Harsh Reactions On A Philippine Couple Wedding Cake

A high-profile couple in the Philippines tied the knot in a high-profile way Tuesday -- with an elaborate ceremony followed by an elaborate reception that featured a massive wedding cake.

The nuptials between actors Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera were watched with bated breath in their native Philippines, aided by the major news network there that covered the wedding with a live blog and social media feeds.

The wedding day was also documented by the couple’s fans, who call themselves “The DongYanatics” and used the hashtags #DongYanWedding and #DM123014 to get the wedding trending on social media.

The centerpiece of the couple's reportedly Italian feast wedding reception menu was the couple’s wedding cake, which the GMA Network describes as a “five-tiered wedding cake standing over twelve-feet tall.”

Dantes and Rivera's reportedly 3-D wedding cake was made by Goldilocks, a pastry company endorsed by Dingdong, according to a "The DongYanatics" Instagram post.

"This 3D mapped cake for #DM123014 is beyond words! According to Pinky Yee of Goldilocks, it took them 1 month to make this and that it was @dongdantes' idea," the post read.

The current record-holder for the world's largest wedding cake is a 15,032 pounds made by chefs at the Mohegan Sun Hotel and Casino in Connecticut and displayed at their New England bridal showcase in 2004, according to the Guinness World Records' website.

The couple's wedding reception venue was, as described by the GMA Network, the “enchanting and lavish” Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Philippines.

The venue’s website says it has a capacity of 15,000 seated and a “full house” capacity of 20,000.



This is the link to the news:

Philippines Couple Celebrates Wedding With Massive Cake

Here are some of the people's reactions: 

Freud strongly believed males obsessed with large objects have very small penises.

I don't even see the point about arguing how much these people should spend on their wedding. The people complaining must be the grandchildren of Stalin. No matter what condition the Philippines is in, it's still a free country the last time I checked. Yes there's the color red on the flag directly below the blue, but I haven't heard the country being called the People's Republic of the Philippines, yet. Why get so emotional over a stupid cake. They want it, they paid for it; you people must deal with it...

Do you think all 15,000 attendees got to sample the cake?

And I suppose this is a guarantee that theirs will be a happy ever after? I give them a few years.

It's grand wedding, but the cake is tacky. It's way too large and high, it over power the couple standing next to it. It looks ridiculous in actuality.

It took a month to make costing them P7M and they will feast on a stale cake that is a month old? LOL...... Really people, size and cost seems to be their fixation. I just hope she does not get disappointed on their honeymoon night with something really small since she is so used to big things now, hahaha.

Celebrity weds with a parade of bishops/priests. Whereas the common people need to pay a huge sum for a priest to officiate their wedding.

Filipinos are obsessed with celebrities while the south is reeling from a typhoon. The least they could do is move the wedding out of respect to those affected by the calamity.

Shameful display of opulence in a nation that starves!

How much of the cake was wasted and discarded? I personally wouldn't want to eat cake that was a month old. I guess If you can afford the over the top cake more power to you. I personally think its ugly.

Meanwhile right outside the venue is thousands of poor filipinos that eating rice and a piece of pork for P50!

Itigil nyo na ang pambabatikos sa kasal na ito dahil wala na kayong magagawa, nangyari na. Naitae na ng mga kumain yung cake at namamahinga na ang mga labi ng cake sa fosa negra at sa pilapil (doon sa mga walang sariling palikuran). Kung anu-anong walang saysay na haka-haka ang iniimbento nyo wala rin naman kayo binatbat at sulusyon jan sa ginagawang panloloko sa inyo ng gobyerno nyo. Pati mga taong walang kinalaman sa paglutas ng problema na dapat ang mga hinalal nyong namumuno ang hingan nyo ng solusyon nililigalig nyo. Sino ba ang binabayaran na galing sa mga buwis nyo? Itong dalawang ikinasal tinupad nila ang katungkulan nila bilang mga alagad ng pinilakang tabing. Nasiyahan naman ang mga taong nagbayad ng kanilang mga pelikula, hindi ba? Ano ang iniiyak nyo sa ginawa nila sa kasal nila? Tama na yang pakitang tao dahil kung kayo rin ay kasing yaman nila baka hindi lang ganyan ang gawin ninyo. Kaya tama na ang pagtatago ng tunay sinasaloob nyo na taglay na inggit sa mga budhi nyong maiitim!!!


And so say the Filipinos...it's perfectly ok to show off your hard earned money because you publicize your charitable contributions. Screw the majority of the country who live in
EXTREME poverty. That is the problem with the VERY few who are "blessed" with their usually ill-begotten wealth. They always have to rub it in. Nothing to do with jealousy/inggit, just pure insensitivity that they explain away as wanting to share their moment with their "fans".
Think first about what you post. You have no idea what the "poor and impoverished" really feel if you have a computer to post your ignorant comments on. And stop idolizing movie stars! This is part of the reason the country is in shambles, movie stars are voted into government and nepotism is king! And yes, I am Filipino!

How delightful...in a nation of starving people...lets show everyone how important we find ourselves to be...by having a wedding cake 9 feet tall made. I hope they choke on it.

i hope they were able to feed some less fortunate in the streets of the philippines with that ginormous cake

the size of that cake sure can feed a city there

P7M for the cake. That's ridiculously expensive! Sounds inflated to me..........

Well Pig out!

this is good, let the hungry just watch them eat this thing

1 month to make??? I wonder how would it taste??

Ugly name and gaudy cake.

Millions of Pilipinos starving, is it really necessary to have this big of a cake ?

In Philippine showbiz, if their relationship last forever ( or for a long time), good for them. If not.......waste of time and money.why should I know? I worked in Philippine production before.

Too bad they didn't spend some of their millions on helping the poor and orphans.

