My Sims 3 Images and the Stories Behind

Grady the handsome hunk man is busy talking with a guest while his boyfriend is looking behind him

The grim reaper is about to take the souls of the wicked!

Everybody's busy building up their muscles, enhancing their abs, working out till they fatigue and worn out at the community's gym.

Her sister is harvesting the lettuce fully grown in their backyard

The two best swimmers of the community are having a hold breath contest to see who can endure without breathing oxygen for a long time.

My Sims 3 Images and the Stories Behind

The couple is about to kiss and everyone is happy for the both! Next thing is wedding.

The gay lovers are enjoying each other's company, hugging, telling stories and professing their love for each other.

His mother caught a minnow on their backyard pond

The boyfriend is doing some rounds on treadmill to keep him fit and up to the standards of the military and to build up his body on his home.

The soldier carry his boyfriend when he leap into his arms and they were both happy!

First Filipino Solo Expedition to South Pole 2010

Please support the lone Filipino expedition to the South Pole late this year in a fund drive campaign against global warming. By his success he not only put a Philippine flag on the soil of the southern Pole and not only put the country in the map of exploration a leading campaigner in averting the adverse effect of the menacing global warming!

Internet Speed Connection in the Philippines, A Nightmare

      The turtle fast Internet speed connection in the Philippines has always been an issue of anybody who found the world wide web a necessity from students to businessmen and realize the contribution of Internet to progress and development.
      A broadsheet column last July 30, 2010 titled, “Facebook on the Tortoise’s Back” written by Cito Beltran delves into the issue and uncover the real culprit of the crawling Internet connection.
      As a newbie to the innovation of the 21st century, Beltran seek the help of younger individuals who were adept at technology to engage him and his wife to the virtual world with billions of actual people around the world. His concern is the most usual complaint made by the consumers – the lagging connection of the Internet as they struggle to catch up joining social networking sites as Facebook, and Twitter, podcasting and video streaming. All of them blamed all local internet service provider which gives us a patchy service connecting to the rest of the world. Then a Filipino student studying in Chicago talked about the difference between the speed and consistency of Internet DSL connection in the United States and it’s like comparing it to a brand new Porsche to a beat up Volkswagen and another says that DSL provider in Hong Kong and Korea are way much faster than the Philippines. We have the high technology actually when it comes to connectivity but the real cause of slow transmission is that the local providers have been choking up the system in order to sell speed at different levels and different prices. For example, the lowest priced wireless internet connection cost 600 pesos a month and that moves up from company to company going from 999, 2,000 for 2x the speed all the way to 4,000 for 4x the average speed sold to ordinary Filipinos. Some students says that if you are in Baguio City, you should use “Bro” service provider while the young professionals whenever they are in Makati Financial District, they show their “Tattoo” and those who roam around Metro Manila with greater signal will bask under the “Sun”. This tells us that all the DSL and other service providers of different platforms are only good within their established territories, and not only are they slow but are intermittent and inefficient. According to Beltran, when he asked about the price in the United States relative to speed, it turns out after adjusting cost of living, we are already paying the same price as other countries except we are not getting our money’s worth. It also shows us that the telecoms have been making billions of pesos through intentional inefficiency. Beltran further added that it reminds him of all the convoluted tactics and marketing strategies that many telecoms have used is the past in order to squeeze every centavo of profit from our pockets by chopping up services or delaying the full roll out of interconnectivity, roaming and now the internet.
      Unfortunately, Congress and even government officials have dangerously overlooked the DSL – Wi-fi roaming service of telecoms. The current situation is very bad for business as a whole and bad for investment in particular. We are paying the price, but we are not getting the speed for progress!

One Liner

A electric cooperative here in Iloilo, Philippines shuts down power last night for more than 12 hours until this morning so that people cannot watch American TV shows. What a lame excuse.

