Illustrado Magazine – Filipino Abroad

Tag: 100 MIFG

  • Mario Cardenas – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Mario Cardenas – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Trailblazer – Mario Cardenas

    Photographer

    Mario Cardenas lives and breathes photography and architecture. As a photographer, Mario has won an astounding 350+ local, regional and international awards through his career.

    Of all these, Mario’s ‘Ani ng Dangal’ or “Harvest of Honors” award given by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts under the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, holds a special place in his heart.

    Aside from his passion as a photographer where he was able to go places and meet likeminded individuals, Mario is an architect by profession. Currently, he is the BIM Manager in a British design company based in Dubai Media City. He has worked with esteemed companies KEO and Calatrava, and holds an outstanding portfolio.  These two passions are what makes Mario distinctly him. However, the man stresses that despite his works, he does not want to leave a legacy that is too serious. To go with the flow, embrace life as it is, and continue unleashing creative ideas for better changes are what he wanted to impart among his countrymen.

    “I would like to use this platform to send an important message to other aspiring artists – Remember to always be yourself, celebrate your strengths and aim to express yourself with courage and self-confidence.” (more…)

  • Fe Ging Ging Hyde – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Fe Ging Ging Hyde – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Trailblazer – Fe Ging Ging Hyde

    Indie Actor & Producer

    Photo by: Alex Callueng

    To multi-awarded actress and producer Fe ‘Ging Ging’ Hyde, film-making has always been a platform to highlight and tell cultural narratives as a visual art form, rather than one for making money. And it is perhaps for this sole reason that she is one of the most talented performers and artists to have come from the Philippines.

    As a force to reckon with in the Philippine indie film scene, Dubai-based Fe’s most notable feat as an actor was receiving the Gawad Urian Award for Best Actress in 2011 for her performance in Arnel Mardoquio’s “Sheika” – earning her a place amongst the greatest of the great in Philippine cinema. Alongside this, for her film Ang Paglalakbay Ng Mga Bituin Sa Gabing Madilim (The Journey of the Stars into the Dark Night), Fe was the recipient of the Cinema One Originals 2012 Jury Prize and a Gawad Urian award in 2013 for Best Picture. Furthermore, besides garnering Cinema’s 2017 NETPAC Jury Prize, her film Dapol Tan Payawar Na Tayug 1931 (The Ashes and Ghosts of Tayug 1931) was shortlisted to take part at the 47th International Film Festival, Rotterdam, in 2018 under the category of “Shadows Special Programme.” The historical docudrama gained further spotlight having been screened as one of the main feature films at the 2018 Singapore Media Festival.

    Making recent appearances in the films “Class of 2018” (suspense-thriller) and “Lakbayan” (drama), as well as co-producing Markado: Bakunawa sa Duha ka-Managlahing Takna, Fe plans to continue exemplifying Filipino excellence and ingenuity through future endeavors in film and entertainment.

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  • Susan Villanueva – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Susan Villanueva – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Trailblazer – Susan Villanueva

    Artist and Educator

    Photo by: Donell Gumiran

    As an award-winning educator who has trained hundreds of Emirati women at the Higher Colleges of Technology – Sharjah Women’s College, equipping them not only with design skills for their future careers but also garnering honor for the university and student body, Susan Villanueva has also invested much of her energy, creativity and teaching skills to inspire Filipinos in the UAE through the years.

    Apart from holding exhibitions and sharing her works of art, Susan is also part of the POWER technical training center (Pinoy Overseas Worker’s Education and Reintegration) as a volunteer and mentor. During weekends, she spends time educating those who are passionate about learning and conducts creative art therapy, painting, and drawing sessions.

    “As an educator for the past 26 years, I am proud to share my knowledge in art and design to the Filipino community,” she says. “It is my hope for the community to elevate their skills in the creative field. I am so thankful that I was given a home (POWER) to hone the hidden artistic talents of Filipinos and other nationalities.  I am getting to know more about our kababayans through art.  I do not want to be remembered as a person; I want the people to remember my work.”

