Saturday, January 28, 2012

...the official pronouncement

It’s now official: Puerto Princesa river is one of New7Wonders of Nature

 
INQUIRER.net
Photo courtesy of the New7Wonders of Nature

MANILA, Philippines—The Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) is now officially one of the New7Wonders of Nature, the founder of global campaign announced on Saturday.

Bernard Weber, founder-president of New7Wonders, congratulated the Filipinos as the 8.2-kilometer Palawan river joined the Amazon rainforest, Vietnam’s Halong Bay and Argentina’s Iguazu Falls as among the world’s new seven wonders of nature.

“When your very own President Aquino came out in support of the PPUR campaign, I knew that this country was taking the New7Wonders of Nature seriously,” said Weber. “Fans of PPUR all over the world responded to his call for action by voting in record numbers and today’s confirmation is the well-earned reward for this extraordinary display of enthusiasm.”

Aquino even sailed the river last year on board a paddleboat as he urged Filipinos to help push the Philippines’ bid for a spot in the New7Wonders of Nature.

Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn welcomed the news, saying it would help the country’s renewed campaign to boost tourism.

“This confirmation is wonderful news for Puerto Princesa, and a great example of how now it’s more fun to be in the Philippines,” said Hagedorn, in reference to the Department of Tourism’s “It’s more fun in the Philippines” slogan.

“World-wide exposure of our natural beauty on this level is critical both for tourism and for our image nationally and internationally,” he said.

The Puerto Princesa Underground River, about 50 kilometers north of Puerto Princesa City,  consists of a limestone karst mountain landscape, several large chambers containing significant formations of stalactites and stalagmites.

This navigable underground river winds through a cave before flowing directly into the West Philippine Sea. At the exit, a flawless lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water’s edge.

The campaign organized by Swiss foundation New7Wonders has attracted great interest, mobilizing celebrities including Argentinian football star Lionel Messi calling on fans to pick his home country’s Iguazu Falls.

Provisional results of the final seven were released last November 12 after a long consultation process lasting from December 2007 to July 2009, when world citizens were asked to put forward sites which they deemed were natural wonders.

More than a million votes were cast to trim the list of more than 440 contenders in over 220 countries down to a shortlist of 77.

The group was then further cut to 28 finalists by a panel of experts.

Anyone in the world was then able to vote for the final seven via telephone, text messages or Internet social networks.

Founded in 2001 by filmmaker Bernard Weber in Zurich, the foundation New7Wonders is based on the same principle on which the seven ancient wonders of the world were established. That list of seven wonders was attributed to Philon of Byzantium in ancient Greece.

New7Wonders said its aim is to create a global memory by garnering participation worldwide. With Agence France-Presse

Thursday, January 26, 2012

...the Big Apl

100% Made in the Philippines


By: Eric S. Caruncho
Philippine Daily Inquirer
(First Published 07 January 2012)


You can go home again.


With his trademark Mohawk hairdo, and pimped out in an all black outfit and black, knee-high biker boots, Black Eyed Pea apl.de.ap a.k.a. Allan Pineda Lindo Jr. stands out in a sea of white barongs.

The cream of corporate Makati, mostly bank executives and their staff, have gathered together in a Legaspi Village penthouse ballroom to honor Apl who has been chosen one of the Bank of the Philippine Islands’ BPInoy awardees for 2011.

The annual accolade goes to Filipinos who have done their country proud in the international arena. apl has been chosen not only because of his membership in the Black Eyed Peas, a massive global pop franchise that has sold more than 56 million albums worldwide, but also because for the last few years, he has been coming home to the Philippines to give some of his blessings back to the land of his birth.

At first it was just an annual Christmas homecoming that saw apl giving out gift packages to the less fortunate residents of his hometown in Angeles City, Pampanga.



BIG APL: As BPInoy awardee (Inquirer Photo/Alanah Torralba)

The last couple of years, however, apl has made it more formal by establishing the apl.de.ap Foundation to serve as the vehicle for his humanitarian efforts.

Last August, he donated a computer lab and library to his old school, the Sapang Bato National High School in Pampanga. He also built a music studio at the Holy Angel University, also in Angeles City, where young Filipinos can hone their talents.

But apl has set his sights beyond his hometown: he plans to take his mission nationwide. In partnership with the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, which has appointed him a “special ambassador for education,” he has chosen to focus his efforts on an education advocacy campaign called “We Can Be Anything.”  It is a perfect fit for the man who once said: “dreaming big and doing something about it can get you really far.”

