2. Makasaysayan at sa kaunahang pagkakataon ay nabuo ito sa pamamagitan ng bayahinan ng mga kaanib ng broadcast cell sa NSW sa pangunguna ng radyo SBS at iba pang mga independenteng Filipino radio broadcasters sa pangabay ni Mr. Jimmy Pimentel at direksyon ni Dr. Mars Cavestany Jr.

3. Pagpupuri at pagdakila sa natatanging bayani ng Pilipinas na si Gatpuno Jose Rizal sa selebrasyon ng kanyang ika-150 kaarawan.

4. Tatawa at matutuwa kayo sa batikang aktres na si Ms. Vangie Labalan, isang sikat na panauhin mula Pilipinas at nagbigay buhay sa dalawang tauhan mula sa Noli Me Tangere na akda ni Rizal sa pambungad na palabas na pinamagatang – Ang Dalawang Senyora Ngayon.

5. Masisiyahan kayo sa mga talentadong kabataan na nagpamalas ng kani-kanilang kagalingan sa nakakatuwang palabas na akda ni Rizal noong siya ay 16 gulang lamang na pinamagatang: Along The River Pasig.

6. Kamangha-manghang talento ang pinamalas ng mga radyo broadcasters na nagsiganap, sa pangunguna ng beteranong actor, writer at direktor na si Mars Cavestany Jr. at marami pang iba.

7. Kahali-halina ang musika at tinig ng mga kabataan, mga singers at composer na si Mr. Oliver Gadista.

8. Madramang pagsasadula ng Parting at Calamba na tunay na aantig sa inyong mga puso at magiiwan ng kirot at paghanga sa ating bayani sampu ng kanyang ina na si Ginang Teodora Alonzo at mga kapatid.

9. Kikiligin at mararamdaman ninyo ang pagibig nila Jose ” Pepe” Rizal at Leonor Rivera sa romantikong The love of Leonor Rivera.

10. Mapapaluha kayo sa tatlong bersyon ng Mi Ultimo Adios na sinulat ni Rizal bilang huling paalam bago siya binaril sa Luneta at tiyak, ikararangal mo na ikaw ay isang Pilipino!

O ano pang hinihintay nyo? Tignan na ang mga iskedyul at makinig!

1. Matutuwa at kikiligin ka sa iba’t ibang dula, tula, drama, awit at mga kwento na siyang kabuuan ng Rizaliana Sesquicentennial Radio Festival Sydney o sa pinaiksing pamagat, RSRFS.

2. Makasaysayan at sa kaunahang pagkakataon ay nabuo ito sa pamamagitan ng bayahinan ng mga kaanib ng broadcast cell sa NSW sa pangunguna ng radyo SBS at iba pang mga independenteng Filipino radio broadcasters sa pangabay ni Mr. Jimmy Pimentel at direksyon ni Dr. Mars Cavestany Jr.

3. Pagpupuri at pagdakila sa natatanging bayani ng Pilipinas na si Gatpuno Jose Rizal sa selebrasyon ng kanyang ika-150 kaarawan.

4. Tatawa at matutuwa kayo sa batikang aktres na si Ms. Vangie Labalan, isang sikat na panauhin mula Pilipinas at nagbigay buhay sa dalawang tauhan mula sa Noli Me Tangere na akda ni Rizal sa pambungad na palabas na pinamagatang – Ang Dalawang Senyora Ngayon.

5. Masisiyahan kayo sa mga talentadong kabataan na nagpamalas ng kani-kanilang kagalingan sa nakakatuwang palabas na akda ni Rizal noong siya ay 16 gulang lamang na pinamagatang: Along The River Pasig.

6. Kamangha-manghang talento ang pinamalas ng mga radyo broadcasters na nagsiganap, sa pangunguna ng beteranong actor, writer at direktor na si Mars Cavestany Jr. at marami pang iba.

7. Kahali-halina ang musika at tinig ng mga kabataan, mga singers at composer na si Mr. Oliver Gadista.

8. Madramang pagsasadula ng Parting at Calamba na tunay na aantig sa inyong mga puso at magiiwan ng kirot at paghanga sa ating bayani sampu ng kanyang ina na si Ginang Teodora Alonzo at mga kapatid.

9. Kikiligin at mararamdaman ninyo ang pagibig nila Jose ” Pepe” Rizal at Leonor Rivera sa romantikong The love of Leonor Rivera.

10. Mapapaluha kayo sa tatlong bersyon ng Mi Ultimo Adios na sinulat ni Rizal bilang huling paalam bago siya binaril sa Luneta at tiyak, ikararangal mo na ikaw ay isang Pilipino!

O ano pang hinihintay nyo? Tignan na ang mga iskedyul at makinig!

Bless (middle) plays Soledad, flanked by Nilda Carpo (left) who plays Donya Teodora, and Violi Calvert playing Saturnina in A Parting at Calamba

Bless (middle) plays Soledad, flanked by Nilda Carpo (left) who plays Donya Teodora, and Violi Calvert playing Saturnina in A Parting at Calamba

Feeling exhausted and peckish I headed to the kitchen to try this Lady’s Choice spread, had a bit of a chat and rushed out of the studio as The MOB would be on air in less than two hours.

While driving I couldn’t help ask myself “How did this happen to me?”

I remembered a respectable member of the Filipino community nominating Oliver for Outstanding Individual Achievements Award in the Music category. Mars Cavenstany studied Oliver’s original songs and got him involved in a Jose Rizal radio play. Mars got this idea to celebrate Rizal, we mentioned that we have a Filpress group with a Broadcast Cell and took him to our first meeting where he presented a proposal for Rizaliana Radio Festival. And the seed had been planted.

On previous occasion, Mars mentioned that he was looking for actors and he had me in mind to play the part of Soledad. I never thought Mars was serious. I was too busy with my dear child that I really didn’t take notice of a lot of things around me.

Then Mars called for people to rehearse one Monday at my place, 10 o’clock in the morning from memory and him directing us to take pictures for The Filipino Australian website.

I thought, “Are you serious? I just woke up.” I also thought, I don’t have a lot of lines and could easily get out of this. So when Mars asked for a copy of the picture I sent the one without me in it.

But, oh no! Days later, I found my image inserted in the picture and discovered I had been billed as a cast member. “You have got to be kidding me!” I laughed at the idea. I was still trying to squirm out of it but on our second rehearsal at the director’s place, we had a chuckle I started enjoying myself.

I never really wanted to rehearse my lines as I was not in the mood to be serious so on the day of recording I was still my happy self, convincing everyone I didn’t belong as I should be in comedy. As I was running late I decided to skip breakfast. I arrived at 10am and Ronald Manila was kind enough to direct me to the kitchen so I can have my white tea and some pastry.

We were called into the recording studio for a quick brief and also to observe how Vangie does her voice projection. After watching her for 10 minutes, our small group decided to practice for the last time in the kitchen. At this stage, I was still not convinced I was the right person for the role. With only 2-1/2 hours sleep the previous night, while reading our lines, I couldn’t help entertain myself with smart one-liners. I would also misread peasants as peanuts, bottle as battler, etc. The group was having such a great time, Jhun who’s playing Father Dalmacio even read the directive actions resulting to a burst of laughter.

And so it was our turn to record – the studio our stage… our voices our only medium. No one wanted to look at me. I knew they were avoiding eye contact or they would lose it.

In the middle of recording I was still laughing at myself quietly but I knew I still had to do the job. I was looking at the clock approaching 4pm; no wonder I was feeling exhausted. “I have to do this” I kept telling myself.

But when Mars delivered his lines after Father Dalmacio left, I found myself back to Rizal’s time when he was fighting for his country; for our rights, for you and me. I never liked History in my younger years, but here I was, taking part in history – even as pretend Soledad.

There I felt it; I felt his conviction. I felt mother’s grief. I felt sad for my sisters. I felt the loss of my brother, our hero. I was there.

I am glad I am a part of it not just because of the laughs but because I saw him, if even for a brief moment. I was meant to be there. I was meant to witness a glimpse of our history.

Sorrow consumed me; overwhelmed by the thoughts of my brother leaving us especially our very sick mother. I looked up seeing Ate Trinidad in tears while Ate Saturnina and mother seemed just relieved it’s all over.

Bless (middle) plays Soledad, flanked by Nilda Carpo (left) who plays Donya Teodora, and Violi Calvert playing Saturnina in A Parting at Calamba

Feeling exhausted and peckish I headed to the kitchen to try this Lady’s Choice spread, had a bit of a chat and rushed out of the studio as The MOB would be on air in less than two hours.

While driving I couldn’t help ask myself “How did this happen to me?”

I remembered a respectable member of the Filipino community nominating Oliver for Outstanding Individual Achievements Award in the Music category. Mars Cavenstany studied Oliver’s original songs and got him involved in a Jose Rizal radio play. Mars got this idea to celebrate Rizal, we mentioned that we have a Filpress group with a Broadcast Cell and took him to our first meeting where he presented a proposal for Rizaliana Radio Festival. And the seed had been planted.

On previous occasion, Mars mentioned that he was looking for actors and he had me in mind to play the part of Soledad. I never thought Mars was serious. I was too busy with my dear child that I really didn’t take notice of a lot of things around me.

Then Mars called for people to rehearse one Monday at my place, 10 o’clock in the morning from memory and him directing us to take pictures for The Filipino Australian website.

I thought, “Are you serious? I just woke up.” I also thought, I don’t have a lot of lines and could easily get out of this. So when Mars asked for a copy of the picture I sent the one without me in it.

But, oh no! Days later, I found my image inserted in the picture and discovered I had been billed as a cast member. “You have got to be kidding me!” I laughed at the idea. I was still trying to squirm out of it but on our second rehearsal at the director’s place, we had a chuckle I started enjoying myself.

I never really wanted to rehearse my lines as I was not in the mood to be serious so on the day of recording I was still my happy self, convincing everyone I didn’t belong as I should be in comedy. As I was running late I decided to skip breakfast. I arrived at 10am and Ronald Manila was kind enough to direct me to the kitchen so I can have my white tea and some pastry.

We were called into the recording studio for a quick brief and also to observe how Vangie does her voice projection. After watching her for 10 minutes, our small group decided to practice for the last time in the kitchen. At this stage, I was still not convinced I was the right person for the role. With only 2-1/2 hours sleep the previous night, while reading our lines, I couldn’t help entertain myself with smart one-liners. I would also misread peasants as peanuts, bottle as battler, etc. The group was having such a great time, Jhun who’s playing Father Dalmacio even read the directive actions resulting to a burst of laughter.

And so it was our turn to record – the studio our stage… our voices our only medium. No one wanted to look at me. I knew they were avoiding eye contact or they would lose it.

In the middle of recording I was still laughing at myself quietly but I knew I still had to do the job. I was looking at the clock approaching 4pm; no wonder I was feeling exhausted. “I have to do this” I kept telling myself.

But when Mars delivered his lines after Father Dalmacio left, I found myself back to Rizal’s time when he was fighting for his country; for our rights, for you and me. I never liked History in my younger years, but here I was, taking part in history – even as pretend Soledad.

There I felt it; I felt his conviction. I felt mother’s grief. I felt sad for my sisters. I felt the loss of my brother, our hero. I was there.

I am glad I am a part of it not just because of the laughs but because I saw him, if even for a brief moment. I was meant to be there. I was meant to witness a glimpse of our history.

Raring to go... From left: Jhun Salazar, Violli Calvert, Nilda Carpo and Bless Salonga. On the background is Harry Z of SBS, making sure that all systems are also set to go...

Raring to go… From left: Jhun Salazar, Violli Calvert, Nilda Carpo and Bless Salonga. On the background is Harry Z of SBS, making sure that all systems are also set to go…

I was with the group which was doing Mars’ radio deconstruction and adaptation of Dr Severino Montano’s original play, A Parting at Calamba. Our part was scheduled to be recorded between 10.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. With the exception of Bless Salonga and me, the group was complete when I got there at 10 a.m. Not long after my arrival, Bless got there.

The experience and interaction I had with the other members of the team during the rehearsals had been enjoyable and interesting. What we shared on the recording day was something very special.

On the recording day, I witnessed and experienced pure and unadulterated bayanihan spirit. Everyone present gave heartily their time, talents and resources without any expectation of rewards. Special mention and recognition firstly go to Mars and to Ronald Manila, Producer & Broadcaster of SBS Filipino radio. Ronald not only arranged for the use of the SBS facilities, he also read Mi Ultimo Adios in Pilipino. Thanks also to him and his wife, Maria, for feeding us our lunch.

Not all work. Lunch courtesy of Ronald and Maria Manila

Not all work. Lunch courtesy of Ronald and Maria Manila

The SBS studio was buzzing with excitement as the participants huddled in groups, to practice their lines before the actual recording. Helping Mars in coaching the participants was Vangie Labalan, an experienced radio drama actress and broadcaster who is in Sydney visiting her family. Vangie, who was also to dramatise monologue segment scripted by Benny Chan, stressed the need for our voice to be emotive. “Although our listeners do not get to see us,” she said, “we still need to act out our roles and our lines with emotion, including facial expressions”.

