RP has a good start in 2009 FIBA-Asia, tough times sure to come

courtesy yahoo.com.ph

TIANJIN – Powerade Team Pilipinas hardly broke a sweat against Sri Lanka and took a late workout last night as it warms up against Japan tonight.

The Nationals clobbered the lowly regarded Sri Lankans, 115-31, at the start of the 25th FIBA Asia championship at the Tianjin Gym here Thursday in a game where the Filipinos were hardly tested.

They built leads of as many as 84 points before sealing the victory at the start of their campaign for a spot in the 2010 World Championship, that includes meetings with Japan and Korea in the next two days of the preliminary round.

“I don’t think this game can be used as a gauge on how well we made our adjustments from Jones Cup. We’d wanted to try some things, but it’s hard to do in this game,” said coach Yeng Guiao.

“If the defense was there, we would have set up the patterns. We still wanted to polish many things in our set-up plays but we got the running game going. Hindi na namin pinigil (We didn’t hold back),” Guiao said.

Guiao considers their game against Japan at 9 tonight their first real test. He has another scrimmage this morning.

Against the Sri Lankans, the Nationals found a team wanting in so many ways.

“This is our first game in the Asian Championship since 1995 in Seoul, and the Philippines is really a strong team. We hope to improve through the next matches,” said Sri Lankan coach Ajith Kuruppu.

Taller, heftier and stronger, the Filipinos simply overpowered their rivals, starting the game with a 19-4 run and closing out with a 23-0 romp.

The Nationals actually had a jittery start, committing a number of errors and missing what seemed like easy shots.

But once they settled down, there was no stopping them, each one deadly at the break.

“(The jittery start was) normal for a first game. It took us a little while to settle down but it’s understandable, considering more than half of the team were first-timers in this level of competition,” said Guiao.

Talk n Text rookie Jarred Dillinger scored a game-high 21 points and, with 11 rebounds, was one of three RP players who came through with a double-double showing.

Curiously, Dillinger’s papers were questioned by Chinese officials on the eve of the opening day. He was, however, cleared later.

Asi Taulava got 15 points and 13 rebounds while Japeth Aguilar came through with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Arwind Santos with 16 points, Cyrus Baguio with 15 and Joachim Thoss with 11 were three other Filipinos who finished in double figures.

So overpowering were the Filipinos they scored 39 points on fastbreaks and 33 off offensive rebounds. - By Nelson Beltran (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

PAALAM MAHAL NAMING PANGULONG CORY AQUINO

Sa Ina ng Isang bansang nooy nangulila sa demokrasya.. Sa babaeng humubog ng landas ng isang bansa tungo sa pagsisimula ng bagong pangarap. Sa natatanging Pangulong kumatawan sa tunay na diwa ng PAMUMUNO.. SALAMAT..

Hindi sapat ang mga titik na ito upang ipahayag ang iyong dakilang pamana sa bayang minahal mo ng higit pa sa iyong sarili at pamilya.. Sa iyong pamumuno alam naming ginawa at isinakripisyo mo ang lahat..

Ina ng isang magiting na bayan, sinimulan mo ang pakikibaka upang maibasan ang uhaw ng sambayanan sa kalayaan, ikaw ang nagsilbing ilaw ng isang bansang nooy nabalot ng dilim..

Salamat Tita Cory.. Paalam.. Hiling naming patuloy na maramdaman ang diwa mo sa aming mga puso..

I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life.
-Corazon C. Aquino, Ina ng Demokrasya ng Bayang Pilipinas

The Mind Museum Soon in Global City Taguig.

The Vision & Project

To build a home for science and to make it the FIRST WORLD-CLASS SCIENCE MUSEUM in the Philippines. It will be our defining legacy that will give the next generation the wings to fly against the challenge of a future shaped largely by service and technology. With over 150 inter-active “minds-on” and hands-on exhibits, the museum will be a venue that will present science as entertaining, fun, and engaging.

