Another International Award for the Film, "Foster Child"

FOSTER CHILD

The film, Foster Child, has won the Best Film at the 29th Durban International Film Festival in South Africa, held from July 23 to August 3, 2008 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal province. The film which is about a poor family hired by a local foster care facility to provide temporary care and shelter for abandoned children waiting for adoption, has once again gave Cherry Pie Picache a Best Actress Award. She also won the Durban International Film Festival Best Actress Award last year for an Indie Film, "Kaleldo (Summer Heat)."

Picache has also won the Best Actress Award for "Foster Child" in the Osians Cine Fan Filmfest in New Delhi, India in 2007. While the film won the Special Jury award in the 4th Eurasia International Film Festival held in Sept. 23-29, 2007 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Congratulations to her and the makers of the film. This is another Filipinos' pride.

Read Full story

A Filipino Behind Pixar's Wall-E

Who would expect that behind the success of Pixar's latest film, Wall-E, is a Filipino? Chris Chua is one of the animators of Pixar. A 29-year old Filipino-American animator who has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2-D Animation from Cal Arts. He explained in an interview with The Inquirer that the look of "Wall-E" is monochromatic at times and has almost no dialogue in some scenes unlike other Pixar movies.

Chua was born in Manila to a Chinese father and a half-Filipino mother. He moved to the US at age 10. His father is a banker and his mom was a secretary. Before joining Pixar, Chua worked as an animator at DreamWorks Animation as well. Some of his projects include: “Sinbad,” “Shark Tale” and “Flushed Away.”

Read his interview at: Inquirer.net

Read Full story

Francis Magalona Diagnosed with Leukemia

Francis Magalona was diagnosed with leukemia. He confirmed it in his noontime TV show, Eat Bulaga!, through a text message that was read on air by his co-host Vic Sotto on Thursday.

The full text message reads:

"Sa lahat ng mga dabarkads ko dito sa Eat Bulaga miss ko na kayong lahat. Araw-araw, magkakasama tayo at kayo’y naging second family ko na. Pati na rin ang lahat ng mga viewers sa mga bahay at sa studio. Ngayon, meron akong isang pagsubok na dapat daanan at ang hiling ko lang ay pangunawa at suporta. I have been diagnosed with leukemia and I am preparing for my treatment. Sa tulong ng Panginoon, kakayanin ko poi to. Abangan nyo ang aking pagbabalik. Di ko lang kayo miss, lab ko kayo lahat."

Magalona took an indefinite leave of absence from the noontime show, Eat Bulaga! while preparing for his upcoming treatment. But he assured the public that he will be back. Francis M. said in an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer that he don't want this to be turned into a “media circus” and would rather keep it “private.” I think we should all respect that, and instead, let us pray for Him.

Francis M. is one of my personal faves. A true artist who expresses his love for the country openly and is proud of it. His works as an artist is an evidence of his patriotism. His works can be found at his website.

Read Full story

Another Broadcaster Killed

Martin Roxas, 32, was shot by unidentified gunmen in the province of Capiz in the Western Visayas region on Thursday afternoon. Roxas was a host of Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) station dyVR's 'Targetanay sa Udto' noontime program. He died at the Capiz Emmanuel Hospital at around 2 p.m. from a gushot in spine.

Roxas was the first journalist killed in Capiz, fourth one this year and the 59th since 2001. Reports showed that Roxas had just left the radion station with his motorcycle around 1 p.m. when he was chased by the gunmen and was shot nearly a kilometer from Roxas City proper.

This is also the second killing of journalists in three days. The murder of Roxas was just three days after Dennis Cuesta, RMN broadcaster, was shot and severely wounded by unidentified men in General Santos City on August 4. He was hit in the head and remains in critical condition. These two incidents proves that journalists' lives remain in threat and the people responsible for these are still free.

These two cases of Roxas and Cuesta only prove that journalists' lives are still in threat and the people responsible for these are still running free. How sad that in our society today, freedom of expression costs your life.

Read Full story

Chicosci: 2008 MTV Favorite Artist of the Philippines

Chicosci won the 2008 MTV Favorite Artist of the Philippines. Nominees included Sponge Cola, Urbandub, and Sandwich. The superstar-studded ceremony was held last August 2, 2008 at the Arena of Stars in Genting Highlands, Malaysia.

The band was officially formed in 2000, originally composed of Miguel Chavez, Mong Alcaraz, Carlos Calderon, and Joel Salvador. All four members came from Ateneo de Manila University.

As they took their career seriously, Sonny Baquisal and long-time friend Eugene Esquivias joined the group and won an interschool Battle of the Bands. They spent the prize money they won in recording a demo which gave them a two-album record deal with EMI-Virgin Philippines.

Their song, Paris, stayed in the NU107 Midnight Countdown for more than 52 weeks and giving CHICOSCI the Song of the Year award at the 2002 NU 107 Rock Awards. Itholds the record for the most number of weeks a song (foreign or local) has stayed in a countdown.

Discography:
2000 – Revenge of the Giant Robot
2002 – Method Of Breathing
2004 – Icarus
2006 – Chicosci
2007 – BEST

Achievements:
Best produced album - "Method of Breathing," 2002 NU107 RockAwards
Song of the year - "Paris," 2002 NU107 RockAwards
Guitarist of the year - Mong(2002 & 2006 NU107 RockAwards) and Sny(2002 NU107 RockAwards)
Best Director - Lyle Sacris for "Sink or Swim," 2001 MTV Pilipinas Music Awards
Best Designed Album Cover - "Revenge of the Giant Robot," 2001 NU107 RockAwards
Male of the year - Mong, 2006 NU107 RockAwards

Nominations:
Album of the year - "Icarus", 2004 NU107 RockAwards
Guitarists of the year - Mong and Sny, 2004 NU107 RockAwards
Best album packaging - "Icarus", 2004 NU107 RockAwards
Drummer of the year - Joel, 2002 NU107 RockAwards
Best rock recording - "Sink or Swim," 2001 Awit Awards
Song of the year - "Sink or Swim," 2001 NU107 RockAwards
Best music video - "Sink or Swim," 2001 NU107 RockAwards
Best new artist - 2000 NU107 RockAwards

Read Full story

List of the June 2008 Nurse Licensure Examination Passers

Hospitals around the country are flooded with newly licensed nurses. My uncle in Manila who passed the nursing board exam last December couldn't even find a slot where he can practice his nursing profession. Hospitals couldn't accommodate more nurses - and even volunteers!

Well, another batch is coming. The list of successful examinees in the June 2008 Nurse Licensure Examination was released on July 23, 2008. The list below is in alphabetical order of the surnames of the successful examinees.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

source: Inquirer.net

Read Full story