Vangie was very good. After hearing Vangie’s, I could see that we all fell right into our respective characters. No longer were we merely reading our lines. We were actually living the persona assigned to us.

How fortunate were we to also have Bambam Labalan, Benny Chan (who came all the way from Perth), and Sally Clark helping us out in in our one-act segment. Aside from coaching directing, the trio provided the incidental voices of vendors selling ‘balut’, ‘bibingka’, and ‘palitaw’.

It was a great delight to work with the talented two young children – Reianne Urqueza and Milan Velasco. Reianne played the part of Adela, and Milan was Alfredo in A Parting at Calamba. After only very little coaching from Vangie, these youth took off and performed like veterans in radio drama.

Our giggling fits before the actual recording notwitstanding, Bless Salonga (Soledad) and Nilda Carpo (Dona Teodora) got us all choked up and teary during the recording as they expressed their characters’ despair and helplessness. Hazel (Trinidad and mother of Reianne) also showed her experience in previous stage productions.

Standing next to Jhun Salazar who played Padre Dalmacio with the booming “Caramba, caramba”, I had to keep an eye on him as I did not want to get hit as he waved his arms with gusto in his “caramba” lines. He sure made a good Padre Dalmacio as well as moonlighting in his other role of Manuel.

The ‘Man from Mars’’ (as I fondly refer to Mars) was surperb as Rizal. Of course, this should not be a surprise as Mars has extensive experience in drama. We got a little bit concerned when during the emotional scene between Rizal and Dona Teodora, he showed signs of chest pain. Little did we realise that that was Mars emoting until a timely shout “cut” came from Ronald Manila and Harry Z in the control room. Perhaps, Mars was also surprised with the shout as he started to scramble for his next lines as his copy of the script was missing a page, to the laughter of everyone.

The recording of A Parting at Calamba has inspired me – not only by the depth of the script but by the talents around me.

To say that I thoroughly enjoyed the experience is not enough. I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of a worthwhile undertaking. I remember my visit to Rizal’s place of exile in Dapitan a few years ago. My time in Dapitan has now become more meaningful when I also remember my time with the other members of the cast who have immersed themselves into their roles to give justice to what Dr Jose Rizal stood for.

I hope I did justice to Saturnina.

Footnote: Thanks to Romy Cayabyab, Editor of The Filipino Australian for devoting a page of his company’s website to the Rizal Radio Festival as a means for us to share the information on the making of this Rizaliana project. Also thanks too to Olivia Faith (baby of Bless and Olvier Gadista) for being the youngest of our support cast for her patience during our rehearsals.

After a number of rehearsals with Mars Cavestany, our director, producer, mentor and friend, we finally got to the recording the five segments of the radio drama for the Rizaliana Radio Festival at the SBS studios on Sunday, November 20.

Raring to go... From left: Jhun Salazar, Violli Calvert, Nilda Carpo and Bless Salonga. On the background is Harry Z of SBS, making sure that all systems are also set to go...

I was with the group which was doing Mars’ radio deconstruction and adaptation of Dr Severino Montano’s original play, A Parting at Calamba. Our part was scheduled to be recorded between 10.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. With the exception of Bless Salonga and me, the group was complete when I got there at 10 a.m. Not long after my arrival, Bless got there.

The experience and interaction I had with the other members of the team during the rehearsals had been enjoyable and interesting. What we shared on the recording day was something very special.

On the recording day, I witnessed and experienced pure and unadulterated bayanihan spirit. Everyone present gave heartily their time, talents and resources without any expectation of rewards. Special mention and recognition firstly go to Mars and to Ronald Manila, Producer & Broadcaster of SBS Filipino radio. Ronald not only arranged for the use of the SBS facilities, he also read Mi Ultimo Adios in Pilipino. Thanks also to him and his wife, Maria, for feeding us our lunch.

Not all work. Lunch courtesy of Ronald and Maria Manila

The SBS studio was buzzing with excitement as the participants huddled in groups, to practice their lines before the actual recording. Helping Mars in coaching the participants was Vangie Labalan, an experienced radio drama actress and broadcaster who is in Sydney visiting her family. Vangie, who was also to dramatise monologue segment scripted by Benny Chan, stressed the need for our voice to be emotive. “Although our listeners do not get to see us,” she said, “we still need to act out our roles and our lines with emotion, including facial expressions”.

Vangie was very good. After hearing Vangie’s, I could see that we all fell right into our respective characters. No longer were we merely reading our lines. We were actually living the persona assigned to us.

How fortunate were we to also have Bambam Labalan, Benny Chan (who came all the way from Perth), and Sally Clark helping us out in in our one-act segment. Aside from coaching directing, the trio provided the incidental voices of vendors selling ‘balut’, ‘bibingka’, and ‘palitaw’.

It was a great delight to work with the talented two young children – Reianne Urqueza and Milan Velasco. Reianne played the part of Adela, and Milan was Alfredo in A Parting at Calamba. After only very little coaching from Vangie, these youth took off and performed like veterans in radio drama.

Our giggling fits before the actual recording notwitstanding, Bless Salonga (Soledad) and Nilda Carpo (Dona Teodora) got us all choked up and teary during the recording as they expressed their characters’ despair and helplessness. Hazel (Trinidad and mother of Reianne) also showed her experience in previous stage productions.

Standing next to Jhun Salazar who played Padre Dalmacio with the booming “Caramba, caramba”, I had to keep an eye on him as I did not want to get hit as he waved his arms with gusto in his “caramba” lines. He sure made a good Padre Dalmacio as well as moonlighting in his other role of Manuel.

The ‘Man from Mars’’ (as I fondly refer to Mars) was surperb as Rizal. Of course, this should not be a surprise as Mars has extensive experience in drama. We got a little bit concerned when during the emotional scene between Rizal and Dona Teodora, he showed signs of chest pain. Little did we realise that that was Mars emoting until a timely shout “cut” came from Ronald Manila and Harry Z in the control room. Perhaps, Mars was also surprised with the shout as he started to scramble for his next lines as his copy of the script was missing a page, to the laughter of everyone.

The recording of A Parting at Calamba has inspired me – not only by the depth of the script but by the talents around me.

To say that I thoroughly enjoyed the experience is not enough. I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of a worthwhile undertaking. I remember my visit to Rizal’s place of exile in Dapitan a few years ago. My time in Dapitan has now become more meaningful when I also remember my time with the other members of the cast who have immersed themselves into their roles to give justice to what Dr Jose Rizal stood for.

I hope I did justice to Saturnina.

Footnote: Thanks to Romy Cayabyab, Editor of The Filipino Australian for devoting a page of his company’s website to the Rizal Radio Festival as a means for us to share the information on the making of this Rizaliana project. Also thanks too to Olivia Faith (baby of Bless and Olvier Gadista) for being the youngest of our support cast for her patience during our rehearsals.

Benny (left) with Ms Vangie Labalan posing in between recording

Benny (left) with Ms Vangie Labalan posing in between recording

When Dr. Mars Cavestany Jr. handed me the task of translating and adapting the story of the two notorious and colorful characters of Dr. Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, namely Dona Victorina de Espadana and Dona Consolacion, into Filipino with modern setting for our visiting veteran actress, Ms. Vangie Labalan, I welcomed the challenge – even knowing that I had only 24 hours to research, prepare the script, and finish the task.

Whilst working on the script, I knew up until that Sunday morning of the recording day, we still had to get in touch with our special guest actress – Ms. Vangie Labanan, hoping that her lovely daughter – Pearl, in Strathfield will be able to help. Based purely on faith, we thought that was enough to get us by. (Ms Vangie Labalan is of course the Ms Vangie Labalan, the Philippines’ popular radio actress, notable for her role as the mother of Nora Aunor in the movie, Himala, as well as the voice of many characters in many tele-nobelas.)

In less than 24 hours, I had the translated and adapted script, now set against Blacktown as my backdrop, ready for Ms. Vangie Labalan that eventful Sunday morning. That is, if we can find her on time.

Somehow, with a little bit of luck and a lot of patience, we managed to find Pearl’s home, and we were given her sister ’s address in Rhodes where we were told Ms. Vangie Labalan was staying!

Strathfield being just a few minutes drive from Rhodes, we had the veteran actress in front of us, in the flesh and being a real trouper that she is, she was all dressed up and ready to go!

Once at SBS studio, and after a short read through, Ms. Vangie Labalan immediately transformed herself into these two characters, their distinctly Pinoy traits coming to life, and thus the recording of the script for Ang Dalawang Senyora – Ngayon began. Judging from all the giggling and controlled laughter from the rest of the cast who all watched the recording, I knew we have surefire hit!

My big thank you Dr. Cavestany and to all who helped made this first-ever radio project a reality. At isang natatanging pasasalamat kay Ms. Vangie Labalan, our radio drama artist extraordinaire, ang “makabagong tinig” ng dalawang senyora ng Noli..

Rarely indeed when performing arts productions fit into their right places so perfectly and smoothly with nary a glitch or drama as they normally do; but the recent recording at SBS Radio in St. Leonards of RSRFS (Rizaliana Sesquicentennial Radio Festival Sydney) last Sunday November 20 was a production made in heaven, so to speak!

Benny (left) with Ms Vangie Labalan posing in between recording

When Dr. Mars Cavestany Jr. handed me the task of translating and adapting the story of the two notorious and colorful characters of Dr. Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, namely Dona Victorina de Espadana and Dona Consolacion, into Filipino with modern setting for our visiting veteran actress, Ms. Vangie Labalan, I welcomed the challenge – even knowing that I had only 24 hours to research, prepare the script, and finish the task.

Whilst working on the script, I knew up until that Sunday morning of the recording day, we still had to get in touch with our special guest actress – Ms. Vangie Labanan, hoping that her lovely daughter – Pearl, in Strathfield will be able to help. Based purely on faith, we thought that was enough to get us by. (Ms Vangie Labalan is of course the Ms Vangie Labalan, the Philippines’ popular radio actress, notable for her role as the mother of Nora Aunor in the movie, Himala, as well as the voice of many characters in many tele-nobelas.)

In less than 24 hours, I had the translated and adapted script, now set against Blacktown as my backdrop, ready for Ms. Vangie Labalan that eventful Sunday morning. That is, if we can find her on time.

Somehow, with a little bit of luck and a lot of patience, we managed to find Pearl’s home, and we were given her sister ’s address in Rhodes where we were told Ms. Vangie Labalan was staying!

Strathfield being just a few minutes drive from Rhodes, we had the veteran actress in front of us, in the flesh and being a real trouper that she is, she was all dressed up and ready to go!

Once at SBS studio, and after a short read through, Ms. Vangie Labalan immediately transformed herself into these two characters, their distinctly Pinoy traits coming to life, and thus the recording of the script for Ang Dalawang Senyora – Ngayon began. Judging from all the giggling and controlled laughter from the rest of the cast who all watched the recording, I knew we have surefire hit!

My big thank you Dr. Cavestany and to all who helped made this first-ever radio project a reality. At isang natatanging pasasalamat kay Ms. Vangie Labalan, our radio drama artist extraordinaire, ang “makabagong tinig” ng dalawang senyora ng Noli..

Last November 20, the first of the RSRFS (Rizaliana Sesquicentennial Radio Festival Sydney) two drama and song recording sessions happened with nary a glitch or atypical production lapses – thanks God and to all those who believed in me that it can materialize given the unquestioning faith and genuine support of all and sundry.

Ronald Manila briefing the cast of SBS rules // Photo: Oliver Gadista

Ronald Manila briefing the cast of SBS rules // Photo: Oliver Gadista

Of course, this truly humongous undertaking, one of the most Herculean projects I have ever undertaken, was made possible essentially through the magnanimous assistance of SBS as engineered by Ronald Manila who has successfully moored the SBS Filipino Radio Program to unparallel heights since it began airing in the early 80’s. Ronald is of course a member of the RADIO CELL, a loose alliance of Filipino Community Radio broadcasters and producers shepherded by Jimmy Pimentel as a component of FILPRESSYD. All of RADIO CELL members actively promoting their own respective program thrust or slant have unanimously embraced the project to form part of the all-out international RIZAL SESQUICENTENNIAL celebration.

The internet is replete with this and that activity that Filipinos the world over are doing to celebrate this major historical event but I’d like to think, without flag-waving (as in chauvinistic, excessively fanatical patriotism) on one hand and being so full of myself on the other, that I have conceived and put together a unique mammoth undertaking that is not only “one off” as in most other festivities world-wide but is massive as well in terms of its reach, mileage or audience appeal simply because it is cost efficient, let alone inexpensive if not downright “pawis at laway” alone. And to think that the months of November and December are teeming with community affairs, concerts, and the like all. All these become rather prohibitive after some time if not too draining on the pocket especially after having bought a ticket or two in support of too many uncoordinated activities within our community alone. In marked contrast, RADIO is not only easily accessible, but effortless and comfortable as well because you can do it at your own pace and time.

Needless to say, unlike a theater production which is not only laborious, time-consuming, “magastos” (costly) in all respects, and not as good as seeing it “live” (that is why it is sometimes referred to as a “fugitive art”) , radio but its sheer nature is outrightly “documented” for posterity.

