Saturday, May 28, 2011

A Repost From Musong R. Castillo of Philippine Daily Inquirer

PBA TV bids known today; Barako seeks extension; Salud thumbs down trade

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MANILA—ABS-CBN and TV5 filed sealed bids yesterday for the coverage of Philippine Basketball Association games starting next year, even as Barako Bull asked for an extension before announcing its decision whether to join or skip the coming Governors Cup.

Commissioner Chito Salud yesterday said that the TV bids will be opened today as the league formally ends a three-year partnership with Solar Sports starting next season.

Salud had also thumbed down the trade between Air21 and Alaska and asked the Express to revise the deal that would send underachieving 6-foot-7 slotman Jay-R Reyes to the Aces in exchange for Joe Devance.

“It’s uneven in my opinion,” Salud said. “I have asked Air21 to involve at least one or maybe even two future Draft rights.”

The schedule and format of the Governors Cup remained uncertain after the Barako Bull franchise requested for another two days before announcing its decision on whether to come back or not.

Barako Bull had filed for a leave of absence after the Philippine Cup won by Talk ‘N Text, saying that it was deferring to Smart-Gilas to give the national program a chance to improve using the PBA.

Though Salud said that he is getting strong indications that the Energy Boosters will return in the Governors Cup, reports of delayed and even unpaid salaries to players and utility personnel in the last two years have fanned speculations of an impending disbandment.

The tournament is tentatively slated to open in Tacloban City on June 11 after initial plans of playing two games in Dubai on June 2-3 were shelved because of the lack of sponsors.

Reposted From Musong R. Castillo of Philippine Daily Inquirer

Thursday, May 26, 2011

A Repost From Charley Braga of OMG! Philippine News Blog

omg! Philippines News Blog

‘American Idol’ puts out all the stops in its grand finale

Photo by Getty Images

Photo by Getty Images

The producers of "American Idol" achieved what it set out to do — make dreams come true. And for Season 10 winner Scotty McCreery, that dream culminated on the finale. But 'Idol' wasn't short of giving out dreams today, because for the other Top 13 finalists, there was still a place for them at the grand finals.

If yesterday's performance show may have underwhelmed some, today's results-show finale struck a high note by pairing "Idol" contestants with their own personal music idols: rocker James Durbin with legendary rock star Judas Priest singing "Living After Midnight" and "Breaking The Law," gospel crooner Jacob Lusk singing "I Smile" with Kirk Franklin, the top 13 girls with Beyonce singing "Crazy in Love," the ladies singing a medley of TLC's greatest hits, Haley Reinhart literally "Steppin' Out" with the legendary Tony Bennett, and what's one of the most hilarious moments of the season, Casey Abrams with Jack Black singing Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls."

"Idol" producers also set out to mimic last year's Simon Cowell show tribute by honoring the show's judges: Steven Tyler, the resident "Idol" rock god, Jennifer Lopez, "the most beautiful woman in the world," and Randy Jackson, "Mr. In-It-To-Win-It."

One of the night's highlights was Jennifer Lopez salsa-dancing beside hubby Marc Anthony to a medley of songs, proving that she really is the most beautiful (and possibly the hottest 41-year-old) woman in the world. Lady Gaga, fresh from the release of her new album, made a risque bikini-clad appearance featuring her newest single, "The Edge of Glory."

Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina had their fair share of the stage as well: Scotty held his own beside Tim McGraw with "Live Like You're Dying," and despite blowing out a vocal cord the day before, Lauren showed off her pipes beside seasoned 'Idol' alum Carrie Underwood singing "Before He Cheats."

Beyonce once more took to the stage with her new single "One Plus One," followed by Bono and The Edge performing a song from Spider-Man, The Musical.

Finally, the moment Steven Tyler fans have been waiting for — the judge chose the grand finale to make his "Idol" stage debut with his hit "Dream On," screeching only like Steven Tyler can.

Ryan Seacrest then made the big announcement: Scotty McCreery was the newest "American Idol," to the delight of Scotty fans. He showed off his Southern roots by humbly acknowledging his "Idol" journey alongside tearful fellow finalist Lauren Alaina. The show ended with Scotty's Jimmy Iovine-produced single, "I Love You This Much," available now on iTunes.

Reposted From Charley Braga of OMG! Philippine News Blog

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

A Repost From Jun Pasaylo of Philstar.com



PNR: Manila-Bicol train test run sucessful

MANILA, Philippines � The test-run for trains that will be plying the Manila-Bicol route was successful, an official of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) announced today.

