21st Filipino-Korean Cultural Festival

Yesterday, I had a privilege of attending the 21^st Fil-Kor Cultural Festival, and it was an overwhelming and enjoyable experience. Actually, it’s my second time to attend the Fil-Kor Fest (the first was last year). I think it is better this year. In this post, I guess I will just state my points comparing the two recent fests I attended, the reasons why I said it’s better than the recent year.

One thing I most appreciate on this years’ fest is the emcee they got for hosting of the program. It’s better in a way, because Ms. Sam Oh is fluent equally with the English and Korean language (and some tagalong too). So I think the audience can “go along” as on what’s going on, both Filipinos and Koreans alike. She has that hosting skills, added that she does it professionally.

On the performance aspect, it just all goes well, same with the last year performances. Koreans performed Filipino dances and songs, vice versa, Filipinos did Koreans performances. What I like most was the SINDAW presentation. It was so colorful, their dresses was so grand, especially the singkil costumes. And the performance was so superb! I was so proud  being a Filipino on that moment.

Guest Filipino performers were Francheska Farr and Down To Mars. What so amusing about it were the performances of the contestants received more squee-ing than these two famous (well, are they?! :P) artists. Actually, one of the contestants (Shiners & ComOne Ground) received so much squee from the audience on which Ms. Oh asks if are they really that "sikat" in Korea. Hehe… What she really doesn’t know is that the cover song they performed was the thing being screamed upon by most of the audiences. One of the reason why most group dances get so much screaming is that they cover popular kpop songs.

Mr. Jung Lee, a famous Korean balladeer also graced the event. He performed three songs, but sadly, I don’t recognized any one. He says something in Korean, but I don’t understand any of it too. But anyway, his vocal was so great! I just hope I know him more so I can appreciate his presence. Awtz…

The grand prize winner, which received P50,000.00, were the Hybrid Crew. They were a 5-female group, and they do a cover kpop group performance.

The event also held raffles of boxes of ramen, on which we didn’t won, again! But before leaving the event, they let us logged in our names and contact details, and gave us pamphlets, books, and posters. It is for those who plan to visit Korea. Yay! Actually, I loved it all. It was like a pamphlet/map, a travel guide with all the streets, shopping places, and all other interesting places you would want to visit when you go there. I also loved the books on Korean Cuisine. It was beautiful, and I really loved having it!

All in all, the event was awesomely enjoyable! Thank you Arirang for the tickets! Till next year…

A Letter For You, Madam

I’ve been missing you so much. Only now I realized the things you keep on telling me when you’re still here with us. The things you told me, the lessons you taught me, the worries u feel, your interests in life on which I, myself, find interesting too, those for-the-girls-only chitchats we shared, your belief & principles, ideology & thoughts – all of those things, reminding me of your presence once upon a time - are now memories.

Sometimes I smile when I remember your tactlessness, then I realized, I missed your bluntness, your rudeness. The way your react on a certain situation, I understand it now, cause that’s the way I will react too, but I think in more restrained manner. I wish I am strong as you, and as smart as you. The high and mighty facade you show hides a little modesty and reserved attitude inside. Some don’t see that, but I do. I always do, ‘coz I feel you. And I want to thank you for helping me to know and understand myself more – simply by watching you. 

Up until now, I just can’t believe that you’re really gone. All I want is to see you again! I think I have to continue what you have started... Till we meet again, Ma’am! Xoxo…

Wacky Dream

Hello! I just wanna share to you my oh-so-nice yet funny kind of dream last night. I’m so excited to share this to you. Actually, this is my first time I had a dream like this. I mean this is the first time I had a night  dream of him, my bias KHJ, and I’m still so overwhelmed by it until now. It goes a little something like this…

The first scene was so vague. He was there, I think it was something like a concert, or a product endorsement in a mall maybe… I guess he was performing a song, or maybe he was greeting and saying something. He was waving to his fans, there were so many people screaming, something like that. But I think I was closer to him, maybe I was in the front-right side of the stage,’coz I was able to see him more closely. I could see his face. His ever-so-handsome face.

