NEWSCELEBRITIESMUSIC Records that could be broken at 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards

ENTERTAINMENTENTERTAINMENT NEWSCELEBRITIESMUSIC

BY JONATHAN HICAP

Nov 2, 2024 08:42 AM 

The 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA) will be held on Nov. 10 at Co-op Live in Manchester, United Kingdom. 

MTV EMA nominees (Photos from MTV, X, Instagram) 

Wettbasis.com has collected all the records that could be broken at this year’s ceremony. 

• Taylor Swift has already broken Justin Bieber’s record for the most nominations ever received at the MTV EMAs, however, in 2024, she could potentially tie Justin Bieber and become the most awarded artist in the MTV EMAs history. Bieber is currently at No. 1 with 22 EMAs won and Swift is at No. 2 with 15 EMAs won. However, Swift is nominated for seven EMAs at the 2024 ceremony, which could bring her total to 22 EMAs won.
• Taylor Swift could also extend her record as the most awarded female artist in the MTV EMAs history (Swift is nominated for seven EMAs in the following categories: Best Video, Best Artist, Best US Act, Best Live Act, Biggest Fans, Best Pop and Best Collaboration). 
• Eminem could extend his record as the most awarded rapper in the MTV EMAs history - he has won 14 EMAs and he is nominated for two more trophies in 2024 (Best Video and Best Hip Hop)
• Nicki Minaj could extend her own record as the most awarded female rapper in the history of the MTV EMAs and she could also break her tie with Lady Gaga and become the second most awarded female artist in the history of the EMAs. Minaj has won 12 EMAs and she is nominated for two more awards in 2024 (Best Hip Hop and Biggest Fans).  Additionally, if she wins both of the awards she is nominated for, Minaj could tie Eminem as the most awarded rapper at the EMAs.
• Lady Gaga could break her tie with Nicki Minaj and become the second most awarded female artist in the history of the EMAs if she wins her 13th EMA (Gaga is nominated in the Best Collaboration category for “Die With a Smile” with Bruno Mars)
  
   

BEST VIDEO

• Taylor Swift (“Fortnight”) could extend her record as the most awarded artist in the Best Video category.  She is the only artist that has won the award three times (“Anti-Hero”, “All Too Well: The Short Film” & “ME!”), so a win in 2024 for “Fortnight” would be her fourth. 
• After becoming only the second artist ever to win Best Video at the EMAs for two consecutive years (following Justice) last year, Taylor Swift could extend this record and become the first artist to ever win Best Video three years in a row if she wins her third consecutive trophy for “Fortnight.”
• Taylor Swift could break her tie with Dave Meyers (three wins) and become the director with the most wins in the Best Video category if she wins her fourth trophy for “Fortnight,” which was directed solely by Swift.  By winning, Swift would also extend her record as the artist with the most self-directed videos winning Best Video - two of Swift wins are for self-directed videos (“Anti-Hero” &  “All Too Well: The Short Film” and one win (“ME!”) is a video co-directed by Swift). The only other artist to win Best Video for a video they directed or co-directed is Kendrick Lamar who won for “Humble,” which he co-directed and he is nominated again this year with “Not Like Us”, which he co-directed,
• If Lisa and Rosalía win Best Video for their song “New Woman,” Lisa would become the first Thai artist to ever win Best Video while Rosalía would become the first Spanish artist to ever win Best Video

BEST SONG 

• Beyoncé (“Texas Hold ‘Em”) could break her tie with Pink and Lady Gaga and become the sole holder of the record for the most awards won in the Best Song category - all of them have won two times in this category, but Beyoncé could get her third victory in 2024 with “Texas Hold ‘Em” (she previously won in 2003 for “Crazy in Love” and in 2009 for “Halo”), which would make her the first artist to ever win in the category on three occasions 
• Ariana Grande (“We Can’t Be Friends”) or Billie Eilish (“Birds of a Feather”) could tie Beyoncé, Pink and Lady Gaga as the most awarded artists in the Best Song category if either of them wins their second trophy in this category. Eilish won in 2019 for “bad guy” and she is nominated in 2024 for “Birds of a Feather” while Grande won in 2014 for “Problem” and she is nominated for “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love).”

