UFO

UFO Sightings - June 17, 2013

2013-06-17T23:55:00.001+04:00

What: Filipino Teacher
When: June 17, 2013
Where: New York, USA

For our UFO ((U)AE and around the World's (F)inest (O)verseas Filipino) Sighting for today, June 17, 2013 is a Filipina teacher in New York, USA.

A Filipina teacher is among the 11 recipients of the first-ever city-wide "Big Apple Awards", which recognizes the top teachers in public schools across New York City.

Marietta Geraldino is a 10th and 11th grade geometry teacher at the Frederick Douglas Academy II in Harlem, Manhattan.

In a press release by the NYC Department of Education, Geraldino is described as a teacher who provides her students with the opportunity and expectation that they will master content in order to learn about the world around them and develop the confidence necessary to succeed in life.

Geraldino has been teaching for 24 years, 9 years in New York and 15 years in the Philippines.

"I was a high school teacher for eight years in a Catholic University and then I went to teach in college at the same university. I graduated school and I became an executive, a Research Planning Director and Vice President for Academic Affairs. After that I became a Program Director. Then, I came to New York, and became a teacher again as an International Teacher," Geraldino wrote on her profile posted on the school's website.

Geraldino has two master's degrees--one in Math and the other in Educational Measurement and Evaluation. She then went for a fellowship in Australia at Queensland University of Technology and received a certificate in Teacher Education. She got her my doctorate degree in Educational Management.

The mother of four confessed that teaching for her is never boring.

"I cannot picture myself doing something else. You have to be good at what you’re doing and you must love what you’re doing and love the children for you to be able to teach in New York successfully. It takes a lot of heart," she further wrote on her profile.

Last week, Geraldino and 10 other teachers were honored by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott in a ceremony held at Gracie Mansion.

"Great teachers are a school's most valuable asset, and we must recognize their skills and the impact they have on our students - even beyond the classroom," said Mayor Bloomberg.

The program recognizes the city's best teachers and support a system-wide conversation about excellence in the classroom. All award recipients receive a $3,500 classroom grant to deepen their work with students.

"The Big Apple Awards celebrate the unsung heroes who go above and beyond every day on behalf of our 1.1 million students. This group of awardees is a shining example of the wonderful diversity of teachers throughout New York City's public schools," said Walcott.

The program received more than 2,000 nominations from students, families, teachers, school staff, administrators and other community members.

by Maria Aleta Nieva Nishimori, ABS-CBNnews.com

UFO Sightings - June 14, 2013

2013-06-14T00:07:00.000+04:00

What: Filipino Fighter
When: June 14, 2013
Where: London, UK

Our featured UFO Sighting for today, June 14, 2013, is a Filipino FMA fighter in London, UK.

A Filipino fighter is in this month's edition of a popular martial arts magazine in the United Kingdom.

Ermar "Alex" Alexander, 36, features in a four-page spread in Martial Arts Illustrated, which is dubbed as "UK's Number One magazine" for the fighting arts.

Interviewed by former Great Britain stick fighting coach John Harvey, Alexander shares how he discovered the art, his experience competing across the international circuit, representing the British team, and his life as an instructor.

Alexander, who began training in arnis, eskrima and kali at the age of 21, has amassed a hoard of achievements.

Considered one of the top exponents of sport stick fighting in the UK, he holds 39 gold medals, 8 silvers and 4 bronzes across a range of national and international competitions spanning from 2000-2013.

The 5th degree black belt is a 4-time world champion, 2-time European champion and 37-time British champion, who has competed in full contact stick contests, knife fights and only recently MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), or cage fights.

But before all of that, Alexander had no idea the Philippines even had its own indigenous combat system.

Born in Cebu, Alexander moved to the UK when he was nine years old. His interest in martial arts began aged 14 where he trained in the Korean art of Tang Soo Do.

He then tried his hand at other styles including Praying Mantis kung-fu, Wing Chun, Muay Thai, and Bruce Lee's own creation Jeet Kune Do.

It wasn't until the age of 21 when he found out about Filipino martial arts through an English friend. That is when Alexander decided to join the Doce Pares club, which is the oldest FMA institution in the Philippines.

"The main reason I think is because of the background of the art. It's from my homeland," he explained.

"I grew up not knowing I had a system when I was young. And also, at that age I didn't really know who I was. I didn't even understand I was a Filipino. When I did the Filipino martial art I kind of went back to my roots and I loved it," he added.

Since 2010, the eskrimador has been running his own school in Harlesden, north west London, where he teaches weapons and empty hand techniques, also known as mano-mano, as well as Yaw-Yan, a form of Filipino kickboxing.

"I've got a very good mix of students here. All from different backgrounds. A lot of Caucasians as well. Filipinos, I'd probably say [they make up] 25% of the students that I have here," he told ABS-CBN Europe.

Aside from its practicality, Alexander feels many students are attracted to FMA because they are introduced to weapons like rattan sticks, knives and swords from the very beginning, which is unlike other traditional martial arts where weapons training comes afterwards.

