Ano ba yan, ang dami kaya mas magaling pa kay charice dito, kumakanta sa mga kanto kara-yucky, piyesta singing contest, may patay etc... :D j/k


seriously, magaling nga si Charice:D

^^ never doubt Oprah amigo.... you might endanger us all...

UQL9IKMWIWA

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Eleven years ago, Philippine artist and jeweler Rowena Martinez Ulayan moved to İstanbul. Since then she has opened her own art gallery and has had numerous exhibitions of her work around town.

A member of the Isneg tribe of the Philippines, Ulayan spoke about her early life with Today’s Zaman. “Apayao belongs to the Corillera Mountain Region in the Philippines where a tribal community called the Isnegs live. The Isneg tribe, where I come from, were never conquered by the Spanish rulers who colonized the country for 350 years, and therefore, its ethnic traditions and culture have remained in tact through the present. I feel lucky to have been nurtured in this tribe where wealth is measured not by how much one owns, but by how wholeheartedly one shares his possessions, and where men are not owners of land, but are stewards of the land. In my blood runs the tribe’s pristine principles of kinship, filial piety and posterity. It was here I learned mathematics by counting river stones and trees, and I learned my colors from the birds’ feathers, flowers’ petals and butterflies’ wings. I learned to sing from my mother’s lullabies and learned to play musical instruments with bamboo from my father. The tribe does not rely so much on cash to nurture the young.”

Ulayan’s life has changed dramatically since her childhood in the Philippines. She married a Turkish man and moved to İstanbul’s Tuzla neighborhood 11 years ago. Both her children, an 11-year-old boy and 6-year-old girl, were born in İstanbul. The children fit easily into both Turkish and Philippine culture. Ulayan talks about her life in Tuzla, saying: “In İstanbul, everything is modern, or trying to be. I have learned to love the place, especially when I see my children and husband happy at just being able to participate and enjoy mundane things, like eating simit, buying fruit from a street vendor driving a tractor, feeding the seagulls from the boats and listening to the ezan (call to prayer) and comparing the different voices. My husband is from the Black Sea region, where, as the cliché goes, a man should be served by his wife. I must thank God for giving me a husband who has a sense of propriety and kindness.

We share the duties of the house and the upbringing of our children. We observe Ramadan like any other traditional Muslim family, and my husband goes to the mosque every Friday and prays every day. And, though my husband strictly follows the tenets of Islam, he has never forced me to do the same. Although I embraced the Muslim faith, I still pray my rosary, and once in a while chant the prayers of my Buddhist friends.”

Tuzla, the last district of İstanbul on the Asian side along the Marmara Sea, has built up over the years into a very residential area, but Ulayan has taken time to unearth some of its history. “It used to be a quaint fishing and agricultural village during Ottoman times. It was famous for okra and olives. During the Byzantine Era, it was the summer capital for the elite.

Evident from the ruins, the place used to have monasteries, a girls’ boarding school, a public library and thermal springs. The street where we live used to be the road that led to the Pope’s Fountain where they used to baptize some of the Christians when the city was known as Constantinople. From the oral tradition of Tuzla natives, I discovered that when the Turks entered Tuzla, they used the Pope’s Holy Fountain as a watering hole for their horses and animals, as well as a place for washing their carpets. Nothing is left of what was once the towering entrance of the place or the lion sculptures spewing water for the Pope’s Fountain. However, foundations of what used to be a big cathedral with roof gardens and healing thermal pools can still be found, but they may soon be lost to make way for government buildings or private housing. Today Tuzla is host to a dozen large shipyards and smaller workshop facilities for yachts and ships. Factories and industrial facilities, two military bases, several universities, as well as a Formula One racetrack are now located here. Unfortunately, private subdivisions have eaten up the surrounding green fields and forest-covered hills.”

An accomplished artist, Ulayan is known for both her oil paintings and hand-crafted jewelry. Her works are shown in Turkey and abroad, and her pieces are in the collections of institutions and private collectors around the world. She opened her own art gallery in Tuzla, Horizons Art Gallery, to display her own works and the works of her friends. Speaking about her art, she says: “I generally hold exhibits and other art-related activities at the gallery, as well as conduct my own art workshops. The visiting hours for the gallery are very flexible and by appointment only. I have had customers in the past who would browse through the collections at night, or early in the morning, depending on their time and my schedule. I do oil paintings, and while I wait for the canvasses to dry, I design my jewelry. I am called by many a minimalist, and some have even referred to me as a Sufist. I do not really care what they call me, but one thing is clear with my works: They always reflect simple things expressed with a minimum of lines and shades. I always hope that the viewers of my work will feel peacefulness and inspiration. I try as much as possible to paint not what I see, but to make everyone see what I paint. I draw my inspiration from very simple things that are free for everyone to enjoy, like the sunrise, sunset, the waves of the sea, towering minarets that act like sentinels to the sky and roaming birds.”

Ulayan recently held an exhibition of her paintings and jewelry at Beylerbeyi Palace entitled “Prisms of the Inner Eye.” Another recent exhibition of her work was at Beyazit’s Antik Hotel.

This show, titled “Minarets,” presented minarets in their various forms, meanings and backdrops. Set within modern times, the minarets come alive as symbols and verities that influence and move everyone under their shadows. She says about the exhibition: “This show ushered viewers into the city of 1,000 minarets, İstanbul, as seen through the metaphor of the artist’s eye. The host of the show, the Antik Hotel’s Cistern Museum and Exhibition Hall, is a 1,500-year-old restored Roman-era cistern. Or, who knows, perhaps it was part of a church. After all, the area around Beyazit was the setting of a Roman-era agora. Not far from there were the palaces and churches of the city.”

Ulayan’s life has taken her from the mountains of the Philippines to the outskirts of İstanbul. Her art reflects the changes in her life, and the simple things around us that we so often overlook in our own hectic lives. Art lovers should definitely take the time to visit her exhibitions. They offer up refreshing views on our own lives.

For more information:

Horizons Art Gallery

Saray Sitesi No. 6

Papaz Çeşme Sokak

Cami Mah., Tuzla, İstanbul

Telephone: 216-446-4074

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=164158&bolum=132

Philippine participants won top prizes at the 3rd China (Sanya) International Orchid and Garden Show held on January 5 to 11 at the Sanya Luhuitou Square in Hainan.

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Philippine Orchid Society exhibit booth with Mr. Dennis Sy ,Mr. Andres Golamco, Mr. Nonito Dolera, Mr. Dario Lagmao


Andres Golamco and Dennis Sy who represented the Philippine Orchid Society won the gold prize for their landscape exhibit. On the other hand, Nonito Dolera and Dario Lagmao won the bronze prize for their orchid landscape exhibit in the 3x5 square meter category.

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Fern and Nature Society of the Philippines ( Christmas theme )

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Philippine Orchid Society exhibit booth ( Gold Medal)

Aside from garnering international recognition for the country, the representatives also won cash prizes. The gold prize was given RMB6,000 equivalent to P41,880 while the bronze prize got RMB2,000 equivalent to P13,960.

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Mr. Andres Golamco received the trophy and the prize for the Philippines
( Gold)

The international orchid and garden show was participated in by representatives from 30 countries who put up more than 50 exhibit booths. The countries include Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Palau, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Austrlia, New Zealand, Italy, United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Mexico and Brazil.

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Arrival pictures taken from NAIA last January 7, 2009 was warmly received by local media and representatives of Department of Tourism, Airport authorities, Philippine Orchid Society officials.


Manila Bulletin Website:
http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2009/01/10/AGRI20090110145234.html

Filipino in the Asian Academy Hall of Fame

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Dr. Jaime A. Yrastorza

Dr. Jaime Yrastorza is a maxillofacial surgeon who founded
Uplift Internationale, an organization that focuses on
providing care to children across the globe born with facial
deformities, primarily clefts of the lip and palate.
What a fantastic public service program!
In 2004, Dr. Jaime Yrastorza was inducted into the prestigious
Asian Academy Hall of Fame (http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-103179419.html)!!!

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How It All Began

In 1989, maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Jaime Yrastorza led a five member medical group in the inaugural mission of Uplift Internationale. Each year since, Uplift Internationale has returned to the Philippines with a team of medical professionals and outreach volunteers. Since the mid-90's, the organization’s program activities have focused on providing care to children born with facial deformities, primarily clefts of the lip and palate.

The project can continue, only but with assistance of interested donors. In the words of Dr. Yrastorza: "Without the continuing support of like-minded individuals, foundations and organizations, these children have little chance of living normal, happy lives."

The Founder

Dr. Jaime Yrastorza left his native Philippines after graduation from high school to begin his collegiate studies at the University of Minnesota where he earned a bachelor's degree in psychology. Then, he obtained a doctorate degree in dental medicine from Washington University and specialty training in oral-maxillofacial surgery from Georgetown University.

He maintained a private practice in Wheat Ridge, Colorado for 35 years before retiring in 1995.

He was a frequent lecturer and author of scientific publications, a diplomate of the American Board of Oral-maxillofacial Surgery and a Clinical Associate Professor of the University of Colorado School of Dentistry.

For 3 years immediately before and after retirement, he served as a United Nations Development Programme consultant in oral-maxillofacial surgery for the Philippines, helping to organize and develop a qualifying training program in his specialty at the St. Porres Charity Hospital of Manila.

On a personal note, Jaime remains active in his community as a Rotarian.

Source: http://www.uplift.nonprofitoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BB503E641-B507-4D85-80CC-5E7E6E7E74CC%7D.

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Dr. Jaime Yrastorza was born in Ormoc, Leyte in the Philippines.
He belongs the Basque mestizo Yrastorza clan of Leyte and Cebu.
The founding patriarch of the Yrastorza (Irastorza) clan was a
Basque shipping merchant from Guipúzcoa in Spain named
Don Gregorio Yrastorza, who married Ana Torres, a mestiza.
They are also ancestors of the Aboitiz, Moraza, and Palou clans.
He also belongs to the Spanish-Portuguese mestizo Vaño clan.

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Mending Faces One at a Time
Nonprofit provides help for needy Filipino children

Of all the cases he has treated over the years, Dr. Jaime Yrastorza still recalls the girl hiding behind a hand-held fan.

The girl, who had a bilateral cleft palate, was hiding her face as she stood in line in hopes of getting corrective surgery.

"After the surgery, we saw her looking at her face in the mirror," recalled Yrastorza. "And the mother and her (were) sort of teary eyed about the whole thing."

The girl — who no longer needed to hide her face — was one of many patients in the Philippines who have undergone surgery to repair facial deformity thanks to the efforts of maxillofacial surgeon Yrastorza and medical teams he has lead.

Since 1989, Yrastorza has continued to go back every year with a nonprofit humanitarian group that he founded — Uplift Internationale — specifically to help repair facial deformities.

Uplift Internationale, located in Wheat Ridge, celebrated its 15th anniversary this month.

"Our focus is to mend faces one child at a time," said Yrastorza, 73, who was accepted into the Asian Academy Hall of Fame this month.

The group's work is still going strong, with a team of about 35 people scheduled to return to the Philippines to do surgeries in February.

"Fifteen years ago, I started with three patients with a cleft lip and palate," Yrastorza said. "Last time we were there, we had taken care of 70 children, and I actually did not do any of the surgery."

The patients and the medical team have both grown since Yrastorza lead his first five-member team.

Uplift now gets volunteers for the medical mission from across the country and the world, with many coming from Australia, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.

Yrastorza himself is a native of the Philippines, and after he finished high school in the United States in 1950, he became a maxillofacial surgeon and maintained a private practice in Wheat Ridge for 35 years.

He retired in 1995 and since then has been involved with many activities, including being a diplomat of the American Board of Oral-maxillofacial Surgery and a Clinical Associate Professor of the University of Colorado School of Dentistry.

Yrastorza, a member of the Rotary Club of Wheat Ridge, decided to focus on those with facial deformities in the Philippines after he learned it was a pervasive problem that was often too costly for families to address.

"It is a deformity that affects a greater portion of the impoverished," he said. "Even if the expertise were available, they couldn't afford it, particularly if they come from rural areas."

Each medical mission is about two weeks long, and local groups in the Philippines work with Uplift to find cases, which include children and adults. Those who have the deformity tend to suffer in society and need help, he said.

"The deformity defies camouflage, so you cannot hide it," he said. "As a result, they are subject to ridicule, taunts and shame. As they get older, it affects their psyche and gradually they hide into the shadows into the community."

The work has been both heartbreaking and wonderful for Flossie O'Day, a registered nurse who works in Arvada and has been on two medical missions as a nurse. Her husband, Richard O'Day, has been on three and is schedule d to go again in February.

"You see all these mothers and sometimes fathers holding these little children with facial defects. And they're just hoping their children can be helped," she said.

Donna LaVigne, vice president of community relations for Uplift, is a native of the Philippines and has been on medical mission a few times with the group. She has served as a local coordinator, and this year, she plans to go on the trip, which happens to be going to her hometown, Kalibo, located in the province of Aklan.

She is happy to be part of a group that is helping people in need, and recently she and her husband Jay LaVigne hosted a Filipino boy who temporarily came to the United States for extensive work through Uplift, she said.

"I think it is wonderful," she said. "People there are really appreciative of what Uplift is doing for them."

Source: http://www.goldentranscript.com/1editorialbody.lasso?-token.folder=2004-11-18&-token.story=106413.112112&-token.subpub=.

Please visit Uplift Internationale's new blog:

http://upliftinternationale.blogspot.com/

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Ligaya Yrastorza

Ligaya Yrastorza had the most successful field hockey career
in the history of the University of California Berkeley!

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She was named to the Division I first-team All-America in 1987.
Until 2 years ago, she was the last "Cal Golden Bear" selected!

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Ligaya Yrastorza grew up in California, but her family members
still make visits to the Philippines, where they have relatives.

"Ligaya" means joy/happiness in Filipino!
She is another member of the Visayan mestizo Yrastorza clan!

Alfredo Roces

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Alfredo "Ding" Reyes Roces

Don Alfredo Roces is a famous Filipino publisher, author, and artist.
He is a member of the Spanish mestizo Roces Publishing Dynasty.
His father was the businessman Don Rafael Gonzales Roces, Sr.
Today, he is an active artist, writer, and blogger, who divides his
time between the Philippines and his home in Australia.

Be sure to read his blog here:

http://dingrocespo.blogspot.com/

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Alfredo Roces was the editor for historian Nick Joaquin's beautiful book
Palacio de Malacañang: 200 Years of a Ruling House

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Alfredo Roces (far left) with (L-R): Nick Joaquin, former Pres. Fidel Ramos,
Pres. Gloria Arroyo, and former Pres. Corazon Aquino at the book launch
sponsored by the Society for the Preservation of Philippine Culture, Inc.

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Alfredo Roces was also Editor-in-Chief of the 10 volume series on
Philippine history & culture: Filipino Heritage: The Making of a Nation
He is also co-author of the guide Culture Shock!: Philippines

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He also authored the artist biographies Amorsolo and Sansó

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Alfredo Roces received the National Book Award for his landmark book
Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo and the Generation of 1872

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Don Alfredo Roces and his wife at the National Book Award ceremony
He is a four-time winner of the National Book Award!!!

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Looking for Liling is Alfredo Roces' moving tribute to his brother
Rafael "Liling" Reyes Roces, Jr., who was murdered by the Japanese
during World War 2 for his involvement in the Philippine resistance

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His recent book Rage! was launched in recent months

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Signing copies at the book launch event in Makati City!
Go to his website to read more about his book:

http://alfredo-roces.blogspot.com/

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Alfredo Roces (far left) at the launch of the new exhibit Amorsolo's Women:
Concealed and Revealed at the Ayala Museum (24 Oct, 2008 to 8 Mar 2009) (http://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=viewexhibitpage&id=56).
That's former Ayala Corp. Chairman Don Jaim Zobel-de Ayala and his wife!

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These Amorsolo paintings are being featured in the exhibit

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Many of these precious works of art are from the Zobel-de Ayala family

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Portrait of Doña Anicia Angela "Angelina" Rico de McMicking
She was the wife of family patriarch Don Jose McMicking, Sr. and
mother of the late Ayala Corp. partner Don Joseph McMicking, Jr.!

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Alfredo Roces is also an award-winning artist.
You can view his artwork at his old website:

http://www.emanila.com/dingroces/index.htm

and his new website:

http://alfredo-roces.blogspot.com/

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I love his still life and landscape paintings!

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What beautiful pottery!

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His sculptures are amazing!

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L-R: "Tutubi" and "When I Was Very Young" are examples of his digital art

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Don Alfredo with his brothers

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His brother Dr. Alejandro "Anding" Reyes Roces is a famous author,
Hispanicist, and educator in the Philippines.
He is also a past winner of the prestigious Premio Zobel!

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Dr. Alejandro "Anding" R. Roces receives the 1990 Premio Zobel

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Brothers Francisco “Pipo” Roces (left) and Dr. Alejandro Roces (right) at the
premiere of the first ever Filipino zarzuela in English in the U.S. last year!

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Long lost relative Carlos Roces y Felgueroso visited the Philippines in 1998!
He is a well-known artist in Spain and comes from the Roces ancestral
home town of Gijón in Asturias, Spain!

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The visit was a cultural exchange event sponsored by the Insituto Cervantes!

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The Instituto Cervantes de Manila hosted the painting exhibition
Roces: From Gijón to Manila

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The exhibition's opening ceremony ... the artist Don Carlos Roces
(2nd from the left) with Don Alejandro "Anding" Roces (to his left)
and the Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Delfin Colome (right)

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Don Anding Roces at the microphone with the artist

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Don Anding Roces (right) with cousin Don Marcos Roces, Jr. (left)

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Don Joaquin "Titong" Roces (left) with his brother Don Anding

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Carlos Roces receives the Key to the City of Manila from Mayor Atienza!
What a great honour!

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The Key to the City of Manila (Llave de Manila, in Spanish)!

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Carlos Roces (right) was invited by the Roces clan to the Café Gijón in Makati!
Café Gijón was opened by Don Rafael "Rafa" Roces Montilla, who belongs to
both the mestizo Roces clan and the Spanish mestizo Montilla clan of Negros.

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Don Alfredo "Ding" Roces was there with members of Manila's art scene

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Don Marcos Roces, Jr. (right) with cousin Don Marcos Victor "Marquitos" Roces
(2nd from the right) enjoying the family reunion

Lovely Carlos Roces paintings of scenes from the Philippines:
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Paintings of scenes from Spain:
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Katya Carratala Guerrero

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Katya Carratala Guerrero

Katya Guerrero is a fixture in the Manila art scene.
She's a friend of celebrity tour guide and fellow artist Carlos Celdran!
She also started her own blog on art in the Philippines:

http://artworldmuse.blogspot.com/

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She is the daughter of publishing executive and art photographer
Don Xavier "Wahoo" Roces Guerrero (center) and his ex-wife
Doña Helena Carratalà (left), a former Manila fashion designer.

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Doña Elena "Morita" Roces-Guerrero,

Don Xavier Guerrero is the son of Roces family publishing heiress
Doña Elena Roces-Guerrero, former President of comics publisher
Graphic Arts Services, Inc. (GASI) in the Philippines.
He is former Director of GASI and owner of Sonic printing.

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His sister Doña Lydia "Cookie" Roces Guerrero is also a well-known
business figure in Philippine publishing and studied in Spain, where
she met her Spanish first husband, before returning to the Phlippines.

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Doña Helena Carratalà was born into a Catalan family with Filipino
roots in the city of Barcelona, Spain, where she met Don Xavier.
Her paternal grandmother lived in the Philippines in the late 1800s.

The most famous Carratalàs in the Philippines lived in Cebu City.
Engineer Don Enrique Carratalà immigrated to San Nicolas, Cebu.
His daughter Doña Concepcion "Conching" Enriquez Carratala
was the sister-in-law of Doña Dolores "Lolita" Aboitiz, the wife of
Aboitiz family patriarch Don Ramon Yrastorza Aboitiz!
Other daughter Doña Consuelo "Uling" Enriquez Carratala married
a Chinese-Cebuano mestizo millionaire, Don Mariano Veloso.

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Helena Carratala was the darling of Manila alta sociedad in the 1970s,
becoming a fixture in Manila's art, theatre, and fashion scenes.

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Helena Carratala worked with Jean-Paul Gaultier, who lived in Manila.

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Following Gaultier's departure, Helena Carratala started her own
successful fashion line in the Philippines called Azabache ("jet black").
Her current project in the Philippines is Mangenguey Island, an exclusive,
membership-only resort and artist community near Palawan!:

http://www.mangueguey.com

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Jewelry and Fashion with a Utopian Twist
The Woman Behind Azabache is Back with Another Visionary Idea

HER life can be viewed as a work of art. Helena Carratala has evolved like a true Renaissance woman. She is a prolific designer, a nurturing mother, and in the last two years, a doting grandmother. She was a successful restaurateur and entrepreneur for many years in New York. Today, she returns to the Philippines after 24 years to embark on a new chapter of her life.

Sitting in her bright and colorful apartment, she plays the perfect hostess while discussing philosophical questions that have daunted mankind since the time of Galileo. She is a 21st-century visionary rooted in ideas from 19th-century revolutionaries. An activist aware of the deep divisions between social classes and the man-made problem of poverty, Helena addresses these issues with a sharp, practical, business instinct.

It seems whatever project Helena puts her hands on can be transformed into an object of beauty. Whether it is a small, intimate party, a piece of jewelry, or an elaborate gown, to the architectural plans for building a community, no project or undertaking is impossible. Helena lives her life like an endless work-in-progress, constantly evolving, but always true to the creative force within.

Helena Carratala was born in Barcelona, Spain, on July 13, 1951 to a university professor and a mother who loved the arts. Her father educated her in matters of history and the great philosophers, while her mother taught her womanly things such as "how to walk in high heels and sip champagne without smearing your lipstick."

Helena shares a genetic love for the Philippines. Her genealogy reveals her paternal grandmother lived on the islands before the Spanish-American war of 1898. Helena remembers how her grandmother would cook sinigang and arroz caldo. From her grandmother’s baul emerged delicate clothes made of pina fiber. These images and stories of the Philippines stayed in her mind as she was growing up. It was a foreshadowing of things to come, and when Helena met her future husband in a cafe near her school in the autumn of 1966, the journey began.

In 1969, Helena first came to the Philippines as the 18-year-old bride of Wahoo Guerrero, a photographer, and the son of the very prominent Roces-Guerrero family of the publishing industry. At once, the strong-willed Spanish girl made quite an impression on Manila’s high society circles with her striking appearance and strong character.

In 1971, the Prietos, who owned the Pierre Cardin boutique in Malate, brought in a young Jean-Paul Gaultier to be head designer of the shop. Since he could not speak any English, Helena (who could speak French, Spanish, English and was a quick study in Tagalog) was hired to be his translator and assistant, accompanying him everywhere. Over the next three years, the two became very good friends. When time came for Jean-Paul to leave Manila, the young Helena was asked, "What will you do when I am gone?" He saw talent and potential in her, and encouraged her to become a designer. She protested that she did not even know the basics of draping, but Gaultier volunteered to teach her. During the last six months of his stay in Manila, Gaultier gave the young Helena a crash course in draping, drawing, and dressmaking.

"A dress is a three-dimensional piece of art. The very first thing you must learn is how to drape over a mannequin or a real live model, and then you go draw the pattern on paper," she explains.

From 1974 to 1982, Helena slowly found her way and grew into the feisty, independent woman her father wanted her to be. When Gaultier left, she learned to work on her own, starting out by hiring master cutter Flora de Leon, who had already 30 years’ experience under her belt working for Pitoy Moreno, Aureo, Valera and Joe Salazar. Theirs was a collaboration that lasted over two decades.

In the beginning, Helena stuck with her name for her clothing brand Azabache (Spanish for "jet black") despite the contrary opinions of everyone around her. She was told, "Filipinos will never wear black."

Budding tycoon Henry Sy was just about to open ShoeMart in Makati in September of 1976. Determined to make her idea work, Helena slaved over the merchandise display to meet the opening day of SM, dressing windows in the designer area of the department store only five days after the birth of her second daughter. True to her vision, the retail market snatched up her creations, and from a mere two racks in a small area in SM, Azabache grew into a respectable business. Everywhere an SM opened, the label could be found. Along with concessions in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Tokyo and another branch in Robinsons, Azabache became synonymous with edgy ready-to-wear, and Helena Guerrero became the "it" girl of haute couture and high society.

By now Helena was well known for her lavish costume parties and grand entrances. The Manila society crowd was always wondering what she would think of next. After all her years of toil and building a brand which nobody thought would take off, the family still saw her as the young, free-spirited and willful creature who needed constant amusement. Helena had grown up and was now a serious designer. It was time to leave and try her luck in the Big Apple. It was a major turning point. She was 32 years old. The decision was made. She had to give up Azabache, hand over the business, leave her marriage, her beloved Philippines, and start afresh. In 1982, Helena flew to New York with her two young daughters Katya and Tanya in tow, with just a little borrowed cash and a big dream.

"New York was a humbling experience for me," recalls Helena. "But I learned a lot." Her designs were sold at Saks, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf-Goodman, Bloomingale’s, and Macy’s department stores. Self-financing was a great challenge and Helena recalls, "It seemed everyone else was making money from my labels. The banker who bought my receivables, the department store, everyone except Helena!"

After a turbulent period when three good friends of Helena’s succumbed to AIDS, she sat down and made a list of all her talents. She decided she would no longer prostitute her design concepts. So Helena entered the restaurant business. "More for the theater aspect of it than for the food."

Helena simply channeled her creative energy from fashion into food over the next decade. After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, she eventually sold her gourmet take-out business, her catering company and two restaurants, and, yes, even the lovely house in the Hamptons.

Her ever-supportive husband, Richard Mander (a furniture-maker of Mayflower stock and former staff of Sister Parish, the grand dame of interior design), gave her the encouragement and the freedom to begin another chapter of her life.

Apart from the hereditary affiliation with the Philippines, it was Helena’s involvement in the rights of immigrants, and the birth of her grandchild in April of 2004 that were the catalysts for her return to the archipelago.

"I had reinvented myself into a political activist. But something happened after the birth of my granddaughter. And when I came back, I was surprised by the love I found here and had no idea how much impact my work in design had in this country. So much that 25 years on, people still remember me fondly. I am grateful for that love."

Helena explains that if one could recapture the magic, the allure that made people remember Azabache and how it held them, one could magnify that and put it into a bigger project that would involve the cooperation of a lot of creative thinkers, and those who work with their hands.

"If I look at my 54 years of life I can patch them all into one. As an artist, a designer, an activist, all these different parts of me are finding expression in Mangenguey."

The utopian mission of Mangenguey is to use the creative force of the arts and humanities to encourage out-of-the-box entrepreneurship, building a society that is self-sufficient, producing goods without abusing nature or exploiting people, and distributing wealth among its members equitably.

In Helena’s model of Mangenguey, the spirit of self-reliance reigns. Preservation of nature, the human spirit, and the traditional crafts, empowering people to take their livelihood into their own hands, form the core values. The spirit of Mangenguey encourages people to take the initiative rather than simply wait for government to help them.

Early feminist Elizabeth Cady Stanton said this back in 1895, "Women are the agents of utopia." In the year 2006, Helena Carratala sees herself as the vehicle and agent of social change in the grand vision of Mangenguey.

"The world is in very bad shape these days, on all levels. The problems facing mankind today are still the same problems since time immemorial. How do we take away poverty? How do we narrow the gap between rich and poor? There was the French Revolution, the EDSA revolution, still the problems are the same. How do we live without everything boiling down to whether an idea is useful in the material world or not?"

Through the preservation of the heritage of indigenous crafts and nurturing discourse among artists and the creative community, the island home of Mangenguey will be the initial step towards a Renaissance of lifestyles.

This is where the idea will be of utmost importance, internationalism and creativity are the core concepts, and objects of beauty are products that concretize this mode of thinking. "Beauty should not be the property of the rich alone. Yes, artists and creators have benefited from patrons, but there should never be a monopoly on beauty."

In the mind of a visionary, anything is possible.

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2006/05/04/I2006050463094.html.

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Source: http://www.mangueguey.com.

Carlos Celdran wrote a wonderful review of Mangueguey Island:
http://celdrantours.blogspot.com/2008/09/civility-on-island-of-helena.html

Peter Soriano

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"Tsunami" by Peter Soriano

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Peter Fernando Soriano

Peter Soriano is a world-renowned artist originally from Manila.
His abstract artwork is showcased in galleries around the world,
including New York, Philadelphia, Cambridge, and Paris.

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Portrait of Fernando Zobel-de Ayala y Montojo by Fernando Amorsolo

He is also considered a leading expert on the art of his father's cousin,
the famous Filipino artist, scholar, and art patron Don Fernando Zobel.

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The Ayala Museum sponsored the show Pioneers of Philippine Art:
Luna, Amorsolo, Zobel at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco last
year and featured an essay on Fernando Zobel by Peter Soriano.

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Don Fernando Zobel-de Ayala y Montojo

Peter Soriano authored "A Biographical Sketch of Zobel's Formative Years"
He also was a curator for a Fernando Zobel retrospective in Madrid at the
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in 2003.

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Peter Soriano's father was Don Jose Maria de Montemar Soriano, an
A. Soriano Corp. Chairman and son of Don Andres Soriano y Roxas!
Like his Roxas cousins, he attended the Portsmouth Abbey School.
Like his Zobel-de Ayala cousins, he is a graduate of Harvard College.
His family eventually settled permanently in the United States
following his father's retirement from A. Soriano Corp.

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Peter Soriano took up a residency at l’Atelier Calder in Saché, France.
He now divides his time between the U.S. and France and has even
taken up the French pastime of pétanque (a boules game).

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David Ebony's Top Ten
Peter Soriano at Lennon, Weinberg

In the presence of Peter Soriano's recent large-scale, garishly colored resin sculptures one can experience something of a second childhood. The five pieces on view seem like giant children's toys that activate the space of the gallery. They have an immediate, physical appeal and seem to indicate activities that combine organic and mechanical processes.

The hot pink Pastellogram: Hilma looks like a soft, squat vehicle made of Playdough. Coolman's Companion II could be a 3-D Pacman transposed into a fountain. Some objects suggest an educational purpose, but one which we are all still too young to understand. The wall elements in Pearl seem to drip to the floor. FFBB is a network of blue drain pipes ending in a couple of fluted tips -- a plumbing system that appears to have metamorphosed into a strange musical instrument, perhaps related to the trombone.

After a while, Soriano's sculptural hybrids seem to come alive. The brilliant green Polyester Points of Contact is a kind of a suction-cup contraption that climbs the walls when no one's looking.

Source: http://www.artnet.com/magazine_pre2000/reviews/ebony/ebony(4)6-4-99.asp (http://www.artnet.com/magazine_pre2000/reviews/ebony/ebony%284%296-4-99.asp).

Brias Family

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Beautiful painting of rice terraces by Sylvia Brias
Central Luzon is home to the world famous Banaue Rice Terraces!

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Sylvia W. Brias

Sylvia Brias is an Spanish-Filipina artist currently based in Spain.
She was born into an artistic family originally from the Philippines!

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Animal theme paintings by Carmen Brias

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Carmen W. Brias

Carmen Brias is Sylvia's sister and is also an artist based in Spain.

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Carmen Brias's artwork often draws on Philippine themes!

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Isabel Maria "Betsy" Westendorp-Brias, painting a portrait of society matron
Doña Marybeth Lopez-de Leon of the Philippines

The Brias sisters are the daughters of the Filipino businessman
Don Antonio Brias, Jr. and his Spanish wife, the famous artist
Doña Isabel Maria "Betsy" Westendorp-Brias.
The Brias clan of Manila is a prominent Spanish mestizo family.

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Family patriarch Don Enrique Brias y de Coya was born in Guadalajara, Spain
and studied medicine before coming to the Philippines in the 1800s.
Instead of practicing medicine, he became a businessman in the Philippines.
He was a member of the Board of Directors of el Banco Español Filipino and
later joined the young San Miguel Corporation under Don Pedro Pablo Roxas.
He would marry a cousin of Don Pedro and sister of Manila Mayor Felix Roxas,
the popular mestiza socialite, Doña Lucina Roxas y Fernandez.
Don Enrique Brias eventually became a General Manager at San Miguel and
also started his own business in Escolta, Manila, Roxas Brias, Inc.

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Don Enrique's son Don Antonio "Aito" Brias y Roxas (left), born in Iloilo,
would also join San Miguel and become a General Manager and later
Vice President during the reign of cousin Don Andres Soriano y Roxas.
He married Doña Carmen "Aita" Echegoyen y Villeta, daughter of the
Director of the Royal Academy of Music in Manila, Head of the choir at the
Manila Cathedral, and owner of La Lira music shop, Don Blas Echegoyen.

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The Brias clan in 1950s Manila with matriarch Doña Carmen Echegoyen-Brias

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Young Doña Betsy Westendorp-Brias at her Makati home/art studio

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Fernando Amorsolo portrait of Doña Isabel Maria "Betsy" Brias
Artist and alta sociedad matron Doña Betsy Brias has divided
her time between Manila, Philippines and Spain since 1951.

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Portrait of Don Carlos Westendorp, Sr., by Doña Betsy Brias

Doña Betsy Brias is the daughter of Don Carlos Westendorp, a member of
a very prominent family of Spanish diplomats with Dutch-Spanish ancestry.
Don Carlos Westendorp y Cabeza, Jr. is Spanish Ambassador to the U.S.

Watch this video segment on Betsy Brias's work in the Philippines:
k1szKGwSKd8

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Painting by Doña Betsy Brias of the artist with her lovely daughters

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Her portrait of daughter Carmen Brias

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Her portrait of daughter Isabel Brias

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And her portrait of daughter Sylvia Brias

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Doña Betsy Brias (center) with her father Don Carlos (left) and daughter Isabel (right)
at a one of her art shows at the Hastings Gallery in New York in 1974.
Former First Lady Jacqueline "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis was in attendance with her
husband, the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.

Before the war, Don Antonio Brias y Roxas, Sr. and his cousins in the Philippines,
including Don Andres Soriano y Roxas and Don Enrique Zobel y de Ayala, were
close friends and allies of the royal family, as well as Generalissimo Francisco Franco.
Betsy Brias is also famous in Spain for her portraits of the Franco and Royal families:

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Generalissimo Franco's granddaughter Mariola Martínez-Bordiú y Franco,
daughter of el Marqués de Villaverde

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S.A.R. Felipe de Borbón, el Principe de Asturias

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L-R: San Antolin de Bedón X and Fuentarrabia, Guipúzcoa in Spain
I absolutely adore her colourful Spanish landscape paintings!
Many Filipino families trace their ancestries to Guipúzcoa!

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At her Manila studio, Doña Betsy Westendorp-Brias works on a painting
in her "Atmosferografías" series

Kaleidoscope

Nothing uplifts the human spirit better than a beautiful work of art. In her own way, renowned artist Betsy Westendorp makes the world a better place.

Sometimes, it takes foreigners to make us realize just how beautiful the Philippines really is. The well-known artist Betsy Westendorp first fell in love with our country over 50 years ago, and the infatuation hasn’t ebbed a single bit. Though she currently a resident of Madrid, Spain, she just keeps coming back here for more.

Best known for her portraits of society’s elite, delicate floral paintings, and dramatic landscapes, Betsy first arrived in these shores in 1951, shortly after marrying Antonio Brias, a Filipino-Spanish businessman whom she met in Spain.

In the early years of the marriage, Betsy was devoted to simply being a wife and considered herself a “lady of leisure.” She ceased painting for the time being, and whiled away her time puttering around her garden. But the urge to paint couldn’t be resisted for long. Just as many people find gardening therapeutic, Betsy feels the same way when there’s a brush in her hand. “When I paint, it’s like I go deep into meditation and forget my problems.”

Being an artist is the only thing she ever wanted to do as far as Betsy can remember. As a child she would paint portraits of her family. “Portrait painting is something that you don’t learn how to do. It is something that is inborn,” she says. “There are many painters, but only a few portrait artists. To be one is to capture something just by looking at the subject. I don’t like painting from photographs. I like the subject looking at me, and me looking at him or her. The interaction that goes on between the sitter and painter is very interesting and very rewarding.”

After she and her husband returned to Spain, she still kept close ties with her friends in Manila. In fact, she owes her big break outside the Philippines to Vicky Quirino and Luis Gonzales, who became the ambassador to Spain. With Gonzales’s connections, Betsy was able to have Spain’s elite sit for portraits, including three princes. Her first exhibit in Madrid was a smashing success and garnered great reviews in the papers. She has since exhibited in other Spanish cities, Belgium, the United States and of course in Manila.

While in town, Betsy stays at the penthouse of a bayside apartment, which she has kept for many years now. “I don’t want to break my ties to this country. And if I visit, I don’t want to stay in a hotel where I cannot have my easel or my canvases, my paintings,” she explains. Her maisonette boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing picturesque vistas of the sea and sky. Before portions of Manila Bay were reclaimed, the view of the sea began literally right across the street. In those days Manila was also relatively free of the smog which now envelops the city, and Betsy had unparalleled views of the world famous sunsets. The wondrous sights provided inspiration for another recurring theme in her oeuvre. A Spanish critic dubbed Betsy’s work “Atmosferografias” in reference to the atmospheric subjects. The sun and the clouds are Betsy’s subjects du jour. Many paintings of the sort are scattered over her flat, and a large unfinished canvas is stretched across a huge mechanical contraption that dominates the studio.

While Betsy is inspired by nature, the works of great artists have also influenced her. “In painting, nothing is new. Whatever you paint, someone has done it before. All of us are influenced by the ones who have come before us.” In Spain, she would often visit El Prado museum where artwork by Goya and Velazquez were displayed. Further travels abroad piqued Betsy’s interest in other artists. She admits to having the greatest respect for Van Gogh, both for his paintings and his character. When I comment that her many of her flower paintings seem to be in the impressionist style, she agrees and cites Monet’s influence. On the other hand, her sunscapes are inspired by the eccentric British artist, Joseph Turner. Thankfully she didn’t get his personality. Turner was notorious for refusing to sell his paintings, being stingy and a misanthrope. Betsy is just the opposite, being quite gregarious and a vivid storyteller. She is also generous and supportive of charity organizations.

Every year the Catholic Women’s Club invites an artist to donate a painting which is auctioned off during their annual fundraiser. The likeness of the painting is also used to adorn commemorative plates and other items. Recently Betsy was asked by the CWC to participate and she readily agreed, coming up with an image of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, which she called The Holy Mother of God. This year instead of an auction, the club pegged the price of the painting at half a million pesos. Immediately it was purchased by Bea Zobel. “I couldn’t have been more glad that it was she who bought it, because Bea has really been inspiring all these years with her charity work.”

After a prolific career, it wouldn’t be unusual to see Betsy easing the pace a bit. But that’s not her style. She loves to be up on her feet, and paints every day. Often she’s up until 3 a.m. working on her canvases. This is her life, and no one can take that pleasure away from her. “I am very happy with what I have, I couldn’t be any happier. My greatest reward is working.”

Source: http://betsywestendorp.com/collection/press/tattlerrelease/tattlerrelease.htm.

Examples of her Philippine artwork:

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From her "Atmosferografías" series

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From her "Lake Taal" series

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From her "Barong-Barong" series

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From her "Orquídeas" series

Betsy Brias also painted portraits of many of the Philippines' leading socialites:

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L-R: Isabel Arrastia Preysler and Stella Marquez-Araneta

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L-R: Rocio Soriano with her children

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L-R: Mari Soriano and Tuting Roces

Doña Betsy Brias also painted portraits of the Philippines' First Family:

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The unveiling of a portrait of Imee Marcos, daughter of Pres. Ferndinand Marco.
That's Doña Rosemarie Tuason-Toda (left) with husband and Philippine Airlines'
President Don Benigno "Benny" Toda, Jr. and First Lady Imelda Marcos.

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Her mural of the Romualdez Family (Imelda Marcos's relatives)

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The opening ceremony of her 1980 art exhibit at the Manila
Cultural Center of the Philippines

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With First Lady Imelda Marcos at the Cultural Center of the Philippines

At the 1985 Inauguración Exposición Ayala Museum in Makati City:

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New Ayala Corp. CEO Don Jaime Zobel-de Ayala presiding

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The Brias family, relatives, and friends

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Doña Betsy chats with Doña Beatriz Zobel-de Ayala and Don Vicente "Ting" Ayllón (left).
The Zaragoza-Ortoll clan members also enjoyed the exhibit.

