Explosives Overload: 4th of July and Fireworks in the Philippines

http://dreamatico.com/fireworks/1/

Hey readers!

Happy Belated Fourth of July! I hope all of you are filled with your share of barbeque and other delicious foods. Personally, the Fourth of July is my favorite time of year because of the abundance of parties. It may be exhausting for some, but I have fun jumping from house to house.

For me, this year’s Fourth of July was a bit more special. I hosted a college student from the Philippines, and brought him to the various activities that one would find in a classic American Independence Day. For three days we swam in pools, watched parades, sat around bonfires, and watched fireworks.

Interestingly, he wasn’t impressed by American fireworks. The ones in the Philippines are much larger, and of course, more dangerous. My parents tell me that many end up in the hospital to have fingers amputated. Living in Massachusetts, where firework regulations are strict, I couldn’t help but research the topic. So, here’s what I found:

One of the most popular firecrackers is called Goodbye Philippines. It’s much larger and more explosive than what is considered safe. Sensibly, the government has declared it illegal to use.

The largest firecracker is the Sinturon Ni Hudas, or, the Judas Belt. The Judas Belt consists of multiple explosives tied along a single fuse. The biggest versions can have up to ten thousand rounds! If you watch the following video, it sounds a lot a machine gun!

Another popular one is called the Superlolo:

According to GMAnews, Piccolo Petes are responsible for the most injuries since 2007. The firecracker is prone to exploding on hands. 

Finally, just an awesome video of almost every firecracker imaginable.     

   

     

Indepndence Day and Celebration in Boston

Image provided by mandirigma.org

Happy (Belated) Independence Day Readers!

It's been 117 years since our nation's founders declared independence. After 3 centuries of colonial rule, it's understandable to want a change of power.

Also, if you're going to be free this upcoming weekend, I strongly recommend that you come to Boston on June 20th. From 9:00 A.M to 3:00 P.M is Philippine Independence Celebration Day at City Hall. They're planning to have a parade and cultural show in which several Filipino artists will be bringing their talents to the mic. Included is The Voice finalist and local hero, Nathan Hermida. It should be a great time with family and friends.

More information can be found in this link: http://www.thebostoncalendar.com/events/117th-philippine-independence-day-celebration

Flag Day!

In anticipation for Philippine Independence Day, I also happened to learn that June 12th was also the day the current Philippine flag was adopted. 

Correct me if I’m spelling this incorrectly, but it’s name is Tatlong Bituin at Isang Araw, which translated to American is Three Stars and a Sun. Like every work of art, everything that’s on the flag is there for a reason: 

• The white triangle symbolizes liberty, equality, and fraternity
• Blue strip for truth and justice 
• Red strip for patriotism and valor 

For our mathematically-inclined readers, the width length ratio of the flag is 1:2, and there are eight rays in the sun. Each ray is representative of a province that made significant contributions for independence (Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, Tarlac, Laguna, Batangas, and Nueva Ecija). The three other stars are representative of the main regions of the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. 

Interestingly, in times of war, the flag is flipped upside down so that the red portion is on top. 

Ode to Vermont

Book signing of Vermont local, Tammy Hedrick's "Stella Rose"

Speaking of Asians living in remote parts of the US, yesterday, I spent the whole day digging and reorganizing old knickknacks for our new home in Vermont. Just a few months ago, my mother packed most of her and my belongings and moved to a quaint town near Burlington, VT, a town with a population a little over 5,000, and an Asian population of less than 1%. Since arriving here, I’ve met a total of two Filipinos: Gabbie, one of Kaya Co.’s fellows studying at Middlebury College, and an 80-year old voice teacher. 

As more Asians migrate to larger Asian-populated cities to join their families and friends all across the US, my family has always gone against the tide. From Oregon in the West Coast, we travelled to Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Florida, Connecticut, and now humble, quaint Vermont. We’ve moved for my parents’ work and away from the comfort of our Filipino community.

