Features>Profiles
The Ballad of Speedy Gonzalez
Whether it was building a consumer goods empire, securing a cushy government position, developing a playground for gamblers and golfers, or seducing women into his bedroom, Tony “Speedy”
A Life Divine
Lulled into style stardom and the cult of personality that surrounded her, Chona Kasten became the fashion icon of Manila’s golden age. Her very triumph, however, carried in it the seeds of betrayal
At Play In The Fields Of The Lords
The romance of the rural haciendero lifestyle lives on in Negros, a genteel province with a checkered past, whose fortunes (and misfortunes) were closely linked to the ebb and flow of the
His Endless Summer
Ronie “Poks” Esquivel has one leg firmly planted on his surfboard and the other . . . well, there is no other leg. No longer a mere novelty act for seashore audiences to gawk at, Poks has
Pacman
It was only two years ago when a bull-headed Filipino athlete by the name of Manny Pacquiao became arguably the greatest Asian boxer of all time, thanks to a dramatic series of high-wattage bouts
The World According to Gary
Gary Lising separates himself from the current crop of comedians, he claims, by sparing the audience from ridicule during his routines—by mocking himself, not them. Yet government officials, their
The Paparazzo
Aside from his blog (which receives over 30,000 visitors a day), Mark “The Cobrasnake” Hunter has an LA Weekly column, a book deal, and a rumored reality show from the producers of The Real World.
The Collector
I first laid my eyes on Vintage Pop through a television commercial for a toothpaste brand. It seemed like this secret treasure trove waiting to be plundered. (In this day and age, the words
Shadows and Fog
From a distance, she was all about the sweeping gestures, elegant couture, colorful sound bites, and infectious laughter. Her 59-year-old life had all the subplots worthy of a film epic: an Ilongga
The Craftsman
Growing up with a small wood workshop in his front yard must have had a lasting effect in the mind of Nick de Lange, president of Designs Ligna, his family’s nearly 40-year-old furniture
The Inventor
He is changing the world one invention at a time. Dr. Billly Malang—the 59-year-old creator of vitamin-infused beer—has 42 inventions, 33 of which are patented in his name.
The Chairman
As far as rogues in the Philippine real estate industry go, multi-faceted developer Noel “Toti” Cariño has gone against the proverbial grain, boldly going where no conservative-minded
The Years of Living Dangerously
When Steve Psinakis met the Lopez family in the fifties, he forged a friendship that would test every moral fiber in his body and involve him in an epic odyssey of struggle against tyranny that
Lust For Life
Emerging from the underground, Karl Roy became one of Pinoy Rock’s most recognized frontmen in the Nineties. A dynamic performer, he was equal parts James Brown and Johnny Rotten, Pepe Smith and
The Resurrection of Ronnie Lazaro
In the mainstream realm of Philippine cinema, he may not fit the bill of a raffish leading man or swoony matinee idol—but celebrated character actor Ronnie Lazaro has gained critical acclaim
The Road to Malacañang
Under the torrid, political sun of a looming presidential campaign, Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II—the charismatic “Mr. Palengke” to the Filipino masses—is suddenly plunged into an endless
Glorious Bastard
Known for drop-dead cool lines and just a lot of people dropping dead in his movies, Oscar-winning director Quentin Tarantino flew into the country to check out the setting of so many of the
To Hell and Back
During the ‘80s and ‘90s, Balls Disco was the hottest nightclub in Cebu City, and it took a man with real balls to manage it. But when the long
Raging Bull
Despite being one of the country’s most colorful figures, Alfredo Lim’s life has been defined by his refusal to see the world in anything but black-and-white. The slogans heralding his comeback
Iron Man
Alaska Milk Corporation C.E.O. Fred Uytengsu left Manila at an early age to develop his skills in the corporate world, only to find himself back home in his mid-20s, running the company his father
Terror is a Man
If there’s any living artist in the Philippines today that can provide shock value of such blasphemous proportions, it’s Jose Legaspi. His work has elicited a variety of reactions—from a few
The Nuclear Glamazon
Helena Carratalá (most of you might remember her by her former married name Guerrero) could very well be one of the most colorful and flamboyantly fabulous women ever to have graced the Philippine
Ricky Carandang Reporting
From the sleepless world of high finance to the sleepless world of political journalism, Ricky Carandang’s career trajectory has been nothing but fast and furious. Now by exposing the “Hello,
I Fought The Law . . .
In the prime of his life in Manila’s social whirl, Rene Knecht had everything—wealth, women, and a world-class standard of living. But he also had a headstrong personality, and when he felt he
