We found a totally unexpected new funky hangout spot just in the middle of Bur Dubai and it was amazing!

When you think about the Mankhool area, the first thing that probably goes to your head is “Old Dubai” where residents sit down until the wee hours to sip a milk heavy cup of karak chai and smoke shisha. But the place has a lot more to offer! Majestic Hotel Towers recently launched the new hottest secret spot for adventurers who are on the hunt for something different, something mysterious, with a definitive funky vibe. And we’re digging a new term for it: MANK-COOL!

It’s only mid-week but work the next day didn’t stop the fashionphiles to dress up and show up at Illustrado x Miss Wáng Come Out & Play #AsianMafia party. Pumped with good music, flowing drinks and food to share, the night was packed with dancing, fun and good vibes. Miss Wáng is very hip, industrial and urban with contemporary touches and pops of color, bringing an Asian downtown hipster vibe to life. A perfect venue for #TeamIllustrado to throw a party for the city’s coolest, most stylish and the most influential Filipino residents.

The Asian connection goes deeper in the menu that was served during the party, drawing from diverse cuisines offering a mix of authentic favorites and also modern variations of signature dishes including crunchy volcano shrimps, teriyaki beef sliders and apple pie wontons. The dishes were complicated with non-traditional handcrafted cocktails from all over Asia – Thailand, Japan, Philippines and Vietnam.  

Meet the unique, unafraid, creative people who got #scenezoned at the party in a photo series by Filipino fashion photographer Rozen Antonio: 

Full Album

Watch the video here:

https://www.facebook.com/illustradomagazine/videos/10159070347085051/

Having a major FOMO already? Visit Miss Wáng at Majestic Hotel in Bur Dubai. For timing and schedule, follow them on Facebook and Instagram @misswangdubai.

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NEW ROUTES AHEAD

by Philippine Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes

2016 was an exciting year for the country — the campaign, the elections, President Duterte’s first few months in office, the newfound confidence of our people in government and in our leadership, and the euphoria of a people who finally have a leader they truly liked and were mesmerized with – one whom they were willing to follow to wherever he deemed it worthy. The year also witnessed a Filipino nation so embroiled in the political arena, voters both young and old took it upon themselves to promote the qualifications of those they supported, sharing FB posts that boost the image of those they rooted for whilst making fun of the others, commenting in support of or deliberately antagonizing friends, work mates, and family for their opposing views. The national leadership, on the other hand, showed the Filipino people what alternatives meant — new directions for the country, new forks to choose, 180-degree policy and paradigm shifts, and what real political will entailed. The year flew by so fast, the new year seems to have just snuck right in: a new one that made it so obvious how important it was to define for ourselves where exactly we hoped to go.

Like it or not, the rise of Facebook and other social media networks as avenues for the speedy interchange of views and opinions of both important and trivial issues augurs a more engaged citizenry, never mind if some, if not most, feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts in the anonymity of cyberspace, a stark departure from the face-to-face argumentation we were used to. And with an emboldened cacophony of perceptions of what society must be and who ought to be on the forefront of it all comes a more engaged stakeholder network, all eager to be part of the process, though veiled.  

I was raised at a time where the environment for political discourse favored the more intellectual types and those of sterling academic credentials, while those who were not very blessed with the expertise in combing through the fine details of these subjects opted play the rules of the game of Philippine politics in the sidelines, content with the foregone conclusions that its victors were chosen from a list of a very select few. Thus in the midst of a 21st-century national chorus of opinion, right or wrong, logical or ridiculous, brilliant or moronic, it is liberating to think of a society that has finally chosen to be silent no more and instead eager to be individually heard, counted, and listened to.  

