Koreans come in droves for English classes

MANILA, Philippines--A total of 111,000 students from South Korea came to the Philippines last year for English classes and other study tours, accounting for 17 percent of the 653,320 Korean arrivals, the Department of Tourism said.

Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said the number was expected to grow significantly this year, judging from “the quality and quantity” of inquiries the department received at the recent 26th Korea Student and Emigration Fair in Seoul.

Koreans have become the biggest group of visitors to the Philippines, surpassing Americans. The tourism department expects them to number a million by 2010 and account for one-fifth of its target of five million visitors a year.

“The Korean overseas learning sector accounts for around five million people, including those who want to acquire skills that will help them participate in the global economy,” Durano said.

He said the Department of Tourism joined in the Korea Student and Emigration Fair to get a bigger share of that sector, partly by partnering with schools with English as Second Language, or ESL, programs.

He said most Korean students of English preferred schools in the cities of Baguio, Manila, Iloilo and Cebu and in the northern region of Cagayan Valley.

Some enroll in two-month ESL programs that coincide with their summer or winter breaks; others enter the regular course offerings of international schools and universities in the Philippines; and some want to learn English for use in particular fields, such as medicine and nursing.

There are also packages in which ESL is applied in golf, diving and other areas of interest for more specialized Korean groups.

Durano said the tourism and education sectors needed to further improve their facilities and services, such as discouraging fly-by-night operations and ensuring the safety of visitors.

From January to February, Korean visitors in the Philippines numbered 126,354, accounting for 22.1 percent of total arrivals and increasing by five percent year-on-year.

source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/

Mona Lisa's smile

Groundbreaking study deconstructs Mona Lisa's smile

PARIS – Mona Lisa's celebrated shadows around her eyes and mouth were created by Leonardo da Vinci through layers of different paints, according to a groundbreaking study published Tuesday.

Using a technique known as sfumato, which overlays translucent layers of color to create perceptions of depth, volume and form, da Vinci first applied paint containing manganese on the celebrated painting, the study published in the periodical Applied Optics reported.

That was followed by a second layer containing a mix of vermillion and lead, in a technique widely used by Italian painters of the period, according to the study's author Mady Elias.

The analysis of the layers was done using a multi-spectral camera that can measure 100 million luminous spectrums in as many points on the painting.

"This is the first time that an accounting of luminous fluxes in the material has been applied to art," said Elias, a researcher at the Paris-based National Center for Scientific Research, of a technique previously used only in atmospheric and oceanographic sciences.

The Mona Lisa hangs in the Louvre art museum in Paris.

source: http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/

'On My Own' by Philippine Madrigal Singers

The Philippine Madrigal Singers perform "On My Own" from "Les Miserables" at the Madrigal meets Broadway charity concert.

Video taken by: INQUIRER.net
Videographer: Janie Christine Octia

Source: http://www.inquirer.net

Planned Route of Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay

Validated by IOC, the Olympic Flame will be lit in Olympia, Greece according to tradition on March 24, 2008. From March 24-29, the Torch Relay will travel across Greece, ending at the Panathinaiko Stadium, the site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. After the handover ceremony in the stadium, the Olympic Flame will arrive in Beijing on March 31, 2008. In Beijing, a ceremony will be held for the arrival of the flame into China and Beijing 2008 Olympic torch relay will commence.

The cities along the route are:

