...the big league

PHL softball's Team Manila leads 2011 Big League world series

 

 

08/06/2011

GMA News

Team Manila, Asia-Pacific's representative in the 2011 Big League Softball World Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan, remained unbeaten Saturday, posting four consecutive wins to claim the top spot for now.

Rizza Bernardo and Michelle Lentija made their impact in pitching and offense as their contingent defeated Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA) and Michigan-Central, 12-0 and 4-1, respectively.

Team Manila opened with back-to-back wins over Southwest representative Alice, Texas (10-0) and Canada (7-0) in the 10-team round-robin tournament.

Host Kalamazoo and Delaware are also unbeaten, but have one victory less than Team Manila. They occupy second place with three wins each.

Bernardo and Lentija pitched a no-hitter and combined for seven strikeouts against EMEA in an easy win that ended after the fifth inning.

Lentija blasted a key hit in a two-run third inning while Bernardo drilled a two-run home run in the seventh to put the game away against Central.

Lentija ripped a RBI single to score Veronica Belleza and put the Filipina softbelles ahead, 2-0, midway in the third.

Central scored a run at the bottom of the third but Bernardo blasted a four-bagger after an Annalie Benjamen single.

Belleza had five strikeouts on a one-run seven-hit complete game to shut down Michigan's offense. — Reuben Terrado/ER/JVP, GMA News

...the Benemerenti awardee

Pope confers awards on Filipinos

By ROY C. MABASA

August 5, 2011

Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines — Pope Benedict XVI has conferred the Benemerenti awards on two Filipinos residing in the United States in recognition to their long and exceptional service to the Catholic Church, their families and community.

According to the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, Pope Benedict XVI conferred the Benemerenti awards on Titus Verzosa and Nellie Hizon.

Instituted by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, the Benemerenti medal ranks second after the Cross Pro Ecclesia  et Pontifice and is bestowed upon Catholic men and women who have rendered significant service to the Church and society.

The Benemerenti is a gold Greek cross depicting the image of Christ, his hand raised in blessing. On the left of the transverse arm of the cross is a depiction of the tiara and crossed keys, and to the right is the sheilf of the current Pope and his motto. On the reverse is the word Benemerenti, which means "good merit" and the ribbon is made of Papal colors, yellow and white.

According to accessible records, only t75 individuals received the award from 1949 to the present. Verzosa, a resident of Fresno, California, received the medal for his 17 years of dedicated service and leadership as a choir director, finance council member and a coordinator of several fund-raising events for St. Mary Queen of Apostles parish.

The medal and the accompanying certificate from the Holy See were presented to him last February 20 during a Sunday mass by the parish priest, Fr. Timothy N. Cardoza.

...the young DJ in Westbay

Young Fil-Am deejays dominate airwaves

By Henni Espinosa

ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

08/06/2011

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO - Ten-year-old Michael Antonio Ruiz also goes by the name "DJ Mini Me".

DJ Mini Me is among the resident deejays at KWBY or Kids at Westbay, launched just a few weeks ago. Westbay is a multi-service center for Filipinos at the South of Market in San Francisco.

 

He said, “I like being a deejay because music inspires me and we’re doing a lot of stuff.”

 

DJ Mini Me belongs to the after-school program of Westbay, where they not only learn academics.

 

Rudy Asercion, executive director at Westbay said, “Here, they’re actually learning skills, new technology.”

 

Besides playing modern music, KWBY also plays Original Pilipino Music (OPM) and even Kundiman for the younger generation to appreciate.

 

KWBY is also a talk radio. Asercion said, “One of the things that excite me about this is that our kids can talk about anything.”

 

KWBY airs via live streaming through Westbay’s website, www.westbaycenter.org.

 

It only cost Westbay $3,000 to set up the entire radio booth as it uses mostly donated computers and sound system. Today’s technology also makes KWBY available all over the world through the Internet.