Maria Venus Raj Ready To Conquer The Universe

       With barely a few weeks left before the much anticipated beauty pageant in the world, Maria Venus Raj, a resident of Bato Camarines Sur, is summoning all her power to firmly make the universe feel her prowess as the next to watch for.
       Just a few days after her coronation last March 6, she almost lost her crown when the Binibining Pilipinas organizers headed by the Colombian Stella Marquez Araneta found an alleged discrepancy in Venus Raj citizenship when her supposedly verbal answer on her birthplace does not match her records that according to the organizers nullify her citizenship. Fortunately, the Department of Foreign Affairs validated and reaffirmed her citizenship by issuing her a Philippine passport. Now she is back with vengeance and also a very shining example of a strong, driven woman of the 21st century and an inspiration for all.
       All the necessary trainings and enhancements have been taken by her and only a few Osmel Souza magic can only break the spell cast on the Philippines for a long decade drought of not making the cut. Her only weakness is the interview because she had a hard time composing thoughts and best deliver it. All she needs to do is to be natural as possible, deliver short message but firm or she can have sense of humor but most importantly, she needs to be spontaneous and with sense in order for her message to be effective. Hopefully by now, they will start bombarding Internet with her stunning pictorials on her outfits for the competition. Can't wait to see her at the Miss Universe 2010 on August 23in Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada and special guest of Miss Earth 2010 in Nha Trang, Vietnam to be held at Diamond Crown Convention Center on December 4.
       All the necessary trainings and enhancements have been taken by her and only a few Osmel Souza magic can only break the spell cast on the Philippines for a long decade drought of not making the cut.

Paulino Alcantara: Legend in World Football

Paulino Alcantara: Legend in World Football

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer

ILOILO CITY – As the world celebrates for Spain’s winning of 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, basketball-crazy Filipinos should know that they have a hero to inspire them to switch to football as a national passion.
And it’s not the great Pele of Brazil, Argentina’s living legend Diego Maradona or the current world top player Lionel Messi, also of Argentina, or heartthrob Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal.
Long before these heroes burst into the global football scene, there was Iloilo-born Paulino Alcantara.
Alcantara, born to a Spanish military officer and an Ilongga mother on October 7, 1896, is considered to be one of the sport’s legends, especially in Spain.
While he is largely unknown to Filipinos and even Ilonggos, he is revered in the world football community with tributes and memorial sites devoted to him in the Internet.
“He may be unknown even to the young players, but he is an icon to many of us,” said Pablito Araneta, also from Iloilo and former vice president of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), which groups around 35 football associations in the country.
Alcantara scored an astonishing 357 goals in as many games played, or an average of one goal per game, as a striker of the Futbol Club Barcelona (Barcelona Football Club) where he played from 1912 to 1927, according to the club’s website.


Barcelona Star
He also helped Barcelona, one of the top clubs in the current Spanish league, win five Spanish championships and 10 Catalan League championships, the first professional football league in Spain during that period.
His strength was legendary. Medium built and lacking the physique of a professional athlete, he, nevertheless, earned the title “El Romperedes” (Net Breaker)” on April 30, 1922, after a powerful kick 35 yards from the goal ripped the net in a game between Spain and France.
“For many years after, children from Barcelona would recall that moment and would wish to do the same as the man from the Philippines,” according to Alcantara’s profile in the FC Barcelona website.
Except for online accounts, however, there is little information on Alcantara and his family.
Araneta said a research conducted by PFF in 2007 during the commemoration of the centennial of Philippine football showed that Alcantara’s father was a Spanish military officer stationed in Iloilo. Other accounts identified his mother as surnamed Riestra.


No Official Records
Ilonggo historian and lawyer Rex Salvilla said he has not come across official records of Alcantara and his family, which could explain why he is not well known among Ilonggos.
Salvilla noted that Alcantara was only 2 years old during the Philippine Revolution in 1898. His father, being a Spanish official, could have gone home and brought his family to avoid imprisonment or could have surrendered before taking his family with him to Spain, Salvilla said.
But according to various accounts posted in the website www.world-football-legends.co.uk/alcantara/php, Alcantara came to Spain when he was 14 years old, a year before he debuted with FC Barcelona. He returned to the Philippines in 1916, or when he was 20 years old, and played for two years with the Bohemians, a Filipino football club.
He returned to Spain and resumed playing with his club in 1918 where he rose to become a legend.
On the other hand, in its Philippine football centennial issue, the Pinoy Football Magazine, published by the PFF, said Alcantara became the youngest player to wear the FC Barcelona jersey when he started playing for the club when he was 15.


