August 2012 Fortnightly issue

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HELLO FORTNIGHTLY FR EE

PHILIPPINES Connecting Global News & Views For The Community

UK & Europe Edition

August 2012 / Fortnightly

Volume 3 - Number 15

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TROPICAL STORM HELEN

more floods, landslides Jason Gutierrez, AFP FOUR people were killed as another tropical storm swept across the Philippines on Wednesday, August 15, triggering landslides in the mountainous north and dumping more heavy rain on the flood-battered capital.

Tropical Storm Kai-tak hit the northeast of the main island of Luzon before dawn, dumping up to 35 millimetres (1.4 inches) of rain an hour on a vast farming region, the state weather bureau said.

Areas to the south that were trying to recover from devastating floods last week, including Manila, also endured strong rain, prompting authorities to warn residents in low-lying areas of the capital to be ready to evacuate.

Among the worst-hit areas on Wednesday were four small northern farming towns, where water reached neck-deep in some areas and landslides cut off a major highway, said Melchito Castro, civil defence chief in the region.

“We have been experiencing really heavy rains since last night, and our rescuers have evacuated some residents,” Castro told AFP by phone.

©AFP, Ted Aljibe

Nearly two weeks of monsoon rains across the Philippines’ main island of Luzon peaked with a 48-hour deluge earlier this week that battered Manila and surrounding regions.

Two men suffocated to death inside a tunnel when a landslide hit a gold-rush site near the northern mountain resort of Baguio on Wednesday, while two other people drowned, authorities said.

The new fatalities bring to 99 the number of people who have died across Luzon due to the storms since

the beginning of last week, the civil defence office said.

Norma Talosig, the civil defence chief for north eastern Luzon, said authorities there were closely watching the rising waters of the Cagayan river, the country’s largest river basin, amid fears it could overflow.

At more than 500 kilometres (310 miles) long, the heavily silted Cagayan river is the longest in the country and cuts across four north eastern agricultural provinces.

Rain was also falling in and around Manila to the south west, where more than 300,000 people were still

in evacuation shelters following last week’s floods.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said many low-lying farming areas near Manila remained flooded, and with the fresh rain there was little chance of the waters receding anytime soon.

Council chief Benito Ramos said Kai-tak had not yet caused any major fresh floods in Manila, 80 percent of which was submerged last week amid an intense 48-hour deluge triggered by another tropical storm, But he said people in its coastal areas and others in dangerous areas should be prepared to leave their homes if the rains worsened.

Local governments declared school holidays in some areas of Manila on Wednesday because of the heavy rains, while several domestic flights were delayed or cancelled due to bad visibility.

The eye of Kai-tak passed at sea about 90 kilometres (56 miles) north of Laoag city at 4:00pm (0800 GMT) and was set to cross the South China Sea toward Hong Kong overnight, the state weather service said. ■ (©AFP – Manila, Philippines – August 15, 2012)

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Special Report

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

Disease alert in aftermath of Philippine floods PHILIPPINES

EMERGENCY relief officials and doctors deployed to flood devastated communities in the Philippines Sunday, August 12, to prevent outbreaks of disease as the death toll jumped to 85.

While floods have gone down significantly around the capital Manila, many areas in nearby provinces remained inundated as overflowing dams continued to release water, the national disaster coordinating agency said.

“As the waters receded they left behind clogged pipelines and trash everywhere. Sanitation has emerged as a key problem,” Red Cross secretary general Gwendolyn Pang told AFP. “We have deployed health officers in evacuation centres and in flood-hit communities with the likelihood of diseases erupting.”

The Red Cross put up huge rubber bladder tanks for clean water, while

local officials sent portable latrines to packed evacuation centres.

Food packs were also rushed to some 769,999 people displaced by the floods that submerged about 80 percent of Manila last week.

Civil defence office head Benito Ramos said more than half were living in dire conditions in 948 evacuation centres, which are mostly schools and churches converted into temporary shelter areas.

“Many have returned to their homes as the waters subsided, but it is far from a normal situation,” Ramos said.

“We are trying to help them return to their normal lives with a massive clean-up operation. There is muck everywhere, and it would take some time.”

The health department said water purification tablets were being distributed, while mass

©AFP/Nicolas Asfouri

Local residents return to their homes and start to clean up the area from the mud left by the floods at a slum next to a river in the town of San Mateo.

immunisations were being carried out to prevent an outbreak of colds, flu and other diseases.

Of particular concern is a possible outbreak of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease caused by exposure to water contaminated by rat urine.

In flooded Philippines, living and dead share shelter AS floods which have swamped parts of the Philippines and affected more than two million people extend into their second week, the dead and the living are sharing premium space on dry ground.

Teresa Concepcion and her extended family of five moved to the Catholic cemetery in Calumpit town, on the main island of Luzon, on Wednesday, August 8 after their house went under chest-deep floodwaters. Both they and the water have stayed put since.

The Concepcions have set up

camp on the tops of tombs that sit like islands atop the murky water.

Some of the bigger tombs have roofs, providing a dry spot even during the rain.

“We believe in ghosts, but they have not troubled us. Maybe they took pity on us and allowed us to stay,” the 34-year-old unwed mother of two told AFP on Saturday as she dried driftwood with which to cook their food.

Her mother was also keeping busy, taking advantage of a break in the rain to wash clothes.

©AFP Photo

But her father, who gets paid 300 pesos ($7.16) for burying the dead, is temporarily out of work because funerals have been put off until after the disaster.

In the capital Manila, several cemeteries are home to entire communities of settlers who dwell among the tombs year round and eke out a living as scavengers in nearby rubbish dumps.

The Concepcions appeared quite relaxed about remaining at the cemetery which is just across the road from their home.

“We had done this once before, and three of our neighbours have told us they plan to join us,” she said.

“But we could do with food rations though.”

The family has survived on buying instant noodles and tins of sardines from a nearby store.

The floods, which submerged about 80 percent of Manila for about two days early last week, have killed 66 people and affected 2.68 million others, according to the government.

Large areas of Calumpit, a farming town 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of the capital, have been swamped with floods for a

©AFP/Nicolas Asfouri

A boy help his dad and neighbours to clear out the mud from the area where their shack once stood as they rebuild their shack that was washed away by the floods, at a slum next to a river in San Mateo town, Risal province east of Manila. Emergency relief officials and doctors deployed to flood devastated communities in the Philippines Sunday, August 12, to prevent outbreaks of disease.

More than 3,300 people were infected and 249 died of the disease in the aftermath of similar flooding in 2009, the biggest casualty figure for leptospirosis in the world, health authorities said.

“Many may have escaped the floods, but many could still die from week, as have surrounding areas on the low-lying, rice-growing plains at the centre of Luzon.

While most of the waters in the capital had receded by Friday, large areas of central Luzon remained paralysed by waters that remain chest-deep in some parts.

More than 441,000 people displaced by the floods are crammed into schools, gymnasiums and other government-run makeshift evacuation centres.

Tens of thousands more have been converging on the centres each day, and the government has repeatedly said the refuges are overwhelmed. Those who cannot find space there have sought shelter elsewhere.

Rosie Flores, 52, and 30 other people arrived at a small village Catholic Church in Paombong, the town neighbouring Calumpit, on the first day of the floods.

They have shared the refuge with a coffin carrying the embalmed body of an old woman who died the same day.

Each family has a pew to sleep on but there is not enough room for everyone so individuals need to take turns, and everyone shares a single bathroom.

“We’re all neighbours here,” the

leptospirosis or other diseases,” Ramos said.

He said 19 more people were reported to have died, raising the death toll to 85 Sunday, August 12, with most of the casualties due to drowning. ■ (©AFP – Manila, Philippines – August 12, 2012)

mother-of-three told AFP on Friday, explaining their familiarity meant they did not mind sharing such cramped quarters.

The family’s house, along with a fish farm managed by her husband, remains underwater, as is the church courtyard, so the children play in front of the altar near the dead woman’s coffin.

Flores said her family had received just one grocery bag of food relief and two small bottles of drinking water.

Complaints of not enough food have been common throughout the flood zones, and the government has conceded it has not had enough manpower to get relief goods out as quickly as it had hoped.

State meteorologist Jori Loyz said central Luzon suffered from its low elevation, turning it into a catchment for heavy rain not only in the immediate area but also water running off the mountains to the east.

No-one is sure how long the floods will last. Loyz said thunderstorms were forecast for central Luzon over the coming days, so the Concepcions may be sharing space with the dead for a while yet.

■ (©AFP – Calumpit, Philippines – August 12, 2012)

Pope expresses ‘solidarity’ with flood, quake victims POPE Benedict XVI on Sunday, August 12, expressed solidarity with the victims of natural disasters in Iran, the Philippines and China which have claimed hundreds of lives.

“My thoughts at this moment are with the Asian populations, especially those in the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China who have been hit by torrential rain,” he said at his summer residence south of Rome during Angelus prayers.

Floods in the Philippines have claimed at least 85 lives while at least 16 people have died in China in the wake of Typhoon Haikui, which left a trail of devastation in the country’s east.

The pontiff also spoke of people “in the northwest of Iran who are victims of a terrible earthquake.”

Hundreds of villages were flattened by twin earthquakes on Saturday killing at least 227 and leaving 1,380 injured.

“These events have claimed numerous victims and injured many, led to thousands being displaced and caused serious damage,” the pope said.

“Our brothers have our solidarity and our support,” he said, calling on those gathered for the Angelus to pray for the victims and those affected by the disasters. ■ (©AFP – Castel Gandolfo, Italy – August 12, 2012)

©AFP Photo

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Special Report

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August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

Asian economies most at risk from natural disasters ©AFP, Jay Directo

©AFP, Ted Aljibe

©AFP, Jay Directo

A soaking wet child sits on a post on a flooded street in suburban Manila.

Manila residents are evacuated from a suburb of Manila.

floods, including severe flooding that struck the northern island of Luzon last week.

It also noted the consequences of drought in India, which this year is likely to shave 0.5 percent off the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The analysis’s other benchmark is the absolute exposure to natural hazards, meaning the total bill from a disaster. This is different from relative exposure, which means the economic pain that comes from it.

By the “absolute” yardstick, the countries that face the biggest tabs when natural catastrophes occur are Japan, the United States, China, Taiwan and Mexico.

However, they have greater muscle and stronger institutional means to cope, and this limits the hit to the economy.

“As the global influence of emerging economies increases, the importance of their inherent natural hazard exposure will have wider and deeper global implications,” said Maplecroft analyst Helen Hodge.

“The test for emerging and developing economies is to build a stronger capacity to meet the challenge of hazard-prone environments. Failure to do so will risk their ambitious economic growth when the inevitable natural hazards strike.”

According to the reinsurance giant Munich Re, 2011 was the costliest year ever for natural disasters, inflicting economic losses of $380 billion.

The March 11 2011 earthquake and tsunami accounted for 55 percent of the total. ■ (©AFP – Paris, France – August 15, 2012)

The parts of Manila worst hit by floods are mostly the poorest districts. ©AFP Photo

A resident gathers his pet dogs on the roof of his flooded house in the village of Tumana, Marikina town, suburban Manila.

WE WILL MATCH ANY PRICE

Original Creation and Copyright Reserved By: Hello Philippines 2012

ASIAN countries dominate a league table of economies most at risk from earthquakes, floods, storms and other natural hazards, according to research published on Wednesday, August 15.

In an assessment of 197 countries, British risk consultancy Maplecroft said six Asian countries were among the 10 countries whose economies were most vulnerable to catastrophes.

The list is headed by Bangladesh and the Philippines, which along with Myanmar are considered to be at “extreme” risk.

Only one other country, the Caribbean state of Dominican Republic, falls into this category, and was rated third overall.

The other countries in the top 10 were India, Vietnam, Honduras, Laos, Haiti and Nicaragua.

The “Natural Hazards Risk Atlas” looks at the impact of natural disasters on a country relative to its economy, taking into account preparedness to deal with such events and social ability to rebound.

If a country’s infrastructure is weak and its governance is poor, the economic consequences are that much greater.

The report highlighted the impact on the Philippine economy from storms, landslides, volcanoes and

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Special Report

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August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

Philippine floods a man-made disaster: Experts 8

PHILIPPINES

Mynardo Macaraig, AFP

DEADLY floods that have swamped nearly all of the Philippine capital are less a natural disaster and more the result of poor planning, lax enforcement and political self-interest, experts say.

Damaged watersheds, massive squatter colonies living in danger zones and the neglect of drainage systems are some of the factors that have made the chaotic city of 15 million people much more vulnerable to enormous floods.

Urban planner Nathaniel Einseidel said the Philippines had enough technical know-how and could find the necessary financing to solve the problem, but there was no vision or political will.

“It’s a lack of appreciation for the benefits of long-term plans. It’s a vicious cycle when the planning, the policies and enforcement are not very well synchronised,” said Einseidel, who was Manila’s planning chief from 1979-89.

“I haven’t heard of a local

government, a town or city that has a comprehensive drainage masterplan.”

Eighty percent of Manila was this week covered in waters that in some parts were nearly two metres (six feet and six inches) deep, after more than a normal August’s worth of rain was dumped on the city in 48 hours.

Twenty people have died and two million others have been affected, according to the government.

The deluge was similar to one in 2009, a disaster which claimed more than 460 lives and prompted pledges from government leaders to make the city more resistant to floods.

A government report released then called for 2.7 million people in shantytowns to be moved from “danger zones” alongside riverbanks, lakes and sewers.

Squatters, attracted by economic opportunities in the city, often build shanties on river banks, storm drains and canals, dumping garbage and impeding the flow of waterways.

The plan would have affected one in five Manila residents and taken 10 years and 130 billion pesos (3.11 billion dollars) to implement.

But squatter communities in danger-zones have in fact grown since 2009.

“With the increasing number of people occupying danger zones, it is inevitable there are a lot people who are endangered when these things happen,” Einseidel said.

He blamed the phenomenon on poor enforcement of regulations banning building along creeks and floodways, with local politicians often wanting to keep squatters in their communities to secure their votes at election time.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Manila, vital forested areas have been destroyed to make way for housing developments catering to growing middle and upper classes, according to architect Paulo Alcazaren.

Alcazeren, who is also an urban planner, said the patchwork political structure of Manila had made things even harder.

The capital is actually made up of 16 cities and towns, each with its own government, and they often carry out infrastructure programmes – such as man-made and natural drainage protection – without coordination.

“Individual cities can never solve the problem. They can only mitigate.

If you want to govern properly, you must re-draw or overlay existing political boundaries,” he said.

Solutions to the flooding will require massive efforts such as replanting in natural drainage basins, building low-cost housing for the squatters and clearing man-made drainage systems, the experts said.

“It will cost billions of pesos but we lose billions anyway every time it floods,” Alcazeren said.

