Before September rolls in for volume 3, let’s take a peak at the interesting ideas our speakers shared at PKN v2. Enjoy!

Christina Dy is a college professor, an artist, and a production designer by day and a, believe it or not, pole dancer by night. Yet the lithe and limber founder of the Polecats points out that what they do is different, in the sense that they’ve taken the stereotypical gyrating and “booty shaking” and turned it into something worthy of being called an art. Moves called the “Double V” or the “Double Dolphin”, which involve two girls and one pole, balancing with nothing but leg power, agility, and trust, are definitely a show of beauty, finesse, and the feminine prowess.

Tin Sanchez is the Creative Director for BBDO Guerrero, and she has but a few words to share. Don’t be normal.  Have delusions of grandeur, have a multiple personality disorder, steal or borrow, be an addict, be a sociopath, be depressive, be paranoid, be a hypochondriac, be manic, be an exhibitionist, be a stalker, be a voyeur, become obsessive compulsive, be a cannibal, be a mad scientist, be a pathological gambler, and be a serial killer, but do so in spurring fantastic ideas great enough to inspire and to move. The most beautiful things, she reasons out, are those that madness prompts and reason writes.

Who knew a Balangay, an ancient sailing boat, could ferry our consciousness from our present back to our historical past? And, that the very same vessel had also carried our ancestors from the southern coast of mainland Asia to the Philippine archipelago, and to as far as New Zealand and the Eastern Island? Team Balangay did. They’ve set their sights on achieving both by retracing the very same journey that our ancestors once took and by educating & inspiring Filipinos all over.

Team Balangay, led by Arturo Valdez, consists of the same crew members as the First Philippine Mount Everest Expedition. These mountaineers-turned-sailors are not doing this just for adventure; in fact, they help the communities that they encounter along the way through their medical, educational, & environmental missions. Listen in and find out more on what Team Balangay has to say and experienced so far in their journey.

Rose Yenko is a Jungian psychologist of the Jungian Psychology in the Philippines. She is also part of the Carl Jung Circle Center, which is composed of psychiatrists, psychologists, artists, writers, who are all followers of the famous Carl Jung, one of the three pioneers in the field of Psychology. One of the beliefs of the said psychology is how the human psyche speaks in symbols, with the visible island being the ego and the submerged area being the unconscious. She goes on to discuss the altering dualities in a person’s being, between the persona and the shadow, and the masculine and the feminine, and the archetypes of Philippine culture present in the Silent Hero in FPJ, and Cinderella in Nora Aunor. Wholeness is, she says, not achieved by cutting off a portion of one’s being, but by integration of the contraries.

One Tama reminds us of the old Chinese proverb: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step.” One Tama recognizes that we Filipinos all share a common dream of changing our country for the better. One Tama also recognizes that each one of us feels the burden of that dream and hesitates to act because we are alone.

Listen in to Jor-el Soyangco, and find out what the impassioned Filipinos, who equally loves our country as much as you do, have already started with One Tama; start participating and sharing your own One Tama with the rest of us.

Dan Lichauco, principal architect of Archion Associates, is an environmental architect, and an associate professor of the University of Sto. Tomas’ College of Architecture. Some of his known projects include the Ateneo de Manila University’s John Gokongwei School of Management building and the Ateneo Professional Schools located in Rockwell. His ideas are simple and precise; save energy by building a proper ventilation system to make sure heat has a way of leaving a structure, maximizing natural light so that less power goes to keeping a room well lit, and utilizing rain water so nothing is wasted in the maintenance of plants. As much as he is called the “Green Architect”, he says it’s not a label he advertises. And he’s right, because at the end of the day he is simply an architect, and a great one at that.

Lourd de Veyra to most people is the indifferent vocalist, who, with his band, Radioactive Sago Project, sings about the strong desire for pork and the undying preference of cigarettes from a specific brand. And to the few who’ve not merely heard, but listened to the words flowing out from him like fluid poetry, are the ones gifted with the discovery of raw emotion and sharp brilliance masked with the familiarly deep, monotonous, and seemingly bored vocals. The Palanca awardee defines the term “Wasak” as something which “describes the fundamental essence of chaos… (it) defines all things beautiful and ugly, it connotes extremes… no middle ground exists”, and goes on to introduce a number of people, dogs, and the occasional signs that have in one way or another influenced his life, and are, in their respective ways, all “Wasak”.

Kate Torralba has been a name synonymous to quirky fashion, her fun designs being worn by the elite of today’s society, to the crop of typical budding fashionistas. Her clothes are anything but plain, the loud colors enough to grab attention and express both her aesthetic and personality. She is also known for her musical abilities, with a voice able to lull anyone into euphoric submission. Armed with a keyboard and a mic, she shows off a number of her favorite Facebook profile pictures, explaining each through narration, lyric, and song, showcasing her unique works and tidbits of herself.

