Quantcast

Anything Under The Sun Ads

Free counters!

Friday, February 25, 2011

Breaking News: Two Binibining Pilipinas Candidates Disqualified, More To Follow

        Two Binibining Pilipinas hopefuls have been disqualified by the wicked evil Stella Marquez Araneta for the reason that they made sexy and pose showing a little skin for some magazines which is a direct violation of the crooked rules and regulations of the beauty pageant organization prompting indignant fans to protest such a low blow and bias action of the ALIEN foreigner Organizer of the beauty pageant. Grendel Alvarado and Jen Olivar were shocked to find out they were remove from the roster of candidates from this year's Philippines' premier national pageant which sends delegates to Miss Universe, Miss International and other pageants such as Miss Supranational. They are also blacklisted from joining Binibining Pilipinas in the future. Martha Chloe McCully and Roxanne Cabanero are also in critical situation of disqualification for reasons undisclosed yet. There are more ladies to follow threatened by the pageant marred with controversy, corruption, politics and crime. Some of the titleholders in the past won because some senators, congressmen and high profile personalities serves as backers for them telling the social climber Stella Marquez Araneta to let her win their delegate on their preferred titles. Some of the titles in Binibining Pilipinas are already pre-arranged to some ladies who will take home the crown and will represent the country in international competition. I don't know if that is still the case today but before the cheating and dirty politics is very obvious barenaked slapping everyone to their faces.
       Binibining Pilipinas has been under fire since its inception in 1964 under the devilish and cruel Colombian Stella Marquez Araneta. It imposes primitive and sadistic rules such as the prohibition of delegates in posing sexy pictorials and misleading ORAL information about delegates as grounds for disqualification and also dual citizenship of a Filipina delegate who has a foreign blood on one of her parents is not allowed by Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. There are already some indignant beauty pageant followers petitioning to kick her out of the country and make her return to Colombia. One of the first action made to finally overthrowing her and kicking her butt is her organization losing the franchise of Miss World to a Filipino/Malaysian subsidiary company which will be the one to select a Philippine delegate to Miss World for the first time this year. There are more interested Filipino businessmen and pageant fanatics who will try to win other international pageant franchise from Stella Marquez Araneta's group among them Miss Universe and Miss International because they cannot bear the fact that an Alien in the name of Stella Marquez Araneta, a Colombian, is sabotaging the Philippines chances in international beauty pageant competition by imposing such brutish and nonsense policies. A year ago, Miss Universe allowed delegates to make some sexy and revealing pose showing some skin on their cover pictorials for the Miss Universe official website and other media and platforms it will be used so there is no way for Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. to disqualify a delegate for such an invalid reason, she violated the rights and freedom of the delegates by imposing such cruelty and beside she is an illegitimate citizen of the Philippines, she is free to leave the country and not wait for her fate. We will not allow a dictator's spirit trapped on Stella Marquez's body to rule our local pageantry or we will stage a new PEOPLE POWER!


Grendel Alvarado



Jen Bolivar




Martha Chloe McCully




Roxanne Cabanero

Monday, February 14, 2011

Love Gone Wrong

Delve into the strange, and often painful, world of love




         It’s that time of the year again when florists make more money in three days than they normally do in three months. When you put your lactose intolerance aside and enthusiastically accept chocolates from your boyfriend like it’s the most creative gift on earth. A time when you willingly pay a ridiculous amount of money to sit in a crowded restaurant to stare into each others eyes while trying to ignore the 20 other couples doing the exact same thing. Yes, it’s Valentines Day. A wonderful time for those in love.
       But let’s face it, not everybody’s happy in love. You may have just been dumped or had your ex-boyfriend thrown in jail for fraud and money laundering (cough, Anne Hathaway, cough). But before you start feeling sorry for yourself, read on about all the bad things that have happened between two people who once promised each other the moon and the sky. When you’re done, you’ll probably feel much better about your single status. And you might even learn a thing or two – like the importance of finding out if your partner has criminal or, worse, cannibalistic tendencies.







Mad About You | Actors act all funny when they fall in love


          If there were an Oscar for Most Over the Top Declaration of Love, TOM CRUISE would have skipped to the podium to deliver his acceptance speech. The over-the-top pouncing, air punching and bended-knee performance on Oprah Winfrey’s couch in 2005 to gush over KATIE HOLMES led everyone to believe the Scientologist had lost his mind. (Cruise has made the similar performance on Jay Leno’s couch.) The couple later wed in Italy in November 2006. We’re not sure if Cruise offered to get Oprah’s couch dry-cleaned.

          For years, entertainment mags had it that ANGELINA JOLIE and BILLY BOB THORNTON wore vials of each other’s blood around their necks while they were married. But in an interview Jolie did in 2008, the actress said it was just media hogwash. “It was never a vial anyway,” she clarified. “It was like a flower press. It was like from a slight cut on your finger and you press your fingerprint in. I thought it was romantic.” Semantics, we say!

