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JERARD (a RadarPH exclusive interview with Jerard Eusebio)  Words by Pael Balbaboco | Photographed by Jarnne Brian Escalona

 Laffar-Smith (2012), citing Griffith University (2012, p. 17), suggested that there are several key elements common to all forms of creative writing. These are character, plot, setting, structure, issues, narrative voice, narrative viewpoint, action, dialogue, language, and style or genre.

 For creative writers, these elements are their weapons in creating compelling narratives. Even though these elements are primarily identified as basics of written works, these can also be used in knowing more about the creative writer – that of a gripping (and sometimes, cunning yet sweet) life. In this Radar feature, Jerard Eusebio, photographed by Jarnne Escalona, is taken by bits and pieces, by pen and paper, one creative written element at a time.

THE CHARACTER

RADAR: Who is Jerard Eusebio?

JERARD: I’ve always found this question difficult to answer. I think I’ve spent most of my life trying to understand myself. Throughout the years, I’ve discovered that the best way to do that is to understand how I relate to and with people and my environment. The more people and situations you interact and deal with, the more you uncover parts of yourself previously unseen. At the same time, spending time alone can be one of the easiest ways to get acquainted with yourself better. In both approaches, the goal is to seek your inner truths. I guess we can say Jerard is a truth-seeker.

RADAR: Tell us more about yourself.

JERARD: Hmm. I’m 28 years old. I was born in Adelaide, Australia—that’s something I always say because most people find it interesting. But I grew up in Los Baños, Laguna and where I reached the height of 5’5”. What else? I prefer tea to coffee. I make great lemonade. I am a huge Mariah Carey fan. On Wednesdays, I wear pink (not really).

RADAR: How would you describe yourself?

JERARD: I’ve been branded a lot of things. A “tita.” An old soul. Sentimental. Sensitive. Poised. I think these are all accurate to a certain degree. But people who really know me would say that I’m your typical people-pleaser. I’ve been working on that and have had some progress.

I’m quite transparent, too. People would know if something was up with me. My face can tell it all.

RADAR: How do you think your family and friends would describe you?

JERARD: These days, I’m the maverick of the family. This is mostly because I’ve been entertaining ideologies that challenge the norms. But before that, they’ve always assigned me as the creative person. I’m sort of the authority when it comes to interior designs and gardening. I paint. I write. I take pretty pictures. My friends would think the same, but they’d also say I’m a bit vain. But I think they know that deep inside I’m a warm person. And I try very hard to be best friend that I can be.

RADAR: If you are not who and what you are now, who and what would you be?

JERARD: One different move in my past and I would probably be a triathlete now. Or a serious gym rat. Or a farmer. Or a florist. I’m completely amenable to being any of those.

THE PLOT

RADAR: What is Jerard Eusebio all about?

JERARD: This might sound a little pretentious, but I am all about becoming the best person I could be. And by that I mean taking each day as an opportunity to be more loving, wiser, and kinder. I knew since college that my calling was to inspire others by my words, actions, and advocacies. This is really the reason I wanted to become a writer. But I’ve learned that it doesn’t have to be grand. It can just be as simple as suggesting to my friends to bring their own bags when going to the grocery store.

RADAR: What is the highest peak of your life so far? And the lowest?

JERARD: I will not pretend that my life hasn’t been blessed with so many amazing moments. Right off the bat, the peaks would be all the times I’ve been published. That’s something sacred to me because I know that my voice has been given a chance to be heard. Getting feedback from a work I put out is heartwarming. The lowest point would be anytime that I sulked and invested in hating myself, anytime in the past where I wished I was a different person, or when I rebuked the things about myself, when I thought that I wasn’t enough, wasn’t worthy. There’s no sadder thing than for someone to disown his own truths.

THE SETTING

RADAR: You travel right? Which destination is by far your most favorite?

