The city marches on to a new direction as everyone tries to lead a multi-faceted lifestyle. Success is just as important as good health, smarts are just as vital as strength, and work is not measured by time, but by impact. The new generation of movers and shakers live in the balance of packed schedules. With the demands of their professions, personal lives and responsibilities, passions, luxury, life-enhancement, and leisure pursuits found in between, they remain incredibly healthy.

It is for this specific set of individuals that Smart C+ becomes the smart choice for refreshment. A combination of real fruit juice minus the artificial coloring, added preservatives, and artificial sweeteners, Smart C+ has the vital goodness of 500 mg of Vitamin C, known to be greatly beneficial in strengthening the immune system, and repairing cells and tissues from day to day stress, be it physical or mental, in every 500 ml bottle in its varied citrus flavors: Lemon Squeeze, Orange Crush and Pomelo-Grapefruit.

Rissa Mananquil multitasks from her top priority of being a mother to her son, Enzo, to being a model, to teaching. Her weekly beauty column has also become the by-word in the industry, showing her influence in both cosmetics and fitness. “A healthy lifestyle can change your mood, posture, and attitude. You don’t just look good, you feel good. When you choose to eat and drink healthy, it can transform anyone from simple to stunning – inside and out.”

Liz Uy has been one of the pioneering spirits behind Philippine fashion’s reawakening. Her life in the spotlight: from the glossy flashbulbs of photo shoots in the morning, to the searchlights of prestigious fashion events at night, does take its toll on her energy keep. To keep up with her multi-faceted lifestyle, Liz makes sure she has enough Vitamin C every day.  “I like how the vitamin C keeps me going.”

Divine Lee’s success can be measured by the skyscraping amount of energy and vitality she transmits on her day to day affairs. By managing a residential empire, a luxurious clothing line, a long stream of Twitter followers, a burning passion for compassion and philanthropy, and her towering shadow in the glamorous limelight, Divine follows a schedule that is fast-paced, high-impact, and incredibly versatile. “For someone who is always on the go, I need all the vitamin C I can get to do all things fast, fresh, and on time.”

Another young mover, Anton del Rosario, center-back for the Philippine National Football Team, the Azkals, responsible for the big kick for Philippine football’s reemergence. Anton puts great focus and emphasis on performance and works doubly harder in achieving his “goals”. “When I set my goals, I’ll do what I can to obtain them,” he reveals.

RJ Ledesma has tasted life and is still thirsting for more! An editor of Manila’s premiere men’s magazine, an author of multiple titles on marriage, manhood, and its comedic mix-and-matching, and a tongue-in-cheek TV host, not everyone knows that he is also behind the Mercato Centrale and Midnight Mercato weekend markets, which specialize in hearty, and healthy dining. RJ acknowledges the significance of purity in both diet and lifestyle. An instructor and co-founder of Yoga Manila, he tries to keep his life balanced with a daily routine of Ashtanga Yoga. “What is important is that you have passion behind what you do,” reveals RJ, “I think it’s passion that fuels the ability to do all these tasks.”

With whatever inclination or motivation they may have, may it be the fulfillment of motherhood, flash of fashion, sky-high success, triumph of sportsmanship, the life in the spotlight or out of it, all these young achievers have one thing in common and that is passion in everything they do. A passion empowered by a healthy lifestyle that is fast, fresh, and incredibly flavorful, of which Smart C+ is a great addition to. Refreshing, convenient, and clearly citrus, Smart C+ provides us city-dwellers yet another good reason to drink our vitamin C.

[Show as slideshow]

Words by France Pinzon  | Photographs by Carina Altomonte

A year after being elected to the Philippine House of Representatives for the province of Sarangani, “The Fighting Congressman” faces everything head on amidst legislative duties, Twitter feuds, and Shane Mosley

“O, punta na kayo dito ng mga 5 PM. Papunta na si Manny sa Congress,” says the overtly smug man on the other end of the line. I am at a gasoline station with fellow UNO editor—and former Royal Tru Orange child star—RJ Ledesma. We are to meet with Manny Pacquiao, the famed Filipino boxer and policy-maker at the Lower House, quite possibly the most popular sports hero the country has ever had. RJ’s mind’s is adrift; he’s supposed to be celebrating his third anniversary with his lovely wife and we’ve spent the entire day so far waiting for word instead.

Having been a longtime sports fan, I consider myself lucky to have been able to watch Manny Pacquiao’s debut on national television. I remember it quite well for a regular Blow by Blow evening back in the mid-‘90s. The boxing show on the now-defunct Vintage Sports channel would air fights that were held in different parts of the country, and that one night, a smiling 16-year-old guy caught the attention of spectators.