          Tattoos seem to be de rigeur for hotly in love Hollywood couples. PAMELA ANDERSON had “Tommy” linked in case she forgot TOMMY LEE’s name. But Pirates of the Caribbean star JOHNNY DEPP topped the lot with “Winona Forever” on his right arm, which he had to alter to “Wino Forever” after his split with actress Winona Ryder.




Till death, dismemberment, or both, do us part
Here are some of the meanest and harshest payback scheme


          IN SINGAPORE, when aquarium shop assistant Chua Beng Hin’s mistress broke up with him, he was so incensed he not only wanted her and her new love dead, he also wanted to gouge out her eyes – her self-professed asset – with a screwdriver. He paid three teens S$500 ($350) to do the deed. But the plan was foiled when police questioned the boys for loitering near her home and they sang like a canary.

          ZACKERY BOWEN AND ADRIANE HALL were together for a year-and-a-half before she caught him cheating on her and threw him out of ther New Orleans apartment in 2006. Unable to deal with it, he strangled her to death and later cut the body up before jumping off a hotel with a suicide note in his pocket. The note led the police to their apartment, where a strange sight greeted them: Hall’s charred head was found in a pot on the stove, her legs and arms on turkey-basting trays in the oven and the rest of her body in a trash bag in the fridge. Next to the pot were diced carrots and potatoes.

          WHEN LORENA BOBBITT lopped off her husband John’s penis in 1993 with a kitchen knife , she gave birth to the new term “pulled a Bobbitt.” The long abused wife was allegedly raped after John returned home drunk. After the severing, she drove around the neighbourhood before flinging the dismembered member out of the car window. The police found the severed penis, which was re-attached to John after a nine hour surgery.

          A FILIPINO FISHMONGER found out his wife was going to divorce him because of his suspected affair. The 35-year-old, who was a refugee in Malaysia, used illegal fishing explosives to blow up his wife and himself at his sister-in-law’s house in Kota Kinabalu.




Happily Never After | Clearly, moviegoers love a good sob


          The top-grossing movie of all time is a tearjerker of mega proportions. TITANIC, about a ship doomed on its first sail and the equally ill-fated love between a rich girl and a poor boy, remains the highest grossing movie of all time even more than ten years after its theatrical release in 1997. The blockbuster’s worldwide box office takings stand at pole-position with $1.83 billion. Even the top-grossing Asian film in the US is one that echoes love not meant to be; CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON pulled $128 million.

        In Asia, movies about hopeless love are also lapped up with greater relish. In India, the Shah Rukh Khan-helmed tragedy OM SHANTI OM, about an aspiring actor who falls in love with a popular actress only to watch her die in a fire, trumps over all other Hindi films. Even CNN put IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, Wong Kar Wai’s masterpiece about love and loss, in its list of best Asian films of all time.




Crime Watch | The following women found themselves in the prison of love when they fell for men who got on the wrong side of the law


           ANNE HATHAWAY’s four-year romance with Italian businessman RAFFAELLO FOLIERI came to a halt in June 2008 when he was charged with fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering. The charming conman, who had funded their lavish lifestyle with his ill-gotten gains, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years behind bars. After the split, the Rachel Getting Married actress candidly went on Saturday Night Live and quipped: “I broke up with my boyfriend, and two weeks later he was sent to prison for fraud. I mean, we’ve all been there, right, ladies?”

          Not too happy that his ex-girlfriend LINDA RISS was marrying another man, high flying New York lawyer BURT PUGACH paid a hoodlum $2000 to disfigure her in 1959. The crime, which blinded her, landed Pugach in jail for 14 years. After he was released, they tied the knot. Could this be where the phrase “love is blind” came from?

          After supermodel KATE MOSS cleaned up her act following a very public cocaine-snorting expose in 2005, she found herself wiping up the mess her musician beau PETE DOHERTY left behind with his repeated drug-related arrests. After several postponed walks down the aisle, he was hauled back to jail again last 2008 on drug charges and that was when she – finally! – gave up on him.



Can This Be Love | When adoration and affection go off tangent, it can morph into anything from warped to plain cruel


          ENGLISH KING HENRY THE EIGHT beheaded his Queen, Anne Boleyn, in 1536 on the grounds that she committed adultery. Her alleged lovers, one of whom was her brother, suffered the same fate. History has it that she was thought to be innocent, and that Henry had her executed so that he could marry another woman. More strangely, Anne’s sister, Mary, was Henry’s mistress.

         THE SPARTAN SOCIETY of ancient Greece saw nothing wrong with women bringing their lovers home. Men both allowed and encouraged their wives to bear the children of other men, thanks to the community’s consensus that it was more pertinent to bear offspring for the good of the race, than to quibble over the moral values of the family.

