Pasay City today is one place in the metropolis which has a conflicted identity brought about by the many changes that came upon this part of the metropolis over the last 70 years or so. There is the Old Pasay, at least remains of the old genteel neighborhood where some of the Manila’s elite families lived, especially before the war and in the early postwar years. Then there is the Modern Pasay of today, suffering in urban squalor, decay, and congestion brought about by the emergence of the urban poor populace who lived in the city as the elites moved out to escape the creeping urbanization. And of course, there…
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Bright Lights Dimming: The Nearing Demise(?) of Broadway Centrum
Given the state of how the Philippine television industry works, we do not really have much venues that broadcast TV programs which are located outside the studio complex of the broadcaster. Then again, such venues like New York City’s Ed Sullivan Theater where US late night program The Late Show (of both David Letterman and Stephen Colbert) are a rarity themselves. There is, however, one notable example broadcast venue located beyond the studio complex, of GMA Network in this case. Today, this urban roaming takes us to that Quezon City landmark known as Broadway Centrum. Knowing its geography and history gives one the impression that its name connotes more than…
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From Opening Flair To Uncertain Future: The Saga of Folk Arts Theater
It is interesting to write about the Folk Arts Theater at this time in the midst of the preparations for the country’s 3rd stint to host the Miss Universe pageant that will happen on January 2017. That is because the Folk Arts Theater itself came into being because of the Miss Universe pageant, when the Philippines hosted it for the first time in 1974. Reportedly, then First Lady Imelda Marcos pushed hard for the country to host the pageant, especially after the country’s Miss Universe candidate, Margarita Moran, won the title in 1973, becoming the second Filipina Miss Universe after Gloria Diaz. With the hosting secured, Mrs. Marcos had the idea of holding…
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A Lit Fest And A History Con Weekend (Sorry, AsiaPop Comic Con)
It was a packed weekend recently as a number of events were simultaneously happening around the metropolis. Unfortunately, due to personal commitments, I was not able to check out all of them. Sadly, one of those I was not able to check out was the AsiaPop Comic Con 2016 which happened at the SMX Convention Center. However, I was able to check out a couple of interesting events: the Philippine Readers and Writers Festival 2016 at the Raffles Hotel in Makati and History Con Manila 2016 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila. Coverage follows after the break.