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Members of the Tuason, Toda, etc. clans were also in attendance

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Insurance magnate Don Vicente Ayllón (left) smiles for the camera

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The barong is worn by Filipinos on formal occasions
It was originally worn primarily by mestizo men in the olden days.
Now all Filipino men wear it at weddings and formal events.

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This event attracted the crème de la crème of Manila alta sociedad!
The Brías, Roxas, Soriano, Zobel-de Ayala, Padilla, Tuason, Zaragoza, Ortoll,
Ortigas, Toda, Ayllón, Olbés, Santamaría, Elizalde, Araneta clans were there!
Stay tuned for many more photos of Manila society affairs! More Eurasians!

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In 2007, Doña Betsy Brias was awarded The Presidential Medal of Merit at
the Philippine Embassy in recognition of her contributions in art and culture!

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The Philippine Presidential Medal of Merit

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La Medalla Presidencial del Mérito (en Español!)

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Dr. Victor Brias is an expert in the field of agriculture and biotechnology
He sits on the Honorary Council of the World Bamboo Organization (WBO),
formerly the International Bamboo Association (IBA), which promotes the
use of bamboo as a sustainable and alternative natural resource!
He is also the facilitator of the Bamboo-Plantations Group online forum:

http://www.bamboo-plantations.com/

and Bamboo-Guitar.com:

http://bamboo-guitar.com/.

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Don Antonio Matilla Brías (center), Consul Ad Honorem (Cónsul Honorario)
at the Spanish Consulate in Davao City, with his mother Doña Victoriana
Matilla-Brías (left) and Maribel García-Ongpin (right) at the Manila Polo Club.

Carlos Rocha

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Carlos "Charlie" Rocha

Carlos Rocha is a world-renowned artist from the Philippines.
His moderni art has been featured in galleries around the world.
Recently, Luba’s Art Gallery and Flair Orientale, Australian Filipino
Chamber of Commerce of Queensland sponsored the first ever
All-Filipino Art Exhibit in Brisbane, Australia!

His father was the famous modernist architect Don Julio Victor Rocha.
Don Julio Victor Rocha was born on 20 Jul, 1913 in Iloilo City into the
old Spanish mestizo Rocha clan of Manila, who made a fortune in the
Manila-Acapulco galleon trade in the 17th and 18th centuries and built
Malacañang Palace in 1700s -- now it's the Presidential Palace!!!
The main medical school building at the Universidad de Santo Tomas
(UST) in Manila is among Don Julio Victor Rocha's most famous buildings.
He was the youngest Dean of UST's College of Architecture and Fine Arts!
He is also the uncle of artist Iñaki Echevarria Rocha (http://eurasiannation.proboards48.com/index.cgi?board=celebrities&action=display&thread=9566&page=4#344812), who posts on EAN!
I hope that my friend can get more mestizo friends like Iñaki to post here!

The Rocha clan counts many famous artists & musicians among its members.
Painter Don Lorenzo Rocha y de Ycaza was a former Director (apptd. in 1867)
of Manila's prestigious Academia de Dibujo y Pintura, who succeeded the first
Director and instructor from Spain, Don Agustín Sáez, and was a contemporary
and colleague of Don Lorenzo Guerrero, one of the early teachers of Juan Luna!
Doña Ubalda Rocha was a renowned theatre performer of the Teatro Español.
Doña Carmen Rocha was a famous classical pianist who recorded before WW2.
Don Juan Jose "Johnny" Perez Rocha is the 1987 Premio Zobel winner.

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In his spare time, Carlos Rocha gives classes and workshops in the Philippines.
Here he is with young students at the Pacita Abad Center for the Arts at the
Batanes Heritage Center in Basco, Batanes in the Philippines.

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Batanes’ Dynamic Art

A friend in the travel industry used to say: “There are two kinds of Filipinos — those who have been to Batanes, and those who haven’t.”

I’m inclined to agree, however elitist seems the quip, since hardly one out of 200 Filipinos may have visited our northernmost islands, to augment the 20,000 current residents.

Time still stands still in parts of Batanes. But in Basco, the capital, recent years have brought many new developments that have turned the main island of Batan apace with much of the country. Electricity is now available 24/7. Cellphone and Internet service have become regular privileges. At least three main lodges —Pension Ivatan, Batanes Seaside Lodge, and Batanes Resort — welcome visitors at modest rates, when one used to have to arrange for a homestay program.

Asian Spirit flights are always full, with bookings for the summer months already totally accounted for by early March. The “winter” season of December to February is still the best time to visit, however, to get a feel of the chill factor that suits the remarkable environment with expansive views of rugged country — indeed so much unlike the rest of the archipelago, and more like, say, Tuscany transported to Ireland.

Spectacular hill country, with gentle contours of pasture land dominated by the hulking, mist-covered Mt. Iraya, breathtaking cliffside drives, ocean breakers crashing onto jagged coast, and you have a panorama of remoteness — but not desolation. In fact it’s easy for visitors to conjure parallels of scenery that recall movie settings, from Wuthering Heights to Lord of the Rings.

February usually features dry if wind-whipped conditions, and some sun. But last weekend was freaky, as it still seems to be all over Luzon. We had half a day of sun, with the rest of a long weekend given over to drizzles and downpours, the wind on a constant howl.

But we would be fortunate, a son and I, as we stumbled into the fortune of a homestay with Batanes’ favored son, former Cabinet secretary and former Rep. Florencio “Butch” Abad. I had meant to check out Fundacion Pacita, the studio home of his late lamented sister, the international artist Pacita Abad. I had heard how it had been turned into an art center upon her demise a few years ago.

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Sure enough, its A-frame structure of traditional stonewalls was as pretty as a picture, lording it over a grassy promontory that overlooked a coastal sweep and the Pacific Ocean. A hundred meters past a gully that led down to a rocky beach was Butch Abad’s own modest cottage and splendid garden. For three days and nights we became unannounced if captivated guests, doubly lucky to be in the company of artist Charlie Rocha and his educator wife Minda.

Charlie was brought to Tukon, the upland barrio of Basco where lies the Abads’ ancestral pasture land, to paint certain landmarks around town, as well as to give a lecture to very young artists who are following not only Pacita’s footsteps, but those of a dynamic crew of homegrown painters who now help run the Pacita Abad Center for the Arts.

Founded on December 7, 2005, the Jorge and Pacita Abad Memorial Foundation seeks to continue the celebrated native daughter’s commitment to preserve the far-flung islands’ unique heritage and culture, and to give the children of Batanes the opportunity to appreciate and express themselves through art.

Fundacion Pacita now serves as the headquarters of the Pacita Abad Center for the Arts, which also has a satellite office in the Heritage Center in Basco. Pacita’s widower, Jack Garrity, and brother Butch are co-founders and co-chairmen. Funding comes from the sale of Pacita’s paintings in the art auctions of Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Larasati in Singapore, as well as donations from her friends all over the world.

When he’s not taken up with the equally dynamic activities of the Black-and-White Movement in Manila, Butch busies himself with an entirely colorful and creative life in Tukon — supervising the addition of more buildings around Fundacion Pacita as well as on his own spread, with an eye towards turning these into residency venues for an art community inclusive of writers, musicians and dancers. He also continues to expand his gardens, and loves nothing better than to have guests plant trees around the lovely property.

Between his cottage, which he himself designed and decorated, with thoroughly Mediterranean influence, and the Fundacion building is a mini plaza with life-size bronze sculpture of their folks, Jorge Sr. and Aurora or “Lolay,” seated with their backs to the ocean — a commissioned work by Julie Lluch. On his cottage walls is a burgeoning collection of artworks by artist-friends like Araceli Dans and Manny Baldemor. Batanes landscapes by local artists hang side by side with watercolors of Brittany.

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On a lower part of Tukon, by the road to Basco, is another project that manifests the passion for art. The newly built Tukon Chapel features pitched ceilings with a mural series of the six patron saints of Batanes, done by the Fundacion’s resident artists, who have formed an association known as Yaru nu Artes Ivatan.

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One look at the portraits they’ve mounted on the ceilings will tell you they are no Sunday painters, but full-fledged artists of the first water.

Among the stalwarts are Roland Gonzales, Jaypee Portez, Tere Gordo, Leslie Merida, Javier Ponce, and Xavier Abelador. The last-named also serves as the Fundacion’s project coordinator, under executive director Byron Peralta.

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To say that they have talent would be a gross understatement. The lifelike paintings of saints, utilizing native elements and with the town churches serving as backdrops, are so good that Bishop Camillo Gregorio has commissioned the chapel’s lead painter, “Olan” Gonzales, to execute a saint’s portrait for the Vatican.

Olan, whose mother Irene is a master basket maker, was the first Ivatan to be offered a full scholarship in fine arts at UP Diliman, where his work drew appreciation from such noted artists and professors as Malang, Jerry Tan and Dr. Francisco Datar. He missed his hometown so much, however, that he chose to return without completing his scholarship.

He expresses his passion beautifully: “Whenever I was in Manila, I always wanted to go back home as soon as I could to my native land, Batanes. Now with the help of the Yaru I can see my dreams realized: a circle of Ivatan artists that will paint itself towards the Art World, yet remain rooted in our history and culture. We will show the world the beauty and art of our land, our people and our culture. This way I can repay the life and inspiration that Batanes has given me. I dream of Batanes as a world in balance with man and nature.”

Only 19 years old, Jaypee Portez has developed a unique abstract style that emphasizes circles, which represent the eyes of the dibang or flying fish, the staple Ivatan food. The circle also figures prominently in old pottery, he says, as well as native gold earrings and the stones used for Ivatan houses. It has become his signature motif. His works have been purchased as far away as Australia. He has been commissioned to do a mosaic at the Batanes airport, as well as a 50-piece installation in a new hotel in Manila to be put up by restaurateur Ricky Gutierrez of Sentro.

Tere Gordo’s colorful style shifts from realism to abstraction. She won 2nd place in the College Level of the Pacita Abad Painting Competition in February 2006, then won the grand prize in 2007, replicating Olan Gonzales’ feat the year before.

Xavier Abelador’s oils, acrylics and watercolors, mostly of Ivatan houses and landscapes, take a cue from impressionism, yet he also defines the richness of Ivatan culture and tradition in a surreal light. A BFA graduate of FEATI University, he has won national awards: runner-up in ArtPetron 2006, finalist in the Shell Art Competition 2006, and finalist in the PLDT-DPC cover design contests of 2005 and 2006.

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The Yaru nu Artes Ivatan also helps run the art training center in Basco, where art supplies and materials are provided Ivatan children who are trained in the basics of drawing, painting, color theory and art appreciation. The program includes a one-week intensive training in mural painting, ongoing studio workshops, and participation in national arts festivals. Over 350 children have graduated from the summer training program. Their works, together with those of the artist-trainers, have been exhibited at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Museo Pambata, and the Headlands Center for the Arts in San Francisco. Some works are sold on eBay with the help of the Kalinawa Foundation.

On the afternoon that Charlie Rocha gave his impassioned lecture on the need for “a sense of drama” to enhance an artist’s basic draftsmanship, some two dozen kids, grade schoolers and high schoolers, sat rapt in attention, their sketchpads and notebooks before them. Around the upper-floor salon were various paintings-in-progress, with every single one giving evidence that they have been learning well from their zealous mentors.

What is it in the rarefied environment that produces so much quality art, from a good number of the youth who are otherwise bereft of outside influence and benefits?

It must be the way their eyes are trained from birth to appreciate the wealth of details in their unique habitat. The way the quality of light changes from season to season, how they are kept indoors for long days, only to emerge and share instantly in the purity of the air and pristine empowerment — all these must contribute to the Ivatan artist’s personal worldview.

Of course, Pacita Abad’s success in the international stage must also have inspired Ivatans to take up the brush and palette. That they enjoy a strong and proud culture also equips them with the distinctive influences, motifs and thematic concerns that translate into dynamism.

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This happy evolution has transpired in the last few years, no doubt helped along by the Fundacion’s abiding commitment. One other happenstance was the arrival of US Fulbright scholar Margarita Garcia in 2004. She stayed only for three weeks, but returned in 2006 and took up residence in a lighthouse, which was also soon converted into a studio. Noting the scarcity of canvas, she initiated the lighthouse umbrella project, with children painting over 400 recycled umbrellas with scenes of the natural environment and culture of Batanes.

Her networking skills also led to art exhibits in Manila and abroad. For all her inspirational efforts, she was named vice president for special projects of the Fundacion and Pacita Abad Center for the Arts.

Now, apart from the annual painting competition and art workshops, art scholarships have also been established. Talented youths are provided stipends to cover tuition, books and materials as well as a living allowance and transportation to Manila. Current art scholars are Reynante Cabizon, a Fine Arts major at FEATI University, and Jeremy Dharmasena, a Visual Arts major at the Philippine High School for the Arts.

The Fundacion’s executive director, Byron Peralta, has successfully networked with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for funding for a Batanes art festival. Ivatan artists are also busy with public art projects: murals throughout the islands, a mosaic and art umbrellas on display at the Basco airport, and even school portraits, signage, brochures, and decorative boats. They have proposed to replace the ruined flagpole at Basco Square, and hope to turn the park into an art environment for the enjoyment of Ivatan families.

Such dynamism for remote, rugged islands. It’s a glorious development, for such natural grandeur to be paralleled by a people’s devotion to culture and art. Indeed, as a Basco road sign proclaims before a view of sea, “Dios mamajes.” The Lord rewards the deserving.

Hail Batanes! Hail its dynamic artists!

Source: http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/?p=2152.

His artwork is regularly featured at the Ayala Musuem in Makati.

Carlos Rocha's Painting Shakespeare at Ayala Museum

An exhibition of artworks by Carlos Rocha. Carlos Rocha's "Painting Shakespeare" features paintings inspired by the plays of William Shakespeare, as well as other recent works by the artist.

Being fascinated with the bard’s literary genius, Carlos Rocha has painted his own impressions of scenes and themes from the plays. Sometimes working in symbols, taking the scenes out of their settings and into a different time and place, or depicting the scene as Shakespeare had written it, Carlos Rocha presents the paintings in his distinct style without altering the playwright’s intentions or purposes.

Some plays translated by Carlos Rocha in canvas include Measure for Measure, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, and Love’s Labour’s Lost, among others.

The exhibition of this limited series also accompanies an exhibition of Carlos’ recent works of his usual subjects of landscapes, table settings, sea/shore scenes, etc.

Carlos’ paintings are known for their combination of pleasurable subjects and intensified color to convey an unwavering celebration of life as the central characteristic. Bold hues and strokes make uplifting emotion tangible in his striking artworks.

Born in February, 1950, Carlos Rocha grew up in a largely artistic environment; his father, the modernist architect Julio Victor Rocha, Julio’s friends, National Artists Vicente Manansala and Victorio Edades, and Julio’s one-time draftsman Onib Olmedo, who later became an artist of distinction, strongly influenced the young Carlos in their fervently modernist inclinations. Carlos’ paintings have now evolved into works of art in a decidedly Fauvist style. He is also a sculptor, and his sculptures are equally expressive, exhibiting graceful tension and movement.

Source: http://philippineartscene.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html.

So, the presidential inaugural balls and parties are almost done for the night, still no sign of this elusive Charice performance. Guess all the hoopla was an elaborate and well-played out hoax then? :ohno:

So, the presidential inaugural balls and parties are almost done for the night, still no sign of this elusive Charice performance. Guess all the hoopla was an elaborate and well-played out hoax then? :ohno:


My sister said that Charise's performance would be shown on Ophrah tomorrow and I heard it was shown in HBO last night.

^^ Was that at the HBO covered concert at the Lincoln Memorial?

^^ Was that at the HBO covered concert at the Lincoln Memorial?

Not sure if that was in the Lincoln Memorial.
But here bud, Pinoys are really fast in uploading to youtube. :lol:
Just part of the show.


JMmWYHVHBzs

^^ Oh, it's a pre-inaugural function. :(

oh my god it took an hour to download this page.

dami namang pics sa page na 'to. overkill! :lol:

Animo: I love reading your posts! Mabuhay.

Here is more pictures of the 3rd China ( Sanya ) International Orchid and Garden Show

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Side View- Philippine Orchid Society Exhibit

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Mr. Andres Golamco posing in front of the Philippine Exhibit



Philippine Booth
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^^ I'm glad and proud that Philippines is represented. Those beautiful Waling-waling orchids and other orchid varieties used to be just unique and indigenous in the Philippines. Now, those are being propagated in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and elsewhere. We have to remain visible in these expos and exhibits.

^^ I'm glad and proud that Philippines is represented. Those beautiful Waling-waling orchids and other orchid varieties used to be just unique and indigenous in the Philippines. Now, those are being propagated in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and elsewhere. We have to remain visible in these expos and exhibits.

:banana: The Manila Bulletin had a portion of this story in today's Lifestyle section .

Waling-waling blooming season is the month of July, August , September months.

There are no Waling-waling orchids which were exhibited in the 3rd China
( Sanya) International Orchid and Garden Show 2009 .

Most are Dendrochilum species.

a sample of these wonderful orchid ( locally known as rice orchid)
http://http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/557003967jQXUQz

Monique Lhuillier

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The battle of Leyte Gulf will be featured in a new video game called "Battlestations: Pacific" for 360 and PS3.

More info here: http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/897/897209.html#aboutThisGame

^^Yup! cool graphics...But I dont think the Pinoys took part in the naval battles there. Its a completely American affair.

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By MARCIA B. SIEGEL (http://thephoenix.com/Boston/Arts/75696-Clara-Ramona-at-BU/)

Boston-based Mavi Dance produced the performances of Clara Ramona's "Sangre flamenca en gira" ("Flamenco Blood on Tour") at the Boston University Dance Theater last weekend, but the international dance group offered only two numbers on the long program. There are some interesting affinities between flamenco and the dance traditions of Eurasia's midsection, but we didn't get enough of Mavi to do more than taste the shared flavorings of Spain, the Balkans, and the Middle East.

Flamenco evolved from the stepdances of Europe, the folk dances of roaming Gitanos, the Jewish-Arabic diaspora. It's even tinged with the rhythmic complexities of North India. In the music that accompanied the program you could hear these historical crossings, as well as more recent interactions with jazz and rock. Flamenco is an inexhaustibly syncretic dance/music form, soaking up new cultural influences and then spreading out across the world again. Clara Ramona began her dance studies in Boston, as did her sons Isaac and Niño de los Reyes, but she's returned to teach and perform in her native Philippines, whereas they're now based in Madrid.

^^Award-winning 'The Simpsons' animator is Pinoy

Filipino Jess Espanola has led a very colorful life.

Espanola has been working as assistant director for the popular American animated sitcom “The Simpsons” for seven years now. The job earned him an Emmy award last year.

However, Espanola had to go through hardships in life before realizing his American dream. Espanola said he led an impoverished life in Pampanga province.

He said that since he was five years old, he knew that he already loved sketching.

“Five years old pa lang ako, nag-drawing na ako. Hindi ko pa nasusulatan ng pangalan ko… ang notebook ko puro drawing ng Batman at Robin," he said.

Espanola’s talent in drawing landed him a scholarship at the University of the Philippines, one of the premier schools in the Philippines.

He was also able to work for Fil-Cartoon, Inc. as an animator before he moved to Los Angeles in 1994.

His first job was to work on an American television animated series, King of the Hill. From there, his ascend to the animated world in the US began.

In the 90s, he was named the assistant director for Futurama, an animated American sitcom. In 2002, he was appointed as the assistant director of “The Simpsons.”

“This is the happiest moment in my life. Talagang tuwang-tuwa ako noong lumalakad ako paakyat sa stage. Parang hindi ako nakatapak sa floor,” he said.

Espanola attributed his success to his trainings when he was still in the Philippines.

-- Ging Reyes, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/01/29/09/award-winning-pinoy-animator-enjoys-success-us

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/jan/30/yehey/images/life.jpg

By Johanna M. Sampan, Reporter (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/jan/30/yehey/life/20090130lif1.html)

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will fulfill his promise to put the mural given to him by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in the UN headquarters in New York.

The mural—recognized by Ki-Moon for highlighting the importance of culture in the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UNMDGs)—was made by the Batanes collective artists including Ronald Gonzales, Xavier Abelador, Javier Ponce and Jaypee Fortes.

The turnover was accomplished on the 23rd when NCCA Chairman Vilma Labrador personally gave the mural to the hands of UN Mission led by Philippine Ambassador Hilario Davide. The mural will now be framed and will have an official installation scheduled. The occasion was also utilized for the meeting of Chairman Labrador with cultural, civic and educational leaders, organized through UN Consul General Cecile Rebong to discuss the mechanics and operations of Balik-Artist and Balik-Teacher program that can parallel the Balik-Scientist project of the country.

The Cultural Caregiving Services to reach out to overseas Filipinos were also forged for the East Coast. In the West Coast, the Filipino American Service Group, Incorporated (FASGI), through its Chairman Eduardo Angeles and its Executive Director Susan Dilkes, in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles Hon. Mary Jo Bernardo-Aragon, organized the press conference to herald the program and meetings were also arranged.

The painting that was presented on October 29, 2008 depicts the eight UNMDGs: ending of poverty and hunger, having universal education, promoting gender equality, protecting children’s health, combating HIV and AIDS, sustaining the environment and forging global partnerships.

The UN chief was very appreciative of the gift when he received it in Malacañang. The painting was created as part of the NCCA Kalahi Cultural Caregiving services for poverty alleviation. Ki-Moon promised to place it at the United Nations headquarters—a very great honor for Filipino artists as well as for the whole country. It coincides with the Philippines prominence in the UN global count of Stand and Take Action Against Poverty.

“Your commitment to the Millennium Development Goals is inspiring,” said Ki-Moon in his speech. “You have shown remarkable leadership on climate change. Indeed, the numerous alternative energy protects in which the Philippines has invested is one of the highest among countries at a similar level of development.”

President Arroyo also conferred the Order of Sikatuna (Rank of Rajah) to Ki-Moon in recognition of his achievements in international relations and for his invaluable contribution for the advancement of global peace and development, the protection of human rights and the pursuit of local UN endeavors.

Ki-moon’s Manila visit was part of his four-country tour in Asia, which he addressed the opening session of the Second Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, which drew government representatives from 163 UN member states.

Joined by his wife Madame BanSoon-Taek and Madame Virginia Davide, spouse of Ambassador to the UN Hilario Davide, the visit aimed to highlight the support that the UN system in the Philippines has provided for the Philippines Government to help attain the Millennium Development Goals.

Prototypes of cultural caregiving services have already been initiated by the NCCA, in the USA with performances of National Artist’s Alejandro Roces’ Something To Crow About and the visit of the Loboc Children’s Choir. In Europe the program was showcased in Madrid, Spain through Ambassador Joseph Delano Bernardo where the Filipino-Spanish community was serviced including the Filipino staff by the delegates to the UNESCO-ITI 31st Congress in Madrid.

^^ Yan! Para nakikita nila kung gaano talaga kayaman sa kultura ang Pilipinas! :okay:

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/jan/30/yehey/images/life.jpg

By Johanna M. Sampan, Reporter (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/jan/30/yehey/life/20090130lif1.html)

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will fulfill his promise to put the mural given to him by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in the UN headquarters in New York.

The mural—recognized by Ki-Moon for highlighting the importance of culture in the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UNMDGs)—was made by the Batanes collective artists including Ronald Gonzales, Xavier Abelador, Javier Ponce and Jaypee Fortes.

The turnover was accomplished on the 23rd when NCCA Chairman Vilma Labrador personally gave the mural to the hands of UN Mission led by Philippine Ambassador Hilario Davide. The mural will now be framed and will have an official installation scheduled. The occasion was also utilized for the meeting of Chairman Labrador with cultural, civic and educational leaders, organized through UN Consul General Cecile Rebong to discuss the mechanics and operations of Balik-Artist and Balik-Teacher program that can parallel the Balik-Scientist project of the country.

The Cultural Caregiving Services to reach out to overseas Filipinos were also forged for the East Coast. In the West Coast, the Filipino American Service Group, Incorporated (FASGI), through its Chairman Eduardo Angeles and its Executive Director Susan Dilkes, in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles Hon. Mary Jo Bernardo-Aragon, organized the press conference to herald the program and meetings were also arranged.

The painting that was presented on October 29, 2008 depicts the eight UNMDGs: ending of poverty and hunger, having universal education, promoting gender equality, protecting children’s health, combating HIV and AIDS, sustaining the environment and forging global partnerships.

The UN chief was very appreciative of the gift when he received it in Malacañang. The painting was created as part of the NCCA Kalahi Cultural Caregiving services for poverty alleviation. Ki-Moon promised to place it at the United Nations headquarters—a very great honor for Filipino artists as well as for the whole country. It coincides with the Philippines prominence in the UN global count of Stand and Take Action Against Poverty.

“Your commitment to the Millennium Development Goals is inspiring,” said Ki-Moon in his speech. “You have shown remarkable leadership on climate change. Indeed, the numerous alternative energy protects in which the Philippines has invested is one of the highest among countries at a similar level of development.”

President Arroyo also conferred the Order of Sikatuna (Rank of Rajah) to Ki-Moon in recognition of his achievements in international relations and for his invaluable contribution for the advancement of global peace and development, the protection of human rights and the pursuit of local UN endeavors.

Ki-moon’s Manila visit was part of his four-country tour in Asia, which he addressed the opening session of the Second Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, which drew government representatives from 163 UN member states.

Joined by his wife Madame BanSoon-Taek and Madame Virginia Davide, spouse of Ambassador to the UN Hilario Davide, the visit aimed to highlight the support that the UN system in the Philippines has provided for the Philippines Government to help attain the Millennium Development Goals.

Prototypes of cultural caregiving services have already been initiated by the NCCA, in the USA with performances of National Artist’s Alejandro Roces’ Something To Crow About and the visit of the Loboc Children’s Choir. In Europe the program was showcased in Madrid, Spain through Ambassador Joseph Delano Bernardo where the Filipino-Spanish community was serviced including the Filipino staff by the delegates to the UNESCO-ITI 31st Congress in Madrid.

^^is this permanent installation or temporary only?

good news! we're proud of him. but to complete his success, he should not settle for doubles titles, but also for singles.

^^
i got goosebumps watching them yesterday (i didn't know Journey was gonna perform) :banana:

I'm gonna buy ticket for this:D

An Evening with "JOURNEY" • LIVE! in Taguig, Global City
March 14, 2009 • 8 PM • Ticket On-sale SOON! • Ticket Prices: 3,180 (Gold), 1,600 (Silver), 800 (Bronze)

http://www.ticketworld.com.ph/

Watched Arnel Pineda and Journey performing at the Tailgate 2009, one of the side events of Super Bowl XLIII! This was shown during the halftime break.

:banana: :banana: :banana:

By the way, congrats to the Steelers! :)

Will Journey come to Manila this March? Is it confirmed?

Will Journey come to Manila this March? Is it confirmed?

Try visiting the ticketworld website:D

Manunuod din kami ng concert ng Journey....:banana::banana::banana:

March 7 Eheads reunion concert...
March 14 Journey concert...

^^May concert din ang Fall Out Boy sa Feb. 13, I wanna watch that!

^^May concert din ang Fall Out Boy sa Feb. 13, I wanna watch that!

And Craig David on Mar 27.

didn't know that Craig David and the guys from FOB are pinoy :lol: :jk:

another pinoy youtube sensation.. :D
Gjg-v6yUjFo

Ho-RaVagVAM

FILIPINOS AROUND THE WORLD APPLAUD NINO ALCANTARA (http://http://insidesports.ph/tennis/filipinos-around-the-world-applaud-nino-alcantara/)


Hundreds of Filipinos from around the world have applauded Francis Casey “Nino” Alcantara for his superb feat in winning the Australian Open Junior Boys doubles title with Chinese-Taipei partner Cheng Peng Hsieh.


The seventh seeds defeated the fancied duo of Russia ’s Mikhal Biryukov and Japan ’s Yasutaka Uchiyama in straight sets 6-4/6-2.


Alcantara who was cheered on from the sidelines by his mother and staunch supporters Oscar Hilado and Romy Chan was scheduled to arrive at 5:30 Sunday aboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Melbourne . Alcantara who turns 17 later this month was also supported by Jean Henri Lhuillier.


His coach Jun Toledo was an outstanding Davis Cup doubles player and has always shown great confidence in the future of the simple lad from Cagayan De Oro City. Alcantara is the first Filipino to win a grand slam tennis title.


According to Randy Villanueva of the Philippine Tennis Association, Alcantara is expected to compete in the Asian circuit in March. This was confirmed by passionate tennis official Ajay Pathak who for years has handled the Asian juniors who told www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that he will include Alcantara in the ITF team that will go to Europe and compete in Wimbledon , the French Open and all the other major juniors events.


A staunch believer in Alcantara, Pathak said the youngster is “a fine all-round player but needs more upper body strength and a few more inches in height.” Pathak said he hopes that with the big doubles title win Alcantara “doesn’t feel he’s only a doubles player” because, according to Pathak he thinks he’ll “even win a singles title.”


Among the email messages was one from J. Austin in the US who said “a big hurrah for Nino. We’re proud of young and Peng. Keep it up.” Another sender from the US identified as A Felix “Kudos Francis we’ve got the next Feliicissimo Ampon. Mabuhay ka!”


Maritess B from Poland wrote “Mabuhay kabayan. Congrats to both of you. Indeed a memorable experience” Tim from Reno , Nevada said “Go Francis, keep up the fantastic job. Just believe in yourself and know that there are people elsewhere cheering for you. You make us proud. Hurrah from Reno .”


The congratulatory messages kept pouring in from Filipinos in Singapore, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Paris, New Zealand, South Korea, United Srab Emirates as well as such places as Nigeria where Maynard and Melani also extended their regards to Nino’s mother Sarah and even one from Equatorial Guinea plus an avalanche of messages from fans and supporters in the Philippines.

Davao Cocoa Breaks Into World Market
Posted by Chikai in - Saturday, January 31, 2009 1/31/2009 05:52:00 PM
Missouri-based Askinosie Chocolate factory launched last Jan. 30 Philippine cacao made into chocolate bars as part of the sought-after Askinosie chocolate lines. The launch of the Davao, Philippines 77 percent chocolate bar was attended by Philippine Consul Blesila Cabrera and Trade Representative Glenn Penaranda in Springfield.

Shawn Askinosie, founder of Askinosie Chocolate in Missouri in 1998, has been sourcing his cacao from farmers in Latin America, namely Mexico, Venezuela and Ecuador when he became interested in exploring Philippine cacao, particularly from Davao.

This criminal defense lawyer (an avid baker of cupcakes) turned chocolate maker displays the photos of farmers and the history of the cacao beans on the labels of his chocolate bars.

His plant, which recently transferred to Commercial Street in Springfield, produces 77 percent chocolate from the beans for sipping (drinks), baking, tasting (chocolate bars) and treating (cooking).

The first cacao brought to Asia in the 1600s was grown in the Philippines and Askinsie Chocolate is the first to export Filipino cocoa beans in 25 years. This is the first chocolate bar to be exported from the Philippines, said Josephine Ramos, president of the Cacao Foundation of the Philippines.

Ramos said Askinosie Chocolate is the first maker in the world to export the historic cocoa beans since the mid-1980s “with accorded identity. We are excited about Askinosie’s work with farmers so that people around the world can share the taste of what our beans can produce.”

Made from lush, tropical, shade-grown, chemical free, Trinitario beans, the Davao bar is the chocolatiest-tasting bar from Askinosie yet, she added.

Ari Weinzweig, founder of the world famous Zingerman’s Deli, says of the 77-percent bar: “Dark and deep with a touch of toastiness. It is dry like a full-bodied well-aged red wine. This bar is compelling in its own East Asian way.” After working for over a year and a half to source these Filipino beans, the work has definitely paid off.”

Askinosie Chocolate is a producer of small batch chocolates located in Springfield, Missouri, sourcing 100 percent of their beans directly from the farmers.

Shawn Askinosie, frequent guest on Fox Business Network, travels to regions of Mexico, Ecuador and the Philippines to work directly with the farmers and source cocoa beans for his chocolate.

This allows the chocolate to be traced to the source and labeled Authentic Single Origin Chocolate. He shares profits with the farmers. His mission is to serve their farmers, their neighborhood, their customers and each other.

By Rose De La Cruz


http://www.buzzyme.com/

Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE5152YW20090206?sp=true)
Travel Picks: Top 10 destinations for chocolate lovers
Fri - Feb 6, 2009 7:27AM EST

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - As Valentine's Day approaches, travel website IgoUgo.com has come with a list of top destinations for people whose main love is chocolate.

This list is compiled by IgoUgo.com editors and is not endorsed by Reuters:

1. Oaxaca, Mexico

In Oaxaca, chocolate is used not only as a food in chocolate corn, chocolate sauce and so on but also as a popular drink. For their fix, locals frequent Chocolate Mayordomo, a shop with two downtown locations. A trip to Oaxaca can be combined with a stop in Mexico City to see Nestle's factory and chocolate museum.

2. Ghana

Ghana wants to spread the word that it grows great cocoa, so its throwing a party -- National Chocolate Day and Cocoa Day with the theme "consume more cocoa for good health."

3. Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Hershey's Chocolate World in the self-proclaimed "sweetest place on Earth" with a factory-tour ride in which children especially enjoy Chocolate World's singing cows.

4. Philippines

In the north, Baguio is a foodie's dream destination, famous for its Chocolate de Batirol, named after the clay pot in which chocolate is heated. Down in Bohol, a main attraction is the Chocolate Hills - not technically edible but a must-see. Further south is Davao and its cacao fields, where every meal seems to end with a decadent dessert.

5. Zurich, Switzerland

Nowhere does Swiss chocolate taste better than in the confiseries of Zurich. Lindt, Sprungli, Teuscher, Suchard; the only hard part is deciding where to begin.

6. Bocas del Toro, Panama

Sample cacao flesh straight from the source on the Bocas del Toro archipelago and wash it down with plenty of cocoa. Research suggests that this habit of Panama's Kuna people keeps their hearts healthy. Another bonus effect of local cocoa is the presence of hiking trails on what were once cacao plantations.

7. Cologne, Germany

In the chocolate capital of Germany, the Chocolate Museum is much lauded for its historical exhibits, family fun, Rhine River views, huge chocolate fountain, and, of course, free samples.

8. New York, NY

New Yorkers know chocolate: how to make it, how to sell it, how to show it. Visitors can take a chocolate tour and attend a chocolate show, and, sometimes, sleep in a chocolate hotel room. You can also find some of the world's highest-quality sweets there, including the hot chocolate served at cocoa master Jacques Torres' shops.

9. Bruges, Belgium

A great spot for chocolate lovers which includes the Chocolate Line shop where the liqueur-filled chocolates come highly recommended.

10. Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona has been breeding leading chocolatiers for centuries, making it a natural place for a museum celebrating the substance. The Museu de la Xocolata features chocolate in every form, from ornate sculptures to hot chocolate. Afterwards burn off the treats on a self-guided tour of the city's high-end chocolate boutiques.

tablea? masarap nga yung homemade kahit sa lugar namin:D

didn't know that Craig David and the guys from FOB are pinoy :lol: :jk:

another pinoy youtube sensation.. :D
Gjg-v6yUjFo

Ho-RaVagVAM

The bathroom works as the microphone... And these 2 girls were sitting, boy, it's not easy to sing while sitting....

Fil-Am YouTube singing duo appears on 'Ellen' (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/02/06/09/fil-am-youtube-singing-duo-appears-ellen-degeneres-show)

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 02/06/2009 8:25 PM

Two female Filipino American nationals made it to Ellen Degeneres show after the popular television host discovered them on YouTube while singing inside the comfort room.

The latest singing sensation, Erin and Roxanne, who call their tandem “Rin on the Rox,” were invited as guests to Degeneres’ show “Ellen.”

The duo delivered a song that showed Filipinos’ talent in singing.

Erin and Roxanne’s rendition of Beyonce Knowles' “If I were a boy” became their ticket to the show.

A clip of the invitation from Degeneres’ show was also uploaded on YouTube. Degeneres also tried to imitate the duo’s act by singing inside the bathroom.

The girls expressed shock but happy reaction when Degeneres gave them two tickets to watch the Grammy Awards show.

During the show, the two proved their talent but with a twist. They were made to sing in the show while inside the comfort room. -- Marie Lozano, TV Patrol World

^^supplemental clip:

nqVzvmm4FHA&feature=related

Pinoy opera singer makes Filipinos in Germany proud (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/02/10/09/pinoy-opera-singer-makes-filipinos-germany-proud)
By ROSE ECLARINAL, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau | 02/10/2009 12:00 PM


ESSEN, GERMANY-- First tenor Ernesto Binondo is making Filipinos in Germany proud. Binondo is a regular performer in one of Germany’s most renowned opera houses, Aalto Theatre. He is a permanent singer of the Opera Chorus for ten years now.

At a time when the popular courses to take up in the Philippines to land a good job and work abroad were nursing and engineering courses, Binondo followed his heart’s desire and pursued a degree in Music. In his heart, he made the right choice. He studied and worked hard to live his dream.

“It was in high school when I first got aware of Europe and its culture and I found it interesting and special. I then started to dream of living here and now I`m here,” said Binondo.

The production team of Aalto Theater was doing the final touches for the opening of the opera and has allowed ABS-CBN Europe news bureau to watch the rehearsal of Furst Igor, a Russian opera. The 42-year-old Binondo, the only Filipino in the group sang Russian operatic pieces as part of the chorus. He exuded charm and energy during the rehearsal.

Aalto Theatre’s choir director, Alexander Eberle only has praises for Binondo.

“He sings very well and he likes to act on the scene with great emphasis. I like him very much as an actor. If you see him now on stage, you will notice his motivation and his energy on the scene. That’s the most important thing in the opera,” said Eberle.

Solid credentials
After graduating with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Music at Sta. Isabel College in Manila, Binondo was awarded a scholarship for his Masters degree in Performing Arts which he completed at Folkwang Musikhochschule in Essen, Germany. His studies in Germany led him to sing as a soloist in concerts and opera productions in German and Italian theaters. But for Binondo, to be one of the finalists for the 1996 Münchener Singschul held in Munich. where 300 singers from all over the world competed, was an experience he will always treasure.

Back in the Philippines, the 1990 NAMCYA national champion sang with every opportunity that came his way – at the CCP, Concert at the Park, Paco Park Presents to hone his singing skills.

Taking a leadership role
After doing freelance work for two years in Germany, he took the chance of auditioning for Aalto Theatre hoping to get a permanent job.

“I took the chance to audition here and it went well. They accepted me. Among five, they got one. It was in 1999. Since then I stayed here,” said Binondo.

At Aalto he said he had sung relatively ‘small roles’ for Servant of the Marschallin in the Opera “The Knight of the Rose" by Richard Strauss, an Apprentice in the Opera "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg", and two small roles in the modern Opera "Die Nase" by Dmitri Schostakowitsch. But the ‘bigger’ role came when he was voted president of the Opera Chorus of Aalto Theater. As the head, he is on top of important matters in the theater like auditions, finance, rehearsals, costumes and many others which are necessary to come up with successful opera season.

“I never expected that they would trust me to do the job. We are mixture of people from all over the world-- Americans, Australian, Russians, Koreans, Germans, Polish. It’s really an international group,” he added.

Working with multitudes of people coming from different cultures and backgrounds, Binondo is comfortable in his own skin.

“I like to hear my colleagues saying you are our sunshine and I love hearing that. I don’t know why but probably because I always smile, Filipinos always smile,” he said.

Secured job
Binondo is the first to admit that in many parts of the world, working as an artist or musician is a ‘seasonal’ work. But that is not the case in Germany.

“It’s also a blessing that a country like Germany has a strong labour union protecting artists. We have a very, very sure job. We still enjoying some privileges like 13th month pay and vacation money. In some theatres I have been hearing of some lay-off because of the recession. We’re the best opera house and we hope for the best in the next 10 years at least, until I retire,” explained Binondo.

Binondo is fulfilled and hopes that he can also share the experience and expertise he has gained as a tenor in German operas to aspiring Filipino singers.

“I’m so thankful to God that I`ve come this far with my career. It is a real blessing to be here where I can provide for my family while singing the music I want to sing. I’m settled now and all I have to do is be the best of what I’m doing now, that includes of course my being a father and a husband,” said Binondo.