Meanwhile, with Environment Secretary Ramon Paje warning that intense rains like those this week will become the “new normal” due to climate change, there have been concerns about the city’s ability to lure and keep foreign investors.

However American Chamber

of Commerce president Rhicke Jennings said Manila remained an attractive destination.

“Companies will continue to invest in the Philippines for all its positive qualities,” he said, citing well-trained Filipino staff and pointing out there were key parts of the city with good infrastructure that did not badly flood.

Jennings highlighted the rise of the outsourcing sector in the Philippines as evidence that foreigners would not abandon the country because of floods.

Companies such as JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank and Accenture have all set up backroom operations in recent years, mostly in slick new parts of Manila where infrastructure is state-of-the art and which did not flood this week.

From virtually nothing a decade ago, 600,000 people are now employed in the outsourcing sector and the industy is expecting that number to more than double by 2016 as more foreign firms move in. ■ (©AFP – Manila, Philippines – August 11, 2012)

©AFP Photo

©AFP, Jay Directo

Residents evacuate from a suburb of Manila. ©AFP, Jay Directo

©AFP, Ted Aljibe

Residents try to cross floodwaters as others wait on the roofs of their houses after a river overflowed in Manila.

Residents walk on foot over a flooded bridge after a nearby river overflowed in Marikina. ©AFP/Nicolas Asfouri

A boy makes a purchase in a flooded convinient store in Manila.

People use pedicabs to cross floodwaters in a street in Valenzuela, on the outskirts of Manila.

A family gathers on the roof of their home in Calumpit town, north of Manila. ©Malacañang Photo Bureau / Jay Morales ©AFP, Jay Directo

Philippine police rescue teams prepare a boat to evacuate residents.

©AFP, Ted Aljibe

Aerial view of floods in Tarlac.

Residents affected by floods shelter near two trucks parked along a road in Quezon city.

©AFP, Jay Directo

Flood victims take shelter in a school serving as an evacuation centre.

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Special Feature - 30th Olympic Games London 2012

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

London basks in Olympic glory despite doping case THE London Olympics lost its first medallist to a doping scandal on Monday, August 13, as Belarus shot-putter Nadezhda Ostapchuk was stripped of gold a day after the Games closed in a blaze of music and colour.

Thousands of athletes began a mass exodus from London and turned their thoughts to Rio de Janeiro in 2016, as Britain basked in the adulation for a Games that electrified billions of viewers around the globe.

London’s Heathrow Airport said it was expecting the busiest day of the Games on Monday, August 13, with 6,000 athletes travelling through a special Games terminal and another 11,000 officials and media due to leave through normal channels.

Many would be leaving with little sleep after a glittering closing ceremony featuring The Who, the Spice Girls, George Michael and Brazilian football legend Pele entertaining a crowd of 80,000 at the Olympic Stadium.

But 31-year-old Ostapchuk waved goodbye not just to the Games but also to her women’s shot put title after the International Olympic Committee said she had tested positive for the anabolic steroid metenolone.

Ostapchuk, the 2005 world champion, took a surprise gold medal with a throw of 21.36m, but urine samples provided the day before the competition and immediately after it both tested positive, the IOC said.

The gold medal will now go to Valerie Adams of New Zealand, with Russia’s Yevgeniya Kolodko taking silver and Lijiao Gong of China bronze.

The news failed to dampen the mood in Britain though, with London Mayor Boris Johnson saying that for him and many other Londoners the Games had been “the most extraordinary event we can remember in our lifetimes”.

Olympics chief Sebastian Coe, speaking at the same press conference as Johnson, said he hoped there would be a long-term boost for British sport.

“These British moments, those international moments that we’ve seen in those venues, will do more than anything else to inspire young people to take up sport,” Coe said.

During two weeks of sporting spectacle record-breaking Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and US swimmer Michael Phelps lit up the Olympic Park in east London.

Heptathlete Jessica Ennis led an unexpectedly high number of British champions who kept fans’ excitement at fever pitch.

©AFP/Franck Fife

Belarus’ Nadezhda Ostapchuk competes to win the women’s shot put final at the athletics event of the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 6, in London. The London Olympics lost its first medallist to a doping scandal on Monday as Ostapchuk was stripped of gold a day after the Games closed in a blaze of music and colour.

The United States topped the medals table with 46 golds, eight ahead of China, while Britain had 29 -- their best since 1904. It was the first Games where every team had at least one female competitor.

The closing ceremony also saw the Olympic flag handed over to the mayor of Rio, a symbolic transfer which launches the four-year countdown to the 2016 Games.

Rio gave a taste of what to expect with a swinging samba section in a ceremony that included Pele and carnival-style dancers.

IOC President Jacques Rogge,

speaking during the closing ceremony, praised the Games as “happy and glorious” – a reference to the lyrics of Britain’s national anthem “God Save the Queen”.

After 16 full days of competition, 302 Olympic titles were handed out and 46 world records broken.

More than seven million fans came out to watch Olympic events, and Bolt’s 200m win generated a staggering 80,000 tweets a minute.

Prime Minister David Cameron received congratulations from US President Barack Obama, who called him to praise the organisation of the

Games and the performance of the British team.

Cameron said the Games had reflected the best of Britain’s multicultural complexion, taking the example of Mo Farah, who won a rare 5,000m and 10,000m double.

“Over the past couple of weeks, we have looked in the mirror and we like what we have seen as a country,” Cameron said.

Around 5,000 fans gathered in Leeds, northern England, to give a hero’s welcome to three local medallists.

Triathlon winner Alistair Brownlee, his bronze-winning brother Jonathan and cycling road race silver medalist Lizzie Armitstead greeted Union Jack waving crowds before attending a reception in the city centre.

Farah came to Britain at age eight after spending his early years in Somalia and Djibouti.

Britain’s newspapers on Monday reflected the country’s newfound pride but also betrayed a tinge of sadness that the Games were over.

“Thanks, it’s been a blast,” said the Daily Telegraph over a picture of the giant Union Jack that covered the floor of the Olympic stadium during the closing ceremony, while the Guardian bade “Goodbye to the Glorious Games”. ■ (©AFP – London, United Kingdom – August 13, 2012)

Original Creation and Copyright Reserved By: Hello Philippines 2012

Danny Kemp, AFP

©AFP/Leon Neal

Performers celebrate at the end of the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in London. The London Olympics lost its first medallist to a doping scandal on Monday as Belarus shot-putter Nadezhda Ostapchuk was stripped of gold a day after the Games closed in13:21 a blaze Page of music PhilippineJuneAdvert:phillippine advert 24/06/2011 1 and colour.

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Special Feature - 30th Olympic Games London 2012

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

LONDON 2012 ENDS WITH SINGALONG PARTY Robin Millard, AFP THE London 2012 Games bade farewell Sunday, August 12, with a giant singalong party, bringing the curtain down in spectacular style on an Olympics that has radiated the feel good factor throughout.

The closing ceremony, entitled “A Symphony of British Music”, was a celebration of Britain’s pop prowess, with Queen, Take That and the Spice Girls getting the Olympic Stadium rocking underneath a blaze of fireworks.

Thousands of athletes who have entertained the world during the London Games craned to take pictures of George Michael and Fatboy Slim performing at the centre of a giant stage in the shape of Britain’s Union Jack flag.

Meanwhile the pumped-up 80,000-strong crowd got into the party atmosphere, singing along in full voice as waves of colour swept around the bowl on the pixel screens in front of each seat.

The Olympic flame was slowly extinguished with tangible sadness in the stadium, but the feeling lasted only seconds before legendary rockers The Who blasted the blues away with a final salvo of thunderous hard rock and dazzling pyrotechnics.

“After 16 days of competition, we wanted to host a celebration of all that’s good about London, British people, our music and our culture,” Kim Gavin, the show’s artistic director, said beforehand.

More than 300 million people would be watching around the world, the audience were told.

The three-hour spectacle began with New Year-style Big Ben chimes counting down to 9:00pm (2000 GMT).

In his biggest role to date, 27-yearold Prince Harry, third in line to the throne, represented Queen Elizabeth II at the show.

1980s band Madness kicked off the mass singalong with their hit “Our House”, before The Kinks’ frontman Ray Davies then played his London love song “Waterloo Sunset” with the crowd on backing vocals.

While a chosen athlete carried each national flag into the stadium, the competitors streamed in as one, some wearing their medals and others taking souvenir pictures as they formed the wedges in the Union Jack.

There was one final well-respected medal ceremony -- that for Sunday’s men’s marathon, won by Uganda’s Stephen Kiprotich.

A hallmark of the London Games has been the enthusiastic warmth shown to athletes regardless of nationality.

Annie Lennox appeared as the figurehead of a ghost galleon, while DJ Fatboy Slim performing on a psychadelic camper van that turned into a blow-up octopus.

©AFP Photo

©AFP, Franck Fife

British singer Victoria Beckham of The Spice Girls band performs on top of a London taxi. ©AFP, Jewel Samad

Flagbearers (C) parade during the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games on August 12, 2012 at the Olympic Stadium in London.

British model Naomi Campbell performs at the Olympic stadium.

Next the Spice Girls sang a medley of their hits while riding around the stadium on top of London black cabs, before Oasis star Liam Gallagher had the crowd waving their arms with the 1990s classic “Wonderwall”.

After seemingly failing as a human cannonball, Monty Python comedian Eric Idle performed “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”.

The late Queen singer Freddie Mercury then appeared on the screens to conduct the crowd, before the band emerged, getting the stadium thumping to “We Will Rock You”.

As the 2012 Games came to a close, London Mayor Boris Johnson handed over the Olympic flag to Eduardo Paes, the mayor of 2016 hosts Rio de Janeiro.

Led by football legend Pele, the Brazilian city then gave a taste of the carnival the world can expect in four years’ time.

“When our time came – Britain, we did it right,” said London Games organiser Sebastian Coe. “The spirit of these Olympics will inspire a generation.”

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge added: “These were happy and glorious Games,” before saying: “I declare the Games of the 30th Olympiad closed.”

As a phoenix rose above the cauldron, which opened like a flower, Take That performed “Rule the World” beneath a cascade of fireworks.

It was finally extinguished with a sad “ah” from the crowd, before The Who rounded off the night.

Spectator Jonathan Mann, 51, said: “I have been absolutely blown away by the whole of the Olympics. The whole spirit of the country has been fantastic.

It’s been absolutely incredible.” ■ (©AFP – London, United Kingdom – August 13, 2012)

©AFP, Damien Meyer

A giant tarpaulin depicting British model Kate Moss crosses the Olympic stadium.

©AFP/Pool/John Stillwell

Britain’s Prince Harry (2nd R) and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (R) attend the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games in East London. ©AFP, Eric Feferberg

This picture shows a general view with the Olympic flame in the foreground during the closing ceremony.

©AFP Photo

©AFP, Jewel Samad ©AFP, Gabriel Bouys

British singer Annie Lennox performs during the closing ceremony. ©AFP Photo

Spice Girls perform at the Olympic stadium during the closing ceremony. ©AFP/Indranil Mukherjee

British group Madness perform during the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in London.

Fireworks explode over the Olympic stadium during the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games in London.

14

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Business & Finance

Ayala to build new business district THE real estate arm of conglomerate Ayala Corp. said Tuesday, August 14 it planned to create another major business district in Manila after casting the highest bid for a government property.

Ayala Land offered 24.33 billion pesos ($579 million), more than two other real estate firms, for the Food Terminal industrial estate, the company and government officials said.

The 74-hectare (183-acre) property is located near major government highways and will become “the southern gateway” to Manila, Ayala Land said.

The company will develop the area in a manner similar to the upscale housing, office, hotel and shopping mall projects it has set up in other parts of the capital and across the country, Ayala Land spokesman Jorge Marco said.

“It’s going to be another business district and it will have all our product lines: residential, retail, office and hotels,” he said.

Ayala Land’s bid exceeded the floor price of 10.2 billion pesos for the property, said Melinda Cortez, marketing chief of the government’s privatisation office.

She described it as the biggest

PLDT net profit down 11% PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) on Tuesday, August 7 posted an 11 percent drop in second-quarter profit from a year earlier due to the costs of modernising its networks in a fiercely competitive market.

PLDT, the archipelago’s most valuable listed company, said its core net profit for the period April-June was 9.353 billion pesos

($223.57 million), down from 10.467 billion for the same period in 2011.

“We will continue to exert our utmost effort to get back on the profit growth track as quickly as we can, as we harness the opportunities for synergy within the group,” PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan said in a statement.

He pinned the blame for the

©AFP/File, Jay Directo

Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) posted an 11 percent drop in second-quarter profit from a year earlier.

government privatisation effort in years.

However the government’s economic ministers must still study the bid for 60 days to see if it meets all financial and legal qualifications before declaring Ayala Land the winner, Cortez added.

The estate, formerly a major government food processing facility, is now an industrial estate where warehouses, offices and stores are already operating.

The government tried to sell off the facility in 2009 but failed to attract enough bidders. ■ (©AFP – Manila, Philippines – August 14, 2012)

fall on the cost of modernising its wireless service for Digitel’s Sun Cellular service, which PLDT acquired last year.

Pangilinan also highlighted the cost of sales and promotions initiatives in a competitive industry but said he was optimistic that the company’s future was bright.

“It is noteworthy that, despite the earnings pressure from the competitive state of the local industry and continuing pressure on margins, our free cash flows remain strong,” he added.

PLDT, which described competitive pressure in the second half of last year as “severe”, saw service revenues rise 11 percent to 41.945 billion pesos in the second quarter while expenses surged 33 percent to 32.598 billion pesos.

PLDT said its first half net profit similarly declined 11 percent, to 18.7 billion pesos. First half service revenues rose 12 percent to 84.725 billion pesos.

Pangilinan said PLDT’s net profit forecast of 37 billion pesos for the entire 2012 remained on track.

PLDT net profit fell 21 percent to 31.7 billion pesos in 2011. ■ (©AFP – Manila, Philippines – August 7, 2012)

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition ©AFP/File/Romeo Gacad

Engineers inspect construction progress at the Serendra condominium project of Ayala Land in 2006. The real estate arm of conglomerate Ayala Corp. said Tuesday, August 14 it planned to create another major business district in Manila after casting the highest bid for a government property.

World Bank unveils carbon incentive plan in Philippines THE World Bank said on Monday, August 6 it plans to buy carbon credits from pig farms in the Philippines, helping farmers generate extra income by setting up environment friendly waste treatment facilities.

Under the program it will finance the installation of such waste treatment systems that will capture methane gas from pig manure which could be used to generate electricity, thereby reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

The World Bank’s Carbon Finance Unit will buy carbon credits from farms that install such systems, helping farmers secure an additional source of income, it said in a statement.

“This is the first programme of activities from the Philippines to be registered and it is the first... in the animal waste sector in Southeast Asia, a region home to a significant number of the world’s pigs,” World Bank carbon finance specialist Nick Bowden was quoted as saying.