Beijing; Almaty; Istanbul; St.Petersburg; London; Paris; San Francisco; Buenos Aires; Dar Es Salaam; Muscat; Islamabad; New Delhi; Bangkok; Kuala Lumpur; Jakarta; Canberra; Nagano; Seoul; Pyongyang; Ho Chi Minh City; Hong Kong; Macao; Hainan Province (Sanya, Wuzhishan, Wanning, Haikou); Guangdong Province (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Huizhou, Shantou); Fujian Province (Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Xiamen, Longyan); Jiangxi Province (Ruijin, Jinggangshan, Nanchang); Zhejiang Province (Wenzhou, Ningbo, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Jiaxing); Shanghai; Jiangsu Province (Suzhou, Nantong, Taizhou, Yangzhou, Nanjing); An'hui Province (Hefei, Huainan, Wuhu, Jixi, Huangshan); Hubei Province (Wuhan, Yichang, Jingzhou); Hunan Province (Yueyang, Changsha, Shaoshan); Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Guilin, Nanning, Baise); Yunnan Province (Kunming, Lijiang, Xamgyi' nyilha); Guizhou Province (Guiyang, Kaili, Zunyi); Chongqing; Sichuang Province (Guang'an, Mianyang, Guanghan, Leshan, Zigong, Yibin, Chengdu); Tibet Autonomous Region (Shannan Diqu, Lhasa); Qinghai Province (Golmud, Qinghai Hu, Xining); Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Urumqi, Kashi, Shihezi, Changji); Gansu Province (Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, Jiuquan, Tianshui, Lanzhou); Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (Zhongwei, Wuzhong, Yinchuan); Shaanxi Province (Yan'an, Yangling, Xianyang, Xi'an); Shanxi Province (Yuncheng, Pingyao, Taiyuan, Datong); Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Hohhot, Ordos, Baotou, Chifeng); Heilongjiang Province (Qiqihar, Daqing, Harbin); Jilin Province (Songyuan, Changchun, Jilin, Yanji); Liaoning Province (Shenyang, Benxi, Liaoyang, Anshan, Dalian); Shandong Province (Yantai, Weihai, Qingdao, Rizhao, Linyi, Qufu, Tai'an, Jinan); Henan Province (Shangqiu, Kaifeng, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Anyang); Hebei Province (Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Tangshan); Tianjin; and Beijing.

One of the highlights of this leg will be the attempt to bring the Olympic Flame to the highest peak in the world Mt. Qomolangma. During the arrival ceremony for the flame into China on March 31, 2008, one of the lanterns with the Olympic Flame will be kept aside. The torchbearer team will then attempt to take the Flame to the highest peak on a day in May that presents the best climatic conditions for the ascent.

See animation of the route

source: http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/journey/

Olympic torch arrives in Australia

The Beijing Olympic flame arrived in Canberra Wednesday for the Australian leg of the troubled global torch relay which has been beset by protests.

An Air China A330 Airbus carrying the flame touched down at a military airfield in Canberra after a six-hour flight from Jakarta and was met by Australian and Chinese officials.

The flame, which has become the focus of international demonstrations against Olympics host China's rule in Tibet and its human rights record, arrived at about 7:50 am (2150 GMT Tuesday), amid tight security.

Thousands of Chinese supporters and pro-Tibet protesters are expected to descend on Canberra for its journey around the capital on Thursday.

Barriers have been erected along the 16-kilometer (10-mile) route and more than half of the city's police force will be patrolling the spectacle after violent incidents in Europe and the United States.

The flame was carried off the plane by Chinese officials and greeted on the airport tarmac by Aboriginal community leaders.

source: http://sports.inquirer.net

Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said the torch provided an opportunity to reflect on the uniting spirit of sport.

"Participation in this relay is important and it is important for those who care about human rights as well as those who care about the ideals of sport," he said.

"Participation is a way of allowing our differences in a clear and clarion voice even as we celebrate our similarities and our shared humanity.

"In a robust and mature democracy such as ours there is no particular danger in mixed messages."

International Olympic Committee deputy president Kevan Gosper, in Canberra to welcome the flame, said security would be provided by Australian officials.

"People are free to protest as long as it's peaceful," he said.

"We just don't buy violence. I don't think any Australian citizen buys violence."

Ahead of the torch's arrival in Australia, China's ambassador in Canberra Zhang Junsai said he had been angered by the attacks on the torch in Paris and London and he hoped the Canberra leg would be trouble free.

Zhang said the image of a young wheelchair-bound athlete, "holding the torch with both arms close to her chest to protect the flame as violent 'protesters' tried repeatedly to grab it from her, has infuriated me."

The torch, symbol of the Beijing Games, is on the Asian stretch of a world tour that began with protests in Greece when the flame was lit in late March.

At protests in London and Paris demonstrators tried to wrest the torch from bearers while in the US protesters complained about China's rule in Tibet and its human rights record.

The outrage, which followed China's crackdown in Tibet, has prompted officials around the world to shorten the flame's journey and enforce greater security measures.

In Indonesia, the torch was paraded on Tuesday at an invitation-only event around a sprawling national stadium complex in Jakarta.

source: http://sports.inquirer.net

Cybercrime bill faces battle in Congress

Consolidated cybercrime bill faces tough battle in Congress

Given the rice crisis in the country and high-profile bills pending in Congress, Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) chairman Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III believes that it would take a lot more effort to convince legislators that its consolidated cybercrime bill also needs attention.

The CICT chairman said the agency is working closely with the Department of Justice on the passage of the consolidated cybercrime bill.