 

Jun Reyes, program director of KWBY said, “As compared to 3 to 4 years ago, the Internet is much more accessible. Speed is great for video and audio broadcast.”

 

KWBY also plans to air classic Filipino children tales that teach Filipino values and culture.

 

Ultimately, KWBY not just hopes to make children discover their talents, but make them realize they are indeed the voice of the future generation. 

...the dou in Dutch open

British-Pinoy duo reaches finals of Dutch tennis tourney

by Loui Galicia

ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

08/06/2011

Photo by By Loui Galicia, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

THE HAGUE -- A tennis tandem composed of a British and a Filipino reached the doubles finals of the recently concluded Thor de Bataaf Tennis Open in The Hague.

The duo, however, failed in their bid to win the title as they bowed to their Dutch opponents.

Despite the 6-3 6-3 scoreline, the Dutch champions said it was not an easy fight.

“I don’t find it was easy at all. It was pretty hard. They played very good,” Bas Schenk said.

“They were tough opponents so we played very good for us. Somehow we managed to break them in the first set,” added Jochem Wiersma.

For the only Filipino in the tournament of the Dutch-dominated tennis club, reaching the finals is already a big honor.

“They have the height advantage and we have to compensate for that one in terms of speed perhaps and because of their length and height they've got wider coverage at the net. It's like hitting through a wall when playing them, otherwise everything is equal,” Rommel Loveranes, a Pinoy expat said.

His British partner, also an expat, commended the Pinoy’s style in tennis.

“He is really fast, one of the quickest players I’ve played with across the net. Excellent volleys, excellent smash, excellent forehand, the only thing is only his backhand…but that's not exactly a weakness per se,” David Flaherty said.

The tandem of Loveranes and Flaherty has already moved on.

This time, they hope to make it to the finals and win the championship at the Mets Tennis Open.

...the Pinoy paddlers

PHL dragon boat team bags two golds

 

 

 

 By Sid Ventura | Sportsaholic

06 August 2011

 

The Philippine Dragon Boat Federation's team of hardy paddlers, bucking all sorts of odds stacked against them, made a statement right away by bagging two gold medals, one in record-breaking fashion, at the 10^th World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Tampa, Florida.

 

On Thursday, the Pinoy paddlers ruled the 1000-meter small boat event, setting a world record of four minutes, 57.13 seconds to beat Australia (5:00.09) and Hungary (5:03.71) for their first gold medal of these championships, which drew the finest dragon boat teams from all over the world.

It marks the third straight time the PDBF has won a gold medal in record time in the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships after ruling the men's standard 200-meter event in 2007 and 2009. But this triumph was made all the more special by the numerous obstacles the team faced beforehand.

The PDBF, which practices in the garbage-strewn waters of Manila Bay, almost withdrew from the prestigious event due to lack of funds before Cobra Energy Drink and Philippine Airlines pitched in with corporate sponsorship. Then some paddlers left to join a rival group, depleting the team at the worst possible time and forcing the remaining members to train doubly hard.

The team, composed of members of the Philippine Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, decided to join the small boat race for the very first time, which called for a big adjustment in strategy. Unlike the 200m standard boat race, which can be likened to a sprint and which has more paddlers, the 1000m small boat race requires fewer paddlers racing over a much longer distance. Additionally, unlike the other teams, the PDBF entered the first heat without the benefit of a practice session.

It didn't matter in the end as the Pinoy Paddlers topped the first heat with a time of 4:59.79, almost two seconds ahead of Australia's 5:02:59 effort. For the final heat, the team went with a slower stroke rate, a move that paid off handsomely with a world record and gold-medal finish.

The following day, a PDBF team of five male and five female paddlers ruled the premier 200m mixed event with a time of 57.07 seconds, way ahead of Trinidad and Tobago's 1:00.719.  Puerto Rico won the bronze with a time of 1:03.393.

An animated crowd of Filipinos residing in the Tampa Bay area have shown up to cheer on the team during their races, a big turnaround from the almost zero attention they got back home from sports officials and the general public.

