...the young dreamer and it came true

Lady Gaga talks about duet with 'Lady Maria'

abs-cbnNEWS.com

03/05/2011

MANILA, Philippines – International superstar Lady Gaga expressed how elated and grateful she is to have finally met Filipino-Canadian YouTube senstation Maria Aragon.

In Lady Gaga’s tweet, she said: “Myself +10 year Old Lady Maria of Winnipeg. She signed my t-shirt, she ate my heart, just like you.”

Lady Gaga tweeted a photo of her and Aragon where they were wearing shirts with each other’s faces printed on it.

She then posted a video link of their production number the day after. She said Aragon reminds her of the reason why she wrote the song.

“Maria and I singing Born This Way together. She(You) is why I wrote the song. Thanks for making it #1 for a 3rd week,” her post said.

Lady Gaga and Maria Aragon played piano and sang “Born This Way” together Thursday night (Friday morning in Manila) during the Monster Ball Tour concert of the famous singer in Toronto. 

Their duet was one of the most awaited after Lady Gaga personally invited Aragon whose YouTube video of her cover of "Born This Way" moved the international singer to tears.
Aragon's YouTube video brought her instant fame in the past 2 weeks.

Lady Gaga tweeted about Aragon and added a link to the 10-year-old's video. It currently has over 18 million hits.

During an interview with Aragon on Canada's Hot 103 radio station, Lady Gaga called in and personally affirmed Aragon. They had a duet. The invite to the Toronto concert was made.

Following that were Aragon's appearances on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Good Morning America.”
Amid all these, Aragon remains grounded.

In an interview with ABS-CBN North America News Bureau, she revealed that they, as a family, are taking everything slowly and don’t want hasten things up.

“We’re still making a decision as a family... I don't want to be so quick and do everything at once. I still want to finish my education,” she said.

She also added that she is proud to represent the Philippines.

“I’m just proud to represent the Philippines. I try to keep up with tradition..I’m not disconnected with the Filipinos..I watch TFC too,” she said.

Meanwhile, she stressed that all that is happening will definitely be an unforgettable experience for her. – With a report from Marieton Pacheco, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

...the women power

Pinay nun, RH lawmaker among NY group's ‘100 inspiring women’

GMANews.TV

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Two women from the Philippines – a crusading nun and a pro-reproductive rights lawmaker – made the list of 100 most inspiring people in the service of girls and women, drawn up by a New York-based international women's advocacy group.

The group, called Women Deliver, cited Sr. Mary John Mananzan for integrating faith and feminist activism, and House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Lorento Garin for fighting for reproductive rights. "This list recognizes women and men, both prominent and lesser known, who have committed themselves to improving the lives of girls and women around the world," Women Deliver said on its website.

 According to the group, recipients of the recognition come from the fields of health, human rights, politics, economics, education, journalism, and philanthropy, and represent diverse geographic and cultural backgrounds.

“The 100 honorees were selected from among hundreds of potentials and feature some of the most intrepid, committed, and results-driven people in the world," it added. Garin, a co-author of the Reproductive Health Care and Population Development (RH) bill, ranked 28th on the list, while Mananzan ranked 59th.

"In this deeply Catholic country, where opposition to family planning and sex education runs strong, and 11 women die each day of preventable causes related to pregnancy or childbirth, Garin’s RH bill would, for the first time, provide universal access to family planning methods as well as comprehensive sex education in schools," Women Deliver said.

"A champion of women’s human rights, Garin is fighting to bring both women and men the information and services they need to live long, healthy lives," it added. On the other hand, the group cited Mananzan for leading the way in integrating feminist activism into Catholic faith, as a pioneer in the field of women’s studies and founding a program for it at St. Scholastica’s College in Manila, one of the Philippines’ most prestigious and progressive colleges for women.

 Mananzan, co-chair of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines, is prioress at St. Scholastica’s Priory, and founder and executive director of the Institute of Women’s Studies at St. Scholastica’s College.

 "She has been instrumental in developing a feminist and a third-world theology within the Catholic Church, criticizing the Church for being hierarchical and male-dominated. In her writing, she has highlighted the particular oppression of third world women through violence and gender discrimination," Women Deliver said.

“In her groundbreaking career, Mananzan has worked to empower women and to combat injustice and oppression wherever she finds it – whether within the political system, or at the hands of the church," it added.—JMA/JV, GMA News

...run for Kabayan part 2

Pinoy runners raise P366K for sick Pinoys in UAE

 

JERRIE ABELLA, GMA News

03/04/2011

 

After running for a cause in a race in the United Arab Emirates in January, a Filipina nurse and her teammates turned over 31,000 Dirhams (Dh, approximately P366,000) they raised in their project, for the benefit of compatriots in distress.

Christina Deloy, 33, and teammates from Filipino Runners-UAE ran at the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 2011 last Jan. 21 to raise money for distressed compatriots there, including two who were battling cancer.

Dubbed Takbo Para kay Kabayan (Run for my Countrymen), 39 members of the group had vowed to run a total of 800 kilometers.

"They were my inspiration - it's more of desperation. I felt I needed to do something but I did not know how, so I thought of running for them," she said in an interview posted Thursday on news site Gulf News.

Gulf News said the amount raised in the project was handed over to advocacy group Migrante UAE on February 25.

Migrante UAE chairperson Yuri Cipriano also ran the 10-kilometer race.

Deloy, a mother of one, defied a leg injury and was among the 25 members who completed the marathon.

She had asked her social network friends to sponsor Dh50 for every kilometer covered by each member of Filipino Runners-UAE.

At least 200 people donated to the cause, the Gulf News report said.

On the other hand, the amount raised had fallen "short" of the target of raising Dh40,000 (P472,203).

One of the intended beneficiaries, 37-year-old Arthur Lareza, a husband of Deloy's colleague at Rashid Hospital, needs up to Dh300,000 (P3.541 million) for a bone marrow transplant.

The money helped buy five air tickets for housemaids at a shelter run by the Philippine Consulate in the UAE.

"Instead of simply beating our personal records, we thought it was a good idea to run for a cause," noted the runners' coach, Euca Bolingot.

The group started with just three runners, but according to Bolingot, the group’s membership has now grown to almost 50 in just a few months.

The group was initially called Zabeel Night Striders until the members decided to adopt the name Filipino Runners. – VVP, GMA News

...the perfect pitch

Thia Megia makes it to AI’s top 13

By JANET SUSAN R. NEPALES

03/05/2011

LOS ANGELES – Thialorei Lising Megia, 15, more popularly known to American Idol followers as Thia Megia, made it to the top 13 finals in the American Idol (AI) Season 10 singing contest.

On Thursday night (Friday, Manila time), the charming girl who has been home-schooled for three years made the cut at the AI selection of finalists.

“It feels amazing to be in the top 13," said Thia, who acts mature for her age.

Unfortunately, Clint Jun Gamboa, another Filipino contestant who made it to the top 20, got booted out. (See: PEP: American Idol: Thia Megia in; Jun Gamboa out)

“I feel sad for Clint," Thia said. “He is like my kuya (older brother)."

Clint is the former DJ from Long Beach, California, who had performed Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition" during the all boys performance Tuesday night (Wednesday, Manila time).

Pitch perfect

During the Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time) performance of all the girl finalists, Thia sang “Out Here On My Own," Irene Cara’s song from the movie “Fame," and impressed the three AI judges – Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson.

Steven said, “When somebody’s pitch is so perfect, it doesn’t matter what you sing."

J-Lo, on other hand, said, “It was so beautiful. It was a quiet moment. You were there standing still and you captivated every single person in this room."

