...the designer on America's Next Top Model

Oliver Tolentino featured in 'America's Next Top Model'

abs-cbnNEWS.com

 10/03/2011

 

 

MANILA, Philippines - After Michael Cinco, another Filipino was chosen as a featured designer in hit fashion reality show "America's Next Top Model."

 

 

 

Oliver Tolentino's creations were worn by model-contestants during the "Fierce and Parade Fashion Show" of "America's Next Top Model."

Seven out of 15 contestants also donned his couture gowns in a previous episode.

The Hollywood-based Filipino designer, known for incorporating indigenous materials such as abaca in his designs, said he is happy to be part of the show.

"Nakakatuwa nga kasi sabi ng producer ng show talagang napakarami daw ng nanonood ng 'America's Next Top Model' sa Pilipinas. 'Yung rating talaga nila sa Pilipinas ay napakataas. Nakakatuwa naman na mapanood ng ating mga kababayan sa Pilipinas ang gawa ni Oliver Tolentino sa 'America's Next Top Model.' Nakakataba ng puso," Tolentino said.

"I'm so blessed na napili nila 'yung mga creations ko para i-present sa kanilang TV show," he added.

Asked if he will be part of the show on a more regular basis, Tolentino said, "Sana! (Laughs) But you'll never know, kasi alam mo naman ang competition dito sa States, ang competition very stiff."

Meanwhile, Tolentino said Filipino designers may have an advantage over others this season.

"Right now, when you see the red carpet, everyone is like, bling-bling. Everyone's shining on the red carpet. And it's an advantage for Filipino designers because we're known for doing very intricate beadings," he said.

Among the celebrities who wore Tolentino's creations are Jenna Ushkowitz, one of the cast members of "Glee."

Tolentino also been chosen as this year's icon for MetroWear, which is dubbed as the biggest fashion event in the country. -- Report from Yong Chavez, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

...the top BPO destinations

Philippines joins top BPO destinations

 

 

By ROY C. MABASA

October 3, 2011

Manila Bulletin

 

 

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has established itself as one of the top destinations globally for services outsourcing, being second only to India, the Philippine government said during the just concluded 58th Session of the Trade and Development Board in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Trade and Development Board, which oversees the activities of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), opened its 58th session last month in Geneva to examine, among other issues, the implications of non-equity modes of international production, which include services outsourcing, contract manufacturing, contract farming, licensing and franchising.

Speaking before the members of the Board, Trade and Industry Undersecretary for Industry and Investments Cristino L. Panlilio pointed out that the Philippines' cost competitiveness, excellent telecommunications infrastructure, large talent pool, strong public-private sector partnerships, and relatively low risk perception are among the factors that transnational corporations considered in selecting the Philippines for services outsourcing.

Services outsourcing in the Philippines includes voice business process outsourcing (BPO), non-voice BPO in finance, accounting, medical transcription, and other areas, and information technology - electronic service outsourcing (IT-ESO).

Panlilio disclosed that in 2010, the Philippine IT-BPO industry reached $9 billion in revenues, and engaged the services of 530,000 full-time employees in financial services, human resources, IT and software development, management services, engineering design, animation and other sectors.

He noted that the industry now accounts for 60 percent of the country's total services exports.

In 2011, the industry is expected to generate US$11 billion in terms of services export revenues, and to provide employment to 640,000 people, he said.

The DTI official said that the IT-BPO Road Map forecasts growth to reach USD 25 billion in revenues and to employ 1.3 million workers by 2016 if key challenges are addressed.

In a statement on behalf of the Asian Group, the Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, noted that three countries — India, the Philippines and China — accounted for approximately 65 per cent of global export revenues related to IT-BPO services in 2009. In terms of licensing activity directed at developing markets, the region comprised almost 80 percent of the total, measured in terms of royalty payments in 2008.

...the vege vendor turned shop owner in Riyadh

'Sitaw' vendor now shop owner in Riyadh

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Posted at 10/03/2011

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – A former vegetable vendor and carabao shepherd is now a perfume and jewelry shop owner in Riyadh.

Nancy Vitales designs one of a kind jewelry products and sells perfume made in Paris.

“Bale, ito yung produkto ng White Crystal. Mayroon kaming 44 brands ng signature perfumes. First of all, yung perfume namin made in Paris. So hindi siya gawa sa iba-ibang place," Vitales said.

Original perfumes are expensive but Vitales made them available to Filipinos at an affordable price.

“So nag-isip kami na bakit hindi natin i-repack o i-innovate ang mga perfume na to into size na ma-afford kahit sino man? Kung mayroon kang 400 riyals, apat na signature perfume ang mabibili mo,” she said.

At a young age, Vitales realized the value of hard work to be able to put food on the table. She took care of a water buffalo and sold vegetables like sitaw.