A true testament to the indomitable spirit of the Filipino

All ready to start recording // Photo: Oliver Gadista [click to zoom in]

All ready to start recording // Photo: Oliver Gadista [click to zoom in]

The wealth of materials we have recorded, namely two full dramas (one a domestic melodrama, and the other a sarsuela/musical theater piece at that) and a vignette, a dramatic excerpt, and a poetry recitation – more than fill one’s cup to the brim, so to speak, and I am myself amazed that we have all actually done what many thought undoable. This is esprit de corps in action, a remarkable collective endeavor indeed, a true testament to the indomitable spirit of us Pinoys who in the spirit of volunteerism have each made our very own little adjustments and thankless sacrifices all for the pursuit and success of this project.

And because anything given freely and voluntarily cannot be compensated materially, I can only say that all those whom I have approached and chosen to work with as well as those who came forward out of their own love for Rizal and selfless dedication towards the intellectual and cultural uplift of our community – everything is much appreciated.

This creative initiative is many-sided, tri-media in approach ~ radio-stage-and online documentation thru a sustained website at http://www.thefilipinoaustralian.com/news/index.php/rizaliana-radio-festival-sydney/, and will extend till June of 2012 which is the official ending of the sesquicentennial. By then we would have geared up to strike anew – culminating with the al fresco staging of “Along the Pasig” in an outdoor venue, ideally the Auburn Japanese Botanical Garden, whose entrance struck me like a small Fort Santiago, Rajah Soliman Theater, in Intramuros, Manila which has been the site of my baptism of fire in the theater via my incursion with PETA at a precocious age. I swear to the Muses, I shall do everything in my power to stage it there and hope APCO’s Cen and Ruben Amores. not to mention Jhun Salazar of the Visayan group, shall provide and help me pull the right strings. Thou shall not forget the very enterprising Josie Musa (and her ever-loving husband Gerry, another actor with depth) –this responsive and explosive entrepreneurs-heads of the Young Ambassadors Group with whom I intend to work and develop into a full-pledged Theater for Young People.

My deepest gratitude to all…

I have so much on my plate and plenty more to sink my teeth into in the near future.

Meanwhile, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all for giving me the opportunity to tap your hidden potentials. I made too many finds and discoveries – beginning with the extremely talented Oliver Gadista who is blessed with an equally lovely, intelligent, and naturally-gifted actress-journalist for a partner, Bless Salonga. In the same manner that I had Jerry Salvador before with whom I experimented on new works that landed us mainstream at the Belvoir Theater and also Lalaine Lozano no less, I now have a musician who would aid me to bring to fruition my greatest dream to mount a full-pledged Filipino original musical before I finally bow out.

Some members of the cast with SBS Harry listening to one recorded segment // Photo: Ruben Amores [click to zoom in]

Some members of the cast with SBS Harry listening to one recorded segment // Photo: Ruben Amores [click to zoom in]

Another find is the Urqueza family, headed by Hazel who used to run the Filipino Restaurant in Lidcombe that was the water hole of karaoke regular habitués like me. Hazel is one of those accidental discoveries who prove to be an intuitive actress just as her two daughters Reianne and Rocealiza who are such a glee to work with and stars in the making. So is the mother and son neighbor of Hazel, Myriel and Brandon de los Reyes, who came in very handy and powerful reinforcement to the choric speech incorporated in “Along the Pasig”.

There are just too many shining examples of talent cast in this musicale to watch out for – and these include Florabelle Pasco, Reggie Daguio and Brian Babon. Florabelle is as fresh as a lily and her lyrical soprano voice, given more training by the only voice teacher I trust in our community Annie Regaliza, as well as more meaningful projects to sink her teeth into and test her real mettle like this little known masterful sarsuela-cum-political allegory. And Reggie, my dear man child, no longer a boy as when I first worked with him in several concerts of yore, now my new RJ Rosales – someone who can act, move and sing – a compleat performer out to rebound like the true superstar that he is meant to be. And then there is the ever-reliable performer for all seasons – multi-awarded Brian Babon whose expertise in dance, vocal ability, and acting too, I will explore to the hilt as he portrays one of my three alter-egos as the four-headed Satan (with the experienced and dependable troopers and troupers, Albert Frias and Charles Chan joining in later on in the stage version).

Sally Clark will always be the beloved “Ka Maldang” to my “Ka Ugong” in that eternal chamber theater comedy “Why Women Wash the Dishes”, ergo my favorite partner of an actress. Forget how we look like, but just concentrating on our voices, it took Bambam Labalan, our guest Technical Director imported from Manila, who was an all-rounder help as an Assisting Director-cum-Voice Talent – to marvel at how youthful we sounded as the estranged lovers Pepe and Leonor in “The Love of Leonor Rivera”. Speaking of Bambam Labalan, we are all pleased and proud to be joined by a respectable senior actress from Manila. Ms. Vangie Labalan who breathes life even to a simple script whipped up by Benito “Nitoy” Chan in one sitting. My other eternal creative partner and artistic collaborator whom I fondly call by his pet name Benny, arrived all the way from Perth in the nick of time, i.e. the so-called “hell week” of rehearsals, to help me tidy up and raise each and everyone in such a cast of thousands to performance level. More than mateship, Benny, in theatrical parlance, is the classic image of “SM-PM-PD-TD” all rolled in one. We founded Filipinas-PETALS together along with our Mother hen Edna Longhurst, and together we will continue to produce “meaningful theater” as a necessary antidote to the crass commercial outings in our unsuspecting commune – till perhaps our old age.

Violi Calvert has said much in her own blog “musings” but I welcome her wholeheartedly into the realm of the sublime and passionate artists. She is possessed with largess of spirit and brilliance of mind that are the posts on which acting stands. Ditto for Jhun Salazar, whose quality of vice is hard to find amongst males, and that which makes him a pliable, malleable material in many a character roles. But one problem with working with beginners or plain amateur actors is that they tend to be intractable, tending to be interested only in themselves in the theater as the great theater genius and acting guru Stanislavsky once opined. For once, I was fortunate to have been given a cast that did not have to give me a heart attack at this point in time when I’m not truly in the pink of health and only my faith and devotion to my art keeps me afloat. Such lightness is best exemplified by Nilda Carpo, who is an artist in mind, body and soul, another actress I have plans to turn into a Lolita Rodriguez of my generation, if you know who and what I mean.

To Harry, the ever-patient and sincerely concerned technical “point man” of SBS, I doff my hat to you. Many thanks also to Jimmy Pimentel whose stewardship of the Radio Cell inspires us all. And of course, the best theatrical word to describe Romy Cayabyab is that of being a raisonneur having provided the most potent, dynamic platform on which, I, as a member of The Filipino Australian distinguished roster of writers, is able to make my creative outpourings. The website he has created for this specific project assures us that we are documented and read in all corners of the globe. To the parents of Florabelle and Reggie – who have been most cooperative from day one, as well as to all others who had unselfishly extended a hand, my eternal thanks.

Finally, I invite all and sundry, to continue patronizing the member stations of the RADIO CELL, each of which has been delivering their own Rizaliana inputs as part of the RSRFS November Build Up leading to the December one-week Lead Up beginning December 25 (Christmas Day) to December 30, which is Jose Rizal’s death anniversary.

Mabuhay tayong lahat!

DARING TO DO THE UNDOABLE

Last November 20, the first of the RSRFS (Rizaliana Sesquicentennial Radio Festival Sydney) two drama and song recording sessions happened with nary a glitch or atypical production lapses – thanks God and to all those who believed in me that it can materialize given the unquestioning faith and genuine support of all and sundry.

Ronald Manila briefing the cast of SBS rules // Photo: Oliver Gadista

Of course, this truly humongous undertaking, one of the most Herculean projects I have ever undertaken, was made possible essentially through the magnanimous assistance of SBS as engineered by Ronald Manila who has successfully moored the SBS Filipino Radio Program to unparallel heights since it began airing in the early 80’s. Ronald is of course a member of the RADIO CELL, a loose alliance of Filipino Community Radio broadcasters and producers shepherded by Jimmy Pimentel as a component of FILPRESSYD. All of RADIO CELL members actively promoting their own respective program thrust or slant have unanimously embraced the project to form part of the all-out international RIZAL SESQUICENTENNIAL celebration.

The internet is replete with this and that activity that Filipinos the world over are doing to celebrate this major historical event but I’d like to think, without flag-waving (as in chauvinistic, excessively fanatical patriotism) on one hand and being so full of myself on the other, that I have conceived and put together a unique mammoth undertaking that is not only “one off” as in most other festivities world-wide but is massive as well in terms of its reach, mileage or audience appeal simply because it is cost efficient, let alone inexpensive if not downright “pawis at laway” alone. And to think that the months of November and December are teeming with community affairs, concerts, and the like all. All these become rather prohibitive after some time if not too draining on the pocket especially after having bought a ticket or two in support of too many uncoordinated activities within our community alone. In marked contrast, RADIO is not only easily accessible, but effortless and comfortable as well because you can do it at your own pace and time.

Needless to say, unlike a theater production which is not only laborious, time-consuming, “magastos” (costly) in all respects, and not as good as seeing it “live” (that is why it is sometimes referred to as a “fugitive art”) , radio but its sheer nature is outrightly “documented” for posterity.

A true testament to the indomitable spirit of the Filipino

All ready to start recording // Photo: Oliver Gadista [click to zoom in]

The wealth of materials we have recorded, namely two full dramas (one a domestic melodrama, and the other a sarsuela/musical theater piece at that) and a vignette, a dramatic excerpt, and a poetry recitation – more than fill one’s cup to the brim, so to speak, and I am myself amazed that we have all actually done what many thought undoable. This is esprit de corps in action, a remarkable collective endeavor indeed, a true testament to the indomitable spirit of us Pinoys who in the spirit of volunteerism have each made our very own little adjustments and thankless sacrifices all for the pursuit and success of this project.

And because anything given freely and voluntarily cannot be compensated materially, I can only say that all those whom I have approached and chosen to work with as well as those who came forward out of their own love for Rizal and selfless dedication towards the intellectual and cultural uplift of our community – everything is much appreciated.

This creative initiative is many-sided, tri-media in approach ~ radio-stage-and online documentation thru a sustained website at http://www.thefilipinoaustralian.com/news/index.php/rizaliana-radio-festival-sydney/, and will extend till June of 2012 which is the official ending of the sesquicentennial. By then we would have geared up to strike anew – culminating with the al fresco staging of “Along the Pasig” in an outdoor venue, ideally the Auburn Japanese Botanical Garden, whose entrance struck me like a small Fort Santiago, Rajah Soliman Theater, in Intramuros, Manila which has been the site of my baptism of fire in the theater via my incursion with PETA at a precocious age. I swear to the Muses, I shall do everything in my power to stage it there and hope APCO’s Cen and Ruben Amores. not to mention Jhun Salazar of the Visayan group, shall provide and help me pull the right strings. Thou shall not forget the very enterprising Josie Musa (and her ever-loving husband Gerry, another actor with depth) –this responsive and explosive entrepreneurs-heads of the Young Ambassadors Group with whom I intend to work and develop into a full-pledged Theater for Young People.

My deepest gratitude to all…

I have so much on my plate and plenty more to sink my teeth into in the near future.

Meanwhile, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all for giving me the opportunity to tap your hidden potentials. I made too many finds and discoveries – beginning with the extremely talented Oliver Gadista who is blessed with an equally lovely, intelligent, and naturally-gifted actress-journalist for a partner, Bless Salonga. In the same manner that I had Jerry Salvador before with whom I experimented on new works that landed us mainstream at the Belvoir Theater and also Lalaine Lozano no less, I now have a musician who would aid me to bring to fruition my greatest dream to mount a full-pledged Filipino original musical before I finally bow out.

Some members of the cast with SBS Harry listening to one recorded segment // Photo: Ruben Amores [click to zoom in]

Another find is the Urqueza family, headed by Hazel who used to run the Filipino Restaurant in Lidcombe that was the water hole of karaoke regular habitués like me. Hazel is one of those accidental discoveries who prove to be an intuitive actress just as her two daughters Reianne and Rocealiza who are such a glee to work with and stars in the making. So is the mother and son neighbor of Hazel, Myriel and Brandon de los Reyes, who came in very handy and powerful reinforcement to the choric speech incorporated in “Along the Pasig”.

There are just too many shining examples of talent cast in this musicale to watch out for – and these include Florabelle Pasco, Reggie Daguio and Brian Babon. Florabelle is as fresh as a lily and her lyrical soprano voice, given more training by the only voice teacher I trust in our community Annie Regaliza, as well as more meaningful projects to sink her teeth into and test her real mettle like this little known masterful sarsuela-cum-political allegory. And Reggie, my dear man child, no longer a boy as when I first worked with him in several concerts of yore, now my new RJ Rosales – someone who can act, move and sing – a compleat performer out to rebound like the true superstar that he is meant to be. And then there is the ever-reliable performer for all seasons – multi-awarded Brian Babon whose expertise in dance, vocal ability, and acting too, I will explore to the hilt as he portrays one of my three alter-egos as the four-headed Satan (with the experienced and dependable troopers and troupers, Albert Frias and Charles Chan joining in later on in the stage version).