Conducted last weekend, the test-run covered more than 400 kilometers through a newly refurbished locomotive train with several tourist class coaches donated by the Japanese government.

�In my assessment, the Bicol test-run we conducted was 95 percent successful and we are nearing our objective to put back in operation the commercial PNR trips to Bicol region,� said PNR General Manger Junio Ragragio Jr.

The Manila-Naga trip took only nine hours, shorter than the usual 10-hour travel time through bus, Ragragio said.

�This makes trip to certain parts of Southern Luzon via train a highly viable travel alternative,� he said, adding that all train coaches for the "Bicol Express" will be air-conditioned.

Also included in the test run was a locally refurbished passenger coach with several reclining chairs with a fit and finish comparable to imported train cars. It has better amenities to compete against imported first-class air-conditioned bus.

�We have the tourist class where we have reclining chairs with more leg room compared to commercial buses. This includes a wide screen LCD with state-of-the-art sound system to comfortably watch movies during the long trip,� Ragrario said.

�We also have two types of sleeper coaches. One is a family suite that is good for a family or barkada of 4 to 6 persons. And we also have the executive class for passengers who would like extra privacy during the lengthy tour and the inclusion of a dining car with an ambiance of first class restaurant,� he added.

He added that several projects are at hand for the Bicol Express route that includes the renovation of several train stations traversing along the provinces of Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Sur and Albay.

�These train stations used to be teeming with commercial activities. However, after a long absence of train operations they are now in a state of neglect,� he cited.

The PNR is mulling at putting up railway connections to Batangas, Camarines Norte and Sorsogon.

�It is a very difficult and laborious undertaking but we are up to the challenge�, he said. - By Jun Pasaylo (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Reposted From Jun Pasaylo of Philstar.com

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

A Repost From GMA News


Fr. Bernas calls some anti-RH clerics 'irresponsible'

Amid the chorus of anti-Reproductive Health (RH) Bill rhetoric of his fellow clergymen, prominent Jesuit Joaquin Bernas, SJ sings a different tune.

In his column on Inquirer.Net on Monday, Bernas declared, "I have never held that the RH Bill is perfect. But if we have to have an RH law, I intend to contribute to its improvement as much as I can."

He also disagreed with "churchmen (who) compel President Aquino, by whatever means, to prevent people from acting according to their religious belief."

Bernas is a constitutional lawyer, member of the 1987 Constitutional Commission. , and former Ateneo Law School dean, As a priest and a respected intellectual, Bernas has been a thorn in the side of the anti-RH camp by criticizing Church opposition to the RH Bill as a violation of religious freedom.

His most recent column was partly a defense from criticism by conservative Catholics, including a "high-ranking cleric" who called him Judas. But we also went on the offense.,

In the column titled "My Stand on the RH Bill," Bernas branded as "irresponsible" clerics who say that support for the RH Bill is a serious sin and lauded the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for “[disowning] the self-destructive views of some clerics."

He also referred to some critics of the bill as "attack dogs."

Bernas' column is usually a cerebral take on affairs of the state that perhaps fellow academics can best appreciate.

But reflecting the increasingly fevered public interest in the RH issue, his latest column has gone viral, with nearly 5,000 Facebook “recommends" as of Tuesday morning and nearly 1,500 Twitter shares.

‘Freedom of religion’

Bernas put his views in context by pointing out that the Philippines is a pluralist society which should support not only the freedom to believe but the “freedom to act or not to act according to what one believes."

Thus, Bernas argued, neither the government nor the church has the right to stop people from practicing responsible parenthood whichever way they prefer.

Citing the “Compendium on Social Teaching of the Catholic Church," Bernas explained that the state ought to decide based not only on the majority, but the minority as well.

For Bernas, spending public money to promote public health does not violate the Constitution, contrary to the argument of some anti-RH activists.

“Public money is neither Catholic, nor Protestant, nor Muslim or what have you and may be appropriated by Congress for the public good without violating the Constitution," he said.

Reposted From GMA News

Sunday, May 22, 2011

A Repost From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)



Luis Manzano on Jennylyn Mercado: "We are definitely dating!"

Matapos ang matagal na pananahimik ni Luis Manzano tungkol sa pagkaka-link nito kay Jennylyn Mercado, finally ay nagsalita na siya noong Sabado, May 21, sa Entertainment Live sa tunay na estado ng relasyon nila ng Kapuso actress.

