...the world's most diverse football team

Philippines taking multicultural dream on to global stage

FIFA.com
19 November 2019

There is not a national squad like that of the Philippines anywhere else on the planet. This statement can only be understood by delving a bit deeper into the team’s recent history.

In 2005, an anonymous video games fan got in touch with the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) to inform them that Phil and James Younghusband, two English brothers coming through Chelsea’s youth set-up, had a Philippine mother and were eligible to play for the Azkals.

In a region where basketball and boxing tend to take centre stage, it was essential for the PFF to find a way of boosting football’s profile and popularity. And that is where history plays a decisive role: throughout the last century, Filipinos were long associated with searching for opportunities far outside their borders. As a consequence, thousands of Filipino citizens and their descendants play in countries with a richer footballing history.

The Miracle of Hanoi

The idea of unearthing players in far-flung parts of the world began to take shape, but results did not initially follow. The PFF decided not to enter the qualifying campaigns for the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cup™ tournaments, because, despite the significant economic and logistical efforts being made, the team’s level of play was still too low. In the end, the transformation of the Filipino national team was achieved through a focus on improving competitiveness, which would eventually bear fruit at major tournaments.

One of the most striking examples of tangible progress came at the AFF Championship, a competition which pits some of the best nations in south-east Asia against each other every two years. In 2010, Vietnam – hosts and defending champions – were drawn to play Philippines in the second match of the group stage – a daunting challenge for a side that had lost five and drawn one of their last six games.

However, an eye-catching performance by the Azkals led to what is now commonly known as the 'Miracle of Hanoi'. Goals from the English-born pair of Chris Greatwich and Phil Younghusband silenced the 40,000 home fans, in the new mixed-race generation’s first landmark victory.

From video games to social networks

Following that memorable success, a number of players with Filipino parentage expressed a desire to represent the national team.

Sometimes, it was the PFF that took the first step. “My mum is from the Philippines, and they contacted me to find out if I wanted to be part of the team,” forward Angel Guirado – born in Spain, and a Filipino international since 2011 – told FIFA.com.

On other occasions, word of mouth and the emergence of social networks provided the link. “I had a friend who played with Angel Guirado in Spain, and I’d heard the story,” explained Carli De Murga, who is another Spaniard with a Filipino mother, and who has also represented Philippines since 2011. “I contacted Angel through Facebook, and he put me in touch with the Federation. I sent them a video and they called me up straight away.”

Currently, the squad includes footballers born in 12 different countries: Germany, England and Spain make up the majority, but Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Scotland, Australia, Italy, Switzerland, Japan and the United States also feature.

What is it actually like to be part of such a multicultural squad? “The atmosphere is brilliant,” said De Murga. “Personally speaking, playing in the same jersey as people with so many different cultures and customs has really helped me to mature. It broadens your horizons. And I love that everyone’s also quite alike, and that we all feel comfortable in each other’s company.”

Syria showdown key to World Cup dream

Playing in this diverse and familiar environment has started to pay dividends. In January the Filipinos competed in the AFC Asian Cup for the first time, and they currently find themselves in an advantageous position in the second round of Asian qualifying for Qatar 2022.

Philippines lie third in Group A, with the same number of points as China PR. A draw in their upcoming match with Syria would be enough to move them up into second spot (based on their record, the runners-up may qualify for the third round), at least until the next round of games in March.

“That would be amazing – a fantastic achievement!” said Guirado from the team’s camp in Dubai, where the match is due to take place. “In football, nothing is impossible. The result in our first game with Syria (a 5-2 defeat) did flatter them quite a bit.”

“It’s now or never,” said De Murga. “We have an historic opportunity. Syria have a lot of talent up front, but they sometimes leave themselves open at the back. We have to play as a unit, try to frustrate them, and do them damage any time we get a chance.”

Curiously, Phil Younghusband, the youngest of the two long-serving siblings, announced his retirement from football on Monday. He bids farewell to the game as Philippines’ most capped player (108 appearances) and their all-time top scorer (52 goals), and will likely look on with great excitement as the world’s most multicultural team attempt to pull off another impressive result on Tuesday.

