Public Speaker

Rowena Niduaza discovered the beauty and power of public speaking when she joined Toastmasters International in 2004, and through this group, she was able to bring out her other strengths and provide a voice to the Filipino community in the speaker’s circuit. This led to a slew of titles she has won for the country: the Division (UAE) championship and the District Championship (Middle East). In 2013, she won the Middle East Championship, becoming the first regional representative to reach the semi-finals of the Toastmasters International World Championship in Public Speaking in Canada.

Rowena also utilized her communication prowess and unique brand of humor and charisma to speak on female empowerment at conferences such as the Dubai Women’s Summit in 2017 and 2018, sharing the stage with other women leaders from the UK, France, Canada, etc. – inspiring audiences to bring out the best in themselves.

Originally from a creative background, heading the design department of a regional furniture retailer, she is currently looking to return back to fashion – her original calling.  She is set to launch her fashion line in the Philippines this 2020 and focus the project until she eventually retires from the emirates.

Nevertheless, even with her mic parked, for now, she will always be one of those rare people who successfully promoted the Filipino voice and wit, out there into the world, providing exceptional representation of our people on the global stage.

Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf is Supported by: Kaya Skin Clinic,  Emirates Airline, and Unilever.

Special Thanks to Michael Cinco, Ezra Couture , Giordano, Darcey Flowers, IKON Solutions, Victors Freight, MPQ Tourism, Asia Gulf Companies –La Carne & Filfood, WOL Water

Get a copy of Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf Legacy Edition

Rowena Niduaza

Public Speaker & Comedian

Public speaking powerhouse, Illustrado Woman of Substance Honoree and all-around lovable comedic personality, Rowena Niduaza occupies a unique position among many of Dubai’s charismatic personas. Well-known in the speaker circuit in the region, Rowena was a keynote speaker at the Dubai Women’s Summit 2017, and once again in 2018, sharing the stage with His Excellency Zulfiquar Z. Ghadiyali, CEO at the private office of His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, as well as other women leaders from the UK, France, Canada, etc. In 2019, She is slated to be a part of another Women Empowerment Summit, this time in Manila.

Away from the gravitas of the female empowerment summits, Rowena is also a comedic talent, performing stand-up at the wildly successful “Comedy Cocktails” with well-known personalities from India, and Saudi Arabia.  Her comic routine centers on the humor of the mundane, the amusing points of motherhood and family – something Rowena relishes talking about.

Always grounded and comfortable in her skin own skin, Rowena swears by honesty and faith as her guiding light in life.  “If we can be honest with ourselves about who we are, our relationship with others will be deeper and stronger.  Then we seal it with faith. The same goes for improving ourselves; we need to be honest about what we can and cannot do because it’s only through this process we can take in the right learnings to improve ourselves. After that, all we need is the faith that we can do it.”

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Special thanks to our sponsors: Emirates Airline, Stars n Bars La Mer, Liali, Instax – Grandstores UAE, Dusit Thani Dubai, Gver – Your Friendly Marketplace for Sharing, Meeting Dancewear , MPQ, CMG, Filbrit, and our partners Rozen Antonio Photography,  Alex Callueng Photography, Jef Anog Photography, and Ethereal Photography.

Browse the digital issue of Illustrado 100 Most Influential Filipinos of the Gulf 2018

Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf – Rowena Niduaza – The Storyteller

Rowena Niduaza has gained the respect and admiration of the Filipino community in the UAE for her magnificent strides with Toastmasters International – a non-profit organization that conducts communication and leadership training worldwide. After winning the Toastmasters Competition in the UAE in 2005, she won the regional leg of the competition and subsequently became the first Middle East representative to the 2005 Toastmasters International Convention for World Championship in Public Speaking held in Toronto, Canada. She is heralded as a master communicator, debator, and public speaker, and community leader, but there is one other title that gives her immense pride: survivor.

Rowena was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2005, but in a twist of fate that could only be described as “miraculous,” she was eventually declared cancer-free by her doctors. This event led to a new awakening for Rowena Niduaza. “It was like a fresh new canvass but this time instead of using my brush right away and paint the colours directly on the canvass, I learned that it’s worthwhile to sketch my thoughts first before the final touch of colours and signatures,” she says. “I learned to look at life at a different angle. If one angle doesn’t satisfy my questions then I will try looking at it at another angle until I find the right answer and purpose in the situations around me. Life after cancer is like living with a better view finder.”

