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Pokwang back to TV hosting in ‘Happy, Yipee, Yehey!’

2011-05-03T22:38:00.000+08:00

Comedy actress and TV host Pokwang is set to bring in more laughter as she joins ABS-CBN's noontime show "Happy Yipee Yehey" as its new TV host.

On May 7, Pokwang will return to TV hosting four months after the cancellation of "Pilipinas Win na Win," her last noontime stint. Pokwang joins co-hosts Randy Santiago, John Estrada, Toni Gonzaga, Mariel Rodriguez and Melai Cantiveros in the show.

Pokwang's fans have long been asking the comedienne on her return to hosting. On Monday, May 2, Pokwang tweeted, "Sa Sabado na po May 7 magkitakits tayong muli sa happy yipee yehey!! :) ." Pokwang recently starred in Star Cinema's "Pak Pak My Doktor Kwak," along with Vic Sotto and Bea Alonzo.

In an interview with ABS-CBN's "SNN" on Monday, Pokwang revealed her thoughts in hosting "Happy Yipee Yehey." "Yung passion ko sa pagta-trabaho ay mapapagpatuloy ko. Kailangan yung pagbabalik mo naman ay maayos at prepared ka talaga. Para yung mga taong matagal rin naming nag-hintay ay satisfied sila sa pagbabalik mo," Pokwang said.

As this is a recently launched program, Pokwang still has to familiarize herself with the structure and mechanics of the show. "Pag-aaralan ko pa yung format ng mga shows, yung mga games," Pokwang added. In her former noontime shows, Pokwang is known for her funny antics and outrageous costumes, headdresses and hats.

"Lahat ng koleksyon ko ng bonggang HAT pinahiram ko muna sa Royal wedding!," Pokwang tweeted.

Even though Pokwang is the latest addition to the cast, she has no qualms in joining her new family. "Si Kuya Randy, ilang beses ko naman na nakatrabaho ditto at sa abroad, sa "Alog-alog," sya yung direcktor namin. Si Toni, sa "Crazy for You." Si Mariel, sa Wowowee. Si Melai, sa "Banana Split," Pokwang recalled. This is also the first time that Pokwang will get to work with John Estrada, who has previously hosted noontime shows in ABS-CBN before. "Si John, first time ko sya makakatrabaho. Nakikita ko naman na hindi sya mahirap makatrabaho," Pokwang said.

As TV hosting is no longer new for Pokwang, viewers are excited of what she can bring on the show. "Pag buo na yung pamilya namin, nakikita ko talaga na doble ang saya namin. Tsaka, kung gaano ka kasaya sa ginagawa mo, nagrereflect yun sa mga taong manunood sayo. Mahahawa na rin sila sa pagiging Masaya, kaya, 'Happy Yipee Yehey,'" Pokwang said.

'Willing Willie' Suspended For A Month

2011-05-03T22:35:00.000+08:00

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) suspended TV5's primetime variety show "Willing Willie" for 30 days, inclusive of the program's three-week voluntary suspension.

This was the decision given by the MTRCB's Hearing and Adjudication Committee, headed by Noel del Prado with members Milo Sogueco and Carmen Musngi.

By crediting the program's self-suspension, the penalty began right after “Willing Willie” aired their last episode, Jonathan Presquito, chief of MTRCB's legal affairs division said. The Willie Revillame-led game show's last episode was aired April 9, Saturday, a day after the host announced the hiatus of the program. As such, the suspension will last until May 9.

The Willie Revillame-led game show was penalized for allow six-year-old Jan-Jan Suan to perform an allegedly erotic dance routine on air during their March 12 episode.

According to the decision, the voluntary suspension of “Willing Willie” played a part in the MTRCB's decision to credit the number of days it was off the air in their suspension. Other reasons for their decision include the self-regulatory measures of TV5, including the implementation of their Guidelines on the Treatment of Children nas Viewers, Subjects, Talents, or Participants and their plan to release a “Rules of Ethics” for their talents and production crew.

The MTRCB also considered the formal apology of TV5 Executive Vice President Roberto Barreiro and their Admission of Responsibility.

The decision also took note that “Willing Willie” is a first time offender.

Presquito said the deliberation will be on a case to case basis for future offenses and that the suspension is limited to the program. Penalizing a television talent is not within the jurisdiction of the MTRCB, Del Prado said.

Del Prado also clarified that whether there was a crime in the broadcast of the March 12 episode is beyond their concern, adding that their concern is whether “Willing Willie” violated Section 3 (c) of Presidential Decree No. 1986.

MTRCB chairperson Grace Poe-Llamanzares, however, urged other agencies such the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Labor and Employment to coordinate with the MTRCB in order to create tighter policies regarding the issue.

Probationary status

The show is also on probation or on a per-episode permit status until the MTRCB is convinced that the network and the show will implement the self-regulatory measures promised. Poe-Llamanzares said the probation of the show is open ended and the adjudication committee will determine when to lift the per episode permit status.

“Kung sa tingin nila ay di na kailangan yung probation, magpapadala sila ng sulat na hindi na per episode ang submission ng permit,” she said.

The MTRCB chairperson also said the probation was put in place to give TV5 and Wil Productions the opportunity to prove they are serious in implementing their self-regulatory measures regarding the issue.

“They have to be able to demonstrate na seryoso sila sa kanilang mga prinopose na pagbabago. Kaya naman ginagawang per episode basis ang permit para naman makita natin kung nagagampan nga ang mga pangakong ito at saka para maiwasan rin kung sakaling magkaroon ng repetisyon,” she said.

The probation and the crediting of the self-probation of “Willing Willie,” Poe-Llamanzares said, is their way of commending the network's constructive resolution and self-regulation.

“Gusto natin na ang mga producer at ang industry players ang maging responsble sa kanilang mga shows,” she said.

Poe-Llamanzares added: “Ayaw naman namin sila dagdagan pa ng parusa kaya binibilang na natin yung kanilang suspension. Dahil kung saka-sakali, may ibang network, tapos sila ay gumawa ng sarili nilang hakbang at tinanggal nila sa ere ang kanilang programa, syempre mawawalan naman sila ng insentibo kung sasabihin nila, 'ay, ang MTRCB, hindi naman kinikilala ang aming suspension.' So para sa amin, mas mabuti na bigyan na natin sila ng autonomiya sa pagdesisyon kung ano talaga ang hindi karapat-dapat ipalabas. “

Changes in TV rating system mulled

In case the production decides to overhaul the show and move it to a different timeslot, the MTRCB chairperson said the Board will study the new program.

“Sa tingin ko naman, kahit may bagong show kasi, pinagaaralan namin ng mabuti kung ano yung timeslot saka kung anong klase yung format ng show. Kung nakita naman namin na masyadong pareho, iniiwasan naman natin na magkaroon ng circumvention. So binigyan na natin sila ng palugit na hanggang dito at tingin ko naman susundin nila yun. Kami ay umaasa, dahil kung sila ay nagpalabas ng maaga kahit iba ang timeslot, syempre naiintindihan naman ng publiko kung ano yung ginagawa,” she said.

The “Willing Willie” case has prompted MTRCB to study other means to regulate television content, Poe-Llamanzares said.

“Meron talagang kinakailangan nating gawin para dyan. Kasi kung ang kabataan na ang kasama, tayong mga nakakatanda ang dapat magsiguro ng kanilang kalagayan. Pero ang MTRCB ay hindi lamang ang ahensya na dapat tumingin dito,” she said.

One of the proposed changes, she added, is to improve the current television content rating system. There are currently two ratings for television programs: G for General Patronage and PG for Parental Guidance.

Poe-Llamanzares said the MTRCB is considering the addition of new ratings, such as an M for Mature. In their proposed new system, a program that gets an M rating can only air after a certain timeslot. Programs that were found to be showing objectionable content will not automatically be suspended; rather, it will first be given an M rating. She said the MTRCB will study this proposal this Thursday and will invite industry leaders next week for a meeting regarding this matter.

Where Will William And Kate Honeymoon?

2011-05-03T22:29:00.000+08:00

Prince William and his wife Kate will honeymoon at a luxury villa on an island in the Seychelles, according to Monday's Daily Mail newspaper.

The newly-weds delayed their honeymoon, but will jet out later this month to spend ten days at a £4,000 ($6,700, 4,500 euros) a night retreat in the Indian Ocean archipelago, the British paper reported.

The 28-year-old prince's protection officers reportedly visited the top-secret location to assess its suitability and were satisfied that the isolated resort would offer the required privacy.

The luxury wooden villa comes complete with an open-air bathroom, a private garden, a freshwater rock pool and a personal butler and chef.

A private jet will fly the newly-titled Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the main island from where they will take a helicopter to the unnamed holiday hideaway, the paper claimed.

William, who is a search and rescue helicopter pilot at a Royal Air Force station in the Welsh island of Anglesey, was forced to split the annual leave needed for the wedding and honeymoon and is due back at work on Tuesday.

A helicopter carried the couple away from Buckingham Palace on Saturday, a day after the wedding which was watched by an estimated two billion people worldwide, to an undisclosed British location for a "mini-moon".

The royal family is thought to be prepared to take legal action to prevent any media outlet attempting to disrupt the couple's main trip.

Meanwhile, The Sun reported that William was to travel to the Falkland Islands in September where he will serve for ten weeks without his wife.

The south Atlantic island group was the scene of a war between Britain and Argentina in 1982.

Kantar Media-TNS National Household Ratings (April 26-28): Mara Clara retains lead in primetime

2011-05-03T00:01:00.001+08:00

ABS-CBN primetime series Mara Clara continues its reign as the No. 1 program in the country, topping the primetime race for the period covering April 26 to 28.

This is according to the latest overnight ratings of service provider Kantar Media-TNS among National households.

Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin and Mutya, on the other hand, battle for second place; while TV Patrol and Imortal consistently occupy the fourth and fifth slots.

The rest of the Top 10 belongs to GMA-7 shows.

The daytime race is still being ruled by Kapuso noontime show Eat Bulaga!, with other GMA-7 shows mostly overpowering their Kapamilya counterparts.

