the IFP challenge

Going to Bohol for the first time is definitely an experience you would not dare miss but I went there not to spend a grand time basking under the summer heat but to be interviewed for a scholarship (IFP) I applied for last year.

I recieved an email telling me to confirm my attendance before May 22 for a panel interview scheduled last June 3, 2009. I was more than eager to do that. I booked my flight, asked some friends who were base in Cebu to get me a schedule of the supercat vessel going to Tagbilaran City, Bohol, and mentally and physically (AH1N1 paranoia) prepared myself for this trip.

fast forward…

June 3, 2009

I entered the room scared but I believed that was normal. I sat in front of 5 people, greeted them with a warm good morning and the interrogation began.

First question: If one of your parents died while you are outside the country, what would you do?

Second question: Why do you have to earn a degree when you can study these things in modules and books?

Third question: When will you stop studying?

I tried my best to answer these questions and all other follow-up questions. My interwiew lasted for 10 minutes but it felt like a lifetime.

As of now I don’t want to go back to Bohol. I don’t have any plans of reliving the tragic events that took place in Bohol. Right now I am going to avoid the Visayas. I might go back to Bohol, Cebu, or Leyte but not this year or the next 2 years.

Unless I can’t avoid it.

Right now, I am going to explore Mindanao and its secret caverns and passages. I wish I could explore Basilan and Jolo. I wish to go back to Dipolog and explore that area. I wish to go back to Pagadian with its interesting tricycle. Right now I wish to stay in Mindanao where I have rooted.

Gian at the Asian Fusion

Before Gian left for Manila last summer, we had our last dinner at Picobello, an Italian Restaurant here in Davao City. Ordered some pasta (of course) and for the main course, some osso bucco (i hope i got the spelling right). He had a glass of watermelon shake and a coke for me. This craving for Italian food started when the koro boys went out and ate in another Italian restaurant in the city.

So there we were, our last meal here in Davao.

And you already know that I went to Manila a few days back. And so Gian and I met again for another eating spree. This would be our first meal in Manila in a restaurant in Glorieta called Asian Fusion (i guess). This time, I had a glass of apple shake and water for him. And the food was OKAY LANG – a fish lip soup and some fried noodles.

 

On ASAP and Fine Dining

I was out of town for the past weeks to attend an advertising conference held in Makati sponsored by the Advertisers and Suppliers Association of the Philippines (ASAP). The two day conference offered not just the latest trends in marketing and advertising (because as the theme of the conferece implies, its advertising beyond the basics) but good food as well.

The first time I attended this conference, that was way back in 2004, the food was a marvel. Buffet style with your choice of whatever gourmet food available. This year, the food was served per plate. Of course you can’t be like Oliver asking for seconds (although I wish I could) but it still tastes heavenly.

I can’t hardly remember what each meal is called but I am so sure it looked marvelous and it tastes even better. Just take a look at these.

 

A plate of smoked chicken and waldorf salad for the appetizer and steamed salmon with vegetables in butter and mashed potato is really worth all the money I spent here. And take note, I did not include the dessert here.

Aside from the food, the conference topics were worth checking. Included in the conference topics were:
Advertising Landscape, Brand Equity and Valuation, Fundamentals of Digital Customer Relations Management, Trends in Graphic Design & Creatives, Personalized Printing & Customization, The Next Shot-Directing Photography, Trade Fair & Exhibitions, Events Experiential Marketing, The Language of a Jingle, What’s New on Radio?, TV Ads and Digital Media, Sponsorship Marketing, Advergaming, Rise of the New Media, and Corporate Social Responsibility.

All of these topics stuffed in a two-day conference in a great place like Hotel Intercontinental in Makati, who could ask for more?

So watch out for my lecture (required re-echo) on the same topics (but not all) for the BA Communication Arts students of UP Mindanao.

Visit Mindanao

My Lakbayan grade is B-!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

I may not have conquered the whole Philippines yet I am proud to say I’ve been to most of the key areas (dangerous or not) in Mindanao. Know the place where you live first for you to be able to understand it. Know Mindanao first then you will understand why some people wanted to break away from the Philippines. We’ve been giving our income to Imperial Manila for their improvement. We’ve been providing water and electricity to some areas in Luzon. What do we get in return? Nada! Luzon is NOTHING if not for the money and resources of Mindanao so they’d better hold their tongues they next time they ask me if there is chippy in Davao coz they might, and i quote Dumbledore, “suffer the most painful death.”

Created by Eugene Villar.

Denciojuan sa Dapitan

Iilang minuto lang ang Dapitan mula sa Dipolog kaya dinalaw ko na lang. Matagal ko na rin namang gustong pumuntang Dapitan kahit noong una akong mapadpad sa lungsod ng Zamboanga nung high school pa ako. Ilang taon pa ang lumipas bago ito natupad.

Bakit ba nakakasabik pumuntang Dapitan? Unang-una, ang Dapitan ay naitanim na ng ating mga guro sa Araling Panlipunan, SIBIKA o kung ano man ang tawag dyan ngayon o sa panahon nyo. Kilala ang Dapitan dahil na rin kay Jose Rizal. Mas lalo pa itong sumikat nung ginawa ang pelikulang “Rizal sa Dapitan” na pinagbibidahan ni Cesar Montano at Amanda Page.

Kaya dinalaw ko na rin. 20 minuto mula Dipolog bitbit ang 25 pesos pambayad sa sasakyan at iilang barya para sa tricycle ay ayus na ang lakad mo.

Pagdating namin doon ay dumiretso agad kami sa Rizal Shrine hindi lamang sa excited kami kundi malapit na itong magsara. Mag aalas-singko na kasi ng hapon iyon. Hindi naman bukas ang Shrine ng 24 oras. Wala si Mike Enriquez doon. Inikot namin ang buong Shrine. Nagsimula kami sa museo. Pero nakakalungkot isipin at tingnan na walang laman ang museong ito. Hindi literal na walang laman kundi wala kang makukuhang matino sa lugar na iyon maliban sa tshirt na sobrang mahal. Hindi napreserve ang ibang larawan. Walang labels ang lahat. Museo bang matatawag ang lugar na iyon?

Wala ring laman ang mga bahay na replika ng mga itinayo ni Rizal. Nagtayo sila ng replika ng kusina ni Rizal pero ang nasa loob naman ay mga bagong gamit. Sana man lang yung medyo umitim na dahil ginamit na nga. Kaso ang nilagay, palayok fresh from the palengke.

Masamang magreklamo pero mas maganda ang lugar na ito noong LGU ng Dapitan pa ang nagpapatakbo. Ngayong hawak na siya ng National Government, history na talaga siya. Kasaysayang dapat kalimutan dahil nagmumukhang walang kwenta ang lugar na iyon. Ibalik na sa LGU ng Dapitan ang pamamahala ng Rizal Shrine! Ang mga taga-Dapitan ang nakakalam ng mga pangyayari!

Ito ang iilan sa mga kuhang larawan sa Rizal Shrine!

walang label kahit maliit na papel sa tabi nito.

wala ring label. ano ba?

ang kahoy ni Rizal

ang CR ni Rizal

***

May ginagawa ngayon sa Dapitan na magpapakita kung saan dumaong ang sinakyan ni Rizal. Nakakatawang isipin. Fabrication na ang lahat ng makikita mo doon. Kung si McArthur ay may “I Shall Return” si Rizal naman ay may “Just Arrived.”