Mary Jane Alvero-Al Mahdi, The Visionary : Emirates Woman of the Year 2013

From humanitarians, visionaries, artists and achievers, 21 women have made it to the ninth Emirates Woman Woman Of The Year nominee list. Last September 30, the voting has ended and this day, 8th of October 2013 4 winners have been announced.

It is with pride and honor that our very own, Ms. Mary Jane Alvero-Al Mahdi made it to be the Emirates Woman of the Year 2013 for The Visionary Category. 

This is the confirmation received from Madam Mary Jane herself after seeing her Facebook post "Alhamdulillah... To God be the glory". Congratulatory remarks poured in and I cannot just help myself to make a blog to celebrate her triumph. 

Photo screen shot from Emirates Woman Website

Photo screen shot from Emirates Woman Website

Congratulations Madam Mary Jane! You made 700,000 Filipinos in UAE proud and the rest of millions of Filipinos around the globe.

ANGAS PINOY, ANGAT PILIPINAS TOP 25 FINALISTS

Congratulations to the Top 25 Finalists chosen by distinguished panel of judges! Watch out for the next round!

Thank you to the judges for their support and devoting their time for the selection of great images for the TOP 25. 

EDDIE BOY ESCUDERO 

ROSS CAPILI, 

EDWIN C TUYAY 

BESSIE BADILLA 

ALICIA BERNAL

Dalawang Tula

Kung Makinang ang Aking Kislap

Kasingkintab ng nilapirot na palara

Ang mata kong inaantok ~

At kahit papikit na dala ng pagod

Tila bagang may kuryenteng

Nagpapakislap dito

Makinang ang bawat kislap

Kasing liwanag ng aandap-andap

Na kandilang sinindihan

Hindi ng bituin sa kalawakan.

Ipipikit na ilang sandali lang

At sa isip ay muling aandar

Iisipin ka't di na iwawaglit

Nakaukit sa pinilit na panaginip.

Kung kikinang ang aking kislap

Ikaw ang apoy sa aking pangarap.

Pakiwari

Winawari ko 

Ang kahulugang nakabalot

Sa imaheng nasa isip ~

Ang kulay

Ang linya

At paraang pinagsama-sama

Ito ba ay misteryo

Ng aking pagkatao?

Napagtanto ~

Ako

At itong mundo

Ay ipinipinta

Sa paraang ginusto

May lalim,

May alon,

Ang porma'y

Hiwaga ng aninong nilingon.

WORLD POETRY CANADA AND INTERNATIONAL HONORS PINOY POET AS “FATHER OF VISUAL POETRY”

By Caroline Nazareno

Acknowledging Doc PenPen’s ground-breaking methodology in poetry, WORLD POETRY CANADA AND INTERNATIONAL (WPCI), a very prestigious organization composed of 64 nations, has invited the revolutionary Pinoy doctor-poet to grace the World Poetry Peace Festival with the theme “Inspire, Achieve and Celebrate Peace”, to be held on May 25-26, 2012 at Richmond Cultural Center in Richmond, British Columbia.

Some of the affair’s highlights are the recitation of poems and book launching by esteemed poets, Doc PenPen, proudly carrying the country’s colors, will be among the elite assemblage.

Ms.Ariadne Sawyer, WPCI’s, host and founder, said that award and trophy await Doc PenPen in recognition of his advocacy “to inspire, to heal and to awaken” through his poetry. Serendipitously, Doc PenPen’s crusade has turned into a modern day phenomenon, seizing the attention and interest of hordes of poetry lovers from all over the world.

Ms. Sawyer was pleased to learn that Doc PenPen (real name: Dr. Epitacio R. Tongohan, M.D.) , who was recently bestowed the title of “The Father of Philippine Visual Poetry”, has accepted the invitation to launch his PENTASI B POETRY, the much-awaited book of visual poems that is fated to make waves in literature. WPCI and PBP share parallel crusade to foster world peace by respecting all races, beliefs, and cultures and as if by design, their coming together is a “marriage made in heaven”.

Taking advantage of Doc PenPen’s presence, the WRITER’S INTERNATIONAL NETWORK (WIN) CANADA, a global network designed to discover, nourish, recognize, celebrate, promote writers and assist them to connect with other writers, founded by Ashok Bhargava, a multi-awarded poet, World Poetry Ambassador to India, Nepal and Japan, will likewise fete Doc PenPen for his unswerving dedication to his craft.
To be cited likewise is his effort in opening the arena to embryonic poets to fearlessly pursue poetic innovations and philosophical creativity even at the risk of incurring the rebuke and disdain of dogmatic conservatives. The arena has inadvertently turned into a forum where poets of diverse backgrounds, education, aspirations, and styles meet, exchange ideas, learn and give their works relevant, contemporary resonance.

