The 20 most important young Filipinos today

Compiling a list of the 20 most important young Filipinos today wasn’t an easy task. Trouble is, there are too damn many. In such a diverse culture – so full of factions and cliques it’s hard to say who is important to whom – even if we were to narrow our sights to a particular group, the number is still insufficient.

However, the task is at hand. Being chosen to write this, we don’t take the responsibility lightly and much thought and deliberation went into the final list. We must explain, though, our definition of the sole qualifying factor for the choices: importance. This does not necessarily mean popular. In fact, we’re sure that most of the names you will read here are not that familiar – that doesn’t diminish their standing. Most readers will likely be surprised that several of the names mentioned here are actually much more recognized abroad. (Or, on second thought, that isn’t quite a surprise.)

By importance, we mean an individual or a group that is making an impact that will likely survive the trends and set precedents for the future. Most of the list is composed of artists or people involved in some form of art because it is our sincere belief that only those who have imagination will do any good for our country and help save us from ourselves. No politicians appear on this list. (At least we think so.)

Admittedly, we weren’t able to include any of those outstanding Filipinos who do much charity work like social workers and missionaries. That is a shame and I can only say that this is due to us being ignorant about that field. We apologize for this shortcoming.

However, no more excuses. Let this list stand. We are confident that our choices will prove even worthier under intense scrutiny. For those who rock, we salute you.

1) MALEK LOPEZ — A classically-trained musician and a product of the prestigious Berklee College of music in Boston, Malek went the unlikely route and became one of the pioneers of electronic music in the country. A much sought-after record producer and arranger, he co-owns and runs Sweetspot Music that has talents like Drip, Sound, Johnny Alegre’s Affinity, Nyco Maka, Radioactive Sago Project and Up Dharma Down as clients. Recently, his work as a film scorer has drawn critical acclaim from film critics like Mario Hernando, hailing Lopez as "possibly a major talent in Philippine cinema."

2) IVARLUSKI ASERON — Declared by several fashion and lifestyle magazines as "Philippine fashion’s brightest star," Ivarluski Aseron combines impeccable craftsmanship and an innate sense of elegance to create designs that manage to be both subtle and challenging. It’s no wonder that the country’s fashion mavens are all agog over the work of this unassuming designer. Aseron is so far the worthy successor to Inno Sotto.

3) RADIOACTIVE SAGO PROJECT – When they first started, this motley band of musical pranksters was – in the words of one magazine publisher – never going to make it big. In a sense, he was right. Although by no means a commercial breakthrough artist, Lourd de Veyra and the rest of Radioactive Sago Project have achieved something more. Known to make the most radical and unclassifiable music by any local artist, their humor and innate sense of the Pinoy psyche has made them accessible enough to be appropriated by advertising and the mass market. Their albums are always commercial suicide but no less fun for that. Undoubtedly and without any exaggeration, they are one of the greatest Filipino bands of all time.

4) IYA VILLANIA – Perhaps the most appealing face today, Iya Villania manages that delicate balance of celebrity mass appeal and classy unattainability. These days she’s just everywhere, from billboards to TV, hosting events to big-screen extravaganzas. No matter how omnipresent her mug has become, one never grows tired of it. This is only the start for this lovely lady.

5) VINCE UY – Though his name is often only seen on the periphery and the margins of the pages he painstakingly puts together, Preview magazine’s Vince Uy stamps his signature across each image he puts together. Capable of manufacturing fantastic visions that manage to compel readers to take a second look at fashion, Uy’s impact on the entire industry cannot be overstated. He is a true revolutionary.

6) GABBIE DELA RAMA – Whether it’s managing rock band Monkeyspank (for her management outfit Princess Batugan) or being editor-in-chief for Fully Booked’s official newsletters, Dela Rama is a combination of clever and sass, a true rock n’ roll gal. Although blessed with looks that have landed her on billboards, her activities in promoting literature and difficult, "un-sellable" music make her more than just a pretty face. Bullheaded and sweet at the same time, she will be a dominant force in the coming years.

7) RJ LEDESMA – After being something of a child star (but directed by Lino Brocka, no less, in those popular soft-drink commercials), RJ Ledesma has successfully turned the joke into a career that includes being a TV host and editor-in-chief of a men’s magazine. He was also one of the winners in The Philippine STAR’s 2006 Lifestyle Journalism Award and contributes a weekly column to this paper’s M section. A veritable dynamo, his personality is infectious and he never seems to lack big ideas. He is an empire waiting to happen.

8) ARNOLD ARRE – The country’s most prominent cartoonist, Arnold Arre has crafted landmarks in the development of the medium in the country. Titles like Mythology Class, After Eden and Andong Agimat are wonderful works of fantasy that are distinctly Filipino. British author and Sandman creator Neil Gaiman was impressed with Arre’s comics when he was given a couple to read during his visit here.

