Download pdf - RAPS Halo-Haloween 2013

B A L I TAThe Official RAPS Newsletter

M a l a k a s A n g B u l o n g S a S i g a w

Our Mission Statement

To unite the Filipino students within the Rutgers community by

establishing solidarity on the basis of a common heritage, to educate the Rutgers community on various aspects of the Philippine culture, to provide information of current socioeconomic and political conditions about the Philippines, and to provide services and programs that will be beneficial to Filipinos both within and outside the Rutgers community.

Mission Statement 2

Letters from the Editors/Presidents 3

RAPS Halo-Haloween 2013 Line-Up 4

Tonight’s Performers 5

Ghost Stories of the Philippines, by Denise Bion 7

How FIND Inspired Me, by Karoline Panes 8

FIND Dialogue 2013: Makabayan 9

A Glimpse of Palawan, by David Pangilinan 10

Upcoming Events 12

Inside this issue:

Page 2 Issue III, Oct. 27, 2013

Letter from the Editors Welcome friends, family, and guests,

Tonight, we are honored to present RAPS Halo-Haloween 2013. There are many different faces and personalities that make up RAPS, and it’s no surprise that along with these wonderful faces come amaz-ing talents. We applaud the various talented performers that you will witness tonight as well as the dedi-cated members of RAPS for their hard work in making this event a success.

We also would like to congratulate the newly appointed Freshmen Representatives who have shown a great deal of passion and dedication to lending their hand to the Filipino student community here at Rutgers University. We wish you all the best!

...and without further ado, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!

Darienne Arahan & Franceazca Balagtas Co-Editors of the Balita Newsletter

Dear friends, family, and guests,

Mabuhay!

On behalf of Rutgers Association of Philippine Students, we are proud to welcome you to our annual talent showcase, Halo-Haloween! At this event, we come together to celebrate the amazing talents of our RAPS family and extended community while shamelessly indulging in our native Filipino cuisine.

We would like to thank our hardworking executive board, our talented performers, our caterer, and you, for making this event possible.

We would also like to welcome this year's Freshman Representatives to RAPS executive board and wish them all the best at their first event as representatives.

Make sure to try a little bit of everything and enjoy the show!

Sincerely,

Alyssa Esteban and Nolan Mathew K. Sucdad

Rutgers Association of Philippine Students

Co-Presidents, 2013-14

Letter from the �Presidents

Issue III, Oct. 27, 2013 Page 3

Tonight’s Line-up

5:45-6:00pm Opening Remarks

6:00-6:15pm Frances Balagtas & Kyle Potkay

6:15-6:25pm Kappa Phi Lambda

6:25-6:40pm RAGS

6:40-6:50pm Christina Rogado

6:50-7:05pm RUFMA

7:05-7:20pm Lester Pernala & Marc Intal

7:20-7:35pm RCDT

7:35-8:00pm Intermission and Costume Contest

8:00-8:15pm Justin Joo

8:15-8:25pm Jersey Underdogs

8:25-8:40pm Kim Balao

8:40-8:50pm Pi Delta Psi

8:50-9:00pm Tia & Ardeene

9:00-9:20pm Adinah

9:20-9:30pm RDT

9:30-9:40pm Closing Remarks

RAPS Halo-Haloween So what exactly is Halo-Haloween?

Every Fall semester, in celebration of Halloween, the Rutgers Association of Philippine Students (RAPS) showcases new and old talents that emerge from RAPS itself, along with talents from organizations within and outside of Rutgers University.

This year, we are once again proud to present to you a batch of talented performers who have worked hard in making this year’s Halo-Haloween an amazing one.

With performances by RAPS’ very own:

RAPS Dance Troupe

RAPS Cultural Dance Troupe

RAPS Acoustic Group of Singers


Tonight’s Performers Frances Balagtas & Kyle Potkay

Frances Balagtas is currently a junior pursuing a degree in Communication and Public Relations. She’s been singing for as long as she could remember and got her start performing in musical productions as a kindergartener and all throughout elementary and high school. Her first experience on stage was a role in a musical production of “The King and I” in the Philippines alongside Miss International 2005, Lara Quigaman. From then on, she has been singing whenever she’s given the opportunity to. Accompanying her is friend and roommate Kyle Potkay. He’s a junior studying Industrial Engineering and is a member of the Rutgers Ulti-mate Frisbee team. He is an avid singer/songwriter, so much so that you can catch him performing covers and original songs on YouTube in his spare time.

