Sanchez now part of American Idol's Top 4

Filipino-Mexican-American singer Jessica Sanchez has survived another elimination and is now part of the Top 4 of the 11th season of American Idol.

Sanchez gained enough votes to land in the Top 4 while country singer Skylar Laine was voted out this week after landing at the bottom 2.

Laine was joined by Hollie Cavanagh in the bottom 2 but the latter will advance to the next level and will join Sanchez, Phillip Phillips and Joshua Ledet in the Top 4.

Sanchez received mixed reviews for her performances on Wednesday night (US time). She failed to impress American Idol judge Randy Jackson in her rendition of the song “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner.

"You took on probably the biggest dragon of the night... It didn't really quite sit with me," Jackson said.

But fellow Idol judge Jennifer Lopez said Sanchez looked so grown-up when she got on stage tonight that she forgot she is only 16 years old.

The Fil-Am singer’s performance of Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful” received lavish praises from all three judges. "This girl's in the top of the leaderboard right now," Jackson said.

"You, once again, showed America just how beautiful your voice is. You're going to be No. 1, girl," Steven Tyler added.

Read more...

Filipina Janitress turns over P1.2M found at the airport

About two weeks ago, I posted on this blog an exemplary deed of a Baguio cab driver who returned P340k that was left in his taxi by a Canadian citizen. I have never doubted the inherent goodness in the hearts of the Filipino people despite all the hardships that we’re going through. Filipinos do good and heroic things every day without expecting recognition or 15 minutes of fame. It is even unfortunate that some media organizations glorify negative publicity.

Another news article from the abs-cbnnews.com captured my attention this morning. It is another testament to the Filipinos inherent goodness. The news is about a 32-year-old janitress working at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 who surrendered an estimated P1.2 million worth of foreign currency left by a passenger.

Based on the report, the name of the janitress is Mary Jane Doroga. She was cleaning the Customs arrival area at NAIA Terminal 1 when she found a transparent plastic pouch containing a wallet and several pieces of foreign bills. She immediately sought help of the duty customs supervisor, Ric Dizon, to help identify the owner. Then after waiting for more than 30 minutes, they decided to turn over the money to the lost and found section of the airport.

Airport authorities estimated the value of the case at P1.2 million.

The report added: “Doroga admitted that she has financial problems. She is only paid a minimum salary of P400 per pay day but it never crossed her mind to keep the money for herself.”

The pouch has yet to be claimed by its owner and is now in the custody of airport police.

This exemplary display of honesty and dedication should be recognized and commended by the airport officials.

News source: abs-cbnnews.com
Read more...

Pacquiao Ranks 4th in Forbes’s List of America’s Most Influential Athlete

Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao ranked fourth in this year’s Forbes' list of America’s Most Influential Athletes.

Pacquiao is the only boxer on the list. Forbes said about Pacquiao: “Likeable boxing champ is a king among the Philippine population. The contrast with boxing “bad guy” Floyd Mayweather doesn’t hurt.”

According to the article written by Forbes Staff, Tom Van Riper, this year’s list is dominated by NFL quarterback players occupying six of the top 10 most influential athletes with New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning ranking second and third respectively, based on public opinion polling.

NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson was named the Most Influential Athlete for the second straight year. Van Riper wrote that Johnson’s talent and guy-next-door demeanor endears him to fans, as well as to marketing chiefs of brands like Chevrolet, Quaker State and Lowe’s.

Tailing Pacquiao on the list were New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Nascar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin.

The Forbes’ list of America’s Most Influential Athletes is based on a survey conducted by survey firms Nielsen and E-Poll, wherein over 1,100 adults were questioned about dozens of well-known athletes “to measure their likeability and whether they’re considered ‘influential.’” Candidates were limited to pro athletes who are currently active and who score at least 20% awareness with the general public.
Read more...

Philippines named among top 3 dive destinations

After only a few weeks since the travel news website CNNGo included the Tubbataha Reef and The Canyons in Puerto Galera in its list of the best dive sites in the world, the Philippines continue to reap accolades from dive enthusiasts. The country was named once again as one of the top 3 dive destinations in the world during the Marine Diving Fair 2012 held recently in Tokyo, Japan.