...the World Smart Cities Awards finalist

Makati finalist in World Smart Cities Awards



Jan Arcilla 
Manila Times
25 October 2019

MAKATI City is the lone Philippine city that has been selected as a finalist for the World Smart Cities Awards, according to Mayor Mar-len Abigail Binay.

The award will be presented during the Smart City Expo World Congress to be held in Barcelona, Spain from November 19 to 21.

“Makati City is proud to have the opportunity to represent our country at a global event that features the best practices of smart cities around the world to promote the sustainable development of cities,” Binay said.

The city was selected as a finalist in the Innovative Idea category.

We have gladly accepted the invitation, and we look forward to having a meaningful exchange of ideas and experiences with fellow advocates of sustainability and inclusivity from other parts of the globe. We are also eager to explore avenues for international collaboration, particularly with cities, academic institutions and corporate leaders that share the vision of thriving, future-proof cities worldwide,” the mayor said.

Makati has been invited to present its project entry titled, “Use of technology to improve city disaster preparedness and communication to and from city citizens” during the awarding ceremony on November 20 at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via, one of the largest fair venues in Europe.

The annual SmartCity Expo World Congress, which started in 2011, is the meeting point for companies, public sector, startups, academia and citizens working together for the sustainable development of cities.

With the theme, “Cities Made of Dreams,” this year’s congress will focus on five tracks — Digital Transformation, Urban Environment, Mobility, Governance and Finance, and Inclusive and Sharing Cities.

Last month, Binay presented the city’s disaster management plans and strategies at the International Urban Resilience Forum held in Seoul, South Korea.

...the most improved tourism performance

PHL improves ranking in WEF tourism index

Cai Ordinario
Business Mirror
05 September 2019


"The Philippines was considered the most improved when it comes to Ground and Port Infrastructure in Asia and the Pacific. WEF also regarded the Philippines as the most improved in terms of its overall performance in the region."


BETTER ground and port infrastructure allowed the Philippines to improve its performance in the 2019 edition of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index.

Local tourists enjoy the clean waters in Siargao, one of the country’s top tourist attractions. (BUSINESSMIRROR FILE PHOTO) 

In the 2019 Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report (TTCR), WEF said the Philippines now ranks 75th out of 140 countries with a score of 3.8 in the index. The overall scores range from 1 to 7, with 1 being the lowest and 7 being the highest.

The Philippines was considered the most improved when it comes to Ground and Port Infrastructure in Asia and the Pacific. WEF also regarded the Philippines as the most improved in terms of its overall performance in the region.

“The Philippines had the fastest rate of improvement, moving up four places to rank 75th globally. The country showed impressive improvement on overall infrastructure [90th to 80th] and ICT [information and communications technology] readiness [86th to 82nd], but still faces challenges when it comes to safety and security [135th],” the report read.

The TTCI is measured based on a country’s performance in enabling environment; travel and tourism policy and enabling conditions; infrastructure; and natural and cultural resources.

The Philippines ranked the highest in terms of natural and cultural resources at 46th with a score of 2.8, followed by travel and tourism policy and enabling conditions, 53rd with a score of 4.6.

The country ranked 80th in infrastructure with a score of 3.2 and ranked 93rd in enabling environment with a score of 4.4.

WEF said the Philippines posted its highest ranking for Price Competitiveness at 24th overall, followed by natural resources at 36th and human resources and labor market, 37th out of 140 countries.

The report stated that the Philippines ranked the lowest in terms of safety and security at 135th; followed by health and hygiene, 94th; and ground and port infrastructure.

“With travel barriers and travel costs declining, many countries have been significantly increasing their competitive position in global tourism,” said WEF Head of Mobility Christoph Wolff.

“Countries can leverage this opportunity to generate economic and development returns, but they must address gaps in infrastructure and environmental protection to make sure these returns can be achieved over the long term,” Wolff added. WEF said the travel and tourism sector remains resilient in the face of challenges. The sector recorded around 1.4 billion global tourist arrivals in 2018, beating expectations.

However, WEF warned that cheaper travel costs and fewer tourist barriers are placing the infrastructure of travel hot spots under pressure to meet demand.