Charice Pempengco to sing at Oscars after party (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/02/10/09/charice-pempengco-sing-oscars-after-party)
By MJ FELIPE, ABS-CBN.com | 02/10/2009 1:46 PM


Isa na namang international singing engagement ang naka-lineup para kay Kapamilya star Charice Pempengco.

Ayon sa website na leezagibbonoscarnight.com, naka-hilera si Charice na umawit sa after party ng Oscar Night sa Mr. Chow, isa sa mga kilalang restaurant sa Beverly Hills kung saan madalas kumain ang mga sikat na artista.

Big event ang Academy Awards night sa Hollywood. Ito na yata ang pinaka-prestigous event sa larangan ng showbiz sa US kaya naman big time talaga kung makakuha ka ng gig dito kahit sa mga after parties lang, dahil pihadong dadaluhan pa rin ito ng mga Hollywood stars na magmumula sa mismong Academy Awards night.

Ang kilalang composer na si David Foster ang nag-organize ng naturang after party na isa ring viewing party para sa mga big fans ng Academy night. Sina Olivia Newton-John, Leeza Gibbons, at David Foster ang magiging hosts ng naturang party sa February 22.

Sa after party magpeperform si Charice, kasama ang Grammy Legend na si Thelma Hulston. Fund raising din ang naturang event para Make The Difference Network na itinaguyod ng Hollywood actress na si Jessica Biel.

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn288/fashionblogger/bb_green1.jpg

bryanboy.com/ (http://www.bryanboy.com/)

So hot he got a Marc Jacobs bag named after him.

Pinoys victorious at China garden show (http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/?p=4271)

The achievements of Filipinos cuts across many sectors from sports, to business, entertainment and media and lest we forget the garden. Two of the Philippines’ major garden clubs, the Philippine Orchid Society and the Ferns & Nature Society of the Philippines, added to that list of victories at the 3rd China (Sanya) International Orchid and Garden Show at the Sanya Luhuitou Square in Hainan.

Jun Golamco and Dennis Sy of the Philippine Orchid Society won a gold medal, while Ferns & Nature Society of the Philippines’ delegates Noni Dolera and Dario Lagma won a bronze in the orchid landscape exhibit under the 3 x 5 square meter category.

Aside from garnering international recognition for the country, the representatives also won cash prizes. Golamco and Sy also took home RMB 6,000 (P41,880), while Dolera and Lagma pocketed the RMB 2,000 (P 13,960) cash prize.

The international orchid and garden show had representatives from 30 countries who put up more than 50 exhibit booths.

The participating countries were Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Palau, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Mexico, and Brazil.

International events like this serve as a window for us to exhibit Philippine plants. After all, the country is rich in plant life, which provides our local ornamental plant industry a variety of plants like orchids, ferns, epiphytes, aroids, flowering vines, trees, palms, cycads, and a lot more. The international ornamental plant industry is now taking note of the Philippines as a major source of new planting materials for producing modern plant hybrids.

At this point, our local ornamental industry is reeling through a slump, as food crops are being given higher priority by consumers. The future, however, still looks bright, as our country is blessed with a favorable environment that is ideal for both tropical and semi-temperate crops. A lot of Filipino horticulturists are experts in this particular field, and they are often hired as consultants by foreign plant propagators and landscapers.

Filipino plant collectors also have a vast collection of ornamental plants. The avid planters are not mere enthusiasts, as growing beautiful plants for them is a passion. The Philippines also has the technology to mass produce these plants, and it can meet volumes of orders from abroad.

Winning in international orchid and garden shows certainly proves that the Philippines hasn’t been left out at all in the horticultural scene.

With this, various garden clubs in Manila, Baguio, and Laguna are staging their respective garden shows in the first quarter of the year. The Philippine Horticultural Society is currently staging its show at the Quezon Memorial Circle until today.

To follow is the upcoming Flora Filipina Expo of the Philippine Orchid Society, which will happen at the Orchidarium Park, near the Lagoon Area of the Quezon City Hall. The Baguio Pinagbenga Flower Festival will be on the first to second week of February.

Fil-Am girl flys an aircraft without her arms
(http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/?p=4302)

http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/jessica_cox.jpg http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/jessica_cox2.jpg http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/jessica_cox4.jpg http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/jessica_cox3.jpg

Filipino American Jessica Cox is one of the most talented pilots to ever fly an aircraft. What makes Jessica born to an American father and a Filipina mother stand out among her pilot peers is that she was born without arms. The girl from Tucson, Arizona got the Sport Pilot certificate lately and became the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet. Jessica Cox of Tucson was born without arms, but that has only stopped her from doing one thing: using the word “can’t.”

Her latest flight into the seemingly impossible is becoming the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet. With one foot manning the controls and the other delicately guiding the steering column, the 25 year old soared to achieve a Sport Pilot certificate. Her certificate qualifies her to fly a light-sport aircraft to altitudes of 10,000 feet.

“She’s a good pilot. She’s rock solid,” said Parrish Traweek, 42, the flying instructor at San Manuel’s Ray Blair Airport. Parrish Traweek runs PC Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Services and has trained many pilots, some of whom didn’t come close to Cox’s abilities. “When she came up here driving a car,” Traweek recalled, “I knew she’d have no problem flying a plane.”

Doctors never learned why she was born without arms, but she figured out early on that she didn’t want to use prosthetic devices.

Jessica Cox, 25, earned a license to fly airplanes on October 10, 2008. Jessica also has two black belts in Tae Kwan-Do, a college degree in Psychology, and a thriving career as a motivational speaker. What doesn’t Jessica Cox have? Arms.

A bilateral congenital limb deficiency doesn’t stop her from achieving and surpassing her goals. From birth on, her feet became her hands. She can drive a car, type 25 words per minute, and fly an airplane using her feet, without any special adaptations. She is the first woman without arms to earn a license to fly.

“I highly encourage people with disabilities to consider flying,” Cox said. “It helps reverse the stereotype that people with disabilities are powerless into the belief that they are powerful and capable of setting high goals and achieving them.”

Jessica earned her Sport Pilot certificate after training with Able Flight, a North Carolina flight training company that specializes in helping people with disabilities learn to fly. Ms. Cox won an Able Flight scholarship and was able to train with instructor Parrish Traweek free of charge.

Gener wins prestigious Nathan award in the U-S (http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/?p=4299)

http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/randy_gener.jpg

Filipino-American writer, playwright, critic and editor Randy Gener is the winner of the George Jean Nathan Award, the highest accolade for Dramatic Criticism for the theater year 2007-2008.

The award was endowed by the great theater critic George Jean Nathan (1882-1958), who wrote for and co-edited with H.L. Mencken the magazines Smart Set and The American Mercury. Because Nathan was an alumnus of Cornell University, the Cornell English Department administers the prize.

Nathan’s will mandated that the winner for “the best piece of drama criticism during the theatrical year (July 1 to June 30), whether it is an article, an essay, treatise or book,” be chosen “by a majority vote of the heads of the English departments of Cornell, Princeton, and Yale Universities.” The trust is of such size that the prize is the richest and one of the most distinguished in the American theater.

In addition to being the Senior Editor of American Theatre magazine, Randy Gener is a writer, critic, editor, playwright, and visual artist based in New York City.

He is the author of the plays “Love Seats for Virginia Woolf” and “What Remains of a Rembrandt Torn into Four Pieces,” among other plays, as well as scholarly essays (in Cambridge Guide to the American Theater and Theater and Humanism in Today’s World of Violence, among others), and articles and reviews in The Village Voice, The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Star Ledger, Time Out New York and other publications. He was a founding critic of the New York Theatre Wire.

Gener has worked as an editor of the Theatre Institute of the Czech Republic’s newspaper Prague Quadrennial Today and as a freelance dramaturg for the Joseph Papp Public Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, and Denver Center Theatre Company.

His floral installation, “In the Garden of One World,” debuted in 2008 at La MaMa La Galleria. He has been the recipient of a 1995-96 Jerome Foundation American Theatre/Affiliated Writers Program fellowship; a 2003 New York Times critic fellowship at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Critics Institute; grants from the Foundation of the American Theatre Critics Association, the Ford Foundation, and the Trust for Mutual Understanding; and a Filipinas Magazine 2007 Arts and Culture Prize, honoring Filipino American leaders who have excelled in their fields.

A member of the theater alliances NoPassport and Theater Without Borders, he was inducted in 2008 to Via Times of Chicago’s Filipino American Hall of Fame.

The Award Committee’s Citation states: “The Nathan committee was particularly impressed by Randy Gener’s writing for American Theatre this year. He has used that venue and others to draw our attention to largely ignored voices and visions on the international theatrical scene, to the work of Filipino-American playwright Jessica Hagedorn, to a small but lively Tennessee Williams Festival in Provincetown, and to the future of theatrical criticism itself in essays that wed critical intelligence with a beat reporter’s love of the telling and unruly fact. In one piece, Gener argues that, at its best, criticism is ‘a cultural asset, one of the bases on which democracy and community are built.’ He fulfills that lofty goal by implicitly reminding us of how much that is excellent in theater here and abroad is ignored by a critical fraternity which, during this age of globalization, seems more parochial than ever.”

The award consists of $10,000 and a statuette, which will be presented to Mr. Gener by Ellis Hanson, Chair of the Cornell English Department, at a celebration Monday, March 9 from 7 to 9 PM at the Kalayaan Hall (Freedom Hall) of the Philippine Center on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, located at 556 Fifth Avenue.

Past recipients of the Nathan Award have included Harold Clurman, Walter Kerr, Stanley Kauffmann, Elizabeth Hardwick, Robert Brustein, Eliot Norton, Eric Bentley, Bernard Knox, Jan Kott, Michael Feingold, Alisa Solomon, Daniel Mendelsohn, John Lahr, Hilton Als, Ben Brantley and Charles Isherwood. For a complete description of the Nathan award and its origins, visit http://www.arts.cornell.edu/english/awards/nathan/.

;32112730']Fil-Am girl flys an aircraft without her arms
(http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/?p=4302)

http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/jessica_cox.jpg http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/jessica_cox2.jpg http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/jessica_cox4.jpg http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/jessica_cox3.jpg

Filipino American Jessica Cox is one of the most talented pilots to ever fly an aircraft. What makes Jessica born to an American father and a Filipina mother stand out among her pilot peers is that she was born without arms. The girl from Tucson, Arizona got the Sport Pilot certificate lately and became the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet. Jessica Cox of Tucson was born without arms, but that has only stopped her from doing one thing: using the word “can’t.”

Her latest flight into the seemingly impossible is becoming the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet. With one foot manning the controls and the other delicately guiding the steering column, the 25 year old soared to achieve a Sport Pilot certificate. Her certificate qualifies her to fly a light-sport aircraft to altitudes of 10,000 feet.

“She’s a good pilot. She’s rock solid,” said Parrish Traweek, 42, the flying instructor at San Manuel’s Ray Blair Airport. Parrish Traweek runs PC Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Services and has trained many pilots, some of whom didn’t come close to Cox’s abilities. “When she came up here driving a car,” Traweek recalled, “I knew she’d have no problem flying a plane.”

Doctors never learned why she was born without arms, but she figured out early on that she didn’t want to use prosthetic devices.

Jessica Cox, 25, earned a license to fly airplanes on October 10, 2008. Jessica also has two black belts in Tae Kwan-Do, a college degree in Psychology, and a thriving career as a motivational speaker. What doesn’t Jessica Cox have? Arms.

A bilateral congenital limb deficiency doesn’t stop her from achieving and surpassing her goals. From birth on, her feet became her hands. She can drive a car, type 25 words per minute, and fly an airplane using her feet, without any special adaptations. She is the first woman without arms to earn a license to fly.

“I highly encourage people with disabilities to consider flying,” Cox said. “It helps reverse the stereotype that people with disabilities are powerless into the belief that they are powerful and capable of setting high goals and achieving them.”

Jessica earned her Sport Pilot certificate after training with Able Flight, a North Carolina flight training company that specializes in helping people with disabilities learn to fly. Ms. Cox won an Able Flight scholarship and was able to train with instructor Parrish Traweek free of charge.

^^^^ Wow, she's incredible. Even without arms, she has done something which has not been done by most abled bodied individuals.

^^supplemental clip:

nqVzvmm4FHA&feature=related

cute...nice. hope they will become popular, too.

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn288/fashionblogger/bb_green1.jpg

bryanboy.com/ (http://www.bryanboy.com/)

So hot he got a Marc Jacobs bag named after him.

Style is subjective and in the eye of the beholder. ;)

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn288/fashionblogger/bb_green1.jpg

bryanboy.com/ (http://www.bryanboy.com/)

So hot he got a Marc Jacobs bag named after him.

Really? Astig! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn288/fashionblogger/bb_green1.jpg

bryanboy.com/ (http://www.bryanboy.com/)

So hot he got a Marc Jacobs bag named after him.

...Kamukha niya si Tim Yap...

Oscars Designer Challenge (http://cbs2.com/local/Oscars.Designer.Challenge.2.931980.html)


For the very first time, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is inviting the public to vote online on seven up-and-coming new fashion designers who are competing to have their original gown worn by one of the awards escorts during this years 81st Academy Awards show on Sunday, February 22nd at the Kodak Theatre.

The designers were chosen by the show's producers Bill Condon and Laurence Mark, along with Oscar fashion coordinator Patty Fox.

The designers participating in "Oscars Designer Challenge" are Moire Conroy of New York, Alan Del Rosario of Los Angeles, Sam Kori George of Chicago, Marianne Kooimans of Los Angeles, Maria Pinto of Chicago, Nicolas Putvinski of New York and Robert Rodriguez of Los Angeles.

The winning design will be announced during "Oscar's Red Carpet 2009," the live arrivals show that will air at 5 p.m. PT on February 22nd.

http://oscars.go.com/play/index?pn=vote

http://www.alandelrosario.com/

Article about Alan Del Rosario (http://www.asianjournal.com/aj-magazine/midweek-mgzn/572-alan-del-rosario--made-for-fashion.html)

Really? Astig! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Yup its true...according to the most recent issue of H&M Magazine:)

Yup its true...according to the most recent issue of H&M Magazine:)

Marc Jacob who?:D:D:D

Video Clip of a Filipina Girl in MTV We Get You

c6FTGSdaSms

Marc Jacob who?:D:D:D

Some guy...does fashion...kinda famous ;):lol:

Oscars Designer Challenge (http://cbs2.com/local/Oscars.Designer.Challenge.2.931980.html)


For the very first time, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is inviting the public to vote online on seven up-and-coming new fashion designers who are competing to have their original gown worn by one of the awards escorts during this years 81st Academy Awards show on Sunday, February 22nd at the Kodak Theatre.

The designers were chosen by the show's producers Bill Condon and Laurence Mark, along with Oscar fashion coordinator Patty Fox.

The designers participating in "Oscars Designer Challenge" are Moire Conroy of New York, Alan Del Rosario of Los Angeles, Sam Kori George of Chicago, Marianne Kooimans of Los Angeles, Maria Pinto of Chicago, Nicolas Putvinski of New York and Robert Rodriguez of Los Angeles.

The winning design will be announced during "Oscar's Red Carpet 2009," the live arrivals show that will air at 5 p.m. PT on February 22nd.

http://oscars.go.com/play/index?pn=vote

http://www.alandelrosario.com/

Article about Alan Del Rosario (http://www.asianjournal.com/aj-magazine/midweek-mgzn/572-alan-del-rosario--made-for-fashion.html)

Everyone vote for Alan Del Rosario!!!

vote for him because he's a pinoy? vote for him because you think he's the best not just because he's the pinoy otherwise his victory is under false pretense.

hahaha I love Bryanboy's blog, he is very very funny and his "connections" and peers in the fashion world is truly immense. Majority of his readers aren't even from the Philippines or the US I think, more Europeans. His style must be quite unique to have made him a muse of Marc Jacobs. That BB Ostrich Bag costs thousands of dollars.

^^ The nice thing about Rico Hizon is that he continuously promote the Philippines abroad. He is the main person behind the website goodnewspilipinas. :)

The Simpsons animator is Emmy-winning Filipino (http://http://www.gmanews.tv/story/148962/Doh-Simpsons-animator-is-Emmy-winning-Filipino)
PASCKIE PASCUA, Philippine News
02/16/2009 | 11:24 AM

LOS ANGELES — Meet Jess Espanola, the Emmy award-winning assistant director of the popular animated TV show, The Simpsons. He is also the first native Filipino to win such a prestigious award, deemed as the television counterpart of the Oscars.

Espanola, 49, won for the episode, “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind," which was broadcast on December 16, 2007 on FOX. The episode won last year’s Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour). The show’s director is Chuck Sheetz, who also works on “King of the Hill."

“This is an animator’s ultimate dream, as well as for directors," Espanola told Philippine News speaking in Tagalog. “I was so happy when I got the award. It was an honor not just for myself, but also for Filipinos."

Espanola’s other high-profile animation work as Assistant Director include “King of the Hill" and “Futurama" for 20th Century Fox Television Networks, and “Baby Blues" and “Mighty Kong Show" for Warner Brothers. Under prominent studios such as Film Roman, Rough Draft, Burbank Animation Inc. (division of Burbank Australia), Marvel Television, and Interactive CD-ROM, he has also worked on a variety of cartoon programs and television specials, where he approved scenes and completed sequences for final character animation, background and effects animation, among other duties.

Some titles to his credit: The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible, Adams Family, The Jetsons Family Specials, Bill and Ted, Police Academy, The Flintstones Specials, Hallmark’s Timeless Tales, Scooby Doo, Smurfs, Tom and Jerry Kids, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Hiawatha, Ace Ventura the CD-ROM Game, Microsoft’s Barney and Friends, Howie Mandel’s Great World Adventure, and Kidsworld Online.

All these opportunities started when Espanola was sent by Fil-Cartoons Studio (a Hanna-Barbera subsidiary in Manila) to Los Angeles for an orientation tour.

“Our studio gave me the chance to visit Hanna-Barbera as a reward for my good performance, with my multiple entry visa for ten years," he said. “In 1994, there was a Caucasian-American who’s managing an animation studio in Van Nuys who went to the Philippines to recruit talents to work for him. I was one of the first who one of the first who qualified and sooner I went to California with free air fare."

No sooner, Jess was also able to get his family—wife Tess, a nurse, son Auriel (now 19), and daughter Jasmin (now 17)—to join him in California. After a few years in Glendale, the Espanolas moved to Eagle Rock in 2000, where they are now living.

Eagle Rock seems to be a natural choice for Jess and Jasmin, a budding jazz musician and artist. The community is an artistic and affluent hilly neighborhood in northeastern Los Angeles, in close proximity to Hollywood and the major motion picture studios.

Despite his Hollywood success, and some intermittent news of Filipinos gaining some degree of mainstream accomplishment in animation arts, Espanola believes that we are still considered late-bloomers in the field.

“The Koreans came ahead of us in animation. They were the first to offer labor force in the US. It’s because my theory is they maintain and sustain business representatives here, but we don’t," Espanola said.

These, however, apparently didn’t deter Espanola to seek his greener pastures in America. He believes in the traditional wisdom of being persistent, to the point of stubbornness.

“Whatever talent you have, if you enjoy it, you have to pursue it. You should not be discouraged when people tell you that there’s no money there. Money will come. Your work will find a way towards financial stability."

Jess recalls his modest beginning before a group of grade school students in his home barrio of San Miguel in the agricultural town of Lubao in Pampanga.

It began with his journey to Manila in 1974 to get a high school education, carrying with him “a bag of clothes, little money for fare and a big dream."

To be able to finance his schooling at Claro M. Recto High in Sampaloc, he took a dishwasher job in a restaurant and drew art for the school’s bulletin boards.

“There were times I can’t pay some contributions to the school, my teacher scolded me. I told her I haven’t even eaten breakfast, she harshly told me, why did you go to class when you have not eaten yet? Tears from my eyes fell, I answered, I have no money to buy food."

On his last two years in high school, Jess transferred to Lakan Dula in the harsh neighborhood of Tondo, where he had to take on babysitting chores for his aunt in exchange for his continuing education.

In those years, he also found spiritual strength in the Bible—he was a school coordinator for the Youth Marian Crusade Charismatic Movement at Don Bosco in Mandaluyong.

He first thought of entering Catholic priesthood to be able to go to college, but thought better of it—instead, he tried to enroll at some universities that offer mass communication to pursue “my dream of becoming radio announcer or reporter, or to get a job in mass media but the opportunity was a narrow pathway."

Until a journalism teacher in high school—who saw promise in the young man’s art—helped Jess get a talent test at the College of Fine Arts in the University of the Philippines’ Diliman campus (where he graduated in 1984).

“Human community is mainly divided into three, the upper, the middle and the lower levels," he told the students from Lubao. “When time comes, life’s success is in your hands, and when you reached the upper or middle level, the true essence of education is tested and measured by turning ones eyes downward, to the people at the lower place." - Philippine News

Pinoy nurse helps save man's life on plane

By MARIA ALETA O. NIEVA, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 02/16/2009 4:39

Thirty-year-old Ed Torres was just doing what he is trained to do—saving lives. Torres, a Filipino, did not expect to respond to an emergency while on a plane, thousands feet high.

“We were on flight TOM 161 from Mexico, Cancun going back to Manchester in UK (United Kingdom),” Torres said in his email to abs-cbnNEWS.com.

Torres became an instant hero for helping save the life of fellow passenger Darren Smith.

A report by the Manchester Evening News stated that Torres and Smith were on the same flight from Mexico heading back to the UK.

While the plane was travelling 30,000 feet high, Smith suffered cardiac arrest. It was later found out that Smith has ventricular tachycardia. Wikipedia described this as a “fast rhythm that originates in one of ventricles of the heart”.

With the help of the flight crew, Torres and Sharon Slater, a former nurse from Cumbria, attended to Smith to keep him alive.

“My first reaction, scared. Kasi first time nangyari sa akin yun,” Torres said.

The report stated that Ed and Slater used an aircraft defibrillator to “restart” Smith’s heart. They stayed with him until the plane landed in Azores.

Torres went back to work at the Stepping Hills Hospital in Stockport after the incident. However, he kept wondering if Smith survived. He had no idea that Smith was recovering in the same hospital.

He and Smith were given the chance to personally meet. During their reunion, BBC News reported that Smith thanked him for giving him another shot at life.

“I have been in the UK since 2002 as a nurse then just got a new job here at Stepping Hill Hospital,” Torres said.

Responding to the incident may have been an everyday routine for Torres, his family back home, meanwhile, praised his good deed and is very proud him.

“Nabigla kami nang mabalitaan namin. Di namin akalain. Natutuwa kami,” said his sister Jocelyn from Novaliches, Caloocan.

According to Jocelyn, their parents are not yet aware of Torres’s heroic action as reported by the international media.

“Hindi pa alam ng mga magulang namin kasi nasa probinsiya sila,” said Jocelyn. Their parents live in Camiling, Tarlac province.

“Proud kami na ganun kalakas loob niya. Mabait po siya at mapagbigay,” said Jocelyn when asked to described her brother. “Niloloko nga namin na hero ka na ngayon."

For his part, Torres had this to say: “I am so happy because I made my family, my friends, and the Philippines proud.”

SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/02/16/09/pinoy-nurse-instant-hero-saving-mans-life-plane

Pacquiao tops Yahoo!'s Top 10 Boxers poll (http://http://www.gmanews.tv/story/149059/Pacquiao-tops-Yahoos-Top-10-Boxers-poll)
AIE BALAGTAS SEE, GMANews.TV
02/16/2009 | 10:25 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao has been picked as the world's top boxer in Yahoo! Sports' unofficial boxing poll for February.

With a perfect 300 points or 30 "first place" votes from 30 boxing writers worldwide, Pacquiao beat Juan Miguel Marquez who garnered 261 points, Israel Vasquez with 205 points, Bernard Hopkins with 175.5 points, and Shane Mosley with 131 points.

Mosley is among the boxers aspiring to challenge Pacquiao this year.

Pacquiao's next foe, Ricky Hatton, was nowhere in the list. Their match is scheduled on May 2 in Las Vegas.

Yahoo! Sport’s Kevin Iole in his article said Pacquiao's "overall game has improved dramatically in last two years."

The four-title-holder Filipino boxing icon has only lost thrice in his 53 fights. Thirty-six out of his 48 victories were by way of knockout.

Due to Pacquiao’s votes, his promotional boxing outfit, Top Rank, headed by Bob Arum, was chosen as the leading promoter, beating Oscar dela Hoya's Golden Boy promotions and Gary Shaw promotions. - GMANews.TV

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20090216/choc-stalastairmcindoe.jpg

Chocolate de batirol - batirol is the wooden whisk that stirs the chocolate - is gaining the Philippines wider recognition, putting it alongside the Switzerland and Belgium. -- PHOTO: ALASTAIR MCINDOE

THE Philippines probably does not spring to mind as one of the world?s great sweet spots for chocolate.

But a local culinary gem, a deliciously velvety drink called chocolate de batirol, is finally gaining wider recognition.

Editors at the popular US-based travel website IgoUgo.com recently compiled a list of top destinations for chocolate lovers.

Chocolate de batirol - batirol is the wooden whisk that stirs the chocolate - got the Philippines a mention, alongside the chocolate havens of Switzerland and Belgium.

Unlike a Starbucks Frappuccino, chocolate de batriol is no brash newcomer on the coffeehouse scene. This rich beverage dates back to Spanish colonial times in the Philippines, first getting a mention in the early 18th century.

Up in the rugged Cordilleras highlands in the northern Philippines, Choco-Late de Batirol at Camp John Hay near Baguio City is one of a clutch of restaurants and cafes countrywide trying to revive the tradition of chocolate de batirol.

'This is slow food,' says Choco- Late's owner Jojo Castro to highlight the difference between this beverage and modern fare like fast food. 'We roast the cocoa beans and prepare the chocolate in traditional copper pitchers called tsokolateras, mixing in ground peanuts to give the drink a slightly grainy texture.'

At Arama, a rustic-looking cafe in Manila's smart Fort Bonifacio district, manager Gina Yambot uses organically grown cocoa from Bicol Island in the central Philippines for her brew, which is mixed as a paste with hot water, fresh cream, ground peanuts and brown sugar in the tsokolatera.

'There are many of these pitchers in Philippine households handed down through the generations, but most people don't know what they are for,' says Ms Yambot.

She dissolves the mixture in hot water by twirling the batirol between the palms of her hand. Connoisseurs say it is the mix of ingredients and preparation that makes this cup of hot chocolate outstanding.

Read the full report in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times' LIFE! (http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Lifestyle/Story/STIStory_339149.html)

Pinoy bags in world's largest museum in Amsterdam (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/02/17/09/pinoy-bags-worlds-largest-museum-amsterdam)
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 02/18/2009 1:52 AM


Five bags from Filipina designer Cora Jacob were showcased at the largest bags museum in the world located in Amsterdam, reported ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.

The Museum of Bags and Purses opened more than a year and a half ago at the Herengracht or Gentlemen's Canal.

The unique house features 1,500 bags of all kinds of sizes, material and color from the 16th century up to the present time.

Everything in the museum is all about bags.

There are bag-shaped seats that greet every visitor at the entrance; bags and bag-related items sold at the shop; chocolates with bag design from the museum's café; and of course, the collection of bags from all over the world which include the Cora Jacobs brand.

At the very chic and elegant museum, the Cora Jacobs' bags are prominently displayed because of their unique character and material.

In fact, the museum's curator was so impressed by the craftsmanship and the Pinay designer's use of raw materials that are abundant in the Philippines.

"She used the material from her country and so it's very interesting. Because I like to see the traditions in a country in a new modern design and she gives a lot of work in her country to ladies because it's made in her own country," Sigrid Ivo said.

Ivo's mother, Henrijke, is the collector of the bags which now reached a total of 4,000, making the Museum of Bags and Purses the largest collection in the world.

The oldest bag in the collection dates back to the 16th century.

Most popular are the green bag from singer Madonna, the bags by Sex and the City bag designer Timmy Woods and of course, the Cora Jacobs bags.

To find Pinoy-made bags among the featured items in a stunning art and historic collection that is side by side with world-famous designers brings such great pride and joy to the Filipinas who visited the museum recently.

"Cora Jacob visited the museum last August of last year and Miss Ivo was immediately impressed of Cora's works," Commercial Attaché Alma Argayoso said.

"Maganda kasi parang pino-promote natin ‘yong mga sariling gawa sa Pilipinas. Malaking honor. It will be an honor sa bansa natin," Aida Paule said.

In fact, due to popular demand, a larger collection of Jacob's bags will be launched at the Museum of Bags and Purses on March 5.

Iba talaga mga designers naten , from bags and shoes very creative.
I always get compliment on shoes and bags from the PHils. Kahit na no name.

^^ World class talaga ang Pinoy products. :banana:

Pinoy nurse helps save man's life on plane

By MARIA ALETA O. NIEVA, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 02/16/2009 4:39

Thirty-year-old Ed Torres was just doing what he is trained to do—saving lives. Torres, a Filipino, did not expect to respond to an emergency while on a plane, thousands feet high.

“We were on flight TOM 161 from Mexico, Cancun going back to Manchester in UK (United Kingdom),” Torres said in his email to abs-cbnNEWS.com.

Torres became an instant hero for helping save the life of fellow passenger Darren Smith.

A report by the Manchester Evening News stated that Torres and Smith were on the same flight from Mexico heading back to the UK.

While the plane was travelling 30,000 feet high, Smith suffered cardiac arrest. It was later found out that Smith has ventricular tachycardia. Wikipedia described this as a “fast rhythm that originates in one of ventricles of the heart”.

With the help of the flight crew, Torres and Sharon Slater, a former nurse from Cumbria, attended to Smith to keep him alive.

“My first reaction, scared. Kasi first time nangyari sa akin yun,” Torres said.

The report stated that Ed and Slater used an aircraft defibrillator to “restart” Smith’s heart. They stayed with him until the plane landed in Azores.

Torres went back to work at the Stepping Hills Hospital in Stockport after the incident. However, he kept wondering if Smith survived. He had no idea that Smith was recovering in the same hospital.

He and Smith were given the chance to personally meet. During their reunion, BBC News reported that Smith thanked him for giving him another shot at life.

“I have been in the UK since 2002 as a nurse then just got a new job here at Stepping Hill Hospital,” Torres said.

Responding to the incident may have been an everyday routine for Torres, his family back home, meanwhile, praised his good deed and is very proud him.

“Nabigla kami nang mabalitaan namin. Di namin akalain. Natutuwa kami,” said his sister Jocelyn from Novaliches, Caloocan.

According to Jocelyn, their parents are not yet aware of Torres’s heroic action as reported by the international media.

“Hindi pa alam ng mga magulang namin kasi nasa probinsiya sila,” said Jocelyn. Their parents live in Camiling, Tarlac province.

“Proud kami na ganun kalakas loob niya. Mabait po siya at mapagbigay,” said Jocelyn when asked to described her brother. “Niloloko nga namin na hero ka na ngayon."

For his part, Torres had this to say: “I am so happy because I made my family, my friends, and the Philippines proud.”

SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/02/16/09/pinoy-nurse-instant-hero-saving-mans-life-plane

heroic, inspiring...

BBC’s Pinoy anchor (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20090215-189357/BBCs-Pinoy-anchor)


PILI, CAMARINES SUR, Philippines—The British Broadcasting Corporation’s Asian business news anchor Rico Hizon has blazed the trail for his countrymen in the international stage, proving that Filipinos are equal to, if not better than, other nationals who speak with British and American accents.

“Whenever I sit in front of the camera to deliver the Asian business news, I am proud to be a Filipino, and I [tell] myself I have to raise the Philippine flag,” Hizon said in an interview after his stint here last Feb. 6 as moderator of the Go Negosyo Caravan—an advocacy forum that offers entrepreneurship as a solution to poverty.

Expatriates

Hizon wants Filipinos working abroad to be called expatriates, which is how he describes himself as he has been working and staying in Singapore for the past 10 years.

He said he is proud to have a Filipino accent that distinguishes him from his colleagues, most of whom were educated or trained in English schools.

Hizon is the only Filipino working with the BBC World News. But because of his features, people often mistake him for a Japanese, Indonesian or Chinese born and bred in the USA.

“And my colleagues were surprised I graduated from a Philippine university,” he said.

Hizon quickly carved a name for himself in business news while he was with the GMA 7 network. He started working there after he completed business management and mass communications courses at the De La Salle University in 1988.

“I started as a production assistant,” Hizon recalled. “I toiled for two years, serving coffee to the big names there. But my confidence level in reporting came from my GMA 7 experience.”

He said he was given a break at the network because nobody wanted to do business reporting. So he volunteered, even though some of his business reports were not aired.

That was in the 1990s.

Economic news

Hizon said he covered the stock market together with Veronica Pedrosa, who used to report for the Sari Manok Channel (Pedrosa became a part-time reporter of the BBC, anchored a news program for the Cable News Network, and presently hosts a program at Al Jazeera).

He joined Business Today with Dong Puno, where he reported on the stock market. That, he said, honed his skills in reporting economic news.

Hizon counted Karen Davila, Cristina Pecson and Vicky Morales among his contemporaries in the national television broadcast industry before he landed a job abroad in an international news network.

He said the international break came when he was offered to apply for a regular position at CNBC, a news network specializing on stocks and financial market reports.

An executive of CNBC would regularly visit the Philippines on his way to Hong Kong, where he was establishing a station there to cover the Asia-Pacific region, he added.

Hizon said the CNBC executive from New York called him up, told him that he had seen his work and asked if he was willing to go to an interview in Hong Kong in April 1995.

He said he was amazed that he even got the job, considering the many talents from the United States who applied for the same position.

“Maybe CNBC was looking for an ‘Asian brand’ ... a person who has expertise on the Asian business and economic environment,” he said.

“I got the job in May 1995 the only Asian anchor because my other colleagues or co-anchors were from the US or Europe with British or American accents,” he said. “I was the only one with an Asian accent. I was floored.”

Hizon recounted how, at the time, he had to make a choice whether to stay with GMA 7—where he would eventually host an evening news program—or go abroad and make a name for himself in the international broadcast scene.

He joined CNBC and shuttled to Hong Kong before going to Singapore, where he eventually settled in 1998.

In 2002, he heard that the BBC was looking for someone to anchor its Asian Business Report. He left CNBC and went on board BBC World News, joining Pedrosa, who was working part-time at the broadcast firm.
[B]
Heritage

After he got the job as anchor of the Asian Business Report, he asked some BBC executives why they chose him when all the anchors in the network, including Pedrosa, speak with a British accent.

The way he speaks, Hizon said, reveals his heritage.

He learned that the broadcast executives liked the clarity and style of his reporting, and they appreciated the way he conducted interviews.

Hizon still lives in Singapore with his wife and 4-year-old son.

He believes that Filipinos are at par with other First World nationals. And this spurs him to banner the Filipino talent, with his distinct accent, every time he goes on cam before 260 million viewers of BBC World News.

^^There's a previous post already of the same article by TC above. :)

ohh sorry, i didn't see it on previous pages :)

ohh sorry, i didn't see it on previous pages :)

^^ It's actually on the same page as your post. Just several posts up. :)

MANILA, Philippines - For its program promoting the use of wind and solar energy to power cell sites in remote areas of the country, leading wireless services provider Smart Communications has won the newly introduced “Green Mobile Award” at the 2009 global congress of the mobile phone industry.

Receiving the award at the annual gala dinner of the GSM Association (GSMA) at the National Palace in Barcelona, Spain, Smart chief wireless advisor Orlando Vea said: “We’re very honored by this award because it’s not just about our mobile business. It’s about our planet – yours and mine.”

“We are proud that a Philippine company has won the first green award to be given by the GSMA. Given the growing global concern about climate change, this is a very relevant and meaningful award that will challenge us to do more,” Smart president and CEO Napoleon Nazareno added.

Smart’s Alternative Power for Cell Sites program uses renewable energy sources to power cell sites in “off-grid locations” or areas where setting up and operating a cell site is not normally feasible.

To date, Smart has about 68 cell sites in different areas across the Philippines powered by renewable energy. Of this figure, 41 are run by wind energy while 27 are hybrid – using both wind and solar energy.

Benefits of the program include reduced operational costs due to lower diesel consumption, reduced oil spills and carbon emissions, better community relations and seamless data/ voice service in off-grid areas. The successful deployment of alternative energy-powered cell sites has also encouraged the company to pursue other pro-environment alternative energy solutions.

Judges described Smart’s entry as “an impressive project showing real benefits – this reduces fuel and handling costs, pollution, and noise – as well as making mobile communications more widely available by enabling cell sites in off-grid locations.”

Sponsored by world-leader in sustainability consulting firm AT Kearney, the Green Mobile Award aims to recognize mobile operators that have initiated programs and projects to promote environmental protection and sustainability. This includes initiatives that utilize alternative energy sources, recycling programs, use of mobile applications or products that reduce impact of the industry on the environment, employee engagement activities that increase environmental awareness and the like.

Smart, through its network services division, started working with a local vendor in December 2006 to set up the Philippines’ first wind-powered cell site in Sitio Guimbitayan in Malapascua Island, an island northeast of Cebu province in the Visayas region. After several studies, Smart started to formalize and intensify its Alternative Power for Cell Sites program in 2008.

In the latter part of 2008, a GSMA Development Fund survey of 25 mobile operators across the developing world that use renewable energy sources revealed that Smart is the leader among mobile network operators worldwide in using wind energy to power its cell sites.

“Our congratulations to all the winners in tonight’s Global Mobile Awards,” according to Rob Conway, CEO of the GSMA. “The mobile industry continues to provide a much needed economic stimulus in terms of its ability to drive enterprise, innovation and social development via anytime access to information, education, entertainment and so much more. Tonight we have seen so many exceptional examples of this among the many thousands of products and services on show at the Mobile World Congress.”

Smart also received nominations in the Best Use of Mobile for Social and Economic Development category and the Marketing and Promotion-Best Broadcast Commercial category for the Infoboard Community Solution and the Smart Bring Me Along TV Commercial for Uzzap, respectively, making it the only Filipino company with the most number of nominations in any given GSM Awards season.

This year’s GSM Awards attracted more than 450 companies vying for 16 open categories ranging from mobile services, breakthrough technologies and use of mobile for socio-economic development.

Previously, Smart has received recognition from the prestigious GSM awards. In 2001, it won the Most Innovative GSM Wireless Service for Customers award for its electronic wallet service Smart Money. — With Katherine Adraneda (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=441465&publicationSubCategoryId=207)

^^great :)

I don't know if this has been posted here.. :):)

Best Countries For Women
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3622/3300183702_5372b8e14c.jpg?v=0

In the latest gender-equality ranking of countries, the U.S. doesn't even crack the top 25.
Female empowerment is embraced more today than any other time in world history. And in the global push for gender equality in everything from business to politics, education to health, it's Europe that has made the greatest strides to close the so-called gender gap.

Norway, Finland and Sweden are ranked the best countries for gender equality, according to a recent study from the World Economic Forum, the nonprofit organization known for its annual economic summit in Davos, Switzerland, for global leaders. Those Nordic countries and their Western European neighbors account for 16 of the top 30 countries with the greatest gender parity in the world.

Meanwhile, the U.S. ranked surprisingly low at No. 27, behind Lesotho (No. 16), Mozambique (No. 18) and Moldova (No. 20). Not surprisingly, the worst-ranked countries were sprinkled throughout the Middle East and Asia. Garden spots like Chad (129th), Saudi Arabia (128th) and Pakistan (127th) populated the bottom of the list. Yemen ranked absolutely worst at No. 130.

The Global Gender Gap Report measures the size of the gender gap--the disparity in opportunities available for men and women--for 130 countries in four critical areas: economic participation and opportunity, health and survival, educational attainment, and political empowerment. A country's rank is based on the overall score, which is expressed in a percent. The score represents how much of the gender gap the country has been able to close. A score of 100% would represent perfect equality. The majority of the data come from various non-government organizations, such as the International Labor Organization, United Nations Development Program and the World Health Organization.

Norway, ranked No. 1, scored 82%. Finland came in second place with an estimated 82%, while Sweden posted a score of 81.4%. The U.S. has closed 72% of its gender gap, according to the study, while Yemen has closed 47%.

Other countries in the top 10 include Iceland (80%), New Zealand (79%), the Philippines (76%), Denmark (75%) and the Netherlands (74%). The U.K. ranked 13th (74%), while Canada ranked 31st (71%), hurt by poor showings in educational attainment and political empowerment.