Here are the comparative Household Ratings of ABS-CBN and GMA-7 programs from April 26 to 28, 2011 based on the overnight ratings of Kantar Media/TNS among National households: Click here to view the ratings

Kantar Media-TNS National Household Ratings (April 29-May 1): AJ Perez's Maalaala Mo Kaya Episode Ruled Saturday Primetime

2011-05-02T23:56:00.001+08:00

AJ Perez, who died in a vehicular accident last April 17, was the featured star in the "Tsinelas" episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya last Saturday, April 30.

That episode, which also starred child actor Bugoy Cariño, generated 34.3 percent—one of the highest ratings for the ABS-CBN drama anthology.

AJ's MMK episode was also the highest-rating show last April 30, followed by Pilipinas Got Talent (27.5 percent) and Wansapanataym: Stickers (21.8 percent).

GMA-7's Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho came in fourth with 16.5 percent, while TV Patrol Weekend of ABS-CBN and Mind Master of GMA-7 tied for fifth place.

Meanwhile, Rated K, the magazine show hosted by Korina Sanchez, topped the primetime race last Sunday, May 1.

It was followed by Pilipinas Got Talent (22.4 percent), Goin' Bulilit (20.5 percent), TV Patrol Weekend (19.1 percent), and Kap's Amazing Stories (17.7 percent) to complete the Top 5.

ABS-CBN primetime soap Mara Clara once again ruled the Friday (April 29) ratings with 32 percent; followed by Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin (29.5 percent) and Mutya (28.5 percent).

Two primetime shows ended last Friday—ABS-CBN's Imortal, which posted a rating of 26.1 percent (No. 4), and GMA-7's The Baker King, which got 18.9 percent (No. 6).

24 Oras' coverage of the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton also got a rating of 18.9 percent.

On the other hand, GMA-7 noontime show Eat Bulaga! topped the daytime race Friday and Saturday, while the Kapamilya Blockbusters offering Underdog ruled Sunday daytime.

Here are the comparative Household Ratings of ABS-CBN and GMA-7 programs from April 29 to May 1, 2011 based on the overnight ratings of Kantar Media/TNS among National households: Click here to view the ratings

Rumors: Is Charice the New Kim in 'Miss Saigon'?

2011-05-02T23:48:00.000+08:00

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - Its' what Charice Pempengco's main benefactor Oprah Winfrey might call an "a-ha" moment.

Is the 18-year-old Filipina singer being groomed to play lead character Kim in a movie version of the mammoth musical "Miss Saigon" - the same role that won a Larry and a Tony for Lea Salonga?

The movie incarnation of "Saigon" is reportedly in the works, to be directed by Lee Daniels, the same filmmaker behind the award-winning "Precious." Yup, the same Oscar winner that Oprah produced.

Connect the dots: Oprah solidly supports the careers of both Charice and Lee. So, would Lee consider casting Charice as Kim?

All of Charice's high-profile projects (her recurring role on the TV series "Glee"; "Here Comes the Boom," the film starring Salma Hayek; not to mention recording songs written and produced by Bruno Mars and Nick Jonas) seem to be priming her for the big time.

In any case, there's another girl (with Filipino roots) who might audition for the coveted role: "American Idol" also-ran Thia Megia.

AJ’s Final Curtain Call Trends on Twitter

2011-05-02T23:25:00.000+08:00

The family and supporters of late actor AJ Perez tuned in to ABS-CBN's "Maalaala Mo Kaya" (MMK) on Saturday, April 30, for the actor's final performance before the fatal accident last April 17.

AJ Perez portrayed the role of a homeless boy who travelled from Manila to Samar with his younger brother (Bugoy Carino,) in search of their relatives. This episode entitled "Tsinelas," shows the story of love and bond between brothers and their determination to carry on with their life's journey together.

As this is AJ's final performance as an actor, many people watched the show and made this particular MMK episode trend worldwide on Twitter on Saturday night with the hashtag #ajperezmmk. On Twitter trends, it said that AJ has a show airing in MMK and Filipinos show their love by making #ajperezmmk a trending topic.

AJ's family, who now manages AJ's Twitter account, tweeted and encouraged everyone to watch the MMK episode and thanked those who watched afterwards. Before AJ's death, he had been tweeting and promoting his MMK performance on Twitter. On April 12, AJ tweeted "My MMK episode will air on April 30. Don't miss it!" AJ was proud of his MMK performance that he tweeted many times about MMK, whether about what he was doing on taping or a promotion of the show.

Many people were touched watching the episode, not only because of AJ's heart-wrenching and effective portrayal as a homeless teenager, but also due to AJ's sudden death, which stopped him from soaring as a versatile actor.

In April 17, MMK's writer Benson Logronio tweeted, "AJ Perez breathed life to 1 of the 2 main characters of the latest ep I wrote for MMK. It's his curtain call on April 30. He'll make us cry." Fans and people from the TV industry tweeted about AJ's MMK episode. Comedian actress Pokwang also tweeted about AJ's MMK, "Doble ang luha ko kagabi sa MMK,una sa ganda ng kwento at pagkakaganap, pangalawa hinayang sa pausbong palang na husay at talento ni AJ :( ." Steph Ayson, AJ's girlfriend, also tweeted and promoted AJ's final performance. "You're still very much alive to me. I hope you can feel how proud I am of you up there in heaven. @ajperez17 #ajperezmmk."

The "Tsinelas" episode written by Benson Logronio and directed by Dado Lumibao marks AJ's final show as an actor.

Osama bin Laden Confirmed Dead

2011-05-02T23:17:00.000+08:00

Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden was killed Sunday in a firefight with US forces deep inside Pakistan, President Barack Obama said, declaring "justice has been done" a decade after the September 11 attacks.

The death of the reviled US enemy sparked jubilation across the United States, with a huge crowd gathering outside the White House just before midnight, chanting "USA, USA" as Obama made a dramatic nationwide address to Americans.

"Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children," Obama said.

Obama said in the historic address from the White House that he had directed the US armed forces to launch an attack against a compound in Pakistan on Sunday acting on a lead that first emerged last August.

"A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties.

"After a firefight, they killed Osama bin laden and took custody of his body."

"Justice has been done."

Pakistani intelligence officials also confirmed bin Laden's death.

"Yes I can confirm that he was killed in a highly sensitive intelligence operation," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The official said he was unable to immediately confirm where, how or when bin Laden was killed.

Asked whether Pakistani intelligence participated in the operation he said only: "It was a highly sensitive intelligence operation."

US armed forces have been hunting the Saudi terror kingpin for years, an effort that was redoubled following the attacks by hijacked airliners on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon which killed 3,000 people in 2001.

But bin Laden always managed to evade US armed forces and a massive manhunt, and was most often thought to be hiding out in Pakistan and Afghanistan border areas.

The death of bin Laden will raise huge questions about the future shape of Al-Qaeda and also have steep implications for US security and foreign policy 10 years into a global anti-terror campaign.

It will also provoke fears that the United States and its allies will face retaliation from supporters of bin Laden and other Islamic extremist groups.

The death of bin Laden will also cast a new complexion on the increasingly unpopular war in Afghanistan, where 100,000 troops are still in the country battling the Taliban and Al Qaeda after a decade of war.

Former president George W. Bush first said he wanted bin Laden "dead or alive" in the weeks after the September 11 attacks.

But bin Laden frequently taunted Bush, and after he took office in 2009, Obama, with taped messages.

Bin Laden was top of America's most wanted list, and was blamed by Washington for masterminding a string of other attacks, including the attacks on US embassies in Kenya and Africa in 1998.

Chants of "USA, USA" rang out from a huge and quickly building crowd outside the White House as the news of bin Laden's death sent a electric charge through Washington.

People cheered waved the US flag and sang the US national anthem.

Despite the decade that has elapsed since the September 11 attacks, the event, one of the most traumatic in US history, still stirs raw emotions, and his demise will be celebrated across the United States.

In the Upstream restaurant in the old market area of Omaha, Nebraska, owners switched TV channels from the evening's sports games as news of Laden's death trickled in.

Patrons cheered and called friends to tell them of the news.

"We are going to be able to remember sitting here, you are going to remember where you where," said Vaughn Wickham from Spirit Lake, Iowa.

The US dollar rose against the euro and the yen when it emerged that Obama would announce the death of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, nearly 10 years after the September 11 attacks.

The dollar rose against the euro, which fetched 1.4764 dollars from 1.4864 in earlier trade. The dollar was at 81.66 yen from 81.19 earlier.

Royal Newlyweds Spring Honeymoon Surprise

2011-05-01T18:22:00.000+08:00

Prince William and his new bride sprang a surprise, announcing they would not leave immediately on honeymoon and the prince will return to his day job as a helicopter pilot next week.

A statement from St James's Palace on Saturday said William and Kate would spend the weekend in Britain following their wedding and have a honeymoon abroad in the future but it "will not be disclosed in advance".

The prince "will return to work as a search and rescue pilot next week", it added.

The announcement appeared to be a way of throwing the media off their trail amid fears that photographers would pursue the couple wherever they chose to spend their honeymoon.

The prince is known to enjoy outwitting the media, whom he still holds responsible for the death of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997 as she was being pursued by photographers.

The prince's office stressed that the couple "have asked that their privacy be respected during the coming weekend and during their honeymoon".

The royal family is thought to be prepared to take legal action to prevent any media outlet attempting to disrupt the trip.

So after being the focus of the world on Friday, watched by an estimated global television audience of two billion, William will return to the rural tranquility of his Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Anglesey, northwest Wales.

After a night of partying, the couple departed from Buckingham Palace on Saturday by helicopter.

The Duchess of Cambridge, as Kate is now officially known, wore a belted short blue dress, with a cropped black jacket and black wedge heels, while the prince was dressed in an open-necked white shirt, dark blazer and beige chinos.

The smiling couple held hands as they strolled through the palace grounds, then shook hands with royal staff before leaving.

The pageantry of their wedding service had given way to a night of dinner and dancing for the royal couple and 300 guests, who partied until 3:00 am.

The new duchess said Friday the couple had had a "great day" and expressed relief that the forecast rain never came.

Speculation about their secret honeymoon destination has focused on Africa, as William proposed to Kate in Kenya last year.

Jordan has also been touted as a possibility and would have nostalgic appeal for Kate as her family lived in the kingdom for two years when she was a child.

But given the current upheaval in the Middle East, it might be considered a compromised choice.

