...the Philippines in the eye of a German

Discover PH now, German tells Pinoys

By Kim Arveen Patria

Yahoo! Philippines

10 September 2014

“Imagine that foreign tourists like myself pay a lot of money for an overseas flight to come and see the beauty of your country,” - Philipp Dukatz, German tourist

Yahoo Southeast Asia Newsroom - German national Philipp Dukatz has traveled around the Philippines, and he encourages others to do the same.

There’s nothing wrong about wanting to see all of the world, but a foreigner has this advice for Filipinos setting their eyes abroad: Discover the Philippines first.

“The foreign always appears more exotic and intriguing than your own home country,” said Philipp Dukatz, a German who spent three months going around the Philippines.

“But the Philippines has so much to offer that it would be a shame to not explore it before venturing out into the world,” he told Yahoo Philippines through email.

In June, Dukatz made waves in the online Filipino community after he shared his adventures in a blog post titled, “Roundup Philippines: A country that has it all.”

The blog offered Filipinos a fresh look into local destinations that may have grown too familiar to them, this time through the eyes of an outsider.

From his account, it could be said that Dukatz has seen—and loved—it all: the white sand beaches of Boracay, the clear waters of Palawan, and the steep slopes of Sagada.

 

 

 

No need to look too far

“It is all there, all there for the taking and for you it is not even far away,” Dukatz told Filipinos, adding that “now is the best time to discover the Philippines.”

“Imagine that foreign tourists like myself pay a lot of money for an overseas flight to come and see the beauty of your country,” the German national added.

While traveling the Philippines, Dukatz was joined was by two backpackers from Belgium. “You can have it for cheap and you don’t even need to take a long holiday,” he said.

Asked where Filipinos should start, Dukatz advised against looking too far. “I would suggest looking at places that are around one’s hometown and take it from there.”

He said there are destinations for every personality in the country. The beach bums may try Boracay while the adventurous may trek the Cordilleras or Mountain Province.

For foreigners staying only briefly, Palawan is a must-see, Dukatz told Yahoo Philippines, saying the island province “offers a good mix of almost everything.”

“Nice beaches, off-the-beaten-track places as well as more developed ones, diving, hiking and much more. I think it combines a lot of the great things the Philippines offers tourists,” he said.

The real attraction

But Dukatz thinks the country’s main attraction is not any of its headlined spots. “[T]he thing that really sets the Philippines apart is its people,” he said.

“The Filipinos’ unique kind of hospitality is really one of a kind. I found them to go out of their way to help and make you feel welcome,” he said.

He particularly cited his stay in Gubat, a small seaside town in the province of Sorsogon, where he said he made a lot of new friends among locals and tourists.

“We were invited for food and drinks, we had long nights at the beach sharing laughter and stories and in the end we all became friends,” he told Yahoo Philippines.

He even pictures himself falling in love with a Filipina. “Love doesn’t know nationalities I think. So of course I could imagine it,” he said when prodded.

But the German national was quick to add that he “could also imagine falling in love with a South American, a German or an American or a girl from anywhere else.”

Now is the time

If he had all the time and money in the world, Dukatz said he would like to ride a motorbike across the Philippines, stopping wherever he would feel like it.

“I think there is so much to explore in the Philippines and that riding a motorbike would be a great and fun way,” he said. “I hope I can soon come back for more.”

Dukatz even has a solution for Filipinos who want to experience the foreign. “Chat up some foreign tourists while you are traveling. We always like to get in touch with locals,” he said.

“Basically you don’t have to look far to find true beauty and a real adventure. It is all out there, maybe just around the corner,” Dukatz said. “Take the chance and go see those places now.”

 

 

...the prod

American producer invests in the Philippines

By Maridol Rañoa-Bismark

Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom 

08 November 2011

 

 

Russ Williams (Jerome Ascano, NPPA Images)

American producer Russ Williams has good news for Filipino filmmakers and the local industry in general. He is packing his bags in Malaysia and moving to the Philippines in March next year to make international films. Russ even wants to settle in the Philippines indefinitely.

So he got investors in the US to fund Gothic Productions International (GPI), whose first production, “Darkest Night” will have its premiere night on Thursday, Nov. 10 at the U.P. Film Institute in U.P. Diliman.

The film’s lead may be American actor DJ Perry (an investor in the film). But its theme is as Filipino as its director, Noel Tan, who has 20 years of experience not only in directing, but in photography as well. Some of its cast members – Issa Litton, Nik Campos and Marife Necesito, are Filipinos. Leading lady Anne Gauthier is French-Filipino.

The ball starts rolling one Christmas season in Sagada, Mountain Province, where a happy family’s holidays turn bleak when bizarre events start happening.

Issa Litton talks of  serendipity.  A real storm breaks out, complete with a brown-out that sends chills down her spine while she was shooting her scene in Floridablanca, Pampanga.

But Williams would rather describe the film as a gothic drama, not something on the horror side of things.

After all, he reasons out,  “Darkest Night” doesn’t bear the gory, sensational look typical of horror films.

“It’s the story of  family that goes through dark, evil pressures,” he qualifies.

Calling card

Turns out Russ’ bagful of treats for Filipino filmmakers and moviegoers is stuffed with goodies.  He hopes “Darkest Night” will create enough buzz to serve as his “calling card” for GPI’s  follow-up project,  “Shadow of Death,” where one of the top leads will be  Filipino.

