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Wednesday, August 30, 2023
TRUST, CONFIDENCE, FAITH, RELIANCE
Its presence cements relationships by allowing people to live and work together, feel safe and belong to a group. Trust in a leader allows organizations and communities to flourish, while the absence of trust can cause fragmentation, conflict and even war.
Explains that trust is almost an unconditional bond when it comes down to family. Growing up with younger siblings, parents remind y'all to always look after one another, protect each other from bullies, or getting into trouble with the wrong crowd.
Trust means that you rely on someone else to do the right thing. You believe in the person's integrity and strength, to the extent that you're able to put yourself on the line, at some risk to yourself. Trust is essential to an effective team, because it provides a sense of safety.
If you trust someone then you believe that they’re honest and reliable. If you loan your car to someone, you had better trust them to bring it back to you, and in good shape.
Trust takes many forms. You could trust in something abstract, like the idea that things happen for a reason. If you are naïve, people might take advantage of your trust. A trust can also be a fund or an alliance meant to take care of something. A trust fund gives money to some lucky trustee so that he doesn’t need to worry about employment. A wildlife trust saves land from development so animals can live there.
What is the value of trust? It can be defined as the firm belief, faith and reliability of one's partner to be there for them. It allows for acceptance and loyalty. It provides safety, builds confidence and dependability. Even as partners form their mutual understanding of trust in the relationship, its absence can be felt acutely.
By the way, that's one thing, which can be observed also in the Philippines for a couple of years. I have observed such changes since my first visit to the Philippines in 1976. Nowadays, I feel happy if my nieces and nephews start listening again my ideas again and ask for my advice.
Those of us who have made good money, hold fewer illusions that a big house and a Mercedes (or any other brand!) in the garage are likely to bring happiness. But guys, what seems most precious to us nowadays is not career or success, but time and the freedom to do the things we love to do that hold meaning.
Failed marriages, difficult mid-life attempts, something that might pass away a family - yes, I think, we know the rarity of solid and long living relationships with a partner, with children or with a hard to find friend.
We may even dare to speak the language that 30 or 40 or even 50 years ago would have seemed uncool. Call it God or something spiritually, but it would probably be the quest for the sense of life, and the hope and faith that one exists.
Backstage pass: A homage to people working behind the scene
BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT
AT A GLANCE
As the cast receives great adulation, the backstage crew often goes unnoticed. The costume designer who worked hard on the fittings and alterations, the technical staff who made sure that the lighting and sound system worked smoothly behind the scenes, the production people who made the artistic vision come alive with their hammers, paint brushes, and what have you.
Most often, audiences perceive the hard work that the actors, musicians, and rest of the cast – the so-called front liners of any production – put into a successful performance. But little do they know that the backliners – the backstage and production crew – spent the same if not more amount of time and energy on the production.
As the cast receives great adulation, the backstage crew often goes unnoticed. The costume designer who worked hard on the fittings and alterations, the technical staff who made sure that the lighting and sound system worked smoothly behind the scenes, the production people who made the artistic vision come alive with their hammers, paint brushes, and what have you.
While it may be a thankless job, there are some who take great pride in their backstage works like Annie Ignacio and Amado Bonifacio III, both working as production design personnel for the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
A theater arts graduate of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Ignacio first encountered CCP when she was invited as a performer for Pasinaya: The CCP Open House Festival, the country’s largest multi-arts festival happening every February.
After hearing great things about CCP from her friends who have been working at the Center, she decided to try her luck and inquired about a job opening. Weeks later, she started her new job as a theater crew at the Production Design Center. Later on, she was promoted as a draftsman.
Bonifacio, meanwhile, recalled doing his on-the-job training at CCP in 2016, a requirement to finish his engineering degree at the University of Manila. Two years later, in 2018, he became a reliever for one of the theater crew. He was later tasked to supervise the layout of the CCP’s Christmas decorations.
Ignacio and Bonifacio both trained under Francisco M. Galvero Jr., or Manong Junior to people he has worked with. For more than five decades until his retirement last year, Manong Junior remained the only scenic painter of the CCP.
