PROJECT RUNWAY PHILIPPINES WINNER

No, this is not a spoiler. I just want to make my fearless forecast on who’s going to win the first season of Project Runway Philippines. This is actually the very first Project Runway show I ever saw. I have to say that ETC with the prime aid of Unitel productions did a fine job in presenting the program to Philippine reality TV. So, my take on who will win the show? Aries- Simply because he did not bore the audience. It was fun seeing my crushes Theresa (the show’s host) and Mara (one of the 14 designers) in real life scene compared to seeing them in the boob tube. But I have to say I can’t believe how gorgeous Theresa is-it’s surreal.

So I was in the final runway show of Project Runway Philippines courtesy of ETC/Solar Entertainment as handed to me by “the bestfriend” April. After the fast pace of the show, we had our dinner at Burgoo with the company of an interesting crowd which I will safely call as the “planners”.

MCPHEE-VER NOSTALGIA

I stumbled upon this video from youtube which contains two things that I like – One, “Saddenly I Feel” , not a thing but a song with beat and melody so upbeat it passed my standards =) Not too sure about the lyrics though. Two, Katharine Mcphee- Again, she’s not a thing but a gorgeous woman with these gorgeous vocals. She was my bet during American Idol Season 5 which was won by Taylor Hicks against her. I haven’t really heard much about her these past few months. All I know is that she is now an addition to the many beautiful faces of the brand Neutrogena and that she (sadly) already tied the knot with producer Nick Cokas.

To fill up my nostalgia of “McPheever”, here is a video of her photos in montage. Hope you guys can update me if you know anything about her as of the press time. Geez, did I just sound like a stalker?

PENIS

Now, before you throw in your “ews” and disappointment remarks because you think I’m sleazy, hear me out first. I am born D-E-N-I-S Guevara Claves and like what I said on my profile, my name was just chosen by my mom from a baby book. Now, I always joke about the somewhat weird spelling of my name in comparison of course to the conventional D-E-N-N-I-S. Imagine my name misspelled. Say, you accidentally dropped the D and replaced it with P. This case happens all the time especially when manually writing down my name on a paper. This pitch always works during my job interviews. It helped me inject humor which leads to a relaxed momentum.

April (the best friend) requested for me to write about this and humiliate myself (insert smiley here). Oh well, I believe in laughing at one’s self to be very human so what the heck.

Now, careful when writing me a letter alright? Ha Ha Ha. I hope this thought is funny to you, or else I lost all the right reasons and came out just sleazy.

CREATIVE ADS

The first ever Tinta Awards has been concluded and I am glad to show here some of the creative showcase from this year’s winners. UPMG or United Print Media Group is the one responsible in the formula of Tinta Awards. This award giving body primarily aims to showcase the beauty and efficacy in using Print as a medium to translate AD campaigns into life changing experiences. The photos and text are extracted from Adobo Magazine, October 16, 2008.

As an individual working in a creative industry, I would have to say that these print materials are products of sheer genius. Agree? Well, scroll down and drop your comments.

1. Mach 5 Energy Drink - “More Power Campaign” / "Pedicab"
Bronze - Beverage (single entry & campaign)
Agency: Creative Juice Manila
Creative Director: Tanke Tankeko
Art Director: Del Metante, Alan Navarra, Andrei Salud, Yuri Tiong
Copywriter: Bryan Avanceña, Joey Melliza

1. Bayan - “Bayan Balloons”
Bronze - Business Products and Services / Utilities
Agency: BBDO Guerrero
Creative Director: David Guerrero, Brandie Tan, Tin Sanchez
Art Director: Brandie Tan
Copywriter: Tin Sanchez

1. A1 Driving School - “Used Cars”
Bronze - Corporate & Institutional
Agency: McCann Worldgroup Philippines
Creative Director: Raul Castro, Noel Bermejo
Art Director: Noel Bermejo
Copywriter: Gabby Alcazaren, Gerry Cacanindin

