...the medalists in China boxing tilt

PHILIPPINES WIN FOUR MEDALS IN CHINA BOXING OPEN


By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 23 Jun 2013



Petecio.
 
The Philippine boxing team sent by the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) and PLDT won four medals in the highly-competitive China Open in Guiyang, China.

Nesthy Petecio saved the ABAP team from coming home without a gold. She won a convincing victory over Alexis Pritchard of New Zealand in the finals by a 3-0 verdict for a unanimous decision in the 60-kg. category.

Petecio was only 5'3" while Pritchard stood at 5'11". But the 21-year-old female boxer from Davao finally connected her punches after several misses and delivered uppercuts and hooks to the head and body of the Kiwi boxer.

World champion Josie Gabuco failed in her bid to secure a gold when the much-improved Xu Shiqui of China exacted revenge on the Filipina to win by a 3-0 verdict. The Palawan boxer defeated Xu during the world championships last year. Gabuco scored an upset over three-time world champion and 2012 London Olympics silver medalist Ren Cancan in the semi-finals but settled for a silver medal.

Junel Cantancio lost to Viacheslav Supinov of Russia 0-3 and won another silver medal. He gave several punches to his nemesis but the power-punching Russia proved to be more dominant.

Earlier in the semi-finals, London Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga gave the Philippines a bronze medal. He bowed to Guiyang native Wo Zhunglin on a 0-3 decision. He injured his thumb in an uppercut during the fight and had to be taken to the hospital.

ABAP president Ricky Vargas sent a message commending the team of their achievement, saying he is “proud of our boxers’ achievements in a tough tournament such as the China Open.”

ABAP executive director Ed Picson commented after Barriga's loss that our boxers have yet to adjust to the new a scoring system. “They need to know how to adjust their game to the system. We had a lengthy meeting after the fights this afternoon with the coaches and boxers to explain to them in more detail what they need to do to take advantage of the new rule”, said Picson.

The host country China won the overall championship with seven golds, followed by Kazakhstan and Russia with two each then the Philippines and Mongolia with one apiece. New Zealand got two silvers while India had one. Only Mauritius failed to obtain a medal.

Other PLDT-ABAP team members who failed to win a medal were Roldan Boncales (flyweight), Nico Magliquian (bantamweight) and Dennis Galvan (light welterweight). The coaches were Pat Gaspi, Roel Velasco and Elias Recaido Jr.

Ed Picson was the delegation head while the women had AIBA international technical official (ITO) Karina Picson as team manager.

...the Azkal's FIFA ranking

FIFA Rankings: Azkals move up to 147 in the world, 21st in Asia

 

October 3, 2012

GMA News

 

 

The Philippine Azkals moved up to 147 in the world with 178 points, in the latest FIFA rankings released Wednesday, October 3, buoyed by a month where they won four matches.

Thanks to a win in a friendly against Singapore, and a sweep of the Peace Cup, versus Guam, Macau and Chinese-Taipei, the Azkals moved up three places from last month, and are now 21st in Asia.

Globally, the Philippines is tied with Kazakhstan, which tumbled down five places, with both countries a point shy of Cuba, ranked 146th, with 179 points.

Up next for the Azkals is a trio of friendlies against Bahrain (115 globally, 15th in Asia), Kuwait (112 globally, 13th in Asia) and Singapore (168 globally, 28th in Asia) once more, in preparation for November's Suzuki Cup.

Tops in Asia are Japan (23 globally), South Korea (25 globally), and Australia (34 globally). - AMD, GMA News

...the boxer's hope

Olympics: Barriga punches through to final 16

 

RENEE FOPALAN,

GMA News

 

 

July 31, 2012 Filipino boxer Mark Barriga capitalized on a strong first round to emerge victorious against Italian foe Manuel Cappai of Italy, 17-7, to advance to the final 16 of Men's Light Fly 49 kgs in the 2012 London Olympic games, Tuesday.

Barriga was effective as a counter-puncher in the first round, forcing the referee to give Cappai a standing eight count in the final 15 seconds. With the knockdown, Barriga won the round, 5-2.

 



Philippines (Barriga, in red) vs. Italy (Cappai, in blue)

In the second round, Barriga defended well, even with Cappai hooking and locking the Filipino's right hand to win anew, 4-2.