"Personally, the U.S. was a surprise," said Saadia Zahidi, one of the study's authors. According to Zahidi, much of the year-to-year fluctuations in the list depend on politics. An election year could easily change a country's overall score depending on how many women are elected to public office.

Among the four ranking categories, the U.S. scored lowest in "political empowerment." Finland's score was helped by Tarja Halonen, its female president.


In Latin America and the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago, ranked No. 19, had the highest score, thanks to lots of female elected officals. Barbados, included for the first time this year, ranked a surprisingly high 26th.

Israel was the highest-ranked country in the Middle East and North Africa region, at 56th. And in Asia and Oceania, the Philippines and Sri Lanka scored spots in the top 20 for the third straight year.

http://www.forbes.com/2008/11/11/best-countries-women-lead-cx_mk_1112gender.html

Meloto's dream: Get RP out of poverty!
INSIDE CEBU By BOBIT S. AVILA Updated February 23, 2009 12:00 AM


How time flies indeed… that 23 years have already passed since we witnessed the tumultuous days that are now known as the EDSA Revolt on Feb. 22-25, 1986. In short, people who are 23 years old today (and there are many of them) cannot even remember what happened on the year they were born; that Filipinos fed up with the conjugal Marcos Dictatorship marched in righteous indignation to EDSA to declare their open defiance against one-man rule. No doubt the EDSA Revolt was a stunning success, if you call changing presidents extra-constitutionally as a legal and democratic way.

Years later, the people who flocked to the EDSA I anniversaries started to dwindle to the point that we no longer declare the day of the EDSA Revolt a holiday. In a nutshell, the EDSA Revolt, just like its first cousin, the EDSA Revolt II, merely succeeded in changing corrupt presidents. Alas, it did not change the attitude of the Filipino people toward corruption and 23 years after booting out the perceived corrupt Marcos Dictatorship, the Philippines is now on top of the list of the most corrupt nations.

If you ask me, the Philippines is worse off than we were during the days of Martial Law. At least in those days, only Malacañang and its tentacles were perceived as corrupt. Today, corruption has become so widespread that even a janitor lately posed as a prosecutor and got away with it until he was caught. But then, the poor janitor is merely a small fry. But what about big-time crooks? Most of them strut around in luxury cars!

Well, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada who was booted out in EDSA II was convicted after many years in house arrest and before he could appeal his conviction, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) gave him a complete and total pardon! Where’s justice there? Yes, Filipinos were indignant that Erap was able to go scot-free! But then, Filipinos no longer care and the injustice continues! The latest effort to exact justice came when retired Army Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia was recently convicted of perjury by the Fourth Division of the Sandiganbayan. This former general was caught with ill-gotten wealth and all he was convicted of was for lying!

As we’ve written many times before, our slogan just before the EDSA Revolt happened to be “Justice for Ninoy, Justice for All!” (JAJA). Well, some of the Avsecom escorts of Ninoy are now scot-free after serving their time, but the Filipino people are still clamoring for justice. Corruption is widespread because we still have what our dear friend and mentor the late Max Soliven once wrote about “rogues in robes” who are literally “judges for hire” from whom you can get your temporary restraining order (TRO). What about Tita Cory’s apology to Erap for supporting EDSA II?

Last Friday morning, I was invited to a breakfast meeting with Gawad Kalinga’s Tony Meloto, hosted by Sir Roberto Aboitiz, who was his schoolmate. Call it timely that two years ago, when I was searching for the spirit of EDSA, I found it in Gawad Kalinga projects led by Tony Meloto. True enough, the spirit of EDSA has turned into what Meloto calls “patriotic development” both in faith and patriotism. It may not be out in the streets of EDSA, but certain it is present in the thousands of GK communities that have sprouted throughout the country.
I asked Sir Bobby Aboitiz about his thoughts of EDSA and he reiterated what the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. said: “The Filipino is worth dying for!” But Sir Bobby twisted it a little bit, saying, “The Filipino is worth living for! What good are dead heroes to us when they cannot be around to help anymore?” Very well said! Indeed, we have heroes within our midst, people like the thousands of Couples for Christ (CFC) members who made GK a reality. Mind you, they’re not just building homes, they are also building communities that are free from crime and above all, from the grip of poverty.

Today, Tony Meloto has decided to work in the Visayas and he has already sat down with Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia on how to make GK communities all over the province. But this week, he will be in New York to meet author Jess Sachs who wrote “The End of Poverty.” Tomorrow, he will speak on “Radical Volunteerism” at the Columbia University. Then on Feb. 25 he will speak at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and on Feb. 26 at the Brandeis College in Boston.

Even if we no longer celebrate the EDSA Revolt, the spirit of EDSA lives on through GK as we cannot have development if it is not anchored on Christian values. Meloto shared us his dream: “To bring the Philippines out of poverty in the year 2024!” Allow me to say that everyone in our table shares his vision! But the difference is, none of us in that table are politicians and have in our own ways, helped our own communities grow.

Filipino's gown vies for Oscars' red carpet glory
JANET NEPALES, Philippine News
02/23/2009 | 10:03 AM

BEVERLY HILLS, Los Angeles — Alan del Rosario is hoping to make Oscar history as the first Filipino designer to win in the first ever “Oscars Designer Challenge" competition. “Vote Filipino!" exclaimed the boyish-looking del Rosario who happens to be a former civil engineer from the Philippines turned fashion designer here in LA.

For the first time in Oscar history, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is inviting the public to vote on their favorite gown by an upcoming fashion designer. It’s like “Project Runway" meets “Oscars" kind of thing.

In “Oscars Designer Challenge," seven upcoming fashion designers are vying to have their original evening gown worn by one of the Awards escorts during the 81st Academy Awards on February 22.

The winning designer will receive two tickets to attend the Oscars ceremony and his design will be worn by his model who will assist in giving the Oscar trophy to the winners during the live telecast at the Kodak Theatre on Oscar night.

“This is a great opportunity for any designer," pointed out del Rosario.

The seven finalists were chosen by Oscar telecast producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon along with Oscar fashion coordinator Patty Fox, author of the book “Star Style at the Academy Awards." The fashion preview was held recently at the Academy’s headquarters in Beverly Hills.

Del Rosario, who won California’s “Designer of the Year" and GenArt Los Angeles’ “Fresh Face" award, will be competing against Maria Pinto from Chicago (who happens to be the First Lady Michelle Obama’s favorite designer right now), Moire Conroy from New York, Sam Kori George from Chicago, Marianne Kooimans from Los Angeles, Nicolas Putvinski from New York and Robert Rodriguez also from Los Angeles.

“I want to capture the old Hollywood glamour and make it more relevant today," revealed del Rosario when we asked him what his inspiration was for his gown.

His gown is a strapless French lace and pink silk mermaid gown accentuated with Neil Lane jewelry that includes art deco diamond bracelets, emerald cut diamond ring and art deco linear diamond earrings. The black satin t-strap evening sandals worn by his model Morgan Hewitt are by Stuart Weitzman.

When he found out he made it to the Magic 7 finalist list, del Rosario could not contain his excitement. He said, “I was ecstatic. Being in Hollywood, this worked out so well and this is the greatest opportunity that any designer can get."

Being a civil engineering graduate in the Philippines has helped him in fashion design, he said. Del Rosario disclosed, “My background as a civil engineer has helped me in my design. It has become sort of an impulse already. My designs are very graphic and structured. I love to play with the human figure."

As for his being a Filipino, del Rosario noted that his heritage definitely played a part in his design. “My heritage inspired me a lot of times. My dad is from Spain and the Philippines so I have those influences there always."

Del Rosario has two lines --- Burlap by Alan del Rosario is his sexy, sophisticated, funky new contemporary label, while Bow & Arrow by Alan del Rosario is his couture line that translates that red carpet chic into a collection that moves effortlessly with the changing events throughout a woman’s day.

The charming and humble designer revealed that he is friends with another Filipino designer who is making waves in Hollywood --- Monique Lhuillier.

“Monique and I are friends since we are both Cebuanos and both graduates of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM). She is like a little sister to me," del Rosario revealed.

Just like his fellow Cebuano, del Rosario’s clothes are also getting noticed in Hollywood. Some of the celebrities who have worn del Rosario’s creations are Michele Pfeiffer, Debra Messing in “Will & Grace", Paris Hilton, and Drew Barrymore to name a few.

“I also have some producers’ wives before who wore my clothes at the Oscars," he stated.Del Rosario revealed that he goes home to the Philippines as often as he could. “I was just there two years ago," he said. “I still have family there in Cebu," he added. Since his creation would be the first one to come out on the ramp for this special Oscars 2009 fashion preview, is he excited?

“Yes!" he said smiling.

So does he hope to set the bar, we asked.

Del Rosario laughed and humbly said, “I hope so."

So fellow Filipinos, please show your support and vote for Alan del Rosario’s design by registering and voting at the Oscars website. - Philippine News

http://www.setanta.com/Global/Images/sport/golf/480x270/QueAngelo_Indonesia.jpg

JAKARTA, Indonesia (http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gU1whJAkkWOYhkfpylVoOpSZloSQ) — Angelo Que of the Philippines fired an 8-under 64 to take a runaway four-stroke lead over the field after Thursday's first round of the US$1.25-million Indonesia Open.

Que, who won the 2008 Philippine Open, carded eight birdies to move clear of a group of four players: compatriot Antonio Lascuna, Australian pair Tony Carolan and Andrew Dodt, Richie Ramsay of Scotland, England's Simon Khan and Welshman Jamie Donaldson.

Play was delayed two hours due to inclement weather, resulting in a minority of the field not completing their first round in the jointly sanctioned Asian Tour and European Tour event.

Former champion Simon Dyson of England was the most prominent of those yet to finish, with his four-under total after 16 holes giving him a share of second on the leaderboard.

Que needed just 20 putts over 18 holes of the Kuta Golf Resort course overlooking the world-famous surf of Balangan Bay. The tournament has been relocated this year from the capital Jakarta to the popular tourist destination of Bali.

"I've never done that before, probably only in a computer game... this is a very nice performance," Que said.

Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee - the best-ranked player in the field at 88 in the world - carded a 71 to leave him tied for 35th, along with Rafael Cabrera Bello of Spain, who had the tournament's first hole-in-one on the 140-yard par-three 15th.

Defending champion Felipe Aguilar of Chile was three over after 16 holes.

^^
that's great :okay:

Rock band Journey planes in Sunday (http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20090228-191621/Rock-band-Journey-planes-in-Sunday)

For all the Filipino fans of the pop-rock band Journey, one song title captures what they probably feel as its members arrive on Sunday for a concert on March 14: “Don’t Stop Believing.”

The band’s arrival, two weeks prior to its scheduled performance at the SM Mall of Asia open-air concert grounds, is very unusual. Most foreign performers who do shows in Manila normally fly in a day before their gigs, if not on the day itself.

But there’s something very special in Journey’s case.

Renowned worldwide for its string of hit songs known as “power ballads,” the group will be playing with a new lead vocalist who happens to be Pinoy -- the Sampaloc-born Arnel Pineda.

The band, which planes in at 5:40 a.m., will have a press conference on Monday, followed by a closed-door rehearsal at Aliw Theater.

Discovered by Journey’s lead guitarist Neal Schon on the video-sharing website YouTube, Pineda is keenly aware of the significance of this Manila show. He calls it a “homecoming concert,” something that has kept him so “excited” that he “can’t sleep.”

Likewise, this marks Journey’s first-ever concert on Philippine soil since forming in 1973.

One of its founding members, Schon, was originally part of the Latin rock group Santana. But although Journey already had a talented lineup during its inception -- including former Santana keyboardist Greg Rolie, and drummer Aynsley Dunbar who had worked with John Lennon and Frank Zappa, among others -- it struggled for several years before achieving popularity.

In 1977 Journey hired a new lead singer, Steve Perry, whose clean, high tenor finally gave the band a distinct, audience-friendly identity. A year later, its fourth album, “Infinity,” was certified platinum (1 million copies sold) and contained the hit singles “Lights” and “Wheel in the Sky.”

From ’79 to ’83 Journey was consistently at the top of the Billboard charts, with albums that were critically panned, yet attracted legions of fans for their emotionally charged songs -- later dubbed as power ballads.

At its peak, Journey had three Top 10 hits (“Who’s Crying Now,” “Don’t Stop Believing,” and “Open Arms”) in one album, 1981’s “Escape,” which became the No. 1 record of that year and has sold 9 million copies thus far.

For 10 years, starting in ’84, Journey took an extended sabbatical as Perry and Schon pursued solo projects. A reunion in ’95 ended two years later when Perry broke his hip while hiking in Hawaii.

When Perry refused to undergo hip replacement surgery, the band decided to go on and look for another singer.

Journey remained active as a touring band but was rather unlucky with its vocalists. In ’98 it hired Steve Augeri, who was eventually replaced by Jeff Scott Soto in 2006. But it took only one year for Soto himself to exit.

Public interest in the band was renewed when one of its songs, “Don’t Stop Believing,” was used as the soundtrack in the final scene of the long-running TV mob series “The Sopranos.”

With another tour coming up and without a vocalist, Schon as bandleader became desperate -- until his girlfriend reportedly told him about chancing upon a guy singing Journey songs on YouTube, which turned out to be Pineda.

2008 was a big comeback year for Journey. With a new lead vocalist, the band released “Revelation,” a double CD containing 22 tracks, 11 of which are new compositions, while the rest are greatest hits. On the same year the album turned platinum.

What’s special about it? Pineda sings in all of the songs.

Young Filipino leaders among Asia’s best (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/197355/young-filipino-leaders-among-asia%E2%80%99s-best)

http://www.mb.com.ph/sites/default/files/filipino-youth-leaders.jpg
ASIA'S BEST. Some of the people that have represented the Philippines at the Asia 21 Young Leaders Forum include (from left), Quintin Pastrana, Ivan Henares, Ching Jorge, Mark Ruiz, Atty. Myrish Cadapan-Antonio, Sheila Algabre, Love Gregorie Perez.

In 2006, Bam Aquino and I were chosen to represent the country at the Asia Society’s inaugural Asia 21 Young Leaders Forum held in Hong Kong. The said forum brought together 20 of Asia’s most dynamic young leaders from different fields aged between 25 to 40 years old.

For those who have not heard about the Asia Society, it is an international organization based in New York that is dedicated to strengthening relationships and deepening understanding among the peoples and leaders of Asia and the United States. Just recently, newly-appointed US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a lecture at the Asia Society on the Obama administration’s plans for its relationship with the Asian region.

The Asia Society also has an office here in the Philippines and among its board members are well-recognized business leaders and philanthropists such as Washington Sycip, Doris Magsaysay-Ho and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

As soon as Bam and I got back from the forum, we decided to work with the Asia Society office here to help set-up the Philippines 21 Young Leaders Program wherein we would annually select 10 of the most accomplished young leaders from our country to represent us in the annual Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit.

Unlike the Asia 21 Forum, the summit gathers not only 20 but more than 200 young leaders across different countries in Asia and the United States. For the past three years, the Philippines 21 Program continues to send one of the biggest delegations to the summit, behind only the USA and India.

Among last year’s delegates are noted social entrepreneur, Mark Ruiz who helped establish Hapinoy, a social enterprise that helps sari-sari store owners earn more by making their procurement system more efficient; Quintin Pastrana who is currently involved in promoting the use of alternative energy sources in the country; and Sheila Algabre of Notre Dame of Marbel University, who is actively providing technical and alternative learning programs to out of school youth in Mindanao.

From among the attendees of the summit, the Asia Society then selects 20-25 young leaders who will be known as Asia 21 fellows thus, they will have the opportunity to represent their country to the Asia 21 Young Leaders Forum.

GOOD LEADERS AMONG US

Aside from Bam and I, there have been other Filipinos that have already made it to this elite group of Asia 21 fellows.

One of them is Major Dennis Eclarin, a well-respected and admirable military leader in our country who graduated from the prestigious United State Military Academy at Westpoint. What is remarkable with Eclarin is the fact that aside from continuing to be an effective and ethical military leader, he has also helped in poverty alleviation in our country by establishing Hometown Corporation, a microfinance company that helps women in far flung areas all over our country by providing them with very friendly loans which help them set-up small businesses.

Another Asia 21 fellow is Patricia Gallardo, who is now spearheading the Shangri-la hotel group’s corporate social responsibility program. Even as a student, Gallardo’s leadership skills have been well-recognized as evidenced by her being chosen as one of Ateneo de Manila University’s representatives to the Ayala Young Leaders Congress (AYLC). Now, Gallardo is developing programs that will help towards ensuring that the Shangri-la group will implement sound environmental systems and policies in its chain of hotels.

Last but not the least, the latest Asia 21 fellow from the Philippines is Bato Balani Foundation’s Ching Jorge. Jorge’s Bato Balani Foundation is currently helping address our declining public education system by providing training programs to public school teachers nationwide. Aside from this, Jorge is the chairperson of the Young Public Servants (YPS), an organization that is currently spearheading a voters’ registration drive for the upcoming 2010 National Elections.

The selection of these young Filipino leaders to the by-invitation only Asia 21 forum only shows that we do not have to look outside our country to find good leaders that our youth can emulate and look up to. This is an affirmation that despite the failure of many of our current government leaders to help uplift the lives of Filipinos, there is still a bright future that we can look forward to with the likes of Aquino, Eclarin, Gallardo, Jorge and the rest of the Philippines 21 young leaders.

Filipino's gown vies for Oscars' red carpet glory
JANET NEPALES, Philippine News
02/23/2009 | 10:03 AM

BEVERLY HILLS, Los Angeles — Alan del Rosario is hoping to make Oscar history as the first Filipino designer to win in the first ever “Oscars Designer Challenge" competition. “Vote Filipino!" exclaimed the boyish-looking del Rosario who happens to be a former civil engineer from the Philippines turned fashion designer here in LA.

For the first time in Oscar history, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is inviting the public to vote on their favorite gown by an upcoming fashion designer. It’s like “Project Runway" meets “Oscars" kind of thing.

In “Oscars Designer Challenge," seven upcoming fashion designers are vying to have their original evening gown worn by one of the Awards escorts during the 81st Academy Awards on February 22.

The winning designer will receive two tickets to attend the Oscars ceremony and his design will be worn by his model who will assist in giving the Oscar trophy to the winners during the live telecast at the Kodak Theatre on Oscar night.

“This is a great opportunity for any designer," pointed out del Rosario.

The seven finalists were chosen by Oscar telecast producers Laurence Mark and Bill Condon along with Oscar fashion coordinator Patty Fox, author of the book “Star Style at the Academy Awards." The fashion preview was held recently at the Academy’s headquarters in Beverly Hills.

Del Rosario, who won California’s “Designer of the Year" and GenArt Los Angeles’ “Fresh Face" award, will be competing against Maria Pinto from Chicago (who happens to be the First Lady Michelle Obama’s favorite designer right now), Moire Conroy from New York, Sam Kori George from Chicago, Marianne Kooimans from Los Angeles, Nicolas Putvinski from New York and Robert Rodriguez also from Los Angeles.

“I want to capture the old Hollywood glamour and make it more relevant today," revealed del Rosario when we asked him what his inspiration was for his gown.

His gown is a strapless French lace and pink silk mermaid gown accentuated with Neil Lane jewelry that includes art deco diamond bracelets, emerald cut diamond ring and art deco linear diamond earrings. The black satin t-strap evening sandals worn by his model Morgan Hewitt are by Stuart Weitzman.

When he found out he made it to the Magic 7 finalist list, del Rosario could not contain his excitement. He said, “I was ecstatic. Being in Hollywood, this worked out so well and this is the greatest opportunity that any designer can get."

Being a civil engineering graduate in the Philippines has helped him in fashion design, he said. Del Rosario disclosed, “My background as a civil engineer has helped me in my design. It has become sort of an impulse already. My designs are very graphic and structured. I love to play with the human figure."

As for his being a Filipino, del Rosario noted that his heritage definitely played a part in his design. “My heritage inspired me a lot of times. My dad is from Spain and the Philippines so I have those influences there always."

Del Rosario has two lines --- Burlap by Alan del Rosario is his sexy, sophisticated, funky new contemporary label, while Bow & Arrow by Alan del Rosario is his couture line that translates that red carpet chic into a collection that moves effortlessly with the changing events throughout a woman’s day.

The charming and humble designer revealed that he is friends with another Filipino designer who is making waves in Hollywood --- Monique Lhuillier.

“Monique and I are friends since we are both Cebuanos and both graduates of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM). She is like a little sister to me," del Rosario revealed.

Just like his fellow Cebuano, del Rosario’s clothes are also getting noticed in Hollywood. Some of the celebrities who have worn del Rosario’s creations are Michele Pfeiffer, Debra Messing in “Will & Grace", Paris Hilton, and Drew Barrymore to name a few.

“I also have some producers’ wives before who wore my clothes at the Oscars," he stated.Del Rosario revealed that he goes home to the Philippines as often as he could. “I was just there two years ago," he said. “I still have family there in Cebu," he added. Since his creation would be the first one to come out on the ramp for this special Oscars 2009 fashion preview, is he excited?

“Yes!" he said smiling.

So does he hope to set the bar, we asked.

Del Rosario laughed and humbly said, “I hope so."

So fellow Filipinos, please show your support and vote for Alan del Rosario’s design by registering and voting at the Oscars website. - Philippine News

the del rosario's are originally from bohol who came to study in cebu and made it their own town. i met his sister her in la who happened to be a realtor.

Global Pinay is pride of Pinoys in the Netherlands (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/02/26/09/global-pinay-pride-pinoys-netherlands)

A genuine "global Pinay," Cecilia Aquino was born in the Philippines, finished law school in the US and is now a rising star in The Netherlands.

Aquino was chosen as one of the three hosts of the newly-launched West International channel of TV West, a local Dutch television station.

The English-language Dutch program was launched for the international community in The Netherlands.

Aquino arrived in Holland in 2007 as a law intern for a big international organization located in The Hague, known as the legal capital of the world.

According to Aquino, she landed the TV job by sheer accident. She was discovered in a pub last summer.

"Actually I was just in a pub one summer night and they were asking if I want to audition. I need an interview experience so I decided to go and just because I’ve never done anything like it before," Aquino told ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.

"I didn’t think they would ever call me. And it's been two months and then they called me and they said no, you’re fantastic and we’re just waiting," Aquino said.

However, the boss of the TV station believes that Aquino is really a star.

"We’re looking for the best people for the show and it happened to be someone from the Philippines and sexy. I think she’s wonderful, she does a great job, she’s very natural," Gerard Milo, CEO of Omniwest TV said.

At the night of the launch of West International, when it was broadcast live in The Netherlands from the famous Kurhaus Hotel, Aquino already gained a lot of fans from the expat community.

Rose and Melanie, who didn't give their surnames, were very impressed at Aquino's beauty as well as talent and ease at hosting.

"She was really good. Very nice. It was a very nice show and she told good information," Rose said.

"It was good. She looked good and she said a lot of nice things, very nice," Melanie said.

The Pinoys who were at the live launch could not have been prouder.

They were so happy that they now have a "kababayan" to watch on the Dutch local TV.

"Nagulat ako kasi Filipina ‘yong host at siyempre very proud kasi Flipina ‘yon. Alam mo na sa Netherlands…So the Filipinos are becoming part of show business as well," Mary Borja said.

Holland has a very big international community, especially in The Hague, which has about 40,000 expats.

Aquino's success in penetrating an industry and market dominated by Europeans is solid proof that Pinoys can really be the best in any endeavor.

^^ Filipino talent is truly world class. :banana::banana:

Young Filipino leaders among Asia’s best (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/197355/young-filipino-leaders-among-asia%E2%80%99s-best)
By Harvey S. keh

In 2006, Bam Aquino and I were chosen to represent the country at the Asia Society’s inaugural Asia 21 Young Leaders Forum held in Hong Kong. The said forum brought together 20 of Asia’s most dynamic young leaders from different fields aged between 25 to 40 years old.

For those who have not heard about the Asia Society, it is an international organization based in New York that is dedicated to strengthening relationships and deepening understanding among the peoples and leaders of Asia and the United States. Just recently, newly-appointed US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a lecture at the Asia Society on the Obama administration’s plans for its relationship with the Asian region.

The Asia Society also has an office here in the Philippines and among its board members are well-recognized business leaders and philanthropists such as Washington Sycip, Doris Magsaysay-Ho and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

As soon as Bam and I got back from the forum, we decided to work with the Asia Society office here to help set-up the Philippines 21 Young Leaders Program wherein we would annually select 10 of the most accomplished young leaders from our country to represent us in the annual Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit.

Unlike the Asia 21 Forum, the summit gathers not only 20 but more than 200 young leaders across different countries in Asia and the United States. For the past three years, the Philippines 21 Program continues to send one of the biggest delegations to the summit, behind only the USA and India.

Among last year’s delegates are noted social entrepreneur, Mark Ruiz who helped establish Hapinoy, a social enterprise that helps sari-sari store owners earn more by making their procurement system more efficient; Quintin Pastrana who is currently involved in promoting the use of alternative energy sources in the country; and Sheila Algabre of Notre Dame of Marbel University, who is actively providing technical and alternative learning programs to out of school youth in Mindanao.

From among the attendees of the summit, the Asia Society then selects 20-25 young leaders who will be known as Asia 21 fellows thus, they will have the opportunity to represent their country to the Asia 21 Young Leaders Forum.

Good leaders amomg us

Aside from Bam and I, there have been other Filipinos that have already made it to this elite group of Asia 21 fellows.

One of them is Major Dennis Eclarin, a well-respected and admirable military leader in our country who graduated from the prestigious United State Military Academy at Westpoint. What is remarkable with Eclarin is the fact that aside from continuing to be an effective and ethical military leader, he has also helped in poverty alleviation in our country by establishing Hometown Corporation, a microfinance company that helps women in far flung areas all over our country by providing them with very friendly loans which help them set-up small businesses.

Another Asia 21 fellow is Patricia Gallardo, who is now spearheading the Shangri-la hotel group’s corporate social responsibility program. Even as a student, Gallardo’s leadership skills have been well-recognized as evidenced by her being chosen as one of Ateneo de Manila University’s representatives to the Ayala Young Leaders Congress (AYLC). Now, Gallardo is developing programs that will help towards ensuring that the Shangri-la group will implement sound environmental systems and policies in its chain of hotels.

Last but not the least, the latest Asia 21 fellow from the Philippines is Bato Balani Foundation’s Ching Jorge. Jorge’s Bato Balani Foundation is currently helping address our declining public education system by providing training programs to public school teachers nationwide. Aside from this, Jorge is the chairperson of the Young Public Servants (YPS), an organization that is currently spearheading a voters’ registration drive for the upcoming 2010 National Elections.

The selection of these young Filipino leaders to the by-invitation only Asia 21 forum only shows that we do not have to look outside our country to find good leaders that our youth can emulate and look up to. This is an affirmation that despite the failure of many of our current government leaders to help uplift the lives of Filipinos, there is still a bright future that we can look forward to with the likes of Aquino, Eclarin, Gallardo, Jorge and the rest of the Philippines 21 young leaders.

This year, the Asia 21 Young Leaders Forum will be held in Manila. If you would like to support the Philippines 21 Young Leaders Program as well as the Asia Society here in the Philippines, you can contact us at 02-7524374. Comments are welcome at harveykeh@gmail.com.

I was surprised to see lots of Scottish fans and teens at that, qeueing for Pacquiao`s autograph. Saw it on ANC news lunchtime edition. Im not a fan of him and i was expecting the usual Filipino fans as was the customary sight whenever Pacman is abroad.

COCO VINEGAR NOW SOLD IN THE U.S.
http://www.balitapinoy.net/clients/balitapinoy/3-2-2009-5-12-27-AM-6056420.jpg
Coco vinegar reaches US market

By Danny O. Calleja

BULAN, Sorsogon, March 2

In classy organic food shops in various parts of Metro Manila, its neighboring provinces, down to the Boracay Island and up to the United States, Lola Conching’s Vinegar is a prized item.

Thanks to the growing public awareness on the hazards of chemically-treated foods that consumers are into alternatives —- the natural or organically produced stuff.

Lola Conching is a brand name of the organic coconut nectar specialty vinegar being produced by the Sorsogon Food Enterprise (SFE), a six-year old small-scale family venture based in this first class farming and coastal municipality at the southeastern tip of Luzon.

“Among our leading outlets in the Metropolis are Rustan’s Supermarket, Waltermart, Gateway and Shopwise. Lola Conching’s Vinegar is also available in top organic food shops in Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog cities down to Boracay Island,” Linda Corsiga, SFE’s owner and manager told the PNA Monday.

Every two months, a truckload of delivery consisting 10,000 of properly labeled and sealed bottles of this product is transported from here to Metro Manila for distribution to those outlets, Corsiga said.

A separate shipment of 50 specially packaged boxes containing 24 bottles each is being shipped every 45 days to Minnesota, USA, she said.

Lola Conching’s vinegar products have both nutritional and medicinal value and the natural herbs that are mixed with them are health promoting “neutraceuticals” (nutrient supplements that act like pharmaceuticals) and are considered “functional foods” or nutritious foods that can prevent diseases, Corsiga said.

The coco nectar specialty vinegar comes in filtered and pasteurized labeled as “classic” and unfiltered and unpasteurized, with the “mother vinegar” or film like gels floating inside the bottle termed or labeled as “virgin”.

The vinegar has also four variants based on its four natural flavors-raw wild honey, chili and ginger, garlic and lemon grass. These natural herbs are proven to contain nutritional value and are health-promoting.

The brand name Lola Conching, Corsiga said, was derived from the name of the family matriarch who started here the production of organic coco nectar vinegar as a backyard industry in the 1950s.

It was only sometime in 2003 when Corsiga, one of Aling Conching’s daughters who holds a diploma in education, decided to venture into vinegar production as a small family enterprise under the SFE trade name.

First, she made an intensive research and study about vinegar production, trained and consulted with the Department of Science and Technology and the Philippine Coconut Authority, Corsiga said.

This enterprise was conceived not only with the end in view of gaining profit but committed itself into the cause of lessening people’s exposure to chemically-treated food and to help protect the environment by propagating organic agri/aqua culture espousing organic practices and natural methods in food production, Corsiga said.

Last year, SFE was invited by the department of Trade and Industry (DTI) into its “Orgullo kan Bikol” Trade Fair at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City late last year and its booth was a crowd-drawer for its Lola Conching’s vinegar.

Everlyn Paguio, DTI’s provincial product promotion division chief for Sorsogon, said a Filipino-American business prospector who owns a chain of organic food shops in Minnesota bought a box of the vinegar from the SFE booth during the trade fair and brought it home to America.

Two weeks later or sometime last November, Corsiga received an order for 10 boxes and a dollar check for payment from that American businessman.

“I was surprised and elated by that order and dollar payment. I made the shipment a week later after complying with all the exportation requirements. Suddenly SFE became an exporter and a dollar earner,” she said.

A month after that first shipment, a repeat order of 25 boxes came in and since last January until February, the volume was increased to 50 boxes monthly, Corsiga said.

With these opportunities coming to SFE, Corsiga said she remembered what an Australian friend had told her that "Bicol is a paradise for bees because it is coconut-rich. Coco flower is a major source of nectar which honey bees love."

She said: “SFE has joined the bees in enjoying the sweetness of coconut nectar.

"Anyway, it is only 10 hectares of family-owned coconut land where we compete with the bees.”

SFE has 15 employees at its plant here. Five of them are the coconut nectar gatherers, a vanishing breed of indigenous barrio workers who climb towering coconut trees to collect from its buds the once famous tuba or coconut wine. The others are the bottlers, labelers, packers and bottle cleaners.

The coco vinegar is produced by cutting off and shaving twice daily the top of the newly formed coco flower until the sap starts to drip out.

These sweet ‘drippings’ are the same nectar that honey bees sip and turn them into honey in their hives.

A bamboo collection vessel is placed where the sap drips into and a tuba harvester or “mangete” collects it once or twice daily. Natural fermentation takes a minimum of 60 days, after which the naturally sweet tuba (coconut toddy) has aged and has turned into the naturally best-tasting vinegar, without adulteration.

When it reaches its natural acidity level, it is then bottled, without preservatives or chemical additives, free of artificial flavorings, colorings and dyes and sealed fresh to preserve all its natural goodness.

Everlyn Paguio, product promotion division chief of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Sorsogon provincial office said, the SFE vinegar has been tested by two reputable BFAD-recognized laboratories which confirmed its purity and excellent quality as indicated by its Percent Titratable Acidity (PTA) and Permanganate Oxidation Number (PON).

It was also tested for its vitamin and mineral content. Tests reveal the presence of beta-carotene, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium and sodium. It has potent supply of potassium, which promotes cell, tissue and organism growth, Paguio said.

The DOST has also certified that SFE vinegar has a minimum shelf life of one year.

Lola Conching’s vinegar are available in two glass bottle sizes, the 750 ml. priced locally at P75 and the 350 ml. priced at P45 which is a little bit expensive than the ordinary commercial vinegar available in most local market.

But the price difference is insignificant considering the nutritional, health, and medicinal value one can derive from these organically produced coco nectar vinegar. It is ideal for cooking, dipping, marinating, salad dressing and pickling. If not diluted with water, it is itself a preservative.

Other than its culinary uses, organic vinegar is touted to be “the Home Remedy for the 21st century” for reasons that it is high in cancer–fighting oxidants, a natural appetite suppressant, reduces cholesterol to prevent heart disease, helps retard osteoporosis, slows the effect of aging and reduces the frequency of headaches.

It also helps cure many common ailments such as dandruff, menstrual cramps, acne, sinusitis and congestion. It is also a good bleaching agent.

“It is about time we substitute our ordinary table vinegar most of which are laced with acetic acid and other chemical additives with this organic coco nectar vinegar, Paguio said. (PNA Feature)

BORDAGOL RICE DISCOVERER HONORED IN NORWAY

Norway honors Filipino farmer on the first celebration of Global Seed Vault:cheers:

http://www.balitapinoy.net/clients/balitapinoy/2-28-2009-6-33-31-AM-8214013.jpg
Tay Gipo and a Norwegian farmer's stocks of seeds

By Gloria H. Grejalde

OSLO, Norway, Feb. 27

Norway honored a Filipino farmer for his discovery of high-yielding and pest resistant rice during the first year celebration of the Svalvard Global Seed Vault on Thursday, February 26, 2009.

Norway Minister of Agriculture and Food Lard Peder Brekk praised Tay Gipo who was “one of the most memorable voices” during the first global seed vault seminar one year ago where 150 guests representing 33 countries and five continents were present, among them the president of the European Community, Jose Manuel Barrosso; the Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Jacques Diouf; and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai.

“He was a farmer who, despite having only four years of formal education, discovered a rice variety that proved to be high-yielding and pest resistant, the sample of which is among the thousands of seeds kept at the global seed vault,” he said.

The Philippines through the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the highest donor to the global seed vault. It reportedly contributed 70,000 different varieties of rice from 120 different countries.

“I (mentioned) his name for two reasons. (First), to illustrate how the field-level knowledge of our farmers continues to be the most important element of crop conservation and second, to keep his memory alive. Just days ago, we received word that our fellow agriculturalist, Tay Gipo, passed away this month at the age of 64.”

“His legacy remains in the fields of the Philippines - where his “Bordagol” is grown by his neighbors - and their neighbors. And his legacy remains here in Svalbard where seeds of his “Bordagol” are safely stored for the future.”

Minister Brekk recounted how Tay Gipo discovered the rice which he himself named as “Bordagol.”

“During a particularly tough year, he noticed one plant in his field that did not succumb to the virus “tungro.” He literally had to pull the plant from the mouth of a farm animal who was planning to have it for a snack – he saved the seeds, replanted them and the next season he harvested 25 kilograms just from the seeds of that one plant.”

“With his incredible success, the rice he himself named “Bordagol” was born. He shared his success by sharing his seeds with his neighbors. The word spread and, in spite of his lack of education, he was invited to join a research institute where he learned rice breeding and improved his “Bordagol”, increasing its yield and resilience and therefore increasing the yields of the other farmers in his area.”

“When he spoke here last year, he ended his talk by asking - and then answering - a question that obviously was on his mind when he made his Odyssey to Svalbard - he asked how the Seed Vault would help him and his family. He answered it himself - frank and straightforward - “I don’t know. I don’t know if it will.”

“I call upon all of us in this room and countless others who have been involved in this process at all of its levels - the gene banks, the plant breeders, the international organizations, the research institutions, the governments - to remember his question because his answer was in many ways the correct one.”

“No one knows if the Seed Vault ever will be needed and no one knows if and when the seeds will be sent back to their depositor to restore a seed collection that has been lost.”

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is described as the ultimate safety net for the world’s seed banks. The Seed Vault is part of an international network for storage and use of genetic resources. It serves as the ‘central bank” of seeds.

“No country is entirely self-sufficient when it comes to genetic resources. Food security in every country depends on food crops that originate from other continents. Global collaboration is therefore essential to ensure correct storage and fair distribution of the value generated by their use in research and development. Safeguarding the genetic diversity of food plants is also fundamental to our ability to adapt to climate change. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a concrete and important step in this kind of global collaboration, and the initiative is supported by the United Nations,” Ola Westengen, operation manager of NordGen/Svalbard Global Seed Vault said during an interview with him a year ago before the opening of the seed vault.

Meanwhile, Minister Brekk stressed that the world is now facing an unprecedented challenge “a challenge that threatens the quality of life on every continent – the climate change.”

”I want to emphasize that the challenges we face can only be met through our joint efforts. Climate change and food insecurity are closely linked, and hence our policies must reflect this reality and be mutually supportive. The sustainable management of our resources will serve to mitigate the effects of climate change but sustainable management also must be seen as the most critical pre-requisite for development.”

Agriculture depends on the diversity of plant and animal genetic resources, and on their ability to adapt to change. As we face climate change, all of us in the global community need to dedicate ourselves to initiatives to preserve and ensure sustainable use of these resources – initiatives like the Seed Vault, the Minister explained.

“As science tries to keep up with the looming threats of changing climates and weather patterns, increasing temperatures and melting ice caps, we here in Svalbard are well aware that the most important use of crop diversity in the coming decades will be helping agriculture adapt to these changes.”

At the macro level, I call your attention to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture that now has been signed by 119 nations. It is a compelling example of what can be achieved through collaborative action.

The Treaty establishes common rules to make crop diversity freely accessible and to ensure that any benefits derived from that access are shared. It recognizes farmers’ rights - the contribution to the conservation and development of crop diversity that has taken place in the fields of farmers like Tay Gipo and his neighbors over the millennia - farmers who still use local crops in traditional agricultural systems.

Trade is another area where the links to both climate change and food security are undeniable. The Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture stated quite firmly that all Members needed to make commitments to non-trade concerns and specifically mentioned food security and the need to protect the environment.

“This is a thought that should guide our future work. We cannot solve the global challenges of climate change, poverty reduction and food security by leaving food production to a handful of powerful exporters. It is increasingly important, and acknowledged, that all countries should maintain an appropriate level of self sufficiency.

By expressing his uncertainty; Gipo also expressed the notion that until now, gene banks, have been a “secret” treasure. Who outside of the small community of plant geneticists understood the importance of collecting, cataloguing and conserving our agricultural heritage - a heritage that is also our future food supply? I do not think it is so secret anymore! I think the Svalbard Global Seed Vault has raised understanding and awareness: that we must - and we will - protect crop biodiversity in order to feed a warming world.

Of course Gipo was not sure whether he - as a subsistence farmer - would ever benefit from access to genetic resources. After all, he was the end of a chain coming from Svalbard, from the gene banks, from the plant breeders, from the seed dealers. Gipo might also have been concerned for his future ability to produce and sell his own locally adapted rice varieties on the local markets.

Norway believes that to give positive answers to the kinds of challenges the hundreds of millions of other farmers like Gipo are facing, it is necessary to be pro-active.

“I want to emphasize that the challenges we face can only be met through our joint efforts. Climate change and food insecurity are closely linked, and hence our policies must reflect this reality and be mutually supportive. The sustainable management of our resources will serve to mitigate the effects of climate change but sustainable management also must be seen as the most critical pre-requisite for development,” he said. (PNA)

^^ We have another inventor of high yielding rice variety and yet we still continue to grapple with rice shortages and still import rice from our neighbors. How ironic.

