Sunday, September 28, 2008

Digital Filipino.com and Bloggers Davao Networking Event on Oct. 31!

The DigitalFilipino.com Club will be having blogger’s event here in Davao! It will be a “fellowship/networking event where e-commerce industry players and bloggers can catch up and exchange updates.”

This will be on October 21, Tuesday, 6 to 11 pm at the Grand Regal Hotel, Lanang, Davao City.

This event is sponsored by our club member PAGCOR.

6:00 - 7:00 Registration and Dinner
7:00 - 7:30 Guest introduction / plugs
7:30 - 8:00 Updates by Janette

8:00 - 8:30 - PAGCOR launch Internet/E-Commerce project
8:30 - onwards - Raffle, Networking, Games

Bloggers are invited to attend! Just click here to register!





Saturday, September 27, 2008

Pinoy Ka Kung ikaw ay( You know you're Filipino if) . . . . !!!

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Hoy!

If any of the following sounds familiar to you, then you're probably Filipino. Admit it, some halo-halo sounds pretty good right about now.

• You answer to "Pssst!!"
• You point with your lips.
• You have relatives whose nicknames consist of repeated syllables like Ling-Ling, Bong-Bong, or Che-Che.
• You have uncles and aunts named Boy, Girlie or Baby.
• In your dining room there's a picture of "Last Supper" - and on either side of it are a giant wooden spoon and fork.
• The furniture in your house is wrapped in plastic or covered in blankets.
• You use shopping bags as garbage bags.
• You have a piano no one plays.
• You keep a tabo in your bathroom.
• You own a barrel man from Baguio.
• You can't resist buying items on sale even if you don't need them.
• You eat with your hands.
• and you cut your meat with a spoon and fork.
• You know a meal isn't a meal unless there's rice.
• There's Spam, Vienna sausage and corned beef in your pantry.
• You eat or have eaten fried spam and eggs with rice for breakfast.
• Whenever friends come over, they ask for "meat rolls" and you know they mean lumpia.
• You greet your elders by touching their hands to your forehead.
• You always kiss your relatives on the cheek whenever you enter or leave the room.
• Your relatives sing karaoke when they come over.
• A party isn't a party unless there's line dancing (who doesn't love the Todo Todo, Chilly Cha Cha and September???)
• You don't get grossed out by balut.
• Your mom puts sugar and hot dogs in her spaghetti.
• Your Lola taught you to gargle with warm salt and ginger water when you have a sore throat.
• You always take your shoes off when you enter a house.
• You know what the "chocolate sauce" in dinuguan is actually made of
• The tissues in your bathroom came from Holiday Inn.
• You "open" and "close" the lights.
• Your friends know what it means to be on Filipino Time.
• You think Christmas season begins in October and ends in January.
• Your second piece of luggage is a balikbayan box.
• You've mastered the art of packing a suitcase to double capacity.
• You've ridden in a tricycle that doesn't require peddling
• You hold your palms together in front of you and say "excuse, excuse" when you pass in between people or in front of the TV.
• Goldilocks is more than a fairy tale character to you.
• You say "prijider" instead of refrigerator
• Your Dad is/was in the Navy or your mom is a nurse or in many cases both.
• You leave a party with more food than you came with.
• You pronounce "v"s as "
• You're seen with a boy who's not Filipino and he's automatically your boyfriend and everyone knows about it
• You have Chinese furniture and walls screens in your house
• Your mom or dad came from a family with at least 10 children
• Your parents over exaggerate the time (ex:" hoy gising na ! its almost 12 o clock," when it is really 11:15am)
• You pronounce "f's" as "p's" and "p's" as "f's" eg. pliffing = flipping , pork = fork [or vise versa ]
• Finding relatives at the airport entails scouring the crowd for a bunch of people fussing with a balikbayan box.
• Anyone whose name you can't recall in conversation is referred to as "si ano".
• Somehow there is always room for one more on the motorcycle or tricycle!
• You take off your shoes in the house.
• Your mom tells you to wear your "chanelas" when you go outside.
• You ask your mom what your "ulam" is when shes cooking.
• Your mom likes oriental furniture.
• You can speak one or more: tagalog, illocano, kapangpangan or cebuano
• You can understand either: tagalog, illocana, kapangpangan or cebuano
• You always have sardines in your pantry.
• You've eaten the bird of the balut at least once was
• You know the "Otso-otso".
• If you're not the youngest in the family, you look like your mom.
• You like Kare-Kare.
• Church is a must on Sundays.
• The first thing you offer your guests is food.
• You like the "Black Eyed Peas" because one of the guys is Filipino.
• Taho is Deeeelish!
• You believe its bad to waste food.
• Your mom tells you that its bad luck to sleep with your hair wet.
• You own a "walis ting ting".
• You like ALL of the following: Sinigang, Nilaga, Tilapia, Dinuguan, Pansit, and Lumpia.
• Mango is a dessert.
• You get excited when you see a Filipino on an American channel.
• if you're living abroad, you have family in the philippines that expect you to bring pasalubong that's fancier than anything you even own yourself
• you know that the "white" version of "come here" is palm-up, fingers waving toward the body, but the pinoy version is palm-down, fingers moving toward body in sort of shoveling motion
• You nod backwards to say yes
• You raise your eyebrows to say yes
• You know that Adidas is more than just an athletic company
• You or your parents have a santo nino on the mante and a big wooden rosary hanging on the wall somewhere in the house
• When you know that "dat white one" means a CLEAR object and NOT white at all!
• You can measuring the water for cooking rice with two fingers
• The house you grew up in had a chandelier made of shell (capice)
• Your parents believed in various superstitions: like turning the plates at dinner if someone had to leave; saying "tabi tabi, po

Friday, September 26, 2008

Angelina Jolie Doll maker is Filipino Artist Noel Cruz!

Saturday, September 27, 2008



Noel Cruz' latest auction a couple of weeks ago, Angeline Jolie doll(above) which is sold for $4,300! Go visit Noel Cruz website!



Some can be commissioned such as Nicole Kidman above. If you want to play with Daniel Craig, this may be your only solution, sorry! But it's better than nothing and I have to say that it looks pretty good. In fact it's just amazing! Those dolls are made by Filipino Artist Noel Cruz (below), and are going for sale on e-bay. Daniel Craig was sold for only $863.87. But don't contact him because he is totally over booked and he is not taking commissions right now.



An artist who thoroughly appreciates the beauty of faces, Noel Cruz started doing
portraits at a very young age. Self-taught for several years, he studied the works
of numerous artists in his native country, the Philippines.

Gradually overtime, his natural talent grew and developed. He began taking
commissions at 16, and has done countless portraits since. Charcoal, graphite,
pastel, and acrylics are his media of choice.

Noel holds a degree in Communications with emphasis on video editing and
digital imaging, and has shot and edited documentaries for California State
University Bakersfield, where he graduated.

Repainting dolls happened by accident when he was looking for a Gene doll to
add to his wife's collection. He stumbled upon several Gene dolls repainted to
resemble different likenesses. This became an inspiration for him to project his
painting talents onto Gene, which became the beginning of another facet of artistic
outlet for him. Much to his delight, he discovered that painting a doll's face is very
much like painting on canvas or paper, but with the extra challenge of working on
a three-dimensional surface as well as a different surface texture.

Noel has naturally transmitted onto his repaints his love of celebrities, many of which
he has painted or drawn before. In addition, he constantly strives to add diversity to his
work by working on other comparable-size dolls such as Tyler, Sydney, Franklin Mint
dolls, etc.

Hulagway sa Dabaw!



Davao City landmark in front of San Pedro Church and Sangunian Bldg. !

