Chescery Rose Belarmino: Aklanon TV Personality, Actress, Dancer, Singer

Chescery Rose Belarmino:

Aklanon TV Personality, Actress, Dancer, Singer

By

Melchor F. Cichon

December 21, 2014

(draft)

I met her accidentally.

One late afternoon, December 17, 2014, I was writing a haiga for a friend with a photo taken by Maxy Oconer Meñez. After I posted the finished haiga in my Facebook album, Full Moon, I scanned the other pictures taken by Maxy. One of the pictures I liked was that of another Aklanon lady: Chescery Rose Belarmino.

Inspired by her splendor, I immediately prepared a haiga for her and again posted it in my Facebook album. When I informed Maxy that I already have posted the picture of one of his subjects, he suggested that I should contact her, although my posting of the pictures he has taken has no problem with him.

With that hint, I immediately sent her a private message through the Facebook and asked her if I could use one of her pictures for a haiga.

Here is the message I sent to her:

Mayad-ayad nga hapon. Ches. Pwede ko mabutangan it haiku ro isaea mo nga picture ag dayon hay ipost ko sa ang Facebook album nga Full Moon? Ara ro haiku:

harvest moon—

even Ruby's wind stops

to glance at her splendor

Abu gid nga saeamat.

Melchor F. Cichon,  Awardee, Outstanding Aklanon for Culture and the Arts.

(Good afternoon Ches. Can I write a haiku on one of your pictures?  I will then post it in my Facebook album, Full Moon?

Here is the haiku:

Harvest moon—

even Ruby’s wind stops

to glance at her splendor

Thank you so much.)

I did not expect any reply from her.

But three hours after that, I received a reply from her: “ok sir. . Ty man sa pagpili kakon.” (ok sir…thanks also for choosing me)

With that permission, I immediately posted my haiga in my Facebook album. And she liked it.

Below is the haiga.

Not only that,  she allowed me to use her other pictures for my other haiga.

I got more interested in her, so I asked her if I could interview her. She agreed. 

Before that, Chescery was born on October 13, 1990 in Batan, Aklan. Her parents are Chester A. Belarmino and Cindy R Belarmino.

Her siblings are Chester R. Belarmino, Jr. and Clea May R. Belarmino.

Here is my online interview with her:

Melchor Cichon :  May I ask something about you? Are you an actress or a professional  model?

Chescery Rose Belarmino:  Yes, at ABS-CBN. And a local model.

Melchor Cichon: Ay gali. Wow, ang swerte ko naman, nakilala kita. Sa ano ka nga program sa ABS-CBN?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Home Sweetie Home,  Sir.

Melchor Cichon: Gali.  Permi kami karon gatan-aw. Hambaeon ko rang mga kaibahan sa baeay nga nakapagchat ako kimo. Masadya nga klaseng show ron.

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Huo, Sir.

Melchor Cichon: May pelikula ka eon man?

Chescery Rose Belarmino:  Haha. Wa,  Sir. Nag-uli ang abi ya sa Aklan.  May nawait bi ako.

Melchor Cichon: Nabasa mo ro akon nga ginsulat sa Facebook  timeline ko about you? Hara rang ginsueat:

I am so lucky today! This is a joy of being a poet. Today, I was able to "meet" an Aklanon who is not only a wind stopper because of her splendor but also an ABS-CBN actress. She is one of the actresses in Home Sweetie Home show. Her name: Chescery Rose Belarmino of Batan, Aklan. I featured here in my Facebook album: Full Moon.

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Wow,  Sir. Thank you gid. Fully glad. .Thanks po ulit.

Melchor Cichon: You deserve it! Perhaps later, I can write your short bio-profile so that more Aklanons will know more about your accomplishments.

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Thank you po. Nagpapasalamat Po ako kay God sa dami Niyang ibinigay na talent sa akin.

Melchor Cichon: Yon nga. Mabuti na yong naisulat because written records last beyond our graves.

Melchor Cichon: Thank you, Ches. Can I ask you some more information about you?

Chescery Rose Belarmino:  Opo. 3 years champion ako in dance sport,  in Latin category.