Next scene, we were waiting outside the boutique (of a mall), so I guess it was outside the The Face Shop boutique. Waiting for him to go out and have our autographs and picture-takings of him. So there he was, making his grand exit of the said boutique. I don’t know, it seems that only a few of us are waiting for him outside. I really don’t remember if I did approach to him a picture taking with us or some of my colleagues, but what’s important is he allowed us. Haha… So I did.  Again, I don’t know how I make a picture-taking where I did the shots, and also I was included in the picture. Hehe… But wait, it didn’t happen actually, because before the shots was taken, the camera made an error, and it turned black. And I then I tried it again… and again. But nothing happens…  My camera seems broken! Awtz… L

So I made a way to repair it, checking the battery, checking the memory, etc. I noticed my camera had a game on it… It’s something like tetriz! Haha… Crazy dream!  I was trying to delete the game to free some memory, but it didn’t work. My mom (yes, she was there too! Haha!) said KHJ was waiting for the camera to be ready.  And when I looked at him, he was so tired waiting for me (for my camera actually hehe…). I guess it was a couple of minutes, or even an hour he waited. Gosh, he really waited huh!

After a multiple effort I made to make my camera work, nothing happens! In the end, my mom said, let KHJ go, ‘coz he looks so tired and bored waiting for that damn camera! Gosh, pity KHJ! So I said maybe I’ll make it next time, so he left. Awtz! My chance has gone!

What’s so touching about this dream is his willingness to wait… though I know it’s not something personal, but for his fans, a single effort to make his fans happy, he’ll do. And that’s what makes me closer to him!

Credits: pics as tagged

Reminiscing 2011

Year 2011 is a very "learning year" for me. Learning year I say, because I have encountered a lot of different situations, problems, new settings, new job, new places and of course new friends and acquaintances that made me a better person, if that is. These new experiences makes me start the new year with a warm welcome and with a full embrace trusting that this year will be a prosperous one for me and for all my loved ones, and also for everybody living on this Planet Earth. :P

The biggest factor that rocks my previous year is my new work. This is especially on the last few months. Actually, I was really thankful that I made this big decision ‘coz if I don’t left my previous job, I will not experience and learned this new “rocking” kind of work. I’m not saying I don’t like the latter; it’s just that I was so tired and so sick of the same-old-job-everyday. But I was so grateful that I also learned from it. Everything that I do and everything that happens to me, good or not-so-good, or even the bad ones, I believe it makes me who I am now. My present job makes me really thrilled, jittery, or sometimes drains me so much, but still, I’m excited to wake up each day anticipated to learn a lot of new things.

Family ties solidify last year, esp. on the extended kinship. This happens when Aunt Jane died last February, which, in a way, a prelude to the La Familia reunion happened on April. The reunion had some flaws, but it actually achieved its main purpose, to make a connection between the family members. Facebook played an important role. It makes and but it also breaks relationship between us, depending on how you use it. Some of them unintentionally used the social network to damage their relationship with others. But for me, as far as I know, I haven’t had disagreements with any persons (pm me if there’s any), esp. with the family members. As I said with my Tita Brends, I am a peace-loving-citizen of this country, and I don’t entertain any conflicts with any person.

Happy New Year to everyone! Yay...

20th Fil-Kor Cultural Fest

Yesterday, I attended the 20^th Filipino-Korean Cultural Festival at the Aliw Theater, CCP, Pasay City with my ahjumma, Gilda. It was a free event to everybody who loves anything about Korea, ‘though getting an admission ticket (passes) requires you to be a “tough one.” Lol. After five straight late-late-nights of “puyatan,” I finally won my ticket on a Friday afternoon (Gah.) via Arirang Town Ph. At least it is a pair of passes, so I can carry another friend for a company. I decided to bring with me my ahjumma who’s just a few steps away from our house. Likewise, she’s a “Hangukeu Aein.”

