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Verbatim I believe God will deliver him into my hands. His defeat would make him realize that fame, money and material possessions are nothing without God in our life. Manny Pacquiao, on his upcoming mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The President is flawed, just like all of us . . . But I still believe in his presidency . . . I am not withdrawing my support. He is an honest leader. Singer-composer Ogie Alcasid, expressing continued support for President Aquino amid intense criticism of his handling of the Mamasapano incident

Scrap the peace talks, scrap the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law). Do what Pres Erap did, give them war! FULLwriting PAGE Actor Richard Gomez, onAD his Facebook page to join the calls for revenge against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for the killing of 44 police commandos

We cannot drop the Bangsamoro Basic Law. I am scared of the possibility of the collapse of the peace process. I am scared of war. Muntinlupa Representative and former Armed Forces chief Rodolfo Biazon, pushing for the peace process amid calls for war against the MILF and other Muslim groups in Mindanao

Professional boxer, yeah, okay. Congressman, alright. Professional basketball player, no. It’s a joke. Seriously, it’s a joke. American basketball player Daniel Orton, who plays for Purefoods team in the Philippine Basketball Association, on Manny Paquiao playing for the Kia team in the PBA; the comment drew a hefty fine of P250,000 from the PBA and later led to the player’s sacking by Purefoods

A junta by any other sanitized name is still illegal and unconstitutional. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, warning certain groups opposed to the Aquino administration against instigating a military-backed uprising among Filipinos by exploiting the Mamasapano incident

Matatag na puso at kapal ng mukha ang kailangan natin sa industriyang ito. ‘Yan ang mayro’n ako na gusto kong ipamana sa kanya.

Actress Gretchen Barretto’s advice to her niece, aspiring star Julia Barretto

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Sy Makes Forbes World’s 100 Richest List

ENRY Sy Sr. — whose SM group dominates property, banking and retailing businesses in the Philippines — has earned the distinction of being the only Filipino among the Top 100 richest people on the planet, according to the 2015 annual ranking of Forbes Magazine. Forbes said Sy and 10 other Filipinos belonged to the list of the world’s dollar billionaires. Sy has an estimated net worth of $14.2 billion and is ranked 73rd on the Forbes’ global list. His net worth is more than double the level of the next Filipino tycoon on the list. The 90-year-old tycoon, whose empire is now run by the second-generation Sys, improved his global ranking from 97th place the previous year. Among the richest Filipinos, John Gokongwei, 87, rose to second place this year with net worth estimated at $5.8 billion. He ranked 254th globally. Enrique Razon Jr., an international port terminal and gaming operator, is the third Filipino billionaire on the list, with an estimated net worth of $5.2 billion. At 54, he is the youngest Filipino to make it to the global list. Property tycoon Andrew Tan, 62, came in fourth with an estimated net worth of $4.8 billion. Lucio Tan, who ranked second to Sy for several years, saw his ranking drop to fifth place. The 80-year-old patriarch of the LT Group of companies, which is into tobacco, beverage, banking, airline and property development, had an estimated net worth of $4.4 billion. Also in fifth place is George Ty, founder of the Metrobank and GT Capital group, with the same net worth as Lucio Tan’s. With an estimated net worth of $4.1 billion, construction magnate David Consunji, 93, also made it to the global list.

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Henry Sy Sr. He was followed by Jollibee Foods Corp. founder Tony Tan Caktiong, 62, with a net worth of $2.7 billion. The recently retired CEO of Jollibee has invested in fast-growing Double Dragon Properties, a partnership with young business magnate Edgar Sia II. Lucio and Susan Co, best known for the fast-growing grocery chain Puregold, also landed on the list with an estimated net worth of $2.3 billion. The ninth richest Filipino is Robert Coyiuto Jr., 62, with $1.8 billion in net worth, according to Forbes. His wealth comes mostly from the family-held private insurance business and a 30-percent stake in National Grid Corp. of the Philippines. Completing the local roster is Manuel Villar, a real estate magnate, who focused on growing Vista Land & Lifescapes after losing to President Aquino in the 2010 presidential election. The 65-year-old businessman has an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion. Forbes said Henry Sy’s net worth had increased by 10 digits on the back of continued growth of conglomerate SM Investments Corp. The magazine noted one of the Sy family’s more recent ventures (via a separate company called Belle Corp.): the $1.3billion City of Dreams Manila, an integrated resort and casino that opened last December.

John Gokongwei “Sy studied retail at his father’s elbow in the family convenience store. Not satisfied with merely filling dad’s shoes, he saved up to start a footwear shop, the humble origins of his empire,” the magazine said. As for the runner-up on the Philippine list, the magazine said: “Prosperity abounds at John Gokongwei’s conglomerate, JG Summit Holdings, which he founded. Its stock has skyrocketed on strong revenue growth.” JG Summit has interest in airlines, telecoms, property development, banking, hotels and power. Its food manufacturing arm, Universal Robina Corp., is deemed one of the country’s best representatives in terms of regional play or Asia-Pacific footprint. Villar, a self-made billionaire, has stakes in shopping mall developer Starmalls and Vista Land. Forbes noted that Wharton-educated son Paolo was the one running Vista Land. The family is also into the retailing business. “As a kid, Manuel helped his mother sell seafood in Manila

Enrique Razon Jr. markets,” the magazine noted. A former senator and congressman, Villar has retired from politics since losing in the 2010 presidential election, focusing more on his businesses. His wife, Cynthia, is now a senator. Now in its 29th year of ranking the richest in the world, Forbes Magazine found 1,826 billionaires with a cumulative net worth of $7.05 trillion, up from $6.4 billion a year ago. There were 290 newcomers, 71 of whom are from China. Young people are also rising, with a record 46 under age 40. To compile net worths, Forbes valued individuals’ assets, including stakes in public and private companies, real estate, yachts, art and cash, and took into account estimates of debt. The magazine ranks individuals rather than multigenerational families who share large fortunes. The list does not include royal family members or dictators who derive their fortunes entirely as a result of their position or power. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

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Mayweather vs Pacquiao

THE FIGHT IS ON!

By dan rafael • ESPN.com

T long last, pound-forpound greats Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will fight.

