10 Things You Should Know About Lala Flores & Danica Magpantay

Two for the world: Lala Flores & Danica Magpantay

Like mother-model: Lala Flores (right), was the first Filipina to win the Supermodel of the World competition in 1990. Twenty years later, her daughter Danica Magpantay (left) bagged the same title.

In 1990, Milagros “Lala” Flores won the Supermodel of the World Philippines competition, which led her to compete in the prestigious search for the Ford Supermodel of the World. She went on to become a successful model not only in Manila, but in Singapore and Paris as well. Twenty years later, Lala’s daugher Danica Magpantay, without any prior modeling experience (except what she had researched and her determination), won the same competition. When she competed in New York to become the Ford Supermodel of the World, she won the top prize, making her the first-ever Filipina to bag the title. Today, Danica is a top model for Ford and CalCarrie’s Philippines, and Lala is a top makeup artist. Here are 10 things you should know about supermodel mother and daughter Lala Flores and Danica Magpantay.

1. On being beautiful: “Bata pa lang ako, nagfe-feeling na akong maganda ako.” This, despite the fact that Danica was chubby growing up.

“Kasi nga supermodel yung mommy ko,” Danica says bashfully. “Ngayon ko lang nare-realize na yuck, ang feeling ko!” Lala describes 10-year-old Danica as chubby, as in with chubby cheeks. And even before Danica decided to join the modeling contest, she was 121 pounds, then standing 5’8 1/2”. Yes, not big, but not model skinny either. She dropped down to 109 pounds when she joined Supermodel of the World. She dropped to as low as 103 pounds in New York, now standing 5’9 1/4”.

Lala shares, “Pinalaki ko kasi sila telling them that being payat is not everything. I wanted them to just enjoy.” She says all her kids love to eat, including Danica, and though they were chubby, they never became obese. “I always assured my husband that when vanity kicks in, on their own, they’ll be more conscious.” And sure enough, that happened.

2. After Danica won the title as Supermodel of the World, it was not all glitz and glamor. It came to a point where she asked herself, “Kulang ka ba? Kaya mo ba? Ikaw ba talaga?”

Her voice started shaking and tears started rolling down her face. “I won everything, and nagkaroon ako ng expectation that when you win, everything will just fall into your lap,” Danica shares. Surrounded by so many taller, skinnier, beautiful girls, and getting turned down at castings, it came to a point that she says she tried too hard. “Lord, bakit pinapanalo niyo ako pero ang bagal? Ako ba talaga? Kaya ko ba? Kasi ang sakit, masakit ma-experience yung ganito. Hindi lang yung expectations ng tao sa akin, pero yung expectations ko sa sarili ko. Kasi may dreams ka na na-set. Pero parang habang nagbu-build up yun, tinutumba lahat ng dreams at paniniwala mo sa sarili mo.”

Her mom Lala was also in tears when she shared that now she understood why, at times, they couldn’t contact Danica while working in New York. “When I would try to seek her, I couldn’t find her. She would avoid us. I told her ‘Hon, that’s tough. Rejection is part of modeling.’ I had to tell her that I don’t understand why it’s not happening yet, but I had to keep reassuring her that there’s a time for everything, maybe that’s what God is telling you.”

She had a tough time balancing hope and reality, confessed that she is her own worst critic, and often questioned herself. She learned how to filter out what haters say and how to focus on loved ones surrounding her who care enough to tell her what she needs to work on. She shares that she now understands what her mom said about not being idle. “Always put something in your mind, and always put positive things, good things to enrich yourself” was her mom’s advice. And her own advice to young girls? “Never, ever doubt yourself and always believe you can. Enjoy. Offer it all to God and let Him lead you.”

3. In a year of modeling abroad, Danica matured and learned on her own something important about her mom. “Pag bata ka you tend to generalize, bakit ‘di niya ako mabigyan ng time?”

“Dati nagtatampo ako bakit si Mommy may work on my birthday, why she works on weekends,” Danica reveals. But when she started working and living on her own, she realized that it is inevitable, and it does not mean the person doesn’t love you; they really love you but they just really have to work and earn. Danica even recalls how bad she felt when she first missed her younger sister Emman’s birthday, but now she understands and tries to make her sister understand too. She even jokes with Emman: “Yung kinita ko, ililibre kita.”

When she was whisked off abroad, she was in her first semester as a freshman in the Fine Arts program of UP Diliman. She definitely wants to continue her studies but due to the nature of her work, she is planning to take an online course instead, to be able to work and study at the same time.

She says that because of the shift from a school environment to the fast-paced life in New York, she learned so much about herself. How she reacts to things, how she deals with problems, and what the “real world” is like. She pauses a bit, then shares that one of the hardest things about living alone is how “Kahit nagsk-Skype ka araw araw, hindi pa rin siya pareho.”

4. Lala was discovered by Renee Salud and was originally being groomed to join Binibining Pilipinas.

She joined a university pageant where Mama Renee was a judge. He spotted her and made Lala one of his models, but Lala also eventually got close to Joey Espino, who saw her potential and persuaded her to join Supermodel of the World. “I was 21, I was just enjoying. I thought, why not? I had no expectations.” Binibining Pilipinas was a huge deal even back then and the reason she didn’t stick to the original plan to join the beauty pageant after the modeling competition was: “I got pregnant with Danielle, even before I finished my reign as Supermodel.”

She said that at that time, she had just turned 22 and did not know what to do. The only thing she could think of was to not disgrace her family, so she flew to New York under the guise of modeling work, and gave birth there. Her husband Pogs was not by her side because his visa was denied, but she was taken care of by Pogs’ older sister during her whole stay. It was when she came home to Manila that she and Pogs were able to get married, and laughs as she recalls, “Di pa naglalakad si Danielle at seven months, I was pregnant again!” Baby No. 2 was Danica.

5. Lala and her husband Pogs Magpantay have been married for 20 years. The secret? “We’re really so in love with each other, and we’re simple in our wants.”

Lala goes on to say “I have to give it to him. Even when we had babies, I modeled abroad for four years, and he was very, very supportive.” Lala became a model at 21, became a mother soon after, and after having two kids, had her second wind as a model at 25. “Feeling niya kasi na-stop yung dreams ko, and I think his dream is maging masaya ako,” Lala reveals.

They met 24 years ago when they were both engineering students in Adamson University, Pogs being two years older than Lala. Pogs claims he was stalking Lala for a year, until they finally met by accident near the school library. He was Lala’s first boyfriend. “When I met my husband, feeling ko siya na ang pinaka-gentle na soul na nakilala ko.” She wasn’t a model then, but the first thing Pogs asked her was “Are you a model?” She says the rest is history, and “Hindi na ako hiniwalayan ni Daddy,” Lala says while looking at Danica.

6. Lala was once dieting so much that she collapsed right before an Inno Sotto fashion show in Paris.

At that time, she went down to 104 pounds, and she’s 5’9”. And since they were in Paris and food was so expensive, they would save up a week’s worth of their per diem just to buy a nice pair of shoes. “I wasn’t eating well, I just kept drinking wine, and that was the day of the show!” When it was time to report for makeup, Lala didn’t even make it out the door. The next thing she knew, she was in the bathroom, and good friend Henri Calayag gave her a piece of chocolate to boost her sugar level. She made it to the show, nailed it, and even partied the rest of the night away. She did shows not only in Paris but also in Singapore, Bali, the US, and even modeled alongside superstars Karen Elson and Helena Christensen for Karl Lagerfeld in his Hong Kong show.

When asked if the pressure to be skinny is heavier now than it was before, Lala says, “Now.” She works with models all the time and she sees how pressured they are. She explains that during her time, there was no Internet and no cell phones, so for example if there was a casting in Paris and you happened to be there, you’d get the job. Unlike now when they can book models anytime, from anywhere.

7. Lala and Danica in numbers:

5: Magpantay siblings: Danielle, 20; Danica, 19; Emmanuelle, 15; Mark, 12; and Nicolas, 10.

15: Castings a day Danica goes to during the season for Fashion Week. She shares how tough it is: “Siguro out of 100 castings, I would get booked for eight shows.”

22.5: Inches that Danica’s waistline was, during her skinniest phase in New York. Today she measures 31-23-34.

40-plus: Number of anime keychains of Bleach and Naruto characters in her collection.

400-plus: Runway shows Lala has done in her entire career, both locally and internationally.

