VANCOUVEREYE ZINE

By Tom Choy Vancouver, British Columbia “ Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”   Calvin Coolidge When I met Jay Razon, 64 at the Don Bosco basketball court in Surrey, I saw Jay played basketball with gusto and passion. You can not miss Jay playing and also coaching his teammates. His voice was all you hear in the court. His teammates don’t mind. Jay is the leader of his team. “ Jay play likes the legendary Kobe Bryant,” opines Chris Cunanan, a community photographer and is currently the President of the Circulo Pampangueno of BC. Chris continues, “ Jay is truly one hell of a character.” Jay moves and talks like Kobe. Jay breathes, inhales, and adores Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and a Hall...

By Tom Choy Vancouver, British Columbia “I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality.”    Frida Kahlo And for the award-winning young filmmaker, Kathleen “Kat” Jayme(30) it was her own fascination with basketball since she was a kid and her idolizing the basketball game of former Vancouver Grizzlies star Bryant “Big Country” Reeves that led her to write and produce her award-winning documentary “Finding Big Country.” But even before her love of basketball her eyes and destiny were already pointed towards films. Her lolo (grandfather) on her mother side, Danilo Santiago   was a filmmaker for the Premiere Productions in the Philippines. It was in her blood so to speak. Kat was a tiny child when she started shooting hoops with her older sibling. And her brother admitted how great a basketball player Kat is. Kat would be a regular fan watching Big Country Reeves and the Grizzlies play at the Roger’s Arena. Only a little kid the...

By Tom Choy Vancouver, British Columbia “ Sit here, so I may write you into a poem and make you eternal.”    Kamand Kojouri TV host Boy Abunda on Youtube told Sharon Cuneta, “ We heard  you are very generous giving diamonds as gifts.” To which Sharon answered, “ Di naman Tito Boy. I just wanted to surprise Regine V, our Songbird.” Asked by Boy A. how she became generous, Sharon replied, “ I got it from my Dad(Mayor Pablo Cuneta of Pasay).” Sharon Cuneta, 53 has been entertaining ever since she appeared in Ike Lozada’s Bulilit portion of his show. Sharon mimicked her Aunt Helen Gamboa’s singing.  And then she was very young when she did her first movie, the Rosanna Ortiz and George Estregan starrer- Lovers For Hire. At the tender age of 11, Sharon sang “Bato Sa Buhangin,” and her uncle Tito Sotto, then VP of Vicor Records was impressed and asked her to make a record for his label. She recorded her first single, “Tawag ng Pag-ibig,” ...

“ There is no failure except in no longer trying.”   Elbert Hubbard It was not always happy going in the entertainment career of AC Bonifacio, hip hop artist, singer and actress. AC stands for Andree Camille. AC and dance partner Lucky just won as Grand Champions of a Filipino TV dance competition, Dance Kids. Lucky and AC were known as the Lucky Aces tandem in the dance competition. They were on a high after just winning 2 million pesos, a house and lot, 300,000 pesos shopping spree money and a contract with the famous Starmagic. Big Filipino entertainment stars are signed up with Starmagic. After this euphoric phase, Lucky left the tandem and AC and her Mom Cherry were still in Manila trying to generate activities for AC. There were few and far in between calls from the studio. AC is originally from Vancouver and now lives in the suburbs called New Westminster. There was a noticeable doldrum in AC’s career.” Shall we quit?,” Mom Cherry asks herself. “ Anak...

The Children Are Our Future by Tom Choy " It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."   Frederick Douglass Nicole Anne Zapanta Tiamzon(Ms. Nicole), 23 from Rizal graduated from the University of the Philippines in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree Major in Sports Science. Ms. Nicole proudly declares, " I want to help kids living in marginalized communities in my province of Rizal for a starter."  She continues, " Through my skills in volleyball(VB) sports, I want to teach VB skills." She could have worked for Nike or Facebook and enrich herself. However she has a better idea: While playing PRO Volleyball Player and being looked up as a positive role model by young people all over the Philippines, she can make a difference. She can teach and inspire. She plays for Bangko Perlas in the Philippine Volleyball League(PVL) and  decided to  segue her star power to help young people get inspiration to succeed in life. She decided ...

CONSUL GENERAL MEA ANNE CARES ABOUT PINOYS IN LOTUSLAND "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." John Maxwell by Tom Choy      Vancouver, BC      October 26, 2018 Ancient Greeks met and discuss issues in the Agora, an open space meeting place. In Vancouver, newly installed Hon. Consul General Maria Andrelita "Mea Anne" Austria initiated a Kapihan Sa Konsulado( Breakfast at the Consulate Office) to listen to the needs and challenges encountered by Pinoys. ConGen Mea Anne(she prefers to be called Mea Anne) says, " We want to listen more than we want to talk." ConGen Me Anne continues, "We just don't want to discuss issues but we want to come up with courses of action." She already promised the Vancouver media the 2019  Calendar of Events the Consulate General Office(CGO) intends to fulfill. She reiterated that the Kapihan intends to identify the pressing needs of the Fil-Can Community in Vancouver. And the...

THOSE WERE THE DAYS by Tom Choy Vancouver, British Columbia As Neil Diamond would sing it, "LA's fine but it ain't home; NY is home but it ain't mine no more." Vancouver is fine but it's almost home; Bacood is truly home but it ain't mine no more. Bacood, Sta Mesa Manila.   This used to be my playground. Once upon a time you are young and thought that you are indestructible and forever young. Then you sang with fervor "Once upon a time there was a tavern where we used to raise a glass or two. Remember how we laughed away the hours. And dreamed of all the great things we would do. Those were the days my friend we thought they'd never end We'd sing and dance forever and a day. We'd live the life we choose We'd fight and never lose For we were young and sure to have our way.." (Mary Hopkin)  ABBA's Dancing Queen was burning the airwaves then. Our Congressman Gerry Espina found home here too. The Crispa...