Missing the Olympics
But more than becoming a football star, Alcantara was dedicated to becoming a doctor and did not play in the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games to study medicine.
He retired from football in 1927 to dedicate his time to medicine but he briefly coached the Spanish national team in 1951, which was unbeaten in the three matches that he steered the team.
Alcantara died in Barcelona on February 13, 1964, at the age of 67, according to the FC Barcelona website.
It was also during Alcantara’s peak that the Philippines became an Asian football powerhouse with the country bagging the gold in the 1913 Far Eastern Games, the forerunner of the Asian Games.


Routing Japan
While Alcantara missed the 1913 games, he played four years later as part of the national team that routed Japan 15-2 in their match in Tokyo.
Japan was among the Asian teams that qualified in the round of 18 in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
“That rout of Japan was the highest that the Philippines had advance in international football, Araneta said.


World’s No. 169
The international football federation FIFA currently ranks the Philippines 169th out of 207 member-countries in men’s football.
Despite the Filipinos’ preference for basketball and boxing, football players and fans have increasingly drawn inspiration from Alcantara’s exploits to raise local awareness and passion for the sport.
A life-size statue of Alcantara was unveiled at the PFF office at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig during the football centennial commemoration in 2007, said PFF general secretary Chito Manuel.
In Alcantara’s home province of Iloilo where football is popular especially in Barotac Nuevo town, dubbed the “Football Capital of the Philippines,” players and fans can readily cite Alcantara as proof that Filipinos can do well and even be among the greatest in the international football arena.
“We don’t have to stop at watching the World Cup and cheering for our idols. A hundred years ago, an Ilonggo already showed us the way to greatness,” said Duffie Botavara, president of the Barotac Nuevo Football Club.

Paul the Oracle Octopus Got It Right for World Cup Title

Berlin (AP) – There’s been plenty of ink for Paul the octopus lately, and why not?



The octopus, also known as the “Oracle of Oberhausen,” has successfully predicted the winner of eight World Cup matches including the FIFA World Cup 2010 winner Spain that concludes today in a game against Netherlands, 1-0.


Paul had predicted correctly the winner of today’s final match. And rather than go out on a limb – or maybe eight of them – the critter is sticking with the favorite, picking Spain over The Netherlands.


Handlers of the 2 ½ year- old floppy octopus – a resident of the Oberhausen Sea Life aquarium – usually have him make predictions only for games in which Germany plays. But because of Paul’s recent worldwide fame and demand for his pick for the final, they made an exception.


Here’s how the seer sucker makes his prognostications: Officials put a mussel inside each of two clear plastic boxes bearing the national flags of the teams in his tank. Paul then makes his choice by opening the lid with his tentacles and devouring one of the treats.


Millions across Europe, in Taiwan and elsewhere watched a live TV broadcast Friday of his choice of Spain, complete with breathless commentary. He also predicted Germany over Uruguay in Saturday’s third-place game.


Facebook fans


Paul has gotten business proposals, has thousands of Facebook fans and even has the attention of world leaders.


Animal rights group Peta wants him freed. Many Germans – upset that he correctly picked Spain over Germany in Wednesday’s semifinal – want him fried.


“Paul is such a professional oracle – he doesn’t even care that hundreds of journalists are watching and commenting on every move he makes,” said Stefan Porwoll, the Sea Life aquarium manager. “We’re so proud of him.”


After his prediction of his home country’s loss came true, German TV showed footage of a grilled octopus. That prompted Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to fret about the safety of “El Pulpo Paul,” as he’s known in Spain.


Security for Paul


“I am concerned about the octopus,” Zapatero said. “I’m thinking about sending in a team to protect the octopus because obviously it was very spectacular that he should get Spain’s victory right from there.”


In response to hundreds of angry e-mails from Germans, the aquarium actually took extra precautions, Porwoll said.


“I even told our guards and people at the entrance to keep a close look at possible football fans coming after Paul for revenge,” he said, adding that the hate mail was outweighed by declarations of love and requests for predictions.


Peta says Paul’s tank is too small. But Porwoll said the creature was born in captivity and has never had to deal with any natural enemies, so dumping Paul into the Atlantic would likely mean death. He could live up to four years in captivity, Porwoll added.