She felt a great desire to present her testimony to the world, and Toastmasters International gave her the perfect platform. For her, it wasn’t only about winning anymore, but also letting everyone know that hope can still thrive in the face of such a debilitating disease. “My speech was all about my life with cancer and I just kept on revising it in every level of the contest, but the story and the message were always the same,” she says. “We don’t need to wait until we experience the fear of dying before we appreciate living because we should fear what is dying inside us while we are still living.”

Despite the accolades that she has acquired through the years, Rowena Niduaza considers her family her greatest achievement. “I am proud of how my three kids have grown and how they have achieved much,” she says. “It’s not only about their success in their field but how they both treat people and animals with great care.”

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Filmmaker

Over the last 5 years, Kamil Roxas has created short films and documentaries that were screened and have won awards at festivals including the Dubai International Film Festival, Singapore World International Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival. He has also been honing his craft on the commercial front directing commercial spots and creating regional advertising campaigns for Tiffany & Co, Paco Rabanne, Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, Jeep, Vivo and more, under his own production company, Hello Project Space.

Known as one of the slickest storytellers of Dubai, Kamil is known to employ a strong cinematic approach to storytelling that creates visually striking and emotionally engaging work.  As one of the leading creatives in the community Kamil who has worked with multicultural teams and clients to great success, he attests to the abundance of Filipino talent in the country.  He says, “The Filipino community in the UAE is no short of talented artists in every creative field.” Advising future filmmakers, the artist recommends, “Surround yourself with people who are more creative than you.  Find time to collaborate with everyone. We are in a country that has over 200 nationalities. It is a missed opportunity if you only stick to a demographic that you are most familiar with. Don’t stop learning and try to veer away from the mindless telenovela and ‘noon-time show’ aesthetic. Think more globally.”

Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf is Supported by: Kaya Skin Clinic,  Emirates Airline, and Unilever.

Special Thanks to Michael Cinco, Ezra Couture , Giordano, Darcey Flowers, IKON Solutions, Victors Freight, MPQ Tourism, Asia Gulf Companies –La Carne & Filfood, WOL Water

Get a copy of Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf Legacy Edition

Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf – Kamil Roxas – Hipster Film Maker

A self-confessed movie junkie, Kamil Roxas has been drawn to the world of film-making even at a young age. His interest in films like Pulp Fiction has influenced him to pursue the art, and with stars aligning to his fate, he has been offered a scholarship to attend a the New York Film Academy after he won the Best Director award for ‘Celebrate Life’ at the first Middle East International Film Festival. And, that has signaled the beginning of a growing list of achievements that Kamil Roxas gained in the craft he so loves.

He has won the Best Documentary from the Commission on Overseas Filipino Media Awards for the film ‘The Filipina on Top’ that was produced in collaboration with Illustrado’s Women of Substance advocacy. He has also bagged awards from the Dubai 48 Film Project and Nikon Film and Video Festival, and last year, his short film ‘Shadows’ won the Best Cinematography category at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival.

His latest achievement is the grand prize award at The Reel Dubai Short Film Competition organized by the Dubai International Film Festival, Dubai Tourism and Samsung. Mentored by renowned local filmmakers Nayla Al Khaja, Mohammad Saeed Harib and Ali F Mostafa, Kamil Roxas’ entry of ‘Hello World’ has gained the critics’ nods to the poetic narrative of the rise of Dubai shown in his film. This winning short film has been screened at the 68^th Cannes Film Festival this year.

Now, Kamil Roxas continues to enjoy writing and directing for documentary work, commercial campaigns, TV series and occasional films and music videos. His most recognized commercial project would be the 30 episodes for a television series on Abu Dhabi TV documenting the work of Make-A-Wish Foundation UAE.

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Gee, Your Kabayan Smells Terrific!

Why Filipinos Smell Good

By Nicholo Jallores

It is an accepted dictum in modern medicine that the strongest mnemonic device out of all the 5 senses is the sense of smell. A whiff of the known and familiar could bring back a greater flood of memories than any sight, sound, taste, or tactile experience ever could. Warm pineapple and sugar reminds us of holidays back home. Grilled fish takes us back to barbecues by the sea with the family. The nose knows, it is said. Human beings in general are tenderly susceptible to the visceral and often jarring impacts of nose-stalgia.

Filipinos in particular are an olfactory sort. We spend a lot of time and money on ensuring that we smell good, or at the very least, that we don’t smell bad. According to Eden Strategy Institute’s Emerging Middle Class 2014 Survey, 4 out of 10 Filipinos cannot live without soap and shampoo. Personal hygiene figures highly in the Filipinos’ list of priorities, along with mobile phones and internet access. According to the report, most of us would rather forego health insurance and job security than lose our toiletries – in other words, it’s perfectly fine to be in the dirt, as long as our dirt doesn’t stink.