    She hopes that many Filipinos can also give back to the community and pay it forward. This, for her, is what makes life worth living.

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  • JR Papel – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    JR Papel – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Trailblazer – J.R Papel

    Community Champion

    Photo by: Ace Reyes

    Founding President and current Chairman of the Ateneo Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship (LSE) school, JR has been instrumental in supporting hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs towards their dream of building their own business.  Within the organization, he has also introduced innovative platforms such as the Continuing Education Series to provide further training to alumni and I-Fund to support and motivate students to deliver innovative and impactful business plans.  He has also helped create the Ateneo LSE Cooperative to assist in the funding of startup social enterprises.

    In his role as Shopper and Customer Marketing Manager at Unilever Gulf, JR has initiated programs and activations that engage shoppers on environmental awareness, especially in terms of water conservation, plastic reduction, and recycling.  He is in fact, acknowledged as one of the Ambassadors of Sustainability in Unilever Gulf.

    “Businesses should not just be about profit but how they positively impact the people and planet as well,” JR says.  He adds, “We find more meaning in life when we can find our passion; we live our real purpose and share it with the rest of the world.”

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  • PBC DNE – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    PBC DNE – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Trailblazers – Philippine Business Council – Dubai & Northern Emirates

    Non-Profit Group 

    Vanguards of Philippine business in the UAE, the Philippine Business Council – Dubai and Northern Emirates has been spearheading initiatives to advance opportunities for existing and aspiring Filipino entrepreneurs, as well as their partners in the market. Established since 2001, the non-profit organization which is recognized by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce has been benefitting the Filipino business community through various projects through the years,

    Photo by: Ace Reyes

    With the slogan “Connecting people, bridging businesses,” the group mounts multifaceted activities that provide business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, as well as professionals, educational, as well as networking activities, beyond the Filipino community.  The PBC DNE also represents the Philippines within the larger community of multicultural businesses and councils in the emirates.

    PBC DNE’s most notable projects which run the whole year round include Sobiz (Socializing for Business), Edubiz (Education for Business), as well as Interface (a landmark gathering of entrepreneurs from different communities hosted by the PBC).  In 2019, PBC DNE also launched the PBC Fellowship, a training program for entrepreneurs looking to start up their businesses.  In 2020, the group is also looking to mount the largest Philippine art festival in Dubai.

    “We are proud of our team of talented volunteers and our initiatives on continuous education, business networking, and social events which elevate Filipinos in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, PBC DNE Director Leo Barrameda says.  He adds, “We must continuously learn, and put aside time or money into improving ourselves first then others. This will elevate us one Filipino at a time.”

    Executive Committee:  Chairman – Bobbie Carella, Vice Chairman – Lalaine Chu-Benitez, Director of Finance – Anne Orlina, Secretary – Lairene Reodica Sint, Business Dev Director – Enrique Yamzon, CSR Director – Leo Barrameda, Membership Director – Allan Bautista, PR & Comms Director – Ken Peralta, Projects & Events Director – Andy Minodin, Social Media Directors – Eden Nebreja and Renz Salada, Sponsorship Director – Marlowe Paran

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  • 100 MIFG: Top Instagrammers

    100 MIFG: Top Instagrammers

    100 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf: Top Instagrammers

     

    Social media’s breadth is undeniable.   The power it wields — to connect, and to have our voices heard by people anywhere in the world, also comes with the potential to bring out the worst in us. But it’s a different story for Instagrammers Geny, Shackette, Charles and Jeremiah who utilize the platform to showcase their passion, talent, creativity.

     

    Meet the ‘nu wave’ of self-aware, self-promoting, filter-savvy social media users who provide not only representation but also empowerment to Filipinos in the digital space.