The report also said emerging travel markets may already start to feel over-tourism pressures as their institutions keep up with rising demand.

“The top 25 percent of countries account for over two-thirds of arrivals. This combination of concentration of tourist arrivals and rapid travel growth is putting a strain on travel hot spots, despite relatively high infrastructure and travel services scores,” WEF said.

In this year’s index, Spain held the top spot followed by France, Germany, and Japan, with the United States replacing the United Kingdom in the top 5.

Among the top 10 countries, the UK was the only country to fall in the rankings. It now sits under the increasingly competitive United States at spot 6, due to a decline in online searches for its natural and cultural resources, and a weaker business environment.

...the world's sexiest

Filipinas among world's 'sexiest' in dating poll

 

ABS-CBNnews.com

06/19/2014

 

 

MANILA -- With the country's recent dominance in beauty pageants, it is no wonder that Filipinas have been voted as one of world's most "sexiest" dating partners.

The survey, conducted by travel dating website MissTravel, listed Filipinas among the top five preferred nationalities to travel with ahead of the Spaniards and the Australians.

Topping the list are the Brazilians, followed by women from Russia, Colombia and the United Kingdom, while the Bulgarians, South Africans and the Canadians took the last three spots.

Male Filipinos, however, did not make the list ranking the opposite sex. Men from Australia are considered the sexiest travel partners, while the Italians and the British came in second and third, respectively.

Here is the full rankings published on Huffington Post:

The sexiest nationalities (women):

1. Brazilian
2. Russian
3. Colombian
4. British
5. Filipina
6. Spanish
7. Australian
8. Bulgarian
9. South African
10. Canadian

The sexiest nationalities (men):
1. Australian
2. Italian
3. British
4. Scottish
5. Spanish
6. American
7. Irish
8. Brazilian
9. Canadian
10. Dutch

 

...the teen Pinay sensation in Spain

Pinay teen's first single a hit in Spain

 

By Sandra Sotelo,

ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau correspondent

03/28/2014

SPAIN – A Barcelona-based Filipina teenager is making a name for herself in Spain after her first single "Sha la la" was a hit in radio and television programs.

Maria Sagana continues to receive good reviews in Spain after her single landed on the Top 40 Music Charts and is steadily competing with well-known local and international artists.

"Ang sarap ng feeling na marami akong nare-receive na support from both Filipinos at Spanish. It really makes me strong. Imagine, yung biggest radio station, 40 Principales, they are promoting my music! And I am in many different write-ups sa Spanish press. Nakakatuwa!” she said.

Her video teaser received more than 50,000 views on its premiere.





She has been invited to attend a TV series premiere night and an artist's photo shoot. She has even flown all the way to Madrid for press interviews and meetings with production people, who want to get to know the girl and the talent behind the success of "Sha La La".

"I'm so happy to release my first single kasi di ba mahirap sa music industry ngayon. Sometimes you're up, sometimes down. Kaya I'm so happy na nabigyan ako ng break," she added.

Sagana has just turned 16 years old. She attends high school and combines academic studies with her voice lessons.

She started taking up singing lessons when she was 9. Her sister, Jackie Sagana, a music artist and composer herself, is her prime inspiration and model.

Jackie used to have her own music group and so her sister grew up tagging behind her in concerts, rehearsals, jam sessions with friends and families.

"I practically grew up with karaoke filling my home," the girl said.

Sagana is also active in school programs and activities in the Filipino community.





At the age of 14, she already caught the eye of some music and TV producers as her first song “Ready to Love” released via iTunes, was played several times as background song in a famous Spanish TV series.

 

...the Spain's portal in Asia

Spain eyes PH as next investment hub in Asia

by Catherine N. Pillas,

BusinessMirror

03/25/2014

 

 

MANILA - Spain is now looking to the Philippines as the best hub to establish its presence in Asia in preparation for the Asean Economic Community in 2015, and cited infrastructure as a viable area of investment.

“I think the Philippines is the best hub we can think of to introduce our companies and our economy in Asia, and I hope that we can find good partners to start business in this part of the world,” said Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo at the Makati Business Club (MBC) General Membership Meeting at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

This message comes at the heels of the economic recovery of Spain, which, according to Margallo, was among the European countries hardest hit by the global financial crisis.

