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27 April 2010

from the desert sun: filipina american olympic champion victoria manalo - draves dies

April 23, 2010

Olympic diver Victoria Draves dies

Terria Smith
The Desert Sun

Victoria Manalo Draves emerged from the 1948 London Summer Olympics diving competition as a double gold medalist and a hero.

She became the first woman to win a gold medal in springboard and platform diving. With this historic athletic achievement, she was celebrated by many as a symbol of the American dream.

Draves was the Filipino American community's “first national heroine,” said Fred Cordova, a founder of the Filipino American National History Society.

“Just the fact that she was the first American (woman) to win two gold medals (in diving), the fact that she was Filipino American, that was the beginning of a breakthrough to us,” Cordova said.

Draves, who lived in Palm Springs, died of heart and cancer complications on April 11. She was 85.

Born on Dec. 31, 1924, Draves and her twin were the youngest members of their family in San Francisco. Her father was Filipino, her mother English.

“Her early childhood, they were poor. She came from a poor family,” her husband and diving coach, Lyle Draves, said.

She began competitive diving when she was about 17, he said.

Throughout her training, Victoria Draves faced discrimination about her heritage from other swimmers and even clubs that requested she change her last name, Lyle Draves said.

She met Lyle Draves, who coached her for the Olympic trials in the mid-1940s. The two married on July 12, 1946.

After winning the gold in London, Victoria Draves appeared in LIFE magazine in 1949.

“Once you get that successful, you become quite popular,” Lyle Draves said.

Through the 1940s and 1950s the two toured around the world appearing in water performance shows with celebrities such as Buster Crabbe and Larry Crosby.

In the Coachella Valley, Draves performed at the El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs and the Shadow Mountain Resort & Club in Palm Desert.

Then came family life. Starting in the early 1950s, the couple raised four sons — David, Jeffery, Dale and Kim — in Tarzana.

“My mom always smiled. She always brightened your day. That was my mom even raising four boys, and we were a handful,” David Draves said.

Victoria and Lyle Draves moved to Palm Springs in the early 1990s. She is survived by her sons, husband and six grandchildren.

“We've had such a good life in so many ways,” Lyle Draves said.

In addition to her gold medals, Victoria Draves received numerous accolades including induction into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Diver on Dec. 22, 1969.

In 2006, a two-acre park in San Francisco on Folsom and Sherman streets was named in Draves' honor.

This photo of Olympian Victoria Manalo Draves is taken from the May 16, 1949 issue of LIFE magazine. Draves, a Palm Springs resident, died April 11.

This photo of Olympian Victoria Manalo Draves is taken from the May 16, 1949 issue of LIFE magazine. Draves, a Palm Springs resident, died April 11. (Courtesy of Lyle Draves

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21 April 2010

From Bayani San Diego, Philippine Daily Inquirer: Book lists 4 Filipinos among world’s best


By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:43:00 04/20/2010

MANILA, Philippines—Published by the London-based Phaidon Press, a new book titled “Take 100” features four Filipinos among the “most exceptional and talented emerging film directors in the world.”

The Pinoys in this book subtitled “The Future of Film: 100 New Directors” are Brillante Mendoza, Auraeus Solito, Raya Martin and Pepe Diokno.

Phaidon publishes books on the visual arts in six languages—English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese.

‘Pressure’

According to the book’s website, the 100 filmmakers were chosen by 10 curators and festival programmers, representing some of the world’s top film festivals, including Cameron Bailey of Toronto, Trevor Groth of Sundance, Dong Ho-Kim of Pusan, Frederic Maire of Locarno and Marco Muller of Venice.

Filmmakers from countries as diverse as Algeria, Romania, France and Mexico have also made it to the list.

Mendoza said this latest recognition is a source of “[both] joy and trepidation.”

“With each new honor comes added pressure to work harder,” Mendoza told Inquirer Entertainment. “But it’s good news that four Filipinos are on the list.”

Variety

It’s also noteworthy, Mendoza said, that the four represent different filmmaking styles and sensibilities. “It illustrates the variety of Philippine cinema,” he said.

Solito agreed: “We come from different generations—from ages 21 to 49. This confirms that the world is now looking at the new wave of Pinoy movies.”

He recalled that, five years ago, he felt “alone in the film fest circuit, but now there are lots of Filipinos in every festival I visit.”

The book is a prestigious project, Solito said. “Phaidon featured the world’s best fashion designers and visual artists in earlier publications.”

Presence

Martin was excited about his inclusion on the list. “If I am not mistaken, US director Jason Reitman (“Juno”) and Argentinean filmmaker Lucrecia Martel (“The Headless Woman”) are also in the book. These are filmmakers I admire.”

He continued: “I’m looking forward to it because Phaidon consistently comes out with beautiful books.” (“Take 100” is coming out next month.)

The strong Philippine presence in the lineup, Martin noted, speaks volumes about “the Indie movement in the country. Pinoys are so global.”

The struggle now, he said, is to sustain world interest in local films.