Our innate obsession with smelling good is hugely evident in Filipinos living in Middle Eastern countries. The sweltering heat of the Arabian peninsula offers the perfect environment for cultivating all sorts of maleficent odors, but amidst the stink clouds of hot acid and sulfur that urbanites have to contend with on a daily basis, the Filipinos manage to smell as fresh and dainty as young roses.

But what exactly is behind our propensity and dedication towards smelling good? What are the factors that define our relentlessly systemic approach to personal hygiene?

We have a few working theories.

1.) Filipinos generally don’t eat a lot of red meat.
Back home, beef is considered a premium item. Most of us grew up subsisting mostly on vegetables and white meats, with calderata and bulaloappearing only on the weekends or special occasions. Red meat is notoriously difficult to digest. Too much of it is likely to cause excessive perspiration and overproduction of surplus proteins and lipids, which can ultimately lead to body odor.

2.) Our food is not really all that spicy.
Compared to other cuisines, Filipino food is relatively rudimentary in terms of flavor compositions. We are comfort eaters, more than anything – we appreciate simplicity, heartiness, and sheer abundance in our food, with very little to almost no regard for flavor sets and textural diversity. Overloading on spices leads to excess sulfur in the body, which will eventually be eliminated through sweat and the breath.

3.) We’re all just water babies, really
The Filipinos come from a land that offers plenty of access to bodies of water. We have 7,107 islands – it would be safe to surmise that we also have around the same number of beaches, in addition to a stunning multitude lakes, rivers, brooks, and waterfalls. A typical Filipino family weekend getaway would be an afternoon outing at the beach. Filipinos just love water – a natural extension of which is that we love bathing. Other nationalities are even known to scoff at our insistence on taking daily baths. Imagine their consternation when they find out that some of us bathe twice a day – with plenty of “hilamos” and touch-ups in between.

4.) We tend to be overly conscious of other people’s opinions
Filipinos are very considerate and thoughtful – flip side of which is that we sometimes take self-consciousness to a ridiculous extreme. As a rule, we do not air our dirty laundry in public. We keep them locked up inside, and smother it with fragrances so the neighbors don’t notice. Our self-esteem tends to be heavily reliant on the opinion of others, so we go the extra length to make sure that we are pleasing in all respects, including the way we smell.

5.) We are sensitive of other people’s needs and comfort levels
It is often mentioned that we Filipinos are the preferred employees because of the level of loyalty and compassion that we are able to display through our diligence and hard work. The same can be said about our commitment towards maintaining a high degree of personal hygiene. It would be a matter of great tragedy for us to ruin another person’s day by walking into the room reeking of warm garbage. We take care of the way we smell mostly because it pleases us to please others.

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Meet the Filipino men and women who keep the Filipino community in the Gulf covered.

Kuwait’s fearless Pinay TFC correspondent – Maxxy Santiago

KSA’s Filipino “media ambassador” – Abdul Hannan Tago

Champions of Excellence Art and Rachel Los Banos

Fierce UAE reporter Mariecar Jara

Media veteran Jay Hilotin

The post Filipino Media Gulf: Most Influential Filipinos – Media’s Filipino Custodians appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

EDUARDO VIRAY

Buying and Merchandising Manager – MEA Region

CLARKS – Dubai, UAE

 MY JOB

I am the Buying and Merchandise Manager of C & J Clark International for Middle East and Africa including their Turkish Subsidiary. Clarks is a British, international shoe manufacturer. Our company has over 1,000 branded stores and franchises around the world and also sells through third-party distribution.

I am responsible for driving commercial business goals through product and merchandising strategy across the MEA region. I am also responsible for all regional product selection for our franchise partners which entails setting up their product portfolio selections every season according to market requirements and needs.  Part of my job is also analyzing market and competition and providing recommendations and insights crucial for business decision making. I also conduct regular trainings on seasonal product strategies and focuses.

I was originally a Project Development Officer for the Planning Division of NEDA in Bulacan. But fate brought me to merchandise planning job in retail for which I am very thankful for. I had found my passion in fashion and worked with some of the best retail companies and brands in the Middle East, including Mikyajy where I got my foundation on merchandise planning. Thereafter I moved to Majid Al Futtaim Fashion and where I worked for 5 years – starting out as Wholesale Sales Support Manager, and then Senior Buyer for brands Juicy Couture, Jane Norman, Fat Face, Mexx and Lucky Brand Jeans. I then joined Burberry Middle East as Regional Merchant in 2012. I then briefly joined Al Tayer Group handling planning for the Men’s Department of Harvey Nichols and Bloomingdales before joining Clarks.

