The Blind Songbird

Bernadette "Bernah" Navarro, whose native talents were first discovered at the age of three, is a truly promising performer who can inspire and entertain her audience despite her poor eyesight.

When she was born, doctors diagnosed her that she would become totally blind. But her mother had seen a vision in her dream that her child would not live her life totally blind. She sought a doctor for a second opinion and after a series of tests, Bernah's left eye showed signs that it could see, but her right eye will remain blind. A year after, she had a left eye surgery. This spared her from a world of total darkness.

Growing up just like any people with imperfections, she was not exempted from being teased, whether directly or indirectly.

But she proved that she couldn't be let down by winning in singing contests, beating other children who were born without any disability.

Soon, she got enrolled in a special school for the visually impaired where she was treated, respected, and her talents fully recognized, thanks to the sponsorship which came from Monet Silvestre, voice coach and musician, among others.

One of her blind teachers, Mrs. Lopez, has "seen" the artist in her when she heard her sing for the first time, the nationalistic song, "Inang Bayan".

Her passion for music and zeal to perform was highly recognized, opening opportunities for her to sing and dance in big events. Because of this, she was dubbed, The Songbird of Philippine National School for the Blind.

Her dance teacher, Gloria Jamandre, said that aside from doing broadway, Berna could also do ballroom dancing and be a bamboo clapper in Tinikling.

A positive outlook in her life and her creative visualization let her achieve her dreams.

"Mahilig ako sa music at mag-imagine. Sa umaga, ang parati kong ginagawa ay linisin ang kwarto at ini-imagine ko na studio ang kwartong iyon. Tapos, magpapatugtog ako ng music at sumasabay ako sa pagkanta", Bernah said.

Her next step is to pursue an educational scholarship from a foundation so she could enter college and take up a course in Music. She dreamed of teaching music after getting a successful career in musical performance.

Truly, Berna's story is an inspiration for all to be brave in the face of adversity. One's imperfection is not a hindrance to become an achiever.

The Making of a Nipa Cottage

Aling Esperanza Gonzales is the owner of a Nipa cottage family business in Taytay, Rizal for 5 years. She is a native of Pangasinan whose relatives make a living by making nipa houses. She and some of her relatives moved to Taytay, Rizal to start the nipa cottage and furniture making business. Most of her clients were resort owners and residents who have a large space for their gardens.

The nipa cottage business of Mrs. Gonzales is currently located in Highway 2000 in Taytay, Rizal but the materials used in making nipa cottages like bamboo usually comes from Baras or Tanay in Rizal, while thatched nipa palm leaves or pawid comes from Pangasinan.

How a Nipa cottage is made:

Four bamboo poles and coco lumber are used to erect the framework of the cottage. Bamboo poles function as pillars while coco lumber is used as joists to support the flooring, sitting area and upper support of the structure. The outer skins of bamboos have to be removed manually by the use of bolo.



Next, bamboo slats are laid over and nailed to the coco lumber joists to serve as the floor and place for sitting.



Wider bamboo slats are nailed and cut with a saw to cover the joists of the upper framework.



Next, the pyramidal roof framework is constructed out of bamboo.



Walls are made by nailing bamboo slats on two long bamboo poles. The bamboo walls are attached between the bamboo pillars of the body framework. The slats are also added to cover the lower part of the structure.





Next, dried Nipa palm thatch panels were laid by overlapping them on the roof framework.




The nipa cottage is now built completely with a door optionally added.  A net covers the roof and the black designs are applied by creatively burning some parts of the bamboo. The last step is varnishing.









This homey cottage takes a week to build by one or two persons. Ordinary cottages cost from twelve to twenty five thousand pesos while cottages with a room may cost forty to fifty thousand pesos.

The Philippine Toy Convention of 2014

Here comes the Queen, the sexy soldiers, nostalgic sound and Victorian era.

 

When it's not Halloween and I see young people wearing superhero costumes or dressed up as Anime characters carrying huge, improvised weapons at the food court or just simply strolling within the mall premises, chances are, there is an ongoing convention - a toy convention. 

 

I was right. The biggest annual gathering of toy collectors, cosplayers, and J-pop and Anime fanatics happened just recently at Megatrade Halls 1-3 in SM Megamall.

Goods being sold varied, which include action figures and busts from famous movies like Marvel and Star Wars; Japanese and Korean inspired dolls; apparel and accessories; comic books; and many others.

