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 …read more

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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 …read more

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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 …read more

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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 …read more

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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.

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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 …read more

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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 …read more

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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 …read more

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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 …read more

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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.

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