THE GIFT(ED) (November 17, 2008)

Susan Ople and company will launch their gift for all the Bagong Bayani -- Buhay OFW magazine -- at the National Book Store (Katipunan) at 4 p.m. today.

We recalled West End star Joanna Ampil, during 21st Annual Aliw Awards last 11 November at the Manila Hotel, who thanked everyone, who appreciates Overseas Filipino Wonders like her, for the Special Aliw Award she shared with Jed Madela and Arnel Pineda. Multi-talented and -tasked judge Frank Rivera, through last year's Best Stage Director Arthur Casanova, gave us the list of winners led by Aliw Hall of Famers – Alegria Ferrer, Irma Adlawan, Ricky Davao; Lifetime Achievement Awardees -- Ingrid Santamaria, Reynaldo Reyes, Ryan Cayabyab; and the MSU-Sining Kambayoka; and Entertainer of the Year – Ogie Alcasid. As if giving gifts to the gifted, the Aliw Awards Foundation Inc. and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts recognized the following: Best Child Performer – Mauna Kea Chan; Best New Artist – Charice Pempengco and Rex Lopez; Best Choral Group – UP Concert Chorus; Best Instrumental Artist – Nonoy Libanan; Best Dance Company – Halili Cruz Dance Company and Air Dance; Best Cultural Group – Pagdungawan Theatre Guild, Inc. of Mati, Davao Oriental; Best Emcee – Ryan Agoncillo; Best Stand-up Comedy Act – John Lapuz and Pokwang; Best Classical Performer -- Ramon Acoymo and Rachel Gerodias; Best Stage Actor – Robert Seña for Skin Deep (Musical Play); Joey Paras for Ang Bayot, Ang Maranao at ang Habal-habal sa Paghihintay sa Kanto ng Lanao del Norte (Non-musical Play); Best Stage Actress -- Rachel Alejandro for Avenue Q (Musical Play); Shamaine Buencamino for Ang Kalungkutan ng mga Reyna (Non-Musical Play); Best Stage Director -- Nor Domingo for Skin Deep (Musical Play); Ricky Abad for Death of Memory (Non-Musical); Best Musical Production – Pagong at Matsing (Gantimpala Theater Foundation Inc.); Best Non-Musical Production – The Death of Memory (Ateneo de Manila); Best Performer in Hotels, Music Lounge, and Bars – Richard Poon, Olivia, and Retrospect; Best Musical Director – Gerard Salonga for My Life on Stage; Best Stage Director – Freddie Santos for My Life on Stage; Best Performance in a Concert – Ogie Alcasid, Nina, and Loboc Children’s Choir; Best Major Concert -- Martin Nievera for XXV and Lea Salonga for My Life on Stage and Nonoy Libanan, Verni Varga, Isay Alvarez, May Bayot for Music from the Heart; Best Special Production – George Yang for Always Yang: Timeless Songs and Pagcor’s Wanders; Aliw Discovery of the Year – Youth Band of Cardona Rizal!

Wish that Aliw Awards will monitor literary readings in alternative venues, in and out of Manila, such as the Conspiracy Garden Cafe.

Poet Maxine Syjuco, one of the Tres Marias of enfants terribles Cesare and Jean Marie, will launch her book A Secret Life at Fully Booked, The Forum on Bonifacio High Street, The Fort at 6 p.m. on 20 November.

On 21 November, at 9 a.m., we are one of the speakers with Prof. Ferdinand M. Lopez, Gilda Olvidado, and Lourd de Veyra in a Vibal Foundation symposium called “Filipinow: Do Not English Me, I Will English You!” at the University of Santo Tomas' Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy Building. Later, at 2:30 p.m., Amelia Lapena Bonifacio will lecture on The Challenging Art of Puppetry in the Fields of Medicine and Education at the C.M. Recto Hall, Bulwagang Rizal, UP Diliman. Again for the kids, at 6 p.m. at the Ortigas Foundation Library, Adarna House and Philippine Board of Books for Young People will launch Nanoy Rafael's first children's book Naku, Nakuu, Nakuuu! with illustrations by Sergio Bumatay III. Simultaneously, there will be a forum on Poetry in Motion: Heights Performance Poetry Talk at the Ateneo de Manila University's Colayco Pavilion. Heights' Ali Sangalang invited us and Miko Pepito, Yol Jamendang, Raul Roco Jr., Gelo Suarez, and Kooky Tuason.

Living legends Benedict Anderson, Kidlat Tahimik, Roland Tolentino, Lav Diaz, Teresa Barrozo, Tengal, Pow Martinez, and Khavn de la Cruz, with other delegates from the 5th Annual Southeast Asian Cinemas Conference starting 20 November at the AdMU will be hosted by the Magnet Gallery (Katipunan) on 22 November at 6 p.m.

On the other hand, National Artist Virgilio S. Almario reminds us that the 2009 U.P. Writers Workshop's deadline is 30 November. Application form is available at www.up.edu.ph/~icw. Contact Eva Cadiz at 922-1830.

One of the alumni was poet/translator Marne Kilates who just launched last 7 November his third book at the C.C. Castro Building's rooftop office-cum-gallery of Atty. Redemberto Villanueva. Mostly in Monsoon Weather (U.P. Press) was designed by Donato Mejía Álvarez, his batchmate during the 12th U.P. Writers Workshop in 1984. His poet'sPicturebook, starting on its 21st, The Yearend & New Space Issue is now in online and we can update our links to http://marnescriptsmain.blogspot.com.

Nurturing Potential Towards Achieving Excellence is the Philippine Association for the Gifted's 11th Annual Convention Workshop theme on 26 November, 8 a.m., at the Garden Ballroom, Edsa Shangri-la, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City with Sec. Estrella Alabastro, Dr. Carmencita Padilla, Dr. Francis Xavier Dimalanta, Gov. Grace Padaca, Eugene Torre, Douglas Nierras, Dr. Fidel Nemenzo, and Dr. Stephen David Tommis as special guests. Day Two is optional but if you are “Actively Searching for the Filipino Gifted” you must proceed to Pocketful of Kids at the 15th Floor, Strata 2000 Bldg., F. Ortigas, Jr. Road (formerly Emerald Ave.), Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

Last year, Dr. Leticia Peñano-Ho, its president and conference co-chair, with Cecil Tamura and former Dean Mauricia Borromeo, encouraged us to tell our game of high achievement. Instead, we showed it by reminiscing our friendship with the gifted who prefer staying in the background -- including the mom of our four kids, former Dinah Palmera Pacquing of Candon City, who plays the Gintong Ina role, while fulfilling her duties as the University of the Philippines' Open University Multimedia Center director as well as a Ph..D. student in Mass Com -- since she is actually a psychiatric epidemiologist who presides the Foundation AWIT!

Whew, hope we can still find one of life's luxurious gifts – time!

TEXT SUPPORT:
UNITED STATES: Stealing is against the law.
UNITED KINGDOM:Stealing foreigners will be deported.
SAUDI ARABIA: Steal or your hands will be cut off.
PHILIPPINES: Stealing is for official use only.

CONSIDER THIS:
Upon your life, I proclaim grace.
Upon your home, I pronounce peace.
Upon your work, I decree excellence.
Upon your storehouse, I declare abundance.