Alexander has mentored around 70 pupils since 2007, four of which have gone on to win world titles, while 22 are British champions.

Alexander, who regularly holds FMA demonstrations at Filipino community events, is pleased to be in this month's Martial Arts Illustrated.

This is the second time he has appeared in a mainstream UK publication after featuring in Men's Health magazine in 2008.

While he admits FMA is gaining public awareness, Alexander believes the art requires a lot more promotion.

"I'm very happy that they [Martial Arts Illustrated] did this kind of thing. There's not a lot of people that know about it and it needs that kind of promotion, whether it's in a martial arts magazine or any type of media," he said.

"I think FMA needs to be done because it has been used in a lot of films. This is the big thing in film now, using FMA, and a lot of people don't know what it is. They think oh it's just another Chinese martial art, but it isn't," Alexander added.

FMA techniques have been used in Hollywood movies like "Mission Impossible", "Kick-Ass", as well as the "Bourne" series.

By Edward Lao, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

UFO Sightings - June 13, 2013

2013-06-13T00:18:00.000+04:00

What: Filipino Television Producer
When: June 13, 2013
Where: Hollywood, USA

For our UFO Sighting for today, June 13, 2013, we go to Hollywood, USA.

From being a waiter to a successful television producer, Filipino-American Marc Nicolas related how he made his Hollywood dream come true.

For the second time in two years, Nicolas can add Emmy-nominated TV producer to his growing list of achievements.

Nicolas is one of the producers of the popular CBS TV show "The Talk" which is nominated in five categories at the 2013 Daytime Emmy Awards which will be held on June 17.

Nicolas and his family immigrated from the Philippines when he was four years old.

"I'm the only Filipino producer in The Talk and also the only Filipino worker on The Talk as well," he said.

Before pursuing his Hollywood dream in 2005, Nicolas worked as a pharmacist assistant and as a restaurant cocktail server. His first big break was as a guest recruiter for "The Tyra Banks Show."

Though working in Hollywood was challenging, his parents Teresita and Marianito Nicolas encouraged him to go after his passion.

"When I got to America, I remember when I was seven years old, like I was watching the Brady Bunch and you know the rolling credits at the end? I was like, Mama, I want to see my name and I want you to see my name someday," he said.

He said it made him feel fulfilled that his mom saw their dream come true before she passed away.

"I will never ever, ever change anything about my life, my challenges," he said.

Representing the Filipino community well in Hollywood through hard work is important for Nicolas.

He gives advice to those dreaming of career here to "always be a hard worker. Just because you work with celebrities don't think you're above them. Don't think you're above anybody."

by Yong Chavez, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

UFO Sightings - June 11, 2013

2013-06-11T00:27:00.000+04:00

What: Filipino Digital Artist
When: June 11, 2013
Where: London, UK

Our latest UFO Sighting for today June 11, 2013 is a Filipino digital artist from London, UK.

A seasoned Filipino painter demonstrated his new passion for digital arts at his debut solo exhibition in the UK, moving his art practice from brush strokes to mouse clicks.

Artist Antonio Gorordo showcased his latest artworks at "Digital Abstraction" - an exhibit featuring over a dozen of his digital paintings created with a computer and editing software between 2010 and 2012.

The show, which opened on June 4, was inaugurated by Philippine Ambassador to Britain Enrique Manalo.

“I’m really happy about the show, and it’s even more amazing because it’s in London,” Gorordo told ABS-CBN Europe at the opening event.

Gorordo moved to England in October 2012 with his wife, a diplomatic staff who was recently posted at the Philippine Embassy in London. A trained civil engineer, he started painting as a hobby in 1982, which he developed more formally over the years. His style has been described as abstract or lyrical painting, particularly among his followers on social media platforms.

“They say on Facebook that my work is abstract or lyrical, but I don’t really know what they mean. For me, I do whatever I feel like. I do whatever I feel, whatever comes into my mind,” he explained.

The 55-year-old artist, who previously exhibited in Jordan and Croatia, used traditional painting tools and techniques for several years, primarily with acrylic, oil, and watercolor on canvas or paper. He cites Filipino artists like Ang Kiukok and Jose Joya as personal inspirations.

In 2010, however, he discovered the art of digital painting while looking for alternative ways to paint on account of his child's health.

“When I was doing traditional painting, my child used to get ill a lot because of the smell of paint. So I started to think of other ways to still create new artwork without using harmful paint. That’s when I discovered digital painting,” he recalled.

Gorordo creates his pieces using Adobe Photoshop, a popular photo-editing software. Each of his digital paintings take approximately four to seven days to complete, painstakingly drawing every layer and color using a mouse for several hours at a time.

He believes digital art is the new creative frontier offering limitless possibilities and accessibility. He encourages artists and art lovers to embrace new technologies in making art.

“This is the new thing. It’s more exciting to create things than using traditional tools alone. You can make so many more things with digital art. And when you make a mistake, you can just delete - or use it as a background,” he said.