The Facility

The Mind Museum’s state of the art design will feature five galleries within its two levels:
The Story of the Universe: Its Beginning and Majesty
The Story of the Earth: Its Story Across the Breadth of Time
The Story of Life: The Exuberant Varieties of Life
The Story of the Atom: The Strange World of the Very Small
The Story of the Technology: The Showcase of Human Ingenuity

The Location
The museum will rise on J. Y. Campos Park, a 12,500 sqm prime lot at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC), a fast developing world-class business district. BGC is strategically located between the business hubs of Makati and Ortigas. The Mind Museum will be located at the west end of Bonifacio High Street, right across the future 6-star Shangri-La Hotel and the unified Philippine Stock Exchange.

To know more about the mind Museum just visit www.themindmuseum.org

What scare? TIME goes ga-ga over RP's lechon

MANILA, Philippines - As pork lovers worldwide worry over the spread of the deadly swine flu, the Filipinos’ favorite roasted suckling pig has been listed by TIME magazine as the best Asia has to offer. TIME magazine hailed the Philippines’ lechon in its annual Best of Asia list as the "best pig ever.""It was just a matter of time before the rest of the world found out," TIME said.According to the magazine, it was No Reservations’ TV chef Anthony Bourdain’s visit to the Philippines that paved the way for the underrated lechon to gain international stardom. When Bourdain went on a gastronomical tour to Cebu last November, he declared that he had finally found the holy grail of all pork. [See: Anthony Bourdain visits the Philippines]Bourdain, who was convinced by a Filipino fanatic to visit the Philippines with him, raved about the country’s fiesta staple. He rated lechon as the best he had ever had, followed by other pork dishes that he tasted in Indonesia and Puerto Rico.“It can now be said that of all the whole roasted pigs I've had all over the world, the slow roasted lechon I had on Cebu was the best. This puts the standings in the Hierarchy of Pork as follows: 1. Philippines, 2. Bali, 3. Puerto Rico," he wrote in his blog. TIME magazine too, drooled over the Filipinos’ porcine pride.“You could call it the Platonic ideal of a pig, but it's doubtful if Plato, or even an entire faculty of philosophers, could have imagined anything so exquisite," they said. - GMANews.TV

EARTH DAY 2009... Paraiso

Hi PP readers! as you know PP is very active in environmental protection and preservation advocacies, in fact I had launch PP's own campaign called "PoP" or Protect our Planet.. In celebration of Earth Day PP has dedicated its Blog header for an eye opening billboard "Sige Sirain mo, Sige Itapon mo! Ikaw rin ang babalikan... PP readers I hope all of us can be an environmental heroes in our own little ways! PP readers are Planet Protectors, Guardians of the environment! ^-^ right?

"PARAISO" – The Song Paraiso

Return to a land called Paraiso,a place where a dying river ends.No birds there fly over Paraiso,no space allows them to endure.

The smoke that screens the air,the grass that's never there.And if I could see a single bird, what a joy.I try to write some words and createa simple song to be heardby the rest of the world.I live in this land called Paraiso,in a house made of cardboard floors and walls.

I learned to be free in Paraiso,free to claim anything I see.Matching rags for my clothes,plastic bags for the cold.And if empty cans were all I have, what a joy.I never fight to take someoneelse's coins and live with fearlike the rest of the boys.

Paraiso, help me make a stand.Paraiso, take me by the handParaiso, make the world understandthat if I could see a single bird, what a joy.This tired and hungry land could expectsome truth and hope and respectfrom the rest of the world.

Donaire and Villoria won their respective fights!

