List of winners in 2008 Olympic Sport & Art Contest

2008 Olympic Sport & Art Contest Winners

Sculpture

Joe Datuin — “Dancing Rings”
Philippines
1st place

Mior Mohd Nafis Mohd Zain — “Determination”
Malaysia
2nd place

Levan Vardosanidze — “Champion”
Georgia
3rd place

Highly recommended (diplomas)

Hsiang-Chih Shao (Chinese Taipei) — “Achieving Success”
Milton Estrella Gavidia (Ecuador) — ”Movimiento”
To Shui Ming (Hong Kong, China) — “Towards the Rainbow”
Mohammad Reza Yazdi (Islamic Republic of Iran) — “Gymnast”
Edward Eyth (United States of America) — “Balance”


Graphic works (paintings, drawings, engravings)

Ivan Patúc —“Wrestling”
Slovakia
1st place

Ching-Yuan Kao —“Sprint”
Chinese Taipei
2nd place

Kadir Nelson —“The Anatomy of Team Handball”
United States of America
3rd place

Highly recommended (diplomas)

Liu Da Wei (China)—“Play Polo”
Albert Münch (Germany)—“Liu Xiang, World Champion, 110m Hurdles”
Shahariah Mohamed Roshdi (Malaysia)— “Movement”
Edmar C. Colmo (Philippines)—“Dreams for Goals”
Nibonth Phokachang (Thailand)—“Culture and Olympism”

Pinoy won Gold in Olympic Art Contest

Pinoy "Dancing Ring" won the grand prize for sculpture.

“Dancing Rings,” a stainless-steel sculpture (top photo) by Filipino artist Joe Datuin, placed first and won $30,000 at the 2008 Olympic Sport & Art Contest. Entries from Malaysia and Georgia placed second and third place, respectively.

Stainless-steel work by Filipino sculptor Joe Datuin that reinterprets the traditional Olympic logo into a flight of the athletic spirit has won the grand prize for sculpture in the international Sport and Art Contest in connection with the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“Dancing Rings” recasts the conventionally horizontal Olympic logo into a vertical leap of faith, much like a gymnast or a classical dancer in action, to signify both human grace and human solidarity.

Dance of the dragon

Datuin echoed Orlina’s remark about the Philippine victory ahead of the Beijing Games. He said, “Hindi pa man nagsisimula iyong laro eh nakasumbit na kaagad tayo ng ginto,” (The games haven’t started yet, but we’ve already snagged a gold.)
In designing his winning entry, Datuin said he tapped into three interrelated inspirations.

First, he derived the design from the logo of the 2008 Olympics, the “Dancing Beijing.” According to host China, the logo represents Beijing’s effort to reach out to embrace all humanity. It is an invitation for “the world to join their dance, experience their culture, and share their joy,” according to the Beijing Olympics website

“I was inspired by the logo chosen by the host country,” Datuin said. Thus, he conceived of an image that would reflect the idea of “dancing wings,” of “going against gravity.”

He explained the image of a dancer or gymnast is intrinsic to the concept, and the steel ball at the center of the sculpture appears to be the head of the dancer, and the rings below and above her are the dancing rings that are created by her movements.
Second, Datuin said he was inspired by the Chinese dragon. “Since China is the host, I tried to conceive of a dragon playing with a ball, displaying its dexterity and grace,” the artist said.

And third, Datuin said he tried to render the motto of the Olympic games—Citius, Altius, Fortus—“faster, higher, stronger.”

He explained that the dynamic movement of the sculpture approximates the speed injunction of the motto, while its vertical thrust appears to defy gravity and its shining steel medium reflects the hardy Olympic spirit.

Read More...

image source: http://pinoycentric.com
news source: http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net

Belgian-Pinay in prestigious Top Model Belgium contest

Top 4 of junior model contest in Belgium is half-pinay.

image source: abs-cbnnews.com

Barbara Slegers, a 14 years old half-Belgian teenager, belong to the top 4 of the prestigious Top Model Belgium contest. She is half-Pinay that made into the pre-semifinals. Currently teenager Barbara Slegers is one of the top 4 out of 90 candidates for the title Junior Girl Model in Belqium.

The teenager feels very proud for being a Filipino. She was born and raise in Belgium, the eldest of Bobby Slegers and Carmen Ramos of Mindoro but a strict Filipino culture which brought him the confident to win the contest.

Barbara hope that every Pinoy will not only support her but to be proud of her because she said that even she was born in Belgium, her parents raised her under Filipino culture, making sure that her values still intact.

Lets support once again our fellow kababayan which bring honor to our country.

You may check the standing of Barbara Slegers at www.tmbcontest.be.

The semi-finals of Top Model Belgium will be held on May 30 in Mons.The grand finals will be held in November with the top 3 candidates.

Mabuhay ang Pinoy...!

National athletes get more benefits

National athletes to get P15,000, more benefits

The Philippine Sports Commission on Thursday announced a new scheme that would benefit only the few remaining athletes and coaches who make the cut in the national pool.

Chairman Butch Ramirez said the PSC would soon implement a plan to cut the number of athletes and coaches under the government payroll and, correspondingly, increase the benefits for those retained.

From more than a thousand, the number of athletes will go down to around 600. But effective Sunday, what they used to receive from the PSC will almost be doubled.

Non-medalists for two consecutive stagings of the SEA Games will automatically be dropped from the pool, and those who remain will start receiving P15,000 a month in allowances.

