Marcelito Pomoy is "Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2" Grand Champion

The male diva Marcelito Pomoy was proclaimed grand winner of the country’s biggest nationwide talent search, ABS-CBN’s “Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT) Season 2 last Sunday.

The singer from Cavite, who can effortlessly sing like a diva, beat 13 other grand finalists after garnering 19.56% of the total text votes. He won a whopping P2 million in cash prize.

The tap dancing duo Happy Feet and the dance group Freestylers came in second and third. They got 18.32% and 9.46% text votes, respectively.

Last Saturday’s episode of PGT became a trending topic worldwide on Twitter while the 14 grand finalists performed spectacular numbers at the Araneta Coliseum.


Watch Marcelito Pomoy’s version of “The Prayer” on last Saturday’s performance night:

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Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2 Grand Finals Tonight

The much-awaited grand finals of the biggest talent show in the country will kick off tonight at the Araneta Coliseum. Fourteen grand finalists will compete for the 2 million cash prize and the title of being the second PGT grand champion, following the footsteps of Jovit Baldivino.

I am one of the many people eagerly waiting for this great spectacle. I have watched the program since the show started, from the auditions and to the semifinals and I will definitely stay late at night to watch the performances of the 14 grand finalists. I believe they will have the performance night tonight and the winner will be announced on Sunday.

Some of my early favorites are Rico the Magician, Marcelito Pomoy, Angel Calalas and Nielbeth or the pair doing dance sport. I hope that one of them will be declared as the grand champion. I have a feeling, though, that Marcelito Pomoy may emerge as the champion. In the end, this is just one popularity contest since the winner will be based from text and online votes.


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Tropical Storm Falcon Leaves Philippines

After a few days of dumping rains on Metro Manila and nearby provinces, Tropical Storm Falcon (international name Meari) left the Philippine area of responsibility early Saturday leaving flooded streets in Metro Manila and thousands of people in evacuation areas. However, moderate to heavy rains are still expected to hit northern and central Luzon, including Metro Manila which is caused by the southwest monsoon or habagat.

According to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the storm left the Philippines at around 12 midnight towards Japan and as of 4 a.m. Saturday morning, Falcon was already 590 kilometers north northeast of Basco, Batanes. Based on PAGASA’s 5 a.m. advisory, Falcon now has maximum sustained winds of 105 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph. It was moving north-northwest at 24 kph and was expected to be 680 km north-northeast of Basco, Batanes or at 320 km west-northwest of Okinawa, Japan. It will continue to enhance the Southwest Monsoon thus bringing occasional rains over Luzon particularly over the western sections of Northern and Central Luzon. It also said that strong to gale force winds are expected to affect the Western and of Visayas and the Eastern seaboards of Luzon and Visayas.

The weather is expected to improve by Saturday afternoon in Metro Manila and by Sunday in northern and central Luzon.

Visayas and Mindanao will experience partly cloudy skies on Saturday.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Falcon left 15 people missing and over 69,000 families have been affected by Falcon in the National Capitol Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and the Bicol region.

So far, it is estimated that the total damage to infrastructure and agriculture is at P1.9 million.


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Health Insurance for the Elderly

Someone said that the only thing that comes to us without any effort is old age. Indeed, we only get older as we continue our journey through life. Old age is simply inevitable. Not surprisingly, some people have a tremendous fear of aging. They panic when they see signs of aging: wrinkles, sagging skin, thinning hair, dry cracked skin, eye bags, and gray hair. Of course, there are people who saw joys in aging. But we cannot deny the fact that society has a great deal of prejudice against the elderly.

It is a good thing that most civilized countries have started to provide care for the elderly. Recognizing that old age entails an increased need of medical care, some countries have enacted laws providing health insurance coverage to senior citizens and those who meet certain criteria. Medicare in the United States is one of these programs. It was established by virtue of the Social Security Act of 1965 which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 30, 1965.

The Medicare program provides health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over among others. Original Medicare plans cover 80% or so of the approved amount of any given medical cost. However, the remaining 20% of cost must be paid by patients so their personal finances are still at risk of disappearing if they encounter serious illnesses. This is the reason why some people invest in Medicare supplement plans which will fill the gaps in coverage that basic Medicare plans are unable to cover. It will cover among others deductibles and various little expenses that will create a big headache if not properly attended. Of course, in return, you will have to pay premiums depending on the plans that you have chosen. But I looked online and found that these plans are surprisingly affordable. You can contact some of these companies to receive a free quote.

Consider it a wise investment for a worry-free future just like the VA Home Loan that you are planning to get. Anyway, peace of mind and good health are priceless.

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Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 Trailer Released.

If you are a Harry Potter fan like me who has been eagerly waiting for the last installment of the movie based on the book by J.K. Rowling, then our long wait is nearing its end. The final movie trailer of the last part of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows has been released.

The trailer is action-packed and so intense which gives us a glimpse of how good the movie is. I can't wait to see it on the big screen!

Watch the video below courtesy of Warner Bros.





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Starbuck’s No Smoking Campaign

In compliance to the recent campaign of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to make Metro Manila 100% smoke-free, Starbucks stores posted notices nationwide that it is converting all designated smoking outdoor areas into non-smoking zones starting June 27.

The move was met with mixed reactions. Some said that this will alienate smokers from patronizing the company’s products but some even lauded the company’s good corporate social responsibility.

I don’t smoke so this is welcome news for me. I can now enjoy my Starbucks coffee without the offending smoke from cigarette smokers. I just hope that other companies would follow suit and support the government with its smoke-free campaign.

We all have rights to do what we want to do but certain rights end when we start to violate the rights of other people. Smokers have the right to smoke but other people also have the right for fresh air.

Kudos to Starbucks! Let's support smoking ban in public places!



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A Filipino teenager is the world's shortest man

A Filipino from Sindangan, Zamboanga Del Norte was officially declared as the world’s shortest man by Guinness World Records. The title was given to Junrey Balawing who measured 23.5 inches (60 centimeters) during the ceremony at the town hall last Sunday which was also his 18th birthday. Craig Glenday, a representative from Guinness World Records presented the official recognition of his status as the world’s shortest adult man in the world.

Balawing, who is about the size of a toddler, broke the record of Khagendra Thapa Magar of Nepal , who is 26.4 inches (67 centimeters) tall.

The Filipino teenager needs to hold onto something to stand because of weak knees. An Associated Press photograph showed him propping himself up with empty Coca-Cola bottles, which were taller than his waistline.

According to Balawing’s father, his son stopped growing two months after his birth. There were speculations that he may have endocrine or a birth-related defect. Junrey’s brother and two sisters are all average size.

Aside from the Guinness certificate, the crown does not come with any cash award. Glenday said he hopes the international fame will bring in gifts and donations, particularly medical supplies to ensure Balawing's health.

Photo Courtesy of Associated Press.

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