Keeping Up With ConGen: New Routes Ahead

As far as the Consulate’s year was concerned, 2016 was a milestone — a year of the firsts in this Post’s 12-year history. We held monthly town hall meetings, which gathered leaders and members of the Filipino community to learn and dissect issues and concerns that were of interest to the Pinoys in Dubai. We organized cultural events at the Consulate, opening its doors to rabid supporters of Filipino art — from painting to photography to the performing arts — as testament to the Filipino’s global repute as excellent and sought-after artists. We engaged our Filipino youth —with interschool debates and photography and filmmaking, manifesting the new found confidence of the Filipino in fields hitherto dominated by other ethnicities. We produced a show that featured the song writing skills of our people. We reached out to other sectors of the Filipino diaspora in the emirates — the academe, musicians, performers, journalists, and entrepreneurs, welcoming them with open arms as we stand ready to expand to horizons we never thought of conquering. Clearly, our programs for 2016 serve only as precursors of how much more the Consulate and the Filipino community could achieve by holding hands and embarking on a journey that would define the Filipino soul in this part of the world.

Much more is up for grabs and more is to be embraced. Juxtaposing all of 2016’s memories, events, happenings, activities, and projects, one thing can be easily gleaned — that inevitably we can reach the fullest, even surpass our perceived potential, if all members of our society were to involve themselves in everything that goes on in our community. We cannot afford to be blasé about society, domestic and foreign policy, health issues, culture and the arts, and all other public concerns. There can be no room for those detached and indifferent to the path our society takes. Everyone must trust that speaking up will allow them to be a part of the solution. Nothing less than full action must be demanded of each one. In parallel, government must continually devise ways to engage its stakeholders, providing them new bridges to reach out to the people. When this synergy is played to the maximum, surely, the new routes available to us will lead us to brighter and rosier tomorrows.

Related Article:

Keeping Up With ConGen: Our Not So Nomadic Christmases

Keeping up with the Con Gen: To be Exotic and Pinoy

Keeping Up with the ConGen: When There’s Only Room for One On Top

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PHL Consulate General in Dubai Holds Photo “Chiaroscuro Art & Style” Photo Exhibit of Filipino Fashion Photographer, Eros Goze

The Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, in collaboration with the Filipino Ladies of Dubai, successfully held a Photography Exhibit titled “Chiaroscuro Art & Style” featuring Eros Goze at the Rizal Hall, Philippine Consulate on September 01. Over 150 members of the Filipino Community, media, academe, and Dubai’s art enthusiasts attended the Opening Event and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony, led by Philippine Consul General Paul Raymund P. Cortes and Dr. Yasmin Balajadia-Cortes, Chairperson of the Filipino Ladies of Dubai.

Chiaroscuro, an Italian word which means light and dark, is the theme of the photography of Mr. Eros Goze. The 17 black and white photographs, filled with dramatic beauty and life, featured prominent personalities, such as Consul General and Mme. Cortes. For the exhibit, the Consulate chose a talent from Baguio City in view as well of the 107^thFoundation Day of the City of Baguio.

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#MoveOnPilipinas

By Consul General Paul Raymond Cortes

My country just ended a month-long campaign to entice registered Filipino voters in Dubai and the Northern Emirates to participate in 2016’s Presidential elections. Every six years, Filipinos across the globe choose their leaders through what is possibly one of Asia’s, even the world’s, most frenzied democratic processes. The particular election year seemed quite more fervid. As far as I could recall, at no other time in our recent history, except thirty years ago during the 1986 Presidential Snap Elections between then President Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino, was everyone deeply zealous of their choice for the country’s top leadership. Support for the candidates was intense, bordering on the fanatical. Everyone joined the online fracas – each mouthing off an argument or two in favor of his or her candidate. Exacerbated by social media, the attempts at discrediting other Presidential contenders and, even more, their supporters were filled with vitriol. Quite frankly, the cyber bloodbath was brutal and harsh.

The end of the campaign season now puts us back in square one. Where do we go from here? In the six Presidential elections I have participated in, getting back on track as one nation has always been a challenge for Filipinos. Those who voted for losing candidates become adamant in supporting the elected President with the stubborn hope that they be vindicated at the earliest possible time. They openly mistrust the new leader, branding him/her as incompetent and unworthy of the national leadership. Each mistake is magnified and derided. Sadly, this attitude has delayed our capability to move on and get on with the task of nation-building ahead.