Kappa Phi Lambda

Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. was founded at Rutgers University on November 7, 1999, making it the FIRST and LARGEST Asian-interest sorority in the state of New Jersey. They represent 3 pillars: Sisterhood, Service & Cultural Diversity. As winners of their National Stroll Competition in 2012, they are excited to present a special step and stroll performance for you all! Also, look out for some of their events coming up later in the semester :)

RAPS Acoustic Group of Singers (RAGS)

Being one of the newer subgroups, the Raps Acoustic Group of Singers (RAGS) has become home to many of our RAPS members with a love for anything music related. We are a very laid back group of individuals who meet weekly to have a good time jamming and vibing off of one another. We do perform occasionally for RAPS events, as well as outside opportunities such as singing to children at the hospital during the holidays. Everyone is welcome, from those who have little musical experience to those who major in it. If you enjoy making beautiful sounds vocally or using an instrument and have an open mind, you'll fit right in with us.

Members: Raymond Chan, Aleta Murphy, Diana Kris, Steven Sagun, Gayle Fuentes, Kim Balao, AnnClaire Macalintal, Antonio Mikee Siopongco, Marc Intal

Christina Rogado

My name is Christina Rogado and I am a freshman that is majoring in Nursing. Firstly, I love music. You can either share it with others or use it to convey emo-tions that you can't seem to find the words for. I play three instruments: the piano, the ukulele, and a little bit of guitar. Although academics are important to me, I also enjoy hanging out with family and friends. Lastly, I'm shy when I first meet people, but once I get to know you, I'll open up more.

Rutgers University Filipino Martial Arts (RUFMA)

Rutgers University of Filipino Martial Arts (RUFMA) is a sports club dedicated to exposing the Rutgers Community to the ancient and traditional art of Eskri-ma. Eskrima is a martial art that is part of a larger group generally referred to as Filipino Martial arts or FMA, which include but are not limited to Arnis, Filipino Kali, Eskrima, and Eskrido. We offer students a stepping-stone into the FMA world and encourage members to seek out and experience various styles. Eskrima, unlike other martial arts, starts by teaching students to defend themselves using either one or a pair of sticks. The stick fighting techniques taught are instrumental in developing quick reflexes and becoming ambidextrous. Students go on to learn empty hand fighting, where many of the techniques they have learned using sticks is applicable to empty hand. We welcome all Rutgers students who are interested in experiencing Filipino Martial Arts. Our meetings are on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9-11 pm at the Werblin Recreation Center in the Multi-purpose room across the weight room.

Members: Scott Lazaro, Keith Regis, Xuelin Guo, Satreethai Sasinin, Constantina Scoullis, Denise Bion, Gabriel Tioseco, Nick Sun, Justin Cheng, Rob Williams, Ahmed Ayoub, Geoffrey Chan

Lester Pernala & Marc Intal

My name is Lester Pernala. I go to Bergen Community college and Im a proud member of Pasalubong. Im a music major and music is my passion in life. I've been a musician for about 12 years and I love to entertain. // Hey there, my name is Marc Intal. I'm the RAGS coordinator for my home crew, RAPS. What started out as a hobby has grown into an integral part of my life. I'm blessed to have the opportunity to share what I love to do with you all.

RAPS Cultural Dance Troupe (RCDT)

The RAPS Cultural Dance Troupe (RCDT) is a subgroup of RAPS. RCDT performs various Filipino traditional dances, such as maglalatik, tinikling, singkil, kali, subli, itik itik, binasuan, and pandaango sa ilaw. They perform at various events, spreading Filipino culture through dance. RCDT enjoys long walks on the beach and gazing at the stars. TEAM-nikling 4 lyf.

Members: Daryl Ventura, Gayle Fuentes, Alexis Budhi, Stanley Ngai, Alaisha Verdeflor, Camila Palad, Joanne Modesto, Mishaelle Gomez, Donna


Justin Joo

Justin Joo is definitely a dreamer (cue “Imagine” by Paul McCartney). Born of South Korean decent, Justin is a 21-year-old college student pursuing an accounting degree at Rutgers Business School (typical), but that’s just one side of him. On the other side, you have a 21-year-young, high energy, outgoing kid; kind of like “Calvin” from the famous “Calvin and Hobbes” comic strips, always engaging in mischievous but fun activities. Attracted to urban culture, Justin grew up listen-ing to artists like Craig David, Musiq Soulchild, and Usher. Later, after realizing his true passion for R&B music, he explored deeper and started to get inspired by older artists like Boyz II Men, Aaliyah, and Tyrese. Though he has been singing his entire life, Justin only started taking music seriously this past year. After start-ing his YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/justinjoomusic), Justin became a finalist in Kollaboration New York where he performed his biggest show at NYU's Skirball Theatre this past September. After the show, he was asked to perform on stage with fellow Kollaboration New York finalist and winner, Izzy Man, to open up for Youtube sensation, Clara C, at Stage 48 in New York for her Acoustic National Tour. As a young and growing singer/performer, Justin hopes to achieve his dreams by inspiring his listeners and sharing his love for music.