JERARD: Yes! I had the most magnificent time when Dylan (my boyfriend) and I went to Donsol, Sorsogon in 2015. We went to swim with the whale sharks. The experience was just great because we literally waited on the boat in the middle of the sea for them to surface so they could feed. Swimming with them is seasonal since they’re wild and free. The gentle giants only visit the area once a year. During our time, we were able to swim with three different whale sharks. It was amazing. Another highlight from that trip was our experience with the people of Donsol. They are by far the nicest we’ve ever encountered in our adventures. Everyone treated us with kindness and a smile, even random strangers we would pass by. It was the perfect trip, really.

RADAR: Where else do you want to go?

JERARD: It has always been my desire to go back to Adelaide. My parents have nothing but nice things to say about our stay there. It’d be nice to visit the hospital where my mother gave birth to me. Right now I’m saving up for an Indochina trip. I also hope to visit Rome and New York in the near future.

THE STRUCTURE

RADAR: What do you do in life?

JERARD: Right now I’m a community manager for a marketing and consultancy agency in Makati. That’s just a fraction of how I spend my time and I would vehemently express that doesn’t define who I am, because the rest of my time, I spend learning about things that interest me and I’m interested in a lot of things, from cooking to gardening. You can say I dabble in almost everything except in automotive and computers. Those things escape me. I’ve also started establishing an ornamental plant nursery in my hometown. That’s something I’m quite serious in seeing through.

RADAR: What is your day-to-day routine?

JERARD: I’m proud to say that I’m living independently from my parents. Dylan and I keep an apartment in the city. We do the cleaning, the cooking, and the washing. I begin a typical day by preparing food while he exercises. (I rather exercise after work.) Then we go to work, which is less than an hour away. Nights are spent to do any of these things: writing, reading, exercise, movie viewing, and house cleaning. In between all of these, we take care of our 7-month old cat named Midnight.

THE ISSUES

RADAR: What are the struggles of a Jerard Eusebio?

JERARD: Trying to get the right balance of things—finances, relationships, career, and passion. I would say, “Same as anybody.”

RADAR: What surprises you? What disappoints?

JERARD: I get surprised by a lot of things. For instance, buko pie flavored ice cream. This is why I love shopping for food. About other things: It always surprises me when humans are capable of doing horrible things. When you listen to news these days about wars, crimes, and endless killings. It disappoints me to know that some people in this day and age still continue to embrace antiquated ideologies and backward ways.

THE NARRATIVE VOICE

RADAR: In general, what makes you an active person? And what makes you passive?

JERARD: I’m involved in things that I’m passionate about. So, it’s usually the artistic things in life—visual arts, music, film, and literature. But I’m also into gardening, politics, current events, social media trends, science, and a bit of sports. I’m not sure if I’m into fashion, but I like it when I’m wearing nice clothes. With everything else that I’m not particularly passionate about, I’m pretty passive. Did I get the question right?

THE NARRATIVE VIEWPOINT

RADAR: As a creative writer, which point of view do you use most of the time? Why?

JERARD: Most of what I’ve written since I’ve been on Tumblr—those that I’ve posted anyway—have been written in first person. I think that’s mostly because they’re really creative non-fiction. But since grad school, I’ve shifted to third person (omniscient). Like, with the novel I’m writing. Of the 18 chapters, only one is written in the first person. Apart from this POV being the easiest to write in, it’s also the effect of me detaching myself from my characters and my stories.

THE ACTION

RADAR: Tell us more about Paghayo.

JERARD: Paghayo.com is really a depository of our travel notes. This has been Dylan and I’s project for the longest time. Recently, we’ve begun updating the website. The meat of it is really our travel and the stories we’re compelled to write about from our experiences. The two of us love to eat. Naturally, we’re featuring dishes and delicacies both from our trips and our creations in the kitchen via the site’s Food section. That part would also soon feature some of our recipes on our favorite dishes. The two of us cook every chance we get. Paghayo means to go forth.

THE DIALOGUE

RADAR: What would you tell your 10-year-old self?

JERARD: Easy. “Buy more books and don’t hesitate to buy Mariah’s Rainbow album. It will literally change the course of your life.”

RADAR: What is your advice to all aspiring artists out there?

