My Dearest Miah ;p

I kinda missed those people who I used to hang out with some time in the past… those people who have been really real people who saw the good as well as the bad qualities in me… people who scolds me when I’m into my craziness sometimes and still accept me for who I am… (Sound cheesy?) hmmm… I know, but I can’t help it… I do missed them… there’s just so many things I’d like to share with them but I know its kinda impossible coz they are just so far away.

So I’m posting this letter instead…

Miah,

Hope you’re not laughing your tummy out while reading this… (lol) I will truly miss that sleep over and movie marathon we used to do… those little fights, even the big ones that made us comfortable with the friendship that we have… Oh, I can’t believe that you’re actually venturing on your own now… though I have always been ready for this moment… still not easy getting used to the fact that you’re actually miles away from home.

But hey, you must know that I am truly proud of you for actually deciding for yourself and take a stand in handling your future… definitely, I am seeing a new Miah… the independent and still cheerful type. :)

live well.

rhon

Meeting up with Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros Director ;p

While waiting foe "Cheng-Cheng", i decided to update my blog... (lol) well, actually, my friends, coi, fern and I are preparing for a dinner meeting with Aureous Solito (Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros-Director) and Guttierez Mangansakan II (House Under the Crescent Moon).

Aureous will be our guest speaker for tomorrow's Forum : "Cultural Identities in Documentary Films". at the Institute for Indigenous Peoples Education Training Hall, Mabini St., (fronting Nanay Bebeng Restaurant) Davao City. The event will start 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon...

Kinda Excited here... its my first time to meet him in person.. and to actually talk to him about his works and his styles in doing his films :) see yah! :)

Redhead on: Education System in the Philippines

Two Sundays ago after our Pizza Trip at Picobello Restaurant, Coi, Fern, Sheng, Ayyi and I, headed to Mix FM Station for the ViewFinder episode where the guests happen to be our bosses. The topic was indeed interesting and real damn important – The Philippine Education System.

During the entire show, they were discussing the difference between education in the Philippines and Education abroad. A Master’s degree in the Philippines is only a College degree in other countries or even lesser… what could be so wrong in our Education System?

For one, Basic Education in the Philippines is only 8 years while in other countries their basic education allots 12 years, 6 years elementary and 6 years secondary. This could be one of the reasons on why quality education in the Philippines is poor compared to other countries. Another factor to consider is the enhancement of the way children are being taught. Please pardon me, there are a lot of good and exceptional educators in the Philippines, but there are also some who really need to adapt to new techniques for educating their students. Based on my observation, there are teachers who need to undergo training to enhance their teaching skills to help children learn better.

And I appreciate that the Department of Education (Deped) and the Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (BEAM) found a way on how to deal with problems such as this… by enhancing the Basic Curriculum to somehow keep up with the global world… and at the same time conducting trainings for teachers to somehow apply new strategy in their teachings. As what Ian D’arcy Walsh termed as: Higher order thinking skills.

Having to work in the Institute for Indigenous Peoples Education (IIPE) somehow opened my views on quality education in the Philippines, and somehow, I figured that there is a complete difference in the way kids are being taught in city compared to the rural areas. Of course, it is all because children in rural areas don’t have the kind of resources children in the Urban has. Another thing is that, some prefer to work than to study because of wanting to eat than to learn.

Seldom do you find a kid who shows interest in school in the rural areas… most of them help their parents work in the farm to have something to eat.

A good thing though that the government and private sectors, reached out to these areas who really needs education the most. In the countryside, children find it hard to learn to speak English and learn math, for the reason that they are exposed to a different world. Thus, it is where strategic way of teaching is needed for kids to learn better and to think for themselves, and that is why it pays to have a good teacher; I guess kids are not the only one who needs to be trained but teachers too. They need to study and adjust to the enhanced curriculum by undergoing training that is needed to improve their teaching method. And based on the Enhanced Curriculum offered by BEAM and DEPED, we are finding a way to develop quality education in the Philippines.

Documentary Film Forum

redhead on: Documentary Filmmaking Workshop

We are now on the 3rd day of our Documentary Filmmaking Workshop. The first day, was a great start, we had Canadian Filmmaker, Dominic Morissette as our speaker, we discussed about his techniques in filmmaking and also his film, Afghan Chronicles. How he did it. And what made him come up with the subject and questions goes on and on.

In the afternoon, we discussed about History of Documentart Films, its theory and practice with Guttierez Mangansakan II as the speaker. The day turned out well… and learning were brought with me on my way home.

I wasn’t able to attend the 2nd day through because of my scheduled shoot for a commercial. Well that’s all for now… I’ll give you more update soon. J

Missing our Moi-Moi :)

I had the opportunity to talk to my moi-moi just now…. And I realized how much I missed her after finally hearing her voice. And so Ironic that we have so many things that we want to tell each other and yet we still end up grasping for words to share… and so I decided to allocate a portion of my blog to my ex-room mate, dear friend, a family, who made a great contribution in my life… here it goes.

As a room mate, like me, she is so sleepy head. Well actually, because of filmmaking, we seldom have enough sleep because we get to shoot til dawn, and both have to get ready for work and school in the morning… she goes to school… I go to work.

I admire her for her enthusiasm… man she really lighten up my mood specially in my gloomy days… she is a friend worth keeping… that sunny disposition and she even has her own vocabularies and terms that is completely funny… “Have a sitting down” and the likes… she is smart, loving and is my source of inspiration… a friend when I have nothing and when I have so much.

Were actually distance apart at the moment… and she’s doing well in her new career and I am so proud of her… she deserves it… she has a good heart and strong soul. I missed her… I hope well have a chance to talk again.

