A Repost From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)

Boracay still the favorite Holy Week destination of the stars

PEP – Sat, Apr 23, 2011 5:09 PM PHT

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  Boracay still the favorite Holy Week destination of the stars

Boracay pa rin ang paboritong puntahan ng karamihan ng mga artistang gustong magbakasyon sa Semana Santa.

Nung Miyerkules Santo, April 20, pa lang ay namataan na namin sa Terminal 3 airport ang pamilya Gutierrez na patungong Boracay.

Nakaugalian na rin nina Sen. Bong Revilla at Rep. Lani Mercado na sa Boracay mag-Holy Week kasama ang kanilang mga anak at apo.

Sa Discovery Shores sila naka-billet, kung saan nandoon din si Richard Gutierrez kasama ang mga kapatid at ilang kasamahan sa Captain Barbell na sina Lovi Poe, Michelle Madrigal, Ervic Vijandre, at Solenn Heussaff na sumunod lang kinabukasan.

LOVI & JOLO. Halatang nag-iiwasan ang dating magkasintahan na sina Lovi at Jolo Revilla dahil sa pagkakaalam namin, hindi rin sila nagkikita o nagkausap man lang kahit nasa iisang resort hotel lang sila.

Nung hapon ng Huwebes Santo, April 21, in-interview ng media ang mag-asawang Bong at Lani kasama ang kanilang mga anak. Dumating naman ang grupo nina Richard at isa na roon si Lovi.

Bumati si Lovi sa mga kapatid ni Jolo, pero hindi ito lumapit sa kinauupuan ng dating boyfriend.

Napapangiti na lang si Jolo nang tinukso na ito kay Lovi.

"Magkaibigan naman kami. Nagti-text minsan, pero hindi pa kami nagkausap," nakangiti niyang pahayag.

Umiiwas naman si Lovi na sagutin ang tungkol sa kanila ni Jolo, pati ang ilang intriga dahil nandun lang daw siya para magbakasyon.

Pero nung Biyernes Santo ng gabi, April 22, ay nagkita sila uli sa lobby ng Discovery Shores at nilapitan na ni Jolo si Lovi para batiin.

Nagkausap naman daw sila pero nagkumustahan lang. Ipinakilala naman daw ni Lovi si Jolo sa mga kaibigan nito.

MICHELLE MADRIGAL. Medyo emotional pa rin si Michelle Madrigal nang napag-usapan ang tungkol sa breakup nila ni Jon Hall.

Naalala pa nito na ang huling bakasyon niya sa Boracay ay magkasama pa sila ni Jon.

Pero ngayon ay single na nga raw siya at wala pa raw munang panahong magkaroon ng panibagong relasyon.

Okay naman daw sila ni Jon bilang magkaibigan at nagkakausap naman daw sila kapag nagkikita sila sa taping. Pero hanggang dun na lang daw at hindi raw niya masabing may posibilidad na magkabalikan.

Pahayag ni Michelle, "Kasi ang two years na pinagsamahan namin ni Jon hindi naman mawawala yun, e, kasi we're always together, we have the same manager [Annabelle Rama].

"Ang dami naming pinagdaanan ni John na through thick and thin talaga na kumbaga, ang dami naming problema na inayos naming dalawa.

"So, you know, hindi mo puwedeng isara ang pinto sa isang taong two years mo ring nakasama. Pero right now, hindi namin iniisip na magkabalikan kami.

"Basta kung anong mangyari, hindi mo naman masabi, di ba? Pero right now, friends pa rin kami."

ERVIC VIJANDRE. Si Ervic Vijandre naman ay aminadong muntik na raw sanang mauwi sa magandang relasyon ang closeness nila ng dating SexBomb dancer na si Aifah Medina. Pero naudlot daw ito dahil sa mga bagay na hindi nila napapagkasunduan.

Naging abala na rin daw siya sa trabaho kaya wala na itong panahon para maging okay sila ng dating SexBomb dancer.

Naging open din si Ervic sa nararamdaman niya sa dating kasintahang si Marian Rivera.

Mahirap daw sa kanya na basta na lang kalimutan ang pitong taong magagandang samahan nilang dalawa. Kaya mahigit dalawang taon din daw siyang nagdusa bago makapag-move on nang husto.

"Honestly, sobrang matagal kasi akala ko yun na, e," sabi niya.

"Isipin mo seven years na hindi na ako sanay na nanliligaw pa, o sumusuyo pa sa iba.