 

But Toycon was not set up for kids only. Grown-ups who attended may not just be into collecting toys that reminded them of their happy childhood memories. They may be eyeing on hot cosplayers as well.

 

The last day of the convention was also jam-packed.

 

Both experienced and first-time cosplayers displayed their elaborate costumes. Band groups showed their talents at the convention.

 

 

The Cosplay Queen

Alodia Gosiengfiao, the Cosplay Queen, was present at the toy convention to celebrate her 10th year anniversary as a cosplayer. She wore a long black gown with a horned headpiece - almost looking like another version of Maleficent on the last day of the convention.

 

 

People gathered around her booth just take a picture of her. Marshalls were there to stop the crowd from entering. However, one could get a fansign and selfie of her and her sister Ashley if a 500-peso worth of Alodia's merchandise was bought. 

 

Ms. Mariglor, her mother, said that Alodia designed her black gown and the headpiece years before the movie Maleficent came out.

 

Even the stuff being sold at her booth were all designed by her - bags, t-shirts, and posters. Necklaces  were made by Ashley.

 

Alodia had skillfully designed and created all of her weapons and costumes since she started cosplaying. She rose to fame after winning in a cosplay convention in 2003. Since then, she cosplayed different Anime, movie and video game characters with Ashley and got featured on magazines. She had endorsed several products on television as well. 

 

When her schedule is busy, she collaborates with a couturier to tailor the costume she has designed.

 

Currently, Alodia has a two-year contract in Japan to do endorsements, recordings and collaboration with an apparel manufacturer. In August, she'll be having a fashion show to launch her teens apparel. She goes back and forth to Japan every two weeks. 

 

Ashley, who used to cosplay, is currently into performing with her band Midnight Meetings. They'll be having an album launching very soon.

 

 

Cosplay Evolution

Nowadays, cosplayers dress up not only because of anime and manga fanaticism. Portraying the characters of Playstation games, action figures and trending Japanese fashion could also catch attention. 

 

Some female cosplayers wear as little clothing as possible, depicting their fave Anime or video game badass characters. 

 

 

This year's group cosplay winner was the Hyper Dimension Neptunia group composed of three members - Black Heart, Nepgear and a yellow villain. When I asked why they chose the popular Playstation 3 game characters for cosplay, Kristine Joy (dressed up as Black Heart) said, "Sa tingin kasi namin, astig siya, hindi pa siya common na nako-cosplay... ang pangit naman kasi kapag parang may kaparehas ka na gumagala din."

 

 

While some are willing to spend money just to perfect their costumes, others used their resourcefulness and creativity just to be able produce elaborate and highly fashionable attire.

 

Couples Galileo and Jinky bought their coats and cutsews from an ukay-ukay store while their accessories were either owned or bought at a minimal price. Jinky used her creativity by sewing laces to her skirt and bag. Galileo had to dye his hair to match the plastic red rose he brought with him.

 

 

And voila! They had become the Lolita fashion cosplayers for the first time. 

 

Lolita fashion is a trending Japanese street fashion inspired by the Rococo and Victorian-era clothing.

 

 

Shinkan Band

Toycon wouldn't be livelier without a band performance. 

 

Shinkan, an amateur band group of five members brought so much nostalgia to the crowd of toy enthusiasts and Anime fanatics when they performed Yuzurenai Negai, the opening theme song of a popular Anime series, Magic Knight Rayearth. 

 

An electrifying rush of the 90's child memories were felt by those who have heard it, awakening their enthusiasm. Some went jumping to the beat of the nostalgic music.

 

The band was led by its vocalist, Ivy. Other members include guitarists Marlowe, Jolo and Icel, and drummer Kajo. Last year, they have won awards at the Best of Anime and Ozine Fest.

 

 

With all these facets, Toycon can be described too as a gathering of performance artists - cosplayers and musicians. Before the year ends, there will be another toy convention. Fun for the kids and kids-at-heart never stops here.

The Dance of the Nine Maidens

Despite Makati being a modern and highly-urbanized city, it has preserved a tradition that is passed on from generation to generation since the Spanish era - a tradition known as Bailes de los Arcos (Dance of the Arches) or Panatang Sayaw.

Bailes de los Arcos is performed on two consecutive feast days - The Feast of the patron saints Peter and Paul (June 29) and Virgen de la Rosa (June 30) at the plaza of Barangay Poblacion in front of the 17th-century church of Makati.

The dance ritual, which is performed for two hours, has three parts: the diccho or chanting of prayers by each dancer or "mananayaw";

trono or singing of prayers accompanied by the orchestra; and baile which means dance.