But the best compliment Thia probably got that Wednesday night (Thursday, Manila time) was from Randy Jackson who said she is like the female Michael Jackson when it comes to having the perfect tone. Randy said, “Your tone reminded me of the tone of the late Michael Jackson."

Youngest AI contestant proudly Filipino

Thia, who hails from Mountain House, San Joaquin County, California, flew all the way to Wisconsin to audition in Milwaukee because she could not wait for the auditions in California.

She was planning to join Season 11 next year but when AI dropped the minimum age to 15 this year’s competition, she joined right away – becoming the youngest contestant in the history of AI.

“Lauren Alaina from Rossville, Indiana, who is 16 years old, and I get along well since we are almost the same age and we share a lot of things in common," she said.

Dressed in a colorful sweater, black shorts and ankle-high beige boots, and with her long curly hair down and warm smile, comes across as charming, friendly and fashionable.

“I am the only Filipino on the top 13 so Filipino pride!" she declared.

She has been to the Philippines on vacation twice – when she was two years old and when she was four. “It’s been quite a while," Thia said.

To her fans, she said, “Thank you for voting for me. Thank you for all your support. You do not have any idea how happy I am and how proud I am to be Filipino."

Proud family

Her mom, Cynthia, and dad, Loreto, both hail from Pampanga. They immigrated to the US in 1968. Loreto disclosed that his dad changed their name from Mejia to Megia.

“Nanginginig ako bago tawagin ang pangalan ni Thia ni Ryan Seacrest (I was nervous before Ryan Seacrest called Thia’s name)," said Thia’s dad.

Loreto disclosed that he has four kids and Thia is the youngest. All her siblings are rooting for her.

“I am proud of her," he said, adding that Thia has been singing since she was four years old.

Since Thia is a minor, the AI contest rules require one parent should escort the young contestant. “Her mom and I will alternate," Loreto said.

We asked him where Thia got her singing talents and he disclosed, “From her uncles from both sides of the family. Definitely not from me. I only sing in the shower." He laughed.

According to Loreto, Thia herself chooses her own songs for AI.

He asked Thia’s fans to continue supporting her. He said, “Mga kababayan, tulungan po ninyong maging tuloy tuloy na ang success ni Thia. Salamat po! (My countrymen, please help Thia so that her success will continue. Thank you!)"

Idol favorites

Thia has been compared to Jasmine Trias, who finished third in season 3 of American Idol and was the youngest contestant then at 18 years old.

Asked whether she has ever seen Jasmine perform, Thia replied, “Yes, although I was too young then. She was really great and she deserved to go that far."

Among Filipino singers, she said she idolizes Charice Pempengco.

“I love Charice," she said. “She has a great voice and she is very humble. I also love Regine Velasquez."

Her father said Thia has performed in a concert with Regine Velazquez.

Thia revealed that her favorite Filipino foods are sinigang, adobo and pancit.

She admitted that she could speak a little bit of Tagalog and could understand it. “I am trying to learn more," she confessed. As for Kampampangan, she said, yes she could understand it.

Before bidding her fans goodbye, she greeted them in Tagalog, “Salamat! Mahal kita! (Thank you! I love you!)" then blew them a kiss. – MRT/JV, GMA News

...the sunrise industry

World Bank still upbeat on country’s BPO trade

By Michelle Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
03/04/2011

THE PHILIPPINES will continue to reap bounties from its burgeoning business process outsourcing industry, which has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years, according to the World Bank.

In its latest quarterly report on the Philippines, the World Bank pointed out that growing income of the BPO sector had more than made up for the decline in tourism revenue.

“The rapidly rising BPO sector is building on the natural comparative advantage of the Philippines,” the World Bank said in a chapter of the report, titled “Exports of Services: Lessons from the BPO and Tourism Sectors.”

“Exports of services have been growing rapidly in the Philippines as fast as the growth of the BPO sector more than offset declining tourism receipts,” the report stated.

The World Bank also said factors like low cost, availability of human capital, tax incentives, and active promotion of the country’s capability to provide BPO services would allow the industry to post sharper growth in the years ahead.

Also, US-based companies that chose to outsource their services to the Philippines spent 80 percent less on operations compared to firms that had not, the World Bank added.

On human resources, hundreds of thousands of Filipino graduates join the country’s labor force every year. Most have skills that fit the requirements of the BPO sector. In 2008 alone, the report said, 444,810 graduates joined the labor pool and could be tapped by the BPO industry.

On tax incentives, a BPO firm in the country may enjoy an income tax holiday for up to eight years. Thereafter, it may be levied a minimal 5-percent gross income tax in lieu of all other taxes.

Last year, the Philippines outstripped India as the world’s “call center capital” in terms of manpower and growth in BPO receipts.

Industry data showed that at the start of 2010, revenue generated by the BPO sector in the Philippines stood at $5.5 billion compared with India’s $5.3 billion.

Also, there were over 500,000 Filipinos working in the BPO sector compared with around 330,00 Indians.

..the Orchid

Singapore to name orchid after PH president

By Norman Bordadora03/04/2011
inquirer.net


MANILA, Philippines—Singapore will name an orchid breed after President Benigno Aquino III when he travels to the city state on a state visit next week, Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario told reporters in Malacañang Friday afternoon.

Aquino is scheduled to make state visits to Indonesia on March 7-9 and Singapore March 9-11.

“These visits follow the Asean tradition of a new head of state paying courtesy visits to fellow Asean member countries. By observing these traditions, the Philippines shows its commitment to Asean as its most important regional partner in development, and peace and security efforts,” Del Rosario said.

In Indonesia, Del Rosario said, Aquino will meet with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudyohono and the two countries will sign agreements on basic education, sports cooperation, and on fighting and preventing transnational crimes.

In Singapore, Aquino will hold talks with President SR Nathan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
“As part of courtesies, there will be a ceremonial naming of an orchid breed after the President at the Singapore Botanical Gardens,” Del Rosario said.

...the fashion dictator

Filipino fashion blogger dictates to world’s rich what to wear

Agence France-Presse
03/05/2011

MANILA, Philippines—The power to dictate what rich people in the First World should wear belongs to a 24-year-old Manila-based fashion blogger.

200,000 VISITORS DAILY. This undated handout photo shows blogger Bryan Yambao posing for a photo during fashion week in Paris. Tapping on a laptop from his Manila bedroom or out of his suitcase, the jetsetting 24-year-old’s online journal has 200,000-plus unique visitors daily, giving him awesome powers to trash or sell a product. AFP/Ingrid Go Chua

The sartorial sovereignty of Bryan Yambao, aka Bryanboy, emanates from his online journal at www.bryanboy.com, which delivers fresh, irreverent and witty critiques of the world’s newest trends on expensive clothing and accessories.

The site attracts more than 200,000 unique visitor hits a day, while nearly 52,000 people follow his Twitter stream, giving the jet-setting former Web designer awesome powers to thrash or promote a product.
The blog is also studded with money-spinning ads that would be the envy of fashion magazines that have only a small fraction of his readership. Not bad for one who spent his tween years reading Mommy’s magazines on the sly.

Industry heavyweight

Supermodel-thin and fond of wearing colorful hats, fur-collared cardigans and handbags, Yambao is now an industry heavyweight who hangs out with the likes of supermodel Naomi Campbell and designer Marc Jacobs.

Recent posts told of his labors to buy Prada’s red men’s wingtips (“It’s the shoe of the season, no doubt”) and how Hollywood stars Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher stole the thunder from fashion figures at a Sao Paulo show.

“I’ve heard several rumors that they were paid about half a million dollars to be here. Celebrities. They always f— up the whole experience,” Yambao ranted.