In the meantime, he might have a future beyond World Cup. A reporter from Greece asked if the mollusk medium could foresee the end of the financial crisis, and German TV stations have offered lucrative contracts, Porwoll said.


After Arab news sites reported Paul’s picks, it was suggested he be sent to Iraq to choose between two bitter rivals – Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his main challenger, Ayad Allawi – vying to head the new government.




Paul Effect


Gary Jenkins, an economis with London’s Evolution Securities, hedged his market analysis note Friday with the phrase, “unless Paul says differently.”


British punters who had backed The Netherlands to beat Spain in Sunday’s final are switching sides after Paul predicted a Spanish win, bookmakers said Friday.


“The Paul Effect” has turned the betting on its head with more punters backing Spain since the famous octopus gave his verdict,” said a spokesperson for Paddy Power bookies.


Before Paul’s prediction, Paddy Power said it had seen 54 percent of the bets laid placed on the Dutch to win. But since then, 56 percent have gone on Spain.


“Whilst the shrewdies and big money punters are firmly backing Spain, Holland had been the more popular bet among the casual punters in terms of number of bets placed, said a spokesperson.


“But since Paul’s prediction on a Spain win, we’ve taken more bets on the Spanish for the first time since the final lineup was known.”


Paul’s effect is not as strong at rival bookmakers’ William Hill, who said people are suspicious of placing hard cash on the musings of an octopus.


“We have not changed our prices. We’ve had a few quick rushes on Spain after Paul’s prediction, but I think our bettors make their own decision rather than following the octopus,” a spokesperson said.


Buoyant Clairvoyant


Graham Sharpe, the spokesperson for William Hill, said bettors have been asking the staff about the picks by the buoyant clairvoyant.


“If you had just bet 10 pounds ($15) on each of Paul’s six successive winning selections… so far, you would have made a healthy profit of 84 pounds ($126) – but if you had put the winnings from each bet all onto the next one, you would now be looking at 1,400 pounds ($2,108) of profit,” Sharpe said.


Paul is not without competition. There’s also Mani, a parakeet in Singapore, who predicted the Dutch would win Sunday by creeping out of his wooden cage and choosing between two cards that bore the two nations’ flags.


In South Africa, Spanish team defender Carlos Marchena isn’t putting too much stock in Paul’s pick.


“It’s only an octopus,” he said.




Reports from AP, AFP

YES AND SPAIN WINS WORLD CUP

The Red wins the 19th FIFA World Cup first time for the Iberian peninsula and the third loss of the runner up Netherlands. Maybe its not yet time for the Orange team to win it but they may have another time and dont take chances and do all you can to win.. Sorry to see Wesley Sneijder weeping and spitting as their team losing the game to Spain but thanks to the only score of the Spanish armada, the bald-headed Andres Iniesta, to the strong goal keeper Iker Casillas and most especially to Carles Puyol of making Spain's first entrance into the finals. Congratulations Spain and pour over the Champagne!

FIFA World Cup 2010 last Hurrah!

Germany won against Uruguay for a third place finish at the near conclusion of FIFA World Cup 2010 and the finals will be set later between Netherlands and Spain. The best of luck

The Breath Taking Spain versus Germany Semifinals Match

The exciting match between Netherlands and Uruguay could not sustain the adrenaline rush and nerve wracking exciting kicking balls between old time rivals Germany and Spain with the latter winning the semis advancing to the finals against Netherlands, a prominent European team and a finalist in FIFA World Cup in previous editions. The two already met formerly at European Championships 2008 in Austria and Switzerland with Spain taking the title. The intense rivalry continued at this year's FIFA World Cup in South Africa with Germany seeking their 4th trophy while Spain is seriously playing to win their first title of this calibre. Thanks for a foul made by Germany's midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, that allowed a corner kick and passed on to Spain's Carles Puyol to head kick for a sole goal of Spain in the game that made continue their journey for the title.And thanks to the clairvoyant cute slimy and slender tentacles of Paul the Octopus who sides with Spain but angers Germans. Goodluck to both Spain for the finals on Sunday and Germany for a 3rd place match later today against Uruguay!

FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa Heating Up

      World Cup 2010 is making a global heatwaves in South Africa with 32 teams from all over the world competing for the coveted World Cup ball trophy with millions of fans are coming over on in nine stadiums in the cities of Johannesburg, Durban, Capetown, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Polokwane, Rustenburg, Nelspruit to watch the games live and billions of other fans around the world are tuning on their television. But not everything about FIFA World Cup 2010 is frenzy and craziness but of course with controversy from the annoying and disturbing vuvuzela horns, the unpredictable Adidas Jabulani ball to unfair and bias referees. But of course, everyone must deal with that and that doesn't even make a major impact to disrupt the games and get in the way of people's partying in the world's most popular sports. Surprise and real shocker came however from the games itself with lots of disappointment and unbelievable wins. Host South Africa opened the games with a draw against its opponent Mexico, former World Cup champions Uruguay and France settled in for a draw with a goal less game, Mexico upsets France, the underdog USA which stuns Spain in last year's tune up game came to reprise its conquering the World Cup by giving England a headache to settle for a draw and threat those who undermine the team, Ghana win over Serbia, but most of all is Portugal winning of 7 goals to a scoreless DPR (North) Korea team. See more of the action as the games unfold and as we draw closer to the finals on July 11.

Floyd Mayweather A Real Underdog

       The claimant for the so called “pound for pound king” title, Floyd Mayweather came back from retirement in boxing agitated for Manny Pacquiao being hailed and proclaimed as the pound for pound king. Manny Pacquiao agreed to fight Floyd Mayweather to settle the argument of who is the real pound for pound king however Floyd Mayweather required Manny Pacquiao a random drug testing within the month before their fight using his blood as a condition before he fight him. At first, Pacquiao was hesitant to take blood from him within a month of their fight so the fight didn’t take place instead they were given different opponent of which their managers agreed upon.
        Just a few months back, Manny Pacquiao agreed on the random drug testing just to fight Mayweather to please the people and defend his pound for pound title. What’s ridiculous is that Mayweather is looking for a way or reason to avoid fighting Pacquiao by saying that he must rest AGAIN for a year or two even if he only fought two prize fighter upon her return because he is scared of the Mexicutioner of his lightning fast punches and quick offense. Mayweather cowers and curled his tail towards himself to show his cowardice and extreme fear of Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather is only good at bragging himself as a king but a misnomer but urinating on his pants when talking about Manny Pacquiao. He is a senior citizen of boxing and should permanently throw his towel in the ring if he wants to rest for a year or two because he has nothing to prove now aside from making a living from his career to compensate for his debts and bankruptcy. How ironic it is for him to claim as the pound for pound king when he is shivering and teeth grinding of the thought of fighting the new and REAL pound for pound king!

Island Hopping: Pan de Azucar Island, Iloilo

Pan de Azucar Islands is a group of islands located in Concepcion, Iloilo, Panay Island west central Philippines. It is about 111.4 kms. from the city and be reached through a series of rides of jeepney, van, bus, motorcycle & ferry boat. It is made up of exotic islets with cave-like gateway which tourists can enjoy swimming and feeling the ambience of solitude. The tropical backdrop includes coconut which can serve as foundation for your hammock and can quench your thirst with its juice which is a good cleansing agent for our kidney.
Pan de Azucar is the biggest and most popular among Concepcion’s 16 islands because of the enchantingly tall and steep mountain, called Mt. Pan de Azucar or Mt. Manaphag, standing like a towering sentinel in the center of the island.
Pan de Azucar Island, also referred as “Tampisaw Island” or “Tambaliza,” is located 7 nautical miles north of the poblacion or town proper (in mainland Concepcion) with an expanse of 18.4 square kilometers, occupying 19% of the town’s total land area. It is 30 minutes away from the poblacion via motorized bancas (pump boats), which have regular trips to the southern side of the island. Special tours will have to be arranged with the municipal tourism office or with boatmen docked at the fish port in the mainland.
Mt. Manaphag is a 573-foot land mass considered as one of the steepest in the country. It is frequented by mountain climbing enthusiasts such as the Sigarong Backpackers. The mountain, which can be seen from afar (as far as Negros Island), easily distinguishes itself from its surroundings and provides Conception a magnificent and interesting landmark because of its shape and size. The island was named after “Pan de Azucar” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil because of its similar appearance.
At the foot of the mountain are flat lands suitable for farming, one can see a perfect overview of them on top of Mt. Manaphag. If you happen to know a local, try to have him to take you to a coconut plantation and ask for all the coconuts that you can eat. It’ll certainly give you a fulfilling experience.
Pan de Azucar has thin coasts of golden-yellow sand to white sand. Most of them are inhabited and may not be suitable for swimming, though there are still a lot of sites around the island which are perfect for a dip like Malumpatan, which is a short beach with a pebbled shore and spectacular rock formations in its surroundings.
Along a white sand beach at the foot of Mt. Manaphag, is Pan de Azucar Beach Resort, which offer rooms for those wishing to spend the night in the island. They offer simple accommodations and have water and electricity available.
Access is from Iloilo, which has its own airport with regular flights from Manila (1 hour) and Cebu (30 minutes). There are bus connections to Iloilo from local cities such as Caticlan (6 hours), Kalibo (4 hours) and Roxas (3 hours). Pan de Azucar Island is a 30-minute pump boat ride from Iloilo's port.
Pan de Azucar Island is a unique experience where you cannot see elsewhere in the country.

