My acting debut at the Met
(This article appeared in The Lifestyle section of The Philippine Star January 8, 2012)

The Metropolitan Theater still stands today.

| Zoom

MANILA, Philippines - It was just weeks after Manila was declared an Open City by General Douglas MacArthur in December 1941 when my mother Sarah and I got a call from Narciso “Pim” Pimentel Jr. for a conference at the Metropolitan Theater building on Plaza Lawton.

At the time, the mood of most Manilans, right after the Japanese Imperial Army had entered the city, was somber and guarded, but the situation in the metropolis was peaceful. Perhaps this was because the Japanese Imperial Army had kept its side of the bargain not to create any trouble after they had taken over the city.

As an 11-year-old Manila boy, I knew little about the Metropolitan Theater, mostly from radio announcements and posters we read about arriving classical presentations and spectacular extravaganzas from Europe and the U.S. Such was the reputation of this theater – and rightly so – for it is said that the theater boasted of excellent acoustics such that even a whisper from the actor on stage can reach the very last row of the balcony – and the patron can hear it clearly.

Perhaps, this and many other outstanding features made the Met – as many fondly called it – very popular and respected. It was also named the opera house of the East.

When we got to the theater, Pim announced that he had set up a group named Dramatic Philippines Inc. and that he and other investors had gotten a contract with the theater owners to produce shows of quality for the public.

At the meeting were a few local actors and directors like Bert Avellana and wife Daisy, Spanish stage directors like Enrique Davila as well as some actors from Philippine cinema, alumni from Catholic girls’ and boys’ colleges who liked to act.

We learned later that the charter members of Dramatic Philippines Inc. that Pim had formed were mostly colleagues of his from the Ateneo de Manila where he had graduated, fellow alumni who loved acting and drama despite their involvement in other pursuits like government service and corporate life.

Among the major productions that Dramatic Philippines Inc. had lined up was the Tagalog translation of a play written by Fr. Joseph Mulry, SJ titled “Passion Play – the suffering and death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo, another colleague from Ateneo, did the translation in classic Tagalog. It was renamed “Martir sa Golgotha” which was presented during the Lenten season on weekends, with daily shows during Holy Week plus matinees during Good Friday up to Easter Sunday.

Co-authors Tony Joaquin and Gloria Castro Kismadi at the launch of the book “Nick: A Portrait of the Artist Nick Joaquin”.

Martir was a smashing success when it opened during the Lenten season of 1942. It was the first time that the theater had presented such a play in Tagalog. Pim then made it a point that every year for almost six years during Holy Week, Martir was presented at the Metropolitan Theater. Soon, the theater got the name “the Legitimate Theater” and this was made fun of by others who came from the other side of the Pasig River.

In the management of Dramatic Philippines, a key role was played by Pim’s colleague Alexander Sycip, who was its treasurer. For Martir they lavished beautiful sets and costumes which won raves not only from the common crowd but from Manila’s four hundred who made it a point to watch the much talked about Lenten presentation.

Featured among the cast members were beauty queens and young starlets including Susan Roces, Susan Magalona, Elvira Ledesma, Gloria Romero, and others. Through the years, they took turns playing the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. John was played by good looking mestizos like Gustavo Gonzales, Virgilio Hilario, J.V. Cruz, and the Padilla brothers.

Christ was played by Jennings Sturgeon, an American movie actor living in Manila, for he resembled Christ very well.

Aside from my role as a dead boy I took part in the crowd scenes like that when Jesus was to be judged by Pontius Pilate. For extras we had teenage boys from Catholic schools around Manila who played the role of soldiers during the crucifixion scene.

When I was cast in the initial Martir production of 1942 – which actually was my stage debut as a professional actor since we got paid – I played the “dead boy” who was brought back to life by St. John the Apostle. I had no lines at all. My 10 seconds of fame was after St. John uttered the words: “Ezra, magbangon ka (Ezra, rise up).” I took some seconds before moving under the white sheet that covered me and slowly, very slowly, removed the sheet that covered my face, slowly rising, puzzled at the scene. When I spotted my mother I rush to her arms and…curtains! Most of the male members of the cast and crew ribbed me each time I performed this because the lady who played my mother was a buxom and shapely young Filipino woman!