The blog is also as much a homage to the author as style, with photos of him in outrageous, gender-bending outfits.

‘Inflate my ego’

“Shower me with attention and inflate my ego. E-mail photos of your love and I’ll add you to my ever-growing collection. Be creative! Be spontaneous!” he wrote. Indeed, Yambao’s blog is peppered with photos of fans all over the world bearing notes on paper expressing their affection for him.

And the biggest fashion labels indeed do work super hard to inflate his ego, as evidenced by one of his latest posts for the current fashion week in Paris.

“I’m trying to enjoy the calm before my set of shows ... My invites are starting to pour in,” he gloated as he rattled off the names of international fashions houses begging for his presence in their shows.

“So far I’m confirmed at Isabel Marant, Mugler, Balmain, AF Vandevorst, Gareth Pugh, Rochas, Damir Doma, Chanel, etc. ... Can’t wait to receive more of my invitations!”

Dreams come true

Yambao obviously enjoys the adulation. “If you ask me, all of my dreams have already come true. What else can you ask for,” Yambao said in a speech at an independent fashion bloggers’ conference in New York late last year.

The traditional media also love him.

“Bringing androgyny and attitude to the blogosphere since 2004, Bryanboy’s reflections on fashion never fail to entertain,” Elle magazine wrote, in an excerpt posted in his blog.

“With his sharp wit and cheeky style choices, Manila-based blogger Bryanboy is on the brink of international stardom,” Teen Vogue wrote.

Yambao’s extraordinary online career began with him blogging about his foreign travels in 2004.

Jacobs’ discovery

But he had always been drawn to fashion, even as a 10-year-old studying at a strict Catholic school.

“I would steal my mom’s magazines and read them in school,” Yambao said in his New York speech last year. Yambao initially agreed to be interviewed by AFP but then did not reply to e-mailed questions.

From a puny readership of his friends and family, the blog took off in 2007 after his posts caught the eye of Jacobs, the influential American creative director of French design house Louis Vuitton.

“I discovered this sort of satirical little film that Bryanboy had done of me, and I was really amused by it. I started to look at the blog and, I thought, this guy is so into fashion,” Jacobs said in a clip posted on Yambao’s site.

Jacobs named an ostrich leather tote bag, BB, on his own 2008 fall collection, in the Filipino blogger’s honor.

“Love your passion for fashion,” the designer gushes in a post on Yambao’s site. “After all, where would designers be without enthusiasm like yours?”

Democratized industry

In 2009 Dolce and Gabbana put Yambao and other top bloggers on the front row at the Milan fashion week, beside traditional industry arbiters such as Vogue’s Anna Wintour and Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune.

Menkes, the doyenne of the fashion press, said bloggers had democratized an industry that had long been used to having everything dictated from the top down by the fashion houses.

“And then along comes Twitter and all of a sudden somebody walks out of a, say, Louis Vuitton show and says, ‘That show sucked. I hated it,’” she said in an interview posted online from last year’s Berlin’s fashion trade show.

“But that can go viral and other people can answer ... and suddenly you’re faced with three million people saying negative things. It’s pretty terrifying for these brand managers.”

Asian inspiration

Yambao, who had had his Facebook account filled up with a maximum 5,000 friends a long time ago, appears to revel in the irony of a Third-World blogger dictating to the rich what to wear.

“It did happen to me, you know, somebody from the boonies, in the Philippines,” he said in his New York speech.

One of Yambao’s friends from the Philippines, fashion reporter and blogger Ingrid Go-Chua, said his spectacular career in breaking through one of the world’s most exclusive industries was an inspiration across Asia.

“A lot of Asian people look up to him. He’s like a beacon of a person. In the Third World, you never thought that dreams would come true but he made them come true. He’s put the Philippines on the map,” she said.

...the OECD commendation

OECD official lauds Philippine anti-corruption mechanisms

But says enforcement of laws is the challenge

 

By ROY C. MABASA

March 2, 2011

Manila Bulletin

 

MANILA, Philippines — The head of an international organization helping governments tackle the economic, social and governance challenges of a globalized economy has hailed the anti-corruption mechanisms put in place by the Philippine government, particularly the anti-red tape law, that promotes transparency and expedites transactions in government.

In an interview with reporters, Nicholas van Benschoten, head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinationals and the Working Group on Bribery at the United Kingdom's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, noted that the country boasts of a mature legal environment in terms of the number of legislations being discussed that are designed to address any improper conduct committed by a public official.

"There doesn’t seem to be a lack of legislation here. There is that measure which would provide protection and security to whistleblowers and also the freedom of information bill, and the challenge now I think is in the enforcement and implementation," Benschoten pointed out.

Benschoten leads the UK delegation to the OECD Working Group on Bribery and has contributed to negotiations on the 2009 OECD Anti-Bribery Recommendation.

He was also part of the OECD examination team for the United States phase 3 peer evaluation.
Currently, Benschoten is contributing to the ongoing negotiations for a decennial update to the OECD Guidelines for Multinationals.

Benschoten is in Manila to discuss with Philippine officials what UK is doing in terms of promoting good governance and ethical business among British companies around the world, and how this also reinforces local efforts to promote integrity in business.

According to him, unlike in the Philippines where a lot of corruption cases have been brought forward, it takes a while for graft issues against government officials in the UK to prosper.

However, although there are numerous charges of corruption being filed in the Philippines, this does not mean that the country is corrupt, Benschoten stressed.

“A lot of people have a false perception of the Philippines. It doesn’t have the best ranking on anti-corruption but then again there are other countries that don’t have a good ranking but you can still do business fairly," Benschoten stated.

Benschoten said his visit to Manila is aimed primarily at discussing with local business companies about UK's new Bribery Act of 2010.

“I am here to make sure they understand it, that they understand there is already a crime overseas under UK law which is already being enforced and this law will encourage good business practice and that is important for us," Benschoten said.

He explained that the Bribery Act will replace the existing fragmented law dating from before the First World War and will make bribery easier to prosecute, while being fairer to citizens and businesses in what they can expect from the law.

“It’s very hard to completely eradicate corruption but it doesn’t mean you just tolerate it. You stamp it down so it doesn’t distort the economy," Benschoten said.

He said the Act will replace the existing law’s outmoded concepts with a modern definition of bribery based on an intention to induce improper conduct.

The Act will also introduce new offences of bribing a foreign public official and of failing to prevent bribery on behalf of a commercial organization.

Benschoten pointed out that in the UK they did not have conviction for overseas corruption until 2008.
“It took a while but now we’re having two or three cases every year of conviction. People actually go to jail there for corruption. It takes a while but there is a result.”

He said to date here have been two convictions of British companies for overseas corruption.

One of them involved corruption in Ghana and Jamaica which was UK's first conviction of a company.

He said they did not only convict the individual but also a company as a whole was prosecuted, a first in the UK.

That company no longer conducts business. But it later cooperated with the prosecution to convict and imprison two of its directors, including one of the richest men in Britain.

The second case was a company in Indonesia where the judge made a lot of very angry comments about the company who was bribing him to delay the trial. In addition to the criminal side, there were also some records of accounting offenses where the companies were found guilty of corruption.

“They didn’t know what was going on in terms of their local distributors. That’s not the company being criminal, it’s the company losing control of its business," Benschoten said.

"When you partner overseas you need good partner but you also need to make sure your partner is competent and can actually do what they say they can do," he said.

Benschoten said the UK has a good reputation for openness and honesty.

“By acting professionally and refusing to pay bribes, British businesses defend their reputation for integrity and trade fairly on the value of their products and services," Benschoten said.