Cebu As "Queen City of the South," A Misnomer

by Cornelio P. Panes

The claiming of Cebu of the title as Queen City of the South originally nicknamed for Iloilo is a misnomer. It was not intended to mean the premiere or leading city outside Metro Manila. This was how it all began.
At the outbreak of the Philippine revolution, the Ayuntamiento (municipal council) of Jaro was the first to condemn, by way of a resolution, the revolution as "an unpatriotic act." The Ilonggo alta sociedad also responded to the news of revolution with protestation and outrage and evoked pro-Spanish loyalty. The Ayuntamiento of Iloilo followed suit and organized the Iloilo Volunteer Battalion.
The voluntarios, as members were called, were recruited from among the private population of Jaro and Iloilo and the adjoining prosperous towns of Molo, Arevalo, Oton and Sta. Barbara, and the more distant northern and eastern pueblos. They fought against the army of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in Cavite and Pampanga. Illustrious personalities like Martin Delgado, Quintin Salas, Pedro Monteclaro and Adriano Hernandez were among the officers of the battalion. The biggest financial contributors to the Ilongo contingent were industrialist Don Eugenio Lopez and shipping magnate Don Felix dela Rama.
In the battlefield of Cavite, the voluntarios helped the Spanish forces in the initial defeat of Aguinaldo's forces in 1897. It was the most well-equipped and well-trained contingent on the side of Spain. They helped in the fall of Silang and Imus which led to the collapse of the revolutionaries' defenses in Cavite after a fierce battle for Zapote bridge. The Spanish Crown was elated with that Spanish and the voluntarios' victory. Queen Regent Maria Cristina issued a royal decree awarding the city of Iloilo the perpetual title LA MUY LEAL Y NOBLE CIUDAD DE ILOILO or the Most Loyal and Noble City of Iloilo "for its exemplary conduct and all its laudable action during the present insurrection, in organizing and equipping an Ilongo Volunteer Battalion..."
Since then, Iloilo was known as "THE QUEEN'S CITY," a moniker for the longer title, which, to our present-day term, is the Queen's pet city. This is because Manila was first granted an almost similar title by the Queen. The title was decreed to be incorporated in the official seal of the city.
Legally speaking, Iloilo has the perpetual right to the title Queen City by virtue of the said decree. But no Ilongo now is bothered if Cebu snatched that title away. It is a title that would perpetually shame us.
In the 1990's the City Government of Iloilo unofficially removed the title from the city seal as can be shown in its printed letterheads. To make the removal official, the city council of Iloilo should pass a resolution removing the title from the city's seal.