To help drive the message home, apl composed and recorded the single “We Can Be Anything,” complete with inspirational music video.

“I think that with an education, you can be anything,” he says.  “You could be a musician, you could be an artist, but with an education you always have a background to fall back on.  It’s really important for me to give the youth an equal opportunity. I want Filipino kids to compete around the world, with technology and computers and stuff.”



He plans to continue building more computer labs and music studios.

“I want talented kids that are into music to have an outlet, to have a place to go to and record demos, and practice,” says apl. “In the future I want to be able to discover talents from the Philippines, and that’s why it’s important for me to provide technology and music studios and library. You never know, I might find the next Black Eyed Peas.”

He has also pledged to help in building 10,000 new classrooms in the next two years, to help the Department of Education put a dent in the estimated shortfall of 68,000 classrooms throughout the country.  Among other things, he has been using his celebrity status to raise funds abroad for this purpose through various charities.

“I’ve also been talking to companies in the US like Google,” he says.  “There’s a Filipino team in Google who are planning to teach kids computer science and technology via the Internet.  Now that we’ve build these computer labs, we have to teach the teachers how to teach kids to work with these computers.”

Despite the Christmas rush, apl also took time out to visit calamity-stricken Cagayan de Oro, and to spend time in La Huerta, the underprivileged community in ParaƱaque where the video for “We Can Be Anything” was shot.

Like other celebrities who are driven to give back, he seems to be motivated by a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunities he has been given, and the realization that things could very easily have turned out differently.

Sapang Bato, where Allan Pineda Lindo Jr. was born on November 28, 1974, lies on the hilly outskirts of Angeles City, near Clark Air Base.  His biological father, a black American airman, abandoned the family right after Allan was born, leaving his mother Cristina Pineda to support him and six other siblings.




“We were poor, but my mom is like a superwoman—she’s just a great entrepreneur,” apl recalls.  “We used to have a store in front of the house, and she was great with turning money around.

Nevertheless, life was hard, and as the eldest, apl had to help feed the family from a young age.

“I remember when I was around 10 years old, I would go with my grandfather to the mountains to farm.

 Marunong akong magtanim ng mais, ng kamoteng kahoy (I know how to plant corn and cassava).  He taught me how to ride the kalabaw, and I know how to araro (to plough). And how to make charcoal.  I used to have to deliver the crops to the palengke at around 3 a.m.”

It was hard work, especially for a 10-year-old, but apl had imbibed the traditional Filipino family value that the eldest son had to share some of the responsibility for supporting the household.

“I used to like doing it,” he says.  “Being the panganay, I was just willing to help my grandpa and stuff.”

To make things even more difficult, he had been born with nystagmus, a condition that causes involuntary eye movements and which leads to impaired vision.  Although he was a good student, apl sometimes had to sit in front to be able to read the blackboard, or copy his seatmates’ notes.

“It was pretty hard, but I’ve learned how to adapt to my surroundings,” says apl, who is considered legally blind because of his affliction.  “When I was young I didn’t know how to control it, but since I’ve grown up I’ve learned to conquer it, I guess. It’s weird, sometimes I feel like I have selective sight, ’cause I’m very good at basketball, none of my friends can beat me in bowling, none of them can beat me in pool, I can break-dance, and pretty much do everything.  I just can’t drive.”

Being a “G.I. baby,” apl was eligible for assistance from the Pearl S. Buck Foundation, a US-based NGO founded by the author of “The Good Earth” and dedicated to helping Amerasian children.

Through the Pearl S. Buck Foundation, the young boy found a sponsor in Joe Ben Hudgens, a children’s rights attorney, who sent money for tuition and school supplies.  Eventually, his mother arranged for Hudgens to legally adopt her son.

apl had mixed feelings about being adopted: he was grateful for the opportunities that being in the US opened up for him, but he was also homesick and missed his family.

“When I first got adopted and brought to the US, I would write home, and sometimes I’d get my allowance and put it in the letter.  Sometimes it wouldn’t make it, so what I started doing was, every dollar I had I would write down the serial number in the letter, so at least if somebody took it, they would know that I tried to send some money back.”

Still, going from Angeles, Pampanga to Los Angeles, California was a culture shock for the 14-year-old boy.