Melchor Cichon:  Wow, 3 years!  That's great. Where did you take your elementary and high school?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Linayasan Elementary School, Altavas, Aklan.  And in Altavas National High School.

Melchor Cichon:  When you were in the primary and secondary schools, did you receive any academic award?

Chescery Rose Belarmino:  Elementary po consistent 2nd honor hanggang maggraduate.  Sa highschool, wala po. Pero sa special science class ako in Altavas National High School.

Melchor Cichon: I read somewhere that you studied at NVC, on what course? And why that course?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Bachelor in Secondary Education, major in Music, Arts, Physical Education (MAPEH).  Coz I really love dancing,and music. Gusto ko magturo, kaso di ko type magteach.

Melchor Cichon: Bakit ayaw mong maging teacher?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Mababa po ang sahod at parang tatanda ka lang.

Melchor Cichon: Ok. From NVC, where did you go?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Nagwork ako sa Aklan Provincial Capitol Office,  Sir. Then nagpaManila ako ku June. Before that,  I represented Aklan in a dance sports competition,  in whole Visayas regions. And I won 3^rd place, over-all.

Melchor Cichon: Wow, may I know who your dance partner was?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Mark Arvin Rebaldo.  Kyuwee maw sa Facebook.

Melchor Cichon: How did you get into ABS-CBN?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Ging contact ako nanda, Sir,  ay nakita ako nanda sa Ganda Babae,  nagpascreening.  Hay na discover nanda ako.

Melchor Cichon: Mga kan-o ra? Ano ring first assignment sa ABS-CBN? What was your first impression then? Did you meet some embarrassing moments that made you a better actress later?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: June 23 (20??)  first ko sa GMA,  kat Puso Ni Dok as a reporter. Sa ABS-CBN,   mga August, (20??). Masadya kami ag level lang kami ku mga artista igto. Dahil may sarili rin naman akong dressing room.

Melchor Cichon: OK. What tv sitcom/program assignment that you considered to be the most memorable, and why?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: ABS-CBN po Home Sweetie Home. Kasi doon ko nafeel ang pagiging artsta na nga talaga. At nakakausap ko na mismo sila  Philip Salvador,  John Lhoyd Cruz, Ogie Diaz, Mitoy, Rico J.  Puno.

Melchor Cichon: Wow! Talagang kalevel mo na nga sila. Si Mitoy kuno hay Akeanon man?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Di ko alam, Sir. Barkada ko po sila  Moymoy Palaboy. At vocalist ng Cueshe

Melchor Cichon: OK.  Mayroon ka pa bang gusto maabot sa buhay?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Na madayon ako makapanaw sa abroad, Sir. Pero wa ko pa napanugid. Soon, gusto ko maiangat ang pamilya sa buhay. Ung marangya. Mayaman pero simpleng pamumuhay.

Melchor Cichon: Thank you gid Ches for your time. I will let you know once I have finished writing your profile. I will let you read it first before I post it in my blog/fb.

Chescery Rose Belarmino:  By the way, Sir, may onga eon ako,  Sir sa una. Pero nagbueag kami ku a Tatay. Bukon kami’t kasae.

Melchor Cichon: OK. Sin-o ra ngaean king baby. Pila eon ra edad?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: France Cheo Arceno,  8 years old eon imaw, grade 3. Ag tennis player imaw makaron sa Aklan.

Melchor Cichon: Wow. Tennis player. Aba, basi kon makahampang pa ron imaw sa Wimbledon Championships, sa French Open, sa Australian Open o kun sa US Open.

Melchor Cichon: Kon owa ka’t tv works, ano ring ginakalingawan?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Gamodeling, gakanta, Sir. Sa banda man ako. Makaron sa Nukes ako gabi-gabi.  Journalist man ako tag sa elementary ag sa high school. I also used to write poetry.

Melchor Cichon: What is your philosophy in life?

Chescery Rose Belarmino: Ika nga know your talent. Be thankful of what God has given you.

That’s Chescery Rose Belarmino: an Aklanon actress, a singer, and a prize-winning dancer. 