          A 60-YEAR-OLD JAPANESE MAN dumped his sex-doll girlfriend in 2009 and got into trouble with local authorities. The retiree had lived with his 1.7-meter-tall, 50-kilogram silicon mate for several years after his wife’s passing, and decided to part ways with “her” after agreeing to move in with his grown-up children. According to the police, he had grown attached to the doll and thought “it would be cruel to cut her up into pieces and throw her out with the trash.” So in August last year, he wrapped her up and dumped her, quite literally, in the woods. He now faces fines for illegal dumping.

          A BRITISH WOMAN MARRIED CINDY the dolphin in Israel in December 2005. Sharon Tendler, who is 41, unofficially tied the knot with the oddly named male mammal after visiting it regularly over a 15-year period. It is reported that Tendler requested the wedding – where she offered Cindy fish and a kiss – to have “a bit of fun”“It’s all fun and games until someone marries a dolphin.” after her friends joked about her singlehood, sparking off the not-so-often heard saying,




The Price of Love | These rich folks settled down, became unsettled and finally sought a settlement to get as far away as possible from each other


THE 3 MOST EXPENSIVE DIVORCE SETTLEMENTS


1. $1.7 BILLION: RUPERT MURDOCH & ANNA MURDOCH in what began as a harmonious split in 1998 after a 32-year marriage, the breakup turned ugly when the media magnate knocked Anna off the board of News Corporation. A year later, he settled by giving her what would be the largest amount – including $110 million in cash – a woman would walk away with from a failed marriage. Less than three weeks after the divorce, he married one of his employees Wendi Deng.

2. $1.48 BILLION: SUMNER REDSTONE & PHYLLIS GLORIA RAPHAEL The Viacom owner divorced Raphael, his first wife of 55 years and mother of his two children Shari and Brent, 1999 and reached the whopper settlement in 2002. A year later, he married former primary school teacher Paula Fortunato. In October 2008, the 85-year-old filed for divorce from the 46-year-old Fortunato, who allegedly received $5 million – chump change for Redstone whose estimated net worth last 2008 was $9 billion.

3. $874 MILLION: ADNAN KHASHOGGI & SORAYA KHASHOGGI Although there are differing reports over the final settlement amount, because part of it was apparently tied to oil prices, it is still a headline-hogging sum that Soraya Khashoggi managed to slice off her Saudi Arabian arms dealer husband in 1982. The couple had five children in their 21-year affair-plagued marriage. In a soap-opera worthy dramatic turn of events, it was later found through DNA testing that one of his daughters was not his.

PAYMENT PENDING...


           AGA KHAN & PRINCESS BEGUM INAARA The billionaire racehorse owner and spiritual leader married the German princess in 1998 but announced their divorce six years later citing an “irretrievable breakdown” in their relationship. Aga Khan is estimated to be worth $1.6 billion and reports say it is not true that the Princess is seeking up to half of his assets. They have described the divorce as a “private matter” and the case has recently been moved from Britain to France, where the settlement is likely to be less damaging.

          RON DENNIS & LISA DENNIS The McLaren Formula One racing team boss is looking at a possible $150 million divorce payout after splitting up with his American-born wife of 22 years in February 2008.

          SHWAN AL-MULLA & SUZAN AL-MULLA Shwan met Suzan while they were studying in London and married her in 1980. The London-based Iraqi Kurd, who made his billions from reconstruction in Iraq, separated from her in 2004 and is trying to stave off his estranged wife’s claim of as much as $780 million. They have five children from their 20-year marriage.

THESE FOLKS GOT OFF RELATIVELY EASY...


          SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY & HEATHER MILLS Their four-year union finally came to a close in March last year after the high-profile divorce was wrought with accusations of infidelity, emotional outbursts and spats with the media. Mills received $37.8 million – a mere fraction of the $194 million she sought from one of Britain’s wealthiest musicians, whose estimated worth is $618 million. The court also ruled that McCartney fork out $54,000 a year as financial provision for their five-year-old daughter Beatrice until she turns 18. Sixty-six-year-old Sir Paul left the court smiling while former model Mills ranted against the judicial system.

          MADONNA & GUY RITCHIE in what was lauded as a “model divorce” – for both its speed and non-wrangling – Ritchie left without quibbling for the Material Girl’s estimated $490 million, even though the director purportedly only has a tenth of that amount to his name. As of press time, there were differing reports on his settlement amount: the figure of $76 million released by Madonna’s publicist was later retracted by the couple.






