Singing the Body Electric

 General
Aug 302014
 
Singing the Body Electric

With the two musical acts today, the word electric can be taken literally, via the instrumentation and metaphorically, given the “hotness” the two possess and how they connect with their audiences. Dutchman Afrojack (due to visit Manila soon) has consistently rated among the Top 10 DJs over more than five years and he’s done collaborations with the likes of Beyoncé. Moody, smoky and atmospheric are just some of the ways Lana Del Rey’s music has been described. On her new CD, she proves her first album was no fluke. Afrojack — Forget the World (Def Jam/Universal Music). On his first full album, Afrojack (Nick van de Wall) shows why he’s such a favorite as a DJ and producer across various musical genres. While classified as dance electronica, there really is so much more in the album that sees collaborations from all over the musical spectrum. While Ten Feet Tall, which features Wrabel, is the carrier single, my personal favorites are Too Wild, where Wiz Khalifa and Devin Cruise partner with Afrojack, and We’ll Be OK, wherein Sting makes a surprise appearance. Afrojack also takes on songs from 30 Seconds to Mars and Keane, and I grinned seeing how they’re listed as Afrojack versus the band in question. Consistent on each number is his stellar production touch — bombastic and heavy on the bass. Lana Del Rey — Ultraviolence (Polydor/Universal Music). Ever since she burst into the music scene, Lana has been difficult to ignore. You either love her or hate her. Read More …

Dragon Fireworks Inc: Combining art and technology

 General
Aug 302014
 
Dragon Fireworks Inc: Combining art and technology

LAST August 28, as the feast of St. Augustine Cathedral came to an end, DFI came up with a spectacular Pyro Musical Show at Duaw Park. Sponsored by Centrio Ayala Mall, the dancing lights flew to the sky to the beat of ‘What Makes Beautiful,’ ‘Let it Go,’ ‘Titanium,’ and ‘Starships’. “Centrio Mall wanted the Pyro-Musical Show to be as festive as it is. So we picked these songs, popular songs that became hits in the past months blending with the colors of festivity and some fan shapes that when exploding to the sky create shapes,” said Orvi Plaza of Dragon Fireworks CDO. Seen in different angles were lights that shaped into festival headdresses, angels, and other objects that represent the fiesta spirit. Plaza revealed that preparing for a Pyro-Musical Show is not an easy task. “For at least three months, we already started discussing and preparing for the show. Prior to the Pyro Musical, there’s the brainstorming for the music, the shapes, color, we make it too, because our fireworks are custom – made, then we have a trial show to test the fireworks, and all the other preparations,” he added. Witnessed by City Mayor Oscar Moreno, some of the city officials and passersby who flocked under the Ysalina bridge upon seeing the sky lighted up with pretty lights, the shouting of the people is enough to tell that the pyro-musical show went on successfully despite the pouring rain. ‘Behind the pretty lights’ “Why paint the town red, when Read More …

Creation of work assistance program to spur economic growth in rural areas pushed

 Entertainment
Aug 302014
 
Creation of work assistance program to spur economic growth in rural areas pushed

HIV cases up 500% in PHL: The new HIV cases has increased by 532 percent from 2008 to 2013 and for January to June this year alone, recent reports from Manila said. Out of the 19,330 reported cases from 1984 to June 2014, a total of 1,766 are AIDS cases. File photo shows applicants line up at Mall Event Center of SM Manila. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Two lawmakers have proposed to establish an employment assistance program to help jobseekers from poor communities. Reps. Christopher S. Co (Party-list, Ako Bicol) and Rodel M. Batocabe (Party-list, Ako Bicol) filed House Bill 4333, which seeks to create the Rural Employment Assistance Program for the benefit of qualified head of family or single adult member of poor households in the rural areas. Co said the proposed measure is patterned after the National Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, which was enacted by the Parliament of India. He said under the National Employment Guarantee Act of India, every household whose adult member volunteered to do unskilled manual work is guaranteed employment of not less than 100 days in every year. “Under that same law, if the adult member is not provided with employment within 15 days from receipt of his application for employment, the adult member shall be entitled to a daily unemployment allowance,” Co explained. For his part, Batocabe said the Rural Employment Assistance Program, however, is aimed at providing temporary employment to qualified heads of family or single adult members of poor households Read More …