Two dances were performed, one with arcos (arches) and other one with castanets.

 Nine maidens aged 14 years old and above are chosen to be trained as dancers. They must be devotees of Saints Peter and Paul and the Virgin Mary, and can sing high notes.

The most important qualification however, is to be in a state of virginity for the dance is an offering to the Virgen de la Rosa.

Their mothers, grandmothers, and even their grandmothers' mothers were once the virgin dancers.

Devotees strictly choose maidens who wish to be part of the dance.

The old folks of the Poblacion believe that a storm will happen on the day of the feast if one of the dancers lied about being a virgin.

 

Panata

Some of the dancers dance for several years because it is their "panata".

When a virgin dancer's wish has come true after the "Panatang Sayaw", she may leave the group if she wants to.

The longest-tenured dancer remaining becomes the Capitana or the leader.

The Panatang Sayaw tradition is preserved with the help of the 74-year old Erlinda Atilon-Reyes, a former mananayaw and Capitana. According to her, she taught the dance ritual she learned from her ancestors to the next batches of dancers.

Now that she is getting older and weaker, she still plays some roles in Bailes de los Arcos such as conducting the orchestra.

One of her nieces, Chikee, is this year's Capitana. She has been dancing for seven years.

Chikee has been wishing to earn her college degree at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and become a licensed Chemical Engineer. She's now an incoming 5th year student.

Just like the other dancers, her personal intentions compel her continue her devotion to the patron saints and the Virgin by being a mananayaw.

 

Witnessing the dance ritual

Enter gray skies. Eight girls dressed in blue and another girl dressed in pink sang songs of prayer and danced while at the center of the stage.

Ladies, young and old, sang simultaneously while watching the ritual. It's amazing that they still have memorized the song despite the long lyrics.

Light drizzles came intermittently but the show went on for two hours. There was no heavy rainfall. A few hours later, they continued to dance on the streets of Barangay Poblacion.

This ritual describes the Filipinos' religiousness and value for culture. Old beliefs are still observed even up to this age of modern technology.

Philippine Media Practitioners & CSOs are now skilled in using Open Data

Open Knowledge Foundation, an international non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness on the importance of open knowledge and World Bank, empowered civil society organizations (CSOs) and media practitioners with skills to use open data in the recently concluded two-day Data Skills Training held on May 14 and May 17, 2014 at One Global Place in Taguig City.

Thanks to the participants of @SchoolOfData Data Skills Training for media & CSOs! Props to teachers @anpe @mexflow pic.twitter.com/5EAOQ7BDLz

— Open Data PH (@datagovph) May 14, 2014

Some of the CSO representatives who participated during the workshop were from The Asia Foundation, Asia Society Philippines, PinoyME Foundation, INCITEGov, and Code-NGO. Invited media practitioners represented ABS-CBN, GMA News, GMA News Online, Inquirer, Philstar, Rappler, and Solar News.

Happening now: Media and CSOs team up to explore the @CustomsPH dataset and generate insights #OpenDataPH pic.twitter.com/H49OViXIgK

— Open Data PH (@datagovph) May 17, 2014

Ivory Ong of the Department of Budget and Management and Outreach Lead of Open Data PH briefly discussed about the history of the Open Data Taskforce in the Philippines leading to the creation of the National Open Data Portal of the Philippines -- http://www.data.gov.ph "which aims to make national government data searchable, accessible, and useful, with the help of the different agencies of government, and with the participation of the public".

The trainers who conducted the two-day workshop were Anders Pedersen, Knowledge Development Lead of School of Data and Sergio Araiza, a trainer and programmer at Social Tic and Escuela De Datos.

Data driven journalism was discussed on the first day of the workshop. It included topics about planning data investigation and scraping data from websites and pdfs. Through the use of powerful Google-related tools, data from websites such as Philgeps can be downloaded in an easier way, saving time and effort. Data cleaning was also taught, because not all data downloaded were organized. Tables from pdfs can be downloaded using an online tool called Tabula.

@SchoolOfData Data Sherpa @mexflow guiding @solartvnews & @Code_NGO to use @GooglePH Refine #OpenDataPH #opendata pic.twitter.com/lA0zbeJDkk

— Open Data PH (@datagovph) May 17, 2014

Another online tool, onlineocr.net, which Solar News Researchers frequently use to convert pdfs to word documents, was also presented but for the purpose of scraping data from pdfs and convert the data to csv file.