The team goes for a three-peat in the men's premier 200m today and is also aiming for golds in the men's 500m and mixed 500m. Sounds ambitious? With this resilient group of young men and women, anything is within reach.

...the Grant art

Artworks of Fil-British actress featured in London

08/03/2011

GMA News

 

(From left) Rebecca Grant, Robert Powell, PHL Embassy in London Charge d’ Affaires Reynaldo Catapang and Mrs Cristy Catapang. - DFA website

The artworks of Filipina-British actress Rebecca Grant were featured in a two-week exhibit in London, marking the 65th anniversary of Philippines-United Kingdom bilateral relations.

The Philippine Embassy in London hosted the exhibition "An Actor's Art" by multi-talented Filipino-British artist Rebecca Grant from July 5 to 15.

"It was the debut art exhibit of Ms. Grant, who is well-known in Britain for her starring roles in theatre, film and television," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Reynaldo Catapang said it was "a great pleasure" for him "to feature one of the most versatile Filipino-British talents in the United Kingdom."

"The Embassy is proud to have members of the Filipino community who shine, excel and well-recognized by the mainstream British audience," he added.

The DFA said two dozen paintings presented colourful images of Grant's past experiences on stage and film, as well as intimate portraits of her co-stars in her various acting projects.

Among them were Hollywood actor Christian Slater and renowned British thespian Robert Powell.

On the other hand, the DFA said Grant's art has previously earned her national art prizes, including those awarded by the Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra.

Present at the launch reception at the Embassy were artists, actors, producers, art critics and members of the Filipino community.

During the launch, a portrait of Robert Powell, who is well-known in the Philippines for portraying Jesus of Nazareth, was unveiled.

The other highlights of the launch included musical numbers by Hungarian soprano Zita Tatrai and British swing band Jive Aces.

Pinay mother

Grant has a Filipina mother who hails from La Union.

She grew up in the UK, and was once a regular member of the Filipino dance troupe Lahing Kayumanggi.

She is famous among British audiences for her portrayal of Filipina nurse Daisha Anderson in the award-winning TV medical drama "Holby City," the DFA said.

Grant had appeared on several West End productions such as Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Bombay Dreams" and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." - VVP, GMA News

...the Pinoy author

Pinay author breaks into US book market

abs-cbnNEWS.com

08/04/2011

 

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino mom Samantha Sotto wrote her first book, Before Ever After, to kill time while waiting for her son to come out of school.

 

After a year, she sent her story to literary agents abroad and eventually got a deal with Random House, one of biggest publishing houses in the world.

Before Ever After was launched in New York last August 2, and is available in North America through Barnes & Noble and across the globe through Amazon and iBooks.

Currently, the book ranks fourth in Amazon's "Hot New Releases in American Literature."

Bestselling authors in the US had nothing but good things to say about Sotto's first book.

"Before Ever After is one of those books that challenges the natural laws of fiction writing, but in a frisky and highly entertaining way," said Anne Fortier, New York Times bestselling author of Juliet.

"Exquisitely written and inventively told, Before Ever After is a beautiful, moving -- and quite fun -- exploration of what you think you know about your own life," said Melissa Senate, bestselling author of See Jane Date, The Love Goddess' Cooking School and other novels.

In an interview with The Philippine Star, Sotto said she is already "80% done" with her second novel.

She gave this advice to aspiring writers who dreams of being published by Random House: "Stop dreaming and pursue what you want. The amount of creative talent in this country is huge and there is absolutely nothing that is stopping us from showing the world what the Filipino can do."

Meanwhile, Sotto will be at the Philippine Consulate in New York on August 12 to sign copies of her first book.

...the Blush

Pinay leads new Asian girl band ‘Blush’

by Steve Angeles

ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

/04/2011

LOS ANGELES - They’re the next Asian pop group looking to take on the US market. 