About 100,000 tonnes of carbon credits could be earned each year through the program, the statement said, without providing details on what price it would pay for credits.

The project, supported by the World Bank and implemented by the state-run Land Bank, will be carried out under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that includes a programme for extracting methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from pig farms. ■ (©AFP – Manila, Philippines – August 6, 2012)

©AFP/File, Romeo Gacad

The World Bank said on Monday, August 6 it plans to buy carbon credits from pig farms in the Philippines.

Zest Air’s new flight service from Shanghai to Manila launched

THE Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that Zest Air, in coordination with the Philippine Tourism OfficeShanghai, launched its new flight service from Shanghai to Manila on July 26 at the Huating Hotel in Shanghai.

Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia C. Brady flew in from Beijing to grace the occasion as the keynote speaker and Consul General Charles C. Jose provided the toast during the inaugural dinner.

Ambassador Brady praised Zest Air in its newest endeavour – the Shanghai to Manila flight - as a pioneering vision which will aid in reaffirming and strengthening Philippines-China relations.

Executive officers of Zest Air, headed by Mr. Donald Dy, expressed their hope of furthering the Philippines’ ties with China through Zest Air’s efforts. Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary Eugene T. Kaw was also present to provide support for the new endeavour and invited the Chinese travel agencies to increase the Chinese people’s awareness of travel opportunities to the Philippines.

The inaugural flight took place after the launching dinner and departed the Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 12:40 a.m.

Three groups composed of travel agents and media from Shanghai were on board the flight and will go to three different destinations – Davao, Dumaguete, and Laoag – to

showcase Philippine destinations.

Consul General Jose led the group which travelled to Davao City from July 27 to 30.

The Shanghai to Manila Zest Air flight is the latest addition to Zest Air’s international flight offerings and the second in China. It also runs regular flights from Jinjiang to Manila.

The Shanghai to Manila flights depart from the Shanghai Pudoing International Airport at 12:40 a.m. every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and at 12:30 a.m. every Sunday. The return flights from NAIA Terminal-3 in Manila, meanwhile, depart at 8:10 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and at 7:00 p.m. every Saturday. ■ (DFA – August 8, 2012)

(From left) Consul General Charles C. Jose, Mr Donald Dy, DOT Assistant Secretary Eugene T. Kaw, Ambassador Sonia C. Brady, Mr Brian Thomas Hogan, Zest Air Chief Executive Adviser, and Mr Alfredo Herrera, Zest Air SVP-Commercial & External Affairs Group.

16

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Events Diary

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DATE / TIME

EVENT

VENUE

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

ORGANISER

CONTACTS / REMARKS

2 November 2011 to 31 October 2012

Filing of Applications for Registration / Certification and Transfer of Registration Records

Philippine Embassy, 6 Suffolk Street, London SW1Y 4HG

Philippine Embassy, London, United Kingdom

For purposes of the May 13, 2013 elections, the filing of applications for registration / certification and transfer of registration records will resume at the Philippine Embassy.

18 August 2012 – Saturday

1st Orpington Barrio Fiesta 2012

Hewitts Farm, Court Road, Orpington, Kent BR6 0BX

Orpington Filipino-British Association

orpington_fba07@yahoo.co.uk

18 August 2012 - Saturday

1st Barrio Fiesta sa Colchester 2012

Lower Castle Park of the famous Roman Castle Park in Colchester

Filipino British Cooperative Society

Allan Etrata 07774 646 926

18 August 2012 - Saturday

MFBA Summer Outing

Folkestone, Kent

Mitcham Filipino British Association (MFBA)

Roger Ferreol 07771 892 996

18 August 2012 – Saturday 5:00pm

High Wycombe Filipino Nurses and Friends – Red Carpet Affair

Holiday Inn Hotel, Handycross, High Wycombe HP11 1TL

High Wycombe Filipino Nurses and Friends

Vie Medina 07872 948 093

18 August 2012 – Saturday 7:30pm

“God Will Make A Way” featuring Don Moen

Kensington Great Hall, Hornton Street, Kensington, London W8 7NX

JCCM

Edith 07411 950 204 / Kenneth 07412 576 486 / Helen 07552 491 507 / jccmchurch@yahoo.co.uk / admin@jesuschristcitymission.co.uk / Ticket Prices: £35.00 / £45.00 / £60.00

25 August 2012 – Saturday 9:00am

3rd Annual Barrio Fiesta “Hirit sa Tag-init” – Brighton and Hove Filipino Community

East Brighton Park, Wilson Avenue, Brighton BN2 5TS

Brighton and Hove Filipino Community (BAHFC)

25 and 26 August 2012 – Saturday and Sunday 12:00pm to 5:00pm

Yaw Yan Charity Seminar for Master Nap Fernandez

Formula 1, London Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 1XF

Lightning Kali Combatives & Tabak 1900 Filipino Combat System

Chris Miole 07738 072 236 / tabak1900@yahoo.co.uk / Tom Pena 07841 704 026 / salsazenzie@hotmail.com

27 August 2012 – Monday 4:00pm to 10:00pm

Dinner & Dance Party

Indian YMCA Student Hostel, London W1T 6AQ

Dumangas-London Association

Mr Harold Gonzaga 020 8274 1531

1 September 2012 – Saturday 8:00am to 8:00pm

Hataw Sa Tag-Araw – The Annual Worthing Filipino Festival

Homefield Park, Worthing BN11 2HZ

Worthing Filipino Community UK

Earl 07823 883 830 / Cleng Sumilang 07551 008 802

15 September 2012 Saturday

MFBA Fundraising Concert “Rock Baby Rock”

Mitcham Filipino British Association (MFBA)

Roger Ferreol 07771 892 996

15 September 2012 – Saturday 6:00pm 1:00am

Mis Philippines UK & Mr Philippines UK

MP UK

Eva Macadangdang 07983 593 914 / Marlowe Macadangdang 07956 944 520 / Myra Adap dela Cruz 07789 695 596 / mp-uk@yahoo.co.uk

16 September 2012 – Sunday 4:00pm

HELP NOW, Part 2…Habagat Charity Event

22 September 2012 – Saturday 6:00pm to 11:00pm

Mrs Philippines UK 2012

Colliers Wood Community Centre, 66 – 72 Colliers Wood High Street, London SW19 2BY Millennium Gloucester Hotel & Conference Centre, 4 – 18 Harrington Gardens, London SW7 4LH Boston Arms Pub Hall, 178 Junction Road, Tufnell Park, London N19 5QQ (in front of Tufnell Park Station) Baden Powell House, 65 – 67 Queens Gate, London SW7 5JS

23 September 2012 – Sunday 1:00pm to 4:00pm 4:00pm to 11:00pm

E-Learning Group UK Annual General Meeting / Election of New Officers E-Learning Group UK 3rd Anniversary / Induction of New Officers Ai Ai Got More Talent

Maxilla Social Hall, 2 Maxilla Walk, Ladbroke Grove, London W10 6NQ

E-Learning Group UK

Norma Viloria (President) 07894 145 546 / 07584 190 993 / Barbara Infante (Secretary) 07920 714 795 / Janette Vicera (Assistant Secretary) 07714 287 610

O2 Apollo Manchester

Star Global and Management Limited

07775 441 369 / 07876 508 835 / 07786 950 323

29 September 2012 – Saturday 11:00am 29 September 2012 – Saturday

Ginebra na UK Tour 2012

Kelvin Hall, Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8AW

QS Life London

Bong Palmares 07766 057 000

Ai Ai Got More Talent

Newport Centre South Wales

Star Global and Management Limited

07775 441 369 / 07876 508 835 / 07786 950 323

30 September 2012 – Sunday 11:00am

Ginebra na UK Tour 2012

Loughborough, Sports Hall, Leicester LE11 3TU

QS Life London

Bong Palmares 07766 057 000

30 September 2012 – Sunday

Ai Ai Got More Talent

Troxy London

Star Global and Management Limited

07775 441 369 / 07876 508 835 / 07786 950 323

20 October 2012 – Saturday 6:30pm

Batangas Association UK – 19th Annual Charity Dinner & Dance

Batangas Association UK (BAUK)

Cora Santos 07956 271 750 / Lorna Fortunado 07776 223 212 / Gloria Diaz 07572 795 321 / Attire: Strictly Formal

27 October 2012 – Saturday

MFBA Halloween Party

Mitcham Filipino British Association (MFBA)

Roger Ferreol 07771 892 996

2, 3 and 4 November 2012 – Friday, Saturday and Sunday

1st Reel Gate International Film Festival in London and Manila (1st RGIFF)

The Ballroom, Radisson Blu Portman Hotel, 22 Portman Square, London W1H 7BG Colliers Wood Community Centre, 66 – 72 Colliers Wood High Street, London SW19 2BY Riverside Studio in London

17 November 2012 – Saturday

Eat Bulaga! Live in London, United Kingdom

ExCel London, ICC Auditorium, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 1XL

OSN and Hello Philippines

Hello Philippines TV Connect 020 3174 1894 / 07553 767 059 / hptvconnect@hello-philippines.com / www.hptvconnect.com / www.hello-philippines.com / Ticket Prices: £35.00 / £45.00 / £55.00 / £65.00 / £75.00 Premium / £85.00 VIP

23 November to 1 December 2012

Okay Fine, Todo Na’To! – Ms Rufa Mae Quinto

Star Dragon Events UK Limited

Port Talbot 07769 273 618 / Swindon 07897 753 064 / Newcastle 07886 742 417 / Belfast 07850 151 678 / Sussex 07827 965 478

1 December 2012 - Saturday

MFBA Thanksgiving / Christmas Party

23 November – Port Talbot 24 November – Swindon 25 November – Newcastle 30 November – Belfast 1 December – Sussex Colliers Wood Community Centre, 66 – 72 Colliers Wood High Street, London SW19 2BY

Mitcham Filipino British Association (MFBA)

Roger Ferreol 07771 892 996

28 September 2012 – Friday

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DISCLAIMER: The Events Diary Listing does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by Hello Philippines newspaper. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Hello Philippines newspaper. This is merely an Events Diary Listing of what is happening within the Filipino Communities in Europe. This is for general information only.

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Celebrity, Showbiz & Entertainment

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

Wear your clothes like a charm: Frigga is Fashion with a Purpose FEW days are more auspicious in Feng Shui than August 4, 2012.

“August 4 is a good day to conclude contracts, commence business, initiate important events, travel, collection accounts, change jobs, open bank accounts, hold house warmings, install new equipment, and buy sweepstake tickets/lotto,” says Feng Shui expert Marites Allen.

“It is truly a very auspicious day to start a new venture.”

Allen naturally chose the day for the London launch of her latest Feng Shui project, a line of luck-enhancing apparel called Frigga, after the Norse goddess of prosperity. Held at the chic and grand Chelsea Old Town Hall on King’s Road, site of many notable celebrity events in the British capital, the launch featured a fashion show of Frigga’s Premiere Collection 2012 of day and evening wear to a full-house audience of prominent Filipinos in the UK. The launch was graced by the special presence of popular actress, TV host, and beauty queen Ruffa Gutierrez, who flew in from Manila for the event.

Frigga is the latest in Marites Allen’s personal mission to bring the benefits of Feng Shui, or geomancy, to a wider public, optimizing one’s success in life by harmonizing the natural elements in one’s environment, and harnessing positive energies for a better life. “The most personal and intimate aspects of the environment are the clothes and accessories we wear,” Allen points out. “It is by achieving balance in the natural elements around us that we become successful and truly happy.”

Allen calls Frigga “fashion with a purpose,” combining style and elegance with Feng Shui guidance.

She says that just as Feng Shui is about “manipulating the environment to suit our aspirations,” Frigga is all about “knowing what to wear and why we should wear them.

“I always say that there are three basic necessities in life, food, shelter and clothing. So, I would suggest to everyone that if you are going to wear something anyway, why not wear something that has meaning to you, that could enhance your luck or prevent from misfortunes?”

Inspired by mystic knot symbol for love and marriage.

Packed crowd at the posh Chelsea Town Hall in Kings Road, London during the FRIGGA launch.

Marites Allen, Frigga Brand Ambassador.

Marites Allen with Beauty Queen / Model / Actress Ruffa Gutierrez.

The Premiere Collection 2012 features both T-shirts and dresses to enhance one’s luck in various aspects of life, including love and marriage, health and longevity, and wealth and prosperity as well as to counter robbery and misfortune, and to harness the power of so-called allies and friends, kindred signs in the Chinese horoscope that can get along with and help one another.

Color, fabrication, prints, and silhouettes combine to direct positive energies toward one’s goals and aspirations. Elegant, cotton, longsleeved blouses decorated with bright red, auspicious flower prints as well as fluid, carnation pink jersey keyhole dresses with “mystic knot” (interlocking lucky eights) prints attract potential partners or enhance relationships. Sweet, ochre blouses with bell sleeves and ruffled collars in another lucky print and ochre on green layered dresses increase income opportunities and attract prosperity and personal abundance into one’s life. Gorgeous jersey halter long dresses with auspicious prints strengthen one’s health and promote longevity. Golden V-neck pullovers with the 5-element pagoda print overcome the misfortune star in one’s chart.

Sporty shirts in a variety of colors can bring fame and popularity, control robbery or tap the help of kindred signs. Shirts come in V-neck, polo, tank or even tennis dresses, and are decorated with either the ruyi icon (for bringing power, honour and prestige into one’s life), the rhino (for protection against burglary, accidents and dishonest people) and groupings of animal signs to harness the good luck of allies and friends.

The idea for Frigga came to Allen during the annual Chinese New Year celebrations, when, as the country’s foremost fengshui expert, she would be called upon by newspapers to issue her yearly forecasts, which included

Marites Allen & Beauty Queen / Model / Actress Ruffa Gutierrez with FRIGGA models after the show.

Beauty Queen / Model / Actress Ruffa Gutierrez & Marites Allen.

Marites & Ruffa with all support from Hello Philippines Newspaper!

Marites & Ruffa with Queen of Earl’s Court Philip De Vera and Marites PR Manager Milen & Paul De Quiros who flew all the way from Manila to grace this auspicious occasion.

auspicious fashion. “I have always been asked by several newspapers to model some clothing from different high-end brands, anything that is available that would signify auspiciousness and in theme with the current New Year,” Allen relates. “I would pick some fashionable clothing and adhere to the task of the photo shoot until it gets into printing stage.

But deep inside of me I knew that there is really nothing symbolic or special to that.”

She then collaborated with local designers to create a long, red, kaftan red dress with phoenix embroidery, the symbol of “coming greatness for a woman.”

“Way back then I had been conceptualizing of different symbolic icons that I can work on and eventually

create a unique auspicious design without having to make it looking so Asian or traditionally Chinese motif – but with a touch of finesse, modern, chic, very feminine that would represent the Frigga brand itself – a woman in control,” Allen says.