We must not degenerate into being categorized by the candidate we favored. Months before we opened the voting process to our Overseas Filipinos, surveys had already divided the Filipino soul into a pie chart of Presidentiables. Much effort was undertaken to lure others into their fray either by sweet coercion or by brazen bullying. As oppressive as the Philippines’ summer heat, vituperative words were exchanged between supporters, between commenters, and between tweets — so much so that the race had seemingly become an personal battle between Filipinos.

On the one hand, it was refreshing to see Filipinos deeply involved in the discussions on issues our society faced even if they had been residing abroad for so long or if they had been so long detached from anything Filipino (especially the dizzying world of Philippine politics). Showbiz inanities were the normative starting point in conversations regarding our homeland not governance issues. Facebook somehow reinvigorated their propensity to dissect and intelligently discuss the country’s societal concerns. It strengthened their resolve to see Inang Bayan rise to the glory each Filipino believes the Philippines deserves. Social media awoke the burning desire of every overseas Filipino to cure the ills of his motherland so that embrace her welcoming arms without fear of having to leave her once again for economic or political reasons.

The downside was that comment after comment, the barbs between camps were acrimonious, as if any distasteful remark merited infuriated responses from each other. Faceless interactions emboldened people all the more to viciously malign each other, consequences of a renewed arrogance hiding under invisibility the internet so conveniently cloaks them with.

By this time, a new President would have been chosen. A new one who did not statistically gain the majority of the electorate. Majority or minority notwithstanding, the incoming President will be leader of a 102-million-strong nation – a country and people desperately craving for a captain who could steer their ship to greater heights and loftier dreams. They will be pleading for a government that would build on the gains we have already achieved and at the same time, further catapult our economy to global preeminence; a dream so sought after by a famished national soul that longs for the day when we can finally bequeath a better Philippines to our children and our children’s children.

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By Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes

I reached one of the twin peaks of my diplomatic career a little over eighteen years after I took my oath as a Foreign Service Officer.  About 11 of us were blessed with the lucky charm of promotion into Chief of Mission rank, each of us pondering how our new responsibilities would change our worlds. I recall how one of my new batch mates jokingly counseled me to sing less than I often do as it would be deemed unbecoming. As Chief of Mission or Consul General or Ambassador, it is now incumbent to comport myself in a manner befitting the title His Excellency.

What it means to be a dignified diplomat sounds outright nebulous. It is societal sequitur, many opine, that as I was already on “top of the heap,” norms on deportment is now a tad more rigid than it was for young, uninhibited greenhorns. As junior officers, we enjoyed the liberty of spontaneity, though necessarily blanketed with prudence of course, and part of that convenience, in my case, included a lot of singing. Sadly, not anymore so!

Singing had always been my passion. It defines me; it paints me as a unique individual. I’ve always felt happiest when I sing. Until now, it is as if I continually rediscover one of the essences of my soul whenever I serenade an audience. I am passionate about music and performing and I carried all that as I entered the Foreign Service. Though my forays into artistic pursuits and diplomacy were unplanned, their serendipitous marriage could not have been a more perfect fit. It was this unconventional side (coupled with my ever-affable wife) that brought me closer to the Filipino communities I had served, allowing me a more personal approach as I functioned as a foreign service officer.

Advised to scale down on my singing and be a “Congen,” I thought about how much of myself I must divest to be an authentic public servant. As Consul General, I play the role of my ‘kababayans’ last ray of hope, their role model, and their de facto leader. Where does authenticity lie in the context of these roles? What does being true to oneself mean for those of us in the Foreign Service?

