WHY JEEPNEYS WILL REMAIN

 

By ReniMV Valenzuela

A jeepney without a jeepney-look is jeepney no longer.  Oddly, the "modern jeepney" the government is usually showing us in the news is far from being a jeepney. It is equal to expunging the Filipino from Filipinos, partly. 

Modernize our public utility transport, but please don't do it by dumping our cherished culture, custom, identity, selfhood, peculiarity and historical heritage. Jeepney is a part of the Filipino diary. 

My personal attachment to our jeepneys is beyond my school, innocent days despite driving a car for most of my life. The link goes joyously from sentimental to historical as jeepneys bring nostalgia and wonderful memories to me of the years gone by as a young person, even as I sometimes still ride jeepneys and MRT/LRT going to an appointment when I get stuck in heavy traffic. I remember one of the very first songs that I've composed was written and done when I was riding a jeepney, awestruck by the disarming beauty of a smiling, shy-looking girl in front of me. 

I wonder if the way the government wants to modernize and progress our country was how visionary Jose Rizal saw the Philippines in his dream would one day become, apropos to his aspirations for the motherland, to which he offered his life willingly, heroically. Were all these the sense of our national hero bravely turning backwards to face his executioners to be shot in the heart on 30 December 1896? 

Why copy others to dash ourselves for who we are? Retain the jeepney look and let our jeepneys, modernized as we want it to become, to be the jeepneys of tomorrow.  The Filipino jeepney is iconic and artistic, variant in colors to represent our multi-shaded complexion as a people/nation. It is a symbol of liberty for all of us, historically. Bring the jeepneys back to be among the tourist experiences that foreigners can look forward to and enjoy when they come/visit our beloved, beautiful, "colorful" country - with all the great stories down memory lane behind the chronicled, world famous "Filipino Smile." 

But solve widespread criminality first, including government corruption and misdemeanors even in our premiere airport, alas!. But why propose in Congress to privatize the airport or change its name, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, when there is no other name that can be better than it (NAIA or naiyak na bayan) in significance? It is one way to declare to the whole world our vastness (in spirit) as a people. And it is in being ourselves that only we can rise, shine and emerge best as a nation - as Filipinos. 

May I suggest that we restore our calesa or karitela in certain historical places/spots of our country like Intramuros, Rizal Park, Mactan Shrine, Sandugo Shrine, Corregidor Island, Baguio City, Biak na Bato, Banaue Rice Terraces and some others, not just in Calle Vigan - for better tourist endearment and exploit, and better appreciation of our hollowed, treasured, rich, forgotten past - by both foreign and local tourists. Let the universe have a glimpse of our roots, heroes and great Creator not just in places we promote, but in all of us, Filipinos of today, more importantly. Shape up. 

"Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart." - Psalm 119:111

Sell the Philippines to boost tourism and economic development, but don't sell our soul.

renivalenzuelaletters@yahoo.com

Kylie Verzosa reveals dating Marco Gumabao before Jake Cuenca

BY STEPHANIE BERNARDINO

  

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Beauty queen-turned-actress Kylie Verzosa admitted recently that she and hunk actor Marco Gumabao were once an item.

In an interview with Boy Abunda, she shared that it was long before she and ex-boyfriend Jake Cuenca started dating.

“A long time before Jake, long way before Jake — mga two years ago. We tried. We tried it out, but we were…bata pa kami nun eh,” she told Boy.

Kylie reiterated she and Marco remain good friends.

“Happy ako sa lahat ng mga pinagdaanan niya sa buhay niya. I’ve seen him grow as an actor, as a person. Nagka-catch up pa rin kami. So yeah, we remain very good friends,” she said.

Well, it's obvious as the two are to star together in "Baby Boy, Baby Girl."

Kylie also admitted that she and  Jake are yet to communicate almost a year after their publicized breakup.

“I know it’s been a long time pero siguro in time. Only time will tell kung we’re able to already see each other in a friendly setting,” she said.

“Ayoko siyang pilitin pero darating ang panahon when we’ll meet each other and maybe, who knows? Time will only tell.”

Jake is now rumored to be in a relationship with sexy actress Chie Filomeno.

TUBBATAHA The Crown Jewel of the Philippines

TUBBATAHA Reefs Nature Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sulu sea of the Philippines. The marine and bird sanctuary consists of two huge atolls and the smaller Jessie Beazley Reef covering a total area of 97,030 hectares. Over 700 species of fish and 360 species of corals can be found.

PLDT to buy Sky Cable for P6.75B

 

By The Manila Times

THE third time could be the charm for PLDT Inc., which has been seeking to take over ABS-CBN Corp.'s cable TV and broadband business, following an announcement on Thursday of a P6.75-billion deal for Sky Cable Corp.

In disclosures, both PLDT and ABS-CBN said the Pangilinan-led telco would be purchasing 100 percent of Sky Cable's outstanding capital stock from the broadcast network, Lopez Inc. and Sky Vision Corp.

The deal remains subject to certain conditions, including that of securing all government approvals, Sky Cable getting out of the pay TV and cable business, and focusing solely on broadband, stockholder consent, and that "no event shall have occurred that would prevent a party from fulfilling its obligations or the transactions contemplated from happening."