A secluded Caribbean island would allow the couple to escape the prying eyes of the media.

Bequia and Necker Island have the benefit of being easily secured, and Kate's wealthy entrepreneur parents are frequent visitors to the ultra-exclusive Mustique.

Lizard Island, off the coast of Queensland, Australia, has also emerged as a contender.

Amid estimations that the wedding was watched by roughly a third of the world's population, the BBC said almost 25 million people saw it live in Britain alone, with nearly 35 million catching some of their coverage throughout the day.

More details emerged in the press of the ceremony.

With the help of lipreaders, media reported that as Kate walked up the aisle William's best man and brother, Prince Harry, turned to him at the altar and said: "Wait till you see the dress".

The ivory satin and lace wedding gown by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, featuring a hand-embroidered veil and lace sleeves, received unanimous praise from media and fashion experts.

The colourful party in Buckingham Palace was revealed in full detail in Sunday's newspapers, which described a night of heart-felt speeches and raucous dancing topped off with bacon sandwiches served in the early hours.

Harry, organiser in chief of the festivities, kicked off proceedings with a highly entertaining speech, telling guests assembled to eat in the palace Ballroom that William was the perfect brother: "What a dude."

William was reported to have declared that his new wife was "my rock" during his speech -- and also joked that he was pleased his father "could still fit into his Royal Navy uniform."

After a magnificent dinner, the younger generation partied into the early hours in the palace Throne Room drinking champagne and cocktails to music played by pop starlet Ellie Goulding and a DJ.

The party then continued for several hours at the nearby Goring hotel, where the Middleton family had stayed for the wedding.

Maalaala Mo Kaya (April 30 2011) AJ Perez Final Performance

2011-05-01T12:00:00.001+08:00

>> Click Here to Watch < <

"Saksihan ang napakagandang kuwento ng pagmamahalan ng magkapatid at pagharap sa matinding pagsubok ng buhay. Sa direksyon ni Dado Lumibao, pagbibidahan ito ni Bugoy Cariño at sa kanyang huli at natatanging pagganap, ni AJ Perez.

Airing Date: April 30, 2011

SYNOPSIS. Homeless and orphaned, Edgar, 17, and his brother Dagul, 11, decide to go to their relatives in Samar on foot. The brothers have no money, no food, and they must walk more than 500 kilometers. Along the way, they meet people who help them but it's their love for each other that makes them strong and determined to finish their journey...."

Director: Dado Lumibao
Writer: Benson Logronio
Cast: AJ Perez as Edgar
Bugoy Cariño as Dagul

Angel Locsin Confirms That She Spent Her Birthday With Phil Younghusband In Hong Kong

2011-05-01T11:49:00.000+08:00

After much speculation, Angel Locsin finally revealed that Phil Younhusband turned up unexpectedly during her three-day trip to Hong Kong last week. A photo of the couple at the Hong Kong International Airport circulated on the internet recently and Angel didn’t deny that they celebrated her birthday together with her good friend Bubbles Paraiso. “He followed me [there] nung birthday ko. Yes, [sinurprise niya ako]. Ay, ano ba sasabihin ko? Wala naman akong tinatago eh. Basta ako, gusto ko lang maging masaya,” she said during the 125th grand anniversary of Avon at Republiq last April 28.

Angel further shared that she and Bubbles also went to Macau, but didn’t elaborate whether or not Phil tagged along with them as well. She added that going out of town was something she really needed given her hectic work schedule lately. “Ay hindi na lang po ako magsasalita. Sorry talaga, gusto ko magkwento, pero parang mas proper kung hindi na lang ako magsalita. Basta nagpunta ako ng HK and Macau [para sa birthday ko]. Kailangan ko lang mag-escape kasi grabe din yung trabaho. Nag-shopping-shopping ako at naglibot talaga. Kapagod din kasi three days lang ang bakasyon ko. Kapag sa beach kasi ako nagpunta baka ‘di ako makauwi [dahil mawiwili ako]. So at least kapag HK, kapag nakaramdam ako ng pagod, uwi na lang ako,” she happily related.

The 26-year-old was ecstatic knowing that her dashing suitor went to such great lengths just to spend quality time with her. But she requested not to be asked much about it since she wants to keep her love life private as much as possible.“Nahihiya ako kasi hindi naman showbiz yung tao. So it’s unfair na pag-usapan natin siya. Kung siya ang mag-open up, siya na bahala dun. Nahiya lang ako masali siya sa mga intriga ng buhay ko. Ever since naman medyo madamot talaga ako pagdating sa personal na buhay ko. Yun lang talaga yung bagay na medyo hinihingi ko. Ibigay niyo na lang sa akin yun, kasi mahirap, baka hindi pa matuloy.”

Since they’ve been spotted together on several occasions, a lot of people believed that they’re way past the getting to know each other stage. But when asked about the status of their relationship, Angel stressed that they’re not officially a couple yet. “No, it’s too soon pa. I think mas better kung siya ang i-ask niyo kasi nahihiya ako and I think mas proper yun kasi siya ang guy. I think right answer din yung sa kanya, na mag-no comment siya. Kasi mahirap magsalita sa ngayon kasi baka kung anong sabihin ng ibang tao. And wala naman kaming itinatago. Kung anong nakikita niyo, yun na yun.”

Nevertheless, she was happy to know that Phil has been very vocal in saying that this is the first time he felt strongly about a girl in a long while. “Mahirap magsalita kasi baka mag-assume yung mga tao kung ano na kami. Pero yun nga kinikilala namin isa’t isa. He’s very kind, very sweet and very patient. Para sa isang tao na very vocal sabihin yun sa lahat ng tao, siyempre nakaka-flatter naman. Pero sa ngayon yun lang ang masasabi ko. I’m flattered,” she beamed.

But aside from her colourful love life, Angel expressed her gratitude to her Avon family which inspires her with their efforts to pay tribute to women of essence aside from coming up with makeup and fashion collections. “Ako kasi I’m all for kababaihan at kagandahan. Ang Avon kasi hindi lang siya business, nakikita ko kung paano nila sinusuportahan yung mga Avon dealers natin pati mga inaabusong kababaihan, na pinaniniwalaan ko din naman na kailangan suportahan. So I’m very proud na six or seven years na ako part ng napalaki at napaka-fabulous na family ng Avon. It’s a big honor kasi hindi lang siya basta produkto, kundi trusted brand siya globally,” she stated.

Younghusbands Want to Help Train Future Azkals

2011-05-01T11:36:00.001+08:00

Ten years from now, Azkals Phil and James Younghusband are hoping football will become a professional sport in the country so that more Filipino players get to play for the national team.

The half-Filipino, half-British siblings founded the The Younghusband Football Academy (TYFA), which initially started giving football clinics for city kids. They now also provide free clinics to public school students in the provinces.

“We believe football is for the masa (masses) so we want to create more opportunities for kids to enjoy the sport and train the trainers so we can speed up the development of homegrown talents,” says Phil.

“I want to marry my two loves - football and the staying in the Philippines. The way for me to do that is get a job for me here, offering training (lessons) while playing,” he adds.

The brothers began doing these clinics as a treat for their fans until they decided to turn it into a formal organization and register it as a social enterprise.

James, meanwhile, says they expanded the program and accept trainers so there is also transfer of coaching and training skills.

“This creates a huge multiplier effect since they teach 500 to a thousand kids,” says James, adding he wants to impart what he has a learned in the professional league (as a member of Chelsea in the English league) and as a player for the Azkals.

The brothers also scout for promising but underprivileged kids who become TYFA scholars. This year, they are eyeing 60 scholars for each session.

“When I was in England, I play 60 to 70 games in a year while kids in the Philippines play an average of ten games a year so you need to create more games for them,” Phil says.

“When we were in England, our dad signed us up every day during summer so we hope that through these clinics, we are giving kids the opportunity to play more often so they get better,” adds James.

Phil and James are also endorsing Rhett Eala-designed Collezione shirts. A portion of the sales of these shirts go to the TYFA scholarship fund.

TYFA coach Jojo Durian says these football clinics aim to inspire kids to embrace the sport early on – as young as four years old - until they decide to train seriously to become professional players.

He admits the popularity of the Philippine Azkals are enticing parents to enroll their kids in their clinics.

“Sports clinics allow kids time to move about and learn a new skill, which is better than just leaving them on the streets,” he says.

Football, though, remains second in popularity to basketball among Filipinos. So what’s the biggest challenge for the development of football in the country?

“Sustaining the interest in the sport and letting the kids know there is a future for them in this sport, that they can earn a living here once it gets professionalized in the country. We also teach them to learn basic values in life through the sport,” says Phil.

“We wouldn't be around forever. We only have at best 15 years left to play. I hope that when these kids turn 20 and I'll be retired by then, they get to score goals for the Philippines.”

Malacañang Declares June 20 a Special Non-working Holiday for Jose Rizal's 150th Birthday

2011-05-01T11:21:00.002+08:00

To commemorate the 150th birthday of the country's national hero, Jose Rizal, Malacañang has declared June 20 a special non-working holiday, reports GMA News Online.

Rizal's birthday, June 19, falls on a Sunday this year but the National Historical Commission of the Philippines requested the holiday to be moved to June 20, Monday.

The holiday was declared "to give all Filipinos the opportunity to commemorate Rizal's patriotic deeds and sacrifices for the country, rekindle their admiration and respect for him, and to celebrate this milestone with appropriate ceremonies," according to Proclamation No. 154.

To learn more about Jose Rizal, Click Here.

'Royal Wedding of the Century' in Photos

2011-05-01T11:08:00.002+08:00

Dave Channel offers another glimpse of the wedding dubbed the show of the century.
View pictures >>;

Lea Glad Willie Won't File Libel Case

2011-04-30T15:38:00.000+08:00

MANILA, Philippines - Actress Lea Salonga admitted that it was a relief to know that controversial TV host Willie Revillame changed his plan to file a libel case against her and other celebrities who expressed their opinions about the controversial Jan-Jan issue.

In an interview with abs-cbnNEWS.com during the party for Avon's 125th year, Salonga said although she's relieved to hear about Revillame's change of heart, she stressed that she was just expressing her opinion.

"I mean, obviously that's a relief. However, I don't know if you can file a case against someone who's just expressing his opinion," Salonga said.