Pinoy kid becomes first-ever US citizen outside America (http://http://www.gmanews.tv/story/151063/Pinoy-kid-becomes-first-ever-US-citizen-outside-America)
03/02/2009 | 09:46 PM

CHICAGO, Illinois - Seven -year-old Martin Miles Ulsano has never set foot in United States soil. But he gained the distinction last Friday (Feb. 27) of being the first child ever to become a US citizen in a country outside America.

Martin was born in Japan to Eugeline and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Caesar Ulsano, a native of the Philippines, who became a naturalized citizen in 2004 in Hawaii.

Martin became a US citizen after reciting the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony held in the Chapel of Hope at the Yokosuka Naval Station in Japan.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) said Martin led 62 active duty service members and nine military spouses stationed in the Pacific, who also became new citizens during the naturalization ceremony in the US Naval Station in Yokosuka, a city 65 kilometers south of Tokyo and 30 kilometers from Yokohama.

Ulsano became the first beneficiary of the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2008 signed by President George W. Bush that permits children of US service members to receive their citizenship overseas where their parent is stationed even though the child may never have been in the United States.

Previous immigration laws required these children to be physically present within the United States to naturalize.

The new law that amended Section 322 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which provides for naturalization of minor children of U.S. Citizens residing abroad.

The general conditions are that at least one parent is a U.S. citizen; that the child is younger than age 18; and resides abroad in the physical and legal custody of that parent; and the parent has been physically present in the United States for a certain period of time.

The beneficiary children must accompany their U.S. Citizen members of the military who are abroad on official orders. These children do not have to have a lawful admission in the US and the US Citizen parent members of the U.S. Armed Forces may count any period of time he has resided abroad on official orders as physical presence in the United States.

Eligible for this benefit are biological or adopted children of the U.S. citizen members of the US Armed Forces. Step-children are not qualified to enjoy this benefit.

With the closing of Subic Naval Base in the Philippines in the early nineties, The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center (FISC) in Yokosuka has taken on additional responsibilities and is now the U. S. Navy's largest supply facility in the Western Pacific.

“The successful first naturalization of a child overseas reflects the exemplary work of US Citizenship and Immigration Services employees in Korea and the military unit at our Nebraska Service Center," said Mike Aytes, USCIS Acting Deputy Director on their website.

"This also reflects the great teamwork between USCIS’ domestic and international operations divisions," he added.

Aside from Martin, the new American citizens came from different countries. Some hailed from China, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, France, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Romania, and Vietnam. - JOSEPH G. LARIOSA, GMANews.TV

Teacher from Cavite picked as ‘CNN Hero’:cheers:

Efren Peñaflorida, a 27-year-old Filipino teacher and youth worker, has been named a “CNN Hero.”

The prestigious recognition, CNN said in a statement on Thursday, spotlights ordinary citizens around the world accomplishing “extraordinary deeds.”

Peñaflorida will be featured on CNN’s Larry King Live airing today at 6 p.m. (Manila time). Peñaflorida is the third of approximately 32 heroes to be unveiled this year.

An esteemed blue-ribbon panel will then select the top 10 “CNN Heroes” before the international public select the “CNN Hero of the Year” via voting at the “CNN Heroes” site www.CNN.com/Heroes.

At a year-end gala, CNN will honor these 10 heroes and reveal the “CNN Hero of the Year” who will receive $100,000.

In its second year in 2008, the multiplatform initiative received nearly 4,000 submissions from 75 countries. A special “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” program will then air globally on CNN International, CNN/US and CNN en Español.

Growing pains

High school was hell for Peñaflorida, according to the statement. He was constantly harassed and threatened by the local gangs that terrorized his school. Students had few alternatives to the gangs. They were either forced into joining or they dropped out of school.

Despite the pressure, Peñaflorida was determined to complete his education. Growing up near the slums of Cavite City in the Philippines, he knew that, despite his problems, he was lucky. A lot of kids with his background did not have the opportunity to go to school.

At 16 years old, Peñaflorida decided to combine two problems to create a solution. He recruited three fellow high-school students to go to the slums on Saturdays to teach younger kids. That was the beginning of the Dynamic Teen Company (DTC).

Ten years later, DTC’s membership has grown to around 10,000 members and they have tutored approximately 1,500 children from the slums. DTC became the solution Peñaflorida envisioned. It gives high-school students an alternative to gangs and young children access to education.

Sharing his gift

At 27, Peñaflorida continues to share the gift of learning. He teaches at a local private school in Cavite City and still accompanies DTC to the slums every Saturday. His deep commitment to education will only continue to change the face of his community.

CNN is the world’s leading global 24-hour news network and one of the world’s most respected and trusted sources for news and information. The CNN brand is available to two billion people via 18 CNN branded TV, Internet and mobile services produced by CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System Inc. and a Time Warner company.

Megan Fox to star in Pinoy's "Jonah Hex" film:cheers:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3329504853_a012e92fd5.jpg?v=0
Legendary Filipino artist Tony de Zuñiga with his DC comics creation "Jonah Hex" during a January 2009 exhibit in Ortigas.

MANILA, Philippines - Megan Fox is ditching robots for cowboy boots, at least for now.

The Transformers star is in final negotiations to play the gun-wielding vixen opposite Josh Brolin (Milk) and John Malkovich (Burn After Reading) in the Warner Bros.’ adaptation of “Jonah Hex", the Hollywood Reporter said.

“Hex" is a disfigured rough-and-tumble Western anti-hero created by Filipino legendary comic artist Tony de Zuñiga for DC comics in the late 70s.

Zuñiga told GMANews.TV in his January visit to Manila that he will personally look after the development of the Hollywood film once it starts production. The Filipino artist kept a tight lip on the film.

Fox will play Leila, Hex’s (Brolin) headstrong love interest who will accompany him in search for a voodoo practitioner (Malkovich) who plans to raise an army of the "undead."

Directed by Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears A Who!), Jonah Hex will start production in April this year.

In August 2007, Zuñiga quite literally received his own stamp of approval after the United States Postal Service honored one of his works, Spider-Woman, and is now part of Marvel Superheroes’ stamp collection.

Four decades after opening the doors to other Pinoy artists in the US, Tony takes a break from breathing life into superheroes and for now, concentrates on his paintings and attending comic conventions where he is rightfully called “the legend."

Teacher from Cavite picked as ‘CNN Hero’:cheers:

Efren Peñaflorida, a 27-year-old Filipino teacher and youth worker, has been named a “CNN Hero.”

The prestigious recognition, CNN said in a statement on Thursday, spotlights ordinary citizens around the world accomplishing “extraordinary deeds.”

Peñaflorida will be featured on CNN’s Larry King Live airing today at 6 p.m. (Manila time). Peñaflorida is the third of approximately 32 heroes to be unveiled this year.

An esteemed blue-ribbon panel will then select the top 10 “CNN Heroes” before the international public select the “CNN Hero of the Year” via voting at the “CNN Heroes” site www.CNN.com/Heroes.

At a year-end gala, CNN will honor these 10 heroes and reveal the “CNN Hero of the Year” who will receive $100,000.

In its second year in 2008, the multiplatform initiative received nearly 4,000 submissions from 75 countries. A special “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” program will then air globally on CNN International, CNN/US and CNN en Español.

Growing pains

High school was hell for Peñaflorida, according to the statement. He was constantly harassed and threatened by the local gangs that terrorized his school. Students had few alternatives to the gangs. They were either forced into joining or they dropped out of school.

Despite the pressure, Peñaflorida was determined to complete his education. Growing up near the slums of Cavite City in the Philippines, he knew that, despite his problems, he was lucky. A lot of kids with his background did not have the opportunity to go to school.

At 16 years old, Peñaflorida decided to combine two problems to create a solution. He recruited three fellow high-school students to go to the slums on Saturdays to teach younger kids. That was the beginning of the Dynamic Teen Company (DTC).

Ten years later, DTC’s membership has grown to around 10,000 members and they have tutored approximately 1,500 children from the slums. DTC became the solution Peñaflorida envisioned. It gives high-school students an alternative to gangs and young children access to education.

Sharing his gift

At 27, Peñaflorida continues to share the gift of learning. He teaches at a local private school in Cavite City and still accompanies DTC to the slums every Saturday. His deep commitment to education will only continue to change the face of his community.

CNN is the world’s leading global 24-hour news network and one of the world’s most respected and trusted sources for news and information. The CNN brand is available to two billion people via 18 CNN branded TV, Internet and mobile services produced by CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System Inc. and a Time Warner company.

he is a hero. vote for him. :cheers:

4 Filipinos in Forbes’ Heroes of Philanthropy (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/topstories/topstories/view/20090306-192702/4-Filipinos-in-Forbes-Heroes-of-Philanthropy)

Four Filipinos have made it to Forbes Magazine’s 48 Heroes of Philanthropy list in the Asia Pacific Region.

The four, named in the magazine’s March 16 issue, are Jon Ramon Aboitiz, Manuel V. Pangilinan, Henry Sy, and Alfonso Yuchengco Sr.

Forbes noted that despite the global financial crunch “hammering fortunes all over Asia,” the 48 tycoons and modest donors still “opened up their checkbooks” to help others.

“This is the our third annual Heroes of Philanthropy issue, and the second in which we've compiled a list of 48 leading givers-- four from each of 12 countries,” it said.

Aboitiz, 61, chairs the Aboitiz holding company with investments in energy, construction, logistics, food and banking. He is cited along with his family.

Forbes said Jon Ramon and brothers Roberto and Mikel are the most active family members in the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, which started as a traditional charity in 1966.

The foundation is more of a development institution today.

“It focuses on child welfare, community development, Cebuano heritage, microfinance, youth leadership and the environment, and spent $1.6 million in 2007,” Forbes said.

Over the past five years it has put hundreds of thousands of dollars into renovating public schools in Cebu Province. Its latest initiative is to find homes and livelihoods for the Badjao, nomadic Sulu fishermen, ho have become beggars on streets of Cebu City.

Pangilinan, 62, is chairman of Hong Kong-listed First Pacific and New York-listed Philippine Long-Distance Telephone.

“During his years in Hong Kong he founded, and still chairs, the Bayanihan Center, which provides cultural and vocational activities for Filipino domestic workers there,” said Forbes.

Known as MVP, he is a sports enthusiast and patron of youth basketball and badminton leagues. He has footed the bill for overseas training for national basketball youth teams.

Pangilinan donated funds for the construction at the Ateneo de Manila University of the Manuel V. Pangilinan Center for Student Leadership, which was completed in 2006. He also funded a retreat house, named after his mother, for Catholic sisters in Tagaytay.

Sy, 84, who was also cited along with his family, built the shopping mall empire SM and holds the country's biggest fortune.

He founded and chairs the SM Foundation, whose staff of 20 focuses on health, education and spiritual well-being. The foundation runs clinics near SM malls, repairs pediatric wards and hospices.

In 2007 its mobile health and dental clinics treated 164,000 people in remote areas. The foundation also awards scholarships. It builds Catholic chapels and youth centers, and public school buildings.

Last August, Sy and his family purchased the 107-year-old National University.

Yuchengco, 85, is chairman of the Yuchengco Group, a conglomerate anchored by insurance and banking interests.

He chairs the Alfonso Yuchengco Foundation, which targets health, nutrition and education issues.

“One clinic it sponsors is in Cotabato City, where the beneficiaries are Muslims. At any one time [the foundation] supports 5,000 college scholarships,” according to Forbes.

The foundation also provided initial funding in 2004 for the Philippine Studies Center at the University of San Francisco in the US. Also under the foundation is the Yuchengco Museum in Makati, opened in 2005, which displays his collection of Filipino and Sino-Filipino art.

He also chairs the Yuchengco Center, which is devoted to public policy conferences and research related to the Philippines and Asia, especially relations with Japan, where he was once ambassador.

In 1983, Yuchengco cofounded the Mother Teresa Award, which annually awards P1 million ($25,000) to an individual dedicated to serving the poorest of the poor.

Forbes said the 48 “aren't always the biggest givers.”

“Instead we aim to highlight a varied group of generous people,” it said. “Some are very big givers--Li Ka-shing's vast contributions earn him a place on the list once again. Others don't show up on any of our Rich Lists but have put together useful projects.”

“Kagemasa Kozuki of Japan, a former jukebox repairman who founded videogame maker Konami, gives money to athletes so they can continue training; 31 of them competed in Beijing,” said Forbes.

Norwegian govt honors Pinoy farmer (http://http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/march/10/yehey/top_stories/20090310top8.htmlhttp://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/march/10/yehey/top_stories/20090310top8.html)

A Filipino farmer from North Cotabato was again honored on the first anniversary of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway for showing the world that simple farmers like him upheld biodiversity through their indigenous knowledge.

Norway Minister of Agriculture and Food Lars Peder Brekk cited Eulogio Sasi Jr., who, despite only four years of formal education, was blessed with thousands of years of local agricultural know-how that was passed down to him from village elders.

“One year ago, when the Svalbard Global Seed Vault was officially opened, this room was filled with more than 150 invited guests representing 33 countries and five continents. Among them were the president of the European Community, Mr. Jose Manuel Barrosso; the Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Mr. Jacques Diouf; and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai. All contributed to our program, sharing their insights into the importance and impact of crop genetic diversity. But at this moment, I would like to mention another person who was present that day. One of the most memorable voices of that seminar, Mr. Tay Gipo—a subsistence farmer from the Philippines,” Brekk said, using the name that Sasi was more known for.

Sasi spoke during the opening conference of the Global Seed Vault on the Arctic island of Svalbard on February 25, 2008. He passed away on February 16, 2009, a few days before the first anniversary of the opening of the seed vault, at the age of 64 in President Roxas, North Cotabato, in southern Mindanao.

In a speech, Brekk said Sasi’s legacy remains in the fields of the Philippines, where his “Bordagol” is grown by his neighbors and their neighbors.

“Like other rice growers in the Philippines, Mr. Gipo switched to high-yielding, improved varieties in the late 1960s. But, he and his neighbors still struggled with pests and diseases, like the tungro virus. During a particularly tough year, he noticed one plant in his field that did not succumb to the virus. He literally had to pull the plant from the mouth of a farm animal who was planning to have it for a snack—he saved the seeds, replanted them and the next season he harvested 25 kilograms just from the seeds of that one plant. With his incredible success, the rice he himself named “Bordagol” was born,” he added.

Preserving a legacy

Brekk said that Sasi’s legacy remains as well in Svalbard, where seeds of his “Bordagol” are safely stored for the future.

“I mention his name for two reasons. One to illustrate how the field-level knowledge of our farmers continues to be the most important element of crop conservation. But also to keep his memory alive. Because just days ago we received word that our fellow agriculturalist, Tay Gipo, passed away this month at the age of 64,” he added.

In 1985, Sasi developed the rice variety that was resistant to pest and diseases. He named it “Bordagol,” a comic character from a children’s funny comics.

“I chose this name because the character, ‘Bordagol’ in the cartoon strip has a good trait and was able to save their planet. I thought that like the cartoon character, this plant could help us farmers because according to our elders, if a rice plant possesses purple tillers, it is resistant to disease,” he said during the launching of the global seed vault last year.

Simple story

Franco Esdrelon Jr., SEARICE Mindanao Program coordinator based in President Roxas, North Cotabato, said that “the simple story of Tay Gipo brought home the message to all governments about the role of farmers in seed conservation. He reminded all of us that the seeds being deposited in the Global Seed Vault and all the genebanks are products of generations of farmers’ knowledge and innovations across the world that are entrusted to this generation and for the future generation.”

Esdrelon worked with “Tay Gipo” and other farmers on conservation and development of agricultural biodiversity through promotion of farmer-breeding, use of local seeds and sustainable agriculture in President Roxas and in other farming communities in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental, also all in Mindanao.

“Tay Gipo has left a daunting challenge to the heads of governments in his speech during the opening of the seed vault last year. He posed the challenge that farmers’ contribution to agricultural biodiversity be recognized and supported,” he said.

SEARICE is a nongovernment organization based in Southeast Asia calling on the government to adopt strategies that will strengthen farmers’ access to production resources and technologies that reduce their dependence on external inputs particularly seeds.
--Ira Karen Apanay

Filipino author nominated in Sweden award (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090312-193779/Filipino-author-nominated-in-Sweden-award)
By Veronica Uy

Adarna Publishing House also in the running

MANILA, Philippines—Filipino children literature author Albert Gamos and Adarna House have been nominated in Sweden’s prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world’s largest prize for children and young adult literature.

According to the consulate general of Sweden here, the award administered by the Swedish Arts Council gives away every year five million krona (about Є480,000) to authors, illustrators, storytellers, and promoters of reading.

The prize aims to increase and strengthen interest in children and young adult literature worldwide. The winner will be announced on March 24.

Gamos is an illustrator of the "The Best of Lola Basyang" by Severino Reyes, which bagged the Gintong Aklat Award for Children's Literature and won the National Book Award for Best Anthology. He has received various international awards for his work.

Adarna House meanwhile has been nominated for its literacy project, Bright Minds Read (BMR), which it launched in 2003 together with the Ronald McDonald House of Charities and the Philippine Department of Education.

Adarna’s literacy project was a response to a study conducted among public school students showing that after completing first grade, 40 percent of students were still nonreaders.

Together with top educators from the University of the Philippines, 32 picture books were published and a campaign to teach teachers how to use BMR materials was done.

In the first year, the ratio of Grade 1 nonreaders dramatically dropped from 40 percent to four percent.

To date, BMR has covered 2,000 schools.

“By 2009 the pilot students will be graduating from grade school with not only a love of learning but with a passion for reading,” the consulate said.

Adarna House has also partnered with Reach Out and Read-Philippines (ROR-P) to promote early literacy and a love for books.

The first bilingual (Filipino-English) board books will be provided to pediatric patients below two years old.

Last October 22, Adarna House and ROR-P opened the Adarna House Reading Corner in the activity center of Philippine Children’s Medical Center. The Philippines is one of the first few countries outside of the United States that has implemented ROR.

Previous recipients of the prize have been candidates from the United States, Austria, Brazil, Japan, Venezuela, and Australia, among others.



*************************

:applause: :applause: :applause:

Pinay bag designer impresses Dutch royalty (http://abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/03/12/09/pinay-bag-designer-impresses-dutch-royal-house-member)
By LOUI GALICIA

Tagged as the "pilot of fashion" by the Dutch Queen's Mistress of the Robes, Filipina Cora Jacob received approval and admiration for her bags during the opening of her exhibition at the Museum of Bags and Purses in Amsterdam.

Jacob flew in 300 bags from the Philippines that are on display at the world's largest museum of bags until May 3.

Most impressed, among the more than 100 guests who attended the opening, was the guest of honor, a member of the royal household of Holland's Queen Beatrix.

"I think Cora Jacob bags are extremely highly fashionable, highly original and made of absolutely incredible materials. I love them. They are very, very much haute couture, especially the evening bags," Mistress of the Robes Martine van Loon-Labouchere said.

The exhibition of Jacob's spring/summer collection is part of the celebration of the National Arts Month organized by the Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands.

"Gusto nating ipakita ang bags na made in the Philippines using Philippine materials so ito ay pagkakataon na hindi lamang mga kababayan makakita nito kundi mga tao mula sa ibat ibang bansa," Ambassador Romeo Arguelles said.

The high-quality bags made of buntal, capiz, bamboo, leather, raffia and other local Philippine materials are very unique.

Jacob said that her works of art always pass the delicate and rigorous hands of the women in the provinces in the Philippines, notably from her hometown in Bulacan.

Philippine identity

Her bags' colors depict the background and rich natural resources of the Philippines such as white for the pristine sands of Boracay, orange for the sun, green for the fields and farms, blue for the seas and brown for the mountains.

For Jacob, more than creating, it is her happiness to help raise the status of the industry of bag making in the Philippines.

"Tinutulungan namin ang mga kababayan sa mga probinsya sapagkat nanduon po sa probinsya ang lahat ng materyales. Gusto po namin ay matulungan ang mga kababayan natin na ang mga produktong yaring Pilipinas ay makarating sa iba't-ibang panig ng daigdig," Jacob said.

Jacob said that there is an abundance of raw materials in the Philippines but the problem lies in the lack of innovation and improvement.

Having worked for fashion giants such as Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Nina Ricci and Givenchy, Jacob should know everything about quality craftsmanship.

Upgrading quality

With her family, Jacob established the Cora Cares Foundation in order to teach Filipinos how to increase the quality of their craft.

"Para mas maraming tao ang matutong gumawa ng good quality. Dahil naniniwala kami kung maganda ang quality ng ginagawa nyo, hindi na kayo kailangang maghanap ng trabaho, hahanapin kayo ng trabaho," Jacob said.

"Noong una ako ay parang naliligayahan na yung mga high end, high couture sa Paris ay kinikilala ang likhang kamay ng Pilipino, although wala akong pangalan kundi yung brand nila, pero alam ko naman who I am, and because of that, I was already happy and pleased to serve the high-end line, hanggang later on, nagkaisip na ko na lagyag ng brand ko yung mga produkto ko na binebenta namin noon sa 21 countries," Jacob added.

For the Pinay who has already tasted life in the world of haute couture, it is now time to give back all the blessings she has received by sharing her knowledge to her countrymen, particularly the women.

SSC-Philippines' own habagatcentral1 (Bernie) is getting his 15 minutes worth of fame via Google Mapmaker! :okay:

============================================================

Mapping RP through Google (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=448845&publicationSubCategoryId=71)

Take it from Rally de Leon, a 38-year-old Electronics and Communications Engineering graduate who now calls himself a “social entrepreneur.”

Since discovering the Google Map Maker for the Philippines last November, he would spend days making edits, rest for a day, then go back to map editing again. On Google Map Maker, Rally’s “turf” is Rizal. His edits can now be seen in the towns of Angono and Taytay and portions of the poblacions of Binangonan, Cardona, Morong, Baras, Tanay, Pililla and Teresa.

He hopes to encourage more people and the government as well to help build accurate maps, especially in the provinces and the rural areas.

In a press conference recently, Google bared that since the launch of the Google Map Maker in the Philippines, there are now tens of thousands of edits made by Filipinos that can now be seen on Google Maps.

This, according to Derek Callow, marketing head of Google Southeast Asia, reflects the overwhelming enthusiasm of Filipinos to the Google Map Maker, an application that allows users to edit map data.

Callow admitted that the Philippines is one of the most challenging places to map because of the diverse topography of its more than 7,000 islands, which explains the dearth of available local map data for a number of years.

“Because of the collaborative efforts of local map enthusiasts, we are beginning to see the ‘physical face’ of the Philippines getting clearer over time for the global community to see,” Callow said.

Platform

The Google Map Maker provides a platform for local users to locate, draw, label and accurately render existing tourist destinations, and create maps of unchartered areas. According to Google, this provides new commercial opportunities for local residents and businesses in a locality.

“It is important that local users keep the edits coming in because having accurate map data helps promote the country’s viability to foreign investors and tourists,” said Dante Varias, a 56-year-old civil engineer who is among Google Map Maker’s top contributors.

Varias attested that the application is so user-friendly that it doesn’t need special training to start editing.

“When I discovered Google Map Maker, I immediately started enjoying the process of editing the tiles of Cavite so much that after only 37 days I had already added over several thousand edits on my own,” he said.

Wayne Manuel, a Filipino student in Singapore and another top contributor to Google Map Maker, started on the application adding streets and establishments in Tuguegarao, Cagayan where he was born and in Baguio City where he later lived and grew up. “It started out like a big jigsaw puzzle with many pieces missing. But when I saw the roads, street names and landmarks coming together, I felt very happy for my country and it encouraged me to contribute more,” he said.

The pride of helping build a map for one’s hometown is also the prime motivation of Bernard Arellano III, a call center agent who had contributed thousands of edits on Guimaras and Iloilo.

“The mission continues and I hope even more Filipinos will join us on the Google Map Maker to improve the online map of our beautiful country,” he said.

Callow said Google sees the application as continuing to evolve and the key thing for the Philippines is to get rural areas and the small cities on the virtual map.

Very much like Wikis, or the software that allows users to freely create and edit webpage content, the beef against collaborative map making is the capability of ordinary people to create accurate maps to be made available to the public to use.

Wisdom of the crowds

Callow said that as in other social software, the Google Map Maker draws from the “wisdom of the crowds” for this endeavor.

“The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations” is a book written by James Surowiecki and first published in 2004.

Callow explained that the theory behind the so-called “wisdom of the crowds” is that based on certain studies the average or collective thoughts or work of people independently working or deciding on an issue or project is likely to make certain decisions or predictions better than individuals or even experts.

He added that the map is being used by everyone and if there are contentions to the current map available, users can make edits to enhance or improve on it. There is also a system of moderation among users within the local community in every locality, which serves as a check and balance if the map is indeed accurate or not.

The Google executive stressed that there is no business model for Google Map Maker. “As with any other Google product, we focus more on what users need rather than on making money. This is purely about giving value. If you notice, a lot of searches online have a geographic component in it,” he said.

Callow mentioned about searching for dry cleaners, for example, in the cities of Sydney or Singapore. Aside from getting the webpage or the physical address probably of dry cleaning services within the area, some searches now include the map showing where these dry cleaners are located.

“We just provided additional benefits,” he said.

Callow also pointed to CNN and other media organizations which now use Google maps to pinpoint locations of where major news events are happening. Through Google Maps API, he said users could embed maps in webpages and add content to them.

He admitted though that Google has partnered with many organizations all over the world for Google Maps and it is not just the contributions of individual map editors which power it now.

Copyright issues, he said, depend a lot on the geographic area or how the map will be used, which vary from case to case. The legal terms and provisions are always specified when users start to use or download the services within the Google Map and Google Earth APIs.

For Philippine map enthusiasts, Callow has only one message: Keep the edits coming to give the Philippines an accurate virtual map.

Asia’s first online fashion store opens (http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20090315-194206/Asias-first-online-fashion-store-opens)

Asia's first on-line multibrand fashion and lifestyle retail outlet begins business this month, and it’s based in the Philippines.

A venture of 27-year-old Bianca Cristina Zobel, www.im-hm.com carries internationally known and under-the-radar labels – including some Filipino designers – for apparel, accessories and other lifestyle products.

IM-HM.com (or “I Am High Maintenance”) aims to sell to countries like Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

“The potential of an online shopping business in Asia is huge,” Zobel says in an e-mail interview. She is president of Intelligent Movement, the company behind the project.

“Reports show there is a slight deceleration in the growth rate of yearly Internet sales in the US and Europe. Growth, however, is poised to accelerate in the Asia Pacific region. E-commerce sales in countries like Japan, China and Korea are booming and other countries in the region are following suit. Where fashion and retail are concerned, Asian countries account for around 10 percent of worldwide online sales, and these three countries are consistently in the top five countries that shop for fashion online.”

Awful timing?

Despite this bright picture, some may say it’s an awful time to launch a business – a new platform at that – when global economy is wobbly. But Zobel – whose father is businessman Iñigo Zobel, son of the late industrialist Enrique Zobel, who’s credited for turning Makati into what it is today – just may be on the right track.

Late last year, various media began reporting about affluent shoppers either cutting down on their spending or turning to covert buying, so as not to appear insensitive to the plight of the majority who have been hit hard by the financial crisis.

One form of covert spending happens on the Internet.

Challenge

“Women are not about to give up on being fashionable and stylish just yet,” Zobel notes. “While before, some women would go for the most expensive items, they now show a marked tendency toward thinking twice, or will check other retailers for better prices...Women have always used fashion as a feel-good way of expressing themselves, and no credit crunch is going to change that.”

What she foresees to be a challenge is establishing a secure and efficient online structure that would earn Asian consumers’ trust. In Asia, she says, “immature online payment systems, poor delivery networks and distrust between buyers and sellers” have been hampering the growth of e-commerce.

“Consumers continue to have issues with the security of online retailers, and the convenience of the payment methods,” she adds.

“The lack of a nationwide credit information system or an efficient delivery network also limits the ability of many Asia-Pacific markets to expand rapidly in this sector. So the important question is, even if online shoppers in the region are at an increasing rate, would they rather purchase from an online store based in the US and Europe than in Asia?

“This makes it extremely important for us to do this right. We not only have to think about getting the right merchandise online, but we should also prioritize building the right system that will make potential buyers trust that our site is secure, and deliveries with go smoothly.”

Zobel, who trained in London and credits the successful Net-a-porter.com as her business model, says IM-HM.com will be patterned after the UK-based website’s “simplicity” and “great selection... of the best labels.”

She adds, “It is also one of the... sites not driven by opportunistic purchases . This means that they make the sale simply because their products are extremely sought after.”

[b]Australian brands

Targeting the age 21-and-up market, IM-HM.com’s initial list of brands is dominated by Australian names, some of which Zobel discovered at last year’s Australian Fashion Week: Sass & Bide, Ksubi [formerly known as Tsubi], Azzollini, Kirrily Johnston, Madame Marie, Skin and Threads, Nevenka, Mor Cosmetics.

The Sydney-based Filipino-Australian designer Leonardo Salinas also headlines the offerings, alongside brands such as Junk Food, Joe’s Jeans, Melissa Odabash and the high-end Ego Laptops. Price points average $250-$500, with delivery charges from $5-$20. IM-HM.com has exclusive Asian distribution rights to some of these brands.

Zobel also attended the recent London Fashion Week to scout for additional brands to add to her site’s catalog. A few local designers have also agreed to make special collections for international distribution through the website.

She says, “We believe in the talent of the Filipino designer and think this will be a great opportunity to give them international acclaim.”

Pinoy-made bags selling like hotcakes in Amsterdam (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/03/18/09/pinoy-made-bags-selling-hotcakes-amsterdam-0)
By LOUI GALICIA, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau | 03/19/2009 2:35 AM


The bags made by international designer Cora Jacob were an instant hit at the exhibition at the Museum of Bags and Purses, reported ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.

During the opening of the exhibition on March 5, VIPs and guests immediately grabbed the bags and with gusto.

In fact, 50 bags with prices ranging from 100 euros (6,200 pesos) to 250 euros (15,500 pesos) were sold that night.

The world’s largest museum of bags is now almost running out of bags for the special exhibition that will close on May 3.

Half of the 300 bags that Jacob flew in from the Philippines were already sold after only one week.

The first Jacobs to be plucked from the display were the white shell bags with crystals and the black bags made from buntal fiber.

The bags didn’t fail the impeccable and elegant tastes of two socialites who bought five bags each.

The wife of the owner of high-end clothing store Mexx, a popular world-wide brand, was so impressed at the bags.

“You just recognize good quality, value for money and most of all you know that you are helping the people back in the Philippines because you are complimenting their work and they can carry on with their craftsmanship,” Surekha Arora told ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.

Her socialite friend, who’s also from Mexx, could not resist checking out all the bags on display which she said can be in the running with haute couture.

“They are very special, very elegant a lot of them and the casual one can be used in a lot of places. Casual but still elegantly useful,” Christina Shar said.

Filipinas were also caught in the mad frenzy, leaving some problematic because they just could not decide which bag to choose from.

Pinay businesswoman Mia Van Eendenburg already grabbed a beige buntal clutch bag but found it very difficult to restrain herself from the glass cabinet where a red bag was seemingly pulling her.

“Paano ko mabibili lahat kasi they're all nice nga. Kasi, tignan mo ‘yong kulay red. Ang ganda ng kulay red. Isa pa. Sasabihin ko sa asawa ko. Ito kasi pera ko ‘to ngayon eh,” Van Eendenburg said.

The most popular of the bags were the ones made from buntal because aside from their very high quality, they are also very light.

“Pinupukpok ‘yan, kinukuha isa-isa ang fiber at wini-weave. Inaabot ng isang linggo bago makatapos ng isang weave ng buntal na ginagawa nating isang bag. Kaya pag tinignan natin ang produkto natin makikita nyo ‘yong mga yaring kamay, weaving,” she explained.

Jacob said that one only needs to look and hold her bags to immediately know that the designs have been crafted by and for women.

Jacob believes that women should not sacrifice ease and comfort just for fashion that’s why her bags, even the large-sized ones, are always light to carry.

Jacob is happy at the warm reception received by her buntal bags. She said that through her craft, she aims to help revive the dying buntal industry in the Philippines.

Charice in first Hollywood film (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/03/18/09/charice-first-hollywood-film)
03/18/2009 8:32 PM


International young diva Charice flew to Los Angeles in the United States Monday morning not only to complete the recording of her first international album but also to start shooting her first Hollywood film.

Charice, who was careful not to divulge too many details about the still untitled movie, revealed that the film will be produced by 20th Century Fox.

“’Yong story niya umiikot sa tatlong animated characters,” Charice said.

Aside from this, the visibly excited young singer refused to give other details about the upcoming film in Hollywood.

On top of her first international film and album, Charice is also part of the "David Foster & Friends Live in Concert" in the US.

The young singer stayed for a couple of weeks in Manila to fulfill her commitments here, including the taping for The Filipino Chanel's newest station ID. Marie Lozano, ABS-CBN News

Hmmm... Fantasitic Mr. Fox?

hindi pala ata, post-production na eh.

It could be Alvin and the Chipmunks 2... hehe. tentative date is Christmas this year

http://www.foxmovies.com/

UFC 96!
:banana::cheers:
Brandon "The Truth" Vera is BACK!!!
DV3vEUUmrLI

... kaso talo si Mark Munoz (UFC debut) kay Matt Hamill via head kick parang hinampas ng baseball bat sa ulo .............. tulog .... :D

nP_FXIh-UD0

^^
basagan talaga ng mukha ang laro na yan :D

Filipino finalist in DC Mayor’s Arts Awards (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090328-196728/Filipino-finalist-in-DC-Mayors-Arts-Awards)

WASHINGTON D.C., United States—Jason Ignacio, a member of the critically-acclaimed City Dance Ensemble, was named finalist in the Outstanding Emerging Artist Category of the DC Mayor’s Arts Awards, the Philippine embassy here said in a statement.

The DC Mayor’s Arts Awards is considered the most prestigious honor given by the District of Columbia to individual artists, arts organizations, and patrons of the arts.

Award recipients will be selected among finalists and announced live on stage at the Mayor’s Arts Awards Ceremony on March 2009.

Ignacio was also awarded the John F. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage Local Dance Commissioning Project for his work entitled “Mountain,” which centers on the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines.

The Millennium Stage Local Dance Commissioning Project, a program that supports the local dance community by nurturing the creation and presentation of new dance work to a wide audience, gives the Commission Award each year to two local choreographers or companies.

Ignacio’s “Mountain,” set to a musical score created by sound data of volcanic seismic readings interpolated into recognizable musical elements, will be presented on the Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in September 2009.

Philippine Ambassador to Washington Willy Gaa lauded Ignacio’s achievements saying, “The recognition given to Jason Ignacio is a testament to his talent and to the artistry of our people.”

“Born and raised in the Philippines, Jason is proving to be an innovative talent here in the United States. He is showing how his passion for dance and his advocacy for the environment can be expressed through the performing arts,” the ambassador added.

Ignacio has been a City Dance company member since November 2007. He began his dance training at the age of 12 and was trained by Ballet Philippines, Philippine Ballet Theater, Steps Dance Studio, and was a member of the Earth Savers Dreams Ensemble for five years. In 2001, he continued his dance training in New York City with a scholarship at Ballet Hispanico, where he also served on the faculty as a teacher.

To reach out to the unheard


By Edson C. Tandoc Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:56:00 03/29/2009

SHE FOLLOWED HER HEART and it has led her to the top of her class.

Marian Felicity Tan, 22, is the only student of Filipino descent who will be graduating from Boston University’s College of Communication this semester. Not just graduating, mind you, but graduating with highest honors.

A broadcast journalism major, Tan is in the top five percent of her graduating class, which at Boston U qualifies her as summa cum laude. (The next 10 percent are magna cum laude and the next 15 percent, cum laude.)

In her three-and-a-half years in college, Tan says she has worked hard for her grades, with hardly any leisure time. But not to worry because she has not deprived herself of another thing she holds dear—sleep.

She enjoys meeting people, she says, “which is why journalism is perfect for me.” Her course has given her the opportunity to intern at big television networks like CBS and ABC, where she got to interview a good mix of the powerful and the powerless.

“I’ve interviewed senators and members of the House of Parliament, as well as rape victims and children from the slums,” she says. “You learn so much from all these people—about success, about life.”

Getting good marks for doing what she loves has required discipline. Tan stresses the importance of planning.

“I have a giant dayminder I take with me everywhere that has my schedule per day, so I know if I have time to do this or that,” she says. “I have an online calendar that shows me my deadlines so I can prioritize. Then I have a blank wall in my room that’s full of post-its to remind me to do things.”

Tan says she avoided classes that just “looked good” and took those she was really interested in, such as an exchange program in Paris and internships in Washington and New York.

“I was exhausted most of the time,” she says, “but I don’t think I’ve been happier.”

During the spate of cruise ship hijackings, for instance, “we interns had to find a way to get in contact with the ship passengers and find the person who owned the rights to an exclusive pirate video.” That person turned out to be somewhere in the middle of Africa.

“That was fun!” she says. “The only way to do well and be happy at the same time, which is my definition of success, is to involve yourself in things that do not feel like work.”

Also she never forgets to reward herself: “Just tell yourself you’re working hard and you’ll reward yourself later. And make sure you do. Being good to yourself is key.”

Tan decided to study abroad after elder sister Andrea Patricia finished college, with distinction, in Australia.

Of the two US universities where Tan qualified for admission, it was Boston U that offered a 50 percent scholarship. Two of her younger siblings were also accepted at the same university: sister Faith Valerie, who is among the top students in her international relations course and brother David Nathaniel, who is studying bio-physics.

Marian is a US citizen, having been born during the time her parents were taking their masters in law in New York.

Dad Bayani, a corporate lawyer, would have wanted at least one of his children to take up law, too. But as mom Maria Gracia, former undersecretary at the Department of Finance, said, the Tan children did well in school precisely because they were free to pick their courses. She also said they never pressured their children to do well in school and appreciated even the smallest accomplishments.

Parental appreciation must have encouraged Tan to do things beyond what is required in school. During one Christmas break that she spent here, Tan produced a documentary on the Payatas dumpsite. She also surprised her parents with family videos she made herself.

As a young girl, Tan would join her parents in watching the news on TV. Today, knowing that traditional media, like newspapers and television, are threatened by new media, she says she is lucky to be “young at the right time when the technology is changing.”

The skills she has learned at Boston U are her edge, but she admits she still has much to learn. For that reason, she is looking to join an international news outlet in the US.

Besides, she will have to improve her command of the Filipino language before she can work for a broadcast company in the Philippines.

In the meantime, since formal graduation is not until May, Tan is doing freelance writing for a travel website and tutoring on weekends.

Although she knows the job market in the US is not as friendly as it used to be because of the recession, she is confident there are places for “younger people who have fresh ideas.”

She believes her passion for journalism will lead her to a job that will allow her to reach out to people who are unheard.”

WWF SAYS : Philippines tops Earth Hour 2009 (http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=20090330-197055)

By Erika Tapalla
INQUIRER.net

Posted date: March 30, 2009

MANILA, Philippines--For 60 minutes Saturday night (March 28) , a recorded all-time high of 650 cities switched off its lights for Earth Hour, placing the Philippines as the top participant in the event, an official of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said.

"More than 15 million Filipinos in 650 major towns and cities from distant islands participated,” according to WWF communications officer Gregg Yan told INQUIRER.net.

Yan said the Philippines also placed first in town and city participation out of the 88 countries among 25 different time zones.

"Ang mga Pilipino talaga di mag papatalo [Filipinos are really very competitive]," Yan joked, "We honestly did not think we'd place first. Natalo pa natin ang [We even defeated] Australia."

Australia is among the proprietor of Earth Hour, launched on March 31, 2007.

This year, Australia placed third with a total of 309 towns and cities.

Greece placed second with 484 participating towns and cities.

It is the second time the country has participated in the Earth Hour event and Yan attributed the success of this year to social networking.

"Last year when we did Earth Hour during your video interview, we were still preparing. We only had two weeks to prepare whereas this year we had three months to prepare. We relied heavily on social networking--for us it was all about spreading the idea via text messages, blog posts, Flickr, Twitter, Multiply, Facebook, Friendster and sending announcements in e-groups. Of course the power of spoken word too and it kind of spread like wildfire," Yan said.

According to initial reports, Yan said that the Philippines alone saved 611 Megawatt-hours, "which is equivalent to shutting down a dozen coal-fired power plants for 60 minutes; and those reports don't include other islands in the Visayas."