After watching him create huge sets for different CCP productions, the mentees started shadowing this master. They would always see Manong Junior doing the scale models for the sets, and then bringing these miniatures into life-sized sets and sceneries.
Curiosity led Ignacio to this artistic path. She would ask questions, inquire about the artistic process of producing the sets, ask how to make things realistic and experiment with colors and textures to make the design come alive, among others.
“While working with Manong Junior, I noticed his hands. I told him that his hands look like my father’s hands,” shared Ignacio in a recent interview.
Bonifacio added that Manong Junior served as a father figure to him and his fellow workers. “As a mentor, he gave us artistic freedom to explore. He allows us to express our creativity, but he would appraise our works and rectify what we’ve done wrong in a very patient way,” said Bonifacio.
Being a backstage crew has its share of ups and downs. Sometimes, several productions are scheduled simultaneously, with everything happening all at once. When these happen, the workload could become overwhelming for the crew.
“There was a time when work piled up. We didn’t know what we should do first. My mind went blank, and I just cried. But after that, I return to work as if nothing happened,” said Ignacio.
Bonifacio noted a similar experience. “Even if we don't want to, the nature of the work forces us to be workaholics. Things could get stressful and tiring, but we love what we are doing. That’s why we are still here.”
For both, work does not feel like work. They find fulfillment in seeing what they worked hard for and pour their hearts into on the stage.
For Ignacio, her biggest achievement to date was creating the now-iconic eye balloon for Cinemalaya 2019. The artwork was displayed at the CCP Main Building Grand Staircase and became an instant hit as an Instagrammable spot among film enthusiasts. She also did the realistic-looking bibingka and puto bumbong props for Tuloy Ang Pasko. These feats involved trials and errors, and hearing the compliments and receiving recognition made it all worth it for her. She says, “Manong Junior always tells us, not to be afraid to keep trying and make mistakes.”
Bonifacio, who takes pride in his work with the Art House Cinema Facade decor and Sinag: Festival of Lights, reveals that he doesn’t see himself as an artist. It was only when his mentor Manong Junior recognized him as an artist that he started pondering his work.
Working behind the scenes, they know that backstage work is rarely recognized. But they hope things will change for the better. At the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the people behind the scenes are just as important as the people performing on the stage.
The CCP pays homage to these unsung heroes through a series of mini-documentaries by filmmaker Joseph Mangat, titled Backstage Pass. Launched during Cinemalaya 19, the second installment features scenic painter, Manong Junior, who had been working on sets for various CCP productions since the early 1980s. The first release featured the technical theater crew in the lights and flying sections.
Audience members are oblivious to the men and women working backstage behind the scenes. The Backstage Pass series puts the spotlight on them; with more features planned covering the CCP film technicians, sound crew, and costume custodians, as well as venue booking and front-of-house operations. The series also gives viewers a glimpse of the lesser-known careers in cinema and theater work.
Germany is under attack! Huge hail breaks cars and houses. Storm in Bavaria
Severe tropical storm 'Haikui' seen to enter PAR Wednesday
What’s your favorite Tagalog word or phrase?
Notable figures share their favorite Tagalog words
AT A GLANCE
My current favorite Tagalog word is pasasalamat. My heart is full of gratitude. —Ben Chan, founder, Bench (who gave this answer while in Hong Kong with 475 loyal employees of Bench to celebrate its 35th anniversary)
Halakhak, It’s onomatopoeic and it makes me less grumpy. —Robina Gokongwei-Pe, president and CEO, Robinsons Retail Holdings
I like sige na. It’s friendly persuasion. —Nedy Tantoco, chairman and CEO, Rustan Commercial Corporation
Illustrations by Randrian Panopio
Dapithapon. I’m sure my memory is playing tricks on me, but I believe that I must have encountered this word for the first time in fifth grade while my teacher, Mrs. Gualberto, was telling us about Sisa, the unfortunate character in Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere.
