TV networks war over holograms and virtual presence

The war between network giants ABS-CBN and GMA-7 has escalated into a whole new level with their use of advanced technology for their election coverage.

Both channels introduced their respective advanced technologies on election day, May 10. ABS-CBN used “virtual presence” while GMA-7 utilized “hologram”---a first in Philippine TV history, it claimed. With these, field reporters appear as if they were face-to-face with the anchors inside the studio.

However, the Kapamilya network insinuated that the Kapuso station is not really using a hologram. In a report on “TV Patrol World” last May 12, it showed photos of presidential candidate Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in front of a green background or “chroma,” which is said to be different from hologram. He was said to have been interviewed the day before on “24 Oras” during which anchor Mike Enriquez was quoted as telling the solon, “naka-hologram po kayo.”

“What you call a chroma key is just a view from one camera with the person standing in front of the blue or green wall and then you just key out a person so you just remove the background,” said Ernest Wojcik, Support Head of Europe-Orad Hi Tec Systems, the digital graphics provider of ABS-CBN.

More, the image should be three-dimensional meaning the whole image is seen even if the camera changes angles. It should also be seen on the set and not just on the TV screen in order to be called a hologram.

On the same day, GMA also aired via “24 Oras” their side of the story, maintaining that their technology is not fake.

“It’s just another way of enhancing the storyline and the other people who are saying that the other person is in the studio next to him… I mean, no way. Like in ‘24 Oras,’ we had Noynoy [through] hologram effect, but he was in Tarlac. No way could he be in GMA in Quezon City,” explained Nicholas Chan, Systems Specialist of Vizrt Malaysia, GMA’s provider.

That day as well, Enriquez called the technology as “hologram effect” after spurring online debate over the term usage. In an article published on GMANews.tv the next day, May 13, the change is said to have been made “to avoid any confusion with the cinematic or science-fiction version.”

Virtual presence vs. hologram effect

Vikas Choudry, Senior Graphics Creative Specialist of Orad Hi Tec Systems, insisted that virtual presence, an augmented reality technology, is very different from hologram.

“Because of this technology we are able to zoom on to the reporter. From the reporter we are able to pan to the anchor, then zoom out, and this is what we do here. We are not calling it a hologram. And this is not hologram. This is virtual presence,” he maintained.

Chan, in the same article from GMA news, related how their “real time 3-D graphics effect” is achieved:

“Basically, we set up a green cloth and we get a person to stand in front of the cloth. The image [is shot] by a camera and is transmitted to GMA and fed into the Vizrt software called the ‘Viz Artist’ to generate the figure that appears on screen.”

GMA also admitted that “there is no technology yet that allows direct communication between a holographic image of a person and a live person as depicted in science fiction films such [as] Star Wars.”

“What is currently available are technologies that approximate or approach that ideal, and Vizrt is one of the tools that are capable of creating a ‘whole drawing’ that make it seem like a person is talking to a hologram.” Hence, the “hologram effect.”

Yesterday, May 14, in a live interview with Binibining Pilipinas Universe Maria Venus Raj, “Chika Minute” via hologram effect, host Pia Guanio intimated, “malinaw ho ‘yan ah. Baka intrigahin na naman kami.”

Two years ago, the so-called “hologram” was first introduced in the history of news reporting by the Cable News Network (CNN) through Vizrt for their coverage of the presidential election. However, they were criticized over the use of the term.

“What CNN did sometime ago, which they also called a hologram, which still is a bit inaccurate… but they got a 360 image around the person speaking and they did that using a blue tent and 35 HD cameras and around 20 computers interpolating these images out of these cameras, tracked live on site,” Wojcik illustrated.

In spite of this seeming technological bragging from the two networks, their anchors noted that the introduction of new techniques was done in the hope that they will be able to deliver the news in a fresher way without a trace of a lie.

5 PCOS machines burned in Iloilo; suspects still unknown

With just two days before the polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on late Saturday said that five voting machines were torched by unknown suspects in Iloilo.

In a phone interview with GMANews.TV, Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal confirmed that five Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) units were burned together with a portion of the Caduldulan Elementary School in the town of Miag-ao, Iloilo on Saturday afternoon.

The commissioner said that they have yet to determine who was behind the attack. "We're getting more details now," he said.

But Comelec spokesman James Jimenez told GMANews.TV in a text message that their suspects "for now" are members of the communist-led New People's Army (NPA). He did not elaborate.

Iloilo is known to be a province where the NPA has a strong presence. Some of the residents there have even filed a complaint against the rebels for allegedly placing internationally-banned landmines near public schools. (See: Iloilo City residents file rights rap vs NPA rebs)

In a statement posted Saturday on the Philippine Revolution website, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) insisted it is not interested in the PCOS machines even as it warned elections officials that the equipment may be damaged in NPA ambushes if they are transported by the military. (CPP-NPA to Comelec: Our targets are not your PCOS machines but their AFP escorts)

The 82nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army is based in Camp Monteclaro in Miag-ao itself. However, there has been no confirmed report of any recent NPA attack on any government facility in the municipality as of posting time.

Poll machine supplier Smartmatic spokesman Gene Gregorio told GMANews.TV in a text message that they have left the matter in the hands of the poll body. "Comelec is verifying," he said.

Larrazabal said that they will hold a press conference about the matter on Sunday morning.

Smartmatic is expected to provide 82,200 PCOS machines for the Monday's automated polls. More than 6,000 of the units will serve as spares in case some of the other machines malfunction or get destroyed. —JV, GMANews.TV

Source code firm Dominion sheds light on voting glitch

Source code firm Dominion sheds light on voting glitch

MANILA, Philippines - A Canada-based software firm who leased the source code for the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines for the May 10 Philippine polls has shed light on the glitch that caused the machines to incorrectly read the ballots.

Sean Dean, product manager of Dominion Voting Systems, said the company only found out about the voting machine glitch during the final testing and sealing of PCOS machines in several municipalities last Monday.