Among the blows that the Spanish economy has experienced are a dramatic fall of its gross domestic product, high public deficit and a growing public debt.

However, with the significant fiscal reforms undertaken by the country in the past years, Spain is now changing its model based on enhanced competitiveness, productivity and export-driven, Margallo said.

Gross domestic product growth and employment rates are improving, as well as public deficit, Margallo reported and is looking to Asia, the Philippines, in particular, to be the next investment hub.
“That is why this important Spanish business delegation is here, to explore and take advantage of all the things that the Philippines may offer to Spain,” he said.

Peter Angelo V. Perfecto, executive director of the MBC, revealed that with the Asean economic integration in 2015, Spain is looking to the Philippines as a possible hub from which Spanish economic presence can take hold in the rest of Asia.

Perfecto added that the 25-member Spanish business delegation presently in the Philippines will undertake meetings with Philippine companies, led by the Ayala Group.

The MBC official added in a chance interview after the forum that the Spanish delegation is eyeing infrastructure development, in particular, as 37 percent of the whole transport infrastructure in the world is managed by Spanish companies.

“We are exploring possibilities in many areas, but since the Philippines is aiming to have good infrastructure in order to attract investments to the country, infrastructure is one area that Spanish companies are especially qualified in,” said another Spanish trade official during the open forum.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, who also attended the forum, welcomed Spain’s interest in infrastructure development and additionally called attention to tourism, agribusiness and industrial manufacturing as ripe opportunities for Spanish businessmen.

The Spanish firms making rounds with their Philippine counterparts are engaged in various sectors but are mostly in infrastructure and tourism.

To solidify the commitment between Spain and the Philippines in developing business relations for both sides, a memorandum of agreement was signed on Monday between two business groups in Spain—the High Council of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Spain, and the Confederation of Employers and Industries of Spain—and the Makati Business Club.

According to data from the Department of Trade and Industry, bilateral trade between Spain and the Philippines grew by 19 percent from 2010 to 2012, or from $304 million to $362 million, and is the Philippines’s seventh-largest trading partner in Europe.

Bilateral trade between the two countries as of the first semester of 2013 is valued at $225 million.
In terms of tourism, 17,000 Spaniards have visited the Philippines in 2013, up by 7.7 percent from 2012, according to Department of Tourism statistics, while Filipino visitors to Spain were pegged at 50,000 in 2013.

 

...the Miss Grandslam 2013

Megan Young is Miss Grand Slam 2013!

 

 

Posted on February 7, 2014

by Global Beauties (globalbeauties.com)

 

 

Miss Grand Slam 2013 could be no other than Megan Young, the first woman from the Philippines to be crowned Miss World. The woman who gave pride to her nation when she was crowned in Bali, was always a favorite for the Miss World title, right next to Brazil’s Sancler Frantz, for most her main competition in Miss World and in the Grand Slam. In Miss World, for some unknown reason, Sancler dropped from 2nd to 5th place at the last minute, but here she stands at a well-deserved 2nd position. Patricia Rodriguez of Spain, the Miss Universe favorite who finished 2nd, takes bronze (Miss Grand Slam’s 2nd runner-up).

Rounding out the Top 5 we have Miss Myanmar Supranational, Khin Wint Wah, who thanks to her fans’ support, won the award Miss Grand Slam Popularity 2013, and finished the competition in 4th place (the most voted among fans in this final round, would earn an extra position). Gabriela Isler, Venezuela’s 7th Miss Universe, finished in 5th place.

This is the first time since 1998, when the award was launched by Global Beauties, that a woman from the Philippines wins the Miss Grand Slam title.