PLDT Chairman Manuel Pangilinan previously offered to buy Sky Cable from embattled ABS-CBN in 2020 but dropped the bid due to monopoly issues. One of PLDT's affiliate businesses is Cignal TV Inc., which also provides cable TV services.

Cignal then offered to buy 38.9 percent of Sky Cable for P2.86 billion last year as part of a deal between ABS-CBN and PLDT where both would have taken stakes in each other. The agreement, however, was called off after regulators and legislators objected.

ABS-CBN, which lost its franchise in 2020 after Congress refused to renew the authorization, is now focused on creating content and servicing former rivals such as GMA-7 and Pangilan-owned TV 5.

In its disclosure, the firm said the Sky Cable sale "was a strategic decision resulting from, among other things, the significant capital expenditure requirements of Sky Cable to maintain its competitiveness."

"The proceeds from the sale of the shares of ABS-CBN and the settlement of Sky Vision's obligations to ABS-CBN will be used by ABS-CBN to settle and fund its retirement obligations," it added.

"The sale of the company's ownership in Sky will also allow ABS-CBN to focus its resources on content creation."

PLDT, for its part, said "the proposed transaction is aligned with PLDT's mission to narrow the digital divide by expanding broadband connectivity and supports the government's push to expand the nation's digital infrastructure."

It is also "expected to benefit the existing broadband subscribers of both PLDT and Sky by strengthening and expanding the coverage of their offerings and services, particularly in remote areas, and upgrading overall customer experience through the combined expertise, resources and capabilities of PLDT and Sky."

How the cable TV business would be wound down was not detailed. ABS-CBN said the service would continue while regulatory approvals were being secured.

"Once approvals are obtained, Sky Cable is committed to working with all its cable TV subscribers to ensure a transition to their preferred service," it added.

ABS-CBN will receive approximately P4 billion for its 58.7-percent stake in Sky Cable. It will receive 94 percent of this once closing conditions are satisfied, with the rest to be paid upon delivery of registration and tax clearance certificates.

The overall purchase price was said to have been based on an agreed implied equity valuation minus Sky's recorded payables and contingent liabilities as of Dec. 31, 2022, based on Sky's latest audited financial statements and a PLDT due diligence review.

PLDT's share price fell by P10, or 0.76 percent, to P1,300 while ABS-CBN's lost 0.68 percent, or 5 centavos, to P7.26 amid a 0.95-percent drop for the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index.

Fare discount scheme ready for rollout – LTFRB

By Franco Jose C. Baroña

March 17, 2023 

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is preparing to implement a nationwide fare discount scheme for public utility vehicles (PUVs) as proposed by the Department of Transportation (DoTr).

The DoTr in an earlier memorandum to the LTFRB called for lower fares for traditional and modern jeepneys, buses and UV Express.

The proposal includes a P12 to P9 rollback for traditional jeepneys and P14 to P11 for modern jeepneys. A fare cut of P3 to P4 is being considered for buses.

The memo did not mention fare cuts for UV Express.

The LTFRB said that the discounted fare scheme will be implemented after the termination of the Libreng Sakay (free ride) program along Edsa.

"We also have to take the cue from the Office of the (DoTr) Secretary, how they intend to do it. I think the only thing they will do is give the people a discount so that the P1.2 billion budget for the program can be used for many transport services on a nationwide scale," LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz 3rd said.

"I believe the budget may last only for about six months — half a year. So as early as now, I am requesting the DoTr to come up with additional funding so that the budget will last until the end of the year," he added.

The budget for the service contracting program was reduced from P8.4 billion in 2022 to P2.16 billion in 2023.

This year's budget includes P1.285 billion in programmed appropriations and another P875 million lodged under unprogrammed appropriations.

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'THE SOUND OF MUSIC' Beloved, now, then and always

Jill-Christine Wiley as Maria Rainer, Trevor Martin as Captain von Trapp, and Lauren Kidwell as Mother Abbess

By Christina Alpad

March 16, 2023 

The Sound of Music is arguably one of the most recognizable musicals of all time. Who can forget the troublesome but charming Maria? How about the adorable Von Trapp children and the stern but loving head of the family Captain Von Trapp? Most of all, who can resist singing along to such classics tunes as "Do-Re-Mi," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" just to name a few?

The Sound of Music (which inspired the 1965 hit movie adaptation of the same title starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer) has been showcased numerous times — a thousand times, to be actually, with London's West End alone recording more than 2,000 performance.

But there's no stopping in retelling the uplifting true story of Maria, the fun-loving governess who changed the lives of the widowed Captain von Trapp and his seven children by reintroducing them to music, and the family's flight across the Austrian mountains as tensions rise prior to the outbreak of World War 2.

In fact, a brand new international production of the Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic is currently playing in Manila, with performance running until March 26 at the the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati.

The cast of ‘The Sound of Music’ plays in Manila through March 16.