JERARD: Can I say like a list? (1) Everything has already been written. Nothing is original. The only thing we can do is to tell stories in the way only our individuality can. (2) Don’t be afraid to feel, both suffering and joy are sublime. There is no life without either. (3) In whatever you do, do it with discipline, patience, and love.

THE LANGUAGE

RADAR: What is your “language”? Intelligent? Romantic? Wise? Annoying?

JERARD: Oh, my language is definitely romantic with an admirable attempt at sounding insightful, incisive, and—at perfect moments—profound. At least I wish or think this is the case.

THE STYLE OR GENRE

RADAR: What is Jerard Eusebio’s “style” in life?

JERARD: I’m not sure I get the question, but I would always go for the classic look. (This why Radar50’s cover is quite me.) I like things that I know would be timeless. I believe in time-tested values, decency, respect, and good manners will bring me a long way. Consequently, my aesthetics should follow these motifs. Something that I would say is a recent acquisition would be my partiality for simplicity. I like being simple, clean, and organized. It’d be extremely rarely to find me gaudy.

RADAR: To which life “genre” do you belong to?

JERARD: Tricky. Since I generally regard myself as a realist, it would make sense that I’d be part of a realist novel.

And then some…

RADAR: Five weird things about you

JERARD:

1.       I’m an advocate for men peeing sitting down.

2.       I enjoy being in dimly lit rooms. I avoid bright, artificially lit places.

3.       I never use faucet water when brushing my teeth.

4.       The cartilage in my nose is broken. I can make a clicking sound with it upon request.

5.       Apparently, I look taller in pictures.

RADAR: Ultra, mega, super, duper favorite song of all time

JERARD: Underneath the Stars by Mariah Carey

RADAR: Other plans in life

THE GOLDEN MILE (The Landmark 50th Issue) 

Photographed by Jarnne Brian Escalona

I can still recall every tiny detail from the first time I scheduled a quick photoshoot for my online blogazine, Tumblr Mag PH (now RadarPH). It was November 2012. I was a fresh grad, and just started working as a multimedia assistant. It was an issue that celebrates the meaning of being a woman. A tribute to all ladies of Tumblr Philippines who are truly inspiring, successful, and are known for their chosen field of expertise. I asked a good friend of mine , Riji Anne Mae Canog, beauty queen, and a member of the UPLB Street Jazz Dance Company, to grace the cover of this very special issue. My friends and I have always wanted her join the prestigious Binibining Pilipinas, and Asia’s Next Top Model.

Riji is a chameleon. She can sport different looks and give life to it with her captivating aura. For our shoot, I just asked her to look androgynous, and rugged. Our setting, a not-so-public venue…inside a shopping mall. The biggest one in Calamba, Laguna. She was so into the idea of walking around the mall, posing, turning heads, catching attention, making a scene, while I take pictures. Riji don’t get ready, she stay ready. I was excited, at the same time giddy that it all happened one fine evening, right after my work shift, at the busiest place in Calamba. I got all the shots that I need for the issue in less than an hour. It was the very first time I met Riji.

On my way home, I was browsing all the photos from the shoot, and I think to myself, I would like to keep doing this. I will keep doing this. The thrill of making a scene in a crowd, the fun that it brings me getting to know these amazing artists, and bloggers whom I just get to interact with online and learn from them… these are just some of the things that pushed me to take a break at work, and find time to schedule an actual photo shoot for this online project. To meet different young visionaries, talents, people of the arts, and personally take a glimpse of who they really are.

Ushering our landmark 50th issue, is a resident Tumblr blogger, and quite a storyteller, Jerard Eusebio (http://jerardeusebio.tumblr.com/). In this issue, we’ll give you a view of the different dimensions of this pretty-faced “moreno” from Laguna, and why he is our pick to represent an issue that celebrates freedom and transformation.

I would like to thank our guest editor for this issue, social media maven, Melvin Tordecilla (http://beben-eleben.tumblr.com/) and our associate editor, Raphael Balbaboco (http://paelbalbaboco.tumblr.com/) for crafting this collectible of an issue with me. Also, working for the very first time on a RadarPH cover and editorial, our photographer Jarnne Brian Escalona (http://jjarnofhearts.tumblr.com/).