The young man, diminutive and slightly unkempt, threw punches and didn’t care if any of them landed on any part of his opponent’s body. He clearly lacked any technique and his strategy was to simply punch at will. But what more than made up for his lack of technique and self-control inside the ring were his unbelievable power and speed, and his charm that made him a crowd favorite by the end match. You could almost sense a certain stir in the live audience after the four-rounder. The then-young and close-to-100-pounds Emmanuel “Manny” Dapidran Pacquiao had made his very first impact as a professional boxer.

•••

“Carina is on her way,” I say, and fumble with my phone while informing RJ of the most likely setup once we get to Batasang Pambansa. “We wait—“ I pause, and then remember that he’s done it before.

“We’d done it before when we shot Manny for a Manual cover,” says the former Manual Editor-in-Chief, now the public face of UNO. “We picked him up from the airport and we took him to Gold’s Gym for the photo shoot.” A potentially unfortunate surprise was in store. “’Manny doesn’t know yet that he will be shooting for Manual,“ RJ was informed by a handler. “You need to convince him when he gets into the car.”

Of course, the photo op pushed on through anyway, and the issue came out right in time for the cover boy’s revenge bout against the pride of Mexico, Erik Morales, in 2006.

Fast-forward to the present day. From Manny’s camp, Chief of Staff in Business Affairs Jayke Joson has been telling us about the usual practice at a photo shoot with The Ring’s current top pound-for-pound boxer in the world. “Bigyan lang namin kayo ng 30 minutes to shoot and interview—pose pose lang si Manny, tapos shoot lang kayo nang shoot. Tapos, tapos na,” Jayke shares.

The challenging part has always been the time lag in between, especially if you’ve been on standby for over five hours now.

At past 5 PM, our three-strong team stood four feet away from the entrance to Congressman Pacquiao’s office in the Batasan. Right beside it was a couch that was occupied by more press people. RJ knew them. They sounded like they were from the dailies, just from the topics and names they brought up in that brief catch-up. They said they’d been sitting there all day and that more people were lined up in the waiting area behind the door.

•••

“I’m going to ask him about 50 Cent,” RJ blurts out.

“What?”—a short cerebral dispute with myself takes over. I check my Twitter feed to find out the latest on 50 Cent. I discover a series of tweets that relate Manny to several things: Charlie Sheen, steroids and Mayweather Jr. Hash-tagging those three would easily push them to trending-topic status in minutes if only 50 lets it catch on. Then a sudden surge of desire to defend one’s own takes over. I type on my phone in reply to the rapper, replying to his original post: “And this is coming from a man who can’t spell simple words correctly and likes wearing girls’ tank tops?” I refrain from clicking on the “Tweet” button as I go over 140 characters. Also, it’s pretty lame.

RJ’s face proves useful in the South Wing and in any area of Batasan. We got expedited to be the next group scheduled to a sitdown with the busy athlete-lawmaker.

While waiting, I dig up more Manny memories. Despite suffering his first TKO defeat at the hands of the now-infamous Rustico Torrecampo just a year after his first pro fight, Manny subsequently engaged in many local and then international matches, turning in a quick series of wins. The young hero archetype was gradually becoming a new source of inspiration for success-dreaming Filipino citizens to model their lives after, because Manny was in fact homegrown. He does everything for his family. He is very religious. He sings, too. What can be more identifiably Filipino than that?

There were but two other fights where the 2011 Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Memorial Quintessential Athlete Awardee actually faltered and let the nation down. His first clash with Mexican legend Erik Morales in 2005 resulted in his colorful “Mexicutioner” nickname being called into serious question. Late-night partying was said to be the cause of Manny’s defeat.

The other rare setback took place in an even earlier part of Manny’s boxing career. Back in ‘99, dehydration was ultimately the reason for his second loss as Manny and his team struggled and failed to not go over the weight limit. Seeing how the then-flyweighter folded down and never got back up after a strike to the abdomen by Thailand’s Medgoen “3K Battery” Singsurat in a face-off that had already announced his being stripped off the WBC belt even before the bell rang added pain and utter dismay to all those who cheered for him back at home.

But again, as history may have it, these losses were nothing but a primer to winning even more awards, commendations from reputable international sports entities, and ultimately the hearts of millions. As he climbed up the weight class ladder in nearly impeccable style, the resilient fighter proved that although imperfect, a humbled victor can make things right again, which then makes him, in a sense, the perfect role model to many.

•••

7 PM. A stranger decides to strike up a conversation. Veteran movie director Wilfredo Milan, who was able to work with the now-32 year-old Bukidnon native in his first ever film, the 2000 comedy Di Ko Kayang Tanggapin (with April Boy Regino), is now hoping to do another one with him, this time in a more serious role. He voluntarily shares his story with us for a bit—nothing but fond memories of the fighter, something on the order of, “Si Manny, magaling siya mag-deliver ng linya. Matatawa ka talaga.”

But just like the rest of those who are lined up in and outside his office to see the young politician for a few minutes today, the filmmaker awaits his turn, though the chances remain small.