Dean said Dominion representatives received clearance from the Commission on Elections to investigate the program files, which allowed them to isolate the problem in the compact flash cards.

"We reacted immediately by getting permission from Comelec to go to the warehouse to start doing some debugging and testing. It only took about an hour before we figured out what the problem was," he told ABS-CBN News.

Poll machine supplier Smartmatic-TIM earlier said wrong configurations in the compact flash cards affected the automated count for the local positions. Smartmatic Southeast Asia president Cesar Flores said an adjustment in the ballot design for the local elections affected the machine count.

Dean said Dominion representatives were able to adjust the configurations in the compact flash cards, which are needed to count the votes for more than 2,200 local municipalities and districts in the May 10 polls. He said the new configurations were finished in the morning of Wednesday.

Dominion also handled 2009 NY congressional poll

MANILA, Philippines - A Canada-based software firm that leased the source code for the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines for the May 10 Philippine polls has been tapped for various electoral exercises in Canada and the United States, including the November 2009 special election for New York's 23rd congressional district. more...

In response to doubts on the integrity of the program and automation system, Dominion said it is staking its name that nobody interfered or had any access in the generation of the program files and configuration process.

"At no point was there any outside party involved in the configuration of the ballots and the election files. It was all done by ourselves and supervised only from a viewing perspective by the Comelec but other than that they didn't have access to the station. They didn't touch it. It was all strictly done by us," he said.

During the interview, Dean remained confident that 76,000-plus compact flash cards will be configured Friday, just 3 days before the election. He conceded, however, that the next challenge is delivering the flash cards to all municipalities in time for Monday's polls.

Dean denied previous articles accusing Dominion of questioning Smartmatic's contract with Comelec. He said the Dominion-Smartmatic partnership remains strong, as shown by the company's presence during the entire bidding process for the automation contract.

The Dominion official said fraud or manipulation of votes is impossible once the ballot enters the PCOS. He said once the PCOS reads the ballot, there is no way for the vote or count to be changed because of the 128-bit encryption, which is the same protective encryption used by banks.

Arroyo's manicurist named Pag-IBIG board member, Palace confirms

Source: www.yahoo.com.ph

Malacañang on Wednesday confirmed reports that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's manicurist has been appointed as board member of the Pag-IBIG Housing Fund.

Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said Anita "Nitz" Carpon has been appointed to the housing agency to represent government employees, even as he defended her from criticisms against her "lowly" status.

"Ang kanya pong kakatawanin is precisely yung maliliit na empleyado na siyang nangangailangan ng serbisyo ng Pag-IBIG (What she will represent are precisely those small employees who need the services of Pag-IBIG). Let us not hold her lowly status against her," Olivar said in the report aired over GMA News’ early evening news program “24 Oras."

Carpon's appointment first appeared on broadsheet Philippine Star when Jarius Bondoc reported in his April 19 column that the manicurist had secured a post at Pag-IBIG and would likely receive a monthly salary of P130,000.

Bondoc also said "no one at the Pag-IBIG Fund cares to answer quiet inquiries" about the issue.

On April 21, Bondoc wrote another column, saying that aside from Carpon, Mrs. Arroyo also appointed her gardener, Armando Macapagal, as deputy of the Luneta Park Administration.

"Professionals among Malacañang’s housekeeping staff are outraged. Not only did Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appoint her personal manicurist to the board of trustees of Pag-IBIG Housing Fund. She also earlier named her gardener as deputy of the Luneta Park Administration. Both postings are improper sinecures, Palace aides murmur," Bondoc's column read.

"A third insider doubts the two appointees’ credentials. Macapagal supposedly landscapes Malacañang lawns but does not manage people. Carpon is not known for financial expertise to oversee the multibillion-peso housing mutual fund of all employees. Nicknamed Nitz, she is often scolded by Arroyo for mismatching presidential handbags and shoes," it added.

In 2002, President Arroyo also appointed her dentist Leonor Tripon-Rosero as board examiner for dentistry. In 2003, Rosero was promoted as commissioner of the Philippine Regulation Commission. Two years after, in January 2005, she was named as PRC chair.—JV, GMANews.TV

Giant lizard species discovered in the Philippines

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/
By Matt Walker
Editor, Earth News


A close look at the giant Varanus bitatawa

A new species of giant lizard has been discovered in the Philippines.

The 2m-long reptile is a monitor lizard, the group to which the world's longest and largest lizards belong.

The monitor, described as spectacular by the scientists who found it, lives in forests covering the Sierra Madre mountains in the north of the country.

The striking reptile has bright yellow, blue and green skin, and survives on a diet of just fruit, yet until now it has escaped the eyes of biologists.

"It is an incredible animal," says Dr Rafe Brown, one of the scientists who describe the new lizard in the journal Biology Letters.

In the journal, the researchers describe how rare it is to find such a large terrestrial animal new to science.

The discovery of the lizard, they say, is of a similar importance to two other large species of so-called "mega-fauna" discovered in recent years: the kipunji (Rungwecebus kipunji), a new genus of monkey found in Africa, and the saola, a Vietnamese forest bovid (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis).

The giant lizard is actually well known to resident Agta and Ilongot tribespeople living in the forests of northern Luzon Island.

The tribespeople regularly hunt the lizard for its meat, a vital source of protein.

Yet scientists were unaware of its existence.

That was until Dr Brown and an international team of colleagues from the US, Philippines and The Netherlands surveyed a series of lizard specimens preserved in museums both within the US and Philippines.

Within these specimens they identified the new species on the basis of its body size, scales, colouration and DNA.

With a main body length approaching 1m, with an additional 1m-long tail, the lizard has dark skin covered by golden yellow spots and flecks.

Its legs are mainly yellow, and its tail striped black and yellow.

In some pictures, the animal also looks to have green or blue scales.

The new species, which is called Varanus bitatawa, is thought to survive on a diet of fruit, making it one of just three species of fruit-eating monitor lizards in the world.

Monitor lizards include the world's most massive lizard, the Komodo dragon (V. komodoensis), which can reach up to 3m-long and weigh up to 90kg.