By Patrick Camara Ropeta, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

UFO Sightings - October 2, 2012

2012-10-02T23:13:00.003+04:00

What: Pinoy Fire Fighting Instructor
Where: Abu Dhabi, UAE
When: October 2, 2012

For the past few months, I was not able to post UFO Sightings I daily encounter, but this time I would like to post my recent UFO sightings.

Actually I encountered and met our UFO sightings for today last two weeks ago when I undergone a safety training (which is a requirement in my job). For every body who is working here in UAE, many people might have met this man. His name is Arthuro Solis. He is the Senior Fire Fighting Instructor from Gulf Technical and Safety Training Center (GTSC) here in Abu Dhabi.

Why I chose him to be our Unidentified Finest OFW is because of his work achievement by being the Senior Fire Fighting Inspector of the training center. If you will search on the internet, GTSC is a major safety training center not only here in UAE but in the middle east. His way towards his current achievement is not a work in the park. During the course of the training he narrated to us his beginnings, how he started his work life from being once a policeman during the late President Marcos era, how he changed his profession to safety training field up to now in his current job. He's the Senior Fire Fighting Inspector and he is proud to say that he is what he is now in spite of the fact that he is not an engineer (He is a Criminology graduate). As an instructor in GTSC he has handled professionals from all levels and nationalities and I admit I admired how he "raise the flag" of the Philippines on how he handled this various peoples and professional levels.

Nothing more to say but he is one of the silent achievers here as an OFW and he is our UFO (Unidentified Finest OFW) for today.

UFO Sightings - June 14, 2012

2012-06-14T00:15:00.000+04:00

What: Pinoy Top Immigrants
Where: Canada
When: June 14, 2012

For our UFO Sighting for today we go to Canada. A former member of parliament and a community activist are the two Filipinos included in Canada’s Top 25 Immigrants list this year.

Dr. Rey Pagtakhan of Winnipeg, Manitoba and Narima Dela Cruz of Surrey, British Columbia, felt honored and grateful during the awarding ceremonies held in Vancouver recently.

“The three or two is certainly a tribute that there are many more of us out there who are able to contribute and offer themselves for service to the community, for service to country because those are the attributes that I think Canadians, at large, would like to look forward from any citizen and certainly from any immigrant to this country,” said Pagtakhan.

“I hope really that this will contribute to giving more inspiration to our fellow Filipinos to give more and be involved and be recognized, not just be rewarded, but at least be able to prove that we are also giving back to our adopted country,” Dela Cruz said.

Pagtakhan is no stranger to the Filipino community in Canada. A doctor by profession, he shifted to politics and made history in 1988 by being the first Filipino to win a seat in parliament. Now retired, Pagtakhan was hesitant to join the Top 25 Immigrants contest, which is a people’s choice award, as he thought many have forgotten about him.

“So long as I feel that I have the ability, physical, mental and everything in me that I can help contribute then I think I would continue to do that because it is giving me a rewarding sense of fulfillment,” he said.

Dela Cruz, meantime, is a realtor by profession, but she’s also president of the Surrey Philippines Independence Day Society and an active volunteer with other organizations.

She believes in giving back not just to fellow Filipinos, but to Canadian society as a whole.

The two were chosen from a list of 400 nominations, shortlisted to 75 and voted by the public to make it to the top 25.

They hope that with the recognition, more kababayans get inspired and will be part of the top 25 list in the future. — ABS-CBN Balitang Canada.

Marieton Pacheco, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

UFO Sightings - March 22, 2012

2012-03-22T23:12:00.014+04:00

What: Pinoy Entrepreneur
Where: New Jersey, USA
When: March 22, 2012

Isla Pilipinas is the latest Filipino restaurant attempting to conquer New York. But instead of opening in the Manhattan familiar to many, owner Maggee Villanueva chose the lawn chair suburbia of Staten Island, home to about 12,000 Filipinos.

“I grew up here,” said Maggee, who graduated from the Staten Island College of Business. The Midland Beach section is where her family — husband Daniel Chen and their two daughters – lives.

On November 11, 2011 at 11 a.m., Maggee and her older brother, Abet, opened Isla and introduced the Middle America neighborhood to Philippine home-style cooking. Eleven-11-11-11, which adds up to eight, is an auspicious number in Chinese belief.

“We just thought, let’s do it,” she told The FilAm. “Of course, we did a bit of feng shui and numerology.”

Maggee is not a total newbie in the food business. She and her husband Dan run a chain of successful Fushimi Japanese restaurants in Brooklyn and Staten Island. Before that, it was a Chinese Mexican restaurant that did not quite take off.

While Abet, one of two cooks, is pretty much confined to the kitchen, Maggee is one ball of energy. She takes orders, busses tables, serves, greets customers, entertains all sorts of questions about the menu. In between, she fusses when there’s not enough soda in the cooler and there are food crumbs on the floor.

“I’m very hands-on,” she said, the smile never leaving her face.

Isla is now becoming the Staten island “destination” that Maggee dreamed it would one day be. Many of their regulars are Staten and Brooklyn residents, and some, like the Sangas, come from Jersey City.