Introduction to data visualization was also part of the first day of the workshop. Techniques on how to present timelines through timeline.knightlab.org and playing data through timemapper were also taught. To visualize the data, the output must be published in a website. On the other hand, tools to create maps with emphasis on locating the coordinates were also presented.

How the readers will appreciate the data presented depends on the design of the data visualization. There were so many ways to visualize the data by creating amazing maps through cartodb.com. Most of the tutorials presented can also be found at http://www.schoolofdata.org.

On the second day of the workshop, Open Data PH Chairman Edwin Lacierda was present. Groups were formed and the participants were taught the use of Google Refine in cleaning scraped or downloaded data. In preparation for the Data Expedition, a sample table from the Bureau of Customs was given to each group. The importance of data expedition is for the journalist to ask himself what he needs to get from the data. There are some data that isn't interesting, or not really needed for the story he is going to write or present, and those need to be eliminated. Data expedition also aims at finding interesting new angles for the story.

All groups presented their outputs. The participants were surprised to learn that their were discrepancies in the data published by the BOC. Regardless of the discrepancies, China is still the top exporter of goods to the Philippines. Other groups presented about which countries pay the highest tax for exportation and many others.

The Data Skills Training came to a close after all groups have presented their outputs and Anders Pedersen have invited all participants to join the School of Data Fellowship program. I'm grateful to be part of this rich and comprehensive training.

Today's Data Expedition comes to a close. Thanks to everyone who participated. Job well done, Data Sherpa, @mexflow! pic.twitter.com/9QfEG1pTrA

— Open Data PH (@datagovph) May 17, 2014

Pilgrimage to the River

Norzagaray, a historic town known for its heritage sites, is located in the province of Bulacan. This is the home of one of the country’s largest hydroelectric power plant, the Angat Dam, which supplies water to Metro Manila. One of the country’s biggest manufacturer of cement is also found there. But some of its areas are still not accessible by vehicles.

In one of its remote areas, there is a river called Bitbit. And that was my destination.

The dawn was breaking when my 13-kilometer journey on foot started.

A childhood past was remembered. Fifteen years ago, I climbed the hills with boys. Now that I have grown up, I had four men with me - newfound friends as I could describe them.

Our goal was to reach the river at midmorning. But the steep pathways and zigzag roads made it hard for me to run and catch up with those men, thanks to the burden I carried with me - a bag of unnecessary stuff. The load kept slowing me down. And I became the slowest of them. On of the men paced with me. I felt sorry that he had to wait for me. But we kept on running. Bikers were seen here and there, and I wished I had a bike too.

It was a Sunday morning. I could hear the singing of the choir inside churches we passed by. Children were playing in the streets. I saw some natives cutting wood. Offices and some establishments were closed and there was no way I could leave my stuff. I had to carry it with me for the rest of our journey. There were a lot of dogs madly barking at us, recognizing that we were real foreigners in the area.

We rested at nearby stores. There were convenient areas where we could sit and replenish our lost fluids. The men’s faces were all covered with sweat while their clothes were soaked as if they had plunged into a pool.

As much as we wanted to rest, we had to get going.

Great canopies covered the sides of the road as we moved up. Slowly, the presence of civilization disappeared. The long, long road felt empty. The climb was forever just like the endless blue skies.

I asked myself, “Is it still a thousand miles way from the river?”

My feet sore in the lonely highways. My shoulders ache. One of the men took my "burden" away so I could run faster.

For a few minutes, I have attained a feeling of relief. But this taken pathway was not as easy as I thought. The thought of letting someone carry your cross was heavy on the heart.

Hours later, we reached the dirt road. The dam could be seen from afar. Fogs converge with the forests. And something was calling us.

“Could you hear the gentle whisper of the river?”, one of the men asked.

The story of our destination was gradually unfolding. High emotions continue to fill me. The beating of my heart echoes. The sound is softly inviting us closer to its abode.

Through my eyes I saw the glistening emerald river. I have fallen in love with it. Grand forests served as its ancient guardians. As we crossed the river, dog tracks were seen stamped on them.

Our skins felt the coolness of the river. We bathed in the sun’s light.

I asked the river, “River, did you bring me here?”

It was an auspicious time. I will never forget the day I experienced that ecstasy. In India, pilgrims went to the river Ganges to cleanse their sins. That day, it was like a pilgrimage to release our stress. It was a time of rest after a gruelling long climb. What a lovely Sunday in that emerald sanctuary!

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Revised version.
First published at worldmomads.com.