Daily Diary Day 12

Written by Esther Ho and Emily Choong
Photographs by Cultural Center of the Philippines Website, Openbuildings.com, Melissa Chia and Emily Choong

Sun, Sea, Sand and Scenes 

   Today, after enjoying a good night’s rest, we travelers woke up to a splendid surprise - complimentary breakfast at Rosa’s Garden Hotel’s restaurant! On offer were the classic big American breakfast (Toast, bacon, eggs, coffee and juice); Filipino Favorite (Longanisa, corned beef, egg, rice) and Mercedes breakfast (pancakes, butter, maple syrup, fresh fruit). Feeling indulgent, most of us opted for the big American breakfast and some of us learnt that while the restaurant prided themselves in being able to do eggs any style, poached eggs was just out of their reach. 

     Alas, breakfasts on study trips are never a fine dining experience. We were hurried out of the hotel in straggling groups on foot towards the Cultural Center of the Philippines via Manila Bay. Those who were too late would take a taxi.

Session 8: Filipino Films

Written by Lestari Hairul

Photographed by Melissa Chia and Sarah Chong

    For our final scheduled session, we visited the Cultural Centre of the Philippines (CCP) for a tour, talk and short screening of Filipino independent cinema. Our host for the day was Mr Edward Cabagnot, a writer and 27 year veteran of the arts scene who will be retiring from his position as the head of the CCP film department soon.

Mr Edward Cabagnot

     We were given a tour of the building that was built during the Marcos’ reign by decree of Imelda Marcos as the premier arts and cultural institution for the elites of Manila. The CCP is a sprawling building of modernist architecture, decorated by several paintings and sculptures produced by Filipino maestros; art installations; art exhibitions and small cultural museums.

Our Last Night in Manila, Moby Style

Written by Anis Nadia Jilid

Photographs by Melissa Chia

     Ever had that feeling when you’ve finally realized how everything is about to end in less than 24 hours? How your usual routine of waking up and looking forward to new adventures with friends can abruptly end? In this case, our 12 days of the Philippines had an impermanent turn and all that was left is absorbing in what you can. 

      A spontaneous, fast-track tour had ensued after our film session at the Cultural Center. A few of us were very delighted to have been able to follow Tracey and her relatives on a spur-of-the-moment sightseeing trip around Makati, Manila.

Living In A Gendered Environment

Written by Andrea Tee

Photograph by Andrea Tee

     This year’s "In Search Of" study trip was graciously hosted by the University of the Philippines Visayas campus. 14 girls and 4 guys (including our intrepid lecturer pathfinder) and our student guides were housed in the on-campus accommodation. 

    While the male travelers and guides were put up in Balay Illongo, the university’s unisex dorm, the ladies of the trip were housed in UPV’s Gender and Development Programme (GDP) building--a gloriously pink two-storey building at the far end of the campus.

    Constructed through the Countrywide Development Fund of Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago--a 1965 alumni of UPV, the GDP building was formally opened on March 7th, 2008, marking the celebration of International Women’s Month. Built as the epicentre of gender-related events on the campus, the building houses the Gender and Development Program Office, the Balay-Balay (a child-minding centre), the Usgad Regional Resource Centre, the National Women Fisheries Network of the Philippines, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Office, a Gender-based library, a Teen centre, a Women’s Gallery and Museum, a Nook for Retired Personnel, and a mini-dormitory.

The suitably pink GDP Building.

A Conversation with a Hairdresser

Written by Helen Sneha 

*Names have been changed to protect the individuals' privacy.

     Not too long into our stay in Iloilo, we discovered a salon at SM City Mall, our favorite haunt only minutes away from the UPV campus, that would shampoo and blow dry your hair for only PHP100, half the price than the same would cost in Malaysia. Naturally, after the first two visitors from our cohort had been there and passed the word around, they were visited by a couple of our travellers from Malaysia almost every other day, as we went in twos and threes to get our hair done. One hairdresser in particular would invariably strike up a conversation with the person waiting around for their friend to finish getting their hair dried. He was inordinately friendly and remembered most of our names, even though many of us had only been there once. Following a particularly long discussion with him one day, I decided to interview him and document some of his experiences and thoughts on current issues.