Fil-Ams don’t want bad news?

“I don’t run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to excape fear is to trample it beneath your feet.” —-Nadia Comaneci, Olympic gymnastics gold medalist

According to the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York, Filipinos residing in the USA would rather hear good news from the Philippines. Yes, we like to have the positives rather than the negatives each time we talk about the motherland. But what if there is a dearth of good news? Do we have to dodge the country’s toxic news and focus only on the good ones?

No matter how much we want to escape reality, it’s always there to challenge us. This is probably what happened when Fil-Am community leaders across the United States engaged themselves in dialogues with visiting Philippine officials—-saying that they want good news, wanting the bad ones in the back burner. For so long, everybody knows our problems. They’re all over the media for us to solve.

“We thought we would be faced with disbelief and confronted with hard questions, but we were pleasantly surprised that our kababayan [compatriots] here would rather hear the positive developments in the Philippines. Our team was ready to clarify even the negative news, but no one raised them,” the report quoted Edgardo Pamintuan, presidential adviser on external affairs—Inquirer (03/16/09, Balana, C).

We seem to vent a very common reaction. Most of us don’t want to be bogged down by depressing news—problems that are entrenched, those that have little chance of being solved quickly.

In America, we have our own worries to tackle in addition to those we left behind back home. That’s why. Yet, being selective of what we want to do may lead to detachment, more apathy, and lack of care for the country. If we don’t bravely focus on hard truths, we won’t be able to advance ahead. We have serious problems that we must not ignore. As someone once said, “the best way to escape a problem is to solve it.” (Photo Credit: Mineke_Reinders; Akira_Minh)

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Bicol’s Melody Gersbach is 2009 Binibining Pilipinas-International

Miss Bicolandia 2008 Melody Gersbach has been crowned Binibining Pilipinas (Bb.)-International in a recently concluded beauty pageant in Manila on Sunday, March 8, 2009. With her are winners Pamela Bianca Manalo and Marie-Ann Umali, awarded the Bb. Pilipinas-Universe and Bb. Pilipinas-World titles respectively in a field of 24 semi-finalists.

Ms. Gersbach is a 23-year old graduate of business management at the University of Asia and the Pacific. She works as the manager of a family-owned restaurant in Legazpi City. Pamela Manalo who won Best Swimsuit Award, is a 22 year old flight stewardess with a degree in Advertising in Assumption College in Manila. Besting the beauty candidates in the long gown competition, Marie-Ann Umali was chosen as Miss Photogenic. She is a native of Batangas City with a Tourism degree from College of St. Benilde.

The dazzling evening coronation was held at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. Hosted by Paolo Bediones and Iza Calzado, the event was shown live in GMA channels all over the country. The first runner-up was 20-year UP graduate Richell Agalot (Miss Talent) followed by 26 year old Regina Hahn, the second runnerup. Gizelle Jasmin Rivamonte, a 23-year old Oncology nurse who works at the Veterans Hospital in Quezon City was voted Miss Friendship.(Photo Credits: http://www.marianrivera.co.nr/ Noli Berioso/ OPMB Wordwide) =0=

RELATED BLOGS: “From Dan Daz’ Lens: Miss Bicolandia 2008 Melody Gersbach” Posted by mesiamd at 10/04/2008; “Saro pang madahom na kandidata kan Miss Bicolandia 2008” Posted by mesiamd at 9/05/2008; “Miss Bicolandia 2008 Search is On!” Posted by mesiamd at 8/30/2008; “Mutya ng Ibalong: Are Daraguenas the fairest of them all?”
Posted by dusktildawn at 11/04/2008

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Rap artist Francis Magalona, 44, dies of leukemia complications

“The country has lost a modern-day artist, a nationalist in his own creative way. Francis M. used music and fashion to promote love of country among Filipino youth.” —Sen. Bong Revilla

Entertainment world in the Philippines grieves the passing of popular rapper-composer Francis Magalona (1964-2009,) a 44-year old father of eight, of leukemia, in Medical City Hospital, Mandaluyong, Metromanila.

Following the disclosure of his illness last year, Magalona was treated with a series of chemotherapy which brought the cancer in remission. However, the ebullient husband of Pia Arroyo succumbed to severe infection—sepsis following a bout of pneumonia.

The celebrated singer was waiting for a bone marrow transplant before his death on Friday, March 6, 2009. His remains were brought to Christ the King Memorial Chapel at Green Meadows in Quezon City. (Photo Credit: fadedmilkyway)=0=

UPDATE: On March 11, 2009, Wednesday, Francis Magalona’s remains were cremated.

