Small waterfalls in Quezon Province visit. =)

My current wallpaper on my BB.

Why aren't my friends blogging?

Hoy friends, you guys have got to be some of the craziest, most creative guys on earth. So, why aren't you guys sharing via blogs?

Mag-blog kayo!!!

Love,



Ian V(thefantastic)

Teddy Rocks!

With Teddy and his crew, I'm very sure the crowd at my concert will have da-amn coowhl time!

Thanks guys for rocking with us!

I met the real Avatar in Zamboanga!

Daa-amn. My next haircut will be the Avatar's. Haha!

Met this guy in the morning of our TM event set-up featuring the Euphonic Band, Cesar Montano and Rocksteddy. He's one of the performers in a segment that showcases local talent. These performances are called "Republic Acts," true to the "Republika ng TM" brand story.

Cool guys, hope they make it to Showtime. =) And plus they wear kickazz Supras. Daaa-amn.

Cool vid

VITAL - Saying from VITAL on Vimeo.

Fantasizing my event: Coachella Fest

It seems like this blog is becoming my event wish list, which should be ok as a post-it to the Universe for our doing.

Just saw this from Hypebeast, Coachella Festival is a concert event in the tradition of Woodstock - done outdoors featuring non-stop band performance in front of thousands. In the Philippines, this hasn't been tried before (I think), at least within the years of my memory. The closest would be the UP Fair and NU Rockawards but what differs largely is the atmosphere. Behind the Woodstock fest (and maybe Coachella) is the eco-friendly philosophy of the 70's, severely lacking in the Philippine concerts. The 70's theme is not the difference, to clarify, but the fact that there is an underlying philosophy or purpose.

So what about the Ondoy concert or the Ninoy concert during his inauguration? In all honesty, I think that people attend there to be seen as doing good, ergo they attend concerts that have "good, charitable" intentions. But what about celebrating philosophies? What about sharing ideals? Are there bands or performers here who create their own philosophies outside the populist-leftist (ergo maka-uso) themes of going against the system? Very few.

And what else, on a more on-the-surface context are the difference between our concerts vs. Coachella? The level of art and professionalism. The architectural sculptures here in Coachella are amaaaazing. And the people's respect too of them. And look at the professionalism of the details - from the barricades to the urinals. Everything it seems, at least as presented by the director of this video, is very well-planned. The barricade separation alone makes me cry. I remember our Paramore concert here in Manila where some members of the crowd tried to get over the slanted perimeters (but I'm sure this happens too there in Indio, California).

I hope Coachella becomes a continuing success. But I'm hoping, wishing hard, that we also come up with our own music fest that's worthy of emulation; an event that moves the heart and lifts the spirit.

Gen San TM Recorida

Astig tayo dito sa Republika ng TM!

Creative events

Looking at my past entries, it saddens me a bit that my events are all corporate/corporate-y (well duh, that's my job. I'm a corpie creative (sounds like corpse-y).).

So, I'm going to start my consultancy extra whatever to expand my work not only in events but in on-ground promotions as well. Human civilization moved because of initiative and initiative is moved by original thinking. Or copying what has been originally thought. ;p Basta (whatever). I'm hoping that I get to do cool things naman.

I need music. Hmn. I need a DJ. And then a venue. But first off, I need a reason, a purpose. I need a need.

Meanwhile, the photo is a City ID as homage to Manila. See the actual entry here. It's by Heinritzh Sales. Mr Sales, good job sir! (Please don't sue me.)

The Mindanao Week

TM AstigFest in Gen San and Globe Rock X-pressions in Iligan.

To be very honest, my Gen San experience was waaay much better than Iligan. The Tuna Fest is much grander than Iligan's Fiesta in honor of St. Michael the Archangel (the famous angel you see in a gin bottle, trampling a demon on his feet).

Ok, quick facts. Gen. Santos City is in South Cotabato in Southern Mindanao while Iligan is in Lanao del Norte in the Northwestern part of Mindanao (It's very near my lola's hometown of Kolambugan famously bombed by the MILF after the MOA-AD peace settlement failed due to the Manila-centric/imperialist attitude of many Filipino politicians). (Meanwhile,) Gen San is known for its Tuna industry which supplies the Philippines, and the world, with tuna locally called "bariles." Iligan on the other hand is known for the number of waterfalls that are present in the city most famous of which is the Maria Cristina, which I didn't even bothered going to because I had no time. It's 30 mins. away from the city. The really sad thing about doing events all around the country is being in places of beauty and interest and not having time to visit them because you maximize your time preparing for the event before execution and then leave earliest after. Sight-seeing, if you really want to, should be squeezed in between activities. Like going to the plaza on your way to a meeting.

Anyway, what else did I like about the Gen San trip:

1. The overall TM brand experience was very strong. From the recorida, to the merch, to the spiels, you will only see/hear one phrase: Astig tayo dito! The brand's tagline. The host shouts "TM!" and the people respond by shouting "astig tayo dito!" And that's truly asteeeg my friends. Plus, everything was red from the tents, to the perimeter walls to the hosts' shirt. Red is the TM color and everyone, after going to the event, would have known it after. TM = red + astig tayo dito. Solid brand experience.

2. Everything was much nicer. Gen San has a big airport connected to the city by a big road that gives you a kick-ass view of the bay and the surrounding mountains. The city has better roads, more upscale establishments, and newer and nicer hotels.

3. The Tuna Fest was really grander with huge floats, longer parades, more engaged brands (I saw a Smart parade right after our recorida van which almost got us into a fight, and then on the road we came across a Sun Cell recorida), more people everywhere, more etc. Our concert alone was attended by 12,164 people.

4. Food. Gen San had more food, good food. We ate in a roadside grill with lotsa lotsa sea stuff getting grilled (duh) in front. Funny, remarkably pinoy experience: inside the restaurant named "Bar Ko ("my bar" but put together spells "barko," which means "ship" in allusion to the ships used in fishing tuna, i think)" were two posters displayed: one where the DTI (Dept. of Trade and Industry) gives praise to the establishment for joining a food exhibit and another one where the DTI and the local government gives warning to the establishment of getting closed for having no permit to operate. Funny ha... ;p

But Iligan was surprising.

From CDO, the road to Iligan was long and winding but very scenic. The view of the still and clear waters of Iligan Bay was calming (reminded me of Lamon bay in Atimonan, Quezon province). I was also surprised by the big industries in Iligan. Given its (in my perspective) small population, it had big factories of cement, liquors and others. I also know, although I didn't see, that Maria Cristina hosts either a geothermal or a hydro powerplant.

Also surprising were the Iliganons themselves. First off, they're a happy bunch. Blame the fiesta, but you see people smiling everywhere. In the concert, I remember the crowd booing a game contestant after asking the crowd to keep quiet. But after her performance and after her cheering of "Viva San Miguel!" the crowd responded by shouting "Viva!" too. Goosebumps. Second, maybe because of Urbandub, I saw a more affluent bunch of kids attending this concert versus that in Gen San (maybe because it's Parokya ni Edgar). And the young girls, given that the city is almost always under threat of terrorist violence due to Islamist-secessionist activities in the nearby towns, were unafraid to show their skin. Waw. That's what you call fighting attitude.

(Reflection on Muslim separatist movement in the other blog, soon.)

Mindanao. You are a continent in your own. I hope to continue doing various events in your cities of wildly varying cultures united by the single attitude of strength in adversity. Viva!