Summer pleasures

Let’s begin this summer with pure enjoyment. Let me make a few suggestions.

 I have been asked by students:  “What does it feel like to be a Rizal descendant?”   I shrug my shoulders and ask back, “Do you control the circumstances of your birth?  Did you choose your own family?”  I didn’t choose mine either.  We  my relatives and I  were simply born into this family four or five generations later.  But now having had time to wonder, I think being a descendant brings with it responsibility.  We are supposed to do something to keep Rizal’s memory alive, to give it some flesh, more passion, to make him more human to today’s people as he has become more human for us.

My cousin Mia Sy-quia Faustmann’s mother was Caridad Cruz (daughter of Mauricio Cruz, son of Maria Rizal and Daniel Cruz) who married Pedro Sy-quia.  Tita Caring was an outstanding jeweler in her day. She produced gold jewelry (her children went to school in England).  Now her second daughter, Mia, works with silver jewelry.  She owns Michelis and is expanding to other places.  In Kultura, ShoeMart’s response to the old Tesoro’s, there is a showcase of Yzabelle products.  Those are Mia’s products for the balikbayan market.  There she sells mother-of-pearl and other interesting silver jewelery items for the people who shop at Kultura.

Sometime last year, Mia looked for Rizal books and came across Pablo S. Trillana, III’s Rizal and Heroic Traditions:  A Sense of National Destiny.   She was preparing for Rizal’s 150th birthday.  She wanted to carry jewelry somehow connected to this event, something that will open the hearts of people today, especially the youth, to the charm and warmth of our national hero, to breath life into the stone and cement statues that surround us all.  From this book she saw that in El Filibusterismo, Rizal’s lead character Simoun asked God why He had forsaken him and caused him to fail.  He was talking to Padre Florentino, another character through whom Rizal speaks.  He says, “Hate only creates monsters; crime, criminals; only love will work wonders. . . if our country is some day to be free. . .” Only love will work wonders, captured Mia’s eyes.

She has created a line of silver jewelry with this quote  from rings to bracelets, necklaces and pendants, even hoop earrings.  They will hit the Yzabelle counter on April 1.  The best price is a pair of heart earrings inscribed with that quote for only P999.75.  It makes such a charming gift for either your daughter, if you’re a mom; or your girlfriend, if you’re a young man.

* * *

“Mom, want to go see the play I saw last night?” my daughter Sarri asked.  “It is so funny.” Funny, was the word that motivated me.  So the next morning at 9 a.m.  yes, that early  Sarri, her son Julian and I went to the PETA Theater in Quezon City to watch “Caredivas.”  The theater was crowded.  Julian was sort-of unhappy because he didn’t know if he would like it or what  the usual issue of 15yearolds.  We could not find chairs except off to the side.  Then the play began and we did not stop laughing.  It was hilarious even through its crises.  Even Julian loved it.

“Caredivas” is about OFWs in Israel.  All of the OFWs in focus here are gay na, cross-dressers pa.  It is a musical, singing, dancing, skyscraper high heels, Christmas balls hanging from feathery headgear, and yards and yards of wigs and thick, false eyelashes.  For all that the characters are gay, appear to be extremely frivolous and have you laughing almost all the way, the truth is their lives are so difficult.   One marvels at the joy they take trying to be caregivers by day and performance divas by night.

I could not help but compare their performance with Repertory Philippines.  I think this PETA crew is far superior in their acting, directing, the whole works.  You don’t see the effort.  That to me is a standard of excellent production. In the end when you are just watching, you don’t see the effort.

If you have the time you should try very hard to see “Caredivas.” I promise you will not stop laughing and you will go home very pleased with yourself.  Furthermore, you will have a better understanding of what the OFWs go through and a deeper, more sincere empathy for them.

“Caredivas” will have another showing from April 1 to 3.   I think they will show at least twice a day beginning at 10 a.m.  For inquiries, call PETA at 721-6244 or just go to the theater at 5 Eymard Drive (formerly Sunnyside Drive), New Manila, Quezon City.

Go welcome summer with these two trips: Watch “Caredivas,” then check out Yzabelle at Kultura, then have a big lunch ending with halo-halo somewhere.  That will be my definition of a wonderful summer day.

* * *

Please send your comments to 0917-8155570.