Jose Mari Chan

After publishing this post I realised that the introduction I had written for this post disappeared into the Ether it would seem! So here it is again.

I was leaving Iloilo on a Philippine Airlines flight with Marcelina and Denzel heading back to Australia when from my aisle seat I glanced up and saw an unassuming man walking down the aisle with a natural smile, I leaned over to Marcelina and said "isn't that Jose Mari Chan?" She said "I am not sure, but I was!" As he approached I stood and asked "are you Jose Mari Chan?" and he of course was, and over the next hour as the flight was heading to Manila I had the chance to converse with him about a range of topics. I asked why he had not been to Australia for a concert, he indicated that would depend on a promoter, and knowing a couple of promoters I said I would ask the question. He was such a warm person, I sensed no pretense or hesitation whatsoever in his conversation or demeanor. Once I identified him on the plane, there were a couple of others in the seats behind who stood up to look at him and smiled once they confirmed it was as well. The lady in front of me became animated as well. He was generous and warm to each of us. I could be wrong, but I think he was pleasantly surprised that a foreigner had recognised him. I mentioned that I had one of his CD's, and he said I will send you the others, and true to his word, the FedEx package arrived to me yesterday. I opened it without even reading the senders info, and was very pleasantly surprised.

Here is a little bit of a bio about him with some clips.



Jose Mari Chan is a renowned Chinese Filipino singer-songwriter and businessman. He was born in Iloilo on March 11, 1945. He graduated with a degree in economics from Ateneo de Manila University in 1967.

His first single Afterglow was released in 1967 and became popular in the Philippines. He was able to release his first long playing album in 1969.

From 1970 to 1974, he composed more than 20 theme songs for movies, some of which earned for him several nominations at the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Award. He continued to write songs even as he stayed in the United States for more than 10 years. Even when we were on the Philippine Airlines flight one of his songs was playing in the background of the in-flight travel preparedness video, Love at Thirty Thousand feet. What a thrill. His songs have been recorded by many artists including foreign artists. He had a breakthrough in 1989, when his album "Constant Change" not only was named Album of the Year by the Awit Awards but also reached Diamond Record status in terms of sales. it was also sold internationally. His Christmas album "Christmas In Our Hearts" reached triple platinum status in 1990 and is today the biggest selling all time album in the Philippines. In 2005 he composed "We're All Just One", the theme song of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

Chan is known as the "Filipino Jimmy Webb" due to his intricate use of the English language in his lyrics. some of his earlier songs were also revived by other artists such as Lea Salonga, Regine Velasquez and many others. He also shared with me his latest triumph having had 12 of his songs recorded recently by Janis Siegel a member of the internationally successful recording group The Manhattan Transfer. That album will be released soon, and as yet they have no cover artwork done, and so with a high degree of shameless self promotion I let him know "I could do that!" - in his unique style he said "lets talk more" So who knows. I would love to though.

I just wanted to share something of this warm and gentle man whom Filipinos love. I guess it would not be too ambitious to suggest that he is the Filipino version of Tony Bennett. He sings and composes because he obviously loves it. He is a man imbued with class and style and no pretense. Hard to believe that he is also the chairman and CEO of a major Philippine company with assets in the tens of millions of dollars. His note that came with the CD's and personally written was an interesting thing. I wonder how many other CEO's can say they have a second job as an internationally recognised singer / composer! It was a complete honour to meet this man, I do hope it isn't the last time, and am also hoping he gives me a shot at the CD cover.

There are two clips here, both sung in English. The first is of Jose singing a duet with Lea Salonga - for those who do not know, she is the actual singing voice of most all of the disney female animated songs. Her repertoire ranges from the original Miss Saigon to Disney's Mulan, The Little Mermaid, and many, many others. SHe is a real talent...and a Filipino!

The second clip is a a duet with Regine Velasquez, an artist I have photographed three times. They are singing a song written by Jose Mari Chan. If I am not mistaken it was also one of Regine's first hits. I am including a picture collage I did for Regine, I never had a picture with Jose, which was a pity, my cameras were all locked away in the flight. Sayang (too bad in Filipino!)