Sally Clark will always be the beloved “Ka Maldang” to my “Ka Ugong” in that eternal chamber theater comedy “Why Women Wash the Dishes”, ergo my favorite partner of an actress. Forget how we look like, but just concentrating on our voices, it took Bambam Labalan, our guest Technical Director imported from Manila, who was an all-rounder help as an Assisting Director-cum-Voice Talent – to marvel at how youthful we sounded as the estranged lovers Pepe and Leonor in “The Love of Leonor Rivera”. Speaking of Bambam Labalan, we are all pleased and proud to be joined by a respectable senior actress from Manila. Ms. Vangie Labalan who breathes life even to a simple script whipped up by Benito “Nitoy” Chan in one sitting. My other eternal creative partner and artistic collaborator whom I fondly call by his pet name Benny, arrived all the way from Perth in the nick of time, i.e. the so-called “hell week” of rehearsals, to help me tidy up and raise each and everyone in such a cast of thousands to performance level. More than mateship, Benny, in theatrical parlance, is the classic image of “SM-PM-PD-TD” all rolled in one. We founded Filipinas-PETALS together along with our Mother hen Edna Longhurst, and together we will continue to produce “meaningful theater” as a necessary antidote to the crass commercial outings in our unsuspecting commune – till perhaps our old age.

Violi Calvert has said much in her own blog “musings” but I welcome her wholeheartedly into the realm of the sublime and passionate artists. She is possessed with largess of spirit and brilliance of mind that are the posts on which acting stands. Ditto for Jhun Salazar, whose quality of vice is hard to find amongst males, and that which makes him a pliable, malleable material in many a character roles. But one problem with working with beginners or plain amateur actors is that they tend to be intractable, tending to be interested only in themselves in the theater as the great theater genius and acting guru Stanislavsky once opined. For once, I was fortunate to have been given a cast that did not have to give me a heart attack at this point in time when I’m not truly in the pink of health and only my faith and devotion to my art keeps me afloat. Such lightness is best exemplified by Nilda Carpo, who is an artist in mind, body and soul, another actress I have plans to turn into a Lolita Rodriguez of my generation, if you know who and what I mean.

To Harry, the ever-patient and sincerely concerned technical “point man” of SBS, I doff my hat to you. Many thanks also to Jimmy Pimentel whose stewardship of the Radio Cell inspires us all. And of course, the best theatrical word to describe Romy Cayabyab is that of being a raisonneur having provided the most potent, dynamic platform on which, I, as a member of The Filipino Australian distinguished roster of writers, is able to make my creative outpourings. The website he has created for this specific project assures us that we are documented and read in all corners of the globe. To the parents of Florabelle and Reggie – who have been most cooperative from day one, as well as to all others who had unselfishly extended a hand, my eternal thanks.

Finally, I invite all and sundry, to continue patronizing the member stations of the RADIO CELL, each of which has been delivering their own Rizaliana inputs as part of the RSRFS November Build Up leading to the December one-week Lead Up beginning December 25 (Christmas Day) to December 30, which is Jose Rizal’s death anniversary.

Mabuhay tayong lahat!

The Radio Cell is comprised of broadcasters and producers of Filipino-Australian community radio programs. Jimmy Pimentel provides the energy and motivation behind this informal and “un-structured” radio broadcasting discussion group.

Jimmy called the meeting which I understood was mainly to chat about ethics and copyright standards we ought to be observing. He also said that Mars Cavestany was guesting in the meeting to talk about a radio project he wanted the group members to participate in.

Mars Cavestany is a renowned multi-award winning Filipino-Australian director, actor, writer, educator, playwright, radio broadcaster, writer, theatre-film critic, and interpreter.

That was the first time I met Mars in person. He spoke about his plan for a Rizaliana Radio Festival Sydney as a tribute to the national hero’s sesquicentennial which will conclude on June 12 next year. His plan is to go on-air over one national, one state, and six Metro Sydney community radio stations.

During the meeting, in my mind I agreed with him: That if this project would take off, it would be a “world first” in celebrating on the air the life of Dr Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero.

Mars outlined that the project would include readings of selected Rizal’s works by the participating Filipino-Australian community radio programs, and airing of a recorded radio play. We agreed on our respective radio broadcast timetable.

A week later, I received from our groupmails a copy of the script of the play, Parting At Calamba, and its cast ~ with me to play the role of Saturnina, the older sister of Rizal.

My initial reaction was “Really? I had only very minor and light roles in stage plays during my high school days and in student conferences during the early part of my university studies.”

Albeit hesitant and quite apprehensive about the serious character I am to play, I welcomed the opportunity to learn from a qualified and experienced person on radio drama. So a few days later, we had our first reading together held at the home of Bless Salonga, who is playing the role of Soledad, the younger sister of Rizal.

This was followed by another reading at Mars’ home and our individual readings at home. Then the final rehearsal of the full cast was held on Monday, November 14.

Mars set up and labelled the chairs with the characters’ name so we felt and got into the character as soon as we stepped in the “set”.

Mars’ broad experience in drama and stage direction was very much evident during our readings. He was ever patient. He never showed any sign of annoyance when we did not read our lines properly. When he gave instructions, we knew it was to reflect well on our performance, not as a criticism. Just as when I thought I was/Saturnina was already being very mean to Padre Damaso and screeching like a witch, he cut in and said “That is still a bit ‘sweet’ …imagine you are spitting venom and rage at him”.

The final rehearsal was not all serious work. We had fun and laughter every now and then, especially when our Director cum Rizal (Mars) lost his page. Bless Salonga got us into fit of laughter in parts of the practice. Jhun Salazar plays “Padre Dalmacio” very well. His expression of “Caramba, Caramba” was really menacing; although I noted that as the evening progressed Mars’ pet dog Hopey slept through the rehearsal unperturbed by Jhun’s booming voice. Hazel Urqueza as “Trinidad” (another sister of Rizal) and Nilda Carpo as “Dona Teodora” (Rizal’s mother) played their parts really well.

Typical of a Filipino gathering, be it for social or work-related, a sharing of food and drinks followed the rehearsal. This, I saw everyone enjoyed.

I think we are all set for the recording on Sunday, November 20 at the SBS Radio studio ~ courtesy of Ronald Manila, SBS Radio Filipino language producer, who made the arrangements with SBS management. Ronald’s part in the Rizal project is to read Huling Paalam, the Filipino version of Dr. Rizal’s immortal work, Mi Ultimo Adios or My Last Farewell which according to historical accounts was composed during his last hours inside a Fort Santiago cell awaiting his martyrdom by musketry.

What is most admirable about this project is that it forms part of the body of work that pays tribute to a great man whose ideals and values are both inspirational and timeless.

It will be part of a legacy for the youth in the years to come to re-discover the relevance of Jose Rizal whose entire short life (35 years) was spent fighting for the freedom of his countrymen.

The project is also a very good example of the Filipino spirit of bayanihan where participants wholeheartedly give whatever they can contribute to an undertaking, with no expectations of reward.

To Mars, Filipinas PETALS, the whole cast, Jimmy Pimentel, Ronald Manila, Romy Cayabyab (Editor of The Filipino Australian), and to all who give this project their valuable support, mabuhay kayo!

Little did I expect that a ‘routine’ Filpress Radio Cell meeting at the Dooley’s Club in Lidcombe would make me an overnight ‘accidental radio drama queen’ (kuno).

The Radio Cell is comprised of broadcasters and producers of Filipino-Australian community radio programs. Jimmy Pimentel provides the energy and motivation behind this informal and “un-structured” radio broadcasting discussion group.

Jimmy called the meeting which I understood was mainly to chat about ethics and copyright standards we ought to be observing. He also said that Mars Cavestany was guesting in the meeting to talk about a radio project he wanted the group members to participate in.

Mars Cavestany is a renowned multi-award winning Filipino-Australian director, actor, writer, educator, playwright, radio broadcaster, writer, theatre-film critic, and interpreter.

That was the first time I met Mars in person. He spoke about his plan for a Rizaliana Radio Festival Sydney as a tribute to the national hero’s sesquicentennial which will conclude on June 12 next year. His plan is to go on-air over one national, one state, and six Metro Sydney community radio stations.

During the meeting, in my mind I agreed with him: That if this project would take off, it would be a “world first” in celebrating on the air the life of Dr Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero.

Mars outlined that the project would include readings of selected Rizal’s works by the participating Filipino-Australian community radio programs, and airing of a recorded radio play. We agreed on our respective radio broadcast timetable.

A week later, I received from our groupmails a copy of the script of the play, Parting At Calamba, and its cast ~ with me to play the role of Saturnina, the older sister of Rizal.

My initial reaction was “Really? I had only very minor and light roles in stage plays during my high school days and in student conferences during the early part of my university studies.”

Albeit hesitant and quite apprehensive about the serious character I am to play, I welcomed the opportunity to learn from a qualified and experienced person on radio drama. So a few days later, we had our first reading together held at the home of Bless Salonga, who is playing the role of Soledad, the younger sister of Rizal.

This was followed by another reading at Mars’ home and our individual readings at home. Then the final rehearsal of the full cast was held on Monday, November 14.

Mars set up and labelled the chairs with the characters’ name so we felt and got into the character as soon as we stepped in the “set”.

Mars’ broad experience in drama and stage direction was very much evident during our readings. He was ever patient. He never showed any sign of annoyance when we did not read our lines properly. When he gave instructions, we knew it was to reflect well on our performance, not as a criticism. Just as when I thought I was/Saturnina was already being very mean to Padre Damaso and screeching like a witch, he cut in and said “That is still a bit ‘sweet’ …imagine you are spitting venom and rage at him”.

The final rehearsal was not all serious work. We had fun and laughter every now and then, especially when our Director cum Rizal (Mars) lost his page. Bless Salonga got us into fit of laughter in parts of the practice. Jhun Salazar plays “Padre Dalmacio” very well. His expression of “Caramba, Caramba” was really menacing; although I noted that as the evening progressed Mars’ pet dog Hopey slept through the rehearsal unperturbed by Jhun’s booming voice. Hazel Urqueza as “Trinidad” (another sister of Rizal) and Nilda Carpo as “Dona Teodora” (Rizal’s mother) played their parts really well.

Typical of a Filipino gathering, be it for social or work-related, a sharing of food and drinks followed the rehearsal. This, I saw everyone enjoyed.

I think we are all set for the recording on Sunday, November 20 at the SBS Radio studio ~ courtesy of Ronald Manila, SBS Radio Filipino language producer, who made the arrangements with SBS management. Ronald’s part in the Rizal project is to read Huling Paalam, the Filipino version of Dr. Rizal’s immortal work, Mi Ultimo Adios or My Last Farewell which according to historical accounts was composed during his last hours inside a Fort Santiago cell awaiting his martyrdom by musketry.

What is most admirable about this project is that it forms part of the body of work that pays tribute to a great man whose ideals and values are both inspirational and timeless.

It will be part of a legacy for the youth in the years to come to re-discover the relevance of Jose Rizal whose entire short life (35 years) was spent fighting for the freedom of his countrymen.

The project is also a very good example of the Filipino spirit of bayanihan where participants wholeheartedly give whatever they can contribute to an undertaking, with no expectations of reward.

To Mars, Filipinas PETALS, the whole cast, Jimmy Pimentel, Ronald Manila, Romy Cayabyab (Editor of The Filipino Australian), and to all who give this project their valuable support, mabuhay kayo!

(NB: The order with which I shall alternately toast, exalt, and vivify the three subjects of this particular blog is purposefully that and if ever I roast them a bit it is more of carińo brutal than anything else and absolutely nothing to do with beauty, talent, or age. That should eliminate the potential billing problem before it precipitates. LOL!)

In deference to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, I shall ambitiously pattern this elegiac outpouring from his EXSULTATE, JUBILATE (written in Latin meaning Rejoice, Be Glad) which remains regularly-performed and still ranks a favorite masterpiece amongst sopranos of all time. As Dame Kiri Tekanawa rightfully states in her most-watched You Tube entry, this 14- minute solo montet is “one of the great pieces of religious music and is such a delight to perform because of its wonderful structure.”

Distilled internet entries inform us that this work written at age 16 represents Mozart’s genius having composed this early vocal music in Italian operatic style being one of the central factors of those works that are hardly heard these days. But just as devotees of this master’s operas as well as sacred vocal and instrumental music find grist for their musicological mills in this wonderful work so too shall my paeans to friends follow suit like a fascinating journey into mostly unexplored musical byways. It is divided in 3-parts : allegro, andante, allegro also called Alleluia.

Allegro

Benny Chan is a dear, dear friend. The kind that defines friendship in its pristine form.

Benny celebrated his birthday last September 14. He’s in his 50’s now, a couple of years my junior. Our friendship dates back to our more carefree, unencumbered days in Manila where we used to be neighbors in one compound in Malate, the hub of Manila’s finest, wackiest, craziest artists. Then fate had it that we went our own separate ways only to be reunited in Sydney a decade or so after – rising above the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, but fortified by our togetherness and being there for each other during highs and lows, flaking off the chips and stripping away sprains and strains of relations woven into the estranged lyrics of our songs, but singing still of our loves and losses, thrills and woes, and the wonders of living amidst the impermanence of things.