The Philippines is the only ASEAN country that was ranked as among the top three dive destinations together with Maldives and Palau, according to the Department of Tourism on Monday.
It also noted that the Philippines has been included in the top five “Best Overseas Destinations” since 2006 and one of the top 10 “Dream Destinations.” 

Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. said the awards affirmed the country’s status as a "must-see dive destination." 

The Marine Diving Fair 2012 in Tokyo, Japan, was held from April 6-8. It was one of the largest diving and beach resort exhibitions in Asia. It attracted over 50,000 visitors and showcased 200 exhibitors from 50 different countries. 

The Department of Tourism said that their colorful booth with its campaign logo "It's More Fun in the Philippines" was a “crowd drawer” at the event.

“With five aquariums placed strategically inside the booth and the paintings of marine life on the wall, fair visitors were drawn to the booth to discover what makes diving ‘more fun’ in the Philippines,” the DOT said. 

The participation of the Tourism Department at the event was aimed at maintaining the high profile of the country’s as a premier dive destination among Japanese. The country was among the top three sources of foreign tourist arrivals visiting the Philippines last year. 

News source: abs-cbnnews.com, philstar.com
Read more...

Two Pinoys Make it on The Voice of Australia

Two Filipinos made it though the blind auditions of the first season of the TV talent show, "The Voice" in Australia.

Philippine-born Jerson Trinidad was picked by judge Delta Goodrem, a local singer-songwriter, to be on her team after his rendition of John Legend's "Ordinary People" on Monday night.
The 39-year-old Filipino who now lives in Melbourne started singing professionally when he was only 14 years old. According to his online bio posted on the show’s website, his family migrated to Australia in 1989. When he was 19, he appeared on Star Search and made it through to the finals. The following year, he joined New Faces and brought home the title. For the past 10 years, he has been singing at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne. But he knows he is more than a hotel singer so he decided to join "The Voice." 

Trinidad joins another Filipino-Australian who made it through the blind audition last April 16 and blew the judges. Yshrael Pascual was picked by another judge, Seal to be part of his team after his performance of “Miss You” by the Rolling Stones. 

The 33-year-old Pascual, who was born in Marikina Philippines, started singing when he was 19. He has been in a boy band and he has worked with a soul musical producer in LA. He won the 2004 Music OzAward and was offered a publishing deal with Mushroom Publishing. He is determined to be the first winner of The Voice Australia. 

The talent show which premiered on the Nine Network last April 15, 2012 is hosted by Darren McMullen. Aside from Goodrem and Seal, the other judges/coaches are Joel Madden and country singer Keith Urban. The Voice of Australia winner will receive the grand prize of a recording contract with Universal Music Australia and $100,000.
Read more...

Puerto Princesa Underground River officially inaugurated

The Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan was officially inaugurated as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature yesterday.

The inauguration ceremony, held at the One Esplanade in Pasay City, was attended by President Benigno Aquino III and some cabinet members. Dignitaries from other countries also attended the inauguration.

The head of the New 7 Wonders of Nature Foundation Dr. Bernard Weber presented the plaque to the President. 

President Aquino said that the recognition of Palawan’s underground river will boost tourism in the province and in the country and will create job opportunities. He also stressed the importance of preserving the natural resources of the country. The President personally campaigned for the inclusion of the underground river as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Other new world wonders joining PPUR in the list are the Amazon, Halong Bay, Iguazo Falls, Jeju Island, Komodo, and Table Mountain. 

I hope that the authorities will work on strengthening policies to preserve the beauty of the underground river and the ecosystem around it. We should all be concerned with the protection of our country’s natural resources.
Read more...

PH Volcanoes crush Sri Lanka, 28-18

The Philippine Volcanoes have put the country on the world map of rugby on Saturday by grabbing the Division 1 crown of the HSBC Asian 5 Nations Rugby Tournament after the team trounced Sri Lanka in the Finals, 28-18.

The historic victory earned the Philippine Rugby team a chance to compete in the 2013 HSBC Asian 5 Nations Championship for the first time.  