Accompanied by: Tim Le, Willis Chu

Jersey Underdogs

Jersey Underdogs is a New Jersey competitive based dance crew. This dance crew has 5 members ranging in ages 18-25. All dancers have experi-ence in different cultures and styles of dance but specialize in Breakdancing

Members: Craig Holbrook, Peter Natoli, Chris Rubiato, & Michael Sales

Kim Balao

Kimberly is a sophomore with a huge passion for singing and songwriting. When she isn't singing, she's either sleeping, playing tetris, or eating steak. She's super thankful and grateful to everyone who's ever heard her sing and supported her.

Pi Delta Psi

The mission of Pi Delta Psi Fraternity, Inc. is to maintain its Fraternal existence by instilling values that nurture and perpetuate the continual growth and develop-ment of the individual through the Fraternity pillars while fostering ethical behavior, leadership, and philanthropy. Pi Delta Psi consists of four pillars: Academic Achievement, Cultural Awareness, Righteousness, Friendship/Loyalty Pi Delta Psi was founded on these principles to help promote Asian Awareness amongst ourselves and throughout the community. We envisioned this to be possi-ble by going out of the boundaries of an organization and creating a Fraternity on the basis of common goals and ideals in the form of a brotherhood. We believe that through education, we can become more knowledgeable about the different Asian cultures, overcome obstacles of racism and discrimination, therefore unify-ing us as a whole.

Members: Albert Chang, Daniel Acampado, Samuel Eisenberg, Urian Kim, Brian Tu, John Paul Chan

Tia Gilmore & Ardeene Francisco

Tia and Ardeene are two friends who bonded over music, singing, and harmonizing. Tia is a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in education. In her free time, she enjoys photography,dancing, googling random things,hanging with friends, and most importantly spending hours downloading music when she should in fact be studying. Ardeene is an undecided sophomore who is an orientation leader, RA, and researcher. In her free time, she loves to sing in the car, read Humans of NY and do hood rat things. Together, they cannot resist singing in public and they hope that you enjoy the performance! :]

Adinah

Adinah is a singer/songwriter from Jacksonville, Florida. Singing since 4 years old, she grew up with an immense passion for music. By the time she was 16; Adinah was performing around Florida/New York and was a free-lance songwriter for R&B artists. Most recently, she was a KollaborationNY 8 finalist and is currently working on an EP due out early next year. Her sound draws heavily from her love of jazz, neo-soul, and R&B and Adinah’s writing is inspired by her life experiences. You can catch Adinah on her YouTube @adinajlag or facebook page facebook.com/elloadinah where you can stay up to date on upcoming shows.

RAPS Dance Troupe (RDT)

Walk into an RDT practice and upon first glance something strikes you. The infectious laughter and energy is undeniable. Dancers, movers, and music-enthusiasts of all different ethnic backgrounds, colleges, and ages come together unexpectedly. The silence is deafening as the team listens intently on the notes and instruc-tions given and is broken again by a burst of laughter. This family of dancers works hard to grow and promote the art of dance and entertain audiences in varying arenas. From shows for different RU organizations to urban dance competitions and even retail promotions, RDT pushes itself to take on new challenges. RDT offers extensive and challenging dance training for its members as well as lessons applicable to other areas of life. Amped and motivated with a few placements under their belt, RDT hopes to present entertaining sets in the upcoming competition season throughout Boston, NY, and NJ.

Members: Kate Miguel, Manishka Mishra, Anwar Addae, Alexis De Jesus, Victor Jomel Militar, Christine Alvarez, Gemma David, Celina Baquiran, Connie Lee, JP Chan, Jae Choi, Kevin Wong, Grace Kim, Kat E. Kim, Sara Cortez, Benji Racela, RJ Conception, Gerome David, Patty Gea, Eileen Young, Robert Bynes


Ghost stories of the Philippines

During the Halloween season, stories of monsters, ghouls, and creatures of the night are shared throughout the month. Similarly, in the Philippines, myths of supernatural beings constantly circulate across the different regions.

