Maligayang ika-110 Araw ng Kalayaan, Pilipinas!

Photo by marbleplaty

Waiting for 'The Echo'

Now that post-production work on 'The Echo' has wrapped up according to director Yam Laranas' blog, I can't wait for the official release date of this film. They have already released the teaser poster last month as well as some stills and so far it looks great.

The anticipation is further heightened by two positive initial reviews of the Echo so far. Todd Brown of twitchfilm.net, in the first review of the film, takes note of the impressive cinematography and sound design. Beyond Hollywood describes 'The Echo' as "... many things - both art-house and commercial, both subtle and shocking — but one thing it certainly is — it’s a gem of a ghost story".

I loved 'Sigaw' when I saw it for the first time last year that I even blogged about it. I hope 'The Echo' will succeed in the cutthroat world of Hollywood and becomes another triumph of Pinoy talent in the international scene.

Update [06.13.08]:

The teaser trailer for 'The Echo' has just been released. Check it out:

Loboc: Feast for the Senses

Loboc Church Interiors & Chandelier

Laid back, off-the-beaten-track, and idyllic – these come to mind when one first sets foot in the town of Loboc, Bohol. A seemingly forgotten hamlet tucked between green hills and the mighty river, Loboc appears sleepy and forlorn. This impression of dusty inactivity is pleasantly dispelled with a visit to the Museo de Loboc, located behind the ancient limestone church of St. Paul. This is where the famed Loboc Children’s Choir holds their practices.

The Loboc Children's Choir practicing

Hearing their angelic voices wafting from out of the aged capiz windows makes one realize that Loboc has a vibrance all its own, evident in its musical traditions kept alive through the years. There’s something about Loboc that charms its way into one’s soul: a Pinoy pastoral scene that is at once both familiar and alien.

Loboc River Cruise

Meanwhile, just across the wide river from the church, the popular Loboc River Cruises carries tourists upstream in festive flat boats. In the river cruise, one can enjoy Bohol’s cuisine in sumptuous buffets while a bucolic musician croon a mix of old classics and Visayan love songs. The hour-long cruise takes tourists deep into the green heart of Loboc with occasional festive songs and dances along the riverbanks. Loboc - certainly a feast for the senses.

Lunch @ Loboc River Cruise

The Tubbataha Reef: 7 Natural Wonders Nominee

Photo by Phua Boon Wah

The Philippines’ very own Tubbataha Reef is nominated in the global poll to name the new seven natural wonders of the world. The 96,000 hectare reef ecosystem in the middle of the Sulu Sea, touted as Asia’s best marine park, is one of over a hundred natural attractions from around the world vying for the distinction.

Surprisingly, the reef is our country’s lone entry in the list of 77 nominees. There are definitely many more natural attractions from the Philippines that deserve to accompany the Tubbataha reef on that list, and it’s a shame only one got through. (I've nominated Albay's Mayon Volcano)

Still, the Tubbataha Reef certainly deserves to be part of the top seven. This ecologically-rich reef composed of two atolls located 92 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. In 1993, Tubbataha Reef was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site “in recognition of its outstanding universal value in terms of marine life species diversity and richness.”

Find out how to vote after the jump.

Photo by lexmanxxx

Comparable in diversity to Australia's Great Barrier Reef, Tubbataha is home to over 300 species of coral and 400 species of fish including giant jacks, hammerhead sharks, barracudas, manta rays, palm-sized moorish idols, parrot fishes, and moral eels. The rare hawksbill turtle also call Tubbataha home. Thousands of migratory seabirds also flock to the island during their annual migration.

The stunning diversity makes the Tubbataha Reef a favorite destination for divers. And yet the reef has been protected for years from exploitation due to its own remoteness and inaccessibility.

Photo by pinay_diver

Personally, I find the poll ridiculous. All the wonders of the natural world can not possibly be given justice in a measly list of only seven. Still, this is yet another chance to showcase our well-known Pinoy solidarity when it comes to online polls. Let us vote for the Tubbataha Reef because it definitely deserves to be there. As of January 25, 2007, the reef is steady at the 34th spot. Tubbataha needs to enter the top 21 rankings to be considered as a finalist candidate. Voters from around the world will then choose the new seven natural wonders from the finalists. Click here to vote!

Photo by Lawrence Yung

Sigaw (The Echo)

When Yam Laranas' Sigaw was shown on local theaters roughly 3 years ago, I didn't get the chance to see it. I think it wasn't really popular back then. But, the film soon gained a lot of positive, even rave, reviews and began to be noticed internationally, even amidst the glut of Asian horror films such as The Grudge, Ring and others.