Confirming its importance, the WPCI event will merit CTV coverage. Selected guests and awardees, Doc PenPen included, will be interviewed. World Poetry Café, a radio program of World Poetry Reading Series in Vancouver, will also feature Doc PenPen who has granted an interview and poetry reading on air.

June 2, shall be the turn of Manny Calpito and Marvin Mangabat, Founder and President respectively of OTUSA.TV located at Glendale, California, to host Doc PenPen. OTUSA will reiterate its earlier proclamation of Doc PenPen as the “Father of Philippine Visual Poetry”, to give the USA-based Pinoys to be part of the momentous occasion.

Filipinos should feel proud that one of them has merited the attention of an organization as prestigious as WPCI. Doc PenPen’s dauntless skirmishes with restrictive dogmatists climax into a literary battle royale with the publication of PENTASI B POETRY. The book makes it abundantly clear that Doc PenPen’s brand of poetry, with its perplexing starts and mystifying stops, bizarre highs and enigmatic lows, is different. Too unrestrained is his aversion to be shackled with the obsolete parameters of poetry, and thus his book of visual poems defies conventions and taunts their inflexible keepers but does not compromise poetry as a good and noble art.

On May 25, 2012, thanks to WPCI’s espousal and recognition of Doc PenPen as “FATHER of VISUAL POETRY”. This is not a final event, not anymore a destiny, but a moment of sharing his appointment with history.

UPUAN : Larawan ni Geri Damian

"Maupo ka sa aking tabi sa mahabang sandali sa isang mapanglaw na lugar na batid ang pareho nating pag-iisa at ang hindi matawarang pagtatagpo. Sabay nating yakapin ang katahimikang dala ng mga payak na pananalita at sa buong araw ay magkahawak-kamay na hihintayin ang pagkislap ng mga bituin sa kalangitan." ~Wallei B. Trinidad

Si Geri Damian ay isang photographer na nakasama at nakilala sa Loyola Beyond Passion Workshop. Isa siya sa mga bumibilang ng mga bituin sa larangan ng potograpiya. Nakatira siya sa Al Ain, United Arab Emirates at tubong Aliaga, Nueva Ecija.

Angas Pinoy, Angat Pilipinas! Photo Contest

Ipagyabang na Pilipino ka. Maangas! May ipagyayabang!

Oo, kayo nga ang hinahanap namin sa patimpalak na ito. Kuhanin ang inyong camera at imulat ang mga mata sa kagilagilalas na galing ng bawat isang Pilipino. Iparating mo sa buong mundo na maganda ang Pilipinas at magaling ang Pinoy.

Ang inyong larawan ay dapat na katangi-tangi. Naiiba. Hindi mga larawang nakita na o ang karamihan ay mayroon na. Naniniwala kaming marami pang puwedeng ipakita ang lahat ng mga litratistang Pinoy. Maging kakaiba. Pumitik ng naaayon sa tema. Ipakilala na Pilipino ka, mayaman sa kultura, sa tradisyon at pinapahalagahan ang lahat ng nasa paligid maging tao man ito o bagay.

Ang larawan ay dapat batayan ng isang bansang nagsusulong ng kagandahan at pinagyayaman ang kulturang kinagisnan. Ang bawat pitik na ihahatid ay mga larawang may positibong pananaw sa lahat ng aspeto ng pamumuhay ng bawat Pilipino.

Malaya nating buksan ang ating mga mata na maging saksi sa pang-araw-araw na galing ng bawat isang Pilipino. Ang kagalingang ito ay hindi nakikita lamang sa piling panahon kung hindi sa pang-araw-araw na pamumuhay. Ang simpleng pagtutulungan, pagkakapit-kamay at pagbabalikatan ay katunayan ng isang maipagmamalaking kaugalian.

Ilan pa ba sa atin ang nakasaksi sa isang batang nagmamano sa mga katandaan? Ilan pa ba sa atin ang sa watawat ay nagpupugay? Ilan sa atin ang sa kabila ang mga pighating naranasan ay masiglang babangon at parang walang nangyari?

Iba ang angas ng Pinoy! Iniaangat ang sarili sa bawat sitwasyon maging sa pagdurusa man, panganib, kasiyahan at tagumpay. Tayo ang naiibang lahi na hindi sumusuko sa kahit ano pa mang pangyayari. Tayo ang nagsusulong ng positibong pananaw at nangangalaga sa kalayaang malaon ng iniingatan.

