PinoyPundit - The Latest Pinoy Entertainment News and Scandals!

World's largest captive crocodile Lolong dies in Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 06:25:00 +0000

Lolong was captured after a hunt involving dozens of people

The largest saltwater crocodile in captivity has died in the Philippines.

Officials said the six-metre reptile, weighing more than 1,000kg, flipped over with a bloated stomach and was declared dead several hours later.

The crocodile, blamed for the death of at least one person, was caught in September 2011 and then became the star attraction of an eco-tourism park.

It was formally declared the world's largest in captivity by Guinness World Records last year.

The crocodile, which was given the name Lolong, was captured in the town of Bunawan after a three-week hunt involving dozens of people.

Bunawan Mayor Edwin Elorde said Lolong had been off colour for a month.The giant reptile, which measured 6.4m (21ft) and weighed in at 1,075kg (2,370lb), had begun to draw local and foreign tourists to the town.

"He refused to eat since last month and we noticed a change in the colour of his faeces," he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper. "Our personnel also noticed an unusual ballooning of the reptile's belly."

Local vet Alex Collantes said that unseasonably cold weather could have affected the crocodile.

Mr Elorde told the Inquirer wildlife experts would conduct an investigation into the death and said he hoped Lolong's body could be preserved.

"In that way, people can still look and marvel at him," he said.

Australian media say the mantle of largest saltwater crocodile in captivity may now pass back to Cassius, a 5.48m reptile housed at a crocodile farm near Cairns in Queensland.

Source

2013 Grammy Winners List

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 05:10:00 +0000

Below is the complete list of nominees and winners of the recenly concluded 2013 Grammy Awards.

Winners are marked in red and with *

GENERAL FIELD

Album of the Year:
El Camino — The Black Keys
Some Nights — FUN.
* Babel — Mumford & Sons
Channel Orange — Frank Ocean
Blunderbuss — Jack White

Record of the Year:
"Lonely Boy" — The Black Keys
"Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" — Kelly Clarkson
"We Are Young" — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
* "Somebody That I Used To Know" — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
"Thinkin Bout You" — Frank Ocean
"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" — Taylor Swift

Best New Artist:
Alabama Shakes
* FUN.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean

Song of the Year:
"The A Team" — Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran)
"Adorn" — Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
"Call Me Maybe" — Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen)
"Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" — Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson)
* "We Are Young" — Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe)

POP FIELD

Best Pop Vocal Album
* Stronger -- Kelly Clarkson
Ceremonials -- Florence & The Machine
Some Nights -- FUN.
Overexposed -- Maroon 5
The Truth About Love -- Pink

Best Pop Solo Performance
* "Set Fire To The Rain (Live)" — Adele
"Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" — Kelly Clarkson
"Call Me Maybe" — Carly Rae Jepsen
"Wide Awake" — Katy Perry
"Where Have You Been" — Rihanna

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
"Shake It Out" — Florence & The Machine
"We Are Young" — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
* "Somebody That I Used To Know" — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
"Sexy and I Know It" — LMFAO
"Payphone" — Maroon 5 & Wiz Khalifa

PHOTOS: Whitney Houston's Death and the Grammy Awards Scramble: Timeline of a Tragedy

DANCE FIELD

Best Dance/Electronica Album:
Wonderland — Steve Aoki
Don't Think — The Chemical Brothers
> Album Title Goes Here < — Deadmau5
Fire & Ice — Kaskade
* Bangarang — Skrillex

ROCK FIELD

Best Rock Performance:
"Hold On" — Alabama Shakes
* "Lonely Boy" — The Black Keys
"Charlie Brown" — Coldplay
"I Will Wait" — Mumford & Sons
"We Take Care of Our Own" — Bruce Springsteen

Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance:
"I'm Alive" — Anthrax
* "Love Bites (So Do I)" — Halestorm
"Blood Brothers"— Iron Maiden
"Ghost Walking" — Lamb Of God
"No Reflection"— Marilyn Manson
"Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)" — Megadeth

Best Rock Album:
* El Camino — The Black Keys
Mylo Xyloto — Coldplay
The 2nd Law — Muse
Wrecking Ball — Bruce Springsteen
Blunderbuss — Jack White

ALTERNATIVE FIELD

Best Alternative Music Album
The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do — Fiona Apple
Biophilia — Björk
* Making Mirrors — Gotye
Hurry Up, We're Dreaming — M83
Bad as Me — Tom Waits

R&B FIELD

Best R&B Performance:
"Thank You" — Estelle
"Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)" — Robert Glasper Experiment Featuring Ledisi
"I Want You" — Luke James
"Adorn" — Miguel
* "Climax" — Usher

Best Urban Contemporary Album
Fortune — Chris Brown
Kaleidoscope Dream — Miguel
* Channel Orange — Frank Ocean

PHOTOS: 2013 Grammy Winners

Best R&B Album:
* Black Radio — Robert Glasper Experiment
Back to Love — Anthony Hamilton
Write Me Back — R. Kelly
Beautiful Surprise — Tamia
Open Invitation— Tyrese

RAP FIELD

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
"Wild Ones" — Flo Rida Featuring Sia
* "No Church in the Wild" — Jay-Z & Kanye West Featuring Frank Ocean & The-Dream
"Tonight (Best You Ever Had)" — John Legend Featuring Ludacris
"Cherry Wine" — Nas Featuring Amy Winehouse
"Talk That Talk" — Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z

Best Rap Performance:
"HYFR (Hell Ya F***ing Right)" — Drake Featuring Lil Wayne
* "N****s In Paris" — Jay-Z & Kanye West
"Daughters" — Nas
"Mercy" — Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz
"I Do" — Young Jeezy Featuring Jay-Z & André 3000

Best Rap Album
* Take Care — Drake
Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1 — Lupe Fiasco
Life Is Good — Nas
Undun — The Roots
God Forgives, I Don't — Rick Ross
Based on a T.R.U. Story — 2 Chainz

COUNTRY FIELD

Best Country Solo Performance:
"Home" — Dierks Bentley
"Springsteen" — Eric Church
"Cost Of Livin'" — Ronnie Dunn
"Wanted" — Hunter Hayes
"Over" — Blake Shelton
* "Blown Away" — Carrie Underwood

Best Country Album:
* Uncaged — Zac Brown Band
Hunter Hayes — Hunter Hayes
Living for a Song: A Tribute To Hank Cochran — Jamey Johnson
Four The Record — Miranda Lambert
The Time Jumpers — The Time Jumpers

AMERICAN ROOTS FIELD

Best Americana Album:
The Carpenter — The Avett Brothers
From The Ground Up — John Fullbright
The Lumineers — The Lumineers
Babel — Mumford & Sons
* Slipstream — Bonnie Raitt

Best Blues Album:
33 1/3 — Shemekia Copeland
* Locked Down — Dr. John
Let It Burn — Ruthie Foster
And Still I Rise — Heritage Blues Orchestra
Bring It on Home — Joan Osborne

SPOKEN WORD FIELD

Best Spoken Word Album:
American Grown (Michelle Obama) — Scott Creswell & Dan Zitt, producers (Various Artists)
Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy — Bill Clinton
Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power — Rachel Maddow
Seriously … I'm Kidding — Ellen DeGeneres
* Society's Child: My Autobiography — Janis Ian

COMEDY FIELD

Best Comedy Album
* Blow Your Pants Off — Jimmy Fallon
Cho Dependent (Live in Concert) — Margaret Cho
In God We Rust — Lewis Black
Kathy Griffin: Seaman 1st Class — Kathy Griffin
Mr. Universe — Jim Gaffigan
Rize of the Fenix — Tenacious D

VIDEO: Beyonce Halftime Show Performance - Super Bowl XLVII (FULL HD)

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 07:06:00 +0000

Beyonce Knowles shines as she performs her hits on the Super bowl Halftime Show and reunites with formed girl group, Destiny's Child.

2012 MMFF Awards Night - Complete List of Winners

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:28:00 +0000

Here's the complete list of MMFF 2012 winners:

YOUTH CHOICE AWARD, BEST FESTIVAL FLOAT, BEST SOUND, BEST MUSICAL SCORE, BEST THEME SONG and BEST MAKE UP: EL PRESIDENTE

MIGUEL VERGARA OF ONE MORE TRY BEST CHILD PERFORMER

FULL LENGTH NEW WAVE BEST ACTOR WINNER: ALLAN PAULE FOR DAYAK

NEW WAVE BEST ACTRESS LIZA DINNO FOR ‘IN NOMINE MATRIS’

NEW WAVE BEST PICTURE: THE GRAVE BANDITS

NEW WAVE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: AD IGNORATIAM

NEW WAVE BEST DIRECTOR: TYRONE ACIERTO FOR THE GRAVE BANDITS

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: SHAKE RATTLE AND ROLL 14: THE INVASION

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: THY WOMB

BEST EDITING: VITO CAHILIG FOR ONE MORE TRY

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER: ODYSSEY FLORES FOR THY WOMB

MOST GENDER SENSITIVE AWARD: MAINSTREAM: THY WOMB

FPJ MEMORIAL AWARD OF EXCELLENCE: ONE MORE TRY

SPECIAL AWARDS: MALE STAR OF THE NIGHT: FORMER PRESIDENT JOSEPH ESTRADA; FEMALE STAR OF THE NIGHT: NORA AUNOR

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: CESAR MONTANO FOR EL PRESIDENTE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: WILMA DOESNT FOR SISTERAKAS

SMDC FIVE STAR MALE CELEBRITY OF THE NIGHT: ZANJOE MARUDO

SMDC FIVE STAR FEMALE CELEBRITY OF THE NIGHT: BIANCA KING

BEST ORIGINAL STORY: HENRY BURGOS FOR THY WOMB

BEST SCREENPLAY: ONE MORE TRY

BEST DIRECTOR: BRILLANTE MENDOZA FOR THY WOMB

GATPUNO VILLEGAS CULTURAL AWARD WINNER: THY WOMB

3RD BEST PICTURE: SISTERAKAS

2ND BEST PICTURE: EL PRESIDENTE

BEST PICTURE: ONE MORE TRY

BEST ACTOR: DINGDONG DANTES

BEST ACTRESS: NORA AUNOR

Miss USA is Miss Universe 2012; Miss Philippines is 1st Runner Up

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 03:25:00 +0000

Miss USA Olivia Culpo was crowned the 2012 Miss Universe on Wednesday.

The beauty queen beat out 88 other contestants, including first runner-up Janine Tugonon of the Philippines, to win the highly-coveted title.

Culpo takes over the honor from last year’s winner, Leila Lopes of Angola.

This year’s judges included such famous faces as Scott Disick, Cee Lo Green, reality star and stylist Brad Goreski, Rock of Ages star Diego Boneta, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh and former “America’s Next Top Model” panelist Nigel Barker.

The competition, which was held this year at Las Vegas’ Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, was hosted by Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic.

Miss Universe is co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC.

Did your favorite win?

Top 5

Miss Venezuela – Irene Sofia Esser Quintero
Miss Philippines – Janine Tugonon
Miss Australia – Renae Ayris
Miss USA – Olivia Culpo
Miss Brazil – Gabriela Markus

Results

Best National Costume: China
Fourth Runner-Up: Miss Brazil
Third Runner-Up: Miss Australia
Second Runner-Up: Miss Venezuela
First Runner-Up: Miss Philippines
Miss Universe 2012: Miss USA!

What do you think of this year’s winner?

LIVE STREAM: Miss Universe 2012 - Watch for FREE

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:32:00 +0000

The most beautiful women in the world will take the stage at this year's 61st annual Miss Universe beauty pageant -- on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 (USA) at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas!

Join millions of fans worldwide when the 2012 Miss Universe pageant airs live in the US. Hosting this year's pageant is American television personality Andy Cohen and E! News anchor Guiliana Rancic.

Get your favourite Paid iOS Apps for FREE this Christmas and Receive FREE iTunes Gift Cards for your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad! We'll show you how.

The pageant will air live at 8 PM (ET) and on December 20, 2012 9 AM (PHL Time)

Who will win this year's crown? Watch as it airs live from the USA below for free on our Miss Universe 2012 live stream.

Stream 2

Click here for ABS-CBN's Miss Universe 2012 Stream. It starts at 9:30 AM PH Time.

LIVE STREAM: Miss Universe 2012 - Preliminary Competition - Dec 13, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 01:47:00 +0000

Before the Miss Universe 2012 coronation night, a preliminary competition will be held, which will score the girls for their chance to get in to the final selection. This preliminary competition will also expose the talents and beauties of the 89 contestants.

The preliminary competition will air on Dec 14, Friday 11 AM (PHL Time)
Watch the free live stream of the Miss Universe 2012 Preliminary Competition below.

Stream 1:

Stream 2:

Schedule of Events: (Follows US Dates)

December 2–4, 2012: Contestant Arrival
December 6, 2012: Welcome Event
December 8, 2012: Rehearsals Begin
December 13, 2012: Preliminary Competition (Ustream & Xbox Live)
December 14, 2012: Miss Universe National Costume Show (Ustream & Xbox Live)
December 19, 2012: Miss Universe 2012 telecast (NBC & Telemundo)
December 20–23, 2012: Contestant Departure

Download Paid iOS Apps for FREE and Receive FREE iTunes Gift Cards for your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad! We'll show you how.

Marquez knocks out Pacquiao in 6th round!

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 07:45:00 +0000

Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez knocked Manny Pacquiao out cold with a vicious right hand at the end of the sixth round Saturday, putting a sudden end to the fourth fight between the two boxers.

Pacquiao had been down in the third round but knocked Marquez down in the fifth and the two were exchanging heavy blows in the sixth round before Marquez threw a right hand that flattened Pacquiao face down on the canvas at 2:59 of the sixth round.

The referee waved the fight to an end as Marquez celebrated and the sold-out crowd at the MGM erupted. Pacquiao was down for about two minutes before the Filipino's handlers managed to get him up.

After being helped to his corner, Pacquiao sat on a stool, blew his nose and stared vacantly ahead as his handlers cut his gloves off. It was a stunning end to a furious fight and it may have signaled the end of Pacquiao's career.

``I threw a perfect punch,'' Marquez said. ``I knew Manny could knock me out at any time.''

Marquez had vowed to finally beat Pacquiao after losing two close fights and settling for a draw in the first fight. But after Pacquiao knocked him down in the fifth round and was landing big left hands, it looked like it would be the Filipino congressman's night.

The two came out for the sixth round and the pace was just as relentless. Both were landing big punches and both were brawling when suddenly, just before the bell, Marquez caught Pacquiao moving in, landing a right flush to the jaw of Pacquiao, who crumpled to the canvas in a heap and lay motionless.

``I felt he was coming to knock me out the last three rounds and I knew he was going to be wide open,'' Marquez said.

It was the second loss in a row for Pacquiao, who dropped a contentious decision to Timothy Bradley in June and who had vowed to regain his prominence in the ring.

Pacquiao was aggressive from the opening bell, but paid the price in the third round when he got by a Marquez right hand that put him down. Pacquiao got back up and seemingly took control of the fight, dropping Marquez in the fifth round and landing the bigger punches until he was dropped

``I got hit by a punch I didn't see,'' Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao, who earned more than $20 million for the fight, was ahead 47-46 on all three scorecards after the fifth round.

There was no title at stake, but that didn't stop 16,348 fans from filling the MGM Grand Arena and roaring in unison from the opening bell as the two fighters went after each other.

Ringside punching stats underscored the ferocity of the bout, showing Pacquiao landing 94 of 256 punches to 52 of 246 for Marquez. But it was the one big right hand from Marquez that counted more than anything, knocking Pacquiao out for the first time in a career that goes back 17 years.

``He was in charge,'' Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach said. ``He just got a little too careless and got hit with a punch he didn't see.''

Promoter Bob Arum immediately said he could see a fifth fight between the two boxers, and a dazed Pacquiao seemed to agree.

``Why not?'' he said.

Aside from the widely discredited Bradley decision, this was the first real loss by Pacquiao since 2005 when he lost a unanimous decision to Erik Morales. It was only the third time he had been stopped, having suffered a knockout and a TKO early in his career.

Source

LIVE STREAM: Pacquiao - Marquez IV - Dec. 09, 2012 - Watch Online for Free!

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 03:17:00 +0000

Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez 4 takes place tonight in a boxing super-fight that will likely be the final installment of one of the great boxing rivalries of the past decade. The main card is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET with the main event featuring Pacquiao and Marquez likely to start closer to 12 NN Philippine Time.

Watch the Pacquio-Marquez IV for FREE through our live stream below.

UPDATE: Results

VIDEO: The Carmina-Zoren Wedding - Always Forever, A Wedding Like No Other

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 05:32:00 +0000

If you missed the ABS-CBN Television Special "The Carmina-Zoren Wedding - Always Forever, A Wedding Like No Other" which aired last Saturday, November 24, 2012, you can watch excerpts that the official videographers uploaded to witness probably the most memorable Pinoy Celebrity Wedding ever!

Zoren Legaspi surprised long time partner Carmina Villaroel with a proposal and a huge surprise wedding organised by him and ABS-CBN.

Watch the video below.

CONTEST: Win a Nexus 7 from Digitizd!

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 07:58:00 +0000

Digitizd is giving away a brand new Nexus 7 16GB!

Just like their Facebook page. Contest is open worldwide!

LIVE STREAM: American Music Awards 2012 | AMA 2012 - Watch Online For Free

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 01:25:00 +0000

The American Music Awards 2012 kick off tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles representing the biggest starts and music icons of today's pop culture.
Watch the free online live stream below.

VIRAL VIDEO: #Amalayer Girl Humiliates Lady Guard; The Full Story

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 05:19:00 +0000

A video shot by Gregory Lamoso has gone viral!

From GMA News:

A video of a passenger scolding a guard at the Light Railway Transit (LRT) Santolan station went viral on Facebook Tuesday night, getting more than 68,000 shares and 17,000 comments, and aired on TV networks.

The hashtag #AMALAYER, which came from the passenger's pronunciation of "I'm a liar," even trended on Twitter, both worldwide and in the Philippines.

LRT passenger Paula Jamie Salvosa was seen giving a female security guard a tongue-lashing. “I’m a liar? I’m a liar?” Salvosa yelled.

Reached by GMA News, Salvosa said she is willing to resolve the issue with the security guard, though it was the lady guard who raised her voice initially.

"Sabi n'ya sa 'kin, sumigaw, 'Miss, anong problema mo?' Sabi ko sa kanya, you are my problem!" she said.

Salvosa added that the guard, identified as Sharon Mae Casinas, grabbed her arm. "Sabi ko, bakit? You have no right to drag me! Nagagalit ako kasi she grabbed me!"

Salvosa said she would not have reacted that way if the guard had treated her well.

For her part, Casinas said she asked the woman to put her bag though the X-ray machine for proper inspection. However, Salvosa began raising her voice.

Casinas, on the other hand, said she remained calm despite the humiliation. "Nagkulong po [ako] sa kwarto sa sobrang kahihiyan," she added.

Meanwhile, Salvosa said she is a victim of cyberbullying. She also denied that she owns the Twitter account @paulaharlow, as she has already deactivated her Twitter and Facebook accounts.

"I want to be an example na may karapatan naman tayo. Cyberbullying ito," she said.

Side comments and facial expressions In a news release, the Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) explained that Casinas was merely performing her duties as she requested Salvosa to put her bag through an x-ray machine.

But the latter somehow missed the procedure and hurriedly tried to enter the station.

VIDEO: "Jump In" - apl.de.ap & Jessica Sanchez

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 08:44:00 +0000

Filipino international artists, apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas, and Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez join forces in a new music video entitled "Jump In."

Watch the video below.

No words though for what project they're doing this but the SMART logo is clearly visible on the phone screens.

VIDEO: "Kwento ng Pasko" - ABS-CBN Christmas Station ID 2012

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:37:00 +0000

Every year, the Kapamilya Network marks the start of the yuletide season with the launch of the ABS-CBN Christmas station ID. It has become almost a yearly tradition that Filipinos around the globe look forward to.

Lumiliwanag ang Mundo sa Kwento ng Pasko, our Christmas Station ID theme, highlights how the Filipino spirit always shines through despite calamities that ravage our country. It shows how each one of us become bearers of light, as we help our countrymen get back on their feet... how we remain resilient because kindness never runs out, because help always comes.

Many scenes in the SID are inspired by real events. Some of these stories happened at the height of the habagat - A fireman saved the lives of those stranded in their own homes; a chef opened the doors of his restaurant to feed victims; a young woman offered her own jacket to a street child who was suffering under the cold rain; Philippine coast guards went out of their way to save lives; Volunteers and civilians selflessly offered their time and energy to relief work.

This year's offering features hundreds of Kapamilya stars paying tribute to ordinary Filipino heroes, at the same time helping spread the light across the globe.

The parol, a Pinoy Christmas icon, is this year's Christmas SID centerpiece. Film director John-D Lazatin suggested the idea of having kids orphaned during Typhoon Sendong design a parol. This, in turn, is used as an instrument of light spreading around the world. When we own the Kapamilya parol, we're not only spreading the light, we're also being part of an effort to help our disaster affected Kapamilyas, as proceeds from the parol sales would be donated to Sagip Kapamilya, the ABS-CBN Foundation arm which provides relief to affected communities of disasters, as well as engage in rehabilitation and disaster risk reduction projects.

This year's Christmas anthem was written by Robert Labayen, ABS-CBN's Vice President of Creative Communications Management with music by Marcus and Amber Davis. It was performed by an ensemble of Kapamilya artists -- Sarah Geronimo, Martin Nievera, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Vina Morales, Billy Crawford; the Champions Angeline Quinto, Yeng Constantino, Erik Santos, Jed Madela, Christian Bautista, Bugoy Drilon, Marcelito Pomoy, Jovit Baldivino; the Sessionistas Aiza Seguerra, Richard Poon, Juris, Princess, Sitti, Kean Cipriano and Bamboo; X Factor Philippines Grand Winner KZ Tandingan, kid singers from ABS-CBN Star Magic; Daniel Padilla and Piolo Pascual.

The 2012 Christmas Station ID was created by ABS-CBN Creative Communications Management headed by Robert Labayen, Johnny Delos Santos, Patrick de Leon and Ira Zabat. It is directed by Paolo Ramos with Peewee Gonzales. Logo design by Melo Saliendra, head of Print Graphics and Design. The SID Creative and Production team members are Dang Baldonado, Danie Sedilla-Cruz, Edsel Misenas, Kathrina Sanchez, Christina Barbin, Christine Joy Laxamana, Marchie Blaire Mallari, Sheryl Ramos, Adrian Lim, Carla Payongayong, Chiz Constantino-Perez, Christine Daria-Estabillo, Lota Rosales, Lloyd Corpuz, Mark Bravo; with ABS-CBN Marketing Cookie Bartolome, Baroy Morga, Chris Wong; ABS-CBN TV Entertainment, ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs, ABS-CBN Regional Network Group, ABS-CBN Global.

Other members are Jaime Porca, Technical Production head; Rommel Andreo Sales, Director of Photography; Odyssey Flores, 2nd Unit Director of Photography; Sam Esquillon, Production Designer; Oliver Paler, Alfie Landayan, Meryl Miranda, Con Ignacio, Post Production Team; Jimmy Muna, sound engineer; Winnie Mariano, artist coordinator; Mary Ann Rejano, Remy Sotto, Talent Caster; Marvin Bragas, Location Manager; Marileth Abejero, Photographer; Darwin Duenas, Production Coordinator.

TRIVIA:

Being a fan of Be Careful with My Heart's Maya and Ser Chief, Zsa Zsa Padilla and Zia Quizon had their photo taken with the love team of Jodi Santamaria and Richard 'Papa Chen' Yap when they saw each other at the SID shoot set.

KZ Tandingan was nervous on the shoot of her line for the song because it was her first music video shoot.

Angel Locsin took time during and after the shoot to talk to the Red Cross Volunteers about her experiences during her volunteer work.

Kris Aquino was very happy during the shoot as she interacted with the Sagip Kapamilya Volunteers, the Bacoor Cavite Police, the Santa Lucia North Fairview Firemen, Red Cross Emergency Response Unit, and members of the Philippine Military.

PBB Teens and Gerald Anderson went on location at the Artex Compound in Malabon for the shoot of the SID. Residents of the compound were delighted to see them. Female residents were the ones tasked to row their small boats for the artists, their regular means of transport around the flooded compound.

Gerald Anderson was with the members of the Philippine Coast Guard for his sequence.

It's Official: Glee Casts American Idol's Jessica Sanchez!

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 23:53:00 +0000

It’s a done deal: Jessica Sanchez, whose monster pipes and near-perfect pitch carried her all the way to a second-place finish on Season 11 of American Idol, has closed a deal to recur on Glee.

There are no details on what role Glee executive producer Ryan Murphy might have in store for the 16-year-old California native or when she will first appear on screen. (Might she be the much-buzzed-about new love interest for Finn?!)

During her Idol run, Sanchez became an early front-runner on the strength of scorching Vegas-round renditions of “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” and “The Prayer,” followed by a spot-on rendition of “I Will Always Love You” on Whitney Houston night. Later, in a Top 7 week shocker, Ryan Seacrest revealed the girl who sometimes performed as her alter-ego Bebe Chez was the lowest vote getter, but the judges promptly vetoed America’s decision by using their sole “save” of the season. Sanchez then went on to steal the show during the Idol finale by virtue of a jaw-dropping duet with Broadway legend Jennifer Holliday on the Dreamgirls classic “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.”

This marks Sanchez’s third time at the primetime rodeo. Back in 2006, she appeared as a contestant on the inaugural season NBC’s America’s Got Talent.