Aside from Martir, Dramatic Philippines presented classic plays also translated into Tagalog. A major production was Edmund Rostand’s “Cyrano de Bergerac” which Soc once again put his skill into translating – in verse!

It was a sight to see Pim as Cyrano rehearsing the lines in Tagalog as he wielded the epee fighting his adversaries. The play was so demanding on Pim’s part that he shed some 30 pounds.

One would marvel at the mixture of actors for Cyrano since the cast included a Cabinet secretary and civic leaders, including Gregorio Hernandez, Jess Paredes, Manny Colayco, Lucas Paredes, Emma Benitez, Nati Valentin, and Fidel Sicam. It was at the theater that a budding announcer got his break: Cris de Vera who later became a radio sensation who could mimic the voices of many actors and statesmen.

Other classical plays in English which were presented in Tagalog included “The Monkey’s Paw” (Paa ng Kwago), Charlie’s Aunt (Sino ba kayo), and Tagalog classic “Sa Pula Sa Puti.”

It is interesting to note that while the Met was presenting these shows so successfully, the downtown theaters that had no movies to show were turned into stage show places. Movie directors and actors presented shows for the populace. And these cinema houses turned proscenium theaters also showed to packed houses every day.

One reason was that immediately after the occupation by Japanese forces, there was hardly any business to speak of. Directives from the new puppet government were also still being formulated. So everyone had lots of free time and watching their favorite comedians and actors on stage was the best they could do.

Among the directors who regularly directed stage shows were Bert Avellana, Gregorio Ticman, Jose Estella III, Gerry de Leon. The top comedians at the time were Pugo and Tugo but they had to modify their names to Puging and Tuging because Tugo sounded like that of the Japanese prime minister Tojo.

Ruben Medina

When MacArthur’s forces had finally complied with his promise “I shall return” we young Filipino boys IN OUR early teens during the 3 and ½ year war also returned – to complete our interrupted studies. This time, with some minor adjustments for Ateneo grade school students when bombs fell on Manila, we survivors all of 14 years old we are back in the classrooms. Quonset huts rented from the U.S. Army. Unbroken rooms and walls of the old prewar Ateneo main campus in Padre Faura also served as lean-to and makeshift classrooms with only iron sheets and crude wooden walls to keep the elements out were functioning.

Ruben Medina

Many Ateneo high school students have suffered family losses because of the war. Some urban students managed to stay safe with the family despite the harsh conditions under the Japanese Imperial Forces. Still many out of town students had to play a delicate game relating with Japanese soldiers who come and raise hell in their towns and guerillas who come down from the hills seeking food and medicines for their comrades. All of them 15 year olds who felt and suffered during the war looked at the start of classes like zombies trying to shake off the horrors of war.

It was in this scenario of destruction debris and dust when I met one of the many friends I would have till later in life. He was sullen looking. Even during happy moments that came around after classes he was the same sullen boy whom I befriended while we were at our smoke break provided by the school for smokers. This was also recess time for all smokers and non smokers.

I got to listen to his experience (as I and many others did) during the war. He came from a large family of (1o siblings); He was the youngest of them all. Throughout high school I would be with him – often alone for I discovered that he was extra touchy with meeting other boys for reasons I did not know. I respected that so we were always together him and me. No others. However, I had other small groups that I went with depending on the particularly school intramural academy I signed up with. I worked as part of the Chesterton Evidence Gild which had a weekly radio program over DZRH. Then I acted with the Ateneo Players Guild having been recruited for a one act comedy directed by Fr. Henry Lee Irwin, S.J. the highly reputed authority on Shakespearean plays. But my quiet and sullen friend was careful in just joining any activity – which further strengthened my suspicious that he was a very private and sensitive young boy. I was said to be a most gregarious chap they say that I sometimes got too involved in extra curricular activities neglecting my studies.

In fact, my friend was not my classmate. For he was a year behind me in high school. I graduated in 1948 and he 1949.