•••

Based on that distinct resounding voice that fills the room amid the unnerving lull in waiting, one can tell for sure that the self-assured Jayke has finally entered the scene. No matter what the online-forum and bar-room discussions say about Manny’s unabashed press agent, he seems less than inclined to care about any of them. He’s been branded as Manny’s henchman and pimp, even with the less affectionate nickname “Pambansang Anino”—but one digresses. Jayke, making himself useful when it counts, goes into his usual greeting procedure with the whole staff as he heads over to our table.

“Si RJ?” he asks.

“He had to go ahead. It’s his anniversary today with his wife.”

Quickly turning back around, the man walks over to a narrow path that leads up to the corner door across the room I’ve long deduced to be the entrance to the pride of the Philippines’ main work area. He must have taken a peep inside as he’s disappeared just behind the dividers.

When he finally re-emerges from the cubicle, I ask, “Where’s Manny?”

“Andyan na sa loob,” Jayke states matter-of-factly. And here I thought the crafty fellow was three hours late. Silly me.

The corner door swings open. “O, tara, sunod na tayo,” Jayke directs and we follow.

8 PM.

•••

The smell of pancit is torture to the light brunchers, as the employees have their much-deserved dinner. None of these folks move until Elvis leaves the building. It seems as if they love working for the most popular person in Congress, even if it has the extra office hours as a drawback.

We somehow forgot about the business-looking group who had to stop us from entering Manny’s room before they did. Another 20 minutes of waiting wouldn’t hurt.

Almost an hour passes. I shift weight from one foot to the other and stare at some promotional materials scattered all over the office while going over the prepared questions. Suddenly, laughter breaks from the inside, which then highlights the personal task at hand even more. The last thing Manny needs is a full-on grilling session with a nosy stranger whose face is half the size of his left fist. Not at that hour. When he is hungry. Yet, rickety questions shall be left with the showbiz driven tabloids, I consider. I’m vexed.

5 minutes before 9 PM.

The corner door opens once more and Jayke waves at us to finally get moving.

•••

We make it inside the work area. As we are introduced, I have become mindful of shaking the champ’s hand, and firmly. A handshake seems formal. At least it might make up for the disaster that is my outfit.

Almost the whole Team Pacquiao is in the room sans his long-time trainer Freddie Roach. We set up as our 30 minutes is running.

Carina asks the multi-titlist to stand in front of his desk to do a couple of test shots first. She demonstrates the pose for him. Manny compels himself to follow suit. Manny, looking a bit exhausted, finally gets in the mood. She clicks away with her camera, pausing once in a while to instruct Manny to change his poses and facial expressions. “Serious naman tayo, sir,” she says nicely to him. At certain points, he would cross arms over his chest and then flash his signature smile. When he sits back on his swivel chair, he looks even more somber; daunting, almost. Carina captures even those. By the third and last layout, Manny is seen exchanging jokes with his crew; it’s enough of a warm-up for the interview.

Dressed in a Ralph Lauren 3-piece suit, which, according to Jayke, is usually what he wears to work, the in-demand public servant has been making up for lost time at the office—in between fights, self-promotion and family. In a few weeks he’s off to Baguio and eventually back to the U.S. to prepare for his much-awaited bout with former WBA Welterweight Super Champion Shane Mosley, scheduled on May 7th (May 8th, PHL time) in Las Vegas, Nevada. But right this moment, he’s focused on his duties as the Representative of his province.

However, such dedication to his obligation has been under public scrutiny as of late. Most recently, an evening visit on the interwebs via Twitter has led to a complicated exchange between Manny and several of his “followers”—all of which are Filipino, presumably all registered voters, though none are currently based in the region that the public official currently represents. His absence on the night that the Lower House voted for the impeachment of Ombudswoman Merceditas Gutierrez was brought to light by his tweet that said: “I vote NO! And I can give my explanation thanks.”

While Manny’s excuse—that he was up in Baguio preparing for his fight against the California-bred Mosley—has been deemed as lame by many, the workhorse swears by his diligence when asked about juggling the two roles he now has to play. “Naipakita ko naman na na-handle ko both boxing and politics. At ang maganda ay wala tayong problema. So, napatunayan ko na.”

He also graced the 2011 Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards and gave a speech that he hoped would serve as motivation for the country’s athletes in their efforts to succeed internationally: “Maraming magagawa ang ating Sports Commission at marami pang mga Pilipino, hindi lang ako at yung ibang mga ano, na may potensyal na sumikat at magbigay karangalan sa ating bansa. Marami pang mga kabataan na sumisibol ngayon na pwedeng maipagmamalaki ng Pilipinas.”

Such determination to keep things right applies to how the man dedicates his life to his wife and four children. Manny confesses that family time has been squeezed into their Saturdays and Sundays at home, in church and at the mall.

•••

“50 Cent?” the small office erupts in laughter as Manny Pacquiao turns to his posse seated on the couch. Obviously, he isn’t that fond of rap music.