“We are looking for  veteran, famous Filipino actor for this sci-fi horror film which is a bit action-oriented,” says Russ. 

To add to its Filipino flavor, the producer is also injecting the kind of family drama moviegoers will see in “Darkest Night.”

And mind you, “Shadow of Death” is a more ambitious project than its predecessor.

“We’re looking at a much bigger budget for `Shadow of Death,” reveals Russ.

There’s more.  He wants to explore the width and breadth of films related to the gothic genre: fantasy, crime and drama,  etc.

So expect GPI not only to shock and make you cry.  Expect it to take you to unexplored worlds only a rich imagination can create.

“We already have a film called `Pandemonium’ which will start pre-production late next year.  And it will be shot in the Philippines,” Russ points out.

Big plans

All  this requires money --lots of it.  So Russ is crossing his fingers Filipino investors will join him and get the company established in the Philippines. This way, he can dream even bigger.

“We may come to the point where we might decide to release a film in Tagalog,” he reveals. When this day comes, he sees himself joining forces with  Filipino film companies and doing many things the Filipino way.

Russ doesn’t know if he will see this grand dream come true years from now.  But one thing he’s sure of: his best investment is quality.

“You end up with a half-baked product if you’re driven by the bottom line: money. The money will come when you’ve established a good reputation.”

As that famous line in the film “Field of Dreams” says, “If you build it, he will come.”

By doing his best, Russ hopes everything else will follow.

...the overlooked cities

5 of Asia's most overlooked cities

 

By Tiffany Lam

Sometimes the best times are had away from the tourist trails. Here are 5 lesser-visited Asian cities that provide just as much culture and fun as their more famous alternatives

Kagoshima, Japan

If you're so well traveled in Japan that you can tick off Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hokkaido, how about paying the quaint Kagoshima down south a visit?

With its balmy seaside breezes and mild sunshine, Kagoshima can pass for Naples on a summer day. No visit to Kagoshima is complete without a ferry ride to the massive stratovolcano Sakurajima, one of the most famous volcanoes in the country. And before you leave, be sure to sample Kagoshima's famous tonkatsu, a pork dish that is not breaded and deep fried as you'd expect from other parts of the country, but delicately caramelized.

Chengdu, China

Most foreign backpackers in China will be no stranger to Chengdu, a popular stopping point for travelers intending to journey up to Tibet. What many tourists fail to notice, however, is that Chengdu is worth much more than a one-night stopover.

Unlike other cities in this booming country, Chengdu possesses a laid-back vibe -- so much so that the Chinese have voted it the country's fourth most livable city. Locals are generally friendly and you're likely to bump into many like-minded tourists itchy for adventure and conversation.

Much of the local scene takes place at the sprawling People's Park, where the city's residents engage in their favorite pastimes throughout the day, be it tai chi, sipping tea by the lake, playing majong in the open or dancing. Entry to important archeological dig Jinsha Excavation Site may be steep at 80 RMB, but the huge number of artifacts there is well worth the ticket. At night, explore the bustling wine-and-dine area of Jinli Ancient Street for some after-dark action.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Taiwan is not just all about Taipei. Kaohsiung, the island's second-biggest city, is quickly outgrowing its reputation as an industrial and commercial hub to become a fascinating tourist destination in its own right.

Despite the wealth of historical buildings and the untouched forests in this sprawling city, for years Kaohsiung has been something of an underdog on the tourist circuit due to the city's reliance on industry, which polluted the city's waterways and air. But not any more. Recent efforts to clean up the city are finally reaping results: the romantically named Love River used to reek of sewage but is now the city's tourism focal point. A visit to Kaohsiung is incomplete without a sail on the river at night on a barge, with outdoor cafes and beautifully lit historical sights flanking the river on both sides.

Another great way to take in the city is to attend the annual Lantern Festival, a dizzying parade of fireworks, live concerts, lanterns and lip-smacking street food. The Lantern Festival is usually held in the middle of the Chinese New Year.

Daegu, South Korea

Neon-lit metropolises Seoul and Pusan may overshadow the quiet South Korean city of Daegu, but the latter deserves its own place in the spotlight.

For many Korean domestic travelers, Daegu's reputation for its sweet juicy apples and beautiful women is enough to warrant a visit. The city is also drawing visitors for its thriving traditional Asian medicine market. Check out the Yangnyeongsi herbal medicine market if you fancy bringing home some herbal curios back home.

With its textiles and clothing manufacturing industries going strong, the city is also positioning itself as a fashion hub in the Asia region in recent years. To see for yourself just how successful this rebranding has been, check out Daegu's central shopping district, Yasigolmok.

Sagada, Philippines

The Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines are practically a national symbol, synonymous with the Chocolate Hills and ube ice cream. But apart from the rice terraces there is little to see and do at Banaue.

Enter Sagada, a quiet town deep in the Mountain Province. The rice terraces at Sagada may be smaller than those of Banaue but is still photogenic and, better yet, there's plenty to do around town to keep you occupied for a day or two. Sagada's hanging coffins (coffins with mummified bodies hanging in a cave) leave quite an impression, while adrenalin junkies won't want to pass up the opportunity to hike at the Bomod-Ok falls or venture into the town's eerily beautiful caves.