A Repost From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)

Four Pinoy icons reveal slices of their life to Jessica Soho

PEP - Sunday, November 28

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Four Pinoy icons reveal slices of their life to Jessica Soho

Slideshow: Showbiz Photos

It takes one icon to make other icons talk.

Ms. Jessica Soho—the first Filipino to win honors from the George Foster Peabody Awards, New York Film and Television Festival, and British Fleet Journalism Awards—is celebrating another milestone for Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, tonight, November 27, after 24 Oras Weekend.

Now on its sixth year, the multi-awarded Saturday show of GMA-7, presents four Filipino icons and their unparalleled contributions in their respective fields.

For the first time in her 25 years in the news industry, Ms. Soho gets to do a one-on-one interview with Comedy King Rodolfo "Dolphy" Quizon.

The first awardee of the The Grand Collar of the Golden Heart—given by Philippine government under the term of President Noynoy Aquino—talks about the persistent rumors of his death and quips: "Huwag niyo akong apurahin."

The 84-year-old comedian also shares his numerous projects: (1) his return to the recording industry with a new album (2) his two MMFF (Metro Manila Film Festival) 2010 entries, Father Jejemon from RVQ Productions and Rosario from Cine Mabuhay and Studio 5 (3) his weekly anthology in another network.

He says he has no plan of slowing down, and would like to be remembered as someone who has given happiness to his audience.

"Basta gusto ko, nakangiti sila kapag nababanggit ang pangalan ko. Ngumingiti ka, may maliwanag na tingin sa iyo at sasabihin na, 'I remember Mang Dolphy na ganoon.' Kesa naman sa 'Naku, buwisit 'yan,' Dolphy tells Ms. Jessica.

Meanwhile, Asia's Songbird Regine Velasquez is also part of the show's list of icons.

To date, Regine's list of achievements remains unmatched. And she's going to be Mrs. Ogie Alcasid before the year ends!

She discusses these in the show, plus, her "bra-less" fashion sense in a Videoke session-inspired interview.

For Regine, she wants to be remembered not for her industry achievements but for what she is as a person.

"Mabait akong anak, importante sa akin yun. At saka mabait akong kapatid. Yung ibang mga bagay, okay na yun sa akin. Hindi yun kasing importante nung pagkakakilala ko sa sarili ko," she says.

The special all-icon interview will not be complete without the pound-for-pound king, the Pambansang Kamao now Sarangani Congressman, Manny Pacquiao.

After winning his bout against Antonio Margarito, which earned for him his eighth world boxing title, Manny also showed he is not just the king of the ring but also a gentleman.

During his match with the Mexican boxer, he wanted to stop the fight. "Boxing is not about killing people," he said.

"Gusto kong makapagbigay ng halimbawa at insipirasyon sa mga atleta. Pag mas maraming tagumpay ang nakakamit sa buhay, mas marami tayong biyaya na natatanggap sa Panginoon, dapat mas more tayo na magpakumbaba," the statesman and the gentleman says in all humility.

The last icon in the list of four greats is also the first Filipino to be recognized in the world of haute cuisine, the incomparable Nora Daza.

Among the first high-profile Filipino chefs and restaurateurs who were able to establish successful restaurants in Paris and New York, Ms. Daza has amazed the palates of some of the royal bloods of Europe and even French actress Bridget Bardot.

She is also the first celebrity chef to have her own cooking show, Cooking It Up With Nora, and to publish several recipe books.

Ms. Daza wants to be remembered in life for her food, but personally, she wants to be remembered for her delicious view of life.

"That's something rewarding... When I'm gone, siguro naman sasabihin nila, 'A, nakatulong siya sa amin.' Na natuto silang magluto dahil kay Nora. E, di ba masarap yun," says the lady with the dolce la vida.