Iloilo, "The Mother Queen City of the South"

“Welcome to the Queen City of the South!” A visitor to Iloilo City is bound to receive this greeting several times—at the airport tarmac, even in quaint, little pastry shops where the city’s famed barquillos and galletas are made. Eight out of 10 such visitors would then most likely scan the immediate vicinity, and check if the plane had landed in Cebu instead. And when the visitor is finally convinced that the sights and sounds are distinctly Iloilo’s, the inevitable question would follow: “How could there be two Queen Cities of the South?” “The original Queen City is really Iloilo; not Cebu,” says the first-ever woman Tourism secretary of the Philippines; a true-blooded Ilongga by the name of Narzalina Z. Lim. And the manner by which she and her kababayans would make the claim— in the typical melodious Ilonggo voice and an amiable smile—can well, in fact, settle the matter immediately. But of course, facts need to be laid down, lest a conflict ensues between the two Visayan cities. Iloilo’s reign Iloilo, or Irong-Irong as it was called before the Spanish invasion, has always been a prosperous province. Its rich agricultural lands and numerous ports have been the major factors toward its continued progress. By the mid-1800s, Iloilo emerged as the biggest center of commerce and trade in the Visayas and Mindanao; second only to Manila. Fast forward to the 1900s—the establishment of roads, a railway line, an airport, and the surge of the sugar industry in between—Iloilo rightly received her crown as the Queen City of the South. And not only did she prosper in agriculture and commerce, but she also regaled the rest of the nation with grand architectural structures, superior educational establishments, the most glittering of socials, and lively cultural festivities. Soon, Her Majesty’s able sons became the country’s most important business pioneers, among them, Eugenio Lopez, Gregorio Araneta, and a host of other prominent family names, who reaped sweet success from sugar planting. Iloilo, of course, was proud of her children, but there was a price to be paid. While these entrepreneurs and hacien*deros continued to spread their wings—whether to find more land in Bacolod, or to set up industries in Cebu and Manila—the dynamic progress that had long been synonymous to Iloilo eventually plateaued, and dulled the luster of Her Majesty’s crown. Thereafter, Cebu was anointed as the new Queen of the Visayas. Her glorious past, alive and well Despite Iloilo’s “dethronement,” a visit to the former Queen City of the South would explain why her sons and daughters refuse to let go of her previous title. She is still majestic, what with rich remnants of her glorious past that stand proud to this very day. If Luzon boasts of Vigan as its Heritage City, then the Visayas should do the same of Iloilo. Spread around the province are ancient churches and vintage homes dating as far back as the 1800s. Her churches. Truly breathtaking—and perhaps Iloilo’s greatest treasure—is the Miag-ao Fortress Church. Built in 1786, the church is included in the Unesco World Heritage List, and remains to be one of the most photographed landmarks in the Philippines. While Miag-ao’s yellow stone structure is reminiscent of the great temples of Aztec art, the church’s details are unique for they bear touches of the local culture. The facade, for example, displays an intricate carving of St. Christopher with the boy Jesus on his shoulders, enjoying the shade of a bountiful palm tree. This very Filipino setting is guarded by two dissimilar bell towers, which according to history, once served as lookout points for piratical attacks in the province. The church of Sta. Barbara is another well-restored old-world structure outside the city proper, while the cathedrals of Molo and Jaro near the center, are also crowd drawers. They too are architectural feats, made more interesting by unique concepts: Molo Cathedral is home to 16 statues of all-female saints, while Jaro houses an all-male counterpart. Her homes. The old world feel of Iloilo does not end with her numerous churches. The Jaro District, which gave birth to the country’s first-ever millionaire’s lane, delights tourists with vintage houses at every corner. Most enchanting is the 200-year-old Javellana ancestral home, whose ownership is passed on to the eldest child of every succeeding generation. Now under the care of solar power entrepreneur Robert “Pan*chito” Lopez Puckett, the restored Spanish house of wood and stone is referred to as “Casa Mari*quit”—Mariquit being Panchito’s grandmother, a third-generation Javellana and wife to former vice president Fernando Lopez Sr. Panchito employed the services of restoration experts from Intramuros when he inherited the house in the late eighties, and they did excellent job in polishing Mariquit’s dark wood floors and balustrades, her wrought iron ventanillas, and colorful stained glass windows. Lining Jaro’s main road, meanwhile, is Nely’s Garden, whose long, tree-lined drive leads to a decades’ old white mansion, the ancestral home of the wealthy Lopez clan; as well as the Boat House, a multilevel art-deco-inspired abode, which serves as the vacation house of the late Eugenio Lopez Sr.’s brood. Her story. What enhances the pleasure of visiting Iloilo’s ancient treasures are the stories that her children are always eager to share at every destination. How Miag-ao became home to refugees during the war; the miracle of Molo Cathedral’s Virgin Mary when El Niño hit the province; and how Panchito’s grandfather happily leased the beautiful Javellana home to a school for a mere P300 in the mid-eighties. These and more are the stories that have sparked a renewed vigor in the Ilonggos to give back the city her crown. “When we look around us,” they say, “we realize she never did lose her crown for Iloilo continues to be as rich as ever.” What she is, without a doubt, is the Queen Mother of the South. She gave birth to many economies in the Visayas, and she has, all these years, kept her treasures alive and well. The city’s sons and daughters More than ever, the Ilonggos are hopeful that they will soon restore their beloved city to her old glory. They find inspiration in the work of reelected mayor Jerry Trenas, who since his first term, has left no stones unturned in ensuring that Iloilo continues to prosper. Trenas has rightly identified tourism as a potent force in furthering the city’s economy, and restoring the distinction she once had in the Visayas. Thus far, the forward-thinking mayor has fueled an equally dynamic group of Ilong*gos to promote Iloilo as a rich tourist destination, as well as a city that can ably host international and national conventions. Formed only in the beginning of the year, the Iloilo City Convention Bureau (ICCB) already shows much promise in fulfilling the task with Ma. Teresa S. Sarabia, Ph.D as president, former Tourism secretary Narzalina Lim as marketing representative and consultant, and representatives from Iloilo’s major hotels as members. “The group is working together to come up with competitive rates and packages that will entice both tourists and those looking for convention sites to consider Iloilo, for the city truly has a lot of potential,” Lim asserts. “We have the facilities to cater to large convention groups, who after business is out of the way, can savor the original La Paz Batchoy; shop for lace and sinamay; visit the old churches and houses; enjoy young attractions like Casa Fiametta where they can go horseback riding or trekking; or even as a starting point for a trip to the beaches of Guimaras and Boracay.” Gifted with such inviting possibilities, the ICCB and the people of Iloilo City are all set to welcome visitors to the province, and put her back on the proverbial map. And with sons and daughters like the members of the ICCB, there should be no reason why the original Queen City of the South cannot shine as bright as before in the island of Visayas. The ICCB would like to thank Cebu Pacific for sponsoring the recent media familiarization tour to Iloilo City.