Matatandaang lumabas ang report na nakita raw silang magkasabay na namimili sa isang grocery. bago pa dito ay nakita rin daw ang dalawa na sabay na nagbakasyon sa Boracay.

Pero tuwing tatanungin ng media si Luis tungkol dito ay laging tikom ang kanyang bibig.

Ngunit nang tanungin siya ng co-hosts niya sa E-Live na sina Nikki Gil, Ogie Diaz, at K Brosas tungkol dito kahapon, umamin na rin si Luis.

"Yes, we are," diretsong sagot ni Luis nang tanungin kung exclusively dating na sila ni Jennylyn.

FROM AFAR. Paano sila nagkakilala ni Jennylyn?

"Dati na kaming nagkakasama sa mga out-of-town shows, mga raket. Pero nagkasama talaga kami ni Jen when we started training together.

"Prior to training rarely, text has something to do with trabaho. Kumbaga, isang tanong, isang sagot, ganun lang.

"Kumbaga, everything started when we started training together—Muay Thai saka Jujitsu."

Hindi rin daw naging hadlang ang pagkakaiba nila ng pinagtatrabahuhang network.

"Kahit nasa kabila [GMA-7] si Jen, I've always been a fan of her beauty.

"Kahit nung nakita ko siya, sa Lepazpi pa yun, e, I am hosting a pageant. Sabi ko sa kasama ko, 'Ang ganda niya, 'no?'"

So, may crush na siya kay Jennylyn even before?

"Yes, I believe so," sagot ni Luis.

"Hindi ako sure kung meron nga talaga, pero I believe meron.

"Ang ganda niya, napakasimple ng beauty niya."

What made him decide from being an admirer to become a suitor?

"Siguro nung nagkakasama kami, parang hinahanap-hanap ko yung tawa niya.

"Nagkakasama kami sa rolling, sa Jujitsu...

"Hindi nga biro yung ginagawa namin, e. Bagsakan yun, kung anu-ano.

"Pero still, you look forward to that kahit medyo alam mo na sakit ng katawan ang ending para sa hapon na yun."

Bakit nagte-training si Jennylyn ng Muay Thai?

"Si Jen naman kasi, I can't speak on her behalf kung bakit talaga siya nag-start mag-training.

"Pero alam ko, sobrang big big fan si Jen ng UFC. Sobra!

"Alam niya lahat ng nangyayari sa UFC."

Ang UFC o Ultimate Fighting Championship ay isang promotion company na nagtatampok ng mga laban ng mixed martial arts fighters.

BORACAY SIGHTING. Totoo bang sinundan niya si Jennylyn sa Boracay noong nakita na magkasama raw sila?

"Once and for all, klaro ito, I think before Holy Week, nag-Boracay siya with her son and kanyang mommy.

"Tapos nakabalik na siya, kami [refering to Nikki Gil and Iya Villania] naman, nag-Bora for MYX, wala si Jen dun.

"Pero siguro after two days, bumalik si Jen dun with her family, kasama niya mga tita niya," paglilinaw ni Luis.

EXCLUSIVELY DATING. So, aminado siyang exclusively dating na sila ni Jennylyn?

"Yung exclusively dating, hindi pa fully tackled 'yan sa aming dalawa, hindi pa namin talaga nauupuan 'yan at napag-uusapan.

"Pero siguro sa puntong ito, so far, eveything has fallen into place.

"So siguro, yung pagiging exclusive—whether it be unspoken na lang sa amin or kailangan pag-usapan—isa na lang yun sa mga hakbang na kailangan namin pagdaanan kung ano man ang namamagitan sa amin."

For the record, ano na talaga ang status nila ni Jennylyn ngayon?

"We are definitely dating!" sagot ni Luis.

Is he dating anyone else?

"No!" mabilis niyang sagot.

May kilig factor ba?

"Oo naman!

"Sabi ko nga, di ba, bubugbugin mo yung katawan mo sa Jujitsu, pero still, you are looking forward to it...

"Naggugulungan kayo, nagbabalian kayo ng buto, pero happy pa rin."

SINGLE MOM. Alam naman ng publiko ang pagkakaroon ng anak ni Jennylyn sa pagkadalaga. Hindi ba natatakot si Luis sa sasabihin ng ibang tao tungkol dito?

"I don't take it as a bad thing," sabi niya.

"Definitely, any child is a blessing sa mga buhay-buhay.