Benny has always been my inspirer — someone who alternately plants and feeds me with ideas whilst animating, enlivening, or exacting influence on my creative imagination. The one concrete manifestation of this is FILIPINAS, the community theater ensemble we both founded in 1994 with himself as President and yours faithfully as Artistic Director. Together we saw our wild dreams bear fruit as we forged a relationship built on love, a readiness to forgive and forget, anchored on respect and mutual understanding with unquestioning trust/faith in each other’s ability and human failings.

Since he moved to Perth to take care of his frail and ailing Mom, I have never found anyone else who knows me from head to foot, one who knows exactly how to prop up my strengths and fill in for my weaknesses. What I like about him is his sense of his own capabilities so that in all the years of our cooperation and co-operation, he has never been wary of what I’m capable of doing nor felt insecure or that I’m stealing the limelight away from him. I hated the negativity of people around me but with Benny around everything seemed positive, doable, and feasible.

Of course we’ve had our tiffs too, some prolonged cold misunderstandings and breakdown of communication but time heals and then the fever of genuine friendship heats up again as we naturally gravitate to each other once again. But professionally, we never had a big quarrel given our continuing collaborations under Filipinas-Petals, outside shows including his own private commercial outings. I guess it’s because Benny has a strong sense of falling in line, his spirit of esprit de corps and en·ga·gé is fool proof, and his feel for what is brilliant and what is macabre is simply unerring just as his taste for the finest and the most exquisite is spot on.

What poets call soulmate, have busted our very own assumptions and changed the way we have seen life and love even as we remained friends from our youthful past and even gladly beyond.

Here’s looking at you Brother! I can’t wait to rejoin you in Perth as you set out to plant the seeds of a future Filipinas-Petals satellite company in situ.

Mabuhay ka kaibigan!

Andante

Armando “RC” Reyes is perhaps the next best thing that the Filipino community might ballyhoo for whatever purpose he serves as the newest theater director on the block. The rhetoric strikes a popular chord amongst PCC to a point that its concurrent President Marivic Manalo has gone all out not only in lending this peak organizations’ name in terms of the usual public liability extension. Likewise, by herself, Mrs. Manalo has been unselfishly opening her house to host production meetings and rehearsals not to mention sharing this and that set and prop piece all of which reinforces the notion of genuine generosity and largess of spirit that underpins Armando’s humongous undertaking.

To think that he is practically going it alone, it’s providential that he is greatly buoyed up by the wholehearted support of the Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, who has proved to be not only a gem but definitely an “angel” as it is known in theater parlance. This is matched by the selfless givingness and beneficence of Kate Andres, who same as she poured out during the maiden showing, pushed the right buttons and pulled some strings to get the movers and shakers of our community a-joining. The latest hearty addition comes in the husband and wife team of Nilda and Mon Carpo entering most opportunely and prodigiously in time to tackle slowly mounting and backbreaking stage management responsibilities. The two had their baptism of fire, at least theater-wise in Sydney, via their participation in this writer-cum-artistic director’s whirlwind yet truly triumphant rib-tickling folk comedy (Why Women Wash the Dishes) presented as an aperitif and audience delectation during the Ilocano Association’s 20th anniversary celebration last year.

Clearly to be missed is Mr. Albert Dimarucut, the other face in the creative tandem which originally parented Fine Artists Collaboration (FAC). Albert has decidedly returned (perhaps temporarily?) to Manila to share his newly-acquired know-how after finishing his special Dance Therapy course here. He might have been the Filo community in NSW’s loss but will certainly be Metropolitan Manila’s dance theater gain. So with Shakespeare, we say, all’s well that ends well!

Finally, we doff our hats to the real brain and brawn behind this Herculean production – Armando “RC” Reyes – an unstoppable artist who will really put whatever money he has where his mouth is and where his flights of fancy leads him. If only for his sheer audacity — unrestrained by conventional shortsightedness of those who fail to see his wisdom and vision that he translates into reality with such gargantuan efforts –this director on the go truly deserves full patronage. There are not too many theatre diehards in our midst nowadays, let alone, community-based groups, who, for all intents and purposes, need his business acumen and unrelenting passion.

Verily, this guy has arrived, proudly singing “On My Own” whilst hitching his wagon to the stars.

Go watch any of the four performances (matinee or evening) on November 17-18 at Parramatta Town Hall, Church Street, Parramatta. Tickets are selling like hot cakes so reserve this early. For particulars, call 0466156639.

Armando Reyes, Mon Carpo, and the writer

Armando Reyes, Mon Carpo, and the writer

Alleluia

Conrad Isip Munar is another name to reckon with in Filipino community entertainment circle precisely because he is the proverbial quixotic fool who rushes in where others fear to tread.

His devotion to give joy to his fellow “kapuso” and “kapamilya” is deliciously flavored and wrapped up in the many-faceted concept shows that he has dished out to his reliably ever-supportive audiences – from the most audaciously evening of fine music via a chamber orchestra to a rumbustiously hair-raising funny diatribe of visiting gay stand up comedians.

Well don’t look now, but Conrad has concretized what has remained my imperishable hope, and that which I have unrelentingly challenged all the Nita Christian’s in our community with since day one: to bring world class artists and yet untapped artistic and highly-cultural orientated performing groups from the Philippines and not just the run-of-the-mill artistically undistinguished but sure-fire hits like the one-too-many pop stars that the community is already deluged with. Amidst ABS-CBN-TFC’s aggressive promos flooding their 24/7 broadcast with their caboodle of young upstarts on the one hand, and the slowly burgeoning entry and partaking of the audience pie throughout Australia of GMA – these two heavyweights make for a heavyweight competition for LEGITIMATE THEATER PRODUCTIONS to enthrall or magnetize Pinoys out of their comfort zones to fill in theater seats at relatively dearer prices. But alas, and alack, there goes the challenge and both Armando and Conrad’s welcome departure from the commonplace are definitely most-awaited with tense expectations.

The other show to watch out for is none other than the touring live version of one of if not the longest running TV show in the Philippines, AAWITAN KITA. I’m ecstatic already and can’t wait to make “beso-beso” with beloved and much-admired Armida Siguion- Reyna – one of the icons of Philippine cinema, TV, stage and musical theater.

I’m reserving my “hallelujah” for the show itself in another blog but for now I curtsey to this “Sister act” of dear Conrad for he has brought fruition to what I thought would remain a pipedream. With this fantastic move, the myth that the best of our cultural shows featuring the finest of our Filipino performers in legitimate theater and Filipino music theater stalwarts is far-fetched from being imported here and that Filo mass audiences are not attracted to obscure high-fallutin art unlike pop culture – can finally be demythologized and demystified.

(N.B. My. Oh, my! By the time I finished writing this blog on 29th Sep. and was ready to forward it for online publication, I checked my Facebook messages and presto the sad news that the AAWITAN KITA show has been “cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances” literally weighed me down and threw a damper on my aborted glee. But it’s been composed, so I shall publish it anyway …que sera…sera…whatever will be, will be…!)

TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND BENNY CHAN AND OTHER SWEET ETCETERA FOR ARMANDO REYES & CONRAD MUNAR ISIP

(NB: The order with which I shall alternately toast, exalt, and vivify the three subjects of this particular blog is purposefully that and if ever I roast them a bit it is more of carińo brutal than anything else and absolutely nothing to do with beauty, talent, or age. That should eliminate the potential billing problem before it precipitates. LOL!)

In deference to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, I shall ambitiously pattern this elegiac outpouring from his EXSULTATE, JUBILATE (written in Latin meaning Rejoice, Be Glad) which remains regularly-performed and still ranks a favorite masterpiece amongst sopranos of all time. As Dame Kiri Tekanawa rightfully states in her most-watched You Tube entry, this 14- minute solo montet is “one of the great pieces of religious music and is such a delight to perform because of its wonderful structure.”

Distilled internet entries inform us that this work written at age 16 represents Mozart’s genius having composed this early vocal music in Italian operatic style being one of the central factors of those works that are hardly heard these days. But just as devotees of this master’s operas as well as sacred vocal and instrumental music find grist for their musicological mills in this wonderful work so too shall my paeans to friends follow suit like a fascinating journey into mostly unexplored musical byways. It is divided in 3-parts : allegro, andante, allegro also called Alleluia.

Allegro

Benny Chan is a dear, dear friend. The kind that defines friendship in its pristine form.

Benny celebrated his birthday last September 14. He’s in his 50’s now, a couple of years my junior. Our friendship dates back to our more carefree, unencumbered days in Manila where we used to be neighbors in one compound in Malate, the hub of Manila’s finest, wackiest, craziest artists. Then fate had it that we went our own separate ways only to be reunited in Sydney a decade or so after – rising above the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, but fortified by our togetherness and being there for each other during highs and lows, flaking off the chips and stripping away sprains and strains of relations woven into the estranged lyrics of our songs, but singing still of our loves and losses, thrills and woes, and the wonders of living amidst the impermanence of things.

Benny has always been my inspirer — someone who alternately plants and feeds me with ideas whilst animating, enlivening, or exacting influence on my creative imagination. The one concrete manifestation of this is FILIPINAS, the community theater ensemble we both founded in 1994 with himself as President and yours faithfully as Artistic Director. Together we saw our wild dreams bear fruit as we forged a relationship built on love, a readiness to forgive and forget, anchored on respect and mutual understanding with unquestioning trust/faith in each other’s ability and human failings.

Since he moved to Perth to take care of his frail and ailing Mom, I have never found anyone else who knows me from head to foot, one who knows exactly how to prop up my strengths and fill in for my weaknesses. What I like about him is his sense of his own capabilities so that in all the years of our cooperation and co-operation, he has never been wary of what I’m capable of doing nor felt insecure or that I’m stealing the limelight away from him. I hated the negativity of people around me but with Benny around everything seemed positive, doable, and feasible.

Of course we’ve had our tiffs too, some prolonged cold misunderstandings and breakdown of communication but time heals and then the fever of genuine friendship heats up again as we naturally gravitate to each other once again. But professionally, we never had a big quarrel given our continuing collaborations under Filipinas-Petals, outside shows including his own private commercial outings. I guess it’s because Benny has a strong sense of falling in line, his spirit of esprit de corps and en·ga·gé is fool proof, and his feel for what is brilliant and what is macabre is simply unerring just as his taste for the finest and the most exquisite is spot on.

What poets call soulmate, have busted our very own assumptions and changed the way we have seen life and love even as we remained friends from our youthful past and even gladly beyond.

Here’s looking at you Brother! I can’t wait to rejoin you in Perth as you set out to plant the seeds of a future Filipinas-Petals satellite company in situ.

Mabuhay ka kaibigan!

Andante

Armando “RC” Reyes is perhaps the next best thing that the Filipino community might ballyhoo for whatever purpose he serves as the newest theater director on the block. The rhetoric strikes a popular chord amongst PCC to a point that its concurrent President Marivic Manalo has gone all out not only in lending this peak organizations’ name in terms of the usual public liability extension. Likewise, by herself, Mrs. Manalo has been unselfishly opening her house to host production meetings and rehearsals not to mention sharing this and that set and prop piece all of which reinforces the notion of genuine generosity and largess of spirit that underpins Armando’s humongous undertaking.

To think that he is practically going it alone, it’s providential that he is greatly buoyed up by the wholehearted support of the Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, who has proved to be not only a gem but definitely an “angel” as it is known in theater parlance. This is matched by the selfless givingness and beneficence of Kate Andres, who same as she poured out during the maiden showing, pushed the right buttons and pulled some strings to get the movers and shakers of our community a-joining. The latest hearty addition comes in the husband and wife team of Nilda and Mon Carpo entering most opportunely and prodigiously in time to tackle slowly mounting and backbreaking stage management responsibilities. The two had their baptism of fire, at least theater-wise in Sydney, via their participation in this writer-cum-artistic director’s whirlwind yet truly triumphant rib-tickling folk comedy (Why Women Wash the Dishes) presented as an aperitif and audience delectation during the Ilocano Association’s 20th anniversary celebration last year.

Clearly to be missed is Mr. Albert Dimarucut, the other face in the creative tandem which originally parented Fine Artists Collaboration (FAC). Albert has decidedly returned (perhaps temporarily?) to Manila to share his newly-acquired know-how after finishing his special Dance Therapy course here. He might have been the Filo community in NSW’s loss but will certainly be Metropolitan Manila’s dance theater gain. So with Shakespeare, we say, all’s well that ends well!

Finally, we doff our hats to the real brain and brawn behind this Herculean production – Armando “RC” Reyes – an unstoppable artist who will really put whatever money he has where his mouth is and where his flights of fancy leads him. If only for his sheer audacity — unrestrained by conventional shortsightedness of those who fail to see his wisdom and vision that he translates into reality with such gargantuan efforts –this director on the go truly deserves full patronage. There are not too many theatre diehards in our midst nowadays, let alone, community-based groups, who, for all intents and purposes, need his business acumen and unrelenting passion.

Verily, this guy has arrived, proudly singing “On My Own” whilst hitching his wagon to the stars.

Go watch any of the four performances (matinee or evening) on November 17-18 at Parramatta Town Hall, Church Street, Parramatta. Tickets are selling like hot cakes so reserve this early. For particulars, call 0466156639.