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Buhi-Malinao road ushers in more commerce for Bicol

Linking communication is the most obvious benefit of having a road between towns and villages. Alternative routes of trade and commerce are made easy. These are expected in the recent completion of the 35 kilometer road (about half of 66 kilometer highway) which connects the 2nd and 4th districts of Camarines Sur to that of 1st district of Albay.

Leading to the port area of Tabaco, Albay, the highway makes it easier to reach Catanduanes Island in Bicol. Travel from Manila will be shorter than before.

The new road starts from Hanawan Ocampo, Camarines Sur onwards to Barangay Burokbusoc and Sagrada in Buhi, Camarines Sur, reaching up to Malinao, Albay. It is heralded as an accomplishment by LV Castaneda of the Department of Public Highways, (DPH.)

But Buhinon Jesus Valenciano (in a letter to Bicol Mail’s editor,) writes to question the integrity of the road. He fears that the “all-weather road” in some sections need cementing or asphalting. He says, without good maintenance, this road can easily fall into disrepair. —-Bicol Mail (02/19/09; 02/26/09) (Photo Credit: http://www.freewebs.com/infocenterbuhi/) =0=

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Slumdog Millionaire wins 8 Oscars

On Febrary 22, 2009, the drama movie “Slumdog Millionaire” carted away the most number of recognitions in the Oscars awards—8 winnings including the Best Movie award from the academy.

Held at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre for the 7th year, the glittery event of tinseltown attended by movie stars and celebrities, honored the visibly elated British director Daniel Doyle and the cast of his winning film which included Dev Patel, Freida Pinto and Anil Kapoor, all first-time actor-nominees in the Oscar. Other actors in the movie were children plucked from the dirt-poor slums in Mumbai, India to be among the cast-members brought to Hollywood for the awarding ceremony

Of the 10 nominations the movie dominated the awards by garnering prizes in eight categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song.

During the screening on August 2008 at Telluride Film Festival, Slumdog Millionaire generated interest and appreciation from those who first saw the film. It was well-received by viewers at the Toronto International Film Festival. With popularity rising, on January 2009, the movie was screened nationwide in the United States. According to reports, as of February 18, 2009, the film has raked in a bonanza of $89,316,895 at box office in the North America.

Timely as the reality of the current global economic meltdown, the film depicts the race of impoverished people to win in India’s rags to riches version of “Who wants to be a millionaire.” Though well-acclaimed by movie enthusiasts and scribes, the film has drawn criticisms and protests for propagating the Western stereotype of poverty and the negativities that go with the depiction of slums in a poor country. (Photo Credit: Mirchiaish; AP/ Matt Sayles) =0=

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Wicked Weather Count: 2,500 stranded in Bicol, 50 homes destroyed in Cebu, 16,000+ flood evacuees in Agusan del Sur

Barely 3 days after reports of floods in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, and Northern Samar left a trail of death and inundation, about 2,500 passengers were reported stranded in Bicol, mostly in Matnog, Sorsogon. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) temporarily interrupted the people’s sea travel due to dangerous weather conditions sweeping the country.

In Cebu, huge waves and ensuing floods destroyed at least 50 homes in coastal villages. Mayor of Ginatilan town Dean Michael Singco said people in these places were forced to move to safer grounds. They were transiently housed in schools and public buildings, before dawn on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 to avoid injuries and loss of life.

In Davao de Norte, 9 fishermen were rescued in rough seas after their nine unregistered boats ventured to open waters. Similar wicked weather caused flooding in Agusan del Sur when Agusan river rose, forcing about 16,267 people from 2,546 families to evacuate in temporary shelters. The towns of San Francisco, Prosperidad, La Paz, Veruela, Bunawan and Esperanza.—GMATvNews (01/15/09, Pantaleon, A)

A motorboat bringing passengers close to Bantique, Panay in the Visayas Islands sank killing Sylvia Cerezo, 63. Five other passengers namely, Godofredo Roxas, Rowell Baaquilar, Nida Baquilar, Jocelyn Baquilar and Margarita Dizon were plucked out from sea and led to safety. The small boat had Butacal and Pontevedra, Capiz as its usual passenger route.

The spate of wicked weather and calamities remind us of the importance of disaster preparedness in the community. People need to be pro-active in helping themselves for the government assistance is too limited. Needing our commonsense decision, we can’t completely rely on others concerning safety during travel particularly when the weather isn’t good. (Photo Credits Gahenty; Lino Almueda) =0=

RELATED BLOGS: “Floods in Gingoog City, Northern Samar, and Misamis Oriental drive thousands to evacuate” Posted by mesiamd at 1/12/2009; “With 17, 000 islands, Indonesia shares maritime woes with the Philippines” Posted by mesiamd at 1/13/2009