The final round was all about Barriga, who scored on a combination late in the third to seal the win, 8-3.

Barriga now faces Kazakhstan's Birzhan Zhakypov, who won a close bout against Jeremy Baccu of France, 18-7.

The Filipino will meet his Kazakhstani foe on Saturday, 8:45 pm, Manila time.- AMD, GMA News

...the new Metro (part 3)

Serializing: A NEW CITY, A NEW METRO MANILA, A NEW FUTURE

By ATTY. FRANCIS N. TOLENTINO

July 24, 2012

(The Manila Bulletin is serializing Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino's book "A New City: A New Metro Manila, A New Future.")

METRO Manila will always have a special place in our hearts and memories. That‘s one of the best reasons why we should continue the drive for urban renewal and restoration. I believe it is time to consider the construction of a new capital city where we can build a new future and a model city for the country and perhaps for Asia and the world. That new city can be a new symbol of hope, even as we face the myriad problems of rapid urbanization and blight in the present Metro Manila.

Countries That Moved Their Capitals 

Other countries have long realized that building a new city augurs well for the future of their people. Below are some of the countries that moved their respective capital cities — Japan (in 1869), Brazil (in 1956), Pakistan (in 1960), Nigeria (in 1976), Malaysia (in 1993) and Kazakhstan (in 1997).

Tokyo (formerly known as Edo) became the capital of Japan in 1869 replacing Kyoto when the Emperor took up permanent residence there. The size of Edo‘s population, which was more than double that of Paris and London at the time, was augmented by the Tokugawa‘s system of requiring all underlings to spend a portion of each year in the city. Thus, their presence gave rise to artisans, craftsmen, and other townsfolk, and promoted many of the arts. Edo became the center of commerce even before it became the capital of Japan. The city was broken up into distinct trade districts - cobbler sections, tailor sections, and even fish sections that were kept completely separate from the fruit and vegetable areas. Today, Tokyo is considered the predominant economic center of East Asia, rivaled only by Hong Kong and Singapore.

Brasilia originated in a campaign promise made by presidential candidate Juscelino Kubitschek in 1956. He appealed to the Brazilians' dream of developing the resources in the interior of their nation. He proposed to build a new capital there, a new city that would demonstrate how Brazil would develop in the future, integrating the sprawling country into a modern industrial nation.

Thus, Brasilia was built in just four years starting in 1957 in the central area of the country and has become a showcase of architectural innovation. Before its construction, the area resembled a desert — unpopulated, scarce water, few animals and plants.

Brasilia is Brazil‘s first planned city and also in effect a planned capital. President Juscelino Kubitschek, who became President in 1956, invited the best Brazilian architects to present projects for the new capital. Oscar Niemeyer, who is considered one of the world's most famous architects today, combined straight and rounded shapes to create innovative architectural masterpieces. Lucio Costa, renowned Brazilian urbanist, devised a lay-out combining beauty, simplicity and functionality.

Urban planner Lucio Costa and architect Oscar Niemeyer "intended that every element – from the layout of the residential and administrative districts (often compared to the shape of a bird in flight) to the symmetry of the buildings themselves – should be in harmony with the city‘s overall design." Brasilia is at present the only 20th century city granted a World Heritage Site status by the UNESCO.

High modernism was embodied in the architectural design of structures in Brasilia. The function of the capital was to be expressly political and administrative — aspects that were understood to be the hallmark of membership in the modern system of states.

Islamabad became the capital and administrative center of Pakistan in 1960. Pakistan needed a new capital city because the existing buildings in Karachi, a port city, were not enough or were below the standards required by a capital. The layout and structure of the existing port city did not allow it to take on the functions of a modern capital. The influx of refugees also intensified existing problems and created new ones.

In September 1959, the government established the Federal Capital Commission for the preparation of the Master Plan for the new capital. A decision was made on February 24, 1960 by the President and his Cabinet to give the new capital of Pakistan the name of Islamabad or "the City of Islam." On May 24, 1960, the preliminary Master Plan and the planning principles that would make Islamabad "A City of the Future," were presented to the Cabinet and approved by the President. The Capital Development Authority took over from the Federal-Capital Commission, and was put in charge of the overall development of the new capital.