Source

VIDEO: Julie Anne San Jose and Elmo Magalona dancing 'Oppa Gangnam Style' on The Ellen Show!

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:45:00 +0000

Kapuso love team Julie Anne San Jose and Elmo Magalona, more popularly known as JuliElmo, have been featured dancing the hit Oppa Gangnam Style in from of Ellen DeGeneres' audience on her studio in Hollywood.

Watch them below.

VIDEO: Justin Bieber Throws Up on Stage!

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 10:34:00 +0000

Justin Bieber must have come down with a real severe case of Bieber Fever last night in Glendale, AZ ... because in the middle of his concert ... he PUKED ON STAGE!!!

The show was the first on his new "Believe" tour and even though he was forced to leave the stage twice due to illness, the show went on.

Bieber apologized to the crowd for being sick, but the crowd didn't seem to mind too much and cheered him on throughout.

Source

VIDEO: Official "It's More Fun In The Philippines" Campaign Released by DOT

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:28:00 +0000

A few months ago, a draft of a video campaign of the the successful "It''s More Fun In The Philippines" campaign was leaked. It was soon taken down with the request of the Department of Tourism (DOT) as it wasn't the final and finished video.

The Department of Tourism has finally released the official AVP for its "It's More Fun in the Philippines" campaign today, October 1.

The video, uploaded on the DOT's official YouTube channel (youtube.com/dotphilippines), features video clips and images of tourist spots and activities throughout the archipelago.

The video was first shown during the 35th Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Mart last Tuesday, September 25, and was released on social media October 1.

"The DOT released the campaign through social media sites to extend its reach to the international community," the department said.

Watch the video below and tell us what you think.

UPDATE: The video has been updated and reuploaded by DOT. Above video has also been updated.

There were a few factual errors that were noticed by the netizens though on the Youtube page were the video was uploaded. One was that Jeju Island was shown in the video. Jeju Island is in fact located in South Korea! Another one is a photo of the maya, which looked like a different species of a sparrow. Others also criticised that the video was too long, too flashy and that there was too much information people have to read.

Despite this minor annoyances by the public, the efforts that the Department of Tourism have given throughout the year are very commendable. As Filipinos, I hope you can make your time in sharing this video campaign through the different channels of social media to showcase the beauty and wonders of our beloved country, the Philippines.

Dingdong Dantes Cheats on Marian Rivera with Isabelle Daza?

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 07:59:00 +0000

While we all thought that the Dingdong Dantes - Marian Rivera relationship was perfect, this was not the case according to a recent blind item.

FashionPulis.com has just released an explosive blind item yesterday that seems to easily point out the actor involved as Dingdong Dantes. Dingdong Dantes has allegedly slept with a pretty girl who he had been asking out persistently even with her current relationship with Marian.

Marian Rivera's parody account @superstarmarian has been responding with comedic tweets as usual and kind of gave us a clue with the letters DA and ZA capitalized. This made others, including me, to believe that the girl was Isabelle Daza.

Again, these are all my personal guesses.

Dingdong and Isabelle had worked before together including GMA's Spooky Nights. They are brand ambassadors of Bench and together launched the Bench BDO Mastercar and both also hosted Mutya ng Dabaw just last summer.

What do you guys think of this controversy? Feel free to share your thoughts below.

The views and opinion in this blog does not reflect those of the blogger's mentioned.

American Idol Finally Reveals Official Judging Panel: Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban, Randy Jackson and Mariah Carey

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 15:17:00 +0000

THE American Idol judges' panel is now complete with the naming of Australian country crooner Keith Urban and singer-rapper Nicki Minaj.

The Fox network officially tapped the pair with an announcement today, just hours before the first round of judging for next season was due to begin in New York.

The announcement also settles the status of Randy Jackson. He will stay put as the sole remaining original Idol judge, scotching rumors of a different role for him on the popular talent competition.

This trio joins newcomer Mariah Carey on a judges panel now expanded to four members from its previous three.

They fill vacancies left by Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez, who announced their exits in July. Urban also recently announced that he was leaving his role as a judge on The Voice Australia where he was joined on the panel by

Delta Goodrem, Seal and Joel Madden.

American Idol returns for its 12th season in January.

Source

VIDEO: Jillian Jensen - Who You Are - The X Factor USA - Simon Cowell finally shed some tears!

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 06:13:00 +0000

20-year old Jillian Jensen brought the judges and audience to tears as she revealed how she was bullied and it's how she brought the pain and emotions to her performance.

