PHILIPPINES' Most Beautiful City Halls Rank 35 - 67

35. City: Cauayan 

Province: Isabela

36. City: Sorsogon 

Province: Sorsogon 

37. City: Bais 

Province: Negros Oriental 

38. City: Cebu 

Province: Cebu 

39. City: Manila 

Area: Metro Manila \ Capital City 

40. City: Ilagan 

Province: Isabela 

41. City: Baguio 

Province: Benguet 

42. City: Bogo 

Province: Cebu 

43. City: Taguig 

Area: Metro Manila 

44. City: Navotas 

Area: Metro Manila 

45. City: Balanga 

Province: Bataan 

46. City: Talisay 

Province: Cebu 

47. City: Lipa 

Province: Batangas 

48. City: Parañaque 

Area: Metro Manila 

49. City: Mandaluyong 

Area: Metro Manila

 

50. City: Candon 

Province: Ilocos Sur 

51. City: Pasig 

Area: Metro Manila 

52. City: Talisay 

Province: Negros Occidental 

53. City: Cabadbaran 

Province: Agusan del Norte 

54. City: Tanauan 

Province: Batangas 

55. City: Biñan 

Province: Laguna 

56. City: Toledo 

Province: Cebu 

57. City: Kidapawan 

Province: North Cotabato 

58. City: Laoag 

Province: Ilocos Norte 

59. Tarlac 

Province: Tarlac 

60. City: San Fernando 

Province: La Union

 

61. City: Davao 

Province: Davao del Sur 

62. City: Santa Rosa 

Province: Laguna 

63. City: Marikina 

Area: Metro Manila 

64. City: Gapan 

Province: Nueva Ecija 

65. City: Batac 

Province: Ilocos Norte 

66. City: Passi 

Province: Iloilo

67. City: Surigao 

Province: Surigao del Norte 

Sources:

http://www.competitive.org.ph/cmcindex/pages/rankings/

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tagumcity.gov.ph
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BIG NEWS AT THE BAYOU DESPITE CONTROVERSY: Oklahoma's Olivia Jordan Is Miss USA 2015

Oklahoma's Olivia Jordan reacts after she was crowned Miss USA 2015 by reigning Miss USA 2014 titleholder Nia Sanchez of Nevada 

Miss USA 2015 crowning moment 

Miss USA 2015 Top 5

Baton Rouge, Louisiana - In an eventful year where the contest is in hot water and history unfolding, 26-year-old Olivia Jordan from the city of Tulsa was crowned Miss USA 2015. She was the 64th woman to be crowned Miss USA on Sunday, July 12 at the Baton Rouge River Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is the first Miss USA title for her home state of Oklahoma. She beats 50 other contestants including the District of Columbia to earn the right to represent the United States at the upcoming Miss Universe 2015. Jordan said that the diversity of the country needs to forge stronger racial relationship and unity is needed for the country to move on to progress is the next thing she wants to be tackled after the same sex marriage and the Confederate flag issue in America. 1st runner-up went to 22-year-old Ylianna Guerra of Texas, 2nd runner-up is Cranston, Rhode Island native 20-year-old Anea Garcia, 3rd runner-up went to 25-year-old Brittany McGowan of Las Vegas, Nevada and 4th runner-up went to 23-year-old Mamé Adjei from Silver Spring, Maryland.

However, one of the biggest news of the night is the surprising placement of Delaware's Renee Bull in the Top 11 of the competition. She had broken the 64-year curse or drought of her home state Delaware in the Miss USA pageant. She also shared the Congeniality award with Alaska's Kimberly Agron which is only the second time in Miss USA history to have a tie (the first one being in 1965). Photogenic award went to Indiana's Gretchen Reece. The all-beauty queen line up of judges include Miss Universe 1992 Michelle Mclean from Namibia, Miss USA 1997 and Miss Universe 1997 Brook Lee, Miss USA 1999 Kimberly Ann Pressler, Miss USA 1999, Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner, Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart, Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih, Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes of Angola, Miss Teen USA 2011 Danielle Doty and Miss USA 2012 Nana Meriwether.

Earlier, a twist called Save The Sash allowed fans to vote online (through www.missusa.com/play) a particular contestant who did not made it past the top 10 to be saved and put her through the Top 11 for the evening gown competition. A lucky fan question submitted through Miss USA official Facebook page or an Instagram video using the hashtag #askmissusa was used to ask the Top 5 for their final question.

