...the Rimini International Choir placer

Regina Coeli choir in Cavite places 4th in intl competition

 

10/15/2011

GMA News

The Regina Coeli Choir (RCC) from Cavite, Philippines placed fourth in the Rimini International Choir Competition in Italy participated in by groups from more than 30 countries.

The Regina Coeli Choir of Rosario, Cavite bagged a place in the Young and Children Choirs (Silver Level I) category of the competition held at the Novelli Theater from Oct. 6 to 9.

They also ranked ninth in the Folk and Gospel Choirs (Silver Level II) category.

The fifth Rimini choir competition, now on its fifth year, was headed by respected Italian music professor and conductor Andrea Angelini.

Among other achievements, Angelini has directed the choir of the Rimini Cathedral, which was named after 15th century Italian composer Alessandro Grandi.

Under his leadership, this chorale group has performed in important venues like the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, where they met the late Pope John Paul II.

Regina Coeli Choir

It was the first international competition for the chorale of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, which is composed of young singers from various schools in Cavite.

Renalie Aquino, RCC’s conductor, told “24 Oras" that most of the choir members come from poor families.



Aquino founded RCC in 1997 as all-girls children’s choir composed of Grade 5 and 6 students from Rosario Elementary School, singing on early Saturday evening masses.

The group dropped the word “children’s" from the name as the members were growing up. After five years, they accepted male members.

According to the RCC’s conductor, Reynan Aquino, most of the members of Regina Coeli come from poor families. - Rose-An Jessica Dioquino, VVP, GMA News

...the Oscar hopeful

'Ang Babae sa Septic Tank' makes it to Oscars shortlist

 

abs-cbnNEWS.com

 10/15/2011

 

 

Actress-comedienne Eugene Domingo (center), lead star of "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank," with other Cinemalaya 2011 winners. Photo by Kiko Cabuena

MANILA, Philippines – Cinemalaya 2011 Best Film "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank" (The Woman in the Septic Tank) has made it to the shortlist of films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category of the 84th Academy Awards.

The film is one of the 63 entries in the said category.

"Ang Babae sa Septic Tank" tells the story of three filmmakers who did a pre-production, a courtesy call on their lead actress (played by Eugene Domingo) and an ocular inspection of the Payatas dumpsite, their film's major location.

Aside from Best Film, the movie also won Best Actress (Domingo), Best Director (Marlon Rivera), Best Screenplay (Chris Martinez) and Audience Choice Award in the New Breed Category at the 7th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.

Star Cinema, ABS-CBN's movie outfit, distributed the film in mainstream theaters last August. -- Report from ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

...the Sci-Olympiad gold medalist at Modena

RP bags first Sci-Olympiad gold in Italy

 

by Zita Baron,

ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

 10/15/2011

 

 

MODENA, Italy - Four young aspiring Filipino scientists won medals, including the first ever gold for the Philippines, at the 5th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) held here last September.

 

 

Four young aspiring Filipino scientists won medals, including the first ever gold for the Philippines, at the 5th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) held here last September/Zita Baron, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

The victory brought joy for the young achievers as they fulfilled their personal dreams and gave glory to the Philippines.

“I feel really happy and proud because it is the first time that the Philippines got a gold medal and this just proves that the Filipinos can be at par with other countries or even be better than them,” said gold medalist Williard Joshua Jose from the Philippine Science High School main campus.

Jose was also a silver medalist in the 7th International Junior Science Olympiad in Nigeria last year.

“We went here to Italy bringing the hope of giving honor to our country and I’m happy we did not fail and we’re able to bring her honor and happier because this is the first time that the Philippines got four medals out of four,” added silver medalist Christopher Jan Landicho of the Philippine Science High School–Bicol Region Campus.

The other silver medalist, Charles Kevin Tiu of Saint Jude Catholic School Manila, in addition takes pride in being an inspiration to others to appreciate earth science.

“I feel happy because I was able to represent my country and I hope that I serve as inspiration to all young people to appreciate and love science especially earth science” said Tiu.

Bronze medalist John Allan Olesco from Aquinas University science-oriented high school in Legazpi City, the youngest in the team, quipped: “with perseverance, you can achieve and you can reach for your dreams.”

Though their personal motivation varies, they share a common desire and wish that their victory may inspire other young people to treasure whatever interest they may have for earth science and further cultivate their knowledge.

The four were joined by two mentors – Prof. Miguel Cano of Bicol University and Dr. Marietta De Leon of UP Diliman.

Cano, who led the Philippine delegation to the 5th IESO, was the chair of the 2nd IESO held in the Philippines in 2008, while De Leon holds two doctorate degrees (Geology and Education).