MANILA, Philippines – They don’t call Nonito Donaire Jr. “The Filipino Flash" for nothing.Donaire lived up to his name Sunday when he made short work of Raul “Cobra" Martinez needing only four rounds to silence his Mexican-American challenger in the main event of their 12-round IBO/IBF flyweight title bout at the Araneta Coliseum.Earlier, Brian “The Hawaiian Punch" Viloria scored an 11th-round knockout win against Ulises Solis to snatch the IBF light flyweight championship belt from the Mexican.It took Martinez four quick trips down to the canvass before the referee stopped the fight to the delight of the sellout Filipino crowd that included former President Joseph Estrada, Vice President Noli De Castro and deputy national security adviser Luis “Chavit" Singson.Donaire brought down Martinez with left and right hooks in just four rounds. He improved his fight record to 21-1-0 with 14 of his by way of knockout while handing Martinez his first loss after 24 fights.Martinez, in the first round alone, already kissed the canvass twice courtesy of Donaire’s left and right hooks – delivered consecutively at the challenger’s undefended face.Donaire kept the pressure in the second round and give Martinez, who eased up a bit, another taste of his dreaded left hook.The fight ended in the fourth after Donaire sent Martinez down on his butt, after taking another hook, the referee stopped the fight, giving the victory to Donaire via technical knockout. – GMANews.TV

Philippines and Filipinos landed on different lists..(2009 first quarter)

The Forbes Magazine Richest Man ( World Billionaires) 2009
Henry Sy is now considred as the richest man in the Philippines today but only managed to land on 234th place with 2.7 Billion dollars worth of networth. The other Filipino who landed on the list is Lucio Tan landing on the 522nd place with 1.4 Billion dollars of Net Worth.


Newsweeks Magazine's Greediest list
Imelda Marcos the former first lady is one of the 11 individuals listed on newsweek's list. "She saw it as her duty to provide ‘some kind of light, a star’ for the impoverished Filipino people over whom her husband presided. So she took $5-million shopping sprees to New York and Rome, reportedly owned the world’s largest collections of gems and 3,000 pairs of shoes,” Newsweek said.


Guiness Book of World Records
On 15 March 2008 – nearly 487 years to the day after Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines – businesswoman Sister Grace Galindez-Gupana (Philippines) achieved five Guinness World Records in a single day.
With the support of the Philippine National Red Cross, Sister Gupana embarked on a mass medical mission to provide 24 hours of free screenings for the marginalized Pintong Bocaue community. In doing so, she established four Guinness World Records:
Most blood identification tests in 24 hours: 260 Most cholesterol readings taken in 24 hours: 527 Most blood pressure readings taken in 24 hours: 2,302 Most diabetes readings taken in 24 hours: 503
Sister Grace wanted to involve children of the community in a record-breaking attempt too, and recruited youngsters from the local Baranggay Pintong Bocaue school to complete the longest drawing. Using coloured crayons, the children drew a picture of a long dragon with horns. The drawing was subsequently burned, in a symbolic act representing the victory of good over the devil.
Sister Gupana states, "7 records is an amazing achievement for a lifetime."


Grand Bida March, The Philippines officially made it Saturday afternoon for Guinness World Records as the first nation to hold the biggest march against illegal drugs by attaining the highest number of participants composed of public school children and their parents and teachers dubbed as the “Grand Batang Iwas Droga” (BIDA) March in Manila.


PERC's Asias Most Corrupt Country for 2009


I include this because of the marked improvement the Philippines had attained because last year (2008) Philippines top this list and was perceived as Asia's most corrupt. Hey that year had already passed and the list said it's not the Philippines anymore. As I quote "Indonesia and Thailand are perceived as Asia's most corrupt economies, with last year's cellar-dweller the Philippines making a marked improvement, an annual survey of foreign business executives shows."

OECD's Tax Haven Blacklist

The Philippines together with Malaysia, Uruguay and Costa Rica was removed from the Blacklisted countries. this means that there are marked improvements in tax collection, reforms and stricter laws against tax evasion. Nice one!

"Whether it's a Good or Bad list at least the Pinoy's make it! haha..."

Palm Sunday, Holy Week at ang palaspas ng pinoy

Domingo de Ramos or Palm Sunday mass is the first mass of the Holy Week. It celebrates the entry of Jesus to Jerusalem. We’ve learned from the Bible that Jesus entered the town of Jerusalem on a donkey instead of on foot, and was acclaimed by crowds waving branches.