While not as massive, other species of monitor, such as the Crocodile monitor or Salvadori's monitor (Varanus salvadorii) of New Guinea, can also reach similar lengths.

Secretive creature

Why the new massive lizard has remained undiscovered by scientists until now is a mystery, especially as many biologists work in the northern Philippines.

The researchers say it may be because the lizard is naturally reclusive, being a highly secretive animal that never leaves the forest or crosses open country.

It could also be because few scientific expeditions have characterised the reptiles living in the Sierra Madre forests.

The new species of monitor lives at least 150km away from its nearest relative, another lizard called V. olivaceus, which also lives in trees and eats fruit.

WILD GIANTS

Last year, a giant new species of meat-eating plant was discovered

A previously unknown giant rat species was also uncovered by a BBC expedition filming in the Philippines

This year, extraordinary footage of a rarely seen giant 17m-long deep sea fish was captured by scientists off Mexico's coast

Watch videos of giant monitor lizards, including the Komodo dragon, here

New species of giant lizard found in Philippines

Source: http://www.physorg.com

(A Varanus bitatawa, pictured in 2009 in the Philippines. Scientists reported on the "spectacular" discovery a previously unknown species of fruit-eating lizard as big as a full-grown man. Astonished researchers found the secretive but brightly-coloured beast, a close cousin of the fearsome Komodo Dragons of Indonesia, in a hard-to-reach river valley of northern Luzon Island in the Philippines.)

A Varanus bitatawa, pictured in 2009 in the Philippines. Scientists reported on the "spectacular" discovery a previously unknown species of fruit-eating lizard as big as a full-grown man. Astonished researchers found the secretive but brightly-coloured beast, a close cousin of the fearsome Komodo Dragons of Indonesia, in a hard-to-reach river valley of northern Luzon Island in the Philippines.

Biologists on Wednesday reported the spectacular discovery of a species of giant lizard, a reptile as long as a full-grown man is tall, and endowed with a double penis.

Colorful, human-sized lizard with double penis discovered in RP

Source:

(A Varanus bitatawa, pictured in 2009 in the Philippines. Scientists reported on the "spectacular" discovery a previously unknown species of fruit-eating lizard as big as a full-grown man. Astonished researchers found the secretive but brightly-coloured beast, a close cousin of the fearsome Komodo Dragons of Indonesia, in a hard-to-reach river valley of northern Luzon Island in the Philippines.)


A colorful lizard that is longer than the height of a tall Filipino man and has two penises has been discovered in the northern Philippine island of Luzon. An article posted on MSNBC.com said the reptile, which is a relative of the Komodo dragon—the world's largest lizard—measures about 1.8 meters or more than six feet long.

It is also "one of only three fruit-eating monitor species in the world," the MSNBC article reported. Tagged with the scientific name Varanus bitatawa, the newly discovered lizard is decorated with golden stripes and yellow spots and has huge claws for climbing trees.

A male bitatawa is endowed with a hidden double-penis structure that pops out as needed, which commonly occurs among other reptiles like snakes.

"Lizards keep their male reproductive organs inverted inside their bodies like a sock turned inside out, and when it's time to use them, they evert them, flipping them out of their body and filling them with fluid so they can rigidly protrude for reproduction," Brown said.

"We call this a hemipenis, and lizards have two of them. They have elaborate structures that we assume are unique to each species — we think they have to fit like a lock and key, preventing hybridization between species," he added.

A separate online article from Discover magazine said the discovery "cements the Philippines’ reputation as one of the planet’s most important hotspots of biodiversity."

Although officially discovered by a team of biologists from the University of Kansas led by Wilston Luke, the lizard has long been known by the name bitatawa among indigenous peoples living in the area.

Head herpetologist Rafe Brown expressed his surprise that the creature was only recently found. "I am most impressed that such a large, conspicuous, brightly colored species of monitor lizard escaped the notice of biologists for the past 150 years," the article quoted Brown as saying. "At the same time, we are humbled because the species is not really new — it is only new to us as Western scientists," Brown said. "In fact, resident indigenous communities — the Agta and Ilongot tribes — have known about it for many generations. If only scientists had listened to them earlier!" Last year, international botanists Stewart McPherson and Alastai Robinson published their findings of an unusual plant that eats rodents, which they discovered in Palawan province. (See: Palawan discovery: A living rat trap) Brown said given the "rapid deforestaton in the Philippines, he expects the discovery of the Bitatawa lizard to become a "major conservation priority" in the country.—JV, GMANews.TV

Giant lizard discovered in the Philippines

By JIM GOMEZ,Associated Press Writer


(A Varanus bitatawa, pictured in 2009 in the Philippines. Scientists reported on the "spectacular" discovery a previously unknown species of fruit-eating lizard as big as a full-grown man. Astonished researchers found the secretive but brightly-coloured beast, a close cousin of the fearsome Komodo Dragons of Indonesia, in a hard-to-reach river valley of northern Luzon Island in the Philippines.)



MANILA, Philippines – Researchers have concluded that a giant, golden-spotted monitor lizard discovered in the forested mountains of the Philippines six years ago is a new species, according to a study released Wednesday.

The 6.5-foot (2-meter) -long lizard was first spotted in 2004 in the Sierra Madre mountains on the main island of Luzon when local researchers saw local Agta tribesmen carrying one of the dead reptiles.

With the help of DNA testing, researchers determined it was a new species that was closely related to another monitor lizard on the same island about 90 miles (150 kilometers) away.

The lizard feasts on fruits rather than carcasses, unlike many monitors _ including its larger relative, the Komodo dragon, according to American and Filipino researchers who wrote about the discovery in Wednesday's peer-reviewed Royal Society journal Biology Letters.

"I knew as soon as I saw the animal that it was something special," Luke Welton, a graduate student at the University of Kansas and one of the co-authors of the study, said in a statement.

