STATUS: If This World Were Mine

[Alicia]
If this world were mine
I would place at your feet
All that i own
You've been so good to me
If this world were mine, oh
I'd give you the flowers, the birds and the bees
And with your love inside me
That'll be all i need
If this world were mine
I'd be there to give you anything, oh

[Jermaine]
If this world were mine
I would make you a queen
With wealth untold
You could have anything
Girl, if this world were mine
Yeah yeah yeah
I'd give you each day
So sunny and blue
And if you wanted the moonlight
Girl, i'll give you that too
Oh, if this world were mine all mine
I'll give you anything
Oh baby your my inspiration
And theres no hesitation
When you want me
Honey just call me

[Alicia]
Oh baby your my consolation
And theres so much sensation
When im in your arms honey
When you squeeze me, oh 

[Both]
The things that you do
Ooo ooo ooo ..
The things that you do
Ooo ooo ooo .. 

[Jermaine]
Every sky would be blue
As long as your lovin me, baby
[Alicia]
Oooooh, when im in your arms
Life is so wonderful, my love 

[Both]
Oh oh oh ..
Give me pretty lovin baby
Give me pretty lovin darlin
Keep on lovin me, baby
Oh oh oh , you know i need you darlin
You know i need you honey
Keep on lovin me, baby
And the world would be yours
Yeah yeah yeah .. Baby
And the world would be yours
Yeah yeah yeah .. Oh

If This World Were Mine sung by Alicia Keys and Jermaine Paul, written by Marvin Gaye

History of Philippine Architecture

I can still remember that moment in my freshman days, when I looked through that glass covered window of room 202 Roque Ruaño building. It’s drizzling then, kind of cold and bored, when suddenly I’ve been warped into another place and time. I think it was Hispanic or something. But yes, of course, it was my imagination. Like a glimpse of the past as I gaze at the façade of the University of Santo Tomas main building. Then I started to wonder why it looks so grandiose and like it has a story to tell. Then I told myself, definitely it has a history.

Philippine Architecture started way back from Malay’s migration to the Philippine islands. Compared to what we have right now, our architectural heritage reflects varied foreign influences.

To clearly picturesque the turning points of architecture in our country, let it be known that this is classified according to successive periods in our history: the Pre-Colonial, the Spanish Colonial, the American Commonwealth and the Modern Contemporary Times.

It has been always said that we already have our own flourishing culture before the Spaniards came to colonize us, and I firmly believe that. Our Malay tribal ancestors had their “Bahay Kubo”, a steep-roofed, one- or two-roomed hut raised on steep posts over the ground or shallow water. Throughout the archipelago, the rural native huts depicts a typical look but have marked dissimilarities. These dissimilarities depend on where they are located. A good comparison is the two types of native huts, the low-land and the high-land.

Low-land huts, like the Yakan tribe hut, are well ventilated, suitable for humid climate. On the high-lands, especially in Cordillera region, their huts are well insulated for the region’s cold climate. One of the several known tribal huts is the “Torogan” of the Maranao tribe, because it is designed for the royal family, thus, ornamentation and elaborate details are taken into consideration.

Low-land Nipa hut (Batangas Province)

High-land Nipa hut (Mountain Province)

Torogan hut of the Maranaos (Lanao, Mindanao)

Ornamentations on a Torogan hut

The arrival of the Spaniards in 1571 brought in Christianity. The demand for chapels began to spurt due to the conversion of the locals into Roman Catholics. At first, locals built chapels using bamboos and nipas, much like the native nipa hut.

The concern for stability, literally, has been raised to make sure that the church can withstand calamities such as storms or earthquakes. Educated friars then designed churches according to the prevailing style at that time, the Antillean Architecture. Obviously, the design is not suitable for a tropical country, like ours, so our Filipino and Chinese master builders revised the design according to climate and funding. A typical colonial church is built with a belfry, friar’s house or office, a convent and a walled forecourt.

San Agustine Church (Paoay, Ilocos Norte)

San Agustin Church (Intramuros, Manila)

Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion (Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur)

Miag-ao Church (Miag-ao, Iloilo)

Noticeably, the style that tremendously influenced most of these colonial churches is the Baroque style, a style that implies motion. At that time, schools and hospitals were also built and some of them also follow the Baroque style as exemplified by University of Santo Tomas, Ateneo Municipal, Colegio de San Juan de Letran and Hospital de San Juan de Dios.

University of Santo Tomas main building (Espana, Manila)

Ateneo de Municipal (Intramuros, Manila)

Colegio de San Juan de Letran (Intramuros, Manila)

Hospital de San Juan de Dios (Pasay)

With the churches, schools and hospitals, residential and commercial buildings were also built. These structures are called “Bahay na Bato”. The structural format of this is an integration of bahay kubo. Bahay na bato is built from refined wood on the main storey and concrete on the ground storey. It features shelled (capiz) windows and well ventilated rooms, and to add, a tiled roof.

