Tagged to a Tinikling

I knew she would zero in on me. I was alone at the table. She took out her hand in invitation and asked me if I wanted to try to dance the Tinikling involving bamboo poles beating, tapping and sliding as dancers jump rhythmically and in coordination.

What was I thinking? Going up stage at the Maynila Ballroom and trying to get around bamboo poles?

At first, I shook my head but I knew the battle was already lost. I finally got the nerve to stand up, walked to the stage, tightened my shoelaces and prayed for dear life. My lola would have reminded not to jump or dance right after a big meal, but obviously the situation insisted for it.

I was lucky enough to be invited to Kultura Fashionista last September 3 at the Manila Hotel. Kultura Fashionista lucheon show was conceptualized to be a “terpsichorean frolic through food and fashion.”

The buffet I sampled featured Filipino dishes and desserts usually one can find at the fiesta spread albeit the inclusion of pinakbet and absence of a roasted pig or lechon. Familiar flavors of lechong kawali, rellenong bangus and beef caldereta with steamed rice went well with desserts of fresh fruits and buko salad.

Two hours down with lunch that was served at 11 a.m., the show immediately opened with the Dance of the Malongs. The rhythmic movements of the women displayed the functional possibilities of the colorful malongs. I missed the men’s counterpart of the dance, instead, the men performed the Burong Talo – a martial arts dance from the Tausog that mimics a fight between a hawk and a cat.

This was followed by a similar dance also from the Tausogs. The Magigal/Hapatong involves male dancers men with bamboo poles and graceful women adorned with Janggays or metal fingernails reminiscent of vintas (boats) and birds.

The Visayan number featured the Lanceros de Negros; a popular quadrille dance during the Spanish era, Sutido; a dance mix of Spanish, Mexican and French influences with indigenous elements, and the
Pasodoble; a dance celebrating the flirtation between the sexes.

Heading the dances from the island of Luzon is the Chalichok, a Kalinga dance imitating birds flying and is performed on happy occasions like a first-born childbirth, a wedding or a peace pact. Then came the Karatong dance from the western provinces that heralds the blossoming of the Mango Trees performed to the lively, syncopated beats of the Karatong, a percussion instrument.

The dances were performed by the Sindao Dance Theater Company of Randy Guevara, a ward of National Artist for Dance Ramon Obusan.

In between performances, couture creations inspired from the three major regions of the country were featured in a fashion show. The Mindanao collection were colorful yet elegant. The pieces with the Visayan theme were more structured with defined silhouettes while the Luzon outfits were suited for garden parties and weddings. The ensemble were courtesy of Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines. Lito Perez, Edgar San Diego Richard Papa, Delby Bragais and Edgar Madamba contributed their individual works for the ensemble.

The Tinikling capped the show and some people from the audience, like me, were asked to dance. The jumping routine that could have trapped my foot was exhilarating and left me nostalgic. I was instantly transported back to grade school when class hours were spent practicing folk dances like the Itik-Itik, Pandango sa Ilaw, Kuratsa and many more. This was before history, music and physical education were rolled into a single subject.

I must admit I immensely enjoy learning all the moves and routines of our folk dances. The dances and music introduced to my psyche the different regional customs and valuable cultural insights that are integral to our unique Filipino identity. Over time, these were buried deep in my consciousness and the revisit could have not been more timely amidst all the negativity brought by the Quirino hostage-taking incident. Lifting me from my doldrums, I was once reminded of the many Filipino traits we should be proud of.

Kultura Fashionista was under the direction of Freddie Santos with choreography by Randy Guevara. The Maynila Ballroom is located at the Manila Hotel in Roxas Boulevard.

First Asian Spa and Wellness Conference in Singapore

The very first Asian Spa & Wellness Management Conference & Exhibition will be held on September 2 to 3 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Singapore. Pioneers and leaders in the spa industry spanning across Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan and Australia will be joining the event as speakers of the two-day conference.