"The amount includes their meal allowances of P350 a day if they are billeted with us, and P100 a day if they stay with their families. They will now have more in their pockets," said Ramirez.

The heads of 44 different NSAs (national sports associations) met with Ramirez yesterday afternoon, and they all welcomed the development. The PSC board met with the athletes and coaches later on.

"It’s for implementation starting on June 1," said Ramirez.

The NSAs will also be asked to name their candidates to the training pool. These are the potential medalists who will receive P6,000 a month plus free meals.

Junior athletes aged 16 and below will be granted training for four years with no monthly allowances – except when they compete abroad.

"They have four years to make it to the elite level. Otherwise, they will be dropped from the list and we look for new ones," said PSC commissioner Ritchie Garcia, who’s in charge of NSA affairs.

Also present in the meeting with the NSA representatives were commissioner Jose Mundo, Ambrosio de Luna and Eric Loretizo, executive director Fr. Vic Uy and his deputy Willy Roldan.

Head coaches will start receiving P20,000 a month, assistant coaches P15,000 and coaches of the junior athletes P10,000.

"But they have to be certified coaches. We will cut down on the practice that just because you are an athlete means you can coach. They need to submit their credentials," said Garcia.

Regarding the billeting, only non-residents of Metro Manila will be given a space, including non-residents of Baguio City who are training and staying at Teachers Camp.

The athletes staying at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and Philsports will soon move to the Brent complex where the dormitories will be run like a hotel.

"There will be four athletes in a room. And these rooms will be kept and maintained like a hotel room. There will be house-keeping to attend to their rooms, change their beddings daily and more," Garcia said.

"But it’s still their responsibility to keep their rooms clean because they will be monitored, too," said Garcia.

by: Abac Cordero
source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com

Dayo - Fully digital Filipino animated movie

Sneak peek at fully digital Filipino animated movie "Dayo"

Here's a sneak preview of "Dayo," a fully digital animated feature film about a boy who tries to save his grandparents who have been abducted into Elementalia, a mysterious land populated by creatures from Philippine mythology.

source: http://www.inquirer.net

6 Gas-Saving Myths

Sure you want to save gas, but there's a lot of bad advice on how to do it. Some of it makes no difference, and some of it can wind up costing you.

With gasoline prices hitting record levels, it seems everyone has a tip on how to save fuel. Much of the advice is well-intentioned, but in the end, much of it won't lower your gas bill.

Here's a look at a few misconceptions:

1. Fill Your Tank in the Morning

You may have heard that it's best to fill your gas tank in the early morning while the fuel is cold. The theory goes that fluids are more dense at lower temperatures, so a gallon of cold gas actually has more gas molecules than a gallon of warmer gas.

But the temperature of the gasoline as it comes out of the nozzle varies little during the course of the day, according to Consumer Reports, so there's little, if any, benefit, to getting up early to pump gas.

2. Change Your Air Filter

Maintaining your car is important, but a clean air filter isn't going to save you any gas. Modern engines have computer sensors that automatically adjust the fuel-air mixture as an increasingly clogged air filter chokes off the engine's air supply.

While engine power will decrease slightly as the air filter becomes clogged, a lack of performance or an increase in fuel consumption will be negligible, Consumer Reports says.

3. Use Premium Fuel

With prices already over $4.00 a gallon, premium gasoline is a hard sell these days. But a lot of drivers think because their owners' manual recommends premium, they'll get better fuel economy if they stick with it. Really, they're paying more money for nothing.

Even cars for which premium is recommended won't suffer with regular fuel. Modern engine technology comes to the rescue again. When sensors detect regular instead of premium fuel, the system automatically adjusts spark plug timing. The result is a slight reduction in peak horsepower - really, you'll never notice - but no reduction in fuel economy.

4. Pump Up Your Tires

Proper tire inflation is important for a number of reasons. Under-inflated tires are bad for handling and can even cause a crash. Improper tire inflation also causes tires to wear out faster and to heat up more, which could trigger a dangerous high-speed blow-out.

According to on-the-road driving tests by both Consumer Reports and auto information site Edmunds.com, underinflated tires reduce fuel economy, so proper inflation is key.

But you should never over-inflate your tires. They'll get you slightly better fuel economy because there will be less tread touching the road, reducing friction. But that means less grip for braking and turning. The added risk of a crash isn't worth the extra mile a gallon you might gain.

5. To A/C or Not A/C

There's no question air-conditioning makes extra work for the engine, increasing fuel use. But car air conditioners are much more efficient today than they used to be. In around-town driving, using the A/C will drop fuel economy by about a mile a gallon.

Meanwhile, driving at higher speeds with the windows down greatly increases aerodynamic drag. As speed increases, drag becomes more of an issue, making A/C use the more efficient choice at high speeds.

At most speeds and in most vehicles, A/C use drains slightly more fuel than driving with the windows down, contends David Champion, head of auto testing for Consumer Reports. "My final take on is that it's very close," says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com. "It's hard to measure the difference and every vehicle is different."

The best choice - if temperature and humidity allow - is to keep the windows rolled up and to turn the A/C compressor off. You can keep the fans running to blow in air from the outside, but your car will be as aerodynamic as possible while still letting you breathe. You will save gas, but the fuel economy improvement will be slight.

6. Bolt-Ons and Pour-Ins

Before you buy a device that's supposed to make your car more fuel-efficient or pour in an allegedly gas-saving additive, ask yourself this: Don't you think oil and car companies aren't doing everything they can to beat their competitors?

