FilAmFest

lifeandrandomness: The most popular, the most colorful, and the...

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 16:54:51 -0700

The most popular, the most colorful, and the most annoying (for me, at least) means of transportation in the Philippines. Also a symbol of Filipino creativity.

They make the streets here in Manila so full… of life. — Jeepneys.

Manila, Philippines, February 2012

tokyochop: Hyper-Realism art by Ju-Vi Fantastic art done...

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 13:54:18 -0700

tokyochop:

Hyper-Realism art by Ju-Vi

Fantastic art done by Filipino artist Ju-Vi. His paintings are so precise, they look like a photo, very intriguing.

~~Tokyo_CHOP——~~

popcornsundays: Celebration of Filipino culture at the Pistahan...

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 10:58:03 -0700

popcornsundays:

Celebration of Filipino culture at the Pistahan Parade & Festival in San Francisco.

pinoy-culture: Traditional Musical Instruments from the...

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 16:55:56 -0700

pinoy-culture:

Traditional Musical Instruments from the Philippines

This article focuses on those from the Visaya’s but they are also found in other parts of the Philippines with their own varied local names, (in some cases the same name).

There were basically eight kinds of Visayan musical instruments. Four were very quiet instruments and so were played indoors at night time: a small lute, bamboo zither, nose floot, and reed jew’s harp. The other four were very loud, and therefore suitable for war, dancing, and public gatherings: bamboo or seashell bugle, metals gongs, skin-headed drums, and bamboo resonators.

The kudyapi was a kind of small lute carved out of a single piece of wood with a belly of a half a coconut shell added for resonance, with two or three wire strings plucked with a quill plectrum, and three of four frets, often of metal. The body was called sungar-sungar or burbuwaya; the neck, burubunkun; the strings, dulos; the fretboard, pidya; and the tuning pegs, birik-birik. The scroll was called apil-apil or sayong, the same as the hornlike protrusions at the ends of the ridgepole of a house. The kudyapi was only played by men, mainly to accompany their own love songs. The female equivalent was the korlong, a kind of zither made of a single node of bamboo with strings cut from the skin of the bamboo itself, each raised and tuned on two little bridges, and played with both hands like a harp. A variant form had a row of thinner canes with a string cut from each one.

Tolali or lantuy was a nose flute with three or four finger holes, and was played in imitation of a mournful human voice with shakes and trills though appropriate to wakes and funerals. Subing was a Jew’s harp—a twanging reed plucked between the lips or teeth with the open mouth as a variable resonating chamber, and since its sound could be shaped into a kind of code words understood only by the player and his sweetheart, it was considered the courting instrument part excellence. Bodyong was a conch shell or section of bamboo played against the lips like a bugle, used as a signal in war or as part of a babaylan’s paraphernalia during a paganito. Babaylan also kept time with tambourines called kalatong, a term which included war drums (gadang or gimbal), with the huge ones that were carried on mangayaw cruisers being fashioned out of hollow tree trunks with a deerskin head. Tibongbong was a node of bamboo pounded on the floor as a rhythm instrument.

The most important instrument was the agong, a bronze gong Spanish explorers encountered wherever they went ashore. Pigafetta noted an ensemble in Cebu—a pair suspended and struck alternately, another large one, and two small ones played like cymbals—and in Quipit, three different sizes hanging in the queens quarters. The natives of Sarangani buried theirs in a vain attempt to avoid looting by Villalobos; and thirty Samerenos boarded Legazpi’s flagship in Oras Bay and danced to the rhythm of one, after his blood compact with their chief. Mindanao epics provide a few details of their use. Agong were played either on the edge or on the navel (that is, the center boss or knob), slowly to announce bad news, faster (by the ruling Datu himself) to summon the people. Warships approached the enemy with all gongs sounding.

