FILM REVIEW: EKSTRA starring MS. VILMA SANTOS

Vilma Santos

EKSTRA AN ACTING COUP MOVIE

Yes it is an acting coup movie. From the the main cast to the subcast to the "talents" or better known as extras or bit player. Vilma Santos played the best in this movie. Not because she is Vilma Santos but because she is the best actor to play this part. The Ekstra.

Vilma Santos played the role single handedly as if effortless, just like a true actor as she is. Come to think of it she is a movie star, a Governor of a Province, Wife of a Senator and a Grand Slam Actress but she acted in this movie as if she is really a trying hard movie bit player.

LOIDA MALABANAN The movie is about the bit player named Loida Malabanan a single mom whos main objective in life is to provide a better future for her daughter. She is a profesional bit player all her life. She appeared in almost all movies and soap operas. She is either part of a crowd, or a double, or deliver lines in all her appearances. The pay is minimal. She gets P500 for being part of a crowd, P1000 for playing double, and P2000 for bit play with lines. She loves her job. She loves being a bit player. She is very professional. She is very diligent in bringing her own costumes on the set always ready for any role the director demands from her. 

THE SUPPORT CAST

Although Loida loves her job so dearly, it seems, the job does not love a bit player like her. Her job is to please a lot of people in the set. There is the Talent Coordinator, Ruby (played by Ruby Ruiz), who is at the mercy of the Assistant director Vincent (played by Vincent de

Marlon Rivera, Vincent de Jesus, Tart Carlos and Ruby Ruiz

Jesus) and the foul mouthed, ever hot headed, director from hell, Direk (played by Marlon Rivera who is a real director by the way in "Babae sa Septic Tank") .These three characters including Trina the Executive Producer of the soap are always getting into each others nerves. Blaming and bickering who did what, and who is suppose to do or not suppose to do what in the movie. Of course these bickering and blaming has to have a fallguy or girl...yes the bit players are always to blame for all their mistakes. So they are all putting all their anger to the innocent bit players or ekstras. Vincent, Marlon and Ruby played a major role in the movie for the acting prowess of Vilma to come out. I really love all their characters. But despite of this negativity around Loida in the set of the Soap "Una Kang Naging Akin" she have a friend to go to and pour out her problems and woe she is Venus (played by Tart Carlos). Venus was the only positive side of the movie for Loida because she is the best friend of Vilma here.

"Tao ba tayo dito? Props lang tayo 'no?" - Venus, Ekstra.

THE AUDITION SCENE

Loida and Venus auditioning for the maid role

So my favorite scenes in the movie are the time when Vincent the Asst. Director needs a maid in the scene they are making. He talked to the ekstras, and Loida and Venus where chosen from the group. The two have to outdo each other as in a competition to get the plum role. So they both gave their best. Acting out different scenarios of a maid and guess who got the part, Loida of course. Now Loida is now the maid and after all those audition antics all she has to do is hand over a bottle of gin and a glass to the lead actress (played by Marian Rivera). Thats it. The only shot taken of Loida is her back and that ends her role. Then she waits and waits for nothing anymore. Until she was forgotten.

THE DOUBLE

Vilma Santos acting as double for Eula Valdez.

Another favorite scene is when she got the part of a double of Eula Valdez in the torture scene. The scene required a double for Eula Valdez because she walked out of the set tired of waiting for her part to be shot. The director had no choice but to get an ekstra in replacement of Eula. So they got Loida, since the assistant director saw how good Loida is in the maid's role  mini audition. She got the part. The part was tough. She has to be gagged in the mouth and hands tied and wear a sack on her head the whole time of the scene plus being burned on the arm with a lit cigarette by the villain of the soap played by Cherie Gil. Then when the director says cut. Cherie Gil was so apologetic of what she did to Loida and Loida blurted out her favorite showbiz line "Its part of the job".

THE ATTORNEY SCENE

Vilma Santos played an Attorney

And then my most favorite part of all is the scene where Vilma has to play an attorney role. The assistant director was irked of the talent coordinators choice for the attorney role because she speaks english with a bisaya accent. So they have to look for a replacement. Well fortunately the AD liked the looks of Loida and ask to read the script. She did good in reading it and she got the role. Now this a role with speaking lines and the pay is much bigger than just being a crowd or double. So she made an effort to do her best to deliver the part. This is for her daughter, who is taking nursing. Loida's daughter here has been texting her all day about payments in school. This distracted her a bit and put a preasure in her. But she used this to be good in what she will do. Anyway she is doing this for her daughter. She memorized the lines. Internalized her role as an attorney. Now its taping time for the scene.  She is ready. But when the camera starts to roll. All things bad happened. She buckeled her lines and missed her blocking a lot of times. Which caused the scene to be retaked again and again. This made the Director very furious. He could not take the fact that an ekstra like her will cause delays in a very important scene in the soap. So he came rushing out of his airconditioned tent and started shouting at everyone and that includes poor old Loida. She was shouted at, cursed and crucified infront of all the cast and staff. Even infront of her long time idol actress, Amanda (played by Ms. Pilar Pilapil). And her celluloid world started crumbled into pieces infront of her. The job the she loves so much is persecuting her. Thinking: "Is this the job that I fought for all her life?" You can see the look in her eyes during this time that she was humiliated. She was tired.  Her body aches  because they have been on the set since the early morning the day before now its again almost dawn. She can take all the aches and pains. But she cannot take this maltreatment and humiliation from the director. She cannot fight back, remember she is just an ekstra. Then her eyes started to speak volumes, no dialogs, and then tears started to roll from her eyes and that was a heartbreaking moment of the film.

MY LEARNINGS

This movie changed my perspective of my favorite pastime, watching telenovelas / soap operas. This movie has dramatically shown to us how tedious the task of the directors, the assistant directors, the staff , the props man, the art dep. and of course the actors and the 

Ekstra a very good movie.

talents for them to come up with a TV show for us to watch during our rest time during primetime. Its laborious, tedious, imagine going on far flung places just to shoot a couple of sequences then pack-up again to go to the next location. And on top of that are the irregularities that happen on the set like generator sets left behind, catering services delayed, actors being late on the set. And the most unpredictable problem is the weather, is it going to rain or not. You must have a lot of energy and creativity and patience for you to surpass all those challenges. Imagine the toll it will take on your body and your psyche when faced with endless problems like that. I cannot blame if the directors have very thin and sensitive patience. Imagine aside from the problems on the set they have deadline pressures  and "for airing" pressures and the bosses that nags on their backs for budget control, plus the pressure of pleasing the sponsors and the naging ratings game and all that. Our telenovela pastime is their work. Hard, freakin, work. I salute the production team of these teleseryes for doing the hard work for us the televiewers. Thank you.

MY LESSON
But the other side of the coin is this and the lesson that I got after watching this movie. No matter how pressured you are, No matter how hard working you are or how high your position in anything that you are doing, it will not be an excuse for maltreating, maligning, and harassing  equally hard working people below you. It will not solve any problems, worse, it will worsen it. Do not blame your people if they are not working as good as you expect them to be. You have to blame yourself for being disorganized and not guiding them with what you expect the outcome to be. Remember as a leader you have the power. And with power comes the responsibilty to teach your people and not always blame them for your lack of organization and concern for them. 

I will remember this movie everytime I see myself leading people. As a teacher I lead my students in the classroom. I sometimes get irritated and impatient with them when they are not getting the lessons I teach. This movie opened my eyes to be more patient and nurturing to my pupils for them to get to where they want to go. To be educated.

Thank you Vilma Santos for this great learning that I get in this movie. Thank you Jeffrey Jeturian for directing this gem of a movie. Thank you Star Cinema for distributing this movie for us to see it in mainstream theaters.

Pimpin'-mah-photo-baby!!!

PHOTOGRAPHER I AM READY FOR MY CLOSE UP

 

I remember as a kid, well teenage years, I think I have  daydreams and fantasies of being a model. You know, fashion model, print ad model or TV commercial model. The works! I want them all! I wanna be a ramp model before the one that wears fashionable clothes for famous designers like Yves Saint Laurant, Georgio Armani, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Georges Marciano or Dolce and Gabbana. I dont know why? Maybe because I love clothes, and the glitz and glamour of the fashion world. I wanna be photographed and my pictures be seen on fashion magazines and billboards on fashionable streets of New York, Paris, Milan, Tokyo and of course my country the Philippines.

But time has passed, that dream of mine starts to diminished and totally forgotten as I grew older. 