If BP could add something to its gasoline that made cars go farther on a gallon, cars would be lining up at the company's pumps. Sure, people would burn their fuel-saving BP gas more slowly, but then they'd drive right past rivals' gas stations to come back to BP for more. BP stations could even charge more for their gas and still sell tons of the stuff.

So if there really was an additive that made gas burn up more slowly, it wouldn't be sold over the Internet one bottle at a time.

Likewise, car companies are already spending big bucks to increase fuel mileage. If General Motors could make its cars go significantly farther on a gallon simply by putting a device into the fuel line, don't think for a second it wouldn't be doing that. GM's car sales would go through the roof.

"There are a number of these gas-saving devices that are generally useless," says Champion.

But drivers who try them will swear they work. In reality, it's probably an automotive placebo effect, says Reed. Buy one of these devices or additives, and you're like to pay extreme attention to your fuel economy and how you drive.

Of course it can't hurt to keep a close eye on your driving habits -- and what kind of car you drive. In the end, that can make the most difference in saving gas.

source: http://finance.yahoo.com/
provided by: CNNMoney.com

Pinoy singer stars at Life Ball in Austria

Pinoy singer stars with Sharon Stone, Kim Cattrall at Life Ball in Austria


Singer Vincent Bueno became the first Pinoy to share the limelight with big-name celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Kim Cattrall, Elton John and Linda Evangelista at the Life Ball event in Austria.

The pure-blooded Filipino’s music career is fast spinning to the top since winning in the "Musical! Die Show" of Austrian national broadcaster ORF last January.

Not only did Bueno walk the red carpet at Life Ball as one of the 4,000 guests which included big-name stars, he also opened Europe’s biggest AIDS charity event on May 17th.

Amid thundering applause from around 45,000 spectators in front of the prestigious, historical and famous City Hall of Vienna called the Rathausplatz, Bueno opened the show singing "Vienna Calling", a song popularized by the very first Austrian rocker Falco.

Donning an all-silver space cowboy costume, Bueno gyrated and did his trademark backflips to the delight of the attendees who came from all over the world and paid 200 euros (13,500 pesos) to support the charity event.

Even the lensmen had a good time taking shots of the energetic Bueno.

Throughout the night, nobody could be prouder for the young Bueno than his uncle, King, who was also the first Filipino to be given full accreditation for the event.

The older Bueno gained unlimited access and was free to shoot footage of all events from the rehearsals to the red carpet, backstage, the dressing room and the parties.

In some of his footage, King even asked some international celebrities to shout "Hello! The Filipino Channel" and "Mabuhay Philippines."

Life Ball is on its 16th year since Gary Keszler organized the very flamboyant, colorful and extravagant event strictly for gays but which has now become a major society event in Europe.

This year’s theme was "Landing on Planet Life Ball", and thus majority of the guests dressed as aliens in elaborate costumes.

The organizers aimed to top the 1.2 million euros it raised last year, with half of the proceeds going to projects in Austria and the rest going to international projects, with the help of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (Amfar).

Stone delivered a speech against AIDS as chairperson of Amfar’s Campaign for AIDS Research, while Sex and The City star Cattrall presented the "Crystal of Hope" which is endowed with 100,000 euros donated by Swarovski to Care Austria, for its HIV/AIDS project in Kenya.

This year, luxury lingerie label Agent Provocateur hosted Life Ball as part of the yearly trend of different fashion designers hosting the big event.

by: Loui Garica
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

Princess Urduja - The first tagalog full-length animated movie

Urduja first tagalog full-length animated movie.

Urduja animated movie teaser.

GMA Films will premier show the first Filipino full-length animated movie on June 18, 2006. The project is produced by APT Entertainment in cooperation with Seventoon and Imaginary Friends is about the story based on the legendary warrior princess from Pangasinan named “Urduja”.

Featuring the voices of Regine Velasquez as “Princess Urduja”, Eddie Garcia as “Lakanpati”, Johnny Delgado as “Wang”, Michael V. as “Kukut”, Alan K as “Tarsir” and Cesar Montano as “Lim Hang”.

This is an ambitious project and, the first high-budget digital animation production in the Philippines. Took 10 years from concept to finish product with the help of more than 300 world-class pinoy animators.

source: http://www.pepster.net/

1999 PMA female graduate is now an instructor pilot

This 1999 PMA graduate is now an instructor pilot.

Giving the UH-1H chopper a buss has become a ritual for Capt. Jeannette Mabalo, the first Philippine Air Force (PAF) female instructor and test pilot of the Cebu-based 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing (THW), the military unit that operates the Hueys.

As the PAF grapples with “pilot migration”—aces moving to lucrative slots in commercial airlines—the 31-year-old native of Zamboanga City has become one of the youngest instructors in the service.

In her job, Mabalo checks the choppers to see if they are fit to fly. She gets the four-ton Huey up in the air every so often to train her underclass, fly relief missions, or rescue soldiers wounded in battlefields.

It is quite a feat for someone who once struggled with motion sickness.

“Many times, I ask myself why am I still doing this? But then I also ask myself why not? It is better to climb the ladder and reach the highest point attainable in my career as a pilot rather than stay at one level for a long time.”

The daughter of a soldier never dreamed of entering the military. She thought she would be a nurse so she could help take care of wounded soldiers.

Read More...

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

Filipino wins London public speaking title

Gian Dapul of Philippine Science High School, won the English Speaking Union’s International Public Speaking Competition in London.