Bahay na Bato (Sorsogon)

The coming of the Hispanic culture also brought in the Military Architecture, as depicted by the fortifications built all over the archipelago. The most famous is the walled city of Manila, the Intramuros, which inside it resides the foremost military outpost during the Spanish reign, the Fort Santiago.

Intramuros: The Walled City (Manila)

In the same location, we are freed by the Americans from the Spanish regime led by the 1887 Philippine Revolution.

Compared with the Spaniards, the Americans brought in educational and government system. In line with it, they brought the Greek and Romanesque style. Buildings raised at that time resembled the said styles as seen in the Palma Hall of University of the Philippines, the Government Post Office Building and the Legislative House.

University of the Philippines Palma Hall (Quezon City)

Post Office Building (Manila)

Legislative House (supposed to be the National Library) (Manila)

With the American rule firmly established in the islands, the military government invited Chicago based architect and town planner, Daniel Burnham to develop the City of Manila. It then became the “Burnham Plan” which identifies the City of Manila as uniquely European city in the tropics, but it was stopped by Manuel L. Quezon to make way for an irrigation system funding. He then found the summer capital of the Philippines, Baguio.

At the turn of the century, commercial and residential districts are established and flourishing. The Eclectic Style rose as a mixture of historical styles, examples of this is the Regina building along Escolta. Art Noveau broke out, such as the Uy-Chaco building along Calle Rosario, as well as the Casa de Ariston in Calle Barbosa, Quiapo. In the mid 20’s until the eve of World War 2, Art Deco was the “In” architectural style. The most notable example of this is the Metropolitan Theatre along Plaza Aroceros.

Regina Building (Escolta, Manila)

Uy-Chaco Building (Calle Rosario, Manila)

Metropolitan Theatre (Plaza Aroceros, Manila)

The aftermath of World War 2 left nothing but destruction. This led to rebuilding. The architectural style that prevailed at that time is the International Modern Style, a style that uses simple straight lines.

By 1970’s, a new form of architectural style emerged, a style that we truly can say ours, the Filipino style. Bahay Kubo and Bahay na Bato became the popular motifs for inspiration, the perfect example of this is the Batasan Pambansa.

Batasang Pambansa (Quezon City)

By the 80’s, with the world, Post-Modernism architecture took its reign, and up to this day, it prevailed.


The history and culture of the Philippines is greatly reflected in its architectural heritage.


The late national hero for architecture, Leandro Locsin, said, “The Philippine Architecture is an elusive thing, because while it makes full use of the modern technology, it is a residue of the different overlays of foreign influences left in the Philippines over the centuries: the early Malay culture and the vestiges of earlier Hindu influences, the more than three hundred years of Spanish domination, the almost fifty years of American rule, the Arab and Chinese influences through commerce and trade over the centuries. What resulted may have been a hybrid, a totally new configuration which may include a remembrance of the past, but transformed or framed in terms of its significance today. As a result, the Philippines have become an architectural melting pot, uniquely Filipino with a tinge of the occidental.”

________________________________________________

This was my report some years ago when I was still a sophomore Civil Engineering student at UST. My professor and fellow classmates were surprised with this presentation since we should be researching and reporting something related to our major. I guess math, cement and critical thinking bored me. My intuition guided me to architecture. I'm such an artsy.

P.S.: Clicking on the pictures redirects you to the sites where I've found these photos (my thanks to the admins of those sites, especially the bloggers. The text was done on research.

The 53rd Grammy's!

The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards is just around the corner! It is exactly 36 days, 13 hours, 19 minutes and 26 seconds before it happens on the 13th of February 8PM (ET/ PT) on CBS (Just don't know which local television network will air it). The moment I knew that the nominees are out I immediately browsed their site just to find out that Alicia Keys is not nominated! Damn, is there some kind of technicalities on why her album The Element of Freedom and her songs were not recognized. Like were those not released in the period wherein the Grammy committee will be choosing? Upon scrutinizing, I found out that she was not really nominated, because it is released within the eligibility period for the 53rd Grammy's, which is September '09 to August '10. Too bad, I'm in love with Love is Blind, Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart, Unthinkable (I'm Ready), Love is My Disease, Put It In a Love Song, This Bed and Almost There (an MJ remake). Anyways, here's a list of the major awards and my predictions... no make that "my bet".