But who can say I cannot relieve my childhood dreams again. In this day and age I can fulfill my dream of becoming a model in my own effort without waiting for anyone's help. 

So here are my famous photo shoots for designers like Tom Ford, D&G, Ralph Lauren and famous magazines like Esquire, Rolling Stones and Men's Fashion. 

SO ARE YOU READY FOR MY MODELLING CLOSE-UPS?

First stop my billboard layout for Polo Ralph Lauren 

Then my print-ad shoot for Dolce and Gabbana

Then my Tom Ford Eyewear print ad

NOW HERE ARE MY MAGAZINE COVERS 

My face on the cover of Esquire September 2013 Issue

  







Then there's my Rolling Stone Magazine Cover Photo

And of course my cover of Men's Fashion Magazine

Hey I got a movie coming out soon....

RED ON BLACK
Driected by: Quentin Tarantino
By: Tri-Star Pictures and Dreamworks

So who says dreams don't come true. 

One thing I realized in this fantasy is that I can be a, not a model, but a good layout artist. I can do fantastic layouts. Ass kickin layouts that look like the real thing.

I hope you enjoyed this little fantasy tour of mine.

Vilma Santos from Being a Queen To an Ekstra

VILMA SANTOS FROM BEING A QUEEN TO AN EKSTRA

Who doesn't know Miss Vilma Santos in this day and age? Well if you are living in the mountains as hermit or in a cave as a tiger, probably you don't know her. But I think I am confident a lot of people know who Vilma Santos is. Many titles have been tagged to her name. Theres the "Box-Office Queen", "The Star For All Seasons". "The Good Governor of Lipa City", The Wife of a Senator", "The Mother of Luis Manzano" whom she joyfully called as "Lucky" during the Vilma Show days.

But for me as a pure Vilmanian, yes I am proud to be a Vilmanian at heart (but I still love Nora Aunor before she joined TV5 "ew"), I know her as a great actress. I know her as an actress that acts from the heart. She takes every role given to her seriously. And she doesn't make movies just for the money. She only choose movie projects that will challenge her acting prowess. That,  alone, makes her the star that we all know today. 

As far as I can remember during the 70s I was in elementary then, her movie Darna, was the in-thing back then. I never knew Darna until Vilma Santos played it in the movies. Because of Vilma the name Darna became famous. And many young actresses today wants to be Darna! Well going back in the 70's as I have said I was in elementarty then and Darna was to be first shown on TV. We were so excited then, even with our black and white TV,  to watch it because we were not able to watch it in theaters. And when it was shown, we were like open mouthes and wide eyes with its special effects and scary villains like medusa and the giant monsters.

"She takes every role given to her seriously. And she doesn't make movies just for the money."

Since then a lot of kids emulated her Darna role and even catapulted the Darna as the ultimate Pinoy Superhero! Even outclassed Superman and Wonder Woman who were very popular at that time.

Then came Burlesk Queen. her image from superhero to bold star evolved. A lot of people disliked this sudden change. Their perspective of her drastically changed too. they cannot accept the fact that the superhero has now matured. Kids did not watched her anymore. As I've matured also, I watched these mature Vilma Santos movies and my admiration of her did not change. I've admired her even more. This is the time that my respect for her as an actress became more intense. I still loved her as an actor.

And zoom in to the present day and age. Vilma Santos has evolved to a totally different person and actor. She is not afraid anymore to tackle risky roles. Just recently she played the mother of a gay son in "In My life" with real son Luis Manzano. And just last year a horror flick in "The Healing", a blockbuster movie. And my most favorite movie she did recently is "Anak". Man, is she so good in that movie. and of course the highly acclaimed "Bata,Bata, Paano ka Ginawa" she is also good there.

The following film clip will give you a sample of how good an actress is Vilma Santos. This is a clip from the Movie "Anak" (The Child). This movie was shown in 2000 and directed by Rory Quintos under Star Cinema. This is a story of a struggling mother who has to work abroad as a domestic helper/nanny just to provide food for her family. And later discovered that her efforts were not appreciated by her family back home. In this clip Vilma Santos as Josie confronted her daughter Carla (Claudine Barreto) for being such an inconsiderate daughter. This clip always make me cry everytime I watch it. Please watch.

