Two Pinay-owned businesses lauded in Barcelona

The Oriental Jasmine
Carrer de Muntaner, 88, 08011 Barcelona http://www.orientaljasmine.com

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

SPAIN – Two Filipina-owned businesses were among the 12 small and medium enterprises recognized for excellence by the city council of Barcelona.

Asian-inspired day spa The Oriental Jasmine and New York-style manicure and pedicure salon The Pink Peony were chosen to be part of “Nou i Bo”, a local government initiative that compiles high-quality establishments owned by foreigners in Barcelona.

“Nou i Bo”, which is Catalan for “New and Good”, aims to highlight the good quality of businesses owned by new residents and demonstrate society’s gains from social, linguistic and commercial diversity.

A video clip in Catalan on “Nou i Bo” project:

The Oriental Jasmine, which offers hilot, manicure, pedicure and facial services, hasn’t celebrated yet its first year anniversary but it already got the nod of the selection committee.

That’s why co-owner Maya Khasmine Valencia was ecstatic upon getting the nomination and recognition from the government.

“I’d like to say, so this is how it feels to be Miss Universe. It’s overwhelming, kasi I did not expect it,” Valencia said.

The Pink Peony, meanwhile, is not new in the business. In fact, this six-year-old beauty salon has two branches and has already made its mark in the beauty scene in Barcelona catering to various clienteles from tourists to local and international models and actresses.

No wonder it was also selected.

The Pink Peony
Passeig de Gràcia, 100, 08008 Barcelona http://www.thepinkpeony.com

“I couldn’t believe that we actually achieved our objective. I always tell the girls that we want to be the best in the category that we are in and this recognition sort of confirmed that. So for me, it was an achievement of The Pink Peony girls, all the Filipinas that worked hard every day to give the best that we can,” said owner Peony Herrera Sy.

Kathleen Lopena Ortega, The Pink Peony’s spokesperson, emphasized the “winning formula” of the salon namely “Asian hospitality, American customer service and the European elegance.”

Asian hospitality comes from none other than its Filipino staff.

The Pink Peony, which currently has 35 employees mainly Filipinas, aims to provide more labor opportunities to Filipinos in Barcelona said staff Anna Felipe.

The Oriental Jasmine and The Pink Peony showed the exemplary attribute of Filipino women to put up and manage high-quality businesses and their concern and solidarity to create jobs for fellow Filipinos amidst the difficult employment situation in Spain. ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the related TV report in Filipino as aired on Balitang Global:

Why Filipino students excel in Barcelona

Raval, a neighborhood where many migrants, including Filipinos, reside. Photo courtesy of Rodel Juacalla

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

SPAIN – Fourteen-year-old Lara Mercado almost got a 100 point average grade in all subjects. She’s also one of the best students in her class and used to be a class valedictorian in the Philippines.

High school student Jasper Villena Cordero received consistent high grades along with commendations from her professors.

Mercado and Cordero are two of many Filipino students who excel in schools abroad.

In Barcelona alone, Filipino students have already earned a good reputation either in academics or in sports.

The reason behind this has been explained in a study entitled “La comunidad silenciosa”. Migraciones Filipinas y capital social en el Raval (Barcelona)” (The silent community: Filipino migrations and social capital in Raval, Barcelona) by German medical anthropologist Eva Maria Marxen.

The study focused on Filipino high school students in Raval, a neighborhood in Barcelona where many Filipinos reside.

Interviews conducted by Marxen with high school teachers say that Filipino students are generally respectful, well-disciplined and hard-working.

Such values can be attributed to strictness and putting a premium on education on the part of the parents and the Filipino community.

“First of all, some of the adolescents already had parents who themselves had been to college, so they would very know the performance at school. Then the parents were very strict in these cases, and some cases, severely strict. The value of education was very much transmitted from parents to children and also within the community,” Marxen explained.

Cordero’s mother, Emmalyn Cordero Manalo admits that she has to be strict with her daughter.

“Kasi nga yun sinasabi sa akin ng teacher nya, na masyado akong mahigpit sa anak ko pero para sa akin hindi higpit yun eh, kasi sa kinabukasan rin naman kasi nya yun,” Cordero said.

Jay Aragones Mercado, Lara’s father, stresses the importance of education in escaping poverty.

“Kung may sapat kang edukasyon, diyan ka uunlad at siyempre pag mahirap ka yun lang talaga ang susi mo para medyo umangat ng konti ang buhay natin,” he said.

Marxen also pointed out the shared responsibility and objectives among parents, teachers and the Filipino community which have also helped the students do well in school.

“I also want to stress the subject of co-responsibility, which I observed among the high school, themselves, their teacher, the parents and the community. They have the same motivation, they have the same goals that children would finish at least finish high school, (and) also (to be) successful.”  ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the TV report in Filipino as aired on Balitang Global:

Brillante Mendoza’s ‘Sapi’ screened in Spain

A press conference was held after the screening of “Sapi” in Sitges.

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

SITGES, Spain – “Media dwells more on controversies rather than in finding the truth.”

This is what internationally acclaimed director Brilliante Mendoza said in a press conference held after the screening of his latest film “Sapi” (The Possession) at the recently concluded 46th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia.

Mendoza, known for films narrating and criticizing social evils in the Philippines, now ventures into the horror genre as he turns the camera onto a real-life story of demonic possession and brings to light the demons that engulf the Philippine media.

The movie shown at the Hotel Melies Sitges Auditori was well attended for a Monday 4 p.m. screening.

“We decided to come to see this movie because we think it was very interesting. We think about the possession and all this kind of evil,” local moviegoer Carolina Vera said as she lined up to see the flick.

Starring Meryll Soriano, Dennis Trillo and Baron Geisler, ‘Sapi’ was also selected to compete in the Official Fantastic Section of the Festival.

Mendoza is not new at the festival. In 2009, he won the best director and best sound design awards for the equally terrifying movie “Kinatay”.

“We are here for the competition I just had my screening this afternoon. It was well attended and I was really very happy. Sana ma-replicate ito sa Pilipinas ‘pag pinalabas sa November 6.”

Mendoza also appreciated the reception of Catalan moviegoers.

“Masaya, maganda dito sa Catalunya. I was really happily surprised with the warmth of the people, with the energy, and with the passion of the moviegoers. Sobrang masayahing audience sila. Talagang pinapakita nila talaga yung pagkagusto sa cinema. Sana sa Pilipinas suportahan nyo ang pelikula kong ‘Sapi’.”

Three more films from the Philippines made it to a Festival famous for showcasing horror, science fiction and fantasy movies coming from different parts of the world. Lawrence Fajardo’s aswang movie ‘The Strangers’ and Rico Elarde’s remake of Shake, Rattle and Roll hit ‘Pridyider’ competed for the weirdest and most radical movie in the Brigadoon section. Erik Matti’s action thriller On the Job competed in the Focus Asia section. ABS-CBNnews.com 

Watch this related TV report in Filipino language aired on Balitang Europe, The Filipino Channel, ABS-CBN: