Uber, Grab patrons already having difficult time booking rides

Had a hard time booking a Grab or Uber this rainy Wednesday morning?

Well, that may just be a prelude to what could actually happen on July 26 when thousands of unregistered app-based drivers are expected to be forced out of metro streets.

Transport network companies (TNCs) Grab and Uber are the usual go-to mode of transport of workers whenever it rains. But on Wednesday, netizens lamented that they could not get a ride through the apps.

Netizen @memyselfJAM said that she has been trying for “15 minutes” to book a ride to no avail.

The Inquirer also observed in Makati City that office workers who could not book a ride in the apps instead waited out in the rain to hail taxis.

Grab said that their drivers are not out on a strike today. But noted that the fewer number of drivers servicing commuters may be caused by their fear of being apprehended by authorities for operating without a valid franchise.


Historically, Grab said that drivers would usually go out when it rains to address the demand for ride-hailing services. It noted though that despite the surge pricing mechanism, drivers still have the last say on whether they want to go out or not.

Last week, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) ordered Grab and Uber to seize the operations of their drivers who they included in their platforms even if these drivers do not have valid franchises.

Of the 56,000 drivers in both of their platforms, only 3,700 have valid franchises.

Because of their violation of the terms and conditions of their accreditation, the TNCs were made to pay a fine of P5 million. Uber has settled their fine Tuesday afternoon, while Grab is set to pay theirs Wednesday.

A technical working group meeting to iron out the issues of the TNC industry will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the LTFRB. IDL

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Branzino alla Mediterranea

Simple, elegant dishes that are full of flavors is the hallmark of chef Andrea Delzanno’s cuisine in Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel, where he is chef de cuisine of its Italian restaurant Cucina. This week, as guest chef at Marco Polo Ortigas, he’s bringing the same rich flavors of the Mediterranean to Manila.

Ongoing till Sunday, June 18, Marco Polo Ortigas’ Cucina restaurant offers diners a lavish buffet of Italian favorites such as Parma ham and melon, tomato and buffalo mozzarella caprese, a traditional tomato soup with garlic bread and Parmigiana cheese, risotto with mushrooms, roast leg of lamb with garlic and herbs, as well as traditional Italian desserts like tiramisu and chocolate pudding with amaretti.

Delzanno will also serve his take on cacciatore (a dish, like chicken, prepared hunter-style), “the way they do it in the northern part of Italy where I come from,” he says. Without the tomatoes, the chicken was simmered with white wine, herbs and mushrooms, which are plentiful in the North.

Garoupa with tomato sauce is a popular dish in southern Italy, where seafood is abundant.

A staunch advocate of slow, patient cooking, Delzanno points out that much of the work is done in the kitchen hours before serving time to give the flavors time to develop. Some of the sauces, for instance, are made from stock that is reduced over low heat for three long hours.

An example is the Branzino alla Mediterranea. It may look like an easy dish to prepare, and it is—provided one has already prepared the fish stock in which the fish is to be simmered. But fish stock requires a gathering of fish bones and herbs, and patient simmering of the liquid for about 20 minutes, in addition to waiting for it to cool.

Here is Delzanno’s recipe for the dish. In Italy they use branzino, which is Italian sea bass. For Cucina, however, he substitutes garoupa or lapu lapu fillet.

Cucina, Marco Polo Ortigas, Meralco Ave., San Antonio, Pasig. Call 7207720.

Branzino alla Mediterranea
Mediterranean-style Fillet of Sea Bass

2 slices fillet of sea bass (or use lapu lapu or maya maya)
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp olive oil, plus additional for garnish
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 medium potato, quartered or cut into wedges, cooked until slightly tender
¼ c fish stock or water
½ c white wine
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Brush the fish with some of the olive oil to keep it from sticking to the pan. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Fry the fish, skin side down, for two minutes. Turn the fish over.

Add the garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, fish stock or water, white wine and butter. Simmer for five to six minutes or until fish is fully cooked. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional olive oil. Makes two to three servings.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Huge Catholic procession underway in the Philippines

Masses of barefooted devotees gathered in Manila on Monday in a bid to touch a centuries-old icon of Jesus Christ, a frenzied annual event that is one of the world’s biggest displays of Catholic devotion.

The life-sized statue is believed by many in Asia’s bastion of Catholicism to have miraculous powers, and more than one million people converged around the procession’s path last year when two people died in the crush.

Devotees attempt to get close enough to the statue as it is paraded on a carriage, then climb on each others’ shoulders to kiss the icon or wipe it with white towels.


Others fight to touch thick lengths of rope that the pilgrims use to pull the statue’s carriage, which passes slowly along Manila’s streets throughout the day before returning to its home in the historic Quiapo church.

Many walk Manila’s hot concrete streets without shoes as a sign of penance and to imitate Jesus carrying the cross barefooted before he was crucified.

The statue is called the Black Nazarene, given its name because of its charred color that is believed to have occurred when it survived a fire aboard a ship when being brought to the Philippines from Mexico in the early 1600s.

Such extreme forms of worship are a hallmark of the Philippines which is 80 percent Roman Catholic, a legacy of centuries of Spanish colonialism that ended in 1898.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who often gives conflicting signals about his religious convictions and criticizes the Church’s leaders, nevertheless offered encouragement to those involved in Monday’s procession.

“Prayers are likely answered because we do not give up or get tired from asking God for the fulfillment of our heart’s desires,” Duterte said.

“Such is the phenomenal expression of faith of the millions of devotees in the form of gratitude, petition, and sacrifice shown in the image of the Black Nazarene every feast day on the 9th of January every year.”

Security threat

This year’s event is being held under the threat of Islamic militant attacks, with authorities reporting more than 5,700 police  deployed to provide security.

Police chief Ronald dela Rosa has said repeatedly in recent days that extremists who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group may try to stage a terrorist attack.

The Philippines has a Muslim minority that is mainly based in the south of the country and has long resented the Catholic domination of their ancestral homelands.

A separatist rebellion in the south has claimed more than 120,000 lives since the 1970s.

The major rebel organizations are now involved in peace talks with the government and no longer waging armed conflict.

But there are various small hardline groups that continue to carry out attacks, particularly against Catholics.

The most recent deadly attack was a bomb blast at a crowded market in Duterte’s hometown of Davao in September last year that killed 15 people.

As part of security measures for the festival, police raided an Islamic center in the heart of Manila on Saturday although they only arrested two people who were found with illegal drugs, police said.

Nevertheless Dela Rosa encouraged devotees to not be cowed by the security threats.

“Our message to the millions of Black Nazarene devotees: don’t be afraid. God is with us,” he said. CBB/rga

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Blue Man Group ends exhilarating season today

The worldwide phenomenon known as Blue Man Group, in partnership with the Philippines’ #1 mobile brand Globe Telecom, has successfully brought their comedy, theatre, rock concert and dance party into our shores, much to the delight of Manila audiences, Blue Man Group opened on Thursday last week, Sept. 14, to a full house, rave reviews and standing ovations, and the show continued to astound Filipinos night after night since then.

Now the Blue Man Group ends their exhilarating Manila season this Sunday, September 25. Tickets are still on sale for the final shows.

Comprised of three bald and blue performers, Blue Man Group is well-known for their unique brand of techno color entertainment. Blue Man Group 2016 World Tour has already made its stops in Singapore, Macau, and finally they’ve made an indelible blue mark on Manila.

The Blue Man name was chosen to evoke the word Human and is all about the colorful celebration of life.

Phil Stanton, co-founder of Blue Man Group, recalls how it all started: “We were three very close friends interested in finding our own voice through performance while exploring our various interests such as music, comedy, performance and fine art, as well as pop culture”. That was 25 years ago.

“We were living in a time of emerging digital technologies that had the potential to greatly bring people around the world closer, but also had the potential to alienate, and it seemed to beg the question: “What is essentially human?” Though we were not necessarily conscious of it at the time, we landed on three main areas: that people have the need to explore their own individual creativity through life; they need to continue to be curious; and that they need to feel part of a community,” he shares.

The performance that centered on the curious, innocent, Blue Man character turned out to be a groundbreaking performance that left audiences awed.  To date, they’ve played to over 35 million people across more than 20 countries and even have permanent shows in Las Vegas, New York, Orlando, Boston, Chicago and Berlin.

Other interesting numbers to digest – during one week of performances the Blue Man relies on 32 pounds of Jell-O, eight boxes of Cap’n Crunch cereal, 96 pieces of white chocolate Toblerone, 240 marshmallows and 40 boxes of Twinkie Lights (don’t worry — each Twinkie has just 130 calories!).

Whether eaten or used in the show, that is for you to find out at the Blue Man Group 2016 World Tour now on in Manila until September 25.

The tour also relies on 25 drum heads, 14 cymbals, 24 drumsticks, 50 gallons of paint, 27 bald caps, and 9 cakes of proprietary ‘Blue Man Blue’ coloured makeup specially made for the trio.

The creative collective has become part of the pop culture zeitgeist with a “Megastar World Tour”, a rock concert parody hitting 100 US cities and ten countries, and two million fans. The group boasts five music albums, collaborations on film scores and performances with prestigious orchestras as well.

Despite the absence of spoken dialogue, the Blue Man Group keeps audiences mesmerized during its show with a fully immersive audio-visual experience complete with electrifying music, state-of-the-art technology, an enthralling live band and its signature interactive, audience experiences.