UMBRA 2.0:  Bisaya Women Artists Fine Art Photography

18 MARCH 2017 | SATURDAY | 6PM

Happening at the VETRO Art Gallery, 135 Congressional Avenue, Project 8, 1106 Quezon City. 

After 2016’s Umbra, the B&W pop-up photography exhibition of Banawe Corvera and Jan Sunday launched in Cebu comes Umbra 2.0, with the inclusion of another female photographer, Gail Geriane. Umbra 2.0 brings the works of these female Bisaya artists to a wider audience, crossing over regions. Their B&W collection aims to highlight photography as fine art and to promote self-image awareness. For women, as women. - Banawe's style delves into low-key monochromatic photos that paint daydreams through abstractions, landscapes, and portraits. Her work brings out the strong and subtle bearings of feminity and grace with a play on melancholy. –– @_banawe Jan's work resonates a stark cry for womanhood to be viewed and celebrated not just in the light but in the darker, grittier moments as well. It bares both existentialist and feminist thought. –– @thejansunday Gail’s artistry challenges socio-cultural dictates on what beauty should look like, letting viewers see the mundane through a whole new perspective. Her work aspires for women to rediscover their beauty, one that is diverse and in constant change. –– @jzabigailgeriane

Deeper than the Dark (photographed by Jasfher Callejo)

Follow Jasfher and check out more of his beautiful photographs: http://chentryx.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/jasfher/

Seven strong issues after we transitioned from Tumblr Magazine Philippines to Radar PH, you were still with us. This goes out to all those who believe and support us in our effort to share with you the caliber of our young local bloggers, artists, photographers, travelers, and talents of the modern culture.

NEW NORMAL 

Born as Abraham Joseph Nuevas, AJ is a 22-year old Bachelor of Science in Entertainment and Multimedia Computing student at the University of the East- Manila. I just came across one of his beautiful artworks online and tried to stalk the artist behind it. Soon i realized, I knew I’ve seen this guy before. True enough, after asking him, I first saw him during last year’s Graphika Manila at the SMX Convention Center. He was this cool-looking guy in a very interesting outfit which at first i thought was a Korean. Aside from making digital portraits of his favorite characters and personalities, AJ loves to read.

“I always make sure that I have a book with me everytime I go out. I’m also into writing ever since high school. I think it’s important to have something that you can use to channel what you feel. I’ve written a few stuff that you can read here: https://ajnuevasart.wordpress.com. I also like watching spoken word poetry videos. There’s something about listening to people reciting poems that I like. I actually wrote two slam poems that I performed in two separate events.”

In this exclusive interview, AJ talks about doodling, his close encounter with LA Aguinaldo, his love for the arts, and obsession with matcha.

Take us to AJ's younger years. When you were a child, what did you dream you'd become?

I remember telling my mom that I want to become a scientist when I grow up. I used to watch a lot of cartoons when I was young. My favorite characters were Dexter from Dexter’s Laboratory and Jimmy Neutron. I think it’s either television has influenced me at a very young age or I’m that curious about a lot of things (like most kids).  

When did you discover your knack for the arts? For digital painting?

I remember doing arts as early as my elementary days. I would draw almost anything but mostly cartoon characters. I have this one sketchbook filled with Clow Cards sketches (yes, I’m a fan of Cardcaptor Sakura). But I got serious with arts when I was in my junior year in high school. I discover this thing called “doodling” in Tumblr. You just basically draw anything that comes into your mind and I got engrossed into it. My dad and my sister bought me Moleskine sketchbooks and I filled them with it.

           During my second year in college, we’re required to take computer graphics. Part of the syllabus is digital painting. We were asked by our professor to make one portrait that would serve as our final project. It was my first time making one during that time. Unlike my other projects, I didn’t feel pressured doing it. I didn’t think about the grade that I would get from it. I actually enjoyed doing the whole thing. So it all started there. I find myself doing more pieces after that.

How often do you go to your drawing board and work on an artwork?

I don’t have a specific schedule to follow. I guess whenever an idea pops up in my mind that’s the time I would do the conceptualization and start doing it.