Roxas-Chua said there were four versions of the cybercrime bill filed at the House of Representatives. He added that the consolidated bill would contain definitions of cybercrime, punishment of such crimes and provisions on cooperation with the international community, among others.

Last year, the DoJ created a task force to deal with cybersecurity issues in legislation and investigation. The group was created to pursue the e-government agenda, institutionalize a cybersecurity regime and implement laws. The task force worked closely with the Council of Europe, a private organization, and local experts composed of IT practitioners and other stakeholders.

Among the top priorities of the group was to work for the passage of the cybercrime prevention act, which failed to pass in the previous Congress. The task force was expected to work with the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police.

Also last year, the CICT, DoJ and the Council of Europe agreed to work together on the cybercrime bill.

So far, the country has convicted two hackers under the existing Republic Act No. 8792 or the Electronic Commerce Law.

Read More...

source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net

Education's goal

The current graduation period and the opening of school two months from now should prompt students, their parents, their teachers and education officials to think again about the goal of a university education.

John Henry Cardinal Newman, in “The Idea of a University,” stated the aim of a university education clearly. He said it is to develop in the students “the force, the steadiness, the comprehensiveness and the versatility of intellect, the command over our own powers, the instinctive just estimate of things as they pass before us,” which are the fruit of rigorous training and noble influences.

Educators say that the function of education is both social and individual. Its social function is to help people become more effective members of society by passing on to them the collective experience of the past and the present. Its individual function is to enable them to lead more satisfying and productive lives by preparing them to handle new experiences successfully.

In the contemporary world, the practical objective of a university education is often stressed; it is seen as a means for social and economic advancement. The presupposition is that people live in a competitive environment and that the aim of a university education is to help them become winners. This is now the predominant thinking in the Philippines: A university education is seen primarily as a means for getting high-paying jobs and an aid to social mobility. What is often forgotten is that a university education should also develop in the students emotional intelligence, a broad cultural outlook and the right moral perspective.

In the effort to obtain the all-important diploma, it is often forgotten that a liberal education in a university is supposed to have a liberating and liberalizing influence on the lives of the students. To be educated is not only to have private enlightenment but also to have the ability to reach rational public agreements and thus become a productive member of the community. When you come down to it, a university education should develop a mind open to truth and a heart which loves the truth.

At no time in the history of the country is the need to develop a moral perspective in the youth more urgent. The bad examples of many high government officials and politicians and the nation’s culture of forgetfulness and impunity could make the impressionable youth adopt the wrong values. Students may amass a lot of knowledge of facts, theories and techniques, they may acquire cognitive skills, but if they have no moral and ethical perspective, they will not be good members of society.

Read more...

source: http://opinion.inquirer.net/

Operation Beijing storm: rockets target rain

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is preparing an arsenal of rockets and aircraft to protect the Olympics opening ceremony from rain, hoping to disperse clouds before they can drench dignitaries at the roofless "bird's nest" stadium.

Officials believe there is a 47 percent probability of rain during the August 8 opening ceremony and a 6 percent chance of a heavy downpour and will try to drain humidity from clouds before they reach Beijing.

More than 100 staff at 21 stations surrounding the city will have 10 minutes' notice to fire rockets or cannons containing silver iodide at approaching clouds in the hope of making them rain before they reach the stadium. Three aircraft will also be on stand-by to drop catalysts to unleash rain from the clouds.

"We've worked with neighboring provinces on a contingency plan for rainstorm and other weather risks during the ceremonies," said Wang Yubin, the deputy chief of China's meteorological service assigned to the Olympics.

The government has spent $500,000 to build up Beijing's cloud seeding capacities over the last five years and authorities will conduct practice runs in June and July. It typically uses pellets of silver iodide, which is highly insoluble in water and can concentrate moisture to cause rain.

Zhang Qiang, head of Beijing's Weather Modification Office, believed her staff can fend off drizzle, but could be powerless in the face of a heavy downpour.

source: http://news.yahoo.com

Martin Luther King 'dream' lives on

Martin Luther King 'dream' lives on, 40 years after death

WASHINGTON -- On April 4 America marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, just as the first black candidate with a viable shot at the White House reinvigorates the late reverend's civil rights "dream."

In 1968 the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr was killed by a single bullet to the head while on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in downtown Memphis, in the southern state of Tennessee.

The Nobel peace prize winner was just 39 years old. Had he lived he would have turned 79 in January.