BEST ARTIST 

• Taylor Swift could become the first artist to ever win the Best Artist category on three occasions; she could also extend her record as the most awarded female artist in the Best Artist category as well as the record for the most consecutive wins in the category since a victory in 2024 would be her third win in a row following wins in 2022 and 2023
• Raye could become the first British female artist to win in the Best Artist category (and only the second British artist ever to win following Ed Sheeran’s victory in 2021)

BEST NEW ACT

• Ayra Starr could become the first Nigerian artist to ever win in the Best New Act category
• Tyla could become the first South African artist to ever win in the Best New Act category

BEST COLLABORATION

• Rosalía could tie Karol G as the most awarded artist in the Best Collaboration category if she wins her second trophy for “New Woman” (with Lisa). Rosalía won the first time in this category in 2019 for “Con Altura” (with J Balvin and El Guincho)

BEST ALTERNATIVE

• Lana Del Rey could tie Thirty Seconds to Mars and become the most awarded artist in the Best Alternative category - if she wins, it would be her 4th trophy in the category, which would also extend her record as the most awarded female artist in the Best Alternative category

BEST HIP HOP

• Eminem could extend his record as the most awarded artist in the Best Hip Hop category. He has won nine times so a win in 2024 could be his 10th trophy in the category
• Nicki Minaj could tie Eminem as the most awarded artist in the Best Hip Hop category. She has won eight times so a win in 2024 would be her ninth. If she wins, Minaj would also extend her record as the most awarded female rapper in the Best Hip Hop category

BEST LATIN 

• Anitta could extend her record as the most awarded artist in the Best Latin category - she has won two times, so a win in 2024 would be her third. On the other hand, if Karol G wins, she will tie Anitta as the most awarded artist in the category with two wins. 
• Peso Pluma could become the first Mexican artist to win in the Best Latin category, while Rauw Alejandro or Bad Bunny could become the first artists from Puerto Rico to win in the category

BEST R&B

• Tyla could become the first South African artist to ever win the EMA in the Best R&B category

BEST K-POP

• Lisa or Jungkook could become the first solo artist to win in the Best K-Pop category on two occasions - both of them have won once as solo artists, but Jungkook has also won once as a member of BTS

BEST ELECTRONIC

• David Guetta could extend his record as the most awarded artist in the Best Electronic category. He has won six awards and a win in the category in 2024 would be his seventh (and fifth consecutive one)

BEST ROCK

• Coldplay or Green Day could tie Linkin Park as the artist with the most awards won in the Best Rock category if either of them win their fifth trophy in 2024

BES LIVE ACT

• Taylor Swift could tie U2 and Ed Sheeran and become the most awarded artist in the Best Live Act category. Swift could also become the first female artist to win two times in the Best Live Act category.

BEST AUSTRALIAN ACT

• Kylie Minogue or Troye Sivan could tie 5 Seconds of Summer, G Flip and Ruel and become the most awarded artists in the Best Australian Act category if either of them wins their second trophy in 2024.

BEST US ACT

• Taylor Swift could extend her record as the most awarded artist in the Best US Act category. She has won in this category three times in the past (2015, 2019 & 2021), so a win in 2024 would be her fourth. 

BEST PUSH ACT

• Laufey could become the first Icelandic artist to win in the Best Push Act category.
• Le Sserafim, The Warning or Flyana Boss could become the first all-female group to win in the Best Push Act category. Additionally, The Warning could become the first Mexican artist to win in the Best Push Act category.

ALL SOULS DAY

 ALL SOULS DAY

(November 2)

In the Philippines, we honor our dead with prayer and remembrance, with requiem masses and visitations to the grave sites of our loved ones. Some of the familiar traditions related to this day can be traced back to the ancient past of the Filipinos.

