...the Pinoy architect in Bangkok

Pinoy architect bags 3rd place in Bangkok exhibition

GMA News

September 21, 2013

 

 

 

A Filipino architect brought recognition to the Philippines after bagging the third place in an Asia-Pacific exhibition in Thailand, the Department of Foreign Affairs said over the weekend.
 

The DFA said Allan Jay Quesada won third place at the launching of the “Learning to Live Together” Asia-Pacific Exhibition last Sept. 17.

 

 

"Quesada hails from La Union and finished BS Architecture at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. He is currently working as an architect for DSFN Architects, an architectural design firm based in Makati," it said.
 

The "Learning to Live Together" exhibition was organized by UNESCO Bangkok and Haier Group China Global Business Organization at Bangkok Art and Culture Center.

 

 

Other winners included Alland Dharmawan and Masyudi Firmasyah of Indonesia, who placed first and fourth respectively.

 

 

Siddhant Mohanty from India won second place but was not present during the launching, the DFA said.

Winners were chosen from among 200 entries from Bangladesh, Cambodia. India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and the Philippines.

 

 

The tilt was organized within the framework of UNESCO’s program on “learning to live together.”

 

 

It featured the top 30 submission of photos, drawings and other images to a regional competition, reflecting the perspective of youth in the Asia-Pacific region on learning to live together.

 

 

The event, which runs from September until Sept. 22, will coincide with the International Peace Day on September 21, the theme of which is education and peace. — ELR, GMA News

 

 

...the Top Global Beauties leaderboard

Philippines is now on top of GB’s Leaderboard

Globalbeauties.com
20 September 2013

The candidates have been in Bali for over two weeks and our experts have been following their every move since their arrival in this Indonesian paradise island. The fight for the crown will certainly be a tough one, especially if favorites from the Philippines, Brazil and Spain confirm their favoritism.

Brazil

 

 

Philippines: 1st

With very high marks from our judges, Philippines (now 1st) and Brazil (fell to 2nd place) remain on top, but now with Spain following them from a very close distance. France (up 4, now 4th) and Ukraine (5th), are not too far from the top 3. India entered the top 7, leaving Venezuela (now 8th) behind.

Quite a few changes have taken place in the top 15 and top 30. Jamaica, for instance, 39th place in the pre-arrival list, has now entered the Top 10, in the 10th position. Australia has jumped from 30th to an excellent 14th place. On the other hand, Denmark fell from 5th to 17th place. Lebanon and Taiwan, confirmed in the pageant at the last minute, debut in GB’s list in the top 30, in 26th and 30th.

Rank	Country	Score	3/9 rank
1	Philippines	4,81	2
2	Brazil	4,76	1
3	Spain	4,72	3
4	France	4,55	8
5	Ukraine	4,43	4
6	United States of America	4,23	6
7	India	4,11	10
8	Venezuela	4,10	7
9	South Africa	4,05	13
10	Jamaica	4,01	39
11	China	4,00	9
12	Italy	3,98	12
13	Japan	3,96	16
14	Australia	3,93	30
15	Puerto Rico	3,89	35
16	Ecuador	3,81	41
17	Denmark	3,80	5
18	Netherlands	3,78	48
18	Sri Lanka	3,78	46
20	Indonesia	3,77	33
21	Ghana	3,73	16
22	Mexico	3,70	47
22	Northern Ireland	3,70	30
24	Cote d’Ivoire	3,69	14
25	Kosovo	3,67	10
26	Lebanon	3,56	new
27	Cyprus	3,55	45
27	Albania	3,55	26
29	Georgia	3,51	35
30	Taiwan	3,50	new

 

...the Filipino-inspired films to Oscars

3 Philippine-themed films submitted to Oscars

by Rappler.com
09/21/2013

 

MANILA, Philippines – The award-winning indie film Transit and two foreign films abroad with Filipino characters and settings have been submitted for nomination to the Foreign Language Film category of the 86th Academy Awards.

The Philippines selected Transit, a film about overseas Filipino workers in Israel. It won 10 awards in this year's Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, including Best Film, Best Director (for Hannah Espia), and Best Actress (for Irma Adlawan).

According to Variety, the pick was made by the Film Academy of the Philippines and a committee led by renowned filmmaker Peque Gallaga.

'Metro Manila' and 'Ilo Ilo'

Metro Manila was picked by the United Kingdom as its nominee, while Ilo Ilo was chosen by Singapore.

Metro Manila, by Oscar-nominated British director Sean Ellis, tells the story of Oscar Ramirez, who left the province together with his family for the big city, in the hope of securing a better life. Instead, he becomes entangled in a web of deception and betrayal.