As I look back, I’ve experienced countless times “being the only one” – the only Filipino in my elementary and middle school, the only Asian in my friend group, the only one who ate chicken adobo for lunch everyday. The ride alone was often tough at a young age growing up in New England, but it challenged me to see different perspectives. In a sense, this made me feel closer to my identity as a Filipino-American. 

I’ve learned over the years that I’m not the same as most Filipino-Americans I know. I don’t listen to the same music or know the same slang. My parents aren’t nurses or engineers. But the beauty of it is that it doesn’t really matter. Here in New England, we’re small enough that we get ecstatic when we see other Filipinos who have experienced the same journey to get this far.

Driving through Vermont from Massachusetts

While the West Coast has beautiful weather, landscapes and a plethora of other attributes that make many Filipinos flock to places like LA, San Francisco and Seattle, the East Coast has its perks too. We’ve got top-notch education, four seasons, and a new wave of strong, independent migrants, hoping to fulfill their “American Dream”. They say that if you can make in New York, you can make it anywhere. In Vermont, if you can tough it out in the cold among sheepherders, environmentalists and skiers, you can live almost anywhere (knowing that your Filipino side will always be there with you). 

Summer 2015: A Return to the Homeland & PinoyJeep

Hello PinoyJeep Followers!

Almost eight months have passed since my last post for PinoyJeep (a writer’s block that hasn’t gotten any better over the past year). So first, I must apologize for the bareness, and secondly, I would like to inform you that I'll be returning to the Philippines in just a few weeks, which means I'm back!

Almost two years ago, I created PinoyJeep to document our IP Rondalla Tour to the Philippines. Now, two years later, I will be returning with eight other Filipino leaders from universities across the US for an 8-week internship and learning experience. This fellowship is Kaya Collaborative's first step toward its mission of reconnecting Filipino diaspora youth with opportunities for transnational action in the Philippines as it will be spent with homegrown social ventures and local community partners to design solutions in bridging the disconnect between diaspora and home. After the summer, we will be launched back to our diaspora networks to engineer and implement this reconnection at scale.  I am excited and eager to share my personal stories on this trip as we embark on this mission.

With that said, I will mostly be using another blogging site to update you on my personal journey this summer. Please check out Sierra’s Jeepney Ride. (We'll see how long this blog lasts before I return to PJ...but it's worth a try.)

Thank you for all of your support these last few years. I cannot express how important your views have been to making PinoyJeep a success, and though it has been tough keeping on track, it is always worth the effort knowing that we have viewers like you, eager to follow our journey. 

With much love and excitement for the future of the Philippines!

Sierra Jamir

Beginning of A New Year at IP

Every year, on a Sunday afternoon in September, Filipino families flock to Bedford, MA, for the first time to commence the school year at IP (Iskwelahang Pilipino).  Last week was the first Sunday of the IP year, and we all delighted in once again seeing old friends, and welcoming new faces to the community.  There was excitement and anticipation (of merienda) in the air, as everyone mingled together as a community for the first time since the Lowell Folk Fest.  We had some fun ice breakers, during which we all had a laugh and got to know one another a little better. We left having had lots of good food and laughs.  I can't wait to see what experiences we'll have this year.  Here's to another great year at IP!

15 Famous Filipino Universities

With colleges starting in the United States and high school seniors beginning their college process, PinoyJeep decided to compile a list of a few famous universities that are known to many in the Philippines. Maybe you've heard of University of the Philippines or Ateneo, but have you ever heard of Mapúa or Siliman? Maybe you've heard a few from your Filipino friends and family. Maybe not. There are plenty of universities scattered throughout the 7,101 islands, and this list is only a handful of universities we know. Hopefully, though, this will trigger your interest in learning about other Filipino schools, and maybe you'll decided to study there! So, in no particular order, here are a few  famous universities in the Philippines!

PinoyJeep's Top 15 Filipino Desserts

Filipinos live and breathe food. It's all we talk about at parties and dinners, and desserts are no exception. To honor the Filipino love for sweets and candy, the PinoyJeep bloggers compiled a list of their top 15 Filipino desserts to satisfy any sweet tooth.

