By Isah V. Red

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando, Komiks King Carlo J. Caparas and mega producer Donna Villa led the launching of five new komiks titles at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ Leandro Locsin Theater in Intramuros, Manila.

President Arroyo said her administration “fully supports the creative growth of the komiks industry which is not only a popular form of entertainment but an artistic vehicle for values education and employment enhancement.”

Arroyo praised Presidential Medal of Merit Awardee director Carlo J. Caparas and his wife Donna Villa “for staging the Komiks Karavan nationwide and forged partnership with Sterling Publication headed by Gerry Lim to provide the komiks industry new avenues for growth.”

Formally launched by the President were the new komiks which carries Carlo J.’s name in the title including CJC Filipino Klasiks, CJC Super Funny, CJC-OFW Superstories, CJC-Gwapo and CJC Tagalog Klasiks.

Among the fresh novels include Carlo J.’s Gagambino, Kroko, Saan Pupunta ang Pusong Sugatan, Ang Hiwaga ng Kadena de Amor, Andres De Saya, Beauty Queen, Panday Kid and Blanco Negro.

Other new and exciting komiks novels include Gilda Olvidado’s Daang Patungong Langit, Rod Santiago’s Elastica and Bangaw, Joelad Santos’ Maximo Kamao ng Maso and Mundo at Langit, Nerissa Cabral’s Pagkislap ng Tala and Sa Muling Pagbabalik, and Elena Patron’s Sukob sa Puso, among others.

The special affair culminates the Komiks Kongress launched by the golden couple exactly 150 days ago at the same venue inside the historic Walled City.

Carlo J. and Donna Villa jointly told newsmen that the grand fiesta celebration also capped the staging of the couple’s Komiks Karavan, which hopped around Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Boracay, Silay City, Bohol, Bulacan and other parts of the country.

Yesterday proved to be a major media event with 100 percent attendance.

Practically it served as reunion of writers, reporters from major newspapers and other publications as well as major and big TV channels.

Also in attendance were officials of Sterling, about 350 dealers, agents and distributors nationwide.

The Sterling Group of Companies of the brothers Henry and Jerry Lim were attracted to venture into the komiks business after learning about the caravan mania from newspaper reports and after conducting feasibility study and surveys nationwide of its market potential.

The comics writers who showed up were Elena Patron, Nerrissa Cabral, Gilda Olvidado, Citadel Mariano, Vic Poblete, Joelad Santos, Ofelia Angeles, Mike Relon Makiling, and many more.

The illustrators are Hal Santiago, Abe Ocampo, Nestor Malgapo, Karl Comendador, Nar Castro, Rico Rival, Steve Gan, Joey and Louie Celerio, who are both sons of the late national artist Levi Celerio, Rod Santiago, Jun and Rod Lafamia, Christian Santiago, Thor Infante and Jose Mari Mungcal, among others.

Also gracing the affair were other ranking government officials including NCAA executive director and presidential adviser on culture Cecile Guidote Alvarez, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino chairman Dr. Ricardo Nolasco and Commissioner Joelad Santos, also founder of the Filipino Institute of Komiks, Arts and Sciences (Finkomarts), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office director Manoling Morato, Polytechnic University of the Philippines president Dr. Dante Guevarra, and representatives from the Commission on Higher Education, and Department of Education and the International Theater Institute- Unesco Philippine Center, Lady Charity Rosario Uriarte of PCSO, and chairman Koni de Guzman of PAGC.

It will be recalled that almost a year ago, the KWF cited Carlo J. as people’s champ, and hero of the Filipino language by awarding him with the coveted “Gawad Komisyon sa Wika,” marking the annual celebration of the “National Language Month” last August.

Carlo J. attained stardom with his over 800 comic novels, 200 of which were all box-office hits including Bakekang, Ang Panday and the like.

The artists group praised Carlo J.’s and Donna’s gratefulness to President Arroyo as the first sitting president, who honored and recognized komiks’ role in education, and information dissemination.

The President awarded Carlo J. and five other legends in komiks with the prestigious Presidential Merit Award at Malacañang Palace last Feb. 28.

Komiks in the Philippines flourished in the mid-’60s and reached it’s Golden Age before Martial rule days with copies being sold in the range of 300,000 to 500,000 a day, until the business slowly diminished after the Edsa People Power Revolution.