Gongs were given a larger vocabulary than any other instrument. Alcina (1668a, 4:129) considered it an evidence of the elegance of the Visayan language that there were special terms “even for the cord with which they fasten and hang it, which it would be improper to apply to anything else.” Munginungan was the boss or teat. A flat gong, or one from which the boss had been worn off by long use, was panas, including the plate like Chinese ones (mangmang). The largest one in an ensemble was ganding. Hototok was to play them on the edge with a simple stick, or sarawisaw if more than one player alternated strokes. Pagdanaw or pagbasal was to strike them on the boss with a padded drumstick called basal. (A governor or chief was also called basal, presumably because of his prerogative of sounding a gong to assemble his people.) Actual bells from Spain or Asia were linganay, and little jingle bells—like those the epic hero Bantungan had on the handle of his kampilan—were golong-golong.

Chinese gongs were little valued: ones from Sangir were worth three or four times as much, and those from Borneo three or four times that—4 or 5 pesos in 1616. Huge ones said to reach a meter and a half in diameter could fetch one or two slaves. The Bornean gong was a standard of value when bargaining for expensive goods—for example, “Pakaagongonta ining katana [Let’s price this Japanese sword] (Sanchez 1617, 9v). Indeed, assessments like pinipito or pinakapito (both referring to the number seven) were understood by themselves to mean seven gongs.

Gongs were one of four items—along with gold, porcelain, and slaves—required for any Datu-class dowry, or bride-price, and men mortgaged themselves to borrow one for this purpose. The bargaining between the two families was done with little wooden counters placed on top of a gong turned boss-up on the floor, and the gong itself became the property of the mediating go-between upon the conclusion of a successful settlement.

Source: Barangay: 16th Century Philippine Culture and Society by William Henry Scott, pages 108-109.

rappler: If you were an Ivy League scholar, MENSA qualifier,...

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:49:19 -0700

rappler:

If you were an Ivy League scholar, MENSA qualifier, Triple Degree scholar and NASA employee, would you leave that all to “rediscover” your roots?

This guy did. Read more about him on Rappler.

warespejo: Dolphy’s Life Lessons: 10 Wise Moves From the Comedy...

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 10:48:41 -0700

warespejo:

Dolphy’s Life Lessons: 10 Wise Moves From the Comedy King

Words by Faye Valencia

Art by War Espejo

It’s been said that he who laughs last, laughs the loudest. Dolphy, who reigned as the country’s King of Comedy for decades, is most probably having a good chuckle right now. He has checked out while we’re all scrambling like mad to deal with his sudden exit. Imagine an impish little boy who has suddenly found the best hiding place ever just feeling amused that nobody can find him. Then again, at 83, the veteran comedian deserved to finally bow out and rest. As a tribute to his larger-than-life existence, we list the lessons we learned from the way he lived.

Continue reading»

misteravid: The colored tiles of QC Circle’s fountain area...

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:48:52 -0700

misteravid:

The colored tiles of QC Circle’s fountain area actually forms a compass! What a pleasant surprise. I was pretending to be Superman by Googlemaps-ing when I noticed this : )

(Top photo lifted from The Daily Panda)

New Found Historical Artifacts Found in Iloilo, Philippines

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:50:56 -0700

New Found Historical Artifacts Found in Iloilo, Philippines:

pinoy-culture:

Workers digging a drainage canal in Iloilo City’s business district have found artifacts which historians believe may offer fresh insights into the locality’s rich heritage.

Among the treasures is a small porcelain bowl with a blue-and-white design, which may date back to the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), according to Armand Mijares, director of the Archaeological Studies Program (ASP) of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, Quezon City.

Some 30 pieces of coins, porcelain ware, bottles, jugs, wooden planks, pieces of iron ore and suspected animal bone fragments were also recovered in several layers at a depth of 1.2 meters.

Many of the artifacts were fragmented because the workers had used a jackhammer in digging a 60-meter-long canal along Arroyo Street.

James Mozart Amsua, curator of Museo Iloilo who also teaches anthropology at the University of San Agustin, described the find as significant because there had been no such major archaeological discovery in Iloilo in the past 30 years.

Neil Loyola, a researcher of the Cultural Properties Division of the National Museum, said the age of the artifacts could be determined through visual inspection.