When asked what he considers the group’s best show yet, Stanton says: “Our best show is the one audiences will see right here in Manila. We are continually honing our brand of stagecraft to finding the best expression of that original voice. The show they will see incorporates all we have learned, and represents our most up-to-date show in terms of the character’s unique fresh take on the way we all live today,” he enthuses.

It is brought to Manila by Blue Man Productions Ltd, Lunchbox Theatrical Productions Ltd and Concertus Manila. In partnership with the Philippines’ #1 mobile brand Globe Telecom. Special thanks to Mind Museum.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Out of rage and love–a rousing ‘American Idiot’

You don’t have to buy a ticket to see 9 Works Theatrical’s production of the jukebox musical “American Idiot,” now playing at the newly erected Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater until July 10.

Pay a couple thousand pesos and you get a seat in the covered “amphitheater” (really a makeshift stage like the ones built for outdoor raves and concerts). Otherwise, you can easily claim your spot beyond the perimeter railing and watch for free, weather permitting.

“Accidental theater” is what the producers are supposedly aiming for, a chance for those who can’t afford a ticket to still be able to experience this form of live entertainment. It’s an idea that may not sit comfortably with some, but you have to give it to the producers for not giving a (expletive) about what highbrow, elitist
theater may have to say.

Sensory overload

Still, here’s some sage advice: Buy a ticket. It’s not enough to just “see” this “American Idiot”; one must “experience” it.

This is what it truly looks and feels like to have rock music make its way onstage and just smash all the rules of traditional theater to smithereens: dazzling neon lights, abstract video projections, the sound blaring overhead, bodies running up and down and back and forth a skeletal set. At some point, you find yourself at a loss as to where to look or what to listen to.

This is theater as sensory overload, a consummate marriage of topnotch production values—which includes Martin Esteva’s lights, Mio Infante’s scenography and GA Fallarme’s projections—and Robbie Guevara’s perceptive directorial choices. After all, one does not simply dive into the heart of a punk-rock musical without a brain and an eye for the proper aesthetic.

Charles Isherwood of The New York Times, in his review of the musical’s Broadway premiere back in 2010, called “American Idiot” “a true rock opera.” It’s not entirely clear what he meant by that phrase, but Guevara’s production, on account of its scope of feeling and thrilling musicality alone, sure feels like an opera.

 Arresting


There’s not much in the way of a story here—three disillusioned suburban American youths dealing with sex, drugs, impending adulthood and Bush Jr.’s warmongering. But my, how astutely it captures the swirling confusion and electric charge that defines this slice of a young man’s life.

It’s the need to satisfy one’s desires and establish one’s place in society that every production of “American Idiot” needs to illustrate to its viewers, and which this one fleshes out in more arresting ways than one.

That’s not to say this “American Idiot” is not without its imperfections. But for every Miggy Chavez (of the band Chicosci), who looks and sounds woefully out of place, or Rivermaya’s Jason Fernandez, who sings alluringly but needs to get rid of his one-note speaking style, there’s Basti Artadi, roaring his way through the role of St. Jimmy, a figment of the lead character Johnny’s imagination now made thoroughly corporeal with this roof-blasting interpretation.

If anything, Guevara’s cast, which also includes Yanah Laurel and Nel Gomez in standout supporting turns, powerfully makes the case for “American Idiot,” the Green Day album that makes up the core of the musical’s score, as one of the new millennium’s essential rock albums.


Showstoppers

Under Guevara’s ministrations, plus PJ Rebullida’s hyperkinetic choreography, the likes of “21 Guns” are transformed into genuine showstoppers, while “Holiday,” staged with confetti and balletic rolls of tissue, has become the perfect snapshot of this musical’s wet-and-wild spirit.

“I’m the son of rage and love” goes one lyric early in the show. “I don’t care if you don’t care” goes another, rhythmically repeated.

If only living were that easy, where words and actions exist in a vacuum, and other lives don’t matter. It’s a primal desire of the spirit, one that’s barely spoken of because deemed unacceptable by the norms of society.

It’s also this very desire, this rage and storm of untempered emotions, that pervades this “American Idiot” and make it worth the price of admission.

9 works Theatrical and Globe Telecom’s “American Idiot” runs until July 10. Call 5867105, 8919999 and 0917-5545560.
E-mail the author at vincengyu@yahoo.com or visit him at vincengregorii.blogspot.com.

source:lifestyle.inquirer.net

If you love Wolfgang, help Basti

It was 1993. I was a high school freshman, and my father had decided that I was ready to watch my first rock gig.

Considering that the last show I watched was MC Hammer’s concert at Araneta Coliseum, Club Dredd along Edsa was unfamiliar, albeit intriguing, territory.