The event will begin at 2pm, but the ticket distribution will start at 10am to 1pm as the Arirang admin posted on their wall. I told Aunt Gilda that we should leave our house as early as 10am so that we can reach our destination by 12nn. By then we can still have a chance for a more comfortable seats we could have. But sadly as it is, she came at 11am. So at around 1:15pm we’re still at Vito Cruz, waiting for other passengers to fill the seats of our shuttle going to CCP Complex.

When we reach the venue, there were several commotions on both sides of the entrance - FC and other groups who’s in-charge of tickets distribution. A younger-aged man, who’s wearing purple shirt with “20^th Fil-Kor Cultural Festival” print at the back, told the crowd that the PKCI (including other FC) winners must proceed to the right side and the Arirang winners to the left. Not knowing where the left is (haha…), I asked/told him I am a winner of Arirang Town. So he guides us to the Arirang direction. Upon reaching the said booth, we followed the queue to get our entrance passes. We were instructed to bring ID when claiming our passes, so I did. But when I reach the ticketing staff, she just asks my name, and then ask for my companion, I logged in on their book, then that’s it, I got our catalogue/ticket. They didn’t require ID.

So we proceed to the entrance. They gave us bottled water upon entering the lobby. I was hoping the following staffs will give us a more solid food such as biscuits, or any pastries that will compliment the water they gave… ahahah! But that’s it! Water is all that they can offer! (Don’t ask for more, Misty, remember it’s a free event!). Ok… Anyway, food and drinks are not allowed inside, as you can see on the walls of the theater. Maybe they gave us water to aid us with our squee-ing later on. Lol.

You have to climb a few stairs to reach the entrance of the theater itself. Between the stairs-break, there’s that ulzzang Korean greeter that welcomes you to the event. My ahjumma companion wants to answer the greetings with “gomawo” if only she didn’t forget. So she just replies it with a smile. Haha…

Upon entering the theater, the ELFs are already squee-ing since the SuJu’s MV is playing on the screen. Gosh, I wish I was one of them. We found the right seat for us. Unfortunately, that “right seat” is reserved for VIPs (judges and special guests) only. Ahahah… Most of the “good seats” are already occupied so we proceeded on the upper section. Then we found along the pathway on the center. It’s not the best seat but not a bad one, ‘twas just in the mediocre middle. The video on the screen continued on playing MVs of different kpop groups, and the fans continued to squee as well.

The program started with singing the national anthem of the two countries. Then, the two emcees (Kim Hyun Sun and Jojo Alejar) proceed to the introductions and announcements on the event. Welcome remarks and messages were stated by the chairman of the events, UKCA president, and other representatives from different trades of two countries before the contest begin. There were 15 grand finalists who performed on the event. Koreans finalists perform Filipino songs and dances and Filipino finalists perform Korean songs and dances. Group performances got the most squee from the crowd ‘coz they do parodized the kpop groups. In the end, the “Heat Group” which consists of female dancers bagged the grand prize. Two of the invited guests are JM de Guzman and Julie Anne San Jose which made the audience scream and go wild. The event ended with awarding of plaque of appreciation and raffle draws.

Comments:

Overall, the event was good. Yeah, since it was free, I won’t be nitpicky about it. But I want to comment on the announcement of winners part. I guess it was because of communication barriers that the two emcees/hosts can’t understand each other. On the presentation of the winners, Jojo A. obviously doesn’t understand who the winners are. The Korean host, I don’t know, but I think she has a world of her own (or maybe I was wrong ‘coz I don’t understand what she says). She doesn’t clearly stated who wins, I think she just call the group to come to the front. We, the audience just know it ‘coz they go with them, and they’re giving the awards to them. Just my two-cents. :D

Tiring Monday

I have to pay our 2-wks overdue Meralco bills early yesterday ‘coz I’m afraid they’d cut their service to us so I left our house at around 8am (yeah that’s early for me, hmp!). I took the Ever-Ikot jeepneys to shun the difficulty of climbing the Sandigan overpass and a long walk going to the Meralco center. After arriving at the Ever Mall, the driver send me to another jeepney passing along Meralco to avoid from being caught by the traffic police (the Ever-Ikot route is obviously not yet permitted), and I’m thankful the kind driver returned the fare I paid.