Then Zoom-in 2013...she has this totally exciting new movie to be shown on August 14, 2013. Its an Indipendent Film, entitled "EKSTRA". She played a lot of wonderful roles in the past where in she is the star. Now she will experience how to be an Ekstra or a bit player.

This is a masterpiece film of Jeffrey Jeturian A famous movie maker under Quantum Films. This film is originally an Indie Film. But Star Cinema envisioned it to be a blockbuster so they decided to distribute it NATIONWIDE! Just because it is just frickin VILMA SANTOS for crying out loud! In this movie Vilma plays the extra. You know those people who act behind the big stars. usually they act as the double of big stars being slapped and kicked or fed to crocodiles in exchange of the stars of the movie. This movie will try to show how it is not easy being an ekstra. And how they are underpaid and unnoticed with their efforts.

I salute Vilma Santos for taking this unique role. I believe she has not done such role in the past nor any other actors yet to date. She was the first. And because of this her star as the star for all season will even shine brighter than ever before.

Star Cinema thank you also for distributing this gem of a movie nationwide in celebration of your 20th year as a filmaker. Please keep on doing this. Making good quality indi movie flow into the movie mainstream. You are truly helping the movie industry prosper again and make producers of quality movies be confident in making movies again

I will definitely watch this movie. On Saturday its a date! See YOU at the movies!!!!

Say Goodbye to Neck Pains and Back Pains

 

 

SAY GOODBYE TO NECK PAINS AND BACK PAINS

HELLO BLOGGERS  and TECHYS out there spending at least 2 to 3 hours on the computer. I have 2 questions for you. 1. Do you experience neck pains and back pains after spending some time typing on your computer? And. 2. Do you have unused encyclopedias on your library shelf that is just gaining dusts because of years of unuse? Well if you answered yes to both questions. Then it is high time you use these encylopedias into good use to get rid of tiring back and neck pains. 

Yes encyclopedias are fast becoming an endangered species now a days because kids today do not use them any more for research. They go the easy way now they go to Mr. Google for information. Not unlike in our times in the pre-google era where we rely too much on actual libraries and books to look for information. Now encyclopedias are not very popular anymore, so they are left dusting on the shelves of homes and libraries.

How can you put these prehistoric encyclopedias into good use...well search no more. As a teacher, I have experienced a lot of back pains and neck pains so many times whenever I am using the computer in typing test papers for exams. Which leaves me exhausted and irritated after only a few hours of typing. Until a cousin of mine, Marissa Montero Osmena, suggested to lift the computer screen higher to eye level. I said hey "why not!". But how can I increase the screen to a higher level? Should I get a higher computer table? Or should I get a lower seat? that's ridiculous! so I thought of putting stack of books under the screen to making it higher. And "BOOM" encyclopedias are the best candidate for that purpose. (see photo)

Now I can type much easier...no more back pains and neck pains. Just pure pleasure and fun. I don't feel exhausted anymore. PLUS: I even put my old encyclopedias into good use. Great idea hah? Try it!!!!

In the next photo as you can see I used 6 encyclopedias. because I am almost 6 feet tall. You can use lesser...depending on your eye level. I think 6 books is the highest. if you go higher than that the screen will be in danger of falling. So enjoy typing with no pain!

Of course you can only use this tip on flatscreen LCD. The big CRT oldschool computer screen is not applicable for this tip. If you find this tip useful. Use it. Please comment. I would appreciate it.

Happy New Year Philippines

Happy New Year.

What is so Happy with the New Year? Well a lot of things to be happy about. First it is NEW. Everything new we receive we should be happy about it. Like a new pair of shoes, new clothes, new bag. Be happy when its new. YEAR! The year 2013...wow NEW YEAR! Again!! I haven't gotten over with 2012 yet, and here comes another NEW YEAR? 2012 good bye...HELLO 2013!

Time really flies so fast! it seems like yesterday we are celebrating the incoming new year 2012...and now just 4 days to go 2012 is about to bid its goodbye...and we are welcoming another New Year! 2013. What is in store for us this 2013?

