Thoughts on Siquijor

For some people, the word "escape" brings them to distant shores and strange lands, the extremes in both landscape and culture to be experienced with a ready sense of adventure, an itchy pair of feet and a sturdy stomach.

One weekend of July was no ordinary--an escape to a paradise found, all shrouded both in mystery and charm. It was a bit ecstatic to have a glimpse of the mystical island from afar, which is even made more exciting by the group of clouds scattered all over its horizon. From where I stood at the old, rusty and slow-running ship, I drew scenarios that would unfold in my six-hour escape to the mystical island of Siquijor.

The heat was unforgiving when I set foot in the so-called island of fire. As we circled the island, we came up with the thought that this island is truly one of its kind.

Siquijor was barely on my radar then, not being a natural destination for the faint-hearted. For all our madness and flirtation with adventure, I popped out the question to our driver (who also served as our tour guide) the inevitable: Is there really such thing as witchcraft practices in the island? 

There was an awkward silence. Moments later, he affirmatively replied, to the point of enumerating words like mambabarang and even aswang. But these are just a thing of the past, he said. While some still exist, their numbers are few. 

As we traversed the nicely-paved road network, I found out that the quaint in Siquijor mixes easily with modern world. When we made it to the serene and peaceful part of the island—all vouched with the rustic feel of old houses and eerie-looking line of huge trees—I began to associate Siquijor as a paradise perfect for a weekend escape. 

No place in the island gave me a sense of time standing still more than the spot in Salagdoong, a remote, government-owned beach resort in the town of Maria. It’s a 360-degree visual treat, its palette dominated by aqua blue, its sea breeze a massage to the ear—perfect ingredients for a sweet escape. Old churches also dot the island; a 400-year old balete tree stands like a king, a carefree and lonely road leading you to pleasant surprises appearing in a form of a cascading waterfall, an old-fashioned town plaza, paintings on the ceilings of stone churches and most importantly, the people who are flashing the warmest smile one could ever see.

The journey to Siquijor is all worth it. As I am lulled by the waves on my way back, the memories of the island flashed in my mind: the almost glorious isolation in a time that ran slow. What a wonderful escape!

Until next time, beautiful Siquijor!

L.

5 Must-Do's in Lake Sebu

The bucolic town of Lake Sebu in the Province of South Cotabato exudes an enchanting charm. Lodged in the southern central part of Mindanao, this quaint town radiates with rustic bliss which sets it miles apart from other tourism destinations in Mindanao.

From General Santos City, one has to travel for a couple of hours to this amazing town. But this doesn’t mean a boring trip as the rural landscape filled your eyes with endless wonder: from rugged landscapes to the fields of corn and rice and the majestic view of Mt. Matutum. While it can be told that the journey is fun, nothing is more marvelous than stepping into Lake Sebu itself.

The cool and rustic clime of Lake Sebu is a pleasant escape from the tropics. The moment you alight from the bus at Punta Isla Lake Resort, you will feel the same aura felt by the visitors of Tagaytay. T’boli music welcomed us at Punta Isla Lake Resort where we are billeted for a night. From their viewdeck, one couldn’t help but be amazed by the panoramic vista that is uniquely Lake Sebu. From this point, one could affirm this place deserves the distinction as one of Mindanao’s prized tourism gems.

I listed some of the exciting things you can do while you are in Lake Sebu, to wit:

ZIP OVER SOUTHEAST ASIA’S HIGHEST ZIPLINE

This is undeniably Lake Sebu’s main attraction: the gravity-defying Zipline. But it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. Our initial descent was slow, but it began to pick up great speed in just a few seconds. It was a sensory overload: feeling the cool South Cotabato wind against our faces, watching the thick forest canopy and three waterfalls below us, and enjoying all of these while dangling approximately 200 meters off the ground. The first leg of the Seven Falls Zipline is 740 meters long and the second leg is 420 meters long. At a height of more than 180 meters, the exciting ride is the highest in Southeast Asia.

“FALL” IN LOVE

While some of the waterfalls can be viewed in seconds as you try the zipline, nothing compares to the feeling of watching it up close. It’s truly a great feeling to hear the sound of falling waters and to see the lush greeneries that are abound in the area. e 7 waterfalls have T’boli names that pretty much describe them:

Falls 1 is called Hikong Alu, meaning "passage falls."