"The UK government is committed to target the rogues that seek to win business through bribery and undercut the majority of ethical UK businesses,” he said.

...the festival entries

Two Pinoy indie films to compete at HKIFF

By JULIEN MERCED C. MATABUENA

March 2, 2011

 

A scene from 'Senior Year,' one of the 35th HKIFF Asian Digital Competition Filipino finalists

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino independent films “Balangay” and “Senior Year” will vie for awards in the upcoming Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF)'s Asian Digital Competition category.

According to HKIFF’s website, Asian Digital Competition aims to “encourage young filmmakers in Asia to explore the potentials of the digital film - a technology that is particularly affordable and amenable to intimate, personal expressions.”

Out of the eight finalists in said category, two winners will be chosen for the Golden Digital Award and the Silver Digital Award.

“Balangay’ is a collaboration between Filipino director Sherad Anthony Sanchez and Swedish Robin Färdig. It tells the story of nomadic locals called lumads who live in an abandoned airport in Mindanao. Last year the movie won the Lino Grand Jury Prize at the 12th Cinemanila International Film Festival.

On the other hand, Jerrold Tarog’s “Senior Year” is a coming-of-age movie about a group of high school seniors trying to overcome personal hurdles a few months before their graduation. The film, also a finalist at the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival’s “Tribute to Indie Films,” will be having a regular run in SM theaters this month.

The Pinoy films will be up against South Korea’s “Dance Town,” Japan’s “Good Morning to the World” and “Fit,” China’s “Old Dog” and “The Sun Beaten Path” and Thailand’s “Eternity.”

In related news, award-winning director Brillante Mendoza is set to premiere his new film “Purple” at the HKIFF as part of the Brand Hong Kong omnibus film series, “Quattro Hong Kong 2." The” Kinatay” director, along with other acclaimed Southeast Asian directors Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand), Ho Yuhang and Wai Ying-hung (Malaysia), and Stanley Kwan (Hong Kong), was invited by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society to create a short film set in Hong Kong.

The 35th Hong Kong Film Festival will run from Mar. 20 to Apr. 5, with the awards ceremony to be held on Mar. 30 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

...the coffee

Good coffee is right here in PH

March 2, 2011

Manila Bulletin

 

MANILA, Philippines--To know the story of coffee is as dark, rich, wild, and some might say, even erotic as the drink itself. Chit Juan and her partners at Le Bistro Café believe that good coffee can be found right at home. Coffee beans come in four varieties – Robusta, Excelsa, Liberica, and Arabica—all of which are grown and cultivated in the country.
 
A passion for coffee 

Filipinos are certified coffee lovers. How we are all connected to that single cup – from the most rural mountain provinces to the most cosmopolitan city – is still the best story yet. Philippine coffee is slowly getting back to its feet with the help of a few people who keep the local brew alive and within reach.
 
Le Bistro Café, together with the Philippine Coffee Board, Inc., helps coffee farmers all around the country – from Sultan Kudarat, Bukidnon, Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Oriental, Cavite, Bataan, to the Mountain Province, Benguet, Sagada, and Kalinga.
 
“We help the local farmers in their endeavors. We provide sustainable livelihood programs, technical assis-tance, and opportunities for growth in coffee farming. We also encourage them to have their own brands,” says Juan about the booming local efforts done to boost the industry. Known in the country as an authority when it comes to coffee, Chit Juan was CEO of a successful chain of cafés and its foundation for fifteen years before stepping down to pursue her crusade of reviving the country’s ailing coffee industry and social entrepreneurship.
 
 But more than coffee production, Juan is dedicated to the people behind the scenes and the hard work that bring the rich brew its grace. “We need to tell the story of our coffee history and its rich heritage. There’s a story behind our coffee. If you don’t tell it, it's just another brown liquid in a cup,” says Juan.
 
Sustainable coffee drinking 

“In Le Bistro Cafés, we promote “locavorism”, which means we have to make sure that our products are locally-sourced, organic and natural. Drinking and eating sustainably means that we care about the planet. Why? Sourcing local ingredients means that food miles (from source to the roasted bean) is low since the ingredients don’t have to travel very far. There are a lot of local ingredients that you can actually use,” says Juan.
 
“Locavore” is a term for a group of people who commit to eating locally grown food whenever possible. Le Bistro Café’s coffees except for decaf are locally sourced. “Our coffees are sourced from farms from the different regions of the country. We train the farmers on how to care for their crops, how to pick the ripest coffee cherries, and how best to make a profitable living. From the farmer who grew the coffee to the man who roasted the beans – we have an emotional bond to it all,” says Juan.
 
A founding member of the Philippine Coffee Board, Juan started the advocacy of “Save the Barako” and is the author of three coffee books. In 2004, she also founded “Wild About Organic,” which promoted organic farming among coffee communities. She’s been a faithful fighter for the environment and sustainable lifestyles ever since.
 
“Roasting where you are located lessens carbon footprint. We get the coffee green from the farms. It’s dried to a certain moisture content that’s ready for roasting, then we roast it here in Manila because this is where our distribution is,” she says. Last February, Le Bistro Cafés in NAIA Terminals 2 and 3 launched their local coffee roasted beans, starting with the Sultan Kudarat blend.
 
“We want our countrymen and our guests to know that we do have good quality coffee here in the country. People want to help the planet and their community, but they don’t know how and where to start. You have to start with yourself – drink locally-sourced coffee,” says the passionate Juan.

...the Oscar winner

Short film by Fil-Ams wins Oscar

By Ruben V. Nepales
Philippine Daily Inquirer
03/01/2011

LOS ANGELES—“God of Love,” directed by Luke Matheny and produced by Filipino-Americans Gigi Dement and Stefanie Walmsley, with Stephen Dypiangco, as producer for marketing and distribution, was declared best live action short film during Sunday’s Academy Awards.

In his acceptance speech, Matheny thanked the Fil-Ams who helped him make the movie about a love-struck lounge-singer who receives a box of love-inducing darts.

Matheny went to the New York University (NYU) with Dement, a Baguio native, and Dypiangco, who was born in Los Angeles to immigrant parents. Walmsley, a former “Eat Bulaga” co-host, met Matheny while they were performing in a music video shoot.

Dypiangco told the Philippine Daily Inquirer: “It felt amazing to hear ‘God of Love’ called. I was on the verge of tears. I am so proud of our team and thankful for all the love of my wife, parents, family and friends. My family always teased me about taking part in the Oscars [someday] and now I have. Sunday night was an absolute dream come true. All of the nominees were incredibly strong.”

The nomination for “God…,” Dypiangco said, changed the lives of the talents involved.

The short film was Matheny’s graduate student thesis film. It won the Student Academy Awards last year and earned prizes in the film festival circuit.

“Our entire team had [felt] that [an Oscar] nomination was a possibility, but we still weren’t prepared for it. Once the nomination was official, we suddenly had a million things to do. It was like we were suddenly sprinting, coming from a complete standstill,” Dypiangco said.

The filmmaker, whose parents, Lucila and Oscar Dypiangco, are from Pampanga and Laguna, said: “An Academy award is a tremendous victory for everyone involved and I hope that it would open up new doors to all of us professionally.”

New generation

Dypiangco comes from a new generation of filmmakers who went to film schools and who may someday lead to more Fil-Am presence in the academy’s major categories.

The road was paved on Sunday by Matthew Libatique, who went to the American Film Institute’s graduate school, and was the first Filipino to be nominated in the cinematography category (for “Black Swan”). Libatique proudly wore a tux by LA-based designer Oliver Tolentino—with an abaca bow tie—to the awards rites.