Paradigms, Perspectives and the Present

Anne Archer starred in a film with Cuba Gooding Jr., James Woods and Angie Harmon in 2005 called End Game. Annes character was the wife of the President of the USA. In a scene from the movie Anne's character had been working on a painted triptych when Cuba's character Alex Thomas entered her studio. Upon seeing the three paintings, he said it is beautiful, as much to be polite as to suggest he didn't understand why three paintings, when Anne's character said "you don't see it Alex, you are so close, but you still don't see it do you". "Stand over here where I am" and only when he did so, did he see the three paintings seamlessly blend into one image. The point being, that often what we see or experience is only ever from one way - our paradigm or perspective. We assume, often incorrectly, that we have all the facts, that we understand the whole situation or person or people and are content with what we see to be sufficient or enough. Only when we venture to "walk" in another's shoes, or stand where they stood, or disengage our own thoughts and prejudices do we glimpse the dimmension of elements that blend together, that Anne Archers character was trying to portray. This principle of understanding settled deep upon me in this last trip to the Philippines.

I have been to the Philippines some 10-12 times over the last 24 years and each time have often compared the country, the life there to the life I have in Australia, and often times I come up short. I have often judged the Philippines and other Asian countries I have visited by an unmeasurable yardstick. What surprised me the most was the way in which I disengaged my thoughts and prejudices and for the first time in my 10-12 visits saw the part of the Philippines I visited for the first real time. Strange as that may sound.

As a missionary in the Philippines from 1984-86 I came to love the people, I saw some staggering things, experienced great love for the perspicacity of the Filipino people generally, saw great jubilation in one of the worlds greatest ever people power revolutions which saw the demise of then President Ferdinand E. Marcos, I witnessed the renewed feeling of independance and national pride, all the while seeing the poverty and lack in the philippines as a passing monologue that chattered in the background.

Each successive visit, seems in hindsight like a passing parade where I would ride triumphantly through, wave the hand like that of a passing dignitary and blow a few kisses and leave the country feeling the trip was worthwhile.

This last trip has enlarged my capacity for compassion and heartfelt understanding of a people that have for the most part learned to accept things they cannot change, and learned to accept the diversity of people and find a simple joy in a life that most westeners would find terminal. I saw for the first time, I mean really saw, people whose lives are so different to mine. I saw people who have resigned themselves to their "lot" in life, and amidst the hopelessness I felt, they smile, they laugh, they truly laugh. For the most part the joy of the rural filipinos is very simple. I walked one morning to the Barangay bus shelter, which was dilapidated and dirty by western standards, and sat there and watched life pass by for a few hours. As I did so, with the camera and lens I was holding, and being white with shorts and Tee shirt, I stood out like a stain on your shirt.

I was a bit of a novelty and attracted an audience. Some 15 people comprising of children, teens and adults came and sat next to me, stood near me and just stared, not even pretending to look away! So being able to speak smatterings of the dialect I spoke and and joked with the people so they would feel comfortable, and in a hope that they would not roll me and take my camera. A couple of people did not smile at my humour or laugh but looked at my camera much more than they did me. It was then that I realised I felt really careful for my safety. The extended members of family who had advised me not to go to the place I did, were worried, but I refused to simply sit in a hotel and or house everyday fearful I could be mugged, though I felt it was a very real possibility a couple of times during the visit.