Kenneth B. Revestir: Lezo’s Pride

Kenneth B. Revestir: Lezo’s Pride

by
Melchor F. Cichon
December 15, 2014

It all started when someone from Aklan sent me a message asking me to translate in Aklanon  this phrase “Disaster resilient” because they were doing their Municipal Vision with Aklanon translation together with heads of an agency. They already had several translations but they were not satisfied with their works.

So the message sender tried to contact me.

After some minutes, I suggested the following:

Madasag makabawi sa kaeaeat-an

Madasag makaginhawa sa kaeaeat-an

Madasig makabutwa sa kaeaeat-an

Madasig makatibawas sa kaeaeat-an

Madali makabangon sa kaeaeat-an

Thinking that I was communicating with a gentleman, I read again his family name. I asked him whether the translation would be used in Lezo, Aklan thinking that the letter sender is from Lezo because the family name Revestir is a native of Lezo. But the message sender said that the translation would be used in Makato, Aklan.

I got curious if he is a native of Lezo. The message sender said yes. I further asked the message sender if Arnold Revestir, my former classmate in the elementary grades,  is familiar to him.

But the message sender said: I am a "she"! 

She further said,  “Parati pong napagkakamalan na lalaki ako dahil sa name ko. That’s why whenever I write my name, I always write Mrs. Hehehe.”

Unfortunately, when she sent me her request, she failed to write the abbreviation "Mrs" in her name.

Then she related to me how she first learned about me. She said: “If you could still recall po, I am the former Miss Kenneth Selorio Briones of Sta. Cruz-Biga-a, Lezo. A former teacher of Lezo Elementary School. I was the one who introduced you when Ma'am Della Mariano, our former principal,  invited you to be our guest speaker in one of our graduation ceremonies.”

Well,that event was memorable for me because I never had thought that I would be a guest speaker in my alma mater for I was always academically behind my classmates. Perhaps they chose me to be their guest speaker because of my accomplishments as a poet.

Now,Kenneth works as a District Supervisor in the Municipality of Makato, Aklan since 2011.

Based on our short exchanges of Facebook messages, I noticed that she can express her ideas clearly, so I asked her if she has the love for poetry or short story writing.

“A bit of poetry, Sir”, she said. “In my younger years of teaching,  I've been a coach and I really love writing although I  have no formal training on it. That's why, it was not so well developed.”

Since I love writing short profiles of some important personalities in our country, I asked Kenneth if I could interview her. She agreed.

Here are the results of our online interview:

Melchor F. Cichon (MFC): Wow, that indeed is a great news. I am so glad to know someone who is a District Supervisor. I am fond of writing short profiles of successful personalities. And I am thinking of featuring you in my blog, http://biographynotmine.blogspot.com/.  Would that be OK with you?

Kenneth Revestir (KR): Feeling so grateful, Sir...but I don't know if I'm deserving.

MFC: You are!

KR: Such a compliment from a person I really idolized and looked up too since the time I was assigned to introduce you...thanks so much Sir. I feel like I'm in Cloud 9...

MFC: If you give me that privilege to interview you, I will be in Cloud 10!

KR: hahaha...good vibes, Sir.

MFC: Would it be OK with you if I ask you some questions?

KR: Ok sir.

MFC:OK. What’s the greatest challenge you have experienced as a District Supervisor?

KR: To win the support of Makaton-on teachers, administrators and stakeholders since I'm not a native of the place and at the same time I'm the youngest to be promoted and most of my administrators are a bit older than I am.

MFC: How did you do it?

KR: I reached them out, Sir. I did not put any block on their way to reach me, too. And of course my Winning Smile, Welcoming Arms and Heart whenever they come to my office.

MFC: That indeed is a winning way of getting their support. But how did you get the support of those people who have attitude problem?

KR: I talk to them personally. I call them in the office as if we are talking in a friendly manner.

MFC: A refreshing way, indeed. When you were still in the grade school, what would you like to be?

KR: A teacher really, Sir...dream come true...maybe because my mother was also a teacher.

MFC: And your Papa, what is his background? How many siblings do you have?

KR: He was formerly employed at a Local Government Unit (LGU) when then mayor was Lolo Satur, the former Saturnino Fernandez, the father of our present mayor. Then he applied to DECS now DepEd as a Utility Worker of Lezo Elementary School,  now Lezo Integrated School until his retirement.