The metropolitan area of the capital has been planned for a future population of about 2,500,000 inhabitants within a period of two generations. Its administrative functions include the following: (a) administration on a national level; (b) cultural services physically or symbolically connected with the country's administration, such as a national museum or a national library; (c) special non-governmental institutions of national importance, such as banks, welfare organizations, among others; and (d) the diplomatic representation of foreign countries.

...the rugby boys

Phl Volcanoes spew fire, rip Sri Lankans

Philstar 

22 April 2012

 

 

MANILA, Philippines - They bled for every point.

And when the dust settled, the Philippine Volcanoes were rewarded with a 28-18 victory over fancied Sri Lanka and a coveted slot in the 2013 HSBC Asian 5 Nations Championship.

No rugby team representing the Philippines has ever reached the Asian 5 Nations event, and last night’s victory at the Rizal Memorial Stadium made sure one would get there.

“This blood is for the country,” said 26-year-old center Justin Coveney, still bleeding from the nose, as the rest of the Volcanoes celebrated their hard-earned victory.

Coveney, who sealed the win for the Volcanoes with a try on the 31st minute, banged bodies with the Sri Lankans all night. He was bruised all over by the end of the final match for this Asian 5 Nations Division 1 tournament.

“Opportunities only come when you totally put yourself into it. This is a team effort. But now we’re in Asia’s top five. Watch out for the Volcanoes,” he said.

“Tonight we put the Philippines in the rugby map.”

In the Asian 5 Nations, which offers a slot to the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England, the Volcanoes will be pitted against teams they’ve hardly thought of facing before:  Japan, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan and Korea.

But now it’s a reality that the Volcanoes have crashed Asia’s top five.

“I’m speechless. But this is the best ever. We’ve been working on this for a long time. There’s no better feeling than playing for the Philippines,” said Jaime Urquijo, who plays lock.

As the Volcanoes continued to celebrate, the Sri Lankans headed to their dressing room, and one of them, burly and standing perhaps 6-foot-5, was seen crying.

The Philippine Volcanoes celebrate their historic 28-18 victory over Sri Lanka in the Asian rugby eliminations last night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. Jun Mendoza

 

It was a painful defeat for the Sri Lankans, once ranked 49th in the world. They are now in 56th place, eight notches higher than the Philippines.

But Sri Lanka had been to the Asian 5 Nations Championship, and its players, two of them sons of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, took great pain in the loss.

The pre-dominantly Filipino crowd led by the Zobel de Ayalas erupted after the final whistle, and the Volcanoes whooped it up like they’ve won the World Cup.

They chanted, “Vol-ca-noes! Vol-ca-noes!”

“We knew that the only thing that could beat us was us,” said team captain Michael Letts, who kept the team glued throughout the match.

The Volcanoes broke the ice with three minutes into the match, a penalty kick by Oli Saunders. He added two more kicks and gave his team a 9-0 lead with 17 minutes gone.

Letts then reached in for a try in the 29th minute, and adding a field goal to it gave the Volcanoes a 16-0 lead. By halftime, the lead had gone up to 23-0.

But the Sri Lankans opened the final 40 minutes of play with the aggression that was missing in the first half, and slowly they chopped the lead.

The Sri Lankans came close at 18-23, and in fact had so many chances to even up or take the upper hand. But the Volcanoes hung on till the end.

“Discipline! That’s the only thing that’s stopping us,” the Volcanoes’ field coach blurted out from the sidelines. “Composure! Composure!”

The Vocanoes responded, and sealed the victory in the 32nd minute when Coveney broke loose for the try he will never forget.

It’s time to put those sizzling billboards back up. - By Abac Cordero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

...the K-Pop grand prize winner

Philippines' Karla Carreon bags grand prize in K-pop World Festival

By JONATHAN M. HICAP

December 8, 2011

Manila Bulletin

Karla Carreon

MANILA, Philippines – Karla Maye Carreon of the Philippines and a duo from Kazakhstan won the grand prizes in the K-pop World Festival 2011 held on Dec. 7 in Changwon City, South Korea.