It is not all that unusual to find a new species of tiny fish, frog or insect these days. But Welton and his colleagues said it was "rare occurrence" to discover such a large vertebrate, particularly on an island hit by deforestation and nearby development. They compared their find to the 1993 discovery of the forest-dwelling Saola ox in Vietnam and a new monkey species discovered in the highlands of Tanzania in 2006.

"Our unexpected finding of a highly conspicuous new species of a large vertebrate that has escaped discovery in the forests of northern Luzon emphasized the unexplored nature of the Philippines," the researchers wrote.

Eric R. Pianka, a lizard expert at the University of Texas at Austin, said in an e-mail interview that it was an "incredible find."

"This is truly a spectacular discovery," Pianka said. "Worldwide, there are about 60-plus species of monitor lizards. In all probability, some as yet undescribed species will be found on various islands in Indonesia," he said.

DJ Mo strikes back, calls U-Kiss fans ‘hypocritical’

Source: Manila Bulletin

DJ Mo Twister

Radio talk show host DJ Mo Twister will not apologize to U-Kiss and their fans for his Twitter remarks about the boy band looking like lesbians.

In a blog entry, DJ Mo defended his remarks, telling fans that “what I wrote was my opinion meant to critique their fashion sense.”

He called fans who demanded for his apology as 12-year-olds, hypocritical and parasites.

“Since I posted these comments, I have received thousands of demands for a public apology and equally large amounts of death threats.”

DJ Mo tweeted after watching U-Kiss perform on “Party Pilipinas” last March 28 as part of the boy band’s Philippine promo tour.

“I stand corrected. These K-pop guys don’t look gay, they look like lesbians,” he wrote.

The comment enraged fans who demanded that he immediately apologize for his disparaging remarks. The fans set up a Facebook page for this. As of this writing, the fan page now has 5,876 members.

Before his blog entry, DJ Mo tweeted that “Some UKISS fans are upset I said they looked like lesbians. What’s wrong w/ that? I like lesbians. My aunt is lesbian, they look like my aunt.”

In his blog, DJ Mo said, “I felt it’s in the same line as how critics dissect the Best and Worst Dressed at awards night. Look at their photo and be realistic, I am not off on my assessment – those dudes dress and look like chicks. If you find that offensive, why?”

Baby James unwittingly steals the scene in Tito Noynoy's political rally

Baby James Yap Jr. has just become the youngest person in the country's political arena to produce a one-liner so amusingly out of sync that presidential rivals Manny Villar and Noynoy Aquino may even share a laugh about it later.

Election day is still weeks away but the competition for mass support among political candidates is getting more and more rigorous. Posters and streamers clutter the streets, roving vehicles' loudspeakers persistently belt out loops of campaign jingles on a daily basis.

Presidential candidates have been hopping from one province to another, mounting political rallies. Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and his Liberal Party trooped to Bacolod City last March 29. His youngest sister Kris Aquino tagged along with her son Baby James Yap, who has been joining his tito's provincial tours.

During that event, the two-year-old son of the host-actress did something quite unexpected.

Holding the microphone, Baby James greeted the crowd, "Hallow!"

"Hello!" a thousand people answered back.

Waving the mic to and fro, the child smiled and exclaimed, "Veeyar!"

Kris looked surprised at her son's utterance. Then softly and with a quiet laugh, she said, "Nooo... O, you go na."

Baby James smiled from ear to ear. He had no idea of the impact he just made. Let's just say the toddler was simply quick to absorb what he hears from the people around him, including the personalities on television and perhaps even on radio.

AMUSED REACTIONS. Baby James' one-liner elicited hearty laughs and a round of applause from the Bacolod crowd.

Up north in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Manny Villar in a press conference was told about the free promotion by his rival's nephew.

"Ako ay natutuwa at isang malaking karangalan sa akin dahil alam mo ang mga bata, pinaka-honest," he told GMANews.tv.

And according to the feed received by PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal), the former senate president will be sending Baby James a Technomarine watch for kids, with yellow, green, and orange bracelet for the latter's "free endorsement."

Kris Aquino, in a separate interview, revealed that Baby James has this habit of teasing his uncle by saying the names of Noynoy Aquino's political rivals.

In her Twitter account, Kris also apologized to Noynoy and to her sisters.

“Nag-sorry ako to Noy & my sisters right away & they told me siempre he's 2 yrs old–terrible 2s. Moral of the story–we let him be 2 while guiding him to be a good boy,” Kris Twitted last Monday, April 5.

She added, “Hay naku, ang ka naughty-han ni Bimby [nickname of Baby James]! Talagang heaven's way of making me feel all I did before to stress Mom. True, he said "Veeyar" in Bacolod rally. Nag naughty siya kasi 10th event namin that day–pagod na. Bimby is sikat so nasa news.”

Noynoy: Baby James was just playing around

Source: GMANEWS
SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — Baby James endorsed Villar? Come on, the kid was just playing around.

Presidential aspirant Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III (Liberal Party), the uncle of Kris Aquino's now famous youngest child, virtually made the statement Wednesday after his closest rival Senator Manuel Villar Jr. expressed elation over Baby James' mention of his last name at Aquino's campaign sortie.

"Ganun ba kaunti yun nag-eendorso sa atin pong katungali na kailangan po nilang angkinin yung binigkas ng isang two-year-old na baka naman ang kaalaman ay maglaro sa kasalukuyan?," Aquino said at a press conference in the Jose Feliciano College in Mabalacat, Pampanga, where he is currently campaigning.

(Does our opponent have such few endorsers that he has to claim that they're being supported by a two-year-old who's currently interested only in playing.)

"Sana naintindihan po nila yung bata pong two years old mahilig maglaro po yun (They should understand that a two-year-old only wants to play)," Aquino said.

Asked why he thought Baby James said "Villar!" during a campaign sortie, Aquino said: "Siguro bihira niya naririnig yung tao nagsasabi nun kaya siya na lang nagsabi nun (Perhaps he seldom hears people say it so he said it himself)."

In one of Aquino's commercials, Baby James memorably uttered "Noynoy!" in the end, even flashing the "L" (for Laban) sign.