Apart from meeting a lot of cool people, one of the perks of my job is traveling. For the last 10 years in Dubai, the only thing that kept me sane is the fact that I get to travel to different countries almost every other month. It’s great but it’s also exhausting. But hey, no complaints, I get to travel all expenses paid!

MY TYPICAL WORK DAY

My work day starts while I am behind-the-wheel. Driving gives me clarity. That’s when I start thinking about what has to be done during the day. I am quite an organized person, so as soon as I sit at my desk I do my priority list. I typically have meetings throughout the week, either with my general manager, our franchise partners, UK counterparts, or my assistant.

As a planner, I am well organized. Any deviation in the plans will be a huge headache for me. I am very keen on details. Hence, I review and analyze all reports. I manage and control pricing architecture, sales and forecasting for Clarks Shoes in the region and hence numerical data analysis and reporting is very crucial to my day to day routine.

However busy my day is, I also make sure that I have time for small chats with colleagues and friends. That provides me a boost whenever I feel drained at work.  During the weekends, whenever I get the chance, I visit my friends and brunch or dine out with them. I also love to watch movies and go to the beach.

CAREER ADVICE

Be yourself. Be proud of being a Filipino. Acknowledge that you are a talented individual and that you can do needs to be done. Filipinos are very diligent and have an unbelievable resilience. Our work ethics are the best in the world; we have the best minds there is.   Our attitude and our positive outlook in life define the culture that we have and we must embrace that.  Living in the Middle East for 10 years has taught me many valuable things but one thing stands out – equality! In Dubai, equal opportunities are there regardless of nationality. We just have to believe that we can do it, and do it better!

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BETTY GUEVARRA

Division Manager –Merchandise & Planning

AL TAYER GROUP – Dubai, UAE

MY JOB

I am associated with one of the largest groups of company in the Middle East. My core experience is in Merchandise Planning and Buying.  As the head of a division, I have a team who supports me in achieving our division goals & KPIs.  What is really good about working in this region is that you get to work with different kinds of people from different parts of the world.  My team is quite diversified – composed of Irish, French, Moroccan, African, Egyptian, Lebanese, Sri Lankan, Indians, British, Belarusian and of course Filipinos.

Apart from leading a team, I get to travel to meet the principals and top executives at the luxury beauty brands. I’m exposed to reading/reviewing legal contracts, store designs and concepts, as well as brand management.  It is my responsibility to ensure we have the right assortment of brands in the stores and we create an atmosphere where our customers feel delighted leaving our store feeling beautiful.

MY TYPICAL WORK DAY

The first thing I usually do in the morning is check my calendar then read specific folders (emails from the management) in my inbox plus go through the daily sales report.  Then, I have a quick catch up with my team – we call this daily huddle.  In here we briefly share news, concerns and our priorities for the day.  In a lot of cases, my day is packed with back-to-back meetings.  After meetings, I pass on the information to my team for action.  I also have my TO DO list – often these are quite strategic so until, and when these are finalized they remain in my list.  As the division head, it is typical for me to be approached by someone either seeking help, solution or a decision, every single day.

I joined this company as Administration Assistant where my role is to do what I was told to do.  With the grace of God, I reached a level that a lot of Filipinos would probably aspire for.  Currently I rank the highest amongst the Filipinos in the company.  I take the pride in representing Filipinos at the office, especially when I discuss business strategies on a quarterly basis with the top management like to CEOs, Senior Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents, and General Managers.  To be part of the Executive Team, can get very challenging. The expectations are huge and you have to be ready and prepared all the time.

One of the best and most interesting tasks I do is coaching.  I realized I can motivate people and this is something that comes naturally to me.  I had a colleague who was very challenged with his previous manager, and was about to resign.  Due to restructuring, he was moved under my leadership.  I saw great potential in him – coached him regularly to ensure he achieved key milestones.  It has been 4 years since then. He has been promoted 3 times and is now one of my Seniors, confident enough to lead the division in my absence.

The best fulfillment I get is when I see someone from my team grow and be promoted – to me this is success.

CAREER ADVICE

Believe in yourself, stay hungry and don’t settle for less. Get acquainted with the kind of person you ought to be.  Don’t give up on your dreams, they are worth fighting for.  It has always been my mantra to keep striving for more and often I ask myself ‘how could I have done this better?’  This will help you improve yourself.