Frigga was launched in the Philippines and in Tokyo last May and is enjoying brisk sales. In Europe, Frigga is registered in United Kingdom and in all 27 European Union countries.

At the London launch, guests were served modern Indian canapés and special cocktails from Bangalore catering, a well-known food service group operating restaurants such as the Painted Heron, patronized by the likes of the Duchess of Cambridge and Michael Caine. ■

Celebrity, Showbiz & Entertainment

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

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PHILIPPINES

19

PROTÉGÉ: The Battle for the Big Artista Break

Protégé reveals the coveted Top 20 aspirants GMA NETWORK – FROM thousands of young dreamers who auditioned nationwide for a stab at stardom, Protégé narrows down the list to the coveted Top 20 aspirants who will compete in GMA Pinoy TV’s original artista search.

This supreme slate of artista aspirants, meticulously selected from 15 cities all around the country, is all set to showcase their talent and star power on the protégé arena and will compete for the judges and the Filipino’s votes during the weekly performance nights.

Sharing his knowledge and insights with the protégés from Mindanao is drama and action film legend Phillip Salvador. His four protégés are David John Llanas, Ruru Madrid, Apple Vega and Steffi Pacheco.

Acting as mentor for the protégés in the Visayas is multimedia icon Jolina Magdangal. Her protégés include Bryan Benedict, Mikoy Morales, Mitch Capili and Zandra Summer.

Mentoring the protégés from Northern and Central Luzon is acclaimed actor and TV director Ricky Davao. His four protégés are Glenn Roy, Japs de Luna, Reese Tayag and Shelly Hipolito.

Guiding the Southern Luzon protégés is seasoned actress and TV director Gina Alajar. Her protégés are Jeric Gonzales, Mykel Ong, Arny Ross and Thea Tolentino.

Coaching the four protégés in Mega Manila is multi-awarded actor Roderick Paulate. His four protégés are Andres Vasquez, Vien Alen King, Elle Ramirez and Kelly D. The toughest cuts have been made and all the beautiful faces with outstanding talents have already been picked. Who are the front runners and dark horses of the competition?

What kind of challenges awaits the contestants inside the Protégé Quarters? What are the conflicts that may arise among the celebrity mentors?

Meanwhile, viewers can follow the backstage drama and exclusive inside scoops on the lives of the Top 20 aspirants inside the Protégé Quarters thru the 15-minute daily updates on Inside Protégé hosted by Jennylyn Mercado.

Viewers can also visit the GMA website www.gmanetwork.com/ protégé and catch Web Jock Maxene Magalona for daily updates in Protégé Webisodes. ■

Protégé Hosts, Mentors and Judges

Andres Vasquez

Steffi Pacheco

Apple Vega

David John Llanas

Arny Ross

Mikoy Morales

Bryan Benedict Reese Tayag

Ruru Madrid

Elle Ramirez

Zandra Summer

Jeric Gonzales

Kelly D.

Vien Alen King

Japs de Luna

Thea Tolentino Mykel Ong

Glenn Roy

Shelly Hipolito

Top 20 aspirants and celebrity mentors

Mitch Capili

20

HELLO PHILIPPINES

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International News

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

Armed conflict possible in South China Sea: ICG Jason Gutierrez, AFP TENSIONS over competing claims in the South China Sea could escalate into conflict, with an arms build-up among rival nations raising the temperature, an international think tank warned Tuesday, July 24.

Prospects of solving the disputes “seem to be diminishing” after a recent failure by the 10-nation ASEAN grouping to hammer out a “code of conduct” that would govern actions in the sea, the International Crisis Group (ICG) said.

“Without a consensus on a resolution mechanism, tensions in the South China Sea can easily spill over into armed conflict,” warned Paul Quinn-Judge, the ICG’s program director for Asia.

“As long as ASEAN fails to produce a cohesive South China Sea

policy, a binding set of rules on the handling of disputed claims cannot be enforced.”

China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the sea, which is believed to hold vast amounts of oil and gas, is one of the region’s most important fishing grounds and is home to shipping lanes that are vital to global trade.

The Philippines and fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam, as well as Taiwan, claim parts of the sea.

The rival claims have for decades made the area one of the region’s potential military flashpoints, with Vietnam and China engaging in sea conflicts in 1974 and 1998 that left dozens of military personnel dead.

Tensions began to escalate again last year with Vietnam and the Philippines accusing China of

becoming increasingly aggressive in staking its claims to the sea.

In April Philippine and Chinese vessels became engaged in a tense stand-off at the remote Scarborough Shoal.

And China this week triggered further anger from around the region when it announced it was planning to build a military garrison on the Paracel Islands.

On the diplomatic front, an annual meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers ended in disarray early this month when it failed to agree on a joint statement, a first in its 45-year history, because of divisions over the South China Sea. Meeting host Cambodia was widely seen to have backed China, a close ally. This derailed a campaign by the Philippines for a tough ASEAN position against China.

©AFP/File, Kayalaan Municipal Office

The island of Kalayaan that was created in 1978 mainly to assert the Philippines’ claim to the disputed Spratlys.

The Brussels-based ICG said in its report on Tuesday, July 24 that China had “worked actively to exploit” the divisions in ASEAN by offering preferential treatment to members of the bloc that supported its position in the dispute.

“A lack of unity among China’s rival claimants, coupled with the weakness of the regional multilateral framework, has hampered the search for a solution,” the report said.

“All of the trends are in the wrong direction, and prospects of resolutions are diminishing.”

The report also noted that China and the rival claimants had continued to expand their navies and coast guards amid the dispute, due in part to domestic political pressures and rising nationalism among its citizens.

This could lead to an “escalation” of incidents, including more maritime stand-offs, it said.

The ICG said the best way to ease the tensions would be for the rival claimants to agree on ways to share the natural resources on offer in the South China Sea. But it noted that the last effort to do so – a joint seismic survey by China, Vietnam and the Philippines – broke down in 2008, and the prospects of co-operation in the future were low. ■ (©AFP – July 24, 2012)

Cambodian ambassador to Philippines recalled CAMBODIA’S ambassador to the Philipines has been recalled, Manila’s foreign minister said Friday, August 10 after the envoy accused his host country of playing “dirty politics” in its maritime row with China.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario told reporters that Cambodian ambassador Hos Sereythonh had been recalled, although he did not give reasons.

The recall came after del Rosario summoned the ambassador last month to explain comments he made in a letter to a Manila newspaper blaming the Philippines and Vietnam for a rift at a regional conference in

Cambodia.

The ambassador failed to appear, pleading illness.

Philippine foreign department spokesman Raul Hernandez said that it was Cambodia’s prerogative to recall its envoy. He did not elaborate.

“We hope the Cambodian ambassador will help reinforce the friendship that exists between our two countries,” Hernandez said in a statement.

The ambassador’s comments had further deepened divisions within the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) after a ministerial meeting hosted by

Cambodia ended in disarray over the sea dispute.

The Philippines had charged that during the meeting Cambodia, a close ally of China, rejected at least five drafts of a joint statement that would have addressed the maritime row with Beijing over the South China Sea. Two weeks later, in a letter to the Philippine Star, a popular daily, Hos Sereythonh accused the Philippines and Vietnam of working to “sabotage and hijack the joint communique” during the ASEAN meeting.

China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the sea, which is believed

©AFP, David Bayarong

A Philippine navy ship near the South China Sea.

to sit atop vast natural resources.

But ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan, have overlapping claims in the area.

Tensions have escalated this year, with Beijing becoming embroiled

in diplomatic rows with Manila and Hanoi.

Diplomats had said the Philippines called on its fellow ASEAN members at the Cambodia meeting to support it against China. ■ (©AFP – August 10, 2012)

South China Sea: A decades-long source of tension

RIVAL claims to the South China Sea have for decades been a source of tension in the region. Below are key facts on the sea and the competing claims:

biggest coral reefs and, with marine life being depleted close to coasts, it is becoming increasingly important as a source of fish to feed growing populations.

GEOGRAPHY The South China Sea covers more than 3,000,000 square kilometres (1,200,000 square miles) on the western edge of the Pacific, with China and Taiwan to the north, the Philippines to the east, Borneo island to the south, and Vietnam to the west.

It contains hundreds of small islands, islets and rocks, most of which are uninhabited. The Paracel and Spratly island chains contain the biggest features.

CLAIMANTS China and Taiwan both claim nearly all of the sea, while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei each have often overlapping claims to parts of it.

China’s claim is based on a historical map of “nine dashes” that approaches the coast of other countries. But rival countries complain the dashes are kept deliberately vague so that no one knows China’s exact claims.

SIGNIFICANCE The sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, giving it enormous trade and military value. Most of the seaborne trade, including of oil and gas, between Europe and the Middle East and East Asia passes through the sea.

Major unexploited oil and gas deposits are believed to lie under the seabed.

The sea is home to some of world’s

NAME Beijing and most other countries know it as the South China Sea. Hanoi calls it the East Sea and Manila officially refers to it as the West Philippine Sea. OCCUPATION/CONTROL China has held all of the Paracel islands since a conflict with South Vietnam in 1974 that left 53 Vietnamese military personnel dead.

Vietnam is believed to occupy or control more than 20 of the Spratly

islands and reefs, the most of any claimant.

Taiwan has a garrison controlled by its coastguard on Itu Aba island, which is called Taiping in Chinese and is the largest in the Spratlys. Taiwan announced in July it would deploy longer-range artillery there.

The Philippines occupies nine of the Spratlys, including Thitu island, the second largest in the area. The Philippines has a military presence and civilians living on Thitu, which it calls Pagasa.

China occupies at least seven of the Spratlys, including Johnson Reef which it gained after a naval battle with Vietnam in 1988.

Malaysia occupies three of the Spratlys. The most significant presence is on Swallow Reef, called Layang Layang Island in Malaysia, where it has a naval post and a diving resort.

Brunei does not occupy any feature but claims a submerged reef and a submerged bank in the Spratlys.

TENSIONS – CHINA/VIETNAM Aside from the 1974 battle for the Paracels, the only other major conflict occurred when Vietnam and China fought a naval battle on Johnson Reef

in the Spratlys in 1988 that left 70 Vietnamese military personnel dead.

However Chinese naval vessels have fired at other times on Vietnamese fishing boats in the area.

In 2011, Vietnam accused Chinese marine surveillance vessels of cutting an oil survey ship’s exploration cables, sparking nationalist protests in Vietnamese cities.

In June this year, Vietnam passed a law proclaiming its jurisdiction over all of the Paracel and Spratly islands, triggering Chinese protests.

About the same time China announced it had created a new city, Sansha, on one of the Paracel islands, which would administer Chinese rule over its South China Sea domain.

TENSIONS – CHINA/PHILIPPINES In 1995, China began building structures on Mischief Reef, within the Philippines’ claimed exclusive economic zone.

Tensions between the two nations started to ratchet up significantly in March, 2011, when Chinese vessels harassed a Philippine-chartered gas exploration vessel at Reed Bank.

The Philippines then accused the Chinese of a pattern of intimidation,

including firing warning shots at Filipino fishermen and laying buoys in Philippine claimed islets.

A standoff between Chinese and Philippine vessels that began in April this year at Scarborough Shoal further inflamed tensions.

In June, Philippine Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario accused China of “duplicity” and “intimidation”.

DIPLOMACY The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China adopted a non-binding “declaration of conduct” in 2002 to discourage hostile acts.

But attempts to turn it into a legally binding “code of conduct” have failed.

The dispute has created divisions within ASEAN. A meeting of foreign ministers in July ended for the first time in the bloc’s 45-year history without a joint statement because of infighting over the issue.

Meeting host Cambodia, a China ally, rejected a Philippine push for the statement to take a harder line against the Chinese. *Data drawn from AFP’s archives, International Crisis Group reports and www.globalsecurity.org. ■ (©AFP – July 27, 2012)

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

International News

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Taiwan to ship artillery, mortars to Spratlys

TAIWAN will add longer-range artillery and mortars to weaponry deployed in the South China Sea, officials and media said Tuesday, July 24 in a move that could ratchet up tensions in the contested area.

An undisclosed number of 40mm artillery and 120mm mortars will be transported next month to Taiping Island, the biggest in the Spratly archipelago, the United Evening News reported.

“True, the weapons will be shipped to Taiping in August but we can’t reveal the specific date,” said a spokesman for Taiwan’s coast guard, which is in charge of Taiping’s defence and has placed a 130-strong force there.

The Spratly islands are claimed partially or in their entirety by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei.

According to the newspaper, the range of the 120mm mortars is 6.1 kilometres (3.8 miles), compared with 4.1 kilometres for the mortars currently in use by Taiwanese coastguards on Taiping Island.

Meanwhile, the range of the 40mm artillery is 10 kilometres, 30 percent further than the guns currently deployed, it said.

Tensions in the South China Sea have risen recently, with China and the Philippines locked in a maritime dispute over the Scarborough Shoal,

a reef off the Philippine coast.

Calls for an increase in Taiwan’s defence capability in the Spratlys have been on the rise, with rival claimants deploying more troops and adding military facilities in the area.

In May, Taiwanese coastguards said the number of intruding Vietnamese boats last year surged to 106, up from 42 the year before.

All claimants except Brunei have troops based on the archipelago of more than 100 islets, reefs and atolls, which have a total land mass of less than five square kilometres (two square miles). ■ (©AFP – July 24, 2012)

Vietnam, Philippines slam China garrison plan

©AFP/POOL/File, Bullit Marquez

Tran Thi Minh Ha, AFP

Philippine Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Philippines ratifies Australia military pact THE Philippine Senate ratified a sensitive military pact with Australia Tuesday, July 24 that lays out rules for visiting troops, in a move politicians said would improve regional security.

The agreement was first signed in 2007 but remained in legislative limbo amid political sensitivities, as the country’s constitution explicitly bans the long-term stationing of foreign forces on its territory.

Its endorsement by the Senate five years on is seen by some observers as a bid to get Australia’s backing in Manila’s row with China over South China Sea islands.

Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile said the body passed a resolution endorsing the treaty 17-1 with no abstentions, putting it into force after a four-year debate in the Philippines.

“Concurrence with the ratification... will not only pave the way for us to improve our defence mechanisms, it will also solidify our decades-old relationship with Australia,” he said in a press release.

President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman Edwin Lacierda hailed the senate vote.

“The Senate... has taken an important step in enhancing our national and regional security by

ratifying the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement between Australia and the Philippines,” he said in a statement.

The two countries had earlier signed a preliminary agreement on defence and military cooperation in 1995.

The latest pact would, among other things, subject visiting soldiers to the jurisdiction of the host country should they commit acts that are illegal in the host country but not in the sending country.

The Philippines signed a similar pact in 1998 with its traditional military ally the United States.