2,500: Amount of pesos she used to get paid for one runway show. It would range from P2,500 to P7,000, while international shows could go up to P50,000.

8. Danica and her sister Danielle joined Supermodel of the World Philippines at the same time, and though Danica won, Danielle made it to the Top 8. On how Lala handled having one daughter win and the other lose: “Even before the competition I gave them a heart-to-heart talk. It was both of their decisions to join, and they have to watch each other’s backs.”

Lala told them, “Baby, it’s a competition, so there’s only one winner. Either one of you, or neither one. And I want you to know that you are not competing against each other.” She points out the importance of good communication. Danica recalls rushing backstage for the quick change of the Top 3 finalists, when Danielle ran up to her saying, “Oh wow, Ica, I’m so proud of you! Congratulations, congratulations!” Lala also shares how at the end of that night, Danielle was even saying, “Mommy, may title agad ako, ‘Stage Sister of Danica Magpantay!’”

9. Top tips from the supermodels:

Danica: Set attainable goals.

“Don’t look at something na wala pa. Wag mo tingnan yung hindi ka ganito o hindi ka ganyan. Set realistic goals first. Make sure the steps you will take are going towards that goal. When you achieve it, you know that with every step you took, you made it possible. Enjoy mo lang kasi nothing happens instantly. You really have to work hard.”

Lala: Be happy from within.

“This is what I’ve learned working behind the scenes. A beautiful photo or commercial is a group effort. There’s makeup, angles, lighting, technology. But the happiness you exude, we cannot give you that, we cannot Photoshop that. That should come from within. I always tell Danica what is in your heart is most important.”

10. Lala and Danica define beauty as being sure of, accepting, and being happy with who you are.

“I’ve seen the most beautiful faces, but some, when you see them up close, they lose their radiance,” Lala says. “The way a woman feels about herself, that’s what draws you in,” Danica shares. They both agree that it is personality and outlook on life that makes beauty truly last. Lala gives this reminder to all: “Don’t compare yourself to others, you have your own beauty.”

* * *

For those of you wondering, yes, these supermodels eat! And they eat a lot! Both Danica and Lala ordered soup, salad, and a main dish each during our dinner interview, and when our gracious host chef Jessie Sinsioco came up to us to offer dessert, they instantly said “Yes!” As soon as this beautifully plated Chocolate Kisses dessert got to our table, both their eyes lit up, and the dessert was finished within a few minutes. Danica allows herself chocolates once in a while, and she works out almost everyday. Having a quality conversation with them makes me realize this mother-and-daughter tandem is a paradox. They are supermodels who eat a lot. A 19-year-old who talks wisely, like she’s been modeling for 20 years. A 43-year-old full of idealism and naivete, as though she hasn’t been working in a cutthroat business for two decades now. And they exactly match the description they give of what beauty is. They draw you in, not just with their beautiful faces, but their beautiful hearts.

http://www.philstar.com/sunday-life/771810/two-world-lala-flores-danica-magpantay

10 Things You Should Know About Ramon Jimenez

Tourism. It's more fun for Ramon Jimenez

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez: His top travel tip? “Make sure you put down your camera, or else you will miss the moment . . . at 7 a.m. everyone is himself. You are going to see how they really are.”

A married couple left the agencies where they were employed to start their own agency. From zero, they built a local advertising agency that grew to become the largest multinational advertising agency in the Philippines, even larger than the companies they used to work for. Two weeks ago, the man whose name that ad agency bears presented the new tagline for Philippine tourism: “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” And boy, have people been having fun thinking of ways to promote that line. Here are 10 things you should know about our Department of Tourism Secretary, Ramon Jimenez.

1. On accusations that “It’s more fun in the Philippines” is not an original tagline: “The line was not chosen for its originality, it was chosen because it really rings true.”

On the day of the new DOT campaign launch, an alleged 1951 Swiss tourism ad surfaced, and it read “It’s more fun in Switzerland.” Jimenez goes on to say that no one can really own words, but what we can own is the truth about it. “We don’t know whether it even really ran in Switzerland, or if it was a successful campaign,” Jimenes says. BBDO was the agency that presented “It’s more fun in the Philippines” to DOT, and the Secretary says, “If you know guys like David Guerrero (of BBDO), he has more Cleo awards than some people have teeth, I don’t think he’s going to risk his entire reputation with an ad he dug up.”

On the night itself of the campaign launch, hundreds upon hundreds of photos made by Pinoys — some of them tongue-in-cheek — flooded the Internet, showing different activities or events that are “more fun in the Philippines.” The ones not made by BBDO and DOT that he likes the most are: “Mountain Bikes. More fun in the Philippines,” with a photo of wooden bikes and Ifugaos; “Schools. More fun in the Philippines” with a deep-sea photo of a school of fish; and a line that model Sarah Meier pitched, “You. More fun in the Philippines.”

“We set out to do something that we wanted the people to own, and that’s exactly what happened,” the Secretary says.

2. Even with his post now as DOT Secretary, he prefers to wait on line at all counters in the airport.

When airport staff offer to help him and to make him the priority, he tells them, “I’m very happy you’ve come to welcome me, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to line up.” He says he’s one of those weird (his own words) people who enjoy the peace and quiet of waiting in line, and actually enjoys kicking his bag a few inches every time he takes a step closer to the counter. He’s been traveling on his own for years, and the lines may be good some days and bad on others, but “not so difficult physically that a public official can’t do it himself.”

Queuing up on his own also helps him see what needs to be improved in the system. In fact, he recently just met with NAIA GM Honrado and asked, “Why do I have to take off my shoes if I’m not traveling to the United States? They’re still busy trying to get me an answer to that.” He predicts they will stop doing that very soon. He excitedly talks about the plans for the NAIA airport and the international airport in Clark, but warns there will be a difficult two-year period where we all have to be patient. “Remember how it is now, because some day it’s going to get better.”

3. On the switch from working in advertising to being a public official: “It’s something I recommend to anyone who is completing a career.”

Stalwarts in the Philippine advertising industry, Sec. Mon and his wife Abby were asked by P-Noy to come onboard after the elections, around June 2010. They said no. Months later, they were asked again, and as Jimenez puts it, “When your president asks you again, you say yes.” Advertising is an extremely lucrative industry, and having moved to government in September 2011, I asked Jimenez to share what his salary is, or even the range. “I don’t want to make people sad, they might stop believing that it’s fun,” he jokes. But he says the pay is more than made up for by how rewarding the job is, saying it’s a “position to make an even bigger difference than you thought you were making when you were in the private sector.”

4. He and his wife Abby founded and ran advertising agency Jimenez Basic, and worked together across a desk every day for 20 years.

They met in ad agency Ace Saatchi, and eventually got married. Though Abby moved on to work in another agency, they ended up working together again when she quit her job and founded ad agency Jimenez and Partners (now Publicis Jimenez Basic) in 1989. Six months after, he followed suit. Twenty years later in 2008, they both retired. Having been together at work and at home daily for two decades, people always ask they how they can still stand each other. “Be careful, you might be saying more about your marriage than ours,” was always their quick reply. Jimenez says that if you have your spouse as your business partner, you have absolutely no reason to question her motives when you argue. He adds, “We always settled our arguments very neatly, in other words, I gave in.” She always won anyway, he says, and that kept the peace.

When he and Abby started Jimenez Basic, they literally had zero clients. Their first project was to do merchandising for Dunkin’ Donuts and Shakeys, and they didn’t even have the advertising account, they simply had the branch operations account. He remembers drawing and writing the posters all by hand. Despite the many awards their agency has won since, he shares, “If you ask me, that was our most important campaign.”

5. Secretary Jimenez in numbers:

31: Years he and his wife Abby have been married. When people ask them what the secret is, they joke, “We’ve been too busy to quarrel.”

2: Number of children they have: Nina, 30, a creative director, and Sassa, 25, a fashion designer

21: Age when he got his first job, straight from his thesis, to work in advertising. He graduated with a fine arts degree from UP.

8: Number of meetings a day.

4: Number of dogs they have in the family. One each! His is an Alaskan Malamute named Atkam (which, in Eskimo, means “guardian”) that weighs 123 pounds. They also co-own a canine behavior center called Better Dogs, which they call a dog hotel. “It’s not just a kennel, it’s a full-service hotel where we feed, bathe, and walk the dogs.”

6. One basic rule in advertising that can be applied to life: “You have to tell the truth. Nothing works like the truth.”