Nabuksan na ba ang isip mo kung anong klaseng larawan ang dapat na ipapakita mo? Tandaan, hindi lang mata ang dapat na isama sapagkat sa bawat pitik na nakikita ng mata ay kasabay ng pagpintig ng iyong puso na maipakita sa bawat obrang iyong ginawa ang diwa ng tunay na tema ng patimpalak na ito.

Ano pa ang hinhintay mo?
Your Best Shot V.2
Angas Pinoy, Angat Pilipinas!
Photo Contest

MECHANICS:

Maximum of 3 Entries

Color / Black and White
No watermarks
No borders

DEADLINE:
May 20, 2012

SUBMIT YOUR ENTRIES to this e-mail add yourbestshotv2.gmail.com.

ROWENA DELA CRUZ- FRANCISCO : Matagumpay na Ginang ng OFW 2012

Congratulations to Mrs. Rowena Dela Cruz-Francisco of Pulo, San Rafael, Bulacan for being the recipient of this year's Matagumpay na Ginang ng OFW (Outstanding Wife of an Overseas Filipino Worker).

In line with the celebration of Women’s Month, Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy Alvarado recognized Tuesday morning the outstanding contributions of “Bulakeña” women through the “Gawad Medalyang Ginto” awards ceremonies.

“This program aims to acknowledge and give due recognition to the important contributions and worthy achievement of the women of Bulacan. We also hope that this will serve as an inspiration to our young generation of Bulakeña women to continue to mark a difference in their own chosen fields,” said Alvarado.

Before the formal awarding ceremony, the governor called on the podium Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima, who was the occasion’s honored guest and speaker under the theme, “Bulakeña: Kayang-kaya Kung Sama-sama.”

De Lima discussed women’s rights issues and gave her congratulations to the awardees.

Vice Governor Daniel R. Fernando said the awards were given under sectoral categories such as “Matagumpay na Babaeng Makakalikasan (Outstanding Woman Environmentalist),” “Matagumpay na Ginang ng OFW (Outstanding Wife of an Overseas Filipino Worker),” “Matagumpay na Babaeng Mangangalakal (Outstanding Woman Trader), and Matagumpay na KPK.

The “Medalyang Ginto (Gold Medal)” was awarded to the “Natatanging Babae (Outstanding Woman of Bulacan)” who received a cash prize of P10,000 and the “Natatanging Samahang Pangkakabaihan (Outstanding Women’s Organization)” that received a P20,000 prize, he said. 

Read story here. 

I-ENJOY ANG TRIP

ni Wallei Bautista Trinidad


Ang pangit naman yata na kung kailan tuyot ka na saka ka mag-eenjoy. Marami namang paraan para mag-enjoy o i-enjoy ang buhay natin. Bagamat may mga tensyong bumabagabag sa atin sa mga bagay-bagay na nangyayari sa pamilya at maging sa lipunan, hindi natin dapat malimutan na sa paraang gusto natin ay maaari tayong maging masaya.

1. Yung gusto mong gawin, gawin mo na ngayon pa lang. Hindi naman ibig sabihin na lahat ng ikikilos mo ay kaakibat ng paggastos o pag-aaksaya ng salapi.

2. Minsan sa pag-iisip ng kung ano ang mangyayari sa atin sa kinabukasan, nakakalimutan nating harapin ang kung ano mayroon ngayon and we end up wasted sa isang araw na wala man lang nagawa para maaliw tayo.

3. Natatawa lang ako sa pag-uusap naming magkapatid sabi ko kung ano ang hiling nila Nanay at Tatay, ibigay na ng bonggang-bongga basta naayon lang sa kakayanan. Usually, our parents demand for some things na maliligayahan sila. Ibigay agad. Hihintayin mo pa bang mawala sila saka ka gagasta? Kung bet ni Nanay ng angry birds, bilin! Kung bet ni Tatay ng popcorn, gora! Masayang ibigay ang hilig nila basta't kaya.

4. Kung may nagkagusto sa iyo, give him a chance. Huwag ng hintayin pang maging ugat foundation member ka saka mo pagsisisihan ang pagkawala niya.

5. Kung feel mong maligo ng gatas, gawin mo basta huwag kalimutang magbanlaw at baka langgamin ka o ipisin pa.

Endless ang mga bagay na puwedeng gawin. kanya-kanyang diskarte, kanya-kanyang trip. Ang nakakaloka lang kapag may trip kang di naman trip ng iba, i-tsi-tsismis ka pa, pag-uusapan at para bang may nagawa kang kasalanan, Walang masamang maging masaya at gumawa ng ikasisiya basta walang batas na sinusuway at makakasakit sa damdamin ng iba. 


Ang buhay ay trip-trip lang.

JAYPEE BELARMINO : PHOTOGRAPOETIST, A Multi-Talent Package

Photograpoetist (noun) photographer, poet and artist, a multi-talent package of a man. Only Jaypee Belarmino carries this title so far and this is the first time you've seen or heard this word.