Dypiangco is the youngest of Lucila and Oscar, who met in Manila, got married, had three boys and immigrated to Los Angeles in 1969.

Stephen was born 10 years later. He earned a BS degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University but his interest in cinema led him to enroll in NYU’s graduate film school.

At NYU, Dypiangco’s Student Academy Award-nominated documentary, “Made in the Bronx,” focused on inner city youth. His graduate thesis film, “All Americana,” followed an undocumented immigrant struggling to pay for college.

The young filmmaker said: “Whether writing, directing or producing documentaries, comedies, dramas or music videos, I hope to fight for social justice by showcasing minority stories, with dignity and respect.”

Thankful

After Sunday’s ceremonies, Dypiangco said he was thankful to his parents.

“They have always encouraged me to follow my heart and pursue my passion,” he said. “Their love knows no bounds, and nothing makes them happier than their children’s happiness.”

He added: “I am most grateful to my wife, Ann. She is a social worker who has worked tirelessly to help me pursue my filmmaking dreams. Making independent films can be extremely stressful and all-consuming. She pushes me to do my best but, more important, she helps me keep a perspective about what really matters in life—family, friends and each other.”

Asked about his plans, Dypiangco said he would concentrate on finishing “Home Unknown,” his documentary on a trip to the Philippines with his parents. The docu is about his search for Filipino identity.

Most ambitious

Dypiangco said “Home Unknown” is his “most ambitious” film. “I hope all of this amazing Academy Awards attention [translates] to interest from Filipino investors. I know the film will resonate with Pinoys all over the world.”

He shared some revelations during the shoot in the Philippines: “Over the course of my life, I gradually formed the habit of ignoring most things that my parents said to me. When they started talking, that was my cue to tune out. But when I started filming them in LA and the Philippines, I had no choice but to finally listen to them. It was at this point that I realized I knew nothing about them as real people with their own hopes, dreams, regrets and imperfections.”

He said training his camera on his parents was tough for all three of them in the beginning.

“At first my parents, especially my mom, were extremely resistant to opening up to me with the camera there.

But over time, they let down their guard. Now I understand what their lives were like back in the Philippines, why they came to the United States and what motivates them. I think making this movie allowed my parents to remember parts of their lives that they had long forgotten,” he said.

Of her Oscar experience, Dement told the Inquirer: “I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve been fortunate that the Filipino community rallied round the ‘God…’ team. Oliver Tolentino generously offered to dress me for the Oscars. I was really worried about walking in super high heels in a beaded gown. As a New Yorker with two young children, I don’t get to practice such feats.”

The triumph of the 18-minute film was especially poignant for Walmsley, who grew up in the Philippines with a father who was an expatriate businessman and a Cebuana mother.

“My father, Gerry Walmsley passed away three years ago,” she said. “He repeatedly said that I would one day make it to the Oscars.”

Walmsley, who wore a gown by Martin Bautista—flown in from the Philippines—quipped, “I fully expected to be physically extracted from the red carpet since I was planning on living on it.”

...the wave rider

Filipina wakeboarders, American champs shine in CamSur

By Annelle S. Tayao
Philippine Daily Inquirer

03/01/2011

‘To have the whole spectrum of ages here is surreal,’ said overall champion Tom Fooshee of the US

THE WORLD’S top professional wakeboarders and wakeskaters were Bicol’s main attraction at the recent 2011 Ultimate Wake Championship (UWC) held at the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex (CWC).

Pinoy pride—and girl power, too—were not missing, either, as Samantha Bermudez from Quezon City bested Germany’s Elisabeth Fuchs for the Pro Women Wakeboarding category, while Bicolana Tynna Rosero placed second for Pro Women Wakeskate.

The competition, an adrenaline-pumping showcase of wakeboard and wakeskate tricks, was the final leg of the 2010 World Wakeboard Association (WWA) Wake Park World Series and WWA Wakeboard World Series.

With the world’s most complete wake park facility as their playground, riders displayed their versatility in all three major wakeboarding disciplines: boat, cable and System 2.0 winch.

“This is the goal of the province—sports tourism,” said Camarines Sur Gov. LRay Villafuerte. “We are proud to be hosting UWC for the third consecutive year.”

Outstanding riders included Tom Fooshee from the US, who won as UWC overall wakeboard champion, and bagged top places in the Obstacles Only and Pro Men wakeboard (boat and cable) categories; and Reed Hansen, USA, UWC overall wakeskate champion.

But it was UWC’s youngest rider, 13-year-old Daniel Grant, who became the crowd favorite after bagging top spot in the Pro Men wakeboard cable category, besting other more senior competitors. Grant also placed in the Obstacles Only and Pro Wakeskate Cable categories, taking home prize money worth $7,000.

“I know I landed my KGBs, S-mobes, Moby Dick 5s,” said Grant, describing his top wakeboard and wakeskate tricks.

KGBs and Moby Dick 5s are types of inverts or flips. With the S-mobe, a rider must extend his body upward, board above the head, without doing a complete flip.

“To have the whole spectrum of ages here is surreal,” said Fooshee.

“I just tried my best,” said Bermudez of her victory. “Coin toss lang ’yan eh, because during the run, a lot of people choke—nerves get to some people.”

Bermudez, 24, took up wakeboarding when she was 19, when friends invited her to try it in Lago de Oro in Batangas. She now teaches the sport, too, and will be representing the country under the wakeboarding category at the next Southeast Asian games.

“Wakeboarding is so progressive,” says Bermudez. “There’s no end to it. There’s always something to learn every time you ride.”

...the (economic) optimism

PH is 3rd most optimistic economy
Aquino regime boosts business confidence


By Daxim Lucas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
02/28/2011

MANILA, Philippines—Still riding the euphoria that followed President Aquino’s election victory last year, Filipino businessmen now count themselves as among the most optimistic in the world, according to a recent worldwide survey.

More specifically, the results of the annual Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) showed that Filipino business leaders were now ranked third in the world in terms of optimism with 87 percent of businessmen saying they were more confident about business prospects for 2011.

Local businessmen came in just behind their peers from Chile (95-percent optimism) and India (93 percent), and ahead of those in Brazil (78 percent).

The IBR—conducted locally by the group’s affiliate Punongbayan & Araullo—is an international survey of the opinions of medium to large privately held businesses.

“Some may dismiss this rosy outlook of Filipino executives as simply in keeping with the Filipino’s positive thinking,” said P&A managing partner and COO Marivic Españo.

“This year, however, such optimism is backed by the 7.3-percent real GDP [gross domestic product] growth in 2010,” she added. “That’s the highest economic growth rate we have ever experienced, so I would say our optimism is well-founded.”

The IBR results echoed similar findings released recently by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which showed local businessmen having record-high confidence levels since the entry of the new administration last year.

The Makati Business Club, the group that brings together the country’s biggest businesses, also agreed with the findings.

“We share that optimism,” MBC executive director Peter Perfecto said, adding that the key now was to translate this confidence into concrete gains for the benefit of the broader population.

“We believe that the government can sustain the growth momentum of 2010, if the [Public-Private Partnership] projects begin rolling out this year,” he said. “I understand that they are committed to rolling out at least 10 projects this year. This will be significant.”

Since the Philippines began participating in 2004, optimism among local business leaders has always tracked an upward trend until 2009, when optimism dropped from a high of 95 percent to 63 percent in reaction to the global financial crisis, P&A said in a statement.

The following year, confidence level marginally improved to 68 percent as business leaders cautiously looked forward to a rebound, it added.

Survey respondents were also asked about their business expectations for this year.

Filipino businessmen reported improved confidence in the areas of employment, revenue, selling prices, exports, profitability, investments in new buildings, investment in machinery, and research and development.