“Your obligation is to make the truth compelling and exciting, but to tell it nonetheless,” he shares.

7. On the public officials revealing their SALN: “I believe it should be public, under any and all circumstances.”

The DOT Secretary believes that the SALN is gathered precisely because it must be open to the public, and if it will be kept a secret anyway, don’t bother getting it. He adds: “A SALN that is not open to the public is like arranging flowers in the dark. What’s it for?” He had to declare everything other than his shorts, he shares, and fair is fair.

When I asked him what he feels when people judge the government as sobrang corrupt, he responds, “It’s not true that it’s sobrang corrupt.” He believes that decency is back in the government, and though it may be far from perfect, we are back to no longer being ashamed of our leaders. “This country is no longer run by men and women who sit around the table dividing money,” he says. “We’ve become a normal nation again, we’re no longer the underachieving, corrupt, neighborhood failure.” And he says it’s no big deal: that we should expect a bunch of decent men and women to be running the government, and that’s the way it should be.

8. He’s been to many key cities and provinces even before his DOT post, but the places he hasn’t been to and wants to visit are Siargao and Tawi Tawi.

Siargao to check out the surfing, and Tawi Tawi (along with many other parts of Mindanao) are both on his list. He of course isn’t allowed to pick any favorite cities or destinations, but he does share some interesting trivia:

• The world’s thickest forest is in the Philippines, in Sibuyan Island, Romblon. It’s thicker than the Amazon forest. Not to mention the many species endemic to the Philippines.

• Baguio isn’t our only mountain city and there are others we need to develop, such as Mount Kitanglad in Bukidnon.

• One of the most incredible churches he’s seen in the world is the Sta. Ana Church. It’s centuries old, and “really incredible.”

• There is a fiesta every day of the year in the Philippines. Even two on some days.

He asserts: “More than the places, it’s really the people. We’re not just a place to see, but a place to be.”

9. Jimenez’s top travel tip: “Make sure you put down your camera, or else you will miss the moment.”

He believes travel is learning how to see and feel at the same time. Otherwise, it will just be such a waste of energy. “Some of my best insights on a place have come just looking outside the window,” he says.

One interesting thing he said — which I hope to observe as well — is that “at 7a.m., everyone is himself. You are going to see how they really are.” Then, he says, you will pick up an insight.

10. He hopes by the end of his term to have finally built up enough energy around tourism to give the Philippines a positive image that is larger than its negative one.

More than the image of a place of crime, typhoons, and disasters, he says “If we are able to do this right by 2016, when you say ‘Philippines,’ the immediate image will be happy, fun, adventure, bright colors.” Even our own self-image is gradually changing: “At least in our minds we’re more fun than we were two weeks ago!” And we are going to build momentum.

In 2011, we had 3.8 million foreign tourists. Thailand had 15 million, and Malaysia had 24 million. And those who have been to both Thailand and Malaysia know that the Philippines has just as many, if not better, sights and experiences to offer. Not to mention our being one the friendliest people in the world! Note that 3.4 million Pinoys are directly employed by tourism, meaning that for every foreign tourist that arrives, one Filipino gets to work. The real goal is to create more jobs and income for people. This year’s target is 4.2 million tourists. “The new Philippine campaign is like an advertising lesson for the whole country,” he says.

* * *

Jimenez is far from the stereotype people expect government officials to be. He is approachable, laid-back, and does pretty much everything on his own, not dependent on assistants or bodyguards. I first met him the week the DOT campaign was launched, and during that week, I know that he personally met with different people (bloggers, journalists, young movers, icons) two or three at a time, taking over an hour to just explain the campaign and gather insights. I was only one of over 20 people he met with, and I can only imagine how draining it was to explain the same things over and over again. If we ourselves won’t believe in this campaign, why should tourists? Let’s live up to being the reason why people have more fun in the Philippines. Get with the program. “We are natural game changers because we cannot play the game the way the rest of the world plays it,” the Secretary said during his Ad Congress speech. It’s time to change the game.

http://www.philstar.com/travel-and-tourism/769771/tourism-its-more-fun-ramon-jimenez 

10 Things You Should Know About The boys of Boys Night Out

A night out with the Boys

From boys to men: Tony Toni, Sam YG and Slick Rick of the radio program Boys Night Out on Magic 89.9 are funny, playful, naughty, makulit, and at times manyak.

 We may not be able to do anything about Metro Manila traffic, but a lot of us have found a solution to make the time spent stuck bumper to bumper at least more enjoyable. All thanks to Anthony Bueno, Eric Virata, and Sam Gogna, otherwise known as Tony Toni, Slick Rick and Sam YG of the radio program Boys Night Out on Magic 89.9. They are funny, playful, naughty, makulit, and at times manyak, which make them a favorite of students and yuppies on the road between 6 and 10 p.m. on weeknights. It has been said that 70 percent of their listeners are women, but a lot of men call their show to open up about their deepest, darkest secrets. Whether you listen to them or not, be amused and learn from the 10 things you should know about the boys of Boys Night Out.

1. The great thing about their trio is that nobody takes the jokes personally. “We have to make fun of ourselves first, before we can make fun of others,” Slick says.

When Tony, Slick, and Sam got together to host Boys Night Out in 2006, there was no need to adjust or warm up. Their chemistry was instant. Tony (the more “wild” one) became a DJ in 1999, Slick (the “boy next door”) in 2001, and Sam (the mix of both) in 2003. “We had no dead air, walang sapawan, we were just flowing,” Tony shares about their first few shows together. With their more than five-year friendship, they have never had a single serious fight between them, and they attribute that to the respect they have for one another’s individuality. They admit to knowing most everything about each other’s lives — though not their love lives. “Who we sleep with, who we’re dating, who we’re in negotiations with (Tony’s new term),” they never share about. No names. Don’t ask, don’t tell: that is their rule.

2. Tony was born and raised in Canada, and after a series of unlikely events, the last one being a breakup, he decided to move to Manila in 1999. And he hasn’t had a girlfriend since.

Tony has been single for 13 years. “I needed a change of lifestyle, I needed to love myself, and I wanted to be in control of my life,” he says. He came home to the Philippines not really knowing what he was going to do, but what he did know was that he wanted to affect the lives of millions of people. From modeling to being a bar promo boy to being a DJ, he just wanted to entertain people. When asked why he hasn’t had a relationship since, he says, “I don’t think I’m ready to be fully responsible.” It’s not you, it’s him. Literally. “I don’t have the heart to go on air and do what I do and have a girlfriend. It won’t be fair to the girl.”

3. Slick and his then-girlfriend were all set  to get married and move to Florida in 2005. Until he was offered to do BNO.

There was a point when he felt he had done all he wanted to do in radio, and his girlfriend wanted to leave the Philippines, so they planned their wedding. A few months into doing BNO, he enjoyed it and realized that he wanted to stay. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that his plans had changed, until one time, she was the one who told him “I know you changed your mind, there’s something different in you especially when you’re on the show.” She still moved abroad and Slick stayed, and though they tried to go the distance, it didn’t work out in the end. Are they still friends now? “No,” Slick says. “Pati kami! Un-friend-ed sa Facebook,” Sam says jokingly. Slick still believes he will find that kind of love again someday, and right now, he is seeing someone.

4. Sam, along with “Shivaker” (a love guru character on BNO), gives great love advice. But he can never apply the same love advice to make his own relationships work.

“When you’re in that emotional love stage, wala, your wall is down,” Sam shares. He was in a relationship when BNO started, and after that, he dated a couple of celebrities including Karylle and Daiana Menezes. He has been single for more than four years now. “How can you tell a person you love them, then you say all these things on air?” He says it usually is okay for the first few months, but at some point, their on-air personas become too much for the girls to handle. Plus, for the girl to understand their job is one thing, for the family to accept them is another. All the love advice he gives on the show is unscripted and spontaneous. “I talk to a lot of people about their love problems, plus my personal experience, and then I put it all into perspective.”

5.Tony Toni, Slick Rick, and Sam YG in numbers:  6: Total number of serious relationships between the three of them (two each).

45: Percentage of the audience share that listens to them during their time slot.

7,500: Number of pesos salary per month on their first job in radio. “You don’t do radio for the money, you have to do it because you love it,” Tony explains.

500-plus: Percentage increase in their income since they started hosting BNO. “It took a long time, it was a lot of hard work and sleepless nights,” Sam shares.

