Story By: Heather Craig

Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippine’s national hero, is Asia’s first modern proponent of fighting for freedom through non-violent means, even ahead of the great Mahatma Gandhi of India. His two books – “Noli Me Tangere” (Touch Me Not) and “El Filibusterismo” (The Filibuster) – triggered the flames of revolution in the Philippines resulting in the country’s independence from the Spanish rule after 330 years.

But Rizal wasn’t just a Philippine hero or the “Pride of the Malay Race.” His prescription of universal brotherhood – which he also exemplified in his life and works, and for which he died for – was a dream all men share. It was a dream that knows no race or creed or color. It was the dream behind Knights of Rizal.

Inspired by Rizal’s idea of universal brotherhood and martyrdom, a group of nine young men, led by Col. Antonio C. Torres, founded The Knights of Rizal (KOR) on Dec. 30, 1911.  Today, several KOR chapters are scattered all over the globe, made up of multinational admirers and believers in the teachings of Rizal.  In March of this year, the first chapter of KOR in the Asian mainland was established – the KOR National Chapter in Thailand, with Col. George Reiff appointed its first Knight Commander.

Of German descent, Col. Reiff is the main force behind the establishment of KOR in Thailand.

The first Knights in Thailand received their initiation at the Richmond Stylish Hotel on April 10, 2011 in a ceremony presided over by Philippine Consul General Edgar Badajos, himself a Knight of Rizal.

The full chapter has been introduced on March 26, 2011 also in Richmond Stylish Hotel and the ceremony was jointly presided over by Philippine Ambassador Linglingay Lacanlale and Consul General Edgar Badajos. Among those initiated were Pol. Lt. Gen. Teeradej Rodhpotong, Assistant Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police and who is  honorary patron of the KOR; Pol. Maj. Gen. Vibool Pakamas, Pol. Col. Nopadol Wongnom; Khun Prapun Pismayarom; Dr. Tae Sul Kim; Dr. Tan Man Ho; and Dr. Harikumar Pallathadka.  Thai Senator Usanakorn Amatyakul was guest of honor at the event.

While universal brotherhood, as prescribed by Rizal, remains KOR’s main pursuit, the Thailand chapter also “aspires to strongly support education,” says Col. Reiff.

In keeping with that aim, KOR Thailand chapter recently sponsored a contest in the fields of oration, essay writing, and painting among children aged 8-16 from the expat Filipino community in the kingdom.  The event, held at the Philippine Embassy, aimed to foster interest among school children in the teachings and the life of Dr. Jose Rizal. Rizal with his novels, “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo.” The contest was a big success, and Col.George Reiff looks forward to holding more similar events in the future.

KOR is now actively expanding membership in Thailand, looking for men of high respect and value, to support and spread the legacy that Rizal left behind for future generations to emulate.

The Misang Tagalog, inititated by Fr. John Tamayo S.D.B. at the Mary Help of Christians Church in Krungthep Kritha, ventured southward to visit Phuket.

The month of September was busy with 2 worthwhile activities among members of the Misang Tagalog community. One was the event to honor the recipients of this year’s San Lorenzo Ruiz award – Nimfa and Nilo Rafols from Korat. Another was a visit southward to Phuket, where the group was joined by the cultural dance troupe from the province of Korat – supported by the AFT-Isan community. Everyone looks forward to more celebrations as the Misang Tagalog community finds more reasons to gather and hold worthwhile events for its members and friends.

Story By: Hedda Tan, Photos by: Zrs Gamboa

Two expat artists based in Bangkok share their world through an abstract art exhibit

On October 7, 2011, two artists –Gloria Simister from the Philippines and Eunice Mateo from the Dominican Republic – will showcase their art titled “Two Windows” at the Design Zone in Thonglor. EXL caught up with them at the Mateo residence in Bangkok to find out what the world is like for these two expat women who chose to express themselves in this particular medium – abstract art painting.

What does an expat mom do when all her kids have gone on to college or to build a career for themselves in another part of the world (as many expat families tend to do)?