Thousands OFW stranded in Oman and Iran!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Thousands of Filipinos are stranded in Oman and Iran due to problems in the new policy on the issuance of visas in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The new regulation that was implemented last July 29, directs previous visit visa holders to reapply as tourists as visit visas will no longer be renewed. This led to the rejection of thousands of visa applications from the Filipinos. Most have been stranded in their hotel rooms for more than a month.

The Philippine embassies in Muscat, Tehran, and Abu Dhabi and the consulate general in Dubai were ordered to help the stranded Filipinos.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday said it would ask the government of UAE for leniency in the case of our stranded “kababayans” and that a team from the Philippine Embassy in Dubai would meet with the stranded OFWs at the border to check their condition.

BFAD relesaed list of milk product tested for melamine content!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) on Friday released the names of 56 milk and dairy products to be tested for the presence of kidney stone-causing chemical melamine.

BFAD said that it would still be best if consumers would stay away from these milk brands in the meantime, until the bureau finishes its tests by October.

The milk brands and milk-based products currently being tested include among others:

1. Anchor Lite Milk
2. Anchor Wam Froot Milk Drink Mango Magic
3. Anchor Wam Froot Milk Drink Orange Chill
4. Anchor Wam Froot Milk Drink Strawberry Spin
5. Anlene Milk
6. Anmum Materna 180 g
7. Anmum Materna Chocolate
8. Dutch Lady Pure Milk
9. Farmland Skim Milk
10. Green Food Yili Pure Milk
11. Jinwei Drink
12. Jolly Cow Pure Fresh Milk
13. Jolly Cow Slender Low Fat Milk
14. KLIM instant full cream milk 1.8kg
15. M&M Chocolate Brown 40g
16. Meiji Hokkaido Azuki (Red Bean Ice Cream)
17. Meiji Ujikintoki (Red Bean and Green Tea Frozen Confection)
18. Mengniu Original Drink Milk
19. Mengniu Pure Milk
20. Milk Chocolate Bars/China
21. Milk Chocolate Candies/China
22. Milk Boy repacked
23. Milk Boy repacked
24. Monmilk Breakfast Milk Walnut Milk Beverage
25. Monmilk High Calcium Low Fat Milk
26. Monmilk High Calcium Milk
27. Monmilk Milk Deluxe Pure Milk
28. Monmilk Pure Milk
29. Monmilk Suan Suan Ru Sour Milk Beverage (mango flavor)
30. Natural Choice Milk Ice Bar
31. Nespray
32. Nestle Carnacion Calcium Plus non fat milk powder 1.6 kg
33. Nestle Chocolate Flavor Ice Cream cone
34. Nestle Dairy Farm Pure Milk
35. Nestle Vanilla Flavor Ice Cream Cone
36. Nutri Express Milk
37. Nutri Express Milk 15 Nutritional Elements (Blue, Red and Orange label and cap)
38. Nutri Express Milk
39. Nutri Express Milk Green Apple
40. Prime Roast Cereals 28g
41. Pura Fresh Milk
42. Snickers brown 59 grams
43. Strawberry Sorbet
44. Trappist Dairy Low Fat Yogurt Drink
45. Vita Fresh Milk
46. Wahaha Orange
47. Wahaha Yellow
48. Want Want milk drink
49. Yili High Calcium 250ml
50. Yili High Calcium Milk 1 liter
51. Yili High Calcium Low fat milk beverage
52. Yili Low Fat Milk 1 liter
53. Yili Milk
54. Yili Pure Milk 250 ml
55. Yili Pure Milk 1 liter
56. Yinlu Milk Peanut

Thursday, September 25, 2008

October 1 Holiday!

Friday, September 26, 2008

President of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared October 1 (Wednesday) as a regular holiday in observance with the Islamic community that would be celebrating the Eid’l Fitr or the Feast of Ramadhan.

The President signed Proclamation No. 1625 last September 19 declaring October 1, 2008, as a regular holiday in the country.

Under the Proclamation, In order to bring the religious and cultural significance of Eid’l Fitr to the fore of national consciousness, it is necessary to declare Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, as a regular holiday throughout the country.

The Islamic community celebrates Eid’l Fitr, three days after the end of the holy month of Ramadan, which started this year on September 1. It is a three-day festival known as “Eid” or “Eid ul-Fitr,” which means “the feast of the breaking or to break the fast,” ends the observance of the holy month of Ramadhan.

The Eid’l Fitr is the culmination of the month long Muslim struggle towards spiritual purification which is achieved through fasting, self-sacrifice and prayers.

"Physical Assesment Seminar" for Nurses in Davao on Oct. 2!


The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA)-Davao City Chapter will be holding its seminar entitled “Physical Assessment” on October 2, Thursday from 8 a.m to 12 noon at the Davao Medical Center’s Mahogany Room, J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City.

Invited guest speaker is Dr. Sheila Marie Quiachon-Hernandez, said PNA-Davao City Chapter president Elsie Tee.

Tee said registration fees will be P200 for PNA members while non-members will pay P250. Students are welcome to attend the nurses’ seminar and will pay P150.

For further inquiries, kindly call the PNA office at telefax number 224-0244 and look for Vangie Montejo.

October 5: No Prostitution Day!

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte signed in 2005 the Proclamation No. 07 that declared October 5 as No Prosti Day. Some non-government organizations in this city will be observing October 5 as the day of No Prostitution.

It’s a day of no prostitution that includes no pornography, phone sex, cyber sex, mail-order bride services, trafficking, strip dancing, sex tours and prostitution in massage parlors, on the streets.

The city’s celebration is a local version of the International Day of No Prostitution (IDNP) project of the Bay Area IDNP Collective in the USA in 2002.

Figures from the City Health Office showed that there are 2,411 registered prostituted women in the city while an NGO cited some 4,000 prostituted women doing their freelance job.

This is a nice day to celebrate a No Prosti Day, this is the firs time I've heard about this declaration. But with the crisis that's going on in the country and rising inflation, this is going to be tough day for those involved to celebrate.

Ateneo Blue Eagles is UAAP 71 Champion!

Friday, September 26,2008



The Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles have defeated the De La Salle Green Archers 62-51 to win the UAAP 71 men’s basketball championship Thursday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Chris Tiu, led the Eagles with 16 points to capture Ateneo’s fourth UAAP championship and second in the decade after winning in 2002. For DLSU, Casio finished with 21 points, 18 of which came from the three-point line while Rico Maierhoffer was thrown out of the game in the third quarter after he incurred a second technical foul.

Ateneo's Rabeh Al-Hussaini is UAAP MVP!

Friday, September 26, 2008


20-year-old Rabeh Al-Hussaini of the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles won this year’s Most Valuable Player award during the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP Season 71) men’s basketball awards at the Araneta Coliseum.

The 6-foot-6 Al-Hussaini, whose first name, Rabeh, means winner in Arabic ended the reign of 2007 winner and University of Santo Tomas (UST Growling Tigers) star Jervy Cruz. “I’ve been working really hard in practice,” said Al-Hussaini. “The award is just a bonus. I want the [championship] ring for everyone in the team.” he added. He also bagged the Appeton Most Improved Player award after tripling his scoring production from an average of only 5.9 points last year.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

I Am Joining the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit!

At last the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit are all set for nest month and of course I don't wanna miss this opportunity to be part of the biggest happening for bloggers in this part of Mindanao and the Philippines. This time the event will bwe held at the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, Gen. Santos City which is just an hour from where I live. I hope to meet more bloggers and meeting them in person.