Reposted From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)

A Repost From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)

Beyonce names Manny Pacquiao as one of her favorite athletes

PEP - Saturday, November 27

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Beyonce names Manny Pacquiao as one of her favorite athletes

Slideshow: Showbiz Photos

Ang basketball superstar na si Kobe Bryant, ang tennis player na si Serena Williams, at ang Pinoy boxing champ na si Manny Pacquiao ang favorite athletes ng famous singer na si Beyonce Knowles.

Sa interview kay Beyonce ni Hannah Storm para sa ESPN, sinabi ni Beyonce ang mga katangian nina Kobe, Serena, at Manny na nagustuhan niya.

On Kobe Bryant: "I definitely identify with Kobe Bryant as far as his work ethic... I can always see that he's focused, he works harder than I could ever imagine. It is like he's in the zone. He's just undeniable as far as his talent and his gift."

On Serena Williams: "Definitely, Serena. She just transforms because when you speak to her and she's not working, she's a most lovely, gentle, sweet, beautiful woman, and she is ferocious when she gets out there... I love it! You cannot talk to her. She's in the zone!"

On Manny Pacquiao: "Even Pacquiao, I love him because I really relate to people who were born to do something and gets lost in the moment. When he gets in the ring, he's a beast! I love it! And he shows you can have humility and be a calm person and also be driven when it's time and be a fighter."

Ipinalabas sa ESPN kahapon, November 25, Thanksgiving Day, sa U.S. ang one-on-one interview ni Hannah kay Beyonce.

Part-owner ng NBA team na New Jersey Nets ang asawa ni Beyonce na si Jay-Z kaya nagpaunlak siya na magpainterbyu sa ESPN tungkol sa kanyang favorite athletes.

Reposted From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)

A Repost From Delon Porcalla of Philstar.com

P-Noy takes over PCSO

Philstar.com - Thursday, November 25

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P-Noy takes over PCSO

MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino yesterday took back control and supervision of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) from the Department of Health, which was the arrangement during the time of his predecessor, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Under Executive Order 14, Aquino said there is a “need of placing back to OP (Office of the President) the control and supervision over PCSO” to “ensure the effective implementation of his social agenda, and to effectively facilitate as well the health services and charity programs” of his office.

“One of the main objectives of the OP is to enhance the health services and charity programs to the public as well as to immediately respond to calamities, disaster relief and emerging illnesses,” a portion of the order read.

This developed as the jackpot for the 6/55 Grand Lotto on-line lottery draw of the PCSO last night reached more than P600 million, the biggest jackpot in the country’s lotto history.

In the single-page order, Aquino said that he has the power to transfer functions of line agencies by virtue of the Administrative Code of 1987, which authorizes the President to “transfer agencies to the OP from other departments or agencies.”

Arroyo, who is now a Pampanga congresswoman, issued in November 2004 Executive Order 383, transferring PCSO’s jurisdiction to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and in August 2005 EO 455 that transferred this over to the health department.

Under PCSO’s original charter (RA 1169), however, such power belonged to the OP.

PCSO, which takes charge of the country’s lotto operations, is the principal government agency in charge of raising and providing funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of national character.

With the official transfer, the direct control and supervision over the PCSO is automatically transferred from the Department of Health to the OP.

PCSO website temporary shut down

The official website of the PCSO www. pcso.gov.ph had temporarily shut down since last week after the agency transferred to a new office building, even as bettors trying to access the PCSO website increased since the jackpot of the 6/55 Grand Lotto on-line lottery draw breached P500 million.

In a notice to the public, the PCSO said the agency’s website that releases lotto draw results on the Internet and also provides email service will temporarily be offline due to the transfer of the PCSO MIS Data Center to their new office at the Philippine International Convention Center, CCP Complex in Pasay City.

PCSO officials, however, assured the public that the nationwide lotto network that connects all lotto terminals to the PCSO main office is not affected and is operating normally.

People trying to access the official PCSO website to get the results of the Grand Lotto draw have increased since the jackpot breached half a billion pesos.