Writing Off Love | The written word has captured countless heartbreaks throughout the centuries


          From innocent love gone awry to obsessive manipulation, from Shakespeare to Stephenie Meyer, the theme of tortured love has captured the imaginations of book lovers throughout the ages. Two of the Bard’s most famous plays ROMEO & JULIET and ANTONY & CLEOPATRA, portray doomed love – the former paints the wide-eyed infatuation between star-crossed lovers who are driven to extremes while the latter is wrought with destructive passion, power and betrayal. And centuries on, generations are still entertained by love that was not to be.

          Love in print in the 19th century dove into the depths of ill-timed adoration, obsession, exploited affections, rejection, revenge and sacrifice and saw the birth of titles such as Emily Bronte’s classic WUTHERING HEIGHTS and Thomas Hardy’s FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD and TESS OF THE D’URBERVILLES.

          In these modern times, tales of tormented love have extended beyond the literary audiences as novels such as Michael Ondaatje’s THE ENGLISH PATIENT, about a young nurse who looks after a badly burned pilot, and Stephenie Meyer’s teen cult novel TWILIGHT series, about the forbidden love between a vampire and a girl, get their big-screen adaptations.


Source : Love Gone Wrong by Chelsia Toon, Reader’s Digest February 2009

Love Images

When the season of love comes, one can't help but find ways to express love. Love also has it symbols. These images has been a symbol of love that has been found and love that has been lost. When you see these images, you will remember someone can do for the sake or in the name of love.






Sunday, February 13, 2011

Beauty Pageants Analysis

           We always have to watch beauty pageants in our spare time and we are so mesmerized by the beauties parading before our very eyes and costly production and very busy and inviting activities of the delegates prior to the culmination of the event that makes us hooked up and follow every minute of it. Through the years, the pageant evolves, made a lot of changes and transformation and adapt to the changing times. We could not avoid but make some comments or have our say of what transpired out of a particular beauty pageant either it meets our expectation or disappoint us. If there are lots of reviews, comments and feedback a participating delegate receives from pundits and pageant aficionados, we can also have our say on the pageant itself which organize the events. Here are my analysis on the grand slam pageants.



Miss Universe – the most glamorous of all the pageants always leave us in awe and never disappoint us in the production and activities leading to the finals night. It has always been a spectacular extravaganza and one of the best events on Earth. Amazing pageant with a perfectionist touch and high standard of competitions. The only weakness is the placement or selection of delegates which makes several misses or disappointments with lots of noteworthy delegates not making the cut and the eventual winner is somewhat lackluster, ugly & undeserving but the year 2010 is one of the exceptions.



Miss World – not a real beauty pageant but more of a fund raising event. Although the pageant is held in some of the amazing places around the world, the activities done by the ladies were more on fund raising and charity events and sports which were not required of a true beauty pageant. Furthermore, there is no clear or real criteria as basis of judging for selecting semifinalist and the eventual winner that is taking place like the swimsuit and evening gown competition but mock judges to show on finals night and what is ironic is that the winner is a personal handpick of Julia Morley, who owns the pageant, who personally announce the winner herself. Miss World winners always come from a European country, British Crown and colonies and American mestizas who were front runners in beauty pageants or a superpower country where Morley can invest and make some business. Plus the issue of prostitution in the Miss World in which the delegates are being served like a whore in the tables of the patronizing sponsors and Morley act like a pimp badly tarnishing the image and reputation of the pageant with a malicious purpose.




Miss Earth – In its ten years of beauty and responsibility, the only pageant who advocates environmental awareness, Miss Earth produced lovely queens of astounding accomplishments who defend the Mother Earth and promotes environment protection and conservation. The judgment and selection of semifinalists is impressive, deserving and noteworthy with only a few undesirable delegates making the cut and they are also bias on Asians giving them more priorities even if they are not worthy or deserving of a spot and also tend to be conventional following only the trends on Miss Universe of who is always making the cut and they don’t take a fearless selection of new but very ferocious beauties doing their best to take the crown. The finals night is such a poor taste and low quality that some of the segments are way outdated, tacky and primitive . They don’t know how to capitalize on the pageant, market and make profits out of it because they are not into the business of beauty pageant, and obviously a neophyte in the field. It takes a third party who is a pageant magician and a business-minded individual who can transform the pageant into a prestigious and glamorous event as it deserves to be.




Miss International – For the last 50 years, Miss International has been the modest and the most simple yet elegant beauty pageant of all grandslam. It has been held in Long Beach, California, USA for its first few years but since then has moved to Japan as its permanent home but has been held outside Japan since 2004 in China. The pageant conducts a simple, modest but elegant activities prior to an austere finals night. They also choose beautiful, outspoken, noteworthy woman of achievements as the winner. The only weakness in the pageant is that the placements or semifinalists chosen. There are quite a rare instance that an Asian other than Japan and the Philippines made the cut and also black delegates, in fact only one black delegate has ever won Miss International in the name Yeimy Paola Vargas of Colombia in 2004 but the worse thing about Miss International is the outdated, primitive crown which is made of pearls mounted or attached to a foam hat and the crown is tied down on the chin to avoid falling making it ugly and tacky.

