In Drink Tea, by Cascante, a half man-half bird creature wearing a mask with a beak, resolutely pours tea (above left). While seemingly whimsical and fantastical, 'it is a narrative about me,' says Cascante. 'I like to have fun, but at the same time inside I have pain and suffering. The mask represents the negative I see when people are not open and do not express themselves.

'Drinking tea or yum cha represents the culture that I live in, but different from that of my own. The bird represents my desire to be free.'

In mixed media works on paper, Agawin visualises not only his own dilemma but that of humankind. His works are commentaries on conflicts we all face. Time Warrior's Flight (above right) portrays a running figure alongside the mechanism of a clock. 'This is representative of our lives in Hong Kong. We are always trying to out-run time - we are controlled by this,' says Agawin.

Hong Kong's Third Philippine Arts Festival 2008, Tricolour: A Cultural Celebration, features works from about 40 Hong Kong-based Filipino artists and photographers in various venues during June and July.

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