The first proof of komiks in the Philippines is rooted in Dr. Jose Rizal’s Ang Pagong at ang Matsing.

The craft of komiks was popularized with the entry of so- called legends in Filipino komiks notable the rise of Antonio Velasquez, who is dubbed as father of the Filipino komiks, with his Kenkoy series.

Three for Belo

Belo… A name synonymous to beauty, a brand that redefines excellent service and trusted by the most influential celebrities and industry icons.

Three of the most loyal female endorsers of the Belo Medical Group hop on board for Dr. Belo’s latest venture. Belo Essentials is a skin care whitening product line that is affordable for the mass market.

Zsa Zsa Padilla, Regine Velasquez and Lucy Torres support the latest endeavor of prominent dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon Dr. Vicki Belo to give every Filipina a chance to live the promise of being Belo beautiful everyday.

Because of her vision to make the Philippines the most beautiful country in the world, Dr. Belo, with the help of her daughter Cristalle Belo Henares, extends the powerful Belo brand to the skin care whitening category that would reach more Filipino households. The products were developed with the same passion and expertise that went into making the Belo brand what it is today.

Created by Intelligent Skin Care Inc., an affiliate of the Belo Medical Group, Belo Essentials will be synonymous to the image of effective and safe skin care products that the Belo Medical Group has been known for.

Since this is the newest baby of Vicki and that her daughter Cristalle is at the helm of the new company, her son Quark Belo Henares, an award-wining film director, enthusiastically took on the creative side of the launch. Quark, together with ad agency Publicis Manila, captures the Belo Essentials concept into a stunning beautiful 30-second TV commercial.

The three celebrity endorsers, each famous in their respective expertise in the local entertainment scene, naturally make it a point to take good care of their skin. All of them certainly know the importance of skin care in their line of work and make an effort to religiously maintain their star white skin.

With Belo Essentials, every Filipina may finally get an affordable firsthand experience of the Belo care and expertise and in effect, be as Belo beautiful as their favorite stars.

(from the Manila Standard Today)

Naaalala ko, natuto akong magbasa sa Filipino dahil sa komiks. Itinatakas ko noon ang pagbabasa ng mga Wakasan ni Lola. Ipinagbabawal kasi ito ng aking Ama. Ika niya, wala raw buting idudulot ang pagbabasa nito sa akin. Maaaring may tama siya. Paano naman kasi masyadong torrid maghalikan ang mga bida sa mga Wakasang kuwento sa komiks. At mantakin mo, pagkatapos magbasa, kulay uling na ang bawat himulmol ng iyong mga daliri. Kaya walang lihim na di nabubunyag dahil obvious na obvious ang ebidensiya ng aking pagkakasala kay Ama. Buti na lang at hindi siya namamalo.

Pero ang aking Ina, ever supportive. Binibilhan pa kaming magkapatid ng Funny Komiks at nakaulayaw namin si Let-Let (tama ba ako?) At lalong nahasa ang aking pagbabasa sa wikang Filipino. Salamat sa mga komiks galing kay Ina, nanalo ang aking sanaysay dahil maayos ang pagkakabuod ko ng aking mga kaisipan para maiparating ang kahalagahan ng ating sariling wika.

Ngunit sa panahong ito, napansin kong wala nang mga batang nagbabasa ng mga Pinoy komiks. Karamihan ng mga kabataan, ang hawak ay Candy Magazine, Witch, Archie, Peanuts, Spiderman at ang masama pa ay kung komiks na pornograpiya pa ang kinahumalingan ng ating mga nawawalan ng direksiyong kabataan. Ang komiks ay pinalitan ng mga makabagong teknolohiya kagaya ng mga larong Pinoy na unti-unting namamatay sa sarili nilang bansa.

Nakakalungkot mang isipin, ang sining na ito ay ginugupo na at maaaring di na masilayan ng mga lahing parating pa lamang. Ang ating mga magagaling na animators ay sumisikat sa labas ng bansa kung saan ang kanilang husay at talento ay pinapakinabangan at pinagkakakitaan ng mga dayuhan.

Komiks... salamat at naranasan kong madungisan ng iyong nangingitim na tinta. Salamat at tinuruan mo akong magbasa. Higit sa lahat, salamat at iminulat mo ako sa pagmamahal at pagpapahalaga ko sa aking sariling wika.

Ikaw? Pinoy Komikera ka rin ba?