The Philippine entrants to "The New 7 Wonders of Nature"!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The Philippines has four entries in the top eleven of the New 7 Wonders in Nature. Please let us help our country a chance to be united in the goal of placing our dearest Republic to the list of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

The following entries are:



The Splendid Tubbataha Reef - A Sanctuary for numerous marine
species and an atoll coral reef in the Sulu Sea



The Distinguished Subterranean River - An 8.2 km underground
river featuring limestone and rock landscapes located in Puerto Princesa City



The Enthralling Chocolate Hills - An unsual formation of perfectly
cone-shaped hills found in Bohol



The Majestic Mayon Volcano - A still active volcano but havinga symmetric cone formed through lava flows found in Legazpi City

So please sign-up and log on to http://www.new7wonders.com/classic/en/index/.
Support and take part in this national aspiration.

"Tayo Na Pumunta Sa Dabaw" MTV!

Philippine Picture of the Day!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008



Mobile street vendors are very common in the Philippines and there are lots of them selling anything, from food to clothes. Today's image is "Mango Vendor on Wheels!", he's selling green mangoes by piece or you can buy it already sliced and you can choose from different dips to go with it, salt and vinegar, soy sauce or shrimp paste(Bagoong). I'm already salivating!

What is your choice of mango dip?

Seminar on Autism on Sept.27,2008 at SM Cinema1!

SM City Davao is sponsoring a seminar on Autism in order for the public to know and understand autism, a psychological disorder and how to cope with it. The seminar will be held in Cinema 1 on September 27 from 8 a.m -12 noon with the theme: "Triumph Over Autism"!


The internationally acclaimed lecturer and author Annabel Stehli, together with her daughter Georgiana Thomas, will share their experience in dealing with autism.

Stehli is the Director of the Georgiana Institute in Roxbury, CT, a non-profit organization founded in 1991 and dedicated to providing information on Auditory Integration Training (AIT).

Stehli who authored the book Sound of Miracle, a Child’s Triumph Over Autism, is also the editor of Dancing in the Rain, Stories of Exceptional Progress by Parents of Children with Special Needs and Sound of Falling Snow, Stories of Recovery from Autism and Related Conditions.

His daughter Georgiana Thomas was diagnosed as severely autistic at the age three.By defying the odds and the experts and stunning those who knew her and heard about her, Georgiana went from special education to straight A’s in a mainstream school after receiving AIT.

Although Georgiana had no speech at four, she is now fluent in six languages, including Arabic, spoken and written. Her story is detailed in her self-published autobiography, Overcoming Autism. Georgiana attributes her recovery to diving intervention, AIT, and parents who finally paid attention when they were led in the right direction.

The Davao seminar on Autism is organized by Beacon Learning Center in cooperation with SM Supermalls Committee on Disability Affairs and Sound Therapy Learning Center.

For registration and queries, call (082) 224-1174.

Rural Bank Of Digos: Best Rural Bank in Region 11!

Rural Bank of Digos, Inc. was again chosen by the Land Bank of the Philippines as “Most Outstanding Rural Bank in Region 11 for 2007” and “Most Outstanding Rural Bank in National Level – 4th place for 2007.” RBDI also received the Regional Award for 2003, 2005, 2006 and now, for 2007. Last year, RBDI received its first National Award as 5th in the country.



RB Digos Vice President Genelyd D. Bautista and HR/Admin Manager Giovanni D. Gabriento personally received the awards at the Land Bank Plaza in Manila last August 29. Plaques and cash prizes were given for both awards.

The award was presented by Finance Secretary Gary B. Teves, Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap; LBP President and CEO Gilda E. Pico and LBP EVP Wilfredo C. Maldia.



Also present were LBP First VP Head-Mindanao Branches Group Delia M. Ladao; LBP VP Region 11 Head Sam Butuan B. Abdul and LBP VP Region 12 Head Joselito P. Gutierrez.



RBDI was again chosen from among the 420 rural banks assisted by Land Bank. It bested the other rural banks in the region and in the county in the three criteria set by LBP – (1) organizational management, business operations and financial management, (2) pass on rate to small farmers and fishermen, and (3) partnership with LBP.



RB Digos was organized in December 1955 and was the first bank to operate in Digos and the southern part of the then empire province of Davao. That is why it earned the acronym “The Pioneer Bank.”It started its operations on February 17, 1956. It has grown to become one of the most financially stable and well managed rural banks in the country today.



Through the years, RB Digos has been in the forefront of helping micro, small and medium enterprises, farmers, businessmen and various types of entrepreneurs in Southern Mindanao specifically in Davao del Sur and North Cotabato. It has established strong financial partnerships with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Land Bank of the Philippines, Coconut Industry Investment Fund Finance Corporation, Micro-Enterprise Access to the Banking Sector in Mindanao, People’s Credit and Finance Corporation, Upland Development Program under Department of Agriculture and the European Union and Social Security System.



Its head office is located along Rizal Avenue, Digos City and has five branches: Digos (Main), Bansalan, Malita, Kidapawan, and Antipas. Among its services are acceptance of savings, time and current account deposits. It grants agricultural, commercial, industrial, microfinance, barangay, salary and pension loans. Other services include on-line deposits/withdrawals, Western Union transactions, SSS and Philhealth payments, electric and telephone bill payments.



Groundbreaking of Ayala Center Davao Yesterday!

The groundbreaking of the P5 billion Ayala Center Davao yesterday along JP Laurel Avenue, Davao City marked another milestone for a growing economy in the city.

The project that will rise within a 10-hectare property is a partnership between Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) and the Antonio Floirendo Corp. (Anflocor).

The project includes Abreeza, a 61,000 square meter mall with office buildings and 18,000 square meter business process outsourcing (BPO) center.

Operations of the first phase of the mall will start on the fourth quarter of 2010, while the second phase will start on the third quarter of 2011.

Operations of building 1 of the BPO center is targeted to operate on the fourth quarter of 2009 and building 2 on the fourth quarter of 2011.

ALI president Jaime Ayala at a press conference yesterday held at Pearl Farm Davao Marina said the project’s total cost is estimated at P4billion to P5 billion.

Anflocor director Maria Christina Brias said they are projecting to generate 11,000 jobs from Abreeza Mall and the BPO center.

But Ayala said they are optimistic the number will grow higher given the multiplier effect which the BPO center stands to create when it fully operates.

Based on the Abreeza fact sheet, ALI will own 67 percent of the development project while Anflogroup will own 33 percent.

Three hectares of the entire property will also be sold as lots for residential or commercial purposes.

He also said that both companies will step up marketing promotions to lure both local and international investors to locate in said huge business establishment.

Ayala identified the stable peace and order situation in Davao City and the positive performance of retail sales as among the economic indicators in Davao City that pushed ALI and Anflogroup to venture into such a gargantuan project

Source

Monday, September 22, 2008

Pinoy differences between 'Mayaman & Poor"!

