Start:	Apr 14, '08 7:00p
End:	Apr 14, '08 9:00p
Location:	Mag:net Katipunan

We reprise our role as the dynamic duo who mix poetry and percussion TONIGHT at Romancing Venus: Heat. For the first time ever, Paul and I will perform an experimental piece that fuses voice + percussion.

Curious? See it for yourself!

Plus other great poets + performers, all in heat!

ADMISSION IS FREE!

For at least one day in history, my beloved and I stood up together to demand for truth, accountability, and reform in this country. We hope that, someday, we can look back on this day and tell our future children and grandchildren that we tried to do what was right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more great shots of the TEAM RP concert from Atty. Emerson "Sonni" Viudez, click here

Link

Here are photos of our first performance ever, at the Romancing Venus Poetry Night at Mag:net Katipunan. (Thanks to Erving Go for these great shots!) The theme of the night was Giving, and so I composed and read two poems: Interview with the Christmas Star, which is about the star that always gives and doesn't ask for anything in return (which I read with Paul on percussion at the background), and The Moon's Gift, which is for the man who has given me so much--and dedicated, of course, to Paul.

It was a great night, and I was very fortunate to have witnessed a gathering of a very diverse mix of performers: there were stand-up comic acts, an opera tenor (really, really GOOD!), more poets, and a fusion of poetry and music. It was the best setting for my first time, and it's the kind of environment I'd encourage more people to be a part of.

So in case you'd like to catch the next poetry night, please do block off JANUARY 14, 2008, 7-9PM at Mag:net Katipunan. The theme of the night is Birth, and it coincides with Paul's and my birth month so we're very excited to cook up yet another poetry act.

THE MOON’S GIFT

Poetry by Niña Terol

Performed at the Romancing Venus Poetry Night, 10 December 2007

Mag:net Katipunan

 

 

For Paul, the man whose music has given me wings

 

 

In the darkness of night

As my world slumbers

And as I dream

Of forgotten wishes

Of friends long gone

Of the mysteries of the Universe

 

Your world

Is bursting

With music

With color

With life.

 

It is a world

I can glimpse

Only through your eyes

A life I cannot fully

Understand.

It is a force that

Separates us,

Keeps us distinct

As Sun and Moon

Although we share the same sky

And watch over the same world

 

I do not understand the Moon—

Do not comprehend

How it can affect the tides

Or cause me

To turn into a werewolf

At the stroke of midnight

I cannot read its Face

Nor decipher the smile or

The tears

That merge

With its light.

 

But I do know

That the Moon

Lights your way.

It shows you

Where to you

As you tread on your path

To greatness

To glory

To peace.

 

It gives you

The Strength

The Wisdom

And the Courage

To do what is right

To seek what is just

To summon the Will

To live

And love.

 

There are many things

I do not understand,

Many things

That often cause

The crease on my brow,

The frown on my lips.

But these are the same things

That give you

The power

To be the pillar of my world

The ground beneath my feet

The Force that

Pushes me

To reach for the sky

And shine

By my own light.

 

For as I slumber

And dream

Of princes turned toads,

Of genies and faraway lands

You are using your gift

To nourish me,

Keep me safe,

And make my dreams come true.

 

There are many things

I may not understand

But I thank them

For the gift of you

And for the gift of your love

That greets me

As the moon bades farewell

And leaves me to the

Warm embrace

Of Day.

 

INTERVIEW WITH THE CHRISTMAS STAR

Poetry by Niña Terol

Performed at the Romancing Venus Poetry Night, 10 December 2007

 Mag:net Katipunan

 

 

When you shone your light

That night

A million moons ago

Did you know that

The Child

Was someday going to be

Taunted

Persecuted

But eventually become

King?

 

Did you cry when you saw

That your light

Illuminated

Even those whose hearts were dark?

 

Do you cry

When a child

Makes a wish

That you cannot grant?

 

Do you ever cry at all?

 

Do you ever wish

For something of your own?

 

What is it like

To be up there

Gazing at us

Down here

And hearing

Wishes

And prayers

And cries

But never really knowing

What it is

To live?

 

When you grant

A wish

For happiness

Or true love

Or peace

Do they ever stop

To thank you

And say how

Magnificent

Your light is?

 

Do they ever stop

To think

How you must feel

Standing alone

In the dark—

The nearest star

Light years away—

And dying just a little bit

Inside

So we could catch

A glimpse

Of your eternal smile?

 

Do you twinkle

When no one’s watching?

 

What has it cost you

To be where you are now?

 

Are you really happy?

 

When I look up

At the Heavens

And see you

Do you see me, too?

And when I wish

For nothing more

Than world peace

Do you smile at yourself

And say, “This girl is

A fool!”

Or are you relieved

That you got a wish

That is not yours to grant?

 

When you see me

Looking up at you

What do you really want

To say?

How much would you really

Give

To turn your light off for

Just a moment

And crash down on Earth

So that you’d finally know

How much it hurts

How much it costs

To be down here

 

When you see everyone

On Earth

Do you secretly say

A prayer of thanks

That the Heavens decided

To spare you

The agony of life

At the risk

Of never experiencing

Love?

