JESTIN SAMSON shows INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Erika Tapalla the Disabled Student Services room at California State Fullerton University
and the equipment he uses to help him study and surf the Web. Samson, a Filipino freshman at CSFU, has been diagnosed with general aniridia and glaucoma.
This is the fourth in a series of five videos capturing a day in the college life of this Filipino student.
Check out the first, second and third videos.
April 2008 Archives
VISUALLY impaired Jestin Samson, a Filipino freshman at California State Fullerton University who has been diagnosed with general aniridia and glaucoma, explains how he uses the Braillenote Empower device to study and write his papers.
Video taken by INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Erika Tapalla at the CSFU campus.
This is the third in a series of five videos capturing a day in the college life of this Filipino student.
Check out the first and second videos.
JESTIN SAMSON, a Filipino freshman at California State Fullerton University who has been diagnosed with general aniridia and glaucoma, shows that his condition cannot stop him from having fun.
An avid gamer, he is shown here playing Dance Dance Revolution. Video taken by INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Erika Tapalla at the CSFU campus.
This is the second in a series of five videos that capture a day in the college life of this Filipino student.
Check out the first video.
A FILIPINO freshman at California State Fullerton University, Jestin Samson goes through the typical experiences of a college kid, only he might see things differently -- literally.
He has been diagnosed with general aniridia and glaucoma, visual malformations that prevent his eyes from operating normally. Here he explains his condition over lunch at the school's food court to INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Erika Tapalla.
This is the first in a series of five videos capturing a day in the college life of this Filipino student.
VIVIAN D. CASTILLO, clinical director of Feel Better Rehab, specializes in Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT). Castillo, who happens to be a Filipina, demonstrates how she relieves pain from patient Ruth Millan. Developed by Dr. Sharon Giammatteo, IMT is a holistic and non-invasive approach to assessing and treating pain, dysfunction, disease and disability.
Video taken by INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Erika Tapalla in Orange County, California.
UPDATE: Editor's note: Added videos.
By Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net
KNOWN for its wood-carved religious images, Paete is a haven for sculpture. But behind the religious images are two different sculptors whom I met while looking for the Last Supper.
When I entered Galerie Christine, I was amazed by the paintings and sculpture displayed.
There I met a young sculptor, Glenn Cagandahan, a Fine Arts graduate of the University of the Philippines-Diliman. He shared that he once only created art when he was in the mood. But then, sometimes it takes a month before inspiration motivates him to do sculptures. His wake-up call came when he was asked to do masks for a theatrical production at the University of the Philippines-Los Baños.
Here's a video interview I conducted.
What makes his masks distinct is the unusual material. I was surprised to learn that epoxy clay, the same one used in construction, was his medium.
It takes him an average of forty minutes to create a mask. He creates different facial expressions inspired by Pinoy characteristics.
"Expressive kasi tayong mga Pinoy. Pinapakita kung galit man, malungkot o masaya," he explained.
The Pinoy element is evident not only in the facial expression but also the physical features (especially the nose). He shared that he has also experimented with combining the epoxy with different materials such as wood and steel.
An important lesson that he learned was that one will be inspired if he works every day.
"If you wait to be inspired, it will not come," he said.
After a chat with Glenn, I left the gallery to continue my hunt for the Last Supper. I chanced upon a humble dwelling where an old man was carving on wood. What caught my attention was not his wood carving but the fact that was in a wheelchair. His name is Ernesto Agbada. I found out from him that he contracted polio when he was still three months old. He shared that he does not know any livelihood except for carving wood. It has been his bread and butter because it was what he knew since his childhood. No one taught him how to carve. His sculpture is the result of his imagination, but surprisingly, he revealed that he is really not that interested in his craft.
"Mapapaganda ko pa sana ang mga ito kung hilig ko talaga," he said.
Here's a video interview I conducted.
Mang Ernesto shared that this Last Supper is an unfinished piece due to financial difficulties.
Ironies, no matter what shape or form, do exist in a place called Paete. Passion drives one young sculptor to create art, while an older one is left with no choice but to carve wood in order to survive.
There I met a young sculptor, Glenn Cagandahan, a Fine Arts graduate of the University of the Philippines-Diliman. He shared that he once only created art when he was in the mood. But then, sometimes it takes a month before inspiration motivates him to do sculptures. His wake-up call came when he was asked to do masks for a theatrical production at the University of the Philippines-Los Baños.
Here's a video interview I conducted.
What makes his masks distinct is the unusual material. I was surprised to learn that epoxy clay, the same one used in construction, was his medium.
It takes him an average of forty minutes to create a mask. He creates different facial expressions inspired by Pinoy characteristics.
"Expressive kasi tayong mga Pinoy. Pinapakita kung galit man, malungkot o masaya," he explained.