Kung mayaman ka, meron kang ‘allergy

Kung mahirap ka, ang tawag dyan ay ‘galis’ o ‘bakokang

Sa mayaman, ‘nervous breakdown’ dahil sa ‘tension and stress
Sa mahirap, ‘sira ang ulo

Kung mayaman ka, ‘pneumonia’ raw ang sakit mo
Kung mahirap, ‘TB’ ’yon

Sa mayaman, ‘hyperacidity
Kapag mahirap, ‘ulcer’ dahil walang laman ang tiyan

Sa mayamang ‘malikot ang kamay’, ang tawag ay ‘kleptomaniac
Sa mahirap, ang tawag ay ‘magnanakaw’ o ‘kawatan

Pag mayaman ka, you’re ‘eccentric
Kung mahirap ka, ‘may toyo ka sa ulo’ o ‘may topak’ o ‘may sayad

Kung mayaman ka at sumakit ang ulo mo, ikaw ay may ‘migraine
Kung mahirap ka naman at sumakit ang ulo mo, ikaw ay ‘nalipasan ng gutom

Kung mayaman ka, you are referred to as someone who is ‘scoliotic
Pero kung mahirap ka, ikaw ay ‘kuba

Kung ang señorita mo ay maitim, ang tawag ay ‘morena’ o ‘sun tanned
Pero kung isa kang domestic na maitim, ikaw ay ‘ita’ o ‘negrita’ o ‘baluga

Kung na sa high society ka at ikaw ay maliit, ang tawag sa iyo ay ‘petite’
Kung mahirap ka lang, ikaw ay ‘pandak’ o ‘bansot’

Kung socialite ka, ikaw ay ‘pleasingly plump
Kapag mahirap ka, ika’y ‘tabatsoy’ o ‘lumba-lumba’ ...pagminamalas ka, ‘baboy’ pa

Kapag mayaman, ‘fasting’ ang hindi kumain
Kung mahirap, ‘nagtitiis

Kung well-off ka at date ka rito, date ka roon, ang tawag sa iyo ay ‘socialite
Kung mahirap ka, ikaw ay ‘pakawala’ o ‘pok-pok

Kung mayamang alembong ka, ang tawag sa iyo ay ‘liberated’
Pero kung isa kang dukha, ang tawag sa iyo ‘malandi’

Kapag mayaman, ‘misguided’ o ‘spoiled’ ka
Kung mahirap ka, ‘addict’ o ‘durugista’

Kung may pera ka, ang tawag sa iyo ‘single parent
Pero kung wala kang trabaho, ang tawag sa iyo ‘disgrasyada’

Kapag mayaman at sexy, ‘fashionable’ raw
Kung mahirap, sigurado ‘GRO’ o ‘japayuki’ ka

Ang tawag sa mayayamang puro gulay ang kinakain, ‘vegetarian
Habang kakaawa ang mahirap na ‘ kumakain ng damo.’

Sa exclusive school, ‘assertive’ ang mga batang sumasagot sa mga guro
Pero pag ang mga mahihirap na bata ang sumasagot sa mga guro, ang tawag sa kanila ay ‘bastos!

Ang mayamang tumatanda, ‘are graduating gracefully into senior citizenhood
Ang mga mahihirap ay ‘gumugurang

Ang anak ng mayaman ay ‘slow learner
Ang anak ng mahirap ay ‘bobo’ o ‘gung-gong’

Kung mayaman ka at marami kang kumain, you flatter your host who says,
masarap kang kumain and I like you, you do justice to my cooking
Kung ghastly peasant ka eating the same amount in the same house, your host will say to himself na ikaw ay ‘patay-gutom

Kung graduate ka ng exclusive school at sa ibang bansa ka nagtatrabaho, ang tawag sa iyo ‘expat’
Kung mahirap ka lang, ikaw ay ‘contract worker

UFC Southeast Asian hub is RP!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008




Filipino mixed martial arts fans will surely have something big to look forward to in 2009 as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the world's premiere mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, is planning to expand to Southeast Asia by next year and plans to use the Philippines as its base of operations.

"We're expanding into Southeast Asia, and we wanna use the Philippines and Manila as a springboard to make it happen," Lorenzo Fertitta, chairman and chief executive of Zuffa, LLC, the media and entertainment company that owns UFC, told sports reporters during a media day at ABS-CBN's 9501 restaurant in Quezon City on Monday.

Fertitta, who arrived with two-time UFC lightweight champion Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell over the weekend, said that the sport has grown so big in America that at times, it has exceeded ratings of other popular sporting events in the US.

"You may or may not know it but the UFC has become one of the largest sports franchises in the United States. The ratings on our TV shows exceeded the NBA, at times exceeded the NFL, exceeded the Major League Baseball, so we've grown tremendously in the United States and Canada," he added.

The next logical step, said Fertitta, is to bring the UFC to the world.

"We're expanding into Europe, we have an office in the UK, we're planning fights in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Finland, Denmark," the UFC big boss added.

UFC in Manila by May

Fertitta, meanwhile, has this to say when asked to elaborate on UFC's plan to establish a base in the Philippines:" We're currently working on it right now, there's a lot of planning and a lot of things that have to be put in place to bring in an event of that size and magnitude over here."

He said that the UFC, together with ABS-CBN, plans to organize something by May 2009.

"We're hoping that we can organize something for the summertime, maybe around May," he said.

However, a lot of things will come into play, he added.

Despite these factors, Fertitta assured UFC fans that, "Definitely, we're going to be here in the Philippines as soon as we possibly could."

Huge market

The UFC head honcho said they were surprised at the huge turnout at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Sunday when Liddell had an open workout there.

"When we went to the Mall of Asia yesterday (Sunday), we had an incredible turnout. Just walking down the street, everybody recognized Chuck Liddell," he said.

Fertitta said that following the warm welcome received on Sunday, they are now more certain of the UFC's chances in the Philippines.

"We love the Philippines, the UFC wants to come here and put on a big show, and become a part of the sports industry here," he said.

He added that the probability of the UFC to establish a Philippine base of operations is "very high."

"I think it's a very high percentage, almost 100 percent," he said, adding that the UFC is already committed to the Filipino market.

"We love the fans here, we think we can build a real business here and we'll be here for sure," he said.

MMA explained; fighter safety on top

A UFC fact sheet explains MMA as "an intense and evolving combat sport in which competitors use interdisciplinary forms of fighting."

These fighting forms include jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and others.

Scoring for MMA events is based on athletic commission-approved definitions for striking (blows with the hands, feet, knees or elbows) and grappling (submission, choke holds, throws or takedowns.

"No single discipline reigns," UFC said.

Despite the intensity and the physical nature of MMA, the UFC as an organization said fighter safety is very important.
"Fighter safety is of paramount concern to UFC ownership and management: it is noteworthy that no competitor has even been seriously injured in a UFC event," it said.

Source:ABS-CBN news

Sunday, September 21, 2008

The Official BansalanMTV!



Bansalan, Davao del Sur Official MTV!

56th Anniversary of Bansalan, Davao del Sur!



This year's 56th anniversary of Bansalan, Davao del Sur -- called Bansaulog (from the words "Bansalan" and "saulog," the Visayan term for celebration) -- was colorful, more unique, lively, and weeklong.

"Unlike the past celebrations, we are celebrating our town anniversary this year for one week," said Edwin Reyes, the town mayor. "Before, we only commemorate the celebration on the town's anniversary."

Read the rest of the article click read more below>>

"Bansalan, Padayon sa Pinasahi nga Pag-uswag" was the theme of the celebration.

"Our town is fast developing but we have to move further to fully develop," said Reyes, the youngest mayor of the town ever and a businessman. "I am hoping that by 2010, we will have improved economically."

Bansalan used to be a barrio of the municipality of Santa Cruz. When Digos (now the province's capital) became a town itself, Bansalan was part of it. The town lies 22 kilometers west of Digos.

On June 6, 1952, Bansalan was separated from Digos and under Executive Order 506 became a town itself. (In 1957, Matan-ao was created out of the territory of Bansalan. Ten years later, Magsaysay followed suit.) The Bagobos were the town's aborigines.

But it was not until Apolonio Ilagan, a captain in the Philippine Constabulary, that the town celebrated its anniversary. On September 18, 1952, Ilagan assumed office the town's first mayor.

How did the town get its name? Richard Ortiz, writing for the municipal comprehensive plan, recounted: "Datu Mandu, the adventurous tribal chieftain whose exploits were the first to have been recorded in the local historical data, established along the banks of the Miral River a village that grew so rapidly during his time. His successor, Datu Tumanas, relocated the settlement of his people to the nearby carambulig (a wide patch of cogonal meadows, where cultivation of crops and domestication of animals were started)."