If my memory were to be relied upon, the word dapithapon revealed itself to me while Mrs. Gualberto, obviously a Rizal fan, was telling us stories about Sisa and her sons Basilio and Crispin. The day I came upon dapithapon was when she told us about Sisa preparing a hearty meal of dried fish, dried wild boar meat, duck leg, and fresh, plump tomatoes in anticipation of the homecoming of her sons Basilio and Crispin, who worked as sextons in a parish an hour’s walk away. Sisa started to get busy in the kitchen at day’s end, in the late afternoon, or at twilight, that time of day at which light and dark played a game of tug-o’-war—dapithapon in Tagalog.
Of Mrs. Gualberto’s Noli Me Tangere stories, the most memorable to me were the chapters on Sisa and her sons, too tragic for, and therefore that impactful, on a gradeschooler like me. The Rizal novellas, after all, wouldn’t be required reading until four years later, in junior high school. This was because her stories were also my introduction to the Filipino language or at least to Tagalog. It was only on fifth grade—not before and sadly not after—that I would rush home after school to write stories of my own in Tagalog, determined to mimic the joys I drew out of Mrs. Gualberto’s stortytelling.
No other teacher in my entire student life was as powerful and so my affair with written or even spoken Tagalog had been terribly brief, but Mrs. Gualberto’s legacy is lifelong, and I’m still achingly in love with words like dapithapon, even if we hardly use them in everyday speech or even in modern writing in the vernacular.
As we cap off Buwan ng Wika, National Language Month, I am reminded of Tagalog words that I continue to find lyrical, the language of the kundiman, some of which are now considered “sinaunang” Tagalog or old Tagalog, such as lumbay, a synonym of the more modern lungkot or sadness, or maralita, less popular than the synonymous mahihirap or the poor. By the way, the word kundiman, meaning “serenade,” by itself sings a genre of its own.
I don’t know if the Tagalog words I love are as old as sinaunang Tagalog, but they have modern counterparts that are far more common in daily speech, the typical Filipino nowadays and even decades back being given to using English when referring to them.
Think bukangliwayway, such a poetic word, artfully descriptive, visual, even seeable, which means “dawn” or “break of dawn” or “daybreak” or “sunrise.” These English words come up in everyday conversations among Filipinos about mornings as often as the Tagalog iterations of bukangliwayway, such as pagsikat ng araw, madaling araw.
In Tagalog, words that refer to the position of the sun or the spread of darkness on the horizon are masterstrokes of language. Takipsilim, for instance, is just as poetic, meaning “nightfall,” almost synonymous to dapithapon. But there are other equally beautiful words that mean the same thing, such as agaw-dilim. And then, there’s hatinggabi, meaning “midnight.”
Words are beautiful, in general, whether English or French or even German, but Tagalog has charms distinctly its own. There are clever phrases in Tagalog like Kakabakaba Ka Ba, the title of a 1980 comedy film, whose official translation is Does Your Heart Beat Faster. The English translation cannot hold a candle to the artistic, alliterative original.
Words are a vivid portrayal and a silver-tongued articulation of the size, shape, sound, smell, texture, color, and sensations of life and nature.
In Tagalog, words like halimuyak, meaning “scent,” or aruga, meaning “tender, loving care,” or silakbo, meaning “an outburst of feelings or emotions,” or haplos, meaning “caress” are a piece of art, a clever play of expression, a song, a poem, a dance.
What’s your favorite Tagalog word or phrase?
New chat fiction app lets writers earn money
Enjoy reading, tapping, writing, and earning with ‘TypeKita’
It is evident that Filipinos, naturally love to write and read. They value literature as a special way to express and connect, with different reading platforms available online that are growing.
Kumu, in collaboration with Thai publisher Okbee, has officially launched TypeKita, a chat-serye app.
A localized version of the popular chat story app Joylada, TypeKita, the app aims to empower Pinoy writers by rewarding their creativity and allowing them to earn money. It also provides writers the opportunity to earn from their creative work while offering readers a unique story.
This app champions chat fiction, which showcases a modern form of storytelling like an online conversation between two people; it's easier to use for younger writers and readers.
“While it encourages beginners, young writers, it’s also an opportunity for the professional and established writers to help shape the community and to pass on their knowledge and recommendations to support the younger authors that we have today,” said Head of Growth Ysabel Yuzon.