Oliver Saunders led the Volcanoes in the first half as he tallied three penalty kicks to go along with his two conversions. Joe Matthews and Mike Letts contributed two tries to post a 23–3 half time lead over Sri Lanka. 

The Sri Lankans came back in the second half by immediately knocking in a couple of tries followed by one conversion to put the scores at 23-15. A penalty kick even trimmed the lead to 5 points with over 25 minutes remaining in the game. But the Volcanoes showed determination and managed to pull away to secure the win for the Philippines. 

The Volcanoes will now have the chance to join the elite 2015 Rugby World Cup if they perform well at the Asian 5 Nations Top 5. They are also expected to climb the world rankings in the International Rugby Board (IRB) list after this successful run. The team is currently ranked No. 62.
Read more...

Arnel Pineda documentary film premiered at Tribeca

The documentary film about Journey front man Arnel Pineda entitled "Don't Stop Believin': Every Man's Journey" premiered to a sold-out crowd at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on Thursday night. 

The documentary, directed by Filipino-American filmmaker Ramona Diaz, tells the unlikely story of how the life of a Filipino singer changed from obscurity to fame after he became the lead singer of the iconic rock band Journey. The film documents Pineda's audition for the band, as well as the band's most extensive tour to date in 2008.

Pineda and his Journey bandmates walked the red carpet before the world premiere. They include Neal Schon, Journey's guitarist who saw the video of Arnel on YouTube . Fans gave Arnel and the filmmakers a rousing standing ovation at the end of the screening. 

In 2007, the Journey band was looking for a new lead singer. The band's guitarist, Neal Schon was searching the Internet late one night and stumbled upon a YouTube video of Arnel Pineda and his band Zoo, performing Journey's "Faithfully" in the Philippines. He was so impressed by the performance that he sent an email to Pineda, who was subsequently flown to the U.S. to audition.

Pineda's family was poor and the singer, at one point had to live on the streets of Manila. Living on the road in the United States, away from his family back home, was also not easy for him. 

Pineda and his bandmates are set to embark on another concert tour that will kick off in California in July this year.
Read more...

Filipino Priest won an International Environmental Prize

A Filipino Catholic priest from Mindoro was named as one of the recipients of the 2012 Goldman Environmental Prize. Fr. Edwin Gariguez is one of the 6 winners worldwide who were recognized for their efforts in protecting the environment.

According to the foundation’s website, Fr. Gariguez also known as Father Edu led a grassroots movement against an open-pit nickel mine in Mindoro to protect the community’s indigenous people and the island’s biodiversity. He co-founded the Alliance Against Mining (ALAMIN), a broad coalition of Mindoro residents, elected officials, civil society groups, church leaders and indigenous peoples who oppose mining on the island.

“Uniting thousands of indigenous people, farmers and local and provincial political leaders, Gariguez and his ALAMIN coalition led Mindoro communities in numerous protests. Undeterred by threats of violence and verbal harassment from mining officials and the military—and reeling through the loss of a colleague at ALAMIN who was murdered because of his activism—Father Edu went on to broaden the grassroots movement beyond Mindoro,” the Goldman Environmental Foundation said.

The Goldman Environmental Prize, now in its 23rd year, is awarded annually to grassroots environmental heroes from each of the world's 6 inhabited continental regions. It is considered as the largest award for grassroots activism with an individual cash prize of US $150,000.

The other winners are from Kenya, China, Russia, USA and Argentina.

For more information about the foundation and the recipients, you can visit this link.



Read more...

Baguio Cab Driver Returns P340K to Canadian

Honesty is still the best policy. And I believe that this basic Filipino trait is still inherent in most Filipinos despite all the odds.

A news report from the abs-cbnnews.com struck me as I wade through the many negative news and scandals online in search for good news that I can share on this blog. It was a report about a cab driver in Baguio City who returned a large amount of money that one of his passengers left in his taxi last Saturday.

Hector Valdo only earns P500 a day and the C$8,000 or P343,654 that was left inside his taxi would really go a long way but this did not stop him from returning the money to Canadian citizen Dina Dio.

