Key Points
- Bantayan Island takes centre stage at Times Square in New York City as the video works of Filipino artist Martha Atienza, 'Our Islands 11°16’58.4 N 123°45’07' is being shown from 11:57pm to 12:00am every night this July as part of the Midnight Moment.
- The Philippines celebrate 'National Disability Rights Week” on July 17 to 23 a month after the country's president Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr proclamation of the said occasion.
- Fans and communities across the world, including the Chinese community in Kogarah in southern Sydney remember the Hongkong-American martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. It has been 51 years since Lee's death on July 20, 1973.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST
Trending Ngayon_Bantayan Islands at Times Square_PH National Disability Rights Week_remembering Bruce Lee.mp3
05:56
Bantayan Islands at Times Square
As part of New York Times Square's Midnight Moment, Philippines' Bantayan Islands in the province of Cebu take centre stage as the film, 'Our Islands 11°16’58.4”N 123°45’07.0”E' by Filipino artist Martha Atienza is shown from 11:57 PM to 12:00 AM every night this July the month of July.
Midnight Moment is considered the world’s largest and longest-running digital public art program, featuring innovative works of contemporary artists on the iconic electronic billboards of Times Square.
Atienza's "Our Islands", originally a 72-minute film, showcases underwater scenes from Bantayan Island. Compressor divers perform a procession on the very ocean floor, mimicking the Ati-Atihan parade. They wore various costumes and items that refer to Filipino culture, from Santo Niño to a caricature of Manny Pacquiao with boxing gloves, and Roman centurions.
Part of the film, 'Our Islands 11°16’58.4”N 123°45’07.0”E' by Filipino artist Martha Atienza is being shown at Times Square this whole July. Credit: Times Square Arts
The film aligns with Atienza's environmental advocacy, shedding light on the perils encountered by compression divers from Bantayan Island amidst ocean degradation.
'Our Islands' was awarded the Baloise Art Prize in 2017 and acquired by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi in 2021, with previous screenings across Asia, Australia, and Europe.
'National Disability Rights Week'
In June, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. designated July 17 to 23 every year as the "National Disability Rights Week," strengthening the Philippines' commitment to uphold the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
"In the two-page Proclamation No. 597 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin on June 13, President Marcos directed the Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), to lead, coordinate and supervise the “National Disability Rights Week.”
The NCDA is tasked to identify programs, activities and projects for the celebration.
President Marcos affirmed that the Philippines remains dedicated to the objectives of the UNCRPD, which aim to promote, protect, and guarantee the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for individuals with disabilities while fostering respect for their inherent dignity.
Remembering Bruce Lee
Fans from across the world remember Hong Kong-American martial artist and actor Bruce Lee who died on July 20, 1973.
In the southern Sydney suburb of Kogarah in New South Wales, a memorial event was held to mark the refurbishment of a public statue of the late martial artist and actor.
The statue was a gift from Kogarah's sister city in Guangdong, the ancestral home of Bruce Lee.