"My thing is, you know what, you are in showbiz. You are and I am an open target... So you know what, anybody can say anything they want. Just don't make me mura and I will respect what they say. Huwag nila akong murahin. Rerespetuhin ko ang opinion nila," she added.

Last April 8, Revillame lashed at some of his fellow entertainers for posting negative comments about him on the web, mainly through Twitter.

He particularly accused Jim Paredes, Agot Isidro, Mylene Dizon, Bianca Gonzalez, Tuesday Vargas, Aiza Seguerra and Salonga of "prejudging" him, and announced he was considering filing libel cases.

Revillame and TV5 drew flak from various sectors after a 6-year-old boy named Jan-Jan tearfully performed a lewd dance during the March 12 episode of "Willing Willie" in exchange for P10,000. The DSWD and other agencies called it abuse.

The incident has also prompted government agencies to conduct an investigation.

Last Wednesday, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) sued Revillame for violating Republic Act No. 7610, or the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

Atty. Nancy Quimpo of DSWD said the Jan-Jan incident was a clear violation of RA 7610 since it involves "emotional and psychological cruelty to a child" including debasement and humiliation.

Sought for her reaction now that a government agency finally filed a case against Revillame, Salonga replied: "I wish every side the best of luck. At this point, let's just see what happens. I honestly don't know how I feel about all these things right now," Salonga said.

Sneak peek at and the Deathly Hallows Harry Potter Part 2

2011-04-30T03:32:00.003+08:00

'Deathly Hallows - Part 2' Warner Bros. Pictures The "Harry Potter" film series has become the most successful movie franchise of all time, with a combined worldwide box-office total of over $6.3 billion worldwide. So it should be no surprise that the eighth and final installment, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" will be going out with a bang. But if you pay close attention to the just-released trailer -- and you haven't read the book -- you could be in for a big shock.Take a look at the video below, then keep reading to see what giant revelation is given away.

SPOILER WARNING: if you haven't read the book and don't want to know what happens, don't scroll down past the video player.

When the filmmakers decided to divide "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" -- the final installment in J.K. Rowling's phenomenal series -- into two movies, they made a conscious choice to not to just split it down the middle. They wanted to craft separate films where each had its own style and tone. "Part 1," which hit theaters in November of 2010, was fundamentally a road movie with Harry, Hermoine and Ron on a quest out in the world. "Part 2," on the other hand, will be an all-out action flick, as Lord Voldemort leads his Death Eaters in an assault on Hogwarts with the fate of the world at stake.

By the looks of the trailer, the movie is going to be epic indeed. It's got dragons, knights, snakes, plumes of fire, collapsing bridges, and, of course, massive armies of battling wizards. But there are also shots of some of the pain and heartbreak in the final chapter as well. As readers of the novel know, beloved characters -- even some who have been part of the story since the very beginning -- do not survive the massive battle. And if you're quick enough to catch it, you can see one in the preview.

Julie Walters and Rupert Grint At the 1:02 mark, there is a shot of Ron Weasley (played by Rupert Grint) and his mother Molly (Julie Walters) in tears. They are huddled over a fallen body, and upon close inspection you can tell that it is Ron's brother Fred (James Phelps), one half of the Weasley twins.

In the book, Fred and his other brother Percy are defending Hogwarts from Death Eaters invading through secret passageways. There is an explosion, and Fred's body is later discovered in the rubble. It's a devastating loss, both because Fred is only 20 years old, but also because of the impact it has on his twin brother George.

Certainly, this doesn't come as a surprise to readers of the novel, and there are plenty of those. "Deathly Hallows" broke sales records when it hit shelves in 2007, selling eight million copies in the U.S. in just the first 24 hours. It's gone on to sell over 400 million copies worldwide. Still, there are plenty of fans of the movie series who have read a single one of the books.

But even for the most ardent fans of the book, there should still be some surprises in the last movie. The biggest may be in the very last scene, which takes place 20 years later. Originally, the last scene was shot on location at King's Cross station in London, and some paparazzi photos did catch the cast made up to look decades older. But Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson confirmed to HitFix last November that they were going back to shoot more footage for the film's epilogue.

We'll all get to see the final product when "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" opens on July 15.

Manny Pacquiao on Jimmy Kimmel Live

2011-04-29T23:03:00.003+08:00

Excited ang manonood ng late night talk show ni Jimmy Kimmel.

Lahat inabangan ang guesting ni Pinoy boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.

Ito na ang pang-apat na bisita ni Pacman sa show ni Kimmel na regular na niyang ginagawa bago ang laban.

“I think it’s some kind of lucky because I always come here before my fights,” sabi ni Pacquiao.

Umpisa pa lang ng interview, enjoy na ang mga fans.

Ayon kay Pacman, handa-handang na siya para sa bakbakan nila ni Mosley.

Kimmel: "If he said ‘Hey we are gonna have the fight right now instead of a week from now,’ would you do it? Would you be ready?"

"It’s okay," ayon naman kay Pacquiao.

Naging topic din ng interview ang paghaharap nina Pacman at US President Barack Obama noong Pebrero.

“I told him, 'Mr. President how did you like basketball?' ‘Oh I also like boxing, I’m always watching boxing.’ I tried to invite him in Las Vegas but he said ‘I can’t come but definitely I’m going to watch in pay-per- view,’” kuwento ni Pacquiao.

Ang mas inabangan ng lahat ay ang bagong CD ni Pacman na inilabas sa Amerika kasama ang composer na si Dan Hill.

Todo hiyawan ang mga fans nang mapanood ang kantahan nila ng nagpasikat ng '70s hit na “Sometimes When We Touch.”

Ipinakita rin ang behind-the-scenes ng kanilang recording.

Sa dressing room, ipinakita rin ni Manny ang bago niyang singsing na may logo niya.

Limited at special edition ito kaya konti lang ang puwdeng makabili.

Bukas, muling sasabak sa matinding ensayo si Pacman para lalo pang paghandaan ang bakbakan nila ni Mosley sa Mayo.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are Now Man and Wife

2011-04-29T22:48:00.001+08:00

Prince William and Kate Middleton have got married.

The couple—who will now be known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge—exchanged their vows in front of the Archbishop of Canterbury and hundreds of family members, visiting dignitaries and invited guests shortly after 11 a.m. this morning, April 29 (London time).

As expected, Kate did not promise to "obey" her husband when she said her vows, but contrary to some rumors, the pair exchanged traditional sentiments, rather than penning their own verses.

According to a lipreading expert, William cracked a joke with Kate's father Michael Middleton when they arrived at the alter, saying: "We're supposed to have just a small family affair."

After the ceremony, the congregation sang "Love Divine All Love's Excelling," before the bride's brother James Middleton gave a reading from Romans 12, 1, 2 and 9-18.

The choir then led the congregation in singing "This Is The Day," which was specially composed for the occasion by John Rutter and comprising different psalms from the Bible.

The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Dr. Richard Chartres, Lord Bishop of London and Dean of Her Majesty's Chapels Royal then addressed the couple in a 10 minute speech, before the choir sang another hymn, "Ubi Carita Et Amor."

Prayers were then said, followed by a rendition of "Jerusalem" before the ceremony ended with the National Anthem and the couple signed the three registers.

KATE'S WEDDING DRESS. Kate's wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton.

The Alexander McQueen designer created the ivory gown with lace applique floral detailing and a 2.7 metre train, as well as the bridesmaid dress worn by the bride's sister Pippa Middleton, and Kate's ivory duchesse satin and lace shoes.

The skirt was handmade by the royal school of needlework at Hampton Court.

The lace design was hand-engineered using Carickmacross lace making techniques developed in Ireland in the 1820s.

The individual flowers—thistles, roses, daffodils and shamrocks— were hand-cut from Chantilly lace and engineered onto ivory silk tulle.

Kate wore a diamond Cartier tiara—loaned by Queen Elizabeth— and long veil with her hair pinned up at the front, flowing into soft curls at the back.

Her earrings, diamond-set stylised oak leaves designed by Robinson Pelham, were a gift from parents Michael and Carole.

The bride kept her flowing gown virtually hidden as she made her way to Westminster Abbey, with only parts of her flowing train visible as she and her father Michael Middleton got into their car to travel to her wedding.

William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth wore an Angela Kelly primrose dress with hand-sewn beading and matching hait, accessorised with Queen Mary's true lovers knot brooch.

Kate's mother Carole Middleton was a hit in the fashion stakes, wearing a Catherine Walker-designed sky blue wool crepe coat dress with satin piping and Jane Corbett hat.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall teamed her Anne Valentine champagne blue silk dress and hand-embroidered coat with an eye-catching Philip Treacy hat and bronze Jimmy Choo shoes.

In total, the milliner designed hats for 35 members of the royal families, including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Queen Anna-Marie of Greece and Princess Mathilde of Belgium.

William and Kate Seal Wedding with Balcony Kisses

2011-04-29T22:44:00.001+08:00

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton married at Westminster Abbey on Friday in a sumptuous show of British pageantry that attracted a huge world audience and breathed new life into the monarchy.

Hundreds of thousands of people waving flags and banners poured down London's Mall boulevard to cheer the newlyweds as they kissed twice on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Then they went back in, the glass doors closed and the spectacle was over.

"This kind of royal wedding happens just once in a lifetime, so I thought I had to come and see," said Seong Jiyong, a South Korean student studying English. "The monarchy is like our Hollywood, the movies, for us," said Californian Diane Weltz.

Middleton, who wore a laced ivory colored dress with a long train for the ceremony, became the first "commoner" to marry a prince in close proximity to the throne in more than 350 years.

The 29-year-old, whose mother's family has coal mining roots, has brought a sense of modernity to the monarchy and helped restore popularity to an institution tarnished by the death of William's hugely popular mother Princess Diana in 1997.

Fans from Asia to the United States camped overnight outside the abbey to catch a glimpse of the future king and queen, whose marriage has fueled a feel-good factor that has briefly lifted Britain from its economic gloom.

Huge crowds looked on as military bands in black bearskin hats and household cavalrymen in shining breastplates escorted the beaming couple in a 1902 open-topped state landau carriage.