The film went on to garner a number of awards and was eventually signed up for a Hollywood remake with no less than the producers of The Ring and Grudge remakes. I was curious what all the hype was about.

I finally saw Sigaw today, on free TV, and I must say it really is an impressive piece of work. Sigaw doesn't rely on the usual elements of gore, shock and surprise that has become quite commonplace in the horror genre. There are no chainsaw-wielding wackos here nor bloodthirsty zombies. Instead, the film evokes dread and an uneasy feeling from the viewer only through the use of a creepy soundtrack, dim lighting, strange camera angles, and the very eerie-looking apartment. Yes there are bloody scenes but they are kept to a minimum.

All these contribute to make a very effective setting. I know a little bit about how setting can play a very important role in a story. I did a paper back in college on how setting can convey a story's theme. Sigaw succeeds in using setting as an important part of the story (which is actually a rather cliched plotline). The decrepit apartment helped establish the atmosphere of desperation, decay and suffering that highlight the characters' ordeal and fate. The film isn't really that terrifying but it left me feeling uneasy and creeped-out - in that sense, the film succeeds.

Now I can't wait for the remake of this film, retitled as 'The Echo'. The original director, Mr. Laranas will be at the helm, and one of the original cast members, Ms. Iza Calzado, will reprise her role. Being noticed in the ultra-competitive world of Hollywood is already an achievement in itself, but I hope the new film will be another stellar triumph for Filipino talents in the international scene. So, if you haven't seen it, watch this little Pinoy horror film before the rest of the world does. 'The Echo' - Proudly Pinoy!

Check out Yam Laranas' blog here.

Proudly Pinoy!

Last June 12, 2007, ProudlyPinoy.org launched a competition to design a logo that can be displayed on Philippine websites and blogs. Basically the idea was to "create a logo which expresses the pride of being Filipino, and which will allow a web site to elegantly declare its Philippine identity".

Hundreds of entries were submitted and it seemed that finding the best one was daunting, considering the excellent entries posted. Iba talaga ang galing ng Pinoy. The entries were superb! Finally, the competition wrapped up last July 19. The winning logo, designed by Joe Talisic, is a simple but beautiful design depicting a stylized Philippine flag. I like it and I think the judges chose the right logo. The runners-up were also top-notch! I'm digging that "Rizal as Clark Kent/Superman" logo. Haha

The judges' comments about the logo: This logo has it all. It is perfectly balanced, has excellent visual impact, yet remains elegant and graceful. The Filipino identity is immediately obvious. The message is fairly clear - one gets a sense of warmth and caring, and love, which, unlike in other nations, are attributes that are considered more important in the Philippines than any other character trait. Hence the logo superbly expresses what makes us proud to be Filipinos.

So if you are proudly Pinoy and you have a website or blog, express your pride and use this logo now. Click here to get a copy of the logo. Spread the word to your friends too and ask them to support this project and show their pride by using this logo. :-)

My Top Ten Favorite Philippine Skyscrapers

Being a skyscraper and architecture buff, I came up with my own list of favorite skyscrapers located within the Philippines. While everybody else is listing down their favorite songs, movies, celebrities and what-not, my first ‘top ten’ list will be all about skyscrapers. But first, I’d like to establish that I have no formal training whatsoever in architecture, much less the technical know-how to really judge a building in all its merits. So the basis for this list is purely subjective, with aesthetics, location, form and function as well as the building’s general effect on me as the main criteria. (For more information and photos, please click on the links provided)

So here goes my top ten fave ‘scrapers here in our country:

1. GT International Tower, Makati

Soaring up 217 meters or over 711 feet, the GT (George Ty) International Tower is probably the most iconic of all Philippine skyscrapers. I think it has a very simple form but the execution is stunningly spectacular and modern. It’s most distinctive feature, aside from the all glass cladding, is the bold 10-story razor sharp vertical fin crowning the tower. GT Tower is easily the most recognizable tower when viewing Makati from afar, especially at night when rope lights outline it's distinctive shape. The building was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, GF & Partners and Recio+Casas.



2. Ayala Tower One, Makati

Tall, glassy and powerful, the Ayala Tower One fittingly performs its role as the headquarters and crowning glory of one of the most prestigious conglomerates in the Philippines, the Ayala Group of Companies. The story of how Ayala Tower One was proposed and built is one for the books. In the early ‘90s, the Philippine Stock Exchange was planning to relocate from Makati to the Tektite Towers in Ortigas, which was, at that time the only building big enough to hold the PSE trading floor. The Ayalas quickly proposed this new tower in a bid to keep the trading floor in Makati. They didn’t really fully succeed since the PSE ultimately decided to have two trading floors: one each in Makati and Ortigas.