For Gloria Simister – a mother of two  -  an answer to that can be had in a heartbeat.  As a child, she has always been interested to paint. But not until five years ago, when she and Eunice Mateo met at a painting group at the President Park in Bangkok, did she start to pursue abstract art with more fervor. And this month, she will be making her debut as a bona fide artist at the Design Zone in Thonglor. Along with her friend of five years, Eunice Mateo, who is no stranger to doing exhibitions in Thailand (she has done a roving exhibition, among other kinds, with international and Thai artists in the past), Gloria will showcase her love of nature expressed in abstract paintings.

Eunice describes her friend’s art as “powerful!”
“She always puts a door for me somewhere to enter and I have to find it in the painting. I like that,” Eunice muses. David, Gloria’s husband (an entrepreneur in the field of real estate), finds Gloria’s art “more like Gloria – very dramatic!”

Art, from Gloria’s point of view, is “one that you have to find out by yourself. There are no rules. It depends on what you feel at the moment. It’s either very frustrating or very therapeutic.”

When frustrated, Eunice confesses to just doing something on the canvas. After that, she would put the canvas away for a few days. “I don’t meditate,” Eunice shares. “Some of my (artist) friends do. I put on music instead.”

Gloria describes Eunice’s painting as “vibrant! She likes very vibrant colors but she is very organized. So her paintings are very calming. Even on a small piece of canvass there’s a lot more to see, there’s a lot of harmony.”

Thailand, these two artists agree, may challenge one in the beginning when it comes to finding the right equipment because of the language barrier. “But once you know where to get stuff, it’s easy,” Eunice says. Thailand is rich in ideas for artists – there’s so much colors, there’s the Thai people, the Buddha – pretty much like the Carribbean, according to Eunice.

“Every artist has an eccentricity”, says Gloria. “I paint at the crack of dawn. Since I’ve got my own studio and time is what I have,” she laughingly shares, “I could put a lot of thought into my canvas.”

Eunice’s kids – 2 girls – still go to an international school here in Bangkok. So she makes use of the time during the day when the girls are at school to paint. Ian, Eunice’s husband, an American who works for the Associated Press, has this to say about her paintings – Sometimes, she does it at night, when her kids and husband are asleep, so she can be alone.

Both artists confess one more commonality – their not being so keen to socialize much with other people. Gloria, for instance, doesn’t go out much in the evenings. “It’s a lonely career,” says Eunice.

In retrospect, either you paint and aim towards making it big enough to do exhibitions, or you just paint for your own satisfaction or therapeutic pursuit, there is much more to this art form than just a splash of colors on a blank canvass. These two women tell stories and convey emotions with their art and their works are a delight to view and enjoy! Come and experience it for yourself at the Design Zone, Thonglor 24. Exhibit ends January 2012.

By: Percy Roxas

In the spirit of Halloween, how about visiting some of Bangkok’s “scariest spots.”

Whether you believe in ghosts and spirits or not, let us share some of these so-called haunted spots with you. Believe at your own risk and pardon us for not being too specific because there are local sensitivities involved:

The Haunting in Prakanong
Perhaps one of the most interesting Thai ghost stories – even immortalized by a film (“Nang Nak”) some years back – is that of Mae Nang Nak, a young woman who refused to leave this world even after she died from childbirth because of love.  Nak, so the story goes, was head-over-heels in love with a guy named Mak. They were living happily together when Mak was called upon to serve his country and fight in a war somewhere, leaving his “infanticipating” wife alone. During his absence Nak died in childbirth but when he returns, he found her waiting on the same house, although now with a kid in some kind of a spell. Neighbors tried to tell him the truth, but Mak refused to believe until he saw the truth with his own eyes. He decided to leave Nak, making her very angry to the point of terrorizing the entire village. The story was said to be based on true events and today, many Thais point to this house near the Prakanong River, next to the Wat Mahabut in Onnut, where they claim Nak used to live. It was said that whoever lives in that house get disturbed by spirits walking up and down the stairs, like Nak used to do when she was alive. The house was thus abandoned. But Nak’s legend of undying love remains alive, even inspiring some believers.  IF you visit Wat Mahabut, you will see an altar in her honor, where these believers pay respects and make merit in her honor from time to time.