...the "Warrior" on finals

PH's Kiamco lands final spot in US Bar Table 8-Ball championship

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Posted at 02/28/2011

MANILA, Philippines – Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Warren "Warrior" Kiamco of the Philippines defeated Amar Kang of the United States in the race-to-5 finals of the 14th Annual US Bar Table Championship 8-Ball Division at the Sands Regency Hotel in Reno, Nevada Monday.

Kiamco, who has won the SEAGames medal several times, will square off with John Morra of Canada for the title.

Morra gave Kang his second defeat in the loser's brackets for the final berths of the competition.
The tournament has attracted 157 players including Filipino pool players Jose "Amang" Parica, Deomark Alpajora, Jundel Mazon. Former World Pool-Billiard Association 9-Ball champion Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan captured the 10-ball division crown.

"Sana manalo tayo sa finals kay (John) Morra, para madeklara tayong over-all champion," said Kiamco, who also took home the 9-ball and 8-ball crowns four years ago.

After the group play, the Pasil, Cebu native Kiamco defeated Mark Estes, Jerry Matchin, Stan Tourangeau and Sylver Ochoa to make it to the final stage.

The undefeated Kiamco showed steely nerves as he beat Brandon Ashcraft, before nipping Kang in the true double elimination format.

"Well, let's hope for the best kay Warren (Kiamco) sa game n'ya kay (John) Morra sa finals," said Jonathan Sy, president of the Negros Billiard Stable to which Kiamco belongs.

Over the weekend, Kiamco bested American Leron Nevel in the finals to capture the 14th Annual US Bar Table Championship 9-ball division tiara.

Kiamco pocketed $4,650 for winning his first major title this year in this annual event.

He can also bag another $5,000 bonus if he wins the 8-ball division crown against Morra, who is also runner-up to Pagulayan in the 10-ball event. – Marlon Bernardino

...the Bora spell

Boracay Russians’ favorite resort

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Inquirer Visayas
02/27/2011 

ILOILO CITY, Philippines—Da, da (Yes, yes), Boracay.

Russian tourists have given the thumbs-up to Boracay and the Philippines as among the top travel destinations for 2010.



Boracay and the Philippines won three of the 70 categories at the annual Travel.ru Star Award, an online poll among Russians conducted by the travel web portal Travel.ru (http://zvezda.travel.ru/en_winners10.html).

The award, considered the first consumer award in the Russian travel industry, selects the top travel agencies, hotels, resorts, airlines, countries and sources of information based on the online votes of thousands of Russian travelers.

Boracay won as best resort in the Southeast Asia and Island Resort categories.

The Philippines won in the Discovery of the Year category.

“Upon returning home from a business trip or vacation, many of these travelers fondly remember those whose services and hospitality not only met but surpassed their expectations,” according to Travel.ru.

It said the vote results “assist customers in choosing new travel destinations and travel industry experts who know how to help realize the travelers’ dreams in the best possible way.”

Russian tourist arrivals in Boracay have grown significantly in recent years, based on Department of Tourism data.

From a negligible number in 2007, Russian tourists numbered 3,041 in 2008 and 3,202 in 2009. Last year, 5,329 Russians made them among the top 10 foreign visitors to the island.

...the port facelift

SBMA moves to transform port into int’l service, logistics center

By JONAS REYES

February 28, 2011

Manila Bulletin

SUBIC, Zambales – Subic Bay Freeport’s marine logistics facilities here are now the top priority of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) as the agency exerts all efforts to fully utilize the New Container Terminals (NCT-1 and NCT-2) and transform the Freeport into a globally competitive service and logistics center.

According to lawyer Red Tuazon, who is SBMA OIC-senior deputy administrator for aviation and maritime operations, the agency is bent on attracting port users to fully utilize the port of Subic, which boasts of 15 piers and wharves capable of handling all types of vessels and has a total capacity of 600,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

He said the Subic port has a huge potential in marine logistics because of the four main ports in the country. Subic port is now ranked third in terms of container cargo traffic with 21,623 TEUs recorded in 2009, next only to Manila with 2.87 million TEUs and Cebu with 469,776 TEUs.

In terms of bulk and break bulk cargo, the Subic port ranked fourth with 2.2-million metric tons, he added.
Tuazon, who led the SBMA delegation to the recent 6th Philippine Ports and Shipping 2011 Exhibition and Conference, said the SBMA is now eyeing the privatization of NCT-2, which has been delayed due to a lack of quorum in the SBMA board of directors.

Tuazon clarified that the NCT-2 was initially bid out by the SBMA Special Bids and Award Committee (SBAC) in 2009. However, while three entities purchased the bidding document, no bids were submitted on the scheduled submission date, thus the bidding was declared a failure.

Thereafter, the SBMA revised the terms of reference (TOR) for this project and went back to its original intention of operating NCT-2 as a container terminal, Tuazon recalled.

In 2010, a rebidding of NCT-2 was conducted, using the same procedure as in 2009, but this time with a revised TOR. Tuazon said the three entities again purchased the bidding document, but only the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) submitted eligibility/pre-qualification documents and bid.

Tuazon said the SBMA’s SBAC reportedly checked the bid of ICTSI and found it in order, but before the SBAC could forward its recommendation for award to the SBMA board of directors, Malacañang revoked the appointments of 13 directors pursuant to Executive Order No. 2 which took effect on July 30, 2010, thereby leaving the decision-making body without a quorum.

“However, with the recent appointment of eight new SBMA directors, bringing to 10 the number of directors sitting in the SBMA board, it is likely that the privatization of the NCT-2 will be one of the agenda when the new board convenes,” Tuazon said.

Tuazon also stressed that the new board has not indicated that it would scrutinize the contract for the NCT-2.
According to SBMA records, the Subic seaport earned a total of P414.5 million in 2010 and a slightly higher income of P472.85 million in 2009 due to a P6-million monthly earning from ships laid up at Subic Bay during the global economic crisis.

...the French study

French study: Manila needs more parks, promenades

By Izah Morales

Yahoo! Southeast Asia 

February 28,  2011

Manila is one of the most beautiful cities in Asia-Pacific but it needs more parks and promenades, according to a study of French-based professors and students.

Professor Christiane Blancot of Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris La Villette presented the results of a one year-study covering Intramuros, Paco, Sta. Ana, Malate, and Navotas, which are located along Pasig River.

“In Intramuros, there’s a need to reconnect its east and west areas and shift its port from cargo terminal to passenger terminal,” said Blancot.

For Paco, their study proposed to build a corridor connecting Pasig River and Paco Cemetery. The study also suggested to create a promenade along the river banks of the river in Quiapo and transform the area occupied by warehouses in Sta. Ana into a park.

Paco Park by Jacqueline Timola/ NPPA Images.

“Sta. Ana plays a strategic role since it is located between Intramuros and Makati. It must be developed with the river in mind,” said Blancot.

The study also recommended that a promenade by the sea be constructed in Malate and a network of stilts and passageway be built in the fishing village of Navotas.



When asked whether the said proposals would be submitted to the local government units involved, Blancot said that they are open with sharing them but they haven’t communicated with any officials yet.

Professor Christiane Blancot tackles the results of their one year-study of Manila's facade. Photo by Jacqueline Timola/NPPA Images.

“Now, it’s time for us to flesh out their findings and actualize it. But will the government be opened to such developments?,” said Dr. Butch Zialcita of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of the Ateneo, who assisted the group in their study.

“This presentation showed that a plan can be done. We can plan. We need to enlighten the government and help in urban planning,” added Arch. Nathaniel Von Einsiedel, president of Heritage Conservation Society.
Einsiedel also shared the Heritage Conservation Society would be looking into revitalizing the heritage districts in Manila.