Falls 2 is known as Hikong Bente or "immeasurable waterfalls." 

Falls 3 is Hikong B’lebed meaning "coil or zigzag falls"

Falls 4 earned the name Hikong Lowig meaning "booth"

Falls 5 is Hikong Kefo-i or "the wild flower"

Falls 6 is Hikong Ukol or "short falls"

Falls 7 was given the name Hikong Tonok, meaning "soil"

GO ON A BOAT TOUR

The lake, considered as the ancestral domain of the T’boli is composed of three magnificent mountain lakes – Lake Sebu, the largest; Lake Siluton, the deepest; and Lake Lahit, the smallest. The local tribesmen rely on the lake for their food, as evidenced by the many fish pensused to grow tilapia, hito and freshwater shrimps. As you take the tour for a minimal fee of 500 pesos/boat (maximum of 15 persons), you could see up close the activities around the lake.

Sir Edwin on the edge

Rustic Landscapes can be viewed as you go on a tour around the lake.

INDULGE ON A FOOD TRIP

Lake Sebu’s main product is the tilapia fish. In Punta Isla Lake Resort, one can choose from the more than 50 tilapia dishes on their menu. One could vouch to the freshness of the tilapia that is being cooked because you can see the resort’s staff getting them from the lake itself. You could indulge on a food trip in their respective cottages overlooking the lake. Better yet, try eating in their floating restaurant.

You could go on a feast and try the local delicacies in Punta Isla's famous floating restaurant which offers a nice view of the lake.

READ. WRITE. EMOTE.

Lake Sebu is definitely a pleasant escape from the tropics; a stark contrast to the busy atmosphere back in the city. The place offers a relaxing and a laid-back feel which is a perfect spot for reading a good book in one sitting, writing a note, to reminisce the good old times. Or better yet, to wander in your respective dreamlands. The next morning when you wake up, watch the beautiful sunrise over the lake and the activities abound in the area.

HOW TO GET TO LAKE SEBU

If you’re coming from Davao, Bukidnon or Cagayan de Oro, take a bus bound to General Santos City. From General Santos, ride a bus bound to Koronadal. From Koronadal bus station, take another bus bound to Surrallah. From Surrallah, there are jeeps or vans going to Lake Sebu. Once there, you'll find an abundance of resorts and hotels that cater to tourists.

WHERE TO STAY IN LAKE SEBU

There are many resorts in Lake Sebu but one resort that stood out is the Punta Isla Lake Resort. The resort’s tagline sums it all: this place is “where life blends with nature.” You can have your reservation or inquiries through the following contact details:

Email Address: reservations.puntaisla@gmail.com
Mobile Number: 09194515015 or 09052895134

Punta Isla Lake Resort

Weird

First, there was the joint force of Mike Enriquez and Mel Tiangco on the set of GMA-7’s primetime newscast 24 Oras—the power duo confronting Pia Guanio after the latter walked out on the studio on live television. It was a well-staged confrontation made even more wonderful by the glare of studio lights and perfect camera angles.

The second was that aboard an airplane, with all people close to me having such a quiet time en route to Hong Kong. It was very silent, until I heard my name of the plane’s address system. The captain wanted me out of the plane without giving a valid reason. Without batting an eyelash, I was already on a free fall, after flight attendants literally dropped me on the air. The people inside roared in laughter, wishing me their cheerful adieus and good luck.

I was alone, briskly walking on a straight and narrow path on the third. I could not distinguish whether the trees alongside this road. At some point, it looked like the beautiful cherry blossoms of Japan, but most of the time it closely resembles that of a kalachuchi tree, like those I see growing in memorial parks.

The fourth is both puzzling and terrifying. I was standing on an edge, arms akimbo; enjoying the panoramic view of what I believe is the pacific sea. I could see the people from below—looking tiny from where I am (probably because of heights)—enjoying the sun. All of a sudden, the water is gone. Waves came moments after. Thinking it’s just pretty little waves, I enjoyed this rare phenomenon until I saw the people running from the shore.

It was a tsunami at its grandest.

I ran for my life, in bare feet through the floor made from coconut lumber. But it was too late. I was swept by the angry waters; its strong current bringing me up and below, sometimes punching my head in metal, concrete walls and trees. After quite some time, I was buried in deep rubble, alive and still kicking. I struggled to get myself out from this mess. I did. I already began to see the clear blue sky. To my surprise, I ended up in Apokon Road, in front of this bakeshoppe called Barangay Pan de Sal, right across the Central Warehouse Club Building.