Scary in Ramkamhaeng 32
Another house, my friend told me, this time deep in Ramkamhaeng Soi 32, falls in the same category: haunted. It’s a Spanish-style house that is quite lovely and looks very livable, but for some reasons has been uninhabited for many years. The culprit? The ghostly spirit of a maid allegedly killed by a robber who broke into the house while the owner (a foreigner), was out on a holiday.  Like that ghost in the recently shown hit Thai horror movie, “Ladda Land,” this one remains trapped inside the house presumably because she died a violent death. Many people in the area attest they hear strange noises when they pass by the house, and sometimes even shrieks and cries for help. Others say they often see the phantom of the maid walking around in the shadows of the night. It was these same apparitions, they alleged, that caused the foreigner owner to move out.  True? Or not?  By the way, my friend also told me about a local TV crew who did a documentary about this house one time. After the documentary was shown on TV, the house owner reportedly sued the channel for it.

Creepy Klong in Rangsit 13
This spot merited a mention in some tourist brochure called “50 Unordinary Things to do in Bangkok” or something – a testament to its scary reputation.  The actual spot cited was the deserted house about 2km from the main road.  It was said that a big fire gutted the house and a woman was burned to death. Today, what remains of the house are its lonely pillars – and it’s haunted legacy. It’s been years since the tragic fire and death occurred, but today many neighbors swear that they can still hear the woman’s screams, especially at night.  And often, they insist, they see a woman’s apparition too!

Ghostly Garage in Soi Saiyhud
A group of lost spirits trying to find their way to cross-over from limbo? Perhaps. This is the explanation offered by locals in this soi as to why scary spirits haunt the garage where bodies of buses that have figured in serious accidents are discarded and piled up. Many people were said to have died inside these buses, and their spirits have been trapped here for eternity; Thais believe that persons who die sudden violent deaths stay in limbo. They said they are not really harmful, but when they play with the bus lights (the lights turn on by themselves), or just appear and disappear at random, they scare the wits out of them. Some witnesses say they would see someone in front of the garage hailing a cab but when the cab stops, they would mysteriously disappear. Sometimes, they say, these mysterious spirits would cross the street, and then just disappear in thin air.

Deserted Factory at Bangpoo Industrial Estate
A few years ago, a tragic accident happened at a factory on Soi 2, along the side of Muang Boran (Ancient City) in this industrial estate: an electric generator exploded and killed scores of workers. After that, it was said, ghosts began appearing in the factory, scaring the workers so much until, one by one, they decided to resign. “Ghosts here are real cruel, they are scary to death,” said my friend.  Eventually, it was told, the company suffered lots of problems and closed shop. Reports even alleged that its business owner later committed suicide. The factory had since been deserted, because it was, as they say, haunted.

Abandoned House at Soi Vatcharapol
There is a house in this street that scares the hell out of many people. A tragic accident led to the abandonment of this unfinished European-style house. According to the story, the house owner and his family were on their way to a holiday when they met a horrible road accident. None of the family survived, and the house was never finished. Since then, many neighbors and passers-by tell of varying stories about ghostly spirits – a man, a woman, and a kid – that they sometimes see in the house.

Scary? These are just some of the ghost stories passed around in many circles around Bangkok.  There are still many other allegedly haunted spots than we haven’t mentioned here, like that temple in Nonthaburi or that area around the former Sandika Bar in Ekkamai, which was gutted by a fire that killed scores of young people one New Year’s Eve.

Whether these stories about haunted spots, abandoned houses, etc. are fact or pure fiction, it remains that Thais are just like the most of us who loves tales of horror and suspense. We love to feel fear, to be afraid, to be scared, and we will probably continue to relish enjoying them whether in movies, books, TV, or real life.