Solon files bill to scrap prepaid load expiry date

 Entertainment
Aug 302014
 
Solon files bill to scrap prepaid load expiry date

Philippine President Benigno Aquino (2nd L) greets lawmakers after making a speech during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Metro Manila July 22, 2013. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Las Piñas Representative Mark Villar has filed a bill seeking to scrap the expiry date on prepaid call and text cards that forfeits load credits to the detriment of consumers. Under House Bill 4782 or “Prepaid Load Protection Act of 2014,” setting an expiration period on unused prepaid call and text cards, as well as forfeiting load credits stored on an active prepaid phone account, and refusing to refund any prepaid subscriber whose load credits have been forfeited without any valid cause are deemed unlawful. “We have to protect the interest of our consumers. And sa akin naman usually, a lot of consumers here are ‘di naman sila mayayaman,” he said. The proposed bill has good intentions but Congress has to consider a number of things, like carrying costs, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) said in the same report. Carrying costs, or the average cost of operating and maintaining the subscriber’s network, amount to P3-4 a day, according to 2012 NTC data. “Baka tumaas ang carrying cost ‘pag nag-iwan ng kakaunting load sa SIM pero hindi gagamitin. Lugi din ang mas madalas na gumagamit ng cellphone,” NTC director Edgardo Cabarios said. “Kung dumami ‘yan at hindi naman gagamit ng network, baka naman ‘yung gagamit ng network, sila ang mag-subsidize sa mga hindi Read More …

Palace: SC did not seek funds for e-courts for 2014, 2015

 News
Aug 302014
 
Palace: SC did not seek funds for e-courts for 2014, 2015

Malacañang on Saturday said the Supreme Court did not seek funding for electronic courts (e-courts) for 2014 and 2015, in reply to reports quoting Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as saying a lack of funds may threaten the creation of such courts. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said they checked the Department of Budget and Management’s records and found the high court did not request funds for the purpose. “Wala rin sila ni-request na pondo for the e-courts for 2014 and 2015,” she said on government-run dzRB radio. Earlier this week, Sereno lamented key reform programs, including the creation of more electronic courts, are being threatened by a lack of funds. She said these e-courts provide random electronic system and raffling, which remove human intermediation that makes courts prone to corruption. “The problem is that the executive department deleted our request for funding of more e-courts,” she said. Still, Sereno appealed to the public to continue believing in the judiciary. “Judiciary is strong if the people believe in it… I hope the people will work for a strong and independent judiciary,” she added. Meanwhile, Valte said the executive department acted on the judiciary’s request for an information technology project, the Enterprise Information Systems Plan (EISP). “Sa ating nakikita, at least under this administration, patuloy ang suporta na binibigay sa kasamahan natin sa judiciary,” she said.  — Joel Locisn /LBG, GMA News

Palace: PHL govt has contingency plan for peacekeepers in Golan Heights

 News
Aug 302014
 
Palace: PHL govt has contingency plan for peacekeepers in Golan Heights

The Philippine government has contingency plans for at least 75 Filipino peacekeepers locked in a standoff with Syrian rebels at Golan Heights, Malacañang said Saturday. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte on government-run dzRB radio said, “Meron namang contingency plan, but we’ll leave it to the AFP to speak kung ano ang possible next steps.” “Our men are holding their ground and we are all hoping that the tension will ease and that they will be brought home safely,” she added. Also, Valte said “The AFP continues to brief President Benigno Aquino III on a regular basis.” In the meantime, she appealed to Filipinos to offer prayers for the safety of the peacekeepers. “Siguro damayan natin sila sa kanilang pagdarasal at pagasa na ma-defuse ang sitwasyon sa Golan Heights at maiuwi nang matiwasay ang ating mga sundalo,” she said. On Friday, Philippine military Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak sought prayers for some 75 Filipino UN peacekeepers locked in a standoff with armed Syrian rebels in Golan Heights. An article posted late Friday on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines news site said Tumulak called on Filipinos to pray for the troopers’ safety.  — Joel Locisn /LBG, GMA News