I shift the topic to his choice of leading lady to star with in an action film: “Karylle,” he answers. The posse agrees.

His favorite fight so far: “[The one with] Hatton… two rounds lang, eh.”

On his choice between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James: “[Kevin] Garnett.”

•••

Manny’s passion for sports is obvious in the way he keeps himself updated on his favorite ones. Lately, he’s been following the success the Philippine national football team has been getting on the international level. He’s been pleased with their performance and he does try to catch the matches in his spare time.

Meanwhile, gradually climbing up in the world’s best boxers list, fellow Filipino fighter Nonito Donaire Jr., who presently holds three-division world titles, is receiving the support of his forerunner. When asked about the comparison, the hailed “People’s Champ” is quick to point out their importance in representing the country in sports at a global scale. “It’s hard to compare, eh. For me, I don’t want to compare my accomplishments in boxing to others. Gusto ko, kung ano man ang ma-accomplish ko is ‘yun ay karagdagan karangalan sa bansa. At kung ano man ang na-accomplish ng ibang mga Pinoy is, pasalamat tayo dahil iyan ay karagdagan na karangalan sa ating bansa.” His only advice to the new flag-bearers of the country: “determination, discipline and train hard.”

At the moment, apart from boxing, the multi-faceted public figure continues to busy himself with his duties and obligations as part of the legislature, as well as juggle time with his family and other business affairs such as his MP Promotions and several establishments he’s built with wife Jinky back in General Santos City.

•••

By the time the whole world feels another “Fight of the Century” coming on, Manny has already slugged it out with his American rival in front of over 16,000 spectators inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, plus millions outside the US. While most people always have their own versions of how the epic showdown will turn out, you can bet on the fact that Manny will be sticking to his guns, as proven by his long and rigid training (“Spar twelve rounds with three different sparring partners,” according to Timothy James, co-author of the autobiography Pacman: My Story of Hope, Resilience and Never-Say-Die Determination) and the fact that he just never underestimates whoever is matched up against him. As it turns out, a 12-round win by the defending champion arrives in an anticlimactic fashion and Sugar Shane is officially a has-been.

Manny has become one of the most accomplished and well-respected 21st-century sports icons on the planet. On the other side of the coin, in his first year as congressman, consensus seems to be that Manny could be doing better, though one has to take note of his countless projects for his beloved Sarangani—hospital, jobs and housing, among other things. Nevertheless, the fact remains that whatever he does, he does with conviction and passion, even the heavily criticized short dabble in tweeting and his stand against the Reproductive Health Bill. When most of his constituents would prefer to take a back seat discussing sensitive matters, the statesman remains steadfast. Surging, even.

Manny’s unwavering spirituality (“Wala akong takot. Ako, natatakot lang ako kapag nakakalimutan kong magdasal, [at] magpasalamat sa Panginoon,”) provides him with the padded armor he needs to withstand life’s beatdowns. The country’s “Pambansang Kamao” has a lot to deal with—responsibilities enough for ten men, the strange psychic weight of being a role model and symbol, even unwarranted accusations and trash talk—but like the 16-year-old he used to be, he has his fighting instincts, an almost foolhardy determination, and the crowd’s favor, on his side.

Originally published in the June 2011 issue of UNO Magazine.

There is hope for single men and No Girlfriends Since Birth. And RJ Ledesma has the answer.

After “Lies My Yaya Should Have Told Me: An Imaginary Guide to Whine and Women: and “I Do Or I Die: An Imaginary Guide to Getting Married and Other Man-Made Disasters”, this magazine editor, newspaper columnist, events host, struggling actor and manservant to his wife and baby daughter inflicts tertiary damage to the local literary scene with the launch of his third book, “Is It Hot In Here Or Is It Me? RJ Ledesma’s Imaginary Guide to Flirting, Body Language and Pick-Up Artists” by Anvil Publishing.

In his latest compilation of humorous essays, RJ shares the five universal steps of flirting that women to ensnare clueless men, improves literacy standards by schooling men in female body language, and reveals the secrets used by professional pick-up artists to make women do things that they will regret in the morning. And he does all this with the help of Dirty Old Men, No Girlfriends Since Birth, his poor yaya and Palanca Award Hall-of-Famer Krip Yuson who wrote in the book’s foreword (with much duress).

Krip Yuson captures the possessed spirit of the book when he says, ‘From savvy insights on the “inner D.O.M.” that apparently stems from intimate knowledge of his own inimitable persona, to sage advisories offered “DITs” or “D.O.M.s in training,” we have to hand it to this aristocrat of emotional effusions…In a pheromone-dictated parallel universe, we would do well to arm ourselves with all the knowledge on Biblical knowing found in these pages. Thus should our evenings, midnights and wee hours turn into models of satiety, if not frustration. Either way, we can thank the author, and “touch him in the moaning.”’