I really have weird dreams these past days. Really weird.

Louie.

Labor Day, 3:45 AM

Iron Man 3: Worth the Pay

The moment you happen to read this, you probably have been bombarded already with praises on Marvel’s latest film. If you have not watched the film yet, this would be a cliff-hanger: Why is this making such noise online or even in the real world? Truth be told, Iron Man 3—directed by Shane Black and top-bills the equally impressive as the man-in-metal suit himself, Robert Downey, Jr.—surely deserves all the recognition it gets. This recognition can also be easily translated to a nerve-wracking box office returns, amassing a whooping 60 million pesos on its opening day in the Philippines last week.

Never in the past months after the release of The Avengers that movie-goers have been treated to such an immersive movie experience until Iron Man hit the silver screen. While it can’t be denied that we’ve been enchanted with the highs and lows of The Hobbit or gripped with the gory scenes in Olympus Has Fallen or Zero Dark Thirty, Iron Man 3 undeniably deserves a sweet spot in the pantheon of interesting films this year.

It's not the suit. It's the man.

Part of the reason perhaps is its element of twists and surprises, notwithstanding its vivid, superbly-rendered and stunning visuals. The 130-minute film follows a very American formula, packed with elements of action thriller enough to send the audience wondering what would happen next. The intertwining elements of adrenaline rush-filled action sequences, twists, action and humor encapsulated in effective punch lines contributed to the film’s over-all impact.

But one of the film’s greatest ingredients is perhaps the villain itself, which is interestingly good as the protagonist itself. Pinoy film fanatics certainly know this: you can only bring out the luster of your superhero if you employ such a dark, if not diabolic, scalawag to make the protagonist-antagonist clash more appealing and grand. In this case, the twist of the fake Mandarin and the emergence of Killian—whose collaboration with Dr. Maya Hansen led to the the rise of Extremis virus—left us either amused or amazed. In its entire “heavy metal” splendor, Iron Man 3 also gives interesting sides of—and fragility—of the human spirit, which makes it more humane.

The destruction of the remaining Iron Man’s suits towards the end of the film, resembling that of a lackluster fireworks display, can be translated as such: it’s not the suit, it’s the man. While it may be true that he threw his obsolete chest arc reactor into the sea, he will always be Iron Man, even without his armor.

I’ve never been such satisfied when I stepped outside the IMAX Theater where I first watched it last Saturday and on Sunday, in a 3D Cinema here in Tagum. Yes, I’ve seen it twice as what I did with Les Miserables and Wreck it Ralph, and this I have to tell: It’s definitely worth the pay.

Hijo's 'Monkey Business'

This is homecoming!

This is how one fellow guest described the feeling as we slowly made our way to the secluded part of the second-growth forest inside the Hijo Estate Resorts in Madaum, Tagum City. From a distance, we already saw a barrel of Philippine Macaque Monkeys that are abound in the area, along with other wildlife animals such as wild boars, snakes, monitor lizards, among others.

The sighting of monkeys is the first exciting part of the Forest Tour offered by the Tuason-owned resort inside a 700-hectare coconut plantation. The same tour will take you swinging and walking mid-air through an elevated canopy walk, passing through anahaw forest and towering Dao trees.

So if you feel like doing nothing this weekend, why not settle for a "monkey business" in Tagum?

Louie.

Fore more info about this tour and Hijo Estate Resorts, visit their website here.

We Just Have to Believe

This I have to admit: I find it hard to provide more than 10 Pinoy films which I assumed to have gone beyond cinematic excellence and thought-provoking storyline. In this age where movie outfits care for box office returns more than the challenge of producing quality films, the list of Philippine-made films that we can proudly call as our “jewel” is not that very long.

Movie outfits that make millions of money out from a single movie release should not be entirely blamed for the current state of Philippine Cinema. The lion’s share of this blame should go to us—the movie goers—who fell short in making our country’s top production outfits realize their full potential to produce an excellent film. When we continue to patronize spur-of-the-moment movies whose primary aim is just to raise money for the sake of raising money per se, these outfits continue to provide the silver screen with outputs with such cinematic mediocrity.

