Direk Adolf Alix: “Anita Linda is a Living Storyteller of PH Cinema”

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Award-winning filmmaker Adolfo Alix, Jr. expressed his admiration for veteran actress Anita Linda during the “Sandaan: Dunong ng Isang Ina” event organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) to honor the veteran actress' contributions Philippine cinema held last June 16, 2019 at the Cinematheque Centre Manila.

“She is a living storyteller of how the Philippine cinema evolved. So banggitin niyo lang po sa kanya ‘yung isang pelikulang nagawa niya, and she will tell you wonderful stories about how the film was made, what anecdote she has with the director or co-actors, which I think is a great testament to the entire history of cinema,” said Adolfo Alix, Jr. at the event. It was part of the commemoration for Sandaan: the One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema and Mother’s Day, and was attended by Anita’s family and friends, people she has worked with, and guests from the media.

Director Alix has worked with Anita in various movies, including “Presa” and his recent film “Circa,” which reaped the White Light Post-Production Award at the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Film Forum (HAF) last March.

FDCP Chairperson and CEO Mary Liza Diño handed the achievement award to Anita, who is considered the oldest living actress working in the Philippine film industry. “On behalf of FDCP and the entire industry, we are very happy that we are awarding you this recognition. Maraming-maraming salamat po sa pagiging isang ina sa aming lahat, for being one of the country’s living treasures. You are a living movie legend to all of us,” said FDCP Chairperson and CEO Mary Liza Diño during her speech.

Ruel Pambid, Jr., Anita Linda’s nephew, also took pride in having Anita Linda as his aunt. “Nagpapasalamat kami sa FDCP because, at 94 years of age, binigyan niyo ng parangal ang isang Anita Linda. Although of course, we didn’t really look at her as such an actress [but as family]. We’re very proud of her accomplishments because none of her brothers and sisters, none of her nephews, nieces, none of her apos followed in her footsteps. Not one of us became actors or actresses, but we would, of course, relish the fact that the late family produced one such stellar personage in Philippine cinema, and I cannot be more proud that I’m related to Anita Linda.”

A free screening of the widely acclaimed Anita starrer film “Adela” by director Alix was held during the event.

Meanwhile, “The Life of Anita Linda: An Exhibit” at the Cinematheque Centre Manila showcased the different stages of Anita Linda’s life as an actress as well as memorabilia from her career.

Suzuki Sealed Sweeping Victories at the Super Series Nationwide Championship - Davao GP

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Team Suzuki secured a dominant win at the midway round of the Super Series Nationwide Championship by bringing home six trophies and five championship titles at Davao GP coupled with an
outstanding turnout of its one make races – the Skydrive Sport Cup and Raider Breed Wars.

Team Suzuki-VMan Racing

Team Suzuki-VMan Racing April King Mascardo sure did not disappoint his Davaoeño fans by giving them a remarkable performance at Davao GP. After his failed attempt in sealing a podium win last year on his home ground, Mascardo ensured that his comeback would be big by taking not just one but three championship titles. The Davaoeño rider’s confidence in the practice and qualifying session was
so evident that he was able to secure all of the pole positions in the races he championed in - the Super Underbone Sealed Engine, the Super Underbone Open and the Super Scooter Sealed Engine
categories. He even improved his best lap time at 24.489 from the qualifying session to 24.402 at the final race of the Super Underbone Sealed Engine category using the powerful Raider R150 Fi.

Mascardo led by getting a holeshot, breaking away from the pack and then maintaining his race pace until the last lap. His succeeding races seemed like a replay of his first race performance bringing the
crowd to their feet every time he crossed the finish line.

The same scenario went with Rmand Salandanan who was also a consistent topper at the Skydrive Sport Cup securing the Pole Position and championship title in the category at Davao GP. The Regional Underbone Grand Prix (RUGP) running exclusively in Visayas and Mindanao in the
Novice/Intermediate category was also claimed by Roel Rubin and Djereck Ondillo with their Raider R150 Fis who finished at the 1st and 2nd Runner Up, respectively. Nikko Nambatac on the other hand, took home the 3rd spot at the Raider Breed Wars – Raider R150 FI while the rest of the team showed an overall good performance with their respective bikes.