 

Have you ever been in love?

 

If so

How much of yourself—

How many impossible wishes

Would you grant

To be alive

And in someone’s arms

Again?

 

How much would you really give?

Start:	Dec 10, '07 7:00p
End:	Dec 10, '07 9:00p
Location:	Mag:Net Katipunan

We've been getting invites to check out the Romancing Venus Poetry Nights for some time now. This time, however, Paul sneakily confirmed our "participation" and told me: "Write a poem! We're going to perform onstage together!" (With me reading onstage and he accompanying me with his percussive instruments. Special effects, kumbaga Ü)

A poem. Hmmm...

An essay, in a heartbeat. A story, maybe in three heartbeats. But a poem... THAT is tricky territory. And to read it ONSTAGE, in front of established poets. Ah, the spice of life...

But it IS our chance to perform as, in Paul's words, "an artistic pair." So, here I am, drafting poems as my *Muse* eggs me on.

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ROMANCING VENUS FEATURES:
Anabel Bosch
Charms Tianzon
Karen Kunawicz


Anj Heruela
Blackheart
Charisse Padilla
Karla Peña
Mike Unson
Moki Villegas
Pau Apilado
Paul Zialcita (+ me Ü)
Romina Diaz
Sonia Pascual
Stanley Chi
Yanna Verbo Acosta


Hosted by: Ginny Mata

Free admission!

I attended a mind-opening event two Thursdays ago, and was so inspired by it that I decided to write an article about it. (I pitched it to a leading daily, but so far have not gotten a response yet.) I hope you wouldn't mind spreading the word to other open-minded, creative, and innovative individuals so that we can all begin to ask The Question that will drive Filipino ingenuity.

 

For more questions about the WhyNot? Forum, please email whynotforum@gmail.com or call (0928) 5055713. And, yes, I am doing this as a volunteer and supporter, because I believe in what this movement is all about.Ü

 

Thanks in advance for your support!

 

Nines/Niña Terol

 

P.S. If you wish to publish this in your publication or blog, please feel free to do so; just give us a heads-up so we'll know. Thanks again!

 

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FILIPINOS DARED TO ASK: WHY NOT?

By Niña Terol

 

 

It was an ordinary Thursday night, and yet Warehouse 135, the hip warehouse-turned-club on Yakal Street in Makati, was filled to capacity. Only it wasn't filled with clubgoers and party scenesters—it was filled with young professionals, creative minds, thinkers, and dreamers who all dared to ask a question that would set the tone for the entire evening's talks: Why not?

 

The WhyNot? Forum, according to founders Mark Ruiz and Bam Aquino, is a "smorgasbord of great, brave ideas—an open-source innovation soup that will hopefully inspire other Filipinos all over to connect adjunct thoughts, take impactful action, and weave together new breakthrough ideas." Inspired by the TEDTalks of the United States (www.ted.com), it is based on the simple idea of gathering some of the best minds in the country to share their respective ideas for 15 minutes each. By asking The Question and challenging outmoded assumptions, it is hoped that WhyNot? Forum will spark a thought revolution that will encourage people to "think new thoughts, share big dreams, do brave things."

 

Seven Great Minds, One Big Question

 

The first WhyNot? Forum, held on September 27, gathered a group of leaders, achievers, doers, and dreamers from diverse fields. There was Dondi Gomez, the "Marketing Maverick," who is the youngest-ever Managing Director of Unilever Philippines at age 35; Gang Badoy, the irrepressible and bubbly lady behind RockEd Philippines, tagged the "Alternative Educator"; Professor Jay Bernardo of the Asian Institute of Management, the "Rainmaker" and "Entrepreneurship Guru" who owns the distinction of being the first-ever Filipino to have been named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) by the Junior Chamber International; "Technologist" Dr. Greg Tangonan, who teaches Innovation and Technology at the Ateneo de Manila University and has garnered 49 patents and numerous awards for his inventive work; Brian Tenorio, the creative genius behind the designer shoe label Tenorio Manila; Quark Henares, the "Filmmaker-on-the-Edge" who directed his first feature film at age 21; and Fr. Ted Gonzales, SJ of the Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM), labeled the "Dreamer Priest."

 

Even the creative forces running the event are achievers themselves: Ruiz and Aquino are part of the visionary group behind Hapinoy, an aggregated value network built around sari-sari stores, microfinancing institutions, and key partners in industry and civil society; event documenter Ditsi Carolino is an internationally acclaimed filmmaker ( Minsan Lang Sila Bata, Bunso, Riles); and guest performer Radioactivesago Project is a groundbreaking musical act that fuses jazz, funk, and spoken-word poetry in discussing a variety of social issues. Supporting the project from behind the scenes are industry giant Smart Communications, Web and multimedia company Softrigger Interactive, and Young Public Servants (YPS), a group of young, dynamic individuals focused on promoting "Good Governance and Democratic Citizenship among the youth."