“I remember when I first got to the US, there were a lot of gangs—Filipinos fighting other Filipinos.  It didn’t make sense to me.  I met a Filipino friend who used to dance, and he had a certain attire—long polo shirt, black pants and Vans, and I thought that was a dancer’s attire.  But when I tried to dress like him, I was chased home by other Filipinos.  I guess it was a gangster’s attire.

Music proved to be his salvation.  Back in Angeles, the year before he left for the States, he had gotten into break dancing after seeing youngsters at school doing the old school popping and locking moves.

“I didn’t come to the US to be a gangster, so I changed my whole attire and focused on break dancing and making music, and I became neutral with everybody.  I could hang out with the gangsters, I could hang out with the Fil-Ams, I could hang out with what they called the FOBs—fresh off the boat—because I was into music.  Music gave me that positive outlook instead of (me) getting caught up in gangs and fighting other Filipinos.  That wasn’t my purpose.  My purpose was to make it so I could help my family.”

apl also found a kindred spirit in future Black Eyed Pea William Adams, a.k.a. will.i.am—a nephew of his adoptive father’s roommate.

“My dad needed a babysitter for me, and Will’s uncle suggested Will’s mom Deborah.  They took me to Will’s house, and Deborah made Will stay home from school to hang out with the kid from the Philippines.

 He said, ‘So what do you guys do in the Philippines?’ and I said ‘I like to break-dance, I just learned this new move called the running man that I saw in a Pepsi commercial’ and he said ‘I dance too.’  We just started having conversations and the rest is history.  We became best friends.”

William lived in East LA, in the ghetto, and apl liked hanging out there, perhaps because it reminded him of home.  In any case, the pair got deeper and deeper into music, eventually forming a group called Tribal Nation, which later evolved into A Tribe Beyond A Nation or ATBAN.

“We would go to a lot of Filipino house parties in Glendale and West Covina and the Valley, and we would just start free-styling. From dancing we started rapping. And we wanted to learn, ‘where’s this music that we’re dancing to from,’ so we started researching that, and we got into producing and making beats and composing songs.”

Even in the eighth grade, apl already had that drive to make it.

“I made sure I surrounded myself with good friends, with the same values.  My whole purpose in being adopted and going to the US was for my family, so I never strayed from that.  I gotta make it.  I gotta pursue my dreams and be able to go back home to help my family—that was always in the back of my mind whatever I went through.”

It was a struggle, specially in the early days when hip hop was dominated by gangster rap and the whole East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry. Music business types didn’t know what to make of the multicultural stew that would become the Black Eyed Peas.

“I was influenced by groups like A Tribe Called Quest, De la Soul, the Jungle Brothers, Boogie Down Productions.  I gravitated more toward the old school and break dancing, and that’s really influenced how we wrote, because the way they made music was more for fun instead of killing and slapping girls, and ‘I got all this money.’  It was more about the art and the movement of hip hop and that’s why I think our music was positive. We didn’t have it in us to be gangsters.”

In a sea of bitch this and ‘ho that, apl’s music was actually a breath of fresh air.  But it would take time for the industry to catch up.

“It didn’t come overnight,” he recalls.  “It was hard to get signed by a record company because we weren’t gangsters and we were so different.  We had to prove ourselves—we would play at clubs, colleges, and what we would do was we would have a notebook with a mailing list, and we would call these people for the next show.  We had to actually create a following, and prove to the record companies that there is a market for that kind of music.  We would do shows for 5,000 people, and we had to prove to the record labels that there is room for eclectic and more progressive type of music.”

Finally, apl and Adams got themselves signed in 1992.  Three years later, after Jaime Gomez a.k.a. Taboo joined, they changed their name to the Black Eyed Pods, and then the Black Eyed Peas.  Their first two albums—“Behind the Front” (1998) and “Bridging the Gap” (2000) garnered critical acclaim, but after Stacy Ferguson a.k.a. Fergie joined in 2003, and the band released their third album “Elephunk,” critical mass was finally achieved, and the multi-platinum pop phenomenon that we know today as the Black Eyed Peas assumed its present form.

But apl’s elation at his band’s finally achieving success after years of struggle was tinged with personal tragedy.  Back home in Sapang Bato, his troubled brother Arnel had taken his own life.

“That was a dark period in my life,” he recalls.  “He had certain personal vices, and he suffered from depression.  I’m pretty sure he felt bad inside and couldn’t take it anymore.  I felt like if I had been there as a big brother, I could have stopped him.  Sometimes life just gets you down, and I wish he had somebody to run to.

These mixed emotions inspired apl to write what eventually became “The Apl Song” on “Elephunk.”

