Break up doesn't always mean heart break.

Do you know how it feels like when you've built your whole world around one person then suddenly that person breaks up with you for all the good reasons and you end up with shattered dreams in front of you? Well I don’t.

The initial client for my thesis was the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators, SCBWI Philippines. It was easy to convince the regional director to be the client for this project because she thought it was “interesting.” I was actually glad for her immediate response, which made me not pursue my initial thesis topic on school for multisensory impaired.

Being a writer, publisher, illustrator, mother and a lot of other things, she’s a really busy person so our first meeting was at a booktalk at Greenbelt 3, with two other young people whose interest in children literature made them bring Roald Dahl’s books. I had to attend the SCBWI Booktalk so that I could consult my thesis with her. My client was kind enough to give me the chance to discuss my thesis with the group and they had “interesting” suggestions and ideas. Yep, it’s nice to hear ideas from non-archi people. Hard as well. :P

Our second meeting was supposed to be for consultation for the architectural program. It was the same day I met with Rio Alma. Upon getting a really good grasp of the meat of my thesis, which is promoting literacy, she breaks off with, “That’s not what we do. That’s not our concern.” And she had a really good explanation on what they really do that I almost got ashamed of what I was doing. Something about the difference between an author and an author who is also a publisher. (Saving this topic for another post.)

It was understandable why she had to break up with me, or call off our architect-client relationship. She believes that my project does not capture what the organization really does and what they stand for. And I actually did not intend it to be so it was okay for me to let her go. I think what bothers her is the idea that the book will be in library archives forever and might give the wrong idea to people on what SCBWI is all about.

Most of my data are based on my interviews with her. Most of the data in my architectural program are based on those data.  So yeah, that’s what I was referring to when I said shattered dreams. I asked my adviser about this and she said it was okay and that I should stick to that database. And that’s why
I said, “Well, I don’t.”

I thank you, Ma’am Beaulah for saying “This is interesting,” when that’s the only thing I was looking for to pursue this project I am currently working on. We have met only twice but I’ve learned a lot from you. I see you have great reasons behind what you do. So please, carry on.

Meeting with the National Artist

Yes, this is BIG deal.

I was lucky that my boss' connections can reach Neptune. He got Virgilio Almario to say yes when he asked him if I, an architecture student, can consult with him regarding my thesis. Known as the father of modern Filipino children's literature, he is also a respected poet, critic, teacher, and author of over 30 children's books. In 2003, he was declared National Artist for Literature. (Adarna House)

Sir Almario started Adarna House, the Philippines' first and largest publisher of children’s books. I could not ask for more! He's the one person in the world I knew who'd understand and appreciate the idea behind my thesis!

But of course, it wasn't that easy and it required a lot of lakas ng loob!

When we finally set a date for the meeting (through text), I had spent my days since then with butterflies on my stomach. I knew I had to prepare well for that meeting. So prepare I did! I made a PowerPoint presentation with animation (which I don't usually do on ppt), an excerpt of which is here and saved it on my iPad. I bought almost all of the children's books he wrote and the manuals of Adarna House on Storytelling and Activities for Children, at the Manila International Book Fair at SMX Moa.

I read about him in the website of Adarna and of UP College of Arts and Letters and... on Wikipedia and stalked him on FB, though all I was able to see there was a picture of a house on his cover photo.

And at 10AM on a Wednesday, I was there standing in front of his office door, waiting for him. I had to make a call for support for I cannot take it alone. And after that short phone call, everything was suddenly bearable and I felt stronger and able to face what challenge I've put myself into.

More about this after we meet again. Perhaps on a Thursday morning next semester. ;)

Presentation for Consultations

An updated version of My thesis in a nutshell.

Selection of Project Location

So about the programming, I was able to generate a total of 96 pages, thanks to Daryl who let me use his site data (and diagrams as well), which was about half of my programming submission. (Work smart, not hard.) I had to choose three sites for my site, as was mentioned already in my previous posts.