Installing egg trays on the walls and the ceiling for acoustic purposes was a foreign concept; long-haired scruffy men in Top 40 shirts were once part of a surreal, imagined universe. My only idea of rock’n’roll at the time was whatever my dad would play on the car stereo. I had no clue whatsoever of who was going to play that night, but if the crowd was any indication, I was pretty sure they wouldn’t be playing bubblegum pop.

I half expected my ears to bleed from the noise, but they didn’t.

On the contrary, they were charmed and I, seduced into the local band scene. That gig made me realize that heavy, pounding rock music could be beautiful (yes, I actually said that), and that good music doesn’t always come from mainstream radio.

Fast-forward to 1999. I attended the NU Rock Awards for the first time and saw the same band that taught me to appreciate homegrown independent musicians win the Listener’s Choice Award. The band’s frontman, Basti Artadi, bagged the Vocalist of The Year award for the third time in a row.

By then I knew that Wolfgang had established a name in the Pinoy rock scene; won Album and Artist of the Year awards for 1996’s “Semenelin,” with Vocalist, Bassist and Drummer of the Year awards for Artadi, Mon Legaspi and Wolf Gemora respectively; earned platinum recognition for “Wurm,” which was released the year after; and had just released its fourth album, “Serve in Silence.”

The three albums were a major record deal, an acknowledgement from the music industry that the band had indeed crossed over from being obscure to pretty damn famous.

While the lyrical content of Wolfgang’s songs and the arrangements were much heavier than that of other then rising bands, this distinct feature may actually have been Wolfgang’s edge over the competition. Wolfgang will never be as amusing to listen to as, say, Parokya ni Edgar, and its songs will never be as easy to relate to as those of the Eraserheads, but one can’t deny that no other band from that era—aside from Razorback, perhaps—came close to being as hard-hitting Pinoy rock as this one.

Undeniable talent

With the meteoric rise of Wolfgang’s popularity came the recognition of each individual band member. Not surprisingly, Artadi, as the frontman, was one of the most recognized, and not merely for his quintessential rockstar good looks, but more importantly, for his undeniable talent.

His singing of the first few lines of “Mata ng Diyos” almost ceremoniously, and the effect his powerful, distinct voice brings to the song as it goes uptempo towards the chorus, is nothing short of climactic.

Artadi has ventured into other projects. “Brain Salad” was a recording project, a collaboration with Razorback’s Dave Aguirre, Brian Velasco and Louie Talan. The first live performance happened only this year at the Jack Daniels Indie Fest.

A local production of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “Jesus Christ Superstar” saw Artadi in the title role. He returns to the stage this month in 9 Works Theatrical’s installation of “American Idiot,” where he plays the iniquitous St. Jimmy.

Given that the cast is headed by Artadi and other prominent figures in the local music scene, “American Idiot” is expected to draw rock and theater fans alike.

On stage at the Jack Daniels Indie Fest and during a one-on-one interview in the press conference for “American Idiot,” Artadi hinted that he wouldn’t be performing on stage much longer. At the Indie Fest, there was sadness in his eyes when he admitted that soon, he wouldn’t be playing in a band anymore.

While it may or may not have been connected to his previous claims, his Facebook post on Tuesday came as a shock to many. The post talked about his medical condition. Artadi has a benign facial nerve tumor that affects facial movement and requires a procedure to address it, albeit temporarily.


To help collect funds for his procedure and to financially support his family while he cannot perform, he is selling shirts through Jeepney Rockstop Philippines.

The shirt shows an image of his face, but it’s not there for vanity. “Its just a picture of my face which I thought would be a good symbol for me getting back the lost symmetry, so no, it’s not because I’m full of myself. I thank God every day because I’m lucky that this thing still left me with the ability to sing; what would have really sucked is if it took 100 percent of the motion from the get go,” he shares on the Facebook post.

To order the shirt and help Basti, visit https://www.facebook.com/Jeepneyrockstop/ or text 09156212189. Jeepney Rockstop will deliver nationwide and abroad. A Go Fund Me account has also been set up by his sister, Sabrina Artadi. Donations can be made through this link: https://www.gofundme.com/welovebastiartadi.

source:  lifestyle.inquirer.net

How Maine Mendoza became part of the ‘Eat Bulaga’ family

Ilang buwan na rin ang nakalipas mula nang maging bahagi si Maine Mendoza a.k.a. Yaya Dub ng noontime show na “Eat Bulaga,” at mula nga sa pagiging yaya ni Lola Nidora, nagpapakilig na siya ngayon sa kauna-unahang Kalyeserye ng naturang programa kasama ang Pambansang Bae na si Alden Richards.

Hindi lingid sa kaalaman ng marami na una nang sumikat si Maine sa social media dahil sa kaniyang mga nakakatuwang Dubsmash videos.

