The Singapore International Foundation (SIF) continues its six-part project to bring comfort and quality care to terminally-ill children in Jakarta.

Five Singapore specialist volunteers were in Jakarta from 11 to 17 April to oversee home visits by the medical and nursing staff of Rachel House, a hospice for children.

The Indonesia Childhood Cancer Foundation estimates that some 650 children are stricken with cancer each year in Jakarta alone. Rachel House is the first paediatric hospice to offer end of- life care in Indonesia.

While in Jakarta, Singapore specialists sent by the SIF addressed topics such as medical intervention policies and communication. The project aims to train a core group of Indonesian practitioners and caregivers who can transfer these skills to their colleagues.

The SIF is partnered with Rachel House and Dharmais Cancer Centre for this project.

How did you first get involved in the arts?

There wasn’t a particular moment of realisation when I thought, “I want to be an artist,” but I always just liked making nice things. Graphic art has always been appealing to me because it is art that everyone gets to see. Art after all is for the people!

While I never had formal training, I attended several workshops as a kid at Museo de Oro, our local museum in Mindanao. I also practised under Sir Nonoy Estarte, a respected artist from my hometown. In high school, I taught myself how to use Photoshop and fused photography with some hand-made installations and collages – this became a personal style and technique. I later progressed to video and animation, as they are the perfect platforms for combining these art forms.

In college, some friends and I formed the first digital art group in our city called Ratfobya (now defunct), where we taught each other how to use editing and designing software.

I then took up a bachelor’s degree in Development Communication at Xavier University that required me to work with the land, the local farmers and indigenous communities. This inspired me to make good use of my creative abilities. It made me realise that what we do as communicators (which to me is synonymous with being an artist) is to tell stories; and what can be more elevating than telling a story that makes a difference to your audience?

How were you selected for the SIF programme and what did you find valuable about it?

I received an invitation to apply last November. There was no doubt that I wanted to participate because I’ve always wanted to work in a formal art/museum environment and I was curious about Singapore.

I felt the need to share the art from my region, which is hardly represented in the world and even within the Philippines. My husband was very supportive despite us having to be apart for almost three months. I took the chance, got accepted, made good friends and networks, saw some great exhibitions and went to fantastic museums. I had the most amazing food, shared art with other artists, and basically had a really memorable time.

What did you find particularly memorable?

My partner in the programme Dayang Yraola and I, together with Singaporean poets Yong Shu Hoong and Yeow Kai Chai, put together a gathering called Show & Tell where several artists from different creative fields shared their work and processes. It was one of the most inspired creative gatherings I’ve participated in.

I also enjoyed visiting all the museums. I’ve never seen so many museums in one place before! I really enjoyed exploring the Asian Civilisations Museum, which left me feeling more respect and greater love for Asia.

Aside from art, what was your visit to Singapore like?

I really have to say that dieting is impossible in this country, and I mean that in all the best ways! During my residency I developed various addictions, one of which was to laksa (a noodle dish in spicy coconut milk-based gravy); I was determined to try all the different kinds to fi nd the best (which I realised much later on, is no easy task!).

Another was the fried fish noodle soup, so deceptively simple yet so deliciously satisfying. Still another memorable dish is my regular early morning roti prata (a flaky Indian pancake) with a cup of teh tarik (frothy milk tea that has been poured back and forth two containers) and sesame cookies for dessert.

My co-workers at The National Art Gallery, Singapore showed me that not all offi ce environments are completely boring and political. And my SIF ate or older sister, Agnes Seng – who coordinated the programme – became my friend and confidante as we shared many conversations, which often took place over some form of sweets.

Are there any connections to be drawn between Filipino and Singapore art?

Filipino art is richly diverse, yet shares similar stories and voices. Singapore is also richly diverse with different cultures converging in one single red dot. Singapore has a pretty good collection of Filipino art – Pacita Abad is perhaps the most well-known Filipino artist here because of her work on the Alkaff Bridge at Clarke Quay. There is also Brenda Fajardo, famous for her tarot card paintings. I am fascinated with her work and got to see more of it in Singapore’s National Collection.

Two memoranda of understanding (MOU) were signed with SIF overseas
partners in April.

The SIF renewed its long-running partnership with the Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (SPAFFC) and the Shanghai Municipal Bureau for Foreign Experts (SMBFE) to organise the Singapore-China Young Business Ambassadors (YBA) programme. Since 2004, the programme has had 20 Chinese and 18 Singaporean young professionals experience working and living in Singapore and Shanghai for 10 weeks, respectively.

The SIF inked a similar commitment with the Royal Civil Service Commission of Bhutan, to continue sending Singapore volunteers to the kingdom.

Since signing the first MOU in May 2001, the SIF has sent volunteers to Bhutan to work in areas such as counselling, vocational training, and integrating IT in education, as well as management of information systems, marketing and administration.

Innovation, sustainability and social justice were some of the issues addressed when a group of social entrepreneurs visited Singapore from 5 to 9 April.

In partnership with Ashoka, the SIF hosted three of its Fellows in Singapore. Ashoka, the world’s largest association of social entrepreneurs, aims to implement system-changing solutions to address urgent societal needs.

While here, the Fellows met with Singapore counterparts and had discussions on social innovation and entrepreneurship.

Mrs Joyce Djaelani-Gordon from Indonesia – involved in drug rehabilitation – met representatives from Action for Aids and the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association. Ms Preeyanan Lorsermvattana from Thailand met representatives from the Singapore Medical Council, as well as Prof. Kumaralingam Amirthalingam, Director of the Asian Law Institute. Education developer Padmanabha Rao from India visited the Educational Technology division of the Ministry of Education, and spent time with representatives from Partners for Progress, a non-profit organisation that provides technical support to rural schools around the world.

The Fellows also gave a public talk, “Pattern Changing in the Social World”, on how social innovators can have sustainable impact on beneficiary communities, at the Singapore Management University.