I singled out one of the men who was unresponsive and asked him about his life. After some cajoling from me and the other "stand by's" around us he opened up a little and said what his life is, what he hoped and what it had become. There was a strong difference between the expectation and the reality. The words of a song from the musical version of Les Miserables came to life when Fantine sings of the hope and despair her life had become. The man looked at me and said
your rich!", to which I commented that I was so not rich, my life has much lack, and then he looked at the camera and said "but you are here!, I cannot go there." Hard to argue that to someone whose house consisted of a few bamboo rods and a thatched leaf roof. Whose clothes showed the wear that comes from overly soaped clothes that never quite got the true rinse they needed, and the stiffness they imbue as a result, whose thongs were worn and I am sitting with the cool T-shirt and shorts and camera. My heart went out to him. Then I saw the people around, I made some more jokes and did a ittle dance to get them to laugh and they all did, I wanted them to feel that I was OK and that I was not better than them, I truly felt in many ways they were my superior.

Within a short time of this occurring, the family Starex van with the reflective blocked out windows picked me up and I was whisked away into the city for some shopping and eating, but the small impact of that brief time did not leave me as I shopped, nor even now.

I will be writing a few blog entries about the Philippines and sharing pictures I took over the next little while. I took hundreds, actually thousands but as i said to one of my blogger friends whom I respect, I need to have the experience distill upon me and develop more, and I have no doubt that will occur as I share more of my thoughts and feelings about the trip.

I will end this section of the post by saying that the paradigms and perspectives I had have changed... Again. Not by an earth shattering event or dazzling lights but by the example and simplicity of a people who have arrived at an acceptance of little more than right here and right now. I am amazed at the ingenuity of the people, I am in awe of their resourcefulness, and I love their resilience. They accept who they are, and for the most part, don't try to be anyone else, their quirks and idiosyncrasies make them a warm, unique and "rich" people. People who live in the now. I saw that seemingly unconnected things when viewed through the right perspective, seamlessly harmonise to become one tapestry or painting that is blended, sweet and inspiring.

After returning last week, I have come to the conclusion that my life by comparison to so many IS rich, IS full of hope and excitement and I want to ensure I live worthy of the opportunity that is afforded me when so many, many other people struggle. I need to learn to live more in the now, and as I was reminded of, tomorrow is the future, yesterday is the past and all we have is now, which is why it is called the present. more posts will come.








A friend, Jim wrote on his blog about the Philippines from a very different perspective, but the underlying current of the story he wrote about I saw clearly. You can read Jim's post here http://haringliwanag.pansitan.net/?p=549

Slumdog Millionaire

I have not posted for some time, I am sorry for the lengthy delay, I have been overseas and there are many things I have seen, felt and learned from that I will share here in the coming days and weeks once the messages and thoughts have been distilled. Until then I wanted to share this short post.

I have finally seen the amazing Indian film Slumdog Millionaire and I love it, a truly tragic and beautiful story all mixed into one. It appealed to me on a number of levels and the accolades it received in yesterdays Academy awards was well deserved. I commend it highly and love that I saw it.

Be in touch again soon.

Hmmmm - there's a message here.

This was sent to me from a friend.

Of Droughts and Flooding rains...

At the moment in Australia we are plagued with ridiculous extremes, just thought I would express my heartfelt thoughts to the nearly 100 lives lost when the thoughtless throwing of cigarette butts from a passing motorist whipped up fires that turned into fireballs and literally wiped out several small Victorian rural towns, with a staggering loss of nearly 100 lives. Yesterday in Sydney we were listed as the hottest place on the planet. It was 44 degrees centigrade and was terrible. North of Sydney and the bushfires in Victoria is Queensland that has a large area that is literally underwater, with floods. Is this crazy or what? I have quite a few assignments on over the next little while and my posts will be sporadic. Sorry about that. Here is a poem I have quoted before from Dorothea Mackellar about Australia.

My Country
by
Dorothea Mackellar
(1885 - 1968)



The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die-
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold-
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land-
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand-
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

Dorothea Mackellar


The last picture is of snow around a pool in England sent to me from a friend, Sir Barry Upton Smyth who indicated that England has had a massive cold snap and snow has reduced the activity in England as they hunker down to keep warm.



So, wherever you are, know that I appreciate you and am grateful for you visiting the blogspot here.

Take Care

(pictures taken from ninemsn.com.au) Original poem unedited by Dorothea Mackellar.