The Skydrive Sport Cup and Raider Breed Wars

The enthusiastic crowd of Davao was as equally intense as the rich pool of riders who participated at the Skydrive Sport Cup and Raider Breed Wars. Registrants of the Suzuki Skydrive Sport Cup easily got
a good grip of the beginner’s bike making it a perfect companion for rookie and novice riders. It was the top rankers Rmand Salandan (Champion), Polo Arellano (1st Runner Up) and Deo Pondoc (3rd Runner Up) again who emerged victorious during the race. An all ladies category for the Suzuki Skydrive Sport Cup also ran for the first time to give way for young female riders who wanted to experience the new fashion scooter on the racetrack. Grabbing the podium for this were Yna Marie
Enriquez (Champion), Angelie Sala (1st Runner Up), and Richelle Del Rosario (2nd Runner Up).

Meanwhile, the power and performance of the Raider R150 Fi was showcased once again in Mindanao with the following winners: Polo Arellano (Champion), Deo Pondoc (1st Runner Up), and Nikko
Nambatac (2nd Runner Up). The Skydrive Sport Cup and Raider Breed Wars are powered by Racing Boy and Pirelli.

Team Suzuki will head back to the racing arena at Bacolod GP on the 4th Round of Super Series Nationwide Championship on July 14

Philippine All-Male Choir Returns from Concert-Competition Tour of Sweden, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Filipino all-male choir ALERON returns to Manila after a successful month-long European tour, having performed around Sweden, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland.

Under the theme of Exploring Identity, the tour’s highlights include emerging victorious at the 2nd Limburg Male Choir Festival in Germany, winning championships in the Men’s Vocal Ensembles and Male Choirs Open categories.

The only non-European choir in the roster of participants, ALERON was also awarded the Special Prize of the Hessian Prime Minister, a distinction given to the group that earns the highest score across the entire competition. Its Ensemble Director, Christopher Arceo, was among the two conductors awarded the Special Choirmaster Prize, along with Matthias Rajczyk from Germany.

The Festival was organized by the Cäcilia Lindenholzhausen, one of the most prominent and leading male choirs in Limburg an der Lahn, known to be the center for male choir singing in Germany.

Following its success in Limburg, ALERON took part in the Svenska kyrkans gosskörsförening’s (Swedish Church’s Boy’s Choir Association) Gosskörsfestival (Boy’s Choir Festival) held in the verdant, lakeside municipality of Rättvik. The annual festival brings together boy’s choirs from all over Sweden, serving as an avenue for choral education and fellowship among its participants in an entirely non-competitive setting.
In celebration of its 25th anniversary this year, the festival featured ALERON Ensemble Director Christopher Arceo as its first non-European guest conductor, working with the combined forces of around 300 male choristers in the performance of choral pieces including Vivaldi’s Gloria, Händel’s Hallelujah Chorus, Åhlén’s Sommarpsalm, Poulenc’s Laudes de Saint-Antoine de Padoue, Tallis’ Hear the voice and prayer, and works by Filipino composers Nilo Alcala (Kaisa-isa Niyan) and Eudenice Palaruan (Nonot Kamo Kanako).

ALERON’s travels saw the group performing in numerous iconic venues such as the Uppsala Cathedral (the largest church in the Nordic region), Linköping Cathedral and Lund Cathedral, where the group provided music for a High Mass in culmination of the Pilgrimsvägen Skåne Blekinge's 10th anniversary, a hiking journey for devotees centered on spirituality and God.

Visiting and performing for Filipino communities in Stockholm, Bochum and Basel also served as an integral part of the group’s journey: singing at the 11th Filipino Marian Pilgrimage at the Zisterzienserkloster in Bochum, Germany on June 8, and performing a concert and Mass at the Clarakirche in Basel, Switzerland on June 14 and 16.

ALERON also had the privilege of meeting with Ambassador Leo Herrera-Lim (Philippine Ambassador to Denmark) and Ambassador Denis Yap Lepatan (Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein), who invited the choir as a guest of honor at the 121st Independence Day commemoration held at the Philippine Embassy in Berne last June 15. The Embassy presented ALERON in a feature concert at the Yehudi Menuhin Forum on the same day.

ALERON first came into existence in 2006 as the alumni ensemble of the Ateneo de Manila High School Glee Club under the leadership of its current Ensemble Director Christopher Arceo, and continues today composed of male choristers from diverse backgrounds. The group has been a consistent recipient of financial grants by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in support of its international endeavors.

In continuation of its season theme of IDENTITY, ALERON will be staging a homecoming concert on July 28, 2019. Visit ALERON’s official Facebook page at www.fb.com/aleronchoir for more details.