Gayunpaman, marami pa rin ang nagtatanong kung paano nga ba siya naging opisyal na bahagi ng isa sa pinakasikat at itinuturing na longest-running noontime show sa bansa kasama ang ilan sa mga batikang host at komedyante sa industriya.

Sa isang blog post, isiniwalat ni Maine ang kaniyang naging karanasan mula sa pagiging simpleng culinary arts student, Dubsmash Queen ng Pilipinas, at Eat Bulaga Dabarkads.



Aniya, inilihim niya ang pagkuha sa kaniya ng Eat Bulaga maging sa mga pinakamalalapit niyang kaibigan at ipinaalam lamang ito sa kaniyang pamilya dahil siya raw mismo ay hindi makapaniwalang kinukuha siya ng naturang noontime show, na isa nang institusyon sa telebisyon.

“Maybe they saw a potential in me (through my Dubsmash videos) to be a 'Dabarkad.' I don’t know, until now I still cannot believe I am already a part of the EB family. I still question myself every now and then, 'Ano ba’ng ginawa ko? Ano ba’ng meron sakin? Bakit ako?' Things like that.”

Kuwento ni Maine, tinawagan siya ng staff na Eat Bulaga para sa isang interview, at ilang araw lamang ay muli siyang tinawagan upang sabihin na nakapasa siya at magiging bahagi na siya ng noontime show.

Bago siya sumabak sa 'Juan For All, All For Juan' segment, pinanood niya muna sina Wally Bayola, Jose Manalo, at Paolo Ballesteros nang live sa isang barangay. Kalaunan, makakasama niya ang tatlong ito upang magpasaya, magpakilig, at magpaiyak sa kauna-unahang Kalyeserye sa telebisyon.

Ayon kay Maine, “They invited me to watch Juan For All-All For Juan segment live (I remember it was a Thursday); asked me to observe how things come off in the set and see if I am okay with it. I told them I am totally fine with everything and then the next thing I heard was 'Okay, good. Sa Sabado ka na ila-launch.”

“I am mentally freaking out already. WHAT. OKAY. WAIT. DI KO MAISIP. OKAY. THURSDAY NGAYON. BUKAS MAKALAWA SABADO NA. OKAY. WAIT. TEKA. UHM. UHM. OH MY GOD. SERYOSO BA YUN. TEKA. DI KO MAISIP. THURSDAY, FRIDAY. SATURDAY. SABADO. SABADO NA. AGAD AGAD. OKAY. SO. SABADO. KERI BA,” pagpapatuloy niya.

Sa kabila ng matinding kaba, ipinagpatuloy niya pa rin ito dahil matagal na umanong pangarap ni Maine ang maging isang artista.

Ibinahagi pa niya sa naunang pahayag na ang pagiging artista ang kaniyang “secret dream” na hindi niya sinasabi kahit kanino dahil bukod sa natatakot siya na mapagtawanan, tingin niya rin daw ay imposibleng matupad ang pangarap na ito.

Hulyo 4 nang ipakilala si Maine bilang Divina Ursula Bokbokoba Smash a.k.a Yaya Dub (Smash), ang alalay ng sosyal na si Lola Nidora.

Sa loob ng sandaling panahon na naging bahagi siya ng Eat Bulaga, masaya raw siya na napapalapit na siya sa mga kasamahan niya, artista man o staff.

Pagbabahagi ni Maine, “I was excited and nervous at the same time. It was my first time to be on live TV and I had no idea on how the show would go. Even so, I think I did fine on my first day. (just fine) Well, I tried my best to keep/look calm and poised. It’s already my seventh week at Juan For All and I must say I am really having a good time at the set! Nakakaride na ako. And the staff, gee, love ’em. I love how in a short time I feel like I already belong.” — Bianca Rose Dabu/JDS, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

257 pass practical phase of Dentist Licensure Exam –PRC

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on Tuesday announced that 268 out of 725 passed the December 2014 Dentist Licensure Examination (Written Phase) and 257 out of 271 passed the Dentist Licensure Examination (Practical Phase) given by the Board of Dentistry in Manila this month.
  
[Click here for the list of passers in the practical phase.]

Registration for the issuance of Professional Identification Card (ID) and Certificate of Registration will be from January 26 to 28, 2015, the PRC said.

The date and venue for the oathtaking ceremony of the new successful examinees will be announced later, it added. —KBK, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Pope‘s words for Filipinos

 

Most of Pope Francis' message during his visit to the Philippines were delivered in Spanish. Here are some excerpts from the remarks he delivered.

During the Mass with clergymen and religious: "The great danger is a certain materialism which can creep into our lives and compromise the witness we offer. Only by becoming poor ourselves, by stripping away our complacency, will we be able to identify with the least of our brothers and sisters."