“I was in the studio experimenting with sampling, and I remembered that my mom used to listen to Asin all the time,” he says.  “That was the same time when my brother passed away, and I wanted to dedicate a song to him, and also tell my life story, and that chorus from [the] Asin [song ‘Balita’] just really touched how I was feeling, and I just kind of did it.  Will came over to the studio and I played it for him, and he said ‘That’s pretty dope, you should put that in the album yo.’  Really? But it’s in Tagalog—people wouldn’t understand.  But he said, it’s not about understanding it, it’s about the feeling.  You’re sharing your musical culture.”

The band’s wholehearted support strengthened apl’s inclinations to represent where he was from in his music.  While it wasn’t the worldwide hit that “Where Is The Love” was, “The Apl Song” endeared the Black Eyed Peas even more to their Filipino fans, and even gave the reunited Asin a boost for a time.

Even as the Black Eyed Peas’ star continued to rise, tragedy continued to dog apl.  In 2009, he lost another brother, Joven, this time to murder.

All of this darkness in his personal life only seemed to underscore how blessed Pineda has been, and has only strengthened his desire to share the fruits of his success with his countrymen.  Now that the Black Eyed Peas are on a hiatus, apl’s advocacy work has gone to the forefront.

“I’m going to focus on ‘We Can Be Anything,’” he reiterates.  “We’ve got two years to build 10,000 classrooms and I’m going to focus on that.  I’m also going to build my next computer lab from the apl Foundation.”

Also in the works is apl’s long-awaited solo project.

“It’s going to be more personal,” he says.  “I’m gonna try to write more Tagalog songs.   I’m Kapampangan so I wanna write a Kapampangan song in there. I like a lot of different music genres from dance music to drum and bass, so I’m going to mix it all up.

The solo project will likely reveal more of Apl’s Filipino roots

“I’m still into the classics. I love listening to Asin, Freddie Aguilar, Florante.  I like Gloc 9—big fan.  Also Bamboo, Slapshock.  Oh and I’ve just been researching Tito, Vic and Joey’s old stuff, all their dance disco stuff with VST and Co. I want to collaborate with them. I want to remix their song—I think it’s called ‘Magsayawan Tayo.’”

When he’s not performing with the Black Eyed Peas, apl is also a much-sought after DJ.

“My DJ career is getting bigger now,” he says.  “I’m apl.de.ap a.k.a. the Party Man.  I like to DJ around the world and play at festivals. I like going out to clubs and experiencing new types of music.  I think that’s how you stay fresh and how you can be current on what’s going on in the music world.”

But for all his globe-trotting, home for apl will always be here.

“I’m made in the Philippines all the way,” he says proudly.  “I grew up here until I was 14, and I could never change that.  It’s just a certain feeling.  When I’m here I feel at home.”

...the most powerful athlethes

Pacquiao among most powerful athletes

01/26/2012

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao is one of the most powerful athletes in the world, according to a list released by Bloomberg/Businessweek Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).

The Power 100 2012 was developed by CSE, an integrated sports and marketing firm and Horrow Sports Ventures. They take into account an athlete’s on-field and off-field attributes in developing their ratings.



Manny Pacquiao outranks rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Bloomberg's Power 100 list.
On-field attributes consider the athlete’s rankings within his own sport; in boxing, it considers the athlete’s world rankings.



Off-field attributes, meanwhile, are comprised of expected endorsement potential, endorsement earnings and social-media presence.



Pacquiao, the reigning World Boxing Organization welterweight champion, is ranked No. 28 in the Power 100 2012, four places lower than his No. 24 rank in 2011.



Bloomberg/Businessweek puts Pacquiao’s earnings at $50 million, with Nike, Hewlett-Packard and Henessy as his key sponsors.


“The most Web-searched athlete in 2011, according to Google, Pacman the Destroyer holds world championships in eight different weight divisions. Controversy may have helped fuel the Internet interest as Pacquiao was booed after a clsoe win against Juan Manuel Marquez and endless talk that Pacquiao might fight Floyd Mayweather,” Bloomberg/Businessweek noted.



“Pacquiao is also a Philippine politician and singer who has become more recognizable in recent years with new high-profile commercials such as those for the HP TouchPad.”




Mayweather also in the list

Meanwhile, undefeated American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. made his way back to the list after not being included last year.



Mayweather is ranked 49th with $40 million in total earnings. His key sponsor is SMS Audio.