“We shall try our best to make the lotto game results search engine, IMAP follow-up and email service online return to normal as soon as possible when our Data Center is fully operational in our new office at the PICC,” the statement said.

The website also releases the lotto draw results, including the number of winners of each of the various lotto draws.

PCSO sources said more bettors have placed their bets for the Grand Lotto draw last night after the jackpot was estimated to hit P620 million after nobody got the winning combination 22-25-17-50-19-37 in last Monday’s Grand Lotto draw with a jackpot of P584, 899, 925.20.

The jackpot of the Grand Lotto last night was the biggest in the history of the PCSO’s on-line lottery that has triggered a nationwide frenzy, with more people joining the long lines at lotto outlets nationwide.

The winner of the Grand Lotto could take home the full amount of the over P600-million jackpot tax free, a PCSO official said.

“If you win you can get your winnings to the last centavo,” the source said.

PCSO chairman Margie Juico said in a recent television interview that they are planning to pay in installment the jackpot prize.

Lotto players have opposed the proposal of Juico.

The Grand Lotto draw is now the most popular in the country since the on-line lottery game was launchedin 1995. The other lotto games include the Regular Lotto 6/42, Mega Lotto 6/45, Super Lotto 6/49, and the EZ2 games.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone filed a resolution directing the House committee on games and amusements to investigate “the rationale of the system, play rules and conduct of the mega lotto draws, and its widespread effect on people to compulsively play the game, and recommend appropriate legislation.”

“The unimaginable jackpot prize and wide media coverage have resulted in record number of people playing the mega-lotto,” Evardone said.

“Widespread compulsion to play, including people who normally would not engage in gambling, tends to run counter to the PCSO vision to uplift the quality of life of the Filipino people.”

He said not one ticket sold has matched the winning number combination after 83 lottery draws, with almost every possible pick of number combination being sold.

“It appears that, at any given draw, people are now compulsively playing a game in which the winning number combination may be ‘unachievable’,” he said.

Evardone said the PCSO should explain how this no-winner phenomenon has come about.

The PCSO must disclose the total amount of revenue generated by ticket sales, he said.

“The PCSO must set a limit to the jackpot prize at stake at a maximum amount, say P500 million, and if such maximum amount is not won or forfeited, it must be donated to orphanages and charitable institutions,” Evardone said.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, however, did not agree with the proposal to put a cap on the jackpot.

“The higher (the prize), the better. I think it’s not just the prize, it’s the excitement,” Suarez said, as he admitted he has been playing the lotto in the last two weeks. With Paolo Romero, Perseus Echeminada - By Delon Porcalla (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Reposted From Delon Porcalla of Philtar.com

A Repost From Thea Alberto of Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Comelec chairman Jose Melo resigns

By Thea Alberto – November 24th, 2010

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By Thea Alberto
Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Commission on Elections Chairman Jose Melo has filed his resignation effective early next year, a spokesman confirmed.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said Melo sent President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III a letter signifying his intent to leave his post by January 31, 2011.

“He [Melo] said he has fulfilled his mission already,” Jimenez told Yahoo! Southeast Asia in an interview.

Jimenez said Melo’s “mission” was to ensure that the 2010 elections will go “without a hitch.”

“We’re not really surprised with his decision. He’s been very vocal of his intention of leaving,” said Jimenez.

He noted several Commissioners are also set to retire on February 2011.