Ilo Ilo, on the other hand, is directed by Anthony Chen. The movie is about Filipina domestic worker from the province of Iloilo in the Philippines and how she sees the struggle of her employers, a Singaporean family, during the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Films from the Philippines and Singapore have never been official nominees in the Foreign Language Film category. The last 5 Filipino films submitted for an Oscar nomination were Ploning, Ded na si Lolo, Noy, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank, and Bwakaw.

In 1993 and 1999, a UK film made it in the official nominees list for the category, but neither won.

Nomination voting by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) will begin on December 27. Announcement of official nominees will be on January 16, 2014.

The Oscars awarding ceremony will take place on March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California. – Rappler.com

 

...the Kenneth factor

 
Filipino furniture-maker becomes design 'poster boy'

20 September 2013

BBC

 

 

Kenneth Cobonpue is a multi-award winning furniture designer from Cebu in the Philippines.

International design magazines regard him as one of the poster boys of Asia's luxury furniture-making industry.

Hollywood stars such as Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts are amongst his clients and his pieces have appeared on major movie and television sets.

Mr Cobonpue told the BBC how he started out in the world of furniture making.

...the foods worth traveling for

Halo-halo among '10 food fads worth traveling for'

 

ABS-CBNnews.com

 09/19/2013

 

Halo-halo. File photo

MANILA – The Filipino dessert halo-halo was recognized in the United States, with a website saying that it is worth traveling for.

An article in smartertravel.com, which was also published in the website of USA Today, included halo-halo in its list of “10 food fads worth traveling for,” putting it alongside the very popular cronut (a croissant-donut hybrid) and the ramen burger (a burger with ramen noodles as buns).

Writer Christine Sarkis noted how halo-halo rose to fame in the United States after well-known chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain tried it for an episode of “Parts Unknown,” which airs on CNN.

“In its native Philippines, halo-halo (pronounced hah-low rather than hay-low) isn’t a mere passing fad, it’s a classic summer treat. In the US, though, the dessert that chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain called “oddly beautiful” is just starting to catch on,” Sarkis wrote.

“Halo-halo, which looks like a Technicolor ice cream sundae, contains some combination of sweet preserved beans, coconut meat, yam, flan, jackfruit, plantain, ice, milk and ice cream. Find halo-halo at Filipino restaurants and some ice cream and boba-tea shops,” she added.

Aside from the halo-halo, cronut and ramen burger, other “food fads” included in the list are the umami burger (a burger with “umami ketchup”), the townie (a brownie tart), the crookie (a croissant-cookie hybrid), frozen s’mores, Japadog (hotdogs with Asian-inspired flavor combinations), Bantam bagels (mini bagel balls that are filled instead of topped) and gourmet popcorn.

Halo-halo, which literally means “mix-mix,” has been “taking over New York City,” according to an article published in The Atlantic Wire last July.

Last June, the Filipino dessert was included in CNN’s list of “25 best foods for summer” to mark the start of the warm season in the US.

 

...the Dutch-Pinoy flick at Copenhagen fest

Dutch-Filipino film wins at Copenhagen filmfest

byIra Agting
09/19/2013

 

SNOW WHITE. Sandy Talag in a brave role. Screen grab from the trailer


MANILA, Philippines - "Once upon a time," opens the film's trailer, "there was a girl in the Philippines named Snow White. But one day, her mother and stepfather made her eat a poisoned apple."

"Lilet Never Happened," a riveting narrative on the Philippines' underground sex trade, won Best Youth Film at the 2013 Copenhagen International Film Festival held September 5 to 15.

The film, by Dutch director Jacco Groen, stars Sandy Talag, as 11-year-old Filipino-American streetgirl Lilet.

The young girl, introduced as Snow White to "clients," has big dreams of becoming an actress in order to lift herself and her brother from poverty.

Meanwhile, Gloria, a foreign social worker, tries desperately to save Snow White.

In an interview with Filmz TV, Groen recalled meeting a real-life Lilet who inspired him to make this film. He met the young girl in a mental hospital a day after she tried to commit suicide.

Despite the film's earnest and complex themes, Groen said the movie is not meant to be depressing.
"This story never left my mind," he said. "It's not a depressing type of film because the girl I met is a tough kind of girl."

Groen said a psychologist was on the set for consultation.

Sandy Talag, the film's 15-year-old lead actress, said her imagination helped her to act out the scenes.
"I would imagine, 'Okay, Sandy, this is not a taping, this is real. You're on the streets and you're selling your body just to have money, just to eat something.' I just imagine things and, voilà," she told Filmz TV.

Groen said the film is meant to reach out to the youth.