The mystery surrounding his assassination has swirled for years, with escaped convict James Earl Ray convicted of the murder and sentenced to 99 years in prison.

Ray confessed to pulling the trigger, then quickly proclaimed his innocence. Debate over the official version of events, in which authorities determined that Ray had acted alone, remained sharp.

Conspiracy theories abound, with many refusing to believe how or why this unknown convict could have escaped from a Missouri state penitentiary, planned the assassination, and thwarted King's security detail all on his own.

In death King became a martyr in the civil rights struggle, but in life he was a charismatic hero battling for racial equality, from the 1956 bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama and non-violent protest marches through to his famous "I have a dream" speech in Washington in 1963.

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,'" King told some 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in the US capital.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Four words -- "I have a dream" -- thundered through his speech and entered into the American lexicon as symbols of the pursuit of racial equality in America.

Some 40 years later, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign is putting that concept to the test.

The Illinois senator -- the only African American presently in the Senate -- addressed the sensitive race issue directly in a recent speech in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that drew parallels with King.

Obama's remarks were "the most important speech on the question of race and the future of this country since Dr King's 'I have a dream' speech," said Chaka Fattah, a black Congressman from Pennsylvania.

Several other commentators hailed Obama's address as historic.

According to a CBS News opinion poll, 69 percent of Americans approved of the Illinois senator's speech, in which he urged an end to the country's "racial stalemate."

Obama also spoke eloquently about black "anger" and white "resentment" at a time when divisive talk about race threatened to engulf the presidential campaign.

"I have never been so naive as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle," Obama said.

"But I have asserted a firm conviction ... that working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds," said Obama.

While 52 percent of Americans hailed King's "great influence" on civil rights -- with 75 percent of blacks and 47 percent of whites saying so -- some 39 percent of blacks said the country still had "a long way to go" towards racial equality, according to a survey of 1,012 respondents conducted by Ohio University.

Throughout the country, religious ceremonies and university conferences will celebrate King's legacy, including an event at Tennessee's Vanderbilt University, where longtime human rights advocate and black activist Angela Davis will address the theme "We are not now living the dream" of Martin Luther King.

source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

Western Visayas caves get protection

Western Visayas caves get protection from DENR

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources have taken steps to protect caves in Western Visayas from further vandalism and illegal excavations that have all but destroyed the natural formations.

Damaso Fuentes, chief of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Division of the DENR in Western Visayas, said many of the caves in the region have been vandalized and damaged by illegal excavations of tourists and treasure hunters.

The regional DENR has also seen the need to stop the illegal collection of wildlife in the caves, particularly bats on Boracay Island.

Fuentes said the need to move was urgent, calling on nongovernment organizations and local governments to help.

There are about 1,500 caves in the country, 38 percent of which are in Luzon, 37 percent in Mindanao and 22 percent in Negros and Panay Islands in the Visayas, according to Fuentes.

The DENR in Western Visayas assessed and classified 20 caves last year as part of its efforts to protect these caves, according to Arlene Dalawis, regional technical director of the Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Service.

The DENR, with the Western Visayas Caving Association, the National Museum of the Philippines and local government units, classified the 20 caves according to standards set by Republic Act 9072, or the National Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act.

Four of the 20 caves belong to Class 1, which have fragile geological formations and with threatened species. Activities in these caves are limited to mapping, photography, education and scientific purposes.

These include the Butak, Taluto and Mugni Caves in Barangay Caguyuman in Dingle town, Iloilo and the Darkside of Paradise Cave in Barangay Balabag on Boracay Island in Aklan.

Nine caves were categorized as Class II. These caves are hazardous and contain sensitive geological, archaeological, cultural, historical and biological values. Some portions of these caves are closed to public access and are only open to experienced spelunkers, or guided education tours or visits.

The caves under this category include the Guiso Cave in Barangay Moroboro and the Lapus-Lapus, Tayon-Tayon and Maanghit caves in Barangay Caguyuman, all in Dingle town, Iloilo.

source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net

Construction worker collects P249-M lotto prize

MANILA, Philippines—A construction worker has collected the P249-million prize he won in the 6/49 SuperLotto draw on March 30, according to a radio report.

The winner was with his family when he collected the prize at the main office of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in Quezon City, the dzMM report said.

It took the man more than a week before he collected the biggest ever jackpot in the history of the country's online lottery game because of fears for his life, the radio report said.

He was said to have picked the winning six-number combination (47-32-1-46-15-29) in a lotto outlet in Quezon City, the report added.

