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The Return of the Prodigal Daughter

I have a love/hate relationship with the city of my childhood. Strange I know this sounds.

I have a love/hate relationship with the city of my childhood. Strange I know this sounds.

I have happy memories of the Cebu of my childhood, going to the beach at Liloan before the bridge was built and the exodus to Mactan and the white sand beaches. Sailing with my father for literally hours on his hobie cat (since we would always get stranded and need to be towed back to shore). Then of course nursing painful sunburns after hours baking in the sun, it took me twenty years to embrace my paleness and realize that I would never be tanned. Plus the dawning of the era wherein people pay good money to achieve the unhealthy pallor that I was trying to rid myself of.

Carefree, happy years of going to school at CIS, swimming lessons at Cebu Country Club, hanging out at friends houses at weekends and sleepovers. CIS really was the best school.

Then the teenage years of STC, Bai disco, sneaking out to Inner Circle since that apparently was a den of Sin and we should not set foot in it. Made it all the more alluring and exciting. Generally sneaking out and finding ways to skirt our curfews.

Then the super fun Halloween parties at Country Club and the costume balls at Casino Espanol.

Then came college and the need to escape the small town. Leaving to study abroad and deciding that under no circumstance could I live in Cebu after graduation. It was too stifling. So I moved to Manila. This was a great time, Euphoria and Faces days plus started building my hotel career at Westin. And then I gave up the career, got married, packed up and moved to Baguio. Where in retrospect was another small town, however, it was a seasonal party with the constant flow Manila people. Nothing could beat a New Years party in Baguio. This was before Boracay became the party destination. My house was always full of house guests.

Years later, was the return to Manila and as well as my return to my hospitality career. In between were trips to Cebu to visit, the Cebu of my youth had changed and was developing into a cosmopolitan city. New people had moved in , new friends were made as well as the rekindling of old friendships. It was always nice to visit but I knew I could still go home to Manila . Could not fathom moving out of Manila.

But life is a circle and nothing ever stays the same. I finally found the opportunity to end my marriage and despite my doubts I came home. Not an easy decision to make, despite all the changes, Cebu is still a small town. A small town where news travels at light speed and everyone gets involved in your life. Everything I essentially ran away from. But it was where I had family and very close friends.

Before moving back I called a very good friend and asked if I could move back, his response, am so excited! That essentially clinched it.

I do not know how long I will be staying this time, whether this will be permanent or after finding myself again I move back to the big city, which I still miss. There are days I want to hop on that plane and get out, satisfy the gypsy in me. But most days I am grateful I am home, grateful for my peace of mind, my new life, my freedom my friends, my family. This love/hate relationship still continues but for the moment the prodigal daughter is home.

–JT

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7 Things You Need To Know Before Watching Balangiga: Howling Wilderness

Following its premiere in October 2017, controversies still creep on “Balangiga: Howling Wilderness”.

This one-of-a-kind film with surreal takes on one of the Philippines’ dark times surely deserves our time. The story is seen through the eyes of a boy that uniquely shows humanity’s cry for help.

Before its screening at your nearest cinema weeks from now, here are seven things you need to know about this morbid film about a portion of our history.

It revolves around the Balangiga Massacre in 1901.

During the American occupation in the Philippines, Company C of the 9^th Infantry Regiment arrived on the south coast of Samar Island, Balangiga in 1901. Their arrival was to cut the contacts of Filipino guerrillas to the people.

According to sources, the Americans confiscated all the weapons of the residents in Balangiga, men were detained and were treated badly. They burned down a church and its bells were taken which are still not returned to date.

Under General Jacob H. Smith’s orders, his officers burned towns and killed all who aged ten and above. For historians and people who lived there, the massacre came after the events of Smith’s orders. Americans practiced scorched earth policy and took food and killed people.

The film revolves around the journey of 8-year-old boy Kulas and his grandfather as they fled the town after Smith’s order to kill everyone over ten years old as revenge for the “rebellion” of the people in Balangiga.

Some scenes were limited especially violence on animals.

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) mentioned that actual scenes of the film were limited.

The sickening scenes of animal slaughter, corpses and deaths will shock or excite us more.

Its tone will keep you interested

Even with gruesome scenes, the dreamy-feels tone with a mood that will continuously haunt you will surely keep you seating on your chair.

The film has minimal dialogues it will also show beautiful shots in the countryside.

It won awards in QCinema International Film Festival 2017

The film won Best Picture during the 2017 QCinema International Film Festival.

Following its back-to-back awards, it also bagged trophies in the 66^th Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) and Urian.

It will be a part of Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2018

Because of its numerous awards in different film festivals, “Balangiga” will be part of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2018 as a guest entry under Special Features Section.

Under this section are best picture awardees in different independent festivals from 2017 to be shown as exhibition films.

The director of the film is also a musician

“Balangiga” was one of the masterpieces of director Khavn dela Cruz. Surprisingly, dela Cruz’s composition “Katurog Na” sang by folk-rock artist Lolita Carbon won Best Original Song in 66^th FAMAS.

It was intended to be a historical film for children

According to dela Cruz, the film is an unfinished project.

In his interview with ABS-CBN, he mentioned that he focused on adding and re-shooting the film to make it more accessible to a wider audience, especially for children.

History films show us more. “Balangiga” explained and portrayed more on the horrors of the armed conflict between the American forces and Filipino people.

More importantly, it showed that there is no good outcome from colonialism.

The film will be shown starting on August 15, 2018 in selected cinemas nationwide including Robinsons Galleria.

See you there!

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Scenes From the Manila Art Fair 2026

photography by Doro Barandino

“Art is unpredictable and goes in different directions. I have no idea. I would rather live the present moment.” —Bencab, National artist of the Philippines.

Q&A with interior decorator and jewellery designer Doro Barandino

Which of the participating art galleries had the most unified and exciting theme?
Leon Gallery had the most amazingly put-together collection. Though the gallery engaged various artists, the overall visual effect felt like one unified theme. Leon Gallery used a sack-like cloth (most likely raw linen) as the background for the booth, and it brought the collection together. It had an old-world feel in a chaotic setting.

Who were the artists that were the most visually engaging?
The works of Carlo Tanseco were definitely my favorite. The artist used an eye chart (Snellen chart) as the background for the image of Dr. Jose Rizal giving us the middle finger—such an “in your face” message. The concept of our national hero as a modern-day provocateur was a wake-up call to everyone. Very subversive and underground material. I was also attracted to the works of Japanese artist Tadashi Kogure; they’re very architectural.

Was the choice of venue and its layout helpful in engaging the whole art vibe?
What I noticed was that the masters like Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo, and Fernando Zóbel still attracted the most viewers at the art fair. People are naturally drawn to their masterful strokes and historical significance, or perhaps these artworks are not readily accessible for public viewing. Or maybe those booths that carried the masters’ works were strategically positioned right after the registrar.

The choice of venue at Center One was a good move—it created a total art vibe. Manila Art Fair remains the premier art fair in the country today, showcasing the finest modern and contemporary art while offering curated projects and immersive installations.

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Butch Carungay’s 50th in Neverland

By Emmanuel Hamoy

Cebu’s glitterati came out in full force for Butch Carungay’s 50th birthday bash at EdenClub. It was a fun-filled night overflowing with Pol Roger, trivia games whilst traipsing the light fantastic.