“Unbeaten in his professional boxing career, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has won six world boxing championships in five differen weight classes. He’s recently drummed up a lot of attention for calling on eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao to fight him,” Bloomber/Businessweek said.



“If Pacquiao accepts, it will have to wait until Mayweather finishes an 87-day jail sentence for pleading guilty to domestic violence and harassment charges.”



Pacquiao and Mayweather were the only boxers on the list, which was dominated by players of the National Football League.



New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was ranked No. 1, followed by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers at No. 2 and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady at No. 3.



The Miami Heat’s LeBron James is the highest ranked basketball player on the list at No. 4.
Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal rounds out the top 5.

...the press feedom ranking


Phl improves rating in 2011 Press Freedom Index and censorship

By Artemio Dumlao
The Philippine Star
January 26, 2012



BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The Philippines has improved slightly in the 2011 Press Freedom Index, the Reporters sans FrontiĆØres (RSF) or Reporters Without Borders said.

Now on its 10th year, RSF is a Brussels-based organization that publishes an annual rating index covering 178 countries worldwide.

Though still reeling from the stigma of the November 2009 Maguindanao massacre where at least 57 were killed including 32 media people, the Philippines ranked 140th in 2011.

A year after the Maguindanao massacre, Philippines dropped to 156th, a tremendous slide from its former ranking at 122nd.

Despite the improvement, the RSF still included the Philippines in its 2011 Press Freedom Index, together with Pakistan and Afghanistan “where violence and impunity persist” while indicating redress over “more repression in Sri Lanka, Vietnam and China.”

In the Philippines, the RSF said, “paramilitary groups and private militias continued to attack media workers.”

The Press Freedom Index this year specified the still lingering issue on the Maguindanao massacre, claiming “the judicial investigation into the Ampatuan massacre made it clear that the response of the authorities was seriously inadequate.”

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) earlier listed the Philippines third after Iraq and Somalia in the worldwide list of unsolved murders of journalists in 2011.

Maintaining its third spot since 2010, the Philippines “was adjudged from a 13-country list where journalists are murdered on a recurring basis and governments are unable or unwilling to prosecute the killers,” the CPJ said.
Violence and censorship around Asia
Journalists continued to be exposed to violence in Bangladesh (129th) and Nepal (106th), although less than in the past, the RSF noted, while citing Nepalese journalists were regularly subjected to threats from rival political groups and their supporters.

In Bangladesh, opposition groups and the ruling Awami League took turns attacking and obstructing the press. The Bangladeshi government maintains excessive control over the media and the Internet, the RSF claimed.

RSF cited China (171st) and Vietnam where freedom of information worsened because of authoritarian rule.

“China has a record of having more journalists, bloggers and cyber-dissidents in prison than any other country, stepped up its censorship and propaganda in 2011 and tightened its control of the Internet, particularly the blogosphere,” it said.

The RSF also documented that in Beijing and Shanghai, international correspondents were particular targets of security forces and had to work under the continual threat of expulsion or having their visas withdrawn. “Journalists were prevented from covering most of the events that threatened China’s stability or might have given it a negative image,” the press freedom watchdog said.

Vietnam (172nd), the RSF said, appeared to follow China’s repressive lead and fell seven places. “Politically committed journalists and pro-democracy bloggers were harassed by the authorities while courts continued to invoke state security to hand out prison sentences ranging from two to seven years,” the index claimed.

In Sri Lanka (163rd), the regime of the Rajapakse clan forced the last few opposition journalists to flee the country, RSF said.

Interestingly, the RSF saw Burma (169th) showing signs of beginning to carry out reforms including partial amnesties and a reduction in prior censorship, but it remained largely under the control of an authoritarian government run by former members of the military junta reinvented as civilian politicians. Less than 10 of its journalists remain in prison at the start of 2012.

In North Korea (178th), although news and information was able to move across its borders to a greater extent, no one knows whether this will continue under Kim Jong-un, the son and heir of Kim Jong-il. The dynastic succession, the dominance of the military machine and the government’s desire for power give no grounds for optimism.

‘Good turning bad’
RSF claimed that in 2011, countries which are traditionally good performers did not shine.

With New Zealand’s fall to 13th position, no country in the Asia-Pacific region figured among the top 10 in the index.

Hong Kong (54th), the RSF saw, showed a sharp deterioration in press freedom in 2011 and its ranking fell sharply. Arrests, assaults and harassment worsened working conditions for journalists to an extent not seen previously, a sign of a worrying change in government policy, it said.