9.5: Their shoe size. (Yes, they all have the same shoe size, and they all stand between 5’8” and 5’9”.)

6. Comparing the boys: Most girls who approach: Sam Gets the most girls: Tony.  “Walang wingman required, he will get the job done,” Sam reveals.

 Pinaka-”mama’s boy”: “We’re all mama’s boys,” Tony shares.

Cheeziest when in love: Sam

Drives the nicest car: Sam

Most vain: Sam. “Goatee pa lang, 45 minutes na!”

Most religious: Slick and Sam. “They go to church every Sunday,” Tony says. Slick replies, “but a lot of people don’t know that Tony is very spiritual.” Tony goes on a pilgrimage every year.

Most conservative: Tony

Most shy/quiet: Slick. “These two keep talking, so I just want to listen!”

Goes home the latest from gimmick: Tony

7. From the hundreds of callers they’ve talked to, what shocks them most about women is how many of them commit adultery. What shocks them most about men is how they are just as emotional as women.

“So many women are willing to cheat if they can get away with it,” shares Tony. Sam says it’s unbelievable how many callers are cheating on their husbands or boyfriends. Slick is quick to point out that “men don’t realize that women can actually do it (cheat) better, because they lie better.” The boys always tell their callers that they do not condone cheating.

They say that men are emotional especially when it comes to love. “Super!” they all say in unison. It is their ego that gets in the way, that’s why women don’t get to see how emotional men really are.

On why people confess their problems and affairs to the boys on air: “The anonymity. They can’t be seen and they won’t be known by just their names, they tell their story and we just listen. It’s therapeutic.”

8. The one “bro” rule that should never be broken: never get into a relationship with your barkada’s girlfriend or ex-girlfriend. The one thing girls should never do to get a guy’s attention: stalk.

“If the girl is an ex of a really good friend or barkada, wag na,” Tony says about the bro code. They have all heard one too many stories of friends dating friends’ exes and how it has ruined friendships. What if you are really attracted to the person and they just happen to be the ex of a good friend? “Confront the person first before you do anything, but as much as possible, just stay away.”

The boys believe women should never stalk the men they like. “I got home, she was at the foyer on my floor, and it was four in the morning,” Sam shares. “Online stalking is okay, I ignore it, but once someone showed up at my front door, I was so scared,” Tony says.

Slick adds another thing girls should never do: play stupid or act like a ditz. “If you have something substantial to say, say it, because guys like smart girls. Don’t dumb yourself down.”

9. Their top dating advice: Sam says: Be yourself. “People always try to put up a front, but when you realize down the road that the person is not like that, then it all just becomes messy.”

Slick shares something similar: Don’t put your best foot forward. “The more you do that, the more the girl will expect. If you gave her this, or brought her here, then you’re always going to have to outdo the last. And no one can do that.”

Tony says: Get to know a person fully, before you commit. “Everyone can do the lovey-dovey texts, the dinners, movies, DVD nights. You have to get to know them both outside and inside the home. In the bedroom, domestically, it’s a whole different story.”

10. They are not afraid of commitment. Instead, it’s an issue of not having time and the fear of committing to the wrong woman.

All three boys say they are not ready to commit to a relationship right now. “Hindi pwede yung, ‘okay commit tayo, relationship tayo, but let me put it on the side ‘cause I’m also busy working,’” 28-year-old Sam explains. And right now, work takes so much of their time that there really won’t be any time for a relationship. Thirty-year-old Tony says: “I’m so into my profession that I will not let love for a woman interfere with my love for my work.” When I tell him that maybe he just hasn’t met the “game changer,” he says, “The girl that will love me because I do what I do, will be the it.” They all would like to have a family eventually. When asked to give an estimate of what age they would want to settle down, 31-year-old Slick says that will just come. “If you put a number on it, you’re putting a deadline on yourself. You’ll count how many years are left and you’re just going to stress yourself out.

Do they ever get lonely? “Of course,” the boys say. “When you want to text someone at 3 a.m.,” Tony shares. “Or when you just want to have a really good conversation,” Sam says. They all agree that the happiness you feel with partners you just get physical with or sleep with can never mask the loneliness of longing for someone. The key? “You have to be totally in love with yourself and you have to be totally secure with your being single,” Tony shares. And secure in being single, these boys totally are.

* * *

The boys have become so popular because so many people can relate to them. A group of single friends just having fun, trying to meet people along the way, and trying to make sense and make fun of it all. It may sound funny, but it has become the boys’ advocacy to make people laugh with their naughty brand of humor, and as a result, set aside any possibility of entering a serious relationship. As animated and happy-go-lucky as they may seem, they actually have very valuable advice to share.

Slick says, “Some people think they need someone to complete them. No, you need you to complete yourself.”

Sam says, “It’s going to be a beautiful relationship when two people love themselves and get together knowing fully their self worth as individuals.”

Tony says, “It’s only when people go through a massive breakup or traumatizing experience that they realize they have to love themselves, but it doesn’t have to get to that point. You can love yourself right now.

Wise words can also come from the rowdy boys next door.

http://www.philstar.com/sunday-life/767477/night-out-boys

10 Things You Should Know About “Nanay Coring” Ramos

Grand Bossing at 88

National Book Store founder Socorro “Nanay Coring” Ramos:She was an entrepreneur at age 10, peeling off paper from cigarettes. She wears  an outfit with rosettes

 What started as a stall in Escolta selling textbooks and G.I. novels is now National Book Store, the largest bookstore chain in the Philippines with affiliate companies Powerbooks, Crossings Department Store, Anvil Books, Atlas Publishing, Cacho Hermanos Printing Press, NBS Book Express (that’s only to name a few), thanks to Mrs. Socorro Cancio-Ramos. National Book Store outlasted their competition back in the day, which included Alemar, Philippine Education and Vasquez. Hers is a story to inspire every aspiring businessman, and the stuff fairy tales are made of. People say she can sell almost anything to absolutely anyone. She is one of the most charming people you will meet in your life. These are 10 things you should know about “super salesgirl” Socorro Ramos, more fondly known as Nanay Coring.

1. She is still very much the boss and goes to work every day, entertains and negotiates with publishers who are in town, and checks the warehouse and the branches. To this day! And she is 88!

“You have to be an example,” Nanay Coring explains. “They can say, ‘eh kung siya nagbubulakbol, eh di magbubulakbol din ako.’ But if you show that you are there on time in the morning up to leaving time, then you are the example.” She doesn’t take vitamins and is not on any maintenance medicine. She says she has been blessed with good health. What keeps her going? “I eat a lot,” she says, and bashfully shares that lechon is her favorite.

2. On tablets, e-books, e-zines, and the Internet: “I tell you, there’s nothing like a book.”

She says this about books: “It’s something that you can write on, highlight if you like a certain paragraph, you can smell it, showcase it, hand it down to your children and your children’s children.” On National Book Store having a website, she says there’s no choice since that’s part of the game. “It’s a sad thing if books will disappear, although I don’t think that will happen.”

3. Nanay Coring in numbers:

11: Number of great grandchildren, from nine grandchildren from her three children — Alfredo and wife Presentacion Sunico, Benjamin and wife Virginia Sian, and daughter Cecilia and husband Maximo Licauco.

268: Number of santos in her collection, 233 in her home and 35 in her office. Her favorite is St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost things, because “Isang beses nawalan ako ng singsing, I prayed and prayed to him, and I found it.”

98: Grade she received in her favorite subject back in school, which was biology.

4,500: Current number of employees of National Book Store in 150 branches nationwide.

15: Awards received, including the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2005.

4. Nanay Coring was an entrepreneur at the age of 10.

Every year, during the two-month vacation from school, she would take on a “summer job.” They had neighbors who were working in the cigarette factory, and they offered her the job of having to peel off the paper from the cigarettes — two packs for five centavos. “It was a whole warehouse of cigarette packs,” Nanay Coring shares. “And I could not finish that so I hired 10 of my playmates, then I’d pay them.” Her tubo? 2.5 centavos per package.

On another vacation break, she worked at American Sweets wrapping bubble gum, and was even commended by her foreign employer for being one of the fastest bubble gum wrappers. During another two months, she worked as a server in a small restaurant, where a customer actually ordered an extra bottle of milk for her to drink on the spot because she was too skinny. “I was very thin, kasi mahirap lang kami,” Nanay Coring says. She was the second to the youngest among six children.

