...the Disney Princess

Pinay skater to play Princess Tiana on ‘Disney On Ice’

 

By Karen Valeza

Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom 

Fri, Dec 23, 2011

 

Mickey and Minnie Mouse grace the "Disney On Ice" press conference recently. (Marlo Cueto, NPPA Images)

A Filipino skater is among the main talents performing on “Disney On Ice”, which returns to Manila starting December 25, 2011 and runs until January 3, 2012 the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Justine Lopez will play Princess Tiana, main protagonist in   Disney’s 2009 film “The Princess and the Frog.”

“It’s exciting for us to bring a local Filipino back to the Philippines for a show. It’s exciting for us to be able to provide something extra for the audience,” Zac Ellard, Feld Entertainment’s Regional Marketing Director for Southeast Asia and India said.

The loudest audience

Zac shared that his team enjoys performing before the Filipino audience since it is one of the loudest and most receptive in the world.

“Filipino audiences are one of the loudest in the world. We always get good reception from you.  It’s most exciting to both experience a show and be the one performing when the audience is enthusiastic.”

Zac also cited the Filipinos’ love for celebrations.

“We are very excited to be back in Manila. We’ve heard that Filipinos love celebrations and love to have a good time. This is going to be a one big celebration with your favorite Disney characters, with lots of unique set designs and costumes,” he goes on.

The Philippines is the show’s first stop in Asia this year.

“Disney On Ice: Let’s Celebrate!” stars Mickey and Minnie Mouse plus  Disney characters from different Walt Disney films and shows, including Snow White, Cinderella, Belle and Mulan and  charming male characters Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Woody, and Buzz Lightyear, among others.

Through Mickey’s "Digital Global Destinator,” “Disney on Ice” will present various festivals and holidays celebrated all over the world, including Chinese New Year and Rio de Janiero's Carnivale.

52 characters

According to Zac, this year’s “Disney on Ice” is their biggest show ever, as it brings a 52 characters, including newbies like Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen of “Princess and the Frog.”

It also features Valentine’s Royal Ball with Princess Tiana, Merry UnBirthday Party with Alice and Mad Hatter, Jack Skellington’s Halloween Party with Disney villains and Hawaiian luau with Lilo and Stitch.

“It’s colorful and exciting. No matter how old you are, you’re gonna enjoy it. We hope to give you a chance to experience the Disney characters which you loved while growing up,” Zac relates.

...the peacekeepers

Pinoy peacekeepers in Golan Heights receive UN medals

 

 

December 24, 2011

GMA News

 

 

Filipino soldiers stationed at the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) received UN medals at a recent ceremony at Camp Ziouani in the Golan Heights.

The Department of Foreign Affairs also said newly-promoted enlisted military personnel formally received their ranks at the ceremony on December 13.

"(Philippine) Ambassador Generoso Calonge led the pinning of the ranks of newly promoted enlisted military personnel, while UNDOF Force Commander Major General Natalio Ecarma III led the pinning of UN medals to selected UN Filipino soldiers," the DFA said,

Ecarma congratulated the recipients of the UN Medal for the service they have rendered during their tour of duty in the Golan Heights.

He noted that the award from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon recognizes the professionalism and dedication of Filipino soldiers through these medals.

"These medals are testament to the contingents' dedication to the call of duty, performing their assigned tasks with the highest degree of professionalism and standard," Ecarma said.

Ecarma also encouraged the entire Philippine contingent to continue the good work and strive more in achieving UNDOF's goal of "One Mission, One Team, One Goal."

Meanwhile, Calonge encouraged the Philippine contingent to do their utmost in the service of the Philippines despite being far from home.

"You and I are not so different. We in the diplomatic service feel the same of missing our loved ones who are left behind while we continue to serve our country," he said.

"I could relate to what a soldier could feel. I also wore the same uniform during my younger days and I have had many experiences during my tour of duty in southern Philippines," he added.

Calonge expressed hopes that Filipino soldiers would continue maintaining the highest standard of excellence. - VVP, GMA News

 

 

...the OFW Ambassador

OFW is first UN Citizen Ambassador

by Don Tagala, ABS-CBN

North America News Bureau
12/24/2011

NEW YORK City – Twenty-three year old Jonathan Eric Defante's 30-second-pitch on Youtube, his entry to the 2011 Citizen Ambassador's Video Contest, earned him one of the three spots to become the first Filipino Honorary United Nation's Citizen Ambassador.