Yes, the bout that looms as one of the most anticipated in boxing history is finally on. For more than five years sports fans have clamored for a summit meeting between the two best fighters in the world, and after various failed negotiations -- and a protracted and difficult effort to make the fight in recent months -- they will get it on May 2 to unify the fighters’ welterweight world titles at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The showdown is a lock to be the richest in boxing history

and will, barring a draw, settle the issue that has been debated for years: Who is the No. 1 fighter in boxing and who is the king of this era? Mayweather made the announcement on Feb. 20 on a social media platform called Shots, of which he is an investor. “I am glad my decision to meet with Manny and discuss making this fight happen helped get the deal done,” Mayweather said, referring to a chance Jan. 27 meeting with Pacquiao at a Miami Heat game followed by a private discussion after the game. “Giving the fans what they want to see is always my main focus. This will be the biggest event in the history of the sport.” In addition to the future Hall of Famers finally hammering out a deal for their welterweight title unification bout -- one that

will see Mayweather receive the lion’s share of a 60-40 money split in a fight that could gross around $400 million -- rival premium cable networks Showtime, which has Mayweather under contract, and HBO, which has a deal with Pacquiao, went through a brutal negotiation. The networks resultingly will come together to produce and distribute a joint pay-perview telecast, which is expected to cost a record-high $89.95 (and probably $10 more for high definition). “I am very happy that Floyd Mayweather and I can give the fans the fight they have wanted for so many years,” Pacquiao said. “They have waited long enough and they deserve it. It is an honor to be part of this historic event. I dedicate this fight to all the fans who willed this

fight to happen and, as always, to bring glory to the Philippines and my fellow Filipinos around the world.” The fight is expected to shatter every revenue record in boxing history, including the pay-per-view buy record of 2.4 million generated by Mayweather’s 2007 junior middleweight championship fight against Oscar De La Hoya; the all-time payper-view revenue record of $150 million generated by Mayweather’s 2013 junior middleweight championship fight against Canelo Alvarez; and the all-time gate record of $20,003,150. It is only the second time Showtime and HBO have made such a deal. The first time was for the highly anticipated 2002 fight between then-heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, who was with HBO, and former champion Mike Tyson, who was with Showtime. For years, Mayweather and Pacquiao have been the two best fighters in the world, fighting in the same weight class but having not faced each other despite constant public demand. Both have been considered the pound-for-pound king at various times, with Mayweather having held that mythical position for the past few years with Pacquiao right behind him for most of that period. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and living in Las Vegas, “Money” Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs), 38, has won world titles in five weight classes, mainly with his defensive brilliance and speed, while becoming the highest-paid athlete in the world. Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), a 36-year-old southpaw known for his speed, power and aggressive style, became the only boxer in history to win world titles in eight weight divisions - flyweight, junior featherweight, featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight and junior middleweight -- while also generating hundreds of millions of dollars and being elected to congress in his native Philippines, where he is a national icon. n

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British Firms Encouraged to Expand into the PH

RITISH FIRMS are being encouraged to set up shop in the Philippines in order to take advantage of this up and coming Southeast Asian country, which will have one of the region’s highest GDP growth rates in 2015. In a recent sign of the growing business relations between the two countries, British Ambassador to the Philippines, Asif Ahmad, hosted the Great British Festival in Manila. The festival sought to promote British brands and improve their name recognition in, and market access to, the Philippines. These brands included companies from the food and beverage, trade, retail, and automotive industries, with participants ranging from Waitrose and Diageo to Hamley’s and Jaguar. Additionally, this June, the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry and the Public-Private Partnership Centre will hold a roadshow in the United Kingdom pitching

UK companies are being encouraged to set up shop in the Philippines to take advantage of its growth rates.

for investment into the Philip- to have at least 250 large compines’s infrastructure and retail panies and 50 small and medisectors. um-sized enterprises particiMr. Ahmad is currently helping pate in the two-day roadshow, FULL AD speakers with invited to organize the upcoming road-PAGE matching show by arranging to bring govguests. ernment representatives, Phil“There are so many opportuniippine investors, contractors, ties,” Ahmad commented, “This and British companies already an exciting market because the operating in the Philippines to population is a spending popthe UK in order to advertise ulation.” He drew particular the opportunities available for attention to the expansion of British companies. Ahmad aims Costa Coffee into the Philip-

pines market, adding, “All the retail brands are here. If you look at cars, you already have Jaguar, Land Rover and Mini Cooper. Aston Martin (Lagonda Ltd.) is expected to come this year, while Morgan Motor Co. came in last year.” A key area that is slated for development is Mindanao, the second largest and southernmost major island in the Philippines. In order to uncap the potential in the area’s agriculture and tourism industries, the government is encouraging private and public investment to link airports and seaports to production centers and tourism destinations. With robust broad-based economic growth, and a positive appraisal of the Philippines’ budget deficit and inflation targets from the IMF, British investors are likely to be grateful for Ambassador Ahmad’s efforts in securing improved commercial cooperation between the two countries. (Tech in Asia)

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Let’s give peace a chance!

Enough of This Total War! S By patricio n. abinales

o you want to return to a total war policy against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)? This is a nice way to stoke popular anger, but before you proceed can I ask how you would deal with the following issues?

How much will it cost you, not only in terms of lives but also of precious resources, monies, in short, to win this war? I doubt if you know. However, let’s use an earlier revolt as basis for comparison. There is no exact figure of how much the Moro National Liberation Front’s rebellion cost the Marcos dictatorship, but I distinctly remember Walden Bello and Severina Rivera, in their now classic “Logistics of Repression and Other Essays: The Role of U.S. Assistance in Consolidating the Martial Law Regime in the Philippines” (1977) estimating the cost to about $1 million a day for the dictatorship. At P7.40 pesos to a dollar, and you’d assume a

month of face-to-face conventional warfare, the total would be roughly P229 million ($30 million). At today’s rates, (P44.1 pesos to US$1.00O), that would be about P1.367 billion pesos ($31 million). So, are you ready to spend that much of our savings on this war? And where will you get the money from – the AFP’s P142billion budget? That would be easy. But what if the war extends to another three months? Will you be ready to tell the AFP to shift the monies it has allotted to buy jets and ships necessary to defend our territory from the Chinese navy? If you go to war, it means you also have to reorient the military once again – to take away a large chunk of its force away from the retraining necessary to make them an external defense force, and back to its old role as an internal counterinsurgency army. How much would that cost in terms of money, how would this affect the mindset of our officers and soldiers and how much of

a time will we waste with this reorientation? Let’s talk about the impact of this total war on the communities in the war zone. What happened in 1975? Again there is no exact data on the human cost of the MNLF war. We specifically do not have numbers on how many civilians were killed or wounded as the war raged around the Lanao and (then) Cotabato areas, and in the Sulu archipelago. Bello and Rivera again estimated the number of displaced about 1 million people (many ending in Sabah), and came up with 50,000 in terms of casualties. These were already large numbers, and I am sure they would go up if we factor in what happened to the communities affected by the war. It is now forty-one years since Jolo was burned (to save Jolo) and the physical and psychological scars are still visible among the residents there. So, you want to go all-out war now, and, say, fight the MILF for a month. Will you be

prepared to host 1 million internal refugees or oversee the rehabilitation of destroyed towns? Christians and Muslim? The battle zones will most likely be in the Maguindanao-Lanao del Sur areas. That means refugees will be heading to the cities of Ozamiz, Iligan, Cotabato and maybe as far as General Santos. In 2008 we interviewed the mayor of Iligan city who complained about how much Iligan City’s hospitals have been stretched to the limit of their resources, because residents of nearby Lanao del Sur go there for medical treatment. The latters’ medical facilities and services are just simply inadequate. One therefore can imagine the hospitals in these four towns having to go into emergency mode, using up reserved medicines, telling their doctors and nurses to work double hours, filling upwards and private rooms, etc., as the war spreads. Will you, war freaks, come to the rescue of these embattled cities? I doubt it. Finally, it would be foolhardy to assume that just because its firepower is not as potent as that of the AFP (that has tanks and aircraft), the MILF can be easily beaten. In 2000, their camps were indeed captured by the military (this is the source of Erap’s confidence), but the assault did not destroy the Bangsamoro army. Instead it shifted to some form of guerrilla warfare, that appears to have succeeded only because that army is still pretty much there. And it is an army that has the strong support or sympathy of a majority of Maguindanaoans. This means then that if this total war will not eliminate each and every MILF mujahideen, then the AFP will have to deal with an alienated population, one that will do all it can to protect its defenders and provide them with new recruits. The AFP will have to stay and assume its old role – that of an occupation force. (Rappler.com) n