When I graduated from high school the college department soon moved to the new Ateneo campus at Loyola Heights, Q.C. I saw less of him since my college subjects did not coordinate with his schedules. But when I started college at the new Ateneo campus with a major in Journalism I was so happy seeing him in the Journalism subjects. And the class was small compared to others with at least 20 or more. Our class had less then 10. However, three of them became lights in Philippine Journalism. But he and I were not among those. We picked up with more vigor for we would often walk home from our late afternoon class in Journalism. The large Loyola Ateneo campus had only three buildings at the time.

When we gfraduated from college, the commencement exercise was held outside In the open. I rendered a song ala Sinatra with a fedora even. Halfway through the ceremony, we spotted him coming in and taking his seat ijn the group tht was graduating. His face was ther picture of grave sadness. Soon I learned that he stayed up to the time his mother died. It was only at that time when he rushed over to be at the graduation ceremonies. ?The scene was so heartrending because every single classmate in the group slowly trooped over to offer his condolence to our classmate who had just lost his mother.

Back to the original campus in 1952, One four story building were used by the college department. One building known as the Blue Eagle Nest housed the gym and some offices. The third was the four story Administration building. During the cold months and days of early darkness he and I and some others would walk the unpaved dark road and for the lamps were still to be installed. When we reached the main road known as Aurora Boulevard we would often hitch a ride with gravel trucks going into town or if we are lucky some kind soul would take us in their private cars for by that time the Marikina Valley busses were all in their garage, off for the night.

His rare talent, as I discovered earlier, was his keen sense of humor. But with his soft modulated voice his jokes were delivered clear enough to make me laugh out loud. In fact, it is this unique skill that got him to work with leading ad agencies before he was pirated by a newly opened radio station DZMT where he had the enviable distinction of introducing stereo sound in the Philippines for the first time. After graduation, we started our role as husband, and father, but saw less of each other for I too had other paths to take in teaching, radio and TV work. A few times we socialized with him and his family but soon after I decided to seek our fortune as a family to migrate in America. After settling down in ?California, what greeted me one day at a Filipino gathering was my friend, this time he was less sullen and already smiling and cracking lots of jokes. He told me that he had moved to the U.S. with his new wife and that he was working with a large American bank. He was indeed happy. And it was my turn to ask him how I could also secure employment. He shared with me some techniques in landing a job – even by that time I was no longer a spring chicken. But thanks heavens there were lots of jobs even for older people and new immigrants like myself. I finally got one but sad to say, I was found too slow for a word-processing person in a large health related firm. I was let go. As luck would have it, it was the year California suffered from an earthquake, and followed by the recession. I managed go get temporary jobs but even that dried up and I was “retired” automatically.

Still I would find time to meet him after office hours. We would meet at a small bar not far from his office and have our favorite drinks, His was J and B with a Twist of lemon) while I had shot after shot of Johnnie Walker Black label whiskey, neat with water on the side, For almost two hours we would exchange Ateneo memories, work in Manila offices and getting drunk minute by minute. Before we would really get drunk, we would quit and he would walk me to the Bart station where I would catch the Daly City train while he the Hayward train.

I did not know much about his health condition until after a few drinking sessions he confided in me that he had had heart by pass surgery some years back. But he looked so well that it never occurred to me to inquire about his health. Then I noticed that he used a hearing aid. This was the time when he had retired from his San Francisco firm and now did temp work whenever he could. This time we would meet in Daly City where I had our apartment. The arrangement was that we would agree on a date and time. Also a specific Bart station. Then I would fetch him from the station and we would decide to go to a restaurant around the area. Oftentimes, we would just have beer with buffalo wings. That was it.

After a while I would take him back to the station and he was off to his home in Hayward. We did this for many years and each date was lots of laughs and memories.

Then in early May 2011, he said that he was having problems with his heart –I assumed a result of his bypass. He was composed in our phoned conversation but I could sense a latent fear. I asked him to keep me post on any developments. At the same time Chita and I were leaving for our scheduled trip to Manila. I tried to call him but he was required to stay in hospital for observation.

We arrived in Manila May 6^th and through our lap top I emailed his wife Lola an updates of his condition.

On May 16, 2011 I got the chilling report via emal from his wife, Lola, that he had passed on.