The incoming senior student bested 57 other contestants representing 35 countries with his delivery of a five-minute speech on the theme “New Frontiers.”

In his speech titled “Fish Mucus and Foot Fungus,” Dapul cited recent scientific finds and expressed his desire to help his country by joining the avant-garde army of science researchers discovering new ways to enhance health and extend life spans.

The sixteen-year old became the official Philippine representative by winning the local contest for 16- to 19-year-old students held at UP Diliman a few weeks ago.

Gian was named one of 12 finalists after the preliminary heats held at Dartmouth House, ESU International’s headquarters.

The finals were in turn conducted at the American Embassy at Grosvenor Square, with Philippine Ambassador to the Court of St. James Edgardo Espiritu in attendance, together with Loline Reed, a Filipino officer of the Overseas Women’s Club who has helped the young Filipino contestants since 2002.

As the very first speaker, Gian led off the highly competitive Heat 1 with 14 other participants from the US, UK, the Netherlands, Australia, India, Hong Kong, Pakistan and China.

In the finals held later in the day, he competed against representatives, mostly college students, from Thailand, Poland, Bulgaria, Argentina, Lebanon, and China. This time he was the last speaker.

Gian reportedly impressed the judges and audience with his relaxed and humorous delivery of a substantive speech with a clear message.

Placing second was a young lady from Thailand who spoke on the need to avoid pre-marital sex, while the third-placer, from Bulgaria, promoted the use of bicycles instead of cars.

Reed recounted that the chairman of the judges for the finals, Peter Kyle, the chief executive of the Shakespeare Globe Trust, acknowledged that Gian “impressed everyone with his speech, which from the start got the audience’s attention.”

The other judges were Dame Mary Richardson DBE, who set up the HSBC Global Education Trust, and Tony Byrne, special adviser to major cultural organizations in the UK.

Reed added: “Not only did Gian speak very well, but his replies to questions from the floor were succinct and quite scholarly. One question asked of him was, ‘What does he think of the ethics of stem cell research?’ He obviously knew what to say, which should make his school proud, as he evidently knows his Science subjects, indeed!”

In November, Gian will be presented with a certificate at the ESU Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace by His Royal Highness, Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Most likely, the Queen herself will be present as well, since the English Speaking Union marks its 90th anniversary this year.

source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net

Charice Pempengco video on Oprah show

International singing sensation Charice Pempengco guested in The Oprah Winfrey Show. She will be featured along with other very talented child wonders. Philippine's Pride, Charice Pempengco hitting a sustained high note for the audience of Oprah.

Other videos:

Charice Pempengco on The Ellen Degeneres Show





Charice Pempengco Wows The World on Star King





Charice Pempengco Duet w/ Kyu Hyun

MASTERS POOL - Pagulayan nails 2nd world title

Pagulayan nails 2nd world title

Alex Pagulayan will deliver when given a chance.

The Filipino cue wizard capitalized on an illegal break by Finland’s Mika Immonen to seize momentum and eventually rule the 2008 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters at the packed Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas on Monday.

Pagulayan, already the 2004 World Pool champion, bested the veteran Immonen, 8-6, to clinch the crown that eluded him two years ago and pocket the $20,000 (about P440,000) top purse.

It was a big recovery for Pagulayan, who was staring at a 3-6 deficit when Immonen, the 2001 World Pool champion, made an illegal break for pocketing a ball but failing to carry two other balls past the headstring.

Taking over, Pagulayan ran out the rack, went on to take the next three and reached the hill, 7-6.

It was a big recovery for Pagulayan, who was staring at a 3-6 deficit when Immonen, the 2001 World Pool champion, made an illegal break for pocketing a ball but failing to carry two other balls past the headstring.

Pagulayan and Bustamante will be joined by Efren “Bata” Reyes when they compete in the Predator International 10-Ball Championship starting Tuesday, also in Las Vegas.

Read more...

by: Roy Luarca
source: http://sports.inquirer.net/

Globe Telecom to carry iPhone in RP

MANILA, Philippines--Globe Telecom will be among the first telecom operators in Asia to officially carry Apple's popular iPhone handset.

A two-paragraph statement on Globe's website said the mobile communications firm had signed an agreement with Apple along with Singapore's Singtel, India's Bharti Airtel and Australia's Optus.

According to the statement.

The iPhone was launched in the United States January 2007 exclusively to AT&T. Apple said it would launch the iPhone in Asia this year but up until today it has not mentioned specific details.

This latest announcement has been preceded by months of speculation, a usual strategy from Apple when launching a new product.

SingTel owns Optus and holds a 30.5-percent stake in Bharti and 44.5 percent in Globe. As of Dec. 31, 2007, SingTel had about 2.3 million mobile subscribers in Singapore and around 7 million in Australia. Bharti currently has about 64 million subscribers, while Globe reported a 21.3 million mobile subscriber base for the quarter ended March 31.

The announcement comes as Apple looks to expand sales of the iPhone--a combination phone, music player and Web browser--that was launched in the US in 2007.

Read more...

source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net

Miss Philippines Earth 2008 Swimsuit Competition

Miss Philippines Earth Swimsuits Competition was held at the Thunderbirds Resorts in Binangonan, Rizal last May 5 at around 4pm.

Miss Philippines-Earth class 2008 in their swimsuits.

Related post:
Miss Philippines Earth 2008 Winners

photos courtesy of www.missphilippines-earth.com and www.opmb.com.