As of late, though, one film seems to be an exemption which broke my perception on how I view Philippine movies nowadays. Though not that very great, It Takes a Man and a Woman—which top-billed Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz—is a surprising treat. Upon the insistence of a friend, my barkada happened to watch it last Saturday night, and I never had any regrets in spending (because wasting seems not to be the appropriate word) nearly two hours inside the cinema. Filipinos has this penchant for anything that revolves around the topic of love. Across generation, scores of songs, poems and movies has been devoted to love. All of those are sure hits.

True Love

I was waiting for guests the Old City Hall grounds this morning when I noticed this old couple enjoying some quality time together. It was 30 minutes past nine, which to many teenagers today, is not an ideal time for a date. I probably sat there for about 15 minutes, just observing them. I could tell the woman have a hard time moving, say incapacitated by age-related illness, that is why she lies across the concrete bench. This old man is her knight in shining armor: buying her banana cue and buko juice. I am posting this photo as an ode to true love. This photo also salutes those couple—who, despite the many challenges in life—remained true to their vows. I sat there wondering when will I meet the woman I’ll share my lifetime with.

Happy weekend guys,

Louie.

The Raging Waters of Panas

What I like about unplanned adventures is that it offers spontaneity and extraordinary thrill. You’ll never know what’s in store for you as you traverse the path to your destination. This is exactly what I experienced during my recent weekend getaway in the bizarre town of New Corella in Davao del Norte, some 18 kilometers from my hometown Tagum.

This quaint town, as I was previously told, offers a diverse option for eco-tourism adventures. This includes natural water terraces and wading pools, exotic caves and nature trails.

The fact that it’s just near ignites my wanderlust radar. Since two friends decided to drop a planned hiatus in Davao Oriental, I found myself waking up on a Saturday morning thinking where to go. Out of nowhere, New Corella came to mind.

Panas Waterfalls in Barangay Carcor, New Corella, Davao del Norte

A big commuter jeepney took me from Tagum Overland and Transport Terminal to this town, with weary-looking people facing each other from the parallel seats where we are seated. The 30-minute ride is mostly punctuated with commuters moving in and out of the jeep. The provincial government should be credited for the nicely-paved concrete roads which make the travel bearable.

Tuwing Umuulan

Kaysayang tingnan ng mga batang

Naliligo sa malakas na ulan

Tila nagpapaalalang buhay kaysaya

sa daigdig ng mga bata

Ang lamig ng tubig-ulan 

Pumapawi sa pagod dala ng nakakalokang init

Ang lakas ng hangin nama'y Sumasabay sa talon, kaway at habulan

Ng mga batang naglalaro sa buhos ng ulan

The Majestic Mt. Apo Experience

It all began with hesitation, but as soon as we started our journey on a broad daylight, I know there’s no coming back. This is no ordinary journey and certainly not for the faint-hearted.  We’re heading to Mt. Apo, the grandfather of Philippine mountains and the crown jewel of Philippine mountain climbing experience.

Last Holy Week, I felt like Bilbo Baggins of Shire—plucked from his comfort zone to take a part in a journey that could only be described as an ultimate adventure of a lifetime.  I certainly know how this journey would take its toll on us, especially on me—an obvious heavyweight and an inexperienced mountaineer. One would certainly wonder why I decided to join and the fact that we are aiming to reach the summit of the highest mountain in the Philippines for my first major climb is totally a crazy idea. As what we always say along the trail, kiat ray agi. Climbing Apo is not really included in my bucket list because I know that mountain climbing is not my cup of tea. Originally, I already planned to do a documentary about the holy week activities in Tagum last week but when I realized that majority of my officemates are joining the trip, I hastily agreed to take part and might as well give it a try. The journey to Apo started in Tagum two weeks before March 28, in early mornings at Energy Park where I did my exercise regimen.With just a little bit of jogging and more on walking and just few days to do it, I know this wouldn’t be enough. But still I pushed through with the plan, this time inspired by the idea of standing in the spot that every true-blooded mountaineer dreamed of reaching.

Mt. Apo's reflection is seen in a portion of Lake Venado. The country's highest lake sprawls at the foot of the country's highest mountain. According to local tribesmen, the lake is believed to be enchanted, killing countless mountaineers in the past.

The Long Walk to Mount Apo

Sprinkles for Friday, March 22, 2013

For quite some time now, I have always believed that the mountain is not really made for me. While I always marvel at the beauty of the mountain from afar, I have never thought of conquering one—climbing it and wandering through its mossy forests and treacherous hills.

