Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Latest beauty pageant gaffe in America goes viral

CNN has featured the answer and embarrassing video of the recently concluded Miss Philippines-USA 2013 that goes viral.
The Miss Philippines-USA 2013 was held on August 18, 2013 at the La Mirada Theatre and Performing Arts in Los Angeles, California.

During the pageant night, candidate Number 13 Joanlia Lising was asked by a presenter which of the “five senses” (vision, hearing, taste, smell, touch) she would pick if she could only choose one.

Joanlia Lising's nervous answer was: 'Thank you for that wonderful question."If I have to pick out of the five senses, I would pick seeing, because seeing is the best sense that we can ever see, because seeing is believing, and believing into what you see is perfect... and... um... out of all those senses... seeing... would really be wonderful... thank you... that will be it.”

What?!?

Everyone was confused.

I have contacted my friend Mikey Gatal who uploaded the video to ask his side if what is his feeling right now that his video went viral.

He is totally blank.

Mikey Gatal said, “First of all, thanks for your great understanding, about the pageant thing, I really felt so bad about the whole situation, I did not mean to hurt Joanlia Lising, I just did my part to blog all candidates Q and A, didn't expect this will become a big issue and it went viral!”

In my opinion, Lising was probably overly nervous.

Remember, it is not easy to be onstage. Ask any candidate and she would agree.
 
Mikey Gatal and Joanlia Lising
The interview portion is always the most dreaded segment in a beauty pageant. It is in this segment that we love to hear how smart and eloquent the candidates are. Most of the time, in beauty contest you can't easily find a perfect mix-up of beauty and brains.

In my coverage on beauty pageants, personal questions and sometimes intimate details about the life of the candidates gets difficult answer. But there are those national issues and simple questions that can get a hard time for the candidate to think of an answer.

Beauty pageant gaffe not only happens in local pageants but even in prestigious pageants like Miss USA and Miss Teen USA that candidates give fluffed or terrible answers.

Remember Miss Teen USA contestant Lauren Caitlin Upton, who in 2007 eloquently reminded the nation why some Americans can’t locate their own country on a map? That was worst answer.

Miss Utah, Marissa Powell had also her own gaffe. She was asked a question about a report which found that although women are the primary earners in 40 per cent of American families with children, they continue to earn less than men.

"What does this say about society?" the judge asked.

"I think we can relate this back to education," Powell began, beaming. "And how we are continuing to try to strive to figure out how to create jobs right now. hat is the biggest problem. And I think, especially the men are ... seen as the leaders of this and so we need to see how to … create education better. So that we can solve this problem. Thank you."

And how about Miss California 2009 Carrie Prejean whose answer created a commotion.

When asked about legalizing same sex marriage in America, she hailed the United States as a land of choice. "It's great that you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage."
 
Joanlia Lising
The concept of beauty has evolved from mere physical attributes. Even if it is a beauty contests, intelligence and wit have become part of the package. Winners become ambassadors of goodwill and spokespersons in charitable organizations. To become one means being able to express herself clearly and sensibly.

For me in order to stop the blunder, ladies should be comfortable on stage and enjoy the event. In the Q&A portion, they should speak from the heart and express what they truly feel about a subject or issue. Speak to express not to impress!
 

 

Miley Cyrus’ performance on VMAs was awkward

Everyone is talking about Miley Cyrus' performance at the MTV Video Music Awards!

At first, we thought her performance was pretty good until we were surprised to see her tongue constantly sticking out, grabbing her crotch, molesting a dancer's butt and grinding aggressively against Robin Thicke and sucking a foam finger!

Whoah?!!!

Was it part of her performance? Or a desperate move?

Miley fanatics said she had a great fun during her performance. In this free society, she is free to express herself without being judged. She can shake her ass and rub her front with a foam finger on stage.

Looking at the audience reaction at the awarding night, most of them were dumbfounded.

Many didn’t find it sexy. It was really unattractive and awkward.

Epic fail.

Her madness queen!
My niece and cousins looked up to her as their idol during her Hannah Montana days. But after watching the award’s night where she lost her Disney image, they changed idol.

Next time, can someone tell her to behave on stage?

And she is not a reptile to stick her tongue out.

The Pork barrel, the Disney Princesses and the Midwife

Scene: Pres. Pnoy may had finally agreed to abolish the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF)¸ more popularly known as pork barrel, but the planned nationwide protest tomorrow, August 26, against the PDAF scam
will continue, particularly in Tagbilaran City. Organized by some civic groups, the activity will start at 9 a.m. at the Plaza Rizal. The event will fall on the same day the country celebrates National Heroes' Day. Scores of people from this city and other parts of Bohol have committed to express their outrage against the “pork barrel” scandal.

***
Super thanks, Mrs. Calipayan

Remember Mrs. Catalina Reyes-Calipayan? Yes, her name rings a bell to many moms in Tagbilaran City and even in many towns of Bohol.

I met her for the first time in 2008 after searching her for 27 years. It was a privilege seeing her, especially since she was there when I was born and I heard good things about her.

Mrs. Calipayan now 76 years old
My Mama Inday used to tell me about how she gave birth to me at our home with the help of Mrs. Calipayan. Of all her children, I was the only one delivered at home. My other siblings were born in the hospital. But why a home delivery? Just like many women in the Eighties, my mother had full freedom of choice to have the birth she wants and needs. Of course, she felt assured that everything was fine because of the help of an independent and knowledgeable midwife like her.