Stupid couple

"A rich country pretending to be poor??"" Hhhhmmm...... perhaps it is the other way around, "a poor country pretending to be rich"!! If I were those celebrities, I would have held a quiet, private, simple wedding and donated money to the victims of the typhoons and other natural calamities in the Philippines......but, of course, it is Dingdong's and Marian's prerogative to hold that lavish wedding. Oftentimes, celebrities (whether in the Philippines or another country) have those lavish events to show off......and after a few years, they file for divorce or annulment of their marriages. Funny........but, true.

Putrid big cake

we can not tell the successful people what to do their money but if they have human hearth and make more than enough. they should invest their money to create job for jobless people.....but somehow pride and selfishness pre-occupy in human mind, that's why when successful people become more successful but poor become more poorer....

Enough to feed a village.

Please idiots, stop suggesting that these two people could solve your country's ills by not having a big cake on their wedding day. Even if the guy's name sounds funny, they don't deserve to be lectured on how to be a good citizen of your country. If they are paying the right amount of taxes to your government, that's about the extent of what they are obligated to do to fulfill their duties to your constitution besides voting. They are actors and not gods or politicians. Is that the reason why you keep turning celebrities into politicians that really never failed to give nothing but shame to your country? I just can't get the point of your contention over a giant wedding cake.

For those foreigners/Non-Filipinos : the quoted price of the cake was not true because it has never been disclosed. The cake served as a gift from Goldilocks, one of the product endorsements of the groom. 2ndly, the groom is rich even before he entered showbusiness so I don't think it's a crime to spend that much since he can afford it. 3rdly, The groom and bride Have been VERY ACTIVE with philanthropic activities for years, as a matter of fact the groom has his own CHARITABLE organization , Yes Pinoy Org, which helps to send street children to school . The bride has funded a lot of projects like Smile Campaign that helps those children to take advantage of free operation to correct clift palate and cleft lip (you can check Smile Train Philippines' website) and the biggest project she had was the Adopt-A-Boat project. She was able to fund and raise money to buy 300 boats for fishermen in Visayas that were affected by Typhoon Haiyan. Dont be hypocrites, they have done a lot of things for others and I think to they deserve to enjoy their hard-earned money.

Cant help not to react to the negative comments of those not of fans of this wonderful and very good couples! For your information this two celebrity couples are not corrupt and this occasion to their life is once in a lifetime event,so it is their right to have their wedding done in a way they like. They are rich now because they work hard for so many years in showbusiness as Actors and Actress,they saved their money just for this occasion.They are also good people who always lend a helping hands to the needy and when there are disasters in our country. So dont judge them because of what the pictures are shown but try to know this two people first then you'll know why they have lots of fans and they did this also for their fans sake and wishes. Happy New year to everyone!!! Hoping for happiness and love to everyone here!!! :)


The Philippines has been dubbed as one of the corrupt country in Asia, and the the citizens driven by poverty and high unemployment rate seems to be hopeless as to the moment of their salvation. It is too early to prejudge their fate, but the most awaited time is just lingering around the corner. Yes, the time of Moses will eventually felt by the populace very soon. The discovery of 2.6 trillion barrels of oil in the area makes the Philippines much wealthier than all of the Middle Eastern Nations combined.

Soon, an exudos of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWS ) will be returning home to harvest the fruits of the land. My encouragement to all my fellow countrymen is to be Positive and set aside self-interest and grudges against one another. Soon, all these corrupt politicians and other government officials who enriched themselves with the nation's treasury will fall like banana trees being chopped down.

The wedding of Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera is a private affair that should not be linked to the lives of poor Filipinos. They deserve the once in a lifetime enjoyment of their wedding day. My CONGRATULATION to the newlywe d.
 



Source:

Yahoo! News 
CBS Good Morning America 
(GMA) News Online

Philippines 5 Hidden Beaches

 

Philippines is blessed with such a splendid beauty of nature from tropical rainforests to the rugged coasts to the pristine white sand beach Philippines has it no wonder there are still places left undiscovered in the country with over 7,000 islands more to explore. Here are just 5 of so many hidden beaches in the country.

 

 

Casapsapan, Casiguran, Aurora

The peaceful and sleepy town of Casiguran is oozing with lots of potential when it comes to pristine shores and diverse nature. The town which is about 4 - 5 hours away from Baler, the capital town of Aurora, the picturesque place boast itself a long stretch of rugged coasts, stunning white beach and rich wildlife. There is a breath taking view of the Sierra Madre mountains at dawn with its morning mist if you travel or commute through the towns of Aurora riding a public transport from Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, the nearest city and province to Casiguran, Aurora. There is only one route for people using their own vehicle from Manila to Casiguran and you can locate it using Google Maps. The tough ride towards this awesome piece of paradise is not easy. It involves steep trail and river crossing that can be done using small vehicles like tricycle. Upon reaching the breath taking paradise all the long arduous trek is all worth it.

Calaguas, Vinzons, Camarines Norte

Calaguas is a group of islands lying in the Pacific coast in the Bicol region. It is under the jurisdiction of the town of Vinzons in Camarines Norte. Words are not enough to discover the beauty of these islands hidden from our eyes but lying freely in the open vastness of the Pacific. Various activities can be done in Calaguas from scuba diving and snorkeling to island hopping to spelunking. The most popular beach is the Mahabang Buhangin beach in the island of Tinaga where people do camping and spend the night under the stars. To know more about Calaguas or to inquire on how to get there visit the website Calaguas Island Official Website Click Here.

