Art in the Philippines

Growing up in a family of painters, Dorby Alcoseba saw firsthand the struggling life of an artist.

Though his heart is on art, Alcoseba pursued a college degree in computer engineering hoping to have a more stable life. After two years of working in an office job, his love for the art haunted him back.

"The life of an artist is a struggling one. But it's what I really want. What's important is to go where your heart is," Alcoseba, a fulltime painter, said in Cebuano.

The artist is one of the guests in the February 11 episode of Pagtuki, the official radio program of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), which is aired at DYLA, every Saturday from 10-11 a.m.

The February 11 episode talks about the "life of an artist", as a celebration for the National Arts month in February.

Having a father and an uncle who are painters, Alcoseba is no stranger to canvass and watercolors. He knew then that painting was his calling, just like his father.

For July Carmel, a degree holder in mass communication, she chose to work as a fulltime dancer in a dance group rather than pursue a career in communication.

Though the pay is not as high as a regular job, she said that what is important is she is happy with what she is doing. Carmel was a scholar for being a member of the university's dance and theater group.

"Performing, dancing...these are my passions," she said.

Dennis "Sio" Montera, vice president for visual arts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, said that a stable income is one of the greatest challenges of an artist.

"Being an artist is a lifetime commitment. It has no boundaries, no limits, and no bosses. But it is not a regular job. Financially, it's a challenge. Artists need to learn how to be flexible touching people, shaping the future because we all have bills to pay. Despite that challenge, you might wonder why artists are happy... because we are happy with our time and in what we do," Montera said in Cebuano.

He advised starting artists across different fields to not give up and to pursue their passion for the arts, despite the struggles.

Montera expressed his hopes that the government will initiate programs to further develop and preserve Philippine arts.

Steiner Waldorf School in the Philippines

Press Release

To create a sustainable society of international understanding, tolerance and peace, there should be a new understanding of what is possible in education. Administrators, teachers, parents, and Education students interested to develop their teaching and parenting capacities are invited to join a two-day seminar on the world-renowned Steiner/Waldorf-inspired "balanced education of the head, heart, and hands." To talk about this pedagogy – adopted by more than 1,000 schools in more than 60 countries since 1919 – are Bella Tan and Jake Tan from Rudolf Steiner Education Philippines (www.rstep.org.ph).

 

Trained in Australia in 1989, Bella C. Tan was one of those who introduced Steiner-Waldorf Education in the Philippines in 1992. She co-founded the first Steiner-Waldorf school in 1994, initiated the Parent-Toddler Program in 1997, and co-founded Michael Playgarden, the first full day co-parenting center in 2006. Bella has conducted teacher training and related courses not only in the Philippines but also in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and China. She has also written two children's books.

 

Joaquin G. Tan trained in acupuncture (1989) and in Anthroposophic Pharmaceutical Preparations and Medicine in the WALA GMBH, Bad, Boll, Germany. He attended the English Course in Anthroposophic Medicine, Arlesheim (1992). He co-founded the first Waldorf kindergarten/school in the Philippines and served in its Board of Trustees (1994-2002). He is the author of the book "Healing Ourselves: A Guide to Creative, Responsive & Self-Reliant Medicine" (1995) and "Healing Ourselves from Medicine" which was released internationally in 2011. Jake has conducted lectures on the wellness and healing as well as the health and nutritional aspects of child development in Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China.

 

The two-day seminar is organized by Tuburan Institute, Inc. at the Food Cove Function Room, 2nd floor (at back of the Food court, beside Mall Admin Office), NCCC Mall, corner of Matina and Ma-a, Davao City. Specifically, the two-day workshop will cover the following topics:

• Childhood and Development

• The 12 senses

• Nature of Conception, Pregnancy, Birth 

• Health and Nutrition of the Developing Child

• Imitation and Good Example: Role of the Adult

• Dreamy Consciousness of the Child

• Education of the Will

The daily sessions will begin at exactly 9:00 am and end at 4:30 pm. Lunch break will be from 12:00 noon till 1:30 pm. Participants are requested to come on time and bring their own pen and notebook for taking notes. The course fee is Php 500 for the two days and does not include food and drinks. The course fee can be paid through the following:

1.) Account number: 2141021748 Account Name: Tuburan Institute, Inc. Bank: BPI Matina branch 

2.) Astanah Spa, Juna Avenue, Davao City (landmark: accross Values School beside Lispher Inn)

3.) Jayma Law Office, 2nd Flr. Paseo de Legaspi, Crossing Legaspi St. and Rizal St., Davao City (landmark: above 147 Beer Avenue resto-bar)

4.) Door 5, Ma-a Plaza, Km. 5 Ma-a Road, Ma-a, Davao City (beside Deeper Life Academy)

Participants are requested to bring their deposit slips or acknowledgment receipts and present them during the March 3, 2012 registration. In case participants prefer paying at the venue on the first day of the seminar, we would like to request to be informed before March 1 of your attendance. This is because the venue can accommodate only 200 participants at a time and we would like to ensure everyone can be comfortably seated.