"Kumbaga, nasa stage na kampante na ako, settled na ako na wala na akong pakialam sa ibang tao, tapos biglang na-restart yung buhay ko."

Kaya sa susunod daw niyang relasyon, yun na raw ang babaeng pakakasalan niya dahil hirap daw siyang mag-restart ng buhay niya kapag may breakup na naman.

Aminado rin itong hindi raw niya maiwasang maikumpara minsan kay Marian ang mga babaeng nakaka-date niya.

Ayon kay Ervic, "Si Marian kasi, kahit hanggang ngayon sabihin ko parang wife-material siya. May times before na naku-compare ko ang mga ka-date ko sa kanya.

"Yun ang nalaman ko na mali na hanapin ang katangian ng isang tao sa nakaraan. Kasi mahirapan ka makapag-move on."

Hindi maiwasang kinakabahan daw siya kapag magkikita sila uli ni Marian, pero masaya na raw siya dahil nakikita naman daw niyang masaya na rin ang aktres kay Dingdong Dantes.

"Sa akin kasi matagal na iyun, wala na yun. Actually, masaya talaga ako kapag nakikita kong masaya sila.

"Basta maging masaya lang si Marian, okay na ako dun. Kung hindi man ako, basta maging masaya lang siya di ba?"

SOLENN HEUSSAFF. Mukhang in-enjoy nang husto ni Solenn ang kanyang bakasyon sa Boracay. Unang gabi pa lang niya ay nagpakalasing na ito nang husto kasama ang mga kaibigan.

Namataan siya kinabukasan ng alas singko ng umaga na nakabalik sa hotel na binibitbit na lang dahil sa sobrang kalasingan.

Ilan pa sa mga artistang namataan ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) sa Boracay ngayong Holy Week ay sina Vina Morales kasama ng anak nitong si Ceana, Iwa Moto at ang non-showbiz boyfriend niyang si Mickey Ablan, Jackie Rice at ang daddy at kuya niya.

Nandoon din sina Ahron Villena, Xian Lim, Regine Tolentino, Shalala, at Bianca King.

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Reposted From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)

A Repost From Chuck Smith of OMG! Philippine News Blog

Charice ‘incredible’ on ‘Glee’ return

By Chuck Smith | omg! Philippines News Blog – 16 hours ago

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Charice (Getty Images)

Finally, after her guesting on the first episode of the second season of "Glee," Charice returned to the hit comedy-musical show to reprise her role as the exchange student and musical ingenue Sunshine Corazon last Tuesday, April 19 (Wednesday morning in Manila).

In the 17th episode of the second season of "Glee" (titled " A Night of Neglect"), Sunshine returned to McKinley High School as a member of Vocal Adrenaline, the rival glee club of series protagonist New Directions. When the kids of New Directions planned to organize a fund raiser concert to get funds for the glee club and the school's academic decathlon team, Sunshine signed up as a performer, which prompted her to sing "All By Myself." She also had a brief scene during the first few minutes of the episode as member of the rival school's decathlon team.

Other episode guest stars were Gywneth Paltrow and Cheyenne Jackson, among others.

Besides "All By Myself," the show also featured "I Follow Rivers," "Turning Tables," and "Ain't No Way."

The international singing sensation's "Glee" guest stint already garnered positive response even before the "A Night of Neglect" episode aired. Entertainment blogger and television personality Perez Hilton described Charice's performance as "incredible" in his blog.

TVLine.com's Michael Slezak, meanwhile, wrote in his recap/review of the episode that : "(W)hile I still can't comprehend what Sunshine was doing in the auditorium in the first place, there's no denying the impressive horsepower of Charice's much-ballyhooed instrument." He gave Charice's performance a B+ grade.

Hollywoodlife.com said: "The biggest atrocity, much like the premiere episode, was the inability of the show to do something with the insanely talented Charice. She shows up, sings the heck out of a song, and suddenly poof … she's gone. See you soon?

Here's an interview with Charice on her performance in the "Night of Neglect" episode preview on the official "GleeOnFox" channel on YouTube:

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Reposted From Chuck Smith of OMG! Philippine News Blog

A Repost From ANN (Asian News Network) and PDI

Philippines 'invaded' Spratlys in 1970s, China tells UN

By News Desk in Manila/Philippine Daily Inquirer | ANN – Thu, Apr 21, 2011 11:40 AM PHT

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Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - China has countered a Philippine diplomatic protest at the United Nations by saying it has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly islands that the Southeast Asian country "started to invade" in the 1970s.

