Binibining Pilipinas 2015 Initial Hot Picks

The 52nd Binibining Pilipinas 2015 will be held on March 15, 2015 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Cubao, Quezon City. Thirty-four (34) contestants from around the Philippines and Metro Manila officially selected through a casting call by the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. will compete for the much coveted titles namely Binibining Pilipinas - Universe, Binibining Pilipinas - International, Binibining Pilipinas - Intercontinental, Binibining Pilipinas - Supranational, and Binibining Pilipinas - Tourism and will represent the Philippines in its respective international competitions.

Binibining Pilipinas 2015 officially begins and the contestants already engaged in some activities leading up to the finals next month. Meanwhile, Watchful Eyes Of A Silhouette blog came up with the first hot picks based on initial impression. It will still change based on their performance where this blog will come up with its final hot favorites for the crowns.

The pictures below are the contestant's official cover photo and official portraits. This year's theme for the official program cover is "URBAN LANDSCAPE". 

Minimum height requirement for Bb. Pilipinas is at 5'6" and the delegate numbering are systematically assigned in pyramidal order of their heights. 

Backed by the music of Naughty Boy ft. Sam Smith and Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars, here are the Watchful Eyes Of A Silhouette Binibining Pilipinas 2015 First Hot Picks ORDERED BASED ON THEIR OFFICIAL BINIBINING PILIPINAS NUMBER and also the town, city and the province they represent: 

Binibini #3 - Ria Rabajante 

Pasig City, Metro Manila 

Binibini #4 - Renee Soraya Hassani 

Quezon City, Metro Manila 

Binibini #6 - Toni Alyessa Hipolito

Davao City, Davao del Sur 

Binibini #8 - Kimverlyn Suiza 

Marikina City, Metro Manila 

Binibini #10 - Pia Wurtzbach 

Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental

Binibini #11 - Janicel Lubina 

Narra, Palawan 

Binibini #12 - Kylie Verzosa 

Baguio City, Benguet 

Binibini #19 - Christi Lynn McGarry 

Nabua, Camarines Sur 

Binibini #27 - Ina Dominica Guerrero 

Capalonga, Camarines Norte 

Binibini #28 - Hannah Ruth Sison 

Oas, Albay 

Binibini #29 - Nancy Leonard 

Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur 

Binibini #30 - Patricia Lae Ejercitado 

Cainta, Rizal 

Binibini #31 - Mia Allyson Howell 

Quezon City, Metro Manila 

Binibini #33 - Namrata Neesha Murjani 

Cebu City, Cebu 

Binibini #34 - Teresita Sen Marquez 

Quezon City, Metro Manila

Photo Source: 

Binibining Pilipinas Official Website and Facebook Page

Filipino Police Is Mister International 2014/2015!

Ansan City, South Korea - Filipino police officer trained as a bomb and explosives technician working in the airport was declared Mister International 2014/2015 on Saturday, February 14. Twenty-nine (29) year-old Neil Perez from Manila, Philippines bested twenty-eight (28) other equally gorgeous young men to win the 9th edition of the male pageant winning the title for his country for the first time. First runner-up went to Lebanon, Rabih El Zein, second runner-up Czech Republic, Tomáš Dumbrovský, third runner-up is Poland, Rafał Maślak and 4th runner up went to Slovenia, Mitja Nadizar.

As a police, Neil Perez dedicates his win to his fallen 44 comrades who died fighting the rebels in the southern Philippine province of Maguindanao in Mindanao. 


Here is the result of the said contest:

Mister International 2014 - Philippines – Neil Perez
1st Runner Up - Lebanon – Rabih El Zein
2nd Runner Up - Czech Republic – Tomáš Dumbrovský
3rd Runner Up - Poland – Rafał Maślak
4th Runner Up - Slovenia – Mitja Nadizar


Top 10 Finalists    

     Brazil – Matheus Martins
     Japan – Masakazu Hashimoto
     Korea – Youngho Park
     Mexico – Alejandro Valencia
     Thailand – Vittawat Srikes

Top 15 Semi-Finalists    

     Colombia – David Angel
     Guam – Richard Johnson
     Indonesia – Kevin Hendrawan
     Myanmar – Aung Chan Mya
     Puerto Rico – Christian Ortíz


