MABUHAY! BANAUE AT ABELARDO (September 21, 2009)

Today, after ABS-CBN suspended him for objecting on air to the video insertion of former Pres. Corazon Aquino's cortege on his noontime show, Willie Revillame will once more host Wowowee on the 37th anniversary of Martial Law!

Speaking of hosting, we, with Ruby Alcantara, did it for love during activist Mario Miclat's 60th birthday celebration at Trellis where his wife, Alma, organized a surprise dinner with Fr. Robert Reyes, Ria Teves, Ninit Roldan, Marvin Pagkanlungan, Lou Miclat, Mila Dumlao, Vangie Miclat, Agnes Cacayan, Karina Bolasco, Edna Garayblas-Monzon, Joey Baquiran, Mike Coroza, Marne Kilates, Fidel Rillo, and National Artist Virgilio Almario with other conspirators such as Boy Martin, who, as if to show where his sons Mayo and Raya get their genes, made an audiovisual presention informally called Mario Po!.

Their bunso, Banaue, sang twice before her audience members that included former University of the Philippines president Francisco Nemenzo and National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera who accepted Philippine Navy's apology after its enlisted personnel, Corporal Hannival Guerrero, was caught spying on his home last Thursday morning. Dr. Lumbera, who delivered the closing remarks that capped the apolitical evening, is the chairperson of ACT Teachers' Partylist and a convenor of Concerned Artists of the Philippines that has been critical of Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Then Banaue reminded us about her involvement with Baguio Stories produced by the U.P. Baguio Committee on Culture and the Arts chaired by Dr. Elizabeth Calinawagan for the Baguio City Centennial celebration. The eight monologues -- written by Nonnette Bennett, Frank Cimatu, Luchie Maranan, Igan Marasigan, and Martin Masadao -- feature Baguio celebrities with her as special guest. It will run until September 26 and 27 at the U.P.B. Bulwagang Juan Luna.

Banaue will go back to the Cordilleras!

Well, after her concert entitled Mabuhay! Banaue at Abelardo with the Mabuhay Singers, on September 24, 7 p.m., at the Abelardo Hall of the U.P. College of Music whose alumna, pianist Luz San Mateo, will accompany her. She has acted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. A member of the American Guild of Musical Artists, she had vocal training under Judylee Vivier, Robert A. Carpenter and Evelyn Mandac. She attended masters classes under F. Murray Abraham, Ruth Maleczech, Agnieszka Holland, Andrew Wade, Dee Cannon, and Vernon Morris . She did several off-Broadway shows including Coming Home: Sparrow, Anchors, Vagina Monologues, and Romeo & Juliet. She has starred in films like Lav Diaz’s Ebolusyon ng Pamilyang Pilipino, Khavn dela Cruz’s Pugot, Koiji Imazumi’s Abong, Clarissa delos Reyes’ Giving Care, and Noel Shaw’s Tainted.

During the concert night, the 2009 Maningning Miclat Poetry Award winners in the Filipino, English and Chinese Divisions will be proclaimed and given their awards of P28,000.00, a Julie Lluch sculpture trophy, and collector’s edition of books by the Miclats.

This year's finalists are: Mikael de Lara Co, Benedict Parfan, and Joseph de Luna Saguid (English division); Charles Tuvilla, Kristian Cordero, and Carlos Piocos III (Filipino division). The judges already chose the Chinese winner, Chen Liang, so he can come from Xiamen courtesy of one of the judges, Alice Chang Chi. Sarge Lacuesta and Roeder Camañag will perform the winning poems in English and Filipino respectively while Alice Chang Chi will read the winning Chinese poem translated into English by Shirley Lua.

The Maningning Award is handed out yearly since 2003 in honor of the ate, Maningning, who was a trilingual poet, writer, teacher and translator born in Beijing. She passed away in September 2000.

By the way, the Miclats migrated to China in August of 1971 after Pres. Ferdinand Marcos suspended the writ of habeas corpus.

TEXT SUPPORT:
What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield >wipers and laser printers all have in common? (All invented by women.)

CONSIDER THIS:

There is always a possibility that a person can be attracted to another even if he or she is committed. It is human nature. But that is why you are in a commitment, you discipline yourself. One may get attracted to numerous prospects as long as you do not nurse the feeling and will not do something about it. Borderline between cheating and faithfulness: recognize the reality that you have the person that can give you more than what you get from the cheap thrills of attraction.