     

    Geny Baluyot

    @genyvb

     

    100 MIFG: Top Instagrammers
    Photo by: Alex Callueng

     

    “Everything seems easy until you try doing it yourself. Content creation is a creative process that requires a lot of hard work and writing captions isn’t easy as well. I recently received an informal invitation from a Filipino community of investors and entrepreneurs in Doha to be a resource speaker on the subject of “Capitalizing on Social Media.”

     

    Junell Cornejo

    @shackette

     

    “I believe that you don’t need to influence everyone around you to be considered as someone who empowers or has influence. All it takes is one individual who has looked up to you, and you have an impact to and I would love to think that I have done that.”

     

    100 MIFG: Top Instagrammers
    Photo by: Alex Callueng

     

    Charles Liban

    @charleslibanjr

     

    “I believe in reaching out and sharing my knowledge to the next generation — for the reason that they will be our next leaders. One of my goals is to inspire young Filipinos through my photos. I love to conduct photography lessons for the youth especially for those who are eager to learn.”

     

    Jeremiah Del Mar

    @jeremiahdelmar

     

    100 MIFG: Top Instagrammers

     

    “I do hope that my work inspires other Filipinos — well, sometimes I claim it. Every time I take pictures, I always look for the person who can’t even imagine his/herself as a subject of photography; someone who can’t nail a photo, someone who can’t even afford to look at the camera when other people are watching; and someone who doesn’t believe that he/she can ‘wow’ my audience. That’s how I envision empowerment in inspiring my fellow Filipinos.”

     

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  • 100 MIFG: Emerging Bloggers

    100 MIFG: Emerging Bloggers

    100 MIFG: Emerging Bloggers
    Photo by: Alex Callueng

    Anjo Mercado

    Content Creator

    @talesandwaves

     

    Anjo is a nursing graduate who pursued his passion for film and photography. A self-proclaimed artist and a daydreamer based in Dubai, Anjo says being in the cut-throat city allowed him to work on a lot of projects within the broad spectrum of filmmaking. He currently provides clips and photos for SALT as one of its content creators. A lot of bloggers and Instagrammers are incredibly creative people, and while some, but not all, may appear inward looking, a lot are just confident and carefree, driven by their passion and focused on their goals. Being good at what you do requires a lot of self-awareness, and to that, he says: “Push yourself to be better not just as an artist but as a person in general and most importantly, be yourself. Genuineness, that’s what the world needs.”

     

     

    Marjanne Reyes

    Fashion & Lifestyle Blogger

    @marjanne.co

     

    Marjanne has been successful in making herself her own brand. She has a clear-cut, well-defined image online. And most importantly, people love her platforms and develop an affinity for her. Her online persona is consistent and that visible in each post and caption she puts out. Asked about how her work empowers Filipinos, she says: “Yes! People say Dubai is a place where Filipinos are known for working in average careers, but not everyone knows that Filipinos are naturally talented and adaptable. I strongly believe that if one person steps up, others will follow empowered by that person’s hard work and success.”

     

     

    Junimar Geca

    Content Creator

    @boyinstik

     

    Our mothers told us never to play with our food. But Junimar can’t help himself.  If you ever stumble upon the feed of this foodstagrammer, you’ll find yourself spending a lot of time scrolling through picture after picture of beautiful flatlays and photos that are so alive you’ll think you’re there at the moment. His eye for details and creativity sets him apart from many others. His advice for rising content creators? “Be real and always believe in great work.”  He adds, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. Good luck!”

     

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  • 100 MIFG: Dr. Becky Desiderio

    100 MIFG: Dr. Becky Desiderio

    100 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf: Dr. Becky Desiderio – Business Leader

     

     

    Extraordinary professional Dr. Becky Desiderio is quite veritably a great combination of head and heart; an empowered woman who knows how to soldier on despite the challenges of the job.