Words and Photos by Jeremy Villasis

2011 marks the 31st year of Bacolod City’s Masskara Festival, one of the Philippines’ most popular and colorful celebrations. Perhaps the country’s happiest festival, it is quite ironic that its origins can be traced back to a time of tragedy and economic depression. With the number of visitors increasing throughout the years, it is clear that Masskara is truly a triumph over tragedy.
Characterized by participants wearing colorful masks, Masskara is coined from the words Mass which means “multitude” or “many,” and Kara, the Spanish term for “face,” hence Masskara means “a multiple of smiling faces”. The three-week festival culminates on the third week of October (This year, Oct. 15-16) which sees a highlight of activities such as the Masskara Queen beauty pageant, Electric Masskara parade, the street-dancing competition that snakes throughout the city all the way to the public plaza, and a weekend of late night partying along Lacson street, the city’s main thoroughfare.
If partying over the weekend is not enough, visitors to the festival can also enjoy the best of what Bacolod has to offer. Notable side trips outside the city are: the Mambukal resort, home to several waterfalls, a hot spring and thousands of bats; The Ruins, a turn-of-the-century residence of sugar baron Don Mariano Lacson in Talisay; and Balay Negrense, a 19th century house-turned-museum in Silay.  Of course, a trip to Bacolod would not be complete without trying the famous and authentic chicken inasal (grilled chicken marinated in local herbs), as well as, various sweets such as the piaya and napoleones, after all “sugary sweet” is Bacolod’s dialect, being the country’s sugar capital and all.

TO GET THERE: Bacolod City is 50 minutes by plane from Manila, and 30 minutes from Cebu. Please check Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Philippines for daily flight schedules.

Story by: Hedda Tan, Photo by: Jose Tan

Vice President  Binay to Pinoy expats in Thailand: Invest in the Philippines!  

RP Vice President Jejomar Binay is perhaps best known for playing a leading role in restoring democracy to the Philippines after two decades of dictatorship under the Marcos regime. He also has a hard-earned reputation for sound city management as mayor of Makati, Philippines for 20 years (among the top ten mayors in the annual World Mayor project in 2006). Now, as the country’s second in rank, he points to two reasons why we should invest in the new Philippines – an increasingly stable economy and new leadership in a government that is free of graft and corruption – a first in many, many decades!

The vice president was in Bangkok to keynote the 3rd Asia Pacific Housing Forum and Exhibition at the Queen’s Imperial Palace. While here, he also met Thai authorities to discuss how to curb human trafficking and met with members of the expat community to discuss a wide range of issues, during which, he encouraged expats to start thinking about making investments in the Philippines.

While in a study stint at Harvard in Boston recently, Vice Pres Binay was asked, “how is your economy?” While true that the Philippine economy was on a downward spiral the last few decades, expat Filipinos have these to be hopeful about the country: the dollar now only appreciates in cents against the peso, as opposed to such a big a change as a peso or two to the dollar just overnight in the past. After 35 years, the Philippine GDP is now 7.35. This is a far cry from earlier times, when our GDP would dip down to a negative number.

To what factor does the country owe these positive changes? According to the Vice President, for a year now since new leadership took over the country, the Philippine government has not had one incident nor allegation of ill doing. And such is what will turn the country around. For investors and tourists to turn an eye of interest towards the Philippines, we have to establish a reputation for clean governance – transparency and accountability are now the order of the day.

And the one big investment opportunity for expat Filipinos in Thailand, including those married to other nationals, is the PAG-IBIG fund. This fund, of which majority of shares is owned by members, is one of the most stable investment opportunities in the country, according to Vice Pres Binay. To date, it is worth 300 billion pesos, and not one cent is dependent on the government. Expats, who are paying members, can avail of housing loans and provident savings programs, among others. And once a paying member retires, you get your own contributions and dividends. (For more details, visit the PAG-IBIG fund website at www.pagibigfund.gov.ph.)

Finally, another way for expats to “invest” in our country, according to the Vice President, is to help bring in tourists to the more than 7,000 islands of the republic. “We have a lot to offer”, says Vice Pres Binay. And he hopes that expats would market and tell their friends proudly, “this is the Philippines”!

Story By: Percy Roxas and Hedda Tan, Photo By: Jose Tan

Recent Bangkok visitor Paeng Nepomuceno proves that once a champion, always a champion!