Malamawi Island, Isabela City, Basilan

Basilan has a bad reputation for being infested with terrorists but if you are up for adventure then going to this beautiful beach off a small island in Mindanao is worth the risk. Malamawi Island is just a stone's throw from the port of Isabela City, the capital of the infamous Basilan. It's only an hour from the port of Isabela City to this beautiful island. This island was once home to one of the most extensive rubber plantations in the country and the Yakan tribe. The island is so stunning words are not enough to describe this breath-taking paradise. The wind is cool. The view of the distant Zamboanga peninsula is visible from a distance. If you are going to this island, always secure your safety first and ask the authorities and armed forces to secure you for your travel on this island. Nowadays, it is relatively safe to go to that place with all the security and authorities guarding the area.

Sibang Cove, Calayan, Cagayan Valley

From the home province where the reality show Survivor took place, Cagayan has some of the most spectacular sceneries in the Philippines and Calayan is one of them. The peaceful town is home to some of the most unspoiled beaches in the country, rugged coastlines and amazing waterfalls that can be reached only by clambering through slippery rocks and a very densely forested area. Calayan Island, the largest island of the Babuyan group of islands can be reached via the town of Claveria using a lampitaw or outrigger boat. It takes up to 5 hours to travel from Claveria to Calayan Island and water can sometimes be rough so the ride is not for the faint hearted. The best time to travel for smooth sailing are between the months of April and May. The remote secluded beach has no resorts, restaurants or other forms of modern conveniences found in other beaches so expect to camp and experience the island like a castaway. When it's low tide, you can also walk to the other two coves, Caniwara and Cababaan.

Sta. Cruz Island, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur

If other beaches are proud of their white sand, Zamboanga's Sta. Cruz Island on the other hand is pride of their beach with its pink sand. Sta. Cruz is a small island off the coast of Zamboanga, a 10-minute ride from Paseo del Mar. There is no accomodation and camping isn't allowed but there are tables and cottages you can rent for as low as P200 for a whole day stay or you can simply take a shade under a flowering tree and expect armed police officers to guard and assist you during your trip. 



Information and Photo Sources: 

http://bloggermother.com/2013/08/08/casapsapan-beach-in-aurora-province/

http://www.akrosdayunibers.com/philippines/aurora-travel-blog-exploring-the-towns-of-baler-and-casiguran

http://www.lakwatsero.com/destinations/calaguas-islands/

http://langyaw.com/2012/10/21/beautiful-white-beach-in-basilan/

http://www.akrosdayunibers.com/travel-guides/basilan-travel-guide-how-to-get-to-malamawi-island-in-basilan

http://bantogbackpackers.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-hidden-paradise-of-basilanmalamawi.html

https://nomadlens66.wordpress.com/tag/cliffs/

http://www.ironwulf.net/2007/06/12/basilan-malamawi-island/

https://scudinreallife.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/photos-white-beach-malamawi-island-basilan/

http://www.traveling-up.com/travel-guide-calayan-island-cagayan/

http://www.lakwatsero.com/spots/zamboanga-city-the-pink-sand-beach-of-sta-cruz-island/

http://www.bestspotsph.com/2013/03/the-great-santa-cruz-island-pink-sand.html

http://journeyingjames.com/2013/06/sta-cruz-island-pink-sand-beach-zamboanga/

Harly Limlingan Marcuap, Akrosdayunibers 

Miss World 2014 Is South Africa's Rolene Strauss

Rolene Strauss of South Africa being crowned as Miss World 2014 by the outgoing Miss World 2013 Megan Young of the Philippines. 

London, England - 22-year old Rolene Strauss of South Africa won Miss World 2014 beating 120 other hopefuls held in Exhibition Center London or ExCeL. 1st runner up is Edina Kulcsar of Hungary and 2nd runner up is Elizabeth Safrit of the United States. She was crowned by the outgoing Miss World 2013 Megan Young of the Philippines who hails from Pandan, Antique and was raised, grew up and represented Olongapo City, Zambales in Miss World Philippines 2013. 



Photo Source: 

http://www.ibtimes.com/who-rolene-strauss-meet-miss-world-2014-winner-miss-south-africa-photos-1756030

Miss Universe 2014 Contestants Profile Trivia

Miss Universe 2014 Contestant's Profile is Up. These profiles help us get to know them better and appreciate them more for what they have gone through and what they have accomplished before getting their chance to represent their respective countries to the most prestigious beauty pageant of all - Miss Universe.  We have read some interesting trivia of these lovely ladies. Here are just some tidbits of information about these stunning contestants who captured my attention as well as some of their country's trivia:

Contestant's Profile Trivia

 
Albania's Xhaneta Byberi took her mom's make up kit and started applying make up on her dog to make it look glamorous as possible.

Argentina's Valentina Ferrer would like to portray a down to earth image of a model. She also collects lucky charms. If  she's wearing a certain object or piece of clothing in a lucky moment, she'll keep it as a lucky charm!

Austria's Julia Furdea always finishes a book even if she doesn't like it at the beginning because she will feel guilty if it gets better. She only drinks water just because she doesn't like juice.

Bolivia's Claudia Tavel did not obey her mother not to bring her roller skate inside the house and using it broke a collection of antique porcelain tableware.

Brazil's Melissa Gurgel always double check the refrigerator if its fully closed and likes to scare her friends when they're distracted

Bulgaria's Kristina Georgieva likes to eat with her bare hands

Canada's Chanel Beckenlehner was the youngest clinician in the history of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (Canada's largest agricultural fair) to present a clinic series on training a young horse

Colombia's Paulina Vega sleeps with her eyes open. It is confusing because people don't know if she is awake or asleep!

Croatia's Ivana Misura ends almost every sentence by saying "kuzis?" or "stvarn'so?" in English it means "get it?" and "really?". She does it with a special accent to be funny. She also gives nicknames to absolutely everything: people, places, clothes, you name it! She has abbreviated names for almost every piece of clothing she owns.

Curacao's Laurien Angelista was crowned on her birthday June 7th 2014.