 

In meeting with families*: "To dream how will your daughter or son be. It is not possible to have a family without such dreams... When you lose this capacity to dream, then you lose the capacity to love and this energy to love is lost."

 

During the Mass for Yolanda survivors in Tacloban*: "So many of you have lost everything. I don’t know what to say to you. But the Lord does know what to say to you. Some of you have lost part of your families. All I can do is keep silent...But please know, Jesus never lets you down. Please know that the love and tenderness of Mother Mary never lets you down."

 

In encounter with the youth*: "Today, with so many means of communications, we are overloaded with information. Is that bad? Not necessarily. It is good and it can help. But there is a real danger of living in a way of accumulating information... We run the risk of becoming museums of young people that have everything but without knowing what to do with them. We don’t need youth museums but we do need holy young people."

 

At the Concluding Mass in Luneta: "We forget to remain, at heart, children of God. That is sin: to forget at heart that we are children of God. For children, as the Lord tells us, have their own wisdom, which is not the wisdom of the world. That is why the message of the Santo Niño is so important. He speaks powerfully to all of us. He reminds us of our deepest identity, of what we are called to be as God’s family."

* — message delivered in Spanish


— Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/RSJ, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Pope Francis urges youth to use information technology wisely

 

Pope Francis on Sunday urged the youth to judiciously use information technology (IT) lest "the psychology of the computer let us think that we know it all."

 

Speaking at an encounter with the youth at the University of Santo Tomas, the pope said having many modern means of communication can help but there is a danger of accumulating information.

 

"Today with so many means of communication, we are overloaded with information. Is that bad? Not necessarily ... It is good and it can help, but there is a real danger of living in a way of accumulating information. We have so much information but maybe we dont know what to do with that information," he said through an interpreter.

 

 

 

He warned of the risk of becoming museums of young people who he said have everything but may not know what they want to do with them.

 

The Pope said the challenge is to learn how to love and "through that love, that information bear fruit."

 

"We dont need youth museum but we do need holy young people," he said.

 

Also, he said the youths should learn to use their hearts, minds and hands - "to think, to feel, to do, and all that harmoniously."

 

The Pope also warned against having the psychology of a computer to "think we know it all."

 

"Let us not have the psychology of a computer to think we know it all," he said. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Pope Francis 'very impressed' by Filipinos' passionate welcome

 

An estimated 800,000 to a million Filipinos gathered between Villamor Air Base in Pasay City to the Apostolic Nunciature in Manila on Thursday to offer Pope Francis a welcome that only the lone predominantly Catholic country in Asia could give.

Fr. Federico Lombardi SJ, the director of the Vatican Press Office, said the Filipino faithful did not at all disappoint.

Wire agency Agence France-Presse described the Filipino reception as "rapturous."
 

"The Pope was very impressed," Lombardi said in a news conference at the Vatican Media Center, a short distance away from the Pope's official residence in Manila.

 

"The first encounter of the Pope [with the Filipino people] was very impressive, important, and touching," he added.

 

Aside from the welcoming party at the air base and the crowd that gathered in front of the nunciature, Filipinos lined the route of the papal motorcade to give the 78-year-old pontiff an ardent receptiion.

Lawyer Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority and a member of the organizing committee of the papal visit, said the agency estimate of the people that gathered was between 800,000 to a million.

 

President Benigno Aquino III and members of the Cabinet received Pope Francis at Villamor Air Base late Thursday afternoon. 

 

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines president Archbishop Socrates Villegas, and other prelates were also at the airbase to welcome the pontiff.

 

Students from various Catholic schools in Parañaque performed three dances to welcome the Pope at the airbase.

Church bells tolled

It was the beginning of a five-day trip in the Catholic Church's Asian heartland that is tipped to attract a world-record papal crowd.

 

Church bells tolled across the former Spanish colony as the charismatic pontiff flew into the capital of Manila after a successful visit to Sri Lanka.

 

Francis smiled as he looked out the window of his plane upon touchdown, greeted by the sight of hundreds of children on the tarmac chanting "Welcome Pope Francis!" and "We love you, Pope Francis!"

 

Francis has said his two-nation tour is aimed at adding momentum to the Church's already impressive growth in Asia, with its support in the Philippines the benchmark for the rest of the region. 

 

Eighty percent of the former Spanish colony's 100 million people practise a famously fervent brand of Catholicism, and the pope is set to enjoy thunderously enthusiastic crowds throughout his stay.

 

"Every step he makes, every car ride he takes, every moment he stays with us is precious for us," Villegas said as he called on all Filipinos to make an effort to see him.

 

Hundreds of thousands of people crowded the route the pope passed as he made a 35-minute trip in a "popemobile" from the airport to the Vatican's embassy to rest overnight.

 

The pope stood on the back of the vehicle, which had no walls, waving and smiling constantly to the crowd.