Under the pact small numbers of US military advisers have been deployed in the southern Philippines for the past decade to help train Philippine forces fighting Islamic militants.

The lone holdout against Tuesday’s signing, Senator Joker Arroyo, accused the government of putting pressure on the senators to ratify the pact to get Australian backing in Manila’s ongoing row with China over the resource-rich Scarborough Shoal.

“Although the agreement is not a defence pact, its symbolism cannot be lost on China. Let us not grab at straws,” Arroyo said in a statement after the vote. ■ (©AFP – Manila, Philippines – July 24, 2012)

VIETNAM and the Philippines on Tuesday, July 24 lashed out at China’s moves to establish a military garrison in the South China Sea, amid escalating tensions in the disputed waters Hanoi filed a formal protest with Beijing against the plan outlined

by China this week to station troops in Sansha in the disputed Paracel Islands, saying it “violates international law”.

Manila, which is involved in a dispute over another archipelago, the Spratly Islands, also weighed into the row, summoning the Chinese ambassador to lodge a complaint against the garrison announcement.

An intensifying spat over the South China Sea – the site of key shipping routes and thought to have vast oil and gas reserves – has seen a barrage of diplomatic moves between the countries with competing territorial claims.

Taiwan, one of several claimants to portions of the Spratly chain,

plans to boost firepower at its base on that archipelago’s biggest island Taiping from next month, Taipei’s coastguard said on Tuesday.

Longer-range artillery and mortars are to be added to existing weaponry at the site, in a move that could further stoke tensions in the region.

China says it owns much of the South China Sea, while Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia each claim portions.

The disputes have become particularly acrimonious in recent weeks, with Vietnam and the Philippines criticising what they call Chinese encroachment.

Beijing’s garrison plan “violates international law, seriously violates Vietnam’s sovereignty... and is invalid,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi told AFP. China attracted Hanoi’s ire – and sparked a series of rare protests in the Vietnamese capital – when it last month designated Sansha as its administrative centre for the Paracels and the Spratly Islands.

The state-backed China National Offshore Oil Corporation also announced it was welcoming bids to explore oil blocks in the disputed waters, a week after Vietnam adopted a law placing the Spratlys under its sovereignty.

Nghi told AFP Tuesday that China must revoke its “wrongdoings” and urged “friendly and cooperative” relations in order to “maintain peace and stability” in the South China Sea. China and South Vietnam once administered different parts of the Paracels but after a brief conflict in 1974 Beijing took control of the entire group of islands. Vietnam still holds several of the larger Spratlys.

A July 13 meeting of the Association of Southeast Nations broke up without a joint statement for the first time in 45 years because members could not agree on how to refer to China’s behaviour in the disputed waters.

The countries are drafting a “code of conduct” to try to prevent flare-ups in the area. ■ (©AFP – Hanoi, Vietnam – July 24, 2012)

©AFP/File, Rolex Dela Peña

Thitu Island, part of the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea.

©AFP Graphic

22

HELLO

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Law & Legal / Politics

Ex-Philippine leader Arroyo wins bail PHILIPPINES

Cecil Morella, AFP EX-PHILIPPINE president Gloria Arroyo walked free from eight months in detention Wednesday, July 25, after a court issued a surprise ruling granting her bail, saying a vote rigging case against her was weak.

Wearing a neck brace to support her spine that is weakened from a rare disease, Arroyo left a tightly guarded military hospital in Manila where she had been awaiting trial on the charge that could see her jailed for life.

The granting of bail appeared a major setback for her successor, Benigno Aquino, who has said that bringing Arroyo to justice for crimes she allegedly committed while in power is crucial to his high-profile anti-graft campaign.

Aquino won the 2010 presidential elections in a landslide after campaigning to wipe out corruption that he said crippled Philippine society during the nearly 10 years Arroyo was in power.

Arroyo’s spokesman, Ferdinand Topacio, described the ruling on Wednesday morning from a Manila court as “a triumph of justice and a resounding denial of dictatorship” that proved her earlier assertions of innocence.

“It is a reaffirmation of what our camp has been saying all along,” Topacio said, before borrowing from a quote by former US president Abraham Lincoln.

“That the charges against the former president are as thin as the soup made from boiling the shadow of a chicken that has been starved to death.”

Arroyo, 65, was arrested at an exclusive hospital in November last year shortly after immigration authorities blocked her at Manila airport from leaving the country.

Aquino had said Arroyo was trying to flee the country to escape imminent charges against her, although she said she needed specialist treatment overseas for her spinal disease.

Arroyo was charged shortly after with “electoral sabotage” for allegedly conspiring with a feared political warlord to rig the 2007 senatorial elections.

She was then transferred to the military hospital, where she had been detained while awaiting trial. No date has yet been set for the start of the trial, which could take years to complete.

The Pasay City regional trial court, which is hearing the case, said on Wednesday that the case against Arroyo was weak, and that she should be released on bail of

one million pesos ($23,800).

In its ruling, the court said the prosecution failed to establish the “required quantum of proof” that Arroyo was involved in a conspiracy to rig the elections.

However the court said she could not leave the country and would still stand trial for the offence.

Aquino’s spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, said the president would accept the court’s decision, but that it did not mean Arroyo would escape punishment.

“The fight against corruption continues. We will still go after people who have found to have plundered the nation’s coffers,” Lacierda said.

“This will not dampen our resolve to file and to continue to institute corruption cases against responsible officials.”

He said the government would leave it up to its lawyers whether they would file an appeal or not against the granting of bail.

Arroyo has also been charged with corruption for approving an allegedly graft-tainted contract to set up a national government broadband system, and plunder for allegedly siphoning off $8 million in state lottery funds.

The plunder case is also

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition ©AFP/Philippine National Police/File, Renz Posedio

punishable by life in jail, although trials for those two charges have also yet to begin.

The courts handling those two cases have not issued any orders requiring her to be detained while awaiting trial, according to her lawyers. ■ (©AFP – Manila, Philippines – July 25, 2012) ©AFP, Noel Celis

Gloria Arroyo has been charged with “electoral sabotage”, a crime punishable with life in jail.

Activists protest against former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo being granted bail.

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Government seeks new charges against Arroyo

THE government ombudsman called for graft charges to be filed against former president Gloria Arroyo on Monday, July 16 for alleged diversion of state lottery funds in the latest accusation to hit her.

Arroyo remains confined in a government hospital while facing charges of vote-rigging.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, whose office is in charge of investigating government officials, called on an anti-graft court to file “plunder” charges against Arroyo and nine other government officials.

In a statement, the Ombudsman said it had found Arroyo, 65, and the others, mostly former state lottery officials, had diverted about 366 million pesos ($8.7 million) in lottery funds from 2008 to 2010.

“The respondents’ series or combination of acts form a pattern... of misuse and

©AFP/POOL/File/Bullit Marquez

Former Philippine President and now Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (centre) arrives at the Pasay City Court, in suburban Manila, in February 2012.

raid of (lottery funds) from 2008-2010... all while taking advantage of their respective official functions,” the statement said.

It did not say what became of the money but Arroyo critics have alleged that it was used in the 2010 presidential and legislative elections.

If convicted of the crime, Arroyo, who stepped down in 2010 amid charges of graft and manipulating elections, could face 20 years in jail.

Arroyo’s lawyer Anaceleto Diaz said the new accusation was devoid of merit, adding it

was “another dark day for the rule of law”.

He said in a statement it was just part of a campaign that President Benigno Aquino had been running against Arroyo, his chief political opponent.

Aquino, who was elected in a landslide in 2010, has long accused Arroyo of massive corruption and other abuses of power and has declared his intention of seeing her jailed.

Arroyo, who was in office for nearly a decade, was arrested late last year on charges of allegedly rigging the 2007 senatorial elections.

She also faces charges of approving an allegedly anomalous contract to set up a national government broadband system.

Arroyo, who was elected to Congress in 2010, is confined in a government hospital while suffering from what she says is a rare spinal disease. ■ (©AFP –

Manila, Philippines – July 16, 2012)

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IMF warns of rising risks to global economy Paul Handley, AFP THE International Monetary Fund stepped up its warnings Monday, July 16 on risks to the global economy, mainly from the crisis-mired eurozone, as it trimmed its growth forecast for the rest of the year.

IMF economists said that the frail situations in Spain and Italy especially could quickly turn worse amid market doubts over eurozone leaders’ resolve in implementing pledged reforms.

But they also pointed to the US “fiscal cliff” trajectory which, if not corrected, could crunch the US economy and heavily impact the rest of the world.

“In the past three months, the global recovery, which was not strong to start with, has shown signs of further weakness,” the fund said in its quarterly economic forecast.

“Financial market and sovereign stress in the euroarea periphery have ratcheted up,” it said, while growth has fallen below expectations in a number of major emergingmarket economies.

If policy reactions in major economies remain inadequate or too slow, the IMF said, fissures could deepen, they added.

“The main risk is obvious,” IMF chief economist Olivier Blanchard told reporters.

“It is that the vicious circle

in Spain and Italy becomes stronger, that output falls even more than it does, that one of these countries loses its financial access to markets,” he told reporters.

“The implications of such an event could easily derail the world recovery.”

The IMF said that largely due to sharper-thanexpected slowdowns in newly industrialized Asia and in large emerging economies like China, India, and Brazil, it had cut 0.1 percent off its April forecast for global growth, to a rounded 3.5 percent.

For 2013, the forecast is 3.9 percent, down from 4.1 percent.

Emerging economies were

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generally taking correct measures to deal with slowdowns, the IMF said.

But many “have also been hit by increases in investor risk aversion and perceived growth uncertainty, which have led not only to equity price declines, but also to capital outflows and currency depreciation.”

Growth forecasts were also cut for the United States, to 2.0 percent; Britain, to 0.2 percent, and France, to 0.3 percent. In Spain, the recession will persist through 2013, the Fund said.

On the bright side, forecasts for this year for Germany and Japan were revised higher – to 1.0 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively, though the 2013 prediction for each was also trimmed slightly.

Also getting an upgrade was the Middle East and North Africa region, much of which has been struggling through deep political turmoil in the past two years. The IMF said the region would grow about 5.5 percent this year, much better than the 4.2 percent predicted in April.

The IMF said that major economies were making progress on cutting their fiscal deficit burdens, despite stiff challenges in risk-averse debt markets which have sent the borrowing costs of the troubled eurozone periphery countries skyrocketing.

The global lender reiterated its prescriptions of recent months: shortterm fiscal balance targets for troubled economies like Spain and Italy can be deemphasized to allow for growth while more focus is placed on medium-term adjustments and reforms.

“A steady pace of adjustment focused on the measures to be implemented rather than on headline deficit targets is preferable, especially in light of heightened downside risks to the outlook.”

Moreover, the IMF suggested, the political stress of too much austerity – set to meet fiscal targets – could backfire in countries with IMF or IMF-linked bailout programs, like Ireland, Portugal and Spain.

“The recent deterioration in the political and economic climate in Greece serves as a warning about the potential onset of ‘adjustment

©AFP/File/Carl de Souza

Construction cranes in central London, 2009. The International Monetary Fund stepped up its warnings Monday, July 16 on risks to the global economy, mainly from the crisis-mired eurozone, as it trimmed its growth forecast for the rest of the year. ©AFP/File/Aris Messinis

A homeless man sleeps outside a closed bank in central Athens, 2010.

©AFP/Graphic

IMF: The global economic outlook. Table of revised global growth projections for 2012 and 2013.

fatigue,’ which remains a threat to continued program implementation.”

Meanwhile the IMF singled out the overhanging risk from US political stasis that could send the country over a “fiscal cliff” due to laws that, if not changed, will force massive government spending cuts coupled with automatic tax hikes

on January 1 which would severely crunch the world’s largest economy.

“Avoiding the fiscal cliff, promptly raising the debt ceiling, and developing a medium-term fiscal plan are of the essence,” the global crisis lender said in recommendations for the United States. ■ (©AFP – Washington, USA – July 16, 2012)

24

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Hello Philippines Band Showcase

Side Projects: The

Retrospective Future

PORT Mallillin was born in the capital city of the Philippines, Manila. He is the second in five children of Myrna Mallillin and Manuel “Jun” Mallillin Jr., a composer/musician in the Philippines, whose song compositions includes materials for various artists such as the Boyfriends, Renz Verano, Jessa Zaragoza, Cristy Mendoza, Vincent Daffalong, and also the founding member of the winning band of the Student Canteen’s 1980 Rock Explo competition.

Port attended South Thames College in London to study Performing Arts and Popular Music during the period of 1997-99. He initially became a drummer to a punk rock band called All You Can Eat. The trio band was involved in numerous charity events and raising awareness concerts around the nation before disbanding in 2000. In the following year, Port Mallillin co-founded a group called Fusing Naked (later renamed as Fusing Naked Beats), in which he evolved as a lyricist, lending rap verses to it’s debut album entitled ‘’Stolen Generation’’ in 2004.

In the year 2008 and 2009, Fusing Naked Beats was nominated for “The Best Alternative Act” and “The Best Underground Act” respectively in the UK Asian Music Awards.

Port Mallillin has created a label called Side Projects that was built upon the foundations of his cumulative creative repertoire throughout the years. A knack for Graphics Arts has also enabled him to expand his network throughout his peers in the music business, designing album artworks, flyers, posters and logos to numerous artist and bands.

Side Projects is affiliated with 7Digital and Fusing Naked Beats.

Together they embraced the ubiquitous trend of future music digital distribution and revolution.

It’s first digital re-release was the late seventies classic track “Bote’t Dyaryo” by Abrakadabra. Produced

by Joey Abando and Bob Guzman of the Boyfriends, and arranged by Jun Mallillin.

It is followed by the singles

“Fighting Pride, Pacquiao’s Theme”, a song tribute produced by Norbert Gayanilo of the UK’s famous Filipino band Nugroovz, and a song called “Woooooow Me” by an underground electro/rock musician Me, Myself & The Machines. Also in the mix are the Side Projects productions

by Port Mallillin, “Ang Mommy”

by Pip Mallillin of the second generation Abrakadabra, “Oxygen”

by Fusing Naked Beats, “Sa Alab Ng Puso” featuring Janice Tagle, plus a 14-track compilation album called “Jun Mallillin, The Compositions Part 1”, which consists of various artists like Pilita Corales, Gladys & The Boxers, Aaron Paul, Renz Verano and Black Opinion.

The latest one is from a late sixties recording by the group before it became Abrakadabra was the Alex & The Roaring Waves’ singles “Somethin’ In You” and “I’ve Been A Fool”, written by Erasmo Mallillin. Coming soon is a tribute compilation album for the flood victims of the ‘Habagat’ calamity.

It includes the original songs from the members of the Pinoy Musikero UK (PMUK) group. Some of the acts involved in this album are Ekiz, Doppelganger, Firebox Rock, Jammer Project, Whiskey Lima, Vincent Ryan, Ooberfuse, and Firefalldown.