See the complete results:

Miss Grand Slam 2013 – Megan Young, Miss Philippines World
2nd place – Sancler Frantz, Miss Brazil World
3rd place – Patricia Rodriguez, Miss Spain Universe
4th place – Myanmar Supranational
4th place – Venezuela Universe

TOP 10
6th place – France World
7th place – Philippines Supranational
8th place – Ghana World
9th place – Ecuador Universe
10th place – Latvia Supranational

Regional winners:
Miss Grand Slam Africa – Ghana World
Miss Grand Slam Americas – Brazil World
Miss Grand Slam Asia – Philippines World
Miss Grand Slam Caribbean – U.S. Virgin Islands Supranational
Miss Grand Slam Europe – Spain Universe
Miss Grand Slam Oceania – Australia Supranational

Special Award:
Miss Grand Slam Popularity – Myanmar Supranational
Miss Grand Slam World – Philippines
Miss Grand Slam Universe – Spain
Miss Grand Slam Supranational – Myanmar
Miss Grand Slam International – Philippines
Miss Grand Slam Tourism Queen – Latvia

Congratulations, Megan Young of the Philippines! You are MISS GRAND SLAM 2013, the best among the very best in 2013!!

Megan Young is Timeless Beauty 2013 2nd Runner-up

Posted by:  Admin

Missosology.org

February 3, 2014

 

- 3rd PLACE -

PHILIPPINES WORLD

(Megan Young)

Ines Ligron – 1st

Tomas Haberl – 3rd

Rafa Delfin – 3rd

Donald West – 4th

Peter Sereno -3rd

Madusha Mayadunne – 4th

Yael Markovich – 3rd

Steve Haynes – 3rd

Internet Poll – 2nd

TOTAL POINTS: 76

Megan Young’s entry into the pageant world is one of the best things that ever happened in Philippine pageant history. She was hyped to death, and supported by many believers, even when speculations about her rumored application for Bb. Pilipinas (the pageant that crowns the Miss Universe Philippines winner) started to spread in Missosology. When news broke out that she was not accepted to compete at the Philippines’ premiere beauty pageant, a lot were disheartened. Not everyone knew that Megan had already cleared that rumor, and that, she actually did not apply for Bb. Pilipinas, and that, her real goal was set on the Miss World Philippines crown. The rest was history. 

A few weeks after winning her national title, she became an instant favorite in Indonesia. Local and international fans alike were expecting her to do well in all of the events leading to the pageant night. She delivered. The Philippines won their first ever Miss World crown in Bali, and a lot of her fans were jubilant and ecstatic about it. Because of this triumph, Megan Young’s local showbiz career may have been temporarily interrupted, but, when she comes back, she’ll surely be able to capitalize on her newly found fame. But of course, she has to finish her reign first as Miss World, and we all know that she is doing exceptionally well, raising funds for various charity works that benefit the less fortunate. 

In the meantime, in a sea of equally lovely and unforgettable beauties from the BIG 4 Pageants, Megan Young emerged as one of the Top 3 Timeless Beauties for 2013! And at third place, here’s another reason for her country to be truly proud of!

 

...the world's top ebook users

Filipinos among top users of world's largest ebook community

            

 philstar.com

January 30, 2014

 

 

 

MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos are the second biggest users of the world's biggest online reading and storytelling platform Wattpad, according to latest data from social media monitor SocialBakers.

Seven million Filipinos visit Wattpad every month, coming second behind Americans and ahead of users from United Kingdom, Vietnam, Canada, Australia, Turkey, India, Germany and Spain.

There are currently 300,000 completed stories coming from Filipinos and the number is growing by 10 percent per month. Twenty-three percent of Wattpad's Android traffic also comes from the Philippines, and when a Filipino user joins Wattpad, 50 of their Facebook friends are already on Wattpad.

Wattpad also said out of the eight users who have more than 100,000 followers, five are Filipinos. The most popular Wattpad user with more than 225,000 followers is a Filipino writer Denny who goes by the Wattpad identity 'HaveYouSeenThisGirL.'

Wattpad co-founder and chief executive officer Allan Lau said HaveYouSeenThisGirL’s Wattpad story, 'The Diary of An Ugly Girl,' is poised to become the Philippines’ best-selling book this year.

Lau said among all genres on Wattpad, Filipinos gravitate toward fan fiction, and celebrity fictions on K-pop and the popular local celebrity tandem of Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo are the most written, read and shared of this genre among the young Filipinos.