"Blush," and their new single “Undivided” featuring hip hop legend Snoop Dogg, has climbed to number 13 on the Billboard Dance Charts.

Blush features five girls from five different countries, all with one dream: to be pop stars.

“We want to inspire (the audience) and give them positive energy and make them happy and go for their dreams,” said Angeli Flores, the Filipina member of Blush.

The 21-year-old Flores has been singing since she was eight, and has appeared on ABS-CBN’s variety show ASAP. She has also competed on Pinoy Idol.

“I have experience performing and singing in front of people so I think I share (with the group) my knowledge about music and performing,” she said.

Each member of the group was recruited at auditions from their native country– Korea, Hong Kong, India, Japan and the Philippines.

For now, the group is based in Los Angeles as they complete their debut album due out this year. Though most of their songs will be in English, each girl will perform in their native language.

...the alcohol partner

Inuman Food

By Lori Baltazar

Timpla – Mon, Aug 1, 2011

The ultimate crispy pig is chicharon bulaklak

Whether you're swigging down a bottle of beer, shooting down shots of lambanog (local wine made from coconut), or taking your time with a bottle of wine, there's nothing like pairing pulutan with a drink. Incorrectly but steadfastly believed to "line the stomach," thus allowing for less alcohol absorption (read: beer belly) pulutan takes a myriad of forms--from glorified street food using the different anatomies of chicken and pigs to more upscale versions rebranded as tapas.

Pulutan is not a meal or a snack even. It's food that always has alcohol at its center, is often grilled or deep-fried, is always oily, and should be able to be eaten with your fingers, most of the time anyway. Here, a few of the popular pulutans:

Because nothing spells sisig like excess, a whole raw egg is cracked atop

Sisig
Practically everything except the pig's oink and meat are used to make this Kapampangan original. Skin, cheeks, nose, ears, even the animal's inner organs are chopped up, boiled, seasoned, and grilled. Sometimes it's even fried with plenty of chopped onions and chilies and salt. When it comes to table, people reflexively reach for the liquid seasoning and tak-tak-tak! it on followed by squeezes of calamansi. And because nothing spells sisig like excess, a whole raw egg is cracked atop. There's even sisig mixed with chunks of chicharon to make crunchy sisig, a heart-stopping (literally!) version of the original sisig which is soft and salty.

Chicharon Bulaklak
Filipinos love crispy pork in all its forms: lechon, crispy pata, lechon kawali, chicharon. But the ultimate crispy pig is chicharon bulaklak. It's fried pork intestines that when deep-fried bloom, hence the "bulaklak" assignation. And truly, they do look like flowers, curly edges that ripple around a middle of fat and a chewiness that alternates between tough and tender. There's a feral, very deeply meaty flavor about a good chicharon bulaklak and it's at its best when dipped in a vinegar-soy sauce concoction or eaten as is sprinkled with grains of salt or even MSG.

It's best to eat these when hot off the fryer

Crispy Crablets
Admittedly less common than the above, these are wonderful because you can eat the whole thing, head and all. These soft-shelled baby crabs abound in riverbanks but can be cultured in fish ponds too. After cleaning and being soaked in gin to remove any off-odors, they're dredged in seasoned flour and then flash-fried. It's best to eat these when hot off the fryer and dipped — make that dunked — in strong vinegar anointed with siling labuyo (bird's eye chili) and salt.

A favorite in reality shows and is often used jokingly to instill "fear" in foreigners visiting Manila …

Balut & Penoy

Sold at night by itinerant vendors shouting the characteristic "Baluuut . . . penoy!" this is the first choice of people who've pulled together a spontaneous drinking session outside their home. Usually sold together and swathed in a grimy, threadbare cloth to keep the eggs warm, the eggs are differentiated only by scrawled markings with a fast-fading marker pen.