Apo's Peak as viewed from Toril in Davao City.

The first time I acted like Jack who went up the hill was a year ago, in Sigaboy Island in Davao Oriental. It was particularly memorable because I consider this as my first climb, never mind how short the distant was. Standing proud on top of that cone-shaped island is a modern lighthouse which I made as an inspiration to negotiate the steep hills, never mind if I was just wearing ordinary slippers then. I made it on top after dismissing thoughts of giving up mid-way. The view on top—how fishing boats became so tiny, how the San Isidro mountain range looked grand in the mainland and the how calm the deep blue sea was—is just so breath-taking. And then there’s the Calvary Hills, also in the quaint town of Governor Generoso, which I managed to climb despite the sweltering noontime heat.

Reinventing, Revolutionizing

Sprinkles for Tuesday, March 12, 2013

IT'S BEEN a while. For quite some time, I haven't found myself sitting in a coffeeshop with nothing to worry and nothing to lose. The last time seems like ages past I could not even remember the last time I was here. Not until now—all basked in soft yellow lights, enjoying the smell of latte. Having been battered with such erratic schedule in the past month, moments like this is a privilege I rarely enjoy these days. There’s something in coffeeshops that relax my mind, inasmuch as other people think of a swimming pool to get rid of stress. Maybe the best thing about coffeeshops is that it encourages you to think deep, filter thoughts, think of something new, connect to the world or even make up some lost time with a friend and engage on a hearty conversation.

Now this new paragraph is no more written in a coffeeshop but on table just inches away from my bed. I write this paragraph fifteen minutes to twelve with the noise of an electric fan on number three as a companion. And some Michael Buble’s songs, too. One would think this is crazy when I could just go to bed and go to Dreamland at this time of the night. I all have the freedom to do that. But not tonight.

Maybe part of that stems from my penchant to over-react, or in this case, to be “over-inspired” over a revolutionary idea. Just a couple of hours ago, I went to Blugre with fellow blogger and CIO Chief Photographer LeoTimogan (a new coffeeshop in Tagum which is a franchise of a proudly Davao-based brand, replacing the short-lived Café Wissie which has become a favorite among friends and officemates) with the aim of researching and deciding whether to join the climb to the roof of the Philippines this coming Holy Week—Mount Apo. I wasn’t able to accomplish this goal as it was overshadowed with our views on how the Catholic Church would transform itself after a new Supreme Pontiff will be chosen in a historic conclave. There was a slight silence in the minutes that was consumed, and then Leo dropped the question that inspired me to write this piece: What kind of writer are you?

Blugre, March 12, 2013.

It was the kind of question that made my world stop for a bit. Scores of question marks seem to storm my mind asking “Am I one?” “A News Writer,” I jokingly quipped, “or maybe a ghost writer.” Perhaps this could very well explain my hesitation to say that I am a writer, judging by the outputs I produced in the past years.  It seems to me I’ve been a formulaic writer—imprisoned by the old rules of writing and, well, just for the sake of finishing a news report or a speech which most of the time are not eventually read in the rostrum.  The line of questioning Leo popped out somewhat opened the doors for me to seek for improvement and to engage in a journey which he calls as a “prelude to discovering yourself as a writer.” It’s a sort of making a mark. My hesitation could be explained perhaps in part by my working environment that thinks (and advocates) that less is more. This could be the reason why I think I did not allot a room for improvement—a thing which I did not ponder until now.

Not so great, Not so Powerful

IT ALL STARTED in Kansas. The year was 1905.

Framed in an awkward black-and-white square format, the opening scenes of the Oz the Great and Powerful show the life in a day of Kansas-based amateur magician named Oscar Diggs, who later found himself in an ultimate adventure in the mystifying Land of Oz.

The decision to exploit the BW square format in the fist ten minutes of the film is weird but it was overshadowed by the film’s visual dazzle: from its cascading waterfalls, to breath-taking vistas of different hues, stunning silhouettes and unique fauna. The set and costume should also be recognized, as well as the perfect 3D rendering. The film, directed by Sam Raimi, is oozing with vibrant colors and intelligent use of computer-generated images (CGI) that looked amazing on the big silver screen.

Computer-generated, cute-looking creatures like this are among the film's visual treat. 