"It was Datu Tumanas who named the place Dansalan, after valiant Datu Dansalan who ruled the tribe some decades past and whose valor and chivalry were legends that came to be passed on by word-of-mouth through generations."

But how Dansalan became Bansalan is an interesting story in itself. When Americans came to resettlement area, they asked the natives what the name of the place. They replied, "Dansalan."

Ortiz surmised: "The initial plosive consonant must have been misheard by the Caucasians for they used the term 'Bansalan,' and the name stuck from then on."

However, the Provincial Tourism Development Plan has a different version: "Bansalan got its name from the one simple farmer named Bansalan who one day dug the earth in search of potable water to quench his thirst. Fortunately, he dug a spring that didn't only satisfy his thirst but also his other companions. Rain widened the spring and the constant erosion of soil led to its formation into a creek, and later into a river. Bansalan did not live long. His companions, who were recipients of Bansalan's labor, named the river after him."

As part of this year's celebration, Bansalan celebrated the event with street dancing called "Sayo tut dalan." "Street dancing here is much better than in Digos," said a spectator.

According to Geraldine Batal, the municipal tourism officer, the first winner in the high school level (Category B) was Marber National High School, a grand slam since it had won the top prize for three consecutive years.

The three other contenders settled for runner-ups: Nazareth High School, second; Don Pedro Arches Memorial High School, third; and Holy Cross College of Bansalan, fourth.

In the elementary level (Category A), there were six contenders. The best among them was Bansalan Central Elementary School. The runners were the elementary schools of New Clarin, Dolo, Villa-Doneza, Marber, and Kinuskusan.

Part of its unique celebration was the launching of its "one barangay, one product." And the town has chosen coconut as its pride. "Coconut has several uses and we found out that we can make several products out of it," said Julian Albores, the municipal agricultural officer.

Source: Henrylito Tacio/Sunstar Davao

Mining investment in Davao is the top performer in the Philippines!

Davao Region is expected to be the top-performing region in the Philippines if and when mining operations led by foreign-owned mining firms are allowed go full blast.

This was according to the region's National Economic Development Authority (Neda) director, Nicanor Agustin, on the issue of increasing mining investments in this part of the country.

"Mining remains the only hope for the Davao Region to boost and sustain its growth and development," Agustin said.

The Neda regional director said if more mining investments come into the Davao Region and more mining activities increase, "Davao can surpass other regions in the country and be the top performing region nationwide."

The flurry of activities in the mining sector was credited for boosting and propping up the sagging Davao region economy last year, enabling it to post a robust 6.7 per cent growth in the total 2007 Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP).

According to statistics released recently by Neda, mining posted an impressive 11 percent growth last year pushing the growth in the industry sector to 9.6 percent, offsetting the sluggish growth in the agriculture sector and slight decline in the services sector.

Agustin, however, cautioned that the government will only advocate "responsible mining" to safeguard the environment and health of people living around or near the mining areas.

"When we talk of mining, we only mean responsible mining. We don't want to see indiscriminate diggings or large extractions that only leaves behind destruction and devastation, wiping out our forests and rivers," Augustin said.

The Neda director warned that the government will only give permits and licenses to mining companies that can afford to invest in new mining technology that protects the environment even while digging for minerals under the ground.

Trade Undersecretary Merly Cruz expressed optimism that the various mining investments now flowing into the Davao Region will contribute to the sustained growth in the region.

"As long as we stick to responsible mining with the government overseeing its operations very closely, the revitalized mining industry can be sustained over the long term and contribute substantially to the growth of the region," she said.

Source

Mindanao Culinary Festival opens at the Venue on Sept 25!



The three day Mindanao Culinary Festival (MCF) 2008 Summit is set to start on September 25 at the Venue in Davao City with this years theme "Indigenous Flavors, Global Tastes", which is initiated by Davao Tourism Association.

A Culinary seminar and courses will be conducted together with culinary competition whic will be participated by students and trainers. There will also be cooking demonstratins, valuable learning sessions and trainings to be conducted by experts from Manila. There will be fourteen courses and seminars to be conducted.

Cerificate course for baking and certificate course on cake decoration for students and trainers, URC baking course, Barista course for beginners, seminars on restaurant operations training, common pathogens and food safety and more significant topocs to be presented by culinary specialists, chefs and professors of culinary schools, columnist and editor of culinary magazine.

This summit is open to the public to encourage our SME's and those who wants to go into food business.

14th International Surfing Cup in Siargao Island!

Monday, September 22, 2008




General Luna, Siargao - International surfers and tourists flocked Surigao del Norte last Saturday for the formal opening of the 14th International Surfing Cup.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) Caraga and the local government of General Luna led the ceremonial breaking of a surf board to signal the opening of the event.

The event attracted 48 foreign surfers who tra-veled all the way to Gene-ral Luna to compete in the magnificent waves of Cloud 9 in Siargao Island.

Among the participants are International Surfing defending champion Wade Goodall of Australia and some of the world’s most prolific tube riders including 2006 Pipeline master James O’Brien and professional big wave rider Makua Rothman, both from Hawaii.

Also present in the event are fearless Australian chargers Laurie Towner and Dylan Long-bottom.

The participants are competing for the tourna-ment’s $20,000 top prize.

DOT Caraga Regional Director Leticia Tan said this year’s participants are smaller in number compared to last year’s 56.

She, however, clarified that is has nothing to do with the travel advisory issued by the British embassy regarding the armed conflict in Lanao.

Source

Paquiao Begins training in Wild Card Gym!

Monday, September 22, 2008

World Lightweight boxing champion Manny “the Pacman” Pacquiao began his extensive training last Thursday (Friday in Manila) while his opponent Oscar de la Hoya has yet to appoint a trainer for their “Dream Fight” on December 6 in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao arrived in LA Sunday night with his Filipino trainers via Philippine Airlines and was mobbed by adoring fans, most of them Filipinos, at the Los Angeles International Airport.

Pacquiao told newsmen that his training will be closed to the public to allow him to fully focus preparing for what he called the “biggest fight in my boxing career.”

Closed to the public,” a staff at the famous Wild Card Gym in Hollywood said by phone when asked if fans and the media could watch Pacquiao train.

At the De la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions headquarters on Wilshire Avenue here, the buzz is still finding a trainer for the Mexican American ring superstar, who was reported to have started light training last week in his Puerto Rico home.

Oscar is married to Puerto Rican pop singer, Millie Corretjer of San Juan, the capital city.

De la Hoya wanted his long-time trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. to pre-pare him for his Pacquiao bout. But Mayweather has committed to train Britain’s Ricky Hatton for his November 22 welterweight fight with Paulie Malignaggi.

Source

Friday, September 19, 2008

81% of Filipinos age 18-64 uses text messaging!

Saturday, September 20, 2008


Eighty one percent of Filipinos between the ages of 15 to 64 use short-message-service or SMS to communicate with one another while the same group agreed that SMS has become an important form of communication according to survey. SMS is already part of daily life of most Filipinos. Here we can see people of different economic status having cellphones and in the streets may it be in the city or in a small barangay there you can always find someone texting somebody.

The survey revealed that well over half (60 percent) of respondents owned a mobile phone without Internet access while over a quarter (29 percent) possessed Internet-enabling mobile phones.

The survey showed that Internet usage across the country has gone up with more Filipinos logging on to the Internet this year (33 percent) as compared to last year (12 percent) while nearly all respondents (90 percent) indicated that email was their main activity when in cyberspace.