Record Of The Year

1. NOTHIN' ON YOU
Track from: The Adventures Of Bobby Ray
B.o.B Featuring Bruno Mars

2. LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE
Track from: Recovery
Eminem Featuring Rihanna

3. F*** YOU
Cee Lo Green

4. EMPIRE STATE OF MIND
Track from: The Blueprint 3
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys

5. NEED YOU NOW
Lady Antebellum
Track from: Need You Now

My bet: Empire State of Mind or Need You Now


Album Of The Year

1. THE SUBURBS
Arcade Fire

2. RECOVERY
Eminem

3. NEED YOU NOW
Lady Antebellum

4. THE FAME MONSTER
Lady Gaga

5. TEENAGE DREAM
Katy Perry

My bet: Recovery


Song Of The Year

1. BEG STEAL OR BORROW
Ray LaMontagne, songwriter (Ray LaMontagne And The Pariah Dogs)

2. F*** YOU
Cee Lo Green, Philip Lawrence & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Cee Lo Green)

3. THE HOUSE THAT BUILT ME
Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)

4. LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE

Alexander Grant, Holly Hafferman & Marshall Mathers,

songwriters (Eminem Featuring Rihanna)

5. NEED YOU NOW
Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott, songwriters (Lady Antebellum)

My bet: Need You Now


Best New Artist

1. JUSTIN BIEBER

2. DRAKE

3. FLORENCE & THE MACHINE

4. MUMFORD & SONS

5. ESPERANZA SPALDING

My bet: Drake


Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

1. KING OF ANYTHING

Sara Bareilles

2. HALO (LIVE)
Beyoncé

3. CHASING PIRATES
Norah Jones

4. BAD ROMANCE
Lady Gaga

5. TEENAGE DREAM
Katy Perry

My bet: King of Anything


Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

1. HAVEN'T MET YOU YET
Michael Bublé

2. THIS IS IT
Michael Jackson

3. WHATAYA WANT FROM ME
Adam Lambert

4. JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
Bruno Mars

5. HALF OF MY HEART
John Mayer

My bet: a toss between Half of My Heart and Just The Way You Are


Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

1. DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' (REGIONALS VERSION)
Glee Cast

2. MISERY
Maroon 5

3. THE ONLY EXCEPTION
Paramore

4. BABYFATHER
Sade

5. HEY, SOUL SISTER (LIVE)
Train

My bet: The Only Exception

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals

1. AIRPLANES, PART II
B.o.B, Eminem & Hayley Williams

2. IMAGINE
Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No 1, Jeff Beck & Oumou Sangare

3. IF IT WASN'T FOR BAD
Elton John & Leon Russell

4. TELEPHONE
Lady Gaga & Beyoncé

5. CALIFORNIA GURLS
Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg

My bet: California Gurls


Best Pop Vocal Album

1. MY WORLD 2.0
Justin Bieber

2. I DREAMED A DREAM
Susan Boyle

3. THE FAME MONSTER
Lady Gaga

4. BATTLE STUDIES
John Mayer

5. TEENAGE DREAM
Katy Perry

My bet: The Fame Monster


Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

1. READY TO START
Arcade Fire

2. I PUT A SPELL ON YOU
Jeff Beck & Joss Stone

3. TIGHTEN UP
The Black Keys

4. RADIOACTIVE
Kings Of Leon

5. RESISTANCE
Muse

My bet: Radioactive


Best Rock Song

1. ANGRY WORLD
Neil Young, songwriter (Neil Young)

2. LITTLE LION MAN
Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons)

3. RADIOACTIVE
Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill & Nathan Followill, songwriters (Kings Of Leon)

4. RESISTANCE
Matthew Bellamy, songwriter (Muse)

5. TIGHTEN UP
Dan Auerbach & Patrick Carney, songwriters (The Black Keys)

My bet: Radioactive


Best Female R&B Vocal Performance

1. GONE ALREADY
Faith Evans

2. BITTERSWEET
Fantasia

3. EVERYTHING TO ME
Monica

4. TIRED
Kelly Price

5. HOLDING YOU DOWN (GOING IN CIRCLES)
Jazmine Sullivan

My bet: Bittersweet


Best Male R&B Vocal Performance

1. SECOND CHANCE
El DeBarge

2. FINDING MY WAY BACK
Jaheim

3. WHY WOULD YOU STAY
Kem

4. WE'RE STILL FRIENDS
(Kirk Whalum &) Musiq Soulchild

5. THERE GOES MY BABY
Usher

My bet: There Goes My Baby


Best Urban/Alternative Performance

1. LITTLE ONE
Bilal

2. F*** YOU
Cee Lo Green

3. ORION
Carolyn Malachi

4. TIGHTROPE
Janelle Monáe & Big Boi

5. STILL
Eric Roberson

My bet: Fuck You!!!

