Filipino musicians were among the more sought-after in Asia. They dominated Class A venues in Hong Kong and performed for kings and royalties. Headhunters would travel to Manila, spot talents in restaurants and lounges along the iconic Roxas Boulevard, and hire them for performances abroad in places like Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong. They…
When I was around 7 years old, my mother would give us 5 pesos to watch kung fu in what was a house where the living room was transformed into a makeshift theater in the afternoon. This was between the late 80s and early 90s. To me, it was the only incentive for walking to our store and…
When a student finds himself in a new environment, oftentimes the struggle is to adjust. To adjust to the people who may be perceived as individuals who do not share the same culture and general appreciation of life with you. So you locate that corner in a large room where you can fully be yourself,…
How to play world politics? Let’s analyze. Learn from Duterte. Duterte is clever. If not for what he has done for the city of Davao, he knew his foul language and unorthodox style of diplomacy would bring him world popularity. So he strategically positioned himself well, influencing public perception to put him in the same…
When you hate figures as a mass communication student, many say it’s not only normal. Some joke it’s expected. So if to follow logic, no mass communication graduate should run a business. But running a business is not merely about math. It’s also about the people you work and share a vision with. Thankfully, I…
When I was still a part-time lecturer at the Speech Department in Silliman University, I would often tell my students: “When I ask you a question and you don’t look at me – I’ll call you. When I ask you a question and you look at me intently, with a warm smile and a sparkle…
Look at the mirror. Smile. That’s a selfie – only that, that’s only half of it. The other half is when you bring that mirror to a bus terminal or a public market and reveal the same smile on the opposite side of the mirror to a crowd where some you know, some you don’t.…
Believe it or not, there is a study now leaning towards an analysis of human being’s genetic composition and whether somewhere along the way, there is something telling of the attitude or behavior of one towards politics. A quick search online doesn’t lead to a good number of literature about it. But absence something written…
Fat people love to sugarcoat being fat. They refer to themselves as “chubby”, others “cute”, and some overwork the thesaurus for a term that transforms a common sighting in Oslob to a Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie. Before fat people connive to crush me between Teletubby bellies, I put on record: I am fat. Not…
In the book “The Likeability Factor”, author Tim Sanders pounds around an interesting concept of choice. He throws us into a realization that, indeed, the choices that we make in life aren’t all ours. They are influenced by desired outcomes that factor in the perceptions, opinions, reactions and valuation of others. Tim also breaks the…
sMarkBites 