For instance, the lighting of candles and the offering of food leading to feasts are customs and practices of our ancestors before the Spanish occupation and the coming of Christianity to our land.

Liceo employees and students are one with the Philippines in observing All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Offices and classes will resume operations on November 4, 2024.

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The Liceo Office of Cultural Affairs through La Castilla Museum bring back History Connects, a project that takes us on an educational tour through history, in the lens of culture and the arts.

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10 Life Lessons Only Time Can Teach

 

Human Mind Reader!

Will share useful knowledge regarding human psychology, Life Tricks & much more

1. Perfection is an illusion, and no one is completely satisfied with their life. Once you accept this, you’re free from the burden of comparison and judgment. It’s a liberating feeling.

2. Your health matters, but stress, fear, and worry are more damaging than any indulgent food or drink. Happiness and peace are the best medicine you can give yourself.

3. Much of our lives are spent chasing illusions, striving for goals that don’t truly matter. The moment you realize this is the moment you begin to truly live.

4. Life is short, but living against the wind can make it feel like a life sentence. Life shouldn’t feel like a chore; it should feel like an adventure.

5. Fighting the aging process is like trying to catch the wind. Embrace it. Your body is changing, just as it always has. Instead of resisting, shift your mindset to see the beauty in every stage.

6. You’ll regret the years you spent criticizing your appearance. The sooner you make peace with the vessel that carries your soul, the better. Your body is incredible and important, but it doesn’t define who you are.

7. As you age, who will remember you and for what becomes more important. Your love and wisdom will outlast any material possessions you leave behind. Share your stories—they’ll travel farther than you ever will.

8. You simply cannot please everyone all the time. Start by pleasing yourself and caring for those you love. The rest are too busy trying to please themselves, trust me.

9. People may not always notice what you do right, but they’ll see what you do wrong. When you accept this, you’ll start doing things for the right reasons—and you’ll have a lot more fun along the way.

10. Always, always drink the good champagne and use the things you save for ‘special occasions.’ Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone. Today is a gift—cherish it. So, eat, drink, and be merry.

7 Heartbreaking Truths About Life

1. What's meant for you will find its way to you; desperately pursuing things is a futile effort.

2. Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The world can be tough, and there are times when you have to be firm with others.

3. You can’t remain with your parents indefinitely. Life and death are inevitable, and you never know when you might face a loss.

4. You cannot force someone to love you; love is a personal choice, and you must come to terms with that.

5. People's feelings toward you can shift at any moment, often without warning.

6. Not every dream will come to fruition, and that’s completely okay.

7. You may do countless good things for others, yet they might only remember your one misstep. That's just the way of life.

Thanks for reading! 😊

THOSE WERE THE DAYS...

 

By Klaus Döring

During my time as radio host in different radio stations in the Philippines, this song has been requested innumerable times. "Those Were the Days" is a song credited to Gene Raskin, who put a new English lyric to the Russian romance song "Дорогой длинною" (literally "By the long road"), composed by Boris Fomin (1900–1948) with words by the poet Konstantin Podrevsky. It deals with reminiscence upon youth and romantic idealism. It also deals with tavern activities, which include drinking, singing and dancing.

Mary Hopkin's 1968 debut single of "Those Were the Days", which was produced by Paul McCartney of the Beatles, and arranged by Richard Hewson, became a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart and on the Canadian RPM Magazine charts. The song also reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, behind "Hey Jude" by the Beatles.

McCartney also recorded Hopkin singing "Those Were The Days" in other languages for release in their respective countries: In Spain, Qué tiempo tan feliz;in (West) Germany,  An jenem Tag; in Italy, Quelli erano giorni; in France, Le temps des fleurs.

Yes, time flew by. I think about sitting in a jet plane. Almost November 2024 again. Wow!

Do you always count the days up to the next legal holidays without being on duty? Or do you start as early as September longing for Christmas? And do you wish the weeks or months hopefully pass by like an assault up to the next possible salary increase?