In Australia (30th), the media were subjected to investigations and criticism by the authorities, and were denied access to information, while in Japan (22nd), coverage of the tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear accident gave rise to excessive restrictions and exposed the limits of the pluralism of the country’s press.

 Other developments
Syria, Bahrain and Yemen got worst-ever rankings owing to crackdowns after these countries’ political upheavals, the RSF said.

“This year’s index sees many changes in the rankings, changes that reflect a year that was incredibly rich in developments, especially in the Arab world.”

RSF also claimed “many media paid dearly for their coverage of democratic aspirations or opposition movements. Control of news and information continued to tempt governments and to be a question of survival for totalitarian and repressive regimes.”

This year, Eritrea, Turkmenistan and North Korea are immediately preceded at the bottom by Syria, Iran and China, three countries that “seem to have lost contact with reality as they have been sucked into an insane spiral of terror,” and by Bahrain and Vietnam, quintessential oppressive regimes, the RSF said in its report.

Other countries such as Uganda and Belarus have also become much more repressive, it added further.
On the other hand, countries like Finland, Norway and the Netherlands still “respect basic freedoms.”

RSF also noted the entry of Cape Verde and Namibia into the top 20, “two African countries where no attempts to obstruct the media were reported in 2011.”

“This serves as a reminder that media independence can only be maintained in strong democracies and that democracy needs media freedom.”

 

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

...the (architectural) firm

Palafox included in list of world's top architectural firms

01/25/2012


World Architecture described Palafox as having built a reputation as a sustainable designer of everything from apartment blocks to churches and embassies.

MANILA, Philippines - Palafox Associates was included in BD World Architecture Magazine of London's annual list of Top 100 architectural practices. 






The firm, managed by principal architect-urban planner Felino "Jun" Palafox, Jr., ranked 89 on the list. It was the only Filipino firm included.

"The 23-year-old Filipino practice has doubled the number of architects it employs in the past year and has catapulted itself well into the bottom of this year's table," the magazine said.

World Architecture described Palafox as having built a reputation as a sustainable designer of everything from apartment blocks to churches and embassies.

The magazine also noted how Palafox made headlines for turning "property whistleblower." "He spoke out about the environmental and safety records of some developers -- and invited the public to inspect his projects, confident they would withstand scrutiny," it said.

For the past 22 years, Palafox Associates has done over 800 international projects, which include the masterplan of more than 12 billion square meters of land and the architecture of more than 8 million square meters of building floor area in 35 countries.


...the 98 degree guy and the Pinoy band

OMG! Exclusive - Filipino bands make Jeff Timmons nervous

 

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

...the best surf spots

Siargao is world's 8th best surf spot: CNNGo

01/24/2012

MANILA, Philippines - Siargao, a teardrop-shaped island in Surigao del Norte, is the eighth best surf spot in the world, according to the travel news website of the Cable News Network (CNN).




The list of the World's Top 50 Best Surf Spots was compiled by CNNGo writer and "avid surfer" Jade Bremmer. It also used contributions from other professional surfers.

"This dramatic and powerful reef break, which crashes onto shallow razor-sharp coral, offers right and left death rides to those who dare. Those who do will experience a slice of paradise, or magic mushroom-like hallucinations, as the wave wraps over them like a Cornish pasty-shaped cocoon of water. Don't slip, or your skin and bones will be ripped to shreds by the ocean bed," Bremmer wrote about Siargao's famous "Cloud Nine" in the article.

Topping CNNGo's list of top surf spots in the world is Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii, which was described as "the daddy of all waves."

"It's the site most surfers will never be good enough to surf, but dream of riding its perfect crest," Bremmer wrote.