Ruben was a kind soul. Creative and because of his sensitive= nature was also perceptive. Qualities that makes a person a good friend and partner.

We have offered prayers for him since his death.

=====================================

(Lola Medina, his widow, wrote this in reaction to my tribute)

I enjoyed reading your tribute, especially the background info about the Japanese occupation, the liberation period, and how it affected the lives of 14-year-olds returning to school - and to life. That's quite picturesque.

You know your friend well, Tony. He had always been sensitive and perceptive. Keen of mind and keen of humor, he did not suffer from delusions of grandeur, a malady common to Filipino males. No yabang, no palabok - that's Ruben Medina. He was comfortable with himself, and did not have the need to impress others for others to be impressed by him. He was impressive nonetheless. His intelligence, sincerity, and honesty never failed to impress others. (Plus, of course, he spoke perfect English with no Pilipino accent.) These same qualities, however, tend to isolate him from others - I'm glad there was you. You're a gregarious chap, as you said. Fun. You complimented Rube's serious nature.

Ruben used to look forward to your get-together. I did, too. I knew the two of you would have fun reminiscing your Ateneo days, your advertising days, your radio days, and every wonderful memories the two of you had experienced in Manila. I'm glad there was you - ever-faithful friend that you were to Rube. Your tribute is much appreciated.

Thank you for being with Rube throughout his life. Thank you for being with me all this time. Thank you for the prayers and remembrances.

I'm glad there is you and Chita. God bless.

Lola

A VISIT TO BEIJING AND SHANGHAI

Our visit to Beijing and Shanghai - August 2011 brought us more than just a series of thrills and achievement while visiting historic sites of a rich and ancient culture. More than that we won new found friends during the trip.

Remembering Nick Joaquin

F. Sionil Jose speaks on Nick Joaquin

When Mama was carrying me in her womb, Tito Onching was asked by my father, Ping, to stay with her and keep her company especially in the evenings when Papa played piano as a jazz musician at stage shows around Manila at the time. That would be the beginning of Nick Joaquin’s involvement with our family.

I was the oldest of the nephews. When I was about 7 years old, Tito Onching would tease me because by that time he had decided to go on his own by quitting second year high school and pursuing self-education. He acquired most of his information by visiting the national library daily. He also visited the University of Sto. Tomas library when he could and developed a strong friendship with the Dominicans priests.

When Nick won first prize for his essay on the Feast of La Naval de Manila, the more he became a Dominican favorite. He was offered a scholarship to study at the seminary in Hong Kong hoping that Nick would eventually become part of the Dominican Order. It was not to be because in a year’s time in the seminary he opted out and returned to Manila and pursued his career as a journalist and fiction writer.We had moments teasing each other about one’s preferred religious Order — he for the Dominicans and me championing the Jesuits as I was educated at the Ateneo de Manila from grade school through college.

Despite these petty rivalries, I grew to admire and love him as a nephew would, but especially because of his deep religious devotion to Our Blessed Mother who was also the patron saint of the Ateneo de Manila, my school. Nick never failed to attend mass and receive communion on a daily basis and continued this practice even when he was already writing for the Philippine Free Press where he became known for his modern reportage under the pen name of Quijano de Manila.As I write this, I am in Manila having recently launched the book “Nick: A Portrait of the Artist Nick Joaquin,” which I co-authored with Gloria Castro Kismadi.

“There were only three occasions in my life when I wept,” said F. Sionil Jose, National Artist for Literature, “and that was when my own mother died, when my father in-law Monsignor Jovellanos died, and when Nick Joaquin died.”It was an emotional evening for many of us who knew Nick. We all came to the book party with our own memories and commentaries of Nick Joaquin and his genius which earned him the title one of the Best Filipino Writers in English.

F. Sionil – or Frankie to friends and those who frequented his La Solidaridad Bookstore — was sharing his moments with Nick over the years stating that each time they met they argued about many things – but they always parted as friends.Gloria, my co-writer, resides in Jakarta, Indonesia. We put together the book by email for almost three years. A Filipina married to an Indonesian gentleman from Java, she has never met Nick, except through his writings. She confessed during her remarks at the event that “In no time at all I fell in love with Nick. I could not have enough of his writings which I have a complete collection of in my home in Jakarta.”