Reposted From Thea Alberto of Yahoo! Southeast Asia

A Repost From Sopheng Cheang of AP (Associated Press)

Over 330 die in stampede at Cambodian festival

AP/Heng Sinith

A crowd of Cambodians are pushed onto a bridge during a water festival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. More photos »

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AFP/Graphic – A stampede in the Cambodian capital has left more than 330 people dead after panic erupted at a water …

• Slideshow:Cambodia stampede leaves hundreds dead
• Play Video Video:Morgues scoured for Cambodia stampede victims AFP
• Play Video Video:Hundreds die in stampede at Cambodian festival AP

By SOPHENG CHEANG, Associated Press Sopheng Cheang, Associated Press – Mon Nov 22, 6:13 pm ET

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Thousands of people stampeded during a festival in the Cambodian capital Monday night, leaving more than 330 dead and hundreds injured in what the prime minister called the country's biggest tragedy since the 1970s reign of terror by the Khmer Rouge.

Some in the panicky crowd — who were celebrating the end of the rainy season on a sliver of land in a river — tried to flee over a bridge and were crushed underfoot or fell over its sides into the water. A witness who arrived shortly after the stampede described "bodies stacked on bodies" on the bridge as rescuers swarmed the area.

Ambulances raced back and forth between the river and the hospitals for several hours after the stampede. Calmette Hospital, the capital's main medical facility, was filled to capacity with bodies as well as patients, some of whom had to be treated in hallways. Many of the injured appeared to be badly hurt, raising the prospect that the death toll could rise as local hospitals became overwhelmed.

Hours after the chaos, the dead and injured were still being taken away from the scene, while searchers looked for bodies of anyone who might have drowned. An Associated Press reporter saw one body floating in the river, and hundreds of shoes left behind on and around the bridge.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, in his third post-midnight live television broadcast, said that 339 people had been killed and 329 injured. He described the chaos as the biggest tragedy to strike his country since the communist rule of the Khmer Rouge, whose radical policies are blamed for the deaths of 1.7 million people during the 1970s.

He ordered an investigation into the cause of the stampede and declared Thursday would be a national day of mourning. Government ministries were ordered to fly the flag at half-staff.

Authorities had estimated that upward of 2 million people would descend on Phnom Penh for the three-day water festival, which marks the end of the rainy season and whose main attraction is traditional boat races along the river.

The last race ended early Monday evening, the last night of the holiday, and the panic started later on Koh Pich — Diamond Island — a long spit of land wedged in a fork in the river where a concert was being held. It was unclear how many people were on the island to celebrate the holiday, though the area appeared to be packed with people, as were the banks.

Soft drink vendor So Cheata said the trouble began when about 10 people fell unconscious in the press of the crowd. She said that set off a panic, which then turned into a stampede, with many people caught underfoot.

Information Minister Khieu Kanharith gave a similar account of the cause.

Seeking to escape the island, part of the crowd pushed onto a bridge, which also jammed up, with people falling under others and into the water. So Cheata said hundreds of hurt people lay on the ground afterward. Many appeared to be unconscious.

Philip Heijmans, a 27-year-old photographer from Brooklyn, N.Y., who arrived at the scene half-an-hour after the stampede, walked up the bridge to see hundreds of shoes and pieces of clothing, then a body, then more "bodies stacked on bodies."

He counted about 40 in all, with about 200 rescuers in the area. Some Australian firefighters were on the scene_ it wasn't clear why they were in town — who were checking pulses before loading bodies into vans.

Cambodia is one of the region's poorer countries, and has an underdeveloped health system, with hospitals barely able to cope with daily medical demands.

Koh Pich used to host a slum community, but in recent years the poor have been evicted to make way for high-rise and commercial development, most yet to be realized.

Reposted From Sopheng Cheang of AP (Asocciated Press)

A Repost From David B. Armstrong of US News & World Report

7 Money Tips for Twentysomethings

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David B. Armstrong, On Saturday 20 November 2010, 1:55 SGT

It's easy to look back, ask,"What if?" and second guess all the decisions I've made in the past 43 years. I have been fortunate to have no major regrets and a whole lot to be thankful for. However, there are some things I would have paid more attention to and done differently if I could go back and relive my early 20s.