“Filipinos are definitely a force to reckon with in social media, including Wattpad’s community. We see higher internet connectivity, smartphone and tablet penetration to drive this growth further,” said Lau, “We hope to be able to enrich the reading experience of more Filipinos and discover and launch more Filipino writers in the years to come.”

 

...the Miss Universe 2013 runner-up

Ariella Arida is Miss Universe 3rd runner-up

 

by Miguel Dumaual,

ABS-CBNnews.com

11/10/2013

Coronation night dedicated to PH, Vietnam

Ariella Arida takes the stage in a yellow Alfredo Barazza dress at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, Russia during the Miss Universe preliminary competition. Darren Decker, REUTERS

MANILA  -- The Philippines' Ariella Arida on Sunday (Manila time) finished 3rd runner-up in Miss Universe 2013, a feat she dedicated to her countrymen who were devastated Friday by the world's most powerful typhoon this year.

Venezuela's Gabriela Isler won the title, besting 85 other candidates during the coronation night held at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, Russia, which hosted the 62-year-old pageant for the first time.

Said to have one billion viewers in over 190 countries, the event was announced in the opening minutes to be dedicated to the Philippines and Vietnam, neighboring countries in the path of destruction of super typhoon "Yolanda" (Haiyan).

Isler, a marketing graduate and professional model, was crowned by Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo of the United States to become the new titleholder for one year.

The runners-up, in order, were Spain's Patricia Rodríguez, Ecuador's Constanza Báez, Arida, and Brazil's Jakelyne Oliveira.

The Philippines' bet was notably the only Asian in the Top 5.



Fan favorite

Dubbed an early favorite leading up to the finals night, Arida earned a spot in the Top 16 after winning the official online polls. She then took the stage in a red bikini for the swimsuit portion, along with her fellow semifinalists.

Advancing into the Top 10, Arida proceeded to parade in a yellow Alfredo Barazza dress for the evening gown segment.

In the final round of the pageant, Arida was asked by judge Tara Lipinski: "What can be done about the lack of jobs for young people starting their careers around the world?"

The Filipina beauty answered: "For the people who have lack of jobs, I do believe that we people should invest in education and that is my primary advocacy, because we all know that if everyone of us is educated and well aware of what we are doing, we could land into jobs and we could land a good career in the future. Education is the primary source and ticket to a better future."




Isler, meanwhile, was asked by judge Steven Tyler: "What is your biggest fear and what is your plan to overcome it?"

She responded through an interpreter: "I believe that one may have a lot of fears but nonetheless, this is nothing negative. I believe that we should all overcome our fears, and this in turn, would make us much stronger. And thusly, we can become stronger persons. As soon as we overcome our fears and we're sure of ourselves, we can face any challenge."

Of the five finalists, Arida was the only candidate who answered in English and without an interpreter.

With her 3rd runner-up finish, Arida replicated the success of Shamcey Supsup, the Philippines' candidate in the 2011 pageant. Janine Tugonon and Venus Raj finished 1st runner-up in 2012 and 4th runner-up in 2010, respectively.

The Philippines is still hoping to produce its third Miss Universe winner after Gloria Diaz in 1969 and Margie Moran in 1973.

'For the Philippines'
A day before the coronation night on Sunday, Arida, through a video on the official page of Miss Universe on Facebook, addressed her fellow Filipinos amid the destruction brought by "Yolanda" in several parts of the Philippines.

Said to be the strongest typhoon in recorded history to make landfall, "Yolanda" wiped out entire structures and left at least 138 dead as of Saturday night, according to the local disaster management council, with hundreds more feared unaccounted for.

"This fight, I offer to you guys, to all my Filipino people," Arida said in the online video. "It's for the Philippines. Keep safe and keep on praying. Be strong."

Amid news of the widespread destruction, Filipino pageant fans kept hopes high for Arida to take home the crown. Leading up to the finals night, Arida was widely tipped to win the title after her string of special appearances in pre-pageant events.

Viewing parties were held at different venues, including a government-sponsored gathering in her home province and packed bars, despite the coronation night kicking off at 2 a.m. local time.




In Moscow, some 700 supporters carrying banners and Philippine flags were gathered by the Filipino Association in Russia at the Crocus City Hall. The strongest cheers were heard whenever Arida took the stage, ABS-CBN News' Dyan Castillejo reported Sunday from the venue.