Last month, Bangkok quietly played host to its first ever World Tour – the PTT World Bowling Tour, to celebrate the King’s birthday and 84th year anniversary. Some six top Filipino bowlers came to participate, headed by no other than the Philippines’ biggest pride and contribution to the sports of international bowling — Rafael Nepomuceno.

‘Paeng’ to his countrymen, the Filipino who stands at the entrance of the International Museum of Bowling Hall of Fame in Arlington, Texas, may no longer be the hot household sports name that he was three or four decades ago, but in the recent Bangkok competition, he proved that he hasn’t lost the touch.

Competing with around 80 to 90 top bowlers from many different countries, most of whom are half his age, Paeng proves his mettle. He is still the bowling champion, the only athlete in the world to be a champion in three different decades: 70s, 80s, 90s, the only person to win 123 World (Sports) Titles – according to the Guinness Book of Records; he broke records three times.

At 54, he is still a delight to watch. A regal athlete with the perfect bowling form, mesmerizing in action, and thrilling to observe as he strikes the pins in his usual champ-like way.

“I’m happy to be here,” the champion bowler told EXL. “I will try my best to give honor to the Philippines once again. It’s not easy because most of my competitors are half my age but I’m glad I can keep up with them. I’ve been bowling for 40 years now. I’m just glad that I can still step up to the challenge.”

Paeng talks as if what he’s doing is as natural as breathing or getting out of bed in the morning, which belies the fact that he holds three “Guinness Book of World Records,” all still unbroken. He first got into Guinness as the “Youngest World Champion.”

EXL Magazine “ambushed’ Paeng during a break in his games at Siam Paragon for this article. Here are excerpts:

EXL: You’ve done great feats as an athlete. What can you say about the future of this sport among Filipinos?
Paeng: Filipinos are world-class when it comes to bowling. It’s one sport where height is not a factor (though Paeng is definitely not your average Filipino in height at 6 feet, 3 inches.) Even age is not a factor.  As long as you are injury-free and you are enthusiastic about it, you can go on and on. We have a good future in bowling. It’s been proven. We have a track record: we are a world power when it comes to bowling!

EXL: What advice can you give to young people who would like to become world-class athletes too?
Paeng: To all athletes – not only in bowling — success is not easy. The main ingredient is hard work. Lots of sacrifices are needed to become a champion. You have to work hard at it. You have to be determined. Those things are very important to become a champion. Nobody can become a champion without discipline.

EXL: At which point in your career did you tell yourself that THIS is what I want to achieve? Did you ever, at some point tell yourself, I’m going to be the best in my game? When did that happen?
Paeng: I started bowling when I was 12-years-old. I took it step-by-step. When I was 15, I was Philippine Junior Champion; I was the best in my age group. After winning the tournament, I wanted to be the best among Filipinos, including the adults. I did that at 17, and then repeated it at 19. After I became the national champion in the Philippines, my next goal was to become the best in Asia. I achieved this when I was 19. A few months later, I set a goal to be one of the best in the world, and I won my first World Cup at the age of 19, the youngest ever to do so. I still hold the record to this day. So, it should be a step-by-step goal.

EXL: Do you study your opponents?
Paeng: I do. But the floor of bowling is in the mental game. You compete against yourself. It’s 80 percent mental, so your disposition on the lane is a big factor. How you control your emotion matters. To me, that is more important than looking at other people’s game because it’s not a contact sport. Your enemy is yourself. If you get nervous when other people cheer or like today, there’s the drummer, you lose.

EXL: You must have had your share of annoying players who tried to get at you. What do you do when that happens?
Paeng: That’s part of it. That’s part of the mental part of the game. I don’t let that bother me.

EXL: Who influenced you to become a champion?
Paeng: My dad was my coach. He instilled the importance of having a strong mental game. That was my advantage.

EXL:  How important is family support?
Paeng: It’s very important. But this (his present Bangkok games) is actually the first time that everybody came to watch me play. I don’t think they became so much involved before. They couldn’t attend my games before because everyone was in school. School is important.

EXL:  Who else in the family plays bowling?
Paeng: My son tried it for two years. Then he stopped. Now he is in Hawaii as a surfer. And he does jujitsu. It doesn’t mean that when you have children, they will follow your footsteps. I support whatever sport they choose and that’s what’s important. Kailangan hilig, eh. (Interest is important.)

