Japan with Richard Poon, Sam Milby and Ai-ai Delas Alas

(posted Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at 9:08pm)

March 6 Friday.
The rains welcomed us as we arrived in Narita Airport. I was afraid at first because of the Japanese Immigration. I was afraid I might say the wrong things and be deported back to Manila (perhaps because its the first time I've been to Japan). Good thing, when it was my turn to talk to immigration, the guy looked like he just wanted the job to be over and done with so after checking my passport and other documents, he immediately proceeded with the picture taking and the recording of the thumb mark of my left and right index finger. Did I say right index finger? Alas, I don't have a Right Index Finger. So I showed the immigration guy my amputated right hand and he motioned for me just to press the gadget for the left finger. Then computer problems arose. It seemed the computer can't record my info and the guy just kept on saying something in Japanese... I was slight concerned because the computer kept having errors and I was having language barrier with the guy. Until I realized... He was just saying "Harder" with Japanese Accent (meaning press the gadget harder) and when I did press harder everything was recorded instantly.Apparently, when in a new environment, fear can also cause stupidity. Haha.

After we left the airport, the entourage was treated at the restaurant where a scene in the movie "Kill Bill" was shot. The we checked in at our hotel, "Sommerset Rippongi". Later on, our host, TFC Japan head, Jeff, treated us to a dinner at Nobu which costed around P50,000. We were done eating when Sam whispered to us the amount on the bill. For an ordinary Juan De La Cruz like me it was jaw dropping. It felt good because I'm not the one paying. Otherwise, I would have wept for that amount for weeks to come.

March 7 Saturday.
The concert proper was at Sunpearl Arakawa in Tokyo. The venue is very similar with Meralco Theater. Sound system was excellent and so is the staff.
Sam was an instant hit as his presence onstage was enough to jolt hundreds of women up from their seats. When he tried to go down the stage to interact, people just flooded against him making it impossible to move further.
Ai-ai breezed through her usual comic act and the crowds just went wild with her. She sang her rendition of Aegis classics plus Regine Velasquez' "I don't Want To Miss A Thing" (now if you'll ask me how she hit the high notes, well let's say Regine was also there in the Spirit).
Richard on other hand was the lesser known of the three, yet as he sang the standards (Portait of My Love, I left my Heart In San Francisco, Moon River, etc), the applause eventually became equal with Sam. His tenacity and raw talent onstage plus his Chinese good looks were more than enough to charm the audience- even those who just saw him perform for the first time. I brought 50 cds of Richard to be sold that night. Sales were not moving before and during the show. But afer the people saw him perform, his cds sold like pancakes. They were even asking for more.As Jeff of TFC said, "He was a revelation". True enough, he was- and he continues to be.

March 8 Sunday.
We went through the shopping district of Tokyo. Indeed Tokyo is one of the fashion capitals of the world. Costumes which are worn only by mascots here in the Philippines are worn there by some people as they go about their everyday lives (wait.. I think didn't come out good). Walking around, you can see great stores by H&M, Gap, Zara among many others marking the metropolis. But the real thrill is the little stores on the sidewalks... the discount stores. You can get really good buys in these stores - if you invest time on it. Unfortunately for us, we do not have that luxury. We have to be in the airport by 530pm. So we have to say goodbye to shopping. Goodbye to the walking hello kittys and kerrokerroppis (did i spell that right?). Good bye to the electronic toilet bowl where your bottom gets a free shower in just one click of a button. Goodbye to the well disciplined system of traffic where the meaning of a red light is Stop... Goodbye to honesty in the marketplace where vendors can display their goods even at the edge of the sidewalk without fear of someone stealing it.

On our way back, we talked about how different - or better- Japan is from the Philippines yet in spite of the differences, we all agreed we still love going back home to Manila..

And why not.... Going back to Manila is like going back to your true love... You love her not because she's better or more beautiful... You just do.

PS: Thanks to my cousin Anggie for for being my financier (haha) and our interpreter during our stay there. Thanks for helping us out. I hope to see you soon.



The resto where one of the scenes in Kill Bill was shot









RP, Jeff and Erickson backstage






Sam, Jinky and Chit from ABS-CBN Special Projects, RP, Erick, Jeff and Jeff from TFC



This picture was taken in Shibuya intersection... The busiest intersection in the World :) This was the message Sam was trying to communicate in this picture



With my cousin Anggie






State of the Art Public Toilet. Only in Japan :)

Luneta Park with Acel Bisa

(Thursday, February 26, 2009 at 4:54pm)

February 11. Acel was invited as guest singer in Kim Atienza's educational show called "Matanglawin". It was the show's Valentine episode thus the topic talks about love. And guess where the location of the shoot was... Nowhere else but in the love park of the country... Luneta Park...