Other online activities included downloading and uploading (53 percent), using search engines (44 percent), listening to music (42 percent) as well as playing online games (34 percent).

This also means that Filipinos are embracing the internet world and are fast becoming a part of their daily lives. And socializing through social networking sites are increasing, this may be because there are more and more Filipinos working overseas and this is the best way to get connected to them.

When it comes to owning digital entertainment products, DVD players (71 percent) topped the ownership list followed by VCD (62 percent) and CD (58 percent) players while over a quarter (30 percent) owned Hi-Fi systems.

Pinoys also enjoy taking pictures and capturing videos with over a quarter (29 percent) owning digital cameras while 19 percent possess digital video cameras.

Pinoys using technology is ever increasing and this somehow helps in stabilizing our economy especially text messaging and in turn keeping in touch with family and friends becomes easier.

Source

Pinoy's leader in internet social networking worldwide!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Filipinos are socializing with their friends not only for real but also in the internet.

The Philippines not only has the reputation as the texting capital of the world, with one billion text messages sent daily, but it also has the highest number of Internet users in the 16 to 64 age group who join social networking groups.

In Universal McCann’s study on social media Wave 3 report, the Philippines had the highest penetration of social networking among Internet users at 83.1 percent, compared with the global average of 57.5 percent.

Social networking is practiced by Web based communities of people who share interests and activities. Users have a variety of ways to interact, such as e-mail, instant messaging services and blogs. Some examples are Multiply, Friendster, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Live Journal and Blogs.

Favorite reading fare

The Philippines also had the second highest incidence of blog-reading among Internet users at 90.3 percent. South Korea topped the blog readership list at 92.1 percent. The global average was 72.8 percent.

All over the world, including the Philippines and South Korea, personal blogs or diary blogs are the favorite reading fare.

About 65.8 percent of Filipino Internet users write blogs, compared with China which topped the survey at 70.3 percent. Globally, 44.8 percent of Internet users blog, mostly about themselves.

Penetration only 15%

This means that Filipinos prefer to read about other people more than write blogs about themselves—but so does the rest of the world.

It must be noted, though, that Internet penetration in the Philippines was relatively low—around 15 percent—compared to cell phone penetration of more than 60 percent. There’s definitely a lot of room for growth.

Still, Universal McCann said its study indicated that blogs and social networks were becoming “mainstream” media and were a valid platform for spreading information.

The study also showed that there was a wealth of opportunities for traditional media publishers as well as advertisers to explore.

But more importantly, it indicated that consumers were no longer passive—they had more control on how they consume content. They also had more ways of telling other people about their views on products, services, people and events.

Universal McCann’s study was undertaken in March 2008 among 17,000 respondents in 29 countries. Those included in the study were Internet users 16 to 54 years old who accessed the World Wide Web every day or every other day.

Source:Inq.net

Cebu Pacific 50,000 seats Absolutely Free Promo!


The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has reported that Cebu Pacific is the No.1 domestic airline once again.

That’s why Cebu Pacific is giving out more than 50,000 seats absolutely FREE. You can only avail of this online via www.cebupacificair.com.

You will pay nothing if you don’t have any check-in bags (Go Lite) and if you don’t avail of Travel Insurance (250 pesos). If you decide to bring check-in bags, you pay 200 pesos (all in).

The seat sale starts now, September 19 until September 21, 2008 and is valid for travel from October 16 to December 17, 2008.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Marco Polo Fun Run on October 12!



The Marco Polo 5K Fun Run is set this coming October 12 in line with their 10th year anniversary celebration. The Fun Run is open to all fitness and sports enthusiasts.

Registration is going on and the registration fee is P150.00 which comes with a souvenir shirt and light breakfast.

Winners will receive a cash prize:

  • Champion:P3,000.00
  • 2nd placer:P2,000.00
  • 3rd Placer:P1,000.00

There's a twist to this years fun run, a team race with P5,000 at stake for the champion.

A team of 10 runners have to register and private companies, government agencies, military, police and bureau of fire units are invited. Each team shall also be judged according to their creativity and uniqueness. They can sing a jingle or chant about Marco Polo Hotel Davao, wear t costumes or uniforms or perform a little dance number in between the race.

For registration and inquiries call the Marco Polo Fitness Center at 221-0888 local 7462 or 7819 for more details.

Rave Reviews for Charice duet with Celine Dion!

Friday, September 19, 2008

DREAM COME TRUE. Filipina singer Charice Pempengco in duet with idol superstar Celine Dion at Madison Square Garden on September 15.

Is Charice's star ever going to dim? By the looks of it, not anytime soon.

Fresh from the success of her performance in the concert of international pop star Celine Dion at Madison Square Garden, sixteen-year-old Charice continues to gain more fans after two major newspapers, the New York Times and the New York Post, heaped praises on her performance last September 15.

In an article published September 16, reviewer Jon Caramanica of The New York Times described Charice's voice as "impressive" and praised the young diva for giving a rougher, more emotional edge to her performance of Dion's hit song "Because You Loved Me."

"They performed 'Because You Loved Me', though Ms. Dion mostly stayed out of the way as Ms. Pempengco explored the song’s heretofore unheard rougher edges, with ample gesticulations and melisma.

"As Ms. Pempengco brought the crowd to its feet, Ms. Dion struck poses behind her: awestruck wonder, heartfelt empathy, ambient triumph," the New York Times review read.

A separate review written by Dan Aquilante of the New York Post described Charice's performance as the brightest moment of the Celine Dion concert.

"One of the most interesting turns in this show was the MSG debut of 16-year-old vocal prodigy Charice Pempengco, whose manager, Oprah Winfrey - that's right - secured the Philippine singer a duet with Celine for the song 'Because You Loved Me.'

"The Charice segment was the night's brightest moment. The teen was able to blast notes with Celine-like power, but she was also able to get in touch with the song's emotions," the review read.

Online videos of Charice's performance at the Dion concert showed people giving a standing ovation to the young Filipina after the duet.

Before they performed, Dion introduced Charice to the audience as a Filipina whose voice "can literally blow the roof off Madison Square."

"Charice vowed to save her mom from a life of desperation and despair. You know, through prayers and dreams and God-given talent, an incredible voice, Charice entered and won every singing contest in her native country and eventually, was noticed by such influential people such as Oprah and Oprah took her under her wings and David Foster joined in," Dion said.

She said she invited Charice as a guest to her concert after seeing the girl perform on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

After inviting Charice to the stage, Dion praised the vocal prodigy and asked if she was nervous. When Charice answered yes, Dion said she always remembered to take the advice given by her manager and future husband, Rene Angelil, when she first started singing at the age of 12.

"He told me 'Celine, I know you're nervous. Don't be scared. You love to sing. When you go up there, you'll be nervous. Don't be.' I will give you an image that you can think about. Think that all the people you see in front of you are your brothers and sisters. You are singing in your living room and it's your family," Dion told Charice.

Charice then said that she was ready to sing and dedicated their song to her mother, Raquel.

Ever the gracious performer, Dion let Charice take the lead in the song - allowing the young singer to show off her vocal prowess that brought the house down.

"You did amazing, and the roof of the Madison (blew) up tonight," Dion said after the performance, adding that she could not wait until Charice had her own concert in Madison Square Garden.

"When you do perform in Madison Square, are you going to invite me? I love you and I can not wait to be with you to perform here for a whole concert," she added before Charice left the stage to more applause.

Source

"Cory" The Musical!

Friday, September 19, 2008



Cory the Musical” presents the life story of former President Corazon C. Aquino to premiere at the Meralco Theater this October.