The same zeal for international pageants was also evident early this year, particularly with the back-to-back wins of Filipinas Megan Young and Mutya Datul in Miss World and Miss Supranational, respectively.

 

...the Miss World 2013

Megan Young crowned Miss World

Associated Press, INQUIRER.net

Saturday, September 28th, 2013

PHILIPPINES’ PRIDE Newly crowned Miss World Megan Young of Philippines, center, waves, after winning the Miss World contest, in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013. Young beat candidates in 126 countries and became the first Filipina to win the title in the pageant’s 63-year history. AP

BALI, Indonesia—Miss Philippines, Megan Young, was crowned Miss World in a glittering finale on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Saturday.

 

“I promise to be the best Miss World ever,” Young, 23, said after winning the 63rd annual event, as a large number of Filipino fans who traveled with her celebrated by jumping and waving the country’s flag.

 

Young bested 126 beauty queens from around the world to become the first Filipina to win the coveted title in a contest broadcast to more than 180 countries worldwide.

 

Indonesia’s government announced three weeks ago that the final would be moved from the outskirts of the capital, Jakarta, and instead held on the Hindu-dominated resort island of Bali, where earlier rounds were taking place.

AND THE NEW MISS WORLD IS . . . Miss Philippines Megan Young, right, reacts after winning the Miss World pageant final. AP

But despite threats from the Islamic Defenders Front to disrupt the pageant, police said no rallies were staged Saturday. The group has demonstrated for weeks, calling for the government to cancel the pageant because members say it shows too much skin and goes against Islamic teachings.

 

The 127 contestants vying for the crown were introduced Saturday wearing evening gowns shimmering in sequins, many of them with plunging necklines and slits up the leg. Four candidates dropped out earlier, mainly due to illnesses, said Syafril Nasution, one of the local organizers.

 

Young, who took the crown from Wenxia Yu of China, the 2012 winner, was born in the United States. When she was 10 she moved to the Philippines, where she has appeared in films and as a television host.

 

She thanked the judges for choosing her and pledged to “just be myself in everything I do, to share what I know and to educate people.”

 

Before her, no Filipina had won the prestigious crown in the 63-year-old history of the London-based pageant.

 

Miss France, Marine Lorphelin, 20, took second place, while Miss Ghana, Carranzar Naa Okailey Shooter, 22, came in third.

 

Miss World organizers had earlier agreed to cut bikinis from the swimsuit competition, replacing them with more conservative sarongs. But pressure continued to mount, and more mainstream groups joined in and called for the show to be banned. With Agence France-Presse

 

...the Gilas world ranking

Thanks to FIBA Asia run, PH climbs 11 spots in world rankings

 

By Chris Lagunzad

Yahoo PH Sports

28 September 2013

Yahoo PH Sports - Gilas Pilipinas at the awarding ceremonies of the 27th FIBA Asia Championship held August 11, 2013 at the Mall of Asia Arena. (Czeasar Dancel/NPPA Images)

 

 

Buoyed by its magical run in the 27th FIBA Asia Championship last month, the Philippines made a big leap in the world rankings, moving up 11 rungs higher to the 34th spot with an accumulated 22.8 points.

The Nationals, as hosts, finished fighting runners-up to powerhouse Iran in the Manila cage joust and that proved enough to earn the points to leapfrog the likes of continental rivals Japan (35th with 22.6 points), Qatar (42nd with 17.3) and Chinese Taipei (44th with 15.9).

Collectively known as Gilas Pilipinas, the Nationals also emerged as one of the most improved squads in the world rankings and is now ranked sixth-best overall in Asia behind China (12th with 188.9 points), Iran (20th with 94.2), Lebanon (29th with 35.4), Jordan (30th with 33.8), and South Korea (31st with 30.6).

More than elation, national team coach Chot Reyes admitted Friday that the Nationals’ latest feat also serve as an added motivation as they gear up for future international tournaments, including next year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

The United States, the reigning Olympic champion, kept its firm hold on the top spot with 940 points followed by European titan Spain with 885. Argentina was a distant third with 490 while Lithuania and Greece traded places in fourth and fifth spots with 432 and 376 points, respectively.