Miss Philippines Earth 2008 Winners

The search for Miss Philippines-Earth had been expanded as the need for Mother Earth’s voice got imperative. Beautiful and concerned Filipinas from all over the country at the Miss Philippines-Earth 2008 show there personal interest in helping to fight against global warming.

Here are the Miss Philippines Earth 2008 winners and there special awards last May 11, evening at Grand Ballroom, Crowne Plaza, Galleria Manila. Hosted by Nikki Gil, Rafael Rosell, and Ginger Conejero.

MISS PHILIPPINES -EARTH 2008

KARLA PAULA HENRY

2008 Miss Philippines-Earth Winners: Miss Philippines-Eco Tourism - Maria Venus Raj, Miss Philippines-Air - Marie Razel Eguia, Miss Philippines-Earth - Karla Paula Henry, Miss PAGCOR International Tourism Ambassadress - Melanie Felix, Miss Philippines-Water - Marian Michelle Oblea, Miss Philippines-Fire - Ma. Kristelle Lazaro

Winners of Miss Philippines-Earth 2008 Special Awards:

Miss Congeniality
Jydielou Dilidili (Municipality of Indang)

Miss Photogenic & Best in Swimsuit
Nikki A. Martin (Filipino communities in West Coast, USA)

Best in Talent & Best in Long Gown
Marian Michelle T. Oblea (Municipality of Obando)

Best in Cultural Attire
Ma. Kristelle M. Lazaro (Municipality of Candaba)

Miss Philippines-Earth 2008 Major Awards

Maria Venus B. Raj (Legazpi City)

Miss Philippines EcoTourism 2008

Ma. Kristelle M. Lazaro (Municipality of Candaba)
Miss Philippines Fire 2008

Marian Michelle T. Oblea (Municipality of Obando)
Miss Philippines Water 2008

Marie Razel T. Eguia (Dipolog City)
Miss Philippines Air 2008

Melanie Felix (Filipino communities in East Coast, USA)

Miss PAGCOR International Tourism Ambassadress

Karla Paula G. Henry (Cebu City)
Miss Philippines Earth 2008

2010 Presidential Polls 5-way race

2010 Polls a 5-way Race

The 2010 presidential elections will likely be a five-way race among Vice-President Noli de Castro, Senate President Manuel Villar, Senator Loren Legarda, Senator Manuel Roxas, and former President Joseph Estrada, in case he qualifies. And in case De Castro doesn’t get the support of the administration, the Lakas-KAMPI alliance will have a dark horse candidate, a political futurist said.


In a paper to be presented Friday at a forum organized by the Center for Philippine Futuristic Studies, Antonio Gatmaitan, head of the research outfit, Political Economic Applied Research Foundation, said there are nine other "early frontliners" for May 2010:

- Senator Francisco Pangilinan;

- Senator Francis Escudero;

- Senator Richard Gordon;

- Senator Gregorio Honasan;

- Senator Panfilo Lacson;

- Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay;

- Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte;

- Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Bayani Fernando; and

- Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.

Out of the 14 possible bets, De Castro, Legarda, Roxas, Estrada, and Villar have the track record to show they can get votes. De Castro, Legarda, Roxas, and Estrada have been "topnotchers" in past elections. Estrada, Roxas, and Villar "can raise money" for a credible campaign from their "family net worth", while Legarda and De Castro can access funds from major donors.

Read More...

By: Isagani de Castro Jr.
abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak

2008 Miss Philippines-Earth

"The Beauty Pageant with a Cause"

Now on its 8th year, Miss Philippines-Earth 2008 received positive feedback when thirty seven candidates endorsed by their respective city, municipality and province heed the call to be the next guardians of Mother Earth. Filipino communities in France, Germany, United Arab Emirates, USA East Coast and USA West Coast also sent their representative to the pageant.

Miss Philippines-Earth 2008 will culminate on the 11th of May with the coronation of a new batch of winners who will continue the legacy of beauty and responsibility at Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila. It will be telecast on ABS CBN Channel 2 and on the different countries that carry The Filipino Channel.

In addition to Miss Philippines-Earth, we will also select this year from among the candidates Miss PAGCOR International Tourism Ambassadress who will represent PAGCOR full time in the latter’s social and tourism efforts.

Related post:

Miss Philippines Earth 2008 Winners

About Miss Philippines

After establishing a track record in mounting world-class beauty pageants over the last decade, Carousel Productions Inc. decided to reinvent and improve the concept of beauty competitions for the new millennium. Because many people admired and aspired to be a beauty queen, Carousel believed beauty queens would be a good and effective advocate of worthy causes. To give life to this vision, Carousel organized and launched in 2001 the MISS PHILIPPINES and MISS EARTH® Beauty Pageants, two beauty events whose raison d’etre is to have its candidates and winners actively promote and get involved in the preservation of the environment and the protection of Mother Earth.

The Miss Philippines-Earth has always been known for its unprecedented regional search for a true Filipina who cares for and helps in the preservation of the environment. Now on its 8th year, Miss Philippines-Earth continues to expand its coverage in every corner of the Philippines as various provinces, cities and municipalities send in their candidate. Likewise Filipino communities abroad, such as France, Germany, United Arab of Emirates and the United States of America will also join the new batch. With more participants involved, Carousel would be able to reach more people and communities involved in its environmental advocacy.

Related post:
Miss Philippines Earth 2008 Winners

Miss Bikini Philippines 2008 Event Schedules, Title and Prizes

Listed below are the Miss Bikini Philippines 2008 Event Schedules,
Categories of the Competition, Title and Prizes at Stakes, and Other Minor Awards.