The pageant came under the fire after Donald Trump made a harsh remark against Mexican illegal immigrants and some are even referred to as drug traffickers and rapists. The backlash is so strong that Miss USA official broadcast partners, media networks NBC and Spanish-language, American television broadcast network Univision primarily catering to the Latino community in the United States backed out from broadcasting the finals of Miss USA 2015 and the upcoming Miss Universe 2015. Soon the sentiments were echoed by the hosts, judges and performers that they all withdrew from participating in the said competition. Pageant organizers are rushing up to find replacements with the Reelz Channel, an Albuquerque-based digital cable network stepped in to air the show while Todd Newton and former Miss Wisconsin USA 2009 Alex Wehrley hosted the show replacing the original hosts Thomas Roberts and Cheryl Burke while Julie Alexandria serve as the backstage host replacing Jeannie Mai who earlier deflected from the show. Travis Garland, Stefano Langone, Felicia Barton, Antoinette Scruggs and Adley Stumps performed in the show.


Miss USA 2015 – Olivia Jordan – Oklahoma


1st runner-up - Ylianna Guerra – Texas


2nd runner-up – Anea Garcia – Rhode Island


3rd runner-up – Brittany McGowan – Nevada


4th runner-up – Mamé Adjei – Maryland



Top 11 Semifinalists


Alabama  -  Madison Guthrie
Delaware  -  Reneé Bull
Hawaii  - Emma Wo
Kentucky -  Katie George (chosen by public fan vote online)
Louisiana - Candice Bennatt



Top 15 Quarter-finalists


Arizona   -  Maureen Montagne
Illinois  -  Renee Wronecki
New York  - Thatiana Diaz
Virginia  -  Laura Puleo



Special Awards:


Congeniality (tie) – Kimberly Agron, Alaska
                            Renee Bull, Delaware

Photogenic – Gretchen Reece, Indiana




Judges:

Nana Meriwether – Miss USA 2012 from Maryland
Danielle Doty – Miss Teen USA 2011 from Texas
Leila Lopes – Miss Universe 2011 from Angola
Rima Fakih – Miss USA 2010 from Michigan
Crystle Stewart – Miss USA 2008 from Texas
Tara Conner – Miss USA 2006 from Kentucky
Kimberly Pressler – Miss USA 1999 from New York
Brook Lee – Miss Universe 1997 from USA
Michelle McLean – Miss Universe 1992 from Namibia


Host:

Todd Newton -  game show host
Alex Wehrley - former Miss Wisconsin USA 2009, host


Color Commentator / Backstage Host:

Julie Alexandria


Performers:

Travis Garland
Stefano Langone
Felicia Barton
Antoinette Scruggs
Adley Stumps




Photo Source:

Derick E. Hingle, AP 


 

Watchful Eyes' Miss USA 2015 Feisty Patriotic Final Picks

Fifty-one (51) contestants coming from the fifty (50) states and the District of Columbia struts their stuff, walk the runway, show their pose, elegance and personality last Wednesday night, July 8 at the Miss USA 2015 Preliminary Competition. Along with the preliminary interview with all the contestants done the next day, the preliminary competition which shows the ladies compete in the evening gown and swimsuit round will determine who will make the first cut of 20 semifinalists. 

Miss USA 2015 Finals is on Sunday, July 12 (8 pm, ET / 5pm PT) LIVE from Baton Rouge River Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Reelz Channel and Miss USA official website. 

Back by the sound of Katy Perry (Dark Horse) and Naughty Boy ft. Sam Smith (La la la), here now is my final pick of favorites for the crown of Miss USA 2015 based on the preliminaries with the official cover of Miss USA 2015 contestants with the theme of Stars and Stripes in the Old South. 

                                    1. Rhode Island - Anea Garcia 

                                     2. Oklahoma - Olivia Jordan 

                                      3. Texas - Ylianna Guerra 

                                       4. Arizona - Maureen Montagne 

                                            5. Colorado - Talyah Polee 

                                            6. Maryland - Mamé Adjei 

                                7. Michigan - Rashontae Wawrzyniak 

                                         8. Alabama - Madison Guthrie 
  

                                                 9. Utah - Nicol Powell 

                                           10. Florida - Ashleigh Lollie 

                                  11. South Carolina - Sarah Weishuhn 

                                              12. Ohio - Sarah Newkirk 

                                          13. Kentucky - Katie George 

                                          14. Minnesota - Jessica Scheu 

                                       15. Louisiana - Candice Bennatt 

                                      16. Nevada - Brittany McGowan 

                                          17. Illinois - Renee Wronecki 

                                          18. Kansas - Alexis Railsback 

                              19. Massachusetts - Polikseni Manxhari 

                                         20. Georgia - Brooke Fletcher 





                                                              Rising Up: 

                                                  Virginia - Laura Puleo 

                                          Mississippi - Courtney Byrd 

                                              Missouri - Rebecca Dunn 

                                             New York - Thatiana Diaz 

                                          California - Natasha Martinez 





Photo Source: 

Miss USA Official Facebook Page

117th Philippine Independence Day Celebration and Vin D'Honneur

The 117th Philippine Independence Day celebration took place all over the Philippines on June 12 and Filipino communities around the world on different dates with President Benigno S. Aquino III leading the rites on the morning of June 12 for the flag-raising ceremony held at the front of the Santa Barbara Church and Convent in the town of Santa Barbara, Iloilo. President Aquino along with National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) Chair Serena Diokno and AFP Chief of Staff General Gregorio Catapang then proceed for a wreath laying ceremony at the monument of General Martin Teofilo Delgado who raised the Philippine flag at the Santa Barbara convent in front of the jubilant Filipinos the first outside Luzon on November 17, 1898 to formally declare independence from Spain. He later became the first governor of Iloilo under the American regime in 1901. The President then deliver his speech in front of the Santa Barbara church following the speech of the Governor of Iloilo Arthur Defensor Sr. then recovering from his illness and Senate President Franklin M. Drilon.