Valdo reportedly found the Canadian’s wallet inside his taxi at around 5pm last Saturday and he immediately called the number he found inside the wallet.

He said that he did not even think of keeping the money as he is afraid of karma.

Based on the news report, the Canadian hugged the driver tightly when the wallet was returned last Sunday.

Valdo was a resident of Barangay Irisan. His wife works as a stay-out maid while his eldest son is in college through a sports scholarship.

He said that he was not expecting anything in return for his good deed.

Kudos to this fellow Pinoy! May your tribe increase, sir!

Read more...

Two Philippine diving sites, recognized as among the world's best

Two diving destinations in the Philippines were recognized as among the best in the world, according to the travel website of the Cable News Network or CNN. The Tubbataha reef in Palawan and The Canyons in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro were included in the list of the best dive sites in the world.

The Tubbataha reef ranked eighth on CNNGo’s list while The Canyons also made it to the list and was ranked 45th.

“Supersize your dive experience at Tubbataha, where everything comes in giant form. The main advantage to diving at Tubbataha is that the water is exceptionally clean, so the marine life lives much longer, making it grow to silly proportions,” the website said.

“Expect kaleidoscopic colors combined with guitar sharks, black tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, gliding blue-spotted lagoon rays, unicorns, boxfish, scorpion fish and more,” it added.

“Schools of spotted and ribbon sweetlips, shiny trevallies and weird-looking batfish make up the scene at this first-rate dive site. There’s also an explosion of coral and plant life including beautiful delicate gorgonian sea fans and hollow barrel sponges; look inside for critters lurking within,” the website said about The Canyons.

Barracuda Point on Malaysia’s Sipadan island, Yongala in Queensland, Australia and SS Thistlegorm in Red Sea, Egypt topped the CNNGo’s list of 50 best dive spots in the world.

CNNGo also recognized Siargao, a teardrop-shaped island in Surigao del Norte, as the eighth best surf spot in the world, earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Manila was recognized by the website as one of Asia’s greatest food cities.


Read more...

Eugene Domingo and Shamaine Buencamino win at 6th Asian Film Awards

Two Filipina actresses won two major trophies in the recently-concluded 6th Asian Film Awards held at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center on March 19. Eugene Domingo and Shamaine Buencamino won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.

Domingo bagged the People's Choice most popular actress award for her performance in "Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank." She bested Vidya Balan of "The Dirty Picture" (India), Michelle Chen of "You Are the Apple of My Eye" (Taiwan), Leila Hatami of "Nadir and Samin: A Separation," and Deanie Ip of "A Simple Life" (Hong Kong) for the citation.

On the other hand, Buencamino won the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in "Niño." Buencamino succeeded over Gwen Lun-mei of "The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate" (Hong Kong/ Mainland China), Cris Horwang of "Headshot" (Thailand), Mitsushima Hikari of "Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai" (Japan), and Yan Ni of "11 Flowers" (Mainland China/France).

Read more...

Donaire wins his fourth world boxing title

Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire earned his fourth world boxing title after he won the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight title by defeating his Puerto Rican opponent Wilfred Vasquez Jr via split decision at the Alamadome in San Antonio, Texas yesterday.

Two of the judges scored the fight 117-110 in favor of the Filipino fighter, while the other judge gave the bout to Vazquez, 115-112.

Donaire dominated the fight despite sustaining an injury on his left hand during the fourth round. It was his first fight at the 122-pound division after winning the WBC and WBO bantamweight belts.

He said in an interview that Vazquez was tougher than he expected. He added that he couldn’t find his rhythm and he hurt his hand somewhere between the second and fourth rounds.

Vazquez hit the canvass in the ninth round after Donaire tagged him with a combination of right uppercut-left hook. Although the Puerto Rican fighter managed to get back up, he was visibly stunned.

Donaire was the busier fighter in the entire bout. He uses his longer reach and jab to target his opponent from long range. Vazquez started to engage Donaire in the middle rounds, the two boxers exchanging punches from close range in the sixth and seventh rounds. But the knockout came in the ninth round which sealed the Filipino fighter’s victory.