I mull over almost two decades in the diplomatic circle and nothing is more crystal clear than affirming that there should be no difference in the manner I shared myself as a junior diplomat to the way I am expected to fit in my new role. I step up my plate, fully convinced that there is possibly no way I can confidently live up to the hype by being less than myself.

Only when I am comfortable being my true self to the community can I be an effective leader. The arsenal of genuine public service is a bottomless well if filled only with truth in character. Anything less than the authenticity of oneself jeopardizes the foundation of a sustainable public trust in someone like the Consul General.

Keeping Up With the Con Gen: Of Being Consul General and the Real Me

………………….

CONSUL GENERAL PAUL RAYMUND CORTES

When not performing his duties as the head of the Filipino community in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, or the obligations of a dutiful dad, passionate patriot Paul Raymund Cortes, mulls over how to further enrich the local Filipino community by promoting a more progressive mindset.

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Philippine Consulate General – Dubai & Norther Emirates

It isn’t easy being the Philippine Consul-General – and it sure is doubly more difficult when you are assigned to one of the busiest, most demanding OFW epicenters in the world.

Filipinos in the UAE number at close to 1 million, and an estimated 450,000 of them are concentrated in Dubai and the Northern Emirates; the area of responsibility of Philippine Consul-General Paul Raymund Cortes. Of the gravitas of his responsibility, he says, “Dubai’s reputation as a challenging post among us in the Philippine foreign service has been reinforced by several of my colleagues who have been fortunate to have Dubai as a posting. The large community and the volume of work does make others wince and look the other way when it comes to the prospect of being assigned here. Add to that the comparatively bigger personnel complement we have here. Personnel Management becomes a daily learning exercise.”

Administrative duties aside, the Consul General also considers community building as part of his priorities, seeing the need to reinforce the government’s involvement with OFWs in the region. “I would like to be engaged with community affairs and be a part of the Filipinos’ lives in the UAE,” he says. “I also believe that when Filipinos feel good about themselves, when they become more confident of who they are, and what they are able to contribute to the global community, we gain the respect of the international community and other peoples and we are able to instill a deeper sense of pride among ourselves.”

Filipinos are sometimes notorious for being clannish and working in silos, moved by the tendency of “kanya-kanya”or “tayo-tayo lang.” Philippine Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes emphasizes on the need to bring the many OFW community groups in the UAE together under the banner of advancing national interest. He says, “Many Filipinos tend to perceive their interests as only within the confines of their most immediate concentric circle beyond their sphere of influence – their family, their immediate neighborhood, their small community, and at most their region. We’ve been told by many political analysts and many sociologists that perhaps what is still to be nurtured is our capability of thinking as a country, as a united people, defined by over 100 languages and dialects. That we will think of Philippine interests in terms of a nation should be forthcoming and something I eagerly look forward to.”

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Hon. Paul Raymund Cortes, the Consul General of the Philippines in the United Arab Emirates, did not dream of working in the Foreign Service. In fact, as a graduate of Computer Science from the prestigious Ateneo de Manila University, he thought he would be working in the IT industry. It was not until he met some Foreign Service officers during an event in the early 90’s at the Department of Foreign Affairs that he considered living his life around the world serving his country.

Two decades later, having earned a Master’s Degree in Public Management from the University of the Philippines, taking the Foreign Service Officers’ and the Career Ministers’ Examinations and postings that have taken him and his family to live in Europe and in the USA, Consul General Cortes has become accustomed to a life of travel, wherever his job takes him.

He shares, “Life in the foreign service has opened my perspectives to a much wider scale. It has complemented my Jesuit foundation and made me a much more compassionate and humane soul. The DFA has been very good to me and my family. It has provided us opportunities we never would have come across if not for that brief moment at the DFA 21 years ago.”

Currently the highest ranking Philippine official responsible for Dubai and the Northern Emirates, Con Gen Cortes meets his new adventure in the Middle East with much aplomb, despite the emirates’ reputation as a challenging post owing to the size of the Filipino community here and the work that it entails.  As Head of Post, he shares that his main priorities include – his work for the Filipino community, the effective management of the sizeable consulate personnel, and together with his family, being able to understand Islamic culture.