Special Awards

Most Stylish Award: Korea – Youngho Park
Mister Congeniality: Colombia – David Angel
Mister Photogenic: Japan – Masakazu Hashimoto
Best National Costume: China – Shi Yu Quan
People's Choice Award: Poland – Rafał Maślak


Best In National Costume

Winner: China - Shi Yu Quan
1st Runner Up: Indonesia - Kevin Hendrawan
2nd Runner Up: Philippines - Neil Perez


Photo Source: 

Missosology Portal

Today Is Evelio Javier Day

Today February 11 is Evelio Javier Day. On this day 28 years ago in 1986, Evelio Javier, then governor of Antique, Marcos opposition and anti-dictatorial leader was gunned down in front of the new Antique Capitol building while protecting the ballot boxes of the 1986 snap election. He tried to run away from his perpetrators and hid in a store until he was discovered and gunned down. His death was one of the rallying cries of the People Power Revolution. We honor his courage and heroism defending democracy by making every February 11th a special non-working holiday in Panay Island (that includes Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo) 



Photo Sources: 

Ellen Tordesillas.com, http://www.ellentordesillas.com/2013/03/22/evelio-javiers-sons-oppose-pardon-for-convicted-lawyer/ 

 Bantayog.org, http://www.bantayog.org/node/123 

 Philippine Daily Inquirer, http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/251904/evelio-javier-widow-dies-in-us

WATCHFUL EYES Mister International 2014 FINAL PICKS

The 9th edition of Mister International (also called Mister International 2014) will be held on February 12, 2015 at the Wapop Hall of the Palace Hotel in Seoul, South Korea. Thirty (30) male contestants from around the world will compete for the prestigious title and modeling contracts.

Here is Watchful Eyes Of A Silhouette Mister International 2014 FINAL HOT PICKS:

Poland - Rafal Maslak 

Argentina - Daniel Dario Cajiao 

Mexico - Alejandro Valencia Villanueva 

Philippines - Neil Perez 

Turkey - Eray Aydos 

Czech Republic - Tomas Dumbrovsky 

Guam - Richard Byron Given Johnson 

Japan - Masakazu Hashimoto 

Indonesia - Kevin Hendrawan 

Lebanon - Rabih El Zein 

India - Parmeet Singh Wahi 

Brazil - Matheus Martins

Australia - Marco Sepulveda

Greece - Konstantinos Giagmouris 

Korea - Youngho Park

Warming Up:

Colombia
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Myanmar
Ukraine




Photo Source:

Missosology Forum Analyzing Beauty, www.missosology.info/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=589744

Leading Filipino Women: Nazaria Lagos

Nazaria Lagos 

Florence Nightingale of Panay 

(1851 - 1945) 

Nazaria Lagos is known as the Florence Nightingale of Panay. She was a pioneer Red Cross leader in the Visayas region. She was a strong woman, compassionate mother and has a deep and deathless love for God and country. She was born not only to become a mother of her own children but of the many wounded Filipino soldiers, sick civilians and of the sick children during the war. 


Born From A Wealthy Family 

Nazaria L. Lagos was born on August 28, 1851 in Barrio Burongan (now Jaguimit), Laglag town (now Dueñas), Iloilo. Her parents were Don Juan de la Cruz Lagos and Doña Saturnina Labrillaso. As an only child, she was well taken cared of and brought up in comfort but she was not a spoiled girl. When she was six, her mother hired Maestro Gregorio "Oyong" Tingzon as her teacher. She was a beautiful, brilliant young girl who could speak Spanish well and talk to the Spanish officials. 


Married Life 

At a very young age of 12, she married her second cousin Segundo Lagos, a son of a wealthy land owner, Don Bartolome Lagos whose ancestors were the founders of Dueñas town and the religion. During her years in marriage life, Nazaria faced lots of challenges of home life with patience. She possessed good qualities of being a wife and a mother and was equipped with proper knowledge on nursing and medical care by Dr. Cuadra, a family friend and doctor, who often visited the family and stayed in the vast family hacienda. 


Red Cross and Revolutionary Work 

Through the order of Military Governor Don Ricardo Monet with the support of parish priest Father Lorenzo Suarez, Nazaria was appointed as President of the first local unit of Red Cross in the province of Iloilo. 