More than 8,000 journalists descended on London for the event, and the ceremony was streamed live on YouTube, ensuring a global audience expected to run into the hundreds of millions.

SEALED WITH KISSES

The crowd entered into the festive spirit on a day when threatened rain failed to materialize by wearing national flags, outlandish costumes and even fake wedding dresses and tiaras.

Hundreds of police officers, some armed, dotted the royal routes in a major security operation. Plain clothes officers mixed with the masses who were packed behind rails to watch the couple seal their marriage with one sheepish kiss, then another.

"That was well worth the seven-hour wait," said Sue Brace, a 48-year-old bar manager from the south coast city of Portsmouth.

"She looked really happy, beautiful. I am so happy now."

World War Two and modern warplanes flew over the waving royals before they headed inside for a reception for 600 guests held in the palace's 19 state rooms. The day ends with a more intimate dinner for 300 close friends and family.

Their honeymoon starts on Saturday and the venue has been kept virtually a state secret.

The exuberance of royal fans was not shared throughout Britain. For some, the biggest royal wedding since Diana married Charles in 1981 was an event to forget, reflecting divided opinion about the monarchy.

In the economically depressed northern city of Bradford, for example, businessman Waheed Yunus said: "It's two young people getting married. It's as simple as that. It happens throughout the whole world every single day.

"There are much more pressing issues. There are much more important things going on in the world."

The marriage between William, 28, and Middleton, dubbed "Waity Katie" for their long courtship, has cemented a recovery in the monarchy's popularity.

A series of scandals involving senior royals, Britain's economic problems and Diana's death after her divorce from Prince Charles led many to question the future of the monarchy.

But Middleton's background, William's appeal, the enduring adoration for his mother and a more media-savvy royal press team have helped to restore their standing with the wider public.

A Daily Mail survey showed 51 percent of people believed the wedding would strengthen the monarchy in Britain, compared with 65 percent who said the marriage between Prince Charles and divorcee Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005 would weaken it.

However, while Queen Elizabeth, 85, exercises limited power, and is largely a symbolic figurehead in Britain and its former colonies, critics question the privileges she and her family enjoy, particularly at a time when the economy is so weak.

The monarchy officially costs the British taxpayer around 40 million pounds ($67 million) a year, while anti-royalists put the figure at closer to 180 million pounds.

DRESS DESIGNER UNVEILED

Middleton's dress, the subject of fevered speculation for months in the fashion press, was a traditional ivory silk and satin outfit with a lace applique and flowing train.

It was designed by Sarah Burton of the Alexander McQueen label, named after the British designer who committed suicide.

The bride wore a tiara loaned by the queen and the diamond and sapphire engagement ring that belonged to Diana, who was divorced from Prince Charles in 1996, a year before her death in a car crash in Paris aged just 36.

The royals' cool reaction to Diana's death contrasted with an outpouring of public grief and marked a low point for the family. Some questioned whether the institution, a vestige of imperial glory, had outlived its unifying role in a modern state divided by partisan politics and regional separatism.

About 5,500 street parties will be held across Britain, in keeping with tradition, although they will be more common in the more affluent south of England than in the poorer north.

Bells pealed loudly and trumpets blared as 1,900 guests earlier poured into the historic abbey, coronation site for the monarchy since William the Conqueror was crowned in 1066. The abbey's bells will ring out for three full hours.

The queen, other royals, Prime Minister David Cameron, David and Victoria Beckham, the footballer-pop star couple, and singer Elton John were among famous guests at the abbey. Elton John sang "Candle in the Wind" at Diana's funeral in the abbey.

They joined 50 heads of state as well as friends, charity workers and war veterans who know the prince from his military career in what commentators said was a more progressive snapshot of modern Britain than previous royal weddings.

Middleton has been given the title Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge, after the queen made her grandson William the Duke of Cambridge to mark the marriage.

William could face a long wait for the throne. His grandmother Queen Elizabeth shows little sign of slowing down at 85 and his father Charles is a fit and active 62-year-old.

William & Kate to be Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

2011-04-29T22:39:00.003+08:00

LONDON (Reuters) - Kate Middleton will be given the title Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge when she marries Britain's Prince William on Friday, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
Queen Elizabeth made her grandson William the Duke of Cambridge to mark the marriage of the second-in-line to the throne. Being a duke is the highest rank below that of monarch in the British nobility.

William, 28, will also have the additional title Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus.

The monarch traditionally awards honors to members of the royal family on their wedding day. William's uncles were both given titles. Prince Andrew became the Duke of York and Prince Edward was made Earl of Wessex when he married.

It had been expected that William would be awarded the Cambridge title, since there were some negative links with other vacant royal dukedoms and the queen heightened speculation with a visit to Cambridge this week.

There have been royal connections with Cambridge since medieval times and the Dukedom was bestowed on the future George II in 1706. However, the title became extinct in 1904.

Strathearn, a Scottish title, has had royal connections since 1357, and is a nod to the fact the couple met at St Andrews University on Scotland's east coast.

Carrickfergus, the oldest town in County Antrim in Northern Ireland and boasting one of the best-preserved castles in Ireland, has not had a barony since 1883.

Ombudsman Gutierrez Resigns From Post

2011-04-29T22:36:00.003+08:00

MANILA, Philippines (ABS-CBN News) - Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez on Friday said she resigned from her post effective May 6 to let the Aquino administration get back to the business of serving the Filipino people.

In a press conference, Gutierrez said she had wanted to fight the impeachment allegations against her in the Senate but realized that she would continually be vilified by detractors as the impeachment trial continues.

"I wanted to face my accusers whatever the personal agony it would have involved but the interest of my family, my office and more importantly the nation must always come before any personal consideration. I have not shirked in the face of pressure. I have never been cowed into submission, never been influenced by anything other than truth and justice," she told reporters.

"As a government official, I must place first and foremost the interests of the nation, the interest of my office and, as a wife and mother, my family," she added.

Gutierrez said the problems besetting the country demand a "full-time Ombudsman and a full-time Congress, both Senate and House of Representatives."

She said fighting the impeachment for her personal vindication has absorbed most of her time and attention. She added that the impeachment proceedings "have consumed not only the members of the House of Representatives and Senate but also the Chief Executive of the land as well."

The Ombudsman acknowledged that the administration of President Aquino is beset with many problems. "The last thing the nation needs is a long drawn out impeachment proceeding," she said.

She added that the President needs an Ombudsman who enjoys his complete trust and confidence.

Gutierrez said she is leaving her office with a clear conscience but with regret that she was unable to finish her term in 2012. She noted that her loyalty remained with the Filipino people, not former President Arroyo.

She told her detractors that she bore them no ill will but noted: "While our detractors will always find pause to criticize and charge delay in what we do, it is because we deem it better to accord due process to our own public officials whose lives will be affected when we decide on their cases."

Gutierrez refused to answer questions and left immediately after the press conference.

Lawyer Tomas Syquia, Gutierrez's impeachment spokesman, said the Ombudsman started thinking about her possible resignation 2 weeks ago.

He said Gutierrez consulted her family, legal team and trusted advisers "but not former President Arroyo" before making the decision.

Merci still faces criminal raps even if she resigns

MANILA, Philippines (GMA News) -Resigning from her post may save impeached Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez from a trial at the Senate, but may lead to criminal charges to be handled by her successor, a lawmaker said Friday.

Reacting to news about Gutierrez’s reported resignation, House justice committee chairman Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. said the move, if true, could save her from the Senate trial but not from possible criminal charges that would likely be filed against her.

"Magiging moot ang impeachment trial sa Senado, pero hindi ibig sabihin libre na siya sa ginawa niya. The process of impeachment is only to impeach and remove her from office. Ang second step, ang kaso against [her]," Tupas said in an interview on dzBB radio.

He said the venue of such charges would be before the next Ombudsman.

After her impeachment by the House of Representatives in March, Gutierrez was set to face trial by the Senate starting May 9.

Meanwhile, militant groups that filed an impeachment complaint against Gutierrez said the next step should be to go after former President Gloria Arroyo.

"Sa ngayon totoo yan, walang magaganap na trial kung nag-resign si Merceditas Gutierrez. Ang next step habulin si Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo," Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said in a separate interview on dzBB.

He said many of the impeachment complaints against Gutierrez had involved alleged irregularities under the Arroyo administration.

News about Gutierrez's resignation broke out before noon Friday.

Reports said Gutierrez submitted her letter of resignation to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III earlier in the day, 10 days before her Senate impeachment trial was set to begin on May 9.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said Gutierrez personally handed her resignation letter to Aquino "about an hour ago," when GMA News Online called him up at around noon on Friday.

William & Kate: The Royal Wedding Live Stream!!!

2011-04-29T18:10:00.004+08:00

Watch live streaming video from royalwedding at livestream.com

ABS-CBN, GMA-7, and TV5 To Cover Royal Wedding

2011-04-28T18:45:00.002+08:00

Watch live streaming video from royalwedding at livestream.com

The three major Philippine television networks will cover the Royal Wedding of Prince William of Wales and Catherine "Kate" Middleton on Friday, April 29 according to their respective statements sent to Yahoo! OMG! Philippines.

ABS-CBN Coverage

ABS-CBN will be partnering with the British Broadcasting Network (BBC) to deliver exclusive live commentaries from BBC's top news anchor Huw Edwards set to be broadcast on the Kapamilya Network's free to air channel Studio 23.

Karen Davila will be giving updates via Channel 2 with reports from ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau Chief Danny Buenafe and correspondent Rose Eclarinal. Other reports will be available via "TV Patrol," and Studio 23's "iba-Balita." At 9pm Studio 23 will be airing Prince William and Kate's main wedding ceremony.

For uninterrupted coverage, viewers can tune in to the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) on SkyCable channel 27 beginning 5 pm for updates from Ces Drilon and David Celdran. A post event special at 7pm will be featuring special analysis from invited guests.

Royal Wedding updates will also be available via DZMM TeleRadyo and DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 "Pasada Sais Trenta" with Vic Lima and Karen Davila at 4:30 pm. The radio program will have fashion gurus, stylists and society experts who will be sharing commentaries on the wedding as it happens.