The Philippine team was joined by Dr. Helen Caintic, current director of Philippine Science High School main campus as an observer.

The 5th IESO

The IESO, which aims to promote awareness and appreciation for geosciences, is one of the major activities of the International Geoscience Education Organization or IGEO and is spearheaded by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS).

It is an annual world competition for young people 18 years of age or below. The participants are trained and their knowledge tested in different fields of geosciences which include geology,
geophysics, meteorology, oceanography, terrestrial astronomy and environmental sciences.

“Earth Science Renaissance: Science, Environment and Art” is this year’s theme, which drew 26 competing countries and 104 students contestants and 9 observer countries. Every competing country delegation is composed of four members.

The actual competition is divided into two parts. The first part is the theoretical examination which measures or tests the extent of knowledge or information a contestant has on the particular field of geoscience. The second part is the practical examination where the participant conducts a scientific investigation in order to provide solution to the problem fielded.

The Philippines has actively participated since the IESO’s inception in 2007. It has hosted the 2nd IESO in 2008 which was held in Legazpi City, Bicol Region.

The Philippines hopes to continue to be an active IESO participant, but there is the issue of lack of funding. Luckily, there are private organizations which are keen on supporting this kind of undertaking.

“When we go to South America next year, we need a lot of funding. We’re very thankful to the mining companies who supported us financially like Philex Mining, Rapu-Rapu Mining, Hope Christian High school, Geological Society of the Philippines, and here in Italy we have been supported by the Apo Central,” Cano said.

The country is now preparing for the next competition, as four students who will represent the Philippines in 2012 IESO in Buenos Aires, Argentina have already been chosen.

...the World Young Readers Prize recipients

Pinoy couple wins int'l publisher's award

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Posted at 10/15/2011

VIENNA, AUSTRIA - Two Filipinos received an award at the 2011 World Young Reader Prize Celebration, organized by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) in Vienna.

Sinag Publishing and Printing Services based in Laguna province is owned by husband and wife tandem Ruel and Raia Landicho.The couple recently received an award for winning the Nataza Prize during the 2011 World Young Reader Prize celebration, organized by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) in Vienna/King Bueno, correspondent, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

Ruel Landicho and wife Raia, owners of Sinag Publishing and Printing Services from Calamba City, Laguna province, bagged the Nataza Prize which was awarded at the 63rd World Newspaper Congress and 18th World Editors Forum at the Reed Exhibitions Wien in Vienna.

“So kung ang isang maliit na negosyante tulad po namin kayang makakuha ng international recognition by giving social responsibility programs that work, dapat po siguro lahat ng mga entrepreneurs mag envision din ng ganun,” Raia said.

In her speech, Raia dedicated their win to her father “who serves as our inspiration everyday”.

The Nataza Prize is named after Nataza Vuckovic Lesendric (1966-2011), a Serbian who founded and ran a distribution system and then a printing plant for the independent press under the regime of Slobodan Milosevic. She introduced modern practices to the management of both operations while supporting press freedom and introducing this concept to the younger generation.

“So I wanted to see if there were cases like that and I went online and I saw Sinag. So, I especially encouraged them to submit for the prize. Although there were others as well, but they won,” said WAN-IFRA Director, Dr. Aralynn McMane.

Ruel said they do not know yet the effect the award would have on their business and personal life.

“Pero ang isa sa natitiyak naming, mas mapapaunlad namin ito, resulta ng pagkapanalo namin, mas may kredibilidad kami para maglunsad uli ng mas malawak na training seminars,” he said.

More than being nervous, Raia said she thought of her late father who started it all.

“My dad just recently passed away. He really started it all. He was the one. Kung nandito si Itay parang super saya po nung tatay ko. Para sa amin, sana nakita niya yung pagkakatawag sa amin because nobody imagined this would happen to us. So I feel na beyond po doon sa personal malaking bagay po to sa ating mga Pilipino,” Raia said.

Raia’s father established the publishing plant where 2 community newspapers—“Ang Tambuling Batangas” and “Ang Caviteno News Weekly”—are being printed.

“Naisip namin na yung social responsibility program namin connected po doon sa journalism. So we thought of giving free journalism seminars doon sa mga kabataan sa community namin sa Calamba.

We usually tie up with the Department of Education, they would give us free venues and they would help us invite students,” said Raia.

Meanwhile, McMane only has good words for journalists in the Philippines.

“We are very proud of the Philippines and the bravery that journalists have shown there. We know some great newspapers in that country so I have great hopes for the Philippine press to just even get better,” McMae said. Report from King Bueno, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau correspondent

...the global runner

Cesar Guarin helps street kids as he runs around the world

ROSE-AN JESSICA DIOQUINO

GMA News

10/14/2011

Filipino ultra-marathoner and entrepreneur Cesar Guarin is helping raise funds for street children as he embarks on the Australia leg of his run around the world.