Here are my hopes for this NEW YEAR.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas

FOR OUR COUNTRY, THE PHILIPPINES. May 2013 be a more positive year for us Filipinos. We all know that 2012 has brought a lot of bad things for this country. Like typhoons here and there. Tremendous number of people died because of unpreparedness. May our country excel more in terms of the economy. May the Filipino people especially my poor countrymen will finally feel the booming economy everyone is talking about and have a better and prosperous life this coming year. May we be more prepared for more calamities to come, and may our government be more responsive to the needs of the people. May the coming elections this May 2013 be a peaceful and less corrupt. May our COMELEC be more efficient in administering this year's election. May we see the day that corruption in the government will be truly eradicated or lessened in the years ro come. (Now that will be the day.) May we have honest politicians and government officials. If I am not asking too much. And for our President Noy-Noy Aquino...may he have the strength and wisdom to accomplish all his plans for this country, all his aspirations and ambitions. May he stand on his principles and be not discouraged for his failures and continue to move forward for the betterment of this country and the Filipino people.

The happy face of a Filipino child

FOR THE FILIPINO PEOPLE. May 2013 be a better year for all of us Filipinos. May we have more successes this 2013 than failures. May we be more ready for all the challenges that are about to come. Ready to resist poverty and be more productive. Ready to face failures and be more resilient. Ready to resist corruption and be more vigilant. Ready to resist deaths due to natural calamities and be more prepared. Ready to resist laziness and be more industrious. I wish for a better Filipino people this year. A people who knows what we want and go for it. A people who is always ready and willing for the success of many not just individually. A people who share and give than always waiting for help. 

More success this year.

FOR MY FAMILY, THE MONTERO FAMILY. I am aspiring for a more productive 2013 for my family. May our school Psalmshill Christian Learning Center will be more successful this 2013. Success in terms of our application for recognition with DepEd. Success in terms of number of new students. Success for our students specially the graduating grade six pupils this year.  May they be successful in their highschool level in their chosen schools. I wish them to be excellent in all of their studies and endeavors. Good luck and God bless you my grade six pupils. May this 2013 our family will be more as one. One in ideals. One in faith. One in prayers. One in our relationship with God. 

I want a laptop.

FOR MYSELF. I am hoping this 2013 will bring success for me in terms of health. I wish to slim down a bit. this year. I am getting big. I wish to have a more fit and healthy body. I hope to continue exercising a lot. I am also hoping to take the Teacher's Board Exam this year 2013. I hope there will be no problem with the accomplishing of the requirements of DepEd for my board exams. I also hope this year I will be a better teacher than I use to be. I hope to reach down to the needs of my pupils more than my needs. I hope to be more creative in my teaching skills. So I can translate all the lessons to my students according to their level. Not my level. I hope to be more patient and understanding to non-excelling pupils. And be more helpful to them than being unkind and uncaring. And when it comes to WANTS... I badly need a laptop. yes I have been praying for a laptop computer ever since the world began....but it seems God is not giving it to me yet. I don't know why. But I deserve to have a laptop computer. Please Lord answer this persistent prayer of mine. I want to buy one but my salary cannot afford it. I do not have a credit card so i cannot do that. If I will save for it it might take years before I get one. God is rich. He can give me one if he wants to. Yes Lord according to your will. Oh Lord. According to your will. In Your time Lord. Not my time.

OVERALL.  I hope and pray 2013 will be a better year for all of us. Who doesn't? All we have to do is to really want it. And pray for it. Let God guide us in every step of the way. In every single day that will pass by this 2013 let God be our leader in everything that we do. And if God is with us who can be against us. Success is sure if God is always in the middle of everything that we do. Specially in helping others. 

So let us all look forward to a brighter and successful year 2013!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR...indeed.


MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!
LONG LIVE THE PHILIPPINES

Pinoy Christmas, Still The Best Christmas Ever!

I am writing this on the last day of November. I still do not have any idea for a topic for my blog. And it just dawned on me. Its December 01 tomorrow why not write something about Christmas. And not just about any Christmas but THE PINOY CHRISTMAS!!! And my creative writing  juices just kept on flowing afterwards.

Yes the Pinoy Christmas! Christmas here in the Philippines is incomparable in this world. Nothing can match the spirit of Christmas here in the Philippines to any Christmas in any countries in the world. So let us look at how the world celebrate Christmas first before we go to the Pinoy Christmas.

CHINA. In China Christmas is not an official holiday so most schools, offices and shops remain open on Christmas day. Most Chinese do not honor the religious roots of Christmas, being the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. This is understandable because China is not a Christ believing nation. But statistics shows that there are 16 million Chinese Christians in China in year 2005, and this Christian minority do go to Church services on Christmas day.