           Hope with these comments, changes and improvements should be taken to ensure a high standard of pageants much to the delight and satisfaction of the viewers and pageant lovers!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Emelio Caligdong, Philippines' Newest Football Superstar



               The Philippine Azkals team wins over Mongolia Blue Wolves tonight 2-1 in a jampacked Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines in the AFC Challenge Cup soccer football pre-qualifying match. Thanks to the heroes of the Azkal team, Emelio Caligdong's excellent goal kick in the first half of the game and another goal coming from Phil Younghusband last minute quick and uncontrollable kick. But it was the now famous "Mongolian barbecue" superior goal of Caligdong at vantage point right in between the legs of the astonished Mongolian goalkeeper that rocks the stadium at Panaad and created an uproar and thundering noise which makes a raucous crowd.Caligdong scored the first goal for the Azkals in the 42nd minute. The midfielder called by his peers as “Chieffy" eluded his defender then delivered the first point between the legs of the Mongolian goalie to the delight of the packed hometown crowd.
            What a sensational and high calibre of powerful kick coming from someone who has a passion for football as a young child and coming from the football capital of the Philippines and also the native province of the legendary Paulino Alcantara - Iloilo. He is our superhero and the newest sensation and the newest football superstar of the country! I love the Azkals and I love Caligdong! hahahahahaha......Good luck to your game matches that will propel the Philippines to higher world rankings and hopefully and possibly makes the impossible possible - be a team participating at the World Cup!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

OUT TV Show Should Be Back On Air!






              Out, the Philippines’ first gay oriented television program tackles issues about homosexuality in the country and related news around the world & practical tips, gigs, events or any interesting topics about Philippines gay lifestyle like documentary or real life stories of gays or gay couple both famous and ordinary gay Filipino. It also features a segment wherein the show helps a discreet gay to come OUT of the closet and come to terms with their sexuality and open it up to their surprised families, friends and relatives while still in awe in disbelief. Thus, the name of the show derives from. The show makes sure that the closeted queen or homosexual are accepted by their families and friends and that they will live happily ever after.
         The show was aired by GMA-7 Philippines in 2004 and was banned by MTRCB (Move and Television Review and Classification Board) a year later for the reason that it is morally wrong, gives a bad influence on the people and lack of Christian values and virtues and good character needed by the Filipinos. If this regulation took place in another country, let’s say Europe or the America where gay rights is prominent and gay lifestyle is a privilege being enjoyed by everyone, it will stir chaos and will result to pandemonium. But I am hopeful that liberal and open minded people will pave the way for the show to be back on air soon. I pray that it will happen and fix the misconception of Filipinos about homosexuality, become more receptive and accepting of their brothers in color so we will live happily ever after and shout OUT!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Love Knows No Boundary

No matter what you are regardless of your color or background, love can be found in its strangest sometimes awkward way to  show us that it is unconditional and it can happen anytime once it we found it!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Dinagyang Festival 2011 Winning Performance


Dinagyang Festival 2011 Grand Champion, Tribu Pan-ay Winning Performance At Judging Area No. 4 at corner Quezon-Ledesma St., Iloilo City.

Dinagyang Festival 2011 Grand Champion, Tribu Pan-ay Winning Performance At Judging Area No. 5 at Maria Clara City Proper in front of Iloilo Grand Hotel, Iloilo City.

Dinagyang Festival 2011 Winning Performance


Dinagyang Festival 2011 1st runner up, Tribu Paghidaet Winning Performance At Judging Area No. 4 at corner Quezon-Ledesma St., Iloilo City.

Dinagyang Festival 2011 Winning Performance


Dinagyang Festival 2011 2nd runner up, Tribu Bola-Bola Winning Performance At Judging Area No. 4 at corner Quezon-Ledesma St., Iloilo City.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Philippines Win Ford Supermodel Of The World 2011


New York, USA - Danica Flores Magpantay, a 17 year old Freshman Fine Arts student from the Philippines won the coveted title Ford Models Supermodel of the World 2011 held last Saturday, January 22 at New York City, USA. She walked away with $250,000 modelling contract with Ford. 1st runner up is a model from Lithuania who took home $150,000 worth of modeling contract, 2nd runner up is from Poland, 3rd runner up is from Brazil and 4th runner up is from Estonia. 2nd to 4th runner up each took home $100,000 modeling contract.
        Melanie Marquez was the first Philippine representative to the Ford Supermodel of the World modeling competition that was formerly named Face of the 80s at that time and eventually placed 1st runner up to Monika Schnarre of Canada in 1986. Other Filpina standouts at the competition include Charo Ronquillo who ended up 3rd runner up to Katsia Damankova of Belarus in 2006 and Charlene Almarvez who placed 1st runner up to Karlina Caune of Latvia in last year's Ford Supermodel of the World 2010. Danica Magpantay's mother Lala Flores, a ramp model herself, was the Philippine representative to the 1994 Ford Models Supermodel of the World competition where she was unplaced.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Dinagyang Festival 2011 Results and Winners