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CHARMAINE ROXAS NACUA

Sales & Marketing Manager

Histomer Swiss Italian Skin Care – Dubai, UAE

My Job

As the Sales and Technical Manager of Histomer exclusively distributed by JS International LLC, I am tasked to generate demand for my brand portfolio within my territory covering segments such as medical spas, beauty centers and dermatology clinics, to ultimately reach targets, while handling my clientele with the best customer service. To support my clients, I conduct monthly Histomer- Certified Classes in our office as well product knowledge refresher trainings to ensure that skin therapists and doctors are familiar with our product protocols.

My medical background as a Physical Therapy graduate, plus my stint with Pfizer Philippines gave me an edge in mastering my products by heart and skillfully communicating the benefits of my brand target audiences of different races and backgrounds. As part of my job, I also conduct product demos and customize marketing-related events or workshops in support to spa managers and owners assuring product satisfaction on the part of my clients and their valuable customers. I also create spa offers or clinic deals to promote the spa or clinic facial services using Histomer products as per special marketing arrangements.

My typical work day

I am blessed with a wonderful family; a loving supportive husband who runs his own mobile fitness and conditioning company and an adorable charming six year-old son who live in Dubai with me. So my mornings are always adrenaline-packed from 6AM – taking care of breakfast and preparing my son for school. As my work timings are flexible, I can effectively juggle my family and work responsibilities.

I check my emails and social media accounts and spend time feeding my soul as well. Then I check my appointments and meetings in my diary. Then, off I go to visit my clients in the field and check out leads in the area. There are days where I need to conduct trainings or workshops, then, there are also times where I hope from one door to the other seeking new accounts that have certain requirements which I match up with my solution products. It is a never-ending challenge and thrill to meet new faces and see places in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman which is my area of responsibility. The more I am exposed in the field each day, the more exhilarating it is for me.

Having been in Dubai for 12 years, I have had my shares of simple yet very hard beginnings. Through the challenges, I have developed patience in everything. It was nurtured in me when I went through all the hardship, the financial struggle, the job switching, the cultural adjustment, but what sustained me and my family is our strong faith and trust to our Creator who provided us with inner strength and a winning attitude that our life’s breakthroughs are on the way and it did happen and still is happening up to the present time. Glory to God!

Life advice

I urge you my kababayans to love God, to love our families and to love our country with all our hearts and we will start seeing our inner transformation unfolding. We should appreciate our spouses and focus on loving our families despite our challenges and lastly, we should look to our country with a renewed hope, patriotism and nationalism. Our nation is great and will become greater one day, ultimately making us feel that with conviction.

We should be proud to be Filipinos and that someday soon we will go home for good and bring our world-class expertise and talents to be utilized in building our nation together through the help of God.

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KRISTOFFER MENDOZA

Restaurant General Manager

II Café di Roma – Dubai, UAE

 My job

I am a Restaurant General Manager. Being responsible for the entire business entails that, I manage operations, handle Human Resources, as well as accounting. I have been in Dubai’s food and beverage scene for more than a decade now, and this has enriched me with skills and knowledge that help me to fulfill my job.

My typical work day

My day starts with me briefing my colleagues on our daily target, tasks and updates in order for them to be fully aware and equipped with information they require to achieve what needs to be done. Then, I check my e-mail for any developments on orders, projects and reports. I inspect the whole outlet to check if everything is in good working condition, our standards are being followed and reports needed being done effectively and efficiently. Once it starts to get busy, I supervise operations. When all is well and functioning smoothly, I will then tackle my daily reports and updates on stocks and deliveries. At the end of the day, we tally all finances and provide a report to top management.

Career advice

We have all left our country to seek greener pastures. Once you are able to land a job, be the best that you can be and learn to develop yourself no matter what trade you are involved in.  Be professional all the way, until your last working day. The world is very small. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll end up working for a former colleague who knows of what caliber of performance you embody.

The post Filipinos in UAE: It’s What I Do appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

Excel V. Dyquiangco

Introduction:

Filipinos are storytellers. In the world of journalism and media, they serve to bring tales that revolutionize, narratives that change, and sagas that challenge.

Here are four brave souls who have managed to cultivate an environment that’s definitely rich in Filipino class, culture and talent. Armed with much love for the country, they devote their whole lives to bring honour, prestige and style to the whole world–the Filipino way.

Ethel Cantor-Constantino

Host, I am Pinoy Proud Ako

Ever since she was young, Ethel Cantor-Constantino had always dreamt to be on television. The glamorous look and the popularity was what fascinated her. “I was particularly amazed with journalists covering conflict stories,” she says. “They were brave and beautiful! I dreamed to be like them to the point that when I graduated high school, I wrote this in our yearbook: ‘Ambition: To become a TV host.’”