Worshipping Dionisia Pacquiao As A Goddess and Most Important Personality

Leading media networks in the Philippines is not only sensationalizing the overhyped news about Manny Pacquiao everyday but they also deliver gaudy reporting about the mother of the very popular boxer and a national hero of the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao’s mother who is the fiftysomething, gawky and grotesque Dionisia Pacquiao. They exploited much of her life from her family background to her current stature as a wealthy mother of a boxer – almost every detail of her including events happening and affecting her that they are short of reporting her urine and fecal. The main goal of their irresponsible journalism is, of course, obvious – to partake a share of Manny Pacquiao’s wealth or to let them a part or involved in their network and businesses. The media networks also want to portray Dionisia Pacquiao as a goddess and important personality that world leaders and heads of state including Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth II, Nicolas Sarkozy,Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Angela Merkel Hu Jintao, PM Kevin Rudd, Stephen Harper, Silvio Berlusconi etc. should worship and pay homage to her to establish her reputation and stature. No wonder why comedians and other noted international celebrities made the country their subject of mockery, ridicule and underestimation because what they’re doing are really ridiculous and humiliating and they should not blame others for their own doings. If they just have a little respect for privacy of others and be responsible enough for their information and news gathering – they should’ve gained that for themselves and earned a good reputation. Now I’m thinking, do they deserve another international recognition for doing such irresponsible and malicious acts.

My Sims 3 Images and Their Stories Behind

The dating couple's night view of the picturesque town!

The gay guy is leap into arms by his soldier boyfriend and they are very happy in eath other's arms.

The two guys are reading in the library acquiring skills needed for sustenance.

They cuddle and sweet talk while the soldier is still in his uniform and with his boots on.

The romantic gays passionate kiss at their garden. It is their public display of affection.

My Sims 3 Images and Their Stories Behind

Torrid kissing they express their passion of love

Hot kiss by the gay guys

This evil person a driver is starving to death

Observation deck view of the town early morning.

Hot romance of the hot couple