MALAYSIA. Celebration of Christmas in Malaysia is strictly commercial in nature. Christian overtones of the celebrations are not allowed. The national government strictly do not allow Christian symbols and songs that mention Jesus Christ.

ISRAEL. Israeli Arabs and Muslims do not celebrate Christmas. Ironically Israel is the birthplace of of our Lord Jesus Christ but it is the same country who dishonors our Lord Jesus. 

UNITED STATES. In the US they call Christmas Eve as "The Night Before Christmas". Most of Americans believe in Santa Claus. He is said to be visiting homes leaving gifts while children are asleep during the night before Christmas. Christmas stockings are hanged around the house. And traditionally children leaves a glass of milk and a plate of cookies beside the Christmas tree for Santa.

GERMANY. In Germany, Germans celebrate St. Nicholas' Day on December 6th. It is believed that it is Santa who puts goodies in children's shoes. Santa can also be seen on that day to be visiting kindergarten schools all over Germany. For the kids to get candies and gifts they have to sing a song for Santa first.

RUSSIA. In Russia, Russians celebrate Christmas day on January 7th than on December 25th. This is due to the 13 day difference between the Gregorian calendar and the Julian Calendars. Christmas eves are celebrated with long Church services, including the Royal Hours and vespers combined with the divine liturgy. After the long service the family returns home and consumes the Christmas Meal "The Holy Supper", which consist of 12 dishes each dish in honor of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ.

So that's how the world (well some of it) celebrate Christmas. What have you noticed with the celebrations? Mostly NOT FUN at all. And at a glance you could see how totally distinct Christmas is celebrated here in the Philippines. Here are the reasons why The Filipino Christmas is the most unique Christmas ever!

PHILIPPINES. Christmas is the biggest holiday celebration in the Philippines. The Philippines holds the title of having the longest Christmas celebration in the world! Christmas songs can be heard on radios as early as September 01. Which is the start of the "BER" months. Meaning months ending in "ber". Namely September, October, November and December. Its like a monthly countdown to December which is the Christmas month.

WHY IS CHRISTMAS IN THE PHILIPPINES SO UNIQUE? Here are the wonderful reasons, read on.

KAROLING. This is the local version of Christmas Caroling in the states. A group of children come together as a group. They will get bottlecaps or "tanzans" and flatten them string it on a piece of wire and they have an instant tamborine. If they are creative enough they will get an empty can of milk punch a hole on the middle top of the can then put small stones in it and a stick to cover the hole and they have a maracas. This karoling activity is the signal that Christmas is around the corner. Kids usually start their karoling at the last week of November. These kids can be quite annoying at first since sometimes they sing out of tune and most of the time they just blur the forgotten  lyrics just to finish the song. And they are not just singing they are also shouting at the top of their voice! And their most favorite song are Jingle Bells (pronounced as jingambells) and their favorite finale song is  this...TENKYU, THENKYU ANG BABAIT NINYO, TENKYU! (meaning: thank you you are all so kind) but if they were pissed by the homeowner by shoving them away without giving them any money they will get back to them by singing...TENKYU, TENKYU, ANG BABARAT NINYO TENKYU (meaning: thank you you are all stingy!). Then they runaway fast while laughing and do the same routine to the next house. Annoying (sometimes) but cute.

SIMBANG GABI. Or Midnight Mass. This is a Filipino catholic tradition that started way back during the Spanish era in the Philippines. In Spanish it is called "Misa De Gallo" or Rooster's Mass or "Misas de Aguinaldo" or Gift Masses. Simbang Gabi is a nine day dawn or early morning masses.  Usually the mass starts at 5:00 am and ends at 6:00 am. Simbang gabi starts on December 16 and ends on Christmas eve. Simbang Gabi is mostly said in the Tagalog language. Why does the Simbang gabi a favorite among the Filipinos. Traditionally they say if a mass goer goes to every dawn mass for nine days straight without fail or absent the mass goer will receive a gift or a wish long wanted will be granted on Christmas eve. This is also a favorite excuse for young lovers to meet in church for a secret date for 9 days without suspicion from the strict parents. That is simbang gabi.