China's diplomatic note to the UN, a copy of which was seen by The Associated Press, said the Philippine occupation of some islands and reefs in the Nansha islands infringes on China's sovereignty. The Spratlys are known to the Chinese as Nansha islands.

A Philippine protest filed to the UN earlier this month said China's claim to islands, adjacent waters, seabed and subsoil in the South China Sea had no basis in international law. The territorial claims were detailed in a map submitted to the UN in 2009.

The Philippines, China, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Viet Nam claim in whole or in part the Spratlys - a group of islands, reefs and atolls in the South China Sea believed to be sitting atop vast oil and gas reserves.

Viet Nam and Malaysia filed protests in 2009 against China's map, and Indonesia, a nonclaimant to the disputed territory, also protested last year.

The protests are registered with the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, which will help mediate conflicting claims on territories.

'Totally unacceptable'

China said the contents of the Philippine diplomatic note "are totally unacceptable to the Chinese government".

The Philippines has said the Kalayaan Island Group in the Spratlys was an integral part of the country, which has sovereignty and jurisdiction over nearby waters and geological features under the international law principle that land dominates the sea.

China said the Kalayaan Island Group was part of its Nansha islands and its sovereign and related rights were supported by abundant historical and legal evidence.

It said before the 1970s, the Philippines never made any claims to the islands in a series of treaties defining its territory.

"Since the 1970s, the Republic of the Philippines started to invade and occupy some islands and reefs of China's Nansha islands and made relevant territorial claims, to which China objects strongly," said China's April 14 note to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

China said the doctrine that a legal right cannot arise from an unlawful act applied, thus the Philippines could not rightfully claim the islands.

Asked for comment, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines said the note verbale sent by the Philippine Permanent Mission to the UN "speaks for itself".

"We should leave it at that," DFA spokesperson J. Eduardo Malaya told Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Reposted From ANN and Philippine Daily Inquirer

A Repost From ABS-CBN News

Chiz: Leave us alone!

ABS-CBN – Wed, Apr 20, 2011 7:39 AM PHT

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  Chiz: Leave us alone!

Chiz: Leave us alone!

That’s the appeal of Sen. Chiz Escudero, relayed to Funfareby his close friend, after he was swamped with calls and requests for interviews in the wake of Funfare’s ‘scoop’ yesterday that Chiz and his wife Tintin have separated.

It was somebody who loves both Chiz and Tintin dearly who told Funfare the real score between the un-couple, neither of whom answered calls and text messages for comment. Although Chiz and Tintin, reported to be living apart for five months now, neither confirmed nor denied the story, Funfare stands by the ‘scoop’ as 100 percent true. The couple are parents of fraternal twins.

* * * * * * * * * * *

We are almost there

Growing old must be terribly, terribly sad and lonely, especially if you grow old away from your family and in the company of strangers-turned-housemates. You see it on the faces of the residents of Luwalhati ng Maynila (Home For The Aged) in the outskirts of Marikina City which shares a sprawling compound with the Boys Town, the same place successful people like Leyte Rep. Gerry Espina, actor Dante Varona and movie director Jun Posadas spent their early childhood.

Last Sunday, I celebrated another milestone by visiting the Luwalhati and it brought back decades-old memories when I first visited a similar place, the Golden Acres (Home For the Aged), for a story I was doing as an apprentice for the old Manila Times. Then and now, I felt the same way — a fast-forward feeling of how Baby Boomers like me will be spending the days, maybe not in such a place but hopefully with their families, looking back misty-eyed at the beautiful yesteryear.

Led by Tita Angelina Sevilla and her fellow eightyish friends who have made it their mission to feed the residents every now and then, the visit was a joint project between me and other relatives celebrating their birthdays this month, including STAR’s L.A. correspondent Raymond de Asis Lo (April 16) and London-based nurse Joy Sevilla (April 19), and in memory of our dear departed mom Remedios Fua-Lo.

After the Mass said by Fr. Michael Francis, chaplain of Marist School, followed by a program enlivened by residents who danced and sang, and the early dinner, Leonila Borja, Luwalhati OIC, took us on a quick tour of the place.

We saw some residents sitting on concrete benches beneath the trees in the small gardens, lost in their thoughts, sometimes giving us empty glances, on their faces the traces of the years as faint and as sad as the shadows cast by the setting sun.