Palm Sunday of the Catholic Holy Week is ushered with a widely- practiced ritual; parishioners wave palm fronds, locally called palaspas, in the air, mimicking the crowd that met Christ upon his return to Jerusalem. Blessings, prayers and Sunday mass follows, in affirmation of the religious nature of this age-old custom.

Palaspas was derived from palapa i think it is also a leaf that came from the palm family..

Palm Sunday becomes more culturally unique in the Philippines because of the palaspas.

The church goer usually buy palaspas being sold nearby the church area, palaspas nowadays had improved its design and the way it is weave, I personally see a lot of different designs when I went to church this afternoon.

Cultural belief: Some say that palaspas is used to drive away evil spirits especially during holy week when christ has been crucified,.

Holy Week is locally called Cuaresma or Semana Santa. The start of Holy Week is Palm Sunday. Catholics carry palm leaves, known as palaspas, to chuch for the priest to bless. Catholics also celebrate Maundy Thursday, attending church services and watching Passion Plays. In one practice called visita iglesia, Catholics try to visit as many churches as they can. On Good Friday, believers in certain areas, such as Manila, San Fernando in Pampanga Province, and Antipolo in Rizal Province, reenact the sufferings and death of Christ in the Cross. Although Good Friday is a somber time, Easter Sunday is a joyful occassion that starts with salubong, where the statues representing the Risen Christ and the Grieving Mother Mary are carried to meet at an appointed place.

" he died for us, he redeem the world and saved us from our sins."

The Philippines and SEA games

To date 1977 is the year when Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines joins the SEA games which is known as the SEAP games when the it was launched on 1958. The 1977 games was already the 9th edition of the games.

In celebration of the Golden Years of SEA games and the 25th games to be held for the first time in Laos let's take a look back on how the Philippines had fare since it's inclusion on the games on 1977..

1977 SEA Games - Held in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Although the word 'Peninsula' was omitted from the new federation title to reflect the expansion, its emblem (which featured six rings representing the six founding members), and the sequential numbering of the games was kept to provide continuity, as well as reverence to the objectives, aspirations and contributions of the founders. The six-ring emblem was not replaced until 1999, when the present ten-ring emblem was first used in an official games logo.

The Philippines on it's first SEA games instantly became a force to contend with by placing 3rd overall and brought home a total of 91 medals (G-31, S-30, B-30).


1979 SEA Games- held for the 1st time in Jakarta, the Philippines amassed a total of 93 medals but its only good for fourth place because Burma has more golds than the Philippines.
(G-24,S-31,B-38)

1981 SEA Games- The Philippines hosted the games for the first time, The event was officially opened by President Ferdinand Marcos and the cauldron was lit by Benjamin Silva-Netto. The colorful opening ceremony was held in the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

More than 2,200 athletes and officials participated in the Manila Games. Bong Coo emerged as its most successful Filipino campaigner. She won six medals in six events, four of which were gold medals where she set six individual game records. Bong won the gold in Ladies Doubles with Lita de la Rosa and averaged 221 in Trios en route to an Individual All Events gold medal and became the South East Asian Games Masters champion.

The Philippines garnered a total of 187 medals but its again good only for third Place, at least the country reclaim their spot in the top 3. (G-55, S-55, B-77)

Lydia de Vega was acclaimed the Queen of SEAGames Athletics when she won the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter in record times.

1983 SEA Games- held in Singapore. Scheduled to be hosted by Brunei in accordance to the renewed alphabetical rotation of hosting duties, the 1983 SEA Games were offered to be hosted by Singapore as Brunei prepared for its forthcoming independence from the United Kingdom.

The Philippines had snatched second place from the perennial contender Thailand. In total the Philippine Team collected a total of 150 medals. (G-49, S-48, B-53).