Here's a list for all of you in your 20s, as well as for some parents to consider if you have children graduating from college soon:

1. Don't rack up credit card debt, and pay any debts off quickly. Seems simple and downright obvious, but taking on debt is easy to do. The transition from college to the working world can be expensive--new clothes, shoes, apartment, furniture, and other business-world expenses can make it easy to quickly pile on debt. Budget for these expenses, and if credit must be used to get going, have a plan in advance for paying it down.

2. Contribute to your 401(k). Just do it. Retirement contributions build up fast, often have an employer matching contribution, and are saved before taxes. Look at it as savings with an instant profit.

[See 6 Strategies for Funding Your 401(k)]

3. Start a savings plan early. The best time to start a savings plan is before you are used to having extra money in the first place. A good rule of thumb: Use 50 percent of your after-tax paycheck (excluding 401(k) contributions, of course) to pay for the non-negotiable "needs-based" expenses in your life, like rent and food. Use 35 percent for negotiable "wants-based" expenses--entertainment and other costs can scale back quickly if needed. Save 15 percent. Your goal here should be to save about six months of your pay.

4. Don't try to keep up with the Jones's. There is no need to buy the best brand of everything right out of college. People in their 20s who are driving expensive cars, living in luxury apartments, and buying the most expensive clothes either already have money from something other than their first job or they are piling on debt--which isn't smart.

5. Pay off your highest interest-rate debt first. Hint: It's not always the debt with the highest balance. The debt with the highest interest rate is probably the credit card you ran up on bar tabs and that Spring Break trip in the final year of school. Pay that off first. Your student loans, while they carry a big balance and are possibly the scariest in terms of size, probably have a reasonable interest rate relative to any credit card debt.

6. Save four months of your salary in cash before you start investing after-tax money in an investment plan. This may take a while, but the journey of a thousand miles always begins with one step. This is important because if you lose your job, you'll need to make sure you are not forced to sell your few assets at fire-sale prices or default on debt payments at a young age. It will keep you from a panic and keep you from moving back into mom and dad's place.

[See How to Teach Your Child Money Habits for Life.]

This also gets easier,because once you have the first four months saved, you can apply that savings discipline toward an after-tax investment strategy, and as salary raises come along, you can tune up your savings plan to raise your cash balance over the course of six months to a year.

7. Be patient. It's easy to "want." Be patient; with hard work and good fiscal discipline, you will amass a nice portfolio that allows you to realize all the hopes and dreams you may have for later in life. There are probably a lot more major financial events in your future, and you'll want the flexibility to make proper decisions when the time comes.

Having cash, savings, and an investment portfolio that allow you the flexibility to take advantage of opportunities down the road will really help.

If you remember nothing else, remember this: While it seems like your life is full right now, there is probably a lot coming up--such as a first home, graduate school, and maybe even, gasp, kids!

David B. Armstrong CFA, is a Managing Director and co-founder of Monument Wealth Management in Alexandria VA, a full service Private Wealth Planning and wealth management firm. Monument Wealth Management is backed by LPL Financial, the independent broker-dealer and Registered Investment Advisor. He has been named one of America's Top 100 Financial Advisors for two straight years by Registered Rep magazine (2009 & 2010) based on asset under management. David and Monument Wealth Management can be followed on their blog at "Off The Wall", their Twitter account @MonumentWealth, and on their Facebook page. Member FINRA/SIPC.

Reposted From David B. Armstrong of US News & World Report

A Repost From Vanni Sequera of Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Critical Mass: Making the case for Pacquiao as 'the greatest ever'

By Vanni de Sequera, for Yahoo! Southeast Asia Friday November 19, 2010 12:12 pm PHT

A new book about Manny Pacquiao sheds light on how a once one-dimensional slugger has somehow evolved into the Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee, and Robin Hood of boxing.

Acclaimed sports biographer Gary Andrew Poole traveled the world observing the Pambansang Kamao at the gym, in the ring and behind the scenes of his chaotic personal life. His new book on Pacquiao has been called by critics as an unprecedented "journey to Planet Pacquiao." Vanni de Sequera spoke to the book's author.