Ecuador's Alejandra Argudo is adopting a low income child's academic career as her Christmas present

Egypt's Lara Debanne loves watching all her Disney movies at least twice a year. She also likes to play with dolls once in a while, especially changing their clothes, doing their hair and acting out various scenes.

El Salvador's Patricia Murillo fell into a lake while riding her bike home with friends from her job at the beach hotel. They all laughed and made fun of her. She once dressed up as Speedy Gonzalez at the beach hotel she worked at. The kids ended up hitting and pushing her. She had to take the costume off so the kids could recognize her and gave her hugs after.

Finland's Bea Toivonen's mother was also a Miss Universe Finland and competed 30 years ago in Miss Universe 1985 also  held in Miami, Florida. 

Gabon's Maggaly Nguema is deeply involved in her projects for Leprosy patients and passionate about bringing awareness to it and fighting to end discrimination that lepers face in the surrounding communities. She also prefers to walk barefoot. She has a beauty day that she does all of her own beauty rituals. Everyone asks her why she still does it herself since winning Miss Universe Gabon, but it reminds her of when she had to learn these things by herself and she doesn't want to forget where she came from.

Georgia's Ana Zubashvili is a morning person. She often annoys her friends and colleagues by showing up in the morning singing, “gooooood mooooorning!!!”. She is also crazy in taking pictures of people's shoes especially women's and kid's shoes.  She is also actively campaigning for social change and also skilled at her national dance.

Germany's Josefin Donat is known to have a natural charisma. She even describes herself as very persuasive and has a great convincing talent. She has a dog that looks like an alien or like a famous German soccer player Mesut Oezil.

Ghana's  Abena Appiah can braid her own hair without a mirror, she can speak and sing like a man and can burp more than 50 times in a row.

Great Britain's Grace Levy was once featured on a popular dating show called "Take Me Out" and went on a date with a fire dancing hippie who worked for Greenpeace. He had dreadlocks down to his waist. Unfortunately, it didn't work out between them as it turns out that he only washed his hair once every three months. Grace Levy also neutered a cat during her veterinarian experience and she used to sleepwalk and ended up in many strange places.

Greece's Ismini Dafopulou used to call her school's principal "the tall and bald mountain" and got in trouble when he found out. She was also onced used by her father as a weight in his workout routine and she has enjoyed it more than anything.

Guam's Brittany Bell signs all her notes, cards and emails with her own coined salutation: "Faith, Love, and Smiles." She has traveled to 11 countries in just 3 years.

Each time that Guatemala's Ana Luisa Montufar sit's beside someone, she feels an impulse to try his or her food. It doesn't matter if her meal is better, she just needs to have a bite of their food. Whenever she goes to bed, she usually rocks herself for a minute to fall asleep faster.

Honduras' Gabriela Ordoñez proudest accomplishment is her 40 pound weight loss in only one year.

Hungary's Henrietta Kelemen loves scaeing people especially during Halloween.

India's Noyonita Lodh has a highly infectious laugh, is addicted to desserts and shopping is her stress reliever.

Ireland's Lisa Madden sleep talks only in her native language Irish.

Israel's Doron Matalon name is derived from the word gift.

Japan's Keiko Tsuji has a husky voice and once knocked out her opponent's front teeth in a karate match.

Kosovo's Artnesa Krasniqi never gains weight no matter how much she eats and her little sister looks a lot like her, so people often mistake the two of them for the same person.

Lithuania's Patricija Belousova often shops for shoes in kids stores because her feet are so small. She can never decided what to wear, and always asks other people to help her choose and she also over pack for trips that she has outfits for any mood she may be in while traveling.

Malaysia's Sabrina Bennett Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak is one of the longest networks of caves in the world and Sarawak Chamber being the world’s largest underground chamber and home to millions of bats.

When no one is looking and Mauritius' Pallavi Gungaram has something on her mind, she talks to herself. She literally will think aloud, weighing pros and cons to be able to make a good decision. She pats her own head whenever she has anything big coming up, such as exams or speeches to help boost her confidence level.

Mexico's Josselyn Garciglia  is not a morning person and usually wakes up with an attitude of a little spoiled girl, which ends up being funny later. She is clumsy and trips on steps too much, sometimes she thinks she has two left feet.

Nigeria's Queen Celestine is really good with names. In a room filled with people, she will know everyone's name.

Norway's Elise Dalby tricks herself into believing that one piece of chocolate a day makes all the stress and troubles go away.

Paraguay's Sally Jara can imitate almost all of her foreign friend's accents.

Philippines' Mary Jean Lastimosa has always been deemed by her friends as the ‘love doctor,’ since high school giving advice about relationships. She likes visiting theme parks in different countries. She can spend her whole day trying out all the rides in theme parks over and over again. She says she is a kid magnet. There was an instance during an outreach event where the baby she was playing with wouldn't go with her mom when she needed to take her for an operation. The baby cried so hard because she wanted Mary Jean to carry her, and so she ended up being the one to take her inside the operating room.

Poland's Marcela Chmielowska loves to bake diet cakes and cookies.Marcela would have loved to see Whitney Houston sing live. She sometimes talks in her sleep.

Portugal's Patricia Da Silva's 6-year-old self comes out when she sees candy. When she sleeps alone she has to leave the lights on. Patricia loves to clean. She really loves dancing while cleaning and seeing everything shiny afterwards.

Russia's Yulia Alipova always gets bruises and normally has no idea where she got them from. She loves her cars. She even talks to them as if they were living beings and gives them names. Yulia is sure that one day she will fly into space.

Saint Lucia's Roxanne Didier-Nicholas has zip-lined in three different Caribbean islands; Antigua, Jamaica and St. Lucia. She found each experience uniquely thrilling.