Jaypee has a wide array of interests that include writing prose and poetry, photography, abstract painting, mixed media art and multimedia art and has been getting rave reviews on all of his works from the international community. It is his desire to express the contradicting and esoteric nature of life that has led him to these fields. Basically self-taught in all of these art and literary disciplines, his unrelenting passion to capture the essences of life's beauty distinctly manifests in his works. A proud father and a free soul, he dedicates every art and literary piece that he makes to his deepest inspiration, his lovely daughter, Sofia Gabrielle.


Just recently, he was featured in World Poetry International of Canada, the fourth Filipino poet featured on the said prestigious site for poetry after Ms. Anita Nieveras- Aguirre, World Poetry Lifetime Achievement Awardee, and World Poetry Peace Ambassador to Philippines, Doc Penpen B. Takipsilim and Ms. Caroline Nazareno. Believe it or not, he became a record holder for having been viewed thousand times by different visitors all-over the world. 


In 2011, Axlepin Publishing Organization acknowledged him for his distinctive contribution in Summum Bonum Series Studies phase 1 both for his poetry and photography. Also, one of his poems is included in the organization calendar for this year 2012.

His achievements didn't stop here. Being a neophyte in photography, his journey in this field gives him a lot of achievements. He is reaping a lot of awards in diffrent categories in Pixoto.com, one of the most internationally known photography sharing site.

Who is Jaypee Belarmino?


Jaypee Belarmino earned his degree in B.S. Agricultural Economics from the University of the Philippines Los Banos. Inspired by his family’s active involvement in Philippine politics, he entered the University of Nueva Caceres School of Law to continue his father’s legacy of helping the masses. Disillusioned by political and judicial unrests in his native country, he decided to give up law school and left the country to pursue a peaceful and simple life as a dairy farmer in New Zealand. He is currently working as an assistant manager in a dairy farm company in Invercargill City, the coldest and southernmost city in New Zealand.

While in New Zealand, Jaypee started searching to be more in commune with his spirituality by being closer to God. He then decided to join the widest and oldest fraternal organization in the world, the Freemasonry. In 2011, he was awarded the Sublime Degree of Master Mason by the Antient Free and Accepted Masons of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand. 


Jaypee’s background as a member of the University of the Philippines’ most famous fraternity, the Alpha Phi Omega International Fraternity, keeps activism alive in his creations while his strong Jesuit education from the Ateneo de Naga University emboldens him to persist revolutionizing his artistry and poetry with unrelenting drive for excellence.

"When creating your art, do not listen to critics.
You create art not for them, but for the evolving civilization of humanity." 
Jaypee's Abstract Art Self-Portrait: The Alignment of Subtleties

Selected Poetry:


YOU

unearth me

from deep slumber.

be the velvet sky

that could lift the burden

in my eyes.

be the soft kisses

from the voice

that thrives

from the gentleness

of light.

because everything starts from you.

you are the beginning of all things,

the seed of magic,

the cause of noble metals

and the bud of that

which is numinous in existence.

be. because you are. 

ISANG LIHAM

paano ko igugupo

ang saya na hatid

ng iyong mga ngiti?

paano ko yayakapin

ang lambing

ng iyong mga tinig?

paano ko iduduyan

ang iyong mga mata

sa uyayi

ng aking paghinga?

igugupo kita

sa mga musika

sa pagitan

ng mga hangin;

yayakapin kita

sa oda ng mga huni

at anino

ng mga lilim;

at iduduyan kita

ng walang hanggang pagsuyo

sa piling

ng mga arkana.

P.S. I wont be surprise if one day he'll become a Palanca Awards recipient for Literature and become a chef. (He's a very good cook, too.)

DOC PENPEN B. TAKIPSILIM : To Be Awarded in Canada Soon

Doc PenPen, "The Father of Phlippine Visual Poetry" will be Honored and Awarded about his works at Renfrew Public Library, Vancouver, BC, initiated by World Poet Ashok Bhargava, World Poetry Lifetime Achievement Awardee and World Poetry Ambassador to Nepal, India and Korea.

WRITERS INTERNATIONAL NETWORK ( WIN ) Vancouver, Canada was founded by Ashok Bhargava to discover, nourish, recognize, celebrate and promote poets, writers and artists & assist them to connect with the community at large.

This will bring-- Great HONOR and PRIDE for the Filipinos and our dear country, the Philippines!

This poster is a gift to Doc PenPen and hereby credited to the very talented Othoniel Neri, a visual artist, painter, photographer and musician.

Credits to Ms. Caroline Nazareno aka Ceri Naz.