Join RJ Ledesma for the book launch and signing on November 25 (Thursday) 6:00pm at Powerbooks, Greenbelt 4. Every book purchased will go a long way in helping single men find dates. “Is It Hot In Here Or Is It Me? RJ Ledesma’s Imaginary Guide to Flirting, Body Language and Pick-Up Artists” is available in National Bookstore and Powerbooks nationwide. For more information, please visit www.rjledesma.net.

(Music: ‘Climate Spike’ written, produced and performed by Moon Fear Moon; Edited by Lia Martinez)

7 Years of UNO Magazine

UNO is a monthly magazine for the discerning man (and woman). There are features on women we admire, occurrences worth covering, art forms we appreciate, objects that inspire acquisitiveness, and ideas that deserve attention, among other things.

There are also jokes, which may or may not always be in good taste. We value writing and images that are extraordinary. We love women. It is our belife that digital tools should be used to emphasize natural beauty and/or enhance a specific aesthetic– not for turning people into wax models.

Again, we love women.

We think that there’s more to men (and women) than their surfaces.

UNO: Dispatches for the Discerning Man

UNO—one of the country’s longest-running men’s lifestyle magazines— celebrates its 7th Year as the premiere guide for the discerning male. Since re-launching last year with none other than RJ Ledesma at the helm, it’s become a showcase of the best writing, groundbreaking art/photography and, of course, the most beautiful women in the country. Blending high society with the lowbrow, every issue is a compendium of Filipino pop culture from political punditry to culture vultures, street style to designer pomp, mass-market celebrity to cult heroes.

Gracing the cover for our anniversary issue is none other than fashion icon Sarah Meier, who appears for the first time in a men’s magazine as nothing less than a superhero. (Styled under the visionary art direction of Norman Crisologo and distinctly photographed by renowned lensman Juan Caguicla.

The daughter of supermodel Elektrika, she talks to UNO editor-at-large/multi-Palanca award recipient Luis Katigbak on just how she manages to stay the course and keep on soaring in the fashion world (as well a few tips on just how to save the day).

For this special collector’s edition, we’ve also put galleries of the best art that was featured within our pages the past year and exclusively commissioned by UNO from the likes of rising stars like Brian Vallesteros, Lala Gallardo and Apol Sta. Maria to celebrated veterans like Arnold Arre and Gilbert Daroy.

Of course, we’ve also painstakingly chosen and collected the best shoots of all the women we’ve had the privileged to feature the past year, including many never-before seen portraits of our favorite muses such as Cindy Curleto, news anchor Gretchen Fullido, top models Bianca Valerio and Ornusa Cadness, internet celebrity Ellen Adarna, TV personality Maggie Wilson and fashion maven and lifestyle editor Celine Lopez to name a few. Also, we collect and reprint our best covers from the past seven years featuring the likes of Teresa Herrera, Nicole Hernandez, Maike Evers, Vivian Tan, Bianca Araneta and Pia Guanio.

We also have indie princess Saab Magalona sampling the veggie cuisine at Nomnomnom and “man of the moment” RAMON BAUTISTA explaining just what it takes to be the perfect human being.
Available in stores on June 4, get your copy now!

By events organizer Cacay Moras, as told to RJ Ledesma, originally appearing in UNO Magazine’s March 2010 issue.

Throwing parties, is it in the blood?
I’m the current events organizer of the monthly Fabric Fashion Show at Encore and Capone’s Bar in A. Venue. I like throwing parties because I’m a Leo, and Leos are very social creatures. We want to be around people all the time. We like making people happy in the craziest possible way that we can. The party has to be crazy, and it has to give you a rush or else, it’s not worth it.

How to make a party kick-ass
A truly kick-ass party has to be original: there has to be something novel about every party to keep the guests coming. That is why I don’t organize weekly parties anymore as they tended to become very stale— you’ve got the same DJ and the same boring activity.

As a partygoer, one of the truly kick-ass parties that I attended was the first Classic 99 party organized by Ivan Zalameda. I was a big fan of trance music back in the late nineties, before the club scene gave way to house music. So when Ivan put together the first Classic 99, it brought together all of us trance fans that shared the same type of vibe.

But some of the best parties I’ve attended don’t need to have any theme or occasion. These are the type of parties that happen at the last minute when you just call a couple of friends, close down a place, and say that you just really want to party.

Good vibrations
It depends because there are different levels of kick-ass. You could have intimate parties or the extra huge ones. Stephen Ku of the World Wide Womb threw great kick-ass parties in Embassy (now known as Encore). He brought in Tiesto. But I’ve also attended really great parties in Nuvo where you have an intimate gathering of twenty to thirty.

When you’ve been in the party/events industry long enough, you know the right mix of people to invite for the more intimate parties, and these are the type of people who know that ‘What happens in the party, stays in the party’ (laughs).