Filipino culture is filled with stories of ancient creatures and urban legends. Although tales of each monster vary throughout the country, the same essential elements are shared with each retelling.

The Aswang is said to be a beautiful woman by day, and a shape-shifting demon by night. She feeds on human flesh, preying on pregnant women and those who travel by them-selves. Throughout the years, there have been numerous sightings of the Aswang in Antipolo on Holy week, specifi-cally during the 3 days when Jesus Christ died.

The White Lady is a ghost of a young woman killed by Japanese soldiers during World War II. She has been spotted dressed in all white haunting numerous buildings and forests. The most recent and common reports of the White Lady have been in Quezon City on Balete Drive. She has said to be the cause of many car accidents along this road due to the fact that many drivers see her in the backseat and then swerve uncontrollably.

The Tiktik is a bird-like vampire/witch. Found in the rural areas of the Philippines, this creature snatches humans at night and feed on their hearts. In San Jose de Buenavista in the province of Antique, this monster is said to attack local pets and tourists. Many claim to hear the sound of its wings flapping loudly signaling that it is far away. No longer hear-ing its sound signifies that it is nearby and about to attack.

There are numerous monsters that supposedly haunt both city and countryside all across the provinces, and there are many who firmly believe in their existence. These folklores have been passed down from generation to generation, and have even made an impact on the customs and beliefs of Filipinos all throughout the Philippines.

By: Denise Bion

An ar st’s rendi on of the Aswang

A sketch of what a Tik k’s head is believed to look

like


It was Fall 2010 where I traveled to Fordham University with a group of RAPS members, most of whom I didn’t know, for my very first dialogue: Boses. To keep a long story short, my experience at that dialogue was something that I will always remember and be grateful for—I took a chance attending this event with no knowledge of what the weekend would hold. I had been so positively affected by each and every single relationship I formed that weekend. I told myself that if I ever had the opportunity to become a volunteer I would. The following semester D3 had the privilege of hosting conference where I was a registration volunteer.

FIND, Inc. has given me my very first family away from home. This family that I have gained is spread along the eastern seaboard. I truly believe that there are countless opportunities and priceless memories that can come with being active within FIND, inc. and D3. I honestly urge each and every one of you to take a chance, a risk and put yourself outside of your comfort zone by giving back to the Filipino American Community. If you've been to a dialogue or conference before and had a great experience, don't you want to help cultivate another's? Or maybe you didn't have the best experience, but now you have the ability, the opportunity, to ensure that others will enjoy theirs. Volunteers are an essential part of mak-ing this Dialogue a success. Fear is a large part of why people are unwilling to step up and commit, but it is only when we are willing to take a risk that we can reap its benefits.

“This is your time to evoke change. This is your time to inspire others. This is your time to step up as a leader within the

community and stand together to push forward for our people.”

Inspired me By: Karoline Panes How FIND

This is a great opportunity to "push forward for our people" and to experience something memorable. FIND, Inc. Dialogue will be held at Kean University between November 22-24. District III will be hosting it once more and what better way to show your D3 pride than to be a part of this movement? If you are interested in volunteering at FIND or attending FIND like Karoline, RAPS is here to help you achieve that! Please speak to Chris Laurelli, Vanessa Palma, and/or Marc Intal at anytime about your interest in FIND, Inc. Dialogue 2013: Makabayan. They can be contacted at [email protected]. More information about the upcoming FIND, Inc. Dialogue can be found at

http://dialogue2013.findinc.org/



A glimpse of Palawan Note from the Editors : David Pangilinan is an avid traveler and recently visited the Philippines this past summer. Here,

he’ll be sharing with us the wonderful experience he had in the province of Palawan

Travel+Leisure Magazine Says Bye Bye to Boracay and Hello to Palawan

Travel+Leisure Magazine has constantly been a source for avid travelers from around the globe to provide them the best information about where their next destination should be. Every year, the magazine ranks islands around the world by readers, presenting a “World’s Best Awards” list. For 2013, Palawan was ranked the number one island in the “Top 10 Islands” list, with a score of 95.04 out of 100 beating last year’s champion, Boracay, with a score of 93.58.