“Everything was very tasty,” said Ravy Sanga. “Nagustuhan namin yung barbecue, it’s very tender and not too salty. And the price was reasonable.”

From the array of dishes we sampled, two stood out: the ‘crispy pata’ and the ‘tokwa at baboy.’ The pork leg was the right amount of crisp and still steaming hot even as table conversation takes your attention off food for a while. Dig back into it and the skin remained pork-rind crisp and the meat still smoky tender and not rubbery. The secret, according to Abet, is precision — and honesty. A fresh piece of pork leg is cooked right before it is served. The deep fry is for a specific amount of time, which Abet is not disclosing.

“Some people pre-cook to tenderize the meat, then they re-cook before serving,” he explained. “That makes the skin hard.”

The golden fried tofu in the ‘tokwa at baboy’ was swimming in sweet vinegar. The tofu was not overfried and the vinegar not at all sour. Either I’ve been eating this dish in all its bad form and gotten used to it, or Isla has wonderfully altered a standard ‘pulutan.’

There’s more to this A-rated restaurant that’s worth a short drive or a pleasant ferry ride. The décor is tastefully pleasant, and the toilet clean and roomy. The customers seemed to know each other, and the vibe was that of a family party with everyone enjoying the delectable company and the food.

“They are our regulars,” explained Maggee. - The FilAm

Isla Pilipinas is located at 556 Tompkins Avenue, Staten Island. Call them at 718-447-4752 to make a reservation, to place an order or inquire about catering

UFO Sightings - March 19, 2012

2012-03-19T22:58:00.006+04:00

What: Filipino Sculptor
Where: France
When: March 19, 2012

A Filipino-Spanish sculptor — Raimundo Folch — won the prestigious Baumel-Schwenck Prize at the fourth "Carrousel Du Louvre 2011" in France, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported on Monday.

"The Baumel-Schwenck prize for sculpture is considered as the highest award given to a sculptor by the SNBA, which can be comparable to the Premio Velasquez or Lobo in Spain," the DFA said in a news release.

Based in Valencia, Spain, Folch won the Baumel-Schwenck prize for sculpture at the international painting and sculpture exposition in Paris on December 10 last year.

"Mr. Folch was born in Manila in 1960 to a Filipina mother and a Spanish father. He spent his childhood years in Manila and studied at the Paco Catholic School up to high school before his family moved to Spain permanently in 1976," the DFA said.

Carrousel du Louvre is sponsored by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and organized by the National Society of the Fine Arts of Paris (SNBA).

Every year, some 6,000 artists from all over the world gather together in Paris to exhibit their works and compete for prizes awarded by the jury of the SNBA. - VVP, GMA News

UFO Sightings - December 28, 2011

2011-12-28T19:18:00.001+04:00

What: Pinay Painter
Where: Kuwait
When: December 28, 2011

For our latest UFO Sighting, we go to Kuwait. A Filipina painter named Janet Eve De Jesus a.k.a. "Bruha Eve" made waves as she held her first solo art exhibit in Kuwait early this month.

Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Shulan Primavera praised De Jesus for being the first Filipina artist to hold a solo art exhibit in Kuwait.

Titled "Bursts and Kaleidoscope," the exhibit was held at the Marina Hotel in Salmiya from December 8 to 9.

The exhibit featured some 40 paintings on various subjects, including women and nature.

De Jesus hails from Cotabato. At age two, she picked flowers from her mother's garden and using the flower juices to color and dabble.

"Her artistic journey has continued from her mother's garden to the world, creating colorful masterpieces in mixed media that border between impressionism and expressionism," the DFA said.

UFO Sightings - December 27, 2011

2011-12-27T19:23:00.002+04:00

What: Pinoy Artist
Where: Australia
When: December 27, 2011

For our UFO sighting today we travel to Australia where an emerging Filipino artist and her fellow arts graduates at the Australian National University (ANU) held last week an art exhibit featuring their works.

Yuhum Garibay, a Bachelor's Degree graduate of Visual Arts, major in Painting, created five paintings entitled "Para kay Pablo," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

The exhibit, which was opened by The Centenary of Canberra Creative Director Robyn Archer, ran from December 2 to 11.

This year's ANU School of Art Graduating Exhibition featured the works of students completing their studies in Bachelor of Visual Arts Honours, Bachelor of Visual Arts, Bachelor of Digital Arts and the Diploma of Art.

Yuhum Garibay told Philippine Embassy officials that her paintings were inspired by how Pablo, her maternal grandfather, who "showered her with love and affection during her childhood," the DFA said.

Her paintings depicted patterns of cloth put together to make a "bahay-bahayan," to recall her childhood days when her grandfather would play with her.

Garibay is the niece of Filipino painter Emmanuel Garibay. Her father is Philippine Consul General to Jeddah Uriel Norman Garibay, who was the Embassy's former Consul General. - VVP, GMA News

UFO Sightings - December 26, 2011

2011-12-26T19:32:00.004+04:00

What: Pinoy Musicians
Where: Hongkong
When: December 26, 2011

For our UFO feature for today we look at OFW's in Hongkong. Filipino musicians recently wowed a crowd of about 10,000 at the 25th anniversary of the "Concert in the Park" at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza in Tsim Sha Tsui this month.

