Ala Paredes

{{Infobox person

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Angela Nadine Mabanta Paredes

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|04|17}}

| birth_place = Pasadena, California, U.S.

| nationality = American, Filipino, Australian

| other_names = Ala Paredes

| known_for = Environmental activist, vocalist, TV personality, model

| alma_mater = Ateneo de Manila University

| employer = ABS-CBN Global

| occupation = Correspondent

| spouse = {{married|John Buencamino|March 15, 2015}}

| years_active = 2001–present

| title =

| partner =

| children =

| parents = Jim Paredes (father)

| signature =

| website = {{url|ala-ism.pansitan.net}}

| footnotes =

}}

Angela Nadine Mabanta Paredes (born April 17, 1983), professionally known as Ala Paredes, is an American-born, Australia-based Filipino environmental activist, artist and writer, who at various times in her career was also a TV host, VJ, commercial model, and vocalist for Filipino alternative band Hiraya. Since moving to Australia, she has become one of the correspondents covering Australia for the Philippines' ABS-CBN News & Current Affairs.

Early life and education

Paredes was born in California and raised in Manila.{{Cite web |last=Montage |first=Design |date=2011-08-08 |title=Interview with illustrator Ala Paredes - Design Montage |url=https://designmontage.com.au/interview-illustrator-designer-ala-paredes/ |access-date=2024-06-04 |language=en-AU}} She is the daughter of singer Jim Paredes of the APO Hiking Society.{{Cite web |last=Acar |first=Aedrianne |date=September 23, 2021 |title=The beautiful life of Jim Paredes's daughter Ala Paredes in Australia |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/entertainment/celebritylife/news/14435/look-the-quiet-life-of-former-vj-and-model-ala-parades-in-australia/photo |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=www.gmanetwork.com |language=en}} As a toddler, she displayed her talents in drawing.

Paredes graduated from high school in 2000 at the School of the Holy Spirit (SHSQC), a private, all-girls Roman Catholic school in Quezon City. Before going to college, she took a pre-college course at the University of Oxford.{{Cite web |last=Fausto |first=Rose Fres |date=June 12, 2013 |title=Jim Paredes: Daddy Groovy {{!}} Philstar.com |url=https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/health-and-family/2013/06/12/953018/jim-paredes-daddy-groovy |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=www.philstar.com}} She then moved on to the Ateneo de Manila University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 2004.{{Cite web |last=Jurado |first=Jules |date=February 11, 2010 |title=Ala Comes Home |url=https://theguidon.com/2010/02/ala-comes-home/ |access-date=June 5, 2024 |website=Guidon}}

Career

= Career in the Philippines =

== Modeling and activism ==

She first ventured into modeling in her junior year in college at the age of 19, doing a TV commercial for a popular facial wash (Johnson and Johnson), and was soon endorsing a clothing line (Penshoppe).{{Cite web |last=Paredes |first=Ala |date=July 23, 2020 |title=I chose to be the 'interesting' brown girl on TV |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/voices/article/i-chose-to-be-the-interesting-brown-girl-on-tv/e6llm6n60 |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=SBS Voices |language=en}}

In her first forays as a television personality, doing television ads, she quickly became a recognizable figure, distinguished by her morena (malay brown) complexion and curly hair, a sharp contrast to the traditional look of models at the time. The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism took note of her unusual success and said:

:Model Ala Paredes has curly hair in a country where long, straight hair is considered the epitome of female beauty.... In an industry that prizes fair skin and straight hair, her morena skin color and loose, voluptuous curls are considered unconventional.{{cite journal

|last = Chan

|first = Cheryl

|author-link = Cheryl Chan

|title = Focus on Filipino Youth: The Business of Beauty

|journal = IReport

|issue = 3

|publisher = Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

|location = Quezon City

|date = September 2005

|url = http://www.pcij.org/i-report/3/beauty2.html

|access-date = February 5, 2008

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080122062256/http://www.pcij.org/i-report/3/beauty2.html

|archive-date = January 22, 2008

|url-status = dead

}}

At around the same time, Paredes began blogging regularly, with her blog soon becoming popular and earning her a reputation as a celebrity blogger – a role she would later use to promote environmental issues just as her father, well known for his advocacies, did before her.{{cite web |last=Baclagon |first=Chuck |date=November 30, 2005 |title=Sailing the high seas, and dancing for clean energy: Ala Paredes writes blogumentary about life on the Rainbow Warrior |url=http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/en/news/alaism_rw_blog |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522124901/http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/en/news/alaism_rw_blog |archive-date=May 22, 2008 |access-date=September 27, 2008 |work=Greenpeace Southeast Asia: News |publisher=Greenpeace Southeast Asia}}{{Cite news |last=Villafuerte |first=Ingrid |date=March 22, 2007 |title=Celebrity bloggers judge Candy Magazine's 2007 Teen Blog Awards |url=https://www.pep.ph/news/12586/celebrity-bloggers-judge-candy-magazine39s-2007-teen-blog-awards |access-date=August 7, 2018 |work=Philippine Entertainment Portal}} She had also been vocal about how martial law affected her family.{{Cite news |last=Jimenez-David |first=Rina |author-link=Rina Jimenez-David |date=September 21, 2003 |title=Then and now: Never again! |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FLljAAAAIBAJ&dq=ala+paredes&pg=PA15 |access-date=June 5, 2024 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |pages=A15}}