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N average Metro Manila resident wastes as much as 28,000 hours of his economic life because of heavy vehicular traffic caused by poor urban planning, according to one of the country’s top architects and urban planners.

Felino A. Palafox Jr., principal architect-urban planner and founder of Palafox Associates, said that on average Metro Manila residents spend 1,000 hours on congested roads every year. Residents of other countries with better urban planning, Palafox said, spend only 300 hours a year. This leaves as much as 700 hours wasted because of poor urban planning. “Metro Manila residents spend 1,000 hours a year in traffic, while urban dwellers in the better countries in the world spend only 300 hours in traffic. So, if you have 40 years of economic life, 40 years times 700 hours a year, [that’s how many hours you waste in traffic]. You’re like a prisoner inside your car or a prisoner inside jeepneys and buses,” Palafox said. Palafox said one of the reasons Metro Manila residents spend this much time on the road is because there are no cost-competitive housing alternatives in business districts, like Makati City. According to him, the many gated communities, and even the military and police camps on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame) prevent these areas from being transformed into high-density and affordable residential areas.

Pro-car policy He pointed out that ideally the stations of mass-transport facilities, like the Metro Rail Transit, should be comple-

Palafox bewails the lack of affordable housing near places of work, forcing residents to commute via inefficient modes of transport.

28,000 Hours Wasted on Metro Traffic

Traffic gridlock in Metro Manila is the result of inadequate mass transport system, poor urban planning and bias towards cars. mented by high-density residential and business centers where employees and/or businessmen can live and work. “Our trade and commerce as well as job centers are surrounded by low-density gated communities, like Makati. The average worker and even executive in Makati are priced out of the housing stock of Makati,” Palafox said.

Another reason for the many hours spent in traffic situations is the Philippines’ transportation policy that favors cars, he said. He noted that other countries have already shifted their transportation policy to favor pedestrians who walk to work, cyclists who bike to work, and commuters who take mass transport. Cars are often relegated as the least priority in

terms of urban transport. Palafox said ideally onethird of urban centers should be allocated for trees and landscaping; one-third for pedestrians; and the rest for moving traffic. “Unfortunately, our urbantransport policy favors the automobile and only 2 percent of Filipinos, I’m told, own cars; but our transport policy is for the automobile. Elsewhere in the world, the No. 1 form of transport is walking; No. 2 is bicycle, then No. 3 is the 15 kinds of urban transport. The last option is the automobile,” he lamented.

Innovative solutions To address some of these concerns, Palafox said the national government must come up with innovative solutions. One such solution, he suggested, is for the government, the low-density gated communities, and military and police camps to open up the roads in subdivisions and camps for public use at certain hours of the day. Palafox also pushed for the imposition of “congestion charges” on vehicles entering certain areas of Metro Manila during peak hours as is done in some cities around the world. In London, the congestion charge is levied on weekdays between certain times of the day and in various locations within Central London. Palafox called for sweeping and innovative approaches to the perennial urban traffic problem. “Always, these good proposals always result in more benefits. When we put forward design solutions, planning solutions that champion the principles of green architecture, green urbanism, green infrastructure and so on, you spend a little bit more in the first three years on proper design and implementation. The next 97 years will allow you to reap the benefits,” said Palafox. (Business Mirror) n

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The Southwest Provincial Transport Terminal opened in August 2013 at the Coastal Mall in Paranaque to service buses from Batangas and Cavite. Two lines of the bus rapid transit system, such as this in Sao Paulo, Brazil, are in the works in Metro Manila.

N interconnected network of new rail lines and bus terminals that aims to cut travel time within Metro Manila and nearby provinces will be completed within five years, according to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). Transportation Undersecretary Rene Limcauco told the Senate’s economic affairs committee at a hearing on March 4 that the project involves constructing nine additional train lines and three new bus terminals, as well as upgrading existing modes of transportation, at a total cost of P900 billion. The projects seek to ease traffic in heavily congested Metro Manila and increase mass transport ridership from the current 6 percent to 20 percent of the population. They also hope to solve overcrowding in existing transport modes like the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3). “A key to this plan is what we call the seamless interconnection mass transport system. The value of that is in the network effect,” Limcauco said. “People will ride it provided

P900-B Mass Transport Plan Completed in 5 Years

The MRT-3 line will add more coaches to expand its capacity from 500,000 to 800,000 passengers a day; that they can transfer seamlessly from line to line.” The system will require an automatic fare collection system and a rail card “so that people won’t continue lining up every time they switch” to another line, he added. In cities like London and Hong Kong, which are known for their efficient mass transport systems, transport cards enable commuters to transfer from one line or mode of transportation to another seamlessly.

The following projects are part of the network, according to Limcauco: • Bus rapid transit system along C5 Road to ease traffic along EDSA; • Bus rapid transit system from Commonwealth Avenue to Quezon Avenue and all the way to Manila City Hall; • Adding more coaches to the MRT-3 to expand its capacity from 500,000 to 800,000 passengers a day; • Subway line along Bonifacio Global City, Makati, and

The planned North-South line of the Philippine National Railways will run from Malolos, Bulacan, to Calamba, Laguna. Pasay; • North, South, and Southwest provincial bus terminals; • Ferry system from the eastern portion of Pasig to downtown Manila; • Extension of LRT-1 to Dasmarinas, Cavite; • Construction of MRT-7 from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, to SM North EDSA; • Extension of LRT-2 to the eastern and western parts of Metro Manila; • Western extension will connect the line to the planned North-South line of the Philippine National Railways, which will run from Malolos, Bulacan, to Calamba, Laguna; • Maintenance and upgrading of LRT-2. The system is part of what Limcauco called the “Mega Manila Master Plan,” which the DOTC devised in cooperation with the National Economic and Development Authority and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The plan sets infrastructure goals for the city within a period of 15 to 20 years to make sure it is “liveable and efficient,” he said. (ABS-CBNNews.com) n

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Economy Strong, But Foreign Investment Lags

