From left: Patrick de Jesus, Meiji Cruz, Rogelio Medina, Nirro Marcelo, Audrey Gorriceta, Diane Guerrer and Fifi delos Santos.
IT was nice to see again host Audrey Gorriceta as I was amazed by the other hosts of Rise and Shine Pilipinas at People’s Television Network that early morning. It was my first time to meet Patrick de Jesus, beauty queen Meiji Cruz, Dianne Guerrer and Fifi delos Santos. I was with the awards committee chairman Nirro Marcelo of the 2nd Southeast Asian Premier Business and Achiever Award.
Though it was a brief interview experience at PTV’s Rise and Shine Pilipinas, I considered it memorable. I wanted to talk about science journalism and the successful representation of the Philippines in which it topped the 2024 Science Journalism Forum’s Leaderboard, defeating African and European representatives. Hopefully, next guesting.
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Japanese astronaut Dr. Mamoru Mohri, the subject of an article the author wrote for the Far Eastern Economic Review.
Having gone to Tsukuba Science City years ago was very memorable to me. I was the first Filipino journalist to interview Asia’s first astronaut, Dr. Mamoru Mohri of Japan, for the defunct Far Eastern Economic Review in Hongkong.
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Filmmaker Emille Joson has made a positive impact through her family’s humanitarian foundations and cooperatives (Alaga Producers Cooperative) and empowering films for women. Her films and recent family religious concerts have been mostly praised online. One of her works captured the international audience, including some Hollywood celebrities.
Director Emilie Joson
Her debut short film, “Adivino,” graced the Philippines’ cinema in 2012 and had a surprising streaming resurgence internationally in the wake of the #MeToo movement one decade later. This feminist horror short film tells the story of a con-artist fortune teller who becomes entangled with her battered female friend’s mess. In spite of the short film’s controversial characters, it swept dozens of awards, including a historic nomination in the 37th Metro Manila Film Festival Student Short Film Category.
Since then, Joson has continued to receive many accolades. She has worked with A-list celebrities in critically acclaimed projects like “Sakaling Hindi Makarating,” “My Second Mom,” “C1 Originals: The Comeback,” and “Pagari: Mohammad Abdullah.” She has become known for her unique approach to writing and selective taste in movie projects, as a filmmaker who is unafraid to tackle diverse, taboo, and intricate themes, showcasing a bold and daring artistic vision in her storytelling. Thanks to her brilliant way of writing, she made Filipinos proud by having her short film gain its own following outside the Philippines.
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David Valencia in New York City
David Valencia, grandson of the late Batangueño journalist and columnist Teodoro Valencia, is a product of Paref Southridge School and UP Diliman and a doting Christian father to his three children. He and his wife were recently in the United States for a mission.
He treasured the KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas) pin of his grandpa Ka Doroy that his mom had given him.
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Kerima Polotan-Tuvera (left photo) and Teodoro Benigno (right photo)
Two persons I would never forget: my editor Kerima Polotan-Tuvera and my boss Teodoro Benigno.
Mindanao-born Kerima Polotan-Tuvera, a Filipino fiction writer, essayist and journalist, was my editor at the Evening Post. She wrote the biography of former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos. She was married to newsman Juan Capiendo Tuvera, executive assistant and speechwriter of the late Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos.
Her 1952 short story, “The Virgin,” won two first prizes at the Philippines Free Press Literary Awards and at the Palanca Awards. Her short stories “The Trap” (1956), “The Giants” (1959), “The Tourists” (1960), “The Sounds of Sunday” (1961) and “A Various Season” (1966) all won the first prize of the Palanca Awards. The 1961 Stonehill Award was bestowed on Polotan-Tuvera for her novel “The Hand of the Enemy.”
On the other hand, Press Secretary Teodoro Benigno, was my boss at the Office of the Press Secretary in Malacañang. I remember I was trained by him and he had even asked me to compose letter-reply in the French language.
He was with the Agence France Presse for 37 years, serving as Manila Bureau Chief from 1962 to 1987. He was awarded the French Legion of Honor in 1989. He started as a sportswriter and police beat reporter for the Manila Tribune in late 1940s.
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Rogelio Medina (center) with former Senate President Manny Villar and current Senator Cynthia Villar at their home in BF Resort Village in the city of Las Piñas. Photos courtesy of Rogelio Medina
One night in November 2006, I was about to enter the Manila Peninsula Hotel’s john when I was surprised to see business tycoon Manny Villar (former Senate president) about to enter the restroom too. And I gave way to him as a sign of respect. I followed him afterwards.
The first time I saw him was years ago when I lived in BF Resort Village, Las Pinas City. It was during his 49th birthday on December 13, 1998, with a thanksgiving party for his constituents. He was then a congressman. A short program was then held in Club Italia’s tennis court inside the village. Another group also held a program in the Villar’s tree nursery.
Manny Villar, one of the wealthiest and most influential figures in the Philippines, told me that he used to be a squatter in Moriones in Manila’s Tondo. He was also a vendor selling shrimps in Divisoria. A day before his birthday, he visited his former house in Tondo and a school where he studied – and he gave scholarships to deserving poor students.
I remember his birthday wish was for the country to recover from economic crisis and for every Filipino, especially the poor, to have a better future in the coming years. “Even if you’re a squatter and if you’ve the patience, hard work and determination, you can have a bright future,” remarked the down-to-earth taipan. He has given essence to the value of instilling entrepreneurship among today’s Filipinos to speed up progress in the country. He admitted that “it takes time for an entrepreneur to reach success, but once he reaches success, he has his own business and he is independent, he is the master of his own fate.”
For him, education is not important in entrepreneurship. “It is better if you have education. But, if you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.”
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Andrew Fordy Espiritu (left) with his proud parents Mylene and Andrew E (right photo).
Congratulations to Andrew Fordy S. Espiritu, son of singer Andrew E (who has his first major concert on December 11 at Quezon City’s New Frontier Theater) and Mylene Yap Espiritu, who graduated recently at De Montfort University Leicester Southville International School Affiliated with Foreign Universities with Bachelor of Arts in Business and Management (Second Class Honours Class of 2024).
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Erna Kayla Flores, a former student of the author at Mabalacat City College in Pampanga.
I am glad to know that my former student at Mabalacat City College, Erna Kayla Flores, placed 3rd (91.25%) in the recent Customs Broker Licensure Exam. I remember in my subject, she obtained a final grade of 99%.
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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