PIA WURTZBACH

THE MODERN FILIPINA

Her massive effect on Filipinos is certain. Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach bagged the Miss Universe 2015 crown, not without drama, and it was both the accomplishment and her handle of the controversial coronation that catapulted her to international fame. For a country that continues to enjoy beauty pageants, the Philippines has become immensely proud of its Miss Universe title holder who has brought back the crown after 42 years. Wurtzbach was born in West Germany to her German father and Filipina mother but was raised in Cagayan de Oro. She learned the value of hard work early on when she became her family’s breadwinner at 11 years old, the same year her parents separated. Pia modeled and acted for years until she began training for Binibining Pilipinas, which she infamously joined thrice before becoming Binibining Pilipinas Universe. Pia has become the model not just for her undeniable physical beauty, but more importantly, for her fortitude.

After Binibining Pilipinas 2016 coronation, she addressed its contestants on her social media writing, “…all of this is temporary. Even my crown is temporary. But it’s what you do after that’s important. What did you learn? What is your passion now? What do you want to pursue next? Or better yet, are you going to try again?” She ended with a sobering reminder, “Remember, the true measure of a queen is what she does after pageant night.” If judged according to her standards, Wurtzbach has got it right.—RCB

We are grateful for this privilege to be given a New PH Award. To be recognized in the global arena is something to be proud of but to have this kind of award is another thing. We are excited and we feel great to be recognized by fellow Filipinos, knowing especially how talented Filipinos are,” said 4th Impact. Sisters Almira, Celina, Irene and Mylene Cercado make up the group that caught the Philippines’ attention when their audition for UK’s The X Factor impressed the judges and audience. 4th Impact finished in fifth place and went on their first official tour, The X Factor Live Tour, this year.

4th Impact did not think they were going to make it internationally, but they weren’t going to let anything stop them as evidenced by how far they traveled to see their dream come into reality. Though they perform at the world’s stage, they are grateful for their Filipino upbringing. “Growing up in the Philippines keeps us grounded; we grew up in a humble and religious family, having a simple life. We’re proud to say that our Filipino traits, being determined and a happy people helped us gain success internationally.” They said, “We feel what sets us apart in the global scene is our being Filipino. We never give up and we remain positive despite the obstacles we experience. We stand out because of our passion, best work ethic, and our passion. We believe that our journey is still starting and we hope to create songs that will inspire Filipinos as well as supporters from different parts of the globe.”—RCB

Even at a young age watching Cinderella and old Hollywood movies, Ezra Santos already showed an inclination for fashion. The glamour of that era, as well as the designer’s mother’s rich personal style greatly influenced his aesthetic, which is now world renowned. It wasn’t always easy, as it took Santos a while to get his footing in the design world, becoming a designer for a local clothing boutique before grabbing a golden opportunity in Saudi Arabia, joining House of Arushi. In 2004, he established his own atelier EZRA and became internationally known for his neo-classic, structural designs. His elegant, embroidered gowns made him a star, but Santos is quick to note that being a Filipino gave him an edge, as Filipinos in Saudi Arabia are known for being hard working and dedicated. “What I love about being a Filipino is that we can easily adjust to different cultures and tradition. We are a bunch of happy people and always have open hands to help,” he says. He’s proudly Pinoy, having seen the fruits of his hard work and sacrifice come to glorious fruition. He shares his success with his fellow Filipinos of course, saying “Thank God I’m so blessed to be able to show that Filipinos are talented and can be successful in the field of fashion in our home country or abroad. To be able to establish a name abroad is truly a fruit of dedication and hard work…to be able to inspire people for me is success.”—TEB

Mounting of popular concerts and bringing in the brightest music stars is no easy feat. Glenn Llamas, COO of Wilbros Live, an entertainment and live events company in the Philippines, is responsible for just that.

With a slew of award-winning artists under their repertoire including Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, John Legend, Demi Lovato, Michael Buble, Kylie Minogue, Jason Derulo, Nicki Minaj, Avril Lavigne and Selena Gomez, among others, Wilbros Live has been taking over the concert scene in the country for years.

Llamas, who is at the helm of the company alongside his brothers William and Winston, has consistently been mounting well-executed shows. With the pulse for the most in-demand acts, Llamas is always on the lookout for the next big artist to bring to the country. By listening to his audience, Wilbros Live is able to fill up large concert spaces, with many of their shows selling out.