“So, nakamulatan ko na po na sa umaga, gumigising ako, kasama ko yung lola ko, yung nanay ko namimitas kami ng gulay tapos ibinibenta naming,” she said.

Vitales said the values she learned in the past helped her achieve the success she’s enjoying right now.

“Gusto ko na lahat ng bata ganun na pag binigyan mo ng P100, hindi niya iisipin kung anong bibilhin niya.

Kundi, maiisip niya kung paano palaguin yung P100. Kaisipang Intsik, sabi nga nila,” she said.

Ambassador Ezzedin Tago was all praises for Vitales who found innovative ways to succeed. She also was able to use her savings wisely by investing in a worthwhile business. She also shared her ideas to OFWs who may want to enter the same business.

“But we do encourage this. The first thing is for everyone to know what the rules are and to work on saving more and also getting into new creative ideas para dyan," Tago said.

Tago said the embassy supports businesses run by Filipinos, which is why they are doing everything they can to protect it.

“Pero lahat ng mga business people gusto malaman na protektado ang kanilang investment. So what we are working on right now is to compile yung database ng mga batas ng Philippines at sa Saudi para malaman ng mga tao yung karapatan nila when it comes to getting into business whether here in Saudi or in the Philippines," he said. - Marilyn Lavina, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau

...the champions on a mission

Dragon boat champs join rescuers

By Dona Z. Pazzibugan, Niña Calleja
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

The world champion dragon boat racing team, using the same vessel that earned them international renown, has joined military forces mobilized to rescue or bring relief to villagers trapped in heavily flooded parts of Bulacan and Pampanga.

The 20-member Philippine Dragon Boat Federation Team, dubbed the “Pinoy Dragon Warriors,” participated in the humanitarian missions on Sunday in response to a call from the Army chief, Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz, for soldiers to join in the rescue effort.

They used the very same dragon boat they rode to five golds and two silvers and set two world records at the world championships held in Florida in August, according to the team manager, Army Major Harold Cabunoc.

Since the boat can accommodate only 20 people, team captain Sergeant Usman Anterola said that for every trip, the boat carried eight paddlers who ferried 10 villagers at a time.

There are 11 soldiers in the team, mostly from the Philippine Army, based at its headquarters in Fort Bonifacio. The rest are either members of the Coast Guard or civilians.

Cabunoc explained that the team practiced for six hours every day for more international competitions this year even without support from the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Payback time
Another team dispatched to the disaster zone in Bulacan at the weekend was made up of victims of Tropical Storm “Ondoy” in Marikina City two years ago, according to Marikina Vice Mayor Jose Fabian Cadiz.

“The city mayor, upon seeing the news about the floods on Friday morning, instructed our Rescue 161 to go to Bulacan and offer whatever help we can give,” Cadiz told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The city sent two motorboats, an ambulance, search-in-water equipment, outboard motors, generation sets, and other first-aid kits recently purchased in preparation for an Ondoy-type disaster. More than 100 of the nearly 500 lives Ondoy claimed came from Marikina.

In dispatching the 15-member team, Mayor Del de Guzman admitted that the city has yet to recover from the losses of properties and lives, but said, “Now, it’s our turn to help.”

Caught unprepared
Ronald Mejia, officer in charge of Marikina’s Rescue 161 and team leader in the two-day Bulacan rescue operations, said the floods in the coastal towns were “very much similar to Ondoy.”

Although the roof-high floodwaters reminded him of Ondoy, Mejia was able to spot the difference.
He said the flood that entered their homes in Marikina City came with mud while the floodwaters in Bulacan were crystal clear as it directly came from the dams.

“In Marikina, the floods were gone after a few hours. In Bulacan, it was taking several days for the floods to subside,” he added.

Mejia said that when his team arrived in Paombong town in Bulacan, people came rushing to them and asked them to rescue relatives marooned in their flooded homes.

The team managed to save more than a hundred lives, including a pregnant woman standing on her house’s roof.

“It was the first time they experienced huge floods so they were really shocked and caught unprepared,” Mejia said.

...the Asian boxers

Asian boxers dominate world championship

Rey Saludar of the Philippines reaches third round

Agence France-Presse

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

BAKU—Asian Games flyweight champion Rey Saludar of the Philippines reached the third round of the world championships on Sunday with a confident 28-12 win over Tajik Yusufi Safevidin.

The 23-year-old Saludar, who won bronze at this year’s Asian championships, will now face Rau Shee Warren of the United States, who outclassed Ukraine’s Georgiy Chygayev 22-15.

Mongolia’s Tugstogt Nyambayar, the 2009 world championship silver medalist, battled into the third round with a tough 17-14 win over India’s Suranjoy Singh Mayengbam, the Asian Games bronze medalist.

Top-seeded Misha Aloian of Russia, who won bronze at the 2009 world championship, was in complete command against Botswana’s Oteng Oteng, winning confidently 18-5.