Event Schedules:

•1st Photoshoot April 22, 2008 - Palms Country Club

•Press Launch May 7, 2008 - Captains Bar - Mandarin Hotel

•2nd Photoshoot May 12, 2008 - Tagaytay Highlands

•Pre-judging Night May 21, 2008 -RCBC Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium

•Pageant Night May 25, 2008 - PICC Plenary Hall


Categories of the Competition:

• National Costume Category
• Long Gown Category
• Talent Competition


Title and Prizes at Stake:

• MISS BIKINI PHILIPPINES – WORLD
Crown, bouquet, Php 500,000 (Php 125,000 outright cash, Php 250,000 cash allowance for the duration of the reign and Php 125,000 worth of prizes)

• MISS BIKINI PHILIPPINES – INTERNATIONAL
Crown, bouquet, Php 400,000 (Php 100,000 outright cash Php 200,000 cash allowance for the duration of the reign plus Php 100,000 worth of prizes)

• MISS BIKINI PHILIPPINES 1st RUNNER-UP
Crown, bouquet, Php 200,000 (PhP 75,000 outright cash Php 100,000 cash allowance for the duration of the reign plus Php 25,000 worth of prizes)

• MISS BIKINI PHILIPPINES 2nd RUNNER-UP
Crown, bouquet, Php 150,000 (PhP 50,000 outright cash Php 75,000 cash allowance for the duration of the reign plus PhP 25,000 worth of prizes)


Other Minor Awards:

• BEST IN LONG GOWN COMPETITION
Php 30,000 worth of cash and prizes, plaque, sash and a bouquet

• BEST IN TALENT
Php 30,000 worth of cash and prizes, sash and a bouquet

• BEST IN NATIONAL COSTUME
Php 30,000 worth of cash and prizes, sash and a bouquet

• MISS GREAT SKIN
PhP 50,000 worth of Slimmers World Face and Skin services

• MISS PHOTOGENIC
Php 25,000 worth of cash and prizes, portrait, sash and a bouquet

• MISS CONGENIALITY
Php 25,000 worth of cash and prizes, sash and a bouquet

• MISS TOYOTA ALABANG
Php 100,000 worth of cash, sash and a bouquet

source: http://missbikiniphilippines.com.ph/

Miss Bikini Philippines 2008 Search

Search for Miss Bikini Philippines 2008

Slimmers World International, the industry leader in Slimming, Fitness, Health and Beauty is now in its 3rd decade of promoting GREAT bodies and GREAT skin. With over twenty-nine (29) centers conveniently located all over Asia and the Pacific, Slimmers World continuously finds better, innovative ways to answer customers´ need.

This May 2008, Slimmers World will be holding the biggest Bikini pageant in the country, MISS BIKINI PHILIPPINES. This pageant has been partnered with renowned pageant organizers in the World: Miss Tourism International which holds annual Miss Bikini International pageants in China, and Miss Tourism World Organization, the creator of Miss Bikini World pageants in Europe. This pageant aims to develop a group of young women who then will be ambassadors of Slimming, fitness, health and beauty in our country.

With Slimmers World International, this year´s Miss Bikini World and Miss Bikini International could emerge from the Philippines.

Be one of the first to see first hand this first-of-its-kind event that elevates both fitness and beauty into a pageant like never before. Watch Slimmers World´s Miss Bikini Philippines on May 23, 2008 at the PICC Reception Hall.

Related Post:
Miss Bikini Philippines 2008 Event Schedules

source: http://missbikiniphilippines.com.ph/

2008 Aliwan Fiesta Streetdancing Competition Winners

2008 Aliwan Fiesta Streetdance Competition and Float Contest Winners

List of winners of the 2008 Aliwan Fiesta Street Dancing Competition and Float Competition Winners. As the rain poured before the contest starts but the Participants of the 2008 Aliwan Fiesta performed their best then showed to all the audience and to all Filipinos around the world the biggest Fiesta in the country "The mother of Philippine Festivals".

2008 Aliwan Fiesta Streetdancing Competition Winners

Lumad Basakanon, Sinulog Festival of Cebu City
GRAND PRIZE WINNER (Champion)

Dinagyang Festival, Iloilo City
2nd Place

Sinulog Festival, Carmen Cebu
3rd Place

The Runners-up

- Alikaraw Festival of Hilongos Leyte
- Saad Festival of Leganes, Iloilo
- Buyugan Festival of Abuyog, Leyte
- Singkaban Festival of Hagonoy Bulacan
- Halad Festival of Midsayap, North Cotabato
- Pamulinawen Festival of Laoag City
- Kadayawan Festival of Davao City


2008 Aliwan Fiesta Float Competition Winners

Pamulinawen Festival of Laoag City
GRAND PRIZE(Champion)

Boling Boling Festival of Catanauan, Quezon
2nd Place

Sinulog Festival of Cebu City
3rd Place

The Runners-up

- Singkaban Festival of Hagonoy Bulacan
- Kalilangan Festival of General Santos City
- Panagbenga Festival of Baguio City
- Guinakit of Parang Shariff Kabunsuan
- Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City
- Kalilintad Festival of Mamasapano Shariff Kabunsuan

The mother of Philippine Festivals, gathered the whole festival in the region in just one single day. For the Grand Winner will bring home 1 Million Pesos and the bragging of rights as the "Philippines' Best Festival".