Many times, we are really in too much of a hurry while feeling uncomfortable if we notice how time flies. We have  no time for someone or something or even for ourselves.

When I was still a teenager, I was longing to be an adult already. Later, I enjoyed listening to my grandmother's stories such as "Once upon a time" or "When I was young" from her "yesterday's life"... .

After a couple of years, especially while observing that time really flies like a racket to the moon, I also have the same question in mind: Are the present hours and days less valuable?

Of course, each day has its own set of happiness and trials. But it also holds very high possibilities of us taking the initiative to do or to move something, if... !

Many of us retreat into the past and forget their present existence. A possible topsy-turvy world of a golden youth tries to let us forget that also the past has had its share of disappointments, pains, tears, darkness, tricky as well as desperate days... yes, lost days, irretrievable time... .

Without having achieved anything, we dream our impossible dreams from last to future and vice versa. We forget that between yesterday and tomorrow is our valuable present. Well, now well then - if we know just how to fulfill this period.

"Once upon a time there was a tavern

Where we used to raise a glass or two

Remember how we laughed away the hours

Think of all the great things we would do?

Those were the days, my friend

We thought they'd never end

We'd sing and dance forever and a day

We'd live the life we choose

We'd fight and never lose

For we were young and sure to have our way..."

How Ai-Ai and Arnell’s sing-along days led to lifelong friendship

 In ‘Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,’ Ai-Ai delas Alas and Arnell Ignacio reminisce about the time they both worked as sing-along masters at the Music Box in Queon City. The sing-along bar was then frequented by many celebrities, and film and TV production people in the local entertainment scene. STAR / File

DIRECT LINE CONVERSATIONS - Boy Abunda - The Philippine Star 

November 1, 2024 | 12:00am

There’s no chance of feeling blue whenever Ai-Ai delas Alas and Arnell Ignacio are around. Ai-Ai and Arnell appeared on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” a couple of days ago for “The Talk” segment.

As expected, they had everyone in stitches as soon as they began reminiscing about the days working as sing-along masters in the mid-‘80s at the Music Box in Quezon City. Music Box was owned by the late Wowie de Dios who saw great potential in Arnell and Ai-Ai the first time they set foot inside the place as “customers-cum-artista hopefuls.”

The sing-along bar was then frequented by many celebrities, and film and TV production people in the local entertainment scene.

Between Arnell and Ai-Ai, the former was hired as a sing-along master first.

“(Director) Roni Bertubin brought me there. He said that many artists and directors go there. Therefore, there was great potential for me to start a (showbiz) career,” Arnell began ruminating.

“Ako naman, naniwala pero hindi naman ako umiinom talaga kaya sa nerbyos ko lumaklak ako ng isang bote ng beer. Nalasing ako kaya nag-pe-perform ako, gumagapang ako sa stage. Wowie, the owner, was impressed, so he got me in as sing-along master,” he added.

Ai-Ai, on the other hand, tagged along with her friends to the Music Box after running away from home. She was not also a drinker, so the first time she did, Ai-Ai got drunk easily, and there, she began singing on stage and dancing with one hand swaying beside her face.

“She was confident that she was doing a good performance that time, that’s why people started enjoying it,” Arnell said with a chuckle.

What followed was an offer from Wowie for Ai-Ai to be one of the sing-along hosts. Soon after, she and Arnell became onstage partners. One unforgettable experience was when a customer had Ai-Ai do stunts.

“There was this drunk guy who said, ‘Arnell, ‘yung kasama mo pag tumblingin mo.’ He would give one thousand (pesos). ‘Yung sahod namin 200 (a night) lang kaya sabi ko (kay Ai-Ai) sayang 1,000 tumbling ka na. She did,” he laughed.

The hilarious act also led to their beautiful friendship. The two would sneak out of the bar together “because that time, it was a never-ending performance. We could not leave the stage hangga’t may tao,” said Arnell and Ai-Ai added that it was already 5:30 in the morning.