The exact amount of the tax-free jackpot was P249,005,120.40, according to PCSO.

source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

Smallest extrasolar planet discovered

Spanish researchers discovered smallest extrasolar planet

MADRID – Spanish astronomers Wednesday announced the discovery of the smallest planet discovered to date outside the solar system, located 30 light years from earth.

The planet, "GJ 436T", was detected through a new technique which "will allow us to discover in less than 10 years the first planet resembling earth in terms of mass and orbit," said Ignasi Ribas of Spain's CSIC scientific research institute.

It was discovered by a team led by Ribas through its gravitational pull on other planets already discovered around the same star in the constellation of Leo.

"GJ 436T" has a mass five times the size of Earth, which makes it the smallest extrasolar planet among the roughly 300 identified so far, Ribas said in announcing the discovery.

He said the new planet is uninhabitable due to the distance that separates it from its star, which is far less than that between the earth and the sun.

To sustain life, a planet must have a mass similar to that of earth, liquid water on its surface, an atmosphere and a similar orbital distance from its star as that of the earth from the sun.

Initial calculations by the team indicated that "GJ 436T" rotates in 4.2 earth days and orbits its star every 5.2 days.

source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net

3rd World Pyro Olympics 2008 Schedule

The skies of Manila will once again glitter as his year’s 3rd World Pyro Olympics 2008 will finally be pushed thru. Considered to be the world’s best when it comes to Fireworks craftsmanship and artistry. The 2008 World Pyro Olympics fireworks competition will be held at the Bay Area of Mall of Asia, Pasay City, Philippines, and will start on May 3rd to 31st.

The World Pyro Olympics (WPO) is an annual international pyrotechnic competition and the largest one of its kind worldwide. The event showcases ten participating countries – nine displays from competing countries and an exhibition display from the host country of the competition. The Philippines will be represented by La Mancha Pyro Productions, Inc.

Schedules of competition as follows:

May 3 2008 - China and Germany
May 10, 2008 - Canada and France
May 17, 2008 - Italy and Venezuela
May 24, 2008 - Korea and Australia
May 31, 2008 - PHILIPPINES (exhibition only)


The pyrotechnic display shall be for the duration of twenty (20) minutes and shall be launched from a barge situated in the waters of Manila Bay. The barge shall be positioned two hundred fifty (200) meters from the break waters of the Esplanade.

2008 Aliwan Fiesta streetdance competition regional entries

Aliwan Fiesta is now on its sixth year, and will be held on May 1-3, with the grand culminating parade traversing Roxas Boulevard from Quirino Grandstand to the Aliw Theater at the CCP Complex.

For this year's Aliwan Fiesta – the annual cultural extravaganza organized by Manila Broadcasting Company and the Cultural Center of the Philippines in cooperation with the cities of Manila and Pasay – dance in its myriad forms once more takes centerstage, as interpreted in the festival context by contingents from various regions all over the country. As early as January, the roster of entries had reached the maximum number set by the organizers – solid proof of how keenly anticipated the festival is.

Metro Manila will be represented by the Pakalog Festival of Pasig City, anchored on the native delicacy called the “bulig," and Navotas' Pangisdaan which celebrates the city's basic industry and the different phases of its livelihood development program.

From the Cordillera Administrative Region, Baguio City showcases its myriad blooms for which Panagbenga has become immensely popular, while highlighting the city's feverish preparations for its forthcoming centennial celebrations. Mountain Province, in turn, will present the Lang-ay festival of Bontoc, which emphasizes the breakdown of barriers as indigenous practice merges with modern-day traditions in unifying the entire community.

Laoag City's Pamulinawen Festival pays tribute to the hard-working Ilokano in the context of “Panagdaklis" or fishing as livelihood. Angadanan Isabela, in turn, will feature its Gakit festival.

Once more showcasing the artisans of Hagonoy and the Bulakeno's mien for lyricism in its art forms is the Desposorio Festival. As residents of Catanauan, Quezon present the wild revelry of the Boling-Boling Festival, the Bicol region showcases religious fervour in the Penafrancia Voyadores and Pilgrims Festival of Naga City.

Townsfolk in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental blend dance and drama in presenting the legend of Princess Nabingka in the Pinta Flores festival. Iloilo, in turn, fields two entries – the Sa-ad Festival of Leganes, which is anchored on the miraculous deeds of St Vincent Ferrer, and the highly acclaimed Dinagyang Festival, which features the aboriginal tribes' offering to the Infant Jesus.