But a video footage of a rally in Bacolod weeks ago that was released recently showed Baby James uttering the last name of his uncle's closest rival for the presidency before a large crowd. His mother, celebrity Kris Aquino, instantly turned the toddler away from the crowd. In reaction, Villar said: "Ako ay natutuwa at isang malaking karangalan sa akin dahil alam mo ang mga bata, pinakahonest (I'm glad and it's a great honor for me, because you know, kids are the most honest)." In a separate press statement, Villar said "we welcome all forms of support, even those that come in small packages." — RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV

Villar thanks Baby James

Source: www.yahoo.com.ph
By Thea Alberto, Yahoo! Southeast Asia



Nacionalista Party bet Senator Manny Villar has thanked Baby James Aquino-Yap, nephew of his closest rival for the presidency, Senator Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino for an unanticipated support.

“We welcome all forms of support, even those that come in small packages,” Villar said in a statement, following Baby James’ unexpected ‘endorsement’.

The two-year-old Baby James, son of actress Kris Aquino and basketball star James Yap, suddenly chanted ‘Villar’ instead of ‘Noynoy’ during a campaign rally in Bacolod. Kris was apparently asking Baby James to greet the crowd but the boy suddenly said the name of his uncle’s rival.

"It's surprisingly amusing to hear it straight from the babe's mouth…natutuwa ako dyan kasi ang mga bata ay busilak ang kalooban at 'di nagsisinungaling," Villar said.

Kris, meanwhile, said in her Twitter account she already said sorry to her brother about Baby James’ ‘naughtiness’.

“Nag-sorry ako to Noy & my sisters right away & they told me siempre he's 2 yrs old- terrible 2s. Moral of the story- we let him be 2 while guiding him to be a good boy,” Aquino tweeted on Monday.

Kris also explained why Baby James, whom she fondly calls as ‘Bimby,’ suddenly chanted Villar.

“Hay naku, ang ka naughty-han ni Bimby! Talagang heaven's way of making me feel all I did before to stress Mom. True, he said "Veeyar" in Bacolod rally. Nag naughty siya kasi 10th event namin that day- pagod na. Bimby is sikat so nasa news,” Kris added.

PHIVOLCS calms fears of Taal eruption after photos posted on FB

Source: www.yahoo.com.ph

Chief government volcanologist Renato Solidum assured the public that Taal Volcano was not erupting after tourists in Tagaytay reported seeing a fire inside one of the craters. Solidum said that there was no seismic activity monitored that would indicate an impending explosion.

One traveler posted pictures of a glowing Taal crater on GMANews.TV's Facebook fan page.

Contacted by GMANews.TV by phone late Saturday night, Director Solidum of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said lava flows will always be accompanied by seismic activity in the volcano’s vicinity, and so far the agency has not monitored any.

Photos were posted on GMANews.TV’s Facebook fan page on Saturday evening, indicating lava-like activity in the Binintiang Malaki crater of Taal island, which is not Taal Volcano’s main crater.

Lava flow-like activity glows on a part of the Taal volcanic island, taken on the evening of April 3, 2010, as posted by Carlo Miguel Saavedra on the GMANews.TV Facebook page. PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum says the agency has not monitored any seismic activity in the area, which will always accompany any lava flow.

At around 7 p.m. Saturday, Virgie Luvidece posted an inquiry asking, “Wala ba kayong update tungkol sa Taal volcano... sumasabog ito parang fountain.. maraming tourista ang kumukuha ng picture nito ngayon."

Carlo Miguel Saavedra also posted a picture showing a sizable fire in or near one of the craters, saying that it was around 6:30 p.m. when the volcano “started to show some magma flow over the side."

Solidum surmised that the glowing spots in the pictures might merely be local residents engaged in kaingin, or slash-and-burn clearing of slopes prior to planting, although he hastened to add that he has not seen the pictures yet.

A check with the PHIVOLCS website showed no recent activity report for Taal volcano.—JV/HS, GMANews.TV

MVP 'borrowed' from other grad speeches, says sorry

Source: GMANEWS
Manuel V. Pangilinan, one of the country's most prominent businessmen, has admitted to "borrowing" from other graduation speeches for his commencement address to Ateneo de Manila University graduates last month.

In a letter to Ateneo University president Ben Nebres that was published on the Ateneo web site Saturday night, Pangilinan said, “I wish to express my sincerest apology to you, the University and to the 2010 graduating class."

Pangilinan is chair of the Ateneo Board of Trustees. He is also the chairman of telecommunications giants PLDT and Smart Communications, one of the richest men in the Philippines, and a philanthropist active in education, sports, and health. He has been rumored to have political ambitions.

He did not state in his apology whom he "borrowed" from, but GMANews.TV has discovered that a speech by President Barack Obama was one of his sources, in addition to speeches by author JK Rowling and television host Oprah Winfrey.

Reports of plagiarism in Pangilinan’s commencement address to the “Ateneo's Sesquicentennial Batch" last March 27 had been circulating on Facebook, comparing passages from his speech with commencement addresses by Rowling, the author of the enormously popular Harry Potter novels, and to a lesser extent, Oprah.

GMANews.TV has confirmed that he also delivered lines that were similar to passages in a graduation speech given by US President Barack Obama at Arizona State University in 2009. One example:

President Obama: "For many of you, these challenges are also felt in more personal terms. Perhaps you're still looking for a job -- or struggling to figure out what career path makes sense in this disrupted economy. Maybe you've got student loans -- no, you definitely have student loans -- (applause) -- or credit card debts, and you're wondering how you'll ever pay them off. Maybe you've got a family to raise, and you're wondering how you'll ensure that your children have the same opportunities you've had to get an education and pursue their dreams."

Pangilinan: "For all of you, these challenges are felt now in more immediate and personal terms. You will soon be looking for a job – struggling to figure out which career makes sense in this economy of ours. Maybe you have loans, and are worried how you‘ll pay them down. Maybe you‘ve got a family to help. Maybe you‘re asking how your siblings can have an Ateneo education like you had."