The discovery has spurred renewed interest in its history and Iloilo’s economic, political and cultural prominence before the Spanish colonizers arrived in 1521 up to the early 19th century. Amsua said the artifacts reflected settlements that existed even before the Spaniards came. The area could have been an entrepot or a workshop for boat or ship repair based on fragments of iron ore found, Mijares said. It is near the Muelle Loney Street and around 150 m from the Iloilo River.

It is also along Iznart and J.M. Basa Streets, which are portions of an 800-m winding stretch known during the Spanish period as Calle Real (Royal Street).

The area is now part of the city proper described as a “swampy jungle” in a study titled “Historical Sites and Structures in Iloilo: A Focus on Industrial, Commercial and Related Institutions” and written by the late Western Visayas historian Henry Funtecha and Melanie Padilla of UP Visayas.

It was considered a fishing village of the then Jaro town, which was the commercial center of Iloilo province until the mid-19th century. Jaro rapidly developed and its population grew, especially along Calle Real after the port of Iloilo was formally opened to foreign trade in 1855.

It hosted large residential houses of Filipinos, Europeans, Chinese and Americans, Funtecha wrote in an article titled “Calle Real Through the Years,” which was published in the Iloilo Yearbook 2007.

Jaro became the seat of the government when the Spaniards moved the capitol from Arevalo town due to frequent attacks by Dutch and Moro pirates in the southern part of Iloilo, according to the study.

Iloilo rose to become a commercial center and most important port in the country next to Manila, mainly due to its strategic location, deep water channel and natural harbor protected from typhoons and strong winds.

In 1899, the Spaniards made Iloilo into a city, which earned the sobriquet “Queen City of the South” at the close of the 19th century.

Site inspection and further excavations are necessary to determine the age of the digging area and the condition when the artifacts were found, Mijares said.

Pieces and photographs of the find were brought to the ASP office, while the rest of the artifacts were kept at Museo Iloilo pending inspection by experts from the National Museum.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has ordered a stop to the digging activities. He directed the Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Conservation Council to supervise the verification of the artifacts through the National Museum.

“There could be more of these cultural treasures buried somewhere in the city,” Amsua surmised.

asean-org: ASEAN Community Filipino spirit of...

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:58:58 -0700

asean-org:

ASEAN Community

Filipino spirit of Bayanihan

Bayanihan is a Filipino term taken from the word bayan, referring to a nation, country, town or community. The whole term bayanihan refers to a spirit of communal unity or effort to achieve a particular objective.

The origin of the term bayanihan can be traced from a common tradition in Philippine towns where community members volunteer to help a family move to a new place by volunteering to transport the house to a specific location. The process involves literally carrying the house to its new location. This is done by putting bamboo poles forming a strong frame to lift the stilts from the ground and carrying the whole house with the men positioned at the ends of each pole.

toynbeeconvector: Poverty alleviation takes time and effort and...

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:51:04 -0700

toynbeeconvector:

Poverty alleviation takes time and effort and it’s a multifaceted endeavor which your government can’t do alone. That aside, the PPP isn’t around to alleviate poverty. It’s a human development program aiming to aid the poorest of the poor.

The question now is, what are you doing to help solve this problem?

talltaleteller: The Philippines is currently suffering from...

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 13:56:12 -0700

talltaleteller:

The Philippines is currently suffering from damage due to heavy rain and floods. Here is an updated list of memos from different groups offering rescue operations within the Metro Manila area.

Please check this list to know what you can do to help!

FOR DONATIONS:

The Ateneo de Manila DReaM team is now accepting donations at the Cervini Lobby. Please donate food (canned goods, those we can cook), water, and blankets. No clothes for now please.

Please fill up this database so the team can monitor your condition.

The Philippine Red Cross is currently accepting donations for flood victims.

The following schools are currently accepting donations and volunteers:
Poveda, Ateneo High School, St. Paul College Pasig, Miriam College, LSGH, University of Asia Pacific

More relief operations information here, c/o Rappler.