3. PBCom Tower, Makati

Rising from Ayala Avenue 259 meters (849.7 feet) into the sky, the PBCom Tower is the tallest building in the country today and the 70th tallest in the world. This tower was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, also the architectural firm behind the erstwhile tallest building in the world, Sears Tower in Chicago. Although relatively straightforward in its design, PBCom definitely conveys strength and power, soaring 55 stories above the busy Ayala Avenue below. As the headquarters of the Philippine Bank of Communications, some may jokingly refer to it as a giant cellular phone, given its shape. Still, if only for its simple grandeur and height, the PBCom Tower deserves a place in any top ten Philippine skyscraper list.

4. The Enterprise Center, Makati

The Enterprise Center, a complex composed of two towers of varying heights, is probably one of the grandest-looking and most beautiful buildings in the entire Makati area. The Enterprise stands out from the rest of the rather generic-looking glass clad giants around it through its impressive Art Deco styling. At night, the floodlit Enterprise Center is truly a sight to behold. I have also heard that its interiors are very luxurious – definitely a prestigious address for any office.

5. Pacific Plaza Towers, Bonifacio Global City

Rising majestically at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, the Pacific Plaza Towers are iconic in their own right. This is one of those projects I was referring to in my previous post that I used to ogle at on full-page ads. At that time, I thought these towers were the most modern in terms of design. I marveled at the modern configurations of the two towers – one is a curve and the other, a wave. The gorgeous blue glass facade also makes a proud statement in the newly developing Global City.

6. 1322 Golden Empire Tower, Manila

For anyone visiting Manila’s famed Roxas Boulevard, this gleaming golden tower is hard to miss. The 1322 Golden Empire Tower is the tallest building in the country’s capital. It being located practically on the shores of Manila Bay, makes it a stunning landmark. It rises from the seafront area and perpetually gazes at Manila’s famed sunsets, the golden colors of which impart its gleaming tinge upon the tower’s fantastic glass cladding.

7. RCBC Plaza

Massive is one word to describe the Makati’s RCBC Plaza. Launched at the turn of the millennium, the RCBC Plaza is also composed of two towers (46 and 41 storeys) as well as a 450-seat auditorium, the Yuchengco Museum, a food court and a host of other amenities. It is a modern office building equipped with advanced system making it a most preferred address for many of the country’s top corporations. RCBC is also the first IT Zone in Makati, where its tenants can enjoy tax incentives.

8. Insular Life Corporate Center, Filinvest Corporate City

Clad in cool greenish glass, the towers of the Insular Life Corporate Center looks spectacular in almost all angles. These towers are probably two of the most photogenic buildings in the metropolis, Especially because of its location amid the still vacant lots of the Filinvest Corporate City in Alabang, Muntinlupa. Its curved façade and cut corners give it a sleek and modern touch.




9. Robinsons Equitable Tower, Ortigas Center

The 45-storey Robinsons Equitable Tower is one of two of my favorite buildings within the Ortigas Central Business District. The best aspect of this tower is the sleek semi-circular, almost cylindrical portion rising majestically from the corner of ADB Avenue and Poveda Drive. Another plus factor about this tower is its cool blue glass cladding which makes it always a sight to behold anytime of the day. The Robinsons Equitable Tower was designd by Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum.

10. Unionbank Plaza, Ortigas Center

The multi-faceted Unionbank Plaza is a geometric wonder. The tower rises from a rather nondescript podium to a series of step-like levels clad in magnificent blue and gold glass cladding. Unionbank Plaza presents a different facet in every angle from which it is viewed. That’s why it is a favorite among photographers and skyscraper enthusiasts. It surely deserves a place in my own ‘top ten’ list.


So there you have it folks, my top ten favorite Philippine skyscraper list. Of course, it doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the other skyscrapers. Actually, I’d love to make a longer list but I guess I would be rambling by then. Anyway, bubbling up my list of fave Pinoy ‘scrapers are: (in random order)

• Petron Megaplaza, Makati
• LKG Tower, Makati
• One Roxas Triangle, Makati
• Rizal Tower, Rockwell Center
• Rufino Pacific Tower, Makati
• The Shang Grand Tower, Makati
• One McKinley Place, BGC
• Orient Square, Ortigas Center
• One San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center
• Philippine Stock Exchange Center (Tektite Towers), Ortigas Center
• Philamlife Tower, Makati

Credits to the photographers who took these incredible pictures. I hope you don't mind if I used them here. :-)