But a kick-ass party really has nothing to do with the size of the venue. It’s all about the people and the vibe that they bring to party. It is the who that matters.

Poison of choice?
Johnnie Walker. Definitely Johnny Walker (laughs).

This is how we do it in Cebu
In Manila, a kick-ass party usually starts at night. But, in Cebu, any time of the day is fine. There’s no such thing as “time of day.” You can decide after lunch to go on a boat and head to Bohol, or hang out on the beach, or go diving. You live a great lifestyle in Cebu because it is complete. You’ve heard of that cliché “its now or never?” In Cebu, “its now or later.” Partying is inevitable. That’s why I moved to Manila from Cebu eight years ago—to teach Manileños how to party (laughs).

Keep the party going
A kick-ass party should last long, but short enough to give you time to recover, so you can function the next day.

And, finally, how do you know the party was kick-ass?
When somebody asks you the next day, ‘How was the party?’ and you answer, ‘I don’t know’ with a big, fat smile on your face.

“In my country, everything has changed and nothing is different.”—Rio Gonzaga, The Dogeaters by Jessica Hagedorn

When we first heard about political unrest between Thailand’s “red shirt” protesters—supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006—and government forces that has led to some less-than-peaceful confrontations right smack dab in the heart of Bangkok, most of us Pinoys probably reacted the same way: a collective shrug of the shoulders. Sounds family naman e. We have been there, done that. And, at the rate that we’re going, we’re liable to do it again.

If the Thais think they’ve got it bad, tell them to visit the Philippines. We can show them the best of cultural landmarks and coup sites across Metro Manila because we’ve had revolutions—from bloodless to less than peaceful—up the wazoo.

After all, my generation have been (rather mute) witnesses to the game of political musical chairs that has been played since before we started sprouting pubic hair: the February 1986 EDSA revolution; the July 1986 Arturo Tolentino takeover of Manila Hotel, which set the gears turning in the mind of a 15-year-old Anthony Trillanes who told himself “I wanna take over a hotel someday. Maybe even two.”; the August 1987 Honasan-fueled insurrection; the bloody December 1989 return of the comeback; the January 2001 EDSA II revolution; the May 2001 EDSA III revolution (some sequels just don’t live up to the originals); the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny; the February 2006 State of Emergency, and the November 2007 Manila Pen mutiny. We’ve had more false alarms than a woman with an irregular menstrual cycle.

And if our Thai neighbors think their politics is more screwed than a two-dollar whore, well then wala yan sa lola ko. In this administration we have a pretty good cathouse. In this administration alone, we’ve had the “Hello Garci” scandal, the multimillion peso fertilizer scandal, the IMPSA bribery scandal, the “Jose Pidal” scandal, the jueteng scandal, the Northrail project scandal, the Venable contract scandal, the NBN-ZTE scandal, the bribery at Malacañang scandal, the extrajudicial killings scandal, the Eurogenerals scandal, the Maguindanao Massacre scandal, and the President running as a congresswoman (well, it isn’t a scandal, but it should be). There are more scandals in this administration than there are in a bootleg sex video DVD.

My generation is jaded with politics. And how can we not be jaded? I grew up in the Philippines of the ‘80s. We are the That’s Entertainment generation. We are the poster children for the jaded. We grew up against the backdrop of the Aquino assassination, the snap elections, the Mendiola massacre, the power outages, the Metro Manila Film Fest fiasco, and the showbiz career of Kris Aquino. We’ve survived an earthquake, the Mt. Pinatubo volcanic eruption, waist-deep floods, dengue outbreaks, three days of darkness, bird flu, and the showbiz career of Kris Aquino. Somedays, I feel like we’re trapped in a poorly written sitcom that is starring bad actors with poor makeup, in a show that is in a perpetual state of re-runs—with Kris Aquino.

And what’s the next piece of jade that we can add to our jewelry collection? The great circus slash production number slash talent variety show slash pissing contest that is the 2010 Presidential Elections.

Road diversions. Campaign overspending. Technical problems with election machines. Secret candidates. Illegal campaign contributions. Failure of elections. Fake psychiatric tests. Unreadable ballots. Midnight appointments. The wrong freaking ink. Partial manual count. Womanizing endorses. No elections. Party defections. Military takeover.

So, what else is new?

This election was touted to be the battle between good versus evil. But—depending on who you are talking to—it might be a battle between the lesser of two evils. For others, it could just be a Hobson’s choice. And for the rest: they just want someone who won’t screw up or who won’t screw us over.

But jaded as we are—as I am—I’m still getting indelible ink on my index finger on May 10 because I still have hope. But I’m not hoping for the best, mind you. I’m just hoping that whomever I vote for doesn’t screw us up, or screw us over—much. Hell, we’ve got to start someplace. Or else we’re back to That’s Entertainment.

