Oil Spill Films Return to Guimaras at CineMangga

Wazzup Pilipinas!


Five short films from the Guimaras: Short Films from the Oil Spill anthology make their official return to the province when they screen on May 16, 1 p.m., at the Guimaras Trade and Information Center (GTIC) Function Hall as part of the first CineMangga: The Guimaras Film Festival.

The oil spill films to be shown are Bunker 0: Sumirib Plus by JP Carpio, Ang Hele ni Guima (The Lullaby of Guima) by Drei Boquiren, Oil Spill on Canvas by Rox Lee, Toxic Mango by Khavn Dela Cruz and Pagbugtaw (Waking Up) by Seymour Sanchez. They form part of the 16-film project of ABC5 Public Affairs and the Independent Filmmakers Cooperative of the Philippines in 2006.

Apart from Carpio, Boquiren, Lee, Dela Cruz and Sanchez, filmmakers Emman dela Cruz, Jeck Cogama, Kidlat De Guia, Wilfred Allen Galila, Raya Martin, Oscar Nava, Milo Paz, Ann Angala-Shy, Kidlat Tahimik, Paolo Villaluna and Victor Villanueva also contributed their works to the cause. The short films were made then in an effort to inspire action to help heal the province, its local communities and nearby areas in Western Visayas amid the largest oil spill in Philippine history. 

Bunker 0: Sumirib Plus gives a glimpse into the lives of residents of Sitio Sumirib, Barangay La Paz in the municipality of Nueva Valencia, one of the areas most affected by the massive oil spill from the sunken tanker Solar 1 chartered by the Petron oil corporation. The film focuses more on their thoughts and feelings regarding this man-made ecological disaster and the actions they take to somehow cope with very difficult times ahead. 

Ang Hele ni Guima tells the sad fate of Guima as brought about by the oil spill. It is a retelling of an old Guimarasnon folklore of a princess named Guima who eloped with her lover, a slave named Aras. The princess was washed ashore and Aras was nowhere to be found when their boat capsized during a storm. In the legend, she roams the island in search of her only love. Fictional and real-life tragedy meet in the short film as the princess was covered by the oil slick still looking for her lost lover. 

Oil Spill On Canvas shows the filmmaker painting on a canvas using oil seeping through the sea. Within the dead seashore of sand and oil, the oil spill has left nothing but death. 

Toxic Mango is a sardonic tale of fruit and genocide. A black mango becomes the "Adam and Eve apple" of ill-fated lovers Guima and Aras when it appears on a tree. To eat or not to eat the mango is their question. The black and white silent film ruminates over a dystopic future when the effects of the oil spill tragedy have reached nightmarish proportions. 

Pagbugtaw tells the story of a city-bred man who remembers his father, a Guimarasnon. Tackling various political and social concerns, the film sees the character waking up from his apathy and deciding to take action. 

CineMangga, which was derived from the words "cinema" and "mangga" (mango), the province's main product, is a brainchild of the Provincial Government of Guimaras, Guimaras Provincial Tourism Office, and filmmaker Allen Rivera Galindo. 

The film festival, which coincides with the Manggahan Festival, aims to promote tourism by showcasing Guimaras as a film location, to discover and promote the culture, heritage, tradition, and arts of Guimaras through films, to discover new filmmakers that will become ambassadors of the province and to encourage Guimarasnons to support their own story through films. 

Galindo, lead organizer of Cinemangga 2017, earlier conducted a series of filmmaking workshops at the Guim­­aras State College (GSC) Main Campus, GSC Mosqueda Campus, San Miguel Central School and Supang National High School to get them to participate in the festival. 

CineMangga has five film categories: films in competition under the Open and Student Categories; featured films selected by the organizing committee; films in exhibition - documentaries, non-competition films, and other films that do not belong to other categories but is related to the province of Guimaras, and Sweet Films – international films that showcase “sweetness” of love and life that are inspiring or heartbreaking. The grand prize winner will take home 15,000 pesos in cash. 

"Through films, we hope to build a network of filmmakers and a wide audience exploring, understanding, and appreciating the value of our culture, the beauty of our sites, and the various traditions in the province of Guimaras," Galindo said. 

Aside from the regular screenings at the GTIC Function Hall, CineMangga sa Plaza outdoor screenings will also be held at the Guimaras Capitol Canopy. The opening night on May 13 and the awards night on May 16 will be staged at the Museo de Guimaras Grounds.

SM Redefines Art Spaces with Art in Aura

Wazzup Pilipinas!

SM Aura Premier brings local art to fresher spaces with Art in Aura. A year-long affair, Art in Aura was launched on May 4, 2017 at the Courtyard in SM Aura, Taguig. The campaign, in collaboration with creative assembly KAPWA Studio, was kicked off by a showcase of murals by notable local artists Anina Rubio, Mercedes Olondriz, Archie Oclos, and multi-hyphenate Dee Jae Pa’este, whose works can already be found all over the metro.