The selection of the location is as follows:

Main Structure

City	Population	Land Area (km2)	Population Density	Growth Rate (2000-2007)	Proximity to Makati City
	(as of August 1, 2007)		(per km2 land area, 2007 data)
Manila	1,660,714	25	66,482	0.68	1
Mandaluyong	305,576	9.3	32,893	1.29	2
Pasig	627,445 c/	49	12,948	3.04	3
Makati	567,349	22	26,303	3.41	6
Pasay	403,064	14	28,852	1.77	4
Taguig	613,343	45	13,567	3.82	5

Fort Bonifacio Global City is the selected site for the main structure.

Satellite Children's Web

REGION	Children Population (unit)	rank	Basic Literacy Rate (%)	rank	Functional Literacy Rate (%)	rank	Elementary Textbooks Distribution (unit)	rank	TOTAL  RANKING SCORE
NCR	3 078	16	95.6	2	94	1	809 700	7	26
CAR	509	1	99.2	9	89.2	5	222 228	16	31
I	1 553	10	94.8	3	91.3	4	816 412	6	23
II	951	3	98.2	8	86.1	7	669 770	11	29
III	2 935	15	95	5	92.1	3	1 409 130	3	26
IV – A	3 442	17	97.8	4	93.5	2	1 853 865	2	25
IV – B	1 096	4	98	7	83.9	10			23
V	2 091	12	95.1	6	79.9	13	697 000	10	41
VI	2 278	14	96.6	11	82.6	11	1 129 630	5	41
VII	2 119	13	94.5	7	86.6	6	1 134 990	4	30
VIII	1 594	11	95.1	15	72.9	16	800 705	8	50
IX	1 167	5	93.6	12	79.6	14	664 187	12	43
X	1 371	9	94	13	85.9	8	590 453	13	43
XI	1 329	7	93.9	14	81.7	12	775 890	9	42
XII	1 301	6	93.7	16	78.3	15	471 820	14	51
CARAGA	851	2	92.1	10	85.7	9	455 830	15	36
ARMM	1 353	8	81.5	17	71.6	17	171 075	17	59

Below is the final ranking of the regions based on the parameters for selecting the site. Based on this list, the location shall be selected based on its accessibility to the researcher, or proximity to NCR.

1.      ARMM

2.      XII - SOCCSKSARGEN

3.      VIII - Eastern Visayas

4.      IX – Zamboanga Peninsula;

X- Northern Mindanao

5.      XI - Davao

6.      V – Bicol Region

VI – Western Visayas

7.      CARAGA

8.      CAR

9.      VII - Central Visayas

10.  II – Cagayan Valley

11.  NCR

III – Central Luzon

12.  IV-A CALABARZON

13.  I – Ilocos Region

IV-B MIMAROPA

The region most accessible to me ranks in no. 6, Bicol Region. I then had to know which province in Bicol had the lowest literacy rate and which of the municipality is the poorest.

In the website of Ateneo Social Science Research Center on Bicol Social and Economic Monitor, a table on Literacy by Province shows that Masbate has the lowest functional literacy rate.

According to a research done by Bernadette M. Gavino-Gumba, entitled The Social and Economic Dimensions of Rural Poverty in the Province of Masbate, “poor municipalities in Masbate are most likely to have less access to potable water, less access to sanitary toilet, high malnutrition, infant mortality and maternal mortality rates, low elementary and secondary participation rates, low elementary and secondary cohort survival rates, high illiteracy rate, less access to safe housing and lack of ownership of agricultural lands. This may be initially proven by the case of San Pascual being the poorest municipality in the province and the region, and consistently being among those with highest malnutrition, infant mortality and maternal mortality rates.”

Therefore, San Pascual, Masbate was the chosen location for the satellite children's colony.

Satellite Artists’ Colony

For the satellite artist’s colony, the selected site is Baler, Aurora, also the location of the newly developed, privately owned institution Artist’s Village.