GMANews.TV also verified that some lines in Pangilinan's address were nearly identical to passages in Rowling's commencement address at Harvard University in 2008.

"I had no idea then how far the tunnel extended, and for a long time, any light at the end of it was a hope rather than a reality," Rowling said in her speech.

In Pangilinan's address, this line appears: "I had no idea how far the tunnel of failure extended. And any light at the end of it seemed more hope than reality."

Rowling: "The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive."

Pangilinan: "The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you can be secure in your ability to survive."

GMANews.TV also verified passages lifted nearly verbatim from Oprah Winfrey's commencement address at Stanford University in 2008.

Winfrey: "Let me tell you, money's pretty nice. I'm not going to stand up here and tell you that it's not about money, 'cause money is very nice. I like money. It's good for buying things. But having a lot of money does not automatically make you a successful person. What you want is money and meaning. You want your work to be meaningful. Because meaning is what brings the real richness to your life. What you really want is to be surround by people you trust and treasure and by people who cherish you. That's when you're really rich."

Pangilinan: "Let me tell you, money‘s pretty cool. I‘m not going to stand here and tell you that‘s it‘s not about money, because money is sweet. I like money. It‘s good for buying companies and things – and for putting up a few buildings here and there for Ateneo. But having a lot of money does not totally make you a successful person. What you want is both money and meaning. You want your life and your career to be meaningful. Because meaning is what brings real richness to your life, to be surrounded by people you can truly work with – because you trust and treasure them, and they cherish you in return. That‘s when you‘re really rich..."

In his emailed statement to Fr. Nebres, Pangilinan acknowledged that "I have had some help in the drafting of my remarks, but I take full and sole responsibility for them."

“I am told further that comments posted on Facebook have started to spill beyond graduation," Pangilinan wrote Nebres, “and are now alluding to my misconduct with respect to Meralco, with former President Erap, and so forth. Under the circumstances, it is best for the Ateneo and myself to shorten the life of this controversy and prevent it from spinning out of control."

He said that “this has been a source of deep personal embarrassment for me," and informed Nebres that he was retiring from his official duties at the Ateneo, his alma mater.

In a response on the Ateneo web site, Nebres said, "We know that this happened without your full awareness, though you take full and sole responsibility. Thus this does not diminish our admiration and respect for your person and for your care and accomplishments for our country and for the Ateneo. In fact, your acceptance of responsibility and apology command our utmost respect."

Nebres added that he did not agree that Pangilinan needed to resign from his duties as Ateneo trustee. "I believe with many others that what is appropriate is the apology you have given," Nebres said.– Howie Severino and Pia Faustino, GMANews.TV

Philippines insists airlines are safe despite EU banc

Source: www.yahoo.com.ph

MANILA, March 31, 2010 (AFP) – The Philippines on Wednesday insisted its airlines were safe after the Southeast Asian nation's carriers were banned from flying into the European Union.

"Our aircraft meet the international standards in safety," Civil Aviation Authority head Alfonso Cusi said.

He was reacting to a notice from the European Commission made public Tuesday that said authorities in Manila had failed to address safety deficiencies raised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

It placed all Philippine airlines, as well as those from Sudan, on a "watchlist" of countries banned from flying to the 27-nation bloc.

"In both countries, it's because of serious and persistent non-compliance of the civil aviation authorities in terms of overseeing and checks on aircraft," European Commission transport spokeswoman Helen Kearns said.

The ICAO raised significant safety concerns after it carried out an audit on Philippine carriers in November last year.

But Cusi said improvements had been taken since the November audit, including the hiring of 47 technical personnel to oversee inspections.

"I have invited the EU safety aviation commission ... to come to the Philippines for re-inspection this May to show that we have corrected the problem they have raised," he said.

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines is the only local airline registered to fly to the EU, but its last commercial flight there was in 1999, according to Cusi.

OMG She's AMAZING!

TIP: you can load the video by opening it each in a new browser window or tab. Let it load and come back to watch them all. Note: Wait For the Video To Load... It May Take 2-3mins...

2009 Bar topnotcher says exam was 'long and difficult'

Source: Yahoo.com

MANILA, Philippines -- This year's bar topnotcher from the San Beda College of Law admitted having a hard time answering questions in the 2009 Bar Exam.

Reinier Paul Yebra, who is the first San Beda student to top the bar in over 40 years, passed the exam with a score of 84.80%. The last San Beda law student who topped the bar exam was Rodolfo D. Robles in 1967.

“Mahirap talaga ‘yong exam. Mahaba at mahirap. (The exam was difficult. It was long and difficult),” Yebra said. “The examinees had a difficult time answering the questions.”

Yebra said the Supreme Court’s decision to lower the passing grade from 75% to 71% was "just right" because the exam questions are becoming more and more complex.

“I think na tama lang na ibinaba nila. (It’s just right that they lowered the passing grade),” he said.

Yebra told ABS-CBN News in an interview that he is glad he passed the exam, becoming one of the few lucky passers.

Less than a quarter (24%) of 5,903 examinees passed this year, according to the Supreme Court (SC).

Yebra, the eldest of 4 siblings, now works for a law firm. His classmate at San Beda, Charlene May Tapic, placed 2nd overall.

More difficult than previous exams

Ateneo Law School graduate John Paul Lim, who came out as the Top 3 examinee, meanwhile, said he was caught off guard by some questions in the bar exam.

He said the exam was much more difficult than the past exam questions he encountered while reviewing for the Bar.

“Kasi syempre [ka]pag nagrereview ka, you try to look at past exams. It's different from what we encountered during the Bar,” said Lim.

Six other Ateneo law students were included in the top 10, including Eric David Tan, Yvi Randolf Gonzales, Joan Mae To, Timothy Joseph Lumauig, Naella Rose Bainto and Shiela Abigail Go.

The Supreme Court released the Bar results last Friday evening (March 26), 5 months after the actual examinations took place.

The law bar exam is considered the most difficult among professional licensure exams in the Philippines.