1. Coppertone Sport - “Baseball”
Bronze - Pharmaceutical / Beauty Products / Cosmetics & Toiletries
Agency: DM9 JaymeSyfu
Creative Director: Merlee Jayme, Eugene Demata, Mike Calaquian, Jerry Hizon
Art Director: Mike Calaquian
Copywriter: Jerry Hizon

1.Tinactin Anti-Fungal Cream- “Fish”
Bronze - Pharmaceutical / Beauty Products / Cosmetics & Toiletries
Agency: DM9 JaymeSyfu
Creative Director: Merlee Jayme, Eugene Demata, Jerry Hizon
Art Director: Herbert Hernandez, Allan Montayre
Copywriter: Jerry HizonAxe Deodorant - “Mars & Venus”Bronze - Pharmaceutical / Beauty Products / Cosmetics & Toiletries

Age Agency: Lowe Inc.
Creative Director: Steve Clay, Rene Dominguez
Art Director: Bong Legaspi, Ray Villacarlos, Mario Serrano
Copywriter: Aimee Espiritu

Public Service - “Childhope Good Kids”

Childhope Asia Philippines - “Meals”
Bronze - Public Service / Charity / Fund-Raising (single entry)
Silver - Public Service / Charity / Fund-Raising (campaign)
Best in Photography (campaign)
Agency: BBDO Guerrero
Creative Director: David Guerrero, Simon Welsh, Joel Limchoc
Art Director: Joel Limchoc
Copywriter: Simon Welsh
Photographer: Richard Bahaghari

WWF - “Scarf”

Bronze - Public Service / Charity / Fund-Raising
Best in Illustration
Agency: Leo Burnett Manila
Creative Director: Raoul Panes
Art Director: JP Cuison, Ryan Giron
Copywriter: Candice Madamba
Illustrator: John Barry Ballaran

1. McDonald’s - “Bird’s Nest”
Bronze - Retail Outlet / Fast-Food Stores / Restaurants
Agency: DDB Philippines
Creative Director: Teeny Gonzales
Art Director: Joseph Velasquez
Copywriter: Teeny Gonzales

1. Marie Claire - “Marie Claire Mouths”
Silver - Sports / Entertainment / Travel & Leisure (single)
Bronze - Sports / Entertainment / Travel & Leisure (campaign)
Agency: BBDO Guerrero
Creative Director: David Guerrero, Joel Limchoc
Art Director: Dale Lopez

RICHEST FILIPINOS

Amidst the worldwide economic crisis, here is a list that can hopefully dive in some inspiration to be more resilient in these trying times of slimming wallets. Forbes Asia Magazine listed Top 40 Richest Filipinos yesterday, October 16, 2008.

Extracted from Philippine Daily Inquirer issue today, Here are the 10 richest people in the Philippines!

1. Henry Sy ( SM Investments Corp.) $3.1 Billion.

2. 2.Lucio Tan ( Philippine Airlines and Fortune Tobacco) $1.5 Billion.

3. 3.Jaime Zobel de Ayala (Ayala Corp.) $1.2 Billion.

4. 4.Andrew Tan ( Outsourcing, Gaming and Tourism) $700 Million.

5. 5.Tony Tan Caktiong (Jollibee) $690 Million.

6. 6.John Gokongwei Jr. ( JG Summit) $680 Million.

7. 7.Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. (San Miguel Corp.) $610 Million.

8. 8.Enrique Razon Jr. (Int’l Container Terminal Services) $525 Million.

9.George Ty ( Metrobank) $435 Million.

10.Iñigo and Mercedes Zobel ( “old rich scions”)$430 Million.

Yes, the man who introduced the malling culture in the country is now the richest man in our local shores. The richest senator, many Villar is still on the top 40 list but went down from last year’s rank of No. 5 to No. 11 this year. Media Moguls from GMA Network Menardo Jimenez ( No. 21) and Gilbert Duavit (No.22) proved rich alongside their direct rivals Oscar Lopez ( No. 16) and Eugenio Lopez III (No. 28) both from ABS-CBN.

According to Forbes, the major shakeup in Stocks market made a pretty big influence in this year’s list. Anyhow, this proves to be a spark of inspiration to all of us to “work, work, work and save, save, save!”

