Interview kay DORIS ALMOGUERRA, Mananahi ni Renee Salud

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5 Living Pillars of Philippine Fashion (2023 Survey)

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Interview kay AJ ARCULIN, Isang Maaasahang Kasapi ni Renee Salud at Isang Ulirang Ama

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Interview w/ Renee Salud's Reliable Dress Maker DANILO "Dayo" CAYSIP

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Interview of MS. PATTY CHIONG, Producer of "To Love and To Cherish" Bridal Gala Fashion Show

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Interview of Filipino Fashion Advocate RENEE SALUD on "To Love and To Cherish" Gala Fashion Show

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The Five (5) Best Filipiniana Designers 2021 Survey Results

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Favorite Filipino Fashion Designers

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Batangas City: Another Southern Gateway to Luzon

Batangas City is the capital of the Province of Batangas. It is located in the southern portion which makes it a viable place to be a gateway not only to the province but to the rest of Luzon as well. It has a port that is important to the delivery of goods and services to this side of the country.

The effective management of the city is one of the best attributes that makes it efficient and progressive. Batangas City has become an important area in making things easy for business to flow flawlessly from any point in Southern Philippines to the northern-most part of Luzon.

The Batangas Port is one busy hub as evidenced by the many sea vehicles that ply the route from different island-provinces in the south. Roll-on, roll-off ships as well as passenger boats dock there and commerce starts to flow.

It is to no surprise that big businesses have started to mushroom in Batangas City. SM City Batangas and Waltermart are just two of the establishments that offer shoppers convenience for their daily needs. With the mall psyche of Filipinos, these malls and supermarkets have their share of the trade.

Other business establishments are also doing well in the city. With the many patrons that go to them, commerce is alive in Batangas City. Of course, with development comes the problem of traffic but the city government has formulated a system that is effective as evidenced by the smooth flow of automobiles in their formulated one-way routes.

Batangas City has always been ready for the influx of tourists. Big hotels and resorts are scattered everywhere in the city. With the many times that I have visited the place, it is noticeable that foreign and local visitors can be seen in tourist areas such as malls, hotels, restaurants and other places of interest. It is a major area this side of the country.

Batangas City has a homey atmosphere that might be considered for retirement purposes. With its vast land area, it is no wonder anymore that residential enclaves have been developed. Modern houses have been built and property is relatively affordable.

The Philippines being a predominantly catholic, churches abound. But Batangas City respects the religious affiliation of people especially so that Batangas has a history of Islam in its midst. Everybody is welcome to the city whatever religious persuasion one might have.

In the many years that I have been invited to sit as a judge in the annual Bb. Lungsod ng Batangas, I can say that it is also a land of beauty. Some of their winners and candidates have moved on to join national pageants and made names for themselves. Thanks to Mr. Ed Borbon of the Batangas City Cultural Affairs Office for always inviting me and to ace fashion designer Renee Salud for bringing me with him to do the pageant judging duties. The Batangas City Coliseum is a fitting venue for the pageant.

But Batangas City has a certain appeal that makes you want to go back. The people are warm and friendly. The city is relaxed and still has that certain appeal unspoiled by the onset of development and progress. It is a gateway that has a character of its own.

Year in, year out, I always look forward to be invited to Batangas City. I feel at peace when I am in the city. After the pandemic, when everything is okay already, I hope to go back and enjoy the sights, sounds and people of Batangas City once more.

Credit goes to the owners of the photos.

The Secret Gem Called San Juan, Batangas

San Juan, Batangas is now popular among the local as well as foreign tourists. The reason - it has one of the best beaches in the country. Aside from that, Batanguenos in general are a welcoming lot. They do not discriminate and they welcome guests with open arms.

Tourists flock to San Juan because of its beautiful beaches located at Laiya-Aplaya or simply known as Laiya. Its white sands and clear waters make it appealing to people who love swimming on the beach. Good thing that there are hotels and resorts to cater to its numerous visitors the whole year round.

One of the country's popular fashion designers, Renee Salud, was born and raised in San Juan. He is proud of his town in as much as the town is also proud of him. He is proud of is heritage especially when he meets his fellow San Juan townsfolk here and abroad. In the Philippine fashion industry, his name is synonymous to his town.

The town's patron saint is San Juan Nepomuceno. Its church stands aloft in the center of San Juan. It has a museum beside it. Knowing Batangenos to be religious, the church is big enough to accommodate its populace as well as visitors especially during the fest of their patron saint.

One thing that I've noticed in San Juan is how they preserved their heritage houses through the years. In every nook and corner of the town, you will see well-maintained centuries-old houses that mix with the new edifices. Rumor has it that the owner of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar bought old houses there and brought them to their resort in Bataan for proper preservation.

One more nice attitude of the people of San Juan is how they patronize local restaurants which serve food that can only be tasted in town. Despite the proliferation of fast food chains, the locals still opt to eat the local fare. In all fairness, they are palatable and give the fast foods a run for their money not to mention the home-cooked taste.

As part of development, modern groceries and restaurants have opened their branches in San Juan. They know that they already have a market there that is why they have made it an extension of their businesses.