PUTO BUMBONG. One reason why mass goers come to simbang gabi it is because of this favorite Filipino delicacy most popular only during Christmas Season it is the PUTO BUMBONG. Puto Bumbong is a rice cake (puto) steamed in tubes (bumbong) over stove top steamers or sometimes sellers use the traditional kalan na de uling or charcoal heated stove to cook these yummy treat. The aroma of these puto bumbong are so delicious that church goers are distracted by it. They could hardly concentrate on the mass because of the aroma lingering from the outside the church. These delicacies are served with hot tea and usually butter is spread over the cake. Taste like a piece of heaven.

BIBINGKA. Here is another favorite Filipino dish best consumed during Christmas time. This is the BIBINGKA! This is also a rice cake best cooked / baked in hot charcoal. One of the most unique features of bibingka is on how they traditionally cook this. The bibinka is actually ground rice in liquid form. They will pour a scoop of the liquid in a clay pan with a banana leaf liner. Then the clay pan will be placed over a clay stove with hot charcoals in it and on top of the pan a sheet of flat iron with burning charcoal on it is placed over the clay pan. This is for even cooking from top to bottom. Bibingka is best eaten with hot chocolate on the side, butter spread on top of the bibingka and shreded coconut is sprinkled generously over it. There are some varieties for the bibinka and among them is my favorite the Bibingkang Galapong. It's made of liquified ground rice and served hot with sliced salted eggs on top of the cake. Taste like heaven

THE BELEN. Another reason why Pinoy Christmas is so unique is because of how we celebrate it. We give great importance to the reason for the season. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Every Filipino knows if asked why we celebrate Christmas and the automatic answer you will get is "Kasi bertday ni Jesus!".  That is why we have belens at home. Belens are the miniaturized statues of the Nativity. Where the main cast of this is the Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph. If a family will be elaborate enough this will include the angel, the shepherds, some barn animals, and the three wise men. I remember when I was still a kid my family and I used to enjoy taking out our belen  and finding the perfect spot to place our belen. Our belen gives us comfort that we are on the right track in celebrating Christmas because we commemorate this by remembering the real reason for celebrating Christmas...it is because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

PAROL. What makes Christmas in Philippines so colorful it is because of the Parol or Christmas Lantern. This is a unique Filipino Christmas decoration. Usually made of bamboo sticks shaped into a star and covered and decorated  with colorful Japanese paper as we call it. Some variety are wrapped in colorful plastic and foils. Pampanga, in Central Luzon, Philippines (my hometown) is best known for making beautiful parols. They can go as elaborate as possible with psychedelic lights and instead of paper or plastic they used flattened sea shells for  beautiful coverings. Here we have a festival called Ligligan Parol where the best parols are showcased and displayed in town and judged and the winner with the most beautiful parol will get a generous cash prize. Such fun.

NOCHE BUENA. What is most fun in Pinoy Christmas is the FOOD! On Christmas eve we have a Christmas dinner called Noche Buena. This dinner is consumed at the strike of 12 midnight Christmas eve. With the loud shout of "Merry Christmas!!!" The Noche Buena is the most prepared meal of the year because of Christmas. Foods like Lechon, Pancit, Fried chicken and Kalamay are the favorite staple of the dinner. Aside from the heavy meals is the favorite dessert of the Filipinos, the Fruit Salad. It is a mixed of cocktail fruits like pineapple sliced, apples, cherries, and papaya mixed with milk and sugar and frozen to perfection just in time for the Christmas dinner. Noche Buena is usually the prelude to the opening of gifts. And Noche Buena is exclusively celebrated by immediate family members only.

HAMON AT QUESO DE BOLA. What is Noche Buena without the star of the Noche buena, "The Hamon at Queso de Bola" or Ham and Cheese. This is a traditional dishes passed on by the Spaniards in the colonization era of the Philippines. We don't use just any ham or cheese. We prefer the expensive smoked hams and the cheese, the edam cheese of Spain, shaped like a ball. Noche Buena is more rich in tradition if these two foods are served during the celebrations. Plus if it is served with punch...juice with a dash of liquor...superb combination. These are what we call finger foods but in the Philippines there is no such thing as finger food everything is eaten with RICE. Rice and more rice. A meal in the Philippines is nothing if we do not have rice.