They bested 19 other teams from Los Angeles and New York City in United States, Japan, Argentina, Peru, England, Poland, Vietnam, Indonesia, Czech Republic, China, Germany, France, Russia and Chile.

Carreon’s triumph was announced by the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the Philippines on Facebook last night.

“This just in! Karla Carreon won the grand prize,” KCC Philippines posted.

Carreon was declared grand champion in the vocalist category and was awarded 5 million won (P191,000).

She told Bulletin Entertainment that she was really surprised when she was declared as champion.

“I feel really happy and surprised because I didn't really expect to win the world wide competition. I was nervous at first because I thought I'd never make it, because the other contestants were so good, they were like K-pop stars themselves,” she said.

Carreon performed the Korean song “Byul (Star)” by Yumi while the team from Kazakhstan performed SHINee’s “Ring Ding Dong.”

The K-pop World Festival 2011 is a talent contest that showcased the winners from local competitions held by different Korean Cultural Centers in various countries.

The competition in Korea was supported by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Korean Culture and Information Service and the Presidential Council on Nation Branding.

K-pop stars like MBLAQ, T-ara, Infinite, Sistar, Secret, K.Will, and CNBlue also performed in the festival.

Last October, Carreon won the right to represent the Philippines in the K-pop World Festival when she bagged the first place in the Pinoy K-pop Star contest sponsored by KCC Philippines.

Carreon told Bulletin Entertainment in October, “I started singing when I was three years old, when my mom was listening to Michael Jackson and Bee Gees. She heard me singing their songs in gibberish but surprisingly in tune and that's when she and my family decided to let me take up basic vocal lessons. It was heavy for a three-year-old, but I had fun,” she said.

“I feel so honored and blessed to be representing KCC Philippines in Korea this December. This will be another big shot for me; another experience to last a lifetime,” she said.

This is her third win in a singing contest this year. Before her triumph in the Pinoy K-pop Star contest, she joined the World Championships of the Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Los Angeles, California last July where she won four silver medals.

KBS World will air the K-pop World Festival on Dec. 30.

...the fate of Busong in Brussels

Pinoy indie film Busong wins award in Brussels

CARMELA LAPEÑA,

GMA News

11/07/2011

Filipino filmmaker Auraeus Solito has won again with his "dream film" Busong. The first Palawanon indigenous film has just won the International Competition Tomorrow's Cinema Award at the 38th Brussels International Independent Film Festival in Belgium.

"Beautiful that tomorrow's cinema comes from our indigenous Palawan's past," Solito said on Facebook, where he announced that the film won the award.

Held in Belgium from November 1 to 6, the BIIFF aims to allow independent filmmakers who don't fit the classical ways of visual media to express themselves. The festival featured 100 films from 60 different countries.

"I dedicated the award to my mother at the other side of the world, who told me these stories to put me to sleep. Manunga banar (for beautiful truths)," he said.

Busong was also featured in the 27th Warsaw Film Festival, and was in the official selection of the Cannes Directors' Fortnight last May.

In September, the film was awarded the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) International Critics Prize at the Eurasia International Film Festival (EIFF) held in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Busong, titled after the Palawan concept of fate or instant karma, focuses on how people's disrespect towards nature and fellow humans gets nature's instant reaction.

Solito's first feature film, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, won 15 international awards, and has brought Solito to Montreal, Toronto, Okinawa, Utah, Berlin, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, New York, Las Palmas in Spain, Sydney, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Warsaw, and London.

The feature film was also named one of the Ten Best Films of the Decade (2000-2009) by Gawad Urian.

Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros was followed by Tuli (2006), Pisay (2008), and Boy (2009). — RSJ, GMA News

...the Miss World runner-up

Gwendoline Ruais is Miss World first runner-up

by Rose Eclarinal,

ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

11/07/2011

LONDON - Miss Philippines Gwendoline Ruais was named first runner-up during the Miss World beauty pageant's coronation night at Earls Court, London, Sunday.

Miss Philippines, Gwendoline Ruais, is crowned after being named as first runner-up in the Miss World 2011 contest in Earls Court in west London on November 6. Reuters

Miss Venezuela Ivian Sarcos was crowned Miss World 2011 winner. Miss Puerto Rico Amanda Victoria Vilanova Perez came third.