"And for some na nababasa na napaka-negative na tao, na ini-insinuate na napakasama naman niyang ina at her age, at mahirap makipagrelasyon sa taong may anak na, ang masasabi ko lang sa ganun, e, di sana para na ring hinusgahan ang mommy ko [Vilma Santos].

"Dahil nung pumasok si Tito Ralph [Recto] sa buhay namin, my mom had me na.

"So, parang kung hinuhusgahan n'yo si Jen for having a son, at nagkataon na may papasok na sa buhay niya, di parang hinusgahan n'yo ang mommy ko, which is very very unfair.

"Siguro naman my mom raised me well. Siguro hindi ako naging pabigat.

"Kung nakita n'yo naman si Mommy at Tito Ralph ngayon, so far so good.

"Sana naman hindi gamitin yun because it is a very, very stupid logic," saad ni Luis.

Na-meet niya na ba ang anak ni Jennylyn na si Alex Jazz? At kilala na rin ba siya ng anak ni Jen?

"Yes, na-meet ko na siya," banggit ni Luis. "Dumadalaw siya sa training namin ni Jennylyn.

"I really doubt na alam niya ang name ko, kung kilala niya talaga ako. Definitely not yet.

"Siguro mas magugulat ako kung umabot na kami sa aspeto na ganun."

MEETING GOVERNOR VI. Ipinakilala na ba ni Luis si Jennylyn sa kanyang ina na si Batangas Governor Vilma Santos?

"Yes," pagkumpirma ni Luis.

"Well, I guess it went really, really well.

"Nagkakilala sila sa Batangas, it was Holy Week.

"Wala rin naman ibang nasabi si Mommy. My mom likes Jen."

Sa palagay niya, boto ba ang mommy niya kay Jennylyn?

"Kahit naman siguro sino magugustuhan si Jen... As I told you kanina, my mom likes Jen," sagot ni Luis.

MOVING ON. Does it mean na pareho na silang naka move-on ni Jen sa mga past lovelife nila?

Luis used to be with Angel Locsin, while Jennylyn just came from a bitter breakup with Dennis Trillo.

"I think it will be very unfair naman kung ilalagay ko si Jen sa isang situation na hindi ready, na hindi pa pala ako ready.

"It will be very, very unfair for the lady," sabi ng TV host-actor.

Sino naman ang non-showbiz girl na, according to Toni Gonzaga, ay binilhan daw ni Luis ng HD Box?

"Sabi ko nga sa aking Twitter, yung sa non-showbiz girl na nililigawan ko—apparently, girlfriend ko daw...

"Ang story kasi ng HD Box... Sabi nga ni Toni, iisa pinagkukuhaan namin, may mga ni-refer na ako.

"Whether it be a normal, daily friend, girl friend, ang dami ko nang ni-refer.

"Ang sa akin is wala akong binabayaran para sa iba, definitely may ni-refer ako dahil gusto kong makuha yung free HD Box ko."

USER ISSUE. Ang tanong ng lahat: Luis, masaya ka ba ngayon?

"I am very, very happy," sambit niya.

Bakit pinili niyang magsalita regarding this issue about Jennylyn?

"Kung napapansin n'yo sa mga past interviews, laging sinasagot ko zip-mouth.

"Sabi ko nga, for 2011, tahimik lang ako.

"The only reason why nagsasalita po ako ngayon, dahil may mga lumalabas na 'user' issue.

"Unang-unang lumabas na ginagamit daw ako ni Jen.

"Unang-una po, kung si Jen ang gumagamit sa akin, then bakit po ako ang nagyayaya palagi?

"So, para malinaw po, ako po nagyayaya, and Jen is definitely not a user.

"Second, is ako pa ang nanggagamit kay Jen.

"Kaya nga po ganun ako [zip- mouth], kasi ayoko pag-usapan, ayaw din naman pag-usapan ni Jen.

"Yung iba lang po ang gumagawa ng issue.

"Ayaw namin pag-usapan, ayaw namin magpagamit.

"Sino ba naman ako para gamitin, as if ako ang pinakasikat na star?

"Sa akin po, ang kasikatan, napakadali lang niyan. Isang araw sikat ka na.

"Mas gusto kong magtagal sa industriya."

Pabiro namang tanong ni Ogie Diaz: "Masasabi mo bang si Jennylyn ang isang angel na bumaba mula sa langit para paligayahin ang puso mo ngayon?"

"Kung ibabase mo sa tanong na 'yan, ang sagot ko—yes, Jen is a blessing!" sagot ni Luis.

Reposted From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)

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