“We are just starting. We should invest in the future so that we can prove that the Philippines is not just a fad in world cinema,” Martin said. “But we shouldn’t rush.”

Diokno, youngest of the four, echoed Martin’s sentiments: “One hundred years from now, people will read this book and they will remember this time in our filmmaking history.”

Film is a collaborative medium, Diokno explained. “It’s an honor not only for us, the directors, but for the entire scene.”

Diokno describes the citation as “thrilling, yet humbling. It feels good to be in the company of Brillante, Auraeus and Raya.”



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49th Silliman University National Writers Workshop Fellows

National Writers Workshop Director-in-Residence Rowena Tiempo Torrevillas, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and Silliman University are pleased to announce that the following young writers have been accepted as fellows for the 49th National Writers Workshop scheduled on 3-21 May 2010:
For Poetry

Gian Paolo Simeon Lao (Ateneo de Manila University)
Dominique Allison Santos (University of Santo Tomas)
Jacob Dominguez (University of Santo Tomas)
Oscar Serquina Jr. (University of the Philippines-Diliman)

For Fiction

Aaron James Jalalon (University of the Philippines–Mindanao)
Jenette Ethel Vizcocho (University of the Philippines-Diliman)
Gilda Ysobel Galang (Ateneo de Manila University)
Anne Carly Abad (Ateneo de Manila University)
Gino Francis Dizon (Ateneo de Manila University)
Jose Carlo Flordeliza (De La Salle University)
Ida Anita Del Mundo (De La Salle University)
Samantha Echavez (University of the Philippines-Diliman)

For Creative Non-Fiction

Kelly Marie Tulio Conlon (University of the Philippines–Mindanao)
Miro Frances Capili (University of the Philippines-Diliman)
Christina Mae del Rosario (Ateneo de Manila University)

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03 April 2010

from GMA 7: I-Witness documentary wins Peabody Award

Ambulancia de Paa, an I-Witness documentary that showed how a mountain community worked as a team to transport the seriously ill through rugged trails, has just won the prestigious George Peabody Award, the awards’ board announced on its web siteWednesday night.

Among 36 winners of the annual award, Ambulancia de Paa “memorably chronicled how residents of a poor, remote town can only get their sick and injured to medical care using the ‘ambulance on foot,’ woven hammocks that they carry over dangerous terrain," according to the
Peabody Awards site.

Reporter Kara David in Apnagan, Oriental Mindoro shooting Ambulancia de Paa, an I-Witness documentary that just won the George Peabody Award. Disney Carreon


The Peabody Awards, now in its 69th year, are the oldest honor in electronic media.

Aired in March 2009, Ambulancia de Paa – hosted by Kara David and directed by Nowell Cuanang – is the second time GMA Network was recognized by the Peabody Awards. In 1999, Kidneys for Sale by Jessica Soho and her I-Witness documentary team and Jay Taruc’s Child Labor story on Brigada Siyete were given awards.

“It hasn’t sunk in," said Kara David, who was informed by the GMA News desk Thursday morning. While happy, she also admitted to feelings of guilt about winning an award when “there has been little change" in the subject of her documentary.

Ambulancia de Paa was about the Mangyan community of Apnagan in upland Oriental Mindoro. David said there is still no health center in the barangay.


For more videos, visit GMANews.TV

Shooting in such a remote, rugged place posed dangers to the Manila-based documentary team. “I almost fell off a cliff, almost got bitten by a snake," said Nowell Cuanang, the director of the documentary. “But we were touched by the Mangyans. Despite their conditions, they weren’t complaining, and were always smiling… Their foot ambulance required unity and team work. It was a triumph of the human spirit."

“Winning the Peabody for the second time is a great honor and blessing for GMA News and Public Affairs and the Philippines," said Marissa L. Flores, Senior Vice President for GMA News and Public Affairs. “We are inspired to do even better."

Among the other winners for 2009 are Glee, the musical “dramedy" on Fox, and reports and documentaries on 60 Minutes (CBS), BBC and the Public Broadcast System (PBS).

The 69th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony will be held on May 17 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City and will be hosted by Diane Sawyer, the award-winning anchor of ABC’s "World News."

According to the Peabody web site, “The Peabody Awards, the oldest honor in electronic media, do not recognize categories nor are there a set number of awards given each year. Today the Peabody recognizes distinguished achievement and meritorious public service by TV and radio stations, networks, cablecasters, Webcasters, producing organizations and individuals."

The awards are administered by the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Other members of the award-winning I-Witness team: Angel Directo, executive producer; Kristoffer Brugada, program manager; Disney Carreon, cameraman; Wilma Sesaldo, researcher.
– HS, GMANews.TV

***

Complete list of 2009 Peabody Award winners for broadcasting excellence in news and entertainment:

___

"Modern Family" (ABC), Twentieth Century Fox Television in association with Levitan Lloyd Productions

"The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson: An Evening with Archbishop Desmond Tutu" (CBS), Worldwide Pants, Inc.