Electric grid figures report that 386 Megawatt-hours were saved in Luzon, 150 Megawatt-hours in Mindanao and 75 Megawatt-hours in Visayas.

"Earth Hour really wasn't a hard idea to sell because you don't have to shell out money for it, we got the word across and people participated in this global call to unite, call on world leaders for action right now," Yan said.

Yan said that WWF hopes that the country’s participation in Earth Hour last week would not end.

"Earth Hour did not end last Saturday night at 9:30 pm. What we hope to have done for the Philippines together with our partners Department of Energy (DoE), Green Army Network and Switch Movement, we hope to have ushered in a new dawn for the Philippines which people realize that being eco-conscious is not only tantamount to securing our resources but it is also tantamount to saving a lot of money," Yan added.

Yan also cited that the Philippines' participation shows the peoples’ unity for the world to take action in Copenhagen.

"This is a vote made by the Philippines for the earth because we showed our unity for the world to take action in Copenhagen in 2009 where they will draft a post-Kyoto policy where they will set new targets for developed and developing nations to reduce carbon emission," said Yan.

Earth Hour will continue to be an annual event held every last Saturday of March.

"Earth Hour will continue until we secure decisions that need to be secured -- decisions by world leaders at Copenhagen that progressive attitudes must be taken to ensure that least carbon impact and least environmental impact will be acted on. If you think about it, this problem is bigger than the war on politics because this is an all-encompassing threat," Yan said.

Yan said the goal for global WWF was to secure one billion people in over 1,000 cities.

"As of right now, we secured 3,943, which is nearly four times more than what we envisioned globally," he said.

^^laking tulong tlga ng mga social networking sites.. dapat next year mas bongga pa ang Earth Hour dito sa Pinas :banana:

^^
agree!:)

Two Filipinos were in the semi-finals of Australia's Got Talent...


Jal Joshua, 12 years old

Elimination round

gD8F4fi_QqY
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD8F4fi_QqY)


Semi-final round

Ta6WYmVN8jM&feature=related
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta6WYmVN8jM&feature=related)



Chelsea Castillo, 10 years old

Elimination round

hPX8rZOgp_o
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPX8rZOgp_o)


Semi-final round

Gr39Afg6ybo
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr39Afg6ybo)

Talentado talaga ang Pinoy.:banana:

^^the Philippines really got TALENT!! nakakatindig balahibo!! :banana:

Two Filipinos were in the semi-finals of Australia's Got Talent...


Jal Joshua, 12 years old

Elimination round

gD8F4fi_QqY
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD8F4fi_QqY)


Semi-final round

Ta6WYmVN8jM&feature=related
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta6WYmVN8jM&feature=related)



Chelsea Castillo, 10 years old

Elimination round

hPX8rZOgp_o
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPX8rZOgp_o)


Semi-final round

Gr39Afg6ybo
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr39Afg6ybo)

Thanks for sharing these, Bong. Chelsea weaves both feelings and power effortlessly. The boy's singing is more subtle but even more emotionally moving, I think. I had goosebumps the whole time I was listening.

^^ The semi-finals result will be aired this coming Wednesday. I hope the two can make it to the finals.

Australia wants Jal Joshua in the grand finals! Congratulations! :cheers:

aiiKR-vnEIA

galing ni jal
kasing boses ko

N7QrI6gnbDk

Wowing Sandara Park wows Korea opf her career with her latest endorsement on Korea's leading mobile phone maker, LG.
Take that!

sandara is not filipina...

Good thing they've finally appreciated one of their own. She's rather ordinary-looking but that's just my two cents. I heard the same thing from her own countrymen.

N7QrI6gnbDk

Wowing Sandara Park wows Korea opf her career with her latest endorsement on Korea's leading mobile phone maker, LG.
Take that!

^^Sandara is part of 2NE1?! I didn't know that..I came across them while searching for Big Bang songs on Youtube...I don't care what anyone says, I'm still a fan of hers :P

sandara is not filipina...

Hey! Channel 2 raised her! She deserves to be Filipina.

Also, being in a commercial with Korea's best boy band: Big Bang and LG (which is actually the WORLD'S leading phone maker), why would you dis her like that? :lol:

Star Records
8FBLRDQOrN4
:runaway:

YG Entertainment
vsy_m6xk1xw
:dj:


...:lol:

parang baduy at matamlay yung pinay na sandara.

They got a song featuring Big Bang. It's a sure hit.

Be sure to watch out for her on variety shows.

Fame is just a breath away (http://ph.news.yahoo.com/star/20090405/tel-fame-disney-anna-maria-tagle-lea-sal-dd408b0.html?printer=1)

http://d.yimg.com/hb/xp/star/20090404/17/156714299-fame-is-just-a-breath-away.jpg?x=250&y=187&sig=sKlIQqWHTTc.ZAGXzcxueQ--

Philstar.com - Sunday, April 5
Fame, a remake of the 1980 Oscar-winning musical and touted as this year’s Mamma Mia!, wrapped up its filming in New York City late February, with 10 relative newcomers being launched by MGM and Lakeshore Entertainment.

Fil-Am Disney artist Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, granddaughter of Filipino showbiz icon Sylvia La Torre, is the youngest of the contenders hoping to join Hollywood’s big league when Fame is released in the US on Sept. 25, and then worldwide.

Anna Maria and her handlers are quick to admit they are eyeing Fame as a “springboard” for bigger Hollywood opportunities for the Fil-Am star of Hannah Montana and Camp Rock who just turned 18 last December.

Even her Camp Rock co-stars, the Jonas Brothers, and the Disney family have reportedly been rooting for her since it was announced that she landed her first full-length feature.

“The Disney people are so happy for me,” shared Anna Maria in a joint lunch interview with Conversations and Edmund Silvestre (of The Filipino Reporter) at The London NYC Hotel. “I’m so thrilled with the direction of my career. But no matter what happens after Fame, I will never leave Disney.”

Filmed in Los Angeles and New York and megged by 24-year-old Asian American Kevin Tancharoen in his directorial debut, Fame follows the struggles of a group of ambitious and talented students at the prestigious New York High School of Performing Arts. The original version, directed by Alan Parker, spawned a TV show and a musical that ran on Broadway and West End.

The remake — “Actually a reinvention,” said Anna Maria — gets a makeover with a new soundtrack and a new “faculty” cast that includes Kelsey Grammer (TV’s Seinfeld, Cheers), Megan Mullaly (TV’s Will & Grace, Broadway’s Young Frankenstein), Bebe Neuwirth (Broadway’s Chicago, TV’s Law & Order), Charles S. Dutton (movies Gothika, Rudy), and actress-director-choreographer Debbie Allen, the only original cast member now playing school principal in the updated version.

Conversations sent Edmund a set of questions for Anna Maria who was interviewed shortly before the cast’s four-page spread pictorial for Vanity Fair, and one day before she and brother King (a 25-year-old handsome businessman) left for Florence (Italy) to join their parents, Artie and Evelyn Perez de Tagle, on a four-city European tour. (Another brother, Miguel, didn’t join.)

How excited are you to be part of Fame?

“Very excited. Being part of something that is epic in scope is so cool and awesome. The cast is amazing. I’m very honored to be working with the legendary Debbie Allen.”

How did you bag the Fame role?

“I auditioned just like the others. I actually auditioned in West Hollywood with some of my friends. It was a six-month period of auditioning. After the first audition, I got a call back from the director, and then after that I didn’t hear from him for the next three months so I thought I didn’t get it anymore. But then I got a call later from the casting director for a screen test which was the very last audition. I went into the room like I already had the role because I wanted to be in this movie so bad. Then I got a call two days later from my agent and my manager, and together on the phone they said that I got it. I was very happy.”

How did you prepare for the audition?

“I watched the original film and then I worked with my acting coach, Dennis Lavalle, who’s really amazing. You can’t really second guess yourself in this role. They really looked around the country for this role of Joy. In the original, the role is named Joy Moy, but the new version dropped the Moy to avoid Asian stereotyping.”

How big is the Joy character?

“She’s the actress in the movie. She’s very outspoken and outgoing. I do a lot of acting and talking here but I also get to sing. You will really see the character develop in the film. She goes from being very ecstatic to being ladylike.”

What do you hope to achieve with Fame?

“That it’s gonna be like a springboard for more challenging roles.”

How is it working with the big names in the industry?

“I actually have a scene with Megan Mullaly; she’s very down-to-earth and the sweetest person I’ve ever met. Kelsey Grammer seemed so intimidating at first because he’s so big, but in our karaoke scene he’s next to me and we’re like buddy-buddy. I have a solo scene with Debbie Allen that’s very captivating; it was my crying scene and it was serious and dramatic. I was a little bit intimidated by these big performers, but it helped bring out the best in me.”

Things may be going well in your career, but people say you’re not yet in the league of your fellow Disney talents Vanessa Hudgens (also a Filipino-American) or Miley Cyrus.

“I really love those girls and they made a name for themselves. That’s what I am trying to do, to achieve success like them. But I am happy doing it gradually. People build to get to where they are and it’s so hard to find someone who can be a star overnight. You really have to work hard at it and they did, too.”

What does Disney say about you appearing in a non-Disney project?

“They’re very happy for me. When I got the role, they spread the word in the Disney Channel building in L.A. When I went up there, everybody knew and was so happy for me. They know that doing something other than Disney is also good for my growth as an artist.”

If Fame becomes a big hit, are you leaving Disney?

“No, no, no. It’s through Disney that I got into this business, so I would never leave Disney. I will stay with them for as long as I can.”

You turned 18 last Dec. 23. How cool is it to be 18?

“I got to work longer hours, like one time from 4 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Prior to turning 18, I could work for only seven to eight hours. People look at you differently now because you’re 18. You can do a lot of things.”

Sometime last year, you told us you will be celebrating your 18th birthday with a debut party, Filipino style. What happened?

(Laughs) “I didn’t because Fame came. Maybe on my 19th birthday. But my mom got me a puppy (Yorkie Terrier) as a present and her name is Nicky. And now this European trip from my Dad. It’s always fun being in Europe.”

What do you think of people who resort to scandals, let’s say a photo scandal, to boost their careers?

“Personally, I don’t think I’d ever do that. I get fan mails, not only from kids in the US but also in the Philippines who are looking up to me. Of course, I feel like a role model for them and I’m trying to be a good one at that.”

Do you still get to watch your favorite shows in the Philippines? (Her family lives in San Gabriel, California, and subscribes to The Filipino Channel and GMA Pinoy TV.)

“When I’m home, I do. But since I was away doing Fame, there’s no Filipino Channel in the hotels. Before I left for New York, I was watching Tayong Dalawa. That’s an amazing drama and the acting is superb. I love Kim Chiu. Gerald (Anderson) and Jake (Cuenca), all adorable.” (Note: Anna Maria’s brother King said Kim and Sarah Geronimo are “very pretty.”)

What’s your Lola Sylvia’s take on your latest Hollywood feat?

“Mamacita is so happy. She’s always happy in anything that I’m a part of. Now that my face is gonna be on the wide screen, she’s even more proud. She really inspires me a lot and I’m proud, too, that she’s my grandmother.”

What’s next for you until the September showing of Fame?

“I will be shooting for Hannah Montana, and later this year the sequel to Camp Rock. I’m collaborating with songwriters and producers for my first album. I’m endorsing the clothes of Claudine Dumbel. Her shop is on 91st Street & Lexington Avenue in Manhattan called Caravan. Great clothes! I just recorded Part of the World (The Little Mermaid) for an upcoming Disneymania album.”

If Fame does not give you the break you’re hoping for, what’s gonna be next for you?

“I will continue auditioning for other movies or TV shows. I’m constantly auditioning. As an actor, you don’t just stop. I will continue working hard. But what’s cool about being part of this movie is that producers and casting directors of some independent films have contacted me and asked me to be in their films.”

And if you become a big, big star after Fame, are you ready to give up your privacy or be hounded by the paparazzi? Can you handle the pressure?

“I don’t know how it feels yet so I don’t know what to say. But I guess I will be ready. And that’s exactly why you have to keep your family close to you and keep your feet on the ground. My Filipino values are intact and I want to preserve my image just like Lea Salonga.”

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com) - CONVERSATIONS With Ricky Lo (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

A short film on Animax known as Lamb:

9jvJ3TXP4g0

Check out who's the writer. :)

http://animax-lamb.com/

^^ Naks naman! Ang sososyal ng mga ginamit nila ah!

Grabe! PINOY! Ang galing mo! :okay: :dance: :cheers:

The Future Will Always Be Beautiful..... I like it! Hahahahahahaahaha

^^ I have more respects on Pinoys who are recognized by their artistic creativity and not just mere talent or popularity contests.

wow., proud of sandy. she's experienced a lot of hate here in manila. now, she's there where she belongs. :) pinalaki siya ng ABS-CBN. :)

Pinoy youths shine in US robotics tilt (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/april/06/yehey/techtimes/20090406tech1.html)

A 20-person team of Philippine Science High School (PSHS) students and their mentors has qualified to take part in the FIRST Robotics competition in Atlanta, Georgia this April 16 to 18 pitting teams from 48 US states as well as teams from Brazil, Canada ,Chile, Germany, Israel and Mexico.

But if sufficient funding fails to be raised, the PSHS team dubbed as Lagablab will be representing the Philippines and playing as the only team from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations with only as few as 10 team members. With this reduced number, they shall be operating Larry Labuyo, a robot they themselves designed and programmed, in robotic contests at the Georgia Dome with over a thousand science and technologically savvy teenagers.

The Philippine teams’ participation in this tech Olympiad for youth, whose acronym FIRST means For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, announced at a press briefing held recently by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) at the PSHS main campus in Diliman, Quezon City. The DOST operates the PSHS system spread in various campuses throughout the country.

At the briefing, DOST Science Education Institute Director, Dr. Ester Ogena told reporters that the Lagalab team’s participation in the Atlanta robotics tournament was due to the fact that it had earlier qualified in the FIRST Robotics Competition elimination held last March 26 to 28 at the Manoa campus of the University of Hawaii.

PSHS team Lagablab displayed its strategic and robotic skills in contests that involved 33 other teams, all from US high schools. Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James Aiona watched as the participants guided their programmed robots through various games that involved mazes and moves somewhat similar to that of basketball.

All the robots’ programs were written by the teams’ various members with LABVIEW as the developer tool. A proprietary program of the Texas-based National Instruments Corp., it is a software used by professional programmers to develop software to operate machines in high tech and highly automated factories.

LABVIEW is also the software the US National Aeronautics and Space Authority uses to develop programs to guide a number of operations in space shuttles.

The contests were designed to simulate moves a robot would have to make if it were to travel on the moon. All robots used a wheel rolling over rogolith, a material which is almost frictionless.

The objective: place as many “moon rocks” into the opponent’s trailer within 2 minutes and 15 seconds. In one game, Larry Labuyo dumped seven rocks into the opposing team’s trailer within three seconds.

Team Labuyo finished 17th of 33 qualifying it for the Georgia championship with its record in Hawaii of five wins, five losses, and one tie.

At the briefing, DOST Undersecretary Fortunato de la Peña told reporters that Larry Labuyo had already been shipped to Georgia from Hawaii to cut down on shipping costs. He said that the DOST had already raised from various donors P1.5 million to ensure that at least half of the 20-person team would take part in the finals.

He said another P1.5 million had been verbally promised already by other donors as of the press briefing.

At the briefing, DOST Secretary Alabastro told reporters that PSHS Team Lagablab’s performance in Hawaii showed that the Philippines could be globally competitive in the field of robotics. She praised the contest as an activity that could encourage more Filipinos to take up careers in science and technology.

A short film on Animax known as Lamb:

9jvJ3TXP4g0

Check out who's the writer. :)

http://animax-lamb.com/

Freeze at :55 seconds...once again they spelled "Filipino" wrong.

^^ I know. :lol:

Four outstanding Filipino Muslims (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/april/07/yehey/opinion/20090407opi4.html)

Abobacar Tocalo, Musa Sanguila, Dr. Macapado Muslim, and Sultan Ashary Maongco are four men who might not have much else in common except that they are Muslims and Minda-nawans. They are individuals who have excelled not because of power and influence, but due to diligence, discipline, faith and passion, and the support and encouragement of family and friends.

Abobacar Tocalo of Kalilangan, Bukidnon, is the first Muslim student to head the Supreme Student Council of Central Mindanao University (CMU) in Maramag, Bukidnon. Abobacar, taking up civil engineering, was the president of the Young Muslim Student Union and sat in the Supreme Student Council representing his fellow Muslim students. There are only 19 of them at CMU, but the organization has a chapter at the Bukidnon State University in Malaybalay City as well. Petros Bojo, the outgoing president, encouraged Abobakar to seek the position. Neither Petros nor Abobacar were the favorites of the CMU administration, but Abobacar beat his opponents—on a simple platform of student empowerment.

Musa Sanguila of the interfaith non-government organization (NGO) Pakigdait, recently awarded as Outstanding NGO by the Philippine Army for its being a guide and partner of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in peace-building efforts in Lanao del Norte, puts to shame whatever stereotypes one might have of Muslims—and NGO workers for that matter: Passionate about breaking barriers built on prejudice and fear, and a man in a way that makes even battle-tested army officers treat him as a brother rather than simply a partner in Civil-Military Operations. And like most smokers, nagged by his wife to quit this unhealthy habit.

Dr. Macapado Muslim and Sultan Ashary Maongco, both of whom I met during a too brief visit to Marawi City, are heading two of the most important institutions in the area: Dr. Muslim is the acting president of the Mindanao State University (MSU), while Sultan Ashary Maongco is the general manager of the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (Lasureco).

During a recent Cabinet meeting held in Mindanao, allegations against Dr. Muslim were presented to President Gloria Arroyo. However, only on March 10, 2009, Commissioner Hadja Luningning Misuarez-Umar of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) expressed the opinion that the seven specific allegations that she, together with two other CHED officials, had looked into “were made simply to harass and discredit the incumbent President. To put stability in the Office of the President of MSU and considering the excellent performance of Dr. Muslim as Acting President of MSU . . . the undersigned is strongly endorsing him to be appointed as a regular President of Mindanao State University with a fixed term.”

While Dr. Muslim had topped the search for president of the university his appointment was downgraded to OIC reportedly to mollify those who were against his appointment.

Dr. Muslim’s parents barely made it to elementary school so the MSU president’s academic and professional accomplishments are little miracles in themselves, especially in Muslim Mindanao where scarcity of opportunities for young people make joining an armed group one of the few career options available.

Low income, low level of education, lack of job and income generating opportunities, settling of conflicts through violent means, and failure of government to address the basic needs of the population are some of the problems plaguing the region.

For Lasureco this means consumers not paying their bills, others making illegal connections, Lasureco personnel being threatened when they try to disconnect, and a P3.8-billion debt that has made it close to impossible to upgrade dilapidated equipment. Yet, GM Maongco—who left a good job in Napocor to join Lasureco—is not deterred. He believes that Lasureco can be turned around and become one of the best performing electric cooperatives in the country—and that Lanao del Sur can become a showcase of Muslim Mindanao.

Stable power supply will improve business opportunities and thus spur economic development. Lasureco’s rehabilitation requires upgrading of human and physical infrastructure, and everybody’s faith in the vision. Professionalism and performance are recognized and rewarded. This is the way ahead not just for Lasureco but for Muslim Min-danao and the entire country.

Abobacar Tocalo, Musa San-guila, Dr. Macapado Muslim and GM Ashary Maongco not only break barriers of prejudice that Christians might have for Muslims, they tell us that Muslim Mindanao can overtake the rest of the country in terms of economic and social development once its people and leaders decide to do so.

Freeze at :55 seconds...once again they spelled "Filipino" wrong.

^^ I know. :lol:

Nainis ako bigla nung ganun yung spelling. :rant: :bleep: :soapbox:

Bakit hindi nila alam yung correct spelling? :ohno: :no:

ANOTHER PHILIPPINE BUILT VESSEL IS LAUNCHED FOR THE UK FERRY MARKET

http://www.balitapinoy.net/clients/balitapinoy/4-8-2009-6-21-29-AM-9682213.jpg
Launched, the next stage are the sea trials and proving tests before she is joined by her sister ship due to be launched shortly. Then the journey to the UK where it will operate in the Solent


Balamban, Cebu - 8 Apr 2009

This is the launch at FBMA Marine's yard in Cebu of the WightRyder 1 for the Wightlink UK ferry company.

It is 41m in length, carries 260 passengers and 20 bikes. This Philippine built catamaran is destined for the operator Wightlink and will operate on the Portsmouth to Ryde (Isle of Wight) route.

The launch was on Monday, with representatives of Wightlink in attendance. This is the first of two vessels FBMA are building for WightLink, the other catamaran is still under construction and is expected to be launched in the next few weeks.

Built in 13 months since the contract was awarded she is fully HSC compliant and complies with all the latest safety regulations.

With 2 Cat engines, powering 2 propellerss, she will operate at 20 knots, this may not seem fast, but the route she will be plying from Portsmouth to Ryde is actually very short, only lasting 18 minutes as the route is 6.6 miles/10.6 kilometers long.

The design comprises very good seakeeping of the vessel and manouverability. Although the route itself is very short, the Solent is a very busy sea lane.

The sister vessel will be launched in 3 weeks time and will be transported back to the UK for operation later in the year after all the sea trials and proving tests have been completed.

Both ferries will be transported together on a heavy lift boat to take them to Portsmouth in a "piggy-back" operation, which should provide a sight to see them being lifted aboard in preparation for the journey to the UK.

The launch is documented below - unfortunately, it is not the dramatic champagne bottle smashing event of past years, modern methods of launching have changed especially for catamarans.

This is another great example of a Philippine ship building success. In the past year, FBMA have built ferries for British ferry operators in the South Coast of England and Scottish ferry operators who operate in some of the most demanding of waters in the world.

Beside British operators, FBMA has been busy carving out a slice of the world's ferry industry, including building for South Sea operators.

FBMA has also gained an extremely good reputation for the construction of naval patrol vessels, even completing boats the British Ministry of Defence.

FBMA's reputation for first class construction as well as completion on schedule and budget is gaining kudos in the cut-throat world of maritime construction. The top quality of the vessels it turns out adds to the growing realization that the Philippines is a maritime nation which is the 8th largest boat builder in the world.

Hey! Channel 2 raised her! She deserves to be Filipina.


A title bestowed on deserving women of the world perhaps? :doh:

Charice sings, stars in Alvin & the Chipmunks 2 (http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/?p=4802)
Posted on March 27th, 2009 under Entertainment Success


Our very own Charice marks her Hollywood debut in the 20th Century Fox movie Alvin and the Chipmunks 2.

“It’s a dream come true for me,” said Charice who plays herself in the movie to be shown in January next year.

“It’s not a big role but the fact that it’s a Hollywood movie is already a big deal for me.”

In her scene in the film, Charice represents her school at a singing contest in which she sings the Alicia Keys song No One, competing with other contestants that include The Chipmunks. Asked who wins, Charice laughed a bit, “Secret! Hindi ko raw dapat sabihin, eh.”

“I auditioned for the role, was made to read the script and speak like a Chipmunk. I sang two songs, Listen and Irreplaceable, both by Beyoncé,” said Charice.
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks

But it was smooth sailing for Charice. The Chipmunks director saw Charice in Oprah and he liked her performance.

Alvin and the Chipmunks is a five-time Grammy winning and one-time American Music Award winning animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. in 1958.

It is composed of three singing animated chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous trouble-maker who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual; and Theodore, the chubby, impressionable sweetheart.

I've noticed that most of these newly discovered pinoy talents are mostly filipinos living overseas and even foreign born and bread pinoys with the exception of Arnel Pineda. I wish there are more pinoys like Pineda who will be recognized or discovered while they are still in the Philippines.

^^With the exception of Arnel Pineda and CHARICE.

Pinoy immigrant seeks seat in European Parliament (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=457488&publicationSubCategoryId=204)

A Filipino is running for a seat in the European Parliament representing Britain in June.

Gene Alcantara, who has been a British national since 1992, said the government has pressured immigrants and it’s difficult for them to exercise their rights as citizens of Britain and Europe.

“In this difficult time of global recession, these have created a climate of fear and uncertainty among migrants, and resentment in the wider British community, instead of acceptance and integration,” he said.

In e-mail messages, Alcantara said ethnic minorities and immigrants have been made the scapegoat for a lot of ills in British society.

“I would stress the positive contribution of migrants to Britain, harness their energies, and work on building a more inclusive and fair society that does not discriminate or exclude those who have spent their lives serving the good of this country,” he said.

Alcantara claims the media has blamed immigrants for problems in housing, healthcare and social services, and accused them of taking jobs away from citizens.

“Our first major task is to urgently encourage Filipinos living in London who are now British citizens or European citizens to register with their local council as voters,” he said.

“The next challenge would be to get them all to turn out on polling day on 4th June 2009. Thirdly, we need to encourage them to vote for the right candidate.”

Filipinos in London have sufficient numbers to secure a seat if they and their relatives and friends participate in the elections, Alcantara said.

Around 29 percent of the seven million Londoners reportedly come from ethnic minorities, and its population is the most diverse in the UK.

An estimated 200,000 Filipinos live in the United Kingdom, about 60 percent of them based in the 70-plus boroughs/districts of London.

The population of London is now estimated to be 7.5 million and turn out for the UK in the last European elections in 2004 was 38.4 percent.

Alcantara ran for Westminster Council in 1998, and stood for Parliament in West Ham in 2005. In both cases he failed to get elected, but he felt he had raised awareness among immigrants to participate in the electoral process in Britain.

Born in the Philippines, Alcantara immigrated to Britain when he was 21.

Charice sings 'The Star-Spangled Banner' in US sports event

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 04/15/2009 1:34 PM

People’s Champ Manny Pacquiao might have overlooked international singing sensation Charice when he chose another artist to sing “Lupang Hinirang” in his May 2 match. Still, the Filipino pint-sized singer was given the privilege to sing the national anthem of another country, the United States.

Charice was chosen to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the opening day of a baseball event at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles last April 13 (US time). She sang before an almost 60,000 people, reportedly the biggest crowd to have watched the event.

Wearing a Dodger uniform, Charice was introduced as a 16-year-old "phenomenal young teen" from the Philippines.

"Now, we welcome the phenomenal young teen whose singing has gained worldwide fame and admiration and who is sensational in this year's historic presidential inauguration events," the emcee said.

After her rendition, applause and cheer filled the stadium as confetti rained down on the crowd.

Charice, who is now in the US to finish her first international album, also performed at Muhammad Ali’s Celebrity Fight on March 28 in Phoenix, Arizona.

In the event, Charice wowed the legendary American boxer with her performance of Michael Jackson's hit "Billie Jean." While singing the song, Charice did the famous "Ali shuffle" before doing the “moonwalk.”

Charice also captivated her Italian audience when she guested on the European country’s popular television show "Ti lascio una canzone (I'm Leaving a Song for You).”

as of 04/15/2009 1:50 PM

damn she sang it soo well.

^^, cool...not sure if that will be shown in one of cable channels here.

Holy kaw! napatayo ako dun ah!

y9c2r8zjFkk

Charice - The Star Spangled Banner (LA Dodgers VS San Francisco GIANTS) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9c2r8zjFkk)


damn she sang it soo well.

Agree!

Btw, naligaw yung mga fighter jets... :lol: yung B2 lang ang nakarating --

Charice Singing LISTEN in Italy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI5dDE8Palw)

Holy kaw! napatayo ako dun ah!

y9c2r8zjFkk

Charice - The Star Spangled Banner (LA Dodgers VS San Francisco GIANTS) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9c2r8zjFkk)




Agree!

Btw, naligaw yung mga fighter jets... :lol: yung B2 lang ang nakarating --

philippine flag ba yung nasa right?

Makapanindig balahibo! Garbe! GO GO GO CHARICE!! :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

Filipino Tech Team Unveils “Intelligent TV” (http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/?p=4975)

Posted on April 13th, 2009 under Technology Milestones
Inovent Ilumina

A new Filipino tech company unveiled the prototype of an LCD interactive television (iTV) set, claiming to be the first of its kind to be produced in the Philippines.

Dubbed “Ilumina”, the LCD iTV was described by its creators as “a television set with the brain of a personal computer.”

The Ilumina contains a flat-screen LCD display, a hard drive and a multimedia center that allows owners to see movies, listen to music, watch and record TV shows, and even surf the web.

Its creator Inovent Inc revealed that the Ilumina was produced from easily available electronic parts to prove a point. “We want to show that the Filipinos can do it, that we stand a chance in the electronic industry and we can even excel in it,” said Inovent Inc. Chief Inoventor Brian Quebengco. “To our knowledge, this has never been done before in the Philippines. The team is actually making history.”

Ilumina is being positioned as a showcase of Filipino ingenuity particularly on engineering and design. It signals the changing habits of younger generations who grew up on the iPod, MP3s, and TV-show and movie downloads. In April of this year, iTunes took the title of top music store, besting even top-selling offline stores like Best Buy and Walmart.

“Ilumina is at the crux of a major change in our lifestyles. With Ilumina, you can play music and watch movies from Ilumina itself. No more need for separate players. It will provide that convenience to everyone,” added Mark Ruiz, Chief Marketing Inoventor.

To provide the intelligence for Ilumina, Quebengco and Ruiz tapped Dig It All Solutions, a software development company specializing on open source software. Val Gonzales, Dig It All Solutions CEO, said “We had a very tight schedule. Creating software from scratch would have been a disaster. Open source software allowed us to build an interface for Ilumina very quickly.”

Quebengco also pointed out the benefit of harnessing the creative power of a multi-disciplinary, inter-school team. “Ilumina demonstrates the power of creative collaboration. Our team members are from LaSalle, Ateneo and UP. Our normal stereotype is that these schools compete against each other, but we can also put our minds together and create something beautiful, something we can all be proud of.”

Quebengco attributed the success of the prototype to the effort and dedication of the Ilumina team. To keep expenses to a minimum, the Ilumina team took a cue from the garage startups of Silicon Valley. Working in garages to keep expenses low and rendering work at minimal or no costs.

“We simply copied the Silicon Valley way and added a modern day convenience — virtual meetings through chat and a web bulletin board. All of us have day jobs but were willing to work extra hours to complete the prototype. Some of us have not slept for more than three days,” Gonzales said.

InoventDesign has promised future upgrades both in the hardware and software of Ilumina

^^ This is what media should be covering more of, kesa mga holdapan at patayan at aksidente ng mga lasing na naka-motorsiklo. Sana tulungan din ng gobyerno natin. Dapat may mass production at may malaking product launching, invited ang international media. hay naku eto na naman ako, nangangarap na naman. :ohno:

philippine flag ba yung nasa right?


Hindi, California State flag yung nasa right na flagpole while the flag of the Different nations are on the field during the singing of the anthem.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1203/1449665634_a7243c7103.jpg

Batter's Eye At Dodger Stadium

Freeze at :55 seconds...once again they spelled "Filipino" wrong.

^^ I know. :lol:

at least it's not spelled as Philippino...i hate it when they do that...:lol:

* * *

tanong ko lang, bakit sa Nicole US citizen na (or at least, she's on the way towards becoming one) pero sa Charice di pa?

at least it's not spelled as Philippino...i hate it when they do that...:lol:

* * *

tanong ko lang, bakit sa Nicole US citizen na (or at least, she's on the way towards becoming one) pero sa Charice di pa?

From what I heard from people who knew her here, Nicole was granted a fiance visa and Charise and her mother were given a 10 year multiple entry tourist visas initially thru Lawyers Ed Shapiro and Garfinkel's (influence) know how in acquiring visas for popular personalities. Parang Pinas din dito, pag malakas ka, sandali lang. :lol:
I'm sure Charise and her mother would have the same kind of specialty visas as what Arnel Pineda and Manny Pacquiao are carrying right now.
Holders of specialty visas are like holding a dual intent visa, meaning they can be process to get a green card within the duration of their existing specialty visas.

Hindi, California State flag yung nasa right na flagpole while the flag of the Different nations are on the field during the singing of the anthem.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1203/1449665634_a7243c7103.jpg

Batter's Eye At Dodger Stadium

i think he was referring to the flags na naka parada, i watched the game live (online) at meron ngang Philippine flag dun :)

i think he was referring to the flags na naka parada, i watched the game live (online) at meron ngang Philippine flag dun :)

Yes, there was a Philippine flag with the flag of different nations that the Dodgers had extended their arms with.
I assume he was talking about the flags on the right pole.

Anyways, before that, the Journey with Arnel Pineda's voice can be heard on the background music for the fans while waiting to start that hour program.
There are lots of youtube clips on Charise's rendition of the US national anthem on the web. It's just amazing how she can belt it out so nicely than others who had performed before her.

astig yung b2, sana sa finals ng pba ginebra v san migueal paliparin din ng paf yung mga cessna nila

A Jedi from Scarborough

TheStar.com (http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/618572)

MICHAEL STUPARYK/TORONTO STAR

http://media.thestar.topscms.com/images/e2/7a/ecb0ca1649209584ddadc2794f0e.jpeg

Sheridan College animation student Randolph Lizarda, 21, is one of only four interns chosen from 1,500 applicants to work at Lucasfilm studios in San Francisco for summer 2009.

Animation student wins spot at George Lucas's elite academy

April 15, 2009
Robyn Doolittle
STAFF REPORTER

Who is the Jedi knight?

1. Luke Skywalker
2. Obi-Wan Kenobi
3. Randolph Lizarda
4. All of the above

The answer: D, all of the above – or at least it will be by the end of the summer.

George Lucas's elite Jedi Academy was "looking for a few good Padawans" – you can check, it's right there on the website. One they found was 21-year-old Randolph Lizarda, a Sheridan college student enrolled in the applied arts and animation program.

The Scarborough resident applied to the prestigious internship at Lucasfilm studios in February. Every year, about 1,500 applications from around the world flood the studio's San Francisco office. Only four are selected for the arts program. Lizarda has just learned he was one of them.

"I'm very excited. I'll be working in the LucasArts division animating video games, although I don't know what we're working on. They wouldn't tell me – it's confidential," Lizarda said on a break from class yesterday.

The force has always been strong with Lizarda, the baby in a family of eight artistic kids.

When he was 6 years old, one of his older brothers – an up- and-coming comic book artist – died of cancer. From then on, for whatever reason, Lizarda says he knew he was destined for a career in the arts.

Lizarda's family immigrated to Canada from the Philippines, settling down in Scarborough when he was 12 years old. He brought his love of art along with him.

"I was into it when I was little, then I got more into it in high school. In Grade 10, I took one of those career surveys to find out where you fit in. I fit into the animation industry," he said.

As a child he was never much interested in cartoons – he just liked to draw them. His appreciation for the art of animation – comedic timing, movement and skill – came later. After being accepted at Sheridan, he is learning to transfer his two-dimensional ability to the computer, creating Shrek-esque shorts (although his favourite is the 2004 superhero family movie, The Incredibles).

Lizarda aspires to one day work for a company such as Pixar or DreamWorks.

Dave Quesnelle, one of his professors at Sheridan, says the young artist is well on his way.

"He's an excellent student. He has a really good sense of design and animation," said Quesnelle, who teaches third-year animation. Lizarda stood out after handing in his first assignment, an action analysis sequence – the first segment on the demo reel he submitted to Lucasfilms.

In a traditional drawing format, Lizarda created a 10-second clip of a comically muscular circus performer balancing on a ball, before jumping through a hoop of fire.

"I had a really good sense of his storytelling. He had the basic principles of animation (but) it was also comical. And that's our job. Anyone can make a picture move, but to make it entertaining, that's the craft of an animator."

To view Lizarda's demo reel visit: http://animation.sheridanc.on.ca/portfolio/2010/lizarda/

A Pinay in Timor Leste (http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20090417-199862/A-Pinay-in-Timor-Leste)

Timor Leste has been in the news lately because their First Lady, Jacqueline Aquino Siapno, is from the Philippines. Not only that, when she came to visit the Philippines with her 5-year-old son, Hadomi, she decided to just take a bus home to Dagupan City, and a tricycle from the bus station to Barangay Bonuan Gueset.

The trip made the news, startling (and somewhat upsetting) her husband because of the security implications, but Siapno shrugged off the media frenzy, commenting that she’s a martial arts practitioner and can defend herself. Siapno’s husband is Fernando Lasama de Araujo, head of Timor Leste’s National Parliament.

Many of my friends have been even more charmed by the news coverage because it included a different kind of love story between our Filipina and her husband.

A quick detour here about surnames: Some of our newspapers have been calling her “Mrs. Lasama,” a curious reflection of differences in newspaper policies. The Philippine Daily Inquirer prefers to call her by her maiden name, Siapno.

But why Lasama? Following Spanish and Portuguese tradition, a person’s name, like Fernando Lasama de Araujo, has the paternal surname, followed by the maternal, so he’s actually Lasama, not Araujo (oops, the Inquirer uses Araujo, maybe preferring the maternal name?).

We need more stories like this for our front pages because we do tend to get too conscious about status. Siapno shows how people can remain so simple and humble even when they reach high places. So, I thought I’d give even more space to this story, doing a recap of what’s been featured and taking this opportunity to talk about Timor Leste, also known as East Timor. We know far too little about our Southeast Asian neighbors and when it comes to Timor Leste, the reactions usually are, “Where’s that country?” and “Are they part of Asia?”

The other Catholic country

I thought I’d talk about Timor Leste first to give the context for Siapno’s story. Timor Leste means East Timor, Timor being an island that’s part of the Malay archipelago, and therefore of Southeast Asia. West Timor is part of Indonesia while East Timor (Timur Timor in Indonesian) is independent.

Timor Leste was a Portuguese colony until 1975, which explains why they are predominantly Catholic and why they have Portugese surnames. With 97 percent of Timor Leste’s population being Catholic (compared to 81 percent in the Philippines), the Philippines can’t continue to keep claiming to be the only predominantly Catholic or Christian country in the region.

After Portugal had its Carnation Revolution (a kind of people power revolt) in 1974 and overthrew a right-wing dictatorship, its colonies intensified their calls for independence. In Timor Leste, the political party Fretilin led the independence movement and in 1975, they declared Timor Leste’s independence from Portugal.

Indonesia, ruled at that time by the dictator Suharto, responded by invading Timor Leste and occupying it. The United States, Australia and other Western powers accepted the Indonesian invasion because they were worried about Fretilin, which was seen as too Left-leaning. Timor Leste was, and still is, an important geopolitical force with petroleum resources, and with its proximity to an often volatile Indonesia.

Between 1975 and 1999, the Indonesian occupation resulted in political oppression, massive population dislocations and many deaths. Published estimates of deaths range from 60,000 to 200,000, figures made even more horrific when you consider that Timor Leste’s population is only about a million.

Fretilin continued to lead the struggle for independence, but also pursued diplomatic channels to get international pressure exerted on Indonesia. In 1996, Bishop Carlos Belo and Fretilin leader Jose Ramos-Horta were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

In 1999, the United Nations supervised a referendum in Timor Leste, with 79 percent of votes cast supporting independence, but this was rejected by pro-Indonesian militia. More violence erupted and it was not until 2002 when Timor Leste was able to declare an independent republic.

The political situation is still unstable though because of power struggles. In 2006 there were riots in the capital Dili and last year there was an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao.

Doctor First Lady

Siapno is actually not officially the First Lady, the title attached to her because the incumbent president, Jose Ramos-Horta, is unmarried. (In Timor Leste, the president is head of state, a largely symbolic position, while the prime minister is the actual head of government.) Since Araujo is the second highest ranking official in Timor Leste, Siapno is First Lady.

I suspect Siapno wouldn’t care less about all this First Lady bit. Besides her bus trip, the media noticed how simply she dresses, without jewelry.

Anyway, back to our Pinay. I’m using information from the University of Melbourne, where her curriculum vitae appears because of her affiliation with their Asia Institute.

Siapno grew up in the Philippines but did part of her high school in the United States, moving on to Wellesley for her undergraduate work. She earned her master’s from the School of Oriental and Asian Studies at the University of London and her Ph.D. from the University of California in Berkeley. If we want to pursue this Filipino fixation with titles, she’s a Doctor First Lady.

I think newspapers should be talking more about her work. She has been a consultant with the United Nations Development Programme, Oxfam and other development agencies. The Inquirer did report that she was working with Amnesty International, an organization working for the release of political prisoners. Fernando Lasama was one of those political prisoners and Siapno, who was doing research in Indonesia, visited him in Jakarta, where he was serving a nine-year sentence for subversion.

