Tag: No. 5

THIRTY percent of Filipinos are overweight and 48 percent prefer to eat the food of their choice rather than to be fit, according to the October 2015 Asia Health Index of life insurance company Sun Life Financial Asia.

The 2013 National Nutrition Survey reported that one out of three Filipino adults and adolescents were overweight, while eight out of 100 were obese.

Lifestyle obviously is a major factor.

Civil Law freshman Mia Bataller admitted to stress-eating.

“Unfortunately, I’m not one of those people that lose weight when they’re stressed. I gain weight [instead],” she said.

WHO SAYS professionalism and love for toys cannot be a good combination? Such is not the case for this Thomasian artist.

After his graduation in 2005, 33-year-old Jomike Tejido shifted from the strict conventions of architecture to the more playful art of illustration.

“I liked children’s book art because there were not much rules. Being an artist, you can do it anytime as long as you’re good at your particular niche,” he said.

Tejido is the man behind the “Jepoy Dyip” series, an interactive children’s toy book depicting the life of an animated jeepney with his vehicle friends. Inside the Jepoy Dyip book are cutouts from which children can construct dioramas of Filipino sitios.

THE RUMBLE of plastic wheels rolling across a hardwood floor was heard across the hallway and into the kitchen, followed by successive thuds—the sound of running footsteps. A toy train halted in front of the stove. Lured by the smell of steamed peanuts, Manny reached out for the lid, before a hand grabbed his forearm.

“Manny, what did I tell you about touching the stove while I’m cooking?” said his mother. Manny stepped back and tightly held the string attached to his train.

Six Thomasians have collaborated to showcase Quezon City’s spiritual and cultural heritage in a coffee table book titled “Facets of Faith.”

The 93-page book, written by Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets) alumnus Billy Malacura, features churches, relics, and religious artworks found in Quezon City.

Other Thomasians who contributed to the book were Artlets Assoc. Prof. Felicidad Galang-Pereña, book editor and former Varsitarian literary editor; Regalado Trota Jose, UST archivist, who wrote the book’s foreword; and Eric Zerrudo, director of the Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics of the UST Graduate School, who served as editorial consultant.

THE PARTICIPATION of a Russian violinist and a Korean classical singer who happens to be the spouse of UST’s pride, soprano Rachelle Gerodias, provided an international flavor to the annual UST Christmas Concert, whose gala last December 3 again provided a highly classical—and tasteful—kick-off to this month’s holiday season.

With the UST Symphony Orchestra under Prof. Hermenegildo Ranera, Yaroslava Poletaeva, a Russian violinist who was trained at the Conservatory of Music at Lynn University in Florida, gave an astounding violin performance of “Zigeunerwersein” by Pablo Sarasate and “Carol of the Bells” by Mykola Leontovych.

Although more known for its classical repertoire that has made it the toast of choral festivals in Old Europe, the acclaimed UST Singers is also noted for its Philippine repertoire, which it showed to full effect in a pre-Christmas Original Pilipino Music (OPM) concert, “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika,” organized by the Bel-Air Makati village.

It was the fourth time for the UST Singers to be invited to the Bel-Air concert, proof that residents of the tony Makati village are appreciative of UST Singers’ brand of musical excellence.

Staple classical music and contemporary popular tunes like American band Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger” were performed by the UST Conservatory of Music and highlighted the 31st “Sampung Mga Daliri” concert at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last November 22.

The annual concert showcased its trademark of 10 grand pianos on stage and performances by ensembles like: the UST Symphony Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, Coro Tomasino, Liturgikon Vocal Ensemble, Chrous Class, USTe Mundo, Jazz, Guitar, Rondalla, Percussion and Musical Theater Ensembles, and Extension Program. Aside from classical and contemporary hits, the concert performed “It’s Always A Good Time,” by band Owl City. It likewise featured the “Zumba Medley.”

UNCONVENTIONAL but tasteful Christmas decor by Interior Design students enlivened the holiday spirit at the UST Museum of Arts and Sciences last Dec. 3-18.

Third-year students from the College of Fine Arts and Design recreated Christmas accessories in “Objects: Re-imagined Christmas Accessories,” into a visual art application of new techniques and innovation from simple materials.

“We came up with an all-white avant-garde theme, which is very in right now and complements our concept of making the exhibit (a showcase of simplicity,” said Justin Co, student head of the exhibit in an interview with the Varsitarian. “The materials we used are simple and light and we transformed it into something minimalistic but still beautiful and elegant.”

THOMASIAN danseur and former Salinggawi Dance Troupe member Osias Barroso choreographed the classic children’s tale “Pinocchio” for Ballet Manila (BM) into a fitting Christmas ballet story. It was staged early this month at the Aliw Theater in Pasay City.

The ballet show, the third installation of BM’s “From Page to Stage” repertoire for its 20th season, enchanted young people and adults as a two-act holiday production derived from the 1940 animated film by Walt Disney Productions. Originally, the story was based on the 1883 children’s novel by Italian writer Carlo Collodi, The Adventures of Pinocchio.

CELEBRATED journalist, poet, and screenplay writer Jose “Pete” Lacaba expressed pessimism about the future of Philippine democracy, saying that next year’s elections would not exactly improve the prospects of Philippine democracy. Lacaba urged the people to look back carefully at the lessons of the country’s traumatic past in order to ameliorate the present.

“[Ang bayan natin] ay nasadlak sa dusa at naging pugad ng luha at dalita,” he echoed.