She sang "Who You Are" by Jessie J.

Jillian got a standing ovation from the the judges and the audience. The usual hard-hearted Simon Cowell even admitted to Demi Lovato that he got a little teary-eyed!

Watch her touching performance below.

Boracay beats Ibiza, South Beach in Top Party Beaches list

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 04:24:00 +0000

The Philippines’ very own Boracay island continues to be recognized as among the world’s best as it recently beat Ibiza in Spain and South Beach in Miami in a list of top party beaches.

The Huffington Post featured online travel advisor Cheapflights.com’s list of “Top 10 party beaches around the world,” letting its readers rank the destinations on a scale of one to five stars, with five being the highest.

Boracay ranked third, getting an average of five stars. Ibiza and South Beach are in seventh and eighth place, respectively.

Topping the list is Psarou Beach in Mykonos island in Greece, which was described as a “pretty well-kept secret.”

Cheapflights.com said of Boracay’s White Beach: “This beach at Boracay used to be so notorious for wild behavior that its visitors were sworn to secrecy – to keep this gem a private pleasure. Word got out eventually (of course), but the party scene hasn’t been dialed back a single bit.

“When night falls, this incredible beach comes to life. There are amazing fire dance shows and fireworks, live bands and parties that last from dusk until dawn. There’s a great variety of clubs and bars along the beach, so no matter what kind of music you’re interested in, you’ll find a great place to hang out where the dance floor is never empty.”

Other beaches that made it to Cheapflights.com’s list include Zrce Beach in Croatia, Palolem Beach in India, Haad Rin Beach in Thailand, Nissi Beach in Cyprus, Gordon Beach in Israel and Kuta Beach in Indonesia.

Early this year, Boracay was named the world’s best island getaway by Travel +Leisure, an international travel magazine. The list of top ten island destinations was based on a survey of the magazine’s readers.

Source: ABS-CBN News

American firms say Philippines is preferred destination for expansion

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 02:24:00 +0000

Most US companies in the Philippines are planning to expand their business citing the availability of trained personnel, increasing market share and diversification of customer base even as corruption remains a concern, according to a survey of the US Chamber of Commerce and the American Chambers of Commerce in ASEAN.

The ASEAN Business Outlook Survey 2012 Philippines report showed that of the 238 US firms in the Philippines covered, 58 percent were planning to expand their business, while 25 percent were looking to expand significantly.

Some 18 percent said they expect their business to remain the same while none of the firms said they expect their business to contract.

The top three reasons cited by the firms for their planned business expansion in the Philippines were availability of trained personnel or efficient manpower (40 percent), increasing market share (35 percent) and diversification of customer base (10 percent).

While most US firms covered by the survey were looking to expand their business in the Philippines, the report noted that corruption remain a major concern that could affect business, with 73 percent expressing dissatisfaction with it compared to 79 percent last year.

“Corruption was by far the greatest drawback for the Philippines leaving three quarters of the respondents dissatisfied, of which roughly half were extremely dissatisfied,” the report noted.

Concerns were also raised over the country’s laws and regulations, ease of moving products through customs, and quality of infrastructure.

The report said the respondents experience a high level of satisfaction in the areas of labor cost, availability of trained personnel and sentiments towards the United States.

Housing and office costs, though rising, were also a source of satisfaction for firms.

The report also cited that while employees do not tend to request work in the Philippines, that percentage is rising and expatriate employee satisfaction in the country is at a record high this year.

Some 40 percent said they receive requests from employees in other locations to work in the Philippines compared to just 21 percent last year.

The report also showed that 100 percent of expatriate employees are generally satisfied with their assignments in the Philippines, up from 93 percent last year.

“This may partially be attributed to the fact that space constraints in international schools for expatriate workers have become less of an issue in recent years,” it said.

Across the ASEAN, the survey showed that 90 percent of 356 senior-level executives of US companies expect their trade and investment in the region to rise over the next five years.

Some 21 percent of US firms are also planning to diversify some investments from China into ASEAN with Malaysia and Philippines as the most preferred destination for expansion.

Story by Louella D. Desiderio, Philippine Star

TRAILER: Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 2

noreply@blogger.com (CHOBiE) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 16:36:00 +0000

A full-length trailer for the final instalment in The Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn Part 2, has finally surfaced, Breaking Dawn Part 2.

Watch the exciting trailer of the finale below.