By bringing in these international acts to the local market, fans not only get to live out their fantasy of seeing their idols in the flesh but also gives these shows a local flavor. The brothers are also immensely supportive of local talent, bringing their shows to other countries to showcase Filipino skill and creativity.

While any fan will tell you that every concert is a unique experience, the brothers have a special place in their hearts for their family entertainment shows where they invite less fortunate children from developing rural communities to watch and participate in these events.

Llamas and his brothers are definitely doing a great job of ensuring that the concert experience is not just memorable for the Filipino audience, but to the rest of the world. —AL

The reality talent show Asia’s Got Talent has seen many a skilled performer. The most inspiring of entertainers across Asia have converged to wow the crowd. But no act has ever set foot on the famous reality show like El Gamma Penumbra.

Their craft can only be described as shadow play. Each of the 13 skilled dancers combines precise graceful movements to convey powerful shadow stories magnified on screen. While other dance numbers have proven to be technical, El Gamma Penumbra’s routines have transcended mere performances. With each routine (two of which earned gold stars that fasttracked them to both the semi-finals, and finals), the group was able to deliver touching performances with a clear voice and a strong statement all in the guise of moving art.

Their last routine—a tribute to Mother Nature—sealed the deal and garnered them the winning spot. In a span of two short minutes, El Gamma Penumbra delivered a captivating performance—a very real story of the many ways humans abuse the environment, kill its creatures for profit and the inevitable apocalyptical effects of their ways. It was moving, to say the least. In fact, their use of images hit close to home with their depictions of carabaos, dynamite fishing and a few scenes eerily close to one of the most tragic calamities to hit the country, the recent Yolanda typhoon with a slew of drowned bodies in its wake.

Now that these skilled storytellers have won hearts of an entire continent, their current dream is to tour the world and perform for a larger audience in all nooks of the globe. And if there is any group whose voice needs to be heard, it’s theirs. El Gamma Penumbra deserves a bigger audience and the world is starting to listen.

It is highly likely that Filipinos have come across Margarita Forés’ gustatory influence without even realizing it. Any diners at Cibo, Lusso, Grace Park and Alta—restaurants she owns—has had a run-in with the delectable creations of the famous chef. But of course, Forés has not only shaped tastes in terms of mere restaurant options, Forés continues to elevate the culinary landscape of the Philippines and raise standards by making a name for herself in the highly competitive global arena. In fact, she achieved one of the highest awards recently being named the Best Female Chef in Asia, a first for a Filipina chef.

Aside from her recent award, Forés has been at the forefront of the culinary world as part of the organizers of the annual Madrid Fusion Manila, paving the way for up and coming chefs to be duly recognized.

The food and beverage industry has changed. Many an entrepreneur are blossoming into restaurateurs and many a chef have gone on to create their own restaurants. Most of them, no matter their culinary—or managerial—background have cited Forés as their inspiration.

To honor her beginnings in culinary, which involved a trip to Italy for a crash course in Italian cooking in 1986, Forés is now empowering enthusiasts to follow in her culinary footsteps by opening Casa Artusi Philippines, the first Asian campus of the Italian culinary school, to train even more Filipinos to be exemplary chefs. Now, she’s creating even more opportunities for culinary aspirants while introducing the most amazing dishes—definitely our kind of superwoman.—AL

Innovators are often lauded, but rarely by the POTUS. Aisa Mijeno, engineer and inventor of the Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt) lamp, was introduced by the United States President Barack Obama himself for her “brilliant idea” at the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit 2015 in Manila.

Her brilliant idea was born during an immersion trip for Greenpeace Philippines to the Kalinga Highlands where Mijeno noticed that certain communities lacked access to electricity. This prompted her now famous saline-dependent invention. The SALt lamp is a light source that runs on saltwater and can run for eight hours—perfect for communities in coastal areas. For more remote areas without access to saltwater, just two spoons of salt and a glass of water will do the trick. The project took a lot of scientific trial and error to develop—a taxing process that paid off in the end.

If a call from the White House itself to join a forum of global leaders is not impressive enough, maybe Mijeno’s other awards will do the trick: Asia Entrepreneurship Award 2015 in Japan, National Research Foundation TechVenture 2015 title in Singapore, the People’s Choice Award – Startup Nations Summit 2014 in South Korea and many, many more.

Mijeno dreams of one thing, “to light up the rest of the Philippines sustainably.” With a glowing recommendation from Obama, it’s only a matter of time.—AL