 

"It's a blessing to see the pope. That's why we're here," school teacher Jeannie Blesado, 35, told AFP.
 

Personally comfort Yolanda survivors
 

Pope Francis has several engagements in Manila but Church leaders said the Holy Father's main intention was to personally comfort the survivors of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in Leyte.

Yolanda, which hit Central Philippines in November 2013, was the strongest typhoon on record to ever make landfall.

 

More than 40,000 policemen and soldiers are deployed different areas to secure the Holy Father during his five-day stay in the country.

 

This is the first time that Pope Francis visited the Philippines, and Southeast Asia since taking the helm of the Roman Catholic Church in March 2013. 

 

The 78-year-old charismatic pontiff went to Sri Lanka for a three-day visit, to kick off his Asian tour, before coming to the Philippines.

 

The first Jesuit Pope who hailed from Argentina gave Sri Lanka its first saint, Catholic priest Joseph Vaz, who led he rebuilding of the Church in the country during he 17th and 18th centuries after the Dutch declared Calvinism as the official religion.

 

The 266th Pope of the Catholic Church is expected to draw some six million people in an open air Mass on Sunday at Rizal Park in Manila. —with a report from Agence France Presse/NB/JST, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com

 

Gui Adorno, wagi sa 'You're My Foreignoy' ng 'Eat Bulaga!'

First runner-up naman si James Sumner mula sa England, at second runner-up naman ang Italyanong si Diego Furoni.

Nakamit ni Gui ang  P200,000 cash prize, habang nag-uwi naman si P75,000 si James, at P50,000 kay Diego bilang premyo.

Kasama rin sa grand finals sina Eduardo Fagundes (Brazil), Petar Sajko (Croatia), Richard Hwan (Hong Kong), Christian Arno Williams (England), Reza Kianifar (Iran).

Nakamit ni Richard ang Dabarkads Choice Award, habang Best in Talent naman si Sumner dahil sa pagkanta niya ng "Lord, Patawad."

Nagsilbing judge sa You're My Foreignoy Grand Finals sina Jessica Soho, Lordinio Vergara, Gloria Diaz, Ruffa Gutierrez, at Joey De Leon. -- FRJ, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Google welcomes Year of the Horse with animated doodle

Google joined the world in welcoming the Year of the Wooden Horse with an animated doodle on the eve of the Lunar New Year.

Visitors to Google's homepage (www.google.com) were greeted with a doodle of a young girl riding a – you guessed it – a wooden horse, and a boy with a lantern and firecrackers.



Clicking on the doodle will take the visitor to a Google Search Results page for "Chinese New Year 2014."

In the Philippines, preparations by Filipinos and Chinese alike for the Lunar New Year peaked this week.

Manila's Chinatown district had been busy in past days with shoppers looking for lucky food and charms.

On Thursday, groups started performing the traditional dragon dance to welcome the New Year, even as several stores opened early in anticipation of a last-minute customer rush.

Several people bought round fruits, sticky tikoy and even small plants believed to bring good luck and wealth, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported.

A report on UK's The Independent said the celebration usually begins on Chinese New Year's Eve, which marks the end of the Year of the Snake.

"At Chinese New Year people traditionally wear red clothes and give children 'lucky money' contained in red envelopes. The color red symbolises fire to drive away bad luck," it added.

Families also reunite and gather at each other's homes to celebrate and eat together.

Households thoroughly clean the house to sweep away ill fortune and make way for good luck.

"Those born in the Year of the Horse are believed to be cheerful, skillful with money, perceptive and witty. Famous people born in this year include actress Halle Berry, Rembrandt and singer Aretha Franklin," the report added. — LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Bureau of Immigration to deport US pedophile

A convicted American pedophile wanted in the US for not reporting his whereabouts to federal authorities was arrested in Manila this month and is to be deported soon.

Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said the BI fugitive search unit arrested Earl Lynn Bagley, 60, last Feb. 4 at the Robinsons Mall in Ermita, Manila.


“We will thus deport him not only for being an undesirable alien but also because he is already overstaying and undocumented,” David said.



 Bagley will be deported as soon as the BI board of commissioners issues the order for his summary deportation, David added.

David said a US district court in Washington had issued an arrest warrant against Bagley, due to his failure to update his registration as a sex offender.

The BI also said the US State Department had revoked Bagley's passport, even as Bagley did not extend his tourist visa since he last arrived in the country on April 17, 2012.

Lawyer Ma. Antonette Mangrobang, BI acting intelligence chief, said Bagley’s offense stemmed from his failure to update his registration as a sex offender.

Mangrobang said the registration is a system in the US designed to let authorities keep track of the residence and activities of sex offenders.

"All 50 US states have reportedly passed laws requiring sex offenders, especially child sex offenders, to periodically report their residence upon leaving prison or after being convicted of their crime," the BI said.