 

In opening the forum, Ruiz asked the audience, "What does the world think of when they think of the Philippines? ... Maybe the WhyNot? Forum can be our megaphone to the rest of the world [to showcase the ingenuity and the innovative spirit driving us Filipinos]... Why not?"

 

Of challenges, opportunities, irritants, rock, beauty, passion, and baboy

 

Gomez, in defining "maverick marketing" in the experience of Unilever Philippines' groundbreaking campaigns for Rexona, challenged the audience to adopt a non-conformist stance when it came to developing and presenting their ideas. "Great marketing gives people a taste of what could be... It provides imagination and courage to hope and to dream." He cites the worldwide success of the out-of-the-box campaigns First Day Funk and its follow-up, First Day High, which set record sales figures, won for Unilever Philippines numerous global awards, and established Rexona as the market leader in deodorants.

 

Dr. Greg Tangonan, for his part, discussed the worldwide movement marking the early 2000s the "Decade of the Mind Initiative." He shared experiments in mind control, mind mapping, "out of body experiences" in the virtual world, and other brain experiments. He ultimately asked: "[If brain activity could be measured,] could the Filipino concepts of hiya (shame) or pakikiramay (empathy) also be measured? Can this be our contribution to the 'Decade of the Mind Initiative?' Why not?"  

 

When it was Gang Badoy's turn to speak, a technical glitch disabled her from using her Powerpoint presentation, but she masterfully held her own and gave the crowd an entertaining and engaging talk about the experiences that led her to found, and therefore commit herself to, RockEd, an alternative education movement that seeks to get young people involved in social issues through music. "We don't have to unite to progress," she challenges. "Even if we don't get along, as long as we get the job done, it's okay."

 

True to her signature style, Badoy brought along a group of musicians to drive home her point and entertain her audience. Radioactivesago Project rendered the thought-provoking intermission number, singing their hit songs "Gin Pomelo" and " Gusto Ko ng Baboy (I Like Pig)," among others.

 

The next speaker, Fr. Ted Gonzales of CEFAM, seemed to have been struck by Sago's quirky lyrics, often quoting them in his talk about integrity, passion, and "[embracing] the inner movements of your heart."

 

"Hindi tayo mga baboy (We are not pigs)," he asserted. Fr. Gonzales was the obvious crowd-drawer in the room, as many of the audience members were "graduates" of his hit retreats Life Directions, Agimat, and On Fire.

 

During designer Brian Tenorio's 15 minutes, the audience was transformed into an intimate group that listened closely to his ideas on love, luxe, lust, and beauty. Ironically, this shoe meister, who has gained fame for his beautiful and bewitching creations, maintained that it's not what you wear or the details that you place on yourself that matter as much as what's going on around you. "Beauty is not oppressive," he states. "Beauty unifies... It should allow growth. Beauty should allow love."

 

Unfortunately, the natural beauty around us is constantly being threatened by natural and man-made disasters. Mr. Ramon Isberto, Head of Public Affairs at Smart Communications, disclosed a groundbreaking project meant to help local communities around the country prepare for storms. "The Philippines has the highest number of Category 5 typhoons in the world," he reveals. "Why not be prepared for it?"

 

Likewise, entrepreneurship guru and AIM professor Jay Bernardo encouraged budding entrepreneurs to develop business ideas by seeking solutions to "irritants" around them. Citing the Chinese word and symbols for the word "crisis," he urged his listeners to "look at the opportunity before looking at the dangers... because once you see the opportunities, you will no longer see the dangers."

 

Quark Henares might not have been a student of Prof. Bernardo, but he exemplified the attitude of risk-taking in his talk about the experiences that brought him to the forefront of the filmmaking world. From the psychologically disturbing movie that he saw at age 11 (David Lynch's Eraserhead), to his "Eureka moment" after watching the cult classic Pulp Fiction, to making the movie that bombed at the box office but was praised by his idol, Quentin Tarantino ( Keka), Henares' candid insights proved to the audience that some rewards can simply never be equated to fame or fortune.

 

Why not more?

 

Although this event is only the first of what promises to be a long-running series of thought-provoking discussions, it seems to be coming in at the right time. Regardless of their inclinations, educational backgrounds, or lifestyles, Filipinos simply have become tired of turning to the government (or to the streets) for answers to society's nagging questions; they are now looking to themselves to develop long-term solutions to problems that have unfolded over several generations.

 

Indeed, the world is teeming with opportunities. Prof. Bernardo cites the "kanto boys" whom people look down upon during ordinary days, but who become reliable comrades and trusted allies in times of calamity, pushing cars and shuttling pedestrians over flooded waters for a small fee that anyone would be willing to pay. Anyone can achieve great things; anyone can make a difference. It only takes one simple question, and the guts to embrace the answers.

 

The next WhyNot? Forum will be held in November 2007. For more details, email whynotforum@gmail.com, call (0928) 5055713, or  SMS 'whynot' to 2948. All videos from the WhyNot? Forum will be posted on www.whynotforum.com and may be viewed free of charge.