This conference recognizes that the spa industry have grown dramatically in Asia, Europe, and the US over the years. With the Asian spa industry, covering day spas, hotel spas, resort and destination spas, and medical spas, gaining ground in popularity and interest in the international market, the demand for trained Asian spa personnel is also growing.

The Asian Spa & Wellness Management Conference & Exhibition 2010 will address these developments and extensively discuss the management of the spa and wellness business in Asia.

“There’s been a massive proliferation in the number of spas,” says Gerard Bodeker, a professor at Oxford University Medical School and author of the book, Understanding the Global Spa Industry. “There’s a huge awareness in global value and interest in Asian therapies, so Asian countries are now actively discovering and promoting their own health and heritage. There’s an across-the-board revival of interest in Asia in indigenous health traditions.”

With the opening of the medical spa at Sofitel, the Zen Institute is right on target as a serious player in the medical tourism field. ” The spa industry is relatively new in the country but we have enough success stories to share to fellow players in the industry,” shares Dr. Mary Jane Valdecañas, the owner and medical head of the Zen Institute.

Practitioners and industry stakeholders are particularly concerned with the level of management competence in the industry. “The Asian spa and wellness industry is a relatively new business for many. Asia as a whole is only beginning to invest in training and development for its staff and learning about the various business models and practices of established companies worldwide. There is still a lot of room to grow,” says Mr Elson Lee, Director of the Spa Wellness Group, a leading spa operator and training provider in Asia.

By putting into the fore the best practices and successful spa management models as benchmarks, the conference aims to elevate the standard and competency of the spa and wellness industry in the region.

Going back to Yabang Pinoy

I was lucky enough to check out their bazaar in 2008. Expecting the usual stuff one might see in many tiangge I dragged myself to the Rockwell Tent but my curiosity was quickly peeked with the new and interesting wares proudly laid-out with pride at the Yabang Pinoy bazaar.

Established in 2005, Yabang Pinoy is an organization of passionate believers and supporters of all things Filipino to realize the joy and spirit of simply being Filipino. Through their advocacies and campaigns, the organization is seeking “change in the mindsets” of Pinoys into “Shouting Proud Pinoys”.

To arrest the lack of concern over the Filipino language, Yabang Pinoy challenges every Filipino to enrich their knowledge through radio campaign and interactive shirts. The group popularizes Filipino idioms like “Batu-bato sa langit, ang tamaan huwag magagalit.” by distributing posters, stickers and printed shirts. The Mark Pecson project features a series of five-minute webisodes of an inglesero’s bold attempt to straighten his Filipino in a month’s time.

This enthusiasm and motivation is generously spread to different schools via Magyabangan Tayo Debate, Todo Patintero at Abakaya activities that help shape a nationalistic consciousness founded on the use of the Filipino language in the discourse of our unique and rich culture.

National pride is claimed through different Yabang Pinoy projects that promote the country’s rich marine biodiversity and endemic species. The Pinoy’s ingenuity and ideas are fostered by giving out books, journal notebooks and art materials to the youth.

In Pinasport, the group encourages members and advocates to boost local tourism by producing a travelogue of their island trips. These travel memoirs showcases the beautiful spots and adventurous possibilities of local destinations.

Yearly, Yabang Pinoy sponsors the Global Pinoy Bazaar wherein they rally in local enterprenuers and patrons to the Filipino consumer revolution. By staging this business exchange, they encourage the Pinoy to join their nation-building efforts by buying local concepts, talents, services, and products. They believe in the purchasing power of the peso that could bring more consumption and demand toward a better economy.

This year, Yabang Pinoy will be staging its fifth Global Pinoy Bazaar and showcase Filipino products made with 100% Filipino love and pride on November 6 to 7at the Rockwell Tent, Makati City.

All Filipino artists and entreprenuers with products borne out of 100% Filipino love and pride are invited to join the bazaar. Interested parties may visit http://www.yabangpinoy.com.