Guarin, president and general manager of CEJOGUA Sports Corporation (CSC), is set to become the first Filipino, first Asian, and fourth person in history to run around the world.

The popular line of sports wear "iSports BOTAK, " is the premiere trademark of CSC.

An alumnus of the University of the Philippines, Guarin will fly to Sydney, Australia on October 15, Saturday, for the fifth leg of his 23,000-kilometer (km) "Global Run" project.

Toughest run ever

The Global Run is considered as the world's toughest run ever.

Tha one-of-a-kind marathon began in 1983 and will end in 2016.

Guarin has run 11,583 kilometers in the four legs of his ultra marathon, which he embarked on after an injury disqualified him joining the Olympics.

He has already finished the first four legs of his Global Run

Trans Pilipinas in 1983;

Trans USA in 1985;

Trans Europe in 1992; and

US-Canada in 2009.

Guarin will run 2,053 kms in the Trans Australia marathon, the fifth leg of his Global Run.

For the first time, Guarin is dedicating his run help raise funds for street children.

After completing the Trans Australia leg, he will run across:

the Middle East (2012);

England-Norway (2012);

Finland-Moscow (2013);

Egypt-Israel-Jordan (2013);

Japan-Korea (2014);

India-Myanmar (2014); and

Thailand-Singapore (2015).

According to the Global Run website, Guarin trains by running eight hours a day for at least one to three months.

Tackling Australia's roads

Guarin and his team will be in Australia for 44 days, 37 of which to be spent on the road.

The running enthusiast will begin running in Melbourne on Oct. 23 and expects to close the marathon in Brisbane on Dec. 3.

However, Guarin will use six to seven rest days to meet with the Filipino community and the government in Australia.

“We want to appreciate the global Filipino community for helping the country. That’s my inspiration—to tell them ‘Thank you.’ And also to thank the host country for giving them jobs" he said.

Guarin added that they hope Filipinos will run with them in the first and last few kilometers of the race.

He also shared his hopes to visit the Australian Embassy, adding that Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. has endorsed them to the Foreign Affairs department.

Running for a cause

Guarin told GMA News that his previous runs were more of a personal project.

““This is the start, to make it a fund-raising [project] to reduce the number of children on the streets," he said.

Guarin said they have tied up with organizations helping street children by offering sports development programs.

“’Yun kasi ‘yung core competency namin. Ako, I’m a runner. My passion is running," he said.

He hopes not only to get children off the streets but to inspire them to aim for a better life.

“I think it will be a good way to help less fortunate children, if we get them interested na mangarap. Karamihan kasi wala nang pangarap, [gusto lang] mag-survive," he said. “We want to [build their] interest in life, to aspire."

The Global Run site said a fundraising will be dedicated to street children because "the plight of children in modern-day Philippines is extremely alarming."

"An estimated number of 12.8 million children under the age of 15 are living in poverty, an increase of one million over a three-year period. Many children find themselves living on the streets, with no parents to guide them or provide for them," the site said.

The Global Run's “Batang Pangarap" sports development program hopes to instill in chilren the value of discipline, excellence, and passion. - with Veronica Pulumbarit, GMA News

...the Asian film fest awardee

Iranian, Filipino take top Asian film awards

By Mathew Scott | AFP News
14 October 2011

An Iranian film that reveals the "heart and soul" of its director has shared the top award with a production from the Philippines at Asia's largest cinematic event.

(From L) Directors Kim Joong-Hyun, Loy Arcenas, Stanley Park, Tongpong Chantarangkul, Hitoshi Kitagawa, Mangesh Hadawale, Kamila Andini, Morteza Farshbaf, Midi Z, Tom Shuyu Lin, Siu Pham and Aruna Jayawardana attend a directors presentation at the Shinsegae Centumcity cultural hall during the 16th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), on October 10

Morteza Farshbaf’s "Mourning" was handed one of two US$30,000 prizes given in the New Currents award at the 16th Busan International Film Festival and the first-time director said he hoped his film revealed something of the life of common people in his homeland to the world.

"Mourning" follows the story of a deaf-mute couple who left to care for a young boy after his parents are killed in a car accident.

"It took a lot of people a lot of time to make this film and I am just thankful to everyone who helped me along the way," said Farshbaf.

"There is a lot of myself in this film -- my heart and my soul -- so I am honoured by the fact that this festival chose my film to be in this competition."

New Currents jury head Yonfan, the veteran Chinese director noted for such productions as the arthouse hit "Prince of Tears", said the 13 films representing 12 countries that made it into the final field were so good they had presented unique problems.

