MANILA, Philippines?(Thumbs up)?Ondoy? and ?Pepeng? drove home that point, making it clear to us that rich or poor, we?re in the same metropolis, same earth, same resources, same trash. You could live in a mansion but the floodwaters from the clogged esteros and creeks a stone?s throw away would not spare your turf.
The year will be remembered as the time Forbes Park homes, including those of society?s doyennes, saw their basements come under water, when Magallanes Village residents, marooned in the second story of their homes, had rubber boats tied to their balconies ready for the evacuation of residents. A young Forbes Park mother lost her newly built nursery in the basement.
It?s about time Metro Manila followed the master urban plan, instead of it being broken into political fiefdoms. Indeed it?s about time the country followed a sustainable development plan.
Year 2010 will put to test the political will necessary to save the urbanscape that?s falling apart, and the countryside that?s destroying its natural resources. The calamities have just made the environment and urban development a major campaign issue for the 2010 elections.
Give-back time
(Thumbs up)Tragedy is a chance for big business to give back. Some really do?without red tape.
Greenwich, for instance, gave hundreds and hundreds of boxes of pizza to evacuation centers.
Samsung has a very timely service.
It has launched Samsung Service Hope, a public service of Samsung Electronics Philippines Corp. and its employees for calamity victims.
Typhoon victims can bring their dirty clothes to the parking area of Ever Gotesco Mall in Ortigas until Oct. 19 for free laundry services using Samsung washing machines.
Sheila Jaucian, head of the Samsung Service Team, said: ?They can also bring Samsung appliance units damaged during the flood. We offer free cleaning and checkup plus discounts on repairable items. While waiting for their laundry they can also use our lines for emergency calls and watch movies in our waiting area.?
Samsung employees take turns in serving the typhoon victims. ?Even during weekends Samsung employees help out in the laundry or simply accepting the items here in the booth. Even our own employees who were victims of the flood are helping out. This is our small way of reaching out to people. ?
Busy Hayden
(Thumbs up)Another one who?s been kept busy by the calamity, after he?s been through his own personal calamity, is Hayden Kho, the good-looking hunk doctor whose sex videos were (still are) mostly everyone?s entertainment on the Internet and mobile.
Now in business graduate school, Kho joined relief operations and medical missions.
He?s been busy, all right. In fact he?s working on a scent line he might launch before Christmas.
?Thou shalt not admit?
(Thumbs down)Among the weirdest ?advice? Hayden Kho got during his trying episode was from a celeb politician not known for celibacy himself. He chided Kho, ?Bakit ka umamin? (Why did you admit?) The politician obviously adheres to another commandment?thou shalt not admit.
Cebu designers in LA Fashion Week
(Thumbs up)Foremost Cebu designer Philip Rodriguez has been invited to join the Los Angeles Fashion Week this weekend.
His 15-piece collection is inspired by the manton de Manila.
?I like to think of it as tracing-my-roots creativity,? Rodriguez says.
These lush silk shawls with embroidered motifs such as flowers, symbolic icons and animals?the status symbol among the Spanish women at the height of the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade?will get a 21st-century makeover.
Rodriguez is using georgette, stretch tulle, piña cocoon, a pineapple-organza blend, lace, and vivid embroidery appliqués, fringes and ruffles in his 2010 collection.
Other Filipino designers in the LA Fashion Week are LA-based Oliver Tolentino, another Cebuano, Fern One, who?s now based in Dubai, and Alexi Monsanto.
All roads lead to Assumption
(Thumbs up)If you run into a gridlock today in San Lorenzo, Makati, don?t be surprised. It?s the annual Old Girls Day at Assumption, where alumnae, their families and friends troop back to campus for a whole day of activities.
In the afternoon is the famous ?velada? tradition, where batches present their curtain-raisers to end all curtain-raisers. It?s a performance that takes weeks of preparations, rehearsals (and dieting). This year?s silver jubilarians (Vina Concepcion, Yvonne Banzon, Jackie Ejercito Lopez, Sandy Romualdez, among others) will present a number directed by Audie Gemora. Not to be outdone is the Pearl (30 years) batch of Carmela Ongsiako, Rina Go, Jojo Ocampo, Lizette Cojuangco, Marissa Concepcion, Rona Lopa Macasaet, among others.
The Assumption?s ?velada? is an experience, a challenge, even for the country?s top stage directors such as Floy Quintos, Fritz Ynfante who, at one time or another, have directed the alums. Rehearsals must be like a run-up to the Emmys. That intense.
Feeling bride, at last
(Thumbs up)Now that the reception plan has been finalized? there?ll be no reception at Araneta
Coliseum?bride-to-be Korina Sanchez is finally feeling excited about her and Sen. Mar Roxas? Oct. 27 wedding. ?Now that things have settled, perhaps I can get excited,? she said. Admitting she?s a ?closet Martha Stewart,? Sanchez attended to the littlest style detail in her Filipiniana wedding, going as far as Pampanga to source native material.
From the Sto. Domingo church to the altar will be a two-minute walk down the aisle? good enough to make any bride excited.