HILE THE Philippines has recently become an economic powerhouse in Asia, with strong growth driven mostly by domestic consumer spending on goods and services, the government said it will focus on foreign investment, which is lagging. In 2014, the Philippine GDP was up 6.1 percent, placing the country behind China, which had the fastest economic growth for the year at 7.4 percent. The government said the services, agriculture, construction and manufacturing sectors drove most of that growth. Despite the good news, the country’s socio-economic secretary, Arsenio Balisacan, said last month the economy needs “re-balancing.” “Key components of this process are the needed surge of investments and the revival of the manufacturing and agribusiness sectors,” Balisacan said. “Especially for the government’s part we need to contin-

The Philippines is no longer deserved to be branded the “Sick man of Asia.” ue removing key infrastructure in 2014, the country attracted FULL PAGE AD bottlenecks that have limited more than $5 billion in foreign the potential of various sectors direct investments, more than of the economy, especially in double the amount of 2011. the areas of industry and agriculture.” Short of goal Private sector investment made But Ian Porter, president of the up 19 percent of the country’s Australia-New Zealand Cham$272 billion gross domestic ber of Commerce of the Philipproduct (GDP) last year. Also pines, said this remains short of the joint foreign chambers’ goal of $10 billion. He said a major barrier remains. “Lifting the economic provisions of the constitution is really a priority. It’s not a view that only the [Joint Foreign Chambers] holds, but just about every business organization in the Philippines holds. And I think it is the absolute key to attracting the foreign investment that is required to lift this country’s economic growth,” Porter said. Foreign companies are particularly concerned about the 60 percent domestic and 40 percent foreign ownership rule. Last year President Benigno Aquino signed a law allowing for 100 percent foreign ownership of banks to attract more investment. Over the past four and a half years the Aquino administration has gone after tax cheats, sought prosecutions of corrupt officials and imposed a sin tax. These moves have led to multiple credit ratings upgrades, placing the country at investment grade. Challenges remain But analysts and the business

community say investors still face a long list of challenges, including limited or poorly maintained roads on which to move goods, near-prohibitive power rates and extensive red tape for setting up businesses. American Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee Chairman John Forbes said the country’s economic make up, which went from an agricultural base to a service base in a few short years, makes it ripe for investment. “You need to get into an industrial cycle because no country has become a high income country without going through an industrialization cycle. You can’t just do it with services,” Forbes said. The outsourced call center and back office support industry has been a bright spot of the service sector. It offers higher than average paying jobs and generates a demand for real estate and other services. It had about $16 billion in revenues in 2013. However, Forbes said even that is not a guarantee for long-term success, as voice technology starts to replace humans on the phone. Consumer spending drives more than two-thirds of the country’s economy, thanks to the more than $20 billion yearly in overseas contract workers’ remittances. Consumerism is partially driving the demand for services. ‘Leap-frogging’ economy Ateneo de Manila University economist Cielito Habito said this makes the Philippines an anomaly among other Asian countries. He said “leap-frogging” the economy without industrialization created a problem. “Agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, if these just become the propellers of our economic growth rather than just banks and insurance companies and real estate companies, which has been the case for the last couple of decades in fact, then we will have a much more broad-based growth, much more equitable growth,” Habito said. (VOA News)

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GRETCHEN BARRETTO

10 Things About Her Fabulous Life 1. “Mukha lang akong sosyal, I can fake it.”

“Nowadays, what I see is people don’t really buy the super expensive pieces. That’s why we want our pieces to be affordable. You don’t have to be afraid when you purchase rings or you wanna be in style, as long as they’re eye-catching and, I guess, trendy also.”

Laughingly, she added, “Siguro ang tingin nila sosyal. It’s the packaging. Hindi naman ako pinalaking mayaman na sosyal.”

2. Her jewelry pieces are mostly gifts.

RETCHEN Barretto is as much at home in high society as she is in showbiz. She leads an enviable lifestyle, and some women just hate her for it. More so because she remains one of the most beautiful faces among the celebrities even in middle age. (She turned 45 on March 6). She is also a family woman adored by her long-time partner, business tycoon Tonyboy Cojuangco, and their 20-year-old daughter, Dominique.

Still, La Greta’s most admirable quality is her candor. At the presscon of her endorsement Karat World held last February 27, Gretchen was chatty about her sosyal image. Here are 12 interesting details that we gathered about her fabulous life:

8. She’s not tied down to a limited style.

“To be honest, I couldn’t really afford very, very expensive jewelry. Whatever expensive jewelry I have were given to me, lucky me. I don’t buy jewelry, they’re given to me, modesty aside. I’m sorry, but that’s the truth. But I really don’t buy anymore,” she revealed.

3. She feels uncomfortable talking about the cost of her jewelry. “Oh my God, I’m ashamed! I don’t know. But all I know is that 20 years ago, hindi pa ganun kamahal. At that time, it really sounded very, very expensive. “So I’m glad whatever we purchased before, they’re all kept. I don’t wear them, it’s not safe, and it’s not even safe to talk about it. I think I’m a lucky girl. Lucky me na lang na the really expensive ones na on my own, I really cannot afford.”

4. When she buys, she calls her purchases investments. “If I’m talking about my personal experience or how I view things, I’m a girl. When I see something and it catches my attention and I know I cannot sleep tonight without that piece, I call that investment. That’s how I look at it, I justify it, not only with jewelry but with anything in life.”

5. The first expensive piece of jewelry she bought was a Rolex watch.

“Yun, gives-gives ko binili, yung Rolex na two-tone. Yung pinaka-una, yun talaga, that was my dream. Every time may nakikitaan akong ganun, my eyes would be forever doon na naka-focus, and I said, ‘I wanna get that one day.’ I was only able to fully pay that in a year.”

6. Girls should shop within their means. “They should invest in something that catches their attention and something they can afford. You always go for that because if you try to buy something you can’t afford, you’ll never gonna be happy. You’re forever gonna be paying for something you can’t afford. You have to be happy, stylish.”

7. She’s also practical. “I like the finer things in life, but I can also be very practical, simply because it’s very difficult to earn money. You really have to work hard for it. Nothing comes easy.

“I don’t really like choosing. I don’t like the term ‘favorite,’ because it limits you. In fact, you don’t have to be limited to anything, you’re not married to it. You can like everything, you don’t need to have everything, but you can like everything. “That’s the only thing that’s free, now if you can have everything that’s even better. That’s why we go for affordable pieces because with that, we can have it all. If you have a budget, you can have it all.”

9. She follows her mood. “Fashion goes with my moods. If this is my mood, today I just really wanna be crazy, fab, chunky, filled with everything, so that’s what I do. But there are days I just wanna be wearing something fab, but not too much. It really depends on the mood.”