== Media work in the Philippines ==

Paredes' modeling career soon burgeoned into a television career. She continued modelling occasionally but became a regular VJ for ABS-CBN's music channel Myx, and then later the host of IslaMusik, a television show on ABC 5 featuring a musicians from all over the Philippines.{{Cite news |date=October 5, 2005 |title=Fresh, fab, fun! |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KFQ1AAAAIBAJ&dq=ala+paredes&pg=PA36 |access-date=June 4, 2024 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |pages=A2-4}} She also often served as a presenter at numerous events.

== Hiraya vocalist ==

In 2005, Paredes became the frontwoman of a Pinoy rock band called Hiraya when the original vocalist left. Guitarist Mark Verzo, bassist Marco Cuneta on bass, and drummer Paulo Tomas recruited her to become the replacement vocalist.{{cite web

|title = The Flight of Hiraya

|work = Bembang.com

|publisher = Bembang! Online Magazine

|date = August 30, 2005

|url = http://www.bembang.com/view.php?id=76

|access-date = February 5, 2008

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080228072740/http://bembang.com/view.php?id=76

|archive-date = February 28, 2008

|url-status = dead

}} The band had already released an EP, with their previous vocalist, when Ala took over.{{Cite news |author-link= |date=September 22, 2005 |title=The many faces of Ala Paredes |url=http://www.articlearchives.com/humanities-social-science/visual-performing-arts-music/493643-1.html |newspaper=Manila Bulletin}} She stayed with the band until a short time before she moved to Australia with her family in 2006. She didn't do music again after that experience until several years later she learned how to play the ukulele to cope with postpartum depression.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2022 |title=Having a famous dad means I never got to be an amateur |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/voices/article/having-a-famous-dad-means-i-never-got-to-be-an-amateur/mh7qxynib |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=SBS Voices |language=en}}

= Move to Australia =

In 2006, the Paredes family decided to migrate to Australia – a decision which Jim Paredes explained was related to a desire for greater personal development. Initially she rejected the move, but a sailing trip convinced her to try something new.{{Cite web |last=Paredes |first=Ala |author-link=Ala Paredes |date=July 14, 2021 |title=I was a celebrity in the Philippines and a barista in Sydney |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/voices/article/i-was-a-celebrity-in-the-philippines-and-a-barista-in-sydney/p3ai0r5nv |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=SBS Voices |language=en}}

The move generated some controversy when a copyeditor for a prominent Philippine newspaper wrote a headline that said Mr. Paredes, known for his activism, was "giving up on the Philippines." Both Jim and Ala Paredes protested that this was a miscategorization of their family's motives for moving. The paper eventually apologized to the Paredes family for the original, inaccurate headline of the article.{{Cite news

|last=Lirio

|first=Gerry

|author-link=Gerry Lirio

|title=Apo's Jim Paredes on his move to Australia

|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer

|date=August 20, 2006

|url=http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=16183

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090903003841/http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=16183

|archive-date=September 3, 2009

|df=mdy

}} Mr Paredes later said that he "felt bad not so much that people misread me as a person (that's hurtful, yes) but more so that they may slip deeper into despair by such a false story. That's the last thing we need,"{{cite web

|last=Paredes

|first=Jim

|author-link=Jim Paredes

|title=' Pick up the feathers, you jerk.'

|work=Writing on Air

|date=August 20, 2008

|url=http://haringliwanag.pansitan.net/2006/08/pick-up-feathers-you-jerk.html

|access-date=December 25, 2008

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100101183104/http://haringliwanag.pansitan.net/2006/08/pick-up-feathers-you-jerk.html

|archive-date=January 1, 2010

|df=mdy

}} and Ala expressed similar sentiments.{{cite web

|last=Paredes

|first=Ala

|author-link=Ala Paredes

|title=this is immature, but i don't care

|work=Ala-ism

|date=August 20, 2008

|url=http://ala-ism.pansitan.net/2006/08/this-is-immature-but-i-dont-care.html

|access-date=December 25, 2008

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090917085002/http://ala-ism.pansitan.net/2006/08/this-is-immature-but-i-dont-care.html

|archive-date=September 17, 2009

|df=mdy

}}

Initially she struggled adjusting to life in Australia. She struggled finding work as she lacked experiences in the country, but was soon able to find a job as a barista, where Filipino tourists would sometimes recognize her.