Armando Reyes, Mon Carpo, and the writer

Alleluia

Conrad Isip Munar is another name to reckon with in Filipino community entertainment circle precisely because he is the proverbial quixotic fool who rushes in where others fear to tread.

His devotion to give joy to his fellow “kapuso” and “kapamilya” is deliciously flavored and wrapped up in the many-faceted concept shows that he has dished out to his reliably ever-supportive audiences – from the most audaciously evening of fine music via a chamber orchestra to a rumbustiously hair-raising funny diatribe of visiting gay stand up comedians.

Well don’t look now, but Conrad has concretized what has remained my imperishable hope, and that which I have unrelentingly challenged all the Nita Christian’s in our community with since day one: to bring world class artists and yet untapped artistic and highly-cultural orientated performing groups from the Philippines and not just the run-of-the-mill artistically undistinguished but sure-fire hits like the one-too-many pop stars that the community is already deluged with. Amidst ABS-CBN-TFC’s aggressive promos flooding their 24/7 broadcast with their caboodle of young upstarts on the one hand, and the slowly burgeoning entry and partaking of the audience pie throughout Australia of GMA – these two heavyweights make for a heavyweight competition for LEGITIMATE THEATER PRODUCTIONS to enthrall or magnetize Pinoys out of their comfort zones to fill in theater seats at relatively dearer prices. But alas, and alack, there goes the challenge and both Armando and Conrad’s welcome departure from the commonplace are definitely most-awaited with tense expectations.

The other show to watch out for is none other than the touring live version of one of if not the longest running TV show in the Philippines, AAWITAN KITA. I’m ecstatic already and can’t wait to make “beso-beso” with beloved and much-admired Armida Siguion- Reyna – one of the icons of Philippine cinema, TV, stage and musical theater.

I’m reserving my “hallelujah” for the show itself in another blog but for now I curtsey to this “Sister act” of dear Conrad for he has brought fruition to what I thought would remain a pipedream. With this fantastic move, the myth that the best of our cultural shows featuring the finest of our Filipino performers in legitimate theater and Filipino music theater stalwarts is far-fetched from being imported here and that Filo mass audiences are not attracted to obscure high-fallutin art unlike pop culture – can finally be demythologized and demystified.

(N.B. My. Oh, my! By the time I finished writing this blog on 29th Sep. and was ready to forward it for online publication, I checked my Facebook messages and presto the sad news that the AAWITAN KITA show has been “cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances” literally weighed me down and threw a damper on my aborted glee. But it’s been composed, so I shall publish it anyway …que sera…sera…whatever will be, will be…!)

A précis of my proposed RIZALIANA RADIO FESTIVAL is reprinted herewith minus the inconsequentials and leaving only the basic tenets and highlights for the readers to sink their teeth into. I call it VMOS Proposal following the latest trends in organizational management (VMOS, being an acronym for vision, mission, objectives and strategy.) I had conceived this collective undertaking principally to utilize the optimum potential and power of radio as the most dynamic yet inexpensive medium of galvanizing the entire Filipino community in NSW to imbibe the “Rizal spirit”.

Similarly I wish to demonstrate how we can harvest and synergize and pool resources both material and creative to mark a mammoth event such as the Rizal Sesquicentennial with a difference. Times have truly changed and values too have undergone total revolution. Yet, I still believe in the undying Filipino bayanihan spirit — that which can demolish the myth that we can’t achieve anything without money, transcend barriers, settle differences and heal wounds, relying purely on utak,(brain), galing (talent), pagkakaisa (unity) of the Filipino-Australian community broadcasters free-wheelingly known as the RADIO CELL. I want to show that we Radio Broadcasters can all make noise, create a tempest, or a veritable hot tea in a tea cup via the Rizaliana Radio Festival.

Needless to say, this is unremittingly a creative initiative, entirely different from and not in competition (audience wise or what not) with the only other known Rizal project being a private commercial undertaking led by one Armando Reyes of Fine Artists Collaboration who is ably and fortunately endorsed by the Philippine Consulate-Sydney with the unflagging assistance of PCC and blessed cast and staff engendered by Mr. Reyes’ passion and obsession. In point of fact, we co-exist, and augment each others’ efforts, spreading the news, so to speak, to larger, even remote target audiences which a legitimate theater production could not reach.

The world of a difference is, there’s no money involved in my Radio Festival and yet its impact, if done well with everyone’s unmitigated and unselfish oneness, could be massive, encompassing, and accessible to everyone at absolutely no cost. I am a theater artist, first and foremost, but a theater venture will never materialize these days without any seed money, which is why I have stopped producing/directing stage plays unless I am subsidized as I suppose I so deserve or some uncompromising producer comes along and puts money where his/her mouth is.

The medium of radio is basically voluntary and collaborative, which is and should be the same as community theater except that theater-making process and its intrinsic arts creation thanklessly require so much material time, energy, effort and yes, EXPENSES. With radio, we can still make wonders despite limited material, human, and technical resources as per prevailing realities and conditions in the community broadcast industry. This why I am merely tapping the individual talents and resources of the broadcasters/convenors themselves. For as long as WE broadcasters give of ourselves freely and voluntarily, share our facilities available to us with our fellow broadcasters and soldier on — there is absolutely no reason why this Rizaliana Festival can’t be done as a model for future similar dreams. Factor in the magic that comes out from this synergy and you have a complete package that will run for the whole month of November through to 30 December, which is the death anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal. The actual calendar of events is stipulated in the following proposal.

Expect not a panoply of flags or a military parade, or a pastiche of shows, ours are but dramatic evocations summoning the spirit of our national hero and imaginatively recreating his own works as well as selections from prominent Filipino pen pushers. Rizal’s genius shall be glimpsed, savored or distilled from dramatic renderings of his acerbic essays, mesmerizing poetry, and fantastic dramas written in his youth – all magnifying his greatness, heightened by the lilting tunes of kundimans (love songs) and patriotic arias. Profound insights of the Philippines under the cloak of our Spanish conquistadors likewise underpin his sarsuela (“Junto Al Pasig”) and another play that eulogizes his heroism and his martyrdom. (Parting at Calamba, written by a posthumous National Artist Awardee for Theater, Dr. Severino Montano).

Of all the media channels available to us nowadays, RADIO remains the most heart-rending missile that can bomb our entire Filipino community in NSW with the intrinsic message that we are trying our dandiest best to impart to one and all of Filipino background — both amongst those who know and still remember Rizal and the memories he has instilled in our lives, as well as those who do not know him so that they may discover his magnificence and discern why we go to such lengths in honoring him.

Lest we forget, to honor our national hero is honor ourselves, celebrate our cultural identity, and proclaim our Filipinoness to the whole world — “sa isip , sa salita, at sa gawa” (in mind, through words, and our deeds) as embossed and ingrained in our immortal “Panatang Makabayan” (Pledge for the Nation).

Now, here goes, the VMOS PROPOSAL FOR AN ALL-OUT RADIO RIZALIANA

VISION<: Towards a more patriotic, freedom-loving, and militant Filipino Australians via the celebration of our Philippine national hero’s greatness, heroism, and martyrdom as well as the values and virtues he symbolizes for all generation and for all times.

MISSION: To be one with our Mother country (the Philippines) and every Filipino community overseas towards the all-out celebration of RIZAL SESQUICENTENNIAL (150 Years Birth Anniversary)

OBJECTIVES:

1. To utilize the unique advantage, magnanimous benefit, and proven/tested powers of popular media, in this case, RADIO, as one of the most potent, inexpensive/cost-effective, and educative entertainment vehicles in bringing to target audiences ( most especially the younger generation) the messages surrounding the life and times of Rizal. Likewise, for the mature and senior citizens to be re-acquainted, re-awakened, and recharged by the heroism of our foremost Filipino intellectual.

2. To spread the golden nuggets of wisdom and other profound insights and messages ingrained in Rizal’s works as a springboard or point of departure for informed discussions on patriotism or love of country, heroism and martyrdom and the many lessons Filipinos have lived for as inspired by the paradigm and exemplary model — Rizal.

3. To kick-start a model project by the Radio Cell that can be sustained through the years and bring forth similar creative collective undertaking.

STRATEGY

Proponent: Philippine Educational Theatre Arts Guild Sydney, (PETALS) in cooperation with the RADIO CELL

Target Participants: All Existing Filipino Radio Programs Convened/Administered/Presented by Filipino-Australian Radio Broadcasters in NSW. The main station where the recording of the Radio Dramas will be care of SBS Filipino Language Program since they have the best recording facilities (to be taken up by Mr. Pimentel with Mr. Barcenilla.)

Target Dates: Syndicated Weekly Rizaliana Segments from November leading up to the major One Week Daily telecast in December 25 to 30, 2011

SUGGESTED CALENDAR OF EVENTS

A. November Weekly Lead Up

First Week
Radio Bandila, Tue Nov. 1, 2-4 PM, 2ccR fm @ 90.5
The Mob, Sun Nov 6, 7-9 PM 2RDJ @ 88.1 FM

Second Week
Radio Dalisay, Sun 13 Nov, 7-8 PM 99.3 FM

Third Week
Radio Tamaraw, Tue 15 Nov, 7-8 PM, 2GLF 89.3 FM

Fourth Week
Radio Sandigan, Fri 18 Nov, 9-10 PM 88.1 FM

Fifth Week
The MOB, Thu. 24, 8-9 PM SWR FM @ 99.9 FM

B. December Final Daily Lead Up

Sun 25 Dec.
* Radyo Dalisay , 7-8 PM, 99.3 FM
* The MOB, 7-9 PM, 2RDJ @ 88.1 FM

Mon 26 Dec.
* Pinoy Radio, 7-9 PM

Tue 27 Dec
* Radio Bandila, 2-4 PM, 90.5 2CCR FM
* Radio Tamaraw, 7-8 PM, 89.3 2GLF
* Pinoy Radio, 8-10 PM

Wed 28 Dec.
* SBS Filipino Radio Program

Thu 29 Dec.
* The MOB, 8-9 PM, SWR FM @ 99.9 FM

*** Fri 30 Dec.
*Radio Sandigan, 8-9 PM, 88.1 FM

Subject: Rediscovering Rizal thru a LEAD UP series of introductory talks, poetry readings, playing of original kundimans and patriotic hymns plus Filipino-Spanish songs consistent with and evocative of the theme, and finally Two (2) major radio drama productions pooling the individual resources and acting talents of the broadcasters themselves as coached and directed by the project proponent. The finished (recorded) materials shall then be fed and syndicated to all the 8 existing radio stations following the schedule suggested above.

Materials for Dramatic Reading/Recording to be syndicated amongst all Existing Radio Programs

1. Jose Rizal’s play “Junto al Pasig” translated in English as “Beside the Pasig” (These involves children aged 7-12 who can sing and act because the play is a “sarsuela” or musical theater.)

2. Dr. Severino Montano’s “Parting at Calamba” (Starring Mars Cavestany as Rizal, Violy Calvert as Donya Teodora; Nilda Carpo as Saturnina, Raquel Pellero as Soledad, and Bless Salonga as the youngest sister Choleng, Jhun Salazar as The Priest and special guest stars from Manila headed by Film stage and TV actress Miss VANGIE LABALAN

3. Major Tom Baena’s Dramatic Readings of Rizal Narrations and Dramatic Monologues inside the Prison cell in Leonor Orosa Goquinco’s “Her Son Jose”

4. Rizal’s, poetry, letters, and short essays

5. Filipino songs and compositions about Rizal and other relevant themes

6. Original compositions by Oliver Gadista and other Filipino composers

7. Declamations and oratory about Rizal

STRATEGY

A. In the absence of expertise in producing radio drama and the like, PETAL’s c/o Mars Cavestany shall:

1) Research. gather, collate and reproduce in radio script form various materials on Rizaliana ranging from Rizal’s very own writings (letters, his essays, poetry, play, and novels) as well as stories, poems and plays written about him by our greatest literary writers.

2) Cast, and coach actors/performers and readers who have the time and are wholeheartedly committed to rehearse and perform (by reading/voicing or radio acting) for the parts that will eventually be allocated to a cross section of a radio broadcasters themselves (as top priority) as well as others (including community leaders) expressing their volunteer efforts.

3) Invite as special guest stars and take advantage of the very timely family tour in Sydney of popular award winning character actress Miss Vangie Labalan (professional radio, stage, TV, film actress-radio producer from ABS-CBN and GMA) and her son Bambam and his two kids who, like the Mother/Granma, are radio talents in their own right.

B.) Plan B (should the request for SBS to host the recording of syndicated materials don’t materialize) is to have the Radio Broadcasters themselves individually avail of and work within the exigencies and limitations of their specific site/studio technical facilities for recording on a case by case basis.

* A calendar of activities can be jointly pooled amongst Broadcasters so as to create the need and build up via PROMOTION and sustained thru back-up print and onsite PUBLICITY campaign. Printing of an OMNIBUS POSTER announcing the same streamlining the weekly LEAD UP shows up to THE MAJOR EVENT on 30th DECEMBER. Finally, this proposal springs from a genuine commitment to share by sheer giving of one’s personal experience and expertise on an absolutely pro bono basis. Otherwise, the moment we are saddled with whose going to shoulder the costs and begin by raising funds, the concept of collective creation and synergy goes down the drain.