Miss World Organization chairman and chief executive Julia Morley said there was only a small difference between the scores of Miss Venezuela and Miss Philippines in their fight for the crown.

Ruais was happy to have the support of her fellow Filipinos who flocked to Earl Court to watch the pageant. She said she was offering her crown to her parents and Filipino kababayan.

In an interview with Ruais after the coronation, she said her nervousness was gone and she only wanted a good night's sleep.

The beauty queen said she had only wanted to give honor to the Philippines. After placing first runner-up, Ruais expressed hope that Filipinos would be proud and happy for her achievement in this competition.

Miss Venezuela wins

During the glittering final ceremony in London, Miss Venezuela Ivian Sarcos, was named winner of the Miss World beauty pageant. Wearing a pink dress with diamante studs that had giant frills slashed below the waist, the 22-year-old threw her hands to her face as she was announced the winner.

Last year's Miss World, Alexandria Mills of the United States, placed the sparkling crown on her successor's head.

"I believe that the next Miss World should be a woman of responsibility and reason," Sarcos said before winning the title.

"I believe the woman should be committed to the organisation and help people in need. Beauty with a heart", added the Venezuelan, who works for a broadcasting company and has a degree in human resources.

Miss Philippines, Gwendoline Ruais, was named the runner-up, while Miss Puerto Rico, Amanda Perez, came third in the contest, which was back in its home city to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

Some 113 beauty queens from Albania to Zimbabwe took their place on the stage, with the show being broadcast live to an estimated audience of more than one billion viewers in 150 countries.

Around 50 feminists staged a demonstration outside, waving placards reading "Objectification won't achieve world peace", "Being a woman is not a competition" and "Sexism is pretty ugly".

Around a half dozen were veterans of the 1970 pageant protest, which caused a major disturbance.

Inside the Earls Court Two auditorium in west London, the few thousand fans cheered, waved national flags and shouted for their favourites.

To whittle them down to the 15 semi-finalists, several point-scoring rounds were held during the contestants' tour of Britain over the previous two weeks, with the results revealed on stage.

Miss Venezuela topped the interview round; Miss Dominican Republic, Marianly Tejada Burgos, was named the general sports champion; home favourite Miss England, Alize Lily Mounter, won the beach beauty title, while Miss Kazakhstan, Zhanna Zhumaliyeva, was named top model.

The crowd were played clips from the talent round -- where performers sang, danced and gave piano recitals -- won by Miss Chile, Gabriela Paz Pulgar Luco.

Miss Ghana, Stephanie Adwoa Agyeiwaa Karikari, and Miss Indonesia, Astrid Ellena Indriana Yunadi, were the joint winners of the beauty with a purpose category, where contestants can highlight a charity project.

With the scores in and only the top 15 going through to the semi-final, Miss Puerto Rico topped the leaderboard, ahead of Miss Venezuela, Miss Philippines, Miss Ukraine and Miss Scotland.

The final seven, chosen by the judges, were Miss England, Miss Korea, Miss Philippines, Miss Puerto Rico, Miss Scotland, Miss South Africa and Miss Venezuela.

It was announced that Ordos in Inner Mongolia, China, will host the 2012 competition. -with Agence France-Presse

...the Asian election body board member

PHL elected to Asian election body board

10/31/2011

GMA News

 

The Philippines was elected to the Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA)'s executive board during its General Assembly in Seoul, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said over the weekend.

Philippine Commission on Elections Commissioner Christian Robert Lim represented the Philippines at the general assembly.

In a blog post, the Comelec said the National Election Commission of the Republic of Korea hosted this year's General Assembly last Oct. 26 to 28.

"Also elected during the AAEA General Assembly was the Republic of Korea as Chairperson, India as Vice-Chairperson and Kazakhstan and the Republic of China (Taiwan) as Members of the Executive Board," it said.

AAEA was formed to promote:

transparent elections, independent and impartial election authorities,

professionalization of Asian election authorities,

citizen participation in the electoral and civic process,

information sharing, and

development of resources for election-related information and research.

The Philippines is one of the founding members of the AAEA, which now has 17 member states in Asia including Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Former Comelec Commissioner and Justice Teresita Dy-Liaco Flores, a founding member of the AAEA, is now a consultant of the body. - VVP, GMA

News

...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 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.