*Congratulations on your film mona... :) (she made a film for kontra agos film fest: "A step for My Dreams"

--rhon--

Friendship Once Lost now Found

It really amazes me how things happen the way they do… how moments seem to unexpectedly take place. Sometimes, things can be so awkward that it took me a while to comprehend and cope up with it… but sometimes things can be so elating that you just can’t seem to express how happy you can get with the way it turns out.

Just recently, I just had a very unforgettable and lifting experience; I really never thought it could happen, but boy? It did.

I was able to reunite with my childhood bestfriend after 15 years of not able communicate with her… and it’s so unbelievable to actually see her in my workplace… in the advertising production to be exact.

We were playmates since babies… We even consider each other as sisters. We only parted when my family moved in to Davao City because my dad was reassigned to DENR XI. My mom just started her boutique business in Davao. I basically started my formal studies in Davao. Though, we communicate constantly through letters, but the moment came where we hardly read each other’s letters and hardly write to each other… until we finally lost the chance of communicating… and I never thought I’d see her again, since her family moved in to another city… after 15 years… I had that chance of seeing her… so ironic that it isn’t so hard to know her again… and still treat each other as friends… even sisters. We bonded together, trying to make it up for the lost times.

She’s actually my VJ for my commercial, her name is KAT… Love you sissy J

my ever dearest long lost best friend

My First time to work with Kat... me motivating Kat for her spills

-rhon-

Food Trip with Good Friends at Torquoise Turkish Restaurant

I had a great time with friends, French, Maricel and Harold today… we have planned the food trip 3 days ago and everybody was just so excited.

Harold fetched me at my place at 3 in the afternoon. He was with his brother Jan… we dropped him off to work while Harold and I headed to SM City Davao where French is waiting at the Torquoise Turkish Restaurant, fronting the National bookstore. Its not really my first time to eat at the restaurant coz we had our share sometime in the past with Kat and French… was just so excited because it was Harold’s first time to have a taste of their exciting cuisines.

French had his taste of Adana Kebap in wraps, while I also ordered one for myself, and have Harold taste the Chicken Shish in wraps… a moment later, Maricel, French’s special friend arrived.

Adana Kebap really kinda spicy but it does taste really good… especially when you topped it with the vegetables and yummy garlic sauce, while Harold and I were enjoying our meals, I chatted with Maricel, and her interest for books… It was actually my first time to meet her and boy, she is smart. She loves to read best seller books… and we actually shared same interest in Bo Sanchez’ works… (One of my favorite authors)

As we were enjoying each other’s company, French and I decided to order a dessert and we decided to order Yogurt Mango Float. Was smiling coz Harold seems to find the taste to be weird. It actually tastes sweet and sour at the same time plus a taste of mango… can’t blame him though, he’s not really very fond of yogurt.

And we really can’t get enough of this food trip so, we ordered one more dish… the Pilaki… its actually made of beans, and herbs… and it taste real fine.

And Lastly, the Ayran, the Turkish traditional healthy drink… tastes weird but good… you can actually have it sweet or salty depending on your taste buds… well Turkish peeps want it salty… as what the manager, Ishmael once said.

Wow, I really had fun and boy… you must try it… really good… J

After the food trip… Harold and I went to Kuya Mac’s editing shop to get my pc… and head back home. He helped me setup my pc… and headed home…

*French, Thank you for the treat… I really enjoyed the food… till next time.

*Maricel, its nice meeting you… hope we could chat again next time, and talk more about our favorite books…

*Harold, thank you for fetching me up, and have me company throughout the day, you’re still the best… next time around okay?

the Adana Kabab in wraps

inside the Turquoise Turkish Restaurant

-rhon-

redhead on: The National Earth Day

I was on my way to Marco Polo Hotel for the launching of the commercial I directed, when I found myself stuck in heavy traffic. Good thing though I’m an hour early, I wouldn’t have to worry about getting late. (whew).

I wondered what was the traffic about, when seldom do I encounter Traffic in Davao. Then I figured, it was all because of the National Earth Day and a parade is about to start to promote a clean and green environment

Talkin’ about a clean and green environment? How do we keep it clean? How can we do a way with global warming? What are the necessary steps to be taken?

My dad works at the DENR XI, somehow, I grew up with dad telling me about being responsible for my wastes. He tells me about waste management and the ecosystem which he actually brought a map to show me all about the ecosystem. During my younger years, he would bring me along with him for a coastal cleanup along with his officemates, to somehow make me understand the importance of taking care of my surroundings.

I am lucky that I was given that kind of exposure, somehow, I happen to bring it along with me in everywhere I go, to dispose my waste properly. Based on the scenarios I have observed over the years is that majority lack proper knowledge in dealing with the environment. Some are even careless of the effect of their improper disposal of their wastes. Not realizing that by just merely an improper waste disposal creates a chain of negative effects.

Take for one, global warming? What causes global warming? And what are the effects it gives us?

There are different kinds of people in the world, different ways of learning, different ways of teaching… perhaps; we should consider a way on how to educate people according to their status.

-rhon-

Simply Nothing

I am supposed to stay at home and rest but due to a very busy schedule for the upcoming weeks… I have no choice but to work on Sundays… Well, I know you have been waiting for my posts about the commercial advertisements I have been very busy with for the past weeks… but I guess I’ll just have to post about it after I’m finished with the entire ads… well I have two more commercial projects and every time? It really excites me.

Well anyway, after showing up in the advertising agency today… I went to finish my other NGO project and right after? I went to hang out with my filmmaker friends over a pizza at Picobello’s Italiano Restaurante.

It’s really been a while since I spent time with these guys and man I really missed them… How I wish I could spend more time with them, but I know after this, it would take us some time to get together again…