     

    “Being a woman in this society is quite tough since the environment I am in is male dominated,” says Dr. Becky Desiderio. “To be a Filipino and a woman at that is tougher, with limited resources but with a dream and passion to give back to the community, I was able to overcome the challenges and plant the Philippine-TMC flag in an Arab country singlehandedly since I was the sole person on-the-ground at that time. However, I feel I could have given more; I could have done more, I could have reached out to more kababayans. The redeeming thought for me is that I, a Filipina started the fire, carried the torch bravely and walked the path less travelled.”

     

    CEO at The Medical City in the UAE, she carries the philosophy of Patient Partnership – and believes in the massive value of working with people.  “I think, in every field or line of work, in every relationship, this is very important,” she says. “To communicate at eye level, to reach down and help people build their dreams and stand beside each other to build broken walls will eventually rebuild the walls of our nation.”

     

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  • 100 MIFG: Anna De Leon

    100 MIFG: Anna De Leon

    1oo MIFG: Anna De Leon – The Beauty is also a Beast

     

     

    Anna De Leon is a trained makeup artist and renowned beauty advocate in the UAE. Since 2009, she has been teaching women about skincare and makeup through her workshops and classes: ‘Faces by Anna De Leon.’ She also has her own brand of affordable, high-quality makeup tools, ‘Woman by Anna Makeup Brushes.’

     

    2017 has been a pivotal year in which Anna transcended her beauty niche. She successfully earned her blue belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu, after having been in the field for almost three years.  Her hard work and rigorous training won her a spot in the World Masters Championship, where she competed in the USA. Her participation in the internationally renowned championship landed her a story (including a billboard inclusion) within Samsung’s inspirational, #dobiggerthings campaign, lauding her as a source of inspiration and empowerment.

     

    More than her achievements in sports and local pop culture, Anna’s cachet lies in what she represents for women, that you can be a beauty, compete like a beast, and do anything you set your heart to, at any age.

     

    “You are as old as you think and as young as how you feel,” says Anna. And in a field dominated by mostly men, she takes gender out of the question, and the only feminine thing about her in sports are her colored nails.  She adds, “If I can carry a little person in my belly for nine months and continually raise her to be as fierce or even more than myself, then I can do anything.”

     

    Anna De defies the stereotypes of the modern woman, proving that, for women, there’s more than meets the eye.  Fun, fearless and fabulous 40, Anna De Leon continues to be an inspirational figure for many, constantly expanding the definitions of the fierce contemporary woman.

     

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  • Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf 2017: Barney Almazar – People’s Lawyer

    Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf 2017: Barney Almazar – People’s Lawyer

    100 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf 2017: Attorney. Barney Almazar

    100 MIFG: Atty. Barney Almazar
    Photo by: Jef Anog

    Guiding a roster of wealthy clientele in their commercial ventures within the Oil and Gas sector in the Middle-East, coupled with championing Filipino influence through his endeavors, Atty. Barney Almazar is not only one of the most successful young Filipino lawyers of his time, but also a leading proponent for OFW’s in the region.

    Barney’s numerous accolades over the years, too many to mention, include being commended by the Philippine Senate for protecting the interests of more than three million overseas Filipinos in the Gulf.  In 2017, Thomson Reuters listed him as part of its ‘Forty Under Forty,’ (forty outstanding legal professionals in Asia who are under the age of forty), for heading projects in the Middle East with a total of US$89 million in investment deals.

    Amidst his commercial undertakings, Barney’s service to the local Filipino community providing counsel, legal aid sessions, not mention authoring two books and providing an information portal giving access to critical legal information, is very significant. Wanting all Pinoys to excel in their chosen fields, Barney says: “We are great people with a vibrant youth and democracy destined to take part in world affairs. Through faith and self-confidence, Overseas Filipinos can eventually lead the success of our country.”

    With a strong desire to see the Philippines exceed in the global market, Barney hopes that countries would one day appreciate the Philippines, and invest in the motherland. Barney elaborates: “My hope is for the establishment of a strong economy that will last for generations so that working abroad will be a choice rather than a necessity.”

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