Serbia's Andjelka Tomasevic likes telling jokes, but is not very good at telling them because she forgets the punch line halfway through. Since she was a little girl, she likes teasing her sister. Whenever she reads a book, she likes to move the bookmark a few pages ahead so she is confused when she picks up the book again.

Singapore's Rathi Menon's owns four classes of motor vehicle licenses in her country, two of which are motorcycle licenses.

Whenever something makes Slovenia's Urska Bracko to burst into laughter, it is really hard for her to stop laughing.

Spain's Desire Cordero has some funny stories to tell. Desire Cordero's father is a pilot and has a small airplane. One time he flew her from Seville to Madrid, Spain's capital city for her first date with her current boyfriend because she missed the train. There was also another time when she was a child, her grandma was too busy to go to supermarket so she gave her and her cousin some money for food but they bought a wonderful puppy instead. Just imagine her grandma's face. She also has to fly from Madrid to Dussedorf for a working assisgnment but there's a strike so she was forced to stay in the airport for three days. She was so committed for the job so she patiently waited for three days but was surprised to found out it only took an hour for the production to complete.

Sweden's Camilla Hansson has had the same perfume brand since she was 15. It is her signature fragrance and will never change it!

Trinidad and Tobago's Jevon King is addicted to court drama and detective TV shows like Criminal Minds, Law and Order or CSI. Just like any Trinbagonians, every year she is in full costume dancing to soca music through the streets of her capital city from sun up to sun down.

Turkey's Dilan Cicek Deniz was a lover of the arts at an early age. She published her poetry book when she was 15 gaining attention from highly respected Turkish authors and poets. She has always been interested in performing arts and has been on stage since she was 7 and started studying theater at age 14 at Ismail Baha Surelsan State Conservatory. She memorized Anton Chekhov's "The Good Doctor" when she was 7.

Whenever Turks and Caicos' Shanice Williams is bored, she raises her hands in the air without knowing it

Whenever Ukraine's Diana Garkusha shoots a gun, she always closes her eyes and still hitting the target. She can also hold hot objects for a long time.

USA's Nia Sanchez moved to Europe to become a nanny. Nia has worked as a full-time model for the past seven years and was chosen to be the face character of Hong Kong's Disney out of thousands of applicants. She has traveled to more than 15 countries and plans to go to more countries this year. She is also a 4th degree black belt Tae Kwon Do and instructor.

Venezuela's Migbelis Castellanos has a bad habit of putting her feet on a table. She also loves cooking and knows how to prepare a lot of recipes but is having a difficulty preparing easy recipes such as pasta.

Countries Trivia

Aruba is a tiny island with a population of more than 100,000 people coming from more than 190 countries.

Canada  The lovable character of Winnie the Pooh was inspired from the real Canadian bear cub. A black bear cub from Canada was donated to a zoo in London, England in 1915. The bear was named "Winnie" after his hometown. A child named Christopher Robin Milne bonded with the bear cub and his father, A.A. Milne took this as an inspiration for his Winnie the Pooh stories.

Costa Rica is the only Latin American country without an army since 1949.

El Salvador  The wildflower of Salvadoran tourism is a 36 km-long winding trip through brightly colored colonial towns famed for lazy weekends and adventures like mountain biking, horseback riding and hiking to hidden waterfalls of the glorious Cordillera Apaneca, this is called the ‘Flower Route’ or "Ruta de las Flores.

Ethiopia has its own calendar with 13 months, its own alphabet and numerals. Ethiopia is the birth place of coffee. Ethiopia is one of the only two African countries that has never been colonized.

Ghana's war against British colonialism was led by a woman named Yaa Asantewaa, Queen of Ejisu from 1900 to 1901.

Great Britain's famous Big Ben was the name given to the bell inside and not the clock tower. The Big Ben also chimes in the musical key E.

Greece is one of the safest and most beautiful countries to travel and enjoy beautiful vacations.

There is a point in Guam's history when generations were scolded for speaking in Chamorro and eventually it even stopped much of the younger generations from learning the language of their heritage. Now it is being revived for the present and future generation.

Guatemala is a beautiful country with a diverse ecosystem, 300 microclimates and 33 volcanoes, three of which are active. In Guatemala,  you can go from a thick mist, to a dry and warm desert in only few minutes. Guatemala is also known as the cradle of Mayan civilization.

India is the birthplace of chess. The original word for chess in the Sanskrit language is "chaturanga"  meaning four members of an army.

Ireland is home to the world's oldest field game, hurling.

Israel is the only democratic country in Middle East.

Lebanon - The first alphabet was created by Cadmus in Byblos, Lebanon. Byblos is the world's oldest continuously inhabited city in the world

Lithuania is well known for it's amber. The gemstone is often compared to gold or even pearls since they represent similar value. Moreover, the word 'amber' comes from the verb 'to protect.' Lithuanian people believe in its healthful and magic qualities. Today, amber is considered one of the oldest amulets.

Mexico - The Axolotl is native and endemic to Xochimilco Mexico and is in danger of extinction. One of the main qualities of the axolotl is that it is highly resistant to cancer and has an amazing ability to regenerate. Many scientists now study it in hopes of learning more about the creature.

Nicaragua is home to one of the oldest city's in Central America, Granada.

Nigeria has over five hundred indigenous languages.

Panama -  No other country in the region has a more modern infrastructure and a business sector of American style. The Panamanians are globalized, peaceful, friendly and fun loving. Also, certainly one of the most ambitious and proudest works of all time that is our Panama Canal, which had a transformative effect on the planet. This year marks the first anniversary of this inauguration.

Paraguay's capital Asuncion, is older than any city in the United States. Asuncion was founded August 15, 1537.