Footage from Arnold Arre’s Chapter 1 featuring Erwin Romulo and Gang Badoy

An article by Charles A. Tan, originally appearing in UNO Magazine’s November issue. Video footage is from Arnold Arre’s short film titled Chapter 1. In this scene, Gang Badoy from RockEd Radio interviews Erwin Romulo’s character on the art of stalking.

First off, what’s so bad about stalking?

Some people have an aversion to the word “stalker” which I attribute to Western media. Sensationalized in movies and TV is the enigmatic stranger—typically male—who manages to sneak into your room and then eventually slits your throat. But honestly, when was the last time you heard of a Filipino serial killer? Most of our residences have tall looming gates (to say nothing of private subdivisions and villages) to keep the unwanted out. Nowadays, the term has become quite ubiquitous, with both genders using it. “I have a stalker on Friendster,” a girl might say, giggling if the stalker is cute, sighing if it’s the nth time some stranger adds them to their list of contacts. Guys, on the other hand, might use euphemisms to disguise their actions: researching and networking come to mind.

But honestly, in this day and age of the Internet where people can easily search you via Google, look up your profile in Facebook, browse through your photo collection in Flicker, read your journals at Blogger, and get minute-by-minute updates of your daily activities via Twitter or Plurk, how can it be called stalking when all that information is voluntarily made public? No one’s forcing you to upload your moments of drunken revelry up at Multiply or to broadcast to the world what music you’re listening to while logged on at Livejournal or Yahoo Messenger. 

ONLINE
The following tools can be used: 

1. Google (Don’t tell me you’ve never Googled your name before!)
2. Google Alerts – Get notified when the words you specify (a keyword or someone’s name) pops up in the Internet.
3. Trackers – Services like StatCounter or SiteMeter allow you to look up various details (who, when, where, and how) of who’s visiting your site.
4. Whois IP Address – Services like http://cqcounter.com/whois/ enable you to track down various details like who their ISP or where they’re located. All you need is a domain name (the url) or their IP Address (which you can obtain via a tracker).
5. URL redirecters and Web Proxies – Services like TinyURL or Anonym.To lets you link to other sites without disclosing your website. 

OLD SCHOOL?

1. Ear Phones – You’d be surprise what you might overhear when people think you’re not listening.
2. A Tape Recorder – So that you can record whatever it is you’re not supposed to hear. Goes quite well with #1.
3. Comfortable Shoes – People tend to notice you’re following them either via sound or via shadows. If you can walk without making a sound and know the angles to avoid, you can easily trail someone without them knowing.
4. Credit Card – Didn’t anyone in high school teach you how to break into locked rooms?
5. Cellphone with Camera – Digital cameras aren’t ubiquitous but cellphones are.

EVERYONE’S A STALKER THESE DAYS…

And guess what, everyone’s contributing to the phenomenon. Your company does a routine background check and even Googles your name just to check you’re not badmouthing them or their clients in your blog (especially not on company time). Your significant other (or potential suitor) might trace your electronic trail of ex-boyfriends and ex-girlfriends as well as eagerly patrolling your social network profile (why just the other day, someone found out their boyfriend broke up with them when he changed his status to single at Facebook). The very blogs you read or the friends you sent invites to certainly didn’t pop out of nowhere and necessitated some stalking tactics. Let’s not forget reality TV–we’re all voyeurs when it comes to Big Brother, which seems like an amalgam between the horrors of George Orwell and William Gibson—or *gasp* politics (Hello Garci).

REMAINING IN THE SHADOWS

The art of stalking is ultimately counter-productive, much like the ouroboros eating its own tail. To be a true stalker after all is to remain invisible and undetected. No stalker succeeds however and they eventually succumb to the temptation of sending the other party an “anonymous” text message, email, blog comment, or friend invite. And what happens to the stalker who never contacts their quarry? Are they satisfied masturbating to a Photoshopped photograph? Are they content in reading about their crush’s exploits but never talking to them? It honestly isn’t stalking if the other person doesn’t know you’re around (for one thing, they don’t know they should be mad at you).

TELLING THE TRUTH

The alternative of course is to come clean. You tell them you’re a stalker. They’ll think you’re being cute if you’re attractive. Otherwise you’re simply an annoyance beneath their notice. Just look at Google. Everyone knows they know every term you’ve searched, every website you’ve visited, and even the contents of your email for Gmail users. Does that stop you from using their services or buying stocks in their company? Welcome to stalking in the 21st century!

Bully For You
an alternate editors note from RJ Ledesma

If the schoolyard adage “Knowledge is Power” holds any weight, then Washington “Wash” SyCip is the undisputed heavyweight of the schoolyard.

Wash—born in China, reared in the Philippines, and sworn in as an American citizen—has always been ever so familiar with the sweet science of success: He graduated college in two years at the age of seventeen with an accounting degree from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) summa cum laude. He began teaching at UST while also earning his master’s degree at his alma mater. Although Wash passed the Certified Public Accountants (CPA) exam at age 18, he was too young to receive his license to practice (You can be old enough to turn your liver into a punching bag, but not old enough to balance books, go figure) so he opted to pursue his doctorate in Columbia University.