RP needing 32,000 medical transcription

RP seen needing 32,000 medical transcription workers by 2010

MANILA, Philippines -- The country's medical transcription industry needs to increase its workforce threefold to increase its share of the total offshore market valued at around $18 billion.

According to the Medical Transcription Industry Association of the Philippines (MTIAPI), local companies have missed out on lucrative contracts from US outsourcers due to a lack of capacity.

MTIAPI is composed of around 80 medical transcription or MT service providers, mostly small companies with 50 or fewer seats.

"Until a critical capacity of qualified workforce is established, the country will have a hard time attracting interests from big US clients," said MTIAPI president Myla Rose Mundo-Reyes.

"Our role will be mainly third-party subcontractors," added Mundo-Reyes, who is also managing director of Total Transcription Solutions.

She said the country should have around 32,000 medical transcriptionists by 2010 so it could adequately address demand. That figure is more than triple that of the current workforce of around 10,000.

MTIAPI is prioritizing the development of a bigger pool of qualified transcriptionists to meet the faster turnaround requirements of large foreign customers.

The group is developing related skills training and certification programs with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPA/P), and the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA).

source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

Space station crew lucky to survive re-entry

MOSCOW – Three astronauts were lucky to survive a dangerous re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere last March 23, a Russian news agency reported, citing a source close to an investigation into the incident.

"The fact that the crew members remained unharmed, in one piece, was very lucky. Everything could have ended much worse," the source was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. Their fate was "on a razor's edge," he said.

South Korea's first astronaut and her Russian and US colleagues said they were recovering well after an unconventional "ballistic" descent to Earth on Saturday that landed hundreds of kilometers (miles) off target.

Interfax's source said the Russian-designed Soyuz landing capsule was facing the wrong direction when it entered the atmosphere, depriving it of the protection of its heat-resistant shield.

"If the hatch had been burnt through and the nearby... parachute damaged, the crew might not have survived," the source was quoted as saying.

Korean scientist Yi So-Yeon was returning from a nine-day visit to the International Space Station with NASA's Peggy Whitson and Russian cosmonaut Yury Malenchenko, who each spent over six months on board.

source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

Farmer's daughter gets free foot surgery in NY hospital

NEW YORK – In her 15 years, Jingle Luis has never walked on the bottoms of her feet.

Born in the Philippines with feet so clubbed they twist backward and upside down, the corn farmer's daughter uses crutches to hobble on what should be the tops of her feet.

"I can accept it," Jingle said Wednesday in a voice so soft it was barely audible.

But if all goes well, Jingle won't have to accept the condition much longer – thanks to a Christian medical mission that encountered her case in 2003.

Clubfoot is a relatively common deformity, occurring in about one in 1,000 births. Children are usually treated in infancy with casts or braces that gradually bring the feet into correct alignment. The condition becomes harder to treat if it is not corrected early on.

Amaral said Jingle's case was complicated by the fact that her clubfoot was associated with spina bifida, a birth defect that involves the incomplete development of the spinal cord or its coverings.

She and her mother Jasmine, a fish vendor, have journeyed from Luna town in Apayao province in northern Philippines, to a hospital in New York City for surgery Thursday and follow-up treatment that will consist of slowly rotating her feet until she can walk normally.

Jingle and her mother will stay with a friend in New Jersey during the treatment. Jingle's father is a corn farmer; her mother sells farm-raised fish door to door, carrying her wares on her head.

Jingle has other career goals. "I think a doctor or a nurse," she said.

Read more...

source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net

Charice Pempengco with Oprah Winfrey

The young singer Charice Pempengco performed a song for Oprah Winfrey on the famous Hollywood TV host's show.

The host got teary eyed while she was seated in a corner with the rest of the audience. “Nung nag-perform po ako, nandun s’ya sa gilid so kinantihan ko po siya (Oprah), medyo naluha po siya. After ng performance ko, sinabi po niya sa akin na di po siya makapaniwala na ganun kagaling ang Pinoy,” Charice beamed.

Charice also related that a day before the actual performance, she visited the Oprah studios where the staff told her to familiarize herself with the stage she's going to perform on the next day. She could not help but jump up and down because she felt really psyched to see the host the next day. “Nung mag-perform po ako, first time rin po niya akong makita.” After her performance, Charice said that Oprah asked her who she was, where she came from and where she got her big voice despite her being petite.

Charice was a grand finalist in ABS-CBN's kiddie singing talent search Little Big Star, a couple of years ago. She started to make waves in the international music scene when a clip of her singing in a Korean talent show became a huge hit on Youtube. Since then, she made appearances on various international TV talk-shows such as The Ellen Degeneres Show in the US and the Paul O’ Grady Show in the UK.

The episode was pre-taped and will be shown in the country on May 12.

source: abs-cbn.com

Manny Pacquiao vs. David Diaz

Manny Pacquiao vs. David Diaz : Lethal Combination

Once again this coming month of June, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao will challenge WBC lightweight champ David Diaz on June 28, 2008. Promoted by Top Rank, on June 28 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank has said that WBC super featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao will indeed move up in weight to the lightweight limit of 135-pounds.

On Saturday night in Las Vegas, Pacquiao won a close split-decision over Juan Manuel Marquez to capture the super featherweight title. He suffered a bad cut on his right eyelid. If the cut does not heal in time for the June date, the fight will probably move to a date in July. The fight is expected to land on HBO pay-per-view.

Related Post:
Pacquiao starts training

Pacquiao vs Diaz : Pacquiao starts training

Pacquiao starts training for June 28 fight vs Diaz

Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao has started training in General Santos City Thursday for his June 28 fight against World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight champion David Diaz.