Gender equality is deeply rooted in Philippine culture. From the 10th-13th century, the early native Filipinos praised a golden vessel called Kinnaris, a half-woman, half-bird creature that is renowned for her dance, song and poetry. Filipino women have always been blessed to be given equal rights in society even before the age of modern civilization.

Portugals' Lisbon trams are one of the biggest tourist attractions in Portugal. A fun fact that only a few people know is that in the past the trams were called "Americanos" since the trams had American origin.

Puerto Rico is a very small island, 100 x 35 miles wide, but it has many beautiful and interesting places to visit. A tropical rainforest, a 500-year-old city and the world's largest radio telescope to mention a few!

Russia is the largest country in the world, and home to 200 nationalities and ethnic groups. Russia hosts many different lifestyles and traditions that are deeply respected by others.

St. Lucia has two Nobel Laureates. Sir Arthur Lewis received the award for Economics and Derek Walcott received the award for Literature.

Singapore is an independent, sovereign democratic nation. They consists of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian communities, who speak and practice their own language, culture and religion. They live harmoniously despite varied ethnic backgrounds. Their differences unite us and make us unique as Singaporeans.

Slovenia is very green and diverse country where you can find practically anything. You can swim in the Adriatic Sea, drive an hour and ski in the Alps, explore caves, or simply go on a hike. We also have one magnificent lake named Bled.

In Sweden almost half of the parliament members are women. There is a sense of equality among everyone whether you are a man or a woman. In Sweden, regardless of your class you are treated with the same respect and have the same opportunities in the society.

Turkey most specifically in the town of Gobeklitene is where the world's oldest temple can be found. It is built roughly around 12,000 years ago.



Check out your contestant's profile on Miss Universe website by clicking on the link below named Miss Universe 2014 Contestants Profile:

Miss Universe 2014 Contestants Profile

Photo Source: 

Miss Universe Organization, Inc. Official Website

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2014-2015 HD

This is the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show held last December 2, 2014 in London, England. Sorry for blurry video because the whole show will be broadcasted next week in CBS. We are hoping that Victoria's Secret Fashion show will be held in Iloilo, Philippines.


Video Courtesy of 

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2014 2015 Youtube Channel
Sky Sports TV Youtube Channel  

Five Breathtaking Remote Unexploited Beaches In The Philippines

The breath taking splendid Balabac Island 

Dolphin watching in Balabac Strait 

The Philippines is blessed with countless of wonder and the beauty of a bio diverse nature is one of them. With thousands of uncharted islands waiting to be discovered and explored, the Philippines is one of the fortunate countries to have long coastlines, rugged and mystical interiors and jungles so bounty it produces a large portion of the Earth's endemic species of flora and fauna meaning there are lots of flowers, greenery and animals in the country that a nature lover could truly amaze in disbelief.

While Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world when it comes to tropical beaches, nature and rich, colorful history and culture, Philippines got small attention from the world and welcome a very small percentage of tourist arrivals compared to the rest of the world's destinations. Aside from the aggressive promotion and media campaigns, one reason Thailand is swarmed by tourists is the number of options available to visitors which also include coolest perks and benefits as well as awesome outdoor activities. Each of Thailand's famed beaches like Koh Samui, Krabi, Pattaya, Phuket and Koh Phi Phi Islands has several thousands of accommodations to choose from the cheapest to the most expensive luxury resort hotel and lots of other stores and venues for their needs, services and recreation and most importantly, outdoor activities and leisure and other things to do so as not to get them bored doing nothing other than swimming, diving, snorkeling and sight seeing. This is similar to Boracay but the only difference between Boracay and Thailand's beaches is management and regulation. The now dirty, noisy and crowded Boracay is the effect of abuse, mismanagement and lack of strict regulation. I believe that if strict regulation and proper management governed an island paradise it will keep its pristine beauty for generations to see. I think this can be done with other Philippines' undiscovered gems of nature. If political will and right attitude plays the role, thousands of options that will cater to the needs and service of the visitors shall be put into place into each of these brilliantly precious destinations. What Thailand or Malaysia can offer the Philippines do not only double it but three times or four times their worth and charm.

Visitors and tourists may already have heard and visited places such as Boracay, Palawan, Manila, Intramuros, Vigan, Cebu etc. but they never knew that there tropical beaches in the country that is worth the hype and way much more beautiful than the famed Boracay Island. Here are some of the stunning beaches in the country which could rival that of Thailand's finest beaches:

Balabac shores 

Canabungan Island, Balabac, Palawan

Bugsuk Island, Balabac, Palawan

Sunset at Bugsuk Island

Bugsuk Island is located in Balabac town, Palawan. This little island jewel located at the southwest Philippines has an interesting history to tell.

On August 13, 1944 eight members on board USS Flier reached Bugsuk Island when the submarine struck a mine while on surface patrol during World War II. They swam 18 hours before reaching an atoll near Bugsuk and spent another three days swimming to two other island before landing on Bugsuk thanks to the help of Filipino guerilla. Seventy-eight men died including the seven who escaped the sub but didn't survive swimming.

Today, Bugsuk Island is a paradise to behold. Its long stretch of white sand beach defines the horizon that never ends or boundless. This flat island is home to the longest and one of the finest white sand beach in the country – finer that those in Boracay. According to a traveler, the beach in Barangay Sibaring in the southern part of the island is so fine and powdery it will make your feet sink. In this expanse lives the local worm called wakwak and for the ethnic group Palaw’an tribe who lives in the area dipping these crawlies in vinegar means “snack”. You can try it yourself!

