Filipina Soul

Manny Pacquiao has a big fight this coming December. He will face no other than his boyhood idol Oscar de la Hoya at the MGM Grand Hotel on December 6, 2008.

After that fight, Manny says that he will have two more, and then retire in 2009.

Having made millions of dollars already, Manny is sure to earn millions more in the fight against de la Hoya. Quite enough to retire on, I would say. After almost a decade of fighting in the international boxing arena, Manny’s name is already etched in history. He has four world championship belts and is currently hailed as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Continue reading Manny Pacquiao to Retire in 2009

The much-talked-about reunion concert by the Eraserheads last Saturday, August 30, 2008 was cut short after frontman Ely Buendia collapsed during an intermission.

The band had just performed their first set of 14 songs and were taking a break when Ely complained of chest pains. He was initially taken to the Makati Medical Center. The rest of the band and Ely’s sister Lally informed the audience about what happened, and that the concert had to end right then.

Ely has a history of heart issues, including a heart attack that he suffered in 2007. His mother died of a heart attack just two days before the concert, no doubt a major source of emotional stress for the singer. It is not known whether the chest pains he suffered last Saturday were signs of a heart attack or not. The latest reports say that he has been transferred to the Philippine Heart Center.

The Eraserheads concert has drawn criticism for being initially sponsored by Philip Morris. Legal concerns led the cigarette company to withdraw its sponsorship, which was eventually taken over by MTV Philippines’ Francis Lumen.

We send Ely our wishes for a quick recovery!

Sometimes I wish I can turn a blind eye to what’s going on, but the Philippine economy is a harsh reality that Filipinos face everyday. And unfortunately, the Philippine situation will be felt decades from now.

A new study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) revealed a bleak picture of the Philippines in the year 2020:

If the government continues to pursue policies that favor the rich, many Filipinos will remain in poverty more than a decade from now.

And as dismal as this sounds, there is a big IF, and it’s a weighty message. The Philippine government must radically change the way its leading our country. But really, that’s easier said than done.

How does this news affect you? How do you think our children will fare?

Remember that Qantas plane that made an emergency landing in Manila last month and was found to have a huge hole on its fuselage?

After a joint investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and Qantas Airways officials, a preliminary report was released today by the ATSB. The report said that a pressurized oxygen cylinder exploded, blowing out the 9-foot hole on the side of the plane.

The oxygen canisters have featured early in the investigation. There was one (missing) canister right at the location of the hole.

The safety procedures of Qantas Airways are being reviewed by Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Let’s hope that the exploding oxygen cylinder was an isolated incident.

via Al Jazeera Asia-Pacific; image used with permission from Newscom.

Piolo Pascual serenaded Angel Locsin at his concert Piolo Pascual Live! This was taken before the “Lobo” teleseries was aired but does it really matter? We love Piolo Pascual in this blog (*wink*).

“Ikaw ang Pangarap” was written by Ogie Alcasid and originally sang by Martin Nievera. Get the lyrics here.

Hannah Masuhud, one of the readers of Filipina Soul, wanted to know more about CALABARZON, and I thought, ‘yeah I can help her with that, easy enough, I live in the area.’ Well, apparently there are a few things that I don’t know about this new region.

CALABARZON is a portmanteau of five provinces: Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. Traditionally, these five provinces were part of Region IV, but an executive order (No. 246) in 2002/2003 split the region into two: CALABARZON and MIMARO (Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon).

In October 2003, Calamba City was designated as the regional center of Calabarzon.

What is special about this region?

Historically, these were the provinces involved in the uprisings against Spain in the 1890s. The Philippine Independence was declared in Cavite. Dr. Jose Rizal was born in Calamba, Laguna. Many of the country’s heroes were born or lived in this region.

The region is rich in natural beauty and travel destinations. Corregidor Island is found in Cavite. The numerous hotsprings and mineral resorts of Laguna are famous all over the country. Pagsanjan Falls has been a tourist destination since the time of Rizal. Batangas is home to Taal Lake. Rizal is spectacular for the Sierra Madras mountain ranges. Quezon is the gateway to the southern Luzon.

In the coming days, we will look at each of these travel destination inside the Calabarzon region.

image: Wikimedia Commons under GNU Free Documentation License

The biggest boxing match in history is about to happen.

After negotiations almost failed a week ago, both camps of Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao have finally agreed to a deal.

Apparently, it pays to listen to very smart people. Golden Boy de la Hoya has agreed to cut his percentage to two-thirds of the pay-per-view winnings, just as Pacquiao asked for.

So, who’s the big daddy now? I say it’s Manny Pacquiao, and it’s not because he’s better or stronger. Pacquiao didn’t budge from the split he wanted and would rather have the fight canceled than get five percent less earnings. Even though he has the lesser pay-out, Pacquiao is now the superstar of boxing, winning all his eight fights since 2005.

On the other hand, Oscar de la Hoya wants to retire from boxing, and what better way to say his farewell than fight the most celebrated boxer. Maybe even this time beat him, you never know.

So the boxing match is set for December 6 at the MGM Grand Hotel Garden in Las Vegas. Both fighters will weigh in at 147 pounds.

images used with permission from Newscom

The Eraserheads Reunion concert will push through this Saturday. But maybe now we won’t see tobacco ads littering the venue.

Philip Morris, the tobacco giant that initially sponsored the concert for members of its Red List, has backed out of the deal to promote the concert. The Department of Health (DOH) has threatened to sue the company for violations of Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 if it pushes through with its plans.

DOH Undersecretary Alex Padilla challenged, “If we are able to prove that this concert is actually sponsored by you, Philip Morris, definitely we will train our guns on you for violating the law.”

Go for it, Mr. Padilla!

This was the event that changed the course of Philippine history.

Twenty-five years ago, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. was murdered at the airport that now bears his name.

A new documentary of the events surrounding this national tragedy has been released. Beyond Conspiracy: 25 Years after the Aquino Assassination takes a look at the questions that have remained unanswered about Ninoy’s death.

He was our hope. He was the one who was to bring change. He did eventually catalyze radical change in the political landscape of the Philippines, but at great cost to himself. This is what happened the day he went home (warning! graphic images in this video):

Continue reading Beyond Conspiracy: A Documentary on the Assassination of Ninoy Aquino

Right now, I would love to have a bite of of crispy fried chicken dipped in a distinctive gravy, eaten with steaming white rice. And not just any fried chicken. I’m talking about Jollibee’s Chicknjoy.

Don’t you want a piece of this:

Just the gravy alone is good enough to dream about. I’ve been looking for a recipe for Jollibee’s gravy, but have yet to find one. It must one of the most closely guarded secrets of the fastfood giant.