K A L Y E

Immersion in the real street scenario- this is the general substance behind the newest news magazine program in ABS-CBN’s late night documentaries. KALYE , hosted by Sol Aragones, Atom Araulo and Anthony Taverna tackles the real events that take place in streets. Topics can range from crimes, hunger and people living at the very face of the streets.

I have seen the segment of Atom Araulo when he went down the drainages to discover the substances that form the undergrounds. It also depicts the lives of people doing the job in real life. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it. Another segment I saw by Atom again is when he tried living like a street dweller. He experienced sleeping by the sidewalks and hunting for food in the streets and thoroughfares. I haven’t seen the full episode, but I can say that this program bagged quite a niche.

Beyond the high profile economic crunch and bank reserves melting down here and there, Kalye showcases how ordinary citizens go about with the effects of these big issues. It shows how our neighborhood sari -sari store lose income in a daily basis. It shows how familiar faces like sales ladies, jeepney drivers, and garbage hunters go through their daily lives looking for the “grandeur” in food to serve for an ordinary day’s meal.

Kalye airs over ABS-CBN every Monday, after Bandila.

TALKING COMFORT ZONE

Weird alert!

Tell me, can you get more literal than this?

TEXT SAYS: "Urine here"

TEXT SAYS: "Man waste here"

FORGIVE ME FOR THE UNPLEASANT WORDS.=)

A STARE

A stare, it’s very visual and strikes you in one of the most keen and sharp organs of the body-the eye. I believe that a stare can be so powerful. One can relatively gauge a person’s character in a momentary stare. I’ve seen a lot of stares, and experienced a lot of it too.

A stare can be bad. I’ve seen people in the MRT with this kind of stare. People can get really agitated in situations where you feel to tightened and sweaty. A person can also stare you bad because you stepped into his/her foot. I have actually witnessed a catfight between two females inside the MRT because of a bad stare. A little too shallow I’d say.

A stare can be good, of course. It can mean positive physical attraction. You’ll know it in a stare if someone is attracted to you. I can be a cut sharp stare or a shy stance. It is also a natural occurrence to give a stare to someone we admire physically. It can happen in random situation and with random strangers. I’m not talking about casual sex of course.

Do you stare too? - Because in my case, stare is my turf. Ha Ha Ha. Go figure.

BOB ONG

I have read a lot of books before but never have I seen a book written so fluid, it can actually throw you away from the constraints of the physical world. Yes, I am talking about the books of Bob Ong. Oh well, to put it in a more correct manner, the author that I am referring to is really named as Roberto Ong. Let me tell you about the origin of his name “BOB ONG”. (As if you haven’t heard of this, let’s just say that’s the case.) Roberto Ong started as a web developer and a teacher. When moments call for some spare time, he plays on his website tagged by himself as “Bobong Pinoy” which became prominent as “Dumbed Filipino”. This site was named People’s Choice Philippine Web Award for Weird/Humor in 1998. Ironically, this diminutive writings turned him into a famous Pinoy author known as Bob Ong.

His popular quotable quotes are now most forwarded text message around the text society. I haven’t really finished any of his books and I’m planning to buy all of them to see just why people are talking about him.

Here are BOB ONG’s works:

ABNKKBSNPLAko?! (Aba nakakabasa na pala ako?!) (Wow, I can really read now?!)

Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro Ang Mga Pilipino?(Why do Filipinos read books in reverse?)

Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas (Judas' favorite book)

Alamat ng Gubat (Fable of the forest)

Stainless Longganisa (Stainless Chorizo)

Macarthur

SMART BUDDY COMMERCIALS

Time again for me to share my insights on the latest advertising materials prevailing today in mainstream media. Its quite different this time, because my take is a little personal. Personal, because I see these commercials fascinating because of the character on it and because of the person who portrayed the character. The common face on these commercials is Bianca. She is a contemporary of Atom Araulo ( now a reporter for ABS-CBN News) in the teen oriented program 5 and Up. On that program, she really caught my attention because of her witty stance, not so intimidating smile and her crisp articulation of her spills.