Honored as best in concept, originality and execution, Defante's "One Bottle, One Life" pitch to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is about using plastic bottles to build model communities around the world.

On his Youtube pitch, Defante said, "So let's create a model community in every Nation, made of used plastic bottles or eco-bricks, built by the people themselves, and are sustained by livelihood from plastic recycled bottles. The communities can be organized into cooperatives to sustain their livelihood for the years to come, changing lives, one bottle at a time."

Defante's entry bested 600 other Youtube entries from 50 countries around the world.

Defante said, "I was like literally jumping (for joy), kasi hindi ko talaga siya in-expect. Kasi after I submitted the video, marami nang pumasok, yung iba talaga may professional editing pa, kasi ako I just used iMovie 11, lahat hiniram ko lang, pati flipcam."

Defante, an OFW working at a Virgin Megastore in Dubai, in the Middle East, together with two other video contest winners from Sudan and Guatemala received round trip tickets to New York and met with the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in person privately last Friday.

“Sinabi niya na “Jonathan, I'm impressed with your idea to build communities in each member State. So, I, myself, as an environmentalist, I would like you to continue this work of yours.” So sana daw hindi lang mag-serve yun as an idea, maging reality daw yun," he said.

The UN Secretary General's inspiring words encouraged Defante to do even more.

"Parang now, I want to do more, to be more involved in humanitarian activities especially sa mga Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), like My Shelter Foundation, saka sa Hug-It Forward in Guatemala," said Defante.

The UN video contest was made in observance of the World Humanitarian Day. Defante encouraged Filipino youths from all over the world to do more humanitarian work, even without getting a prize for doing so.

“Sa mga kabataan especially, this is the best time to express any idea that would benefit mankind kasi we have tools for it, di katulad dati, ngayon we have social networking, we have Youtube, Facebook, etc." he said.

Defante will hold the honorary title as UN Citizen Ambassador for two years but it may be extended by the United Nations if he continues his humanitarian work.

...the first Korea image awardee

Filipina wins Korea Image award in Seoul

 

abs-cbnNEWS.com

 12/21/2011

 

 

 

Filipina actress Jasmine Lee and Korean actor Yoo Ah-in appeared in the hit Korean film "Punch".

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipina is the first recipient of the Korea Image Millstone Award from the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) in Seoul, Korea.

The CICI on Monday named Jasmine Lee, who recently starred in the hit Korean film "Punch" (Wandeugi), as the winner of its Korea Image Millstone Award, according to a report from The Korea Herald.

The Korea Image Millstone Award was created this year to honor foreigners in Korea who have integrated well in Korean society, like the way grains are mixed well in a millstone.

"The Korea Image Stepping Stone Bridge award is given to foreigners who live outside of Korea and introduce Korea overseas. We thought that now is the time to also honor foreigners who are living in Korea and putting in efforts to promote Korea. Lee has been doing many volunteer and charity works for foreign immigrants living here,” said CICI president Choi Jung-hwa.

Lee played the role of a Filipina estranged from her Korean husband and son in "Punch." The film, which stars Korean heartthrob Yoo Ah-in, was a blockbuster hit in Korea, attracting nearly 5 million viewers since it premiered in late October.

Lee, a native of Davao, was also a regular panelist on a KBS talk show "Love in Asia" and has been involved in various charities and multiculturalism advocacy efforts in Korea.

In 2010, she won the accolade "People Who Enlighten the World" from Korea Green Foundation. At present, she works for the PR team at the Seoul Global Center, one of the first migrant women hired to be civil servants by Seoul City Government.

The CICI is an organization committed to helping South Korea promote and develop its image overseas. It has been giving annual CICI Korea Image awards since 2005 to recognize individuals, events, objects and organizations that help promote Korea.

Aside from Lee, winners of the 2011 CICI awards include the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games Organizing Committee and cartoon character Pororo.

...the NatGeo photo winner

Pinoy wins NatGeo photo contest

abs-cbnNEWS.com

12/21/2011

 

 

 

A rainbow arches over the Philippines' Onuk Island after a rainstorm. Photo and caption by George Tapan / [http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com]

MANILA, Philippines – Travel photographer George Tapan bagged first place in the 2011 photography contest of National Geographic, according to the contest’s official website.

Tapan was picked as the winner in the Places category for his photograph “Into the Green Zone.”

The Filipino photographer submitted a photo of a rainbow after a rainstorm taken in the island of Onuk in Balabac, Palawan.