10. She dresses for herself, not for other people. “You don’t see your fans every day, but you see yourself every day. It’s my mood. For my makeup, I always want something that’s light and natural, unless I’m going to an awards night, then something more glam. If you’re shooting a film, it depends on the role. It really depends. I prefer not wearing [makeup] if I can.” (PEP.ph) n

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Showbuzz Clooney’s wife brings GMA’s case to UN

INTERNATIONAL human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney has brought to the United Nations Human Rights Council the plight of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, according to the lawyers of the former president. A British citizen, the 37year-old Alamuddin is the wife of Hollywood superstar George Clooney.

Larry Gadon, a family friend and legal counsel to the Arroyos, said he and lawyer Modesto Ticman, Jr. supplied Alamuddin-Clooney with all the details of the case and held a teleconference with her on the matter. But he said the complaint, which was filed through the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, was prepared and written by Alamuddin-Clooney herself. Alamuddin-Clooney said the government of the Philippines has violated several

provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. She wants the UN to intervene in the immediate release of Arroyo, who is detained under charges of plunder over the alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds. At the very least, the international law expert said Arroyo must be given temporary release to be able to get medical treatment abroad. Arroyo is under hospital arrest for a bone mineral disorder.

Jolo shooting remains a mystery WAS it a suicide attempt or accidental shooting? Mystery continues to surround the shooting of Cavite Vice Governor Jolo Revilla in the family home in Ayala Alabang, Munntinlupa City last Feb. 28. The 26-year-old son of detained Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. suffered a gunshot wound in his chest. He was discharged from the hospital on March 8 and is recuperating at home. Atty. Raymund Fortun, spokesman for the Revilla family claims Jolo accidentally discharged a gun - Glock 40 caliber pistol - as he was cleaning it. But Lolit Solis, talent manager of Bong Revilla, said Jolo could have tried to commit suicide as he was depressed as a result of his father’s incarceration. The senator is facing plunder charges in connection with

Sen. Bong Revilla comforts Jolo during his short hospital visit on March 3.

the pork barrel scam. The Philippine National Police has stepped into the case by forming a “task force” to investigate the incident. Fortun slammed the police move, calling it “overacting”. “There’s no need for a task force here,” he said. “It’s a private matter, nangyari sa

loob ng bahay, walang ibang mga taong involved. Iisa lamang ang nasaktan, yung mismong biktima, kung sino ang kumalabit.” He added: “Wala pong krimen na suicide. Hindi po krimen ang suicide. Hindi rin po krimen ang depresyon, hindi rin po krimen ang accidental discharge.”

Broadway awaits Lea’s return.

Lea in talks for new Broadway musical TONY award winner Lea Salonga says talks have not yet been finalized on her joining the cast of George Takei’s musical Allegiance on Broadway, but added it is a show she wants to be part of. The Broadway veteran played the lead female role Kei Kimura when the musical made its sold-out premiere in 2012 at The Old Globe in San Diego, California. Star Trek actor Takei’s personal and heartfelt show about JapaneseAmericans imprisoned during World War II goes to Broadway this fall with him in a starring role. “Of course I’d like to be a part of it, if only to be part of something that’s very important in Broadway history,” Lea told The Associated Press. Allegiance is multigenerational tale with two love stories that’s framed by a Japanese-American war veteran looking back on his family’s time in a Wyoming internment camp. It will mark the first Asian-led cast of a musical on Broadway in more than a decade, since Flower Drum Song. The story of Allegiance covers an important part of American history, when tens of thousands of AsianAmericans were put in camps just because they looked like the enemy, said the 44-year-old Lea. “This kind of prejudice and bigotry is actually still happening. It’s still relevant and that’s the sad and scary part of it.”

MARCH 2015

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Showbuzz All’s well with Julia and dad Dennis AFTER reconciling with her dad, Julia Barretto has decided not to pursue her plans of dropping her father’s surname in favor of her mother’s last name. Julia and her dad, comedian Dennis Padilla, had an emotional reconciliation last month when she handed him an invitation to her debut set for March 10. “This is the first time I’m speaking about it, that I made a decision, and I’m actually sharing it first with you guys,” she told reporters. “I feel that right now, there’s really no need to change my last name. No need anymore to change my last name.” o change her legal surname from Baldivia (her father’s surname) to Barretto (her mother Marjorie Barretto’s surname.). When news broke about her decision to drop her name change petition, there were speculations that it all a publicity stunt, which

But not between Gretchen and Marjorie Julia and Dennis share a laugh during their reconciliation meeting. irritated the young actress. “How can they even think that way, honestly?,” said Julia. “How can they even think that a young child wants to get everything okay again with her own father just for publicity? I can’t even embrace that thought. Pero it’s very false. He’s my dad, why wouldn’t I want to be okay with my dad?” She continued: “Why wouldn’t I want to be okay with my dad and have him there kasi it’s my special day? I made things up with him because I want to be okay with my own father, not for everybody.” Julia said she invited all her aunts, including Claudine and Gretchen, and hoped her debut would be the bridge to an eventual family reconciliation.

GRETCHEN Barretto has confirmed that her sister, Marjorie Barretto, felt bad when she expressed her admiration for young Kapamilya actress Liza Soberano. In his column in The Philippine Star, entertainment writer Ricky Lo reported that Marjorie considers Liza as a rival of her daughter Julia Barretto, so she got “hurt” when Gretchen expressed her admiration for Liza. The two young actresses were launched together as Star Magic talents. Julia has denied that there’s a rivalry between her and Liza and said that the young actress is one of her closest friends in the industry. In an interview with TV Patrol’s Mario Dumaual, Gretchen said her sister shouldn’t feel bad about her

Will Julia’s debut end the sisters’ rift? admiring Liza. “I’m turning 45, lahat ng tao I admire. Lahat ng tao, kapag gumawa ka ng magandang trabaho dapat pinupuna,” she said. Gretchen also acknowledges the talent of her niece, and is even excited with her upcoming debut on March 10. She said she wishes Julia “long life and a good career.” Gretchen also gave Julia an advice: “Matatag na puso at kapal ng mukha ang kailangan natin sa industriyang ito. ‘Yan ang mayro’n ako na gusto kong ipamana sa kanya.”

‘Unexpected’ Juday-Richard pairing

Can they hit it off onscreen? DON’T expect the first teamup of Judy Ann Santos and her newest leading man, Richard Yap, to be anything like the phenomenal daytime kilig-serye

Be Careful With My Heart. Nor should you expect something has heavy as Huwag Ka Lang Mawawala, Juday’s 2013 primetime hit about the violence against women. The reminder was perhaps ABS-CBN’s way of lowering expectations that the Juday-Richard could be another blockbuster. After all, it’s their first team-up; besides, they don’t have the huge following of younger stars. Richard said that their upcoming series Someone To Watch Over Me is different from his long-running series with Jodi Sta. Maria.