Wakwak, the local worm thriving on the sands of Bugsuk Island

The catch is life is laidback! No modern accommodations in the island or in the town proper of Balabac or in Rio Tuba in the town of Bataraza and no electricity or restaurant and not even a reliable phone signals or modern villas. This is an ideal retreat for people who wants to separate themselves for a while from the rest of the world. So tips are bring flashlights and/or matchsticks to light fuel for light in the darkness, cook food or to keep you warm the rest of the night, bring materials; tools or ingredients for cooking otherwise bring ready to eat food and most of all, bring insect repellent to keep you from insect bites.

There are however, small and simple lodging houses in the Balabac town proper just across the shore of Bugsuk Island. These are:

JD Lodging House (Sing and Swing Karaoke Bar) in Poblacion, Balabac town proper

MLK Lodging House also in Balabac.

Here's what to expect and do in Bugsuk Island:

- Visit and view the Spanish era Melville lighthouse built in 1818.and finished in 1892.

- Enjoy the long stretch of powdery white sand in Barangay Sebaring or Sebaring Point.

- Appreciate the bountiful mangrove locations in Sebaring, Bugsuk and Melville.

- Sunrise and sunset in the island is one of the best

- Go snorkeling, diving and scuba diving are free (Bring your own equipment)

- Trek and scale Melville Peak

- Visit the ruins of a Spanish structure at the mouth of Larindon Bay (below the lighthouse of Melville)

Other things of interest in Balabac Town:

- Other mangrove areas

- Island and beach hopping in the following areas: Onuk (Roughton), Nasubata, Candaraman, Matangala, Canabungan, Ramos, Bowen, Siksikan, Secam, Patongong, Pandanan and several others of the 31 islands, islets and sandbar in the town.

- Visit the gorgeous pink sand beach of Comiran Island

- Dolphin watching

- See the endemic species of mouse deers, wild monkeys, crocodiles and other floras and faunas in the wild

- Balabac is also one of the most ideal spot for bird watching as it is home to various migratory and endemic birds like Grey Imperial Pigeon, Philippine Cockatoo, Blue-headed Racket-tai, Palawan Hornbill and possibly even the Philippine eagle you can see them all there.

- The cute fireflies at night

- Immerse with the colorful and distinct culture of the Molbog tribe

- Trek Italawon Peak and Malaking Ilog Peak

- Hidden waterfalls in the mountains of Balabac

- Historical markers in Ramos Island, old Spanish fort in Ulitan

- Shopping for Malaysian products

How to Reach Bugsuk Island

Bugsuk has an airstrip which can accommodate small aircraft but no commercial airline flies to these airstrips.

You can travel via Puerto Princesa City.  Puerto Princesa City is connected by air from Manila via Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air and Zest Air; if you are coming from Cebu, Iloilo and Davao you can fly via Cebu Pacific, from Busuanga Airport in Coron, Palawan via Philippine Airlines and from Kota Kinabalu via MAS Wings airline.

By ferry, 2GO Travel serves Manila to Puerto Princesa via Coron once a week and Montenegro Shipping Lines and Milagrosa Shipping Lines have regular trips to Puerto Princesa from Iloilo via Cuyo, Palawan.

From San Jose Terminal in Puerto Princesa city, ride a bus or a van going to Rio Tuba. Buses and vans regularly depart from San Jose Terminal starting at 4 am to 9 pm daily. Fares is from as low as P275 pesos for non-air conditioned bus and as high as P450 for air conditioned shuttle van or bus. Travel time is approximately five (5) to six (6) hours on a non-aircon bus and approximately six (6) to seven (7) hours for aircon transportation.

From the port in Rio Tuba, boat ride for two (2) hours will take you to Bugsuk Island. For boat hires, contact Rene Principe because he own a parcel of land in Barangay Sibaring part of Bugsuk Island. Camping is allowed for a small fee and bring your own tent.

 

Saluag Island, Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi    

Saluag Island is located in the Sibutu island town or municipality in Tawi-tawi, the southernmost island of the Philippines. Saluag literally is the southernmost island of the country. It is just 43.3 kilometers east of Borneo. The Tausug and Sama Dilaut tribes who are the inhabitants of the scenic paradise makes a living through fishing, boat making and seaweed farming.

It is an isolated island community of nice and very kind people if you want to experience and understand their laidback lifestyle. The place is very exotic and if you enjoy cultures, this one is for you. You can see people’s native home above the water or living near the shore, how the Tausugs dive  looking for coins underwater tossed by people from the ferries.

How To Reach Saluag Island

Cebu Pacific Air flies daily from Zamboanga City to Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi.

From Bongao airport, hire a tricycle to Chinese pier and find a ferry going to Barangay Tandubanak in Sibutu. It's a 3-hour ride and costs P200 pesos one-way.

For its alternate, you can look for ferry going to Sibutu town proper for a 4-hour, one-way ride which cost P250 pesos and from here, hire a motorcycle for a 30-minutes ride and bring you to Barangay Tandubanak.

Ferries going to Tandubanak and Sibutu town proper doesn't have fixed schedule so it’s important to confirm trips at Chinese pier.

From Barangay Tandubanak, a 30-minute motorcycle ride brings you to Barangay Tandu-owak and from Tandu-owak, Saluag is just 40 minutes boat ride away.

Contact Details:

For more assistance, contact Ms. Salve Pescadera of Tawi-Tawi Tourism Office at +63 910 671 6367.

Olanivan Island, Saranggani, Davao Occidental

Aerial view of Olanivan Island

Another destination of interest is the Olanivan Island.Olanivan is located in the southernmost part of Davao Occidental, the newest province in the Philippines and close border with Indonesia. Olanivan Island is one of the three major islands in the town of Saranggani.It is an 18 hectares of powdery white sand paradise dotted with palms, coconuts and other plants. This palm-fringed island has a circular white sand beach formation and is near Balut Island and Saranggani Island. These three (Balut, Olanivan, Saranggani) make up the island group known as the Saranggani Islands. If you want to get away from the maddening crowd and from the noise and bustling party life in other beach, this serene beach is ideal for you.