It was an eye-opening experience.

You know, you blink from your hectic diurnal working routine, often unmindful of the passage of time, and then you slow down a bit and reflect that, yes, we’re not getting any younger, that especially us Baby Boomers, we are almost there. (E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com. For more updates, photos and videos visitwww.philstar.com/funfare.)

Reposted From ABS CBN News

A Repost From Manila Bulletin

Choice seats for Pacquiao-Shane May 7 tiff are being sold at P.8-M

MB – Mon, Apr 18, 2011 6:21 PM PHT

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MANILA, Philippines - Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum swears not even his people at Top Rank have tickets to show off to prospective buyers interested in watching the May 7 show starring Manny Pacquiao versus Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"We don't have tickets in our hands right now," said Arum over the weekend as he made an official announcement that "not one" ticket is available for purchase. Of course, there are still countless tickets available - in the black market.

Since these tickets have become a hot commodity, brokers have priced them beyond the reach of the ordinary wage-earner, leaving these prized passes only sellable to those willing to part ways with as much as $17,995 (P790,000) for a choice, front-row ringside seat that actually costs $1,000.

When Top Rank released the tickets for public sale in the end of January, a near sell out was immediately announced as only a few thousands were left.

Aside from the top-of-the-line $1,000 tickets, others were also sold at $750, $500, $300 and $150.

Arum said those who would be unable to secure tickets from the black market, can still soak up the incomparable Las Vegas fight night atmosphere by watching it on closedcircuit at $50 a pop in all the MGMMirage owned properties that are nicely located on the famed Strip.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena has a seating capacity of around 17,000 and Arum said ringside will be teeming with VIPs from the world of sports, entertainment and politics. Arum said a former US President has also expressed his desire to see the fight.

"The response is just unbelievable," said Arum, who has been promoting boxing since 1966 starting with Muhammad Ali's world heavyweight title bout with the iron-chinned Canadian George Chuvalo.

Reposted From Manila Bulletin

A Repost From ABS-CBN News

Record-setting summa cum laude leads UP graduation rites

ABS-CBN – Sun, Apr 17, 2011 8:30 PM PHT

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  Record-setting summa cum laude leads UP graduation rites

QUEZON CITY, Philippines - Around 4,000 students of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman graduated in Sunday afternoon's 100th commencement exercises at the UP Amphitheater.

According to the Office of the University Registrar, the UP batch 2011 boasts of 21 summa cum laude, 215 magna cum laude, and 794 cum laude. Leading them was 19-year-old BS Math student John Gabriel Pelias.

His general weighted average of 1.016 set a record that second only to Exequiel Sevillam who graduated with a degree in BS Commerce in 1927 with an average of 1.0.

Aside from being summa cum laude, Pelias also received a best thesis award among all BS Math students, an outstanding BS Math Student award, and an award of excellence from the College of Science.

His mother, Emma Lopez, was ecstatic over her son's achievements. "I am so proud of him," she said.

In his speech, Lopez urged fellow graduates to give back. "The least we can do in return to this country's taxpayers who paid a huge part of our UP education is to dedicate even just some time of our lives in the service of the Filipino people," he said.

He was given a standing ovation during the graduation rites.

During the commencement exercises, UP also bestowed its highest academic honor and rank, Master of Laws, Honoris Causa to President Benigno Aquino III, who was the graduation speaker.

This is the first time in 12 years that a President has attended UP graduation rites.

"Hindi ako nag-aral sa UP, pero malinaw pa rin ang sinabi sa akin ng aking ama, na ang UP ang naghubog sa kanya," he told graduating students.

Aquino lashes out at opposition In his speech, Aquino lashed out at the opposition and zeroed in on embattled Ombudsman Merceditas Guttierez, whom the President accused of favoring the previous administration.

“Malalim pa sa puno sa Sunken Garden ang pagkabaon ng sistemang luma. Sino ang ‘di iinit ang ulo…Alam nyo kung sino tinutukoy ko…isang simpleng ‘OMG,’” he said.

“Walang kampo-kampo, walang partido sa nakapiring na hustisya, kung tingin nila sila lang ang pinagtutuunan ng panahon, ang tanging humahabol sa kanila ay kanilang kunsensya,” Aquino added.

The President also recognized the contribution of various UP alumni for helping expose anomalies in the previous administration.

He also urged the graduates to join the government's campaign to stamp out corruption and run after the people behind them.