“It’s more of a light romantic and action-packed series. Hindi ganoon ka dramatic ang seryeng ito,” he said. Diether Ocampo also stars in the series. “Basta fresh na fresh siya. It would be a lighthearted na programa, full of lessons, of course, and at the same, time we promise that will make you smile and cry along the way,” Juday added. “Like what happened before, everything was unexpected. Itong tambalan namin was unexpected, ‘yung sa ‘Be Careful’ was unexpected. So, we hope to surprise the viewers and we

hope to bring the same impact of the series we did before, said Richard. Meanwhile, Juday admitted that she had “small issues” with ABS-CBN, but was quick to clarify that everything has already been fixed. “Well ang tampo naman with ABS come and go naman siya,” she explained in an interview. “Bilang artista at bilang nagtatrabaho sa kanila, ako’y isang empleyado lang, may pagkakataon na hindi maiiwasan na magkaroon ka ng tampo sa mga boss mo. Pero lahat naman ‘yon naaayos, napag-uusapan,” she added.

The10 Most Influential Filipino Women Today 20

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HE Philippines is one of the best countries for women, according to recent study. Women lead the country in various fields including government, business, and entertainment. In celebration of International Women’s Day (on March 8) and National Women’s Month (in March), here are the 10 most influential Filipino women today (in alphabetical order).

Kris Aquino and culture through what Filipinos see on television.

Teresita Sy-Coson Teresita Sy-Coson is chair of the Sy family’s BDO Unibank and vice chair of SM Investments. She has been on Forbes Asia’s Power Businesswomen list for four straight years. She is the daughter of Henry Sy Sr., the country’s richest man.

Teresita Sy-Coson

Kim Henares Kris Aquino Dubbed the “Queen of All Media,” Kris Aquino is a pervasive everyday presence in the media and consequently on the national consciousness, through her numerous TV shows, movies, and advertisements.

Charo Santos-Concio

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As president and CEO of the country’s largest entertainment and media conglomerate, ABS-CBN Corporation, Charo Santos-Concio wields tremendous power and influence in shaping public opinion

Anne Curtis Anne Curtis is more than just a pretty face on television and movies. She is among one

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Grace PoeLlamanzares

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Miriam DefensorSantiago

of the most sought-after commercial endorsers and among the most-followed personalities in the social media with 7.56 million followers on Twitter and 2.3 million followers on Instagram.

Kim Henares As head of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Kim Henares is both feared and shunned by the most powerful and influential people – business tycoons, politicians, sports and showbiz personalities – for obvious reasons.

Leila de Lima

A former Supreme Court associate justice, Conchita Carpio-Morales is the country’s Ombudsman responsible for investigating and prosecuting

Leila de Lima Secretary of Justice Leila de Lima oversees the country’s criminal justice system, spearheading the investigation of crimes and prosecution of offenders.

Conchita Carpio-Morales

Miriam Defensor-Santiago Senator Miriam DefensorSantiago’s voice is thunder rolling across the halls of the Philippine Senate. The feisty threeterm senator is the first Asian and Filipina elected judge of the International Criminal Court.

Ma. Lourdes Sereno

Grace Poe-Llamanzares Barely three years after topping the 2013 senatorial elections, Grace Poe-Llamanzares is already being touted as a potential presidential or vicepresidential candidate in the 2016 polls.

erring, abusive and corrupt government personnel.

Ma. Lourdes Sereno

The country’s first female Supreme Court Chief Justice, Ma. Lourdes Sereno presides over the 15-member highest tribunal. The High Court has the final say on all legal issues brought before it. (ABS-CBN News.com)

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Walking in Her Shoes

To mark National Women’s Month, a group of men led by National Youth Commission commissionerat-large actor Dingdong Dantes and NYC chairman Gio Tingson march while wearing high heel stiletto shoes to call attention to the plight of women in the country.

s Money From Scrap

Workers sort out plastic containers collected from garbage dumps which will be sold at a plastic recycling factory in Tondo, Manila. A US study says the Philippines ranks third on the list of countries with most ocean plastic pollution, behind China and Indonesia.

For Peace and Unity

Muslim women pray for unity and peace during an interfaith rally at the Quezon City Memorial Circle on March 6 to mark 40 days since the bloody clash between police and Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Magundanao.

s March for Fallen 44

Relatives and friends of the 44 Special Action Force commandos killed in Mamasapano encounter with Muslim rebels carry placards with the names and pictures of the victims during the “March for Justice for SAF 44” from Dasmariñas, Cavite to Camp Crame in Quezon City last March 8.

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CLOSE TO 1,300 OFWS BENEFITED FROM REINTEGRATION PROGRAM A total of 1,257 OFW members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) had received over P800 million in financial aid since the establishment of the agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Reintegration Program in 2011. OWWA said majority of these projects came from Region 3, 4-A, 6, and 12, with 59 percent of them comprised of non-agricultural enterprises. It said many of the beneficia-

ries invested their loans in groceries, real estate, waterrefilling stations, and franchising stores, while popular agricultural endeavors include grains, fruits, and vegetable farming and livestockand poultry-raising. Filipinos, especially those working in conflict areas, are actively encouraged to avail of the reintegration package upon their return to the country.

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Flash Flower Festival

One of the participating floats makes its way during the Grand Flower Float Parade in the month-long Panagbenga Festival. This year’s celebration - held from February 1 to March 8 – marks the 20th year of the flower festival as Baguio’s top annual attraction.

Lights and Music

Colorful fireworks display from the Vision Group of Brazil light up the sky in Manila Bay on Feb. 14 during the second week of the 6th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. This year’s event featuring entries from 10 countries ran every Saturday from Feb. 7 to March 14.

s Enter the Dragon

Dragon dancers snake their way through a sea of people in Chinatown in Binondo, Manila, during the Chinese New Year celebrations on Feb. 19.

Up, Up and Away

Several of the 34 hot air balloons from 14 countries entered in the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival are readied for launch. The annual event was held Feb. 12-15 at Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

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Things to Do and Places to Go in Coron W By cheryl golangco

HEN in Manila, it’s fun to wander and explore, but why stop there? Book a ticket via Cebu Pacific and head over to one of Philippine’s most beautiful destinations – Coron Island in Palawan.