The photo also captured a fisherman in a small boat and a woman walking on the shore of Onuk Island’s pristine beach.

According to the website, judge Tim Laman said the photo “showed a perfect sense of timing and composition in the way he captured the two small human subjects in this beautiful scene, and that really made the shot.”

Judge Amy Toensing described the photo as "very moody, beautifully composed."

Nature photographer Peter Essick, meanwhile, was captivated by the detail of the woman's hair on the photo, saying that it only "fills a fraction of the picture's real estate, but by capturing the movement at the apex, the photographer has documented a sense of style and flair.”

Tapan’s photo showed that "small things can sometimes make a big difference," according to National Geographic.

Aside from receiving a cash prize of $2,500, Tapan’s winning photograph will be published in National Geographic magazine.

...the 2nd Filipino 'saint'

Blessed Pedro Calungsod to be declared 2nd Filipino saint

By Shielo Mendoza

Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom

 

 

 

A poster depicting Pedro Calungsod hangs on the facade of St. Peter's square.

 

The Vatican announced Tuesday that Blessed Pedro Calungsod of Cebu will be canonized as a saint for the Roman Catholic Church.

Once canonized, he will be the second Filipino Catholic saint following Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, who was elevated to sainthood in 1987.

According to Vatican’s news site, Pope Benedict XVI has officially approved the promulgation of decrees for canonization of Calungsod and six others who have been said to have performed miracles. No definite date, however, has been set for the canonization rites.

The authorized miracle of Blessed Pedro Calungsod reportedly happened in 2003 at a Cebu hospital when a woman who was clinically pronounced dead for two hours was allegedly brought back to life through the intercession of Calungsod.

A young martyr
Calungsod, together with companion Blessed Diego San Vitores, was killed while doing missionary work in Guam in 1672. He was 17 years old then. Through their missionary efforts, many were converted to the Roman Catholic Church through the Sacrament of Baptism.

A plot to murder Calungsod and San Vitores started through false accusations that the missionaries were spreading poison through the ritual of the pouring of water or baptism. They were both caught and murdered after baptizing a mother and her child.

Because of his association with the Chamorro natives of Guam, Calungsod is often portrayed with a crucifix and a palm leaf.

Calungsod, who was described by Vatican as a lay catechist and a martyr, was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

The other six candidates for canonization together with Calungsod are: Blessed Giovanni Battista Piamarta, Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth and of the Congregation of the Humble Sister Servants of the Lord; Blessed Jacques Berthieu, French martyr and priest of the Society of Jesus; Blessed Maria del Carmen, Spanish foundress of the Conceptionist Missionary Sisters of Teaching; Blessed Maria Anna Cope, German religious of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Syracuse; Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, American laywoman; and Blessed Anna Schaffer, German laywoman.

...the knock-out of the year

Donaire's KO of Montiel best of 2011: Sports Illustrated

 

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Posted at 12/20/2011

 

 

MANILA, Philippines -- Sports Illustrated has named world bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire's second-round knockout of Fernando Montiel last February 20 as the Knockout of the Year.

 

 

In that bantamweight bout, Donaire dropped Montiel to the canvas a minute before the second round ended with a powerful left hook. Referee Russell Mora allowed Montiel to continue after the boxer beat the 10-count, but Mora stopped the fight only seconds later as Donaire swarmed in for the kill.


"Yes, Montiel got up from the crushing overhand left that nearly caved in half his face," SI's Chris Mannix wrote. "But he only lasted a few more seconds before the referee stepped in to save him."


"Couple that with the significance of the match-up -- both Donaire and Montiel were pound-for-pound guys going at it in a highly anticipated super bantamweight fight -- and Donaire's savage knockout becomes that much more impressive," he added.


Donaire annexed the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization bantamweight championships with his victory.


His crushing knockout of Montiel was supposed to kick off a year that should have brought "The Filipino Flash" to the level of boxing's elite, but Donaire's career stalled in the middle of 2011 due to a promotional dispute with Top Rank and Golden Boy.


Towards the latter half of the year, Donaire eventually solved his contractual issues and signed with Top Rank. He went on to defeat Argentine champion Omar Narvaez via unanimous decision last October.


Donaire plans to fight at least four times in 2012, and is scheduled to debut at the junior featherweight division (122-pounds) on February 4 against Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.


Donaire is ranked number 4 on The RING's pound-for-pound ratings, behind countryman Manny Pacquiao, undefeated American Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Argentina's middleweight champion Sergio Martinez.