"After the first round of selections the jury had only narrowed that field of 13 down to 10, so I think that shows how strong this year'€™s selections were," the director said.
'
The award -- which hands out two US$30,000 prizes to first- or second-time Asian directors -- was shared by first-time Filipino director Loy Arcenas with his family drama "Nino", which focuses on how people are pulled apart by greed.

An acclaimed New York-based production designer and theatre director, Arcenas said he had turned to cinema because the medium allowed him to explore the nature of human relationships.

"I have always been interested in chronicling human relationships and that is what I have tried to do with this film," he said. "I think it is a very small, quiet film but I have tried to show how we as people relate to each other."

The Busan festival’s other main prize -- the US$30,000 Flash Forward prize for young non-Asian filmmakers -- was taken by Italian director Guido Lombardi who presented the gritty drama "La Bas -- A Criminal Education".

The nine-day Busan festival closes Friday.

...the midwife hero

Fil-Am midwife Robin Lim among Top 10 CNN heroes

ROSE-AN JESSICA DIOQUINO, GMA News
10/13/2011



A Filipino-American midwife — Robin Lim — has made it to the Top 10 of this year’s "CNN Heroes" for providing free maternal healthcare to thousands of poor women in Indonesia.

According to CNN, Lim, whose mother is a Filipino-Chinese, put up “birthing sanctuaries" for Indonesians in need of maternal and general health care.

In her “Meet the Hero" interview, Lim said it is common in Indonesia to hold babies in the hospital until the bills have been paid.

Lim, 54, said mothers should only worry about delivering their babies safely and not about how they should pay the hospital where they gave birth.

With average families in Indonesia earning only $8 a day, many cannot afford birthing services in hospitals, which can cost between $70 and $700. Thus, the country holds high maternal and infant mortality rates.

Lim, along with nine other “ordinary" citizens who have made differences in their communities, will all receive a $50, 000 grant and will be honored at an “All-Star Tribute" on December 11.

They are vying for online votes to become the fifth CNN Hero of the Year, which comes with an additional $250, 000. Voting is open until Dec. 7.

In 2009, Filipino Efren Peñaflorida was named CNN Hero of the Year for his Kariton classroom project, which brought the classrooms to children in the streets.

‘Calling’

Known in the area by the local term “Ibu" or mother, Lim began helping pregnant Indonesian women and their babies in 1994, when she and her brood of eight were still settling into the village of Nyuh Kuning near Bali.

The author and midwife easily made a home in the Asian country, having been raised in the Philippines while her father was stationed in Indonesia with the US military.

“When two baby owls fell out of a coconut tree and into my care, the villagers took it as an omen that I should become their new midwife," Lim told the online magazine, STEPS.

While it was unexpected, Lim— who first assisted local midwives in home-based childbirths— decided to return to the US to get a professional certification.

She told STEPS that she took the turn of events as a “calling" to follow in the footsteps of her maternal grandmother, Vicenta Munar Lim, who served as “healer and baby catcher for her people" in Baguio, even after the second World War.

Lim said she owes her values from her “Nanang" Vicenta and her Filipino-Chinese mother, who both taught her the gift of kindness to self and to others.

“My grandmother taught me to be a peaceful warrior. She gave me permission at a very young age to always follow my heart. That’s been my life’s greatest gift," she said.

‘With respect and kindness’

With the Balinese community and their friends rallying behind them, Lim and her husband put up the first clinic of Yayasan Bumi Sehat (Health Mother Earth Foundation) in 2003.

The tsunami tragedy a year later led to the establishment of a smaller clinic in Aceh.

These “birthing sanctuaries"—which also offers general medical services—work on a 24-hour basis and has collectively assisted in 5, 000 births.

Bumi Sehat has earned its share of foreigners and Indonesian celebrities—who all donate for the foundation— but Lim told CNN that about 80 percent of patients who come in express their gratitude with “a few mangoes."

“Rock star or prostitute, everyone gets treated [like a] VIP at Bumi Sehat... with kindness and respect," she said.

‘Reinvent their lives’

Before moving to Bali, Lim was a respected author with two books on maternal matters and a novel titled “Butterfly People." She lived in Hawaii with her husband and their eight children.

However, Lim was “just crushed" by the deaths of three special women in her life, including her sister, who succumbed to a complication that also killed the baby she was carrying.

“But I decided not to get angry. I decided to become part of the solution. If I could help even one family prevent the loss of a mother or a child, I would do that. I would dedicate might life to it," she told CNN.