It noted a Seattle court sentenced Bagley to 51 months custody, including three years of supervised release, in October 2004.

The charges against Bagley included possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

"His supervised release reportedly began in September 2007 and ended in August 2010," the BI said. — LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Flooding brings chaos to Philippine capital

Manila, Philippines (CNN) -- Fueled by seasonal monsoon rains and a nearby tropical storm, widespread flooding in the Philippines worsened Tuesday, causing a landslide that killed nine members of a family, the national disaster agency reported.

The landslide in the Manila suburb of Quezon City buried two houses, leaving the nine people dead and four others injured, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center.

Three of the dead were children, the state-run Philippines News Agency reported.

The capital city of Manila got 504 millimeters (about 20 inches) of rain Tuesday, PNA reported, with more on the way.

The country's weather service -- the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration -- warned the region's 12 million residents of continued torrential rains and serious flooding through Wednesday.

The national railroad called off service, and many roads were under water. Some dams were beginning to overflow, putting more communities at risk, authorities said.

The flooding has already forced nearly 130,000 people across the country from their homes, the disaster agency said. About 78,000 were staying in emergency shelters Tuesday night, the agency said.

Rescue requests continued to come in early Wednesday, including some people who were using Twitter to contact authorities for help.

"Pregnant woman needs help! Staying on top of a roof," one Twitter user posted, followed by an address. "Please help BORRES FAMILY w/ 2y/o child!!," posted another.

The weather agency warned residents to expect more landslides and flash flooding, and authorities urged residents in low-lying areas to move to higher ground to keep the death toll from the flooding from rising beyond the current 53.

In an effort to save lives and make way for rescue and relief efforts, President Benigno Aquino ordered work suspended at government and private offices around the capital region Tuesday.

Government offices and schools were also to be closed Wednesday, the president's office said.

"It's like a water world," PNA quoted Benito Ramos, head of the disaster agency, as saying of the city.

Deep water in many parts of metropolitan Manila blocked roads, stranded cars and flooded homes. In several areas, the water was waist deep or higher, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said in its Twitter feed.

"Last night it was raining cats and dogs, or even like elephants banging on your roof top," said CNN iReporter Rummel Pinera. "You cannot sleep when it's raining for several hours like this, it was like a deluge."

Another iReporter, Jumar Rejuso, said the downpour was terrifying.

"We had to force ourselves to leave in order to be spared from the wrath of the raging waters," he said. "It was the first time I have witnessed in my entire life a flood as big as that."

Flooding has struck across the Philippines, with high water reported in 46 communities across the country, the disaster agency reported.

Authorities in Marikina City imposed a forced evacuation of areas near the Marikina River, which has risen above critical levels, PNA reported.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the Ambuklao, Binga and San Roque dams were releasing water, putting several cities at a higher risk of flooding. The agency warned residents living near the dams to be on the lookout for rising waters.

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas said Tuesday that the United States would provide $100,000 for disaster relief.

The rain and flooding are the result of the normal summer monsoon enhanced by the effects of Tropical Storm Haikui, the Philippines weather service said. The storm was about 258 miles southeast of Shanghai, China, on Tuesday, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

The country had already been lashed by heavy rain and wind in recent weeks resulting from Tropical Storm Saola, which plowed past it before hitting Taiwan and China at the end of last week.

The country is frequently subjected to flooding and landslides caused by heavy rain. In December, Tropical Storm Washi left more than 1,200 people dead after it set off flash floods that swept away entire villages in the southern Philippines.

source: CNN

‘Gossip Girl’ star Leighton Meester arrives for fashion show

“Gossip Girl” star Leighton Meester is in Manila for a series of promotional activities for a local clothing line.
The 26-year-old American singer-actress arrived from Japan on board All Nippon Airways flight NH949 at 9:30 Friday night at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal 3.
Wearing casual clothes and no makeup, Meester did not face the media as close-in security prevented reporters and cameramen from approaching her.
Dozens of fans also failed to meet her after waiting for her at NAIA terminal 1. They had received a tip that she was arriving from Narita on another flight.
Meester, who plays the privileged Manhattan socialite and fashion plate Blair Waldorf in the hit teen drama series “Gossip Girl”, is in the country to endorse the fashion retail brand Penshoppe.
She is the latest international celebrity and the second “Gossip Girl” star signed up by Penshoppe to its All-Stars roster, which includes Zac Efron, Ed Westwick, Mario Maurer, and “Vampire Diaries” star Ian Somerhalder, who arrived on May 19.
Meester is scheduled to do a photo shoot, hold a press conference, and grace the Penshoppe All-Stars show for the Philippine Fashion Week on Saturday at the SMX Convention Center.

source: interaksyon.com