Getting in at the Meralco Center, I took the lane for wheel-chaired persons, noticing the guards and other people looking at me going to that lane. Care koh db?! Why should I trouble myself climbing the stairs when there’s an easy way going up, hehe… When I reached the guard at the main entrance, he welcomes me with a smile and greets me a good morning (well, good!). Upon entering the premise, quite changes I have observe. Well, it’s not the same old Meralco building that I visited years ago. I was paying my bills usually on bayad centers on malls so it’s my first time to see the difference since they renovated the structure. My most appreciated transformation here is their service. Now, they got many counters to attend to their clients, both payers and inquiries alike. And that’s what they call serbilis. They also had the energy counter on one corner, which displays two aircons. I guess it tells you how to count/compute the energy used for these two appliances, on which I don’t dare to care, haha… Right at the back of the teller shows the murals that illustrate their services by showing smiling people, etc. Nowadays, murals have always been used on malls, banks, restaurants, and yes, even service centers. Actually, our office, a seafarer’s manning agency had this too. A mural really creates a different aura to the establishment it presents.

Anyway, back to Meralco, after paying our bills, I decided to walk along Commonwealth Avenue going to Sandigan footbridge. Since it’s just a few steps going there, I don’t sweat over that small stuff (haha!). And here comes the footbridge… ahmm. It’s should have been easy to climb that great stair if there’s shouldn’t have any obstruction to the handles on the side. It’s just that there are several beggars on the side on which I don’t know where I can hold and get the strength I needed to push myself up. Omg, on panic, thinking I might lose my balance, and end up on the bottom of the stairs, the last thing I remember is holding somebody beside me, and told him, “Kuya, pahawak ha, kc hindi ako makaakyat eh!” My goodness! To my shame, I don’t look to see the face of the man. I don’t know if he’s older or younger than I am, if he’s good-looking or not. And worse, I haven’t thanked him for his kindness! Aigoo…

After I crossed that overwhelming footbridge, I took jeepney going to Cityhall for I had to renew my NBI document. Arriving at 9am, I’m thinking I was early and confident I could get my needed document within the day. But to my disappointment, when I asked the guard, he told me that the cut-time for giving numbers (yeah, numbers for the people they can serve/attend within the day) ended at 7am. And when I looked at the queue of the applicants for NBI Clearance, woah…it is so long that the tail-end almost reaches the Kalayaan Avenue (Philhealth Dept). Some people blab about they’re being there even before the crack of dawn. Gosh… With no other option left, I finally decided to go home. But wait, when I passed at Ever Mall early that morning before going to Meralco, I noticed an ad at the front of the mall stating they accommodate NBI Clearance processing. So I dropped at the said mall hoping I could have my most sought after clearance. I went straight to the side entrance (as the guard instructed), and joined the other “hopefuls.” Later on, another guard attends to us and confirms what the other applicants told me. They can accommodate only 500 pax within the day, and all the slots had already been given.  Waah…

I don’t know what else to do. I’m tired to travelling back and forth, and I accomplished nothing. Sitting on a bench, I tried to look at the stuff on my bag. Personal things, papers, envelopes… yeah… On one envelope, I saw the application for POEA clearance (for new LO) which I processed last week. I’m thinking maybe I can get it now. Why not?! So I called the number scribbled on the back of the application letter to confirm if it’s available this time around. And it was. Yay… So again, I took the COA-Ikot jeepney queuing beside the mall to avoid the troubles of crossing the footbridge. Then, I rode Ortigas-Ilalim bus going to POEA.