Iloilo City, Philippines - Dinagyang Festival 2011 has been a tremendous success highlighted with the announcement of the result. A record breaking 1.5 million visitors trooped to Iloilo City this week to witness Asia's best festival 2011 up from 1.2 million visitors last year 2010. This year it has been officially declared Dinagyang Festival as the "Queen of Philippine Festival" and also making Maria Elena "Ballsy" Aquino Cruz, the current president's sister as the adopted daughter of Iloilo thus a double celebration. Dinagyang Festival is the only Philippine festival to travel around the world to perform. This year's winner will go to New York City, USA to perform for the Philippine Independence Day organized by the Filipino community in New York.
       On the other hand, this will be the last year that Kasadyahan Festival, a separate event that add color to Dinagyang, will be held in January. Next year, it will be separated and will take place in September in time for Iloilo City Charter Day.
       Watch the winning performances of different tribes from Kasadyahan and Dinagyang Festival 2011 in youtube.
      Here is the official result of the Kasadyahan and Dinagyang Competitions just announced tonight at 9:00pm:

Opening Salvo (January 15, 2011)
Street dance Special Awards:

Best in Performance - Tribu Paghidaet
Best in Discipline - Tribu Bola-bola
Best in Costume - Tribu Mandurriao

Kasadyahan Festival (January 22, 2011)
Special Awards:

Best in Music - Tribu Tultugan (Municipality of Maasin)
Best in Costume - Tribu Binanog (Municipality of Lambunao)
Best in Streetdance - Tribu Pagdihon (Municipality of Dingle)
Best Choreographer - Ramil Huyatid, Tribu Pantat
Best in Choreography - Tribu Pantat (Municipality of Zarraga)
Best in Performance - Tribu Kasag (Municipality of Banate)

Major Awards:
4th runner up - Tribu Tinuom (Municipality of Cabatuan)
3rd runner up - Tribu Pagdihon (Municipality of Dingle)
2nd runner up - Tribu Binanog (Municipality of Lambunao)
1st runner up - Tribu Kasag (Municipality of Banate)
Champion - Tribu Pantat (Municipality of Zarraga)

Dinagyang Festival (January 23, 2011)
Special Awards:

Best in Streetdancing - Tribu Paghidaet
Best in Head Dress - Tribu Paghidaet
Best in Discipline - Tribu Bola-bola
Best Costume Designer - Jobert Molina, Tribu Paghidaet
Best in Costume - Tribu Paghidaet
Best Musical Director - Ryan Velez, Tribu Salognon
Best in Music - Tribu Salognon
Best Choreographer - Romel Flogen, Tribu Pan-ay
Best in Choreography - Tribu Pan-ay
Best in Performance - Tribu Pan-ay

Major Awards:

Barangay Category

3rd place - Tribu Aninipay
2nd place - Tribu Pag-asa
1st place - Tribu Atub-atub

Open Category

4th runner up - Tribu Mandurriao
3rd runner up - Tribu Salognon
2nd runner up - Tribu Bola-bola
1st runner up - Tribu Paghidaet
Grand Champion - Tribu Pan-ay


Dinagyang Festival 2011 Whooping Visitors

An unprecedented record breaking 1.5 million visitors went to Iloilo City this week to witness Asia's best festival

Dinagyang Festival 2011 My Fearless Forecast







Champion: Tribu Pan-ay
1st runner up: Tribu Paghidaet
2nd runner up: Tribu salognon
3rd runner up: Tribu Bola-bola
4th runner up: Tribu Silak
5th runner up: Tribu Mandurriao
Consolation or Highly Commended: Tribu Ilonganon

Dinagyang Festival 2011 Live Streaming


Watch Dinagyang Festival 2011 Now Live Streaming at TFC!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Filipino Achievers 2010

           There are lots of stories from the past year in which we can reflect, inspire and learn from and move into the future. Some of the stories are compelling and some are disappointing, some are annoying but some made us very proud.
         Filipinos every year make some noise and stories that really make the year noisy and boisterously happy. Their stories of struggle, unwavering determination and indomitable spirit brightened the days of the country and make the Philippines beautiful where it is smeared with controversy, tragedy, strife and crimes. They will always be the epitome of triumph and inspiration and will always be imprinted in our minds that once these achievers made us who we really are. These are just a few of the Filipino achievers in the past year.