9) MICH DULCE – The one thing that can be said about Mich Dulce and her designs is that her dresses are as loud as her personality. That’s not an easy thing, given her larger-than-life character. Although sadly more known for her stint as a housemate on the TV show Pinoy Big Brother, Dulce’s off-kilter design sense and brazen defiance of popular convention should be her true claim to celebrity. During her last trip to London, Dulce made waves – earning a nomination from an international design magazine and providing the wardrobe of electroclash’s most hip and popular act Ladytron for their latest tour.

10) FURBALL – Just a simple rundown of the filmmakers that make up the roster of this artist collective/production house will suffice to convince anyone of their standing. Among the group is a who’s who of young directors like Quark Henares, RA Rivera and Lyle Nemenzo Sacris (who have collectively won more awards than any other outfit for music videos) as well as acclaimed visual artists like Poklong Anading and "indie" stalwart Jun Sabayton. From Rivermaya to Kyla, Radioactive Sago Project to Slapshock, they are the standard in the field to which all others aspire.

11) LUIS KATIGBAK – Writing influential music criticism and releasing a commercially/critically successful collection of short stories, Happy Endings, Luis Katigbak has been staging a quiet revolution in changing the style and tone of popular literature. His writing is always readable but not condescending, proving that genius need not dress up in fancy garb and verbiage to express itself. The first Grand Prize winner in the Palanca’s Future Fiction category, his work is most distinguished by genuine warmth that no doubt endears it to his readers.

12) ALEXIS TIOSECO – Alexis Tioseco is the best Filipino film critic today. Editor-in-chief of Critecine – a website dedicated to Southeast Asian cinema – and a frequent contributor to film journals abroad, he is responsible for championing Filipino talent like Lav Diaz, John Torres and Raya Martin, constantly reminding our countrymen that they exist. With his passion, knowledge and eloquence, he is possibly the most eminent Filipino film personality in the world today.

13) RIA BOLIVAR – From humble beginnings, Ria Bolivar has indeed made it very far from the provincial house where she grew up. An in-demand model, she has nonetheless retained the earthiness of her background, fusing charm with the quality of glamour. Unique in a world of mannequins, she is a Filipina beauty like no other.

14) CELINE LOPEZ – Definitely much more than what the general public gives her credit for, Celine Lopez continues to surprise us with each of her newest endeavors. A noted author, designer and creative director of the YStyle section of The Philippine STAR, she is an example of intelligence choosing not to wear a drab dress.

15) ERIN PASCUAL – Responsible for much of the commercials that dominate television these days, Erin Pascual self-trained as a CG artist and eventually made a digital short for his graduate thesis that soon had companies knocking at his door. A stickler for perfection and all sorts of visual pyrotechnics, Pascual constantly pushes the way advertising is presented, voracious in his consumption of new technology and styles. A restless worker, he may be the most influential filmmaker in our generation – one whose work is more known to the public than his name.

16) RICHIE LERMA – Though not a visual artist himself (according to him, he can’t draw to save his life), he is responsible for making the public take more than just a passing glance at Philippine art. The curator of the Ateneo Art Gallery, he is responsible for the Ateneo Art Awards – an award-giving body for modern Filipino art. Equally important is his art criticism, which is frank but honest (he says Bencab is a bad painter) and always lucidly explained. Filipino art, especially by young talent, has no better champion.

17) ITCHYWORMS – With fans ranging from celebrities like Kris Aquino and Cindy Kurleto to various musicians like Jim Paredes, this band is the best pop group in the country today. Unlike other bands more visible in the field, the Itchyworms seem intent to make music that future generations will regard as classics. With solid musical chops and impeccable song craftsmanship, the band can blend everything from ’60s vocal harmonies and ’80s hair metal riffs into perfect pop gems. A class act in the crass world of entertainment.

18) ROM VILLASERAN – Enigmatic and strange, the paintings of Rom Villaseran demonstrate the tempered hand of a trained artist but with the unfettered imagination of a surrealist. Although reluctant to publicize himself, his work elicits acclaim from pundits like esteemed art critic Emmanuel Torres to British fantasy author Neil Gaiman – who personally chose Villaseran’s work from countless entries in an art contest held in his honor. Always quietly at work, his art continues to astound, allowing us vistas of grandeur and beauty that leave one always searching for the appropriate words.

19) CALIPH8 – Put bluntly, he is probably the only hip-hop artist in the country at the moment who will actually matter in the evolution of the form. A lone wolf and renegade, he is single-handedly pushing the definition and boundaries of hip-hop in the Philippine setting. Aside from high-profile stints as electronica group Drip’s turntablist, he also acts as mentor to burgeoning hip-hop talent and an accomplished graffiti artist. Not afraid to be anything else than who he is, he needs neither bling nor commercial awards to confirm that he is a genuine superstar.

20) JUAN CAGUICLA – Without doubt the most talented and technically skilled of the young Filipino photographers working today, his work remains distinguished from his contemporaries in both conception and execution. The sheer scope and imagination in his photographs prove him to be a visionary – the only one of his kind in commercial photography.