Read more...

Boracay named second best beach destination

A travel website, TripAdvisor, listed Boracay island in Aklan province as the second best beach destination in the world and the No. 1 in Asia for the second year in a row, according to a report from the abs-cbnnews.com.

"At only 4.5 miles long, Boracay is small enough to navigate by rented bicycle or motorbike. But don't let its small size fool you -- you'll have several excellent beaches to choose from," TripAdvisor said on its website.

"Yapak beach is known for beautiful white shells; White beach has picture-perfect sunsets; and Balinghai beach is a secluded spot, perfect for honeymooners. As long as you visit during dry season, you'll agree this is one of the best beach destinations in the world," it added.

The tiny island of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos remains the world's best beach destination according to TripAdvisor's list, which is based on travelers' reviews and ratings.

Palm/Eagle beach in Aruba island ranked third, followed by Negril in Jamaica, Tulum in Mexico, Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman island, Punta Cana in Dominican Republic, Cape May in New Jersey, and Santa Teresa in Costa Rica.

Meanwhile, Baguio, known as the summer capital of the Philippines, ranked 22nd in TripAdvisor's list of best destinations in Asia this year.

"Baguio, perched high in the Cordillera Central Mountains, is a great place to escape the heat of the Philippine lowlands. Camp John Hay, originally built as a recreation area for US soldiers, has now been a full-fledged resort complete with a world-class golf course. Definitely stop at the city market, where you can buy almost anything (just be prepared to haggle)," the travel website said.

Topping the list of best destinations in Asia is Hong Kong and globally, Cape Town in South Africa.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Read more...

PPUR is one of the provisional New 7 Wonders of Nature!

The New 7 Wonders Foundation in Zurich, Switzerland has announced the first count of the global vote to elect the New7Wonders of Nature. The good news is that the Puerto Princesa Underground River has achieved its provisional New 7 Wonders of Nature status.

The results of the voting which ended at 11:11 yesterday will still be checked, validated and verified before the announcement of the final list in early 2012. Organizers warned that there may yet be changes between the provisional winners and the final list.

Other participants which were included in the provisional New7Wonders of Nature are South Korea's Jeju Island, Indonesia's Komodo Island, the Amazon rainforest, Vietnam’s Halong Bay, Argentina’s Iguazu Falls and South Africa’s Table Mountain.

Bernard Weber, Founder-President of New7Wonders, said: “I would like to thank the many champions, citizens, voluntary organisations, public bodies and governments that have helped promote the New7Wonders of Nature campaign over the past four years, starting with over 440 locations from over 220 countries and all the way to the 28 Finalist candidates from whom the New7Wonders of Nature have been chosen.”

I am hoping that the inclusion of our very own Puerto Princesa Underground River will help boost Tourism in the country. But more than that, I hope that the authorities will also work on strengthening policies to preserve the beauty of the underground river and the ecosystem around it. We should all be concerned with the protection of our country’s natural resources.



Read more...

Support Puerto Princesa Underground River to be one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature!

As I write this post, we only have exactly 1 day and 1 hour left to vote for our country’s entry to the New 7 Wonders of Nature, the Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park. I urged all Filipinos worldwide to continue supporting PPUR by casting your votes before the contest ends at 11:11 a.m. on Friday, November 11.

SUPPORT PPUR TO BE ONE OF THE NEW 7 WONDERS OF NATURE!
Vote Online- Visit http://www.new7wonders.com
or text PPUR/ send to 2861 (Smart,Globe and Sun subscribers)

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. It features a limestone mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. passable underground river that winds through a cave. It also includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and quite a few large chambers. This underground river is reputed to be the longest in the world. Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels can be found on the beach near the cave.

Watch the 7 minute video of PPUR below:





Read more...

UST sets Guinness world record

The University of Santo Tomas (UST has officially made history by setting a world record for the world’s largest human cross on Ash Wednesday, March 9.

The Philippine Catholic University said Guinness World Records recognized the 13,266 participants who formed the human cross inside the UST campus in Manila.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said the official Guinness certificate confirming the title was sent to UST on Aug. 10.