The Pinoy element is evident not only in the facial expression but also the physical features (especially the nose). He shared that he has also experimented with combining the epoxy with different materials such as wood and steel.
An important lesson that he learned was that one will be inspired if he works every day.
"If you wait to be inspired, it will not come," he said.
After a chat with Glenn, I left the gallery to continue my hunt for the Last Supper. I chanced upon a humble dwelling where an old man was carving on wood. What caught my attention was not his wood carving but the fact that was in a wheelchair. His name is Ernesto Agbada. I found out from him that he contracted polio when he was still three months old. He shared that he does not know any livelihood except for carving wood. It has been his bread and butter because it was what he knew since his childhood. No one taught him how to carve. His sculpture is the result of his imagination, but surprisingly, he revealed that he is really not that interested in his craft.
"Mapapaganda ko pa sana ang mga ito kung hilig ko talaga," he said.
Here's a video interview I conducted.
Mang Ernesto shared that this Last Supper is an unfinished piece due to financial difficulties.
Ironies, no matter what shape or form, do exist in a place called Paete. Passion drives one young sculptor to create art, while an older one is left with no choice but to carve wood in order to survive.
ONE of the all-time greats of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), former professional basketball player Fortunato "Atoy" Co, was the special guest at the annual summer basketball tournament of the Filipino community in Dubai and the Northern Emirates which opened on April 11.
Here's a photo of Co addressing the participating teams.
The opening ceremonies held at the Al Nasr Gymnasium in Oud Metha, Dubai saw the Intercontinental Hotel team win the best in uniform award, while Nina Cascades of the Fairmont Hotel team was named Ms. FBC-Chikka Grill at Marco Polo Hotel Cup.
The marching band of the United International Private School provided the fanfare. For his part, Philippine Consul Vicente Bandillo commended the participating teams and the organizers for the good turnout.
Co is a member of the PBA Hall of Fame. He was the first player to score 5,000 and 10,000 points at the time when the three-point shot was not yet introduced. He was part of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers ballclub that won two Grand Slams, in 1976 and 1983. He won the Most Valuable Player award in 1979, and is a 9-time Mythical First Team Member.
In a press statement, Ramon Pizarras, chairman of the Filipino Basketball Center (FBC), said the tournament dubbed as “Chikka Grill at Marco Polo Hotel Cup” will see the participation of 40 teams representing the hotel and corporate sectors in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, as well as teams with former professional basketball players from the Philippines. The tournament will be held every Friday and will end in September.
“This year’s event will see a new division being introduced. We have opened up the tournament for basketball enthusiasts who are 40 and above. It will be a good opportunity for these individuals to continue playing in a competitive environment,” Pizarras said.
The FBC is a duly-licensed entity in the United Arab Emirates established to promote sports and entertainment activities among the Filipinos and other nationalities. It was responsible for bringing the first Middle East game of the PBA when Ginebra and Purefoods played against each other on April 13, 2007 in Dubai.
Editor's note: Photos by Darwin Reyes of MEsnipers.
The opening ceremonies held at the Al Nasr Gymnasium in Oud Metha, Dubai saw the Intercontinental Hotel team win the best in uniform award, while Nina Cascades of the Fairmont Hotel team was named Ms. FBC-Chikka Grill at Marco Polo Hotel Cup.
The marching band of the United International Private School provided the fanfare. For his part, Philippine Consul Vicente Bandillo commended the participating teams and the organizers for the good turnout.
Co is a member of the PBA Hall of Fame. He was the first player to score 5,000 and 10,000 points at the time when the three-point shot was not yet introduced. He was part of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers ballclub that won two Grand Slams, in 1976 and 1983. He won the Most Valuable Player award in 1979, and is a 9-time Mythical First Team Member.
In a press statement, Ramon Pizarras, chairman of the Filipino Basketball Center (FBC), said the tournament dubbed as “Chikka Grill at Marco Polo Hotel Cup” will see the participation of 40 teams representing the hotel and corporate sectors in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, as well as teams with former professional basketball players from the Philippines. The tournament will be held every Friday and will end in September.
“This year’s event will see a new division being introduced. We have opened up the tournament for basketball enthusiasts who are 40 and above. It will be a good opportunity for these individuals to continue playing in a competitive environment,” Pizarras said.
The FBC is a duly-licensed entity in the United Arab Emirates established to promote sports and entertainment activities among the Filipinos and other nationalities. It was responsible for bringing the first Middle East game of the PBA when Ginebra and Purefoods played against each other on April 13, 2007 in Dubai.
Editor's note: Photos by Darwin Reyes of MEsnipers.