5. She eloped with husband Jose Ramos when she was 19. Although she wouldn’t advise young people to do the same because times are different now, she says that in her case, “It was the right decision.”

She vividly remembers being in Avenue Theater watching film footage of the Pearl Harbor bombing during World War II. It was when the Japanese occupied the Philippines that her then-boyfriend said, “Sumama ka na sa akin.” She recalls, “So sinundo ako sa Sta. Cruz, Laguna, at derecho kami kay Judge Almeda Lopez to get married.” Her late husband Jose had a sister who married her older brother Manuel, and Nanay Coring met Jose while working at the Ramos family-owned Goodwill Bookstore. Jose took over one of the branches, which he and Nanay Coring renamed as National Book Store.

On what made her fall in love with him, she fondly says, “Mabait. At masipag.” She shares: “They say love is blind, pero ang pagmamahal, impulse. You cannot impose.”

6. She and her husband had to build and rebuild National Book Store three times. While others would take that as a sign that it might not be the right business to pursue, Nanay Coring insisted on sticking to it: “That’s the only thing I know.”

Nanay Coring went to a public school for elementary and high school. As much as she wanted to go to college (she wanted to take up medicine), her parents had no money to send her to school (both tuition and books were so expensive). When asked if she ever thought of going back to school when she did get to save up enough money, she says, “No more, I was too busy with the business already.” She does believe that education is a person’s most important asset, the key to the future, and the most reliable escape from poverty.

During the early days of National Book Store, she and her husband were everything from manager to cashier to janitor. After building their business selling at a stall, they had to rebuild a second time after the war had left everything in shambles. But of all the hardships she went through in life, the hardest would have to be the third time they had to rebuild, when Typhoon Gene hit and the roof of their barong barong store flew off and everything was soaked. “My arms and feet were numb, yun pala those were signs of having a heart attack,” she recalls. It was firm determination that pushed them to go on, getting a bank loan worth P300,000 back in the 1940s.

It has become her advocacy to sell quality books and supplies at a reasonable price, saying: “Well, because once upon a time, wala din akong pera.”

7. She had a close encounter with Japanese soldiers during the war, and despite the language barrier, they understood each other and the soldiers even gave her a gift.

Nanay Coring recalls being so scared one time when their whole house was surrounded by soldiers. She was thinking of ways to make them leave. “Nakita ko yung isang Hapon na may sword, siguro leader yun, so lumapit ako. Di kami magkaintindihan pero tinuro ko yung mga Hapon. Naintindihan niya ako. Umalis nga sila.” She then cooked bukayo, a traditional Filipino coconut and sugar dessert, and gave it to them. “Tuwang tuwa sila. The next day, binigyan nila ako ng dalawang piyesa ng pranela para daw sa kambal,” she shares. Amidst the war, there were simple acts of kindness. As Nanay asserts, “Actions speak louder than words.”

8. She prefers reading to watching TV, but if you ask who her favorite actor is, she’ll say it’s John Lloyd Cruz.

Nanay Coring’s daughter-in-law Tita Virgie Ramos shares that Nanay finds John Lloyd exceptionally good looking and a very good actor. And since Nanay Coring doesn’t like watching her favorites play “the bad guy,” John Lloyd’s choice of roles in both TV and film made her love him more. She also likes the trademark humor of his commercials.

9. Nanay Coring on the youth today:

Biggest change in a good way: “They are more intelligent. That’s my observation with my grandchildren, maybe because they have more access to reading materials now. They are a little bit more aggressive. They don’t fear about getting lugi. If they fail, they stand up again very quickly.”

Best invention the youth use: “Apple. Yung mga ganyan na ginawa ni Steve Jobs.” She says she doesn’t buy gadgets on her own but a lot of people give her. She’s still trying to learn how to use them.

On cell phones: She only uses them to call. She knows what the word “jejemon” means and in one speech, she shared how she got a text that said “CUL8R” and had no idea that it meant she was supposed to see that person later in the day.

10. With all her accomplishments in life, at the end of the day, she feels her biggest achievement is “having good children and good families.”

“I can disappear anytime,” she shares. “But if your children know how to let the business go on, and you know they have good values, then you’re happy.” When asked how it feels that her children’s children’s children now enjoy a comfortable life, opposite of her life as a child, she says, “I thank God for giving me all this after so much hardship, and I just pray na maging mabait sila.”

On the best advice she can give young people:

1) “You have to have firm determination to succeed.”

2) “Be humble, even if you are successful, don’t act as if kung sino ka.”

3) “Be industrious.”

* * *

One of the most recent and most inspiring awards that Nanay Coring received was the MVP Grand Bossing Award for 2011. She was hailed as the big winner, besting 12 other Bossing awardees, chosen from among 200 nominees. I was told that during the awards night, in the middle of the program as others received their awards, she noticed her name wasn’t being called. She turned to her companions and shyly commented, “Sigurado ba kayo kasama ako dito?” Despite literally having gone from rags to riches, Nanay Coring has remained so humble. Of course, for the finale of the MVP Bossing Awards Night, when her name was called, everyone gave her a thunderous standing ovation. In her speech, she shared that there really is no secret to succeeding in life, and that if there is one, it would probably be the worst-kept secret ever. “Everybody knows it. Ask any entrepreneur and they will almost always tell you the same thing. Sipag at tiyaga.”

She has no secret to her success, lasting love, or good health. Nanay Coring is 88 years of living proof that clichés like “Work hard,” “Follow your heart” and “Enjoy what you do” are not just clichés, they are truly the keys to living everyone’s dream: a happy and successful life.

http://www.philstar.com/sunday-life/759144/grand-bossing-88

10 Things You Should Know About Phil and James Younghusband

The life and loves of Phil and James Younghusband

They are the poster boys for Philippine football today. Whether you’re crazy about them or whether you think they are overrated, it is undeniable that Phil and James are a big part of giving football its much-needed and well-deserved attention and support. With the explosion of the popularity of the Azkals this year came their national heartthrob status, the media frenzy over their personal lives, and their dream come true of meeting and getting to play with their idol, football superstar David Beckham. But this year also brought a tragic loss to their lives, with their mother’s demise last September. It has indeed been a roller-coaster year for the two. Beyond their good looks, endearing accents and public personas, here are 10 things you should know about brothers Phil and James Younghusband.

1. They feel that the toughest part of their newfound fame is actually sustaining all the hype and proving that football is not just a fad.

Getting stopped every few minutes for a picture or autograph isn’t the tough part for Phil and James, and in fact Phil says, “I think we enjoy it because we’re being recognized for our ability, something we’ve worked so hard for since we were three years old. It’s a huge compliment.” The biggest pressure in their opinion is keeping people interested in the sport. They would hate to see people be into football now, but next year, not really care about it. “We want to find ways to sustain it so that football will become more and more popular,” Phil shares. “We didn’t realize that what we had to do was win against Vietnam to gain this kind of popularity,” James says. From planning all these things they can do to increase awareness about football, they now have to manage what projects to do or not do, for the good of the sport.

2. As to the never-ending questions about whether they will enter show business, they both say they won’t, unless it’s related to football. They recently signed a three-year deal with AKTV to host tutorial segments as the channel’s football ambassadors.

Phil joined a reality singing contest and James did some commercials prior to the Azkals’ fame, but they did all that in hopes of gaining awareness for football. “Now that people know us as football players, we can try and dictate how we present ourselves,” Phil explains. “Before, it was so awkward when they’d ask us to dance,” James recalls. “But now, when it comes to doing football shoots, time flies and we have so much fun.” As long as the project doesn’t lose sight of their goal to promote the sport and generate interest, the brothers say they’re game to do it.

3. James says that when Phil is in love, “he’s sweeter, but also not as cocky and arrogant.” Phil says that when James is in love, “he’s a gentleman and is very sweet.”

When Phil is in love, James says, “he doesn’t talk about himself as much, he talks about the other person.” Though still mum about the real status between him and Angel Locsin, Phil proudly shares that Angel is “more stunning than anyone I’ve ever been out with, more kind, and has one of the best hearts I know.” Angel, though also mum on their status, recently openly shared they are happy knowing that “ako ay para sa kanya, siya ay para sa akin.”

Phil shares about James and his half-British, half-Filipina girlfriend Fiona Faulkner: “When I’m with them, they’re very happy. She’s a positive influence on James.” On what it was about Fiona that stood out, James says, “she was enjoyable to be around, would always make me laugh, and would always look out for me.”