We arrived in Coron sometime in the afternoon and didn’t have time to go too far. So on Day 1, we went for a short trip to Maquinit Hot Springs. It’s a short tricycle ride from the main city and will only take a couple of minutes to get to. It was my first time as an adult to go to an actual hot-spring, and not just some indoor jacuzzi. I really enjoyed the warm water and badly wanted to just fall asleep in it! The following day, we joined the Coron Ultimate Tour offered by one of the travel agencies we spotted in Coron. Here, you get to go island hopping and snorkeling in around five different islands for less than 1,000 pesos! Though you could opt to visit the islands one by one on your own, I felt that getting this package was a better bargain especially for tourists like ourselves who had no idea where we were going. Our first stop was CYC Island. The island was full of mangroves! The trees looked so alive because of their big roots. The water around CYC Island was also really shallow but that didn’t stop the fishes from swimming around us. We then rode the boat to go snorkeling at Coral Eden. According to our tour guide, Coral Eden used to be really beautiful – hence the name. There used

Bulungan Island

Kayangan Lake to be corals of different sizes and colors covering the ocean floor. Next was a visit to Twin Peaks to go snorkeling again. It’s amazing how different all these snorkeling sites were. The water was really deep and you could see all the beautiful corals that were around 25 feet below! Another good thing about getting a package deal from tour companies is that the package includes lunch. We had our lunch at Bulungan Island. There wasn’t much to do here but it was still a scenery worth

capturing. After a hearty meal, we then transferred to the Hidden Lagoon. This was one of my favorite stops for the day because of the warm/cold water in the lagoon. According to our tour guide, fresh water and salt water mix at the lagoon, this mixture is what was causing the varying temperatures in the water. The fresh water above felt really cool, while the warm water below was kind of warm. Next up was Kayangan Lake. Before getting to the lake, we climbed this small hill that was around a hundred steps to the

top. The view on top is well worth the climb! After a bunch of pictures, we climbed down the other side to get to the lake itself. I was told this lake used to be clear as the crystal but got a tad bit dirty after it became too commercialized. Kayangan Lake was our last stop for the day. We left the hotel at around 8 a.m. and got back at 4 p.m! It was amazing how many islands we got to visit in just one day. There are so many places to see in Coron, and trust me, two days won’t be enough! On Day 2, we went to see Malcapuya Island, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen! White sand, cool breeze and nature at its finest! There weren’t too many people and the place was not at all commercialized. This is my paradise! People told us that someone already bought or rented part of Malcapuya Island to build a hotel, so I suggest you go visit it now while it’s still in its finest shape. You can also go snorkeling here, the water is really shallow for the first 10 meters but then suddenly gets deep, so be careful. Though not included in the Sun, Sand and Sea package, you could opt to add Sand Bar to the tour by just adding a small fee. It was another beautiful site in Coron and another one for the books. I’m always fascinated by sand bars. I also felt that second to Malcapuya Island, this was another good spot for a pictorial! We also did some snorkeling at Banana Island. It’s mostly snorkeling in Coron, but I swear you have to just grab each opportunity to take a peek under water – you never know what beauty lies below. We were able to do so much in just a few days but trust me when I say this isn’t even half of it! There are still more things to do like the safari and the cool ship wreck I’ve been hearing so much about. Those will certainly be next on my list! (WhenInManila.com)

MARCH 2015 APRIL 2012

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WHAT’S ON

TRAVEL

HE CONTINUED entry of more luxury brands to the Philippine market is seen to boost the country’s shopping tourism, an industry stakeholder said. More than a reflection of investor confidence on the country’s economic fundamentals, Consul Robert Joseph believes the expansion of high-end products in the country is an opportunity to entice more tourists to travel. “Shopping now has become essential to the destination mix,” said Joseph. He said that while these luxury brands are also present in their own countries, foreign tourists still opt to include shopping in their travel plans here because of the price disparity and the availability of more styles. “We are cheaper here. That’s why more foreign tourists come here to shop although they have as many shops of this particular brand in their country,” said Joseph, who is the chairman emeritus of the Network of Independent Travel Agencies (Nitas). He added that even developers of high-end casinos in the country have put in place a retail component in their facility to boost retail spending especially among affluent tourists and locals. What interests other tourists though, Joseph said, is also the presence of branded local products. These are items that are made in the Philippines but use imported materials. “Now you can buy $200-$300 that are of good and high-quality already,” he said. Joseph said foreign tourists in particular like buy something that is unique to a destination.

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Entry of luxury brands ‘to boost shopping tourism’ FULL PAGE AD portant part

The entry of more global brands in the market does not only capitalize on the high consumer spending of Filipinos, it is also making shopping tourism a popular activity that can boost tourism expenditures, said Joseph. Tory Burch, an American lifestyle brand recently brought its beauty line to Cebu market, banking primarily on the province’s booming tourism industry, increasing expatriate and affluent buyer population. “Cebu’s market is vibrant and is fashion-forward. We are happy to report that we are performing well here,” said Audrey Anna Laglagaron, sales executive of ELC Beauty Inc. The United Nations-World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) sees linkage of vacation planning and retail experiences becoming more evident, this as shopping has become a motivation for people to travel on top of going to vacation to sight see. “Shopping is becoming an im-

of the tourism value chain, it has become a decisive factor at the time of choosing a destination and, in some cases, the primary reason for travel”, said Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of UNWTO. According to the UNWTO Global Report on Shopping Tourism,

shopping tourism is gaining in importance within a sector of tourism that is seeking to diversify in both mature and emerging markets. It noted that “shopping tourism is one of the drivers that will contribute to economic development and job creation worldwide.” (Philstar)

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WHAT’S ON 28 Mar. 2015

Kulay (Colours) Venue: C7 Church, 20 Kennedy Street, Glasgow, G4 0EB Donation: Adults - £7 Kids - £3 (7-13 yrs)

Contact: sphere.padds@ yahoo.com

18 Apr. 2015

4th Annual KAFA Easter Egg Hunt Venue: Larkfield Village Hall. New Hythe Lane, Aylesford, ME20 6PU

Contact: Ray Haffenden Tel: 01622 718873

2 May 2015

Mutya ng Pilipinas 2015 Venue: TBA Contact: Jassin Fuentes jassin@mutyaunitedkingdom.com Tel: 07557551624 Website: mutyaunitedkingdom.com/

14 June 2015

Bradford Barrio Fiesta 2015 Time: 9am - 6pm

Venue: Lady Hill Park, Allerton Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD15 7AA

Contact: 07823338947

nelsonginez@yahoo.co.uk

LONDON

ll t of a ppor In su events in d o it o n g u y omm the c

COMMUNITY

29 March 2015

2-4 Apr. 2015 Pabasa 2015

David Pomeranz in London Venue: 229 The Venue, London

Venue: Holy Cross Chapel, Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8RF Contact: 07919380513 07939684558

Contact: Bzdegrees Entertainment Tel: 07961056006

Website: belowzerode greeslimited@gmail.com

19 Apr. 2015

26 Apr. 2015

FWAUK Salo Salo 2015 AD FULL PAGE Venue: St. Mary Abbots Centre, Vicarage Gate, London W8 4HN From: 12pm Contact: http://www.fwa-uk. com/contact/

MUSIKALOGY - The Art of Instruments Time: 5pm-10pm Venue: Bar FM 184 Uxbridge road, W12 7JP Price: £15.00 Contact:

sideprojectsarts@gmail.com

7 June 2015

6 June 2015

Independence Day sa Newcastle Time: 9am to 6pm Venue: Blaydon Rugby Club Field (Carboot Area) Hexham Road Swalwell, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE16 3BN

Yorkshire Barrio Fiesta 2015 Time: 10am-5pm

Venue: The Racecourse, Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 1UG

Contact: Sally 07886742417 Bong 07824338251

Contact: Lolita Boddy 01765 535015 or 07973 469450

20 June 2015

20-21 June 2015

Bristol Barrio Fiesta 2015 Time: 8:30am-6:30pm

Venue: Eastville Park, Muller Rd Eastville, Bristol, BS5 6XA Contact: Honeylyn 07783343848 Clarence 07500896239 Hilda 07909724653