What are your obsessions?

I’m sort of obsessed with anything that’s matcha flavored. From food to drinks down to dessert. I could eat two servings of matcha bingsu and I wouldn’t mind asking for another one. I’m quiet obsessed with eating nuts too. I would eat a lot especially when reviewing for exams because I guess it keeps my brain functioning (or not) . I also have this odd obsession over psycho-thriller themed books and movies. That’s why the story that I wrote for our thesis film is about a detective with split personality disorder. There’s something about our minds that fascinate me. Our brain is powerful that it can do all sorts of things, whether good or bad. And the choices we make tell us who we are as a person (I know it got deep that quickly).

Artists you look up to and what is it with their art that inspires you?  

Two of them are Jeremy Geddes and Erik Jones. Jeremy’s works are so eerie and mysterious. He would always show astronauts, floating girls, building in ruins to name a few. Looking at it gives you this chill at your spine (well I guess for me.) I like it how he makes ruins and destruction still look beautiful. His art somehow teaches me that there’s always beauty in everything, it’s just a matter of how we perceive and see it. While Erik’s works are always a combination of colors and geometric shapes. I like it how he incorporates his painting with geometry and they complement each other well. They both inspire me to challenge myself to experiment, break boundaries and you know, do better art.

Out of all the artworks you've done, which one is your favorite/or probably the most special and why?

I actually have two. The first one is my painting of LA Aguinaldo which he noticed when I posted it on my Instagram. I had the chance to give it to him in person. He was such a nice guy and giving your art to someone who appreciates it is something I could say special for me. The second one is my painting of Darna that was exhibited at UP Manila. It was my first art exhibition that I joined in.

Future plans. Do you see yourself putting up an exhibit of your works? 

I just want to make more paintings. It’s one of the things that I really love doing. I also want to meet new people and make friends with people in the industry with the same interests. And yes, I want to join more art exhibits or set up one for myself in the future.

We see you also have a cool taste when it comes to fashion. I'm obsessed with the way you dress up. Yes I'm kind of stalking you haha. Tell us something about it. 

Thank you for that! I actually don’t know what I call this style of dressing up. It feels like a combination of street style and laid-back fashion. I also kind of adapting the 80’s fashion style (let’s admit it, they rock). But honestly, the way I put my clothes on varies depending on my mood. I can go from a fashionable school boy who lacks sleep to a tito from Manila wanting a shot of tequila. I actually want to break the norm that our society imposed about how men should style themselves. I guess we’re all free to wear anything we want as long as we feel comfortable and good about it.

3 Weird Facts we don’t know about you.

a. I haven’t tried drinking or even sip any kinds of liquor. It’s been like a promise that I made to myself when I was in high school.

b. I can burp really loud (like really loud). I sometimes think to myself maybe this is one of my few hidden talents.

Exactly five days before the grandest beauty pageant in the universe, where we will be represented by our very own, Maxine Medina, here’s a quick collage we made featuring all the queens that wore the crown from 1991 up to the reigning queen Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach. 

CHRONICLES FROM GREAT HEIGHTS (an exclusive interview with Louie Danganan) 

Traveling has always been more than just a form of lifestyle and leisure. For some, it is a much-deserved escape from the concrete jungle they live in, or demanding life in the corporate world. For 26-year old Industrial Engineer graduate of Bulacan State University, Louie Danganan, traveling is his ticket to a braver version of himself. I’ve been friends with Louie since the golden years of Tumblr here in the Philippines. But in this exclusive interview, i discovered that he’s got a lot more dimensions in him that people need to know. His knack for landscape, street, & night sky photography, local backpacking, waterfall hikes. His love for photo blogging, reading novels, poetry, indie rock/ indie pop & pop rock music to name a few. 

We've known each other a few years back, when we were active on tumblr. When and how did you discover tumblr? 

*Digging into my memory* It was around 2007 or 2008 when I heard Tumblr from a friend and looked it up in curiosity. I have had a few blogs before I stick to the project blog I have today which I started in 2013.