Best R&B Song

1. BITTERSWEET
Charles Harmon & Claude Kelly, songwriters (Fantasia)

2. FINDING MY WAY BACK
Ivan "Orthodox" Barias, Curt Chambers, Carvin "Ransum" Haggins, Jaheim Hoagland & Miquel Jontel, songwriters (Jaheim)

3. SECOND CHANCE
E. Debarge & Mischke, songwriters (El DeBarge)

4. SHINE
John Stephens, songwriter (John Legend & The Roots)

5. WHY WOULD YOU STAY
K. Owens, songwriter (Kem)

My bet: Bittersweet

Best R&B Album

1. THE LOVE & WAR MASTERPEACE
Raheem DeVaughn

2. BACK TO ME
Fantasia

3. ANOTHER ROUND
Jaheim

4. WAKE UP!
John Legend & The Roots

5. STILL STANDING
Monica

My bet: Wake Up!


Best Contemporary R&B Album

1. GRAFFITI
Chris Brown

2. UNTITLED
R. Kelly

3. TRANSITION
Ryan Leslie

4. THE ARCHANDROID
Janelle Monáe

5. RAYMOND V RAYMOND
Usher

My bet: Raymond V. Raymond


Best Rap Solo Performance

1. OVER
Drake

2. NOT AFRAID
Eminem

3. HOW LOW
Ludacris

4. I'M BACK
T.I.

5. POWER
Kanye West

My bet: Over or Not Afraid


Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group

1. SHUTTERBUGG
Big Boi & Cutty

2. FANCY
Drake, T.I. & Swizz Beatz

3. ON TO THE NEXT ONE
Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz

4. MY CHICK BAD
Ludacris & Nicki Minaj

5. LOSE MY MIND
Young Jeezy & Plies

My bet: My Chick Bad


Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

1. NOTHIN' ON YOU
B.o.B & Bruno Mars

2. DEUCES
Chris Brown, Tyga & Kevin McCall

3. LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE
Eminem & Rihanna

4. EMPIRE STATE OF MIND
Jay-Z & Alicia Keys

5. WAKE UP! EVERYBODY
John Legend, The Roots, Melanie Fiona & Common

My bet: Empire State of Mind


Best Rap Song

1. EMPIRE STATE OF MIND
Shawn Carter, Angela Hunte, Burt Keyes, Alicia Keys, Jane't "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic & Alexander Shuckburgh, songwriters (Sylvia Robinson, songwriter) (Jay-Z & Alicia Keys)

2. LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE
Alexander Grant, Holly Hafferman & Marshall Mathers, songwriters (Eminem & Rihanna)

3. NOT AFRAID
M. Burnett, J. Evans, Marshall Mathers, L. Resto & M. Samuels, songwriters (Eminem)

4. NOTHIN' ON YOU
Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars & Bobby Simmons Jr., songwriters (B.o.B & Bruno Mars)

5. ON TO THE NEXT ONE
Shawn Carter, J. Chaton & K. Dean, songwriters (G. Auge & X. De Rosnay, songwriters) (Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz)

My bet: Empire State of Mind

Best Rap Album

1. THE ADVENTURES OF BOBBY RAY
B.o.B

2. THANK ME LATER
Drake

3. RECOVERY
Eminem

4. THE BLUEPRINT 3
Jay-Z

5. HOW I GOT OVER
The Roots

My bet: Thank Me Later


Best Short Form Music Video

1. AIN'T NO GRAVE / THE JOHNNY CASH PROJECT
(Johnny Cash)

2. LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE (EXPLICIT VERSION)
Eminem & Rihanna

3. STYLO
Gorillaz, Mos Def & Bobby Womack

4. F*** YOU
Cee Lo Green

5. BAD ROMANCE
Lady Gaga

My bet: Bad Romance

For a full list of nominees please click: http://www.grammy.com/nominees

STATUS: Impossible

It's impossible
It's impossible to love you
If you don't let me know what you're feeling
It's impossible for me to give you what you need
If you're always hidin' from me

I don't know what hurts you
I just, I wanna make it right
Cos I'm sick and tired of trying to read your mind

It's impossible (impossible)
Oh baby it's impossible for me to love you, this way
It's impossible (impossible)
Oh baby it's impossible
If you makin' it this way

Impossible to make it easy
If you always tryin' to make it so damn hard
How can I, how can I give you all my love, baby
If you're always, always puttin' up your guard

This is not a circus
Don't you play me for a clown
How long can emotions keep on goin' up and down

It's impossible (impossible)
Oh baby it's impossible for me to love you, this way
It's impossible (impossible)
Oh baby it's impossible
If you keep treating me this way
Over, over (over and over)

Impossible baby (impossible, impossible)
If you makin' it this way, this way
Oh baby, it's impossible
If you're makin' it this way

Impossible by Christina Aguilera featuring Alicia Keys