117TH PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCEDAY 1898 - 2015

20 - 21 June 2015

Morden Barrio Fiesta 2015

Venue: Morden Park, Morden, Greater London SM4 5DX Contact:

mordenmaybarriofiesta@gmail.com

07956593236, 02034175038 07802761446, 02082047808

MARCH 2015 APRIL 2012

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WHAT’S ON 20-21 June 2015

Barrio Fiesta Hertfordshire 2015 Time: 8am-6pm Venue: Fairlands Valley Park Showground Arena, Broadhall Way, SG2 8RH Contact: 07534711757, 07428184063 07447588971

Venue: Heaton Park, Middleton Road, Manchester M25 2SW Contact:

07748252530

aurobb0203@gmail.com MARCH 2014

SPOTon

SPL

11-12 July 2015

Birmingham Barrio Fiesta 2015

Venue: Woodgate Valley Country Park, Clapgate Lane, Bartley Green, Birmingham, B32 3TH

Contact: 07985159203 07531022269 07472953935 07401765373

COMMUNITY

26-27 June 2015

Manchester Barrio Fiesta 2015

EMBASSY NEWS

LONDON

4 July 2015

Oxfordshire Barrio Fiesta Time: 9:30am-6pm Venue: Tingewick Hall, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DU

Contact: chairman@ filcomoxford.org.uk

www.planetphilippines.uk.com www.planetphilippines.uk.com

18-19 July 2015

1-2 Aug 2015

Venue: The Apps Court

Venue: Campbell Park, Avebury Blvd, Milton Keynes, MK9 4AD

31st Barrio Fiesta sa London

st FULL PAGE Farm in Hampton, AD

18 and 19, 2015

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Hurst Road Walton-onThames KT12 2EG

Contact: 07867940447 07879646076 londonbarriofiesta@ abs-cbn.com

LONDON

Milton Keynes Barrio Fiesta 2015

Contact: 07909957313 07808079202 07875729891 07415135211

WHAT’S ON EMBASSY OUTREACH - BELFAST

The Embassy will hold its next Consular Outreach Mission for 2014 in: Date/Time: 11-12 Apr. 2015 9:30-5pm (Sat), 9:30-12nn (Sun) Venue: St Colmcilles Parish Centre, 191A Upper Newtownards Road, Ballyhackamore, Belfast BT4 3JB Contact Person: Katrina Albarico – 07796787513 Vhee Benasa – 07828095361 Those requiring passport services are requested to fill out the Passport Service Request Form and send to embassy@ philemb.co.uk or fax to 0207 930 9787 from 07–31 October. For more info please go to http://philembassy-uk.org/

Southampton - London - Leicester - Leeds Newcastle Apr. 25 - Turner Sim, Southampton, SO17 1BJ; Apr. 26 - 229 The Venue, London W1W 5PN; May 1 - Athena Theatre, Leicester LE1 1QD; May 2 - The Village Urban Resort, Leeds LS16 5PR; May 3 - Holiday Inn, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE13 6BP Ticket - £30, Door - £45. Seats are limited !!!

For your summer festivals and regional fiestas, please contact our team on 02075818100 for these important community affairs! Watch this space for over 20 regional fiestas near you!

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A Disney Song in Tagalog By JT nisay

S one of the happiest people in the world working in the “Happiest Place on Earth,” the talented Filipino performers in Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) don’t quite see work as a job. It’s a natural fit, like fish to water. If anything, it’s just like a walk in the park. Earlier this month, the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in September, released a song with a music video thrown in for good measure, made by Filipinos for the Filipino and centers on Pinoy pride in Disneyland. Titled Find Your Light, the Disney song with a Tagalog chorus is part of the “Show Your Disney Side” campaign in the Philippines.

Rony Fortich, HKDL’s music director and the song’s composer, told us in a recent media tour of the Park that Find Your Light is a “story of Filipinos inviting fellow Filipinos to come and show their Disney side. It’s also about them telling fellow Filipinos how happy they are performing and what reward can be [reaped].” Of the five locations in the world that houses a Disneythemed park, HKDL is the closest one to our shores and as such, HKDL welcomes a huge amount of Filipinos guests every year. Also, it employs a sizable number of Filipinos that make up it 7,800 strong team. “Filipinos are huge part of Hong Kong Disneyland, so when they approached me with the idea of creating a tailor-made campaign for the Philippines, and I would get to write a song specifically with Filipinos in mind, I couldn’t be happier,” Fortich said, who is one of HKDL’s pioneers, having joined the group three months before the park opened. “I think it’s a really cool tribute to both the Filipinos who work here and the Filipino guests who come over.” With an extensive experience in Manila’s musical theater scene prior to his move to HKDL,

Fortich said that the song’s title is actually an often-used term in theater where directors instruct actors to literally find their spotlight on stage to be seen. Of course, it’s also the perfect title for a song that urges Filipinos to shine: “Tayo’y managinip kasama ang mga bituin/At ang lihim mong ginto ay ating tuklasin.” HKDL Director of Entertainment & Costuming David Lightbody said that in his current job and in his earlier endeavors in musical theater with the world’s leading theater companies, Filipinos have always stood out. “They are globally respected as a different, amazing talent,”

said Lightbody. “Being here in HKDL just reconfirms that Filipino performers have a very special quality. It’s also their approach to their work, that great and amazing commitment and dedication. There’s also an inner passion—a happy passion that bursts out in their smiles, in their faces, in their eyes, and in the way they perform onstage. It’s that energy, that happiness, that positivity and professionalism.” According to Fortich, while all the ingredients of a magical Disney song have been stirred into Find Your Light, from the strong melodic hooks and goosebump-inducing instrumentals, to the inspiring messages, qualities that are present in celebrated Disney songs,

such as A Whole New World and—most recently—Let It Go, he also studied the dynamics of what will make a song truly Filipino, bearing the “Filipino spirit” in mind. “When I was writing the song, I was listening to a lot of OPM—everything from 1970s disco to 1980s, 1990s pop hits and more modern music—to get a feel of it and put myself in that mind-set. That music inspired the song, and lyrics-wise, it’s the idea of inviting [everyone] to come up and perform,” Fortich said, who also penned HKDL’s fifth anniversary theme song Celebration in the Air. “I also kept in mind what the Filipino mentality is: How much they enjoy having fun, or how we can be facing a crisis and still find ways to smile. It’s about thinking as a Filipino and listening to what we listen to, what we enjoy. Hopefully, it translates to a lot of the park guests.” HKDL park choreographer and fellow Filipino Jaime del Prado, for his part, ensured that the moves in the song’s music video have the ability to connect to its target audience. “When I first heard of the music, I knew it was Manila sound,” he said. (Business Mirror) n

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