Former Miss Saigon star Isay Alvarez will portray the role of the first Philippine female president.

My initial reaction was ‘yes, go’ because I’ll be working again with Nestor Torre…and to play Cory was a great honor. But after a while nung nag-sink in na sa akin na ako yung magiging Cory, bigla akong natakot. I wanted to back out. It’s not an easy role, it’s very demanding…she’s President Cory,” said the singer-stage actress.

The musical is written and directed by Nestor Torre. The libretto was created by Bing Pimentel, songwriter and wife of Senator Koko Pimentel. After learning of Cory Aquino’s colon cancer, she was inspired to create a musical in her honor.

Aside from Isay, the cast also includes Robert Sena as former President Ferdinand Marcos, Pinky Marquez as wife Imelda, and Sherwyn Sozon as Ninoy Aquino.


For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

Manny Paquiao starts training for his fight with de la Hoya!

Friday, September 19, 2008

FACING a much taller, a lot bigger, and the best fighter to date in his next ring assignment, Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao finally hit the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon and started training for his much-awaited December 6 encounter with Oscar de la Hoya at the fabulous MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Philboxing.com reported that Pacquiao did some light workout, doing the mitts with famed American trainer Freddie Roach and hitting the speed bag. He also did some shadow boxing and was talking to everyone while he did his routine, a typical Pacquiao manner whenever he is inside the gym for practice.

The 29-year-old Pacquiao was initially scheduled to start training a day before, but this was cancelled because he had to meet first with promoter Bob Arum and that the boxer was not feeling well Tuesday.

Also supervising Pacquiao's training regimen aside from Roach are Buboy Fernandez, Nonoy Neri, Roger Fernandez, and Eric Brown.

Roach reportedly hired big sparring partners--two light middleweights and one welterweight--to prepare Pacquiao for De La Hoya, who started his own training for the fight a month ago.

Hired as sparring partners were 154-pounder Yuri Foreman and Arron Robinson and 147-pounder Rashad Holloway of Raleigh, North Carolina. Roach said all of them have "powerful left hooks."

Pacquiao, the punching machine from General Santos City, will be the heavy underdog in the 12-round battle at 147 pounds against De La Hoya, called the "Golden Boy" and boxing's hottest commodity.

De La Hoya, an Olympic gold medallist, holds an awesome advantage in size and he will be entering the ring looking down on his opponent ready to throw his most dangerous weapon--the left hook--which victimized many tough opponents in the past, notable of whom were Fernando Vargas and Ike Quartey.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao has appealed to his fans, especially those contracted with cough and colds, not to pay him a visit during his training.

Pacquiao said he would like to be in great shape the moment he climbs the ring against De La Hoya and does not want to get sick along the way.

Last Tuesday, Pacquiao failed to show up at the Wild Card Gym after suffering from minor colds.

By Charles Raymond A. Maxey


Source

Reserve a seat for a fee in Cebu Pacific Air!

Friday, September 19, 2008


CEBU Pacific (CEB) passengers may already reserve their preferred seats for a fee starting Thursday.

Guests, who do not avail of this optional service, will continue to get their seat allocated for free at the airport upon check-in.

Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing and distribution, said, the optional service is for passengers who have personal seating preferences such as window or aisle seats, additional leg room, or for groups to sit and enjoy the flight together.

The seat selection is available up to 24 hours before the flight through the CEB website and up to four hours before departure through the call center, sales offices, and travel agents.

Standard seats are sold at P100 per seat, while premium seats in the front and exit rows are sold at P200 per flight.

The airline is also selling prepaid excess baggage in five-kilo increments. Passengers availing of this product can save 20 percent from their excess baggage fees. This is equivalent to a saving of P100 for a domestic flight and P400 for an international flight for each five kilos pre-purchased.

CEB is the only Filipino airline offering both seat selection and prepaid excess baggage as part of its product offering.

Iyog explained, "Our passengers told us that they wanted the flexibility to reserve their seats and settle excess baggage needs upon booking rather than at the airport. With these new products available, we hope to make their travel experience an even smoother one with CEB."

"CEB has always been known as the innovative airline and we will continue anticipating the needs of our guests and looking for ways to serve them better with these new products," she concluded.

Now in its 13th year, CEB has the youngest aircraft fleet in the Philippines. It will fly to 27 domestic destinations with the addition of Busuanga, Ozamiz, and Surigao in the coming months and 15 international destinations with the addition of Osaka, Japan in November.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Paquiao-de la Hoya Tickets fight will be sold on Sept. 24!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Top Rank Promotions, Inc., has revealed in their web site that tickets for the match between the Filipino boxing superstar, Manny Pacquiao and “The Golden BoyOscar de la Hoya shall be sold to fight fans after Wednesday, September 24.

“Tickets will not go on sale before Wednesday, September 24th,” the Top Rank Web site (www.toprank.com/tickets) said. Ticket prices for the fight scheduled on December 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada range from $150 to $1,500. They also clarified that price categories mentioned are not inclusive of all the seats at the arena due to the high demand of the fight.

Manny Paquiao now weighs 154 lbs.!

Thursday, September 18, 2008



Manny Paquiao weighs 154 lbs, just days before he flies to the US to promote his December 6 bout with Oscar dela Hoya and start heavy training, Manny is just seven pounds over the agreed 147-pound weight limit of their mega bout.

Pacquiao said he feels comfortable with his current weight although he expects to tip the scales at 143 pounds a day before his megabuck date with Dela Hoya at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

The Filipino World Boxing Council lightweight champion will be going up in weight against Dela Hoya who has been fighting at the welterweight and middleweight for most of his career.

The southpaw sensation from General Santos City said he expects Dela Hoya to press for the action in the early going of their fight.

The former Pacquiao trainer said Manny could carry his speed and agility even if he climbs the ring at 152 or 153 pounds.

Beyond that, he said, Manny could be in trouble.

Showing his rippling muscles despite ballooning to his current walking weight, Pacquiao said he is confident he could defeat Oscar dela Hoya.

Manny reportedly climbed the ring at 147 pounds on the night he demolished former WBC lightweight king in 10 rounds of masterful display of boxing and punching prowess in June this year for his first and only fight in the said weight class.

A former light flyweight, Manny held titles in the flyweight, super bantamweight, super feather weight and lightweight classes becoming the only Filipino and Asian to achieve that rare feat.

Source

2008 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

The Ramon Magsaysay Award has been around for the past 50 years. It recognizes and honors individuals and organizations in Asia regardless of race, creed, sex, or nationality, who have achieved distinction in their respective fields and have helped others generously without anticipating public recognition.

This years awardees are:

Grace Padaca, from the Philippines, for Government Service. She is being recognized for "empowering voters in the Philippines' Isabela province to reclaim their democratic right to elect leaders of their own choosing, and to contribute as full partners in their own development."



Therdchai Jivacate, from Thailand, for Public Service. He is being honored for "his dedicated efforts in Thailand to provide inexpensive, practical, and comfortable artificial limbs even to the poorest amputees."

Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI), from the Philippines, for Public Service. They are being honored for their "successful adaptation of microfinance in the Philippines, providing self-sustaining and comprehensive services for half a million poor women and their families."



Prakash Amte and Mandakini Amte, from India, for Community Leadership. They are being recognized for "enhancing the capacity of the Madia Gonds to adapt positively in today's India, through healing and teaching and other compassionate interventions."



Akio Ishii, from Japan, for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts. He is being recognized for "his principled career as a publisher, placing discrimination, human rights, and other difficult subjects squarely in Japan's public discourse."



Ahmad Syafii Maarif, from Indonesia, for Peace and International Understanding. He is being honored for "guiding Muslims to embrace tolerance and pluralism as the basis for justice and harmony in Indonesia and in the world at large.