I see you're into traveling now. When did your knack for it started? 

My interest in traveling got piqued when I was sent for official business trips in 2011 to Visayas and Mindanao. Then further stoked by a 6-day hitchhike trip to Marinduque the following year, my first ferry ride. It was an epiphany to make the most out of my capable years. It is not for life that I am able and hale I thought then that then is the time to do something like it. Travels got frequent and more frequent and here I am still into it.

What is it with traveling you love the most? 

Traveling is many exciting things. That's what I love about it. I am exposed to the world, and I'm consistently challenged to outdo myself. What I would not typically do in the comforts of home, I find doing when I travel like reaching out to people, listening to their stories and socializing. Another thing is discovery. It gives me sense of accomplishment when I learn about a places despite physical and mental effort it requires. Travel allows me too to creatively express my self through photography while I let loose of myself in beautiful, foreign places. 

How many places in and out of the country have you been to? Which among these places is the most unforgettable and why?

I don't count. I'm after the experience as trite that may sound. For a fact, I haven't been outside the country yet for reason that I personally endeavor to explore much of my native land first before I set out exploring other lands/ seas. I'm smitten by our islands, mountains and seas that I've dedicated my present blog for personally documenting how fascinating the Philippine archipelago is. And I take pride in doing it.***One remarkable experience I had to say was when I ventured out to do my first (unintended) solo travel to the southernmost tip island of Palawan called Balabac for five days in the summer of 2014. There I met a very good friend, listened to plenty of intriguing and in some occasions, unbelievable stories by my hosts ranging from his good young days of carefree, silly travels, to sea pirates and poachers in that area of Palawan, to crocodiles in local politics and literal crocs in Bugsuk Island, to extra terrestrials during the Marcos era.

Moments from that travel that are etched in my mind: Sailing the glass-like surface of the varying blue and green shades of the Sulu Sea; discovering a pink beach down south - Comiran Island; boat-racing with a pod of dolphins; riding a bogo, a local boat, across a stunning beach just to buy soda from a sari-sari store on the other side of the island; a simple supper of sweet, succulent crabs, fish and tomatoes while being greeted by a low hanging full moon, its yellow glimmer on the surface of the black sea; sleeping in a hut that stood by the white beach so fine, raw and vast it could equal two football fields; chased the sunset by doing nearly an hour of walk to the west side of the island through the inland woods and chased in return by the night on our way back to camp, only the patch of white sand and moonlight serving as guide; greeted by an unseen rustling in the loo in the middle of a pitch black night that turned out to be huge hermit crabs tramping on the floor.  

I could go on and on and on and it seems glamorous in retrospect. But in fact, it was very simple and spontaneous, at times, unsafe even. Those days when I was stripped off of any personal material preoccupation, my appreciation was higher, and it made the experience truly unforgettable. What is your key takeaway in every travel you have? Every learning experience, the frames that I take home, and the confidence I gain when on the road. I must admit I always get anxious whenever I set out to travel but I believe that taking that fearful leap is how I become courageous.  

5 most essential things you need when traveling. (Aside from passport of course)

As I have not ventured out of the country yet, passport did not make it to the list ((: On top of money and phone, my 5 most essentials are:5. sarong (my all around cloth, blanket, towel, cover, etc.)4. sunscreen3. wipes2. headwear - bandanna or cap1. dlsr & gorillapod.

Your dream destination.

Locally, Babuyan Group of Islands . Internationally, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Which do you enjoy better, traveling alone or traveling with friends? :)

Traveling with one to a few friends.

By the way, what camera are you using?

I lug around a Nikon DSLR D5200 with 18-55mm kit lens. While equipment matters for performance and image quality, I believe the taker's skills, perspective and motives are most significant in photography.

THE ROAD GOES ON FOREVER (Sagada, in the eyes of Jarnne Brian Escalona) 

UNSPOKEN DEFINITES (Maikhoben Franco’s La Union detour)

ULTRALIGHT BEAM (Visions of Hong Kong by Faye Alcoriza)

ONCE  UPON A TIME IN CHINA (Photographed by Dave Gabriel)