After the ceremony in Santa Barbara and short tour and inspection of the newly restored Santa Barbara church and convent, the traditional Vin D'Honneur (Wine of Honor) or wine toasting followed minutes later at the newly renovated Casa Real or the Old Provincial Capitol of Iloilo building. High ranking government officials, cabinet secretaries, congressmen, governors, prominent and influential personalities and seventy-five (75) members of the diplomatic corps which consists of ambassadors representing different countries of the world and international organizations representatives based in the Philippines headed by the dean of the diplomatic corps, Apostolic Papal Nuncio Giuseppe Pinto attended the celebration and the glittering vin d'honneur event at the old capitol.

Here are the countries which are represented by their ambassadors and the international organizations based in the Philippines with their representatives which attended the event in Iloilo:


1. Papua New Guinea
2. Brunei Darussalam
3. Bahrain
4. United Arab Emirates
5. Morocco
6. Lesotho
7. Iran
8. Australia
9. Qatar
10. Nigeria
11. France
12. Bangladesh
13. Malaysia
14. Italy
15. Egypt
16. Gabon
17. Uruguay
18. Mexico
19. Belgium
20. Vietnam
21. Canada
22. United States
23. India
24. Oman
25. Turkey
26. China
27. Indonesia
28. Germany
29. Uganda
30. Armenia
31. Spain
32. Chile
33. Israel
34. Norway
35. Japan
36. Argentina
37. Panama
38. Netherlands
39. South Africa
40. New Zealand
41. Laos
42. Saudi Arabia
43. Thailand
44. Greece
45. Singapore
46. Russia
47. Korea
48. Tunisia
49. Palestine
50. Colombia
51. Trinidad and Tobago
52. Ghana
53. Luxembourg
54. Georgia
55. Malta
56. Angola
57. Cambodia
58. Czech Republic
59. Libya
60. Romania
61. Switzerland
62. Timor Leste
63. Venezuela
64. EU - European Union
65. UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund
66. UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
67. WFP - World Food Programme
68. UNRefugees - United Nations Refugees
69. UN FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
70. WHO - World Health Organization
71. World Bank
72. International Finance Corp
73. Migration
74. UN Population 
75. Apostolic Papal Nuncio - Dean of the Diplomatic Corps



To watch the 117th Philippine Independence Day celebration in Santa Barbara, Iloilo click on the following link to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgdtkCLXiPw 

To watch the Vin D'Honneur event at the Casa Real or the Old Provincial Capitol of Iloilo, click on the following link to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKES0yVy-rg 




Photo Source:

USP Philippines 

28th SEA Games 2015 Singapore

The 28th SEA Games 2015 Official Logo

28th SEA Games 2015 Official Mascot - Nila

The 28th SEA Games 2015 will feature 39 sports discipline in 36 sports with 402 events. 

The 28th edition of the Southeast Asian Games more popularly known as the 28th SEA Games will  take place from June 5 - 16, 2015 in the sprawling city state of Singapore. Eleven (11) member countries of the Southeast Asia region will participate and compete in 36 sports featuring 39 sports discipline in 402 events. 

The opening and closing ceremonies of the games will take place in the new state of the art National Stadium. Completed in 2014, the National Stadium is reputed to be the world's largest covered arena with a seating capacity of over 50,000 people and is located within Singapore's Sports Hub.

Preliminary matches in some games like soccer football, table tennis and fencing and medal matches in table tennis, fencing and synchronized swimming took place days ahead of the Opening Ceremony on June 5. 

The official mascot of the games is called Nila, a lion which represents the iconic symbol of Singapore. It's name was taken from Sang Nila Utama, the founder of Singapore. It has a height of 1.9 meters with a fiery red mane that symbolizes passion for sports and with a heart shape face which symbolizes friendship among Southeast Asian countries.

To learn more about the games, schedules and results visit the official website of 28th SEA Games 2015 Singapore: https://www.seagames2015.com/ .

Catch the 28th SEA Games 2015 Singapore LIVE stream  of sports action on https://www.youtube.com/user/SingaporeSports

Source:

28th SEA Games 2015 Singapore - https://www.seagames2015.com/ 

28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2015 Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Southeast_Asian_Games