Ananda Galappatti, from Sri Lanka, for Emergent Leadership. He is being recognized for "his spirited personal commitment to bring appropriate and effective psychosocial services to survivors of war and natural disasters in Sri Lanka."

PaquiaoVSHoya tickets gone in 2-3 hours-Bob Arum

Thursday, September 18, 2008

The remaining tickets for the Dec. 6 welterweight war between Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya will sell out "in two or three hours," Top Rank president Bob Arum said yesterday from Las Vegas.

Arum had met with Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer and officials from MGM Mirage on Thursday (Friday in Manila) and they’ve
already decided on the number of tickets that will go to each party.


Only a fraction will be made available to the public since all three companies have already received bulk orders, while the MGM Mirage will use the tickets to entice high-rollers to stay at the MGM Grand and its chain of hotels.

As usual, "Manny also placed an order for tickets," said Arum, although it is not certain if Pacquiao will give tickets away in huge numbers as in the past when nearly every Tom, Dick and Harry can be given one.

The MGM Grand will be reconfigured to seat more than 15,000 although it can hold up to 17,000 spectators. Due to the magnitude of the event, the press will have an unusual number of requests for credentials with lots of applications coming not only from the US, Mexico and the Philippines but from Europe, South America and elsewhere.

Tickets--to be priced at $ 1,500, $ 1,000, $ 750, $ 500 and $ 250-- will go on sale on Sept. 24 and Arum is not surprised why a premium ringside seat on the Internet this early is being dangled for as high as $ 42,000.

"There won’t be a single ticket left for sale (at face value)."
Thursday, September 18, 2008

In anticipation of a huge turnout of sports fans who will not get tickets for the fight, Arum said at least 30,000 seats will be put up for closed circuit in different MGM-owned hotels on the Strip like The Bellagio and The Mirage.

As in the pay-per-view revenues, Pacquiao will also get a cut in the sale of closed circuit showing.

"Everything goes to the pot," said Arum.

When De La Hoya fought Floyd Mayweather last year, all 5,400 tickets that went on sale for the public were bought in three hours and in the final days leading to the bout Ebay had listings of ,000 for a ringside seat.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao is scheduled to leave for the US tomorrow night to start the pre-training camp program and will go full-blast after a six city-five day press tour that will kick off on Oct. 1 in New York.


source:
By NICK GIONGCO
www.mb.com.ph

Pinoy Dishes on YUMMY magazine Sept. 2008!

Thursday,September 18,2008



Every family has their own signature dish. Whether it’s lola’s adobo or your mom’s own version of kare-kare, there are just culinary concoctions that no one else can quite duplicate. Sometimes the uniqueness lies in an added ingredient or an uncommon cooking technique. This September, YUMMY Magazine helps you come up with your own signature dishes by giving you ideas on how you can give a new twist to classic Pinoy dishes.

Become a hit at your next party with this recipe that lets you look at your childhood game of sungka in a whole new way:

Sungkaang Ensalada Filipina
Recipe by Pixie Sevilla-Santos
Serves 6 to 8 persons, takes 30 minutes to 1 hour to prepare

Ingredients:

2 green mangoes, peeled and cut into strips
2 jicamas (singkamas), peeled and cut into strips
1 bunch each watercress and butter lettuce, washed
3 tomatoes, diced
3 salted red eggs, diced
¼ cup adobo flakes or flaked lechon kawali
¼ cup dried fish flakes (tinapa)
¼ cup sautéed beansprouts
¼ cup coarsely chopped peanuts or cashew nuts
¼ cup chopped native sausage (longganisa)
¼ cup sweet fish paste
¼ cup spicy fish paste
¼ cup chopped cilantro or wansoy
¼ cup diced cucumber
¼ cup diced kamias
¼ cup sautéed fish fry (alamang)
¼ cup toasted pandesal, diced

Procedure:

1. Place green mangoes and singkamas on one end of the sungkaan. Place watercress and lettuce on the other end.
2. Slot the other ingredients into the rest of the holes. Place one kind of item in each hole, with a small teaspoon. Serve with dressings if desired.
3. Self-serve instructions: Scoop just enough of each ingredient to create your own salad.

YUMMY also gives you four new ways to cook adobo and helps you make your favorite Pinoy merienda treats like bibingka, palitaw, and guinataang halo-halo from your very own kitchen.

It’s an all-Filipino issue this month, so grab your copy of the September issue of YUMMY magazine, available in all newsstands, bookstores, and supermarkets nationwide at P95 per copy.

DOST Scholarship for undergraduates is now going on!

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is pleased to announce that application for Science and Technology undergraduate scholarships is now going on. This is open to graduating high school students with high aptitude in science and technology and who wish to pursue priority fields of study in basic sciences, engineering and other applied sciences and science teaching.

There are two scholarship programs being offered. One is RA 7687, otherwise known as the S&T Scholarship Act of 1994, which is awarded to talented and deserving students coming from poor families. The other scholarship program, called DOST-SEI Merit Scholarships is granted to students with high aptitude in science, mathematics and technology regardless of the family’s socio-economic status.

To qualify for the scholarship programs, a student must possess the following qualifications: Belongs to the upper 5% of the high school graduating class; Be a natural-born Filipino citizen; Be a resident of the municipality for the last four years; Be in good health; and be of good character; and be a qualifier of the 2009 S&T Scholarship examination.

Qualified applicants will be awarded tuition fees (not to exceed P6,000/sem), book and uniform allowances, monthly stipend and insurance.

Application forms and information materials are available at the DOST Regional Office 11, Dumanlas corner Friendship Roads, Bajada, Davao City. The deadline for filing of application is on September 30 and the examination is on November 9. For interested applicants, contact Mavik Dado at tel. no. (082) 2271313 for more details.

Source

Walk In Exam for Marine Officers Now in Davao!


With the increasing global demand for marine officers, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has brought the “walk-in examination system” (WES) to Davao City.

Instead of going to Manila to take exams for Officer-in-charge of an Engineering Watch, Officer-in-charge of a Navigational Watch, for Marine Engineer and Deck Officers, the applicants may simply take it here in Davao.

PRC regional director Josephine Liamzon announced in yesterday’s (Sept. 17) Ugnayan sa Mandaya Hotel the latest technology brought from central office down to the regional offices in Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao.

“This will lessen the cost of our applicants instead of traveling to Manila, now they can take the exam in those cities,” she said.

PRC XI admitted that there is a slow down of licensure exam applicants from the Davao City’s marine schools.

Data showed that of a few number of examinees who take the exams in Manila, only about 35 percent of the examinees passed. This is believed to have caused the increase in demand of Filipino marine officers from worldwide shipping.

MARINA XI Virgo Armonia bared in the same forum that fresh graduates have found it difficult to immediately land a job or take licensure exams due to the many requirements set before a shipping company hires an applicant.

“One has to undergo series of trainings and exams just to move up the ladder. That is why many of our graduates faced difficulty in qualifying for a job,” Armonia said.

PRC, on the other hand, has lessened the number of examination levels that the applicants need to take.

“Now, they only have to take one exam for operational and one exam for management,” Liamzon added.

The WES result is immediately provided after the end of the last subject. It would only take the applicant about seconds of less than a minute to view the exam results.

Applicants need only to bring birth certificate from the NSO, transcript of records, medical certificate from DOH accredited clinics, NBI clearance, community tax certificate, certificate of sea service, POEA contract, seafarer’s identification record book, and an exam fee of P900.

One can apply through www.prc.gov.ph and the portal will then guide the applicant to the step by step procedure.

Source:PIA/Mia Gevera