Budjette Tan, writer and co-creator of Trese, a supernatural-noir comic book series, takes our hand and guides us through its dangerous world underworld. The comic book series takes Filipino folklore and mythology and sets them on a collision course with our own Metropolis to create a setting where everything that could go wrong, does go wrong…

“When the sun sets in the city of Manila, don’t you dare make a wrong turn and end up on that dimly lit side of the metro; where Aswang run the most wanted kidnapping rings; where Kapre are the kingpins of crime; and the Enkantos slip through the cracks to steal your most precious possessions. When crime takes a turn to the weird, the police call Alexandra Trese.”

Alexandra Trese (the protagonist), along with The Kambal (her mysterious bodyguards), maintain the balance between our world and the other world – keeping us away from harm. So don’t be afraid to take Budjette’s wonderful tour of the city, it should be safe as long as you don’t wander too far off.

Our cities reflect our society. So as an urban & environmental planner, Karina Palafox, constantly looks ahead and designs solutions to improve our society through better city planning. And city planning, as Karina confesses, is a very complex and broad discipline.

One has to anticipate growth and prepare for the new inhabitants’ needs, transport, housing, food, and etc. Then one has to make sure that the environment and our society’s values aren’t sacrificed for short-term savings. How democratic could we be if all our parks are in walled communities? How sustainable will our growth be if our waterfronts and our natural resources are ravaged and left unprotected?

These are the hard questions that must be addressed and it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Watch the video and tune in as Karina explores the problems and solutions that would define our cities – our society.

Mikong Galero, the President of the Philippine Go Association and the country’s top Go player, gives us an introduction and history of Go. It’s no secret that game of Go is unknown to most people while Chess enjoys a ubiquitous status even though they both seem similar – both are strategic board games, that are easy to learn but take a lifetime to master.

Mikong does his part in the Philippines and teaches as many people as he can about the game. So if you’ve never heard of or want to hear more about Go, its origins, and its world – this is the perfect video to start you in the right direction.

What’s a Geek Fight: Trivia Night? Paolo Jose Cruz, host and game master of Geek Fight, explains that, “it’s a trivia game in any fine establishment serving quality alcoholic beverages.” If that isn’t enough to grab your attention, perhaps you’re unsure what a Geek is exactly or that you’re not confident that you’re geeky enough.

Well don’t fret. Paolo gives a great guideline to those unsure or still on the fence: “If you treat learning as a form leisure, then you’re geeky enough.” It doesn’t matter if you’re a Tolkein geek or a F.R.I.E.N.D.S geek, what matters is that you enjoy the (trivial and useless) knowledge that you’ve accumulated so far. It’s treating learning, even if others think it’s mostly useless information, as a leisure activity.

Brandie Tan is currently the Head of Art for BBDO Guerrero, an agency responsible for etched-in-your-brain advertisements such as Bayan’s Lola Techie. His achievements include winning the first Gold of the country at the Cannes Lions in 2008, during his stint as Creative Director for JWT. His ideas are lighthearted and witty, all of which are reflective of the top 20 designs that he believes have changed the world. The images are a myriad of thoughts brought to life, from a simple barcode, to the subdued yet powerful Obama posters, to the deceptively plain yet all too powerful stop sign.

Pepe Diokno is the award winning film director, producer, and screenwriter of Engkwentro.  The film depicts the inadequate justice system in the country wherein “death squads” throughout the country has been replacing the rule of law.

Gutsy Tuason is the award winning photojournalist who takes pictures and captures both image and soul. He has become known for his amazing photographs of the deep blue waters and everything else found swimming along, from the quiet and reclusive green sea turtles in the depths of the Sulu Sea, to the busy and gregarious school of Sweet Lips of Irian Jaya. Above the blanket of serenity is the world as we know it, yet translated into film as a different place altogether. Filled with color and emotion, and presented through a refreshingly and awe-inspiringly different perspective, his photographs seem to advocate his message, “Save our oceans, save our trees, save our planet.” Simple, direct, and compelling.

Jowee Alviar and Mon Punzalan are the founders of design and lifestyle company, Team Manila, and they share with us their typical day as a Team Manila designer and what they do. It would be easy to assume that a designer’s lifestyle would be all about play and no work and it wouldn’t be that far from the truth because their play is their work. One might even argue that all they do is work. They are always seeking inspiration in their everyday activities – from the hand painted typeface on a taxi door to the graffiti on an alley.

In case you’re not familiar with Team Manila, they’re a team of Filipino graphic designers that mainly does print, branding, motion, web, & etc. designs for some of the hippest brands in the Philippines today. Besides their studio work, they have a bunch of other projects under their name including their own successful clothing line that made their graphic designs iconic and famous. Tune in to gain an insight on how they do it and be inspired.

(Text by Nanie de Castro & Lisle Tan)

Check out the slides of the amazing people who shared the stage at Pecha Kucha Manila v1 and Pecha Kucha Night – Manila in Boracay.