INQUIRER.NET multimedia reporter Erika Tapalla is in the US now, and while driving around she saw a very familiar restaurant and decided to pay a visit.
Goldilocks public relations manager Marisse G. Abelgas gave Erika a tour, while head waiter James Casem talked about the Pinoy favorites halfway across the world.
By Quay Evano, Contributor
INQUIRER.net
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--During the press conference of award-winning composer and rock balladeer (l-r) Wency Cornejo, sexy actress-turned-singer Ara Mina and saxophone player John Ray for their show in Dubai called "Rock Ballad, Soul and All That Jazz," one of the members of the Filipino Press Club-UAE asked the three artists how they want to be remembered by people when they are no longer famous.
Wency quickly answered: "More than anything else, I think I will be remembered for my songs. I believe I have composed many songs that have touched the hearts of many Filipinos. For an artist, I believe that is what is important -- to have a legacy in the lives of people. Even if I pass away, my songs will live on and in some sense, so will I."
Yes, for millions of his Filipino fans, Wency Cornejo, the unique and soulful voice behind beautiful ballads such as "Habang May Buhay," "Hanggang" and "Only You" and generation-defining rock anthems like "Next in Line," "Mangarap Ka," "Pagtawid" and "Panahon," he will surely be remembered for his songs. His immortality is clearly defined in his music. But for most of his closest friends, it is his true friendship, more than his music that he will be remembered for… because that’s what he really is aside from being a true musician -- he is a true friend.
It is what I always remember about Wency, being one of his closest friends back home and in Dubai. Without a doubt, I am one of his biggest fans not just because I am his friend, but because his music is obviously the work of a true musical artist and genius. His songs are true works of art -- simply melodic, with lyrics that are profound and meaningful, and envelope you with their truthfulness every time you listen to them. But just like his music that has never ceased to touch me, it is his almost twenty-year-old friendship with me that has continually enveloped me with truthfulness. Our friendship perhaps is the biggest hit of our lives and the favorite song we like to listen to.
Here's a photo of Wency and me.
The last time Wency was in Dubai in 2004, Burj Al Arab was still the icon of the city, construction and other developments in the city were still in their early stages, and I was still single, didn’t have a car and was working for a fashion company. Now, four years later, Dubai is known for having the world’s tallest building, the Burj Dubai; there is mind-boggling fast-paced construction everywhere; and I am happily married with two children (one of whom is Wency's inaanak), own a car and work for another company. Many things have changed in the city and in our lives, but one thing that has remained constant is our friendship.
Here's a photo of us with my wife and kids when Wency visited our flat.
You could also say whenever Wency is in Dubai, he performs magnificently for the homesick Filipino expatriates and that I am always here for my friend. Wency arrived in Dubai on March 10 after coming in from a show in Kuwait -- his first time to perform there. It was his third time to be in Dubai, performing in 2003 and 2004, both for the Philippine Independence Day celebration, and this time he had more time to shop around, promote his and Ara’s show and just explore the city. It also gave us ample time to catch up on each other’s lives after not seeing each other for three years (the last time we saw each other was when he performed during my wedding reception in 2005).
Here's a photo of Wency with members of the Filipino Press Club-UAE.
At Chi Garden.
And at the City Centre.
I learned from him that Afterimage is back with a new album that will be released after he gets back to Manila. (I knew since last year that they were back in the studio but he finally confirmed to me that they are ready to hit the airwaves again with some new singles). He let me listen to one of their songs, "Musikero," and I was instantly blown away by it. He showed me the song's music video on his iPhone and gave me a copy of their yet-to-be-released album "Our Place Under the Sun," their fourth album but this time without the original lead guitarist Chuck Isidro, who is now with 6CycleMind, and original drummer, Rogie Callejo. Two new members have filled in for them but the sound of Afterimage is still the same or, actually, much better. With Wency's voice driving the songs, it is plainly superb.
He asked me for my opinion on the album, if I liked it and how I rated it compared to their previous ones. I honestly told him that their third album "Bagong Araw" was still my favorite although it wasn't commercially that successful. But I said that this new album could be as big or bigger than their platinum-award winning second output, the album "Tag-Ulan, Tag-Araw." I've listened to the new songs that he and Arnold Cabalza, Afterimage's keyboardist, have written in the album and I must say that they just grow on you. This album will clearly put Afterimage in their rightful "musical place under the sun."
Four years ago, in my article about Wency's second visit to Dubai published in what was then INQ7.net, using the titles of his famous songs, I wrote "tag-ulan man o tag-araw, habang may buhay at hanggang kailanman," Wency and I will always be friends. Using the lines in his new ballad (the fourth song in the album), "Habang ako ay narito asahan mo ako ay kasalo, kung dumilim ang iyong mundo, kumapit ka sa kamay ko," this time I write, as long as I am here, Dubai will always be Wency's place under the sun… the Middle Eastern sun.
