The TLYP Experience

yan ang final output ng pictorial ko sa Love Yourself! ang cute ko no? kamukha ko si Rocco! hahahahahaha!

(and then the magic dust fades... back to reality)

dumating ako ng pasado alas-dose sa the room, kahit na ang sabi ko sa sarili ko ay alas-diyes ako darating. late ako sa sarili kong schedule, bad bad bad!

"ay! ikaw lang pala!" napaka-warm na pagsalubong sa akin ni Migs (the Manila Gay Guy).
"oo, ako lang! haha!" sabay mahigpit na yakap sa kaibigang matagal-tagal na ring hindi nakita.

nag-register ako sa, er, front desk at iniabot na sa akin ang t-shirt ko for the shoot... t-shirt na sobrang ganda, parang gusto ko mag-register ng limang beses para meron akong limang t-shirt (which is not necessary naman kasi you can buy the shirt naman for 400 pesos only). pramis! sobrang ganda ng shirt, hindi sya magiging pambahay lang after the shoot. pwede mo sya ipang-mall, ipang-gimik, ipang-simba, o kahit isuot mo pa sya sa kasal! hindi ka mapapahiya!

sinamahan ako ni Migs papunta sa photoshoot area kung saan nandun ang ilan sa mga officers ng Love Yourself. and nandun din si Sir Ian Felix Alquiros (Anthony? hahahaha!) at nagulat ako na kilala nya pala ako! nakakasama na ako sa mga shoot nya dati, pero, pramis, akala ko talaga suplado sya. mali pala ako. kwento kwento ng kaunti at nagbihis na ako.

habang naghihintay ako sa turn ko para ma-makeup-an, nakakatuwa na pakalat kalat lang dito sa studio yung mga taong nakikita natin sa mga promotional pictures and videos ng Love Yourself sa blogosphere. and, mas nakakatuwa pa dito is that everyone is in a very light and friendly mood. yung tipong ngitian ng ngitian, very welcoming, at iwas-op talaga. kahit hindi ko pa sila nakakausap, pakiramdam ko eh magiging palagay ang loob ko sa kanila.

nagsimula ang shoot ko. aliw! hindi ko alam, pero this time, may kakaibang feeling sa harap ng camera at sa ilalim ng mga nakakagulat na puting ilaw. siguro kasi alam kong this is for a good cause... at tsaka THE Ian Felix Alquiros ang nagsu-shoot sa akin. it's funny how Migs, the supposedly posing coach during that time, just left nung ako na ang isinu-shoot. hindi ko na daw kailangan ng coaching. haha!

matapos ang shoot, nakipagkwentuhan muna ako saglit sa ilan sa mga officers ng Love Yourself. and nakakatuwa ang usapan tungkol sa kung anu-anong bagay. maya-maya na lang, nagulat na ako na from being a participant, nagbebenta na ako ng ticket for the film showing next week! salamat kay James Bon (vice president ng Love Yourself) na na-sales-talk ako para mag-sales-talk ng mga tickets sa mga participants. but it was super duper fun! at nagkaroon pa ng friendly competition (nga ba?) with Neil Bryant Calizo (secretary ng Love Yourself, aka Mr Pout!) sa pagbebenta ng ticket. sobrang lafftrip talaga!

syempre nakakwentuhan ko rin si Vinn Pagtakhan (president ng Love Yourself) na, like me, eh hindi rin nauubusan ng energy (sige! go, explain what Love Yourself is! hee hee), had a quick chitchat with James Worrosaran (the uber hot hot hot treasurer of Love Yourself) kahit na super busy sya, and also mingled with other volunteers and facilitators (special shoutout to Eric na very accommodating, and to Oli na very haggard after the day!). to be honest, i really wanted to be a volunteer for the group too. kaso naisip ko, hindi ba weird that a sex worker like me will actually be a volunteer to help stop aids, samantalang most people point their fingers to people like me, na kesyo isa daw kami sa biggest factors kung bakit mabilis kumalat ang hiv sa msm community. but then, after talking to all these volunteers, especially to Papi James Bon, nakaka-touch isipin na wala silang pakialam tungkol sa trabaho ko and they actually inspired me more to be a volunteer. it only goes to show one thing... it's not about who you are, it's about how you can help.

what's best about the event, though, is that i get to meet some bloggers (hello to fabsacters McVie, Gibbs, and CC!) and a lot of people who are very eager to support the advocacy. nakakatuwang isipin na mapababae, lalaki, straight, bading, mataba, payat, professional, bum, estudyante, sikat, pinoy, foreigner, and people from different career groups and walks of life eh nagsama-sama sa isang event na ganito to help promote awareness about hiv, promote ways in preventing it, and inform people that there is always someone who is ready to listen to you about this very sensitive issue. talagang kwentuhan at bonding to the max. and, not to mention more highlights of the event...

one, Rocco Nacino himself participated in the shoot! bukod sa pagiging super cute nya, sobrang commendable si Rocco for being very friendly. sayang, hindi ako nakapagpapicture sa kanya. and, funny, kasi instead of Vinn introducing me to him with my real name (si Vinn kasi ang contact person ni Rocco, and sya ang nagpakilala kay Rocco sa aming lahat), ipakilala ba naman ako sa Boy Shiatsu! ayun! nagulat si Rocco sa pangalan kong Shiatsu. haha!

two, Mr. Raymond Alikpala, author of the book "God Loves Bakla" (available na sya sa bookstores, go get a copy!) was also there to support the project. nakakahiya nga, kasi kinukulit ko sya about the tickets, not knowing he is THE Raymond Alikpala pala! but Sir Raymond, though quiet and quite reserved, is very nice naman. he even signed some copies of his book for some of the people in the studio. sweet!

three, Direk Maryo J delos Reyes visited to show his support. it was quick, but the moment is very memorable!

after a long day, kahit na nakakapagod at talagang nakakaubos ng energy (the makulet na shoot, the makulet na bentahan ng ticket, the makulet na pag-motivate sa ibang participants during the shoot, the makulet na paggaya sa mga pictures na nakadikit sa wall ng studio ni Sir Ian, the makulet na rampahan at pagsayaw sa mga club music sa background, and the makulet na kwentuhan), sobrang fun naman ng event. sabi nga ni Migs... "that's all that matters... having fun! kahit ano pang ginagawa mo, just have fun, yun ang importante."

sa mga hindi nakaattend, sayang... pero need not to worry. as from what i heard, part 2 is already being planned! make sure you don't miss it!

and, let me take this chance to promote the film showing na rin next week! masaya to!

*switches to sales talk mode*

biruin nyo, 500 pesos lang, two movies na agad! (samantalang ang imax, 600 pesos, isang movie lang!) tapos, may kasama pa itong finger foods (yung sa imax, wala!). and the best thing about this, may meet and greet pa! walang ganyan ang imax! get a chance to meet and greet the officers and participants of Love Yourself (hahahaha!). but, seriously, let's all take this chance to show the world how united and how dedicated we are in delivering the message to the people about the risk of hiv, and about what we can do about it. wouldn't it be fun to mingle with people who support a very good advocacy? plus, may kasama pang kwentuhan from famous photographers, writers, bloggers (Migs will be there!), people from the fashion industry, and kung sinu-sino pa! let this be not just a night of showcasing two great films, but let this be a night of mingling, friendship, and bonding, while we all show our support to The Love Yourself Project and it's mission to help prevent the spread of hiv!

Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa and Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington will have a special back to back screening on august 23, 2011, tuesday, at SM Megamall Cinema 9. for further queries, visit the Love Yourself website here. kitakits!