EXL: How did you impart your achievements — and the discipline— to them?
Paeng: I try to be a role model, as much as possible.

EXL: What do you consider the greatest compliment you have received so far?
Paeng:  I think my greatest achievement is being in the entrance of the International Museum of Bowling in the Hall of Fame in Arlington. Every athlete aims to be in his sport’s Hall of Fame. I have achieved that in 1993. It’s a big bonus that among millions of bowlers around the world, they chose a Filipino to be in the entrance. That is the biggest compliment. That’s my legacy; all my memorabilia is there.

EXL: Any advice to expat parents who also want to help their children succeed in what they are interested in?
Paeng:  Everyone’s into computer now. I call on all expat parents – all parents in fact — to get their children into sports. In sports, you will learn life skills. It makes you a better person. You can use those skills later in your work, in school, and everywhere. So encourage your children to get into sports.

EXL:  What is your message to the readers of EXL and all Filipinos in Thailand?
Paeng: More power to you. I’m proud of you – all of you!

By: Hedda Tan

She has dressed ambassadors of China, Finland, Sweden and the United States. Fashion icon American Ambassador Kristie Kenney wears her!

Len Nepomuceno, who’s designs are creating a buzz in the fashion scene in Bangkok talks to EXL about family, work and Thailand.

When did you start to be interested in fashion designing?
-I have been interested in design since I was a little girl. I have a collection of Barbie dolls that I dressed. I remember re-cutting and sewing back their dresses, then at the end of the day, I would line them up and show my family a mini-fashion show.  Way back in high school, I was designing – ‘dictating to my classmates what to wear’ is more like it – weekend soirees and finally, when prom season comes, I think I designed most of their prom dresses.
As a professional designer today, I was tasked to design dresses for Barbie for her 50 years celebration. My designs were sold at auction and was on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. My classmates on the other hand, are still my clients. I do their weddings and their evening gowns. I have always been very passionate with fashion. As the saying goes, FASHION IS MY PASSION!

Were your parents and family supportive of your interest in this industry?
-Yes, my whole family has always been very supportive of my profession. They have never missed any of my fashion shows, and they always have a copy of the newspapers and magazines that feature me and my work.

You went to New York to study to have a career in designing, would you say that is a must for any Filipino designer ; to study abroad?
- We have excellent design schools in Manila like the SOFA (School of Fashion and the Arts), College of St. Benilde, De La Salle, where experienced fashion designers are teachers themselves. They can be excellent teachers because what they teach you comes from the heart. But I would say that fashion education is best learned through experience. Hard work is a must, and the skill within is an exceptional tool for any aspiring designer.

How do Filipino designers stand in relation to designers all over the world? What is our edge and our uniqueness?
- Filipinos are very talented. Filipino designers are already carving their niche all over the world, winning international design competitions in America, Europe and Asia. Every year, we (the Fashion and Design Council of the Philippines) host a young designers competition and we send the winners to compete in Paris, Tokyo and Singapore. Filipino designers have won several titles on these competitions, by using indigenous fabrics such as pina, abaca, Mindanao silk and abel iloco, which are all woven and manufactured in the Philippines.

You are known to have dressed (and is still dressing) lady ambassadors in the Philippines, including American Ambassador to Thailand, Kristie Kenney. What is it that they love so much about your designs?
- I have dressed Ambassadors of China, Finland, Sweden, and the United States, for their evening wear and affairs. My style is more of the elegant and sophisticated, classic but with a twist, fresh  and never stiff. Pretty much like the ambassadors themselves.

What are the hallmarks of your designs?
- DRAPING is my specialty. I cut, drape, deconstruct and sew from the fitting form/mannequin. I work on tiny details that are usually the main focus of my designs. I like working with textured but not printed fabrics, my silhouettes are usually close to the body, but not tight fit. Just enough to exude sexiness to the female form.