Filled with tourists hailing from all over the globe, I was excited to begin my adventure into seeing Palawan’s sights. My first stop was the Palawan Subterranean River, one of the “Seven Wonders of Nature.” The trail to the Underground River was covered in luscious forestry, with monkeys flying from limbs of trees, eager to find some morsel of food dropped by an unknowing tourist. As I boarded the boat with the boatman paddling towards the cave, I held onto the floodlight, the beacon that would guide us through the bat-infested work of nature. As breath-taking as it was, the river had an eerie feeling, as stalactites and stalagmites surrounded me. Seeing the walls of the cave stretch higher into the ceiling and lower into the water made me feel claustrophobic as we continued through the silent path. The boatman, skilled in the history of the river made references to pop culture to help ease us weary pas-sengers. After finally finishing the tour, I immediately asked my tour guide, “Where to next?” Scratching off one sight off my list of many to see in Palawan.

The Iwahig Firefly Watching tour was my next destination. Only available at night, the tour consisted of the most calming canoe ride through a mangrove forest, where thousands of fireflies illuminated the trees, almost as if it was Christmas time, with the boatman pointing to constellations with his powerful laser flashlight. The sound of the pad-dle wading through the river paired with the soothing sound of nature made this one of the most breathtaking experi-ences I had ever had. The fun, however, was not to stop there.

By: David Pangilinan

Taking boats to many des na ons is a primary form of transporta on in Palawan.


A few days later I was taken to the Sabang X Zipline. After trekking through lush vegetation for 30 minutes, following a 20 minute boat ride, I was greeted warmly by men ready to fit me into the safety gear. Being suspended over 800 feet above sea level, traveling for about 2 minutes to anoth-er island, I was extremely nervous. Realizing that moments like these come few in life, I decided to attach my GoPro camera and zipline to another mini island. The first initial push was the most intense, having you feet dangling above jagged rocks and above the deep, crystal blue ocean made me only wish to close my eyes. But I couldn’t, the sights of grandeur captivated my eyes, see the beautiful canopy of trees on land and the horizon off into the sea, I was amazed at how beautiful everything was from such a high distance. Filled with adrenaline after the zip line, I was ready for more. I was taken on a city tour, visiting the Alli-gator Farm and Baker’s Hill, a famous “millionaire’s para-dise” lined with lavish and luxurious homes which house

an exotic garden, with many plants native only to the Philippines. As my time in the Philippines came to close, my last major trip was to Honda Bay, an island-hoppng tour that brought you to islands in Palawan to snorkel, lounge, and enjoy the beauty that nature has to offer.

Palawan is a booming part of the Philippines as tourism becomes the largest part of its growing local economy. Not only does it have the tropical beauty of Coconut Trees, but also a rich tradition in which people of Palawan take pride in. Being rated the #1 island is surely not an overstatement, and when one does have the chance to visit the small and humble destination, be sure to check out the many sights that Palawan has to offer. I can attest to the fact that you surely will not be disappointed. Bring a camera, with a lot of memory, because there will be millions of pic-ture perfect moments that you’ll want to remember forever.

The Sabang X Zipline sends you on a 2 minute adrenaline‐filled ride 800‐feet above sea level to another mini island. A definite must for any thrill seeker in Palawan!

Named one of the “Seven Wonders of Nature” the Subterranean River has long winding paths,

most of which if only permissible to skilled scuba divers and cave enthusiasts.


RAPS GBM

Halloween Movie Night

Wednesday, Oct. 30 @ 9pm

BCC - Center Hall (Busch Campus)

NYU IFA’s Mr. Philippines

Sunday, November 17

FIND, INC. Dialogue 2013

November 22-24

Kean University, Union NJ

Check these Out!

Rutgers University Filipino Martial Arts (RUFMA)

Meeting times:

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-11 pm in the MPR (Multi Purpose Room)

Werblin Recreational Center on Busch Campus

Asian Student Council (ASC)

Meeting times:

Every other Monday @ 9:30pm

Asian-American Cultural Center (AACC) - Livingston Campus

Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue (FIND)

With a mission to “offer a channel of dialogue and action within Filipino students that promotes and preserves the Filipino culture and raises awareness and offers support,

FIND Inc. hopes to achieve constant growing relationships among Filipino Students. To learn more about FIND Inc.

and RAPS’ involvement inquire with Chris Laurelli.

Scan the QR code above with any QR code scanning app on your smartphone to see what we’ve

been up to!

or visit our website at:

www.rutgersraps.com

Follow us: @rapsawesome

Upcoming Events