To be honest I don't have high expectations when they said the shoot will be in Luneta. Of course the name itself brings images of a place where homeless people are sleeping, frantic children are begging, and illicit lovers are hiding- during their day offs.
But as work would demand it, off we go to Luneta.

When we arrived at the place... I was shocked to see how Luneta has changed... Shocked to see how it has changed for the good. The place was squeaky clean in almost every area. The statues and monuments were in decent shape, all the greens are well taken care off capped by very neat sari-sari stores scattered across the area. The park also has an efficient security team where there are officers stationed on every corner. There were even Calesas and a custom-made shuttle bus roaming around the park. Acel and I were impressed and were gazing at the park as if its the first time we've been there.

Thenthe production team started the shoot. Their concept was like that of a music video- well more of like the music videos you would see in videoke machines- where there are two lovers cuddling in the park while Acel sings her monster hit "One Love" in the background. Then out of nowhere Kim Atienza would come in and do his spiels regarding the mechanics of Love. The shoot turned out really nice and fun to look at. (*** The researcher even told me- after that episode was aired last Feb. 14- the bosses at ABS commended their team for that particular episode. Congrats RA! )

As I was enjoying the morning air, seating at a shade near the fountain area (where you could also see the map of the Philippines), I can' help but appreciate a flock of doves enjoying their sanctuary in the park. I remember Acel reading some parts of the script and pointing out one fact about doves. The reason why they use doves as one of the symbols in weddings is because they are monogamous creatures. When a partner of a dove dies, the one left behind would "most likely" die alone. They can only have "One Love".

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of people. But of course, that's another topic altogether.

*** The multi-awarded educational show, "Matanglawin" airs every Sunday 11am on ABS-CBN.

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Vigan with Richard Poon

(Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 5:20pm)

As said in the movie "My Best Friend's wedding", "when you love someone... you say it... otherwise the moment just passes you by"... the same is true when traveling (I'm sorry to disappoint those who thought I'm about to write a love story.. haha).
Since I've worked in Cornerstone (a talent management company spearheaded by His excellency, wondrous supremacy, PR Guru Erickson Raymundo... I can feel my salary going up after this article), i was given the privilege to travel around the country which before i never had the opportunity to do so. Partnered with my stoic views against excessive picture takings and writing diaries, i wasn't able to document most of my travels making those memories in danger of being lost to the wind.
As such, I have resolved to change my ways.
Beginning today, I will strive to put into writing and capture in film my adventures on the road starting with the beautiful city of:

VIGAN

February 1 Sunday. Richard Poon was slated to serenade the candidates at Ms. Ilocos Sur. So after ASAP, we had to take an almost 9 hour drive to Vigan. I said to myself.. Good thing I've got lots of stocked music in my James Bond Phone "C902 Sony Ericsson"- or so I thought (it turned out even a James Bond phone is no match when faced by an ancient monster called Boredom). And as minutes turned into hours and hours seemed like eternity... We finally arrived at the wonderful city of Vigan... The moment we stepped out of the car, its as if we had a time travel to the past. Old Spanish homes are still intact... Walking around you'll see seats in front of old colonial buildings fashioned after Kalesas. The yellow lights illuminating the streets reminiscent of the ones used during Spanish times.
Too bad we only had roughly 4 hours to stay there- and its night time.
The hotel that we stayed in... owned by the very generous Mrs. Vicky Cu... was a mansion fit for a Governor General during the time of Rizal... Every room has its own name... In the hallway, the long wooden dining table reigned supreme with family paintings adorning the walls left and right.
Outside, the garden was alive with people excited with the festivities of the week, surrounded by the stone walls that stood there since Lord knows when.
The place was magical.
To make the long story short, Richard sang at Ms. Ilocos Sur which was staged in front of the Municipal Hall. The crowds cheered. The contestants became excited at the sight of a celebrity. And then we exit (now this is the time when the excitement becomes mine).
When we went back to the hotel to prepare for our long drive back to Manila we manage to take some pictures of ourselves so we can have a souvenir of that place.
Then another 9 hour trip back to Manila.
Good thing I slept for the most part of the journey. And when i woke up, I saw the sight of buses, cars and trucks sheepishly moving side by side in the morning traffic, surrounded by over-sized billboards and semi-majestic skyscrapers... And It dawned on me... I'm back home.