The rest of us can sit around or go to this bazaar and find out one more reason to be proud of ourselves.

Riding the property boom

With numerous real estate developments and expanding markets, the Philippine real estate industry rests comfortably on the crest of an industry boom.

Viewed as prime investments, big industry players like Ayala Land Inc., Robinson’s Land Corp., Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc. and Megaworld Corp. are now joined by SM Development Corp., Eton Properties Philippines Inc. and DMCI Holdings, Inc.

“The demand for housing is on the rise and I do not foresee any downturn in the next 10 years,” shares Bibcee de Guzman, Caloocan chapter president of the Real Estate Brokers Association of the Philippines. “The investment climate is good and nobody’s scared to develop real estate projects. When the construction stops, that is the time to worry.”

The promising developments in the real estate industry provide enough reasons for buyers and investors to seriously look into the market.

Rising from the global financial crisis, the local real estate prices remain competitive. The Ondoy tragedy dampened the market for some months but has been seen on the rebound lately. Vibrant as it is, the industry even attracts foreign property investors and buyers.

Our banking system remains strong and liquid and these contributes to both investors and consumer confidence. From 30-percent loan interest rate during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, banks now offer 10.75 percent to an even low interest rate of 8.50 percent. For low-cost housing, Pag-Ibig Home Development Mutual Fund offers 6-percent interest on housing loans with payment terms extended up to 30 years.

Tourist arrivals are steadily rising and the figure easily translates to a surge in demand for hotels and condominiums. In the first quarter of 2009, a total of 1.3 million tourists arrived in the country. For the same quarter this year, tourist arrivals grew by 7.89 percent. Foreigners are also taking advantage of the retirement packages and incentives for ownership as provided by law.

The Philippines, through the Philippine Retirement Authority, has been attracting foreign retirees to settle in the country. In fact, prospective investors are already eyeing to put up retirement villages in Pampanga, Zambales and Bataan.

Medical tourists, attracted by lower costs, quality services and tourist spots, add the numbers in the demand for accommodations.

The projections for offshoring and outsourcing businesses that require the availability office rentals and commercial office spaces remain optimistic. Office rentals in Makati, Fort Bonifacio and Ortigas are highly-favored locations in the Metro.

Migrant workers have great interest in Philippine properties because prices are more affordable than those overseas.

As a rule of thumb, it is always best to transact with certified real estate brokers and reputable real estate companies in the Philippines when considering acquisition of real properties.

To set higher standards for the industry, Republic Act 9646 was approved by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last June 29, 2009. Entitled as An Act Regulating the Practice of Real Estate Service in the Philippines, Creating for the purpose of a Professional Regulatory Board for Real Estate Service, Appropriating Funds Therefore and for other purposes, the law covers all industry players including investors, brokers, appraisers, city assessors and real estate consultants.

Brokers are now bound by law to apply for their licenses, pay taxes and comply with industry regulations. The implementing rules and guidelines were published last July 24 and fully implemented last August 9.

“We welcome this law because we are now considered as professionals. With this law in place, we are protected from colorum agents that stripped us of sales opportunities in the same manner that buyers are protected from shady transactions,” adds De Guzman. “Real estate buyers lose huge amounts of money as they become victims of scams especially with the introduction of online selling. But since we will now carry brokerage licenses, buyers can go to the Professional Regulation Commission for verification.”

In the same manner, property titles can be checked for authenticity with the Register Deeds, Assessor’s Office and the Land Registration Authority. The LRA is now putting into motion its program of filing land titles in digital format to curb the proliferation of fake documents. Land titles in digital format can already found in Quezon City, Cebu and Parañaque.

Real Estate Brokers Association of the Philippines is composed of more than 500 regular and associate members spread over 21 chapters in Metro Manila and the provinces. Under the leadership of national president Emily Quevedo-Duterte, the association remains as the premiere real estate organization in the country aimed at professionalizing the real estate industry and raising the level of ethical standards of licensed real estate practitioners.