A recent interview was conducted by a Philippine Inquirer reporter and I am sharing it here with you.

Co-authors Tony and Gloria

The event was held July 6 at PowerBooks Store at Greenbelt IV Makati City. It was organized by Anvil Publishing Inc.

It was Mama Sarah who first noticed, through bits and pieces of Nick’s writings, that here was a young man who showed brilliance with the pen, and so she got Nick started by getting him to publish his poems in a Manila newspaper.

Also sharing a Nick moment was poet Marra Lanot Lacaba, whose father Serafin was the literary editor of the prewar Tribune where Nick’s poems were first published. Serafin was so impressed by the young man’s writings that he wanted to meet him face to face. When it was time for Nick to come collect his fee, Serafin was alerted by the cashier of the newspaper so that Serafin could come and meet the writer. Upon sensing that this was about to happen, Nick fled the scene without bothering to collect his payment.

Anvil publisher Karina Bolasco keynoted the event by announcing T-shirt giveaways for those who bought copies that evening. She also thanked the people who helped her get the book out — Ani Habulan, assistant publishing executive; Joysh Bersales, editorial assistant for trade books; and Gwen Galvez, marketing manager.

The book will be available at the Filipino American International Book Festival scheduled to take place at the San Francisco Main Public Library on October 1 and 2, 2011