On the other hand, ABS-CBN's sister channel, Velvet will offer seven hours of in depth wedding coverage. On April 29, 4 pm E! Celebrity News' Giuliana Rancic, Catt Sadler, UK television Dermot O'Leary, Royal expert Angela Rippon, fashion analysts Louise Roe and Robbie Laughlin will give five hours of wedding updates and commentaries.

On April 30, Ryan Seacrest will deliver a post wedding special, "Will and Kate: the Road to the Altar" at 8pm followed by a special one-hour edition of Fashion Police with hosts Joan Rivers, Kelly Osbourne, Guiliana Rancic and George Kotsiopoulos.

GMA-7 Coverage

GMA News and Public Affairs's veteran and multi-awarded journalists and anchors Jessica Soho, Vicky Morales and Connie Sison compose the team that will deliver live reports and special features on Prince William and Kate's royal wedding.

GMA 7 will start its special coverage at 5:45 pm and will continue on with "24 Oras" with the program's special royal wedding focused episode from 6:30 — 8 pm. Other updates will be available via GMA-7's "Flash Report" and its late-night newscast "Saksi." GMA News Online will be posting special updates about the Royal Wedding as well.

The network's free to air news channel GMA News TV, Channel 11 will offer the documentary "William and Kate: Inside the Royal Wedding" from 2-3 pm followed by a pre wedding coverage. Live footages from the British Broadcasting Network (BBC) via Reuters will run from 5-9 pm. The channel's other programs like "Balitanghali," "News to Go," and "State of the Nation" will also offer special Royal Wedding details.

On Saturday, April 30, GMA 7's 24 Oras Weekend and Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho will have more stories to share on William and Kate's Royal Wedding.

TV5 Coverage

News5's special coverage,"The Bride & Her Prince: Kasalang Royal," will be delivered by a team of broadcast delegation in the UK led by Cheri Mercado, Shawn Yao and Cheryl Cosim.TV5 sealed an exclusive partnership with ITN, "UK's official Royal Wedding Channel and news arm of ITV" to ensure a comprehensive coverage of the much awaited Royal Wedding which will be featured on TV5, Aksyon TV Channel 41 (free to air channel), Radyo Singko 92.3 News FM and InterkAksyon.com. UK-based international protocol and etiquette consultant, William Hanson, worked closely with TV5's very own Shawn Yao to deliver special features about the royal wedding.

The free to air all-news channel Aksyon TV Channel 41 will begin airing its pre-wedding coverage at 3 pm with Martin Andranar and Amelyn Veloso. TV5 will also offer an ITV documentary "When Kate Met William: A Tale of Two Lives," at 4pm.

Meanwhile, the full Royal Wedding coverage will be simultaneously broadcasted on TV5 and Aksyon TV from 5:45 pm to 8:30pm to be anchored by Martin Andanar and Amy Perez with views and opinions from royal experts.

"The Voice" opens big for NBC (With Videos)

2011-04-28T07:48:00.005+08:00

The Voice Hosts

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - After months of sagging ratings, NBC has something to sing about with "The Voice."

The network's new "American Idol" rival -- featuring Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine as musician coaches -- clobbered Fox's supersized "Glee" for a rare evening of dominance.

"The Voice" drew a 5.1 rating in the coveted adults 18-49 demographic, while a 90-minute, Lady Gaga-inspired "Glee" had to make do with a 3.4. Overall, "Voice" averaged 11.8 million viewers during its heavily promoted two-hour premiere, which is about half of what "Idol" pulls in for Fox.

Not surprisingly, "The Voice" skewed heavily female, especially among those aged 25 to 54. The only program to draw an even bigger swath of that middle-aged demo was ABC's older-skewing "Dancing With the Stars."

Among adults 18-49, "The Voice" improved NBC's season average in the time period by 89 percent and it also ranks as the top-rated series premiere on a major network since CBS' "Undercover Boss" debut following the 2010 Super Bowl. It also boosted the fourth-placed network to a rare ratings win for the night, although ABC pulled in more viewers because of "Dancing with the Stars."

Facebook is New King of Social Networks

2011-04-28T00:12:00.001+08:00

The social networking bubble is growing day by day, but once-popular sites such as MySpace have begun to falter. Industry observers point out, however, that the lifespan of a social networking site is determined by factors such as ease of use, integration with other services and compelling content such as applications and value-added services.

Citing comScore, BBC reported last month that MySpace lost over 10 million unique users worldwide between January and February this year. There were around 63 million MySpace users as of February 2011, a drop of nearly 50 million from the 110 million users a year ago.

MySpace, said BBC, was the place to talk to friends and listen to music five years ago but the arrival of the likes of Facebook had changed the nature of social networking.

Figures from Ovum also indicated that the social media site has been bleeding financially in the last two years. In a report published in May 2010, the research analyst firm noted that MySpace's losses had mushroomed to US$150 million in the quarter ended Mar. 31, 2010, from US$80 million during the same period in 2009.

Innovation to keep users happy
In the report, Eden Zoller, principal analyst at Ovum, noted that social networks need to have attractive applications and value-added services so that their sites can drive engagement and usage, attract new users, and convince existing users to be loyal.

According to Frost & Sullivan's senior industry analyst Adeel Najam, there is "no typical lifespan" for social networking sites, but their longevity depends on whether there are attractive, compelling features for users.
"Even unsuccessful sites can linger on for a couple of years or [the] popularity of successful sites can wane," he said in an e-mail.

To stay relevant in the market and avoid following in the footsteps of MySpace, Najam said social networking sites need to put their users first. This includes making the site easy to use, creating the best possible experience for users through constant innovation, and allowing users to exercise control over their privacy.
In addition, social networks have to integrate with other key services and avoid having "too many ads" on their sites as users may be irritated, he noted.

More than social networking
Over at Friendster, CEO Ganesh Kumar Bangah pointed out that the core asset of a social network is the "social graph", or the relationships that connect people on the Internet. While the social graph "does not have a limited lifespan", social media sites are increasingly being made irrelevant because the global social graph is increasingly dominated by Facebook, he said.

Alternative sites, therefore, have to offer a different value proposition to users in order to be integrated into the social graph, Bangah noted, explaining that Friendster is adopting this approach to remain relevant and competitive.

Friendster, according to the executive, will be re-launched as a social entertainment site that will leverage the global social graph using Facebook's "Connect" feature, and that Friendster will not compete with but instead will complement Facebook, said Bangah.

He noted that while Facebook is a site where people can communicate with and find out what their real-life friends are doing, Friendster will be the place where people can meet new friends and play games and enjoy music with them. The pioneering social network will continue to innovate and be at the forefront of the social networking scene, he said.

Bangah added that the newly-launched Friendster will focus on Asia and be an essential part of its parent company, MOL Global, one of Asia's largest end-to-end content and distribution platforms.

But whether social networking sites can win user loyalty and new adopters with new moves, remains to be seen.

BBC, in its report, noted that MySpace, which was acquired by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. in 2005 for US$330 million, had introduced changes to make the site more music-oriented. However, the continued user attrition may indicate the attempts have not been successful, the news agency said.

Earlier this year in January, the company announced a reorganization that saw around 500 layoffs, nearly half of its workforce.

Bebo, another victim of the competitive social networking landscape, narrowly escaped a shutdown last year, when parent company AOL--which bought the site for US$850 million in 2008--sold it off to Criterion Capital Partners for US$10 million.

Last week, Bebo announced a revamp which includes new features targeting its youthful base, BBC said in a separate report.

Friendster Admits Defeat to Facebook

2011-04-28T00:02:00.001+08:00

Say good-bye to Friendster as you know it. The first social network site is shutting down its social networking services after 9 years.

Friendster was bought by Money Online (MOL), a Malaysian company that also owns the Berjaya group of companies, from its American owners.

Last week, Friendster sent an e-mail to its users advising them to export their profiles, photos, and blogs by May 31 or these will all be history. All these will be erased to give way to the new Friendster which will be launched in a couple of weeks.

"You can't compete with Facebook. They did a good job. It's a Facebook world," said Nikolai Galicia, Friendster and MOL country manager for the Philippines.

But Galicia clarified that Friendster is not shutting or closing down. "Friendster will continue. Mag-iiba lang ang focus niya. After MOL bought Friendster, we are moving forward. The new Friendster will complement Facebook."

Friendster will retain its name but will discontinue its social network services. It will be re-launched as a social entertainment site where users will be able to play games and listen to music.

"Fifty percent of FB users don't like games. We will service the other 50 percent," said Galicia.

The Philippines has the most number of Friendster users worldwide with an estimated 20 million users.

Galicia said they understand how important Friendster is to many Filipinos. "Nine years na ang Friendster. Parang diary na 'yan."

So Friendster has created tools to easily export users' profiles, photos and blogs where these can be kept.

For instance, photos can be exported to Flickr or Multiply, and blogs to Wordpress and Blogger.

A user's Friendster profile including comments, testimonials, messages, shoutouts and treasure chests can be saved as a document. "[With] a few clicks, it can be saved like a PDF form. Forever mo na makikita ang diary mo," Galicia said.

Long time Friendster users like Anne King are sad about this new development. King said when she got the e-mail announcement from Friendster, she immediately exported her entire account. "The earlier, the better", said King.

Free Downloads: William and Kate: A Royal Wedding (2011)

2011-04-27T23:04:00.005+08:00

The story of how the future King and Queen fell in love. Featuring revealing interviews with the couple’s friends, and a preview of the big day itself.

Documentary exploring Prince William and Kate Middleton's relationship, which developed after they met at the University of St Andrews, where both initially studied history of art, although the prince later switched to geography. With a worldwide audience of millions about to watch the couple's wedding on Friday, the programme also takes a look behind the scenes at preparations for the big day.

William & Kate tells the story of how the friendship between Prince William, second in line to the throne of the British monarchy, and future princess Kate Middleton, the stunning daughter of upper-middle-class commoners, blossomed into a romantic love affair, charming the world with their recent engagement and eagerly awaited royal wedding.

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Kantar Media-TNS National Household Ratings (April 19-25): Mara Clara and Eat Bulaga! Keep their Lead During Holy Week

2011-04-27T22:40:00.003+08:00

ABS-CBN's Mara Clara maintained its lead in the overall ratings game, based on the latest overnight ratings of Kantar Media-TNS among National Households from April 19 to 25.