Armed with a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Communications Arts from Ateneo de Davao University, she worked for almost two decades in different TV stations in the southern Philippines until she got her big break after visiting a friend in the United States. A successful Filipino businesswoman in Queens, New York thought they could come up with a partnership to produce a TV show for Filipinos in New York, a show that would inspire kababayans around the world. In November 2014, they aired the pilot episode.

“I Am Pinoy Proud Ako! is the first and only TV magazine show for Filipinos in Northeast America,” she says. “The 30-minute bilingual program features the lives of ordinary Fil-Ams, as well as the exceptional achievers and leaders in the community. It aims to inspire, entertain, and inform the public about the challenges, hopes, fun and accomplishments of Filipinos in New York and its neighbouring states.”

The response was overwhelming—they got letters from as far as New Zealand, Australia, Canada and London, asking the show to cover success stories from these places.

In the near future, she hopes to take up Masters of Arts in Social Journalism at the City University of New York. She says that Social Journalism is the use of wide and new tools and skills involving relationship-building, data, social media, and business to produce tangible impact that goes beyond page views and clicks or likes.

“For those journalists who want to make it big in other countries, build your skills, skills that you will love to do anytime, anywhere,” she says.

Jason Rogel

Actor, Kevin From Work

(photo credit DIANA TOSHIKO)

From the time he saw “The Sound of Music” and “Annie,” Jason Rogel knew he wanted to be one of those kids playing fun roles onscree. It wasn’t until high school that he really got to explore theatre and acting, and from that point on, he became hooked to a world of make-believe.

“My first job was in a TV commercial for the Royal Bank of Scotland,” he says. “I played an employee on a company retreat in the woods. No lines, but it was an amazing experience. We shot in the Sequoia National Forest, so I got to travel for the job which was all so new and exciting to me. All of the other actors knew it was my first Union job, so we all celebrated with drinks after the shoot.”

He considers his most memorable role to date is his portrayal of the character Larry, from ABC Family’s Christmas musical movie, The Mistle-Tones, starring Tia Mowry and Tori Spelling, in which they all had such a great time singing, dancing and shooting together. His dream role? To play the Engineer in the movie version of Miss Saigon, if Hollywood ever decides to make it.

“When it comes to actors I would like to work with someday, there are so many, and I got quite a random list. Right now, my top two would be Alfre Woodard and Gary Sinise. I have admired them both for so long, it would be amazing to actually get to work with them. Working with Lea Salonga would be awesome too!”

Right now, he is fortunate enough to be working on a new sitcom for ABC Family called Kevin From Work, where he has “regular” work schedule. Shooting happens from Monday to Friday, one episode a week. And like any other jobs, it has its challenges, but he says it is hard to complain about anything when he is lucky enough to be in an amazing show with great cast and crew.

His advice to Filipino actors wanting to break into the Hollywood mode: “In addition to being persistent, patient and keeping that belief in yourself and your talent, I would say make sure you have some good training. Be versatile and always keep improving your skills. Show them that the only reason Aaron Sorkin does not see Asian movie stars is because they simply do not cast Asians as movie stars, not because the talent is not there.”

Giselle Toengi

Host and Television Producer, Kababayan Today

Giselle Toengi is not a stranger in front of the television screen. Having acted in various Philippine soap operas and movies, she also dabbled as an MTV VJ back when people still watched music videos on television. At nineteen, she has booked a job travelling the world to interview pop stars and musicians, from Mariah Carey, Ricky Martin to Maxwell. Nowadays, she graces the small silver screen by showcasing her hosting mettle via Kababayan Today, the only daily talk show for Filipino Americans on free TV in all of North America, which is locally produced, and is a platform for the community to reach out to their kababayans to discuss topics important to them. Interestingly, not only does she host the show, she also produces, conceptualizes, edits at times, books guests, writes all the scripts and represents the show on various community events.

“I sent in my hosting and producing reel to LA18, an Asian American free-to-air station who was specifically looking for a host who could speak Tagalog,” she says. “My resume as a producer wasn’t as extensive as my hosting, but because I had graduated with a degree in Communication, I feel that it made me a good candidate for the position. The experience so far has been very fulfilling, but it certainly has its challenges. It isn’t easy breaking into a market like Los Angeles, where the capital of the entertainment industry is situated. But believe me, that didn’t happen overnight. It took many years of school and hands on experience for me to be able to fulfill the job requirements. As they say, timing and luck is half of it, but these are factors you can’t control. I choose to work hard on the things I can control: education, experience, and artistic collaborations.”