Balut and penoy are both duck eggs but it's their incubation length that determines their look and thus, taste. The more benign is the penoy, an infertile duck egg which, while it sounds technical, looks and tastes like a regular boiled egg. It's usually sold with grains of coarse salt pressed into a fold of newspaper. Use this instant receptacle to hold the pieces of peeled eggshell and then press the salt onto the penoy.

The balut is a favorite in reality shows and is often used jokingly to instill "fear" in foreigners visiting Manila. An incubated duck egg with a 16-18 day-old embryo, this is made edible after being boiled for up to 30 minutes. A balut can be off-putting right from the get-go with its webbed shell interior and indescribable texture — from the chick itself to the lone bone.

Grossness aside, both these eggs are favorites among beer drinkers. And that they're regarded as aphrodisiacs and energy boosters is but a plus.

Meat on sticks--cheap and satisfying with a variety to please the pickiest eater

BBQ

Filipinos have their own inimitable way with grilling meats on sticks. Whether it's whole meat parts like pork bbq or animal innards (isaw and tenga and betamax et al.), this is food that's marinated, skewered, and cooked. Cheap and satisfying with a variety to please the pickiest, plus it can be eaten out of hand, what could be better than that?

...the Cebu choir

Cebu-based youths top Hong Kong choir competition

 

08/02/2011

GMA News

The Philippines gained international honor anew after a group of youths from Cebu province topped a choir competition in Hong Kong in late July.

Members of the Mandaue Children and Youth Chorus took the “Jury Prize" in the 2011 Hong Kong International Youth and Children’s Choir Festival last July 21.

After besting competitors from around the world during the event at the Cultural Center in Tsim Sha Tsui, the choir went home with a cash prize of $20,000, the Hong Kong Sun reported.

During the competition, the choir gave an inspired rendition of “Bochong," arranged by Dyzon Pesquera and transcribed by Maestro Sugarol.

The first two editions of the Hong Kong International Youth and Children’s Choir Festival were held in 2006 and 2008. The next competition will be in July 2013.

It was the most recent victory of the 32-member choir’s list of honors in international competitions.

The choir had been named grand champion in the children’s choir category of the National Music Competition for Young Artists or NAMCYA in 2004.

It then won three gold medals in the First Asian Choir Games in Indonesia in 2007.

In 2009, it earned the title world champion in the children’s choir category of the First World Choir Championships in Korea. — JE, GMA News

...the British honoree

Pinoy nurse, town councilor honored in UK

08/01/2011

GMA News

 

A Filipino clinical nurse and a town councilor in the United Kingdom were honored last week for their special contribution to the British society.

The Philippine Embassy on July 26 formally recognized nurse Junjun Medran and East Grinstead Town Councilor Danny Favor for their exemplary achievements and for being a source of pride for the Philippines.

"Our two compatriots have given huge pride to the Filipino nation and I am sure they will inspire others to follow in their footsteps," Philippine Chargé d'Affaires Rey Catapang said at a July 26 ceremony, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

There are an estimated 250,000 Filipinos living in the UK, making them the largest Filipino community in Europe.

Nurse of the Year

Medran was conferred the much-coveted "Nurse of the Year" award at the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals 2011 Star Awards last month, the DFA said.

A native of Mindoro Oriental, he first arrived in the UK in 1999, and had been a runner-up "Nurse of the Year" in 2010.

He is now a clinical site manager at the Royal Surrey County Hospital where there are some 200 Filipino nurses.

The DFA said Medran bested some 80 other nominees in the category, most of them British nationals.

It said Medran's "God-centred values" and "Filipino compassion" were cited as the key traits that won him the award.

The DFA noted Medran has been described by the awards committee and the voters as being "kind, approachable and always ready to listen to any problem and always makes an effort to solve them."

Town Councilor

Meanwhile, Favor was elected Town Councillor for East Grinstead Ashplats in May 2011, as a Conservative Party candidate.

He garnered 893 votes largely from British supporters.

"It was the first time that a Filipino won a public election in the UK," the DFA said.