It is very important for both James and Phil that their younger sister Keri likes the girls they are with, and they both say — with huge smiles on their faces — that Keri likes the girls they are with now.

4. The brothers compare themselves:More good-looking: According to them, James is the more handsome one and Phil is the cuter one.

Dated more girls: Phil.

More kuripot: James.

More pilyo: Phil.

More religious: Both. Phil says he prays the rosary daily and James goes to Mass when he can. They were both sacristans as kids.

More vain: Phil.

Cries more: Phil. James says he loses his temper more.

Laughs more: Phil.

5. James is 11 months older than Phil, but they were in the same year in school. Phil says: “I think being in the same year helped us because we never had to do anything alone.”

James was the oldest and Phil the youngest in their batch. Did they ever copy homework from each other? “I was smarter than James and I didn’t want him to copy my answers,” Phil jokes. James defends himself saying, “I had neater handwriting and I could draw better.” The more animated and more talkative Phil took up math, while the more reserved and more softspoken James took up graphic design. They went through exactly the same things and so they always motivated each other. “When I’m not doing so well and James is doing better, that would motivate me to do better, and vice versa,” Phil shares.

6. Growing up, they would travel from England to Malabon for vacation every year. What finally made them stay was when someone found them on a video game, which led to the Philippine National Team inviting them to play here.

Both James and Phil grew up training with the Chelsea Football Club in England since they were 10 years old, and that’s basically where they learned everything they know about the sport. It was a mystery gamer playing “Football Manager” who saw their names on the video game’s roster of characters and spotted that the brothers had Filipino blood. “They contacted the Football Federation in the Philippines, the PFF contacted Chelsea, and Chelsea told us,” Phil recalls. In 2005, they were invited to play for the Philippines and they trained with the team and enjoyed it. Phil says, “We saw that football wasn’t so popular here and that there was room for improvement, so we wanted to be a part of that.” James adds, “We were asking, ‘Why don’t they do this and that,’ and we thought, why don’t we just move here and help?” It was always in their plan to live here, but it was in 2008 when both their contracts for Chelsea were expired that they decided to move to the Philippines for good.

7. The Younghusband brothers in numbers:

7: James’ jersey number.

10: Phil’s jersey number.

8,000: Salary as an Azkal per month in pesos (whether star player or reserve, everyone gets paid the same amount.)

8: Pairs of football shoes they have on rotation a year. “It depends on the fashion as well,” James shares. Phil wears size 10.5 and James wears 13.

129,887: Current total hits of their YouTube videos Teach Me How To Philly where Phil gives a dance tutorial, and Teenage Dream where James lip syncs and dances.

8. Their reasons for putting up The Younghusband Football Academy: to spread love for football as a sport for the working class, not an elitist sport; and so they can still play football, even after their football playing career.

Both of them have coaching licenses from the UEFA, and in TYFA, James handles the technical and logistical needs, while Phil executes the plans with their partner coaches. Since they began in 2010, they’ve already gone to over 10 provinces, partnering with local governments for resources and funding. Also, designer Rhett Eala created a special line of shirts at Collezione for TYFA, and currently, part of the proceeds of the sales go to funding the scholars at the academy.

TYFA holds two- to three-month-long camps where 40 to 60 children have free football training two or three times a week. For the trainers, they hold a weekend session. “One thing we’ve noticed in the Philippines, even the well-developed coaches are more instructional, when it should be more interaction with the kids,” James shares. Phil explains further, “They should be asking questions, telling them how they can do it and where they went wrong, praise the good things, don’t comment on the bad things.” It’s more of teaching them how to coach rather than what to coach. It is also very important for them that the kids enjoy and have fun. “We don’t want them going away saying ‘That was hard work,’ and they lose interest,” Phil says.

9. They lost their dad to lung cancer in 2004, and they lost their mom to a massive heart attack just this year. The most important lesson they learned from both their parents: family comes first.

“Dad would always get angry at us if we didn’t spend much time with the family,” James recalls. Phil shares: “Even though they were from different cultures, they had the same heart. It was always about family and they made sure we would always stick together.” James, now 25, and Phil, 24, share that their dad was the one who kept them disciplined, and their mom was the one they leaned on whenever they were in trouble.

When their dad Philip Sr. passed away, they saw the slow deterioration because he was sick. It was their first time dealing with a close death in the family. “Keri just turned two a couple of days before my dad passed away, and so my dad was bedridden for her birthday,” Phil shares. “We were so young then, and it was very difficult.” James shares, “We had our friends and family to support us, it made us all closer.”

When their mom Susan passed away, they were in Bacolod. They tried to get a private plane just to get them back to Manila faster, but to no avail. They didn’t arrive in Manila until early the next morning. “Keri has been amazing because I think she’s been stronger than me and James during this tough time,” Phil shares. He adds that the afternoon before their mom died, she called them up to check on them. “We’re happy that at least our last words to each other were ‘I love you’ and ‘I love you, too.’”

10. They now stand as both dad and mom to their 10-year-old sister Keri. James says their biggest dream for her is: “To do what she loves doing, like us.”

“I don’t want her to be forced into football, I want her to do something she loves doing,” James adds. Phil answers, “I want her to grow up with respect for others.”

Their biggest fear when it comes to Keri? “Boyfriends,” James shares with a smile. “I don’t like her taste in boys.” Phil adds, “I just want her to be safe, especially with all the things you hear in the news now.”

As to who between them is the disciplinarian and who is the spoiler, they say they change roles. They share that the most difficult part is balancing being strict and lenient with her. Phil opens up, saying, “We just want Keri to run to us whenever she’s feeling bad or has a problem.”

* * *

With their deep sense of nationalism and Filipino values, you wouldn’t think that Phil and James had spent their formative years halfway across the world. Hearing their life stories, you will see that they exude a trait we Pinoys take much pride in: resiliency. Whether it be fixing little flaws in the way the academy runs, to keeping what is private away from the public, or adjusting from being sons to being heads of the family, they take it all in stride. At the beginning of the interview I asked what it is about football they love so much. They said, “the range of emotions, dealing with the highs and the lows.” This is probably what equipped them to deal with the challenges of life. “After losing a game, we don’t let it get us down. We bounce back.”

http://www.philstar.com/sunday-life/756742/life-and-loves-phil-and-james-younghusband

10 Things You Should Know About Eugene Domingo

Eugene Domingo: You can't do comedy if you haven't experienced tragedy

“How ironic it is that as an artista, so many people fuss over you, want to meet you or kiss you or hug you, but when you get home, you’re in your room, and you’re just a normal person, you’re alone!”

She is a breakthrough lead actress. For this month’s filmfest, she is seen in three films: the all-out comedy Enteng ng Ina Mo, the family comedy My Househusband, and the horror franchise Shake, Rattle, and Roll. Next year, her film Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank will be the official entry of the Philippines in the 84th Academy Awards. She also starts shooting a movie musical soon with good friend, writer and director Chris Martinez, based on Apo Hiking Society songs. She claims she doesn’t feel “schizo” when taking on so many roles at the same time, quite a feat for someone who did nine movies just this year. Here are 10 things you might want to know about Eugene Domingo.

1. On why and how she became so funny: “I think it’s a gift… I think it’s my face.”

I asked her what about her childhood, and how she turned out to be so funny. She says it was nothing specific that led to comedy. She remembers watching everything and reading everything from comics to broadsheets, tabloids to books. She recalls mimicking her teachers back in school, then her classmates would laugh, and she would laugh, too. “Hindi ako aware na joke pala yun. I was just being me!” Neither did she consciously try to hone her comedic skills, it just happened. In time, she learned some techniques, but she never pushed too hard if she knew it wasn’t funny.

She reveals: “My idea of having a good time is when you laugh, I laugh, too. You don’t laugh at me, we laugh together.”

2. She strongly believes that one cannot do comedy if one has not experienced tragedy. Her biggest tragedy? “My being single! If you can consider it a tragedy!”

Uge explains how ironic it is that as an artista, so many people fuss over you, want to meet you or kiss you or hug you, “but when you get home, you’re in your room, and you’re just a normal person, you’re alone!” She is quick to defend herself saying “hindi ko naman sinasabing nagwa-walling ako!” (A term referring to crying while leaning on the wall, sliding down in agony.) She points out that laughter and tears go hand in hand, saying, “See? Natawa ka!”