She recounts some passionate interviews on the show. Two of the most touching stories her show has featured was a grandmother reading a letter she had written for her nephew who identifies as a transgender man, and a tribute to Enzo Pastor on his one-year death anniversary.

“I hope that the audience realize that Kababayan Today is a platform for them to share what is important to them,” she says. “It provides our people visibility that our stories are important and should be celebrated.”

Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino

Columnist and Food Writer, AsianInAmericamag.com

A graduate of BA Communication Arts from Saint Paul University, Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino took on several jobs back when she was still based in the Philippines: she was then a copywriter in anad agency in Makati, and she later taught college courses at Assumption College. When she moved to the USA, the digital age of online publications opened many doors of opportunities, and she was able to land a job as a freelance writer.

“I started writing my blog ‘Asian In Americamag.com’ in 2010 because I love to cook and I have been cooking since I was tall enough to reach the kitchen counter,” she says. “When my sons were getting ready to go to college, I taught them how to cook. I used to write recipes for them on a yellow pad. Instead of handwritten recipes from me, my sons wanted me to send it digitally. My oldest son, Tim had gone to college at Drexel University in Philadelphia for web design. Both my sons Tim and Constante created the blog for me, as a way for me to record recipes so that they could read and cook from it even if they didn’t live at home.”

The blog took off, and now she doesn’t just cook and write recipes for her sons—she reaches a large audience from all over the USA and the world. Her YouTube channel is also available for those who want to learn her recipes. In 2012, she won a Doreen Gamboa Food Writing award for her essay ‘A Hundred Mangoes In a Bottle.’ “This was an essay about making mango jam and the summer memories I cherished as a child,” she says. “I submitted my entry. In a few weeks, I was told I won. It was memorable because the essay was about cooking with my late mother, whom I miss very much.”

For those who want to follow her path someday, she has this advice: “Be yourself. Every person is unique. Nobody else has your story, your family or even your interpretation of the recipes you have. Be as real and authentic as possible, because readers can tell if you are who you really are.”

SOUNDBYTES/PULL QUOTES:

Ethel Cantor-Constantino

“For those journalists who want to make it big in other countries, build your skills, skills that you will love to do anytime, anywhere.”

Jason Rogel

“Be versatile and always keep improving your skills. Show them that the only reason Aaron Sorkin does not see Asian movie stars is because they simply do not cast Asians as movie stars, not because the talent is not there.”

Giselle Toengi

“I choose to work hard on the things I can control: education, experience, and artistic collaborations.”

Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino

“Nobody else has your story, your family or even your interpretation of the recipes you have. Be as real and authentic as possible, because readers can tell if you are who you really are.”

The post In Search for Stories appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

Patrick Fronda is a multi-awarded filmmaker based in the United Arab Emirates. He started his career as a visual artist and later became a film editor and an educator teaching college students about the nuts and bolts of film-making at the Murdoch University in Dubai.

His notable works in directing include ‘Pump It’ and ‘I am a Star’. In 2013, Patrick dominated at the 48 Hour Film Competition sweeping 5 major awards including Best Film and Best Director for his wacky short – ‘Pump It.’ The film then represented Dubai at the Filmapalooza in the USA in 2014. In the same year, Patrick won 3rd Best Film for his entry at the Nikon Film Festival in Dubai. He was also a finalist at the Samsung Video Competition, where his work ended up being screened in Dubai International Film Festival.

Although there is little support to aspiring filmmakers in the country, Patrick remains steadfast in pursuing his passion. “Maybe we are lacking in resources but we have dedicated people who believe in film making. They are my strength, and without them I can’t do it alone. People like my students and some followers help me whenever I need a workforce. As long as there are audiences and people believing in my works, I’ll be doing what I love.” As for the absence of an industry here, he shares enthusiastically, “The UAE might not have an interest or plan to have a real platform here, but I am here to build that. My dream as a filmmaker is to establish a platform for Filipino film makers here – to build a name that we can compete with foreign and local directors.” He adds, “We are natural story tellers’ marami tayung pwede ikwento. I want to show more of our positive side rather than negative. Sa atin kasi, they mostly show only third world problems dahil patok sa first world countries yung ganung plot. But for me, gusto kong maiangat yung level ng thingking ng ibang lahi about us, and I want to tell that visually on film.”