Love blossomed and they kept in touch by correspondence. International pressure and Amnesty International do get results. Lasama was released in 1998 before finishing his sentence, and married Siapno in his home village in Timor Leste in 2001.

Beyond the First Lady title then, Siapno’s is quite accomplished. Her doctoral research in Indonesia produced a book, “Gender, Islam, Nationalism and the State in Aceh.” She was also associate editor of the Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures. She teaches at the Universidade da Paz in Dili.

I’m always telling my students that with all the Filipina nannies raising the children of the world, we’re quietly “colonizing” the world. Don’t be surprised if a few years from now you have leaders of countries talking about their Filipina yaya, maybe even talking in English with an accent from yaya.

Siapno’s story reminds me that even now we already have Filipinos working in government, corporations, non-government organizations, making a difference for their adopted countries—and for the world.

Filipino Tech Team Unveils “Intelligent TV” (http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/?p=4975)

Posted on April 13th, 2009 under Technology Milestones
Inovent Ilumina

A new Filipino tech company unveiled the prototype of an LCD interactive television (iTV) set, claiming to be the first of its kind to be produced in the Philippines.

Dubbed “Ilumina”, the LCD iTV was described by its creators as “a television set with the brain of a personal computer.”

The Ilumina contains a flat-screen LCD display, a hard drive and a multimedia center that allows owners to see movies, listen to music, watch and record TV shows, and even surf the web.

Its creator Inovent Inc revealed that the Ilumina was produced from easily available electronic parts to prove a point. “We want to show that the Filipinos can do it, that we stand a chance in the electronic industry and we can even excel in it,” said Inovent Inc. Chief Inoventor Brian Quebengco. “To our knowledge, this has never been done before in the Philippines. The team is actually making history.”

Ilumina is being positioned as a showcase of Filipino ingenuity particularly on engineering and design. It signals the changing habits of younger generations who grew up on the iPod, MP3s, and TV-show and movie downloads. In April of this year, iTunes took the title of top music store, besting even top-selling offline stores like Best Buy and Walmart.

“Ilumina is at the crux of a major change in our lifestyles. With Ilumina, you can play music and watch movies from Ilumina itself. No more need for separate players. It will provide that convenience to everyone,” added Mark Ruiz, Chief Marketing Inoventor.

To provide the intelligence for Ilumina, Quebengco and Ruiz tapped Dig It All Solutions, a software development company specializing on open source software. Val Gonzales, Dig It All Solutions CEO, said “We had a very tight schedule. Creating software from scratch would have been a disaster. Open source software allowed us to build an interface for Ilumina very quickly.”

Quebengco also pointed out the benefit of harnessing the creative power of a multi-disciplinary, inter-school team. “Ilumina demonstrates the power of creative collaboration. Our team members are from LaSalle, Ateneo and UP. Our normal stereotype is that these schools compete against each other, but we can also put our minds together and create something beautiful, something we can all be proud of.”

Quebengco attributed the success of the prototype to the effort and dedication of the Ilumina team. To keep expenses to a minimum, the Ilumina team took a cue from the garage startups of Silicon Valley. Working in garages to keep expenses low and rendering work at minimal or no costs.

“We simply copied the Silicon Valley way and added a modern day convenience — virtual meetings through chat and a web bulletin board. All of us have day jobs but were willing to work extra hours to complete the prototype. Some of us have not slept for more than three days,” Gonzales said.

InoventDesign has promised future upgrades both in the hardware and software of Ilumina

^^ This is what media should be covering more of, kesa mga holdapan at patayan at aksidente ng mga lasing na naka-motorsiklo. Sana tulungan din ng gobyerno natin. Dapat may mass production at may malaking product launching, invited ang international media. hay naku eto na naman ako, nangangarap na naman. :ohno:

Wag kang mangarap. Isipin mo na lang, matutupad din yan, kung hindi ngayon, balang araw. :)

Pinoy lawyer wins award in US (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=457705&publicationSubCategoryId=68)
Updated April 15, 2009 12:00 AM

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/5677/34450904.jpg
Oposa

MANILA, Philippines - Environmental lawyer Tony Oposa will receive the International Environmental Law Award from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) at a luncheon ceremony in Washington on April 21.

Oposa is cited as “one of Asia’s leading voices in the global arena of environmental law.”

“His work is internationally known for establishing at the highest Philippine Court of Law the principle of inter-generational responsibility – the right to sue governments on behalf of future generations to stop environmental damage,” an announcement from CIEL said.

An activist working on local, national, and international levels, he has worked tirelessly to protect the country’s natural resources. His work includes a decade-long fight with the government to clean up and rehabilitate Manila Bay, curb over-fishing in the Visayan Sea, fight the misappropriation of the country’s forest resources, and establish the School of the Seas, a learning center for sustainable living.

Oposa said the award “belongs to us all – the Filipino… It is my dream that one day, our collective efforts and passions will ‘infect’ the rest of our people and that one day, we – all the Filipinos, with our native genius for Nature and the natural sciences and arts – will be the beacons of light for the rest of the world.”

The CIEL award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the effort to achieve solutions to environmental problems through international law and institutions.

CIEL is a nonprofit organization working to use international law and institutions to protect the environment, promote human health, and ensure a just and sustainable society. It was founded in 1989 and is based in Washington.

Two Filipinos were in the semi-finals of Australia's Got Talent...


Jal Joshua, 12 years old

Elimination round

gD8F4fi_QqY
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD8F4fi_QqY)



i was eating earlier at ruby's, a flipino restaurant. this magazine said that hes cebuano

Holy kaw! napatayo ako dun ah!

y9c2r8zjFkk

Charice - The Star Spangled Banner (LA Dodgers VS San Francisco GIANTS) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9c2r8zjFkk)


Ang Galing nya Kumanta grabe... sayang di nga lang sya ang napiling kumanta sa laban ni Pacman at Hatton this coming May bagay na bagay ang title West Vs East bagay talaga c charice sayang c martin ang napili:ohno:

Donaire, Viloria crush Mexican foes


By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:45:00 04/19/2009

Filed Under: Boxing, Inquirer Sports

MANILA, Philippines – Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire lived up to his moniker, crushing Raul “Cobra” Martinez in just four rounds while Brian Viloria scored an emotional win knocking out Ulises Solis to snatch the IBF light flyweight crown in their title bout at the Araneta Coliseum.

Despite a painful left hand, Donaire pummeled his Mexican-American challenger from the get-go, hitting Martinez with left-right hook combinations in the first and second rounds.

Donaire, who retained his IBO/IBF flyweight title, delivered the decisive killer blows in 2:42 mark of the fourth round, ending the fight on a technical knockout (TKO).

He improved his win-loss record to 21-1-0 (14 by way of knockout) while handing the erstwhile undefeated Martinez his first loss after 24 fights.

“He’s a real champion. I’m a big fan of him now,” Martinez said after the fight. He also acknowledged that he was “not invincible,” when asked about the lessons he learned from the bout with Donaire.

Donaire, whose father was not able to watch him fight, said he felt a stinging pain in his left hand.

“My father will always be my father and I thank him because he got me where I am today,” Donaire said during post-fight interviews.

Meanwhile, Viloria, nicknamed “The Hawaiian Punch”, knocked down Ulises Solis in the 11th round to steal the IBF light flyweight crown.

Viloria was aggressive in the first two rounds but Solis recovered in later rounds, before the Fil-Am fighter opened a cut in his right eyebrow in the fifth round.

A former WBC junior flyweight king, Viloria again struggled on the sixth round as Solis briefly regained control of the fight. Both fighters exchanged punches in later rounds until a solid right hook from Viloria knocked his opponent cold towards the end of the 11th round.

During post-fight interviews, Viloria, who improved his record to 25-2-0 (15 by knockout), admitted that Solis was a “tough nut to crack”.

The Mexican fighter, who earlier christened himself “The Filipino Executioner”, previously defeated Filipino boxers Rodel Mayol, Bert Batawang and Nonito’s older brother, Glenn Donaire.:cheers:

Pinoy boxers triumphant at Araneta Coleseum

Lahat ng nakabangga nila, tumba nanaman!
http://www.gmanews.tv/video/40136/Pinoy-boxers-win-undercard-bouts

DONAIRE MARTINEZ RD 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPUbeSvcW1k

DONAIRE MARTINEZ RD 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nnJgvb-pVU&feature=related

DONAIRE MARTINEZ RD 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUiKgp6_-n8&feature=related

Nonito Donaire TKO Raul Martinez (Round 4)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge6-0j97-rI&feature=related

i was eating earlier at ruby's, a flipino restaurant. this magazine said that hes cebuano

Here's Jal during the grandfinals of Australia's Got Talent...

SQ9AUxPLaR8&feature=related

^^ cool, a kid with a bright future

2 RP teeners rule international sudoku tilt

By Jerry E. Esplanada
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 07:11:00 04/21/2009

Filed Under: Good news, Awards and Prizes, Education

MANILA, Philippines—Two Filipino students beat more than 100 contestants from over six countries to emerge as grand champion and runner-up in the just-concluded 3rd Brand’s Sudoku International Open competition in Bangkok, Thailand.

John Robert Valcos, 17, a second year information technology student at St. Mary’s College in Baliwag, Bulacan, topped the logic-based number placement contest. He took home $5,000 in cash (about P240,000) and the championship trophy, among other prizes.

Fourteen-year-old Sarah Jane Cua, second year high school student of Pangasinan Universal Institute in Dagupan City, was first runner-up. She received 60,000 Thai baht (P81,000) and the second place trophy.

“Their triumph underscored the country’s performance in international mathematics competitions,” said Dr. Simon Chua, president of the Mathematics Trainers’ Guild-Philippines (MTG) and head of the Philippine delegation to the Bangkok contest.

Chua, also principal of the Zamboanga Chong Hua High School in Zamboanga City, said that Cua “trailed Valcos by a single point” in the competition.

Aside from the Philippines and host Thailand, the other sudoku contestants came from India, Bulgaria, Vietnam and Malaysia, among others.

Valcos and Cua were the runner-up and champion, respectively, in the grandmaster division of the 3rd Philippine Sudoku Super Challenge, held last January at the SM City North Edsa mall in Quezon City.

Cua is also the reigning Asia-Pacific sudoku champion after winning the Brand’s 1st Asia-Pacific Sudoku Challenge in Singapore last year. She is scheduled to represent the country in this year’s 4th World Sudoku Championships in Slovakia.

RP delegation

Other members of the Philippine delegation to the Bangkok competition were Timothy James Tan of Trinity Christian School in Bacolod City; Mariel Alexis Dee and Mark Benedict Tan of Ateneo de Manila University; Ma. Czarina Angela Lao of St. Jude Catholic School and Matthew Chris Chan of St. Stephen High School, both in Manila; Michelle Neri of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School and Jayhan Regner of Xavier University, both in Cagayan de Oro City; Nathaniel Ryan Ang of Philadelphia High School in Quezon City; and Mark Davidson Cua of Pangasinan Universal Institute.

Aside from Chua, they were accompanied by MTG vice president Dr. Eduardo de la Cruz, executive director Robert Degolacion, director Arvie Ubarro and center coordinator Marilene Ramos.

MTG is a member of the World Puzzle Federation.

Chua said “more and more young Filipino students are joining sudoku contests, proof of the growing popularity of the game in the country.”

How it all began

“Su” means number in Japanese while “Doku” refers to the single place in the puzzle that each number can fit into. Doku also connotes someone who is single.

The forerunner of sudoku appeared in a 1979 issue of Dell Pencil Puzzles & Word Games as the “Number Place” puzzle, according to the Mathematical Association of America.

The creation of that puzzle was attributed to a 74-year-old retired architect named Howard Garns, who simplified the rules to those used today—fill in the grid so that every row, column, and 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

Japan’s puzzle group Nikoli presented the game to a Japanese audience in the puzzle paper Monthly Nikolist in 1984.

Original name

The game was originally named Suuji Wa Dokushin Ni Kagiru (“the numbers must be single”). As it became popular, Nikoli president Kaji Maki shortened it to sudoku and trademarked the name.

Competing companies stayed with the name “Number Place.” Today, many Japanese puzzle magazines spell out “Number Place” in English. In the United States and elsewhere, it’s called sudoku.

Among the major newspapers that have begun carrying sudoku as a puzzle are the Times of London, the New York Post, the San Francisco Chronicle and USA Today.

The most common form of sudoku is the 9 x 9 grid, but there are now many versions of the game. In the 2009 Slovak Sudoku Championship, for example, there are as many as 26 categories to be played. With Inquirer Research; Sources: The Mathematical Association of America Online, Slovak Sudoku Championship website

^^^^

Yes!!:cheers::cheers:

Animation on Fil-Ams soon out on DVD (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/sosy/sosy/view/20090421-200600/Animation-on-Fil-Ams-soon-out-on-DVD)

The Nutshack, the first ever animated television series on Filipino Americans, is raising comedy alert to red this April with the national release of its entire first season DVD through US video and music distributor RNLG/E1 Entertainment.

According to a statement from the RNLG/E1 Entertainment, the adult-oriented animation revolves around the irreverent adventures of two young Filipinos: Phil, a hip hop-loving San Francisco native, and his cousin, Jack, who just came straight from the Philippines.

Living in the midst of poverty, homelessness, prostitution, drugs, and alcohol in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, the two learn about life, love, and diversity with the help of their extended family.

Other characters in this animation include their womanizing Uncle Dick, a porn-peddling Indian immigrant, a perennially stoned mechanic, and a transvestite Vietnamese who runs a beauty salon. There is also Chita, Phil’s best friend and surrogate conscience, and the object of Jack’s affection. And yes, the cousins have a sidekick: a robotic tarsier that was raised on MTV culture.

Co-creators Ramon Lopez and Jesse Hernandez based the series on their past experiences with family and friends in the Tenderloin, at school, and at work.

“As funny and crazy as it appears, The Nutshack is solidly grounded on real experiences and stories,” said artist-animator Hernandez.

“At the heart of this cartoon series is genuine care and affection for the characters and what they represent,” he added.

“While The Nutshack may be perceived as just a raunchy and vulgar cartoon—which it is—I think it still speaks to a huge segment of youth which is largely ignored,” said Lopez, also the Head of MYX® Program Development.

“As a Filipino American growing up in the Bay Area, this is something that's been a long time coming as far as addressing cultural issues is concerned. RNLG/E1 and the MYX® channel have been great in supporting this project. It shows they have a keen eye and sense to see the underlying creative and business value in what initially appears as something just racy,” he added.

The Nutshack, which is a fusion of urban graffiti and anime, showing richly detailed and skewed backgrounds that are true to the urban settings the series depicts, has been shown since 2007 on MYX®, the only Asian-American music and lifestyle channel available on Comcast ON DEMAND, Cox Digital Basic Cable, DIRECTV 2067, and RCN.

^^ looking forward to it.

Here's Jal during the grandfinals of Australia's Got Talent...

SQ9AUxPLaR8&feature=related

Did he win? I thought the Grand Finals results will come out on Tuesday, April 21 evening Australia time..Those in OZ, pls. update us on the results.

^^ The finals was concluded some 30 minutes ago. Jal was 1st runner up to this bloke...

UBSATKqZZb4&feature=related
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBSATKqZZb4&feature=related)

^^ The finals was concluded some 30 minutes ago. Jal was 1st runner up to this bloke...

UBSATKqZZb4&feature=related
Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBSATKqZZb4&feature=related)


Congrats na rin kay Jal!..I knew that Mark Vincent will be his tightest competitor for the title...Though Mark really deserved the title..Good job to Jal too for being the 1st runner-up..such an outstanding feat for a 12 year-old boy like him...

The bloke deserved it. Congrats to him.

Congrats to both of them. Either one is deserving to go home with the prize. Both are very talented. Here they were during the announcement of the grand prize winner night...

XWhbGvpofw8&feature=related

00J0x2x15i0

Another Pinoy first (http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20090423-201059/Another-Pinoy-first)

Raya Martin’s “Independencia” was selected as an entry in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival in May. The selection is one for the Philippine cinema history books since the movie, set in early 20th century Philippines and starring Sid Lucero, Tetchie Agbayani and Alessandra de Rossi, is the first Filipino film entered in Cannes’ sidebar for young talent and innovative, audacious works.

“It felt like graduation day,” Raya, 24, told us via e-mail about receiving the good news of his film’s inclusion from the organizers of the world’s most prestigious film festival. “We’ve been keeping our fingers crossed since we submitted the film; so many big directors were aiming for Cannes this year. I received the [news] from Christian Jeune (head of programming)... then called up Arleen (Cuevas, co-producer) immediately [and] texted my parents.”

Raya, whose “Now Showing” was selected in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight last year, added: “We’re very proud that our film is part of the Un Certain Regard. This section has featured some of the most critically acclaimed films in the festival’s history.”

Bold decision

Each year, several jury awards, including the Prix Un Certain Regard, is awarded to several entries in this competition section that draws varied original works from young directors. Among the filmmakers whose movies have been selected for Un Certain Regard in the past are Cristi Puiu (“The Death of Mr. Lazarescu”), Kiyoshi Kurosawa (“Tokyo Sonata”), Eran Kolirin (“The Band’s Visit”) and Sergei Dvortsevoy (“Tulpan”).

We’re particularly excited to see “Independencia” because Raya, in depicting his early 20th century family drama that tackles national identity and colonization, gives a nod to early Filipino cinema and studio photography. How? By shooting virtually all the scenes in a Marikina studio with a combination of actual prop materials and painted backdrops. That was a bold decision.

Raya worked with French cinematographer Jeanne Lapoirie and production designer Digo Ricio to execute his concept of recreating “moving pictures” that evoke his film’s period setting. Jeanne’s credits include Francois Ozon’s “8 Femmes,” whose cast includes Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert and Fanny Ardant: and “Time to Leave,” which stars Jeanne Moreau.

Three days

Raya, who graduated from the University of the Philippines Film Institute only four years ago, is the first Filipino to receive a P7 million film grant from the French government and to be granted a six-month filmmaking residency at Cannes’ Cinefondation in France, among other pioneering distinctions.

The idea for “Independencia” came to Raya during that residency, inspiring him to write the script in three days.

The former writer and researcher of radio and TV shows, newspapers and online magazines first made waves when his short film “Bakasyon” cinched the Ishmael Bernal Award for Young Cinema at the 2004 Cinemanila International Film Festival. His documentary on Batanes, “The Island at the End of the World,” captured the Best Documentary prize at the 2005 .mov International Digital Film Festival. Raya followed this up with his first feature, “Short Film About the Indio Nacional (Or the Prolonged Sorrow of the Filipinos),” which took the Best Film honors at the 2006 Pesaro Film Festival.

Raya just finished an equally beguiling project, “Manila,” which he described to us as his and Adolfo Alix Jr.’s twin bill “re-imagining of the Filipino classics,” Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila by Night” and Lino Brocka’s “Jaguar.”

Is he a young man in a hurry?

“There are things that I feel I need to do now, otherwise they won’t ever happen,” Raya answered. “I’m not an overachiever, as other people might think. Filmmaking is just something that’s comfortable to me, and indeed I’ve been very lucky the past few years. I’m just happy to be sharing these stories that inspire me to be Filipino, and to be myself.”

Raya and Arleen supplied us with this synopsis of “Independencia”: “In early 20th century Philippines, at the beginning of American rule, a mother (Tetchie Agbayani) and son (Sid Lucero) run off to the mountains with hopes of a quiet life. Deep in the woods, they manage to live in isolation despite growing unrest in the towns. On a hunt, the son (still Sid Lucero) stumbles upon a wounded woman (Alessandra de Rossi), brings her home, and takes care of her, despite the silent objection of his mother.

“Learning that the woman is pregnant, the mother starts to distance herself from them. Eventually, the son develops a relationship with the woman, the mother grows weak and ill, and eventually dies. Soon after, the woman gives birth to a son.” The boy is played by Mika Aguilos, son of actress Kalila Aguilos. He is making his acting debut in “Independencia.”

We told Raya that the haunting black and white stills showing Sid, Tetchie and Alessandra in pre-war costumes from “Independencia” made us bring out a sepia photo of our great grandparents taken in Pangasinan, which is one of our most valuable possessions to this day.

Raya commented that similar photos of his ancestors, taken in studios, inspired “Independencia.” He explained: “I was very interested in the mix of painted backdrops and seemingly live props. When you look at those old pictures, it feels like it’s going to move anytime. That was the idea: Moving pictures. We were showing those photos ever since we started pitching to producers around three years ago.”

Inspirations

He recounted how the idea for “Independencia” came to him during his filmmaking residency in France: “I was originally writing the film ‘Now Showing’ at the time. But the environment was very inspiring, and also it was an emotional time for me, being away from home that long for the first time, and Paris was not exactly warm for first-timers. So I was writing a couple of other treatments until the whole idea of ‘Independencia’ came to me – how the story went, but also how the structure flowed, and more importantly, the look of the film. I was also inspired by a Radiohead song.”

That song was “How to Disappear Completely.” Raya disclosed: “The original title of the film was ‘How to Disappear Completely’ and it was about wanting to disappear from the face of the earth. I’m preparing to shoot a parallel film of the same title.”

Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien has dedicated the song to Argentina’s desaparacidos or civilians arrested and vanished without a trace during that country’s military dictatorship. In writing “Independencia,” Raya was haunted by stories of disappearances during the American occupation in the Philippines.

“I remember writing the story for three straight days with little sleep,” he said. “I was glued to the computer desk day and night and only went out to eat...”

“It’s a personal observation, and most people would agree, that Filipinos are very flexible wherever you put them,” said the bespectacled Manila-born filmmaker on the underlying theme of his story of a family retreating to the mountains and relearning the ways of our ancestors as the invading American troops approach. “There’s something innate in us that’s almost primitive but essential that is the reason for our survival.”

Part of a trilogy

When we asked Raya if making “Indio Nacional” proved to be particularly helpful in making “Independencia,” he not only said yes; he revealed that these films, both shot in 35 mm and in black and white, “are part of a trilogy, or maybe a series, of films about the different periods of struggle in the Philippines. They also reflect the cinema during each film’s era. ‘Independencia’ is a progression of the first film, which is ‘Indio Nacional,’ a black and white silent film set during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. The images in the first feature are very simple, and naturally the next film would become more complex. ‘Independencia’ being a studio film would become an additional critical layer. Not only are the images different, but the themes are also more mysterious.”

Arleen bared a tentative list of who’s going to Cannes to represent the film. “We are still finalizing,” said Arleen, whose track record as a producer of award-winning indie films, including “The Amazing Truth about Queen Raquela,” is getting impressive. “But from the Philippines, it will be Raya, me, production designer Digo Ricio, assistant director Armi Cacanindin and hopefully the main cast, if their schedule permits – Sid, Tetchie and Alessandra.”

Of “Independencia’s” release dates in the Philippines and overseas, Arleen said, “We haven’t planned [that] yet but we will surely have a Philippine premiere in June or July. We already have a sales agent, Memento Films, the same sales agent of the winner of Cannes Festival last year, ‘The Class,’ and also a French distributor, Shellac.”

One happy man by the time this column comes out is Raya’s father, Perfecto Martin. When his son’s “The Island at the End…” won a prize in 2005, Perfecto texted everyone in his phone directory to share the good news. “My father couldn’t text anyone this time, since we had to wait until the official press conference of the Cannes Film Festival,” said Raya. The press con was yesterday, April 23. We imagined Perfecto’s excitement when he was finally able to share the happy news with the whole world.

“My parents saw what we went through to make this film happen.” Raya said of his folks, Perfecto and Nilia.

Famed Pinoy artist boosts Philippine art in Chicago (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p090424.htm&no=36)
by David J. Shapiro

Chicago, IL -- Renowned prolific Fil-Am Chicago area artist, Fred DeAsis, introduced "Kut-kut - lost Art of the Philippines" to an enthusiastic crowd of art enthusiasts at the Saint Charles Area Library in Saint Charles, Illinois, April 10. The library has served the affluent western suburbs of Chicago since 1889.

The exhibit of 28 exotic kut-kut art pieces includes DeAsis' latest experimental concept of fusing Frank Lloyd Wright's prairie design and Kut-kut technique. DeAsis discussed kut-kut art which is an exotic Philippine art form based on early century techniques -- sgraffito, encaustic, layering and local tribal inscriptions. The merging of these ancient styles produces a unique artwork characterized by delicate swirling interwoven lines, multi-layered texture and an illusion of three-dimensional space.

"I was so excited to see the Frank Lloyd Wright-Kut-kut fusion, the idea was magnificent, genius and very innovative. Kut-kut art is exotic and very interesting; I have not seen such works of art before. The history behind the art is a treasure," comments Mark McNeil, an Asian art collector-dealer from Geneva. "Mr. DeAsis presented a wonderful history of ancient Philippine arts. Culturally refreshing."

Each of DeAsis' creation begins with clear emulsion treated panel and then requires countless hours of repetitive paint and medium application, drying, scraping, layering and composing to produce the desired artwork. Through the years, he developed the use of other art materials to produced better artwork without sacrificing the original ancient technique and style. Most kut-kut art pieces are done on wood to support the continuous layering and composing of materials including shellac, lacquer, artist glass and fine sand.

DeAsis is well known for his traveling Kut-kut cultural art exhibits and is the recipient of 2006 Fil-Am and 2007 Asian-American Hall of Fame awards for outstanding achievement of an individual in promoting arts and culture in North America. He serves as the Art Commissioner of Arlington Heights, a suburb of Chicago.

"Art is my passion and compulsion. My mission is to revive the lost art and present to the public the beauty and rich history of the ancient art from the Philippines. All for art, culture, and humanity. This is my way of giving-back to the Philippines."

He is the executive director of Asian American Arts and Cultural Foundation, a board director of Philippine American Cultural Foundation, and the chairman of "Kut-kut - the Lost Art of the Philippines" a traveling art exhibit project to promote the rich culture and history of the Philippines via public art exhibits. He manages studios in Chicago, Arlington Heights and New York.

DeAsis is writing a book on ancient Asian arts and culture and conducts lectures of the Philippines’ lost art. For more information about the art and the artist, visit www.fdeasis.com.

Filipino cyclist wins Asean Mountain Bike championship in Brunei (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=454499&publicationSubCategoryId=202)
Updated April 02, 2009 09:18 AM

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/2996/brunei2v.jpg

Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Virginia Benavidez (left) hosted a lunch for Filipino cyclist Nino Surban (right), the champion of the 1st ASEAN Mountain Bike Championship 2009, at the Empire Hotel and Country Club in Brunei. Photo courtesy of the Department of Foreign Affairs
MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported in its website Wednesday that a 22 year-old Filipino from Cebu won the 1st ASEAN Mountain Bike Championship 2009 held at the Berakas Forest Recreational Park in Brunei Darussalam last month.

Niño Surban was the only Filipino cyclist to join the competition.

The DFA said the 48-kilometer cross-country competition was participated in by cyclists from Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei Darussalam.

Niño was quoted in the Borneo Bulletin on 16 March 2009 as saying:

“I was very happy to have won the first ever ASEAN Mountain Bike Championship’s men elite category of the cross country. The course was very tough and the heat was overwhelming. However, I managed to overcome the obstacle to come in first,” Surban was quoted as saying in an interview with the Borneo Bulletin.

Congrats to both of them. Either one is deserving to go home with the prize. Both are very talented. Here they were during the announcement of the grand prize winner night...

XWhbGvpofw8&feature=related

00J0x2x15i0

sa mga gantong type of shows, got talent show
laging gantong mga type of people that have been winning
dito rin sa amerika e, opera singer ang nanalo, pati sa british rin di ba

sa mga gantong type of shows, got talent show
laging gantong mga type of people that have been winning
dito rin sa amerika e, opera singer ang nanalo, pati sa british rin di ba

The audience chose the singers as the final two over other kinds of performers. Ganoon din ata sa Britain's Got Talent. Sa Season 1 ng AGT, batang singer nanalo na nawala na lang sa ere matapos iuwi ang premyo. May mga nabasa akong comment na they didn't want the same thing from happening again. Medyo nadala ata ang audience. Noong season 2 naman, guitar player ang nanalo.

Sa Pinas merong "Talentadong Pinoy" pero di yata singers ang mga tumatagal (yung format kasi noon parang dapat iboto sila ng 5 linggo na magkakasunod).
Yung mga circus acts at magicians usually ang pinipili ng "jury". Siguro palasak na masyado kasi ang mga mang-aawit para sa panlasa nila at isa pa higit na maraming ibang mga patimpalak na pawang paligsahan lamang sa pag-awit o at popularidad ang iniaalok.

Will Pacquiao win?
related article http://uk.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUKTRE53S0BY20090429?rpc=401&
Relaxed and improved Hatton predicts win over Pacquiao
Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:21am BST
By Kieran Mulvaney

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Ricky Hatton confidently predicted victory in his IBO light-welterweight title defence against Filipino Manny Pacquiao after being welcomed by cheering fans in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Hatton has not lost at his natural weight of 140 pounds but conceded he would have faced an uphill task had he met the former four-division world champion one or two years earlier.

"Three or four fights ago, Manny Pacquiao would have beaten me," Hatton told a small group of reporters as he sat on the edge of the ring in which he will fight the Filipino southpaw on Saturday.

"I don't think so now. I feel so much more relaxed because I'm boxing technically so much better. I'm jabbing and moving a lot better.

Hatton, 45-1 (32 KOs), attributes his increased confidence to improvements he has made since linking with American trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. late last year.

However he promised his fans he would never abandon the frenetic fighting style that has made him so popular in his native Manchester and elsewhere around the world.

"Everyone seems to think that because of my new training camp I've turned into this twinkle toed jab-and-move boxer," Hatton, nicknamed the Hitman, said. "But I haven't. I'm still aggressive. I'm still as ferocious as ever."

Hatton, who made a spectacular red carpet entrance at the MGM Grand Hotel in front of his jubilant supporters after arriving in Las Vegas, believes his ferocity and enhanced skills will surprise Pacquiao on Saturday.

Ganyan din sabi lahat ng nakalaban ni Packy:D

Tingnan na lang natin:D

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aX9843dZj4ns&refer=exclusive

Pac-Man ‘Magic’ Has Shoppers, Church-Goers Vanishing (Update1)

By Clarissa Batino

April 29 (Bloomberg) -- Manila cab driver Christopher Piolo plans to take his first Sunday off in four months this weekend. The reason: Manny Pacquiao is boxing.

“Whenever he fights, the whole country stops,” said Piolo, 32, who has driven every Sunday since the boxer, actor and singer known as Pac-Man last fought in December. “Nobody wants to go out on the streets. We’re all glued to the TV.”

Pacquiao will slug it out with Britain’s Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas on May 2 in his 54th fight and first since inflicting a final career defeat on 10-time world champion Oscar De La Hoya. The Philippines is set for a surge in power demand as millions tune in, while malls and churches are bracing for a quiet time as people stay home to watch the 30-year-old fighter.

“He’s a legend, an icon, a role model,” said Father Stephen Jantuah, a priest whose church in Manila’s business district empties whenever Pacquiao fights. “He represents the whole of the Philippines, someone fighting for our side.”

Saturday night bouts in Las Vegas are broadcast live from late Sunday morning in the Southeast Asian nation, meaning many businesses feel the pinch as much as places of worship. Stores get 30 percent fewer visitors before and during his bouts, said Steven Tan of SM Prime Holdings Inc., which operates 33 malls.

“Business goes down,” said Kenneth Yang, president of McDonald’s Corp.’s Philippines franchise. “But our delivery business picks up.”

Power Surge

Movie theaters, venues and restaurants screening the fight stand to benefit, as do power suppliers. SM Prime, which is showing the bout in 100 cinemas, has sold out of tickets.

“The malls are eerie when the fight is on because people are inside the cinema,” said SM Prime President Hans Sy.

Electricity demand in the nation of 96 million surges 2 percent when Pacquiao is in the ring, said Carlito Claudio, vice president for system operations of National Grid Corp. of the Philippines. About 1 million more people switch on televisions than on a regular Sunday morning.

“Sunday usually has the lowest load for the week,” Claudio said. “But that changes whenever there’s a Pacquiao fight.”

Pacquiao’s rise from poverty underscores his appeal in a nation where, according to the World Bank, a quarter of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day. Growing up in the southern province of South Cotabato, he sold cigarettes to help his mother, a fish-cracker vendor, feed the family and would often make do with one meal a day of rice.

His mother now lives beside Pacquiao’s home, which has a boxing glove-shaped pool and gold-tinged rocking chairs. Pacquiao’s profile and rags-to-riches rise have been celebrated in a biographical movie and a hit single about his feats.

$12 Million

The 5-foot-6 (1.68-meter) fighter has amassed a fortune during a 14-year career that’s brought him four world titles, 48 wins, three losses and two draws, setting him up for a paycheck of at least $12 million for the Hatton fight.

Pacquiao has endorsed products from socks to pain relievers, appearing in ads for Nike Inc. and McDonald’s, and the government uses him to urge people to pay taxes. That popularity hasn’t helped him get into politics.

Pacquiao lost his bid for a seat in the national Congress in his home town of General Santos City in 2007 and he aims to re-enter politics, possibly in next year’s elections.

“I’d like people to remember me as the fighter who lifted the spirits of the Filipinos and was able to inspire and unite them,” Pacquiao said in an interview. “When you go into politics, it’s the welfare of the people that you must think of. I already have money so my goal is to help.”

‘Magic of Pac-Man’

Pacquiao is aiming for a 37th knockout when he takes on Hatton in a non-title fight in the 140-pound (63.5-kilogram) junior welterweight division. Victory would deliver a feel-good factor to a nation struggling with its slowest economic growth in more than eight years, says Father Jantuah. Pacquiao winning is “like Obama becoming president,” says the Ghana-born priest.

“No matter how difficult your life is, how poor you are, you forget your problems for a while” when he fights, added taxi driver Piolo. “That’s the magic of Pac-Man.’’

Manila Police Chief Roberto Rosales is making the most of Pacquiao’s appeal. For just a few hours on Sunday, his force will be left chasing fewer criminals.

“It’s very peaceful, the crime rate is almost zero,” said Rosales. “There should be a Pacquiao fight every day.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Clarissa Batino in Manila at cbatino@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: April 29, 2009 01:46 EDT

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aX9843dZj4ns&refer=exclusive

Pac-Man ‘Magic’ Has Shoppers, Church-Goers Vanishing (Update1)

By Clarissa Batino

April 29 (Bloomberg) -- Manila cab driver Christopher Piolo plans to take his first Sunday off in four months this weekend. The reason: Manny Pacquiao is boxing.

“Whenever he fights, the whole country stops,” said Piolo, 32, who has driven every Sunday since the boxer, actor and singer known as Pac-Man last fought in December. “Nobody wants to go out on the streets. We’re all glued to the TV.”

Pacquiao will slug it out with Britain’s Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas on May 2 in his 54th fight and first since inflicting a final career defeat on 10-time world champion Oscar De La Hoya. The Philippines is set for a surge in power demand as millions tune in, while malls and churches are bracing for a quiet time as people stay home to watch the 30-year-old fighter.

“He’s a legend, an icon, a role model,” said Father Stephen Jantuah, a priest whose church in Manila’s business district empties whenever Pacquiao fights. “He represents the whole of the Philippines, someone fighting for our side.”

Saturday night bouts in Las Vegas are broadcast live from late Sunday morning in the Southeast Asian nation, meaning many businesses feel the pinch as much as places of worship. Stores get 30 percent fewer visitors before and during his bouts, said Steven Tan of SM Prime Holdings Inc., which operates 33 malls.

“Business goes down,” said Kenneth Yang, president of McDonald’s Corp.’s Philippines franchise. “But our delivery business picks up.”

Power Surge

Movie theaters, venues and restaurants screening the fight stand to benefit, as do power suppliers. SM Prime, which is showing the bout in 100 cinemas, has sold out of tickets.

“The malls are eerie when the fight is on because people are inside the cinema,” said SM Prime President Hans Sy.

Electricity demand in the nation of 96 million surges 2 percent when Pacquiao is in the ring, said Carlito Claudio, vice president for system operations of National Grid Corp. of the Philippines. About 1 million more people switch on televisions than on a regular Sunday morning.

“Sunday usually has the lowest load for the week,” Claudio said. “But that changes whenever there’s a Pacquiao fight.”

Pacquiao’s rise from poverty underscores his appeal in a nation where, according to the World Bank, a quarter of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day. Growing up in the southern province of South Cotabato, he sold cigarettes to help his mother, a fish-cracker vendor, feed the family and would often make do with one meal a day of rice.

His mother now lives beside Pacquiao’s home, which has a boxing glove-shaped pool and gold-tinged rocking chairs. Pacquiao’s profile and rags-to-riches rise have been celebrated in a biographical movie and a hit single about his feats.

$12 Million

The 5-foot-6 (1.68-meter) fighter has amassed a fortune during a 14-year career that’s brought him four world titles, 48 wins, three losses and two draws, setting him up for a paycheck of at least $12 million for the Hatton fight.

Pacquiao has endorsed products from socks to pain relievers, appearing in ads for Nike Inc. and McDonald’s, and the government uses him to urge people to pay taxes. That popularity hasn’t helped him get into politics.

Pacquiao lost his bid for a seat in the national Congress in his home town of General Santos City in 2007 and he aims to re-enter politics, possibly in next year’s elections.

“I’d like people to remember me as the fighter who lifted the spirits of the Filipinos and was able to inspire and unite them,” Pacquiao said in an interview. “When you go into politics, it’s the welfare of the people that you must think of. I already have money so my goal is to help.”

‘Magic of Pac-Man’

Pacquiao is aiming for a 37th knockout when he takes on Hatton in a non-title fight in the 140-pound (63.5-kilogram) junior welterweight division. Victory would deliver a feel-good factor to a nation struggling with its slowest economic growth in more than eight years, says Father Jantuah. Pacquiao winning is “like Obama becoming president,” says the Ghana-born priest.

“No matter how difficult your life is, how poor you are, you forget your problems for a while” when he fights, added taxi driver Piolo. “That’s the magic of Pac-Man.’’

Manila Police Chief Roberto Rosales is making the most of Pacquiao’s appeal. For just a few hours on Sunday, his force will be left chasing fewer criminals.

“It’s very peaceful, the crime rate is almost zero,” said Rosales. “There should be a Pacquiao fight every day.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Clarissa Batino in Manila at cbatino@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: April 29, 2009 01:46 EDT

I bought PPV for this one. And Im nervous as hell...Hatton looks to be one heck of a figther and hevier too...Cant wait to see the fight. I hope I dont pee my in pants...:bash:

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-sport/no-flu-fears-for-pacquiaohatto-bout-20090430-anow.html

Pacquiao - Hatton fight is all over the world's media....Pacquiao even appeared on CNN Talk Asia!

'No flu fears' for Pacquiao-Hatto bout
Jim Slater
April 30, 2009 - 8:19AM

The swine flu outbreak that has caused seven deaths and worldwide concern is not a worry for Saturday's boxing showdown between England's Ricky Hatton and Filipino Manny Pacquiao.

"There's no concern about it here now," retired Mexican-American boxing star and fight co-promoter Oscar De la Hoya said on Wednesday. "All signs are we're going to have a successful promotion."

Nevada's first confirmed swine flu infection was detected on Wednesday, making 10 states in all where the outbreak which began in Mexico has been identified, especially troubling in an entertainment mecca like Las Vegas.

"Swine flu is a huge concern," De la Hoya said. "It's a health issue and nobody wants to catch it. It's in the back of people's minds.

"I think we're going to provide some great entertainment on Saturday. That's what boxing is all about. I don't think people for that hour are going to be thinking about the swine flu."

But there do figure to be fans from Mexico in the sellout crowd of more than 15,000 as well as visitors from Britain and Philippines to cheer on Hatton and Pacquiao in their junior welterweight showdown.

Mexico's Humberto Soto, 47-7 with two drawn and 30 knockouts, will defend his World Boxing Council super featherweight crown on the Hatton-Pacquiao undercard against Canada's Benoit Gaudet, 20-1 with seven knockouts.

Two other Mexican fighters are in undercard bouts and Mexicans are typically part of the fan base for major fights in Las Vegas. Two top Mexican fighters will sign autographs on Thursday at a fan session for a Mexican beer sponsor.

Pacquiao, a Filipino hero, seeks a title in his sixth different weight class to match a boxing record while Hatton wants the pound-for-pound greatest tag now carried by Pacquiao after a victory over De la Hoya.