== Media work and further studies ==

In the same year that the Paredeses moved to Australia, she was recruited by ABS-CBN Global, the international multi-platform media company of Filipino media giant ABS-CBN, to be a correspondent for Balitang Australia, a weekly news and feature program catering specifically to Filipino Australians.{{cite web

|title=The Filipino Channel: Programs

|work=ABS CBN Global: In The Service of the Filipino Worldwide (Official Website)

|publisher=ABS CBN Global

|year=2006

|url=http://www.abs-cbnglobal.com/Products/TFC/Programs/tabid/233/ArticleID/209/TargetModuleID/1094/Default.aspx

|format=aspx

|access-date=December 25, 2008

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025193030/http://www.abs-cbnglobal.com/Products/TFC/Programs/tabid/233/ArticleID/209/TargetModuleID/1094/Default.aspx

|archive-date=October 25, 2008

|df=mdy

}}

Paredes later decided to take up an illustration course from the Sydney Design Institute, graduating in December 2009.{{Cite news

|last=Ramos

|first=Marlon

|author-link=Marlon Ramos

|title=Singer's daughter sketches for Ampatuan trial

|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer

|date=January 5, 2010

|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100105-245707/Singers-daughter-sketches-for-Ampatuan-trial

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108131518/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100105-245707/Singers-daughter-sketches-for-Ampatuan-trial

|archive-date=January 8, 2010

|df=mdy

}}

== Ampatuan trial sketch artist ==

Upon graduation, Paredes served as the official courtroom sketch artist at the trial of Andal Ampatuan Jr., the prime suspect in the Maguindanao massacre. Paredes had gone on vacation in the Philippines to spend the holidays with relatives, when a friend of hers who worked at the Supreme Court of the Philippines called about an open position for a courtroom sketch artist at the Ampatuan trial. Courtroom sketches were needed because media coverage at the trial was restricted.{{cite news

| last =Marueñas

| first =Mark Dalan

| title = For the love of SC, Ala Paredes sketches massacre trial

|work=GMA News

| publisher = GMA News and Public Affairs

| date = January 13, 2010

| url=http://www.gmanews.tv/story/181500/for-the-love-of-sc-ala-paredes-sketches-massacre-trial

| access-date =January 20, 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100116162042/http://www.gmanews.tv/story/181500/for-the-love-of-sc-ala-paredes-sketches-massacre-trial| archive-date= January 16, 2010 | url-status= live}}

Describing the moment, she said that she “immediately called my friend back 10 seconds after receiving her message and accepted the offer. We did not talk about the (pay).” Noting the importance of the case, she said that “At a time when the nation is still grieving, I feel like this is my way of getting involved,” and “I thought this is my own way of giving public service, especially when media can’t be there.”

== Artwork and other ventures ==

In 2013, Paredes opened her first solo exhibit.{{Cite web |date=September 18, 2013 |title=Ala Paredes launches first solo art exhibit |url=https://www.australianfilipina.com.au/article/ala-paredes-launches-first-solo-art-exhibit |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=Australian Filipina |language=en-US}} In 2017, she took part in an exhibition showcasing contemporary Filipino art with the piece "Power Pose".{{Cite web |title=From the Womb |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/language/filipino/en/podcast-episode/from-the-womb/e41ukkyd3 |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=SBS Language |language=en}}

Paredes is currently a freelance writer, having written for Vogue Philippines, Rappler, and SBS Australia.{{Cite web |date=May 14, 2023 |title=How I Learned To Take Up Space As A Mother |url=https://vogue.ph/lifestyle/mothering/how-i-learned-to-take-up-space-as-a-mother/ |access-date=June 4, 2024 |website=Vogue Philippines}}{{Cite web |last=Paredes |first=Ala |date=2020-06-27 |title=Death and the coronavirus pandemic: Designing a God for my child |url=https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/relationships/264785-designing-god-for-child/ |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=RAPPLER |language=en-US}} In 2018, she starred in a SBS short film Tomgirl.{{Cite web |title=TOMGIRL |url=https://www.vonnepatiag.com/tomgirl |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=vonne patiag |language=en}} She also appeared on a podcast on SBS titled 'Let Me Tell You'.{{Cite web |title=Real people share incredible stories on new podcast 'Let Me Tell You' |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/voices/article/real-people-share-incredible-stories-on-new-podcast-let-me-tell-you/ixdi547tu |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=SBS Voices |language=en}} She is also an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher.{{Cite web |last=Paredes |first=Ala |date=April 12, 2021 |title=My Filipino accent gives me an advantage as an ESL teacher |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/voices/article/my-filipino-accent-gives-me-an-advantage-as-an-esl-teacher/9biqjlxd1 |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=SBS Voices |language=en}}

Personal life

In 2015, Paredes married John Buencamino in a non-traditional wedding ceremony.{{Cite web |last=Paredes |first=Jim |author-link=Jim Paredes |date=March 22, 2015 |title=My daughter's non-traditional wedding {{!}} Philstar.com |url=https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/sunday-life/2015/03/22/1436018/my-daughters-non-traditional-wedding |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=www.philstar.com}} They have two daughters, Zadie and Aurelia. In 2019, she suffered from a miscarriage.