With the theme "Through the Years," the concert featured nine bands that played music from the big band music of the 1940s up to the present.

"Performers included the Hong Kong Musicians Union Big Band with Rita Paraiso and Gingger Kwan, Team Hero with Faro, Xplor, Impulz, Don't Panic, Suspects, Brown Sugar, Azucar with Michelle Carillo, and Fine Hybrid," the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong reported.

The "Concert in the Park" is an annual joint production of the Leisure and Cultural Services of Hong Kong and the Philippine Consulate General, with the cooperation of the Hong Kong Musicians Union.

Among the sponsors were Barkadahan sa Smartone, Mr. and Mrs. Rubin Benny Dollano, Pinoy Tayo Sanman, LBC Mabuhay HK Ltd, Gen-Ex Cargo, Jollibee, Afreight (Asia Pacific) Ltd, Metrobank, PAG-IBIG Fund, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation and RCBC Telemoney Hong Kong, Social Security System, and Universal Robina Corporation.

VVP, GMA News

UFO Sightings - December 25, 2011

2011-12-25T21:04:00.002+04:00

What: Pinoy Director

Where: Singapore / London, UK
When: December 25, 2011

Our new UFO sighting for today is young Singapore-based director/scholar who has recently won in Faith Shorts, a global film competition hosted by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.

His name is Juan Paolo Reyes, 18, in his young age has been won the film competition whose judges include actors Jet Li, Hugh Jackman and Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Reyes received his award on December 6 at the British Academy of Film and Television and Arts (Bafta), an organization in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.

“I had my own story to tell, and that fit well with the global competition theme of ‘Let Me Show You How My Faith Inspires Me,’” said Reyes, who is currently taking film studies at the Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore.

(Note: Mr. Reyes is not yet an OFW but his achievement abroad is certainly one that has a valuable impact to the foreign community that raises the pride and class of the Filipinos.)

UFO Sightings - December 24, 2011

2011-12-24T19:53:00.001+04:00

What: Pinoy Scientist
Where: California, USA
When: December 24, 2011

Here is one UFO Sighting I truly admire. A Filipino scientist and academician in the United States has begun this year the process of commercializing "lunasin," an anti-cancer soy protein that he and a team of scientists discovered in 1999.

According to a report of the Asian Journal, Dr. Ben de Lumen, who headed the team that discovered the soy protein, was a professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology at University of California (UC)-Berkeley for more than 30 years.

He retired this year to focus on FilGen, a biotech company that he founded to commercialize lunasin.

De Lumen, a native of Taytay, Rizal, was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science last year for his “contributions to natural-products biochemistry,” especially lunasin.

The name “lunasin” was coined from the Tagalog word “lunas” or cure.

He earned his degrees from the University of the Philippines (agriculture chemistry), University of Missouri (master’s), and UC-Davis (Ph.D.).

Though he spent most of his life and career in the US, De Lumen told the "Asian Journal" that his "roots are still over there,” referring to the Philippines.

De Lumen, a part of the Pilipino American Academy of Science and Engineering, told the Asian Journal that “there were not a lot of Ph.D.s and mentors available” when he graduated from UP in 1965, which prompted him to move to the US.

Hopeful cure

In De Lumen’s page on the UC-Berkeley’s Nutritional Science and Toxicology website, Lunasin is described as” 43-amino acid peptide with 8 aspartic acid (D) in the carboxyl end, preceded by a cell adhesion motif RGD and a predicted helical region with structural homology to chromatin binding proteins” that has been found in “healthy” seeds like barley and wheat.

The team is “carrying out animal experiments to demonstrate further the efficacy of diet-administered lunasin against breast, prostate, and colon cancer,” the site added.

“We found that lunasin selectively kills the cells that are being transformed from normal to cancer cells and did not affect the normal cells. It’s only killing cells that transform from normal to cancerous,” De Lumen told the Asian Journal.

Though it’s still in its “very early stages” more than 10 years later—and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to acknowledge it until further tests affirm its effect—De Lumen is confident that lunasin “will be proven effective in cancer prevention eventually,” especially since it is “something very sound scientifically.”

“I’m excited about this because the science is robust and sound and therefore we have a very good case for cancer prevention. I’m really excited about that because that is a major contribution to prevent a disease that is killing a lot of people,” he said. - Rose-An Jessica Dioquino, VVP, GMA

UFO Sightings - December 23, 2011

2011-12-23T20:03:00.014+04:00

What: Pinoy Figurative Painter
Where: New York, USA
When: December 23, 2011

This is our UFO Sighting feature for today.

A Filipino-Canadian figurative painter in New York City, New York landed a spot in the finale of "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist," an American reality TV show co-produced by Sarah Jessica Parker.

Sara Jimenez, 26, will compete with two other finalists, performance artist and photographer Young Sun Han and drawer and painter Kymia Nawabi.