Here is a crowdsourced list of schools with relief operations and areas accepting donations within the Metro Manila area, with specifics.

FOR RESCUE OPS:

On twitter, check the tag #rescuePH for news on people who might need help need your area. If you are in need of help, tweet location and tag with #rescuePH

Tweet @RESCUE5PH if you know anybody in need of help

You may also update this document if you have any info about people who need help. State location, contact info, and type of assistance needed. When rescue has been made, change status to green to give priority to emergencies.

Red Cross is also holding rescue operations. If you need to be rescued, call 143 and 527-0000. Put a white blanket outside your house so rescuers can locate where you are.

For rescue operations of the Philippine Coast Guard, please call this number : 09177243682

GMA News has compiled a list of people in need of rescue. Please check this list if there are any people near your area who you can help.

EMERGENCY HOTLINES:

Philippine Coast Guard - 527-8481 (loc. 6290, 6292), 328-1098
Philippine National Red Cross - 527-0000
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council - 911-1406, 912-2665
MMDA - 136 (hotline), 882-4154 to 74 (trunk line), 09175618711 (duty officer)
Meralco - 16210

theatlantic: In Focus: Monsoon Rain Floods Manila The capital...

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:52:56 -0700

theatlantic:

In Focus: Monsoon Rain Floods Manila

The capital city of the Philippines has been drenched by heavy, deadly rainfall for 11 days now, beginning with the arrival of Typhoon Saola last week, leading to mudslides and extensive flooding. About 60 percent of Manila is currently flooded, and authorities are reporting 72 deaths so far. Nearly 850,000 remain stranded or displaced, as residents wait for a break in the downpour, predicted to begin on Thursday.

See more. [Images: Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images, AP Photo/Aaron Favila, Jay Directo/AFP/Getty Images]

choleil: Sisa and Maria Clara in Marc Jacobs F/W 2012. Thursday...

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:57:24 -0700

choleil:

Sisa and Maria Clara in Marc Jacobs F/W 2012.

Thursday Room featured on YSTYLE! Read on here.

collective-history: The first “Women Guerrilla” corps has just...

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:42:23 -0700

collective-history:

The first “Women Guerrilla” corps has just been formed in the Philippines and Filipino women, trained in their local women’s auxiliary service, are seen here hard at work practicing on November 8, 1941, at a rifle range in Manila. (AP Photo)

kukorokokmeow: FILIPINO SPIRIT is WATERPROOF…

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:45:27 -0700

kukorokokmeow:

FILIPINO SPIRIT is WATERPROOF…

This Friday is the Filipino Cultural Night at Petco Park. Use...

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 19:19:14 -0700

This Friday is the Filipino Cultural Night at Petco Park. Use code “PINOY” for a discount & a free beanie!

elriz: Andrew Zimmern: Filipino food is the ‘next big thing’ I...

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:51:46 -0700

elriz:

Andrew Zimmern: Filipino food is the ‘next big thing’

I think it’s going to take another year and a half to get up to critical mass, but everybody loves Chinese food, Thai food, Japanese food, and it’s all been exploited. The Filipinos combined the best of all of that with Spanish technique. The Spanish were a colonial power there for 500 years, and they left behind adobo and cooking in vinegar — techniques that, applied to those tropical Asian ingredients, are miraculous.

Filipino cuisine has a variety of foreign influences. The impact of China is evidenced in their use of noodles (pancit), fried rice (sinangang) and spring rolls (lumpia), as well as the soy sauce and fish sauce found in many other dishes.

[Read more on bites.today.msnbc.msn.com]

Harana: A Dying Art?

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:52:03 -0700

chasingtoff:

Published in the Arts and Culture section (June 4, 2012) of The Philippine Star

For the full article, click on ANG BAGONG HARANA.

Follow me on Twitter: @imcalledtoffee

collective-history: Two beautiful Filipino women during the...

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:00:33 -0700

collective-history:

Two beautiful Filipino women during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, 1943.

The Pilipino Renaissance Begins Now

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 11:00:24 -0700

The Pilipino Renaissance Begins Now