This worship of the Santo Nino, which prevails in many parts of the country, likewise finds fruition in the breathtaking showcase of Midsayap, Cotabato's Halad Festival, along with Cebu's two-part pitch of the Sinulog, as interpreted by defending champion Lumad Basakanon, and the contingent from the municipality of Carmen.

Not to be outdone, Leyte also brings forward a double-header. The Alikaraw festival of Hilongos showcases its equally fervent religious devotion manifested by tribesmen who also learned to co-exist with their environment, while the town of Abuyog bring life to the mystical bees of the magical fairy Opayda in the Buyogan festival.

Ecological concerns also comprise the theme of Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay's Bakhawan Festival, which draws public attention to the role of mangroves in protecting the community's marine resources.

The Shariff Kabunsuan festival of Cotabato City is a grandiose portrayal of how the city was introduced to the Islamic faith. From the province bearing the shariff's name, the town of Upi presents the Meguyaya Festival which highlights their ritual traditions in a grand celebration prior to beginning the work cycle. Sultan Kudarat displays its opulent coronation rites in the Kang'Gelal, while Parang presents its Buklod Festival as a show of unity and peaceful coexistence among Muslims and Christians.

From the young township of Mamasapano, Maguindanao comes the eternal story of of ill-fated love and a community's quest for peace in the Kalilintad festival. And finally, from Lamitan, Basilan is the Lami-Lamihan, a joyous festivity showcasing the skill of their master weavers as the Yakan chieftains gather to preserve and propagate their cultural heritage.

For enquiries, call 832-6125 or email siouxstar@gmail.com

source: http://www.thenewstoday.info

107th Semana Sang Iloilo celebration

Iloilo gears up for 107th Semana Sang Iloilo celebration

Iloilo Province is gearing up for the 107th Semana sang Iloilo celebration on April 8 to 11, 2007. This year's theme is "Kultura kag Turismo: Padulong sa Mainuswagon nga Pala-abuton."

This year's celebration will once more showcase the various thrusts and programs of government while giving emphasis to the tourism and cultural activities of the province. The celebration will also give due recognition and honor to the top achievers in the different programs and projects of the Iloilo Provincial Government as well as the recognition of the distinguished Ilonggos who have given pride and honor to Iloilo in their various fields of endeavor, in culture and in the arts.

107th Semana Sang Iloilo

source: http://www.thenewstoday.info/

ILONGGO PRODUCTS FOR THE WORLD

Various Ilonggo exporters showcase their products. Among the items are pieces of furniture and clothes made from hablon. Products from small and medium enterprises fueled Iloilo’s economy.

scource: http://thedailyguardian.com/

Playboy Philippines lunched

Playboy mag hits Philippines with tasteful nudity

American adult magazine Playboy launched Wednesday, April 2. Its first Philippine edition, which triggering protests from the country's conservative Roman Catholic Church, but promising to avoid full-frontal nudity.

As the local issue promises to be tamer than other editions sold across the world and will seek to avoid offending local sensibilities, according to editor-in-chief Beting Laygo Dolor. He stressing that they not out to compete with the local editions of "lad magazines" FHM and Maxim, which are more explicit.

Four of the Philippines' top literary writers are among those on the roster of contributors to Playboy, the 25th international edition of the US-based magazine which was launched more than 50 years ago, he said.

Read more...

source: http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net

2 Filipinos beauties for Miss Universe crown

2 Filipinos compete for Miss Universe crown in Mexico

As though proof were needed that the Filipino presence is now global, two Filipino women will compete in the Miss Universe pageant to be held in Mexico City in May.

Binibining Pilipinas Anna Theresa Licaros will represent the Philippines and Mutya ng Pilipinas Kirby Ann Basken, the newly crowned Miss Norway, will carry the colors of her “other” country at the 55-year-old pageant.

Basken, 21, was born in Oslo to a Norwegian father and a Filipino mother. She was crowned Fröken Norge-Universe.

She first joined the annual search for Miss Norway in January 2006, and finished first runner-up. In June of that year, she flew to her mother’s native land to represent Europe’s Filipino community in the Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant, and bagged the title.

The Miss Asia Pacific Quest Inc. (MAPQI), owner of the Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant, subsequently sent her to represent the Philippines in the Miss Intercontinental pageant in the Bahamas, where she emerged among the top 12 contenders.


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source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net