'Agony is over'

Meanwhile, 4th placer Caroline Lagos of the University of the Philippines College of Law said she is happy she survived the “ordeal."

Lagos, whose father topped the 1980 Bar Examinations, said she would have been satisfied if she simply passing the exam without landing in the top 10.

“Hindi ko na iniisip na number 4 [ako]. Basta ‘yon na nakapasa na ako, tapos na. Tapos na ang agony ko. Sobrang saya ko,” she said. (I wasn’t thinking of ranking Top 4, I just wanted to pass and finish my agony. I’m so happy with the results).

Only two UP Law students ranked in the top 10 this year.

Aside from Lagos at 4th place, UP law student Herminio Bagro III ranked 8th overall with a score of 84.04%.

The 2009 Bar Examinations were held on September 6, 13, and 20; and October 4, 2009 at the De La Salle University in Taft Avenue, Manila.

The Bar exams are traditionally held in 4 consecutive Sundays of September, but the High Court had to reset to October 4, 2009 the last exam week due to the widespread flooding brought about by Typhoon Ondoy. With a report from Abner Mercado, ABS-CBN News.

Mo Twister says he's open to working with old foes Ruffa Gutierrez and Cristy Fermin on TV5

Source: PEP.PH


Naging matunog noon ang balita na magiging bagong miyembro ng TV5 family ang DJ at Showbiz Central host na si Mo Twister. Pero nang ipakilala na ang mga artistang Kapatid sa trade launch with advertisers na ginanap sa World Trade Center last March 25, walang Mo na binanggit o humarap sa entertainment press.



Pero di rin ito nakaligtas sa PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) at sa iba pang press na naiwan sa WTC nang bigla itong dumating.



"I just came here as a friendly hello," aniyang nakatawa.



Sinabi pa niya na eventually raw ay lilipat din siya sa TV5, tinatapos lang niya ang kontrata niya sa Showbiz Central.



"I have a contract that runs till May with GMA. But it's for Showbiz Central, I'm not a contract artist of GMA-7," paliwanag niya.



Wala bang counter-offer ang Kapuso network para manatili siya?



"No, not really, no... GMA has been rather clear that my role there is for Showbiz Central and titingnan natin kung ang TV5 will be a little bit more, mas malaking opportunity kapag ready na akong mag-move."



WORKING WITH OLD FOES. Balitang magiging part siya ng showbiz news and talk show na Paparazzi at variety show na P.O.5. Dati niyang nakasamaan ng loob ang dalawang female hosts ng Paparazzi na sina Cristy Fermin at Ruffa Gutierrez. Hindi ba magiging awkward?



"Well, tingnan mo naman si Ruffa. Di ba, kaaway si Annabelle Rama at Cristy Fermin, so, there's really a lot of tension in the show. I think magiging okey naman kami. Ka-close ko naman si Raymond Gutierrez, so, I think, puwede naman siyang maging bridge for a relationship between Ruffa and I.



"Tapos naman kay Cristy, sobrang tindi ang away namin so, titingnan natin kung puwede kaming maging okey."



Hindi ba siya naiilang na magiging katapat ng Paparazzi ang panggagalingan niyang show?



"Okey naman ako to be in that position... I think that's just really the nature of the business... Financially it's better, so why not, di ba?"



SAD TO GO. Kung meron daw siya talagang ikinalulungkot sa mga career decisions na ginagawa niya ngayon, ito raw ay ang mga iiwan niyang mga staff.



"We're like a family there. Pero siyempre, you know, at the end, you just have to realize that there's also a business aspect to it and you should, you know, think about that."



Dagdag pa niya, "Noong isang araw nga, naiiyak nga ako when I was talking to some management people in GMA with the thought of there might be a possibility that it won't work out between us... I was actually teary-eyed because, you know, I love these people."



Sa huli, diretsahan naming tinanong kung anong buwan siya magiging isang Kapatid na?



"Ay naku, whenever it allows me to... Right now, there's also something that I'm looking into... I also try out for other things. I auditioned for Amazing Race in AXN and that will take a month. We'll see... If that happens, I'll find out in a couple of weeks, audition lang yun, e."



Kung matatanggap daw siya run, it will only take around 24 days.



"Sayang din yun, di ba? Mga five million din yun," lahad niya.



Pero talaga raw he's looking forward to working at TV5.

"Yes, it's a great place. The environment is nice. The energy of TV5 is very exciting. If I'll get an opportunity to work in this company, I'll take it."

How Manny Villar lied and used the death of his brother Danny

Source: Philippine Star
“Nakaranas na ba kayong ... mamatayan ng kapatid dahil wala kang pera pangpagamot (Have you experienced losing a brother because you did not have the money
to provide him proper medical care)? — Manny Villar asked in his “PANATA (Advocacy)” TV commercial. Villar was referring to his younger brother Danny who passed away on October 1962. In the same commercial, Villar’s 1962 photo with his younger brother was shown.

This portrayal of being poor once upon a time is a fantasy which comes in a series of similar attempts by Villar to create empathy with the nearly 90% of voters who belong to the socio-economic classes D and E. However, this particular attempt to use his late brother Danny to further his political ambition showed that Villar is as capable of lying just like Madame Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA).

Two public documents — the death certificate of Danny B. Villar and the Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT number: 135396/3194) of the 560 square meter property in the upper class San Rafael Village of Navotas where the Villars had lived when Danny died — shattered this ONCE POOR fantasy that Villar has been peddling.

What the San Rafael Village TCT presents:

1. Before 1962, the Villars bought 560 square meters (SQM) of high valued real estate on Bernardo Street in San Rafael Village where the more affluent folks in the Tondo-Navotas area resided.

2. The DEATH CERTIFICATE of the deceased Danny B. Villar established that they were already residing there in 1962.

3. Based on 2009 prices, the P16,000 GSIS (Government Service Insurance System) mortgage mentioned in the TCT — not necessarily the total cost of the two 280 SQM lots — is now the equivalent of P1,140,000.00. Poor people today cannot even borrow P200,000. Those who are familiar with the subdivision say that the cost per SQM in San Rafael Village today would be around P10,000 per SQM or an equivalent of around P5,600,000 for the entire property.