Jose Mari Avellana, 70

[On June 19, 2011 Mari died of an aneurysm.] "When I turned to the audience to call for a doctor in the house (a phrase I never dreamed I’d use one day; I mean how clichéd is that?) I was faced with an uncomprehending audience, glued to their seats. I later learned that many had thought it was all part of the show . Mari’s family rushed up onstage, his daughters near hysteria. When they sat him up, he vomited what looked like at least a bucket of blood. I yelled instinctively. I’m not sure if it was in horror or fear, or panic, but at that moment, the very real prospect of losing my friend hit me like a gale-force blow to the guts. I gave in to my tears." This was how Bart Guingona, co-actor, recounted the truly dramatic but real moment when the lead actor JOSE MARI AVELLANA in the Repertory play TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE collapsed while on stage. Mari suffered from an attack of his ulcers. Mari later got an award for his superb acting in the play. Not long after, Mari did a splendid job of directing Nick Joaquin’s classic play A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS FILIPINO as presented by REPERTORY PHILIPPINES INC. Mari’s stage directorial assignment for A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino was cited by Gawad Buhay, the PHILSTAGE Awards for the Performing Arts for the year 2009. Jose Mari Avellana, played the major role of a professor named Morrie who was dying of Lou Gherig’s disease and in the process was teaching his student about life. At first “Tuesdays with Morrie” was a novel and later one it became a movie in the U.S. the major role played by Jack Lemon which won acclaim for Lemon. In speaking about the play, Mari said that he identifies with the role of Morrie because he said that he also went after the wrong things in his life. Mari interprets the character that he portrays in this manner: “I’m not going to look at death—I’m going to look at life; see its good side.” Yes, he will accept that he is dying. His objective is to make his life useful and meaningful, if not for him then for other people.” For fifteen years, Mari managed to stir clear of doing Philippine film directions and dwelt mostly in stage, television and low budget films for export working with Cirio Santiago who started as a young film director. Among his projects included his work on films for export known also as Class B films which the elder Avellana dubbed as the “kiss-kiss, bang-bang,” type. In contrast, he, was producing prize winning films classics like “Anak Dalita,” “Badjao” and “Kundiman ng Lahi” – all winning awards in foreign film festivals as well as in the Philippines When asked why he didn’t enter the Philippine movie industry over the past fifteen years, Mari replied, “My father (the first dual category National Artist Lamberto Avellana for stage and screen) was, since before the war, a towering figure as a leading film director in Philippine cinema.” He adds, “You don’t fool around with the maestro.”I didn’t want my films to be compared to his and hear comments like ‘anak pa naman ni Direk, nakakahiya!’” Santiago, a veteran producer and director, saw the potential of developing Mari for production work and therefore gave him full latitude and exposure in the world of low budget films as an actor, production designer, writer, and director. Mari Avellana’s work as writer and director for “BlackBelt 2: Fatal Force” was awarded two stars by the Video Movie Guide – an internationally respected movie database publication. is one of the few Filipino Directors included in the international filmography of films available on video. Jose Mari’s varied and multi disciplinary career began with his first job as an announcer with DZFM radio in the early part of 1960, while still pursuing a college degree. After his graduation in 1962, Mari became the first TV director for PBS Channel 4. In the next year, his uncle Jose “Totoy” Avellana, organized an advertising agency, Avellana and Associates, and recruited him to work as an Account Executive, AND later promoted to the position of Director of Radio-TV. In the 80’s, he joined his father, National Artist for Film and Theatre, Lamberto V. Avellana in his business- DOCUMENTARY INC. As Producer-Director for Documentary Incorporated, he was responsible for a number of award-winning documentaries and specialized films. He also produced cultural, advocacy, and tourism-oriented films, as well as technical and informational audiovisual presentations for the National Media Production Center and other government agencies. When his father died Mari Avellana finally decided to enter the Philippine film industry where he began to carve a small niche for himself as a actor, writer and director. His initial directorial venture into commercial filmmaking, titled “Kung Mawawala Ka Pa”, bagged the Best Film Trophy at the Metro Manila Film Festival of 1993 for Reyna Films. As an actor, Avellana won the Best Supporting Actor award during the Manila Film Festival 2003 for his role in “Operation Balikatan”. He admits, though, that he got interested in film just by watching his father at work. He confessed that as a child, he marveled at his dad staging a battle scene on the grounds of UST, or directing actors armed with guns shooting at each other on top of a hill. Once, Mari decided to play horsey-horsey with a broomstick on their street. He strayed into the movie set two houses away from where they lived, not knowing that the camera was rolling. Suddenly, he could hear his dad shouting at the top of his voice, “Sino ’yang p****g i**ng nag-iingay na ’yan!?” The biggest thrill of his life was when Quentin Tarantino visited the Philippines and came looking for him. It seems Tarantino was a fan of Mari’s films. When they finally met, the “Pulp Fiction” director told Mari that he ripped off a dialogue from his movie, “Black Belt 2,” and used it in “Kill Bill”! “He even recited the lines!,” recalls Mari. In 1991. Armida Siguion-Reyna’s son, Carlitos, was busy with another project, and so Armida asked Mari to direct “Kung Mawawala Ka Pa,” which won at the Metro Manila Film Festival. In 1993. Later, he would win other acting and directing awards from Famas, Urian and the Film Academy of the Philippines. But, Mari’s love for the stage never waned. Even while shooting a film, he and Leo Martinez would ask permission from Cirio Santiago to attend rehearsals of a play. Mari admits that he honed his acting talents on the stage at Far Eastern University, where he worked with theater veterans, Nick Agudo and Sarah Joaquin the university’s well known drama coach. Eventually, his mom, Daisy Avellana (National Artist for Theater), asked him to join Barangay Theater Guild, where his first assignment was a non-speaking role in “Macbeth.” Mari says one reason he said yes to acting the role of Morrie with the Repertory Theatre Philippines ‘“Tuesdays with Morrie” was to prove that he could still memorize long lines despite his age. He was happy he did it and won an award to boot. Among his laurels, Mari Avellana are several award winning specialized films, documentaries and short features; a Famas and NCC Centennial Awardee because of his direction of “Damong Ligaw”. a Best Screenplay award for the same film; and a Golden Globe Award for Best Specialized film with “Geothermal Energy Now”, Mari was given an Oscar Special Award for Foreign Soap Operas because of “Salisalising Buhay”; and he brought home an Emmy Award for Best Foreign Docu-drama with “The Lenny Villa Story”. Referred to as an Actor’s Director, because he can draw out the best in each performer; Avellana’s passionate nationalism, his deep sense of history, extensive theatre experience, especially his background in journalism, photography, broadcasting, did him well. Definitely Mari brings out the legendary “Avellana Touch” that his father was known for. His mother, Daisy Hontiveros Avellana has herself been conferred the National Artist Award for outstanding work in theatre. Digressing a bit, the Avellana family members do have their own specialties starting with Ivi who, with husband Alan Cosio, have been presenting paintings exhibits for several lyears and getting honors in the process. Batat the youngest of the Avellanas, who does musical background scoring has worked with his father as well as for his older brother in both stage and film projects. I still recall the first time my uncle Nick’s PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS FILIPINO was presented at the Aurora Gardens open air theatre in 1955. Mari and his siblings were still very young but they were there as excited to see the readjusted script courtesy of his mother Daisy Avellana as every one was in the historic walled city under the stars. They were moved as most of the audience when Bitoy (Jose Avellana Jr.) gave his opening long soliloquy that opened the play itself, while standing atop the Intramuros walls. So dramatic under the stars and with one strong spotlight shining on him. My wartime moments as well as post liberation production involvement with the Avellana family helped provide for me in my own acting and directing roles for television and stage with the proper depth and range – thanks to Tito Bert and Tita Dai who will forever remain my constant reminders on the craft of drama. +++