While working on his dissertation, Wash’s studies were rudely interrupted by history: Pearl Harbor and Clark AirBase were bombed. When his father, Albino (yes, Albino) was arrested by the Japanese, he joined the Second Filipino Infantry Regimen of the U.S. Armed Forces. Although Wash wanted to fight on the front lines, he was told that he was overqualified for infantry work (read: he was too damn smart), so he was put to better use in the U.S. Armed Forces as a Japanese language code breaker out of a squadron stationed in India (Did I mention he had to learn Japanese first before taking on the intelligence work).

After the end of World War II, Wash returned to Manila and was enthused over the great opportunities that arose for the country’s reconstruction efforts. Bucking the trend of joining the big British-owned accounting firms of the time, Wash established his own firm. “Those firms were all Caucasians, and they had a fairly general policy that partners were Caucasians. From my viewpoint, I was as good as anyone and should not be subjected to discrimination in my own country.”

So, on the fifth floor of he Trade and Commerce Building in Binondo, Manila, Washington SyCip put up his shingle (“W. Sycip & Co.”) in March 1946, and the rest is business history.

Along with his longtime friend Alfredo M. Velayo, the firm was renamed SyCip, Gorres & Velayo (SGV). By building on Wash’s principles of emphasizing merit, training and integrity (which is something the current administration needs to take remedial classes in) SGV – later the SGV Group – became the country’s biggest and most prestigious accounting and consulting firm. And, under Wash’s leadership, SGV became Asia’s largest accounting firm – he was responsible for the firm’s expansion into Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. He was responsible for SGV’s partnership in 1985 with Arthur Andersen, one of the largest professional service organizations in the world (at that time).

SGV’s reputation as a firm has been so rock-solid in that managing partners and directors have been spirited away from the SGV to serve as technocrats over the past five administrations (and many of these technocrats have also left administrations that were not as rock-solid as they claimed to be). Meanwhile, Wash continues to be on a first name basis with the leaders of big business, including the Lopezes, Ayalas, Sys, Tys, del Rosarios, Gokongweis, Aboitizes, Gotianuns, Tans, Cosetengs, Sorianos, Cojuangcos, Kuoks, Delgados, Yuchenghocs Uytengsus, Yangs, Chiongs, Roxases and many others. And Wash is probably one of the few men who can bring together the country’s top political, economic, society and cultural elite on one table for a reasonably quiet dinner. And perhaps a good bottle of scotch.

Wash has been retired since 1996. But that doesn’t stop him from coming to office everyday at 6:30 am. Or from continuing to serve as the Honorary Consul of Austria to the Philippines. Or from being a fashion model for couture barong-makers Silk Cocoon. From still being. Or from being a big fan of the transvestite performers at Club Mwah. Really.

***

I blame pop culture for all of my conditioned fears. I blame the movie Jaws for my perennial fear of swimming by myself even in a kiddie-sized pool for fear that a 40-foot great white shark might just appear and turn me into lunch. I blame the move The Changeling for my fear of bathtubs because I might see a dead boy floating inside the tub. But for my biggest fear—the fear of sleeping by myself with the lights closed—is because of Freddie Aguilar.

When I was about four years old, I remember watching a (sort of) music video of Freddie Aguilar’s song Anak. The music video featured the drawing of a giant eating little boys. To my 4-year old mind, this image was terror epitomized, and I could not sleep with lights closed because the image of that toddler-eating giant would replay itself in my mind’s eye. I have not had a good night’s sleep for the past 31 years. Thank God for night-lights and (now) my wife.

Unfortunately, no amount of lighting or spooning can make me any less frightened reading the stories in Yvette Tan’s first collection of short fiction, Waking The Dead. The award-winning fictionist was one of the names we named in our ’52 Women On Top’ list in our June issue. Her recently released book, which features a fair amount of monsters (both mythical and the all too real), certainly marks her out as one of the dark stars of Philippine literature. For that reason we’ve asked her to guest-edit our October issue—only fitting given that we celebrate the pagan heresies of Halloween this month. Who better guide to the season than a lovely and talented witch like Tan? (Anybody who reads her prose knows there’s some black magic at work there; and, not very long ago, at least one of the stories in her book would’ve easily gotten figuratively “burned at the stake” if not realistically incarcerated.)

So, set aside your Necronomicons for a while, and peruse UNO’s October issue. Turn up the lights then, don’t be selfish. You want those around you—even in your seemingly empty room—to see the pictures properly.

RJ Ledesma, former child star and UNO Editor in Chief has something special for our male readers if we get our Facebook profile to exceed 1,000 fans. Clem Castro and Sarah Gaugler seem to agree.

This is the first in a series of UNO’s Really Funky Online Content (aka UR FOC!!!)

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