J.R. Celski

The Speeding Olympian in Vancouver

In the world of winter sports where the white and a few Asian skaters reign supreme, a Filipino-American in the name of J.R. Celski break the barriers of frigid zone and went on to win the bronze medal in the men’s 1500 m short track speed skating during the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada in February, 2010. He later joined his US men speedskating team in the men’s 1500m relay short track speed skating to win the bronze medal.



Dennis Sabangan

FIFA World Cup 2010 In The Eyes Of A Lensman

Watching the world’s most popular sport being watched by millions in live audience and billions of others in their television is one thing. Capturing images, stealing snapshots and candid scenes for news and documentary of the history making event is another. Being held in the African continent for the first time in history of the World Cup, the world hooked up on the emerging South Africa on its transformation and handling the event showcasing their potentials and vast talents and also the best of Africa has to offer. Documenting as part of history and news that matter by way of pictures is a privilege given only to a select few lucky ones and one of them is Dennis Sabangan. He is given the chance to cover the now world’s biggest sporting spectacle defeating the Summer Olympic Games, due to his previous works, accomplishments and credentials. FIFA World Cup in July 12 is highlighted on the finals when La Furia Roja (The Red Fury) Spain won the World for the first time since it first participated in the very first World Cup in 1930 beating the three time World Cup runner up The Netherlands. The sport is covered by a photographer from a country who doesn’t enjoy soccer but basketball and boxing yet Dennis Sabangan deliver the goods.



Tim Lincecum

The Pitcher Who Strikes Gold

In U.S. baseball, only the Japanese professional players made it big in the World Series making names and hauling a lot of wealth. A Filipino named Tim Lincecum broke the monotony and pitched for the San Francisco Giants to be the mighty winner of the World Series. The honor he brought became the first ever win by San Francisco in the history of the game and he is also the first second-year player to win the 2008 and 2009 National League Cy Young Awards. His clever, unorthodox and unconventional method of pitching and success in baseball earned him the title “The Freak” and “The Franchise”.




Maria Venus Bayonito Raj

The Rice Paddy Beauty Queen

Skinny, corpse like and witch like lass living in the middle of the rice fields as the tease and taunts she heard from her school mates, who will ever notice a lady this ugly. His mother is the exception who keeps inspiring, encouraging and lifting her low spirit and telling her to prove them wrong and that molds the mind set of the young Venus Raj. Her mother’s soft and gentle words became her motivation to persevere for her dream to become a beauty queen someday watching as the most beautiful woman crowned as Miss Universe and wondering how she can join it. Walking through the rice paddies became her training ground and perfected her catwalk skills and joining several beauty pageants in school and in their community harness her craftsmanship in the art of beauty pageants. She joins Miss Philippines Earth and ended up a runner up and two years later joined the Binibining Pilipinas national pageant in which she was crowned as the winner and automatically gave her the honor of representing the country in the upcoming Miss Universe 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 23. Her courage, perseverance and unwavering faith cannot deter her to fulfill her dreams of competing at Miss Universe beauty pageant as the scandal surrounding her birthplace took place days later, a desperate move by some envious of her title so that someone could take her place because she is just poor as some elitist wanted  a lady coming from a prominent rich family to represent the country in Miss Universe. She ended up 4th runner up to Miss Mexico Jimena Navarette in a splendid ceremony held at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada on August 23, 2010. Ever since making history that will put her as a classic exemplary woman, she has become a youtube sensation, drawing crowds swarming like bees and having lots of videos pertaining to or related about her. Graduating with honors in college despite of poverty, struggling through life with her family despite her longing for her father, her unwavering faith, confidence and courage braving against all odds just to fulfill her lifelong dream of competing at Miss Universe is truly endearing, awe inspiring, more compelling and truly an epitome of a woman’s substance and earned her a legion of fans around the world before, during and after Miss Universe.




Nicole Scherzinger
The Popular Dance Group Sensation Swaying In The Reality Show Competition

Who doesn’t know the popular lead singer of the sexy girl group Pussycat Dolls? Her exotic gorgeous looks along with her equally stunning members compliments their sexy chilling voice prove to be effective capturing the hearts of teens and younger adults all over the world with their catchy tunes and soft boneless body move who slithers like a snake. Capping her lifetime career as a dancer, she was invited to compete for the Fox Channel’s Dancing With The Stars, a reality dance show competition of celebrities, partnering with the professional dancer Derek Hough. She proves her superior skill, perfected her craft and easily made her into the finals topped by her favoritism over her opponents making her that season grand winner. Her expertise, precision, impeccable dance routines and flair in dancing is too inevitable not to be noticed.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

January 9 Feast of the Black Nazarene



Today is the feast day of Black Nazarene. All over the Philippines celebrates his feast day and he is known to make a lot of miracles up to this day. Attested to that miracle!