(Conclusion of Part II)

A précis of my proposed RIZALIANA RADIO FESTIVAL is reprinted herewith minus the inconsequentials and leaving only the basic tenets and highlights for the readers to sink their teeth into. I call it VMOS Proposal following the latest trends in organizational management (VMOS, being an acronym for vision, mission, objectives and strategy.) I had conceived this collective undertaking principally to utilize the optimum potential and power of radio as the most dynamic yet inexpensive medium of galvanizing the entire Filipino community in NSW to imbibe the “Rizal spirit”.

Similarly I wish to demonstrate how we can harvest and synergize and pool resources both material and creative to mark a mammoth event such as the Rizal Sesquicentennial with a difference. Times have truly changed and values too have undergone total revolution. Yet, I still believe in the undying Filipino bayanihan spirit — that which can demolish the myth that we can’t achieve anything without money, transcend barriers, settle differences and heal wounds, relying purely on utak,(brain), galing (talent), pagkakaisa (unity) of the Filipino-Australian community broadcasters free-wheelingly known as the RADIO CELL. I want to show that we Radio Broadcasters can all make noise, create a tempest, or a veritable hot tea in a tea cup via the Rizaliana Radio Festival.

Needless to say, this is unremittingly a creative initiative, entirely different from and not in competition (audience wise or what not) with the only other known Rizal project being a private commercial undertaking led by one Armando Reyes of Fine Artists Collaboration who is ably and fortunately endorsed by the Philippine Consulate-Sydney with the unflagging assistance of PCC and blessed cast and staff engendered by Mr. Reyes’ passion and obsession. In point of fact, we co-exist, and augment each others’ efforts, spreading the news, so to speak, to larger, even remote target audiences which a legitimate theater production could not reach.

The world of a difference is, there’s no money involved in my Radio Festival and yet its impact, if done well with everyone’s unmitigated and unselfish oneness, could be massive, encompassing, and accessible to everyone at absolutely no cost. I am a theater artist, first and foremost, but a theater venture will never materialize these days without any seed money, which is why I have stopped producing/directing stage plays unless I am subsidized as I suppose I so deserve or some uncompromising producer comes along and puts money where his/her mouth is.

The medium of radio is basically voluntary and collaborative, which is and should be the same as community theater except that theater-making process and its intrinsic arts creation thanklessly require so much material time, energy, effort and yes, EXPENSES. With radio, we can still make wonders despite limited material, human, and technical resources as per prevailing realities and conditions in the community broadcast industry. This why I am merely tapping the individual talents and resources of the broadcasters/convenors themselves. For as long as WE broadcasters give of ourselves freely and voluntarily, share our facilities available to us with our fellow broadcasters and soldier on — there is absolutely no reason why this Rizaliana Festival can’t be done as a model for future similar dreams. Factor in the magic that comes out from this synergy and you have a complete package that will run for the whole month of November through to 30 December, which is the death anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal. The actual calendar of events is stipulated in the following proposal.

Expect not a panoply of flags or a military parade, or a pastiche of shows, ours are but dramatic evocations summoning the spirit of our national hero and imaginatively recreating his own works as well as selections from prominent Filipino pen pushers. Rizal’s genius shall be glimpsed, savored or distilled from dramatic renderings of his acerbic essays, mesmerizing poetry, and fantastic dramas written in his youth – all magnifying his greatness, heightened by the lilting tunes of kundimans (love songs) and patriotic arias. Profound insights of the Philippines under the cloak of our Spanish conquistadors likewise underpin his sarsuela (“Junto Al Pasig”) and another play that eulogizes his heroism and his martyrdom. (Parting at Calamba, written by a posthumous National Artist Awardee for Theater, Dr. Severino Montano).

Of all the media channels available to us nowadays, RADIO remains the most heart-rending missile that can bomb our entire Filipino community in NSW with the intrinsic message that we are trying our dandiest best to impart to one and all of Filipino background — both amongst those who know and still remember Rizal and the memories he has instilled in our lives, as well as those who do not know him so that they may discover his magnificence and discern why we go to such lengths in honoring him.

Lest we forget, to honor our national hero is honor ourselves, celebrate our cultural identity, and proclaim our Filipinoness to the whole world — “sa isip , sa salita, at sa gawa” (in mind, through words, and our deeds) as embossed and ingrained in our immortal “Panatang Makabayan” (Pledge for the Nation).

Now, here goes, the VMOS PROPOSAL FOR AN ALL-OUT RADIO RIZALIANA

VISION<: Towards a more patriotic, freedom-loving, and militant Filipino Australians via the celebration of our Philippine national hero’s greatness, heroism, and martyrdom as well as the values and virtues he symbolizes for all generation and for all times.

MISSION: To be one with our Mother country (the Philippines) and every Filipino community overseas towards the all-out celebration of RIZAL SESQUICENTENNIAL (150 Years Birth Anniversary)

OBJECTIVES:

1. To utilize the unique advantage, magnanimous benefit, and proven/tested powers of popular media, in this case, RADIO, as one of the most potent, inexpensive/cost-effective, and educative entertainment vehicles in bringing to target audiences ( most especially the younger generation) the messages surrounding the life and times of Rizal. Likewise, for the mature and senior citizens to be re-acquainted, re-awakened, and recharged by the heroism of our foremost Filipino intellectual.

2. To spread the golden nuggets of wisdom and other profound insights and messages ingrained in Rizal’s works as a springboard or point of departure for informed discussions on patriotism or love of country, heroism and martyrdom and the many lessons Filipinos have lived for as inspired by the paradigm and exemplary model — Rizal.

3. To kick-start a model project by the Radio Cell that can be sustained through the years and bring forth similar creative collective undertaking.

STRATEGY

Proponent: Philippine Educational Theatre Arts Guild Sydney, (PETALS) in cooperation with the RADIO CELL

Target Participants: All Existing Filipino Radio Programs Convened/Administered/Presented by Filipino-Australian Radio Broadcasters in NSW. The main station where the recording of the Radio Dramas will be care of SBS Filipino Language Program since they have the best recording facilities (to be taken up by Mr. Pimentel with Mr. Barcenilla.)

Target Dates: Syndicated Weekly Rizaliana Segments from November leading up to the major One Week Daily telecast in December 25 to 30, 2011

SUGGESTED CALENDAR OF EVENTS

A. November Weekly Lead Up

First Week
Radio Bandila, Tue Nov. 1, 2-4 PM, 2ccR fm @ 90.5
The Mob, Sun Nov 6, 7-9 PM 2RDJ @ 88.1 FM

Second Week
Radio Dalisay, Sun 13 Nov, 7-8 PM 99.3 FM

Third Week
Radio Tamaraw, Tue 15 Nov, 7-8 PM, 2GLF 89.3 FM

Fourth Week
Radio Sandigan, Fri 18 Nov, 9-10 PM 88.1 FM

Fifth Week
The MOB, Thu. 24, 8-9 PM SWR FM @ 99.9 FM

B. December Final Daily Lead Up

Sun 25 Dec.
* Radyo Dalisay , 7-8 PM, 99.3 FM
* The MOB, 7-9 PM, 2RDJ @ 88.1 FM

Mon 26 Dec.
* Pinoy Radio, 7-9 PM

Tue 27 Dec
* Radio Bandila, 2-4 PM, 90.5 2CCR FM
* Radio Tamaraw, 7-8 PM, 89.3 2GLF
* Pinoy Radio, 8-10 PM

Wed 28 Dec.
* SBS Filipino Radio Program

Thu 29 Dec.
* The MOB, 8-9 PM, SWR FM @ 99.9 FM

*** Fri 30 Dec.
*Radio Sandigan, 8-9 PM, 88.1 FM

Subject: Rediscovering Rizal thru a LEAD UP series of introductory talks, poetry readings, playing of original kundimans and patriotic hymns plus Filipino-Spanish songs consistent with and evocative of the theme, and finally Two (2) major radio drama productions pooling the individual resources and acting talents of the broadcasters themselves as coached and directed by the project proponent. The finished (recorded) materials shall then be fed and syndicated to all the 8 existing radio stations following the schedule suggested above.

Materials for Dramatic Reading/Recording to be syndicated amongst all Existing Radio Programs

1. Jose Rizal’s play “Junto al Pasig” translated in English as “Beside the Pasig” (These involves children aged 7-12 who can sing and act because the play is a “sarsuela” or musical theater.)

2. Dr. Severino Montano’s “Parting at Calamba” (Starring Mars Cavestany as Rizal, Violy Calvert as Donya Teodora; Nilda Carpo as Saturnina, Raquel Pellero as Soledad, and Bless Salonga as the youngest sister Choleng, Jhun Salazar as The Priest and special guest stars from Manila headed by Film stage and TV actress Miss VANGIE LABALAN

3. Major Tom Baena’s Dramatic Readings of Rizal Narrations and Dramatic Monologues inside the Prison cell in Leonor Orosa Goquinco’s “Her Son Jose”

4. Rizal’s, poetry, letters, and short essays

5. Filipino songs and compositions about Rizal and other relevant themes

6. Original compositions by Oliver Gadista and other Filipino composers

7. Declamations and oratory about Rizal

STRATEGY

A. In the absence of expertise in producing radio drama and the like, PETAL’s c/o Mars Cavestany shall:

1) Research. gather, collate and reproduce in radio script form various materials on Rizaliana ranging from Rizal’s very own writings (letters, his essays, poetry, play, and novels) as well as stories, poems and plays written about him by our greatest literary writers.

2) Cast, and coach actors/performers and readers who have the time and are wholeheartedly committed to rehearse and perform (by reading/voicing or radio acting) for the parts that will eventually be allocated to a cross section of a radio broadcasters themselves (as top priority) as well as others (including community leaders) expressing their volunteer efforts.

3) Invite as special guest stars and take advantage of the very timely family tour in Sydney of popular award winning character actress Miss Vangie Labalan (professional radio, stage, TV, film actress-radio producer from ABS-CBN and GMA) and her son Bambam and his two kids who, like the Mother/Granma, are radio talents in their own right.

B.) Plan B (should the request for SBS to host the recording of syndicated materials don’t materialize) is to have the Radio Broadcasters themselves individually avail of and work within the exigencies and limitations of their specific site/studio technical facilities for recording on a case by case basis.

* A calendar of activities can be jointly pooled amongst Broadcasters so as to create the need and build up via PROMOTION and sustained thru back-up print and onsite PUBLICITY campaign. Printing of an OMNIBUS POSTER announcing the same streamlining the weekly LEAD UP shows up to THE MAJOR EVENT on 30th DECEMBER. Finally, this proposal springs from a genuine commitment to share by sheer giving of one’s personal experience and expertise on an absolutely pro bono basis. Otherwise, the moment we are saddled with whose going to shoulder the costs and begin by raising funds, the concept of collective creation and synergy goes down the drain.

(Conclusion of Part II)

Kate Andres as Dona Teodora and Gerard Louis as young Jose

Proudly supported by the Philippine Consulate and the Philippine Community Council of NSW, four performances (matinee at 4pm and evening at 8pm) shall be staged on November 17-18 at Parramatta Town Hall, Church Street, Parramatta.

Show tickets cost $45 each and part proceeds are earmarked for improvement of the Rizal Park in Campbelltown.

As seats are limited, early bookings are encouraged by calling mob 0402 254 853 and 0466 156 639.

The play is directed by Armando Reyes.

As of press time, RJ Rosales who performed the role of “Jose Rizal” last year has not confirmed his availability due to previous commitments overseas.

Director Reyes advised a new JR is on standby in the vent RJ cannot perform.

Doing a repeat performance of the female lead role as “Dona Teodora” is Kate Roc Andres.

Also performing the lead role are Isabel Delgado and Nilda Carpo.

New talents have joined the ensemble, among them are Rupert Demonteverde as “Father Lopez”, Rie Manaloto as “Paciano”, Marianne Cuasay as “Soledad”, Rochelle Mantua as “Choleng” and Gerard Louis (10 year-old son of Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis) as young “Jose”.

Tom Baena will be “Rizal” narrating behind bars.

“A full list of the cast members shall be released in two weeks’ time,” Director Reyes said.

That’s right folks, perhaps unknown to many of us is the proliferation of so many community broadcast stations that simply could not ignore the significant contributions of Filipinos as one of the most vibrant ethnic migrant communities adding up Tagalog or Filipino to the Babel of tongues amidst an ever-changing, fast-evolving multiculturally diverse society such as Sydney.

Simply judging from the cross section of interesting personalities that showed up in that caucus (including some who didn’t make it but expressed were definitely there in terms of esprit de corps), each one was representing Radio this and Radio that and has been actively and religiously attending the informal gatherings and sharing sessions usually presided by the same founding prexy and steering hand behind FILPRESS — Mr. Jimmy Pimentel.

Mr. Cavestany (right) with other Fil-Aust community radio broadcasters.

Mr. Cavestany (right) with other Fil-Aust community radio broadcasters.