The travel took almost 2 hours, and I reached my destination at 12:30nn. So I waited till 1pm to while away the lunchbreak. I went to cafeteria to find a decent meal I can afford to buy, but unfortunately my budget suits two hopia and a Big Plus juice which I bought on the street-side stores outside the building. After finishing my hopia-meal, I went to the 4^th floor of the building. By the time I reached the location of my purpose, the lunchbreak ends. But as what happens usually on government offices, some staffs were not yet on their posts. Some were doing their last-ditch hygienic activity (toothbrushing, hair-combing, etc.), and some were trying to prolong the last minutes of breaktime by chit-chatting w/ fellow employees. We’re in the Philippines so that’s normal. Lolz… Anyway, on me, I think I waited another 10 minutes (wow! At least, that’s kind!) before I was attended (of course, I was first on the line).

After getting my clearance on the AIRB (Anti-Illegal Recruitment Bureau), I submitted it to the licensing division together with the other needed documents. Upon checking the documents I’ve passed, the clerk told me that the NBI lacks my thumbmark, returning all the documents to me. Aw, where can I find that stamp pad?! Don’t know where to go, I took the elevator going down to the ground floor. Ah, I think the man who sells autoload, callcards, and offer fax services had it. So I went there, asks for a P15 autoload, then I ask him if he has stamp pad. He directs me to the ID/photo shop just in front of him. Gosh… I saw it but I was hesitant to approach the man ‘coz I was thinking maybe his stamp pad’s for his customer’s use only. With no other choice left, I moved toward him and ask shyly if I can dip my thumb on the stamp. And he says, “Oo, cge!” with a smile. Then after I lay my thumbmark on my NBI, he offers a rug to clean my thumb. Gosh again… I love you na kuya! Bait mo, promise! Hahaha…

After thanking the super bait na kuya,  I went to 4^th floor again. On the elevator, I found the ever-friendly ‘Nay Elvie, asking the elevator-lady. Her non-stop question-answering-her-own-questions were, “May library tayo dito db?! Anong floor ba ung library naten? Fifth floor db?! May ire-research kc ako eh!” I don’t know if the elevator-lady knows her, but looking at her reaction, I don’t think so. Hahaha… The lady half-heartedly answers, “Oo.” Nanay Elvie, not minding if the latter answers her questions or not, turns to look around at us all. Then she saw me, recognize me, and ask me what I am doing there. I told her I need to give the papers to licensing division. Then we reach the fourth floor, and she exits too. She also asks the guard for the location of the library. Fifth floor. Now, she accompanies me to the receiving counter, where I’ve been earlier. She told me to give the documents to the teller, so I did. The clerk told me to follow-up the papers after 5 working days, which means I may get it next week. Then we left the counter. ‘Nay Elvie told me that after they release the clearance for those documents, her job is done. I heard the sorrow and regret on the voice behind that statement. She holds this position for almost 10 years, and although she’s been a slackey one for this job, I know she loved doing it too. I feel partly-sad, partly-glad to what she says. I admit I’m happy that I will be having a source of income by doing this, but also sad ‘coz I know somebody else will lose that source. ‘Though I know that this is just one-part of her many sources, it will mean a great loss for her.

We part ways as she went to the 5^th floor while I went down to the ground floor. Sitting on the chairs allotted for the applicants waiting for their turns, I texted Sir Noli and Ma’am Tess regarding the status of my agenda. Finally, after waiting of no reply for almost half an hour, I decided to go home. While crossing the Ortigas footbridge going to the Fairview-Route bus, I received a text from M’Tess saying she had my ordered shoes, and I may get it at the office in Kalaw. So I said I’m coming to get it. I was about to do the labor-steps of the stairs when I received another text from her, “Baka mahirapan ka, malayo pa un!” She was aware of my difficulties in climbing the stairs of the MRT in Ortigas. When I read it, okay, there’s next time! Besides, I’m really exhausted travelling, climbing up and down to the stairs and footbridge the whole day. Gah. So I rode the Fairview-routed bus, dropped me at the Riverside, then I took the tricycle going home. I reach our home at 3:30pm. I ate my lunch and take a rest. Haissttt… my feet and my legs are aching… A really tiring Monday!