Favor arrived in the UK in 2000 to work as a nurse. He quickly rose from being a Filipino community leader to a cross-cultural public servant in the quaint and historic town in southeast England.

East Grinstead has a population of approximately 20,000, with a very small ethnic minority population.

There are some 300 Filipinos in the area, but only 20 are registered to vote in UK elections.

According to Favor, Filipinos in the UK have a great potential to become leaders.

He had cited Filipinos' "work ethic, willingness to serve and firm commitment to do what they promise."

Favor also said that "under the right circumstances" he would consider running for a national position.

A native of Camarines Sur, Favor was also recognized with a Service Improvement Award in March this year for his work as a nurse practitioner in Queen Victoria Hospital, West Sussex. - VVP, GMA News

...the ultimate life vest designer

Pinoy designs 'ultimate' life vest

abs-cbnNEWS.com

08/01/2011

 

MANILA, Philippines - It may look like an ordinary backpack with several pockets, but the Rescue 72 grab-and-go bag may be the ultimate must-have when it comes to disaster preparedness.

 

Designed by Filipino entrepreneur Danvic Briones, the bag is a wearable survival kit that doubles as a life vest. Briones said it can carry up to 30 -- even 50 -- pounds of personal belongings.

The Rescue 72 grab and go bag also has first aid kits and tool kits at the front pockets for easy access, a container that can store 1 liter of water, a whistle to make it easier for rescuers to find you, a flashlight to help you get around during the night, and a pocket for a radio or mobile phone.

Briones said he thought of making this product after typhoon "Ondoy" struck Metro Manila 2 years ago.

"'Nung Ondoy walang nakaisip na ganoon kabilis ang baha," he said in an interview on radio dzMM's "Todo Todo Walang Preno" on Monday.

He noted how most people tend to panic or make the wrong decisions in times of disasters, especially when they have not prepared a survival kit.

"'Pag hindi ka ganoon ka-handa, mabilis mag-panic. Ang tendency mas mali ang desisyon na nagagawa kaya nagkaka-casualties. 'Pag ready ka, may presence of mind, mas ok ang percentage ng survival, mas mataas," he said.

In typhoon-prone Philippines, a survival kit may be a determining factor between life and death. The key is to know which items you'll be needing to get by, and to make sure that these will last long enough before help arrives.

Common items in a survival kit include food, water, a first aid kit, a Swiss Army knife, toiletries, clothes, garbage bags and cash.

A Philippine Coast Guard doctor, however, earlier suggested that unlikely items such as condoms, sanitary napkins and diapers may be handy in surviving natural disasters.

...the junior pug

Pinoy nabs gold in World Jr boxing

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Posted at 07/30/2011

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino amateur boxer Eumir Felix Marcial won a gold medal in the AIBA World Junior Boxing Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The 15-year-old boxer from Zamboanga City defeated Turkey’s Cengiz Onat in the finals of the 53 kilogram category.

Marcial first defeated Henrik Hovannisyan of Armenia and Azerbaijan Nasraddin Mammadov.

He outboxed Eduard Vaha of Belarus in the semifinal round to arrange a final showdown against Onat.
Marcial is coached by 3-time Olympian Romeo Brin.

...the young Pinoys for Asian leadership

Top young Filipinos picked for Asia leaders program

Sunday, July 31st, 2011

Philippine Daily Inquirer

The Asia Society, a renowned international organization based in New York that aims to strengthen understanding among the peoples of the Asia Pacific region, has selected nine Filipinos to be part of this year’s batch to the Asia 21 Young Leaders program.

The program aspires to develop the next generation of leaders who would take up the challenge of collaborating on creative solutions to address national and regional issues.

The honorees will take part in the Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit where Asia Society gathers the top 200 young leaders of the Asia Pacific region. This year’s summit will be held in November in New Delhi, India.

