...the Miss Earth 2012

Czech wins Miss Earth 2012; PH finishes runner-up

 

ABS-CBNnews.com

 11/26/2012

 

 

 

 

Miss Earth 2012 winners: Miss Brazil (Miss Fire), Miss Czech Republic (Miss Earth 2012), Miss Philippines (Miss Air),  Miss Venezuela (Miss Water)

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – The Czech delegate to the 12th annual Miss Earth pageant bested 80

international candidates as she was crowned winner in Alabang, Muntinlupa City on Saturday.

Tereza Fajksová of the Czech Republic - Miss Earth 2012

Tereza Fajksová of the Czech Republic was named Miss Earth 2012 at the coronation night held Saturday night at the Versailles Palace.

The Philippines' Stephany Stefanowitz was named Miss Air (1st runner-up); Venezuela's Osmariel Villalobos, Miss Water (2nd runner-up); and Brazil's Camila Brant, Miss Fire (3rd runner-up).
For the pageant's Question and Answer portion, the Top 4 beauties were asked, "What would you consider as your defining moment as a woman?"

Stefanowitz drew applause for pointing to her fight for the conservation and preservation of the environment, as well as her advocacy for renewable energy. At first admitting she did not understand the question (asked in English), Fajksová, meanwhile, answered that it is everyone's duty to protect and respect Mother Earth.

Philippines' Stephany Stefanowitz - Miss Air (1st runner-up)

Miss Earth 2011 Olga Álava of Ecuador awarded the crown to her successor. In turn, an emotional Fajksová took the runway and paraded in her long gown. After falling on her knees from tripping on her gown, Fajksová took no time to stand with aid from her fellow contestant.

Venezuela's Osmariel Villalobos - Miss Water (2nd runner-up)

Delegates from South Africa (Tamerin Jardine), Russia (Natalia Pereverzeva), Nepal (Nagma Shrestha), and the United States of America (Siria Bojorquez), completed the Top 8 finalists.

Brazil's Camila Brant - Miss Fire (3rd runner-up)

Rounding out the victors of the special awards are India's Prachi Mishra for Miss Congeniality; Venezuela's Osmariel Villalobos, Miss Photogenic; and Thailand's Waratthaya Wongchayaporn, Best in National Costume.

...the Choir gold medalist in China

Muntinlupa choir wins gold medal in intl competition in China

 

KARLA MAQUILING

GMA News

November 14, 2012

 

 

The Muntinlupa Science High School (MSHS) Chorale brought home the gold medal in the

Mixed Youth Choirs category at the Guangzhou International Open Competition held from

November 8 to 14 in Guangzhou, mainland China.

 

 

With conductor Ivy Rose Casiguran-Puri, the chorale group received 24.78 points for its 15-

minute, three-choral-piece performance.

 

 

The MSHS Chorale bested nine other choir groups from Indonesia and mainland China,

including Exodia Youth Choir, Gita Swara Nassa Indonesian Youth Choir, Sixers Voice Choir,

SCAU New Voice, Xinghai Further Education College Festival Chorus, Enharmonic Singers

SMAN 1 Pandaan, Zhong Yuan High School Choir, Guangdong Zhaoqing Middle School

Chorus, and Student's Mixed Choir of Zhongshan Overseas Middle School.
 

The Guangzhou Open was the group’s first international competition. Five other Philippine

choral groups joined the contest.

 

 

The other Pinoy groups that competed were the Calasiao Children’s Chorus, Coro San

Benildo, Novo Concertante Manila, Tarlac State University Chamber Choir, and the Lipa Choral

Ensemble.

 

 

The Guangzhou International Open Competition attracted more than 70 lay and amateur choirs

representing Indonesia, Estonia, mainland China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Slovenia, Thailand,

Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Russia.

 

 

Participants can choose to join any of the seven categories. The winners of the Guangzhou

International Open Competition who get more than 23,00 points would then go on to compete in

the 1st Xinghai Prize International Choir Championships on the same week.

 

 

Award-winning chorus

The MSHS Chorale, which was included in the top 1,000 choirs around the world by

international music organization Interkultur, has won numerous awards locally.

 

 

This year, the group won two awards: the championship at the Outstanding Show Choir Tilt

in Muntinlupa held in February, and the first prize at the Eco-Chorale Competition at the 23 rd

Philippine Travel Mart in September.

 

 

The group won the fourth place in the National Choral Competition organized by the Manila

Broadcasting Company in December 2011 and was named champion at the Hallmark Music

and Memories Chorale Competition and Voices in Harmony 2010.

 

 

The group’s other awards include the grand championship prize at the Ang Aming Munting

Handog chorale festival in December 2008 and at the SM Malls Singing Makabayan Choir

Competition; Best in Choice Piece at the 2008 Musikapella; and third place at the NAMCYA for

two consecutive times.

 

 

According to the group’s conductor, the MSHS choir’s members not only excel in the performing

arts but also in the sciences. - VVP, GMA News

...the Future Electronic site operation

Canada’s Future Electronics eyes expanding PHL operations

 

March 22, 2012

GMA News

 

 

Canada’s Future Electronics, distributor of electronic and electrical components, plans to expand its Philippine operations, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.
 
The Canadian company operates a distribution facility in the Philippines and is eyeing to expand its marketing and technical training in its Philippine operations, as well as its distribution business, according to the DFA.
 
"Future Electronics has operations in 169 locations in 42 countries in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. It currently operates a distribution facility in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila which connects to its regional hub, based in Singapore," the department said in a note on its website.
 
Philippine Ambassador to Canada Leslie Gatan called on Future Electronics president Robert Miller last March 16 at the company’s headquarters in Montreal, Canada.
 
Miller welcomed assurances from Gatan, saying he was impressed by investment opportunities in the Philippines and its considerable human resource pool, the DFA noted.
 
"Further details of the expansion will be worked out and is expected to be announced in the coming months," the DFA said.
 
Future Electronics generates annual sales of over CAD$4.5 billion. — VS, GMA News