FAMILY REUNIONS. And the best reason of all why Pinoy Christmas is the best in the world is because of this. The celebrations are mostly centered in Family Reunions. Filipino Families take advantage of the Christmas time to come together and have fun together. We love to celebrate and give thanks for all the graces and blessing the family received in the year that is about to end. We love to exchange stories of our happy past when we were still kids in the old house. We love to laugh together. Cry together, And most especially sing together. And family reunions are not complete without the kids. The children who gives joy to the celebration. And they get to be the richest too because it is in these reunions they get lots of gifts and aguinaldos from their moms and dads and uncles and aunties. And most especially the Lolos and Lolas. It is also during these family reunions that we not only honor and thank God for everything it is also the perfect time to honor our parents. By giving them gifts and thanking them for all their hardships in bringing us all up even in the hardest times. That is why Family reunions are the best in the Philippines.

Those, my friends, are the reasons why The Pinoy Christmas is the best in the world. It is warm. Happy. Joyful. Fun. I hope your Christmas will be as fun as our Pinoy Christmas.

SO, HERE IS TO A MERRY PINOY CHRISTMAS TO ALL. 

MALIGAYANG PASKONG PINOY SA INYONG LAHAT!

facebook is the best

I cannot describe to you how happy I feel right now. I feel happy. Happy because I am so fulfilled with my life right now. At work as a teacher, I think I am doing a great job in teaching my pupils. My only gauge for that is that they enjoy learning the lessons I am giving them. That is more than enough for me. In my personal life, I am happy as a single person. I am contented that I am happy even if I do not have a so called "PARTNER" in life. I never felt I am alone. My family is always there to support me. And most especially my God, our Lord Jesus, is always there to support me and He will never leave me or forsake me. That alone is more than enough for me.

Another reason I am happy right now is the thing everyone is going crazy about. The one we always check everyday. I am talking about the current trend in communication now a days. Social Media. I am happy about FACEBOOK! Yes Facebook! I am so loving it. I am so addicted by it. FACEBOOK IS THE BEST! I've had other social media accounts in the past. I had friendster, Myspace, Tagged, twitter, Google Plus, Name it. I had them. But I never enjoyed social media in my life as FACEBOOK. I think this is the last social medium account I will ever had. Right now I cannot think of myself living without THE FACEBOOK!

How can you not enjoy facebook. This account of mine, my original account since 2009 (yes I have only one facebook account for three years now) once I open it everyday its like opening MY WORLD. Its like knowing whats happening with my world around me with my friends and the things that I want to know everyday is in facebook. With facebook I got to be acquainted with friends I have not seen in ages! like my classmates in grade one. Grade ONE! They still know me. Aside from friends, I enjoy connecting with family members I never thought were part of the family tree. Even distant relatives from both Mom and Dad. I got to know them in facebook. Isn't that amazing?? Another beautiful feature of facebook is the real time chat. If my friends are online I could chat with them as if they are just there beside you talking with each other.Now facebook chat has webcam chat! Even better right?  Also at facebook you could share just about everything. From what you ate at breakfast this morning to recent updates on the world economy. And whats more satisfying when friends got to read your post and liked it. You can share photos of anything happening in your world. And see photos of whats happening in your friend's world. Facebook is truly an effective way to share your life with others and the people you know of. 

No wonder millions of people are hooked with facebook because it gives us the power to share. I am hooked! So much hooked! Facebook gave me a voice. A venue to show and tell who I am and the world that I revolve in. Facebook gave me the chance to share my faith in God. and be connected with people who share my faith.

I remember the time during my teen years back in the 80's and early 90's there is no such thing as facebook. As a young man back then I have so much to say but I don't have a venue where people will listen. That made me self conscious that no one wants to listen to me. Nobody cares of what I am going to say. It is so hard to express yourself back then. Well back then, in the 80's, for a youth like me to express ourselves you can do two things. Join the school paper which comes out once every three months, Or join a rally which doesn't happen a lot. so the chance of self-expression is so rare. All you can do is just write in your diary where nobody reads it but you. Such a lonely thought isn't it?

The Youth of today are so lucky because they have the internet and they have FACEBOOK. Thank you Mark Zuckerberg. for inventing this very simple yet very powerful tool of self-expression. Thank you for sharing to us facebook. because of this social medium the world has become one big community where we can see each other everyday and make this world a better place to live in.

Here is my facebook account link. add me up okay --->https://www.facebook.com/thevanmont

A BIG THANK YOU FACEBOOK!