Mara Clara leads the Kapamilya programs that dominate the primetime race; followed by Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin, Mutya, TV Patrol, and Imortal.

GMA-7's Eat Bulaga!, on the other hand, kept its lead in the daytime race.

Tagalog movies dominated the Holy Week viewing: You To Me Are Everything last Maundy, Working Girls last Good Friday.

The marathon reruns of Mula Sa Puso ang Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin topped the Black Saturday viewing.

Here are the comparative Household Ratings of ABS-CBN and GMA-7 programs from April 19 to 25, 2011 based on the overnight ratings of Kantar Media/TNS among National households:Click here to view the ratings

Charice to Sing Anthem in Pacquiao-Mosley Fight

2011-04-27T22:10:00.004+08:00

International singing sensation Charice will sing the country’s national anthem in the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley showdown at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 7.

Like in his previous fights, it was Pacquiao who handpicked the 18-year-old rising Asian pop star to sing “Lupang Hinirang,” according to the Filipino boxing icon’s advisor, Michael Koncz.

Koncz said they talked to Charice in Los Angeles about singing the anthem. He said Charice is already excited to sing before millions of boxing enthusiasts from around the world who are expected to tune in to the much anticipated fight.

He added that Team Pacquiao feels honored that Charice agreed to sing in the match.

In 2009, Charice, who is behind hit single “Pyramid,” expressed her desire to sing the national anthem in one of Pacquiao's fights.

That time, the People's Champ was facing British boxer Ricky Hatton.

Post-fight concerts

Meanwhile, Pacman is not only preparing for his showdown with Mosley, he is also busy rehearsing for his post-fight concerts.

Pacquiao said he would go straight to his rehearsals with his MP Band after training at the Wild Card Gym.

Pacquiao said singing relaxes him. “It's fun. I like music and I like to sing.”

It has been a tradition for the Team Pacquiao to hold a concert after every fight.

This year, he and his MP Band will stage 2 shows - one in Las Vegas and another in California on May 10. He promised his fans that he will deliver a knockout performance for them.

Singer Madonna Decena, who is part of the band, said she enjoys working with Pacquiao.

“It's very enjoyable, I love working with him. It's always a thrill and it's an honor to share the stage with him siyempre. Best fighter in the whole world, di ba?” she said.

On top of his concerts, Pacquiao is also excited to appear again on ABC’s late night program “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” It will be his 4th appearance on the television show.

DSWD Files Complaint Against Revillame

2011-04-27T21:36:00.006+08:00

May panibagong child-abuse complaint na namang isinampa laban sa TV host na si Willie Revillame.

Matatandaang noong April 25 ay nagsampa ng reklamong child abuse ang ilang rights advocates—kabilang na ang opisyales ng End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT)—laban kay Willie sa Quezon City Fiscal's Office. Kasama rin bilang respondents dito ang chairman ng TV5 na si Manny V. Pangilinan at iba pang opisyales ng TV5.

Ang naghain naman ng bagong reklamo kay Willie ay ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), sa pamamagitan ni Secretary Dinky Soliman.

Co-complainants sa reklamong ito ang activist priest na si Father Robert Reyes, ang End Child Abuse Community Facebook administrators na sina Froilan Grate at Frances Irene Bretana, at ang "blogger mom" na si Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Isinumite nila ang kanilang joint affidavit-complaint sa Quezon City Prosecutor's Office kaninang umaga, April 27.

Sa pagkakataong ito, tanging si Willie ang respondent sa kaso.

Ang reklamong child abuse—o paglabag sa Republic Act No. 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act)—ay nag-ugat sa March 12 episode ng Willing Willie kung saan nagsayaw ang isang anim na taong gulang na batang lalaki ng parang ginagawa ng macho dancers. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)

Si Willie ang host ng variety-game show na ito na napapanood sa TV5.

Nakasaad sa complaint-affidavit ang sumusunod:

"We were able to individually view the segment from the internet, after it was uploaded on the YouTube website. As concerned citizens, we denounce the exploitation and irresponsible treatment of the six year-old Jan-Jan on the show Willing Willie. Revillame's actions and utterances constituted psychological abuse, cruelty, and emotional maltreatment of the child, as it debased, degraded and demeaned Jan-Jan's intrinsic worth and dignity as a human being."

SEC. DINKY SOLIMAN'S STATEMENT. Kaugnay pa rin ng child-abuse complaint na ito laban kay Willie, isang statement naman ang inilabas ni DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman sa kanyang Facebook account.

Narito ang kabuuan ng kanyang pahayag:

"The last few weeks bore witness to a lot of developments relative to the March 12, 2011 episode of 'Willing Willie,' where a 6-year old boy was made to dance provocatively while tears streamed down his face. The huge public outcry against the video clip of the episode, which continues to spread via the internet, was a wake up call for everyone. The resulting publicity on the incident propelled concerned individuals, parents, and non-government organizations to look at child abuse as an all-important issue. This also led government agencies and child rights advocates to step up their campaign for the promotion of children's welfare and the protection of their rights. Likewise, media practitioners and advertisers were compelled to re-examine their policies and practices relative to shows which involve children and youth.

"The Department of Social Welfare and Development approached this matter, fully cognizant of the need to protect the child and his family. From a policy perspective, as lead agency in social welfare and development, we intensified our coordination with concerned agencies and stakeholders for the protection and promotion of the rights of children. In line with our mandate of providing preventive, protective, rehabilitative and developmental programs and services, we also provided psychosocial interventions to the child and his family.

"Today, after much study and deliberation, we decided to file a case against Mr. Willie Revillame for violation of Republic Act No. 7610, otherwise known as the 'Special protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.'

"Our decision to initiate legal proceedings is pursuant to our mandate to protect children who are victims of abuse, neglect and exploitation. It is also in response to the public clamor for government intervention regarding Mr. Revillame's actuations toward the little boy in that unfortunate episode of Willing Willie.

"We are filing this case because it is our job. We do this for all cases of child abuse that we come across, and we provide services to everyone who needs our help. There is no political angle here; neither is there any hidden agenda, as some quarters may allege. Our main concern is to promote the welfare of the child and his family, and others who are or may be placed in a similar situation.

"Our preventive and rehabilitative services to children include child protective services, therapy, alternative family care, special social services for children in armed conflict, and rehabilitation services for children in conflict with the law. As of February 2011, we have served 4,701 children who are victims of various forms of abuse. Majority of these children (1,531 or 32.5 percent) are aged 14 to below 18, followed closely by those aged 10-14 (1,006 or 21.4 percent). We even have cases where children as young as 1 year old and below had been victimized (412, or 8.7 percent). Many of these children are in found in NCR (1,395 or 29.6 percent).

"Apart from psycho-social intervention, we also provide legal assistance to children who are victims of abuse, neglect and exploitation. For years, we have forged partnerships with various organizations, such as the Child Justice League, in order to provide free legal assistance to these children and their families. We have also mobilized retained lawyers at each of our field offices, to serve their legal needs. As of December 2010, the Child Justice League handled ninety-six (96) child abuse cases in our behalf. These cases are mostly within Metro Manila, although two (2) legal cases are filed in Region IV-A and one (1) in Region III. As of March 2011, our retained lawyers are also handling 139 child abuse cases nationwide.

"We are doing everything we can to help these children. They deserve a better quality of life and we want them to be protected. We want them to enjoy the simple joys of childhood—love, protection, acceptance. Every child is precious. They are individuals in their own right and we need to nurture them in an environment that promotes their interest. As Stacia Tauscher once said, 'We worry about what a child will be tomorrow, yet we forget that the child is already someone today.'

"Thus, to protect the 6-year old boy who appeared on Willing Willie and others like him, we are filing this complaint. We take this opportunity to thank everyone who have supported us, and continue to support us, in our endeavors."

WILLIE KEEPS HIS SILENCE. Samantala, sa surprise birthday party na ibinigay ni Willie kay Valenzuela councilor Shalani Soledad sa Gazebo Royale kagabi, April 26, sinubukang kunan ng pahayag ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) at ng iba pang media ang controversial TV host tungkol sa naunang child-abuse complaint na inihain laban sa kanya at sa pagbabalik sa ere ng Willing Willie. Pero tumangging magbigay ng panayam si Willie.

De Lima Highest Rated Govt Exec, Merci lowest

2011-04-27T21:28:00.001+08:00

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima notched the highest performance rating among 17 Cabinet members and other government officials while embattled Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez got the lowest score, a recent Pulse Asia survey said.

The results of the survey, conducted from Feb. 24 to March 6, 2011, among 1,200 respondents nationwide and posted on Pulse Asia website on April 26, showed De Lima as the most popular Cabinet member, garnering a 61-percent approval rating.

Her rating has increased from 60 percent in an October 2010 Pulse Asia survey.

On the other hand, Gutierrez, who got 25 percent, had the lowest rating among the 17 officials. Her approval ratings dipped by six percentage points from 31 percent in October 2010.

Gutierrez’s disapproval ratings also increased from 23 percent to 40 percent.

De Lima displaced Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky" Soliman who now ranks second with a 59 percent approval rating.

Soliman topped Pulse Asia’s October 2010 survey with a 65 percent approval rating.

Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga Jr. were tied in the third place with 43 percent.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., tied in fourth place with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Raul Bacalzo, got the most improved rating, jumping from 33 percent in October 2011 to 39 percent.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo ranked fifth, going up from 36 percent to 38 percent.

Tied with Robredo in fifth spot is former Armed Forces chief Ricardo David Jr., whose approval ratings dropped from 42 percent to 38 percent. His disapproval ratings also grew from 11 percent to 20 percent.

Other officials in the survey were:Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson (37 percent)

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad (37 percent)

Presidential Management Staff chief Julia Abad (37)

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima (37)

Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo (36)

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ramon Carandang (36)

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin (34)

Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma (31)

Gutierrez impeachment

Gutierrez had been put on the spotlight after she was accused of sitting on cases of graft corruption involving high government officials during the watch of former President Gloria Mcapagal Arroyo.

The Pulse Asia survey showing a growing disapproval rating for Gutierrez among the respondents were conducted weeks before the House of Representatives impeached her.

Early on March 22, the House of Representatives approved the articles of impeachment against the Ombudsman.