Asian Games light welterweight champion Daniyar Eleussinov of Kazakhstan defeated Japan’s Masatsugu Kawachi 14-4 and next meets Hungary’s Gyula Kate, the third seed, who beat Canada’s Yves Ulysse 27-17.

Asian champion Munkh-Erdene Uranchimeg of Mongolia also advanced with a 20-6 win over Lyndel Marcellin of Saint Lucia.

Kazakhstan’s two-time welterweight world champion, and Asian Games winner, Serik Sapiyev outclassed Apichet Seansit of Thailand 16-7 forcing the referee to stop the bout in the second round.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Taras Shelestyuk upset 2008 Beijing Olympics silver medalist Carlos Banteur Suarez of Cuba, 17-15.

In the light heavyweight category Cuba team skipper Julio De La Cruz Peraza experienced few troubles against Caner Sayak of Turkey, winning 17-7 in his second-round bout.

Kazakhstan’s Adilbek Niyazimbetov produced another upset battling into the next round in a tough bout with Asian champion Hyengkyu Kim of South Korea, winning 14-9.

In the super heavyweights, reigning champion Roberto Cammarelle of Italy, who enjoyed an opening round bye, saw off Venezuela’s Jose Payares 17-8.

China’s Zhilei Zhang, the Asian Games gold medalist, also breezed into the third round beating Joseph Parker of New Zealand 15-7.

...the champion painter

Filipina, 13, hailed best out of 600,000 in United Nations painting contest

By: Dexter R. Matilla
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

A very mature, yet simple, take on the global state of forests helped 13-year-old Trisha Co Reyes to bring home 1st Place in the 20th International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep).

Reyes’ work shows a young girl parting gray curtains filled with pictures of the devastation and death brought about by floods, which, as the young artist perhaps intended, is caused by the excessive cutting of trees. Behind the curtains she sees an ideal world filled with lush greens and with animals in peaceful coexistence.

“My painting shows two sides: a good and sustainable forest, and the causes of forest destruction,” says Reyes. “Forests are essential for life on earth, but [today] the destruction of the forest has become a worldwide problem. We must treasure the earth’s greatest biological treasure, so that we will always have forests in our lives.”

Reyes, who aspires to be a pediatrician, adds it is her love for walking through the forests that served as her inspiration, and she hopes people would start planting trees and appreciate the value of forests so that in the future her “little patients will enjoy the good health” she wants them to have.

This year is also declared by Unep as the International Year of Forests and Reyes says it is a noble cause that makes people aware of the need to preserve the forest before it is totally destroyed.

“Through art, children like me can express our stand to help save our forests,” Reyes says. “Because forests are essential for life on earth, they give us shade and shelter, medicines, refuge and refreshment, clean air and water.”

The student from St. Stephen’s School received $2,000 in prize money and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Tunza International Children and Youth Conference on the Environment in Bandung, Indonesia, where she will formally receive her award.

The 2011 International Children’s Painting Competition, with the theme “Life in the Forests,” has seen over three-million children from some 100 countries participate by painting their hopes for the environment, damaged through the years, portraying how they hope to solve the problems that include pollution, habitat destruction, deforestation.

...the fate of Busong in Kazakshtan

‘Busong’ wins in Kazakhstan

By: Bayani San Diego Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

October 2, 2011

The winning streak of Auraeus Solito’s “Busong (Palawan Fate)” continues.

The Filipino indie film has won the International Critics’ Prize from the Fipresci [International Federation of Film Critics] at the Eurasia International Film Festival, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from September 19 to 24.

“Busong” premiered at the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes fest in May and won best director at the Cinemalaya fest in Manila in July.

It was the first Fipresci honor for Solito whose debut film, “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros,” won various international awards in 2005.

“I told my actor Dax Alejandro that I’ve never won a Fipresci before. I wished for this award and the universe gave it to me,” Solito told Inquirer Entertainment via e-mail.

In his acceptance speech, he thanked the critics “for honoring my tribe’s stories. This is the first Palawan indigenous film. I would like to thank the guiding spirit of my shaman ancestors.”

The film, which topbills Alessandra de Rossi as a maiden afflicted with a mysterious illness, depicts legends from the director’s home province of Palawan.

Solito said that the Fipresci jury was headed by Russian critic and TV host Andrei Shemiakin. Other members of the jury were critics Salome Kikaleishvili of Georgia and Oleksii Pershko of Ukraine.

According to the fest’s website, Hollywood actresses Sigourney Weaver and Nastassja Kinski attended the Central Asian festival.

“I wasn’t able to attend the festival, but I’ve been praying for our movie. It has a beautiful message about nature that the world needs to hear,” De Rossi told Inquirer Entertainment.

“Busong” will also be screened in the Hawaii, Mill Valley and Brussels fests.