"I started off good and then I had my downfall and then I feel like I came back up," Jimenez, known for using unconventional materials in her paintings, said during the show.

In the episode where the final three contestants were chosen, Jimenez said, "To know that taking risks and trusting my process has really paid off is amazing."

Jimenez's works center on themes like womanhood, identity, spirituality and the subconscious, as stated in her bio on the show's official website.

Although it was Nawabi who emerged as the winner of their final challenge before the finale, "Work of Art" judge and critic Jerry Saltz commended Jimenez's work during the show, saying: "She went way out of her comfort zones, started working with materials that are foreign to her... that's pretty good."

The three finalists will showcase their final collection to the judging panel in the hope of winning a solo show at the Brooklyn Museum, a cover story in Blue Canvas magazine and $100,000 furnished by the 2012 Fiat 500. - VVP/KG, GMA News

UFO Sightings - December 22, 2011

2011-12-22T20:26:00.031+04:00

What: Pinoy Entrepreneur
Where: San Francisco, California, USA / Los Angeles, California, USA / Singapore
When: Dec. 22, 2011

For our latest UFO sighting for today's feature, we take a look at one one Pinoy blazing in San Francisco and Los Angeles, California, USA and in Singapore in the field of entrepreneurship.

Our UFO in this feature is Gerry Apolinario. He is the eponymous founder of Gerry's Grill, the brand that has become a household name for remarkable Filipino cuisine. In less than 10 years after its founding in 1997, Gerry’s Grill branched out to San Francisco, California in 2005, then later to Los Angeles in 2007, two cities with very large Filipino communities. Its most recent international foray was a bit closer, successfully setting up shop at the luxurious Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore in December 2010.

UFO Sightings - December 21, 2011

2011-12-21T02:35:00.022+04:00

What: Pinay Actress
Where: Seoul, Korea
When: December 21, 2011

For our latest UFO Sighting we go to Seoul, Korea.

The CICI (Corea Image Communication Institute) in Seoul, Korea.on Monday named Jasmine Lee, who recently starred in the hit Korean film "Punch" (Wandeugi), as the winner of its Korea Image Millstone Award, according to a report from The Korea Herald.

The Korea Image Millstone Award was created this year to honor foreigners in Korea who have integrated well in Korean society, like the way grains are mixed well in a millstone.

Lee played the role of a Filipina estranged from her Korean husband and son in "Punch." The film, which stars Korean heartthrob Yoo Ah-in, was a blockbuster hit in Korea, attracting nearly 5 million viewers since it premiered in late October.

Lee, a native of Davao, was also a regular panelist on a KBS talk show "Love in Asia" and has been involved in various charities and multiculturalism advocacy efforts in Korea.

In 2010, she won the accolade "People Who Enlighten the World" from Korea Green Foundation. At present, she works for the PR team at the Seoul Global Center, one of the first migrant women hired to be civil servants by Seoul City Government.

The CICI is an organization committed to helping South Korea promote and develop its image overseas. It has been giving annual CICI Korea Image awards since 2005 to recognize individuals, events, objects and organizations that help promote Korea.

UFO Sightings - December 20, 2011

2011-12-20T23:52:00.004+04:00

What: Pinay Actress
Where: Manhattan, New York City, USA
When: December 20, 2011

For my latest UFO sighting, we will take a look in the field of acting in the international scene. Recently another Filipino has received acclaim abroad: actress-beauty queen Liza Diño. The Mutya ng Pilipinas 2001 runner-up and 2007 Miss Philippines-Earth finalist earned an Achievement in Acting plum at the 2011 International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) Awards last Nov. 18 in New York City for her performance in the psychological thriller “Compound.”

According to the website of the film's producer, Hubo Productions, it was the lone acting citation at the event. “Compound” was also well-received during the festival, and was the only Filipino film to have a “repeat screening.”

Although she initially got shocked over the recognition, the California-based Diño feels honored and thrilled nonetheless.

“There were a lot of film entries from different countries and to be given the recognition is a big honor. I am proud to represent the Philippines. It just shows as well that we have a lot of talent back home,” the Hubo Productions article quoted her as saying.

UFO Sightings - December 19, 2011

2011-12-19T20:59:00.012+04:00

What: Pinoy Balloon Bender
Where: Abu Dhabi, UAE
When: December 19, 2011

For our UFO sighting for today, we will take a look back at one interesting talent. If you get the chance to go to the New Souk Central Market every Thursday, Friday and Saturdays, you will get the chance to see this particular UFO in action. In the ground floor of the said mall, they roam around and children gather around this UFO to see how the Pinoy Balloon Bender transforms the long balloons to any animal, flower or toy they wished for. Wearing clown costumes and faces they trickle the imagination of the children and just like magic they make dogs, flowers, swords, anything out of the toy balloons. Even adults watch in amazement as the Pinoy Balloon Benders do their crafts.

UFO Sightings - December 18, 2011

2011-12-18T23:22:00.004+04:00

What: Pinay Toy Inventor
Where: London, United Kingdom
When: December 18, 2011

Eureka is a term that means " I have found it!", and certainly we have found our UFO sighting for today. Let me introduce to you our UFO sighting in today's feature, Melinda Holohan.

