The business of making music
JAL TAGUIBAO has a very simple way of telling just when a song can be called a hit. “When your song is being played in jeepneys,” he says, “that’s when it’s gone big time
Prime Sarmiento
Hong Kong-based journalist covering ASEAN. With special focus on Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, and Singapore.
Conquered by videoke _ Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
SHE HAS always loved to sing, and as a young girl even joined amateur contests held in her hometown of Mainit in Surigao del Norte. Now based in Los Baños, Laguna, Christine Ajoc hasn’t foregone the joys of singing to an audience, even if she has not become a professional singer. If the 25-year-old is not in a videoke bar where she and her friends feast on crispy pata and take turns singing songs by Rivermaya or Christina Aguilera, Ajoc is singing (and eating and chatting) with the help of a videoke at a friend’s house.
Optimism stays in frame for art scene
"The art market moves in tandem with the economy. What comes first is the foundation of Asian economic growth ... it doesn't look like it's affected too much (by the pandemic). And that's because of the strength of domestic consumption."
Exploring world's 'oldest' Chinatown
Ivan Man Dy is perhaps the Philippines' most popular tour guide.
Besides his role as local guide to the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, Man Dy is known for popularizing Binondo, Manila's Chinatown, as a tourist spot.
IP laws usher in new chapter
Strict copyright enforcement and protection can reduce piracy, encourage writers and boost the online literature industry
Leaping off the page
Legend of Fuyao premiered in China in June and generated nearly 14 billion clicks in less than two months, making the online fantasy series a summer blockbuster hit.
Putting prices in the frame
Beyond the name and reputation of the artist, factors at play include the work’s provenance and the collectors’ willingness to spend.
Art imitates life
China’s now prominent status in the international art scene is a reflection of the country’s rise in the global economy
Ware and when
Philippine expert is passionate about Chinese porcelain and its historical significance to Silk Road trade.
Even in Singapore, Pinoy artists are bankable _ Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Twelve years ago, Francisco ‘Kiko’ Escora was already happy when a painting of his fetched P3,000 at an exhibit in Manila. But today Escora must be ecstatic; his works are being snapped up not only in his home country, where they now average P70,000 a piece, but also in places like Singapore, where Escora paintings are bought for S$4,000 each, or a cool hundred grand based on a P30:S$1 conversion.