In popular music, a side project is a project undertaken by one or more persons already known for their involvement in another band.

It can also be an artist or a band temporarily switching to a different style. Usually these projects emphasize a different aspect of that person’s or that band’s musical interests that they feel they cannot explore within the boundaries established by their main project.

Side projects can later become full-time endeavours, but should not be confused with quitting a band for a solo career or another band. Side Projects Band has embarked in it’s first live appearance this summer of 2012 at the Barrio Fiesta in Sussex. It has collaborated with the musicians from the Pinoy Musikero UK group that consisted of Norbert Gayanilo of Nugroovz, Alex Mallillin Jr of Manila Sound Band, Jun Patelo and Eric Salazar. ■

List of repertoire:

Stolen Generation - FUSING NAKED BEATS (2004) Oxygen - FUSING NAKED BEATS (2012) Sa Alab Ng Puso - JANICE TAGLE Woooooow Me - ME, MYSELF & THE MACHINES (2012) Fighting Pride - NUGROOVZ (2012) Bote’t Dyaryo - ABRAKADABRA (2012) The Compositions Part 1 - JUN MALLILLIN (2012) Ang Mommy - PIP MALLILLIN (2012) Somethin’ In You - ALEX & THE ROARING WAVES (2012) I’ve been A Fool - ALEX & THE ROARING WAVES (2012) Side Projects, Vol.1 - VARIOUS ARTISTS (2012) PMUK Flood Aid - VARIOUS ARTISTS (Coming Soon)

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

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HELLO

Hello Philippines Bayanihan

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August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

Kapatid spirit prevails during rescue, relief operations PHILIPPINES

THE latest onslaught of torrential rains emphasized how the Filipino spirit is indeed weatherproof. Although Metro Manila and neighbouring provinces were left paralyzed by the monsoon, Filipinos from all parts of the country came together in aid of those most in need. One of the groups organizing comprehensive rescue and relief programs is TV5, through RESCUE5 and the Alagang Kapatid Foundation.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced citizens were able to benefit from TV5’s continuous operations. Kapatid stars also took part in various aspects of the network’s efforts to help those affected by the rains.

The Superstar herself, Nora Aunor, helped pack relief goods at the TV5 Broadway office, which is one of the drop-off points for donations coursed through Alagang Kapatid Foundation.

Danita Paner and IC Mendoza also joined the relief operations. Ate Guy and other TV5 volunteers headed to the Sta. Lucia covered court in Novaliches to distribute goods to the families taking shelter in the evacuation center.

Artista Academy host Marvin Agustin also pledged 1,000 cooked meals to be delivered to flood victims. Meanwhile, Wil Time Bigtime host Willie Revillame donated 200 relief goods and cash through his own Wil Foundation. Divine Lee was one of the first celebrities to use Twitter to help in relief and rescue operations, even setting up a minicall center to handle distress calls and endorsements to RESCUE5. She was co-host of the Philippine version of Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

TV5 princess Jasmine Curtis Smithflew all the way from Melbourne to help in the relief efforts of Alagang Kapatid Foundation. Earlier today,

Jasmine handled calls at the telethon organized by Good Morning Club with Enchanted Garden star Meg Imperial.

Miss World Philippines 2012 runners up Mary Ann Ross Misa and Brenna Cassandra Gamboa also manned the phones. April “Congrats” Gustilo helped pack goods at the NEWS5 AksyonCenter.

The waters may have subsided but the challenge of recovery remains.

For our Kapatids abroad who wish to give cash donations, here’s how:

BANK OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS Beneficiary: AlagangKapatid Foundation Inc. Beneficiary Account No.: 14440214-85 Beneficiary Bank: Bank of the Philippine Islands – Ayala Avenue SGV Branch Address: 6758 Ayala Ave, Makati City, Philippines Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

©Kapatid TV5

©Kapatid TV5

The Superstar Ms. Nora Aunor herself joined in the relief efforts held at the TV5 Delta Theater, along with IC Mendoza and Danita Paner. ©Kapatid TV5

©Kapatid TV5

BANCO DE ORO Beneficiary: AlagangKapatid Foundation Inc. Beneficiary Account No.: 10-531046264-4 Beneficiary Bank: BDO UnibankInc – BDO Makati Ave-Ayala Branch Address: Ground Floor L.V. Locsin Bldg., 6752 Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue, Makati City, Philippines Swift Code: BNORPHMM Once transaction has been made, kindly provide us cash deposit slip details thru email at alagangkapatidfoundation. tv5@gmail.com or alagangkapatidfoundationtv5@ yahoo.com ■ (©Kapatid TV5 – Manila,

The Superstar Ms. Nora Aunor packing relief goods. ©Kapatid TV5

RESCUE5’s Paolo Bediones inspects the rising water levels in one of Metro Manila’s rivers (file photo). ©Kapatid TV5

Philippines – August 13, 2012) ©Kapatid TV5

Miss World Philippines 2012 runners up Mary Ann Ross Misa and Brenna Cassandra Gamboa join TV5 princess Jasmine Curtis Smith and Enchanted Garden star Meg Imperial as they man the phones during the Telethon held during Good Morning Club.

NEWS5 reporter Benjie Dorango (right) with members of RESCUE5 team extend help to young girl who need to be rescued. ©Kapatid TV5

Mark Neumann of Artista Academy carries a 50kg sack of rice that will be delivered to families displaced by the recent flooding. The photo was taken at the Asian Academy of Television Arts (AATA).

©Kapatid TV5

©Kapatid TV5

April “Congratulations” Gustilo helps repack good delivered to TV5 via the Alagang Kapatid Foundation at the NEWS5 AksyonCenter.

Artista Academy students Shaira Mae and Jon Orlando inspect goods set for distribution.

Artista Academy’s Top 16 students help out in the relief efforts for those affected by the monsoon rains.

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

Hello Philippines Bayanihan

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29

GMA Kapuso Foundation’s operation Bayanihan still ongoing

THE GMA Kapuso Foundation continues to respond to the pressing needs of calamity victims through the distribution of relief goods and basic supplies in affected areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

As of Friday, August 10, GMAKF extended assistance to a total of 89,636 individuals or 22,409 families from Quezon City, Malabon, Marikina, Novaliches, Pasig, Manila, Malabon, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Laguna.

The team of GMAKF employees and volunteers handed out canned goods, potable water, ready to eat items, clothes, diapers, mats and blankets to the families who were gravely affected by the heavy rains and floods.

Based on the latest tally (as of August 10), GMAKF received a total of P11,681,920.85 worth of cash donations, and P986,992.34 worth of in kind donations from various donors.

Major cash donors include Metrobank Foundation Inc., Sino Freight Forwarding & Services, Inc., Ronald Pineda of Folded and Hung, Lamco Paper Products, Inc., Phintstar Construction Incorporated, and Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. Major in-kind donors, on the other hand, include Am-Euro Pharma and Folded and Hung.

Cash donations may be deposited directly to any Metrobank, UCPB and Cebuana Lhuillier branches nationwide under GMA Kapuso Foundation.

The complete bank details are found in the GMA Network website at http://www.gmanetwork.com/

kapusofoundation.

Meanwhile, those who would like to donate canned goods, bottled water, sleeping mats, blankets, medicines, and other relief items may drop off their donations at the GMA Kapuso Foundation Office, 2nd

floor, Kapuso Center, GMA Network Drive cor. Samar Street, Diliman, Quezon City.

Mark Herras, Aljur Abrenica, Bea Binene, Betong Sumaya, Ken Chan, Boy 2 Quizon, Mikey Bustos, Angelu de Leon, Protege contenders,

PHILIPPINES

Gladys Guevarra, Raymond Bagatsing, and German Moreno are among the Kapuso stars who have lent their time during the telethon.

Bea also joined the relief operations last Friday. ■ (©GMA Network – Manila,

Philippines – August 13, 2012)

©GMA Network

©GMA Network

Mark Herras

©GMA Network

©GMA Network

Bea Binene

©GMA Network

Gladys Guevarra

Mikey Bustos

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HELLO PHILIPPINES

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Spotlight - Filipino Achievers From Around The World

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

Fil-Am gymnast Kyla Ross: Winning Olympic gold was ‘surreal’ L.P. Pelayo, Filipino Reporter FILIPINO-American gymnast Kyla Briana Ross helped the United States Women’s Gymnastics Team bag the gold for the first time in 16 years, and only the second time in Olympic history, at the ongoing 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

The American gymnasts – composed of Ross, McKayla Maroney, Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber and Aly Raisman – opened with a jaw-dropping performance on the vault and never trailed, finishing with 183.596 points to relegate the imploding Russians to silver (178.530) and Romania (176.414) to bronze.

“We all did our events the best that we could and hit our routines, and we are all really proud of each other,” said the Hawaii-born beauty, whose father, Jason, is half-African-American and half-Japanese.

Ross, who, at 15, is the youngest member of the team and whose mother, Kiana Ross, is half-Filipino and half-Puerto Rican, contributed scores of 14.933 on the uneven bars and 15.133 on the balance beam toward the American team’s gold medal finish Tuesday, July 31.

“It was really fun watching floor,” Ross said.

“McKayla and I were together cheering as loud as we could. We were screaming so loud.”

‘U.S. SOLID AS GRANITE’ The Washington Post reports that as world champion gymnasts from Russia and China “crumpled under pressure, teetering wildly on the balance beam and falling face-first on the floor, the Americans were solid as granite, delivering their 12 mandatory routines without a single glaring gaffe.”

China’s team, which won the gold in the 2008 Olympics, placed fourth.

“Fierce Five leave rivals sobbing,” reads Chicago Tribune’s headline, referring to the massive victory of the U.S. women gymnasts.

The American team’s margin of victory, 5.066 points, is said to be unheard of in international competition, making its coach John Geddert proclaim Ross and her teammates as “the best team of all time.”

“There was no comparison with any other team in sturdiness and the decisive, aggressive and strong approach,” said Bela Karolyi, the Romanian native who coached Nadia Comaneci to Olympic perfection in 1976 and masterminded the historic 1996 U.S. gold.

“That was absolutely a huge difference between them and particularly the Russian team.”

The team is fondly Fab Five, but the team prefers to be called Fierce Five, according to Maroney, “because we are definitely the fiercest team out there.”

Maroney added that her 2012 team followed in the greatness of the Magnificent Seven, which won the gold in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

Reports said Ross will not continue on to the event finals in the balance beam as her teammates Douglas and Raisman outscored her by a very slim margin.

But Ross, who will forever be an Olympic gold medalist, said she’s perfectly fine with it and is truly proud of her contributions for Team USA. STARTED AT AGE 3 Ross began gymnastics when she was three years old at Greenville Gymnastics Training Center in South Carolina.

She later trained at Richmond Olympiad and National Gymnastics Training Center before moving to Gym-

The United States women’s team won gold with a score of 183.596 at the 2012 Olympic Games.

From left, McKayla Maroney, Jordyn Wieber, Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman and Kyla Ross.

Filipino-American Kyla Briana Ross of the U.S. poses with her gold medal during a ceremony after the women’s gymnastics team final in the North Greenwich Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 31.

Max Gymnastics in Costa Mesa, Calif. in 2005.

Her junior career began in 2009 when she competed at the American Classic in San Diego, Calif., and placed second in the all around with a score of 55.316.

It would be followed by numerous triumphs until her senior career.

Last March, Ross competed at the 2012 Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships in Everett, Washington, and helped the American team place first. Individually, she placed second in the all around with a score of 59.200.

It was followed at the end of March with another huge victory at City of Jesolo Trophy in Jesolo, Italy, and at the Secret U.S. Classic in Chicago, Illinois, where she placed second in the all around with a score of 59.800.

In early July, Ross competed at the Olympic trials in San Jose, California.

After the first day, she was quoted as saying, “Oh my gosh, I love the crowd. I walked in and shock went

right through me. There were so many people and the crowd was just so loud.

I was so thrilled to have everyone there watching the meet, but especially my friends and family. I had huge support behind me and was so happy that all of my teammates could come, and that my family could come watch me.

A lot of my family from all over the country came.”

She placed fifth in the all around with a two day combined score of 120.000.

In event finals, she placed first on uneven bars scoring 31.150 and third on balance beam scoring 29.950.

Afterwards, Ross was chosen as a member of the team that will be sent to the 2012 London Olympics.

‘MOST SURREAL FEELING’ “This is the most surreal feeling,” she said following her selection.

“Hearing my name called, I couldn’t even believe it.”

In London, Ross helped the U.S. team qualify to the finals.

Individually, she qualified as the second reserve for the uneven bars final with a score of 14.866.

“It was definitely exciting competing here today,” she said after qualifying.

“I was surprised I wasn’t too nervous. I thought we did well and hopefully we can come back in team finals and fix our little mistakes and do even better.”

In past interviews, Ross’ proud mother, Kiana, said her daughter was “always very strong with a lot of energy.”

“She was born with muscles,” Mrs. Ross recalled.

“We would go to the park and everybody would say ‘Whose baby is on top of that jungle gym?’ And I would say ‘Oh, that’s my baby. Don’t worry about her, she’s fine.’”

Her father, Jason, added, “I would use all my effort to get her to sit in her car seat, and I’m a pretty big guy, a strong guy. When she was born, we were like, ‘Oh my God, she has triceps, she has quads hanging off her. What the heck’s going on?’ And she was just super strong. I mean, at an early age, she was able to walk across the monkey bars, just hanging herself.” ■ (©GMA News / Filipino Reporter – August 10, 2012)

Dance group win in the 2012 Hip Hop International Dance Championship

“The Crew” from the University of the Philippines (UP) wins the 2012 HipHop International Dance Competition.

DANCE teams from the Philippines won the 2012 Hip Hop International Dance Championship competition, which was held on August 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The University of the Philippine (UP) dance team “The Crew” won over second placer “Neutral Zone” of Mexico, third placer “Academy of Villains” from the United States, and

“Electrolytes” of the US – winner of America’s Best Dance Crew, and teams from Canada, South Africa, France and India that made up the rest of the eight finalists.

Another dance team, The U.P. Street dancers, bagged third place in the Mega Crew competition.

The A-team, also from the Philippines, made it to the finals

of varsity division and two-time world champions, the “Philippine Allstars”, failed to reach the finals in the adult division.

A total of 43 countries, including the Philippines, competed in three categories: Mega Crew, Varsity, and Adult divisions. There was no Philippine team in the junior division. ■ (DFA – August 9, 2012)

HELLO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW OF ANY YOUNG FILIPINO ACHIEVERS IN PHILIPPINES

THE FOLLOWING AREAS: SPORTS, MUSIC, DANCE, ART, MEDICINE, ACADEMIC, BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURS. IF YOU KNOW OF ANY SPECIAL TALENTED, GIFTED AND HARD WORKING FILIPINOS PLEASE CONTACT US ON – editorial@hello-philippines.com / +44 (0) 1708 369 048.