1985 SEA Games- held in Bangkok. The Philippine team slipped from a second place finish in Singapore to third place in Bangkok, collecting a total of 129 medals.( G-43,S-54,B-32)

1987 SEA Games- for the second time in Jakarta, the Philippines maintains its third place finish although it takes home more medals than the second placer Thailand. A total of 206 medals for the country. (G-59 S-78 B-69)

1989 SEA Games- held again in Kuala Lumpur, Although Cambodia did not participate, Laos returned to compete for the first time under the new federation name in this edition of the games. A unified Vietnam first participated in the SEA Games in 1989 as well.

The Philippines finish 5th overall behind Indonesia, Thailand and surprisingly Singapore with 127 medals in the bag. (G-26 S-37 B-64)

Kiko Labuyo,a Sarimanok is the official Mascot of the 1991 Sea Games

1991 SEA Games- held for the second time in Manila and from a depressing 5th place in Kuala Lumpur the Philippine Team is determined to regain its glory and make the home crowd proud.

It was the only SEA Games where the overall championship was heavily contested. The deciding medal came from the last sporting event - women's marathon where Indonesia got the gold medal. The host country was disappointed when they were two gold medals short of getting the over-all championship.

The Philippines ended in second place with 238 medals G91-S62-B86.

1993 SEA Games- held in the lion city Singapore. The Philippines slipped to 3rd Place with 57 gold, 59 silvers, and 72 bronze for a total of 188 medals.

1995 SEA Games- for the first time a game is held outside a capital city in Chang-Mai Thailand. The Philippines again settled for 3rd Place with 145 medals. (G-33 S-48 B-64)

1997 SEA Games- held for the 3rd time in Jakarta. The Philippines slipped to 4th place with its 209 medals,43 gold, 57 silver and109 bronze.

1999 SEA Games- held for the 1st time in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. The Philippines suffered another 5th place finish with only 20 golds, 26 silvers and 46 bronzes. Its worst after over 2 decades of joining the games. Its a reflection on how poor sports program we have and the emergence of new south east asian powerhouse with Singapore and Vietnam making its presence felt.

2001 SEA Games- held in Kuala Lumpur, the Philippines retained its 5th place finish with Vietnam Surprisingly finished in 4th place. (T-163 G-31 S-65 B-67)

2003 SEA Games- held for the first time in Vietnam and also East Timor joined as a sovereign nation. Surprisingly Vietnam emerged as the overall Champion. The Philippines improved its place from 5th on the last 2 previous games to 4th place with 179 medals. (G-49 S-55 B-75)

2005 SEA Games- the 3rd time the Philippines hosted the Games with Manila and other key cities played as host. The first time that the opening ceremony is not held in a National Stadium.

The Games with the record of the most number of sports and participants ever and even surpassing the number in the recent games. East timor received its first ever SEA games medal in a native sports Arnis.

The Philippines grab the overall championship for the first time since its inclusion in 1977. The whole country celebrated its sweetest moment ever in SEA games with its 113 gold, 84 silver and 94 bronze for a total of 291 medals.

2007 SEA Games-held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. The Philippine team fresh from its Victory is expected to fare as well in this games. They go to Thailand with one mission and that is to defend its crown as the overall champion. But the turn of events in Thailand failed the Filipinos expectations as the country placed 6th overall with its worst place ever in the history of its participation in the Games. The Filipino Athletes go home with their 229 (G42 S91 B96) medals with questions and disappointment on mind.

The question now is will the Philippines regain its lost glory or will it continue to deteriorate in the 25th SEA games in Laos? Will they prove that they deserve a better finished in Thailand? will the country be again a power house in the region?

Shame on Chip Tsao for Insulting the Philippines and it's people

MANILA, Philippines - A non-government organization providing assistance to migrant Filipino workers on Sunday scored a Hong Kong journalist for describing the Philippines as a “nation of servants" in his magazine column.