Melinda Holohan lost her job not so long ago and she became a stay-at-home mom looking for her two children. One Eureka moment came to her life last year after dealing with a tough question from her then 3 year old son. In the process of coming up with an answer to her son’s question, she invented a toy by accident. She calls it circa — the circular calendar.

His son wanted to know when he could go swimming again. It was Thursday evening that day and his son goes swimming on a Tuesday. Melinda find it quite difficult to explain to him that the week does continue and it does start again. While she was laying in bed she thinks to herself there must be a way of teaching kids the circular nature of calendar. She couldn’t fall asleep and she decided to just get out of bed. She then designed the circular calendar that evening using Power Point.

Holohan wanted to produce a quality toy that is tactile so she used wood.

Award-winning design

Almost two years after inventing and developing circa, an innovative toy calendar, it has reaped the following awards and recognition in the UK:

Top Drawer September 2011: Best New Children's Product
Rainbow Toy Awards 2011: Highly Commended – Wooden Toy Category
British Female Inventors and Innovators Network (BFIIN) Awards: Winner – Inventors Award, Semi-Finals 2011.
Circa was also recently selected as one of the Top 25 gifts of the Ideal Home Show at Christmas held at Earl’s Court in London.

“I always had faith in my product but every time I get recognized and awarded its just the best thing that happens, an affirmation that what I’m doing is the right thing, that it will benefit children around the world in their education and in their learning,” explained Holohan.

To Melinda Holohan we salute you.

UFO Sightings - December 17, 2011

2011-12-17T13:18:00.007+04:00

What: Pinoy Risk Engineer
Where: Dubai, UAE
When: December 17, 2011

He is the last (but not the least) of a series of UFO sightings gaining popularity recently in the field of risk engineering. Our UFO is Engr. Manuel Mike Perito. He is one of the three Filipinos featured in a book by UAE-based writer Meraj Rizvi, the "Young Asian Achievers", a book about “the success stories of 25 expatriates from eight Asian countries” who have made a mark in various fields like business, fashion, and journalism.

Below is Engr. Manuel Mike Perito's professional background and awards:

Senior Manager- Risk Management

Oman Insurance

September 2004 – Present (7 years 4 months)

Risk Engineer

Zuellig Insurance Brokers, Makati City, Philippines

August 1999 – March 2004 (4 years 8 months)

Risk Engineer

Edward Keller Insurance Brokers

February 1996 – June 1999 (3 years 5 months)

Loss Control Engineer

Malayan Insurance Co.

June 1991 – January 1996 (4 years 8 months)

Site Engineer

Camella Homes / Household Development Corp

June 1990 – February 1991 (9 months)

2009 Bagong Bayani Award (Philippines New Heroes Award)
2008 Dubai Quality Award - IDEAS ARABIA 2008 winner - special appreciation for Super Oman Info-Comics
2008 RISK INNOVATORS 2008 Awardee - Construction/Real Estate Category
2006 OIC Awarded Certificate of Appreciation for Creative Innovation (Super Oman)
2005 Shk Mohd Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Sports Quiz Runner-Up Team

UFO Sightings - December 16, 2011

2011-12-16T12:54:00.006+04:00

What: Pinoy Chemist
Where: Dubai, UAE
When: December 16, 2011

She is the second of a series of UFO sightings I just recently discovered. She is Mary Jane Alvero-Al Mahdi. Our UFO is the CEO of Geo-science Testing Laboratory. She is the second of the three Filipinos featured in a book by UAE-based journalist Meraj Rizvi, the "Young Asian Achievers".

Last 2008, she was the first Filipina to win the prestigious Emirates Business Woman Award (EBWA 2008).

Below is her Academic and Professional Background and Awards:

Chief Executive Officer

Geoscience Testing Laboratory

September 1997 – Present (14 years 4 months)

Chief Chemist

Al Futtaim Tarmac

September 1992 – September 1997 (5 years 1 month):

Adamson University

BS Chemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering

1986 – 1991

Emirates Businesswomen Award Runner-up winner, Professional Category, 2008
Woman of Substance Honoree, 2009
Blas F. Ople awardee 2009
Bagong Bayani Award 2009
Bida sa Negosyo awardee 2009
Most Outstanding Alumna 2008, UAE Chapter
Most Outstanding Alumna 2009, Manila, Phils.
Most Distinguished Chemical Engineer 2009, Professional Regulation Commission, Manila, Philippines
One of the Young Asian Achievers 2011, Exponent Media, Dubai
Featured as one of the 20 renowned global Filipinos by Western Union

Activities and Societies: Society of Human Resource Management, USA American Management Association, USA Dubai Quality Group, UAE Emirates Women Award, UAE- Assessor Adamson University Alumni Association, UAE Chapter EFQM- Certified Assessor Filipino Digerati Association, UAE- Adviser/Founder/BOT Lead Auditor MBA

UFO Sightings - December 15, 2011

2011-12-15T12:12:00.005+04:00

What: Pinoy Designer
Where: Dubai, UAE
When: December 15, 2011

This is the first of a series of UFO sightings that recently I just discovered. He is making a name for himself and made the Filipinos proud in the area of fashion designing. Our UFO is one of the three Pinoys that is featured in a book highlighting the contribution of young Asian expatriates in the Arab country titled "Young Asian Achievers". His name is Furne One.