Photos by Jacqueline Timola/NPPA Images.

...the dream builder

Building homes, building dreams

 

By JORDAN C. TAN

February 27, 2011

 

 

The volunteers at work (photo by EDWARD LLANES)

MANILA, Philippines – There are lessons learned in school and some that are better learned outside. This I found out when I joined a group of youth volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization that rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of homeowners (known as home partner) families, volunteer labor, and donations of money and materials.


Our destination: A Habitat site in Calauan, Laguna.
 

It all started a few days before the build.  At first, I thought it was quite ironic that I’d be going to help build homes with other volunteers because the week prior, my school had organized the same activity in the same place but I was not able to go (and to think that I already had work gloves and hard hats for my brother and myself).
 

On the road to Calauan, I kept thinking about the tasks that might be assigned to me and was even questioning myself if I could actually build a house.
 

On arrival at the site (we were among the early birds), we were introduced to the youth council organized by a group of dedicated youth whose aim is to be able to gather 1,000 youths from different schools, colleges, and universities to help out in building for Habitat.
 

The parade of volunteers soon began and I saw Senator Chiz Escudero; Bibeth Orteza, writer and wife of Carlos Siguion-Reyna, who wore a pair of different colored espadrilles to symbolize her being a cancer survivor; Feli Atienza, wife of TV personality Kim Atienza; Cristalle Belo, daughter of dermatologist Vicki Belo; Yolanda Hadid, the current girlfriend of musician David Foster; Felix Ang, president of CATS motors; Jim Fuentebella, Corporate Marketing VP of Max’s Chicken; Mons Romulo-Tantoco, daughter of Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, actor Derek Ramsay, and many more.
 

Ayala Land Chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala led the pack of volunteers and we were assigned to work on Houses 9 and 10. The day began with us moving the Concrete Interlocking Blocks, CIB for short, from the outside to the middle of the house.  The CIB blocks look like Lego pieces and this made it easy to determine if you were attaching the blocks correctly.  Habitat for Humanity is the first in the country to be using these blocks in their construction.  Moving the bricks was surely a back-breaking task and we worked like a production line passing the blocks from one point to another until it reached the middle.
 

After moving the blocks, we made the base walls of the house.  It was very fun to see the blocks interlock with one another as we erected the walls.  We then proceeded to the station where the job being done was grouting.  This was the task I enjoyed the most because it was fun to stuff the CIB’s interlocking holes with grout and make sure that they’re completely stuffed.
 

Under the heat of the noontime sun, there we were, interlocking CIB blocks and grouting. Our respite came in the form of a lunch break of Max’s fried chicken and Krispy Kreme donuts.


As builders for a day, I realized that young as I am, it made me very happy to know that I was able to give back to the community in my own little way.  I also realized that community service doesn’t have to be very big and grand for it to have an impact on people’s lives.  We were only able to build a part of the house but this little act of ours already had a very big impact on another person’s life.
 

Second, I realized that the youth is indeed the future of a nation.  The youth council who took part in the build proved this.  Third, I realized that a construction worker’s job is not an easy one.  Upon experiencing first-hand the kind of work that they do, my perception of them has changed a lot.
 

Finally, I realized that there are some people who are truly dedicated to doing their part for the community.  There was a foreign volunteer whom we saw who still worked to finish the house he started even though everyone was happily having their lunch.
 

I enjoyed building homes and giving back to the community.  I also enjoyed the chance to bond with my brother, my cousin and the people from Manila Bulletin. I also interacted with a lot of people whom I have never before met in my life.  And finally, I also learned a lot, not only technical stuff like building homes but also realizations that greatly changed my perception of things and helped me become a better person.This made the experience in building for Habitat truly worthwhile and unforgettable.  I wish that in the future, I might be able to go back there again and continue my service to the community.

...the NatGeo photographer

Pinay makes it to finals of NatGeo photo contest

 

abs-cbnNEWS.com

02/27/2011

 

MANILA, Philippines - Yen Baet, a Filipina writer-photographer based in England, made it as one of the 6 finalists in the National Geographic Photo Contest.

 

Filipina photographer Yen Baet's entry to the National Geographic Photo Contest. Credit: Screen grab from http://rainprel.wordpress.com/

"Rainy Night in Hallstatt", her photo, was taken in Austria as twilight crept in. It shows a church by a picturesque lake.

According to Baet's website, Baet learned photography on her own. She has a degree in English, and has been published in the Philippines and Japan.

She was born in the Philippines but immigrated to the US. England is now her home, though.
The contest winner will be determined by voting. One can vote by going to
http://nationalgeographic.com/chasesapphire.

Only legal US residents may cast their votes. The last day for voting is on March 10.
The grand winner will get a 9-day National Geographic Expedition trip for two to Peru.

...the Oscars 2

CONTENDER FOR OSCARS
Filipino cinematographer wins indie film award

By Ruben V. Nepales
Philippine Daily Inquirer
 02/27/2011

LOS ANGELES – On the eve of the Academy Awards, Matthew Libatique, the Filipino cinematographer of “Black Swan” won the best cinematography prize in the Independent Spirit Awards held in Santa Monica, California.

Libatique, the top Filipino-American creative talent working behind the scenes in the US film industry today, is also in the running for the best cinematography honors in the Oscars which takes place Sunday evening (Monday in Manila). It is his first Academy nomination.

The lensman’s win in the Independent Spirit Awards, which recognizes excellence in films with budgets under $20 million, is his second. Libatique won the trophy for the first time with “Requiem for a Dream,” one of his earliest films with his frequent collaborator, Darren Aronofsky.

Libatique told the Inquirer by phone that his second triumph was sweet because the last time he won was in 2001. “It took a long time for me to get back,” he said. “The first award happened early in my career. So I don’t take this recognition for granted.” The filmmaker added that he loves indie cinema and what it stands for so he valued the honor. “I identify strongly with the independent filmmaking community.”

He shared that in his acceptance speech, he gave special thanks to his wife, Magela Crosignani, who is also a cinematographer, and their two children.

“Black Swan” dominated Saturday’s awards, winning in all the categories in which it was nominated – including Best Feature, Best Director (Aronofsky) and Best Actress (Natalie Portman). The film pulled an upset over “Winter’s Bone,” considered the frontrunner with seven nods but which won in only two categories.

Sthanlee B. Mirador, the Filipino-American photographer who covered the awards held by the beach, told the Inquirer, “When Matthew walked into the press room after he won, he had this huge smile on his face. He came up to me, shook my hand, gave me a hug and said to me, ‘We did it, man!’ I replied, ‘Take home the Oscar tomorrow.’ He simply smiled and shook my hand again.”

Mirador said that Libatique was visibly ecstatic when “Black Swan” won in the other categories. In his category, the director of photography beat Michael McDonough, “Winter's Bone,” Adam Kimmel, “Never Let Me Go,” Jody Lee Lipes, “Tiny Furniture” and Harris Savides, “Greenberg.”

In the Academy Awards, Libatique, 42, one of the youngest members of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), is competing against veterans – Roger Deakins, “True Grit,” Wally Pfister, “Inception,” Danny Cohen, “The King’s Speech” and Jeff Cronenweth, “The Social Network.”

Born in Queens, New York, Libatique has chalked up major film credits, including the two “Iron Man” movies directed by Jon Favreau. The lensman’s collaborations with Aronofsky include “The Fountain,” “Pi” and “Protozoa,” a short film from their American Film Institute graduate student days.