Former Labor Undersecretary Susan Ople, head of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, said Chip Tsao should be blacklisted as an “undesirable foreign employer" for allegedly using his Filipino house help as “pawn" in the Spratlys controversy.

Ople alleged that Tsao mocked the Philippines as a “nation of servants" in his column called “The War At Home" that appeared in HK Magazine last March 27.

Tsao reportedly warned his Filipino maid that she would lose her wages if she would not tell her fellow Filipinos that Spartly Islands belong to China.

This, Ople said, “is already a sign of an unstable, irresponsible and racist employer who resorts to verbal abuse for perceived bilateral and historic infractions."

Ople asked the Philippine Consulate, particularly its Office of the Labor Attache, to look into the work conditions of “Luisa," the Filipino household help, as she expressed personal concern for her safety and health.

“Luisa deserves a sane and more humane employer while he [Tsao] deserves to clean up his own filth," Ople said.

Tsao also allegedly said in his column that the Philippines’ claim on Spratlys was “reproachable," adding that “as a nation of servants, you don’t flex your muscles at your master, from whom you earn most of your bread and butter."

China has protested the newly passed Philippine baselines law, saying it "has indisputable sovereignty" over the contested territories. It also said that the Philippines' claim to islands "is illegal and invalid."

Ople also called the attention of the Philippine government to the last paragraph of Tsao’s column where he said that some of his friends “declared a state of emergency at home" wherein their Filipino maids were made to shout “China, Madam/Sir’ loudly" at the mention of the word Spratly. - GMANews.TV

My say: Shame on this man for giving this insulting remark, yes we may be "land of servants" as you say but it only goes to show the passionate culture we filipinos have, it also shows that we have the heart to care! Boycott chinese goods!

PP votes FOR EARTH!

PP fully supports the EARTH HOUR! vote for earth by switching our lights off tonight!
8:30pm to 9:30pm local time!! We only have one planet!! PP is Protect our Planet!

Heart of Manila Snap Shots. (3)

"Heart of Manila Snap Shots" 2008 Part 3

"Mini Skyline"

"DOLE in the wall"

" Philippines' Heart and soul"

"Quezon Bridge"

"Ang Simbahan ng Quiapo"

Heart of Manila Snap Shots. (2)

The 2nd Part of my Online Gallery "Heart of Manila Snap Shots" 2008

"Into the walls"

"Outside the walls"

"Manila"

"Liwasang Bonifacio 1"

"Liwasang Bonifacio 2"

Heart of Manila Snap Shots. (1)

Hi PP readers these are photos took last year, this is my online gallery Entitled "Heart of Manila snap shots". Hope you guys will like it!

" The flag " taken near Manila City Hall this photo was used to relaunch my blog.

"Old Man" this is my current Blog Bill board

"Andres"

"The Jungle that is Manila"

"Tower near the Power Lines"

Pinoy Playlist: KANLUNGAN

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KANLUNGAN by: Noel Cabangon

Pana-panahon ang pagkakataonMaibabalik ba ang kahapon?Natatandaan mo pa baNang tayong dal'wa ang unang nagkita?Panahon ng kamusmusan Sa piling ng mga bulaklak at halamanDoon tayong nagsimulangMangarap at tumulaNatatandaan mo pa baInukit kong puso sa punong manggaAt ang inalay kong gumamelaMagkahawak-kamay sa dalampasiganMalayang tulad ng mga ibonAng gunita ng ating kahaponRefrain 1:Ang mga puno't halamanAy kabiyak ng ating gunitaSa paglipas ng panahonBakit kailangan ding lumisan?[Repeat Chorus]Ngayon ikaw ay nagbalikAt tulad ko rin ang iyong pananabikMakita ang dating kanlunganTahanan ng ating tula at pangarapNgayon ay naglaho naSaan hahanapin pa?Refrain 2:Lumilipas ang panahonKabiyak ng ating gunitaAng mga puno't halamanBakit kailangang lumisan?[Repeat Chorus][Repeat Refrain 2][Repeat Chorus]