The Filipino boxer started working on his conditioning at the Golingan Gym, including exercises such as shadow boxing, speedball and sit ups to get his body back into fighting form.

Pacquiao will be training for a full week in General Santos before leaving for Los Angeles on May 10.

He will be then undergo hard training at coach Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles for more than a month.

The Filipino boxer admitted being one week behind his training schedule as he had to catch up with his academics at the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University. He is taking up a Business Administration course.

Pacman said he is expecting his Filipino coach Buboy Fernandez to arrive in General Santos to accompany him in his training.

Pacquiao considers his date with Diaz as an important bout since this will be his first time to fight at 135 pounds.

The Filipino will try to wrest the WBC lightweight crown from Diaz, which was touted by Top Rank boxing promoter Bob Arum as a "tough fighter."

The title clash will take place at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Pacquiao plans to get the distinction of being the first Asian to hold four world titles in four divisions.

He already won the WBC super featherweight, IBF super bantamweight and WBC flyweight titles, aside from The Ring Magazine super featherweight crown.

source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com

Homecoming: De La Hoya vs. Forbes

'Homecoming: De La Hoya vs. Forbes' on free, cable TV

Oscar de la Hoya goes back to his old neighborhood of East LA for a boxing event to remember, as ABS-CBN Sports presents "Homecoming: De La Hoya vs. Forbes" this Sunday, May 4 over ABS-CBN Channel 2 and SKYCable’s Balls channel.

ABS-CBN and Balls’ satellite broadcasts both start at 9 a.m.

Airing via satellite from Los Angeles’ Home Depot Center’s Football Stadium, whose 30,000-man capacity marks the largest crowd of live spectators for an Oscar De La Hoya fight since 1998, this massive sports event will pit The Golden Boy against fighter Steve Forbes, the first runner-up from the second season of the reality series The Contender. The winner of this bout will fill the challenger slot versus current WBC welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr in September.

With 20-1 odds for a De La Hoya victory for this match, boxing fans are curious to see if the fight, produced by De La Hoya’s Golden Boy promotions, was angled to provide De La Hoya with a guaranteed victory over underdog Forbes. For one thing, De La Hoya is 5’10, with a 73” wingspan.

Forbes is 5’7”, and his reach is 5” shorter. De La Hoya will also have home-court advantage -- they are fighting in his hometown, and many spectators can probably be counted on to cheer for the popular hometown boy.

Similarly, De La Hoya, having been held title belts since he began his professional career in 1992, has experience fighting more aggressive, and, theoretically, higher-caliber power-punchers than his reality-show challenger.

But, as Forbes put it in one of his pre-fight interviews, “I know I’m a huge underdog, but boxing is the only sport where once the bell rings, it’s a live fight, a live dog.”

Forbes is only 31 years old, to De La Hoya’s 35. He also has the benefit of being in more recent fights than De La Hoya, with 10 fights to De La Hoya’s mere two since September 2004. Forbes may also be able to adapt to De La Hoya’s height and reach advantage -- on The Contender, he has fought against boxers weighing as much as 168 lbs. Forbes was also the WBC World Junior Lightweight Champ for 2000-2002.

But with both fighting as middleweights, Forbes and De La Hoya both have to deal with fighting on a higher weight scale than they are used to -- they fought as a junior welterweight and welterweight, respectively, in their last bouts.

ABS-CBN and Balls will air the fight via satellite starting at 9 a.m. A re-broadcast is scheduled on Studio 23 for Monday, May 5, starting at 2 p.m., and on Balls on Friday, May 9 starting at 8 p.m.

source: abs-cbnNEWS.com

Madonna Decen on Britain's Got Talent

Filipina gets standing ovation on "Britain's Got Talent"

Madonna Decena is one of the favorites in the second season of "Britain's Got Talent," a talent search for Britain's next best amateur act. Singers, dancers, comedians, and other performers of all ages join the reality contest produced by "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell. The show has the same format as its US counterpart, "America's Got Talent."

I Will Always Love You at Britain's Got Talent 2008

Filipino singers continue to make waves abroad. Charice conquered international television shows "The Ellen DeGeneres" and "Paul O'Grady", while Ramiele Malubay made her mark on "American Idol". This time, Madonna Decena got a standing ovation on "Britain's Got Talent."

Decena became a crowd favorite in the search after the show's judges Simon Cowell, actress Amanda Holdren and journalist Piers Morgan voted her through to the semi-finals during the live audition at Manchester Theatre.

"With the performance, taking everything into account I absolutely love it," Cowell said, after Decena's rendition of "I Will Always Love You."

"I have nothing to say, it's absolutely brilliant," Morgan said.

Decena is a 32-year-old singer who left the Philippines 18 months ago to find work in the UK. A single parent, she left her two girls in the care of their grandparents. She said she decided to join the contest for her kids.

"Well it's a chance for me to get more work, more opportunity for me to sing, for my kids," Decena said.

"If I do well in this competition it would be life-changing not only for me but for my kids. It's a chance for us to be together."

Decena recently appeared on the The Stage Newspaper’s Showcall Showcase and on the Paul Bridson Showcase.

New Year's Eve Gala Concert

She also performed in a Charity Gala at The Opera House, Blackpool, along with Joe Longthorne and Frank Carson, and as a guest singer with the Andy Prior Big Band at The Grand Theatre, Blackpool on New Year’s Eve.

source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com