Now, my memory of my long time "crush" for her is revived as she dish out this very funny commercials for Smart All Calls 20 on the first video and Smart Fish Buddy on the second one.

I hope these videos will send you to a weekend filled with laughters.

TEACHERS DAY

Edward Gonzales, Elizabeth Santos and Val Cabañero - college professors who helped me and the whole of my class polish our capabilities and blessed us with the knowledge of the (advertising and public relations) industry in the aim to fully equip us with the soul and substance of a real creative prodigy. (Whoa! What was that again?) Please disregard the graphic fact that April was with each one of them. I regret the idea that I never had the chance to take a pose with these professors. Oh well, there’s always a next time. To my most favored college professors, maraming salamat po! (Thank you very much!)

It is indeed the time to pay our gratitude to our dear mentor as we all commemorate this day made especially for them- “Happy Teachers day” to you if you are a teacher reading this right now. I have to say that the skills I have right now were polished by the institutions that we all know as schools or universities. We all know that it’s such a noble job to be employed as a teacher. In choosing this profession, one has to be inspired by the duty and responsibility because it is not a high profiled field. This makes it more humbling to experience their talent knowing how selfless they are. I feel blessed being educated by my teachers from pre-school to college and I need not drop a tear to express it.

To end this, I would like to thank my elementary mentor in journalism, Ms Helen Flores. Thanks to her, for guiding me through in articulating my thoughts and helping me grow the appreciation for current events and the society. I hope she’s doing well right now.

EXPATRIATES NOT OFW

In an article published yesterday by Philippine Daily Inquirer, our president worded out that we shall tag our fellows working abroad as Expatriates and not Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). This move largely banks on the fact that Filipinos working abroad are in fact skilled workers earning substantial amount of money defined by different currencies which gives them the capability to become the most potent back bone of the Philippine economy mostly because of their dollar remittances.

Dangling across this move is the issue of the BBC show “Harry and Paul” episode wherein a Filipina maid was subliminally characterized as a sex slave. This episode was condemned by many Filipinos and I am joining that list. British government said that the so-called “freedom of expression” in the show is no longer a hand towel touch matter of the government. According to them, Filipinos play large contributions to Britain society highlighting their roles in scientific and service sectors.

TV programs especially comedy skits largely gain viewership because of the entertainment values on it-Entertainment that can be done through witty scripts or simple uncanny human acts. Comedy shows can be a no-brainer boob tube thread at times, and we are all aware about this. Including Filipino race or any other race on a comedy skit to bring in significant stimuli for laughs is clearly and utterly unacceptable. We need not spell out the word respect for this, right?

My father has been working for a foreign land for quite a long time now. I am a proud son of a man who sacrificed his comfort zone just to make greater earnings for his family. I hope people from other lands will acknowledge this kind of scenarios. I also hope that Filipina women can redeem their character in the world because they are by all definitions, more than just a beautiful face.

BANDILA

The premiere 30 minute late night news cast of ABS-CBN re energized its landscape as they launched last October 6 with a new Opening Billboard (OBB).

So far, I have to say that this is by far the most well thought of news format ever seen in Philippine TV. There goes a non-over powering type of delivery and swift pace of news cast. For the new season of Bandila, Ces Drilon is back from a three month suspension incurred in by her most buzzed about captivity by the Abu Sayaf to once again re- energized the powerhouse trio together with Korina Sanchez and Henry Omaga Diaz.

Unlike other news cast which is either too brief or too long, Bandila is intelligently concise. The confident transitions and the full packed news done by field anchors make it impact more. Proving that Bandila stands out among the clutter of slogan-bragging news programs, Bandila is a two time World Emmy nominee.

I Am The Menace

Restructuring took 16 hours. Consultations and desperate HTML helps took 3 or even more headcounts for me to come up with this new blog look. Edit that out, I have to say that this is an entirely new blog. New, because I am to improve on it a lot and put on more worthy reads and information that are as important as the daily Libre tabloid’s unconventional Horoscope. Now, I know that I took some melodramatic exit goodbyes for “Greenfields of My Menace” so please forgive me for that bastard move.