I asked why they clicked as friends to which Ai-Ai responded, “We’re always together as sing-along masters, and then when I got pregnant with Sancho, people had no idea who the father was but Arnell took care of me. He let me stay in his place but he would be annoyed every time I would ask him to accompany me to my OB-Gyne. He lacked sleep, so he got mad and threw the key at me,” laughed Ai-Ai. “It was seven (o’clock) in the morning when she asked me to go with her to her OB in Recto,” disclosed Arnell who also revealed how Ai-Ai angrily threw a table at him.

Jealousy made her do it, Ai-Ai reasoned out. She saw Arnell cuddling the movie star, Isadora and the next thing Ai-Ai did was kick his leg under the table before turning it upside down towards his direction.

Arnell was surprised and at the same time puzzled about Ai-Ai’s reaction.

“Nalilito nga ako noon bakit ganun. I am brave but I was scared of her,” said Arnell.

Fast-forward to the present. Arnell is currently the head of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Ai-Ai has returned as one of the judges of GMA Network’s singing tilt “The Clash.”

Arnell doesn’t doubt Ai-Ai’s capability to serve as a judge in a singing competition as he believes it is not all about vocal power.

“Eileen (Ai-Ai’s real name) is undeniably a top artist when it comes to live performances, so it’s a big factor because you won’t just sing (onstage). Otherwise, you better do it in karaoke. She’s the Queen of Comedy at ang kauna-unahang komedyanteng babae na nakapuno ng Araneta Coliseum.”

At one point in his career, Arnell served as musical director in Repertory plays with Bibot Amador. He finished a degree in architecture and music at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Ai-Ai, in turn, quipped that she has an edge over Regine Velasquez.

“Ang lamang ko, hindi ako masyadong magaling at dahil diyan maraming nakaka-relate na tao.”

Many wonder if the ability to hit high notes or what they call as “birit” is an advantage for any singing aspirant to win. Arnell would like to remind everyone that singing is an act of telling a story and “you don’t have to make people wait when you are going to hit a high note.”

Ai-Ai said it’s a common notion among Filipinos that a good belter is an excellent singer yet as a judge of “The Clash,” she finds a relaxed performance complemented by a good vocal timbre has a good probability of winning.

To tackle plastic scourge, Philippines makes companies pay

 

This photo taken on October 16, 2024 shows Marita Blanco, who buys plastic bottles, styrofoam and candy wrappers for two pesos (3.4 US cents) a kilogram to be resold at a 25 percent markup to US charity Friends of Hope in its waste-to-cash programme, handling her weighing machine by a shipping container in Manila. Long one of the world's top sources of ocean plastic, the Philippines is hoping new legislation requiring big companies to pay for waste solutions will help clean up its act. Last year, its "Extended Producer Responsibility" statute came into force -- the first in Southeast Asia to impose penalties on companies over plastic waste. AFP/Jam Sta Rosa

Cecil Morella - Agence France-Presse

November 1, 2024 | 9:10am

MANILA, Philippines — Long one of the world's top sources of ocean plastic, the Philippines is hoping new legislation requiring big companies to pay for waste solutions will help clean up its act.

Last year, its "Extended Producer Responsibility" statute came into force -- the first in Southeast Asia to impose penalties on companies over plastic waste.

The experiment has shown both the promise and the pitfalls of the tool, which could be among the measures in a treaty to tackle plastic pollution that countries hope to agree on this year.

The Philippines, with a population of 120 million, generates some 1.7 million metric tons of post-consumer plastic waste a year, according to the World Bank.

Of that, a third goes to landfills and dumpsites, with 35 percent discarded on open land.

The EPR law is intended to achieve "plastic neutrality" by forcing large businesses to reduce plastic pollution through product design and removing waste from the environment.

They are obliged to cover an initial 20 percent of their plastic packaging footprint, calculated based on the weight of plastic packaging they put into the market.

The obligation will rise to a ceiling of 80 percent by 2028.

The law covers a broad range of plastics, including flexible types that are commercially unviable for recycling and thus often go uncollected.