“Hiling ko lang sa Isko at Iska…maisabuhay din ang obligasyon bilang iskolar ng bayan,” he said. “Kung nasa posisyon na kayo, maalala kaya ninyo ang slogan na na sinisigaw ninyo?”

Aquino's speech was interrupted by protests when members of militant student group UP KILOS NA unveiled streamers and claimed that no significant progress has been made during his administration.

They were immediately escorted out of the area by members of the Presidential Security Group.

"No amount esteem granted by any university, nor an honoris cause from UP, can hide the truth that we have an exploitative administration run by a president who is insensitive to the demands of the people," a statement from the student activists said. – with a report from ANC

Reposted From ABS-CBN News

A Repost From ANN (Asian News Network)

More Filipinos think life worsened under current president

By News Desk in Manila/Philippine Daily Inquirer | ANN – Sat, Apr 16, 2011 5:00 PM PHT

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Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - More Filipinos believe their lives have worsened in the past year, according to the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS), which showed declining ratings in personal and economic optimism.

The survey, conducted from March 4 to 7 and first published in Business World, showed 35 percent of respondents saying their lives would improve in the next 12 months, while 11 percent said they did not see their lives improving. The past year covers mostly the administration of President Aquino.

This translates to a net personal optimism score of plus-24 (optimists minus pessimists), lower than the plus-35 (42 percent optimists, 7 percent pessimists) recorded in November 2010.

Optimism about the economy also declined, with only 27 percent saying they were optimistic about the economy in the coming year, while 24 percent were pessimistic, for a net optimism rating of plus-4 (correctly rounded). This was also down from the plus-30 (39 percent optimists, 8 percent pessimists) posted in November.

Asked to evaluate their lives in the past year, 36 percent said it had worsened (losers) while 23 percent said it had improved (gainers), for a net-gainers-and-losers score of minus-3--again also lower than the minus-5 score (25 percent gainers minus 30 percent losers) in November.

Net personal optimism dropped in all areas except in the Visayas, where it increased by three percentage points to plus-33, while it fell in Luzon outside Metro Manila (by 21 points, from plus-38 to plus-17), in Metro Manila (by 11 points, from plus 41 to plus 30), and in Mindanao (by 7 points, from plus-32 to plus-25).

It also dropped across socioeconomic classes--by 31 points in class ABC (from plus-52 to plus-21), by 15 points in class E (from plus-32 to plus-17) and by 8 points in class D (from plus-35 to plus-27).

Net economic optimism also declined across all areas and classes. Double-digit drops were posted across all areas: 34 points in Luzon outside Metro Manila (from plus-31 to minus-3); 27 points in Metro Manila (from plus-41 to plus-14); 21 points in Mindanao (from plus-30 to plus-9); and 18 points in the Visayas (from plus-23 to plus-5).

Double-digit declines were posted in all socioeconomic classes. Optimism about the economy in class ABC declined by 44 points (from plus-47 to plus-3), while it dropped by 27 points in class D (from plus-28 to plus-1). It likewise decreased in class E, by 21 points, from plus-32 to plus-11.

The net-gainers' score in the Visayas became less negative, from minus-14 in November to minus-8 in March. It remained at minus-7 in Metro Manila and worsened in Luzon outside Metro Manila (from minus-5 to minus-19) and in Mindanao (from plus-4 to minus-10).

Across classes, the net-gainers' score was at minus-16 in class ABC (down 26 points from plus-10 in November); minus-17 in class E (down 14 points from minus-3); and minus-11 in class D (down 4 points from minus-7).

The survey asked 1,200 respondents the question, "In your opinion, what will be the quality of your life in the coming 12 months?" They were asked to rate it better, the same or worse.

For net personal optimism, the SWS considers scores of plus-30 and above as "very high." Scores ranging from plus 20 to plus 29 are considered "high," while scores ranging from plus-10 to plus-19 are considered "fair."

For net economic optimism and net gainers-losers, the SWS places the most common answers, the median and the modal, in the "low" and "very low" categories.

SWS assigns a "fair" rating to the negative category (minus 9 to zero) and "mediocre" to the set between "fair" and "low" (minus 19 to minus 10). Scores of plus 1 to plus 9 are "high," while plus 10 and above are considered "very high."

The nationwide survey was conducted from March 4 to March 7 using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult respondents. It had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.

Reposted From ANN (Asian News Network)