The Canberra Reporter The Canberra Reporter | Page 3

November 2016 THE CANBERRA REPORTER | 3
IN THE NEWS

A TAKE ON
UPCYCLING
GARBAGE
KNOWN globally for his contemporary take on “upcycling”
garbage to wearable art fashion and installations, Filipino artist
Francis Sollano exhibits his work at the Philippine Embassy
grounds on Saturday, November 5, 2016.
Sollano’s work has been shown in major cities around the world such as
London, New York, Paris, Tokyo and Bangkok.
A recipient of an award from the prestigious World Economic Forum in
Davos, Switzerland, as a “Global Shaper”, Sollano is a co-covenor and
executive director of Youth for a Livable Cebu (YLC) with a major focus
on sustainable practice and livability in communities.
The exhibit at the embassy grounds in Moonah Place, Yaralumla takes
place from 2pm to 4pm. n

n RINA BENEDICTOS in

Photo: Neil Patrick Ambida

COVER STORY

Music is the medium
to that ‘Lady of Song’
A HIGHLIGHT WAS PERFORMING AT CHOGM
By MARILIE
BOMEDIANO

n FRANCIS SOLLANO and his artwork.

Author delivers on
her other strengths
AWARD-winning author Merlinda Bobis delivers a one-woman
performance of story, song and dance at 75 Forest Crescent,
Yarralumla, on Wednesday, November 30, 2016.
Bobis sings her answer to the question: How much can the heart
accommodate?
She returns to her other strengths, singing and dancing inspired by
Filipino rhythms, charting the infinite room of the heart in song, dance and
stories. n

It’s Christmas in Canberra

EACH is ‘gifted’ with a way of
projecting the soul of one’s culture,
and to a woman such as Rina
Benedictos who was born to sing in
classical style, it is her music.
In the case of Rina, Canberra’s lady
of song, it starts with a love of the
Filipino ‘kundiman’.
But her repertoire doesn’t stop
there.
Rina’s music embraces classicals,
Broadway musicals, and pop songs.
One of Rina’s favourite gigs
is singing the Philippine and
Australian national anthems at local
events.
She does it again at Pasko Sa
Canberra in December at the

Philippine Embassy ground in
Yarralumla.
Before that, Rina was to emcee at
‘Catwalk and Design’, a modelling
and fashion design event in
Belconnen this month.
It’s a selfless and courageous
schedule, considering Rina is
also a young mother to a year-old
daughter as well as carer of an ailing
grandmother.
Born in the Philippines, Rina
studied voice at the University of
the Philippines’ college of music
and took up further voice training
at the Yamaha Music School.
On settling in Australia in 2006,
Rina attended the Australian
National University’s open school of
music, trained at radio broadcasting
at the Radio Training Institute,
and took up acting and television

A world
summit
for peace

THE Filipino community celebrates ‘Christmas in Canberra’ on
Sunday, December 4, 2016.
The celebration takes place at the Philippine embassy ground on 1
Moonah Place, Yarralumla, from 10am to 6pm.
There will be delectable Filipino and other international foods, Filipino
Christmas craftwork and award-winning books by Filipino-Australian
authors.
Entertainment will feature community singers and dancers in the
community, a Santa parade, carol singing, and Zumba dancing. n

Story of ‘Manilamen’ revisited
THE latest book by a Filipino, ‘Re-Imagining Australia, Voices
of Indigenous Australians of Filipino Descent’, reveals an
almost forgotten bond between Filipinos and Australia’s
indigenous community which goes way back in the days.
Author Deborah Wall, in collaboration with Christine Choo, uses oral
histories and other primary sources to reconstruct the lives of “Manilamen”
from the Philippines and their progeny.
This follows award-winning novel ‘Locust Girl, A Love Song’, by Canberrabased Filipino author Merlinda Bobis earlier this year. n

Y

presenting at Australia’s prestigious
NIDA (National Institute of
Dramatic Art).
Rina used all this background
to progressively hone her musical
talent and provide pleasure to
audiences fortunate enough to
listen to her sing.
“A highlight of my career was
performing at the 2011 Heads of
Government Meeting (CHOGM) in
Perth,” Rina said.
Queen Elizabeth II delivered the
opening address at the Meeting.
“I enjoy performing for the
wider Australian and Filipino
communities as well as the global
audience,” Rina says. “But my
heart finds happiness using my
music to help raise awareness to
the plight of developing nations
and victims of calamities” n

FILIPINO-Australian journalist

n Executive chef Marx Canoy with a tribe in the Visayas.

Chef’s feeding program in RP
NEWCASTLE-based executive chef Marx Canoy went islandhopping in the Philippines recently to launch a feeding project
for people living in remote areas including those with local
tribes. The project was sponsored by environmentalist and
Department of Environment and Natural Recources Secretary
Regina ‘Gina’ Lopez of the ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya
Foundation. n

CHRISTMAS IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Y

and broadcaster Marilie
Bomediano took part in a
world summit held in Seoul,
South Korea, recently.
About 1000 delegates from 130
countries the Philippines and
Australia attended the 2nd WARP
Summit hosted by Man Hee Lee,
chairman of Heavenly Culture,
World Peace Restoration of Light.
(link: http://youtu.be/
R9o7MW3EdVE)
Bomediano represented the
Australian contingent to report for
community radio station 2BACR’s
Radio Rizal Program and Ang
Kalatas Media. n