COLOURFUL ARTWORK A LABOUR OF ARTIST ’ S LOVE
August 2017 THE CANBERRA REPORTER | 3
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
PHILIPPINE CONSUL GENERAL Anne Jalando-on Louis .
Bye , bye to our most approachable Annie
LEAVING POST AS CON-GEN AFTER SIX YEARS
TO HER family , classmates and closest friends she was ‘ Annie ’ who loved to sing but didn ’ t quite play musical instruments . Annie Jalando-on , born in Bacolod , Negros Occidental , Philippines started to use her natural birth name ‘ Anne ’ only when she enrolled at university “ I didn ’ t want to get into trouble later legally ,” she explains . During a farewell party for her departure as the 17th Philippine Consul General in Sydney , Anne Jalando-on Louis – her married name today – was happily surprised to be referred to again as ‘ Annie ’. Her hosts , members of the Filipino Press Group of Sydney , had paid a fond tribute to her with a song , ‘ Bye By Annie ’ without their knowing it was her childhood name . The Filipino community now addresses her as ‘ ConGen Anne ’ or simply ‘ ConGen ’; and most of them regard ConGen Anne as arguably “ the most approachable Filipino diplomat ” it has had .
EXPECTATIONS . On taking her new Sydney post in 2011 , ConGen Anne said she got more than she had expected from the Filipino-Australian community , her staff , and her Australian hosts . “ It exceeded my expectations of my welcome to Sydney ; I found it to be a vibrant community ,” she said .“ My functions encompassed so many areas – political , economic and social – such that the experience these past six years truly enriched me .” ConGen Anne has kept a busy schedule : “ My responsibilities call for a 24-hour , seven-day week . “ I have to thank my husband Gerry for being unbelievably supportive ; the same goes for and daughter Gabby and son Gerard .” Young Gerard , of course , had a simpler description of his mother ’ s responsibilities as Philippine Consul General when asked by his schoolteacher to explain : “ My mum attends functions .” Despite her tight schedule that requires ConGen Anne to constantly attend not just community functions but also high-level meetings with Australian government officials and visiting dignitaries , she gives high priority to time with here family at every opportunity . “ Is your Sunday free , mommy ?” Gabby would often ask . And mommy would try her best to be free to drive out to Bilpin for stone fruit picking , or to the family ’ s favourite “ quieter ” beaches of Clovely and Maroubra for a picnic .
BALANCING ACT . It ’ s been a trick balancing the diplomat ’ s responsibilities with family activities , particularly with having to attend the children ’ s school activities . Outside her main occupation , ConGen Anne is an advocate for rights and welfare of nurses : “ I am a nurse by profession , a diplomat by occupation ,” she says . “ As such , I try to look at how nurses are doing , and at maintaining links with nurses .” She has followed the progress of nurses taking bridging courses , including the top three nursing students in NSW in 2014 who were Filipinas . Above all , ConGen Anne doesn ’ t lose sight of her role as the Philippine Government ’ s link to Filipino expatriates and Filipino immigrants to Australia as well as to Australian government and non-government bodies . “ My staff try to keep all of them abreast of developments at home , to facilitate links and involvement of Filipinos overseas ,” she says . On Thursday , August 31 , 2017 , ‘ Annie ’ will return to Manila and served two years at the Department of Foreign Affairs office . •
COVER STORY
Pawpaw ’ s street art is
leaving footprints in Canberra landmarks
COLOURFUL ARTWORK A LABOUR OF ARTIST ’ S LOVE
University studies were not enough to satisfy a Filipino student ’ s hunger for expression . He chose graffiti , the street art he learned from boyhood in his native Davao , in the Philippines . Today University of Canberra architecture student Paul Gordo Licayan , also known as ‘ Pawpaw ’, joins local artists around Canberra spraying colourful murals across the city .
By BIANCA MONTIEL
ART had always been an “ outlet ” to Paul Licayan since boyhood . “ It helped me express myself to the people who did not know me ,” says Licayan , otherwise known as Pawpaw . . “ Through art , I have made new friendships and learned new painting techniques .
The young Filipino from Davao in the Philippines now dreams of honing his craft in Canberra .
Pawpaw has already gained some reputation as a street artist in Canberra and across the ACT .
His latest work was doing a mural on the large roll-a-doors of the newly relocated Lolo And Lola restaurant at Watson . Earlier Pawpaw had done a mural as a gift to the children of Narrabundah Early Childhood School .
“ It has always been my dream to paint for children and contribute to their art experience ,”. he said .
COMMUNITY
ABOVE : Paul
‘ Pawpaw ’ Licayan with one of his murals at The
Civic in Canberra .
RIGHT : Lawpaw starting a mural at the new Lolo And Lola restaurant .
Some of his works can be seen around the The Civic in Canberra ’ s central business district .
Paul plans to take up graphic design next year and continue to make his artwork “ visible to the eye of the Canberra art community ”. He has a free-flowing art style that is colourful and graffiti-like . “ I have my own style which I believe gives it a different kind of art that sets it apart from other graffiti arts in Canberra ,” Pawpaw says . Pawpaw graduated as a computer engineer in Davao but I had a passion for sketching and graffiti .
“ I got a job as a graphic designer which helped me explore my artistic side more ,” he says . “ I started doing murals back in 2013 with friends .
“ I experimented with spray paints , and I painted a wall in my parents ’ house without their permission .
“ Thankfully , it turned out great and they liked it . “ Since then , I could not stop myself from doing murals .” Pawpaw ’ s art style is abstract . “ It consists of flower petals , worms and an observing eye hidden in the artwork ,” he says . “ Sometimes my mural would form my name ‘ PAW ’. “ But it ’ s so abstract that no one can really figure it out . “ I also like to play with colours and shadows to give depth to my work .” •
Have a merry Christmas in July
MORE than 80 people attended this year ’ s Christmas In July celebration at the Pride of Siam restaurant in Deakin on Saturday , July 29 , 2017 . The Philippine Australian Association ( PAA ) hosted the party wich featured entertainment by 16-year-old singer Vhivien Puno , violinist Heather Roche , and the female barbershop quartet The Shenanigans . Earlier in May , the PAA celebrated Philippine Heritage Day with the theme ‘ Fiesta ’. There was a lecture by Filipina music scholar and anthropologist from the Australian National University , Fredeliza Campos Piper , who presented videos of six different Philippines festivals . This was followed by cultural performances . This year ’ s Heritage Day celebrations coincided with PAA ’ s 40th year anniversary , and the event culminated in a formal programme commemorating the organization ’ s long history and honouring its past presidents . PAA is the oldest Filipino community organisation in Canberra . •