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Most Influential Filipinos:

CADD (Computer Aided Design and Drafting) for Kabayan

CADD for Kabayan is one of those community organizations in the UAE that has changed the lives of Filipinos through skills education. Having trained over 7,000 individuals until December 2014, producing, 20 TESDA NCII Certified passers in Structural Drafting and developing 35 achievers, the group has facilitated a 360 turn in the professions of its trainees – transforming, for example, a salesman into a CADD draftsman, a secretary to draftswoman, a welder to a CADD technician, and a laborer into an Assistant Engineer.

Established in 2002, CADD for Kabayan is a non-profit organization that conducts technical trainings for OFWs and their dependents in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, providing ample knowledge to people who want to learn more in the fields of Engineering and Architecture and other-related sectors. The organization was put up simply to give a chance for OFWs to compete in the world of Information Technology. “Our group is a family oriented organization,” says Founder Engineer Orandantes M. Delizo. “We are only concentrating in the group’s technical skills and expertise which we share. We make sure our students receive proper training and are certified in their chosen skills.”

CADD which stands for Computer Aided Design and Drafting offers a wide range of courses: Basic AutoCAD, 3D Modelling, Studio Max, Sketchup, Photography and Video Editing, Drafting Courses, Revit and Microstation. These specialized trainings occur every Friday at POLO-OWWA in Al Ghusais from 8 am to 5 pm. “We are so fulfilled when we see our trainees become successful through the skills training we have shared with them,” he says.

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Break dance, sure he could do. But, breaking records is also something Christopher Trasmaño had proven to achieve. Holding the Guinness Book of World Record title for the longest hours of dancing for a dance/rhythm videogame using Xbox 360 Kinect Dance Central 2 is only one among the long list of successes that Christopher, a.k.a. ‘CL Frostyle’, carries throughout the years.

As a successful professional dancer, CL Frostyle has performed for many events in the hottest of venues in the emirates. He has also appeared in several commercials, music videos and concerts, managed three different dance studios in the Philippines, grooved with Gary Valenciano, Lani Misalucha, and had been the front act for Pussycat Dolls for the Manila tour. Also, he was featured in a music video of Philippine All-Stars.

Not slowing down to rest from dancing, Christopher would still want to break the world record he had already set. Guinness record aside, he has also set his eyes on pursuing his dream – to be known one day for being the humble CLfrostyle, champion of the masses and underprivileged bboys and hiphop dancers who have huge dreams of making it big, and finally, to own a dance company that sponsors Filipino talents and sends them overseas for competitions.

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It takes a rare breed of man to actually go willingly into a warzone to facilitate the rescue of others. Charge d’ Affaires, en Pied Adelio Cruz is one of those exceptional few. He has dodged bullets, been held at gunpoint, lived in challenging conditions, while providing leadership to a Filipino community located in one of the most politically-tense environs in the region.

The Philippine diplomat to war-torn Libya – based in Tripoli, he arrived in the country in 2014 as Head of the Philippines’ Rapid Response Team (RRT) composed of different government branches including the Department of Interior and Local Government-Philippine National Police (DILG-PNP), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). His main responsibility is to lead the safe and efficient repatriation of Filipinos from the country. As Head of Post, he is also tasked to continue to enhance bilateral relations with Libya and seven other countries namely, Algeria, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger and Tunisia.

To date, the Embassy has repatriated 5,498 Filipinos. Approximately 3,119 still remain in the country.

Cruz, a well-loved figure who served for four years in the emirates as former Consul General at the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi reflects on his experiences and shares, “Retired Ambassador Libran Cabactulan, my former boss in Abu Dhabi once said, ‘In any organization, you are only as strong as your weakest link.’ As soon as I arrived in Libya, I hit the ground running. My learning curve about the country’s history and ongoing internal conflict went vertical. I was blessed because my RRT colleagues, who remained in the country until the end of 2014 were instrumental in helping the Embassy plan, organize and mobilize multiple repatriations throughout Libya, often in the line of fire or possible harm while rescuing Filipinos in distress.” He furthers, “The continued success of our repatriation is due mainly to the team effort from my colleagues at the Embassy. We also have the full support of the DFA, DOLE, OWWA and the POEA.”

Asked how he was able to take such a post that puts his personal safety at risk, he says, “I am sure the rest of my colleagues share the same sentiment when I say our families constantly worry about our safety.” He adds, “But in life, there are few occasions when civil servants are given the rare honor and privilege to serve their country and their fellowmen under ‘very challenging’ conditions. Ensuring the safety and welfare of our kababayans abroad, after all, is one of the three pillars of the Philippine Foreign Service.”

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