Pecha Kucha Night is energizing conversations in 258 cities around the world. See what’s the buzz is all about, visit the PKN global network.

To catch the latest updates, follow us on twitter : http://twitter.com/pechakucha_MNL

Excited already? Let’s get it on!

Alright! Pecha Kucha Night will begin to make waves in the swinging island of Boracay on September 19, Saturday, at Obama Grill and Restaurant. For this upcoming long weekend, people from across the seas and those now with a spot on the famous beach, are invited to spend it by getting to know more about the internationally renowned island through the people who now call it home.

Pecha Kucha (meaning “conversation” in Japanese) Night started in February of 2003 in the offices of Klein Dytham Architecture in Tokyo.  What started out as a networking and presentation evening for designers rapidly evolved into a worldwide event in over a hundred cities, fueled by plenty of creativity, an ample amount of beer, and its unique presentation format.

And now, Boracay residents are given the same fun and challenging format of six minutes and forty seconds to present images that fuel their work, their interests and passions, and the details that make them love this island so much. Presenters include Apol Sta. Maria (art director/illustrator), Binggoy Remedios (entrepeneur), Bogs Adornado (painter), Dan Matutina (designer/illustrator), Denise Tolentino (illustrator/photographer), Ian Bautista (architect), Mark Cabrera (consultant/surfer bum), Nicole Serrano (yoga teacher/entrepeneur), and Nonet Pillora (sculptor).

The first Pecha Kucha Night event was held last year at The Fort in Taguig City. Over 250 people attended the jam-packed event to catch some of the country’s leading young designers and creative personalities, with the likes of director Raymond Red and artist and multi-awarded production designer Leo Abaya at the helm, with young creatives such as illustrator-art director Katrina Encanto, design powerhouse Inksurge, sculptor Leeroy New, and Cebu-based design team Grafik Salad as part of the roster.

So what do they talk about when they talk about Boracay and much more? Follow the avenue of its powder soft beach that leads to Pecha Kucha Night live at Obama Grill and Restaurant, located in Station 1. Doors open at 6pm, as well as the restaurant’s famous menu of ribs and seafood.

Pecha Kucha Night Manila is brought to the island of Boracay by Idea!s Creatives with special thanks to organizers Abbey Clarino, Denise Tolentino, Jof Sering, Mark Cabrera, Nicole Serrano, and Stacey Memije. This event is sponsored by Obama Grill and Restaurant.

This is going to be a fun night you wouldn’t want to miss, so come on over! See you there!

Photo Credit: Denise Tolentino

Wham Bacabac
Jin Joson
Dominique Marie Tiu
Jan Vincent Ong
Visual Pond
Nicky Sering
Joni Caparas
Leo Abaya
Raymond Red
Katrina Encanto
Donna Miranda
Leeroy New
Grafik Salad
Pilipinas Street Plan
Inksurge

DOMINIQUE MARIE TIU is a 19-year-old undergraduate student at the Ateneo de Manila University and founder of Mann for Every Woman, an online-based clothing retail business that will be launched this June.

DONNA MIRANDA of Green Papaya Art Projects, is a contemporary dancer and choreographer who is a member of Dance Forum Myra Beltran. She was last year’s recipient of the Jury Prize in Solo, Duo and Group Division of Yokohama Dance Collection, and the recipient of Rimbun Dahan Choreographer’s Residency in Malaysia.

JAN VINCENT ONG is a writer who prides himself in also “judging books by their covers.” His website Read Now features blogs about his “adventures” in the writing world, as a literary enthusiast and a book critic.

JONI CAPARAS is currently the head of art at BBDO-Guerrero-Ortega. Over the past year, her work has been recognized at The One Show, Cannes Lions and D&AD.

RAYMOND RED is a noted filmmaker. He is the first Filipino to have won the Palme D’Or award at the Cannes Film festival 2000 for his short film Anino. For Pecha Kucha Night, he’ll share more about his other passion: collecting old toys.

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Onboard, our media partner
adobo magazine, the Philippine Advertising and Brand Communications magazine, is the leader publication for the advertising and marketing community. It’s the best resource for the latest news on advertising campaigns, current trends, industry issues, insights, the media landscape, consumer “hot buttons” and more. We profile the most influential ad people and showcase creative talents and their work. We share relevant case studies and feature stories that uplift and inspire both the professional and the student communities.

INKSURGE. Brewed in Manila, Philippines 2002. A design studio concocted by digital baristas and authentic coffee junkies Jois Tai (she takes it w/ milk) and Rex Advincula (he takes it w/ sugar).

VISUAL POND Artspace, Inc. is a non-profit organization committed to the visual arts. Based in Manila, Visual Pond aims to be a dynamic player in the Philippine contemporary art scene through projects that engage and promote local artists both here and abroad.

NICKY SERING is a commercial and travel photographer. He is currently working on a personal project documenting the lives of boxers who have struggled to find glory.