

There are
good memories
to bring
home
from
esteros
(of all places!)

and
old restaurants
guarded by
wild pigs
(not for dinner!)

There is

family
kindred
self

in
Manila’s
every
corner.

KOMIKERA, 5th Edition

The 5th Edition of KOMIKERA opened last November 18 at the Ishmael Bernal Gallery of the University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI). KOMIKERA is a triumvirate of talented women namely Teta Tulay, Lea Lim and Vivian Limpin.

Photos to follow.

THE SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS: NATIONAL ORCHID GARDEN

Founded in 1859 in its present site, the Singapore Botanic Gardens epitomises the tropical island's luxuriant parks. Spread over 52 hectares and close to the centre of the city, the Gardens showcases many outstanding plant collections. Some highlights include the National Orchid Garden, the Ginger Garden, and the Evolution Garden. The numerous plant species here, including many rare specimens, reflect the Singapore Botanic Gardens' richness and diversity of plant life. Love orchids? The present orchid enclosure has 20,000 orchid plants on display. The National Orchid Garden promises sprawling orchid displays, water features, and an exotic bromeliad collection from Central and South America. Or head on down to Symphony Lake where outdoor concerts provide entertainment amidst a lush milieu. (Source: Singapore Tourism Board & The Singapore Botanic Gardens)

In comparison however, the Jardin Botanico of Manila was established during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. The garden was resurrected by the Americans under the supervision of John C. Mehan, who was in charge of sanitation and cemeteries. It was the place of choice for weekend outings with its mini-zoo, decorative ponds, and diverse flora (Source: The Heritage Conservation Society). It is now more known as the Mehan Gardens and is nowhere near what it originally was. In 2002, the NHI declared the area a National Historical Landmark because it was the site of the Parian and the city's first botanical garden. But I digress.

The main entrance where you get a copy of the map and other brochures.

If you visit early in the morning, the park is already full of people jogging.

THE NATIONAL ORCHID GARDEN: BURKILL HALL

Built in 1866, Burkill Hall is a fine example of an early colonial bungalow. Burkill Hall used to be the Director’s House, and its current name commemorates the only father and son pair, Isaac and Humphrey Burkill, to hold the post of Director of Singapore Botanic Gardens. Weddings and receptions are also held here.At the back of the Burkill Hall is the VIP Orchid Garden and here the real hybrids of some of the VIP orchids are on display.

Isn't this so amazing? This is the Dendrobium Michael Jeffrey named after the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia during his visit in 2004.

And of course, one which is named after our President - the Aranthera Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It wasn't in bloom during my visit. Too bad. :-(

This is GMA's Aranthera. They are taller than the President herself.

Singapore's national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquin. Our sampaguita, on the other hand, was adopted as the Philippines' national flower in 1934 by Governor Frank Murphy through Proclamation No. 652.

White dendrobium sprays line the pathways. So, so beautiful. We have this kind of variety in Davao and is very expensive at Php 250/dozen. The Bangkok dendrobiums are cheaper at Php 320/3 dozens. Tsk, tsk.

The Tan Hoon Siang Mist House is home to several more rare orchid varieties. Misters are all over and sprays the plants on a regular basis. Tan Hoon Siang is Chinese of Perenakan descent, a descendant of a philantropist who is widely respected in Singapore.


My favorite orchid, the Phalaenopsis amabilis. Nothing can compare to the graceful elegance of pure white Phalaenopsis in full bloom. Their popularity helped increase the worldwide demand for orchids. The good thing is, they are among the easiest plants to grow indoors thus making them a very popular choice as indoor ornamentals in Asian homes and hotels around the globe. Whenever I am hospitalized (which is rare), some friends would send me pots of white Phalaenopsis. Sweet! In Manila's flower markets, a long stem of 10-15 flowers sell for Php 500.

The beautiful Cattleya, my mother's personal favorite. In Manila, this sells for Php 250-350 per flower.

A popular orchid among florists, the Oncidium, it belongs to a large family of 750 epiphytic orchids which grow in select areas around the world. It is commonly known as the Dancing Ladies.

Breathtaking!!!!

Now that is a tall durian tree!