When asked about the pressure of people expecting comedians to be funny at all times, she says: “At first, nakakainis. Sandali, tao lang naman ako.” But after a few years, she realized that you can’t blame the public for having that expectation because you are part of their household. During her “off” days, she just smiles, says nothing, explaining that others don’t deserve to know whatever bad thing you are going through because that’s part of the job. “Then you think of your savings,” she laughs naughtily.

3. Of all her leading men, for her, the pinakamasarap one is Richard Gutierrez.

“Richard Gutierrez! Agad-agad!” she answers within a split second, giggling like a high school girl. “Pinakamasarap na kissing scene din!” she adds. (Her other leading men weren’t so bad either: Dingdong Dantes and Zanjoe Marudo.) In the 2011 movie My Valentine Girls, Uge was Richard’s leading lady in an end-of-the-world setting, where they had to kiss. She remembers Richard intently watching the scene’s playback on the monitor, while she shied away, explaining, “Kahit ako nahihiya for him, lakas maka-Shrek!” Uge shares that Richard was a real-life Prince Charming who made her feel like a princess. “Hindi ko naramdaman yun ever, kahit nung bata ako. Kapag may drama sa school dati, hindi naman ako maka-cast na prinsesa!”

4. She is one of the few actors able to move easily from ABS-CBN to GMA to TV5, but in her own home, she doesn’t watch TV.

“Ayoko na, I want to read my books, I want to listen to music, I want to talk to my dogs!” she exclaims. As to why she has never and will never sign exclusively with any network, she says, “I want to work with anybody and everybody, I enjoy my freedom and I want to go when I want to go.” She says that when she started acting, she was never picky with roles because she just wanted to work and be friends with the stars. But with more experiences, roles and recognitions came the right to “choose” roles. It’s something actors must invest in, it can’t be rushed.

5. Uge does not have a driver or a yaya and does everything on her own. She lives alone with her dogs.

One of her best friends, Sweet Lapus, speaks highly of her being independent, but also describes her as a loner. She has a cleaning lady that just comes to clean her condo, her assistant is present at work only, and she does her own groceries. Her home companions are her three dogs — Praise, Coconut and Mufasa — all Shi Tzus. “Every day I drive myself to wherever, at kung hindi naman ako pagod, I do my own makeup.” She enjoys driving herself around, and even when stuck in traffic, “Kaya kong aliwin ang sarili ko, huwag lang akong maiihi!”

6. On insistent rumors that there is a rift between her and Ai-ai de las Alas: “Maling mali. Wala kaming competition.”

“I have respect for her, she came first,” Uge shares. Though she took many roles as the “sidekick” of Ai-ai, it was never an issue for her. She explains that they come from very different backgrounds, she comes from theater and Ai-ai from live comedy shows; and that they even look so different, her with a round face, and Ai-ai with a long face, saying that these are the reasons they complement each other and work so well together. Uge reveals that their friendship has a strong foundation because it was tested many years ago when they were starting out as friends. “Nagkamali ako ng sabi, nagkamali siya ng interpretation, pero hindi ko pinatagal.” She apologized and explained right away, they cried, and to this day, they text each other almost every day.

7. Eugene Domingo in numbers:

2: Number of years ago that she became conscious of her diet and physique. “Tumaba kasi talaga ako sa Kimmy Dora,” she shares. She doesn’t eat meat, does the treadmill, bikes or plays badminton when she can. On the thought of having cosmetic surgery, she says, “No! I love my eyes, my nose, I would miss it!”

59.5: Height in inches. “I’m not even 5 feet!”

400: Square meters of the house she is currently building in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

20: Number of years in the industry.

62: Number of films made, for which she has won eight awards, including the Bert Marcelo Award for Comedians in 2009.

8. The best advice she knows for actors is that it is not enough to be talented, you have to know how to do PR.

Who gave her that advice? “Myself,” she chuckles. “That’s firsthand experience.” She says you can’t just be very, very good, you also have to talk to and get along with the people around you, and you have to get to know the people who came before you. “You don’t have to kiss their a**es, but give them respect,” Uge shares.

To those that think all comedians do is make people laugh, Uge dispels that notion by sharing her process as an actor. “You study your material, your character, you ask your director for his vision, and you understand the relationship of your character to the other characters.” It is very important to her that every job she accepts is different from the previous one so that she doesn’t get bored.

On what she hates most about “showbiz” as a business: “That you have to be controversial, talked about, and you have to open your life. I don’t believe in that. I just want to be an actor.”

9. Uge will do anything for Piolo Pascual.

“Yeah, like right now,” Uge laughs. They became friends years ago but the friendship solidified after Piolo and his partners in Spring Films produced Kimmy Dora. “The fact na nagsugal sila for my launching movie, I will never forget that,” Uge reveals. He also gave her the freedom to choose the script and writers she wanted, when and where they would shoot, and she says she will appreciate that forever.

Piolo says this about Uge: “I always believed in her talent and versatility. I always knew she was going to make it big and we were blessed because she gave us her trust to produce her first starring role.”

Uge says this about Piolo’s current controversy: “I admire his being quiet. I don’t believe that he’s really in trouble, and I don’t think I have to protect him.” She goes on to share how she always jokes with Piolo saying, “Tinatanong ko siya lagi kung gusto niya ako anakan.”

10. At the age of 40, when asked what she wants more at this point, a baby or a man, she says “Pwede both?”

She never really thought about having the baby before the man comes, but she does share that if given the chance to be a mother (“kung may chance pa, kasi malapit-lapit na din,” she jokes) she is sure that she would be a really good mother.

On finding a man, I gently suggest to her the thought of making time to meet men and date around. She says that she has seriously considered that, but on the other hand, deep down she is still a hopeless romantic who believes that if you are meant to meet someone, it will happen. “Eh kung si KC (Concepcion) nga na ang ganda-ganda naghahanap pa din ng true love, ako, naghahanap din ng true love. O, di tie lang kami!”

On what qualities she is looking for in a partner, she says, “I really hope that he’s taller than me! Ayoko ng ka-height ko siya, hindi nakaka-love team!” She says that they don’t have to be extremely good looking, instead, “yung nababagay lang sa ganda ko.” She adds this scenario: “Yung pag nagising kami at titingin kami sa isa’t isa, we’ll say, ‘I deserve you, we deserve each other.’” Most importantly, she really hopes he can talk. Because at the end of the day, that’s what’s left.

On her need for physical intimacy, she says: “I-gy-gym mo na lang, i-dasal mo na lang, buti na lang I’m really tired when I get home.” When was the last time? “Hindi naman masyadong matagal, hindi din naman masyadong recent!”

* * *

“Uge is proof that you don’t need to look like Anne Curtis to be a star,” says director Jose Javier Reyes, who has directed her in six films. “She is the triumph of talent over mere applause.” Actress Toni Gonzaga, who has worked with her in two films, says, “I love working with Ate Uge because she is not a selfish actor.” Looking through her filmography, watching her morph into one character after another, and seeing her simplicity in person can change whatever notions you have about Philippine actresses. So the next time anyone dismisses artistas as self-absorbed and all-looks-no-talent, or the next time anyone assumes that only tall, model-esque women with long flowing hair can be leading ladies, think again. There are brilliant, game-changing, very human actors like Eugene Domingo.

http://www.philstar.com/sunday-life/754498/eugene-domingo-you-cant-do-comedy-if-you-havent-experienced-tragedy

10 Things You Should Know About Kenneth Cobonpue

Kenneth Cobonpue: Politicians should not play architects and urban planners

So inspired: Kenneth Cobonpue has furniture designs inspired by a crushed Coke can, a croissant and even Yoda.

For the set design of the Hollywood film Ocean’s 13, a few pieces of unique, rattan weave furniture were ordered. The producers and directors at Warner Brothers liked the pieces so much that they ordered whole collections from him, so that everything on the set was made by just one designer. When Brad Pitt stepped on the set, he instantly recognized the furniture, saying he knew who designed it because he owned a few of those, too. After filming, the group auctioned off the furniture among themselves and even ordered more. These pieces can also be seen in some of the most exclusive resorts in Greece, Spain, Mexico, Dubai, Maldives and even in the home of Queen Ramia of Jordan. This world-class luxury furniture is proudly Philippine made by Cebu-based designer Kenneth Cobonpue, and here are 10 things you should know about the man who has been dubbed “The Rock Star of Philippine Design.”