It does not however ban any plastics, including the popular but difficult to recover and recycle single-use sachets common in the Philippines.

So far, around half the eligible companies under the law have launched EPR programmes.

Over a thousand more must do so by end-December or face fines of up to 20 million pesos ($343,000) and even revocation of their operating licences.

'Manna from heaven'

The law hit its 2023 target for removal of plastic waste, Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones told AFP.

It is "part of a broader strategy to reduce the environmental impact of plastic pollution, particularly given the Philippines' status as one of the largest contributors to marine plastic waste globally."

The law allows companies to outsource their obligations to "producer responsibility organisations", many of which use a mechanism called plastic credits.

These allow companies to buy a certificate that a metric ton of plastic has been removed from the environment and either recycled, upcycled or "co-processed" -- burned for energy.

PCX Markets, one of the country's biggest players, offers local credits priced from around $100 for collection and co-processing of mixed plastics to over $500 for collection and recycling of ocean-bound PET plastic. Most are certified according to a standard administered by sister organisation PCX Solutions.

The model is intended to channel money into the underfunded waste collection sector and encourage collection of plastic that is commercially unviable for recycling.

"It's manna from heaven," former street sweeper Marita Blanco told AFP.

A widowed mother-of-five, Blanco lives in Manila's low-income San Andres district and buys plastic bottles, styrofoam and candy wrappers for two pesos (3.4 US cents) a kilogramme (2.2 pounds).

She then sells them at a 25 percent mark-up to charity Friends of Hope, which works with PCX Solutions to process them.

"I didn't know that there was money in garbage," she said.

"If I do not look down on the task of picking up garbage, my financial situation will improve."

'Still linear'

Friends of Hope managing director Ilusion Farias said the project was making a visible difference to an area often strewn with discarded plastic.

"Two years ago, I think you would have seen a lot dirtier street," she told AFP.

"Behavioural change is really slow, and it takes a really long time."

Among those purchasing credits is snack producer Mondelez, which has opted to jump directly to "offsetting" 100 percent of its plastic footprint.

"It costs company budgets... but that's really something that we just said we would commit to do for the environment," Mondelez Philippines corporate and government affairs official Caitlin Punzalan told AFP.

But while companies have lined up to buy plastic credits, there has been less movement on stemming the flow of new plastic, including through redesign.

"Upstream reduction is not really easy," said PCX Solutions managing director Stefanie Beitien.

"There is no procurement department in the world that accepts a 20 percent higher packaging price just because it's the right thing to do."

And while PCX credits cannot be claimed against plastic that is landfilled, they do allow for co-processing, with the ash then used for cement.

"It's still linear, not circular, because you're destroying the plastic and you're still generating virgin plastic," acknowledged Leones of the environment ministry.

Still, the law remains a "very strong policy", according to Floradema Eleazar, an official with the UN Development Programme.

But "we will not see immediate impacts right now, or tomorrow," she said.

"It would require really massive behavioural change for everyone to make sure that this happens."

The lost art of heartfelt correspondence

When was the last time you wrote anything by hand, or the last time you read a handwritten letter?

BY MB LIFESTYLE

Nov 1, 2024 08:15 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The slow, thoughtful cadence of letters and the anticipation of hearing a loved one’s voice after a long queue at a telephone company brought with it a unique kind of warmth and connection—one that many feel nostalgic for today. 

Photo from Freepik

By Jacqueline Lucero

In a world increasingly dominated by instant communication, letter writing, phone calls, and even telegrams have drifted into obscurity. Yet, for Filipinos who grew up before the internet and mobile phones, these forms of communication were not just practical. They were woven into the fabric of everyday life. The slow, thoughtful cadence of letters and the anticipation of hearing a loved one’s voice after a long queue at a telephone company brought with it a unique kind of warmth and connection—one that many feel nostalgic for today.