4. Jun Borres, the present owner who is using the 560 SQM property as offices of his firm, Jumbo Fishing, stated that when they bought it in 1987 - it had a one and a half floor house. The ground floor was made of concrete while the upstairs was made of wood. This was typical upper middle class and upper class dwelling in the 1960s.

Implications of the San Rafael Village ownership

1. Together with established Manny Villar bio information, they could not have been dirt poor to be able to move to San Rafael Village before 1962. His mother was a seafood (shrimp, crab and fish) dealer in Divisoria Market, not a fish vendor as what Villar tries to project. A seafood dealer supplies the vendors. For a family of 11, they ate canned corned beef — which Manny Villar admitted on his earlier TV ad. His father was a government official, said to be a Budget Officer of the then DANR (Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources) under which was the Fisheries Bureau. Manny Villar studied in private schools — the Holy Child Catholic School for elementary and Mapua Institute of Technology for High School. Poor folks send their kids to public schools.

2. Villar’s parents must have had a sizeable combined income to be able to buy the San Rafael Village property. The 560 SQM size demonstrates their financial capacity. If they could, poor people buy lots sized less than 100 SQMs. Villar’s father must also be making a sizeable income from the government to be able to borrow P16,000 from the GSIS. In 1962, senior executives in big corporations made monthly salaries of about P2,000.

What Danny B. Villar’s DEATH CERTIFICATE reveals:

1. It is NOT TRUE that Danny died because they were poor and could not afford proper health care. The stated residence in Danny’s death certificate was the San Rafael Village property.

2. The BIG LIE is further proved by the fact that Danny stayed 13 days at the FEU (Far Eastern University) Hospital where he expired at age 3 years and 8 months. If they were really poor, the PGH (Philippine General Hospital) would have been the affordable hospital to bring Danny. He was definitely given proper health care. FEU Hospital was one of the top hospitals in 1962, before the establishment of the Makati Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital.

3. Danny died from CARDIAC and RESPIRATORY FAILURE resulting from COMPLICATIONS OF LEUKEMIA. In 1962, there was no bone marrow transplantation and chemotherapy yet and everyone whether rich or poor died from contracting leukemia.

4. Upon Danny’s death, his remains were turned over to LA FUNERARIA PAZ — then, until now, considered one of the top two mortuaries (Funeraria Nacional, the other). This further disproved Manny Villar’s claim that Danny died because they did not have the money to take care of him.

When Iggy Arroyo was seen as having taken the Jose Pidal rap for his elder brother Mike, many folks felt that it was rather low of Mike Arroyo to place his younger brother at risk. Our culture expects the older brother to protect the younger brother.

In that regard, we can consider Manny Villar as having done worse than Mike Arroyo. At least, Iggy Arroyo was alive and kicking and he could have opted to stay out of the Jose Pidal controversy. But in the case of Manny and Danny Villar, Danny was used to promote a myth when Danny was in no position to agree to his elder brother Manny’s portrayal of his death.

With the propagation of this ONCE POOR fantasy, don’t you think that Manny Villar also desecrated the memory and honor of his parents who strove to be able to provide their children quality education and an upper class domicile?

If Manny Villar can lie and use his dead younger brother like this, what makes you think that he will really improve and not worsen your life? What makes you think that he is not as greedy as he is being charged in this presidential campaign? What makes you think that you can trust Manny Villar?

‘Manny Pacquiao’ endorses Gibo

Source: Manila Bulletin
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – If Nacionalista Party (NP) presidential candidate Sen. Manuel Villar has ring hero Manny Pacquiao as supporter, Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. also boasts of a Manny Pacquiao as an ardent endorser here.

However, unlike Filipino boxing idol Pacquiao, Cebu City’s Manny Pacquiao is a lawyer who has given honor to Cebuanos when he placed third in the 1976 Bar examinations.

Now 61, Pacquiao, the lawyer, showed up at the jampacked reunion of “Green Movement” volunteers at the Cebu International Convention Center to personally tell Teodoro that he is strongly batting for his candidacy as president.

Pacquiao, who is running for vice mayor in Cebu City, was accompanied by his mayoral partner,

Georgia Osmeña, who belied claims by her brother, former Sen. Serge Osmeña, that Cebu City is a “Noynoy country,” saying that the “Cory magic” has shed off its popularity.

“Cory is different. I don’t think the magic can rub off on Noynoy. I want the people of Cebu City to vote for somebody who is capable to be president not because they miss Cory, they love Cory or they idolize Cory,” she said.

“Gibo is most qualified among all presidential candidates. We will be disfavoring our country if we will endorse any candidate based mainly on their popularity and their TV advertisements,” the vice mayoral bet said.

He added: “Gibo is capable of discharging his functions on the basis of initiative, on the basis of experience, and on the basis of intelligence.”

Asked if he has any words for his namesake, the boxing champ, lawyer Pacquiao said: “He can see his way around and probably change his mind soon and throw his support to a more qualified candidate.”

Meanwhile, politics divided anew the influential Osmeña family here with Georgia backing Teodoro while her brothers going for Aquino.

Georgia, who is representing Lakas-Kampi-CMD, said she has not asked her brothers – outgoing Mayor Tomas Osmeña and former Sen. Serge Osmeña, to endorse her candidacy for mayor.

She explained that Teodoro is her presidential candidate not only because she is a member of the administration party.

“We need to help him, we can’t play politics anymore. We should vote for somebody who is capable of running the country,” the mayoral bet stressed.

Senator Osmeña has predicted that LP presidential bet Aquino will win in Cebu City because his late mother has won the hearts of city voters.

Georgia also chided claims by certain candidates that majority of Cebu political leaders are not backing Teodoro.

“But I believe more of us in Cebu City will be supporting Gibo. We are solidly for Gibo, we will not change our mind, tonight or tomorrow, until the end,” she said.