MFC: Ah,ok. You may or may not answer this: May I know your birthday? And the names of your parents?

KR: March 5, 1972 is my birthdate. My father is Johnston Dioso Briones and my mother is Alice Selorio Briones. I have 1 sister and 1 brother. Married to Engr. Salvador Allan I. Revestir with 2 sons, Vynz Keall, 11 years old, grade 6 and Al Nethan,4 years old.

MFC: I have an additional question. I hope you won't mind. Where did you take up your master's /doctoral degree?

KR: I finished my BEED and M.A in Educational Management at Aklan College, now Aklan Catholic College,  and my Ph.D. units with CAR at Aklan State University, Banga, Aklan po.

MFC: By the way, what's behind your name? Why Kenneth?

KR: hahaha...It's a man's name isn't it? It’s meaning is handsome...that makes me unique, Sir. According to my parents they were thinking of the name Azenith but they don't know what happened and how come that it became Kenneth...

MFC: Another one: what's your favorite flower. I have been looking at your pictures because I have been thinking of writing a haiga for you. I wish I could find a close-up picture of yours.

KR: I don't really have a particular favorite flower but I love flowers that are white because it symbolizes purity and red ones like roses for bravery.

MFC: Do you have any more comments? Any advice for our young ones. And to those who want to become a successful person.

KR: "Just give your best and reach for the stars."

MFC: OK. I am so happy for giving me the chance to interview you. I will surely work on this. I will let you see the draft before I will post it in my blog. Good night and enjoy.

KR: It's indeed a pleasure, Sir. Good night and God bless.

That's Mrs. Kenneth  Revestir, someone who is one of the most successful Lezonians.

Sean Marie A. Cichon

Sean Marie A. Cichon
by
Melchor F. Cichon


Sean Marie was one year and two months then.

Now that she could ran, she would go to all sides of the room. And when nobody would watch her, she would go to the bathroom and play with water in the tub, which is dangerous. She might get drawn there.

She was the center of attention in our family.

When she was not sleeping, almost every member of the family was helping hand in hand to watch her, or play with her.

Otherwise, everything that she would touch would be thrown away or would no longer be in its original position.

Then one day, her mother and her grandmother went to Leganes, Iloilo to buy clothes in the Ukay-Ukay. These are relief clothes which are sold in a very, very low prices. One pair of short pants could cost only fifteen to twenty pesos. Or a blouse could cost 15 pesos.

And they are all imported.

While her mother was away, I watched and played with her. She had this Rabbit toy with holes at its sides with different shapes. She would then drop the different cuts in their respective holes.

When her interest had passed away, she stood up and carried her toys toward her father.

But then she suddenly stopped. We did not know why. She then walked limping on her right foot.

Noticing her predicament, her father came near her and checked the right palm of her foot.

No wound.

He carried her to the second floor of our house and allowed her to walk, as she used to.

But it did not take one minute and she called her mama.

Her father carried her to their bed and gave her milk. She drank it without any problem.

Then they came down.

Sean walked towards me, but she was limping. I came to her and carried her in my arms.

We sat in our sofa. I examined her right legs. I could not find any dislocation on her bone. I massaged it as I have learned a little of reflexology. I could not feel any protruding bone.

And she did not cry.

I told my son to prepare a hot tower for a hot compress. Then we applied to her right foot. We did it twice.

After ten minutes, we allowed her to walk. She did. But for a few steps only. Then she would sit down.

I got worried. I just stayed calm.

When Sean's mother and grandmother arrived, Sean's father, my son, informed them of Sean's condition. They got worried.

I wanted to tell them what happened but I could not say clearly because I was in tears.

And I noticed a little swell on her right foot.

I remember when I was a small boy. When I had sprain my mother would get fresh leaves of kasla, a native plant which is now being cultivated as a source of oil for cars, then heated it on fire and applied it on the affected area. With that knowledge, I got some leaves from our neighbor and applied them to the affected foot of Sean after heating them in the fire to the affected foot. We bandaged that leaves for about one hour, and removed them because Sean was crying as she could not get them out.

After a few minutes, we allowed her to walk.

And a miracle happened: she could walk. In fact, she ran without complaining anything.