Of Aetas and Storytelling and ABS CBN

Weekend before classes start. Who would have thought 'd still be able to go up the mountains and do something worthwhile like say, storytelling to the aetas?

Saturday. June 7. woke up at 2:30 AM, took a bath, dressed up and checked my bag I've packed the night before. The cab service I hired the night before picked me up at around 2:45.
With no breakfast whatsoever, i was headed for Sgt. Esguerra Street to meet Miss Lia, a segment writer for ABS CBN's morning show, Umagang Kay Ganda (UKG).

Yup. Alitaptap Storytellers Philippines sent me to go with a UKG team for a book drive to the Aetas in Lopez, Quezon where i will be telling to the kids. As part of the the Buklat Aklat program of ABS CBN, the team will be doing a segment on the book drive, progress on the school that has just been built in the area and the storytelling as well.

Thinking it will be one of the usual volunteer storytelling stints im always up for, I had no idea that we had to travel 6 hours just to reach the place. Exciting. Scary. Plus, I didn't expect that i would be the only one from Alitaptap who would be going with them.

4:44 am. We, Miss Lia (writer) and Miss Lorena (the public service person of ABS) together with the driver and a cameraman left abs cbn after a quick breakfast at their cafeteria (aslo a quick tour of the place haha). We then headed for ayala where we had to pick up 2 Miss Karens who were the public affairs heads of STI (basically whenever you see STI in ADS on TV, Miss Karen and MIss Karen are the ladies responsible for that).

Having only slept 3 hours the night before--owing to the fact that i had dinner and a cocktail with Mico and Paul (the Yale guy)--i basically slept the entire half of the journey.

6:57 am NEWS reached us that Rudy fernandez died. Which was weird. As I am not really a fan of showbiz, I didn't feel anything for him unlike the 4 ladies i was with, who was shocked and what not.

8 am. we finished the scary counterflow the driver pulled off. We had n choice, the traffic to Lucena was bad since a bidge itnt he area gave way. Talk about what an ABSCN LOGO in your van can do for you.

9:50 am. Reached port of Antimonan where we had lunch.

11 am. After more sleep, we finally reached the place.

Really exciting. It has been a year since I last taught Aetas in the North, specifically in Zambales, for our community service that's why when Alitaptap asked for voulunteers, I immediately signed up. The only reason i had not to was the fact that there is a possibility that it would be aired on TV--an idea im not really a fan of. But who cares? I wanted to storytell!

And so I did.

I told the kids Pikpakbum and Tiktaktok and Ang Pambihirang Buhok ni Lola both of which making them laugh which was so nice to see and hear. The moment I started, all my anxiety went down the drain. Basta ang saya! Whenever they laughed, i felt so happy and even more motivated to continue with the story.

Sabi nag nung mga kasama ko: "akala mo to si JM tatahi-tahimik lang, yun pala pag nag-storytell e parang kalog." It was really flattering hahahaha.

Definitely an experience. It was also my first time to see how the media set up their segment, part of which is practicing the aetas how to say "SALAMAT PO SA ABS CBN." Weird.
I saw what was happening behind the scenes eliciting some issues i ahve with the MEDIA but i told myself, as long as we got to help, im good with it.

WHOO!

3:02 pm we left the place
I REALLY HAD FUN.
After another 8 hours of travel time, i reached home at 11:30 PM

This has been the longest time of travelling i had in just a single day. Moreoever, this has also been the farthest I've reached South of the Philippines.

Onga pala, this will be aired on UKG sa wednesday, June 11

What a busy, tiring but nevertheless fulfilling day.

UPLOAD pics later

Storytelling with a 38 deg fever

Me, k. Wacko, a. Cha, a. Mars, k. Percy

Yesterday, we performed a chamber storytelling of Si Aliguyon at Pumbakhayon: Mga Bayaning Mandirigma ng Ifugao at a National conference held at Seameo Innotech in Quezon city.

For those who are dummies to storytelling (haha!) chamber telling is similar to role playing its just that the focus is still on the book.

I was Aliguyon--my first ever lead role with Alitaptap. Kaya naman scary. what made it even scarier is I was the only newbie in the cast so go figure. So despite my 38 degrees celsius fever, storytell pa rin. Masaya kasi e! (plus, i have a feeling they'll kill me if i don't show up). Haha.

It was again a great experience!

more pics at http://themistermistaker.multiply.com/photos/album/68/Storytelling_at_the_bIg_Circle_Time_National_Conference_15_May_2008

Storytelling at PCMC

We volunteered. And so, we were sent by Aitaptap to the Philippine Children's Medical Center in Quezon City this afternoon. Together with ate Princess, we storytold to the children in the hospital.

As always it was a fun experience. I kinda made them laugh especially with my voice and face distortion eheheheh.

But honestly, I had a hard time eliciting the excitement I am used to from the kids since all of them were quite sick. But then, they tried to really respond to my interactive questions and activites and to smile despite their not feeling good which was something that moved me.

Ang Madyik Silya ni Titoy and Si Pilong Patagu-tago were the stories i told.

Ang saya! I even got this mug as a token.
Astig talaga mag-kwento sa mga bata!

I can still remember some of their names, Cessa, Joan, carmela, Rosemarie, Elyssa, Jared, and others. And the most cute kid who was really participating in my story was Rinna, a four year-old girl with cancer. If not for her hair and mask, you wouldnt think she has cancer for she is so active and very sociable. She even wanted to have a picture of us taken. Ang cute!

Know what? This day reminded me about a thing or two about life's challenges...sigh. (",)

more pictures at http://themistermistaker.multiply.com

FIRST PUBLIC STORYTELLING

My first ever public storytelling with ALITAPTAP STORYTELLERS PHILIPPINES! It was a volunteer thing but who cares?! It wasn't a booklaunch in powerbooks or sumtin but it was way better. I love storytelling to KIDS. It's fun and gives you that nice feeling of being able to somehow teach kids (this time streetkids). I don't care if i dont get paid for storytelling forever, I will still be a good storyteller. I WILL!

I even met Kuya BDJIE of batibot. SUper nice with a great sense of humor. He even promised to give us a workshop on storyellin.



NICE NICE. We did a chamber telling of ang Binibining Tumalo sa Mahal na Hari.

super cool. It was in an art exhibit/street party on Galleria Duemila in Pasay City.Daming foreigners, writers, some tv personalities like Robin da Rosa and a couple of other known people. Then thr street kids near the big houses were invited to the party where free street food were available--from hotdogs, squidballs, popcorn, chocolait, corn, mangoes, buko pandan and gulaman. DAMI!. Kinda great actually.



Im learning so much from the expwerts of storytelling. I promise to hone whatever skills I have in this art. At least sobrang napatawa ko naman ynug mga bata in playing the DATU in the said story. COOL.

It was an art exhibit so it was like a cocktail party thus we, the storytellers (including kuya BOdjie) were SO SO underdressed for the event. Still, we made the children laugh and gave them a good time than the other performers haha!

COOL COOL!