A Moment That Never Should've Happened: Ninoy Aquino Day

Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. (1932 - 1983)

Hello Again Readers!

        August 21st is Ninoy Aquino Day, marking 31 years since his assassination. Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. was as a prominent critic of the Marcos regime, whose unconstitutional rule declared martial law. His political dissidence led to incarceration, as predictable in any autocracy. Fortunately, he was granted an exile to the United States due to medical purposes, but he would not be allowed return to the Philippines. After three years, he did just that, despite impending imprisonment. Many Filipinos believed that upon his arrival, Marcos was destined to fall. Sadly, things turned for the worst as Ninoy disembarked his plane, leaving him vulnerable in the open. He was shot behind the head.
       Most of the public suspects Marcos responsible for the brutal murder, if not his wife Imelda. If the killing was arranged by the government, its effects were backfiring, as many Filipinos protested in outrage. They took to the streets peacefully, following the nonviolent approach encouraged by their deceased leader Ninoy. The dictatorship toppled, and the widowed Corazon Aquino would establish a democracy that was non-existent during martial law.

Miguel

A wounded Ninoy is carried to safety.

New Mission Statement

Hello Lovely Readers,

In light of our new direction, the staff at PinoyJeep have produced a mission statement, clearly defining our goals and purpose. Like any well-run organization, it's important to maintain some type of structure. The following can be found in the About Us page:

At PinoyJeep, our team of bloggers and participating writers engage in what it means to be Filipino. We share our perspectives of heritage through articles and submitted entries, at the same time discussing culture, history, and language. In addition, PinoyJeep strives to interact with Filipino communities based throughout the New England region. Our work includes reporting on local events and affairs, most notably Iskwelahang Pilipino and its Rondalla Ensemble. Finally, we encourage strengthening our relationships with Filipinos back home by community service. 

Miguel

"Here Lies Love" - An Imelda Marcos Musical

Having seen a few broadway shows before, I had never come across such a multi-sensory, audience-involved performance as this one. It's hard to explain, exactly, but I hope my perspective will give a sense of why. 

For more information visit: Here Lies Love Website

"Here Lies Love" Playbill and tickets

When Carsyn told me about a musical based on Imelda Marcos during a gathering, I assumed this would be a rather low-budget, high strung performance. I mean, it’s Imelda Marcos, the woman with 1,000 shoes who, in my mind, seemed an odd person getting the spotlight (seeing as our conversation at the time was on the crux of Filipino politics).

However, as any proud Filipino would do, I researched it that night and impressed by the reviews and stunning short videos of the show, I convinced my mom to buy tickets and head to New York City a week later.

The Public Theater is located near the heart of Cooper Union in Lower Manhattan. Having stayed at home for the last few weeks, ascending the three (or so) floors to the small, intimate stage took a bit of effort, but once at the top, we were treated with a neon-purple shrine with Catholic ornaments and pictures of Imelda Marcos scattered next to the stairwell. It only got better.

‘Here Lies Love,’ a disco party, high-energy musical took us back to Imelda Marcos’ beginnings -- from her small life in Leyte to the indulgent Malacañan Palace. With David Byrne (from The Talking Heads) and Fatboy Slim as the brains behind the production, you can never expect anything of the normal.There was nowhere to sit, not that it was ever needed. A disco ball hung from the ceiling, neon colors and blaring dance music kept us on our feet. We were literally forced to dance (crazily) in circles and on stage, as actors interweaved into to the crowd and people in jumpsuits moved piece of the stage into differents shapes and sizes.

Sierra in front of the Public Theater

The cast of mainly Filipinos, brought to life not only the history, but also the palpable feeling of millions of Filipinos during this period. I was stunned to see Jose Llana play the corrupt Ferdinand Marcos (he was at IP not too long ago for the Tea Musical!) married to the indulgent Imelda Marcos (Jaygee Macapugay). I felt empowered when Benigno Aquino (Conrad Ricamora) fought for justice and disheartened when he was killed right before our eyes. We were not just audience members. We were the people at Marcos’ inaugural speech, in Imelda’s crazy New York dance parties, on television, in protests, at Aquino’s funeral and at Imelda’s exile. We were there.