You are starting to grow your clientele here in Bangkok. What are you excited about the Thai market and the clientele here?
- I am very excited because Bangkok is a wonderful, lively place, they never run out of affairs to go to. Thai women are easy to dress, all the accessories are available here, styling will not be difficult. Also,I want to show Thailand what Filipino designers can offer.

What advise would you give to young people out there who are interested in following your career path?
- They should have the passion for design, never stop learning about trends, be open to ideas and of course, overall, hard work is a must.
Designing is not all glamour as it seems; it is all pure hard work from the design process to editing to constructing to finally manufacturing each and every piece. A part of yourself goes to the design, and at the end of the day, it’s the satisfaction you get when you see your clients happily wearing your creation. Fashion is a never-ending learning process.

Who would you say is Len Nepomuceno, the person, as opposed to Len, the sought-after designer?
- Outside of work, I am a normal regular person you see on the streets. I am playful and happy and family-oriented. I’m very private, and I enjoy quality time with my family – just having dinners-out or at home, having coffee and people-watching on my free time, or just watching TV. At work, I am very professional – I deal with clients, meet with my staff and manage my shop. I am very organized when it comes to work, and very passionate about my job as a designer. I live and breathe Fashion.

Currently the Vice-President of FDCP (Fashion and Design Council of the Philippines) whose members include seasoned designers like Josie Natori, Rajo Laurel, Inno Sotto, Randy Ortiz, JC Buendia, Frederick Peralta, Jojie LLoren, Cesar Gaupo, Lulu Tan Gan and others, Len Nepomuceno is opening shop in Bangkok at 69/42 Perfect Place, Soi 18/3, 164 Ramkhamhaeng, Minburi, Bangkok, Thailand 10510.

by Ces Orquiola

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is on fire, and he hopes that Filipino expats will catch it and bring it back home with them. On a recent trip to Bangkok, Senator Kiko, or Khun Kiko as we shall refer to him here,graciously sat with us despite a full schedule of plant visits, irrigation systems and agri-industrial meetings and exchanges. Heading the Senate Committee on Agriculture Khun Kiko met with his local counterparts and was given a tour of Thailand’s major economic agriculture and fishery sources.  He was accompanied by former committee chairperson, Senator Sergio Osmena.

Bright eyed and bushy-tailed, Khun Kiko is no newbie to politics or the senate; this will have been his third term. He talks up a storm of ideas this rainy night on how the Philippines can create a dynamic and attractive economy so that expats can look forward to going home. His youthful mien and quick smile masks a steel trap mind, cast iron will and and unquenchable desire to transform the Philippines into the economic powerhouse he envisions it to be. And he wants it done soon.

You did your Masters of Science in Public Management at Harvard?
Yes, I lived overseas for a year. I was in Boston, a twelve hour time difference. You get homesick, you adjust to the culture; so I know what it’s like. I missed the Philippines. I played

Joey Ayala’s ‘Walang Hanggang Paalam’ (Endless Farewells) everyday going to school. It spoke of an impossible love. Of course I was there for only a year, but I promised myself: I’m gonna study, I’m gonna learn, acquire all the things I need, and I’m going back home to apply whatever I learn.

What can we (expats) do to help the Philippines?
You should have a plan of coming home. You’re already helping the country, obviously, but you are also learning here. Once you’ve learned things, I dare say come back home and apply what you’ve learned to bring the country to the next level.

Filipinos overseas have never been more connected to the motherland than today since this migration. Stay connected and be aware of what’s happening; awareness is the first step to being involved. If there is an opportunity for our countrymen to come home, they will.

Do you think agriculture will attract expats?
There a re a lot of engine drivers – agriculture is definitely one of them. Then we have services and tourism. We are only getting 3 million visitors, Thailand gets 50 million. OFWs remit 18 billion dollars is, that’s the same amount that Thailand gets as revenue from tourism.

The Philippines has so much in terms of natural wonders. We have so much to offer yet we are doing very little. There’s this huge potential in terms of agriculture. We have the most diverse aquamarine ecosystem in the entire planet. The most bio diverse. In the news last month, scientists from a California-based university discovered thirteen new species of aquamarine life in the Philippines. So there’s your natural wonder. We can be an aquamarine resource power , not just in the region, but the entire world. Potential.