The Black Nazarene, known to devotees as Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno de Quiapo ("Our Father Jesus Nazarene of Quiapo"), is a life-sized, dark-coloured, wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ, held to be miraculous by many Filipino devotees. The Black Nazarene is currently enshrined in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila, Philippines.


The Feast of the Black Nazarene is celebrated every January 9 with the weekly Friday Masses held in its honour beginning on the first Friday of the year.

History

The statue's original carver is an anonymous Mexican carpenter, and the image arrived in the archipelago by galleon from Acapulco, Mexico. Folk tradition attributes the colour of the Black Nazarene to a fire on the ship carrying it, charring the image from its original fair tone into its present dark complexion.


The image was brought to the Philippines by the Augustinian Recollect Missionaries on May 31, 1606. It was initially enshrined in the first Recollect church in Bagumbayan (now part of Rizal Park). On September 10, 1606, the church was inaugurated and placed under the patronage of St. John the Baptist. In 1608, the image was transferred to the second bigger Recollect church of San Nicolas de Tolentino built in Intramuros. Between 1767 and 1790, the Archbishop of Manila, Basilio Sancho de Santas Justa y Rufina, ordered the transfer of the Black Nazarene to its present location within the Quiapo church.


Today, the image borne in procession consists of the original body of the Black Nazarene connected to a replica of the head, while the original head portion of the statue remains on a replica of the body enshrined within the high altar of the basilica. An exception to this setup was during the 2007 feast, where both the original head and the body were combined in celebration of the Black Nazarene's 400 year history.


Devotion

Veneration of the Black Nazarene stems from the overall importance Filipino culture has for the Passion of Jesus. Many devotees of the Black Nazarene identify their poverty and daily struggles to the wounds and tribulations experienced by Jesus, as represented by the image. Although the patron saint of the basilica itself is Saint John the Baptist, the consecration of the Black Nazarene has gained popularity because Jesus Christ is the centre of the devotion, bypassing intercession through a saint.


Devotion to the miraculous Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno attracted huge following among the populace. Popularity, initially at the northern and southern provinces of Luzon, spread over time throughout the country.


The uniquely Filipino devotion to the Black Nazarene merited the sanction and encouragement of two popes. In 1650, Pope Innocent X gave his pontifical blessing with a Papal Bull that canonically established the Confraternity of the Most Holy Black Christ Nazarene (Cofradia de Santo Cristo Jesús Nazareno) and Pope Pius VII gave his second blessing in the 19th century, by granting plenary indulgence to those who piously pray before the image of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo.


Devotees pay homage to the Black Nazarene by clapping their hands in praise at the end of Mass performed at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.


Novena

Every Friday of the year is dedicated to the Black Nazarene, with the novena being held not only in the basilica but in other churches nationwide. This has led to the colloquial expression "Quiapo Day" for Fridays, especially when referring to the traffic jams that occur around the area due to the influx of devotees.

Processions

Two major and two minor processions are held annually to honour the Black Nazarene, namely one on the feast day itself and another on Good Friday. The procession during the January 9 feast commemorates the Traslacion, or the transfer of the image to its present shrine in Quiapo.


The Black Nazarene is carried into the streets for procession in an andas or shoulder-borne carriage. The estimated millions of devotees wear the colour maroon, associated with the image, and go barefoot in imitation of Jesus on his way to Mount Calvary. Traditionally, men are the only ones permitted to hold the ropes pulling the image's carriage, but in recent years female devotees also participate in the procession. People who have touched the Black Nazarene are reported to have been cured of their diseases, and Catholics come from all over Manila to touch the image in the hopes of a miracle. Towels or handkerchiefs are hurled to the marshals guarding the Black Nazarene with requests to wipe these on the statue in hopes of the miraculous powers attributed to it "rubbing off" on the cloth articles.


The procession held on the feast day is notorious for the annual casualties that result from the jostling and congestion of the crowds engaged in pulling the carriage. The injuries and even deaths of devotees are brought upon by one or a combination of heat, fatigue, or being trampled upon by other devotees.


Hymn

Below are the lyrics of the National Hymn composed by Lucio San Pedro, which is used by the Quiapo church as the main hymn to the Black Nazarene.




Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno


Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, (Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Sinasamba Ka namin (We worship Thee)
Pinipintuho Ka namin (We admire Thee)
Aral Mo ang aming buhay (Thy lessons are our life)
at Kaligtasan(and Salvation.)


Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Iligtas Mo kami sa Kasalanan (Save us from Sin)
Ang Krus Mong Kinamatayan ay (Thy Cross Thou hast died on is)
Sagisag ng aming Kaligtasan (Emblem of our Salvation)




Chorus:
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Dinarangal Ka namin (We honour Thee)
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Nilul'walhati Ka namin (We glorify Thee)
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Dinarangal Ka namin (We honour Thee)
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene)
Nilul'walhati Ka namin (We glorify Thee)




Source: Wikipedia