"Noodle Road: Connecting Asia's Kitchens" (KBS1 TV), Korean Broadcasting System

"A Hidden America: Children of the Mountains" (ABC), ABC News

SesameStreet.org, Sesame Workshop

"BBC World News America: Unique Broadcast, Unique Perspective" (BBC America), BBC World News America, BBC America

"The Cost of Dying" (CBS), CBS News 60 Minutes

"Independent Lens: Between the Folds" (PBS), Green Fuse Films, ITVS

"Glee" (FOX), Twentieth Century Fox Television

"The OxyContin Express" (Current TV), Vanguard on Current TV

npr.org, National Public Radio (http://www.npr.org)

Diane Rehm, Personal Award, talk show now available to National Public Radio listeners after decades on Washington's WAMU-FM

"The Day that Lehman Died" (BBC World Service), a Goldhawk Essential Production/BBC World Service Production

"In Treatment" (HBO), Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions and Sheleg in association with HBO Entertainment

"Inventing LA: The Chandlers and Their Times" (PBS), Peter Jones Productions

"No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" (HBO), Mirage Enterprises and Cinechicks in association with The Weinstein Company, BBC and HBO Entertainment

"Sabotaging the System" (CBS), CBS News 60 Minutes

"Brick City" (Sundance Channel), Sundance Channel, Brick City TV LLC

"Thrilla in Manila" (HBO), Darlow Smithson Production, HBO Sports, HBO Documentary Films

"FRONTLINE: The Madoff Affair" (PBS), FRONTLINE, RAINmedia

"I-Witness: Ambulansiyang de Paa" (GMA Network), GMA Network, Inc., Philippines

"Independent Lens: The Order of Myths" (PBS), Folly River, Inc., Netpoint Productions, Lucky Hat Entertainment, ITVS

"Hard Times" (OPB Radio), Oregon Public Broadcasting

"Iran & the West", Brook Lapping Productions for the BBC in association with National Geographic Channel, France 3, NHK, VPRO, SVT, RTBF, VRT, NRK, SRC/CBC, DRTV SBS, YLE, TVP and Press TV

"Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson: Covering Afghanistan" (NPR), National Public Radio

"The Great Textbook War" (West Virginia Public Broadcasting), Trey Kay Productions

"Mind the Gap: Why Good Schools Are Failing Black Students" (KLCC Radio), Nancy Solomon

"Endgame" (PBS), Daybreak/Channel 4/Target Entertainment, Presented on PBS/MASTERPIECE by WGBH Boston

"Sichuan Earthquake: One Year On" (Now-Broadband TV News Channel), Now-TV News, Hong Kong

"BART Shooting" (KTVU-TV), KTVU, Oakland, Calif.

"American Masters: Jerome Robbins — Something to Dance About" (PBS), Thirteen/WNET

"Chronicle: Paul's Gift" (WYFF-TV), WYFF 4, Greenville, S.C.

"Under Fire: Discrimination and Corruption in the Texas National Guard" (KHOU-TV), KHOU-TV, Houston, Tex., Belo, Inc.

"Derrion Albert Beating" (WFLD-TV), FOX Chicago News: WFLD-TV and myfoxchicago.com

"Where Giving Life Is a Death Sentence" (BBC America), BBC World News America, BBC America, BBC World News

"Up in Smoke" (KCET-TV), KCET, Los Angeles

(This version CORRECTS Corrects name to "Trey Kay Productions" sted "Terry Kay Productions")

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01 April 2010

from abs-cbn news - R rating for Brillante Mendoza's "Ayos Ka", X-rating for Jeffrey Jeturian’s “Ganito Tayon Ngayon, Paano Na Tayo Bukas?”

MANILA, Philippines - The MTRCB on Monday changed its X-rating of Brillante Mendoza’s film “Ayos Ka” for ANC’s amBisyon2010 to R, but retained its X-rating for Jeffrey Jeturian’s “Ganito Tayon Ngayon, Paano Na Tayo Bukas?”

Jeturian says his film “challenges the administration’s economic claims.” It follows a newspaper printed with the administration’s recent controversial advertisements trumpeting their economic successe—from the time it is delivered to a homeowner, to when it is used to wipe feces from the foot of a cart vendor. The film ends with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s photo on the crumpled newspaper.

The previous MTRCB panel rated the film X because it “tends to undermine the faith and confidence of the people in their government and/or the duly-constituted authorities,” and is “defamatory to the good name and reputations of any person.”

At Monday's second review, the new panel added to the decision, claiming that the film "tends to threaten economic and political stability of the state” and "depicts excretory functions in a patently offensive and demeaning manner.”

AmBisyon2010 applied for a cinema permit to air the two films, along with eighteen others, in a one-time theater premiere. The premiere, scheduled for April 6, has since been moved from a Makati cinema to the Cultural Center of the Philippines because of the MTRCB rating.

The CCP is not under the MTRCB's jurisdiction.

The ABS-CBN News Channel is part of the ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs Group of ABS-CBN Corporation. abs-cbnNEWS.com is the online news department of ABS-CBN Interactive, a subsidiary of ABS-CBN Corp.

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