This year’s batch includes lawyer Paulino Salvador Leachon, lawyer Lesley Jeanne Cordero, Maria Doris Dumlao, Jeffrey Tarayao, Alvin Cloyd Dakis, Michael Sandejas, Soledad Sylvia Nubla-Lee, Annalie Edday and Joy Anya Lim.

Leachon and Cordero represent the government sector. Cordero was chosen for her contributions as the assistant secretary for legislative affairs in the Presidential Communications Operations Office, while Leachon was picked for his effective management and policy implementations as the mayor of Calapan City.

Nonprofit sector

Nubla-Lee and Edday represent the nonprofit sector with Nubla-Lee being cited for her work in providing access to quality higher education for underprivileged public high school students through Pathways to Higher Education. Edday was cited for her advocacy of improving educational systems in the rural areas through programs such as Quality Education in Sarangani Today (Quest).

Tarayao was chosen for his achievements in the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) being the chief CSR officer of Meralco and, previously, of Globe Telecom.

Dakis, founding chair and national president of Alliance of Young Leaders and Advocates International Inc., was selected for his advocacies in health and human rights. Lim, a social entrepreneur from Cebu, founded Anthill Fabric Gallery which promotes cultural preservation of the Philippines’ weaving industry.

Dumlao was honored for her work as a multiawarded business reporter of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Sandejas represents the arts and culture sector who uses his films as a means to shed light on marginalized sectors of society such as the deaf.

Former Filipino fellows include education advocate Ching Jorge, former National Youth Commission chair Bam Aquino, DNA forensics scientist Dr. Ma. Corazon de Ungria, human rights lawyer Damcelle Torres-Cortez, social entrepreneur Lt. Col. Dennis Eclarin, IPVG’s Enrique Gonzalez and Mayor Jeng Reyes of Alicia, Isabela.

To select this year’s delegates, the Asia Society in the Philippines screened more than 100 Filipinos between the ages of 25 and 40. They came from various sectors such as government, academe, media, business, health, nonprofit, military, and culture and the arts.

The honorees were chosen based on their leadership experience, achievements in their chosen field, impact of their leadership, and service to the country. The program is supported by Metro Pacific Investment Corp.

...the junior pug

Pinoy nabs gold in World Jr boxing

 

abs-cbnNEWS.com

07/30/2011

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino amateur boxer Eumir Felix Marcial won a gold medal in the AIBA World Junior Boxing Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

 

The 15-year-old boxer from Zamboanga City defeated Turkey’s Cengiz Onat in the finals of the 53 kilogram category.

Marcial first defeated Henrik Hovannisyan of Armenia and Azerbaijan Nasraddin Mammadov.
He outboxed Eduard Vaha of Belarus in the semifinal round to arrange a final showdown against Onat.

Marcial is coached by 3-time Olympian Romeo Brin.

...the Canada's best chess bet

Pinoy teen Canada's bet in intl chess tilt

07/30/2011
GMA News

An 18-year-old Filipino will represent Canada at the World Youth Chess Championship in Brazil this November, after topping the Canadian Youth Chess Championship in Toronto earlier this month.

Loren Laceste bagged the championship less than two years after he and his family settled in Canada from Santo Tomas town in La Union province in the Philippines.

“It was the toughest I’ve played so far," Loren said of his latest win over international master Arthur Calugar, according to an article posted on Philippine Asian News Today.

One of the challenges waiting for Laceste, who recently graduated with honors from Carson Graham Secondary in North Vancouver, is raising enough funds for his trip to Brazil.

“Sana ho matulungan kami [ng] ating mga kababayan para sa travel costs to Brazil at makabili ng laptop for Loren to use for chess game analysis of his opponent," said Melchor, Loren’s father.

Melchor, a custodian at Capilano College in Canada, said he taught Loren to play chess when he was young.

He said his son is now training for his next matches by playing chess online, and will play tune-up matches in British Columbia tournaments at the end of July and at Thanksgiving.

The elder Laceste can be reached via email at melchorlaceste@rocketmail.com or by phone at 604-339-4079. — JE, GMA News