​Art in Aura proudly hosts the first solo exhibit of renowned Filipino contemporary artist Philipp B. Badon, at the SM Aura Atrium, from May 4 to 31, which includes opening cocktails and an artist dialogue on May 6, 4pm. ​

​SM Aura aims to take the art out of the gallery and bring it to urban spaces, to make it more accessible to everyone. The movement started 3 years ago with Filipino-American artist, Jefre Manuel, with "Steel Safari," a public art installation of 4 animals unique to the Philippines, followed by a Christmas showcase featuring Olivia d'Aboville's "Giant Dandilions" and Leeroy New's "Astreopora." Both large scale installations were set to music at the Skypark lawn. The Aura Tower also features artist Eduardo Castrillo's "Colossal Growth."​ The Colossal Growth depicts the movement of mass from linear to horizontal. It represents the threshold by which a form, or energy crosses a path and explodes to grandness, redefining itself. It was reacquired from Evangelina Gella Luarca in 1989. The Artist kept it in storage and restored in 2013.

Art in Aura redefines the way one interacts with art, by using images and patterns that are rooted to our heritage. For the first part of this year’s campaign, Art in Aura features three outstanding local artists by providing them mural spaces to share their expressive work. One of the featured artists, Anina Rubio, is a freelance visual artist whose art reflects her love for the outdoors. Her work, entitled “Through the Cracks” can be seen at the SM Aura Grand Staircase, featuring common household weeds which she likens to Filipino characteristics like resilience and adaptability. UP Fine Arts graduate street artist Archie Oclos, pays homage to our country’s “National Treasures” through depictions of internationally-revered “mambabatok” Apo Whang Od and Lang Dulay, the T’boli Weave Master. Manila-based Mercedes Olondriz’ “Flaura” to depict her goal to bring back organic elements into the urban landscape. While Philipp Badon’s solo art show at the SM Aura Atrium is an expression of his resurgence in the art world from which he belongs. From a young achiever art student, art teacher, advertising artist, gallery curator and manager, Philipp’s world belongs to his art, his art that he continues to develop and to explore. His exhibit will run from May 4-31. Lastly, the Art in Aura featured artists is joined by digital artist, Ramenrocky, whose works illuminated the Courtyard walls during the launch.

Art in Aura not only opens up space for contemporary visual art, but also for music, as SM Aura also partnered with music collective Stages Sessions in a joint effort to provide an alternative space where today’s rising local independent musicians can be heard by the public. The Grand Launch featured performances by rising local indie musicians Jess Connelly, Curtismith, CRWN, BP Valenzuela and Asch. More live musical performances, alongside art workshops and local artisans and vendors will be available at Art in Aura’s Courtyard Weekend Fair every weekend, starting May 6 and 7.

Art in Aura is a long-standing campaign to promote and welcome art, and will feature more collaboration with artists from all over the country for the rest of the year.


Follow @smaurapremier and @artinaura on Instagram for more updates on the latest collaborations, featured artists, and events.

Rojan Barcelon is Red Bull Doodle Art National Winner to Represent Philippines in Global Finals

Wazzup Pilipinas!

On Saturday night, May 06^th, 2017, Red Bull Doodle Art crowned the Philippine representative at the National Finals at Kapwa Studio, Makati City. The event was attended by a number of artists and students who came to see a showcase that featured 133 entries from different universities across the country.

The Red Bull Doodle Art is a highly innovative global contest that brings together more than 50 thousand students from over 1000 universities in more than 40 countries who will showcase their own doodle art. The third global edition of Red Bull Doodle Art will have an exciting finale: a 3D virtual reality experience!

Contestants uploaded their work to the Red Bull Doodle Art website where the top 20 entries were selected through public voting. These pieces were then judged by former Red Bull Doodle Art contestant, Manuel “Meow Meow” Liwanag and Details Ink owner, Kara Pangilinan, who selected the top three through a combination of Creativity, Overall Style, and Aggregated Facebook Likes.

The winners were announced at the Philippine Finals in Kapwa Studio, this past Saturday night, May 06^th, 2017:

1^st Place: Rojan Elmo Barcelon (University of the Philippines Diliman)
2^nd Place: Gabriel Villacarlos (University of San Carlos)
3^rd Place: Michelle Robledo (University of the Philippines Manila)

“It was a long process. If you look at the entries they are really good in different ways, so it was hard to pick whose the best piece was” says Kara Pangilinan.

“The winning entry had a great meaning and a great style that’s unique to Rojan Barcelon”, says Manuel Liwanag.

Rojan Elmo Camua Barcelon advances to the Doodle Art Global Finals through his winning piece, ‘Maynila King’, who had doodled the piece in between working on his thesis. “I want to show people that the lower class Filipinos can rise up and become the Kings of Manila!”

Cebu-based student Carlos Villacarlos took in the second place, who sought inspiration in traffic. With barely 24 hours spent in Manila, the victory came as an unlikely surprise to the fine arts student who had made the top 20 the week before. “I am humbled and so blessed. I didn’t expect to win this!”

On third place was Michelle Robledo, a dentistry student from the University of the Philippines - Manila, who had earned her spot in the top twenty through two different entries. “It is my first time to join a competition and Doodle really helped me feel more confident about my art.”

The Global Finals for Red Bull Doodle Art will take place later this year at an undisclosed location. Stay tuned to www.redbulldoodleart.com for updates! 

#redbulldoodleart