My old blog served as my playground to see if blogging is really for me. I have tried mix and match of colors, change of templates every now and then, not to mention the gazillion times that I changed my blog host. Well, thank Good Lordy for Blogspot- user friendly just like a Nokia phone. Coming with the experiences in blogging are friends who have come to be my great confidantes and online pals. To all of you guys, thank you for the genuine friendship and the day to day temper in acknowledging my small questions about blogging.

October 22, 2008 will date the second year of my blogging life. And yes, I certainly call it life because this has been one of my significant learning. I have to say that blogging made me feel like a journalist who takes a great deal in every post I have to make. In this note, I would like to thank my two hands-counted readers and ahem, followers. May this new blog engage you more into how I see this earthly land? And yeah, I’m trying to be funny.

So, please let me hear those claps and cheers? Okay I won’t force you, but just like what the goddie boy Dale Bacar told me in his text last night, I should not let some jerks ruin my daily happiness that is in blogging. Thanks man for the kind words.

So, here we go. This is The Menace, simply reloading!

Stories on a Weekend

Because it was a Holiday last Wednesday, I thought of taking a leave on a Thursday in time to accompany my mom in the hospital for her annual general check-up. It’s been quite a while since I last went to a hospital and it was quite a nostalgic scene for new-born babies. Why so? The last two episodes of my hospital were when Santino (my nephew and God son) was born November of last year’s, and when Francesca (my God daughter) was born last August. So, I guess, for as long as I am never confined with all the strings and dextrose, hospitals will always remind me of new born humans!

So it turned out that my mom is super healthy. I’m so glad to know. Except from some pain meds prescribed, mother Lucia is at the pink of her health. I think her diet works. So the
check-up happened last Thursday right? Tuesday night was spent in a sleep over at April’s place. We were supposed to just have a dinner but then she convinced me to snooze out in her house. I was quite skeptical knowing that she and her sister are on this no-speaking state as of the moment because my best friend did something sooo girly again. It actually involved lying, yet again. I was involved in the orchestration of her not so true story/cover up, so her siter confirmed her story to me that night. I don’t want to substantiate the story, but it was really one of my nervous moments.

I was really planning to take a good sleep during my two-day vacation but activities went on my way so I reported at work yesterday sluggish and a little unwell. Some unpleasant emails also greeted me in the morning, so it was all in all a slow and blue day yesterday. Thank you very much to all the bastards in the world.

Lucky by Jason Mraz Ft. Colby Caillat

Here I go again sharing with you my favorite song of the moment. This is lucky by Jason Mraz and Colby Caillat. Yes, this contains another feel good melody and I am now a hand down Jason Mraz fan. The lyrics are definitive. It will strike you with lots of thought. This is another song that I will dedicate to my “That One person”. So many songs now for that one person but we still haven’t met. Ahahah. No more drama please.

An Open Letter to Mr. Taylor

Dear Mr. Taylor,

I know that it’s my entire fault. That Saturday, I was really not paying attention to my surroundings. I know that you were trying to signal a bad sight fast approaching, but I simply ignored you. Then there was this soft thingie that I stepped into. It looks yellowish with some gray fibers and smells damn horrific. I am sorry Mr. Taylor. It is part fault of that dog who dropped his poofy in the middle of the sidewalks. I immediately showered you with alcohol but I know you’ve been covered with enough shame already.

That doesn’t end there. Monday morning while walking towards the bus stop, I stepped (yet again) to this slimy thingie on the floor. When I looked down, I saw the most hideous thing I saw in my life so far. A dead cat which I assume died a few minutes before Mr. Taylor sank his all on it. I saw blood and bones and what have you. Ayayay.

Then there was this topic in Chico and Delamar show on RX Monster Radio 93.1- Top Ten Definitions of Pain. The entry is about this student who fell on the ground then with his bone coming out of his elbow. This thought keep on flashing in my mind and I can’t help but cringe. My imagination is so intense with hurtful accident; I can feel it happening to me. With this incident, I kept on jumping up and down just to forget the scene. I know this have hurt you like hell Mr. Taylor.

Mr. Taylor, forgive me. I’ll be careful next time.