Lim and her husband sold their house and the whole family trooped to Bali to “reinvent their lives." - with Gayna Kumar, VVP, GMA News

...the Azkal's ranking

Azkals see higher FIFA ranking next week

abs-cbnNEWS.com

10/13/2011

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – FIFA will release its world ranking for men’s football next week.

The Philippine Azkals are hoping to improve its world ranking, especially after they beat higher ranked-Nepal, 4-0, last Tuesday.

The Philippines is currently ranked 166 in the world.

Nepal, ranked 135th by FIFA, is the highest-ranked team among the Azkals' most recent victims.

Nepal bowed to the Philippines, 4-0, in a friendly game at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

Apart from the game against Nepal, the Azkals also had a relatively successful finish in the 2011 Long Teng Cup.

They held Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei to successive draws, then beat Macau, 2-0, en route to a 2nd-place finish in the tournament.

The only loss suffered by the Philippines in its recent matches was its 0-2 defeat to Singapore.

...the PH tube

PHL version of YouTube debuts, a first in Southeast Asia

 

 

10/13/2011
GMA News

 

A Philippine version of YouTube was officially unveiled on Thursday, becoming the first localized flavor of the online video site in Southeast Asia and the 34th in the world.

YouTube, which is owned by Internet giant Google, cited the prolific video habits of Filipinos in launching the localized service and noted the discovery of Filipino singing artists Charice and Arnel Pineda through the site.

Charice, who rocketed to fame after being discovered in a YouTube video while singing in a Korean talent contest, sent a video message for the launch during the event held at the Blue Leaf Tent in Taguig City.

The YouTube Philippines site offers a local interface and aggregates videos that are relevant to Filipinos. Users can go to the localized site by choosing “The Philippines" as the location setting at the bottom of the YouTube homepage.

The YouTube Philippines team and content partners. PHOTO CREDIT: NEWSBYTES.PH

To provide a unique feel, the video site signed up local content partners which include TV networks GMA, ABS-CBN, and TV5, as well as the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (Filscap) and multinational Procter and Gamble.

Also launched during the event are the updated presidential channels from Pres. Noynoy Aquino III at www.youtube.com/govph and www.youtube.com/rtvmalacanang.

Company executives also disclosed Aquino will also participate in YouTube’s World View live interview series where the questions come directly from citizens.

Aquino will be the first Asian head of state to participate in the program on November 4, officials said. US Pres. Barack Obama is also scheduled to take in the online interview series.

Julian Persaud, managing director for Google Southeast Asia, said video sharing in the Philippine is one of the highest in the Asean region.

“The Philippine online population is even bigger than the actual population of most countries in Southeast Asia," Persuad noted.

Adam Smith, head of YouTube for Asia Pacific. PHOTO CREDIT: NEWSBYTES.PH

Adam Smith, head of YouTube for Asia Pacific, added that Filipinos upload tremendous amount of videos to YouTube – also one of the highest daily averages among Internet users.

Despite its increasing presence in the country, Google executives refused to comment if it has plans of putting up a local office. The company is currently represented in the country by a consultant, Aileen Apollo.

Google executives said the local YouTube channel has the capability to livestream local events such as concerts. Last year, a concert of Irish rock band U2 was also broadcast to the global audience via YouTube.

As for local partners GMA-7 and ABS-CBN, the networks said they would put many – but not all – of their TV shows on the online video site. The content providers expect to generate revenues when advertisements are displayed in their videos uploaded in YouTube.

YouTube also described its Content Identification technology that will find unauthorized uploads of content owned by its partners, who would then have the option of either deactivating it or counting the page views as their own and collecting any revenues from the pirated videos.

Filscap, meanwhile, signed a deal with YouTube to allow Filipino music artists and composers to receive payments from their associations when rights holders distribute them.

Ricky Carandang, head of the presidential communications group, said the two YouTube presidential channels would also give Filipinos here and abroad the ability to expose corruption and the same time showcase their talent.

“Since it is impossible to reach all of our people, this initiative would provide a powerful, relevant way to inform our countrymen what this administration is doing," said Carandang.

With the localized site in the Philippines, the company also announced that opening of the YouTube Partner Program to enable regular video content creators in the country to become content partners with YouTube and monetize their work on the site through advertising.

...the Pinoy 3D film nominee

'RPG Metanoia' nominated in Asia Pacific Screen Awards

abs-cbnNEWS.com

10/12/2011

'RPG Metanoia,' the first Pinoy full-length 3D film, is nominated in the 5th Asia Pacific Screen Awards

MANILA, Philippines – Star Cinema and Ambient Media’s “RPG Metanoia” was nominated in this year's Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA), which is said to be the region's highest accolade in the film industry.

"RPG Metanoia" will be competing in the Best Animated Feature Film category against Japan's "Hoshi o Ou Kodomo," Korea's "Madangeul naon amtak," Singapore's "Tatsumi" and Russia's "Gadkiy Utyonok."