You will also be delighted in sharing the island with its gentle locales belonging to the B'laan tribe who modestly dwells on the island's western coast. B'laans are famous for their bead works, brassworks and tabih weave which explains for their colorful embroidered native dress while on the other side is the island's white lighthouse built by the Americans during the early 20th century American colonial period to serve as a guide for American warships going to Australia.

One will never forget the calming ambiance of this pristine island.

Places Of Interests Near Olanivan

Balut Island - Maguindanaoan term for "island" this tropical beach also known as Sanguil is another place of interest and one of the most visited tourist attractions in Davao Occidental. Nestled in the center of the island is Balut volcano (stratovolcano) rising at about 2, 828 feet high.

Saranggani - Considered as an important island in the town, don't confuse this island with the Saranggani province. This place is also as beautiful as Olanivan because of the enticing scenery awaits the visitors.

Tuke Maklang Beach Resort - also in Balut Island, tourists can bring their tents for free. There are also open cottages available for only P100 pesos. Ideal for boat riding and kayaking.

Sabang Hot Spring - still in Balut Island. Just an hour and a half from Olanivan Island, it has two enclosed hot springs where tourists can boil themselves up to 80 degrees celsius or 176 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature.

How to Reach Olanivan Island

As the center of the town, Balut Island is the common gateway to Olanivan.

From Manila or other cities, take a flight to General Santos City. From General Santos City pier, there is a passenger ferry bound for Balut Island everyday except Sunday either from Lion's Beach Port (via M/V Frederick which costs a one-way ticket of P370 pesos) or Puting Bato Port (via M/L Nieky and M/L Sabhan, both costs P300 pesos for a one-way ticket) between 10:00 PM - 12:00 midnight. Travel duration is about 7 - 9 hours depending on the weather condition.

From the Mabila port in Balut Island, Olanivan is an hour away using an outrigger boat.        

Omapuy Island, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi

Bod Bongao peak, Tawi-Tawi 

Facing the endless horizon in Bod Bongao peak, Tawi-Tawi 

Foot Bridge in Bod Bongao greet visitors on the boat traversing the canal that serves as main gateway of Bod Bongao 

An emerald island part of Sitangkai group of islands located in the province of Tawi-Tawi in the south westernmost part of the country is another piece of gem waiting to be discovered and tapped its potential.

Omapuy Island is an island surrounded by hectares of seaweed farms and stilt houses floating over shallow waters. Another chance of experiencing cultures by meeting the local Tausug and Sama Dilaut people harvesting tons of seaweed.

How to Reach Omapuy Island

Cebu Pacific has a regular daily flights Zamboanga City to Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi. From the Bongao airport, hire a tricycle to Chinese pier and find a ferry going  to the Sibutu town proper which has a travel time of approximately four (4) hours and cost a one-way trip of P250 pesos. There's no fixed schedule for ferries going to Sibutu town proper from Bongao but there are at least three trips per week so it is important to go to the Chinese pier and inquire about possible trips to Sibutu.

From Sibutu town proper, Omapuy Island is just an hour ride away by an outrigger boat.

For assistance, you can contact Salve Pescadera of the Tawi-Tawi Tourism Office at +63 910 671 6367 and +63 905 154 7865

Onuk Island, Balabac, Palawan

Foot Bridge in Onuk Island 

Small sandbar in Onuk Island During High Tide 

Finally, Onuk Island is another one of the most remote islands in the country located in the south westernmost tip of Palawan. It is apparently privately owned by Hon. Shuaib Astami, mayor of Balabac town to which Onuk Island is part of so you need to ask permission from the mayor so you can visit the beautiful island treasure.

This piece of jewel lying at the edge of the Sulu Sea is an endless horizon of powdery white sand and crystal clear azure water meets the vast expanse of the clear skies. The only obstruction are the greeneries on the island.

The shallow water is so clear you don't need any cameras to see the marine life underwater.

There are structures on one corner of the island inhabited by the caretakers of the island. The island is just small yet the picturesque scene is quite huge. This is also home to the sea turtle sanctuary to protect them from poachers who hunt them for money selling them to restaurants.

How to Reach Onuk Island

In order to gain access since Onuk Island is a private island, you need a permission from the Office of Balabac Mayor. The permission should be accompanied by your formal letter of request so it is a must to write your letter of request early on before asking for permission. Balabac local government office has a satellite office in Puerto Princesa located at Pajara, Barangay Sta. Monica in front of Bible Baptist Church.

Once you have a permit granted by the Balabac LGU, they will assist you or your group from Puerto Princesa all the way to Onuk. All applicable fees including boat transfers apply.  

Article and Photo Sources:

George Tapan

Harry Limlingan Marcuap, Akrosdayunibers.com

Angel Juarez, lakwatsero.com

Len Jingco, pinterest.com

www.edmaration.com

http://insights.looloo.com/5-super-remote-philippine-beaches/

http://www.akrosdayunibers.com/philippines/palawan-south

http://gregmercadoelep.blogspot.com/2014/06/5-super-remote-philippine-beaches-that.html

http://beautifulmindanao.blogspot.com/2012/05/discovering-new-places-balut-island.html

http://vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/Davao-Occidentals-Exotic-and-Beautiful-Olanivan-Island

http://www.lakwatsero.com/destinations/travel-guide-balabac/

http://www.blissfulguro.com/2014/09/onuk-island-beach-balabac-palawan.html

http://www.brookespointpalawan.com

http://www.akrosdayunibers.com/philippines/palawan-south

http://www.akrosdayunibers.com/philippines/revisiting-tawi-tawi-part-2-exploring-sitangkai-and-omapuy-islands

www.pinoyexchange.com

www.thetravelingnomad.com