Below is the full list posted on CNNGo:
  1. Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii, United States
  2. Supertubes, Jeffry's Bay, South Africa
  3. Uluwatu and Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
  4. Superbanks, Gold Coast, Australia
  5. Mavericks, California, United States
  6. Lima, Peru
  7. Hossegor, France
  8. Cloud Nine, Siargao Island, Philippines
  9. Sultans, North Male, Maldives
  10. Honolua Bay, Hawaii, United States
  11. Montanita Beach, Montanita, Ecuador
  12. Manu Bay, Raglan, New Zealand
  13. Riyuewan, Sanya, Hainan, China
  14. Surfrider Beach, Malibu, United States
  15. Mentawai Islands, Indonesia
  16. Cloudbreak, Tavarua Island, Fiji
  17. Joe's Point, Sur, Oman
  18. Watergate Bay, Cornwall, England
  19. Backdoor, Hawaii, United States
  20. Pasta Point, Maldives
  21. Tamarindo Beach, Tamarindo, Costa Rica
  22. Bundoran Beach, County Donegal, Ireland
  23. Gold Coast, Australia
  24. Fistral Beach, Newquay, England
  25. Hanalei Bay, Hawaii, United States
  26. Carrapateira, Taghzout, Portugal
  27. Rincon, Puerto Rico
  28. Sao Francisco do Sul, Brazil
  29. Pedra Branca Ericeira, Portugal
  30. Killer Point, Taghazoute, Morocco
  31. White Beach, Okinawa, Japan
  32. Les Cavaliers, Anglet, France
  33. Byron Bay, Gold Coast, Australia
  34. Tofino, Vancouver Island, Canada
  35. Ponta Preta, Maio, Cape Verde
  36. Special K, Samoa
  37. Biarritz, France
  38. Coconuts, Samoa
  39. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Buxton, United States
  40. Bondi Beach, Sydney
  41. Black's Beach, San Diego, California, United States
  42. The Bubble, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
  43. Surfer's Point, Barbados
  44. Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka
  45. Open Beach Umm Sequim, Dubai, UAE
  46. Surin Beach, Phuket, Thailand
  47. Fulong Beach, Taiwan
  48. Baja Malibu, Baja Norte, Mexico
  49. Eisbach, Munich, Germany
  50. Big Wave Bay, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong

...the best beach

Boracay named world's 2nd best beach

01/24/2012
 
MANILA, Philippines - Boracay island in Aklan province is the second best beach destination in the world and the No. 1 in Asia for the second year in a row, according to travel website TripAdvisor.
 
 
 
"At only 4.5 miles long, Boracay is small enough to navigate by rented bicycle or motorbike. But don't let its small size fool you -- you'll have several excellent beaches to choose from," TripAdvisor said in its website.

"Yapak beach is known for beautiful white shells; White beach has picture-perfect sunsets; and Balinghai beach is a secluded spot, perfect for honeymooners. As long as you visit during dry season, you'll agree this is one of the best beach destinations in the world," it added.

The tiny island of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos remains the world's best beach destination according to TripAdvisor's list, which is based on travelers' reviews and ratings.

Palm/Eagle beach in Aruba island ranked third, followed by Negril in Jamaica, Tulum in Mexico, Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman island, Punta Cana in Dominican Republic, Cape May in New Jersey, and Santa Teresa in Costa Rica.

Other PH destinations

Baguio, known as the summer capital of the Philippines, meanwhile, ranked 22nd in TripAdvisor's list of best destinations in Asia this year.



"Baguio, perched high in the Cordillera Central Mountains, is a great place to escape the heat of the Philippine lowlands. Camp John Hay, originally built as a recreation area for US soldiers, now is a full-fledged resort complete with a world-class golf course. Definitely stop at the city market, where you can buy almost anything (just be prepared to haggle)," the travel website said.

Topping the list of best destinations in Asia is Hong Kong and globally, Cape Town in South Africa.

Meanwhile, two hotels and a resort in the country were also cited in TripAdvisor's Hotel Awards this year.

Dave's Straw Hat Inn in Boracay and Padre Burgos Castle Resort in Southern Leyte were named top hotels for service in Asia. They ranked 14th and 18th, respectively.

Alegre Beach Resort in Cebu, on the other hand, rounded out the list of top 25 all-inclusive resorts in the region.

Monday, January 23, 2012

...the 11th A.I. Pinoy hopeful

Fil-Am Ashley Robles gets nod of 'Idol' judges

01/23/2012
 
 
Filipino-American Ashley Robles auditions on "American Idol."


MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos may have another “American Idol” (AI) hopeful to root for in the 11th season of the hit talent show.

Twenty six-year-old Ashley Robles got the nod of judges Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson when she auditioned for AI in San Diego, California.

Robles sang Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.”

In an interview with AI host Ryan Seacrest, Robles revealed that she is a single mom with a five-year-old daughter. She works as an insurance account manager in San Diego and she is also a DJ at night.

Robles made it to the top local trending topics on Twitter on Monday after the YouTube link of her audition piece went viral online.

A lot of Filipinos already said they would watch the talent show because of Robles.

“I think Ashley Robles is the only auditionee so far that the 3 judges have clapped for. She's amazing.