But for me, San Juan is still the quaint town in Batangas that welcomed me in my early days as a production person. It has been part of my growth as a director and a special place that occupies a space in my heart. To all the people of San Juan who took care of me in the early years of my career, you are all still in my heart. San Juan, Batangas is secret gem waiting to be explored.

Credit to the owners of the photos.

Mindanao Tapestry by Renee Salud at the Marco Polo Hotel Ortigas

Video courtesy of Project Geekid and Youtube.

No copyright infringement intended.

Miss Universe 2016 Davao City Ancillary Event (Mindanao Tapestry)

Beauty and Beyond

I was invited by fashion designer and beauty queen maker Renee Salud to a gathering of the members of Beyond Beauty which in composed of well-meaning personalities mostly former beauty queens who have banded together to give a deeper meaning to their usual get-together. I should say that they have truly lived their lives not only as society figures but role models that even the present crop of beauty queens and their mentors should emulate.

The gathering last October 26, 2016 was done at the Missionaries of the Poor in Manila where old homeless men and children with cerebral palsy are housed. The members of Beyond Beauty helped  in taking care of the children even just for a short while.

They assisted the volunteer teachers in making their classes. One thing that I realized is that children with cerebral palsy have a chance of being a part of mainstream society. All they need is care and dedicated love so that they can be useful citizens of the country. Mama Renee even shed a tear because he remembered his ward who also had cerebral palsy and died a few years ago.

Aside from the visit of the Beyond Beauty team, they brought food not just for the day but supplies of necessities in the days to come. They pitched among themselves certain amounts to buy the food that they donated. Of course, there are also well-meaning friends who augmented by giving financial donations for their outreach program. Since Christmas is just two months away, they also helped in setting up the Christmas tree and some decorations that made the place livelier in time for the yuletide season.

They say that beauty queens have good bodies and intelligent brains. But this group is made up of people who have the heart not only for their respective loved ones but for their fellowmen as well. Kudos to Mama Renee Salud, Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 1979 Dang Cecilio-Palanca, Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 1981 Maricar Mendoza-Du, Miss Young Pilipinas 1982 Sharon Hughes-Bediones, Bb. Pilipinas-Maja 1985 and Miss Maja Internacional 1985 Second Runner-up Izza Gonzales-Agana, Mutya ng Pilipinas-World 1988 Dana Narvadez-Silverio, Bb. Pilipinas-International 1995 and Miss International 1995 Top 15 Gladys Duenas, Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2005, Miss Universe-Photogenic 2005 and Thai Royal Silk Awardee 2005 Gionna Cabrera and all the other members of Beyond Beauty for making your usual gatherings more worthwhile and meaningful.

May the Lord continue to bless you and give more strength to be of help to our needy countrymen. Indeed, there is more to beauty queens than just the physical. You are all truly BEYOND BEAUTY!

Venice: From Dream to Reality

Venice is one city in the world that has been in my bucket list to visit during my lifetime. Little did I know that 2016 would be the year that this dream of visiting the city would become a reality. Thanks to the Balik sa Basik fashion shows of Renee Salud. Venice is the first stop of our shows in Europe.

The Hotel Russott Ballroom was the venue of our show in Venice. It is one hotel near the airport that has a spacious venue for different types of events. Although service is by the hour and per hour, its personnel are very gracious and helpful. Everything we asked for were given to us almost instantly.

Of course, a trip to Venice would not be complete without traversing through its narrow pathways and seeing the canals that make the city a special one. Complete with Italian and European architecture, it is like being inside an architectural book brought into reality. Tourists, local and foreigners, enjoy the sights of the city.

The islands of Murano and Burano are must-see places when in Venice. Murano is famous for its crystals which command good prices. Tourists must just be careful in buying Murano crystals because fake ones abound. Burano, on the other hand, is famous for the colorful houses of its residents. It is like being in a craft store but made of true houses.

The Canale delle Fondamente Nuove is the major gateway to Venice and to other beautiful towns that surround the city. It was through the trip to the other places in Venice that I saw how Italians were able to preserve structures as well as have the discipline to make the city a clean one despite the droves of tourists.

The Piazza San Marco is the focal point of one's trip to Venice. It is where all tourists converge to play with the doves or ride the gondola in traversing the city's canals. It is where one can find the best architectural designs that can be seen from its domes, churches, museums and other establishments. It is where one can appreciate the true Italian ambience.

With the many areas of art in Venice, you cannot just have enough. Every corner presents surprises that can only be seen there. The ones you see in books and magazines are right before your eyes. I just marvel at how they were able to preserve its heritage.

Religiosity is one trait that Italians adhere to. Just like in any other city in Italy, churches abound. Coupled with rich designs that depict the richness of the country's culture and its strong adherence to the catholic faith.

From its canals and monuments, Venice is a city that has kept its image as a bastion of art, culture and religion. From where Marco Polo started his journey, Venice is place worth visiting.

With the world getting smaller, the dream of going to Venice is not just a dream anymore. 2016 made it a reality for me.

Special thank you to our Balik sa Basik producer Laarni Silva, our Venice leg producers Ness Araja, Runna Pervado & the B52s, one of our gracious hosts Belinda Rodrigo and all the others who made our stay in Venice a very special one. We hope to see you again in the future.