1. Kenneth, along with other top Filipino designers Budji Layug and Royal Pineda, worked on a re-design plan for NAIA I, offering all services pro bono. A few days ago, they got a call saying that they won’t be doing the project anymore.

Way before news broke of the Philippines having one of the worst airports in the world, eight months ago, Finance Secretary Purisima, Budget Secretary Abad, and DTI Secretary Domingo asked a small, influential group of Pinoys (that included Josie Natori and Fernando Zobel) what they could do to help the country in terms of imaging. They went to Kenneth’s showroom, took a look around and said, “This should be the face of the modern Philippines.” From then on, the three designers completed a proposal to renovate NAIA I into a “boutique airport,” specialized in terms of design and service, and they would do everything free of charge as a way of giving back and helping the country. “From inside, you look out and see glass, trees, canopies, it’s very tropical and Asian-inspired,” Kenneth shares about their vision.

Just recently, though, they were told that their services won’t be needed anymore, and that the original architect of NAIA I, National Artist Leandro Locsin, will be the one to work on the project instead. People have begun to express angry reactions, and Kenneth says, “We all just want transparency.”

2. Brad Pitt owns a total of seven pieces by Kenneth, and the two of them are actually collaborating on a huge design project soon.

“Brad Pitt is a design collector, he can talk to you about every single item in his home,” Kenneth shares. Pitt purchased items made by Kenneth around three years prior to the Oceans movie.

Pitt owns a green design company, and when he was planning this project promoting sustainable materials, he told his team that he knew a designer from the Philippines who did this kind of work. Two months ago, one of Pitt’s people showed up in Kenneth’s Cebu showroom and said, “Brad Pitt told me about you, and so I’m here.” They are currently working together on a (secret) project, and though they have scheduled to meet up several times, he says he will meet Pitt in person soon.

On the famed Voyage bed that Brad Pitt owns, Kenneth shares: “That was the only piece of furniture he had shipped from the US to their home in the south of France.”

3. Kenneth Cobonpue in numbers:

27: Number of countries that his furniture is distributed in.

15,000: Amount in dollars of his most expensive furniture.

1: Number of years it takes to create a piece of furniture, from idea to actual finished product.

2: Number of children, both boys, Julian, 14, and Andre, 11 (both showing interest in design and “building things”) with his German wife Susanne.

4: Number of siblings, all living abroad, and none of whom (except for one sister) owns a single piece of his furniture!

4. He has won over 20 design awards locally and internationally, but back in school, he did not pass the exam to get into the UP College of Fine Arts.

He attended college in UP Diliman taking up a business degree, and after two years, he figured it wasn’t for him and instead he wanted to take up design. Since he didn’t make the grade, he went back to Cebu to again learn the basics of drawing, before moving to New York’s Pratt Institute to take up industrial design. After graduating, he wanted to stay and work abroad, but had to go home when his father passed away to take over the family businesses. One of which was furniture.

For Kenneth, the most prized award out of all that he has received is the Design for Asia Award. It is usually awarded to industrial products like Sony, Hyundai, Samsung, “But that year, they awarded it to a rattan chair,” he shares with a smile. The Lolah chair is so far the only Philippine winner of this award.

Ironically, a few years ago, he was invited to talk at the commencement exercises of the UP Fine Arts College.

5. In international exhibitions, he is almost always given an obscure space “where hardly anyone sees it,” Kenneth shares. This year, he told organizers that he would make a car out of rattan, and they said that if he could do it, they would give him a space front and center. And he did it.

Being a vintage car collector, Kenneth was inspired to make the Phoenix roadster, a biodegradable concept car made of bamboo, rattan, steel and nylon. This first and only bamboo car in the world was one of the most talked-about pieces in the Imagination and Innovation exhibit in Milan, Italy in April this year. He and his team worked on it day and night for 10 days, sharing that it doesn’t run but “it rolls,” and an electric engine is the next step.

With great designs seem to come many copycats. In fact, Kenneth has to go to court once or twice a month to defend his designs from those who blatantly copy them. Between getting flattered and getting inis, he chooses the latter, saying “I’m not happy about it, but I try to think that I’m contributing to the progress of Philippine design.”

On originality, he likens the world of design to the world of music where remakes are a constant: “What’s the point if you can’t offer a fresh alternative or do it better?”

6. On finding inspiration: “It’s like a sport. When you do it a lot, you get better at it.”

Kenneth is known for drawing inspiration from the most ordinary things. He has furniture designs inspired by a crushed Coke can, a croissant, and even Yoda. The challenge there is, “If something appeals to me, I have to make sure it also appeals to you.” He explains that there must be a common fascination or a universal feeling evoked for the concept to work. “Finding inspiration in things is a discipline,” he shares, adding that he wasn’t born with this skill, but he worked hard to develop it.

7. On the problem of bad urban planning in the country: “Politicians should not play architects and urban planners.”

He believes it can still be fixed. He cites The Fort and Greenbelt in Makati as ideal examples, saying, “Without the Ayalas, Manila would be a concrete dump.” On how to solve the problem, he explains: “When a mayor can decide in a particular province how the roads should be or where certain buildings should go, that’s the worst. I think they should leave it to professionals to do it.”

8. Aside from making a mark in the field of industrial design, he believes the Philippines can also make it globally with fashion and food.

“Definitely,” he exclaims. “Monique (Lhuillier) is already an American brand as much as it is Filipino,” he says, emphasizing that we should have more designers and brands that are well known internationally, but still Filipino. He adds that Filipino food is so underrated and that we can market it to be cuisine that is in demand internationally like that of the Thai or Vietnamese.

On the problem of “brain drain” and Filipinos wanting to work abroad, Kenneth shares that he has also been dealing with that issue. “That’s the problem of the creative industry here, after you train them, they leave.” His wish for those who do leave is to learn and get better wherever they are in the world, then come back. “They do that, many have,” he shares.

9. Being well traveled all his life, Kenneth shares some of his favorite places in the world:

Most inspiring: Milan, “during the Design Week in April.”

Best food: Tokyo

Best shopping: Milan

Most culturally-rich: Nepal. He adds: “In a lot of places like Morocco and Bali, the display of culture has become so commercial.”

Most beautiful design-wise: Munich, Prague, and in Asia, Singapore

10. It is his greatest advocacy to put the label “Made in the Philippines” on all things proudly crafted by Pinoys, and in the early 2000s, he had no orders for two years because of this mentality of his.

In the ‘70s and ‘80s, the Philippines would export a lot of handicrafts but it would always be labeled a generic product or under a different brand. Kenneth changed all that 12 years ago when he insisted that his name and logo be put on his pieces, saying “this is made in the Philippines.” For two whole years, he didn’t get any orders and though he did think of changing his strategy, he stuck to it, persevered, and now, many dream of owning a piece by Kenneth Cobonpue. “I think it’s just difficult for them to believe that luxury can come from a Third World country,” he shares. But we can.

Around four years ago, international luxury label Fendi carried his furniture in their home line Fendi Casa. “It was great in the beginning. But when you put your brand in a bigger brand, you’ll always be pushed down, and so I learned from that and pulled out all my furniture and said, ‘No more,’” Kenneth reveals.

He actually has gotten more offers since. Kenzo wanted to put his Bloom chair in their collection and label it as a Kenzo product. Kenneth said, “But wait, you have to put my name on it,” and Kenzo refused because that’s not the way they do things, so Kenneth declined the deal as well. He had another offer from Louis Vuitton, asking if they could work with him on their home line, but since they also refused to put Kenneth’s name on it, he also declined that deal.

* * *

I strongly applaud Kenneth for changing the way Filipinos see design, and for changing the way the world sees Filipinos. He holds dear to him a handwritten letter and clippings sent via snail mail by a Pinay OFW caregiver based in Israel. She wrote: “I’m just so happy you’re doing what you’re doing because my employer thinks that all Pinoys are good for just domestic work. Then I saw this newspaper where you were featured and I showed it to my employer saying, ‘Look, there’s a Pinoy featured in your national newspaper,’ and you did good.” Kenneth believes so much in the talent of the Filipino that when I asked him if it’s a big deal that all these luxury labels want his work, with both humility and pride, he says, “Not really. It’s like, I’ll get there one day, where you are. We’re no different. You just have a hundred years ahead of me, I’ll get there slowly.”

http://www.philstar.com/sunday-life/752045/kenneth-cobonpue-politicians-should-not-play-architects-and-urban-planners