Back to Past Pretense

     Wow, I made a review of this book above when this blog started. i even had two posts about it. This week I reviewed it again all new and refreshed for the newspaper crowd.

Philippine Star Edition

Original Posts

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Oh Neil Gaiman !

 I rode a bus at 4 a.m in the damp morning to reach the 20th AD Congress in Subic for Neil Gaiman. If you don't know who he is, shame on your book loving soul ! Enjoy 

This Week: Second International Congress on Education in Love, Sex and Life!

Real Pop Stars for Real Love

    Are you tired of celebrity hell? The sordid stories you read in the media about stds, illegitimate children, groupies and wife swapping stars. I am also talking about the tabloid tv shows that reek with this never palatable content for dinner or even lunch time viewing. It is really too easy to tune out with this “do you they expect me to watch this?” content.

    Yet, there is a fresh change going on in the youth entertainment biz and it will start in the Real Love Revolution concert this November 22, 2007, Thursday in the Le Pavilion,Metropolitan Park, Roxas Boulevard, Manila, near SM Mall of Asia. From 3 to 6pm,

artists will sing their heart out to promote the end of love without the lies, stds, and misguided relationships and celebrate how to find true love and clean living. The advocacy concert will feature Barbie Almabis, Christian Bautista, Miguel Escueta, RJ Jimenez,and Julianne Taroja. Donita Rose and NU DJ Jordan Escusa will be the real love hosts.
    This concert will not be possible without big media corporations the participation of  Globe, ClickTheCity.com and GMA7 who are taking the time to clean the airwaves. The event is organized by concerned parent’s group Educhild, University of Asia and the Pacific’s I A.M S.T.R.O.N.G , DECS and Developmental Advocacy for Women Volunteerism who are also organizing the Love, Laughter and Life Ever After, the Second International Congress on Love, Sex, and Life, scheduled for 19 to 22 November, at the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel. For more information visit http://www.edicongress.com

Read Now Meconomy: Design to Make A Difference Article

This week's article is about artists from various creative fields injecting a conscience into their work. Enjoy!

  A decade ago, searching the job market was all about the bottom line: money. People would stick to the traditional route of punching in and out for eight hours of drudgery a day to climb the corporate world. Now, more and more gutsy yuppies are checking out of these “I’d rather be dead” jobs for a new bottom line: happiness by making a difference. This is because under every pile of blah-blah-blah reports is a socially hungry employee asking, “What’s the point?” We all get to this point one way or another. Unfortunately, reality asserts itself into our lives in the form of bills, bills and more bills that make us realize we need to do our blah-blah-blah reports again.

Thus, it was morally invigorating to attend the talk by the advertising agency Ideals called “Design to Make A Difference” in Cafe Isla, Serendra last October 23. The event featured six speakers in creative fields who were driven and designed to make a difference through their advocacy work. They all have their causes, ranging from vegetarianism to preserving the Cordillera heritage, which you may agree or disagree with. However, you have to admit that these people have found the happy middle path — balancing money and conscience, as succinctly put by Rocky Sanchez from the agency Campaigns Social Response. The night definitely made a difference in my life as I was able to pick up some ideas to stir up things in my own field. Hence, I would like to share three points from the 60 minutes that made my 24 hours.

Design difference 1: Find people who share the same ideals

Art Director of Harrisons Communication Dan Matutina founded the advocacy advertising agency Ideals with other UP Fine Art graduates who knew that the world was in trouble. The Ideals team is composed of only five creative superstars (Berns, Rhea, Dang, Yelle and Dan himself). Yet they are able tackle monster clients such as Coke (as seen with the speak-out shirt above), ADB, and Caritas Manila because of their mighty bond and rapport as I saw on the night itself. Thus, it was no surprise for this Ideal team to produce, direct and even do the voices for an upcoming cartoon for the Environment. All I saw was smiles and no sweat.

Rocky Sanchez, like Dan, works with an advocacy advertising agency called Campaigns Social Response, a branch of Campaigns and Grey Philippines. She was able to find cause-oriented people in her bosses at Campaigns and Grey. Because of that, she was able to branch out from clients such as Joy Dishwashing Liquid. Although her old projects may clean the household or your hair, she found her true calling was cleaning up the grime in society through new clients such as Haribon Philippines for Animal rights and Volunteers for Clean Elections.

Design Difference 2: Simplify

For Cultural Center of the Philippines Photography Awardee Tommy Hafalla, creating change is not about noisy protest. His snapshots of Cordillera culture have drawn in viewers, letting them know more about these indigenous tribes living in the bundoks of Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga and Apayao. As a native of the region, he visually educates people through his photographs that tell factual stories such as the importance of tattoos in the tribe. This is because he believes that his region’s culture is often misinterpreted by foreigners and fellow Filipinos who lampoon the richness of his people’s lives due to lack of research and mental laziness.

Renowned film director Erik Matti delivers and educates through 30 seconds that are disruptive and entertaining. Last year, he made insightful TV ads to teach viewers to vote wisely through showing the meticulous job interview of a janitor. The ad ends with the tagline “Sana ganito rin tayo kapili sa pagboto ng presidente.” During his talk, Erik also featured other “vote wisely” TVC ads depicting people sharing gross personal items such as chewed bubble gum, snotty tissue paper, and a used toothbrush to bring home the point “Di Yan Dapat Ipagamit sa Iba, Gaya ng Boto Mo.”

Design Difference 3: Don’t be preachy

Fara Manuel, graphic designer for NGOs such as Haring Ibon, PETA, PAWS, and Greenpeace is a lean and green fighting vegetarian. In the beginning, as a UP Fine Arts student, Fara did some gory photo presentations of slaughtered pigs to make people see the greener side. As she grew older, her style changed to cuter designs to win people’s hearts and minds. An example is her lighthearted storybook called Si Maki at ang Munting baka that aims to teach kids about the horrors of fast food. Another is her adorable tree-hugger T-shirts as shown above for green advocacy.

Architect Dan Lichauco from the firm Archion Associates is rather discreet when talking about green architecture with clients. He’d rather deliver his advocacy for cost-efficient buildings that are energy efficient with his designs for clients such as Medical City and Ateneo Medical School. During his talk, he showed how constructing walkways and such can make schools and offices cooler by channeling the wind in the right direction, using less air-con. As you see, getting people onboard with your cause can be all about speaking the right language.

Making the planet a little less lonely….

       Writing gets you really thinking. I think it is because of prolonged exposure to staring at a white space.

Anyway, below is the link to the Read Now Article on Life Crises and Lonely Planet. Enjoy!

Are We There Yet? 

Got to Believe in Magic: Mysterious Stranger by David Blaine

Wow, how magical! I got the first feedback for my print version of Read Now at Philippine Star from american

ex-pat Dave Starr. He commented on today's article about magician David Blaine and his love for his mystical craft.

 Click below to read:

You Can Do Magic!