"Every Mexican, Mexican-American and Hispanic person I talk to said they have to watch this fight because of what Manny did to me," De la Hoya said.

Philippines health officials reportedly advised some not to attend the fight because of uncertainty about the swine flu and claimed Pacquiao must be checked for signs of the flu after he flies home to Manila on Sunday.

Whether or not Hatton might use the flu as an excuse is already a topic on Filipino boxing web sites.

Looks like Charice Pempengco (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=860052) has made her debut appearance in our SSC International Skybar. :colgate:

^^ I posted Charise's rendition of SSB on that thread. :lol:

^^ I posted Charise's rendition of SSB on that thread. :lol:

naku wag pahalata:D, baka puro pinoy na namn mag post doon:D

^ hindi nga ako nagpopost dun eh... hehe

:lol:^ hindi nga ako nagpopost dun eh... hehe
:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
hindi daw pero nabasa ko post mo doon hahaha

:lol:
:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
hindi daw pero nabasa ko post mo doon hahaha

hindi nakatiis:D nag post din:D:lol::lol::lol:

after ko mag post dito nag post na ako doon, yeah hindi ko nga matiis. :hilarious

Looks like Charice Pempengco (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=860052) has made her debut appearance in our SSC International Skybar. :colgate:


Speaking about Charice, i just found this video of her and Celine's duet at youtube, im not sure if this one was posted here before but it's awesome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5r5g_f1Ptw&feature=related

And about the bigfight tonite, yea i hope manny we'll be able to stop that slugger in 7 rounds...... :cheers:

Undisputed na talaga si Pacquiao...KO na naman si Hatton!!! :banana:

i was surprised sa performance ni hatton, talagang hindi na sya nakatagal sa power ng suntok ni pacman.... atleast yung mga mexikano nyang nakalaban tumagal ng ilang rounds, ito tulog!

Bilisan nyo yung mga di pa nakakanood pa panoorin nyo na habang di pa nawaala hehe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCSrFOPtyrU

baka nakainom na si hattonng beer bago laban.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10570270

Boxing: Philippines rejoices over Pacquaio victory [Boxing: Ricky Hatton v Manny Pacquiao]
New 11:40AM Monday May 04, 2009

MANILA - Army troops and Muslim guerrillas briefly stopped fighting and traffic ground to halt in the Philippines on Sunday as locals rejoiced at the stunning victory of national hero Manny Pacquaio.

The 30-year-old Pacquiao knocked out England's Ricky Hatton with a ferocious left hook to the jaw late in the second round, abruptly ending the light welterweight bout in Las Vegas. The killer punch sparked a frenzy of celebrations across the Philippines.
"The fighter who'll bring down Manny hasn't been born yet," said Melissa Palaran, who was selling corn cobs outside a Manila basketball stadium, where 15,000 Filipinos watched the match on six huge screens.

"Even the US president can't beat Pacquiao. Manny for president," motorcycle taxi driver Jesus Guasis said.

Guasis mounted his taxi and drove back to Manila's streets, which were nearly empty of traffic.

Arroyo and other Philippine officials, who were meeting potential investors in Egypt, broke into cheers when told about Pacquiao's win. She has often cited his phenomenal rise to world fame from being a street vendor. "May this victory inspire all Filipinos to triumph against all odds," Arroyo said.

Retired public school teacher Evangeline Fernandez, clasping a rosary, watched the bout for free in a government gymnasium in Manila's Tondo slum district. She thanked Pacquiao for uniting the Filipinos even for six minutes and drawing the people's mind off long-nagging problems like government corruption.

"Thank you so much Manny for giving us a good name," Fernandez said.

Muslim rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu said many members of the 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim guerrilla group in the country's volatile south, trooped back to their communities to watch the bout. While ecstatic over the result, the rebels thought Pacquiao ended the fun too quickly.

"They came from the fields. They haven't even warmed their seats and it was over," Kabalu said.

"I wish our rebellion can be done as quickly," Kabalu said.

Army soldiers gathered by the hundreds in military stadiums in the capital to support Pacquiao, who is a reserve officer. The military congratulated Pacquiao and urged Filipinos to heed his call for unity.

Many policemen were warned not to leave their posts and told to settle for a replay of the bout, envying colleagues who were deployed to live telecasts in Manila stadiums to guard against pickpockets.

- AP

Jinkee Pacquiao

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/05/03/article-1176786-04C9A5EB000005DC-396_224x423.jpg

wow ang ganda ni Misis:D

All of us are really rejoicing. Aside from Pacquiao's victory, everyone is glued in front of their TV sets to the extent that even MILF rebels went back to their respective communities just to watch him. Now, that only means there is a tacit ceasefire whenever Pacquiao fights.

There is also zero crime rate whenever Pacquiao fights. Who would want to miss it, anyway?

I bought PPV for this one. And Im nervous as hell...Hatton looks to be one heck of a figther and hevier too...Cant wait to see the fight. I hope I dont pee my in pants...:bash:


I want my money back!!!:lol:

wow ang ganda ni Misis:D
ngayon ko lang napansin, may kambal yata si jinkee o hawig nya kapatid nya. pinanood ko yung De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao 24/7 special ng HBO, katabi nya isang babae na hawig nya, para ngang kambal nya e.

^^
kambal talaga Jinkee :D

kamukha ni kristine hermosa si jinkee.

Lot to like about the new king of boxing (http://ph.news.yahoo.com/ap/20090504/tsp-box-tim-dahlberg050309-6e81073.html)

By TIM DAHLBERG,AP Sports Columnist AP - Monday, May 4LAS VEGAS -

Floyd Mayweather Jr. took his daughter bowling Saturday night after announcing his return to the ring. Good thing, because if he had seen Manny Pacquiao fight he might have figured out what boxing fans now know _ that the future of boxing lies in the furious fists of a most unlikely new superstar.

Had he been watching, Mayweather might have been as stunned at what he saw as his estranged father seemed to be in Ricky Hatton's corner. Fighters just aren't supposed to do the kind of things Pacquiao did to Hatton in 5 minutes and 59 seconds of utter domination before a thrilled crowd at the MGM Grand hotel.

All Mayweather can do now is get in line. The road to greatness now runs through a fighter who truly does let his fists do the talking.

"If Mayweather wants a piece of the little Filipino, just be my guest," promoter Bob Arum crowed when it was all over.

That's not likely to happen right away, but the odds are good it will happen eventually. There's too much money involved for it not to.

But give Pacquiao Round 1 already. On a day when Mayweather tried to steal his thunder by unretiring, Pacquiao went into the ring and showed why he is the most exciting thing to happen to boxing in a long, long time.

He didn't just beat Hatton. Didn't just knock him out.

He demolished a world class fighter who had never lost at his natural weight of 140 pounds, and he did it with such precision and ease that the talk afterward wasn't whether Pacquiao is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but whether he might be one of the best ever.

A right hook _ a punch most southpaws don't even have _ started it all, dropping Hatton midway through the first round. A left cross that may be one of the greatest single punches ever thrown in a big fight ended it with a dramatic flourish.

When it was over, Hatton was sprawled motionless on his back in the center of the ring. Pacquiao and his corner were celebrating and the sellout crowd was trying to digest what they had just seen.

And Mayweather was at a bowling alley somewhere trying to pick up a spare.

A few hours earlier, Mayweather had declared that "The king is back" and said he was ready to reclaim his title as the best pound-for-pound fighter. But boxing has a new king in an unassuming fighter so good that he won his last four fights in four different weight classes.

It's a remarkable story even in a sport where tales of rags-to-riches are commonplace. There was a time when Pacquiao lived in a cardboard shack in his native Philippines, and there didn't seem anything special about him when he fought his first fight there at 106 pounds in 1995.

But he began growing and started knocking people out. He hooked up with trainer Freddie Roach and learned how to use his right hand as well as his left.

He sent Oscar De La Hoya into retirement, and may have done the same to Hatton.

And he's such a hero at home that there's talk of him running for president.

Boxing fans have responded by embracing Pacquiao, filling every seat at the MGM Grand and spending $49.95 for the pay-per-view to watch him fight from home. With good reason, because he gives fight fans what they want to see.

While Mayweather plays the villain with great success, Pacquiao comes across as a humble fighter who cares about nothing except doing his job, then getting together with his band as he did after stopping Hatton to make some music. He's fairly fluent in English and makes a point of speaking it instead of relying on a translator, and he acts like a professional in everything he does in boxing.

Most importantly, though, he comes to fight. Oh, does he come to fight.

"He has the opportunity to become the best I've ever promoted," said Arum, who promoted Muhammad Ali and Marvelous Marvin Hagler among others. "Other fights reach a certain level and they think they know everything and never get better. Not Manny. He's always learning."

Pacquiao brought his mother over from the Philippines for her first trip to the United States, but she couldn't bear to watch her son fight. Instead, she stayed in a hotel suite praying for his success and health.

The rest of us were watching closely, though.

And there was a lot to like about what we saw in the new king of boxing.

^^
kambal talaga Jinkee :D

which means baka hindi totoo yung mga usap usapan na mayabang si jinkee at nagiging mapagmataas... baka twin nya yun.

kamukha ni kristine hermosa si jinkee.

which is why hindi ako nagagandahan kay jinkee... dahil hindi ako nagagandahan kay kristine hermosa

which is why hindi ako nagagandahan kay jinkee... dahil hindi ako nagagandahan kay kristine hermosa

ay bading:D:lol::lol::lol:

ay bading:D:lol::lol::lol:

not that. hindi si kristine and tipo ko ng babae e. Mas gusto ko ng morena.

morena, like wilma doesnt?

morena, like wilma doesnt?

more like avi siwa. but i think she's a lesbian.

:D gusto mo ata lesbian::D ibang klase ka pre,:D

ooopppppssss OT, hehehehe

I want my money back!!!:lol:

Hindi ka ba kinilig sa kanta ni Martin sa Lupang Hinirang?




(kinilabutan might be the right word) :lol:

ay bading:D:lol::lol::lol:

Yan sabi ko sa bodybuilder na katabi ko dahil kinilig siya sa birit ni Martin sa huling stanza ng national anthem.


(buti na lang hindi niya narinig... baka kurutin ako niyon) :nuts:

ay bading:D:lol::lol::lol:

hahaha, natawa ako dito. But jinky is beautiful got to give it to her. pacquiao is awesome. Congratulation Pacman. Para kalang nag picnic sa park.

The East lorded over the West.

Manny is one of Time Magazine's World's 100 Most Influential People!


http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/scan0001-1.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/scan0002-1.jpg

He's one of only 3 sportmen who are on the list. The other 2 are Rafael Nadal and Tiger Woods.


Here's the complete list:

LEADERS & REVOLUTIONARIES:

Edward Kennedy - US Senator
Gordon Brown - British Prime Minister
Christine Lagarde - French Finance Minister
Hillary Clinton - US Secretary of State
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - Indonesian President
Nicolas Sarkozy - French President
Angela Merkel - German Chancellor
Wang Qishan - Vice Premier of China
Thomas Dart - Cook County sheriff, Illinois, US
Avigdor Lieberman - Israel Foreign Minister
Joaquin Guzman - Mexican druglord
Nouri al-Maliki - Iraqi Prime Minister
Boris Johnson - London mayor
Norah al-Faiz - Deputy Minister for Women's Education, Saudi Arabia
Elizabeth Warren - TARP overseer
Paul Kugame - President, Rwanda
Xi Jinping - Vice President, China
David McKiernan - US Army General
Barack Obama - US President


BUILDERS & TITANS:

The Twitter Guys - Microblog creators
T. Boone Pickens - entrepreneur
Ted Turner - philanthropist
Tessa Ross - movie producer
Carlos Slim - magnate
Brad Pitt - philanthropist
Meredith Whitney - stock analyst
Suze Orman - financial adviser
Lauren Zalaznick - network chief
Timothy Geithner - US Secretary of Treasury
Nandan Nilekani - CEO
Stella McCartney - fashion designer
Jamie Dimon - CEO
Sheila Blair - FDIC Chair
moot - web host (4chan.org)
Alexander Medvedev - energy czar
Alan Mulally - CEO
Bernie Madoff - criminal
Robin Chase - entrepreneur
Jack Ma - E-commerce CEO


ARTISTS & ENTERTAINERS

Rush Limbaugh - radio host
M.I.A. - musician
Sam and Dan Houser - video game creators
Kate Winslet - actress
Werner Herzog - filmmaker
William Kentridge - visual artist
Penelope Cruz - actress
Jeff Kinney - author
Tavis Smiley - TV host
Lang Lang - pianist
John Legend - musician
Elizabeth Diller & Ricardo Scofidio - architects
Gustavo Dudamel - conductor
The View Ladies - talk show hosts
Zac Efron - actor
Tina Fey - writer/actress/producer
Tom Hanks - actor
Jay Leno - TV host
A.R. Rahman - composer
Judith Jamison - artistic director


HEROES & ICONS

Michelle Obama - US First Lady
Chesley B. Sullenberger - pilot
Richard Phillips - ship captain
Seth Berkley - anti-AIDS crusader
Michael Eavis - impresario
Leonard Abess - banker
Hadizatou Mani - former slave
Rick Warren - pastor
Van Jones - green activist
Suraya Pakzad - activist
Jeff Bezos - internet CEO
Tiger Woods - golfer
George Clooney - advocate
Rafael Nadal - tennis player
Somaly Mam - activist
Brady Gustafson - US Marine
Sister Mary Scullion - advocate
Oprah Winfrey - media mogul
Sarah Palin - Alaska governor
MANNY PACQUIAO - boxer


SCIENTISTS & THINKERS:

Nouriel Roubini - economist
Amory Lovins - green visionary
Jon Favreau - Obama's head speechwriter
Dambisa Moyo - foreign aid thinker
Dan Barber - chef
Yoichiro Nambu - physicist
Roland Fryer - social economist
Martin Lindstrom - author and marketing expert
Paul Krugman - economist
Barbara Hogan - SA Health Minister
David Sheff - author/father
Steven Chu - US Energy Secretary
Connie Hedegaard - Climate & Energy Minister, Denmark
Daniel Nocera - chemist
Nicholas Christakis - physician and sociologist
Stephan Schuster and Webb Miller - biologists
Doug Melton - biologist/stem cell specialist
Paul Ekman - psychologist
Shai Agassi - electric car entrepreneur
Nate Silver - statistician

Luv it.

Last saturday was my proudest night as a filipino and being a filipino... :)

Mabuhay ka Manny! Bilib ako sayo lalo na tuwing interview. Napaka-humble! Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

^^Sana matulungan din ni Manny ang ating amateur boxing. "Wala ka talagang katulad Manny":cheers1:.

^^Sana matulungan din ni Manny ang ating amateur boxing. "Wala ka talagang katulad Manny":cheers1:.

Tama po! malaki kasi ang potential natin sa boxing!:cheers:

Sana rin lumayo si Manny sa mga masamang ispiritu at mga maligno na ang tawag sa panahon ngayon ay mga trapo!

^^ I'd like to think Pacquiao can really be an advocate for boxing. Maybe with that, he can promote boxing and at the same time support the amatuer boxers who have great potential with boxing.

If that would be the case, maybe he can run under the party-list system. If those leftist groups can form and run in Congress, I would not be surprised if advisers of Pacquiao will urge him to run under the party-list system. At the very least, his advocacy to support sports is far better than these leftist groups who espouse communist thoughts.

Pac Man (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=464560&publicationSubCategoryId=66)

Rosan Cruz passed on this one on the Pac Man.

FLASH Breaking News… Pacquiao was disqualified by the Nevada Athletic Commission! Drugs found in his urine include Alaxan, Circulan and Robitussin at may Datu Puti pa!

^hahaha.. a txt msg is funny

Tama po! malaki kasi ang potential natin sa boxing!:cheers:

Sana rin lumayo si Manny sa mga masamang ispiritu at mga maligno na ang tawag sa panahon ngayon ay mga trapo!

Sana makinig siya sa nanay niya. Kung yung pagsa-sabong itinigil niya nung pinagalitan siya ni Aling Dionisia eh! :lol:
Ayaw ng ermat niya na magpulitika siya kaya dapat makinig siya. Mommy Dionisia knows best! :lol:

Sana makinig siya sa nanay niya. Kung yung pagsa-sabong itinigil niya nung pinagalitan siya ni Aling Dionisia eh! :lol:
Ayaw ng ermat niya na magpulitika siya kaya dapat makinig siya. Mommy Dionisia knows best! :lol:

ANG PAPANGIT NG MGA TIPS NYO.

Ang pinakamagandang gawin ni Pacquiao bago nya pagisip yan ay...


... mambalato muna. hehe

^^ oo nga kahit mamigay man lang siya ng gift packs galing sa sponsors niya :lol:

^^Malay natin baka may pasalubong na "swine flu" si idol.:lol:

Look and listen to what this guy saying about Pacquiao:
xR-RE6dqr7w

Pac Man (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=464560&publicationSubCategoryId=66)

Rosan Cruz passed on this one on the Pac Man.

FLASH Breaking News… Pacquiao was disqualified by the Nevada Athletic Commission! Drugs found in his urine include Alaxan, Circulan and Robitussin at may Datu Puti pa!


hahaha:lol::lol::lol::lol::rofl:

Ricky Hatton exclusive interview, gives hat to Manny:
4PfxFtcWZ3k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PfxFtcWZ3k&feature=related

^^ thanks for sharing...nice.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/may/11/yehey/metro/20090511met3.html

Monday, May 11, 2009


Pacquiao’s self-discipline
should inspire Filipinos

Filipinos should look up to Manny Pacquiao as the exemplar of self-discipline and determination, said Chairman Bayani Fenando of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

“Pacquiao became the best boxer in the world, because he willed himself to greatness through a rigorous regimen of self-discipline, long-term training and physical fitness,” he said in a statement Sunday.

The “Pambansang Kamao” (or national fist) knocked out light welterweight champion Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas last week to win his fifth consecutive victory in as many divisions, an outstanding feat in boxing history.

“Pacquiao attributed his string of victories to self-control, using his will and power to win in five divisions. Filipinos cannot find a better model than this sportsman from Sarangani and General Santos City,” said Fernando, a three-time mayor of Marikina.

He urged the youth to follow the boxer’s footsteps in every undertaking at all times to win “small and big victories” in life.

“Collectively, Filipinos should emulate Pacquiao to build the Republic and protect their future, denying themselves short-term comfort and pleasures for long-term gains,” he added.

“Self-restrain and self-abnegation will see us through in times of peril and prosperity,” Fernando said in the statement. “Pacquiao could have ignored his trainers relied on his own skills, but he chose the difficult path—submitting himself to self-discipline and the discipline of his handlers.”

“Imagine what Filipinos could achieve if they have national discipline and take the mastery of themselves and their destiny. Collective self-restrain, sacrifice and perseverance are shared values that could help build national unity and strengthen the national charter,” he added.

The lives of great athletes like Pacquiao, who rose from poverty, are a reminder that every Filipino could also succeed if he takes mastery of himself and practices self-discipline as a strategy, Fernando said.

^^He should really be a "Spokesperson for Discipline". Anything he says, Filipinos will listen and obey :lol:

^^ thanks for sharing...nice.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/may/11/yehey/metro/20090511met3.html

Monday, May 11, 2009


Pacquiao’s self-discipline
should inspire Filipinos

Filipinos should look up to Manny Pacquiao as the exemplar of self-discipline and determination, said Chairman Bayani Fenando of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

“Pacquiao became the best boxer in the world, because he willed himself to greatness through a rigorous regimen of self-discipline, long-term training and physical fitness,” he said in a statement Sunday.

“Pacquiao attributed his string of victories to self-control, using his will and power to win in five divisions. Filipinos cannot find a better model than this sportsman from Sarangani and General Santos City,” said Fernando, a three-time mayor of Marikina.


“Collectively, Filipinos should emulate Pacquiao to build the Republic and protect their future, denying themselves short-term comfort and pleasures for long-term gains,” he added.

“Self-restrain and self-abnegation will see us through in times of peril and prosperity,” Fernando said in the statement. “Pacquiao could have ignored his trainers relied on his own skills, but he chose the difficult path—submitting himself to self-discipline and the discipline of his handlers.”

“Imagine what Filipinos could achieve if they have national discipline and take the mastery of themselves and their destiny. Collective self-restrain, sacrifice and perseverance are shared values that could help build national unity and strengthen the national charter,” he added.

The lives of great athletes like Pacquiao, who rose from poverty, are a reminder that every Filipino could also succeed if he takes mastery of himself and practices self-discipline as a strategy, Fernando said.

Indeed, these are the right formula to attain prosperity and development and not through this waste of time and money called cha-cha.

BF must be the next president, he considered a "Proudly Pinoy" too. Walang kokontra.....

Pacquiao–and Licad, Gonzaga, Salonga, Macuja (http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20090511-204294/Pacquiaoand-Licad-Gonzaga-Salonga-Macuja)

By Pablo Tariman
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:13:00 05/11/2009

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/8154/filipinolegends.png (http://img27.imageshack.us/my.php?image=filipinolegends.png)

There are many images in the recent Pacquiao-Hatton fight that stir the heart and move the soul.

The boxing robe of Manny Pacquiao with all the colors of the Philippine flag on it—and enhanced by sound bites of cheering countrymen—open a floodgate of indescribable patriotic fervor; the sight of the boxer deep in prayer in the corner of the ring shows the veteran boxer asking for intercession from someone Bigger than Himself.

Pacquiao further humbled himself and said the fight was just part of a day’s work. “Nothing personal here,” he told media men. “We just have to do what we have to do. Walang personalan dito. Trabaho lang. [Nothing personal here. It’s just work.]”

For living up to his countrymen’s expectations, Manny Pacquiao is the National Treasure of the Hour.

But to be fair, Pacquiao isn’t the only Filipino celebrity consistently making news abroad in the last 10 years. Recently Iloilo-born Filipino tenor Otoniel Gonzaga was reaping audience adulation in Vienna as Calaf in Turandot and as Bacchus in the Strauss opera, Ariadne auf Naxus. Lea Salonga is cheered as Cinderella in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicale from China to Thailand and Singapore. Ballerina Lisa Macuja made history by becoming the first and last Filipino soloist (in fact the first foreigner) of Kirov Ballet, where the imminent Mikhail Baryshnikov and Natalia Makarova came from.

Meanwhile, the Manila-born pianist Cecile Licad started the year with a bang with an acclaimed concert at the Rockefeller Center in New York. New York Times critic Harris Goldsmith unabashedly told the pianist, “With that performance, you have just joined the league of the world’s greatest pianists.”

Licad is the Pacquiao of the Piano in terms of respect and adulation in classical music. “She is the greatest pianist of her generation,” declared the Queen of Piano herself, Martha Argerich from Argentina. The New Yorker described her as “the pianists’ pianist” and the Chicago Sun-Times once referred to her as “one of the flaming talents that comes along one or two times in every generation.”

Pacquiao has been described as a “monster”—and Licad in the past has been called the same thing, or close to it.

When Licad performed in Croatia, critics described her Beethoven sonata as “demonic” because of sheer speed and power at the keyboard. First-rate boxers and musicians go through the same regimen. Pianists log eight hours of daily piano practice, opera stars vocalize and sing late into the night while ballet dancers rip flesh and bone in daily classes for weeks before opening night. They are on stage for close to two hours to deliver magic and inspiration. For them, there is no such thing as a short-cut or a knockout.

In his latest bout, Pacquiao practiced for weeks (close to two months) and finished the fight in less than half an hour.

Filipino performing artists acclaimed in various capitals of the world deserve more than token notice from the government. They will never enjoy a pay-per-view income, only a few can buy several luxury cars and mansions and of course their highly acclaimed performances will not merit backstage greetings from “50 congressmen” and a motley of Hollywood stars.

There is another jolting image of Pacquiao as he looks down on the fallen Hatton. His boxing shorts proclaim Café Puro and Motolite ads and for sure they also translate into millions.

There is a big element of patriotism, honor and pride in the recent Pacquiao-Hatton fight and I share it. But as I look at him as a human billboard, a disturbing thought just occurred to me: are we not in fact endorsing as our role model a greedy money-maker rather than a model of discipline and piety? To the producers and promoters, we ask: after earning millions in this fight, can you—for heaven’s sake—spare a part of the boxer’s body as sacred and not transform all of it into a human billboard?

Which brings us to reflect on the plight of artists with no millions in pre-performance contracts, who have to make do with modest fees compared to the millions of dollars earned by world champs.

Once again, let’s cheer Manny Pacquiao for the nth time for the extraordinary brain and brawn he has shown in the latest fight. But for once, we should also remember that the world, too, needs heroes and heroines who can warm the heart and spirit of people in these difficult and uncertain times.

After all the euphoria, there is another life to be led and this involves imbibing the beauty and magic of the arts on the global stage.

In this aspect, a Cecile Licad, an Otoniel Gonzaga, a Lea Salonga and a Lisa Macuja have done more than enough to make our country proud. They will win hearts and minds and they will prove they can make a difference—not by beating an international foe to a bloody pulp—but in showing the nobility of the human spirit through the language of music, theater and dance.

They didn’t do it because it’s “trabaho lang.”

They did it for art, love and life—and with no hope of a motorcade or a token call from Malacañang.

(Pablo A. Tariman has covered the performing arts for various publications in the last 30 years.)

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Talentado talaga ang Pinoy!:banana:

RP scientist reappointed as head of India-based agency (http://mb.com.ph/node/200256)
By MADEL R. SABATER

An international agricultural research organization based in India has appointed a Filipino scientist to head the agency for the third consecutive term because of his exemplary performance and strong leadership for the past nine years.

Former Agriculture Secretary Dr. William Dar has been appointed as Director General (DG) of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) based in Patancheru, India for the third consecutive term, from January 2010 to December 2014.

Dar has been leading the international organization since January 2000. He served as agriculture secretary during the time of President Joseph Estrada.

“The [ICRISAT] Governing Board (GB) highly commended [Dar] for the great success of 2008, excellent performance, strong leadership and big achievements in the last nine years,” ICRISAT said.

Dar said his third term “gives him the opportunity to continue his work of leading a world-class team that delivers high-quality science research products that improve the livelihood of the poor dryland farmers,” aiming to help the institute grow towards the next level in agricultural research and development.

“As the leading international dryland agricultural research institute, ICRISAT has improved the productivity of nutritious dryland crops that help sustain the lives of the poor farmers. By helping the farmers overcome current risks, we enable them to climate-proof their agricultural systems for the future,” Dar said.

Under Dar’s leadership, ICRISAT has won two consecutive “outstanding” ratings, in 2006 and 2007, from the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and World Bank (WB). It also received positive reports from two External Program and Management Reviews (EPMRs), held in 2003 and 2009.

Among the scientific breakthroughs under Dar’s reign include the development of the world’s first pigeonpea hybrid through the cytoplasmic male sterility system in 2007 as well as the launch of commercial production of ethanol from sweet sorghum, also in 2007; and the development of the world’s first pearl millet hybrid, developed through molecular marker-assisted selection and breeding, in 2005.

ICRISAT’s annual budget also reportedly doubled from $ 24.6 million in 2003 to $50.5 million in 2008, with a budget surplus from 2003 to 2008, through intensive resource mobilization activities and sound financial management that Dar led.

It was also ICRISAT through Dr. Dar that sweet sorghum and jatropha were introduced to the Philippines as alternative biofuel sources. ICRISAT is the counterpart of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Laguna.

RP scientist gains int’l recognition (http://mb.com.ph/node/200160)
By MADEL SABATER

Filipinos abroad continue to gain international recognition with the election of Dr. Baldomero Olivera as the first Filipino member of the United States National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

The NAS has 72 new members, including Olivera, and 18 foreign associates from 15 countries, bringing the total number of NAS active members to 2,150 and 404 foreign associates.

Olivera is a distinguished professor of biology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

NAS said the new members were elected "in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research."

NAS, established in 1863, is a private organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to the furtherance of science and its use for the general welfare.

Olivera is a corresponding member of the Philippine National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST). He graduated summa cum laude from the University of the Philippines (UP) in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree Major in Chemistry and finished his doctorate degree, also in Chemistry, from the California Institute of Technology in 1966.

Olivera received the Philippine Legion of Honor (Rank of Grand Officer or "Marangal na Pinuno") Presidential Award given by President Arroyo in January 2008 in recognition of his significant contributions and and achievements in the field of marine science, including the 2007 Harvard Scientist of the Year given by Harvard University.

The multi-awarded scientist is famous for his research on neuropharmacology using the venom of conesnails, particularly his discovery on its "combination of drug therapy," as it can lead its prey to a sedated, quiescent state.

One of his students who worked in his laboratory was able to develop a conesnail toxin which is now used to treat pain in cancer patients.

Consnails' venom, which has been found to be as deadly as the king cobra, has the capability to paralyze its prey by interrupting communication between nerve and muscle and by blocking electrical signals in nerves. Seventy percent of untreated human stinging cases were found to be fatal.

DBP wins Global CSR award in Qatar (http://goodnewspilipinas.com/wp/?p=5319)
Posted on May 11th, 2009 under We are Pinoys!

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State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) won the ADFIAP Development Award for Most Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Project for its DBP Endowment for Education Program (DEEP) during the annual Association of Development Financial Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) Awards held at the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa.

DEEP is a 10-year program of DBP with a total funding of P1-billion. Through the program, DBP provides financial assistance to qualified and deserving underprivileged high school students who wish to pursue college education. DEEP scholars come from families with annual income not exceeding P150,000 and graduated in the upper 20% of their high school class.

“We have always taken pride in our Corporate Social Responsibility that is embedded in the core of our mandated development role. And this recognition only affirms that we are on the right track in our serious efforts to make our CSR initiatives work for the benefit of more and more people in need of urgent and responsive interventions,’’ DBP president and chief executive officer Reynaldo G. David said.

David added that DEEP is one of the Bank’s most significant CSR undertakings that taps a crucial and one of the most widely known forces of development – education. Launched last year, the first batch of DEEP scholars consisted of 120 nursing students enrolled in seven partner-schools nationwide.

Most of these scholars are children of farmers, laborers, drivers, teachers, housewives, electricians, mechanics, vendors, retired policemen, and soldiers.

“The impressive academic performance of the first batch of DEEP nursing scholars has definitely given us further inspiration to carry on with the program. More than 60% of our 120 nursing scholars achieved a grade point average of 90% and above for their first year performance. The scholars have indeed, shown that given the chance and the needed assistance, they certainly can develop and make full use of their potential and set out to eventually rise above their circumstances,’’ David added.

David also said that DEEP has been refocused this year to respond to the projected increase in demand for seafarers and technically-skilled workers. He added that the Bank is partnering this time with manning agencies that will assure employment for future DEEP graduates, as part of the Bank’s approach to adapt to the demands and needs of the changing world.

ADFIAP is an organization of development banks and other financial institutions engaged in the financing of development in the Asia-Pacific region. The annual ADFIAP Awards recognizes and honors member-banks that have undertaken or assisted projects that have created a development impact in their respective countries by implementing or enhancing outstanding and innovative development projects.

Talentado talaga ang Pinoy!:banana:

I think we're more geared to excell artistically....rather than academically or athletically. But that's just my own personal opinion.

Post away folks! :colgate:

Link to Thread 3 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=245843&page=125) in the Archives. :okay:

New thread! (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=869496) :colgate:



:lock:

Pinoy films shine in Korea, U-S Film Festivals (http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=121200265760&h=W_Acp&u=WIyhw&ref=nf)
Posted on May 12th, 2009 under Entertainment Success

Filipino films “Concerto” and “Imburnal” continue to put the Philippines on the global film making map.

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“Imburnal” produced and directed by Davao-based independent filmmaker Sherad Anthony Sanchez won the two top prizes at the 10th Jeonju International Film Festival in South Korea. The digital movie won the Best Film or the Woosuk Award, and the cash prize of $10,000. Along with the prestigious citation, it also grabbed the NETPAC prize, awarded by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema.

While “Concerto” directed by Paul Alexander Morales is a finalist in the inaugural festival Politics on Film in Washington, D.C. One of only four international films, it is eligible for selection in the First Prize Award in the International Category as well for the Audience Award. It is also the only film from Asia in the International Category

Concerto is based on a true story written by a former Philippine Army Officer after World War II.

The film brings to the screen the story of a Filipino family displaced by war and occupation. As the family treads the thin line between enmity and friendship with the occupying Japanese, the film explores how family values are questioned. Concerto fuses history and culture in a personal and metaphorical look at how a family survived the war.

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Imburnal which chronicles the struggles of slum kids in Davao, bested 12 entries from other countries in the festival that is considered “Korea’s second biggest, next to Pusan.” It was cited for being “innovative and experimental and a miraculous work.”

Last year, “Imburnal” topped the Cinema One Originals competition and was rated “X” by the Movie and Television Review and Classification

Lovely Lea (http://www.theatermania.com/touring-productions/news/05-2009/lovely-lea_19139.html)

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Lea Salonga may have recently moved back to her native Philippines, but the Tony Award-winning star has definitely not retired from the business or forgotten her fans. Not long after heading back to Manila, she went out on the road in an international tour of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic Cinderella -- one that was an overwhelming success. "It's amazing how popular Broadway shows are outside of Broadway," she notes. "Over seven months, we did five cities in mainland China, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, and Seoul -- and we did the show in English everywhere -- and the audiences were just huge."

Salonga has also embarked on a new U.S. concert tour, which will play Reno, Nevada on May 24 and Los Angeles on May 30, along with a host of stops this fall in other areas of the country, including Tarrytown, New York. The concert will feature selections from her 2007 recording Inspired, along with her many hits. (See www.leasalonga.com for details.)

Not surprisingly, though, she'd love to return to Broadway, where her triumphs have included Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, and Flower Drum Song, but family obligations may mean deferring that dream for a little bit. "My luck's in New York. When I'm there, something good happens," she says. "I want to come back, but I think it will be best when my daughter, Nicole, is a bit older. She just turned three."

It can be hard to believe Salonga has a three-year-old child or that she's 38 years old herself, since she still looks the same as she did in 1991 when People magazine chose her as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world. "I'm blessed," she says. "I'm Asian, but the youth gene runs in my family. Many people assume my mother is my sister! I'm also in a great business, doing what I love to do. It doesn't feel like work, so there's little stress. Travel can be drudgery, but that's a fact of life in today's world."

After being based in Los Angeles for many years, Salonga moved back home because of her husband, Robert Chien, whom she married in 2004. "He's the head of a media company," she explains. "He came home one day and said, 'Guess what, honey? We're going to the Philippines.' He was selected to oversee a joint venture. It was quite a surprise, especially when he said he didn't know how long we were going to be here. Initially, I was adamant about not returning. Our lives were in L.A., and my career was based in the U.S. I had concert commitments. I'd settled in and was acclimated to life there. Plus I am an impatient person, especially when it comes to traffic and services, so life here is a major change from L.A. But this is home, and I'm enjoying myself. My mother's here and she is enjoying time with her granddaughter."

Salonga credits her mother, Ligaya, for guiding her down the right career and life paths. "Mother never heard the word 'impossible.' She shaped my determination to succeed at what I wanted to do and helped turn me into a strong-willed person," says Salonga. "I believed in my heart of hearts that I had talent, and I was ready to go for it, but Mom kept telling me, 'You've got to make sure you really have it.'" Moreover, when Salonga began making records as a child, her mother was told, "Forget about it. They won't sell." Still, Ligaya went from music store to music store and peddled her daughter's first single. "Before we knew it, orders were coming in -- more than we ever imagined," says Salonga, who released her first solo album, Small Voice, at age 10.

At age 7, Salonga made her stage debut in The King and I, which was followed by roles in a number of local productions of Broadway musicals, and she later hosted her own national variety TV show, Love, Lea. Still, she briefly attended college, taking pre-med courses and considering a career as a dermatologist. "My parents stressed the importance of education," says Salonga. "Mom told me it was something no one could take away, that it would shape the way I look at things. But I also learned that intelligence wasn't everything. If you want to succeed, preparation and perseverance are just as important."

While Salonga wouldn't change her last two decades of worldwide fame, she admits it has come with a price. "It took one thing I prize away: my privacy. I'm easily recognizable here, and people stare. It's uncomfortable; but as I've gotten older, I'm better with it, and I know not to go places where my safety is threatened," she says. "I have to admit I quite enjoyed the anonymity of L.A., where I was being recognized for my work, but still having my privacy respected."

Pinoy orchestra’s debut is hot-ticket event (http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20090515-205262/Pinoy-orchestras-debut-is-hot-ticket-event)

For the cultural and social cognoscenti or just plain music lovers among the Filipinos living in Southern California, all roads tomorrow evening, May 17, lead to the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, where the first Filipino symphony orchestra outside the Philippines makes it historic debut.

It promises to be an exciting gala night. Bob Shroder, the Cavite-born and -raised musical director and conductor of the Filipino-American Symphony Orchestra (Faso), told us that the orchestra has grown from the original plan of 40 to 45 to about 60 members. It will be an unprecedented moment—a theater stage in the US brimming with 58 Pinoy musicians, from talented teenagers to accomplished veterans, who will play Filipino classics, pop and Broadway gems, and classical music.

“I’m very, very excited,” enthused singer Joey Albert, who’s one of the guest performers (the others are Stephanie Reese and Pete Avendaño). She wrote via email, “I’m looking forward to finally be able to sing my hit songs with a full orchestra. But, I’m more excited for Bob, who’s a dear friend. This has been his longtime dream. Someone as dedicated to Filipino music like Bob deserves an opportunity like this.”

Bold decision

“Any philanthropic endeavor is always a bold decision,” Joey declared about Bob’s undertaking, especially in these tough economic times. “I applaud Roger and Cora Oriel for creating Faso. This most uplifting event will make every Filipino-American proud.”

The Oriels, who are outstanding leaders of the Fil-Am community, are the publishers of Asian Journal and Balikbayan, a glossy new magazine distributed in the US and the Philippines.

The singer told us, “I will be performing three OPM tunes and two English songs, including a most unconventional surprise number, originally arranged by Louie Ocampo for a string quartet. I’m looking forward to a most uplifting evening filled with pride in Filipino artistry and the oneness in art and soul of Fil-Am artists.”

Having worked with Bob before, Joey knows that the orchestra is in good hands. “Bob is one of the most dedicated and disciplined musicians I know,” she shared. “Both his music and life are inspiring. His quest for musical fulfillment is no different from his successful quest for his father. Both were guided by an invincible sense of determination and dedication. This is how Bob found his father, as well as his dream concert.”

“I pray that this does become a permanent institution,” Joey said of Faso. “We’ve all seen good orchestras come and go in the Philippines, shattered by economic, political and personal conflicts. I hope that everybody has finally learned that pride and ego do nothing but destroy good and beautiful things—and that, to make a good thing last, everybody has to truly come together and make sacrifices for the bigger cause. This is one Filipino artistic endeavor I pray will stay.”

Unity and pride

Tagumpay “Pi” de Leon, son of National Artist Felipe Padilla de Leon and Iluminada Mendoza, an accomplished pianist who plays the contrabass in Faso, is optimistic. “I’m very excited,” Pi said via email. “I feel that something good will come out of this, in terms of lifting the spirits of our people and, hopefully, instilling in them the feeling of unity and pride as Filipinos.”

Pi, who described himself as “an engineer by profession and a musician by avocation,” champions rondalla music in Southern California. He teaches rondalla courses at UC Riverside (he also taught the first ever Philippine string ensemble at UCLA). “I’ve never played in an orchestra,” he wrote. “I’m more of an aficionado as far as playing the bass is concerned. It’s gratifying to know that I can contribute in some way to a wonderful and successful concert.”

“Bob is really doing a good job, considering that he has to manage individuals with different levels of experience and ability,” Pi said of their orchestra leader. “Overall, I believe he has the right temperament and patience to lead it.”

Pi is confident that a bright future awaits Faso after it makes its hot-ticket gala night debut tomorrow evening at 6. He explained: “The ultimate goal of Faso is to establish itself as a legitimate institution that nurtures Filipino talents and promotes the beauty of our culture, particularly in music. I’m all for it. I believe that, as Filipinos, we should continually strive to make people aware of our heritage through the musical medium.”

OT:

San po yung San Francisco Disney Studio?

My Friend(Filipino Actor) invited him na mag-screening sa SF Disney para sa major role ng Disney Channel Wizards of Waverly Place at mapasama din sa movie? Mapapasama kaya siya Proudly Pinoy Thread someday?