VP Binay: PNoy’s statement should stop talks on term extension

 News
Aug 292014
 
VP Binay: PNoy’s statement should stop talks on term extension

President Benigno Aquino III’s announcement that he will celebrate the end of his term by July 1, 2016 should be enough to stop those who are pushing for his term extension, Vice President Jejomar Binay said Friday. “The statement of the President…should now end all these divisive efforts to amend the political provisions of the Constitution,” he said in a press statement, referring to moves to extend the President’s term beyond 2016. In a radio interview last Thursday Aquino said he is

Desaparecido wall at UP Diliman to mark Int’l Day of the Disappeared

 News
Aug 292014
 
Desaparecido wall at UP Diliman to mark Int’l Day of the Disappeared

Desaparecido wall marks Int’l Day of the Disappeared. Students from the UP College of Mass Communication set up a wall bearing the pictures of people who were believed abducted by state forces, to mark the International Day of the Disappeared on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014. Amanda Fernandez A wall commemorating people who disappeared in the Philippines was set up at the University of the Philippines, as the world marks the International Day of the Disappeared on Saturday. The wall was set up at the Plaridel Hall of the UP campus in Diliman in Quezon City, radio dzBB’s Manny Vargas reported. Images posted on the wall as of early Saturday included those of activist Jonas Burgos and Sheryl Cadapan, the report said. As of 9 a.m., organizers were still adding images of other “desaparecidos” to the wall. The International Day of the Disappeared, also known as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, seeks to raise attention to the fate of people abducted or detained by agents of the state, Human Rights Education Associates said on its website. Such disappearances cause “terrible suffering upon victims and their loved ones, some of whom will never learn the fate of their family member, partner or friend,” it added. The initiative for such a day started in 1983, amid a rise of disappearances by authoritarian regimes in Latin America. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

Gabriel Moreno bags gold in Youth Olympic Games

 News
Aug 292014
 
Gabriel Moreno bags gold in Youth Olympic Games

Luis Gabriel Moreno [by Abac Cordero via Philstar] Archer Luis Gabriel Moreno did the unexpected when he delivered the gold medal for the Philippines in the second Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. Moreno, who was ranked 30th among 32 male archers here, teamed up perfectly with China’s Li Jiaman, ranked No. 3 in the women’s side, to win the gold in the mixed team event. The winning tandem stood at the middle of the podium and received their gold medals. Moreno, the flag-bearer of the Philippine delegation to this YOG, said he didn’t expect to win anything in this gathering of over 3,000 athletes from 202 Olympic nations. “I didn’t expect to win anything here. I just gave my best,” he said. It’s the first gold medal for the Philippines in the Youth Olympics for athletes aged 14 to 18 years. In the inaugural staging of the event in 2010 in Singapore, the Philippines didn’t win a single medal. “This is a big win for us coming from a third world country,” Moreno added. In the finals, Moreno and Jiaman defeated Muhammad Zoklepeli of Malaysia and Cynthia Freywald of Germany, 6-0 (38-37, 38-35, 37-33). Moreno clinched the victory with a nine on his last arrow. In the finals, he had 10s in the first and second sets. Jiaman had a 10 in each of the three sets. In the semis against Canada’s Eric Peters and Finland’s Mirjam Tuokkola, the 16-year-old Filipino archer had three straight 10s. The post Gabriel Read More …

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