“'Lilet Never Happened' is made for the younger audience, you need to reach the new generation who will say enough is enough, we cannot accept this anymore in a society that we call civilized.”

“With this movie, we really hope to raise awareness about the sad reality of child prostitutes not only in the Philippines, but all over the world."

Watch the trailer here:



"Lilet Never Happened" has already been shown in more than 22 international film festivals in 2012.
In the coming months, the film will travel to Switzerland, Australia, Armenia, Dubai, and India. It will be shown in the Philippines in December.

Others in the cast are John Arcilla, Marife Necesito, and Dutch actress Johanna ter Steege. - Rappler.com

 

...the PHL track to competitiveness

PHL seen in world's top 30% in competitiveness by 2016 – DTI's Domingo

GMA News

September 19, 2013

 

 

The Philippines is on track to being ranked within the top 30 percent economies in various competitiveness surveys by 2016, a Cabinet official said Thursday.

“We will be in the top 30 percent in most if not all competitiveness surveys... by 2016,” Department of Trade and Industry Secretary and National Competitiveness Council (NCC) public sector chair Gregory Domingo told a press briefing.

For example, Domingo said the Philippines competitiveness ranking in the World Bank's Doing Business report is seen increasing to the 62nd spot “or better” in 2016.

Based on the World Bank's Doing Business report, the Philippines ranks 138th out of 185 countrie

The World Economic Forum, on the other hand, recently moved the Philippines six places up to 59th in its Global Competitiveness Report of 148 countries.

Domingo said that government reforms creating a conducive environment “will be in place” by 2015.

“Once we achieve these reforms, doing business in the Philippines will be easier and that should improve our rankings,” he said.

At the same briefing, NCC private sector co-chair Guillermo Luz said the country is likely to improve its ranking by 20 to 25 places in the next Doing Business report next month.

“We have not been doing well in this report so we spent a lot of time reviewing this report,” he said, adding that the NCC's report sent to the World Bank shows improvement in eight out of the ten indicators being tracked.

Reforms cited include cutting down steps and days in starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes and trading across borders.

Officials maintained that reforms are being undertaken not to improve the country's competitiveness ranking, but to attract more businesses and investments to the country.

“We are putting in reforms for entrepreneurs. If our ranking does not improve but more want to invest here, then we are competitive,” Luz said.

The government wants to seize the Philippines' favorable economic conditions – robust growth as well as healthy payments and fiscal position – by providing a more conducive environment for businesses and investments.

“Our relative competitiveness in Asia and ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] is the best it has ever been and will continue to improve,” Domingo said. – SOA/BM, GMA News

 

 

...the 2013 MTV EMA Nominee

Sarah Geronimo nominated at 2013 MTV EMA

             

By Eunice Blanco

philstar.com

September 18, 2013

 

 

Sarah Geronimo is nominated for Best Southeast Asia Act in the 2013 MTV EMA. File Photo

 

MANILA, Philippines – Popstar Princess Sarah Geronimo has been nominated for Best Southeast Asia Act in the upcoming MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA).

The Kapamilya singer’s recognitions were enumerated on MTV EMA’s page, including the Best Asian Artist (Philippines) at the 2012 MNet Asian Music Awards held in Hong Kong, making Sarah the first Filipino to receive such award.

They also recognized the local awards that the Popstar Princess received through Awit Awards, namely Most Promising Female Entertainer in 2003; Entertainer of The Year and Record Breaker in 2010; Best in Collaboration For A Concert for What Love Is in 2011; Best Female in Major Concert for 24/SG and Best Selling Album of the Year for “One Heart” in 2012.

Also in the list is her Nickelodeon Philippines' Kids' Choice Award in 2004.

Other nominees for the Best Southeast Asia Act are Hafiz from Malaysia, NOAH from Indonesia, Olivia Ong from Singapore, Slot Machine from Thailand and My Tam from Vietnam.

Justin Timberlake, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus are likewise among the nominees.

The MTV EMA will be held on Nov. 10 at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

 

 

...the cities of the gods

QC home to world's best looking men: online mag

 

ABS-CBNnews.com

09/17/2013

 

 

Dingdong Dantes. File photo

MANILA – Quezon City is home to two of the country’s top universities and some of the metro’s biggest malls.

An online travel magazine, however, noted that the city also has the world’s best looking men -- probably a nod to the city's tagline as the "City of the Stars," given that the country's two largest TV networks are based in Quezon City.

Early this month, Traveler’s Digest released the 2013 edition of its “Cities with the World’s Best Looking Men” list, which placed Quezon City at No. 7.

The online magazine singled out hunk actor Dingdong Dantes as it mentioned how the city has “head-turning beach bodies.”