Major Disappointment

Director Bryan Singer crafts the Jack the Giant Slayer as an attempt to ignite the imagination of its audience. But instead of achieving its purpose, the movie is close to becoming a major disappointment due to its poor reinvention and reimagination of the highly-revered fairytale.

Inspired by the English folk tale about a boy named Jack who discovers a magic beanstalk that leads to the dominion of evil giants, the film includes scenes of a duel that resemble outtakes from one of the “Lord of the Rings” films, but not as exciting as the latter. There’s the usual fairytale element of love, of betrayal, of revenge and triumph—formulas that if not properly put in place leads to disenchantment.

I walked out in the cinema thinking that the movie could have been better.  In general, the film lacks the thrill and excitement expected of an adventure film. There are few scenes that kept the barometer of excitement on a free swing, but were only short-lived. Jack and the Giant Slayer is another formulaic movie that failed to awaken among its audience the illusory pleasures of fictional lives unraveling like a memory. The nature of its narrative is truly a disjointed projection of a man’s dreamscape in all its nutty and confounding glory.

Tagum's Nature's Delight

Imagine yourself immersed in a sea of green, where the air is soothing as the morning calm and where birds sing to their heart’s content. The chirping of the birds welcomes as you walk through the well-manicured foliage and embrace the open blue sky.

You might think of Baguio or Tagaytay or even the Eden Park of Davao or the mighty hills of Bukidnon to experience this kind of thrill. The thing is, you don’t really have to because right at the outskirts of Tagum City lies a perfect getaway for those who want to commune with nature.

Located in the rural barangay of San Agustin, just a mere 15-minute ride from the city proper, is the Tagum Botanical Park. Solely developed by the City Government of Tagum, the 50-hectare park is brimming with lush greeneries, with tropical trees of different varieties planted in its hills. The sprawling park has several gazebos perfect for family picnics and gathering and will soon feature a zipline and trails for both biking and hiking. The Tagum Botanical Park is good alternative to the well-known and well-loved Energy Park, another city-developed nature park in Barangay Apokon.

DavNor Sports and Cultural Center

The Davao del Norte Sports and Cultural Center just opened its doors to the public Monday in time for the opening of the Davao Region Athletic Association Meet, a springboard event for hopefuls vying to compete in Palarong Pambansa. Located just across the provincial government of Davao del Norte in the capital city of Tagum, the DavNor Sports and Cultural Center is the first of its kind in Davao Region, featuring world-class facilities that are at par with the standards set by modern sports stadiums.

The all-weather, eight-lane rubberized oval track in the sprawling DavNor Sports and Cultural Center in Mankilam, Tagum City.

2013 Musikahan sa Tagum Experience

As what our eye bags would tell, it was truly a hell of a week. But make no mistake: Though it was physically and mentally demanding, the 12th Musikahan sa Tagum Festival is one that is worth cherishing for a lifetime. This is my second Musikahan with the City Information Office (the other one was when I was a volunteer, editing a daily gazette for the 3rd International Rondalla Festival) and the feeling of having a front-row seat to document a festival, with all its grandeur and spectacle, is but an enriching experience.

For five days, Tagum City transformed into a grand stage for music with its finest music festival that kicked off Mindanao's cultural calendar. Now on its 12th year, the Musikahan sa Tagum Festival is a bold testament  to Tagum City's moniker as the "Music City of the South." And why not? Throughout the celebration, Tagumeños and people from other places in Davao Region were charmed by the magic of music in all genres, making Musikahan an all-inclusive and longest-running Music Festival in the Philippines. 

The New City Hall of Tagum serves as a good backdrop during the Avenida Musika National Marching Brass Band Competition. 
Photo by Louie Lapat

Alma L. Uy, chairperson of the City of Tagum Tourism Council, said in her speech that Musikahan has branded itself as "a festival that connects people." True enough, especially this year when Musikahan elevated its mettle in music by utilizing it as a powerful tool to reach out and help. This year's Musikahan introduced its Cultural Action Project that is anchored on extending long-term assistance to the victims of Typhoon Pablo in Compostela Valley. After that fateful day on December 4, 2012, organizers scrapped their laid-out plans to make way for programs pursued in the context of staging a creative and meaningful ways to help, thereby changing the landscape of this year's music revelries.

Movie Review: Les Miserables

Anne Hathaway's "I Dreamed a Dream" is one of the poignant highlights of the film.