APSA said winners will be announced in a ceremony at the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia on November 24.

"RPG Metanoia," an entry in last year's Metro Manila Film Festival, is the Philippines' first full-length 3D animated film.

It featured the voices of famous celebrities including Aga Muhlach, Zaijian Jaranilla, Vhong Navarro and Eugene Domingo.

...the big market

Philippines aims for bigger share of BPO market

Associated Press

Tuesday, October 11th, 2011

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine outsourcing companies say they are aiming to snag up to 10 percent of the $270 billion global industry by 2016 and are focusing on training more workers to keep up with demand.

The Business Processing Association of the Philippines says the country is now the world’s top supplier of call center operators and other voice services. It accounts for up to 7 percent of the overall market that provides banking, transcription, engineering, and other services to overseas clients — a far second to India’s 51 percent share.

Association chairman Alfredo Ayala said Tuesday the Philippines hopes to raise the number of workers from the current 600,000 to 1.3 million and to grow revenues from $11 billion this year to $25 billion by 2016.

...the Play in Hollywood

Filipino play to be shown in Hollywood for the first time

By Karen Valeza | Yahoo!

Southeast Asia Newsroom 

12 October 2011

Bernardo Bernardo (Screen grab from Kababayan LA telecast)

For the first time, a Filipino play will be shown in Hollywood.

“Ang Romansa ni Magno Rubio” kicks off the winter season of the prestigious Ford Theater this November.

The play is the Filipino adaptation of Lonnie Carter’s “The Romance of Magno Rubio.”  It is based on  writer Carlos Bulosan’s story.

“Magno Rubio” is the first Filipino play with Filipino actors to be shown on mainstream Hollywood stage.  It tells the story of Filipino immigrants in the `30s.

Veteran actor Bernardo Bernardo, who also performed in the 2004  “Magno Rubio”  translated and directed the current version.  Bernardo has been based in the US for years.

Important cultural event

“This is probably one of the more important  American cultural events in Los Angeles this year. Ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na ang isang play is in Filipino and English, and on mainstream theater," Bernardo said in an interview with “Bandila.”

He added that this play opens opportunities for Filipinos to be more recognized and heard. It will also depict the  Filipinos’ history in the US.

A chance to be heard

“Parang all of a sudden, nagkaroon ng pagkakataon, nagkaroon ng puwang para marinig ang boses ng Pilipino, makita ang mukha ng Pilipino, malaman ang kanyang kasaysayan," he added.

The play will run for six weeks  starting November 4 and will have five performances per week. It also has an English version.

Jon Jon Briones, whose credentials include  “Miss Saigon” and “Sons of Anarchy ” will play the title role in the Filipino and English versions. Jon Jon said this project is very special and close to his heart.

“The story's very timely. It's about forgiveness, understanding, love, rising above hardships, and the strength of the human spirit,”  he explained.

...the FIl-Am designer aspirant

Fil-Am Joey Galon reaches finals of US reality design show

ROSE-AN JESSICA DIOQUINO, GMA News

10/08/2011

Filipino-American designer Joey Galon is making waves in the international fashion  scene after reaching the finals of a new TV reality design show in the United States, the "24-hour Catwalk."

Galon, a pageant coach based in Las Vegas, will be one of the four designers to test the spotlight in the show where the participants are tasked to create a three-piece collection within only a day.

Lifetime Television— which also ran the hit reality show “Project Runway"— has ordered 10 one-hour episodes of the unscripted fashion competition produced by New York-based Jane Street Entertainment.

The show will be hosted by British model and TV personality Alexa Chung.

The contestants’ works will be judged by designer Cynthia Rowley, publicist James LaForce, and New York Times fashion editor Derek Blasberg.

'Make it happen'

Galon, whose parents hail from Visayas, said he is “terribly excited" about the project, especially after the “tedious" process he had to go through.

“They asked me a lot of questions, there’s a lot of phone interviews. They had me create an audition video, had me describe myself… I had to put a video together and they cast me from there," he told TheFilAm.net’s Elton Lugay.

Despite the difficult audition process, Galon said he would be disappointed if he did not make it.

Galon did make it and he is now crossing his fingers for a good run in the competition.

“I have something to give. I have years and years of fashion and creativity experience and I wanna bring that forward. So whatever it takes I’m gonna make it happen," TheFilAm.net quoted him as saying.

In an interview with the Asian Journal, Galon said, "I hope that [the show], my networking and my determination to succeed will give me exposure to potential investors that will [put their money on] my talents."

Galon said he wanted to take his fashion design company to the next level and mass produce his gowns worldwide.