The 165-page coffee table book, authored by UAE-based journalist Meraj Rizvi, features the success stories of 25 expatriates from eight Asian countries who have made and continuing to make an impact in various fields like business, fashion, and journalism.

During the launching of the book last December 12, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abdul Rahman Saif Al Ghurair said the featured achievers' " growth is synonymous with the rise of the city which is today a global destination or business and commerce."

See more of Furne One,in http://amatohautecouture.com .

UFO Sightings - December 14, 2011

2011-12-14T23:06:00.041+04:00

What: Pinoy CNN Bureau Chief
Where: Beijing, China
When: December 14, 2011

For our UFO Sighting for today, I should not miss making a feature about this top UFO. He is the CNN’s Beijing Bureau Chief and correspondent, responsible for strategic planning of the network’s news coverage of
China.

Our top Pinoy of the day is no other than Mr. Jaime FlorCruz.

FlorCruz has studied, worked and travelled in China for more than 35 years, and he has reported extensively on the country as a journalist since 1980, when he started his journalistic career in China and worked as a reporter for Newsweek Magazine. In 1982, he joined TIME magazine’s Beijing bureau, and served as Beijing bureau chief from 1990 to 2000.

Our Top Pinoy feature has witnessed and reported the most significant events of China’s past three decades, including the country’s economic and social reforms, the crackdown on Tiananmen protests in 1989, the death of Deng Xiaoping and the 1997 Hong Kong handover. He has also covered cross-Straits relations, the Sichuan earthquake, the 2008 Beijing Olympic and ethnic unrest in Tibet and Xinjiang.

FlorCruz has contributed regularly to CNN.com and is the writer of a weekly online column “@Jaime's China” offering analysis about Chinese society and politics in addition to his on-air reporting, .

FlorCruz is termed as the dean of the foreign press corps in Beijing, for him being the longest-serving foreign correspondent in China to date. He was a two-term president of the 200-member Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (1988-90 & 1996-1999). He was also the Edward R. Murrow Press Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

Let us all salute to our UFO Sighting for today.

UFO Sightings - December 13, 2011

2011-12-13T16:46:00.005+04:00

What: Pinoy Nurse
Where: New York City, NY, USA
When: December 13, 2011

For our UFO Sighting feature for today, we travel to the United States of America. Recently a Filipino-American nurse received the "New York Times 2011 Tribute to Nurses Award" for innovation and leadership at the New York Times headquarters in Manhattan.

Our UFO, Nurse Manager Michael Tagadaya, of New York University (NYU) Hospital, was nominated in three different categories.

He has unique contributions to the nursing field and he was nominated to "the Innovation and Leadership Award", a new award the organizers created for the Filipino nurse.

“For me, to come from the Philippines and out of the almost a million of Filipino nurses here sa buong America, it’s a huge honor, napakalaking karangalan,” Tagadaya said.

As a nurse manager at the Ambulatory Surgery unit of the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, Tagadaya created paddle pagers to ease the family members’ concerns about their loved ones’ surgeries. He also created new staff positions to bridge the gap between operating room and recovery room.

Tagadaya’s superiors at the NYU Hospital said patient satisfaction soared, thanks to those innovations.

“It’s no surprise that a lot of our nurses are of Filipino background and we really have a lot of respect for them. And they’re wonderful colleagues and they really make our medical center special, It’s a pleasure to have them,” said Joseph Basco, vice-chairman of the Orthopedic section of the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases.

“Congratulations on achieving this honor. It’s a beginning of your path in nursing leadership and we are very proud of you,” said Ann Vanderberg, Vice President for Nursing and Patient Services.

From all Filipinos, we salute you.

UFO Sightings - December 9, 2011

2011-12-09T16:33:00.010+04:00

Home

What: Pinoy Top Artists
Where: Dubai
When: December 9, 2011

Let us find our UFO sighting for today. Searching thru the net we find this two UFO's. They are featured in Time Out Dubai Magazine's "Top Ten Artists in Dubai".

Ella Orencillo, 28, Filipino

"One of the first things an art collector will often reveal when talking about breaking into the market is the degree of ownership you feel when you discover a hot artist, especially when that artist goes on to do
great things. Dubai is developing a taste for art and culture that is forging ahead at a rapid pace, and some big names have already been made right here in our city. Here, we look at the Dubai-based artists that we believe will dominate the scene in the future."

You can see more of Ella in www.ellaorencillo.com.

Kristy Anne Ligones, 28, Filipino

"I mostly produce digital art and am more of a vector artist, but I also love traditional forms, such as painting with acrylic and ink sketching."

You can see more of Kristy in www.kdlig.com.