Editor's note: Photos taken by Quay Evano
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--During the press conference of award-winning composer and rock balladeer (l-r) Wency Cornejo, sexy actress-turned-singer Ara Mina and saxophone player John Ray for their show in Dubai called "Rock Ballad, Soul and All That Jazz," one of the members of the Filipino Press Club-UAE asked the three artists how they want to be remembered by people when they are no longer famous.
Wency quickly answered: "More than anything else, I think I will be remembered for my songs. I believe I have composed many songs that have touched the hearts of many Filipinos. For an artist, I believe that is what is important -- to have a legacy in the lives of people. Even if I pass away, my songs will live on and in some sense, so will I."
Yes, for millions of his Filipino fans, Wency Cornejo, the unique and soulful voice behind beautiful ballads such as "Habang May Buhay," "Hanggang" and "Only You" and generation-defining rock anthems like "Next in Line," "Mangarap Ka," "Pagtawid" and "Panahon," he will surely be remembered for his songs. His immortality is clearly defined in his music. But for most of his closest friends, it is his true friendship, more than his music that he will be remembered for… because that’s what he really is aside from being a true musician -- he is a true friend.
It is what I always remember about Wency, being one of his closest friends back home and in Dubai. Without a doubt, I am one of his biggest fans not just because I am his friend, but because his music is obviously the work of a true musical artist and genius. His songs are true works of art -- simply melodic, with lyrics that are profound and meaningful, and envelope you with their truthfulness every time you listen to them. But just like his music that has never ceased to touch me, it is his almost twenty-year-old friendship with me that has continually enveloped me with truthfulness. Our friendship perhaps is the biggest hit of our lives and the favorite song we like to listen to.
Here's a photo of Wency and me.
The last time Wency was in Dubai in 2004, Burj Al Arab was still the icon of the city, construction and other developments in the city were still in their early stages, and I was still single, didn’t have a car and was working for a fashion company. Now, four years later, Dubai is known for having the world’s tallest building, the Burj Dubai; there is mind-boggling fast-paced construction everywhere; and I am happily married with two children (one of whom is Wency's inaanak), own a car and work for another company. Many things have changed in the city and in our lives, but one thing that has remained constant is our friendship.
Here's a photo of us with my wife and kids when Wency visited our flat.
You could also say whenever Wency is in Dubai, he performs magnificently for the homesick Filipino expatriates and that I am always here for my friend. Wency arrived in Dubai on March 10 after coming in from a show in Kuwait -- his first time to perform there. It was his third time to be in Dubai, performing in 2003 and 2004, both for the Philippine Independence Day celebration, and this time he had more time to shop around, promote his and Ara’s show and just explore the city. It also gave us ample time to catch up on each other’s lives after not seeing each other for three years (the last time we saw each other was when he performed during my wedding reception in 2005).
Here's a photo of Wency with members of the Filipino Press Club-UAE.
At Chi Garden.
And at the City Centre.
I learned from him that Afterimage is back with a new album that will be released after he gets back to Manila. (I knew since last year that they were back in the studio but he finally confirmed to me that they are ready to hit the airwaves again with some new singles). He let me listen to one of their songs, "Musikero," and I was instantly blown away by it. He showed me the song's music video on his iPhone and gave me a copy of their yet-to-be-released album "Our Place Under the Sun," their fourth album but this time without the original lead guitarist Chuck Isidro, who is now with 6CycleMind, and original drummer, Rogie Callejo. Two new members have filled in for them but the sound of Afterimage is still the same or, actually, much better. With Wency's voice driving the songs, it is plainly superb.
He asked me for my opinion on the album, if I liked it and how I rated it compared to their previous ones. I honestly told him that their third album "Bagong Araw" was still my favorite although it wasn't commercially that successful. But I said that this new album could be as big or bigger than their platinum-award winning second output, the album "Tag-Ulan, Tag-Araw." I've listened to the new songs that he and Arnold Cabalza, Afterimage's keyboardist, have written in the album and I must say that they just grow on you. This album will clearly put Afterimage in their rightful "musical place under the sun."
Four years ago, in my article about Wency's second visit to Dubai published in what was then INQ7.net, using the titles of his famous songs, I wrote "tag-ulan man o tag-araw, habang may buhay at hanggang kailanman," Wency and I will always be friends. Using the lines in his new ballad (the fourth song in the album), "Habang ako ay narito asahan mo ako ay kasalo, kung dumilim ang iyong mundo, kumapit ka sa kamay ko," this time I write, as long as I am here, Dubai will always be Wency's place under the sun… the Middle Eastern sun.
Editor's note: Photos taken by Quay Evano
