Democracy in Social Media by Grace Bondad Nicolas

I'm in my "Book Mode or Reading Mode" zone these days. My Dad, an Entrepreneur for more than three decades always telling me that we can learn so much from those successful businessmen and that their vast experience from different challenges could help us solve our own, I agree. 

These days, hard copy books can be expensive not to mention some might not be available at the nearest bookstore at your area. I remember ordering a Php 10,000.00 worth of book from Amazon, that's the book requirement of my professor when I'm still taking my Masters at Letran and thank goodness at the end of that semester, I received the highest grade. That's what I'm calling, it's worth it. 

Today in the Philippines, 33% Filipinos are online while 100% are using mobile phones, that's a whopping 100 million Filipinos having the power in their fingertips because of smart phones. With the available materials online, there must be no reason or excuse not to be aware or informative about what interest us, there's many online books that we can download or just read it at instant for free. 

More and more people now are jumping and revolutionizing the use of Social Media whether they use it for their business to target their intended market or just plain engaging to different Social Media platforms like Facebook or Twitter to socialize, post opinions or just to troll around. 

According to an award winning US journalist  Katie Couric, “The good thing about social media is that it gives everyone a voice. The bad thing is… it gives everyone a voice.”  

Now not only those in democratic states, but anyone with access to the Internet can actualize this freedom. Insightful content has indeed reached mass audiences, but many are beginning to ask, ‘Do we actually want to hear what everyone has to say?’

My Twitter followers came from from different sectors; Senators, Congressmen, Artists, Online Gurus, Entrepreneurs, Advocates, Bloggers or Students. They engage and yes sometimes a few of them are annoying. They talk about everything under the sun and moon and sometimes without sense or maybe just bantering out their opinion even though some of the messages are best kept with them. 

Social Media yes is free, everyone can have multiple accounts and  everyone  can set up their own blogs with the newest ready and easiest templates in front of you but that's the worst thing about it too, not everyone have the passion, not everyone could write a good content and definitely not everyone could engage to her followers. 

The democracy in Social Media is overwhelming but I am sure there will come a time that there will be standards. Social Media is revolutionary and I am confident, not everyone must have the power.

Lola Basyang: A Musical Play and truly Filipino

My kids are artists, they love to sing, dance and their drawings are the best. They joined contest and won a lot of awards for being creative. The month of October has been celebrated as the National Children's Month since 1993. During this time, both government and non-government organizations give focus to Filipino children in recognition of their vital role in the community and in nation building. Joining this celebration, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) will have a limited run of its longest-running musical production for children and young people, Christine Bellen's based on Severino Reyes' Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang.

Official Poster of Lola basyang under PETA

When I received an invite from the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), I scheduled my kids right away, I know the story and heard about Lola Basyang when I was at their age and I wouldn't miss this thing for them. They are Filipino Americans but surely, a story from my youth from my native land will interest them too. Also, they love musical plays, when they were still in my tummy, I watched Les Miserables, Miss Saigon and Chicago at Broadway and sing the songs to them. 

Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang includes; Ang Prinsipeng Mahaba ang Ilong, Ang Binibining Tumalo sa Mahal na Datu, plus a new story, Ang Mahiwagang Kuba.

Ang Prinsipeng Mahaba ang Ilong (The Prince with a Long Nose) grew up thinking that he looked normal until he first stepped out of their castle.

Ang Binibining Tumalo sa Mahal na Datu (The Lady who Defeated a King) introduces Sharay, a servant's daughter from Tondo who surpassed the King's three challenges to make herself worthy of the prince.

Ang Mahiwagang Kuba (The Magical Hunchback) tells the tale of Prince Jorge, who was cursed to be a hunchback separated from his family. To reverse this curse, all he needs is a lady's kiss.

Photo from PETA

Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang is highly praised for its playful costumes and set design.

Costume designers Ron Alfonso and Boni Juan used household items like spoons, laundry clips, puzzle tiles and hand-sewn rags to adorn the characters. The set design by Mel Bernardo is similarly inventive, as it folds, unfolds, rolls on wheel, and uses ladders, slides, platforms and boxes.

Director Phil Noble allows his actors to jump and slide through the set that transforms from castle to house, or even a river.

Noble's direction can easily be dismissed as complex, but his love for drama and movement expels a youthful energy to the entire performance. He draws inspiration from the circus performances he watched during fiestas in his hometown Taal, Batangas.

Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang also features music by Noel Cabangon and Bob Aves.

The play runs from September 27-29, October 4-6, 11-13, 10:00 A.M. & 3:00 P.M. at The PETA Theater Center. Tickets are sold at Php600 (regular) and Php800 (VIP). For details, call 725-6244, 0917-5765400, or petatheater@gmail.com.

http://www.petatheater.com | PETA Theater Center | 

No. 5 Eymard Drive New Manila, QC

Arch Angel- GK Center for Arts and Culture from Victoria Court to Enchanted Farm

Any event will not be possible if there's no venue, whether it's big or small, a place where to gather people especially those in need and spend time together is very important. Only good people and with means can donate a more than 300 square meters floor area with my own estimate of less than Php 1M construction cost for an open building for Social Entrepreneurs.

Victoria Court Group with Mr. Archie King (Second from right) and me

"The Gawad Kalinga Arch Angel Center for Arts & Culture donated by Victoria Court"at Enchanted Farm, Bulacan under Gawad Kalinga was officially launched during the 1st Social Business Summit in the Philippines with over 7000 delegates from different countries and attended by no other than the Vice President of the Philippines VP Jejomar Binay, Senator Bam Aquino, Nikki Perlas, Tony Meloto and different representatives from the Local Government Units, Schools and Agencies.

The Arch Angel- GK center for Arts and Culture 

Hotelier Archimedes Rosario King or simply Mr. Archie King or Archie to his friends, the honcho behind the successful Victoria Court graced the event and the one responsible in building the Arch-Angel Hall. According to him, when Tony Meloto, the founder of Gawad Kalinga asked him to fund the said hall for the Enchanted Farm for Social Entrepreneurs, he gives in right away, this is to help those people who were  in need of a place to venture, collaborate and launch their new projects. Enchanted Farm  is the first of its kind in Asia. This place is a unique ecosystem that provides a convergence platform for government, business, social entrepreneurs, innovators, scientists, farmers and community partners to work together in solidarity in creating solutions to global issues that affect all of us.

At the center is Mr. Archie King of Victoria Court and Gawad Kalinga Founder and Chairman Tony Meloto (right)

All ears during Mr. Archie King speech at the formal launch of  the Ark 

Angel Center for Arts & Culture donated by Victoria Court

Mr. Archie King of Victoria Court

Somehow, the boyish, good looking Archie King made the hall possible. Everyone knows the Brand under the "King" of posh drive-in motels. Victoria Court with a logo depicting a classy but mysterious-looking lady in a hush-up motion, with a background of black and silver. that supposed to embody a secret, and it means that apart from quality and fast service, Victoria Court also offers Privacy, Courtesy, Prompt Service, World Class Facilities, State of the Art Housekeeping and affordable prices for everyone with class.

My pleasure to interview the man behind the successful Victoria Court

Delegates from different parts of the world convened inside the Ark Angel Center for Arts & Culture donated by Victoria Court

Truly the "King" could contribute more to help the Philippines, aside from this Multi Purpose Hall, they helped a lot of kids and into awareness of Reproductive Health.