The rankings are based on the performance of each country in three major tournaments that includes the Olympics, the FIBA World Cup (then known as the FIBA World Championship) and the continental championships. FIBA then makes calculations from those tourneys inside two Olympic cycles.

 

 

...the Top Global Beauties leaderboard

Philippines is now on top of GB’s Leaderboard

Globalbeauties.com
20 September 2013

The candidates have been in Bali for over two weeks and our experts have been following their every move since their arrival in this Indonesian paradise island. The fight for the crown will certainly be a tough one, especially if favorites from the Philippines, Brazil and Spain confirm their favoritism.

Brazil

 

 

Philippines: 1st

With very high marks from our judges, Philippines (now 1st) and Brazil (fell to 2nd place) remain on top, but now with Spain following them from a very close distance. France (up 4, now 4th) and Ukraine (5th), are not too far from the top 3. India entered the top 7, leaving Venezuela (now 8th) behind.

Quite a few changes have taken place in the top 15 and top 30. Jamaica, for instance, 39th place in the pre-arrival list, has now entered the Top 10, in the 10th position. Australia has jumped from 30th to an excellent 14th place. On the other hand, Denmark fell from 5th to 17th place. Lebanon and Taiwan, confirmed in the pageant at the last minute, debut in GB’s list in the top 30, in 26th and 30th.

Rank	Country	Score	3/9 rank
1	Philippines	4,81	2
2	Brazil	4,76	1
3	Spain	4,72	3
4	France	4,55	8
5	Ukraine	4,43	4
6	United States of America	4,23	6
7	India	4,11	10
8	Venezuela	4,10	7
9	South Africa	4,05	13
10	Jamaica	4,01	39
11	China	4,00	9
12	Italy	3,98	12
13	Japan	3,96	16
14	Australia	3,93	30
15	Puerto Rico	3,89	35
16	Ecuador	3,81	41
17	Denmark	3,80	5
18	Netherlands	3,78	48
18	Sri Lanka	3,78	46
20	Indonesia	3,77	33
21	Ghana	3,73	16
22	Mexico	3,70	47
22	Northern Ireland	3,70	30
24	Cote d’Ivoire	3,69	14
25	Kosovo	3,67	10
26	Lebanon	3,56	new
27	Cyprus	3,55	45
27	Albania	3,55	26
29	Georgia	3,51	35
30	Taiwan	3,50	new

 

...the cities of the gods

QC home to world's best looking men: online mag

 

ABS-CBNnews.com

09/17/2013

 

 

Dingdong Dantes. File photo

MANILA – Quezon City is home to two of the country’s top universities and some of the metro’s biggest malls.

An online travel magazine, however, noted that the city also has the world’s best looking men -- probably a nod to the city's tagline as the "City of the Stars," given that the country's two largest TV networks are based in Quezon City.

Early this month, Traveler’s Digest released the 2013 edition of its “Cities with the World’s Best Looking Men” list, which placed Quezon City at No. 7.

The online magazine singled out hunk actor Dingdong Dantes as it mentioned how the city has “head-turning beach bodies.”

“Their reputed romantic side and gloriously tanned skin doesn’t hurt either. Just check out much-loved Filipino actor Dingdong Dantes,” it said of Dantes, who is listed in Wikipedia as born in Quezon City.

Dantes was included in E! Entertainment television’s 25 sexiest men in the world list in 2008, along with football superstar David Beckham and actor Gilles Marini of France.

Traveler’s Digest declared Havana, Cuba as the No. 1 city in the world with the hottest men, citing their “golden skin, dark eyes and a rich, exotic accent.”

Landing in second place is Madrid in Spain, followed by Istanbul in Turkey, Miami in the United States and San Juan in Puerto Rico.

At sixth place is Freetown in Sierra Leone, while Cannes in France ranked eighth. Seoul in South Korea made it to ninth place, while Dublin in Ireland rounded out the Top 10.

Staff members of Traveler’s Digest said they “literally scoured the globe in search of the world’s best looking men” as they compiled the 2013 list.