REMEMBERING NICK JOAQUIN

We are proud and happy to announce that the investment

of time and effort which Gloria Kismadi and I had much
joy and pleasure in doing has now become a reality.
A Portrait of the Artist Nick Joaquin

Anvil Publishing Inc. who published the book, has now announced its launch date.

"A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST NICK JOAQUIN"

is scheduled for launching at 5:30 on July 6th, 2011
at POWERBOOKS STORE on Greenbelt IV,
Makati City, Metro Manila.

The launch is open to the public.

So I am 80..what now?

How does it feel reaching 80? Aside from slight pains and aches…thank heavens, my health if fine. But it gives me pause at this time, having reached this figure to reflect on the changes that one has to make with himself and with those around him. Sure, with my salt and pepper hair and reduced walking speed I could enjoy some allowances when in public with other humans around. They soon realize that my walking speed is reduced and perhaps even my view of life could be slightly dimmed. Still, I do feel that turning 80 starts another decade in my life that might just be worth reviewing and reflect on. Now here are some ideas and tips picked up from other seniors which I would like to share with fellow “oldies” as well as those intending to become seniors, bless their soul. Having left the “rat race” as some would put it, perhaps it is time to begin to enjoy your loved ones and those who sincerely love you. Cherish old and new friends and do not indulge in amassing material things. Friends appreciate – things depreciate. If you have been fortunate enough to have stashed a little upon your retirement, carefully plan to spend whatever you have saved wisely. You and your spouse certainly deserve to enjoy this time during the remaining healthy years you have left. Invest in an ocean cruise if you can afford it. Or, just travel to places that your budget will allow. Seeing new places and meeting people can certainly make your life meaningful and joyful. Also, I advise you not to leave anything for your children. Because in leaving anything, it is possible that you may even cause more trouble, once you are gone. Always remember to live in the “here and now”, not in the yesterdays and tomorrows. It is only today that you can handle. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may not even happen. If you are among the blessed ones who have grandchildren, enjoy them as much as you can but don't be their full time baby sitter. As a grandparent, you have no moral obligation to take care of them. Don't have any guilt about refusing to baby sit anyone's kids, including your own grandkids. Your parental obligation is to your children. After you have raised them into responsible adults, your duties of child-rearing or babysitting are finished. Let your children raise their own off-springs. Embrace whatever physical weakness, sickness and other pains that may come to you. It is a part of the aging process. Enjoy whatever your health can allow. Enjoy what you are and what you have right now. Stop working hard for what you do not have. If you don't have something, it's probably too late. Forgive and accept forgiveness. Forgive yourself and others. Enjoy peace of mind and peace of soul. Befriend death. It's a natural part of the life cycle. Don't be afraid of it. Death is the beginning of a new and better life. So, prepare yourself not for death but for a new life with the Almighty. Be at peace with your Creator for He is all you have after you leave this life. Whenever your married children (and grandchildren) ask for advice - do not give them any. Rather, give them alternatives for them to have better choices. Never pontificate even if you know you are sure of what you are saying. Just give them love and care as much as you can.