What does the country need?
Inspiration.
Our people are creative, talented , and persevering. If inspired there is nothing we cannot hurdle. There are so many reasons to be hopeful. Change is inevitable, the challenge to the leadership
is to make it sooner; to push for the changes we want to have happen, to support programs that could usher in change.

In your sphere of influence, how do you get people to change?
It starts with what you can do for yourself, by walking the talk. When I ran for senator my slogan was “Kumilos Kasama si Kiko!” (Act With Kiko). I challenged our citizens to do their share. It’s Active Citizenship. Or People Power if you will.

The fact that you are publishing this magazine, from the private sector, is your way of addressing your concerns, as a Filipino community. You’re moving the community towards a new direction precisely because you want to do your share. So the challenge now, is bringing people power to the next level, by inspiring people to act.

When people tell me things can’t be done to effect change, I refuse to take no for an answer. There is always hope and there are always means. There will always be people who are opposed to change. I owe it to our people to find other ways.

Obviously you have to risk, to dare. Walang short cut (take no shortcuts).

Message to Filipino expats in Thailand?
Let’s manage expectations. Change is not going to happen overnight. Thailand did not reach its status in six years. It may take us fifteen to twenty years but we have to do what we need to do now.

Do what you have to do while you are away, but don’t lose sight of that plan of coming back home, and don’t blame kababayans who are leaving; they leave because they want something better. And rightly so! Take every opportunity to know, learn about, and participate in what is happening back home through blogs and posting comments on Internet news sites. That’s part of being involved.

This is the challenge to leadership, to inspire the country, and ultimately to have expats come home, sooner  than later.

By: Tim Johnson

The importance and benefits of music education seems obvious to me. But then again, I have been a professional musician and music educator for over thirty five years. For the past ten years I have been living and working in Bangkok. My students, or “clients” as I like to call them (sounds less academic and stuffy) have been international superstars, Thai pop stars, Broadway performers, professional and amateur singers and musicians of all ages from all walks of life. It seems my clients come to study with me for many reasons. I had a businessman come to study singing with me because his wife was pregnant and his secret wish was to be able to sing lullabies to his baby.  I had a mother of four come to study piano as therapy to help her concentrate and deal with the loss of a child. I currently have a student who does a lot of public speaking who came to study singing to help improve his speaking voice. I have children preparing for their schools musicals and talent contests. I have taught in America and Europe and I must admit that my clientele in Bangkok has been the most diverse. From international school students of all ages who come from all over the world to Thai students of all ages to Thai royalty.

It really doesn’t matter to me if a client of mine is a beginner or a seasoned professional. What all of my clients have in common is the love and appreciation of music. I feel that my job is to keep that love of music alive and to deepen their appreciation for music. Only a small percentage of any teacher’s students will take up music as a profession. After studying any instrument, even if only for a brief time, a student will begin to understand what hard work, discipline and talent it takes to become a virtuoso.  I took tap dancing classes a few years ago because I was always fascinated by that style of dance. I thought that it was going to be easier than it was. So now whenever I see a tap dancer perform I have a deeper appreciation of what it takes to make it “look so easy” because I now understand the process.  Studying music deepens our appreciation and joy for music and for the people who make it.

When studying music of any musical genre we learn skills that we can use in our everyday work lives. Playing music improves our concentration, memory, and self expression. There are many scientific studies proving the benefits of a music education. One of my younger students who had studied with me for about a year recently had to stop her singing classes when her family moved from Thailand. Her mother asked her what she had gotten out of her voice lessons. She replied that studying singing and improving her singing abilities gave her more confidence to do anything in her life that she wanted to do.  I can’t imagine a bigger compliment to receive as a teacher. Studying music is hard work and can be very frustrating at times. But there is great joy to experience when you start hearing improvement in your playing or singing.  There are many things in this world that I could live without. A world without music would be a pretty boring place.

Tim Johnson is currently on the faculty of Mahidol University and teaches private voice and piano in his private teaching studios in Bangkok. More information can be obtained by visiting his website www.tim-johnson.com