"Pacman: Behind the Scenes with Manny Pacquiao-the Greatest Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World", a 248-page book by Gary Andrew Poole, helps us understand how this complex Filipino has managed to subdue the best boxers of his generation.

Poole details how Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao grew up in Sarangani Province in Mindanao, poorer than even the poorest in this desperate "City of Dust." When Pacquiao was barely a teenager, he formed an alliance with fellow young boxer-dreamers in General Santos City. To the author, it was a show of solidarity that would forever define the 90-lb. man-boy.

Those who obsessively follow the exploits of Pacquiao are troubled by questions that hang in the air like yesterday's cigarette smoke. How does a fighter – who began his professional boxing career at 106 lbs. (by loading his underwear during weigh-ins) when only 15 years old (by lying about his age to the Games and Amusements Board) – conquer the kings of boxing, moving up in weight with chin, punch, and speed intact more successfully than any fighter in history. "Pacman: Behind the Scenes…" offers intriguing glimpses into the possible answers.

Trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning expert Alex Ariza, for one, belatedly came into his life. (Or did Pacquiao, with his ferocious sense of destiny, enter theirs?) Also, maybe poverty never gave Pacquiao's insufficiently nourished frame a chance until science-based nutrition triggered his adult growth spurts.

One way or another, Poole has managed to puncture the bubble of the Pacquiao mystique – quite a feat given the boxer's lunatic-fringe entourage. Poole even gingerly devotes a chapter to Pacquiao's alleged romantic relationships.

CRITICAL MASS: Who initially approached you with the idea to write this book?

GARY ANDREW POOLE: About four or five years ago, I was in the Wild Card Boxing Club with Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach. I was covering a different fight, but he kept going on and on about Pacquiao. Roach told me the PacMan might become one of the greatest fighters ever. My ears pricked up. I was in the midst of writing another book, but I started researching Pacquiao, who was not much of a story yet in the United States. I thought he had a compelling story – one that went beyond his athletic feats. It also interested me on another level, something I came to call the "globalization of celebrity."

Boxing, they say, is the sport of the underclass: there have been many success stories about champion fighters whose fighting qualities were honed by abject poverty. What exactly is it about Manny, do you think, that empowered him to transcend merely being a respected titleholder into becoming included in the Greatest-Ever debate?

I think his boxing accomplishments, not his dramatic personal story, put him into the Greatest-Ever debate. He has fought excellent boxers – some of the best of his era. He has fought brilliantly. I just sat ringside as he pummeled Antoino Margarito. It was another virtuoso performance that earned Pacquiao his eighth belt. At fight time, Margarito was 17 pounds heavier than Pacquiao – that's David-and-Goliath-type stuff, and only adds to the Greatest-Ever talk and the mythology around the PacMan. Of course, a win over Floyd Mayweather would leave little doubt about his supremacy.

A few times, you write that Manny is the greatest boxer since Ali. Why do you believe he is superior to Marvin Hagler, Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chavez, Pernell Whitaker, and Roy Jones Jr., among others?

Every boxer you named is a legend. Pacquiao? He has the fastest hands ever. He has some of the quickest feet. He has two powerful hands. He has an incredible boxing mind. I think what separates him from those great boxers is his ability to fight and dominate much, much bigger world-class opponents. He is essentially defining this era of boxing. He has become a star of sorts in the United States, but he is a victim of boxing's decline in America. I think that is the reason people are sometimes skeptical of his accomplishments – many Americans, including the US media, haven't followed him as closely as the stars of the past, and so they don't fully appreciate his ring brilliance.

"Pacman: Behind the Scenes with Manny Pacquiao-the Greatest Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World" is now available at all Fully Booked branches in the Philippines.

Reposted From Vanni Sequera of Yahoo! Southeast Asia