...the rugby boys

Philippine Volcanoes 2nd only to Japan in Asian 7s

By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer

9:23 pm | Monday, September 26th, 2011

 

 

The Philippine Volcanoes continued their remarkable run in the international arena with a silver medal finish in the Asian Men’s Rugby 7s Championships Sunday at the Lika Stadium in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia.

 

 

Considered long shots because of their No. 7 ranking, the Volcanoes pulled off a surprise when they reached the final opposite Japan, after stunning China in the last four and besting Malaysia, Kazakhstan and United Arab Emirates in the earlier rounds.

Playing in their first Cup final in the Asian Rugby League, the Volcanoes put up a gallant stand, before losing to Asian No. 1 Japan, 46-0.

Still, the second-place finish was an impressive feat for the Volcanoes, who have gradually climbed the Asian rugby ladder in recent years under coach Matt Cullen.

“The Volcanoes have been on the cusp of greatness for the past two years and this tournament has proven that the Philippines can compete with the best teams in Asia,” said the Australian mentor, whose squad is looking forward to playing in the prestigious Hong Kong 7s in March. “This is only the beginning.”

The Filipinos’ biggest victory in Malaysia came against China, which they nipped in sudden death thanks to a try from the fleet-footed Harry Morris.

Playing against a team it had never beaten in four previous matches, the Volcanoes leaned on Luke Matthews and Chris Hitch who scored a try each to force a 14-all draw at fulltime, setting the stage for the thrilling finish.

The Volcanoes overwhelmed Malaysia, 28-14.

The Volcanoes had sent shockwaves with a stunning 19-14 upset of South Korea in the Shanghai 7s early this month, a victory that boosted them to their current Asian ranking.

...the fate

Filipino indie film “Busong” wins international critics prize

By: Bayani San Diego
INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer

September 24, 2011

 

Director Auraeus Solito on the Palawan set of "Busong". VIORY SCHELLEKENS

Auraeus Solito’s “Busong” wins FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) International Critics Prize at the Eurasia International Film Festival, Almaty, Kazakhstan.

“Busong” is a native Palawanon’s term for “fate” or “instant karma”. The film tackles the environmental degradation in Palawan island-province, where Solito’s mother hails from. The film has acclaimed actress Alessandra da Rosi as the main character Punay.

From the website http://www.busongpalawanfate.com/, the short synopsis of the film goes:

“Punay was born with wounds in her feet so she cannot step on the earth. Her brother, Angkadang, carries her with a hammock, as he searches the changing landscape of Palawan hoping to find a healer. Different people help him carry his sister along the way—a woman looking for her husband, a fisherman who lost his boat and a young man who is searching for himself- and each one meets his/her fate (Busong).”

Punay is described the personification of the island itself.

Palawan has been in the news in recent months because of the unsolved killing of environmentalist-broadcaster Dr. Gerry Ortega and the campaign to stop mining that threatens to destroy what is labelled as the country’s last frontier.

...the junior pug

Pinoy nabs gold in World Jr boxing

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Posted at 07/30/2011

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino amateur boxer Eumir Felix Marcial won a gold medal in the AIBA World Junior Boxing Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The 15-year-old boxer from Zamboanga City defeated Turkey’s Cengiz Onat in the finals of the 53 kilogram category.

Marcial first defeated Henrik Hovannisyan of Armenia and Azerbaijan Nasraddin Mammadov.

He outboxed Eduard Vaha of Belarus in the semifinal round to arrange a final showdown against Onat.
Marcial is coached by 3-time Olympian Romeo Brin.

...the junior pug

Pinoy nabs gold in World Jr boxing

 

abs-cbnNEWS.com

07/30/2011

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino amateur boxer Eumir Felix Marcial won a gold medal in the AIBA World Junior Boxing Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

 

The 15-year-old boxer from Zamboanga City defeated Turkey’s Cengiz Onat in the finals of the 53 kilogram category.

Marcial first defeated Henrik Hovannisyan of Armenia and Azerbaijan Nasraddin Mammadov.
He outboxed Eduard Vaha of Belarus in the semifinal round to arrange a final showdown against Onat.

Marcial is coached by 3-time Olympian Romeo Brin.