“We are pleased to confirm that you have successfully set the new Guinness World Records title for ‘Largest Human Cross.’ Guinness World Records congratulates you on your achievement," Guinness said in its letter dated Aug. 8, according to the CBCP website.

The official announcement is posted on the Guinness website under “Amazing Feats" and “Mass Participation" categories.

In the March 9 event, students, faculty, and university employees dressed in black and white and with crosses on their foreheads formed a human cross and stood still in prayerful silence for 15 minutes.

According to CBCP, Norway previously held the record for the world’s largest human cross with 935 participants at the Oslo Opera House in May 2010.



Read more...

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.

Read more...

Charice ranked number 4 in Billboard’s “Top Stars Under 21” List

There’s no stopping Filipina international singing sensation Charice as she continues to reap praises and recognition in the international music scene. After her successful debut on the pilot episode of the second season of “Glee”, Charice was ranked number 4 in Billboard.com’s “21 Under 21:Music Hottest Minors.”

The artists included in the list were chosen for their potential to rule the pop culture zeitgeist over the next 12 months. Billboard explained that the help of Oprah Winfrey who plucked the Filipina sensation from obscurity two years ago and the US hit musical series "Glee" season 2 makes Charice really "hot."

Last Wednesday, a day after her successful debut on the hit musical series “Glee,” two of the songs he sang in the series landed in the iTunes Top 10 lists in the US. Her version of “Telephone (Lady Gaga and Beyonce)" with "Glee"'s Lea Michele reached the number 2 spot while her solo performance of “Listen” (Beyonce) landed on the number 8 spot.
Here’s what the Billboard article said about Charice:

“Why She's Hot: Oprah and "Glee": They're two of TV's most powerful zeitgeist-definers, and both have fallen head over heels for Charice Pempengco. Credit the Queen of All Media for plucking the Filipina sensation from obscurity two years ago and introducing her to Celine Dion.

"The hype finally paid off this spring, when Charice debuted in the Billboard 200 top 10 with her first US album. But it's Fox's high school musical hit, in which she now plays a foreign exchange student with killer pipes to match Rachel Berry's, where Charice will show millions of geeks that she can out-sing the best of them.”

Below is the complete list of Billboard.com's Music's Hottest Minors

21. Sean Kingston 20. Cody Simpson 19. Nikki Yanofsky 18. New Boyz 17. Never Shout Never 16. Wonder Girls 15. Diggy Simmons 14. Miranda Cosgrove 13. Chris Colfer 12. Taylor Momsen 11. Lex Luger 10. Miley Cyrus 9. Greyson Chance 8. Demi Lovato 7. Willow Smith 6. Nick Jonas 5. Soulja Boy 4. Charice 3. Selena Gomez 2. Justin Bieber 1. Taylor Swift

Photo Credit: Billboard.com

Read more...

Charice joining the next season of Glee?

It was early this month when rumors began to spread that the Filipina international singer Charice is joining the popular TV show "Glee" but it was she herself who denied the reports via her Twitter account saying that “I just want to let you all know, that it’s not true that I’m going to be on Glee.”

Well, it appears that this is now true. The scoop came from “The Ausiello Files” of Entertainment Weekly saying that indeed Charice is joining the cast of Glee and that she will be playing a foreign exchange student with killer vocals. Then it was confirmed by the singer’s official website and Twitter account saying that she tried to audition and made it.

So what do you think?

I’m not a fan of "Glee" but if Charice is joining the series then I and other Filipinos will surely support her. There’s no doubt that she can sing but some people are wary if she can act as well. Well, this is something that we should watch out for. Besides, this is not the first time that she will venture into acting. If I’m not mistaken, she played as herself in her biopic in the Philippine’s top-rating drama anthology “Maalaala Mo Kaya.” It may not be as big as "Glee" but it is something worth mentioning nonetheless.

Charice has come a long way and has brought pride and honor to the Filipino race. She succeeded where many artists failed. If she will be joining the TV series then this is something worth celebrating. Filipinos should be proud of her.


Read more...