Reflecting on those times brings back vivid memories of the many ways families kept in touch across provinces and islands. In rural areas or distant provinces, where the Philippines’ extensive island geography could make in-person visits rare, families would often rely on letters to share news of family events, personal stories, or milestones. The process of writing a letter was both ritualistic and heartfelt, as many would carefully pen down details of their daily lives and seal them with love, knowing their words would take days, sometimes weeks, to reach the recipient. These letters, often signed with careful flourishes or a thumbprint for added sentiment, became treasures, cherished, and read repeatedly. Receiving one meant holding in your hands the weight of someone’s thoughts and affections, a feeling unmatched by digital screens.

Beyond letters, phone calls represented a deeply emotional connection for Filipinos. With the reach of telephone lines still limited at the time, those who wanted to place a long-distance call would have to go to the nearest branch of the telephone company, where they’d wait in line to book an international or provincial call. Many recall the process of waiting for the line to connect, standing anxiously by the receiver in case the call dropped, and savoring the brief moments of conversation as if they were an invaluable luxury. The echoes of laughter and warmth, or the sound of a loved one’s voice, even if crackling over the line, were enough to lift spirits and bring families closer, even from a distance.

Telegram services, though now almost forgotten, also played an essential role in Filipino communication. These short, urgent messages delivered news quickly, often carrying messages of celebration, urgency, or life updates. The brevity required in a telegram added a sense of gravity to every word chosen, making it a powerful way to send love or share important news when other methods might take too long.

These forms of communication created a foundation of patience, anticipation, and deep appreciation. People would wait days, sometimes weeks, for responses, fostering a level of mindfulness that has since been eroded by instant communication. Letters, telegrams, and carefully scheduled calls gave Filipinos the opportunity to pause and reflect, creating bonds that transcended miles and time.

The act of waiting became almost ritualistic in the Philippines, with entire families gathering around for scheduled phone calls, eagerly anticipating the voices of loved ones from afar. Telegrams and letters became carriers of heartfelt emotion, handling both joyful and sorrowful news. When someone received a telegram, it was as if time paused. Each word weighed heavily with meaning, often bringing news that was celebrated or mourned collectively by families and communities alike. There was a unique depth to these modes of communication, something that grew with the time invested and was cherished as a form of continuity in relationships across distances.

For a young woman named Clara, the discovery of a stack of her grandmother’s letters sparked a desire to revive this lost tradition. Inspired by the vulnerability and sincerity in her grandmother’s words, Clara began to reach out to people by letter, reliving the experience of slow, intentional communication. Her project expanded as she found herself writing to people from different walks of life—an artist, a teacher, an elderly neighbor, a young mother—all sharing stories, worries, and dreams in a way that felt deeply personal and lasting. Each letter exchanged became a window into another’s life, far removed from the fleeting nature of social media interactions. These exchanges showed her and others that beyond text messages and emojis, there remained a timeless desire for genuine human connection.

Rediscovering these forms of communication reminds us that, while technology connects us in seconds, it also often leaves us longing for something more substantial. As we reach out through handwritten letters, patiently placed calls, or shared words on a page, we connect with people in a way that feels both intentional and profound. This revival of letter writing and deliberate communication serves as a quiet rebellion against the ephemeral nature of today’s digital age, reminding us that sometimes the best connections are those we take the time to nurture and hold close.

In an age when it’s easy to lose touch amid the fast pace of life, perhaps it’s time we rediscovered the art of heartfelt correspondence.

Sticking to tradition: Undas in the Philippines

BY DOM GALEON

Oct 31, 2024 04:17 PM

  

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IN MEMORIAM - People visiting their departed relatives flock to Angono Municipal Cemetery in Angono, Rizal on Wednesday, Oct., 30, 2024, a day before the eve of Undas 2024. (Photo: Santi San Juan)

 

It is that time of the year again when Filipinos flock into cemeteries all over the country to celebrate their departed loved ones. Yes, celebrate is the more appropriate word, as the annual commemoration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, which follows the day after, has truly become a remarkable feast in Filipino culture. And, typhoon or no, nothing can stop Pinoys from honoring the dead by visiting their final resting places.