Projection of Imelda 

Although the story follows Imelda’s life of rags to riches, it is ultimately a story about the people who suffered at the cost of Imelda’s desire to be loved. It’s about those who pitied Imelda as a child. Who supported her when she left Leyte. Cheered when her husband won a landslide victory and eventually retaliated when Imelda’s love for glamor and ritz soured her own love for the Philippines. In the fashion of dance steps and disco balls, we understood.

Descending the three or so flights of stairs, I couldn’t get the main tune out of my head, even as we rode the subway back to Queens where our car was parked. “Here Lies Love.” Imelda had once said she wanted this written on her tombstone. It’s a paradox. Either it could mean, “Here, there is love,” as in it is right in front of us, or, “Love is a liar.”

New Kid on the Blog: Carsyn Fisher

As PinoyJeep continues to grow, we will be adding new perspectives, interests and ideas each and every week on all-things Fil-Am. One person who will make this happen is this girl. Welcome Carsyn, our third PinoyJeep Blogger! - SJ

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to be writing blog posts for PinoyJeep, because being a Filipino-American is an important part of how I identify myself, and writing is one of my passions.

Daughter of a Filipino immigrant, I've lived in Massachusetts my whole life and have never had the opportunity to visit the Philippines, but Filipino culture still remains a strong aspect of my home life because I live with my Lola (grandmother) and there's always Filipino food in my house. In addition, I attend a Filipino cultural school every other Sunday, where I was first introduced to the Filipino community as a younger kid.  It's like having a second family.  From this blog, I hope to share my pride in being a part of this Filipino family and discuss the Filipino culture in New England. I hope to soon travel to the Philippines, and I would love to do a mission trip there sometime!

I attend an all-girls high school about 45 minutes from Boston, and honestly I love it. In school, I love history and English. I would love to study law, journalism or political science in the future.  International relations in particular interests me.  Outside of school, I spend most of my time running (3 seasons of cross country & track), reading (I live precariously through literature), and eating (I'm Filipino, what did you expect?).  I love reading about current events, gardening, traveling, playing sudoku, playing with my dog, and wearing plaid.  I'm a sophomore, older sister, vegetarian, and proud feminist. And I can't wait to have more adventures on PinoyJeep!

Carsyn

New Look for a New Jeepney

Hey PinoyJeep followers,

Hope you love the new layout as much as we do! We still need to expel a few bugs, but for the most part, we hope you're dazzled by how our creative fingers pulled off something like this! We're revamping our outdated layout and adding a bit of flare to our design. Thumbs up?

With plenty of changes occurring before the inevitable first day of school and the cold, dreary nights that come with it, we're trying our best to make a new, striking image for "PinoyJeep" and prepare a great line-up of all-things Fil-Am while we're still free.

 CLICK HERE to subscribe to PinoyJeep: Young Fil-Ams of New England!

Cheers,
Sierra

p.s. If it weren't for the coding-half of it, I probably could pull off a sideline in graphic design, that is, unless you think this layout reeks of baby doodles and cave paintings...I hope you at least say cave paintings. That would be nice...

Meet Miguel, the New Guy!

We've had a number of feature writers over the few months PinoyJeep has been around, however, we have never had writers who are eager and determined enough to take full responsibility of becoming a regular PinoyJeep blogger! Meet my new sidekick, mi amigo, Miguel! - SJ

p.s. Also look for more info about our writers, Sierra and Miguel, in our "Meet the PinoyJeep Bloggers" page. 

Blogger #2 is on board!

PinoyJeep: A New Blogger on Board

Dear PinoyJeep Readers,

If you haven't noticed, we've changed the name of PinoyJeep from "Boston Rondalla Kids" to "Young Fil-Ams of New England" because we no longer will focus on Rondalla-related events in New England. Yes. We are opening up our scope to ALL THINGS FILIPINO IN NEW ENGLAND! That means I you have any event or happening worth mentioning, we'd love to know! Check for updates in and around PinoyJeep as well.