The six allegations against Gutierrez, which constitute the articles of impeachment, are:

(1) the Office of the Ombudsman has performed dismally as shown by the low conviction rate achieved by the office;

(2) the unreasonable failure to take prompt and immediate action on complaints filed against various public officials, including former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and (husband) Jose Miguel Arroyo regarding the NBN-ZTE broadband project;

(3) the inexcusable delay of the Ombudsman in conducting and concluding its investigation into the wrongful death of Ensign Philip Andrew Pestaño aboard a Philippine navy vessel;

(4) inaction in the matter of the Fertilizer Fund Scam;

(5) inaction in the matter of the Mega Pacific deal; and

(6) inaction in the matter of the “Euro Generals" issueGutierrez's impeachment trial is set to begin on May 9, with senators (sitting as judges) will resume their session.

Friendster to Undergo a 'Major Reformat'

2011-04-27T21:18:00.002+08:00

Attention, Friendster users: You have until May 31 to save your account contents including photos, testimonials, and blogs —or else you'll lose them in the social network's upcoming major reformat.

Friendster, a pioneer social networking site launched in 2002, issued the warning as it prepares a "new and improved version" in the coming weeks.

"Your Friendster account will not be deleted. You will still have the same email login and password in the new Friendster. Also, your list of friends will be preserved, along with your basic profile information. However, all the photos, messages, comments, testimonials, shoutouts, blogs, forums and groups that you may have now will no longer be part of your account by May 31, 2011," it said in its help forum.

To be preserved are the user's list of friends, along with basic profile information, wallet, and games.

But to help the user save his or her account content, Friendster offered an application to help download or export photos and blogs securely to third party sites, such as Flickr or Multiply.

Dubbed the Friendster Exporter, the app will be rolled out gradually and is now available for users in Singapore.

Users in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia can expect the app to be available in a few days after April 14, it added.

It said that the app will be available to all Friendster users before the end of April 2011.

Relaunching Friendster

Friendster was acquired in December 2009 by MOL Global, the parent company of Asia’s leading online payment solutions provider MOL AccessPortal Berhad.

Friendster said that it and MOL have been combined to create Asia's largest end-to-end content, distribution and commerce network, pairing MOL's offline retail channel partners and payment platform with Friendster's large online footprint, social network and user community in Asia.

But MOL CEO Ganesh Bangah explained that the new Friendster aims not to compete with, but instead to complement, Facebook.

Complementing Facebook

He noted that, while Facebook is a site where people can communicate with and find out what their real-life friends are doing, Friendster will be the place where people can meet new friends and play games and enjoy music with them. The pioneering social network will continue to innovate and be at the forefront of the social networking scene, he said in an article on ZDNet Asia.

Friendster said that its "new and improved" version will be focused on entertainment and fun, and will have new features to better enable users to connect with friends or engage new friends with similar interests.
"Our improved site is designed to create new profiles that allow you to connect differently with people and do things differently than other networking sites. Basically, the new site will complement your existing online presence in other social networking sites," the company said.

Popular in Asia

A July 15, 2010 article in the Global Post said that, while Friendster lost users in the United States to MySpace and Facebook in the mid-2000s, the social network exploded in the Philippines, where nearly half of its userbase is located.

It said that Friendster later spread to Malaysia and Indonesia.

Now, roughly 80 percent of Friendster’s 116 million users live in Southeast Asia, the report said.

PH Aims to Double Tourist Arrivals

2011-04-27T21:11:00.004+08:00

The Philippines is aiming to nearly double foreign tourist arrivals to 6 million by 2016 with an eye on shoppers and big spenders.

Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim says close to 670,000 tourists visited the Southeast Asian archipelago in the first two months of this year, an 18 percent rise.

With 3.5 million tourists last year, the Philippines still lags behind its neighbors.

Lim said Tuesday that the new civil aviation liberalization policy, construction of 9,500 new hotel rooms in the next three years and programs to train small businesses to cash in on tourist shopping are expected to raise tourism revenues and jobs.

Tourism now accounts for 6 percent of gross domestic product and employs 3.4 million Filipinos.

ABS-CBN opens a new website called "Choose Philippines" to help both local and foreign tourists select the best Philippine destinations. To view "Choose Philippines" beta website, Click Here.

Photos courtesy of "Choose Philippines"

50 bets vie for 2011 Miss Philippines-Earth Title

2011-04-27T20:58:00.002+08:00

Fifty candidates from all over the country vie for the title of Miss Philippines-Earth 2011, who will represent the country in the Miss Earth international beauty pageant in Thailand late this year.

Carousel Productions, Inc. (CPI), the pageant's organizer, presented this year's delegates to the press at the Resorts World Manila on Tuesday, April 26. The pageant searches for beauty titlists who will act as ambassadors for the environment, promote environmental causes and advocate preservation of nature.
The coronation night of Miss Philippines-Earth 2011 will be held in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on June 5. ABS-CBN will broadcast the event.

"We're doing it in Palawan and it's perfect that Mayor (Edward) Hagedorn is our partner for this project. Because as you know, Puerto Princesa really protects the preservation of the environment," CPI's Executive Vice President Lorraine Schuck told Yahoo! OMG Philippines.

Reigning Miss Philippines-Earth Kris Psyche Resus will crown her successor, who will represent the Philippines in Miss Earth 2011 to be held in December in Thailand. Other titles up for grabs are Miss Philippines Eco Tourism, Miss Philippines Fire, Miss Philippines Air and Miss Philippines Water.

Now on its eleventh year, Miss Philippines-Earth aligns programs with the global celebration of the International Year of the Forests to promote conservation. "Among the projects that we have in line with the year of the forest, there will be a lot of tree-planting, especially native plants. Since the first week of February, we've been doing events already like school tours and municipality tours," Lorraine told Yahoo! OMG! Philippines.

This year's candidates comprise a mix of beauty pageant first-timers and experienced contestants. Nineteen-year-old Consular and Diplomatic Affairs student Erika Syhongpan joined last year's Miss Resorts World. "I'll be giving all my best and with the grace of God, I think I can do it." Erika told Yahoo! OMG Philippines when asked how she's preparing for the pageant.

Joining international competitions is nothing new to Leslie Ching of Nueva Ecija who competes internationally for ice skating. "My biggest strength right now is my confidence. But, aside from that, I have the passion and enjoyment to be a part of this. It would be a very good advantage to at least place in the pageant." Leslie told Yahoo! OMG Philippines.

Kris and other Miss Philippines-Earth winners last year—Angela Lauren Fernando, Hannah Marie Landan, Renee Rosario McHugh, and Emmerie Cunanan—were also at the media presentation to give their support to the current candidates and shared their experiences and the projects they have done during their term. They spearheaded zero waste campaigns during the recent elections, "I Love My Planet School Tours," Miss Earth Foundation's partnership with SM Supermarkets for the "My Own Bag" campaign, "The Inquirer Read-alongs," and their tie-up with Human Nature, a locally produced and 100% natural beauty products.
Angela, who won the Miss Philippines Eco Tourism title last year, shared her fond memories of the pageant, "I enjoyed travelling with the girls, going to different places. I learned a lot from the people of Carousel Productions." Kris, on the other hand, shared the pageant's promotion of the use of organics.

New surprises for this year's pageant are yet to be revealed. "It's still a bit of surprise and we'll mention it in the middle of May," Lorraine said. Among the projects lined up in celebration of the year of the forests are their Amazon-look competition, promotion of planting native plants and environmental seminars with the Forest Management Bureau, Yabang Pinoy, Greenpeace Southeast Asia and World Fairtrade Organization Asia.

It's almost a month now before the coronation night and the candidates have already been busy promoting and touring the country for pre-pageant activities, such as charity visits, mall tours and marathons for a cause. Miss Earth-Philippines aims to promote preservation of nature nationwide and reach a wider audience. "We have candidates not only in Luzon, but also in Visayas and Mindanao. That has been our focus, to reach out to as many people as possible and have a nationwide reach to advocate about caring for the nature," Lorraine told Yahoo! OMG! Philippines.

One Last Farewell to AJ Perez

2011-04-27T20:42:00.005+08:00

"May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand."

For his final message, a grieving father, Gerry Perez offered this traditional gaelic blessing to his son, the late Kapamilya actor AJ Perez, as he was laid to his final resting place on Tuesday, April 26 at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.

The interment began with a 9 a.m. Mass at the Christ the King Parish in Quezon City. AJ's relatives and friends from La Salle Greenhills, fellow artists from Star Magic, and colleagues from the entertainment industry were given one last chance to pay their last respects to AJ. Kapamilya stars Angeline Quinto, Nina and Sam Concepcion rendered heartfelt songs during the final viewing. After the Mass, a long convoy of vehicles traveled from Quezon City to Parañaque City for the final funeral rites.

AJ's cousin and best friend Renzo Sarte, his aunt Charie Ortis, his only brother Gello and his father Gerry all gave heartwarming and emotional final messages. AJ's favorite blanket, his favorite pair of rubber shoes and a watch he gave Gello were put inside AJ's casket before it was placed inside the mausoleum.
Lastly butterflies and white balloons were released symbolizing AJ's eternal reunion with God and for the loved ones he left behind, the pain of letting go.

AJ's father Gerry had one request for those who love his son.

"I hope you will never forget AJ," he said, tearfully.

AJ was killed in a tragic vehicular accident last Sunday April 17 along McArthur Highway in Barangay San Julian, Tarlac.

AJ's cornea beneficiaries

Eight-year-old Daniel delos Santos, may have a good chance of having better right eye vision, thanks to AJ's cornea.

According to a report from ABS-CBN's TV Patrol, AJ's cornea was finally transplanted to Daniel before 2pm on Tuesday.

"Masaya po. Kasi po makakakita na ako. Salamat po sa dinonate na cornea," the young boy said.

But it will take a year of recovery period to determine if the corneal transplant was indeed successful.

Lawrence Villanueva, 28 years old is the other recipient of AJ's cornea. He underwent corneal transplant last Maundy Thursday, April 21.

To watch TV Patrol News update on AJ Perez funeral, Click Here.

Watch TV5 Online

2011-04-27T20:24:00.003+08:00

Watch GMA-7 Online

2011-04-27T20:21:00.003+08:00

Watch ABS-CBN Online

2011-04-27T20:13:00.007+08:00