Indeed, while Undas is observed in a similar way all over the country, there are certain customs unique to particular regions. Whether one believes the origins of the term Undas to be a shortened version of the Spanish “Un día de los muertos” (A day of the dead) or as a derivative of the verb “honrar” (to honor), the observance of this two-day holiday remains essentially the same — one visits the tombs or the columbariums where the remains of departed relatives have been laid.

Interestingly, perhaps the only regions where Undas is not celebrated in the same way, nor the same day, as the rest of the Philippines would be in provinces that are predominantly Muslim. Islam, of course, is a religion that has a concept of the afterlife. As such, Muslims do spend time visiting the graves or resting places of deceased relatives, albeit not on a fixed date like Christians do during Undas. The prophet Muhammad, it is said, observed similar practices of praying for the dead and visiting graves.

Another region with a different custom is Sagada in the Mountain Province. Because of its location, Sagada is often buffeted by strong winds. Locals, instead of lighting candles beside or near gravesites, light what is called “saeng” or pinewood.

Angono Municipal Cemetery in Angono, Rizal (Photo: Santi San Juan)

Capable of withstanding the strong winds typical of the mountain region, “saeng” is lit during a practice called “panag-apoy” or “to light a fire.” This custom begins on Nov. 1 with a blessing of the “saeng” done during afternoon mass at the Anglican church of St. Mary the Virgin (which, for those who are familiar with Sagada, is located just below the cemetery). Then, the faithful bring their pinewood and burn them beside the graves of their loved ones in a solemn and quite private ceremony that lasts until around 7 p.m.

Food for the soul 

In a very Pinoy fashion, there is no celebration or commemoration that does not include with it the preparation of special dishes — both for the living and the dead, in the case of Undas.

Most popular among these customs, perhaps, is the one of Ilocos where families prepare a plate of “atang” for the dearly departed. While Ilokanos have varied ways of preparing atang, what is common is that the plate is full of different types of rice cakes or kakanin, usually suman, dudul, and linapet.

Some, according to the website of the National Museum of the Philippines, have the tradition of including bagas or uncooked rice (bigas, in Tagalog) shaped in a crucifix, with fresh eggs on top. Still others include, as a side-dish of sorts, caramelized popped rice (busi), black sesame seeds (linga), and sometimes bua ken gawed (betel nut), among other things.

In General Trias, Cavite, most families have a tradition of preparing and serving suman sa lihiya, a local version of malagkit or rice cake. Typically, the glutinous rice is wrapped in banana leaves and is served with latik or sugar. According to a local from General Trias, the custom has been observed for years in most households in the town.

Back to the north, in the province of Pangasinan, where what is perhaps the most tedious of culinary preparations for Undas is practiced. The usual dish served during this time is called “inlubi,” a black rice cake that is sweetened. It owes its dark appearance from its main ingredient, which is deremen or burnt glutinous rice. Accordingly, this deremen is harvested only toward the end of October. It is then prepared and cooked overnight. In order to produce deremen for inlubi, it needs to be cooked and pounded at a particular temperature.

Meanwhile, in the province of La Union, a similar practice of preparing and eating malagkit is also observed. According to some locals, it is customary for families to have plates of various rice cakes during Undas. This includes an assortment of bico, buro, puto, palitaw, among others. And whether one goes to the cemetery or simply offers prayers for the dead at home, the rice cakes have to be present.

Sticking together

It is interesting to note that many regions observe the preparation and eating of glutinous rice cakes during Undas. While kakanin, in one form or another, is a year-round staple in most households and even on the streets of nearly every province in the country, it becomes even more common during Undas.

One possible explanation is that these sticky and sweet delicacies highlight something very Filipino: our close-knit family ties. These stick, pun intended, even beyond death, which says a great deal about the Filipino belief in the afterlife, whether they be Christian or not. Undas, and the local customs and culinary traditions that come with it, serves as a reminder to us all that love of the family is not easily broken.