A picture is worth a thousand words

You will see a photo on this page that I got on my e-mail. It was actually taken immediately after my Smart TV commercial shoot with Kris Aquino. It is just amusing to see a bunch of bespectacled baldies. The standee in front is the one that you see in our Smart TVC where I suddenly pop out from behind to call the harried, harassed woman who could not find a Tawag center where she could call her OFW husband. Photo shows Alex Syfu (rightmost) head honcho of the advertising agency DMG, the standee, this writer, Luis Tabuena, brilliant director of many commercials and our producer, Steve Vesagas. As the bagets would say, “wala lang, nakakaaliw lang ang litrato.” Alex calls us, the “hilo” team.

A march for peace

No amount of rainfall from the super typhoons or water released from the dams could flood away the enthusiasm of both international delegates and Filipino participants to the World March for Peace and Non-Violence. The World Without Wars (WWW) founded by Rafael dela Rubia began the very first World March for Peace and Non-Violence in 2008.

For three months, a group of international delegates will travel across different continents to promote peace and non-violence, ending in Argentina on January 2, 2010. The Philippines was the third country visited by the group.

WWW and their Filipino partners Ang Komunidad and Ang Kapisanan ng Tao Bilang Centro continued with other programs in Manila, Zamboanga City and Lucena City where a gigantic human peace sign formed by about 10,000 students of the Quezon National High School (QNHS) highlighted the World March for Peace and Non-Violence. Lucena natives now take pride in having the world record for the largest human peace sign.

Marchers for human peace sign were serenaded by the Sacred Heart College (SHC) Violin Ensemble led by its school president Sr. Fe Gedalanga, D.C. Together with nine violinists from the SHC Basic Education Department, soloist Liezl Ignacio, a Grade 10 student, sang Vince Gill’s Let There Be Peace on Earth.

The Quesinhayaw Cultural Troupe of QNHS with Maria Donna “Miss D” Dizon-Cosejo, as artistic director, delivered a dance interpretation of the Beatles song Imagine.

Another part of the program was the recitation of the Panata sa Kapayapaan ng Sandaigdigan written by Maria Lourdes Abulencia, a former rebel who married a Catholic priest in the underground left of the ’70s. She became a peace educator who organized for the country’s Commission on Human Rights the very first human rights education training program for the police and military in 1987.

Ending the program was the lighting of the Hiroshima Flame from the ashes of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb victims.

The advocacy for peace and non-violence will definitely not end in the peace march. A multi-sector interim coalition named BAKAS (Buklurang Alay sa Kapayapaan ng Sandaigdigan) will continue initiating programs in the province to uphold non-violent means to attain peace. Examples of these are the Million Peace Signs and Peace Education. BAKAS was assembled in September by Carmen Cabling, Maria Abulencia and Maria Carmen Marasigan, president of Kuta ng Sining.

Let’s give peace a chance, always another chance!

Christine’s CMMA citation

Fresh from the success of www.parenTIN.Tv (the first Philippine on-line parenting show) Tintin Bersola-Babao marks her second citation from the Catholic Mass Media Awards for her fourth children’s book, Bakit Siya Meron? Bakit Ako, Wala? under Katha Publishing. Last year, her third book, The Story of Christine was also given a special citation by the CMMA. Her second book, The Basura Monster continues to be a best-seller and most recognized book by the academe.

Now six months pregnant with a baby boy, Tintin is busy with her on-line show and hosting corporate events. EQ dry diaper has also renewed her endorsement even before she gives birth to her second child. Her daughter Antonia Babao, was the first celebrity baby to endorse EQ diapers.

Tintin is also holding the fourth Charity Bazaar on Nov. 20, 21, 22 at the World Trade Center. Call 931-0852 for booking inquiries and reservations.

Congratulations Tintin and happy birthday!