Pageant coach

The designer, who has quietly worked with classic looks for 15 years, owns an atelier in Las Vegas, which he officially launched at the Miss USA pageant only last year.

“I was given a booth to showcase my gowns at the Miss USA tradeshow. It was my first time to showcase my work," he told the Asian Journal.

Before the launch, Galon enjoyed two successful decades in pageant coaching and events planning.

The Filipino-American is known in the pageant circuit as part of organizing committees. He later put up “Runway 4 Life," which offers personal development, coaching, and wardrobe styling services to pageant contestants.

Because of his dedication to the area—which began in the early 1980s—Galon was made official model coach of “Model Latina," a reality search for the next top Latina model.

Proud Pinoy

Galon is hoping that people would realize what he's capable of doing, whether he wins or loses in the competition to be broadcasted in fall.

The Bay Area-raised designer also intends to make his kababayans proud by making it big like Hollywood-famous Monique Lhuillier and Josie Natori.

“I was raised by parents that instilled the importance and values of my Pinoy roots. It has always been my focus, my passion, and my desire to learn my roots and most certainly embrace that side of who I am," he told Asian Journal. - VVP, GMA News

...the Pinoys in the Big Apple

New York mayor hails outstanding Filipino-Americans

By Cristina DC Pastor
TheFilAm.net

Monday, October 10th, 2011

NEW YORK—‘It was like waiting for the ball to drop on New Year’s Eve.’

Roland Ubaldo

Filipinos in New York and elsewhere celebrated on Facebook the victories of former fashion model Bessie Badilla, U.S. Marshals spokesman Roland Ubaldo and nine others in the first The Outstanding Filipino Americans in NY awards honoring 12 notable Filipinos in the region.

A presentation of awards will be held Oct. 29 at Carnegie Hall. Badilla won in the Arts & Culture category. Ubaldo garnered the highest votes in Public Service.

Pulitzer Award-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, whose controversial coming-out as an undocumented immigrant was both cheered and criticized, won the Courage of Conviction award versus Catherina Cenzon DeCarlo, a Mt. Sinai Hospital nurse who refused to participate in an abortion procedure for religious reasons.
The voting, which started on July 18, ended midnight of October 8, as family and friends scrambled to ‘Like’ the nominees’ photos on the TOFA-NY Facebook page. It was a tight race for votes in some
categories.

The rest of the winners are:


Business & Entrepreneurship

Bessie Badilla

Grace Hufano-Labaguis
Community Service & Advocacy
Philippine Forum
Entertainment
Sounds of Manila
Fashion & Style
Jerry Sibal
Food & Restaurants
Rena Avendula
Health Care
Dr. Lorna Bayes
LGBT & Advocacy
Michelle Manangan
Media & Publishing
Don Tagala
Youth & Sports
Filipino School of New York and New Jersey

Jose Antonio Vargas

“Thank you to the organizers for the honor of being nominated among the finest talented Filipinos in New York,” Badilla said in a statement. “I salute my co-nominees Michael Dadap, Roz Li, Philippine
American Friendship Committee, Philippine Fiesta and The Philippine Independence Day Council, and I challenge them to continue sharing their talents and showcasing the true Filipino spirit through Arts and Culture.”

Comic Air Tabigue, who lost by only one point to Sounds of Manila band in the Entertainment category said, “The dream is over…LOL…but it was an honor just to be nominated for this award.”

Philippine Consul General in New York Mario de Leon and business and community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis will award the winners on October 29 at Carnegie Hall in a simple ceremonies to be hosted by singer Mig Ayesa and TV reporter/journalism professor Ernabel Demillo.

The 12 winners will be jointly honored with Heritage Awardees Lea Salonga, the Filipino American Human Services Inc., the Filipino Reporter newspaper, Filipino American National Heritage Society Metro NY, Filipino American National Heritage Society New Jersey, and the dancing team of youngsters Craig & Samantha.

Lea Salonga

“New York has always been proud to be a city of promise and opportunity for people of every background, including generations of Filipino Americans,” said Mayor Mike Bloomberg in a message to the awardees. “We take this opportunity to honor the men and women who contribute to our city’s amazing energy and spirit.”

Kiran Ahuja, executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders, said in a separate message: “I applaud TOFA-NY for giving recognition to individuals and organizations that have raised the profile of Filipino Americans in a unique and positive way.”