During the revolution under the general supervision of Gen. Martin Delgado, Nazaria Lagos was chosen as secretary and Segundo (her husband) as the adviser of the Revolutionary Volunteers to go against the Spanish Government. Her house in Barrio Burongan (now Jaguimit) was made as a secret meeting place of the high-ranking officers of the revolution in the whole province of Iloilo. Nazaria and Segundo built a secret Army Hospital in their Hacienda in Jaguimit and which Nazaria was appointed as Chief of the Army Hospital and Manager of the Army Food Supply Depot for the Filipino soldiers. This is for the preparation of the revolutionists for the war against the Spaniards. The building of the hospital came from Nazaria and Segundo's own money. The supplies of the food came from the production of their farm. She gave an all out support for the welfare of the Filipinos. Nazaria Lagos and her family together with their "obreros" or workers began to work secretly in Hacienda Jaguimit. She personally supervised the construction of the hospital made from local materials. They made bamboos as beds, chairs and tables and cabinets for the wounded Filipino soldiers. 

The war started. Many Filipino soldiers were sick and wounded, and they were brought to the hospital in Jaguimit. The hospital was not only for the Filipino soldiers but as well as the sick and wounded civilians. Since the hospital is certainly located between the North and South revolutionary groups, supply almost ran out. For such a gigantic tack for a woman to bear, the Red Cross helped her in asking donations like food, clothing and medicine. Her tenants had contributed their time and efforts to help in caring for the wounded soldiers. Her knowledge in herbal medicine played an important role in this extraordinary task during the Revolution. Spending almost all her time, effort and fortune for the brother Filipinos, she even was able to bear the death of her two children when the smallpox epidemic struck the country during the years of the turmoil. 


Role In Philippine Independence Day Celebration 

In Dueñas Nazaria Lagos and her two daughters together with the Red Cross members, sew the Philippine flag. In spite of the scarcity of the clothes, sewing needles and threads, they made improvised needles out of umbrella wire and abaca fibers as the threads. The flag was hoisted at 9 o' clock in the morning of June 12, 1899 in the Dueñas town plaza. Nazaria and the people of Dueñas knelled down with tears rolling down their cheeks and prayed for their safety and independence while the National Hymn was played. 


Her Last Years 

Nazaria Lagos reserved a legacy not in wealth but as a model mother, leader and a great woman in history.  Unfortunately, she became blind and on January 27, 1945, at the age of 93, silently passed away at Sitio Amuyao, Jaguimit, Dueñas, Iloilo. She had served her country and family with love and devotion. 

Nazaria and Segundo Lagos will long be remembered from generation to generation. Their service to their fellowmen is worth emulating and their names will be written in Bold Letters in the minds and hearts of all Filipinos, patriots, nationalist and lover of democracy. 


Sources: 

Wikipilipinas: Nazaria Lagos, http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/Nazaria_Lagos 

Nazaria Lagos, A Great Woman In History, Newstoday 2007, http://www.thenewstoday.info/2007/02/05/nazaria.l.lagos.a.great.woman.of.history.html 


Photo Source: 

ChoosePhilippines.com, http://www.choosephilippines.com/specials/people/1515/florence-nightingale-panay/

World's Safest Cities 2015

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has just released the Safe Cities Index 2015 ranking the world's 50 safest cities based on forty (40) quantitative and qualitative indicators split into four (4) thematic categories: digital security; health security; infrastructure safety; and personal safety. Every city in the Index is scored across these four categories. Based on the result, the world safest city is Tokyo, Japan. Here are the world's 50 safest cities according to rank:


1. Tokyo
2. Singapore
3. Osaka
4. Stockholm
5. Amsterdam
6. Sydney
7. Zurich
8. Toronto
9. Melbourne
10. New York
11. Hong Kong
12. San Francisco
13.Taipei
14.Montreal
15.Barcelona
16.Chicago
17.Los Angeles
18.London
19.Washington DC
20.Frankfurt
21.Madrid
22.Brussels
23.Paris
24.Seoul
25.Abu Dhabi
26.Milan
27.Rome
28.Santiago
29.Doha
30.Shanghai
31.Buenos Aires
32.Shenzhen
33.Lima
34.Tianjin
35.Rio de Janeiro
36.Kuwait City
37.Beijing
38.Guangzhou
39.Bangkok
40.Sao Paulo
41.Istanbul
42.Delhi
43.Moscow
44.Mumbai
45.Mexico City
46.Riyadh
47.Johannesburg
48.Ho Chi Minh City
49.Tehran
50.Jakarta


Source:

The Economist,  http://safecities.economist.com/whitepapers/safe-cities-index-white-paper/