To date, there are already eight Filipino administered and convened radio stations. These are: The Mob which broadcasts in two different stations as jointly and indefatigably undertaken by the young couple Oliver Gadista and Bless Salonga plus Mitchell Badelles at the start although he has lately dropped off ; Radio Sandigan anchored by Violi Calvert with Michelle Baltazar and Veronica Monroe; Radyo Tamaraw, produced and broadcast by Jhun Salazar with Cora Paras and Alisha Buaya; Radyo Bandila, initiated by Raquel Pellero with Tom Baena and recently joined in by yours truly; and Radyo Dalisay hosted by Nilda Carpo and Cita Lazo-Hoersch which will start airing in October yet.

The two other definitely more established radio programs operating for a long time now are the SBS Filipino Language Program currently anchored by Ronald Manila (after Richie Buenaventura, and Remy Floro before her); and Radio Pinoy, run by the strong and unbeatable tandem of Ross and Cecile Aguilar who have survived all forms of storm and stress whilst soldiering on and for a sometime, it almost singularly lorded it over the air as a privately-operated initiative of course vis-a-vis the more corporate and thus entrenched SBS for obvious reasons. I had been invited to Radio Pinoy countless times and I distinctly remember the beginnings of this controversy-ridden program then run by Sennie Masian and her sister sometime in the early 90′s when I was relatively “bagong salta” (new migrant). There is of course the hugely popular ABC Radio what with its classic programming and radio dramas that once hired Filipino talents led by me as all-rounder Coordinator, Acting Coach and Voice Talent because it featured a prize-winning play called “RITA’s LULLABY”, won by a Bikolana teaching at Wollongong University, Dr. Merlinda Bobis, about the heart-tugging plight of child prostitutes abused by Aussie pedophiles. This was sometime in 1997 when my Filipinas-Petals pool of mainstay actors like Lalaine Lozano and Eugene Benitez were cast in lead roles including Valerie Berry in a bit role.

Also a part of this group is the unstoppable husband and wife tandem of Ruben and Cen Amores who managed to do a maiden broadcast but the station underwent renovation so they are currently at a standstill.

Here’s hoping and praying they get back on air soonest to add to the wealth of information giving and mining of new talented broadcasters coming from differing backgrounds, orientations, disciplines not to mention work specializations and areas of expertise that they are creatively able to draw from and weave into their own radio formats, thrusts, slants and other specific purposes. (Note that the Station ID’s and broadcast hours of the aforementioned are calendared at the second part of this blog.)

Whatever it is, whatever it takes, and whatever it chooses to champion, each of these Pinoy Radio Programs are slowly burgeoning and shaping up into something that makes you, and me, and our entire community proud. For the moment and for lack of a formally registered name and organizational structure, Mr. Pimentel most interestingly chooses to call it a RADIO CELL. This only means that there are no positions to aim and battle for as in the sickening case of the PCC elections which transforms into a political abattoir as ambitions, illusions and delusions, secret agendas, and other conflicting personal motivations clash and the running parties proclaiming promises of sweet nothings if elected eventually “slaughter” one another in the mad scramble.

Contrarily so, the non-political orientation of this grouping is exactly what I like about the here-and-now quality and quintessential nature of this radio group. It’s utter lack of structure is precisely what makes for its own strength. In fact there is a word that best describes it – quodlibet. It is a Latin word literally, meaning “whatever” or literally, “what pleases.” As applied to an aggrupation of people with like minds and interests, it connotes something freewheeling. There is no set of officers, constitution, and by-laws so that what pulls us together is the commonality of vision and mission matched by the unselfish pooling of our own resources and creative reservoir. Needless to say, it’s “all for the love of” in view of the great service delivered to our immediate ethnic surrounds and specific target audiences. And of course, in the long run, it all redounds to the greater welfare of one nation or multicultural community to which we are part and parcel of.

However, in more ways than one, doing community radio broadcasting work is such an unappreciated if thankless job. To begin with, no one goes into it for the financial gain (unless you become as most-sought-after as the controversial Kyle & Jackie O tandem of commercial radio fame, that is). In reality, community board work is hardly ever compensated, mostly voluntary, and as such one incurs out-of-pocket expenses as well as shoulders the cost of buying airtime, especially if no advertising support crops up. In this regard, efforts must be geared towards informing potential sponsors and advertisers of the enormous powers of radio in selling goods, products and services – definitely much cheaper and farther reaching and yields more mileage plus psychic rewards gained than placing an ad in a community newspaper that are read only by those who expect to see their pictures there or read their names mentioned if not their own by-lines.

In the case of this RADIO CELL, the love for the work put in by each and every one in his/her own program is palpably felt and the dedication to the public/audience is quite remarkable. In terms of group undertaking, any member may put forward any form of collective endeavour and all others automatically close ranks for support. I felt and saw all these myself when the very enterprising couple Bless Salonga and Oliver Gadista invited me to the group to present my project proposal. What is more, no sooner than expected, I found myself counted into the group as I could not resist the invitation by Major Tom Baena in tandem with Racquel Pellero of Radyo Bandila. And why not, a great part of my student life and early years as a media man was sent in radio.

Broadway Tony and Westend Olivier award-winning Filipino A-1 global star, Leah Salonga with Mars Cavestany, fellow 1994 Araw ng Maynila, Patnubay ng Kalinangan (Guardian of Culture) awardees, during the former's Sydney visit last year. With them is RJ Rosales, Sydney homegrown actor/musical theater talent now based in Singapore who played Jose Rizal in both radio and stage play.

Broadway Tony and Westend Olivier award-winning Filipino A-1 global star, Leah Salonga with Mars Cavestany, fellow 1994 Araw ng Maynila, Patnubay ng Kalinangan (Guardian of Culture) awardees, during the former’s Sydney visit last year. With them is RJ Rosales, Sydney homegrown actor/musical theater talent now based in Singapore who played Jose Rizal in both radio and stage play.

[Wow, this is another occasion to hark back to and document one’s humble beginnings in yet another field though tightly linked up to all my other cross-cultural and inter-arts background. Thus, please allow me this timely digression, as I retrace not brag, my cumulative background and affinity with mass communication, radio being a major component of the so-called RTVF (radio-TV-film) tri-media as it was called then long before the advent of IT technology.

So there you go folks, I have just written additional pages that I can just quote from for my now-being written autobiography, this segment focused on my wide-ranging experiences in “the art and medium of RADIO.”]

End of Part 1. Conclusion to follow soon.

Last 22 August at Lidcombe Dooleys Club, I had the privilege of attending a pow-wow of existing Filipino-Australian radio broadcasters.

That’s right folks, perhaps unknown to many of us is the proliferation of so many community broadcast stations that simply could not ignore the significant contributions of Filipinos as one of the most vibrant ethnic migrant communities adding up Tagalog or Filipino to the Babel of tongues amidst an ever-changing, fast-evolving multiculturally diverse society such as Sydney.

Simply judging from the cross section of interesting personalities that showed up in that caucus (including some who didn’t make it but expressed were definitely there in terms of esprit de corps), each one was representing Radio this and Radio that and has been actively and religiously attending the informal gatherings and sharing sessions usually presided by the same founding prexy and steering hand behind FILPRESS — Mr. Jimmy Pimentel.

Mr. Cavestany (right) with other Fil-Aust community radio broadcasters.

To date, there are already eight Filipino administered and convened radio stations. These are: The Mob which broadcasts in two different stations as jointly and indefatigably undertaken by the young couple Oliver Gadista and Bless Salonga plus Mitchell Badelles at the start although he has lately dropped off ; Radio Sandigan anchored by Violi Calvert with Michelle Baltazar and Veronica Monroe; Radyo Tamaraw, produced and broadcast by Jhun Salazar with Cora Paras and Alisha Buaya; Radyo Bandila, initiated by Raquel Pellero with Tom Baena and recently joined in by yours truly; and Radyo Dalisay hosted by Nilda Carpo and Cita Lazo-Hoersch which will start airing in October yet.

The two other definitely more established radio programs operating for a long time now are the SBS Filipino Language Program currently anchored by Ronald Manila (after Richie Buenaventura, and Remy Floro before her); and Radio Pinoy, run by the strong and unbeatable tandem of Ross and Cecile Aguilar who have survived all forms of storm and stress whilst soldiering on and for a sometime, it almost singularly lorded it over the air as a privately-operated initiative of course vis-a-vis the more corporate and thus entrenched SBS for obvious reasons. I had been invited to Radio Pinoy countless times and I distinctly remember the beginnings of this controversy-ridden program then run by Sennie Masian and her sister sometime in the early 90′s when I was relatively “bagong salta” (new migrant). There is of course the hugely popular ABC Radio what with its classic programming and radio dramas that once hired Filipino talents led by me as all-rounder Coordinator, Acting Coach and Voice Talent because it featured a prize-winning play called “RITA’s LULLABY”, won by a Bikolana teaching at Wollongong University, Dr. Merlinda Bobis, about the heart-tugging plight of child prostitutes abused by Aussie pedophiles. This was sometime in 1997 when my Filipinas-Petals pool of mainstay actors like Lalaine Lozano and Eugene Benitez were cast in lead roles including Valerie Berry in a bit role.

Also a part of this group is the unstoppable husband and wife tandem of Ruben and Cen Amores who managed to do a maiden broadcast but the station underwent renovation so they are currently at a standstill.

Here’s hoping and praying they get back on air soonest to add to the wealth of information giving and mining of new talented broadcasters coming from differing backgrounds, orientations, disciplines not to mention work specializations and areas of expertise that they are creatively able to draw from and weave into their own radio formats, thrusts, slants and other specific purposes. (Note that the Station ID’s and broadcast hours of the aforementioned are calendared at the second part of this blog.)

Whatever it is, whatever it takes, and whatever it chooses to champion, each of these Pinoy Radio Programs are slowly burgeoning and shaping up into something that makes you, and me, and our entire community proud. For the moment and for lack of a formally registered name and organizational structure, Mr. Pimentel most interestingly chooses to call it a RADIO CELL. This only means that there are no positions to aim and battle for as in the sickening case of the PCC elections which transforms into a political abattoir as ambitions, illusions and delusions, secret agendas, and other conflicting personal motivations clash and the running parties proclaiming promises of sweet nothings if elected eventually “slaughter” one another in the mad scramble.

Contrarily so, the non-political orientation of this grouping is exactly what I like about the here-and-now quality and quintessential nature of this radio group. It’s utter lack of structure is precisely what makes for its own strength. In fact there is a word that best describes it – quodlibet. It is a Latin word literally, meaning “whatever” or literally, “what pleases.” As applied to an aggrupation of people with like minds and interests, it connotes something freewheeling. There is no set of officers, constitution, and by-laws so that what pulls us together is the commonality of vision and mission matched by the unselfish pooling of our own resources and creative reservoir. Needless to say, it’s “all for the love of” in view of the great service delivered to our immediate ethnic surrounds and specific target audiences. And of course, in the long run, it all redounds to the greater welfare of one nation or multicultural community to which we are part and parcel of.

However, in more ways than one, doing community radio broadcasting work is such an unappreciated if thankless job. To begin with, no one goes into it for the financial gain (unless you become as most-sought-after as the controversial Kyle & Jackie O tandem of commercial radio fame, that is). In reality, community board work is hardly ever compensated, mostly voluntary, and as such one incurs out-of-pocket expenses as well as shoulders the cost of buying airtime, especially if no advertising support crops up. In this regard, efforts must be geared towards informing potential sponsors and advertisers of the enormous powers of radio in selling goods, products and services – definitely much cheaper and farther reaching and yields more mileage plus psychic rewards gained than placing an ad in a community newspaper that are read only by those who expect to see their pictures there or read their names mentioned if not their own by-lines.

In the case of this RADIO CELL, the love for the work put in by each and every one in his/her own program is palpably felt and the dedication to the public/audience is quite remarkable. In terms of group undertaking, any member may put forward any form of collective endeavour and all others automatically close ranks for support. I felt and saw all these myself when the very enterprising couple Bless Salonga and Oliver Gadista invited me to the group to present my project proposal. What is more, no sooner than expected, I found myself counted into the group as I could not resist the invitation by Major Tom Baena in tandem with Racquel Pellero of Radyo Bandila. And why not, a great part of my student life and early years as a media man was sent in radio.

Broadway Tony and Westend Olivier award-winning Filipino A-1 global star, Leah Salonga with Mars Cavestany, fellow 1994 Araw ng Maynila, Patnubay ng Kalinangan (Guardian of Culture) awardees, during the former's Sydney visit last year. With them is RJ Rosales, Sydney homegrown actor/musical theater talent now based in Singapore who played Jose Rizal in both radio and stage play.

[Wow, this is another occasion to hark back to and document one’s humble beginnings in yet another field though tightly linked up to all my other cross-cultural and inter-arts background. Thus, please allow me this timely digression, as I retrace not brag, my cumulative background and affinity with mass communication, radio being a major component of the so-called RTVF (radio-TV-film) tri-media as it was called then long before the advent of IT technology.

So there you go folks, I have just written additional pages that I can just quote from for my now-being written autobiography, this segment focused on my wide-ranging experiences in “the art and medium of RADIO.”]

End of Part 1. Conclusion to follow soon.