Presented by Broadway International Group, Broadway Asia, AMA Group of Companies, and in association with GMG Productions, The Sound of Music in Manila is the third stop of the international tour after having played successful runs in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

The tour highlights the original creative work of three-time Tony Award winning director Jack O'Brien, Broadway choreographer Danny Mefford, and Musical Supervision by Andy Einhorn as well as an established award-winning Broadway creative, design, and production team.

The Sound of Music stars Jill-Christine Wiley as Maria Rainer, Trevor Martin as Captain von Trapp, Lauren Kidwell as Mother Abbess, and Joshua La Force as Max, and Lauren O'Brien as Liesl, and joining the Touring company for the Manila season are Filipino talents Karylle Tatlonghari as Baroness Elsa von Schraeder and Markki Stroem as Rolf.

The Von Trapp children starring in the musical joined the company for the first time during the Manila production.

Now, if the musical is such a classic, why should the audience, Filipinos in particular, still watch the show if, say they have seen previous stagings or watched the movie?

For lead actors Wiley and Martin, the story of hope that Maria and the Von Trapp family brings is needed now more than ever.

"History repeats itself and I feel like this show is more relevant now more so than ever with everything's that happening especially in Ukraine. It's one of those stories that present here's what could be the outcome," Wiley, who plays Maria said.

Unfortunately it's not always everybody's outcome [the happy ending that the family had] but here, we have a message of hope, of fighting for what you believe in, of family and standing up for what's right and I think it's an honor to share this with the audience," she added.

Martin agreed, saying, "Over the course of time, every, unfortunately, all over the globe, the story continues to happen over and over again — people are forced out of their countries, forced away from government and tyranny that they are trying to escape for them and their families, all the time, in every continent and every country.

"So hopefully, the show can present a sense of hope, and can instill a sense of courage. It's an amazing thing to be able to play someone [Captain von Trapp] who doesn't back from his principles. I would hope in that if I were to face the same situation, I would do the same thing — to choose what's right for me, for my family and for my country."

In ending, Martin, who plays the principle Captain von Trapp, noted, "It's always a relevant story no matter what year we do it in."

Catch Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music in Manila from Tuesday to Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. until March 26.

For tickets, visit ticketworld.com.ph.

How Difficult is Philippines Highest Mountain? Mt Apo, Mindanao

Daniel Marsh

463K subscribers

278,263 views Premiered Feb 21, 2023 PHILIPPINES

Join us in this exhilarating adventure as we attempt to conquer Mt. Apo, the tallest mountain in the Philippines, within just 24 hours. Follow our journey as we trek through lush forests, climb steep slopes, and push ourselves to the limit to reach the summit. Along the way, we share tips, challenges, and breathtaking views of the mountain and its surroundings. Will we make it to the top within the time limit? Watch this video to find out! Thank you to Anjo Dorado from #teamexplorer Philippines for making this adventure possible https://www.facebook.com/groups/TEAM....

8 women power songs from Filipina artists

 KZ Tandingan

Everyone loves a good song, more so when they inspire and move listeners toward self-discovery and betterment.

In celebration of Women's Month, Tarsier Records shares eight tracks that champion the strength, vulnerability, and individuality of Filipinas and embolden them to shine in their own ways:

1. KZ Tandingan's "Winning" KZ Tandigan's second international single empowers listeners to 'take the high road' and push themselves to strive and succeed by themselves. Its music video also bears out-of-this world visuals highlighting how KZ rules her 'queendom' with her individuality.

2. Allen&elle's "Call You" Filipina duo allen&elle talk about the importance of seeking help when in need in their dancey gospel-soul track. It emphasizes the value of prayer as "our way to call for help from God" in the midst of day-to-day struggles.

3. Relden's "couldn't speak" The song is artist's message to the people who tried so hard to bring her down. She wrote it at a time when she felt like she couldn't stand up for herself so she would turn to dance to release her emotions.

4. Daze's "Magic" Pampanga-born Daze celebrates and embraces her femininity in the 80s-inspired, familiar yet fresh-sounding R&B song. The modern soul, upbeat track conveys the exciting feeling of pursuing intimacy and warmth with someone you deeply love.

5. Sab's "Happy You Stayed" Sab dedicated her song "Happy You Stayed" to her close friends who stayed with her. The indie-pop track is all about thankfulness for the people who are still present in her life regardless of the different journeys they have to take.

6. Yuzon's "Oh My Days" The song is a dream-pop soundtrack to thinking of better days. Written at the height of the quarantine, it brings hope and stirs enjoyment in new passions and self-discovery. The artist dedicates "Oh My Days" music video to female skaters all over the world.

Kiana V

7. Kiana V's "5:30" The track captures the initial stages of love where there is a desire to get to know someone a little bit better. The soulful summer track evokes vulnerability and, at the same time, willpower to pursue love.

8. "Heal" (various artists) A collaboration among Filipina artists Jayda, Jona, Kyla, KZ, Lesha, Moira Dela Torre, and Xela, Indonesian singers Rinni Wulandari and Yura Yunita, Malaysian artists DOLLA and Shalma Eliana, Singaporean talents Haneri and Haven, and Thai artist Valentina Ploy, Heal is a track that encourages healing during difficult times.