#aionetc @etc_channel,” said Twitter user @MarcoisaGoodboy.

“Ashley Robles is LOVE! Proud to be Pinoy! Another reason to watch #aionetc once again! Hope she makes it big on that IDOL stage,” added by Twitter user @quirkytordy.

As for @john_tiu, he said: “Ashley Robles - the Fil-Am who got 3 YESes from the 3 judges of American Idol 11. She's going to hollywood. ;)”

Meanwhile, @fladoughboy said: “Ashley Robles is the one to watch on #AmericanIdol”

Popular blog http://www.rickey.org/, which regularly reports on AI goings-on, said: "OMG Is she Pinoy??? Amazing! Filipinos are so talented! Unbelievable!"

Sunday, January 22, 2012

...the best Asian location (for movies)

Take Five : ‘Philippines best Asian location for movies’


By: Ramon Nocom - Contributor
Philippine Daily Inquirer



BRICCIO Santos, FDCP chair (file photo)


Not since “Apocalypse Now,” “Platoon” and “Born on the 4th of July” has the Philippines played host to a major Hollywood film production. So the current buzz surrounding the ongoing shoot of “The Bourne Legacy” in our country, along with the massive support being extended to the production company by the government, is understandable.

Taking the lead in orchestrating this landmark undertaking is the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), the foremost government agency for film that is tasked with, among other responsibilities, promoting our country as a location for foreign film productions.

FDCP chairman Briccio G. Santos, himself a filmmaker, fervently believes that the Philippines is the best and most competitive venue in Asia to shoot films.

Why do you think the Philippines was chosen as the shooting location for “Bourne Legacy”?
I would like to believe that the improving sociopolitical conditions in the country was a key factor. Our President is pushing for a more vigorous promotion of our country as a film location. Another factor is our ability to speak English. I must also note that Asia has, of late, become a big market for Hollywood films. In the future, we shall see a real convergence between market and content where more Western-based productions choose Asia not only as a location but also for its unique culture. This is happening now, with Asian characters being integrated more and more into storylines.

What incentives are being offered to foreign producers who wish to shoot here?
The financial incentives are minimal. However, an inter-government group has been convened to assist filmmakers and producers in getting permits, in bringing equipment and personnel in and out of the country, in the proper coordination of location shoots and other logistical requirements. The main advantage is our country itself and our people. Not only are we friendly and hospitable, but we can also be a reliable local partner for any film or TV production coming into the country, what with our pool of creative talents such as actors, technical staff and post-production facilities that are at par with international standards. The variety of scenery and the many locales they can choose from is also a plus.

What really makes our country an ideal filming location?
Because we are in the tropics, the scenery is very attractive for film locations. We are also a melting pot for diverse cultures where locations can be depicted as Asian, Hispanic, Western or even pre-war American. There is also now a growing willingness among local government units—such as in Camarines, Ilocos, Iloilo, Davao, and Cebu—to participate in our efforts by infusing subsidies and incentives like cheaper rates for hotels, transportation, and other amenities a production would require.

Are we expecting more foreign film projects coming to the Philippines in the near future?
The FDCP has received several inquiries from small European productions slated for this year. But we are optimistic that after “Bourne Legacy,” other productions will follow.
The project will definitely put us back on the map and we intend to put leverage into this great opportunity to actively promote our country as an ideal location for big film productions. We will do this through FDCP’s participation in major film marketing events in cities like Berlin, Tokyo, Cannes, Los Angeles, Pusan and Toronto. We will also coordinate with the Department of Tourism and Department of Foreign Affairs to see how we can work together to best promote the country as a film haven, which their respective offices abroad can help advertise. “Bourne Legacy,” once completed, will be seen potentially by hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide. This, in effect, will be the best advertising platform the country can ever hope to have, and we see in this a convergence of film and tourism, or even trade.
At present, we are still building the necessary institutions that would ultimately provide tangible assistance and incentives to these big productions. Our end goal is to professionalize this industry which would ultimately benefit our nation as a whole in job creation, tourism and in furthering the skills of our local filmmaking talents.

So the prospects are bright for the future of filming here in the Philippines?
I believe so, but we have to do more. One option we are currently studying is a rebate system from 10 to 15 percent of a foreign film company’s production cost. We also have to improve in areas such as more efficient equipment handling and excellent coordination with all agencies. Such measures are necessary, if we are to be highly successful in competing with other Asian countries.