...the Maid in Hong Kong

Filipino maid in Hong Kong can’t believe she made history

By Yolanda Sotelo
Inquirer Northern Luzon

Sunday, October 9th, 2011

POLARIZED HONG KONG. Foreign maids gather in Central, business district in Hong Kong. A Filipino maid in Hong Kong won the opening legal battle in her fight for permanent residency after a court ruled that an immigration provision excluding the city's hundreds of thousands of foreign maids was unconstitutional. The decision has polarized opinions in Hong Kong and has also prompted different reactions among maids themselves. AP photo/Kin Cheung

URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan—Evangeline Vallejos is happily incredulous that she won her case for permanent residency in Hong Kong, for which she had been fighting for three years.

“Unbelievable,” she said on Saturday when reached by the Inquirer in China where she was vacationing with her employers. “But I am very happy I won. Ang tagal kong hinintay ito (I have long waited for this).”

Vallejos, 59, has been employed as a maid in Hong Kong since 1986. She said that while she was not sure she would win the case, she trusted the law granting permanent residency to foreigners who had lived in the Chinese territory for seven years.

She said many Filipino workers in Hong Kong were happy about the court decision handed down on Sept. 30 because it paved the way for thousands of others to seek permanent residency.

But in Barangay Paurido where Vallejos’ family lives, there was hardly a stir when news broke of her legal victory.

Family members took pride in her achievement. But while a door has been opened for them to live in Hong Kong, Vallejos’ husband, Zacarias Oria, said they were not planning to do so.

And Vallejos—who is using her maiden name as it appears in her passport—has not discussed with the family the possibility of settling there, Oria told the Inquirer in an interview recently.

In reports, Justice Johnson Lam was quoted as saying in his decision that the immigration provision denying foreign maids the right to gain permanent residency after seven years, which is granted to other foreigners, was inconsistent with Hong Kong’s Constitution.

But the Hong Kong government will appeal Lam’s ruling, the reports said.

Fighter

Oria, 60, said he received a call from his wife shortly after the decision was issued.

“It was a very brief call. She just said, ‘Nanalo ang kaso (The case won),’ then the phone went dead. Then I saw the news on TV the next day,” he said.

Oria, a tricycle driver, has visited his wife in Hong Kong only twice. “Life is difficult there, and there are no available jobs for men. Most jobs there are for women,” he said.

Vallejos’ legal fight and her eventual victory did not come as a surprise for Oria and their five adult children.
Oria described his wife as “a fighter who will not stop fighting for what she thinks is right.”

“Matapang siya, palaban (She’s brave, aggressive),” he added. “That’s why I was not afraid when she decided to pursue the case for her permanent residency.”

The children, all now employed and raising their own families, said they were proud of their mother.
“Imagine, she is only a maid and a high school graduate but she managed to fight for her permanent residency in Hong Kong,” said her third child, Ryan.

Vallejos managed to send the children to college with her earnings as a maid.

Reggie, 36, has a degree in electronics and communication engineering; Renante, 34, in architecture; Ryan, 32, in accountancy; Gilbert, 29, in nursing; and Jaime, 27, in business management.

Helping hand

According to Ryan’s wife, Shiery, Vallejos is helping other maids in Hong Kong who are grappling with various problems, including abuse by their employers, early termination of work contracts, and illness.

“Siya ang sumbungan (They take their problems to her). She never lets them down. She goes with them to the labor department to seek settlement of the cases. Most of the time, she is able to get help and benefits for distressed OFWs (overseas Filipino workers),” Shiery said.

It helps that Vallejos’ employers, whom she has been serving for 25 years, are kind and supportive of her advocacy. It was they who encouraged her to pursue the permanent residency case, Shiery said.

She said the house of Vallejos’ employers was always open to her fellow Filipinos as well as her guests from the Philippines.

Vallejos has apparently become so close to her employers that one of them flew to the Philippines in July to stand as sponsor at the wedding of her youngest son.

Shiery and another daughter-in-law, Erna (Renante’s wife), also worked in Hong Kong as maids on Vallejos’ prodding.

“She wanted us to experience her life as a domestic helper,” said Shiery, a management graduate. “We stayed there for two years. It’s a difficult job.”


Happy family

Before she went to work as a maid in Hong Kong, Vallejos was a washerwoman in Urdaneta City.
Oria said he and his wife had agreed that she would work overseas and he would stay to tend to their children.

“Ang hirap kasi ng buhay namin noon. Inaapi kami dahil wala kaming pera (Our life was so hard then. We experienced being oppressed because we had no money),” Oria said.

It was inevitable that the children, some of whom were mere toddlers when their mother left, grew closer to their father.

Recalled Ryan: “Sometimes she would be jealous because of our close relationship with our father. She would say, ‘I know I did not raise you.’ But ours is a happy family. We would make her laugh and everything would be all right again. She would laugh again.”

The children also said their mother tried to make up for her absence by constantly phoning and talking to them.

They said she always reminded them not to fight and to always stand by one another.