Fortunate to have a supportive family able to see the positives in a life of travel beyond the grueling process of packing and unpacking, Con Gen Cortes and his wife, Yasmin, implanted in their kids that moving from one country to another is not necessarily a process of uprooting; instead, it is a rare opportunity that shapes a human being — the exposure to many different cultures, languages, mindsets and perspectives.  The couple is very grateful that they were able to guide their sons to view moving in an optimistic light.  Thankfully, their sons are open—even eager—to reboot their lives in yet another new country.

His new home away from home

Moving to Dubai early this year, Con. Gen. Cortes has learned to love the city, and says, “Dubai is such a gem. Being here validates everything one has read about the city – the wealth, the glam, the lifestyle, the diversity, the rich international flavor of the place, the people, the opulence, the pomp, and of course, the heat!!“

What he and his family love most about Dubai though, other than its thriving atmosphere is the incredible spirit of community among Filipinos that makes it easy for them to feel like Dubai is really home.  Con Gen Cortes enthuses,

“I have always been a social animal. I thrive on people gatherings and enjoy every bit of meeting and exchanging views with everyone. I have made it a point to be a very active player in community affairs in my previous postings and intend to be so in Dubai. I would like to be engaged with community affairs and be a part of the Filipinos’ lives in the UAE.”

Con. Gen. Cortes is proud of his heritage, and for him, being a Filipino abroad means being hardworking, adaptable, and flexible to take on any challenge. He takes pride in the work ethic and in the efficiency of Filipinos, and thinks that our sense of commitment to our professions is legendary. He also admires our sense of optimism that allows us to smile through the hard times, and more often than not, sing our hearts out no matter what problems there are.

He himself loves to sing. Like most, if not all, of Filipinos, he considers singing as his greatest passion. He shares,

“I have always been on stage singing for whoever and whatever occasion. Some have told me that as Consul General I should limit my singing but if this is what defines me as a person, then I take all I am as a person as factors that I must capitalize on to play the role of Consul General to the fullest. I cannot pretend to be someone else and expect to lead the Consulate and serve the Pinoy Community here effectively.”

Beyond being a Consul General and his passion for belting out tunes, his role as head of the family is of utmost importance.  He says,

“I have always made it clear in my mind that I am first and foremost a husband and father to our 3 boys. This is my way of keeping myself grounded and preventing myself from floating to the cloud traps of authority and power.” 

He also adds, “The title Consul General comes with utmost obligation as our community look to our office as the prime resolver of issues, the limitless source of hope, and the repository of answers to all their concerns, legal, consular, moral, and even financial. I am not dismissing this as an outright misperception but because I am the highest ranking government official in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, I take the role of everyone’s last resort seriously.”

Seeing the many faces of the world

Con. Gen. Cortes has seen the many faces of the world, and through his profession, he has learned some valuable lessons.

“We’ve seen the world and lived the lives of other people. It has made us realize that way beyond the political, economic, and geographical boundaries, we are simply all the same.”

He believes therefore, that as human beings, what’s important for us is to belong in a community that helps each of its members to grow and thrive, and be given support and guidance.

As the head of the Philippine Consulate in Dubai, he encourages everyone to extend their hands to lend him support so that he may perform his duties in the best way that he could.

“To my fellow Filipinos, I look forward to meeting many of you as I undertake my role as your Consul General here. I know there is much expectation and I extend my hand to everyone who wishes to lend their expertise, their thoughts, their opinions, and views, on how we could make our community here as vibrant and productive not only for the UAE community but also for our motherland.”

He humbly acknowledges that the Consulate does not know the answers to all of our questions, and that it may not have a ready solution to all of our problems. With that, he warmly invites everyone to be a part of the Consulate. He believes that everyone has a stake in the Consulate, and more importantly, our strength lies in our numbers.

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