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition IRENE THERESE BERMEJO Taekwondo (Finweight) 14 years old Trinity Christian School A veteran of events outside Batang Pinoy; she is a six-time National Champion of the Smart National Taekwondo Championships and earned medals during the previous Palarong Pambansa.

Taekwondo Awards: • 2nd McDonalds Age Group Taekwondo Challenge, August 2005 - Gold • NOPSSCEA, September 2005 - Silver • 2nd Masskara National Invitational Taekwondo Championships, October 2005 - Gold • Sinulog Invitational Taekwondo Championships, January 2006 - Gold • La Castellana Invitational Taekwondo Championships, March 2006 - Gold • Himamaylan Invitational Taekwondo Championships, March 2006 - Gold • Visayas Mindanao Taekwondo Championships, May 2006 - Gold • Mayor Jerry Trenas Cup Invitational Taekwondo Championships, June 2006 - Silver

Batang Pinoy - Tomorrow's Olympians

• CRO Regional Inter-School Taekwondo Championships, July 2006 - Gold • NOPSSCEA, October 2006 - Gold • 4th Masskara National Invitational Taekwondo Championships, October 2006 - Silver • Regional Palaro, December 2006 Silver • 30th Milo Petron Taekwondo Championships, July 2007 - Gold • NOPSSCEA September 2007 Gold • 5th Masskara National Invitational Taekwondo Championship October 2007 - Gold • Cebu Invitational Taekwondo Championship November 2007 Silver • Provincial Palaro December 2007 Gold • Regional Palaro March 2008 - Gold • Palarong Pambansa (Poomsae) Palawan April 2008 - Silver • Palarong Pambansa (Kyeorugi) Palawan April 2008 - Bronze • Visayas Mindanao Taekwondo Championships May 2008 - Silver • 31st Milo Petron Taekwondo GABRIELLE ALLEN SANTIAGO Triathlon 15 years old Letran High School Disclaimer: Is often referred to as Gabriel Allen in articles but his passport reads Gabrielle Allen.

• Finished: World Kids Triathlon, Yokohama, Aug. 23, 2009 • U.P. Los Baños Triathlon Invitational, 29 Aug. 2009 - 1st Place • Super Kids Triathlon (11-12 y.o. category), 13 April 2008 - 1st Place • Annual Animo Sprint Triathlon, Ayala Alabang, 14 Sept. 2008 & 14 June 2009 - 1st Place • The Fort October run (11-12 y.o. category) 26 Oct. 2008 - 1st Place • Speedo Aquathlon (13-15 y.o. category) 1 Feb. 2009 - 1st Place • Gabriel’s Symphony Triathlon (1315 y.o. category) 19 Sept. 2009 - 1st Place • Subic National AIDS group triathlon (13-15 y.o. category) 17 Jan. 2010 - 1st Place

MARY ANTHONY DIESTO Athletics 14 years old Tay Tung High School Awards: • 2009-2012 Negros Occidental Private School Athletic Meet MVP • 2011 POC-PSC National Games - 2 Gold • 2011 Batang Pinoy Visayas Qualifying Leg - MVP • 2011 Batang Pinoy National Championship - MVP • 2012 March 12-14 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Meet - 3 Gold • 2011 May 24 Philippine National Games - 1 Gold

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Championships August 2008 Bronze • ADIDAS “Best of the Best” Taekwondo Championship September 2008 - Gold • 6th Masskara National Invitational Taekwondo Championship, October 2008 - Silver • (Best Player Award) 32nd Milo-Petron Taekwondo Championships, August 2009 - Gold • NOPSSCEA September 2009 - Gold • 7th Masskara National Invitational Taekwondo Championship, October 2010 - Gold • Provincial Palaro (Poomsae Individual) January 2010 - Gold • Provincial Palaro (Poomsae - Team) January 2010 - Gold • Provincial Palaro (Kyeorugi) January 2010 - Gold • Dinagyang Invitational Taekwondo Championship, January 2010 - Silver • Smart CPJ Taekwondo Championship, January - Silver 2010 • (Best Player Award) 33rd Smart National Taekwondo Championships, August 1, 2010 - Gold • MVP Best of the Best, August 21, 2010 - Gold - Gold

• Regional Palaro (Kyeorugi) - Kablibo February 2010 - Gold • Smart CPJ Taekwondo Championship, February 2011 Bronze • Panagbenga Taekwondo Championships - Baguio February 2011 - Gold • Panaad Taekwondo Championships, April 2011 - Gold • (Best Player Award) 34th Smart National - Gold Taekwondo Championships, July 31, 2011 • NOPSSCEA October 2011- Gold • Batang Pinoy Visayas Elimination, November 2011 - Gold • (Outstanding Player Award) Batang Pinoy, National (Naga) December 2011 - Gold • Provincial Palaro (Kyeorugi) December 2011 - Gold • Provincial Palaro (Poomsae Individual) December 2011 - Gold • Smart CPJ Taekwondo Championship, February 2012 - Gold • Regional Palaro (Kyeorugi) Bacolod, March 2012 - Gold • Panaad Taekwondo Championships,April 2012 - Gold

ARIANA CARAOS HERRANZ Swimming 15 years old Trace College Awards: • 2011 Dec. 10-11 Batang Pinoy National Championship - 5 Gold, 1 Silver • 2011 Nov. 25-27 Speedo G-League National Short Course Swimming Championship - 6 Gold, 1 Silver / IMX Champion • 2011 July 21-23 Speedo SR NATIONAL Long Course Swimming Championship - 2 Silver, 2 Bronze • 2011 June 10-12 35th SEA Age Group Swimming Championhips - 1 Bronze • 2011 May 25-26 POC-PSC National Games - 1 Gold, 4 Silver • 2011 May 8-14 Palarong Pambansa - 5 Gold • 2011 Mar 14-17 Southern Tagalog Calabarzon Athletic Assoc - 4 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze • 2010 Nov. 26-28 Speedo National G-League Short Course Swimming Championship - Most Outstanding

Swimmer (Girls 14 y.o.)

• 2010 July 22-25 G-League SR NATIONAL Long Course Swimming Championships - 1 Silver, 3 Bronze • 2010 June 03-05 34th SEA Age Group Swimming Championships - 1 Bronze • 2010 April 12-15 Palarong Pambansa - 2 Gold , 2 Silver • 2009 Nov 27-29 G-League Short Course Swimming Championship Most Outstanding Swimmer (Girls 13 y.o.)

• 2009 Aug 09 1st Bert Lozada Memorial Cup - Most Outstanding Swimmer (Girls 11-12 y.o.)

• 2009 July 23-26 G-League Long Course Championship - Most Outstanding Swimmer (Girls 13 y.o.)

• 2009 Apr-May 29-05 Palarong Pambansa - 3 Gold, 2 Bronze • 2009 Feb-Mar 27-01 National Youth Team Selection Trials6: 1st place; 1: 2nd place • 2009 Feb 23-26 Southern Tagalog Calabarzon Athletic Assoc - 4 Gold, 3 Silver • 2009 Jan 10 STASA INAUGURAL

HELLO PHILIPPINES

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Swim Meet 2nd Mayor Eddie Dimacuha Cup - Most Outstanding Swimmer (Girls 13 y.o.)

• 2008 Dec. 11-14 3rd Phil Olympics Festival National Championship - 8 Gold • 2008 April 08 Palarong Pambansa 1 Gold • 2007 April 14 3rd Electric Ray Invitational Swim Meet - Most Outstanding Swimmer (Girls 10 y.o.)

• 2005 June 25 6th Mayor Atienza Cup Swimming Championship - 1 Gold , 2 Silver • 2005 May 21-22 Short Course Sprint Championship - Most Outstanding Swimmer (Girls 7-8 y.o.)

• 2003 Dec 06 Southern Tagalog Amateur Swimming Assoc Championship Long Course Swimming Competition - Most Outstanding Swimmer (Girls 6 & under) • 2003 Nov 08-09 Luzon Swimming League Inc. Swimming Championship Most Outstanding Swimmer (Girls 6 & under)

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HELLO PHILIPPINES

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Batang Pinoy - Tomorrow's Olympians

BIANCA CRISTINA GOTUACO Archery 14 years old International School U.S. Awards: • 2012 Feb.29-Mar.1 Palarong Pambansa NCR Qualifying Meet - 5 Gold, 1 Silver • 2011 Dec. 10-11 Batang Pinoy Nationals - 5 Gold • 2011 Nov. 29-30 Batang Pinoy Regionals - 2 Gold • 2011 Aug. 6 State Games of America - 1 Silver • 2011 May 24-25 Philippine National Games - 5 Gold • 2010 July 7-10 California State Games - 1 Silver

JOELLA GEVA DE VERA Badminton 14 years old Awards: • 2012 Feb. 20-25 STCAA Regional Meet1 Gold - 1 Silver • 2010 April 11-18 Palarong Pambansa National Games - 1 Gold, 1 Bronze • 2010 Feb. 22-25 STCAA Regional Meet - 1 Gold • 2009 Feb. 22-27 STCAA Regional Meet -1 Silver

FLOYD DEREK RILLERA Judo 14 years old Bemedalled player of the YMCA – Kaitagi Judo Club Batang Pinoy 2011 National Finals - 1 Gold - 42 kg Awards: • 2012 Mar. 3-4 1st Panagbenga Judo Championship - 1 Gold • 2011 Dec. 10-13 Batang Pinoy National Championship - 1 Gold • 2011 Nov. 24-27 Batang Pinoy 2011 Northern Luzon Qualifying Leg - 1 Gold

• 2010 April 17-19 PJF-La Salle Philippine National Individual Juniors Boys and Girls Championship - 1 Gold • 2009 May 30-31 Philippine National Juniors/ Boys and Girls Judo Championships - 1 Bronze • 2008 May 4 Judo Fest Philippine National Individual Kids Judo Championships - 1 Bronze • 2007 May 27 Philippine National Juniors and Kids Judo Championship - 1 Silver • 2006 June 24 Philippine National Kids Individual Championships - 1 Bronze

GARRY C. SANTIAGO, JR. Athletics 15 years old University of Sto. Thomas Achievements: • 2012 Feb. 9-12: UAAP - 2 Gold (Shot Put, Discus); 1 Silver (Hammer Throw) • 2012 Feb. Regional Palaro (NCR) - 1 Gold (Shot Put); 1 Bronze (Javelin) • 2011 Nov. Manila Meet - 3 Gold (Shot Put, Discus, Javelin) • 2011 National Batang Pinoy - 2 Gold (Shot Put, Javelin); 1 Silver (Discus) • 2011 April-May Palarong Pambansa - 1 Bronze (Shot Put) • 2011 Regional Palaro (NCR) - 2 Gold (Shot Put, Javelin) • 2010 Manila Meet - 3 Gold (Shot Put, Discus, Javelin)

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

• 2010 Regional Palaro (NCR) - 1 Gold (Shot Put) • 2009 Paralong Pambansa - 1 Gold (Shot Put); 1 Bronze (Javelin) • 2009 Regional Palaro (NCR) - 3 Gold (Shot Put, Discus, Javelin)

JOHN EDGARD REYES Badminton 15 years old Achievements: • City Athletic Meet – 61 Golds from 2006 to 2011 • Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association Meet (CLRAA) - 7 Gold, 3 Silver, 2 Bronze from 2007 to 2012 • Palarong Pambansa 2009 – 1 1 Bronze; 2011 - 1 Gold, 1 Silver • Li-Ning Manila Badminton Open - 2 Gold • Youth Badminton Championship - 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze • Philippine Olympic Festival (POF) 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze • Yonex- Sunrise Regional Championship - 2 Gold • Ashaway Badminton Cup - 1 Gold, 1 Silver • 3rd Alabang Badminton Invitational - 1 Gold, 1 Bronze • 1st Bulacan Youth Badminton JOHN KYLE MACROHON Weightlifting 15 years old Achievements: • 2011 December Batang Pinoy National Finals - 2 Gold • 2011 May National 5-in-1 Weightlifting Championship - 1 Gold, 1 Silver • 2010 May National 5-in-1 Weightlifting Championship - 2 Bronze

Championship - 1 Bronze • 2nd Bulacan Youth Badminton Championship - 2 Bronze • 3rd Bulacan Youth Badminton Championship - 1 Gold, 1 Silver • Youngsters Age Group Badminton Tournament - 1 Gold • 3rd City Walk Badminton Challenge - 1 Silver • Ambet’s Cup 2011 - 1 Gold • 3rd Smash Badminton Club Tournament - 1 Gold • 4th Smash Badminton Club Tournament - 1 Gold • The Comeback Badminton Tournament (One Step Closer) - 1 Gold • Yonex- Sunrise Phil. National Open - 1 Gold • Batang Pinoy (NCR Regional Leg) 1 Silver • Batang Pinoy (National Leg) - 1 Gold, 1 Silver • Batang Pinoy (National Leg) - Most Outstanding Athlete ROBERTO MIGUEL JALNAIZ Boxing 14 years old • Son of a former Olympian boxer and 1990 Asian games 1 Goldist Roberto Jalnaiz. He is the most outstanding boxer in the Batang Pinoy Games Finals.

• Won 1 Gold in the paperweight division by beating Hipolito Banal Jr, AJ “Bazooka” Banal’s youngest brother.

(Score 9-1) • Actually Ilonggo but was adopted by Governor Oscar Moreno, hence his representing Misamis Oriental.

HELLO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW OF ANY YOUNG FILIPINO ACHIEVERS IN PHILIPPINES

THE FOLLOWING AREAS: SPORTS, MUSIC, DANCE, ART, MEDICINE, ACADEMIC, BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURS. IF YOU KNOW OF ANY SPECIAL TALENTED, GIFTED AND HARD WORKING FILIPINOS PLEASE CONTACT US ON – editorial@hello-philippines.com / +44 (0) 1708 369 048.

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

Sports

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Philippine Embassy hosts breakfast for Philippines’ Next Generation of Olympians THE Philippine Embassy and the University of the Philippines Alumni Association - United Kingdom (UPAA-UK) hosted eleven Filipino student-athletes to breakfast at the chancery on Sunday, August 5.

The athletes topped the “Batang Pinoy” program being run by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), which selects the country’s most promising youth athletes.

The group was in London as scholars in a two-week London Summer School Scholarship

Program at St. Bede’s International Summer School in Sussex, under the auspices of the British Council Philippines, MVP Sports Foundation and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). The athletes also had the opportunity to personally watch some of the events of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Hailing from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and NCR, these young athletes are all gold medallists of the Batang Pinoy Games 2011

from different sports disciplines.