When the cinema lights were turned off, the usual pre-show noise instantly transformed into silence. This magnified, perhaps, the irresistible desire of the audience to witness the critically-acclaimed musical, Les Miserables, on the silver screen. In my time where geography and time hindered us to marvel the wonders of a musical or a stage play, watching Les Miserables on the big canvas is not just a mere time killer but also a grand experience.

Les Miserables is a whooping delight, made extravagant with hair-raising music with such powerful lyrics, excellent cinematography and a greatly intertwined stories revolving in an era of revolution. This, in my opinion, were the driving force in the sustained silence inside the cinema—something that you really need to appreciate a movie with such an epic scale.

One needs to prepare for the tear-jerking moments hyped up in this “all-singing, all-suffering” film based on the novel by Victor Hugo. Set in 18th-century France and on the verge of a revolution, Les Miserables is a timeless story of broken dreams, unrequited love, selflessness and the unyielding desire for change and freedom. Religion and faith and the goodness of the human spirit dominate the film, but it was melancholy that rings the loudest.

State of my Music's Choice

I've always been fascinated with music, inasmuch as other people would adore their gadgets, or how people believe in fairytales. Personally, music has always been a friend--stimulating my creative juices (if ever there is one), providing me some sort of relaxation when stressed and most of the time, being a buddy while working in the wee hours of the morning either cramming before deadlines or those moments of endless scroll down's and clicks here and there. I find it very hard to write without music in my ears. I mean this has always been a pre-requisite before writing or making some stuff that needs concentration.

I happen to write this after looking back at what happened the whole day today. Someone has talked about someone's music as "baduy." And I really felt alluded, because this I admit: My choice of music is definitely different. But then I realized we all do have different genres of music that we like. Otherwise, that would make all of us weird and "baduy" in every sense of the world. Our respective taste in music reflects our being diverse yet united with our adoration of music whatever genre may that be.

Life of Pi

Ang Lee's latest masterpiece—Life of Pi—is a visual stunner and credits its success to both excellent cinematography and clever storytelling. Though I'm still looking forward to the day when I will be able read the book in one sitting (I hope so), online reviews are all praise for this breakthrough film stressing that it had remained faithful to the book—a stark contrast to other movie adaptations that went beyond the pages. Other than that, Life of Pi is definitely the perfect movie to kick-off a year full of exciting movie releases.

Life of Pi follows the story of a shipwrecked boy in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where sharks dwell and where storms are the fiercest. But Pi is not alone. He is with a growling Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, one of the animals they transported from India in search of a greener pasture in Canada.

The film gives a dazzling visual narrative of the extraordinary survival of Pi and Richard Parker in vivid flashbacks. It was a poignant account of how both managed to survive the rough ocean, the strongest storms and the protesting stomach. It touches a certain point of humanity and unique friendship between the two, as manifested by one of my favorite scenes: when Pi gives way to pity as Richard Parker paws pitifully at a raft to get back into the boat. That triggered the friendship nurtured by both hunger and the open sea. Towards the end of this visual narrative, the viewing public has to prepare lots of tissue papers during tear-jerker moments when it will be very difficult to feel more sorry for the man or for the tiger.

More than anything else, this film excelled greatly in tackling faith and of holding on to the single strand of hope amidst seemingly insurmountable adversities. One striking line Pi uttered while braving big waves stroke a chord in me: “Richard Parker, come out you have to see this! It's beautiful!” Such a simple and powerful line!

Also listed in my favorites list in the movie is when the two finally reached the shore, both too skinny and nearly dying. It is a defining moment—a conclusion of their ordeal—but also a sad one because both have not been given a chance to bid farewell. I was disappointed their parting ended that way because I was expecting, at the very least, for Richard Parker to look back to Pi before heading to the wild. My feeling in this scene was succinctly described by the adult Pi talking to a Canadian writer to whom he is giving his unusual journey: I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye.

Like everybody else, Zyzle, Kelvin (my movie companions last Sunday afternoon) and I went out smiling and inspired as ever. More than the movie’s crisp, well-thought angles and superb 3D rendering, Life of Pi’s advantage is its exceptional treatment of a wonderful story of faith, of friendship and of letting go.

Louie.

Life of Pi is still showing. For those in Tagum, Ang Lee's masterpiece is shown at the 3D Cinema of the Gaisano Mall of Tagum.