In an online poll conducted by “American Cinematographer,” the magazine of ASC, “Requiem…” was named one of the best shot films from 1998 to 2008, alongside such award-winning movies as “Amelie,” “American Beauty” and “City of God.” Libatique’s most recent project is Favreau’s “Cowboys & Aliens,” which stars Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig and is due out this year. His other credits include two films with Joel Schumacher, “Tigerland” and “Phone Booth,” and three with Spike Lee – “Inside Man,” “Miracle at St. Anna” and “She Hate Me.”

Libatique, who is called Matty by friends and colleagues, began his career by shooting music videos with such artists as Tracy Chapman (“Give Me One Reason”), Moby, Jay-Z, Brian McKnight and 98 Degrees. He followed and shot Kobe Bryant during a day in the 2008 NBA playoffs for the documentary “Kobe Doin’ Work.” He also directs commercials in between film projects.

In “Black Swan,” a psychological thriller in which Portman portrays an obsessed ballerina, Matthew masterfully shows the gritty world underneath the professional gloss of ballet. The film is considered by many as the best collaboration so far of Libatique and Aronofsky, who said that “Black Swan” and “The Wrestler,” for which Mickey Rourke got acting accolades, began as one movie.

In an earlier interview with the Inquirer, Aronofsky said that Libatique’s DP expertise helped in making “Black Swan,” whose $13 million budget is loose change compared with the budgets of their “Iron Man” movies. “We didn’t have the spotlight in some of the ballet scenes,” the director disclosed. “So we didn’t know where the shadows were. Matty had to sit there with his dimmer board, making sure one spotlight came down while another came up so that there weren’t any shadows in the shot. So technically, and Matty has said this, too, ‘Black Swan’ was more difficult for him than any of those big movies like ‘Iron Man’ because he had less tools and less time. We had to make do with the limitations we had.”

Libatique traced his interest in photography and cinematography to a gift – a Nikon camera – that his father, Justiniano Libatique, gave him when he was a child. “My father was an amateur photographer and worked at a film lab in New York,” he said. “He taught me the fundamentals of photography at an age when I didn’t realize I would spend the rest of my life using them. I did not even know what a cinematographer was at 11 years old.”

The aspiring filmmaker’s parents “didn’t quite understand how I would make a living as a cinematographer and that was a source of anxiety for them, but they never dissuaded me from it.”

He is proud of his Filipino heritage. “Both of my parents spoke Tagalog when I was growing up,” Libatique said. “Although I spoke Tagalog very early on, my life became dominated by English when I started school. I still understand Tagalog but rarely hear it since my mother married an American. She now goes by the name Georgina Porter. I consider myself a Filipino, however. I cook and eat Filipino food all the time.

Libatique’s trips to the Philippines included one that was work-related. “I shot second unit on a film, ‘Soldier Boyz,’ with Darren. I taught him about pinakbet.”

Portman is considered in a close fight with Annette Bening (“The Kids Are All Right”) in the Academy’s Best Actress race. Libatique’s gritty cinematography is credited as one of the factors for Portman’s well-received portrayal of a paranoid prima ballerina. “Natalie is interesting because she’s a bad-ass actor,” Libatique said. “It’s my job to capture that through cinematography. If you look at the film, you’ll see that it’s her face that makes you believe she is a ballerina.”

Libatique is also grateful to “Spike Lee, along with his former cinematographer, Ernest Dickerson. They are the reasons I became a filmmaker. So, when Spike called and asked me to shoot ‘She Hate Me,’ it was a landmark moment in my career. Making a film with Spike is an experience, and I’ve had the rare opportunity to have made three with him. He challenged me in different ways than other directors. He’s a force of nature who demands the best from everyone.”

Libatique and Aronofsky will work together again on the next “Wolverine” movie with Hugh Jackman resuming the title role.

Of his chances at the Oscars, the low-key talent with impressive credits said, “I don’t expect to win. I feel like I’ve already won, especially with this honor from the Independent Spirit Awards.” He added that he might wear something with a touch of the Philippines or of the Filipino in him. But he stressed that he will make that decision on Sunday morning.

...the champ

Orcollo nabs World 8-Ball Championship

abs-cbnNEWS.com

02/27/2011

 

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino cue artist, Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo clinched the WPA World 8-Ball crown by beating Neils Feijen of Netherlands, 10-3, in the finals at the Fujairah Exhibition Center in United Arab Emirates.

 

According to the tournament's website, Orcollo, a former fisherman from Surigao del Sur, quickly zoomed to a 5-0 lead over Feijen in the race-to-10 affair.

In Rack No. 6, the Filipino scratched in the side pocket. This allowed the Dutch to score three straight racks, 5-3.

Feijen was running Rack No. 9 when he failed to sink the No. 4.

Orcollo, who plays under Perry Mariano's Bugsy Promotions, went back to the table and cleaned the remaining racks en route to his world title victory.

Robocop received the $40,000 top prize that goes with the title.

Feijen, on the other hand, pocketed the $25,000-runner up prize.

Orcollo outhustled David "El Matador" Alcaide of Spain, 9-3, in the semifinals to forge a titular showdown with Feijen, who blanked UK’s Darren Appleton in the other semis match.

In winning a world championship, Orcollo joined the ranks of Filipino cue artists who won world titles like Efren "Bata" Reyes (World 9-Ball, World 8-Ball), Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan (World 9-Ball), Ronato "The Volcano" Alcano (World 9-Ball, World 8-Ball) and Francisco "Django" Bustamante (World 9-Ball). -- With a report from Marlon Bernardino

...the vibrant tourism

Domestic tourism to spruce up RP economy

 

By JACKY LYNNE A. OIGA

February 27, 2011

Manila Bulletin

 

 

Intramuros, Manila

 
 
 MANILA, Philippines – Tourism in the Philippines continues to be vibrant and resilient despite the challenging times. After incurring a 17 percent increase on foreign visitors from 2009 to 2010, the tourism industry is all geared-up to start 2011 on a high note. First on the list is the intensifying domestic tourism – the key stabilizer of the tourism industry.
 

The Department of Tourism (DoT) and the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) are working together to implement plans and strategies to add to DoT’s existing programs for domestic tourism. PHILTOA will be aligning its programs with the DoT’s marketing directions and product development to come up with a variety of offerings that cater to the current market needs of the tourism industry.


“With the right programs, we can double the movement of the domestic market. Domestic travel is very important for the tourism industry. It provides sustainability and stability to our destinations especially during off season months and global economic downturns,” said PHILTOA president Cesar Cruz during their first General Membership Meeting.
 

During the event, Professor Benjamin Diokno, former Secretary of Budget and Management, discussed the tourism forecast for 2011 from an economic standpoint. According to Diokno, tourism is one of the potential growth sectors of the economy but the government has to be constantly proactive.


“Higher tourism activity will contribute to the development process of the Philippine economy in two ways: first, it will create more jobs since tourism is labor-intensive; and second, it will help reduce poverty especially in regions outside Metro Manila,” Diokno said.
 

Budget travels and competitive domestic fares are some of the reasons why Filipinos are traveling more around the country. To take advantage of this trend, the government, private sectors and LGUs should work together to cultivate new destinations that offer fresh experiences.
 

“We must work on connecting destinations to each other. For example, people already know about Boracay, Aklan but how about other provinces in Western Visayas like Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and Guimaras? Marketing of top destinations must spill over to nearby provinces to generate more income not only for the LGUs but for the locals as well,” Cruz explained.
 

All in all, inbound tour operators are confident that 2011 will be a great year for the tourism industry.

By forging a strong partnership with the DoT, they believe that domestic tourism will be even more exciting for Filipino travelers.