More importantly, in about three weeks, I'll be heading off to college, which means that I am relinquishing my PinoyJeep throne to my IP friend, companion and lil' bro, the mighty Miguel Zialcita, a wonderful dancer who will fight you for that tinikling spot and a true Fil-Am. I plan to chime in with a few bits of Fil-Am news from the college side, but look forward to hearing mainly from Miguel and his crew of new and upcoming Filipino friends. (Here's his first article, There's No Place Like Lowell, which got a ton of views!) While he is pretty brand new to PinoyJeep, watch out 'cause he's got a plethora of creative blog ideas for all of you to read!

Stay tuned for more from PinoyJeep.

From,
(The relinquished) Sierra Jamir

There's No Place Like Lowell

The IP Lowell Crew after a long weekend on the job! Good Job, everyone! (Photo courtesy of Tita Patty)

Hello PinoyJeep Followers!

The following post was written by Miguel, who will be joining our blog:

It’s that time of year! With the dates July 25 to 27 circled on your calendar, there’s no escaping the Lowell Folk Festival. It’s an integral part of your experience as an IP student (Lowell to IP is like Mecca to Muslims), or parent for the matter, and isn’t that way without reason. Lowell is vital to our school’s funds and is the culmination of scrupulous planning, management and effort. In a way, Lowell has become an entity of its own, requiring our utmost care and attention.

PAMAS 2O14 Scholarship Awards

Avi with the Santos Family holding her award

Sierra with the Harold Family and her award

Hi PinoyJeep Readers,

Last week on Sunday, PAMAS (The Filipino-American Association of New England) held its annual scholarship night, this year, awarding Avi and I scholarship for our dedication to higher excellence and for helping the Filipino-American community here in Massachusetts. Tita Lidy Chan, the President of PAMAS, hosted the event and Alpha Miguel-Sanford, assistant headmaster of Randolph High School, was the keynote speaker for the night, who spoke extensively as to how Filipinos and even pancit can be "remarkable" if put to good use. Avi received the Angelito & Esther Santos Family Scholarship Award and I received the Harold Hofman Scholarship Award, funds that will be used wisely for college! The ceremony was then followed by dancing (of course) and eating and chatting. Typical of a Filipino party. Of course. For those Filipino-Americans who will be entering senior year, if you would like to be recognized for your work in the Filipino community and want a little cash reward for your college endeavors, apply for the PAMAS Scholarship! It's easy and worth it! Click here to visit the PAMAS website for more information.

Sierra Jamir

A Year Anniversary: Continuing the Filipino Spirit at Home

Hi PinoyJeep Readers!


I can't believe that exactly a year ago, the members of IP Rondalla began their departure to the United States after a three-week tour around the Philippines. After visiting Manila, San Pablo, Bicol, Cebu, Bohol, Batangas, Bataan, Diliman and Los Baños, these Fil-Ams returned home, refreshed, renewed and excited to share their wonderful experiences with their friends at home.

Ryzza Mae Dizon Picture!

Long time no see!

Here's a picture I'm sure all of you will love! Recognize this little girl? Well it's Ryzza Mae from Eat Bulaga! When we were at GMA waiting to be featured on Eat Bulaga during the IP Rondalla Tour, we waited in Ryzza Mae's changing room! Here's a picture taken by Tita Beth. Thanks for sending me the picture, Marisa!

Sierra Jamir

2O13 Palaro Olympics!

Aaron plays sipa (cred: Tita Patty)

Pa Pa Pa Palaroooo 
Wooohoooo ! \(^_^)/

Hi, I'm Avi, and I am a senior student at IP.

This year, we had an early Palaro games for the Sochi Olympics that just began a few days ago. So, two weeks ago, many of us dressed up in different colors to represent the five different teams: pula (red), puti (white), bughaw (blue), verde (green) and dilaw (yellow). Nolen headed the games.