The eleven student-athletes were (boxer) Roberto Miguel Jalnaiz, (triathlete) Gabrielle Allen Santiago, (taekwondo jin) Irene Therese Bermejo, (swimmer) Ariana Caraos Herranz, (judoka) Flord Derek Rillera, (badminton shuttlers) Joella Geva de Vera and John Edgard Reyes, (shotputter) Garry Santiago, (sprinter) Mary Anthony Diesto, (archer) Bianca Cristina Gotuaco, and (weightlifter) John Kyle Macrohon. ■ (DFA – August 9, 2012)

Deputy Chief of Mission Reynaldo A. Catapang (front center) welcomes the 11 “Batang Pinoy” to the Philippine Embassi in London.

Batang Pinoy is a grassroots sport program established by the Department of Education, Department of Interior and Local Government and Leagues of Provinces, Cities, Municipalities and Barangays in the Philippines with the aim to cultivate sports interest and development among the Filipino youth.

• Annual national competition program for children aged 15 years old and below.

• Medium to develop athletic skills required in making a sports champion.

• Avenue to harness positive values and characteristics of children: disciplined, socially-integrated, value-laden and conscious of a healthy lifestyle.

• Recruitment base for Youth Olympic Games in 2014 in Nanjing, China.

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ATHLETE

USAIN Bolt may believe he is now worthy of the legend tag and be on a par with Michael Johnson – but he arguably surpasses the American because he can win and entertain at the same time.

The genial 25-year-old Jamaican achieved his benchmark of what a legend is when he completed an historic successive Olympic individual sprint double with an impressive win in the 200 metres Olympic final in London on Thursday, August 9.

Many observers were happy to confer the ‘legend’ tag on Bolt after he successfully defended his 100m title on Sunday, August 5, but in his mind he needed gold in the longer sprint to seal the deal.

As ever he delivered on the big occasion.

He even took time to entertain, turning towards his training partner

©AFP/File/Olivier Morin

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

Bolt a legend with the X-factor

Pirate Irwin, AFP

CRICKET

Sports

and silver medallist Yohan Blake as he crossed the line and put his finger to his lips. He seemed to be thinking: “Debate over – I am still the man in charge.”

For Bolt had come to London after Blake, who took the world 100m crown last year when Bolt was disqualified, had beaten him in both sprints at the Jamaican trials in June.

Doubts seemed to have crept in.

But Bolt consigned those defeats to footnotes in history as he showed once again the big event brings out the best in him, first with a scorching run in the Olympic 100m and then in his preferred event, the 200m.

“It’s what I came here to do... I’m now a legend, I’m also the greatest athlete to live,” said Bolt.

“I am in the same category as Michael Johnson. I’m honoured. It’s all about Michael Johnson for me. I grew up watching him break world records.

He’s a great athlete.”

The American won gold in the

400m in the 1996 and 2000 Games and smashed the world record as he scorched to 200m gold in 1996 in 19.32sec – the same time Bolt ran 16 years later on Thursday night.

Unbelievably for someone who has already achieved so much, Bolt went into the Olympics with doubts surrounding whether he could repeat his electrifying sprint double from Beijing.

A modest season by his standards, fitness concerns and an early morning car crash all suggested a troubled champion.

But clearly the special atmosphere surrounding an Olympics sparks something in the 25-year-old from Trelawny.

After first hiding in the Jamaican training camp in Birmingham, the Bolt of old returned in a witty press conference on the eve of the Games.

Unlike other entertainers from the sporting world who fall short when it

©AFP, Johannes Eisele

Gold medallist Jamaica’s Usain Bolt kisses his medal.

comes to delivering titles, Bolt has an incredible ability to be able to play to the crowd before a final, then focus on his race and blitz the field.

On Thursday, the post-match entertainment consisted of fooling around with the spectators in the Olympic Stadium and borrowing a camera to take a few snaps.

Athletics will be hugely thankful to the man who has done more to give the sport the global recognition it lacked as years of high-profile doping scandals sapped its credibility.

While former champions or world record holders either fell by the wayside – think of Tim Montgomery whose downward spiral ended with a spell in prison – Bolt has put big performances and a sense of fun first.

He has been criticised by some like Olympics chief Jacques Rogge for performing to the crowd before a race, but unlike them he has realised that athletics is an entertainment business and the crowd need to be brought into it.

“This is what I do. I’ve said it,” he said. “A lot of people come out to see what I’m going to do today, tomorrow and it’s fun for them.

“I enjoy showing them and giving them the joy I get out of doing this because they give me the energy to do it so I’m always hungry.”

Rogge, an honourable man from a different generation to the majority of spectators who buy tickets when the Bolt show comes to town, prefers to call the Jamaican an “icon”, believing you can only become a legend when you retire.

The sport’s authorities, the meet promoters and the fans will be delighted that the man himself plans to stay around for a while yet. ■ (©AFP – London, United Kingdom – August 11, 2012)

Usain Bolt could play Twenty20 cricket in Australia

Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt celebrates after winning the men’s 4x100m relay final at the London Olympics on August 11. Negotiations are underway for the cricket-mad Bolt to play in Australia’s Twenty20 Big Bash League, with Shane Warne leading the campaign to bring him to Melbourne. ©AFP/File/Anthony Foster

File photo shows cricket-mad sprint king Usain Bolt at a charity invitational celebrity cricket match in Jamaica in 2009. According to Australian media, Bolt clean bowled the then West Indies captain Chris Gayle in a charity match in 2009, having earlier hit him down the ground for six.

OLYMPICS

NEGOTIATIONS are under way for cricket-mad sprint king Usain Bolt to play in Australia’s domestic Twenty20 Big Bash League, with Shane Warne leading the campaign to bring him to Melbourne.

Bolt, hailed by International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge as the greatest sprinter of all time after three gold medals in London, played junior cricket before turning to the track and has long voiced a love for the game.

He said he wanted to play and had spoken to the Australian former Test leg-spinner.

“He (Warne) contacted me and asked me about if I am serious and if I really want to do it, then he can put in a few words that should get it done,” Bolt told Australia’s Channel Nine television late Sunday, August 12.

“So we will see if I get the time off.

I will try.”

Cricket is hugely popular in the West Indies with Bolt’s Jamaica one of its strongest teams, producing greats such as Frank Worrell, Michael Holding, Courtney Walsh and Chris Gayle.

Bolt, 25, said he particularly likes the fast-paced Twenty20 concept, where each side tries to blast as many runs as

©AFP/File/Paul Ellis

Former Australian cricketer Shane Warne, pictured here in May, is the marquee player for the Melbourne Stars franchise and he has begun a social media campaign to win support for Bolt to play with the team.

possible in a maximum of 20 overs.

The format has spread around the world since it was introduced nearly a decade ago as a more exciting alternative to longer versions of the game and it is now part of virtually all international cricket tours.

“Twenty20, I love it,” said the sprinter, who describes himself as an all-rounder and told Australian media during the Olympics he planned to holiday Down Under in September.

“Just the fact that it is so exciting, it’s about going hard the whole time, not just about playing shots. It’s about being aggressive and I like that style of batsman.

“If I get the chance I will definitely try

because I know it’s going to be a lot of fun. I don’t know how good I am. I will probably have to get a lot of practice in,” he added.

The eight-team Big Bash League, featuring privately owned city-based franchises, begins its second season on December 7 with the final on January 19.

It was launched last year, aiming to attract a new youthful audience with an emphasis on energy and a fast-paced atmosphere.

Warne, who is expected to play for the Melbourne Stars for a second season this year, has begun a social media campaign to win support for Bolt to play with the team.

“Cats out the bag, we’ve spoken.

Olympic legend @usainbolt would like to have a crack at 20/20 for the Melb stars 2012 Please retweet guys,” tweeted Warne.

“I think the Melb Stars colours suits him hahah,” he added, referring to their green and white kit. “Let’s keep the momentum going & I will keep trying to make it happen!”

He won support from fellow Australian and Hollywood superstar Russell Crowe, who tweeted: “Usain Bolt playing cricket for the Melbourne

Stars?? @warne888 how amazing would that be? If you need sluggish medium pace, let me know.”

According to Australian media, Bolt clean-bowled then West Indies captain Gayle in a charity match in 2009, having earlier hit him down the ground for six. Gayle plays for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League.

Melbourne Stars chief executive Clint Cooper said he would talk with Bolt once the dust settles on the Olympics.

“We’re going to wait until the Olympics is over and re-engage with him and his management company,” Cooper told Melbourne newspaper The Age on Monday.

“We’ve got a couple of spots left on our list.”

The Melbourne Stars currently features Australian internationals David Hussey, Brad Hodge and James Pattinson, as well as English all-rounder Luke Wright.

Bolt has also said that he would like to try his hand at football, with Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand tweeting during the Olympics that he would have a word with United manager Alex Ferguson. ■ (©AFP –

Melbourne, Australia – August 13, 2012)

Olympic flag arrives in Rio, host of 2016 Games

THE Olympic flag arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, August 13 the Brazilian city that will host the 2016 Summer Games, an AFP correspondent at the airport said.

Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes stepped off a plane carrying the flag, accompanied by Carlos Arthur Nuzman, president of the 2016 Games Organizing Committee, Rio Governor Sergio Cabral and Brazilian athletes who competed in London.

Hosting the Games will be a huge challenge for a city notorious for its

traffic chaos, inadequate infrastructure and favela violence, but authorities say Rio will rise to the occasion.

On Tuesday, August 14 the flag will be flown to Brasilia for a ceremony attended by President Dilma Rousseff and on Wednesday Paes will carry it through Rio’s northern Alemao complex of favelas as well as through the western district of Realengo, officials said.

On Sunday, August 12 Paes received the Olympic flag from London Mayor Boris Johnson during

the ceremony that marked the close of the London Games and the countdown to the 2016 Summer Games, which will be the first held in South America.

On Monday, August 13 Brazilian deputy sports minister Luis Fernandes said in London that the 2016 Games would galvanize projects already in place across South America’s largest country as well as in Rio, a city of 6.5 million people.

The plans in Rio include the extension of a metro line to the

western Barra da Tijuca district. Four express lanes for buses and cars are also under construction.

“The Olympics are an opportunity to invest a huge quantity of funds in infrastructure, an amount that would normally take 15 or 20 years to invest,” Fernandes told a press conference in London.

“The Olympics give us an opportunity to concentrate resources to build this infrastructure a bit sooner,” he added. ■ (©AFP – Rio De

Janeiro, Brazil – August 13, 2012)

©AFP/Vanderlei Almeida

Rio de Janeiro’s city mayor Eduardo Paes waves the Olympic flag upon arrival from the London 2012 Olympics, at the Tom Jobim international airport in Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Olympic Games.

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HEPTATHLON Luke Phillips, AFP JESSICA Ennis, the darling of British athletics and poster girl for the London Games, lived up to the skyhigh expectations of a demanding public to claim gold in the women’s heptathlon on Saturday, August 4.

Three personal bests in the seven disciplines that make up the gruelling two-day event helped Ennis to a winning total of 6,955 points in a dominant display that thrilled the sell-out 80,000 crowd at the Olympic Stadium.

Germany’s Lilli Schwarzkopf, initially disqualified in the 800m but reinstated on appeal, claimed silver with 6,649 points, with Russian world champion Tatyana Chernova taking bronze (6,628).

Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Yosypenko was the unlucky athlete to be bumped off the podium despite notching up a personal best of 6,618.

It was an especially sweet triumph for Ennis because she missed out on the Beijing Olympics through injury.

“I am so shocked I can’t believe it,” a tearful Ennis said. “After the javelin I knew I was on for a good score and that medal but I couldn’t even let myself believe it until I crossed the finish line.

“After Beijing everyone just said ‘we’re going for another four years, make sure you get there in one piece to finish what we started’ and now I’ve done that I’m so thankful that everyone’s helped me all this way.

“It’s been a really stressful year and there’s been a lot of pressure put on me and everyone thought I was going to win that medal from day one. It’s been ups and downs.

“I just tried to stay focused on what I knew I could do and the crowd helped me and I’ve done it, I can’t believe I’ve done it!”

Ennis built her lead on Friday’s first day of action, setting personal bests in the 100m hurdles (12.54sec) and 200m (22.83sec) for 4,158 points,

August 2012 / Fortnightly – No. 15 • UK & Europe Edition

BRITAIN’S DARLING ENNIS WINS HEPTATHLON GOLD

©AFP/Jewel Samad

Britain’s Jessica Ennis celebrates after winning the women’s heptathlon 800m final.

an overnight advantage of 184 points over Lithuanian Austra Skujyte.

The 26-year-old Sheffield-born former world champion got her second day off to a great start with a long jump of 6.48m for a total of 5,159.

That increased her lead over Skujyte to 258pts, with Chernova moving into third overall (4,869) with a leading 6.54m in the long jump.

In front of roars and applause from a vociferous crowd, Ennis then managed a third personal best of 47.49m in her weakest event, the javelin.

Skujyte threw 51.13m to cut Ennis’ lead to 188pts, but the Lithuanian’s best time in the 800m was seven seconds slower than Ennis, meaning the Briton was realistically sitting pretty with just two laps of the track to complete to tie up gold.

As she was introduced in lane four, a visibly nervous Ennis raised her arms to a deafening roar, flashes of cameras and waving Union Jacks.

When the gun went off, Ennis started confidently and went to the front with Skujyte trailing last of the nine-strong heat.

Ennis was overtaken with 250m to go, but kicked past Chernova and Schwarzkopf to produce a fantastic home stretch sprint that could not have been better scripted, crossing the line in 2:08.65.

©AFP/Francois Xavier Marit

©AFP/Franck Fife

Britain’s Jessica Ennis competes in the women’s heptathlon javelin throw.

“I just had to give it everything at the end,” Ennis said.

“I just thought I’m only going to have one moment to do this in front of a home crowd like this in London.

I just wanted to make sure that I gave a good show and brought it home and did not leave anything on the track.”

Ennis then paraded around the stadium draped in her own Union Jack on which was written “Jessica Ennis - Olympic champion”.

Defending Olympic champion Natallia Dobrynska of Ukraine, who won the world indoor pentathlon title in a world record total this year just days before her husband and coach died, had earlier seen her medal hopes vanish.

In 10th position on 3,835pts overnight, Dobrynska had a nightmare in the long jump, with two no jumps on her first two of three efforts.

She then botched her run-up for her third effort, recording only 3.70m to leave her languishing in 33rd, an unsurmountable 1,082 points off Ennis. The Ukrainian withdrew before the javelin.

Polish hope Karolina Tyminska also failed to register a mark in the long jump, and the fourth-placed finisher in the Daegu worlds was forced out. ■ (©AFP – London, United Kingdom – August 4, 2012)

Britain’s Jessica Ennis competes in the women’s heptathlon long jump.

©HELLO PHILIPPINES

Jessica Ennis on her way to a Gold Medal. ©HELLO PHILIPPINES

Jessica Ennis speaks to her coach.