The app highlights two innovations: “type” (the process of writing), a chat editor that makes creating stories easier for writers, and an immersive reading experience that allows readers to be part of the conversation. “Kita” (earning or profit) has the makings of the ultimate side hustle for writers of all kind, as seen in their monetization feature for creators. Readers can show their support by gifting virtual gifts, unlocking bonus chapters with coins, and earning money through tap pool.
Prior to its launch, TypeKita experienced consistent user growth, with romance, especially boys’ love and girls’ love, emerging as the top-preferred genres. Others include coming-of-age, mystery, and fantasy. Similar to Kumu, TypeKita restricts its 18+ contents; it is intended for high school and college audiences, aiming to provide a safe space for a younger audience.
When asked about the new experiences that TypeKita offers to online readers, Yuzon emphasized that the chat fiction format of the app gives the impression of eavesdropping on conversations between other people. “This genre resembles social media screenshots,” she said. “And we called it ‘taps,’ where users are required to tap their screens to unlock the subsequent messages, creating an interactive experience.”
To support local authors, Yuzon also shared that a campaign was executed for “Buwan ng Wika” to encourage even more regional content and for writers to compose in their own dialects, celebrating where they are from.
TypeKita is available via App Store and Google Play.
Stocks rise as window-dressing starts
The local stock market rose in late trading as funds start window dressing for the month’s end.
The main index jumped 64.39 points or 1.05 percent to close at 6,225 as the Services sector led all indices in the advance. Volume rose to 395 million shares worth P5.63 billion but losers still beat gainers at 89 to 85 with 53 unchanged.
“Philippine shares opened the week higher as trading gear up for window dressing,” said Regina Capital Development Corporation Managing Director Luis Limlingan.
He noted that, “on the data front, investors await data on home prices, job openings and consumer confidence will also be due Tuesday morning in the US.”
Philstocks Financial Assistant Research Manager Claire Alviar said, “the local bourse gained due to last minute bargain hunting. Investors took the opportunity to buy around 6,150 support areas, following the sharp decline last week.”
“Moreover, positive cues from Wall Street overnight helped lift the sentiment in Asia, including in the Philippines,” she added.
Mike Enriquez passes away at 71
BY NEIL RAMOS
AT A GLANCE
Prior to his passing, Mike was consultant for radio operations ofGMA Network, and president of the network's regional and radio subsidiary, RGMA Network Inc., and station manager ofSuper Radyo DZBB 594 AM.
Well-loved TV and radio news anchor Miguel “Mike” Enriquez passed away Tuesday, Aug. 29.
He was 71.
His passing was confirmed by news anchor Mel Tiangco via "24 Oras."
In a statement, GMA shared, "It is with profound sadness that GMA Network announces the passing of our belove Kapuso, Mr. Miguel 'Mike' C. Enriquez, who peacefully joined our creator on August 29, 2023."
"The board of directors, management and employees of GMA Network Inc. deeply mourn the passing of Mr. Enriquez. His dedication to the industry will serve as an inspiration to all. We pray for the eternal repose of our beloved Kapuso."
Born on Sept. 29, 1951, Mike started his career in broadcasting as a staff announcer at the Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) in 1969.
He would go on to work in several other broadcast networks, including Freedom Broadcasting Radio Network (FBRN) and Radio Mindanao Network (RMN).
Mike famously appeared in a cameo role in Andrew E.'s 1992 movie “Mahirap ang Maging Pogi” as "DJ Baby Michael."
He joined GMA in 1994.
Mike has won many awards as broadcast journalist here and abroad including several wins as Best Newscaster as bestowed by the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC).
Mike underwent heart bypass surgery in 2018.
In 2021, he had a kidney transplant.
Although he quickly went back to work a few months later to cover the 2022 elections, he went on leave again not long after.
Prior to his passing, Mike was consultant for radio operations of GMA Network, and president of the network's regional and radio subsidiary, RGMA Network Inc., and station manager of Super Radyo DZBB 594 AM.
He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of La Salle Green Hills and acts as the Treasurer and Chairman of its Finance Committee.