“Their reputed romantic side and gloriously tanned skin doesn’t hurt either. Just check out much-loved Filipino actor Dingdong Dantes,” it said of Dantes, who is listed in Wikipedia as born in Quezon City.

Dantes was included in E! Entertainment television’s 25 sexiest men in the world list in 2008, along with football superstar David Beckham and actor Gilles Marini of France.

Traveler’s Digest declared Havana, Cuba as the No. 1 city in the world with the hottest men, citing their “golden skin, dark eyes and a rich, exotic accent.”

Landing in second place is Madrid in Spain, followed by Istanbul in Turkey, Miami in the United States and San Juan in Puerto Rico.

At sixth place is Freetown in Sierra Leone, while Cannes in France ranked eighth. Seoul in South Korea made it to ninth place, while Dublin in Ireland rounded out the Top 10.

Staff members of Traveler’s Digest said they “literally scoured the globe in search of the world’s best looking men” as they compiled the 2013 list.

 

...the Busan Travel Fair Folklore winner

PHL dance troupe wins in Busan International Travel Fair

GMA News

September 17, 2013

 

 

Philippine dance troupe Sindaw Philippines Performing Arts Guild won for the country the Best Folklore Performance Award in the four-day Busan International Travel Fair 2013.

The event, which closed on Monday, September 9, hosted around 210 entries from 30 countries around the world.

Sindaw Philippines Performing Arts Guild. DFA photo.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sindaw's performance reportedly drew 100,000 visitors to their performance at the Philippine Pavilion of the Busan event.

The Department of Tourism's (DOT) Korean team also won the Best Booth Design Award in the event. The booth held daily lotteries that offered free return flights to the Philippines.

Sindaw, meaning flame in Maguindanaoan, formed in May 2001 to promote art and culture through the re-staging of various folk dances of the Philippines.

Lead by their director Randy C. Guevara, the group represents the country in various folk dance festivals and travel fairs around the globe.

Sindaw performed in the Philippine Food Festival in Shanghai last September 6, where they rendered folk songs and dances.

The dance troupe also performed in Eat Bulaga's 2013 Super Sireyna in July, and also in Eat Bulaga Indonesia's first anniversary celebration in the same month. — Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

 

 

...the PHL global economic index

Philippines leapfrogs 25 places in global biz growth index

            

By Jovan Cerda

philstar.com

September 16, 2013

 

 

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines posted its biggest climb in a global index of dynamic business growth environments, British-based advisory firm Grant Thornton International reported on Monday.

The country leapfrogged by 25 places to land at the 21st spot in this year's Global Dynamism Index (GDI), improving the most among 60 countries included in the report.

“The fast-paced growth of the Philippine economy certainly underlined our substantial rise in this year’s GDI. This means our business growth environment improved quicker than any other country in 2012,” said Marivic Españo, chair and chief executive officer of Punongbayan & Araullo (P&A), the Grant Thornton member firm in the Philippines.

Among countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations included in the report, the country ranked behind Singapore (7th), Malaysia (13th) and Thailand (19th), and ahead of Vietnam (27th).

Australia, Chile, China, New Zealand and Canada topped the list while Ukraine, Italy, Kenya, Algeria and Greece placed at the bottom.

On the area of economics and growth, the Philippines jumped by 11 places to tie at fourth place with Peru. It posted the biggest improvement in terms of labor and human capital, galloping by 40 places to rank fifth globally.

“I think the key point here is that the Philippines is starting to realize its potential domestically. Aside from remittances, which have recovered well since the global financial crisis, private construction and government spending on infrastructure contributed to our above-target expansion. Domestic demand in the form of private investment and consumer growth has also helped the country outpace its Southeast Asian neighbors, which are showing signs of slowing down,” Españo said.

In terms of science and technology, however, the country ranked 51st, indicating the lack of infrastructure improvements needed for businesses to expand. P&A said while spending on information technology improved by 9.5 percent last year, it only translated to 0.1 percent of the country's gross domestic product, the fourth lowest among the 60 economies studied.

“The government recognizes that local infrastructure needs to be improved. Eighty public-private partnerships with around $17.6 billion of capital to boost the investment environment were supposed to be launched between 2011 and 2016, but progress is well behind schedule. Add to this a rank of 44 for business operating environment, which looks at how easy and risky it is to operate in an economy, and you can clearly see there is some room for improvement,” Españo said.

“The good news is that both total and worker output is expanding rapidly. The key now is to combine this growth with infrastructure and operating environment improvements. With the right mix of policies in place, our economy could offer even more opportunities for dynamic businesses,” she added.