Five years later, I visited Mrs. Calipayan for the second time last Tuesday, August 20. She is now 76 years old; age has certainly not withered her. She shows no sign of slowing down. She remains in good health-no weakening knees, no deteriorating vision and no signs of senility.

The young Catalina had begun her career as a midwife after she finished schooling at the age of 18. She shared that midwifery was the most difficult course during her time.

A midwife does more than just deliver babies because she is present at every birth, whether at home or in hospital. She touches everyone’s life.

Since public transportation was scarce in 1970s and 1980s, Mrs. Calipayan had to walk kilometers helping mothers in labor, especially those who gave birth at dawn.

“Praise God, in my long years as a midwife all the children are alive. And when I hold the baby and heard her crying I’m so happy and blessed because there’s another miracle from heaven,” she enthusiastically said.

She also narrated a risky situation in 1970s when she was asked by a man who was a member of a rebel group whose wife was about to give birth. She had to walk kilometres in a rough road in order to reach the camp. After the baby was born, there was a firefight between the rebel group and the army. She hid the mother and the child until everything was cleared.

That’s me with Mrs. Catalina Calipayan, the woman whose first pair of eyes that lands sight on me.
Mrs. Calipayan became president of the Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines-Bohol chapter. She’s also an officer and adviser of the Philippine League of Government and Private Midwives in the region and laid the foundation of lying-in centers in Bohol.

Already retired, Mrs. Calipayan has decided to use whatever goodwill her being a midwife wielded. She now devotes her energies to events related to midwifery and to attend the needs of her grandchildren.  

She’s helping mothers give birth joyfully without fear.  Her story is truly touching and inspiring.

Before leaving, I asked my nephew YakYak to take a souvenir photo of us together.

Super thanks Mrs. Calipayan, see you again!

***
The Disney Princesses are loved by all generations. Since they are fascinating, small girls want to become princesses. Actually, I met some of them when I went to Disney world this year in California. And they are lovely!

Anyway, here’s an article forwarded by Ariel Sarabosing (named after Ariel, the mermaid) of Tagbilaran City about the “6 weird things about being a Disney Park Princess” she culled in the Internet courtesy of
Business Insider.

The “secrets” were told by a former Snow White, among the juicy tidbits from the Disney princess confidential:

- You've got to have the right body type. While princesses are between 5'4" and 5'7", Tinkerbell, Alice and Wendy must be more petite -- between 4'11" to 5'2".

- Princess age out quickly. Most are played by women between 18 and 23. A 27-year-old princess would be considered over the hill--ouch!

- There's some serious princess primping. Getting the look -- costume, makeup-wig -- takes about an hour, with frequent touch-ups throughout the day.

- Princesses deal with stalkers. This particular actress dealt with a creepy fan who became was convinced she was the real Snow White, and threatened to kill the imitators. Security!

- It's hard to make it a career. Princesses make about $13 to $16 an hour, which works out to a starting salary of around $27,000, with little chance for a significant raise.  

- There's no world except Disney World. A princess can never acknowledge things outside her character's world (so she's totally not gonna get that SpongeBob shirt you're wearing). Also, off the clock, talking about Disney (or even revealing what princess she plays) on social media is verboten. Guess that's why she's staying anonymous!

US-based Boholano socialite Mikey Gatal with Disney character Alice. Incidentally, Mikey is celebrating six years of www.mikeygatal.com with a charity event in Guindulman through the Mikey Gatal Kids Foundation.

 ***
Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

Prony is dead



Wake-uppers:
Scene: At least 24 people died and hundreds were rescued in sea waters off Cebu province where the passenger
ship MV St. Thomas Aquinas collided with the cargo ship MV Sulpicio Express 7 last Friday evening. 2Go's MV St. Thomas Aquinas came from Nasipit for a stopover in Cebu has more than 800 passengers and 100 crew while Sulpicio Lines' cargo ship with 36 crew members are all accounted for. Beauty queen Anna Maris Igpit posted on Facebook: I can't sleep thinking about the victims of the ship collision off Cebu. My thoughts and prayers to those who are still lost at sea. May the rescuers be also guided by His divine light.

Seen: Jollibee-ICM has a new, vibrant and refreshing look.

Seen: Spotted in Panglao and Loboc last week was PDI’s entertainment columnist Dolly Anne Carvajal. Hollywood reporter Ruben Nepales and his wife Janet were also spotted in Bohol.

                                                                                       ***
#Throwback Thursday

It’s a #Throwback Thursday on Facebook as Old Bohol (www.facebook.com/Old.Bohol) is sharing old memories of Bohol.

I dove into the archives from the early days of Bohol and I found a fascinating look-back into what people were talking about.

Cases in point:

Kung ikaw Inday mangita'g pamanhunon,
Siguro-a baya inday ang Bol-anon,
Kung matuman mo suwerte ka
kay ang Bol-anon buotan gayud         
Magmahal kanimo hangtud sa kahangturan...
   -Ang Bol-anon

As everybody probably knows, “Ang Bol-anon” is a popular Visayan song, thanks to our FM stations in Bohol for playing the song every Sunday.

But what some people probably don’t know is that “Ang Bol-anon” was composed by Boholano (not Cebuano) composer Regino Bastes Dano. He swept music lovers off their feet with his “Ang Bol-anon," song that Baby Boomers love to play again and again. Dano came from Poblacion Ondol, Loboc town. The song was one of the repertoires of the Bohol-Tagbilaran Sanghimig Choir, the second time National Champion in National Choral competitions held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (1973) and Folk Arts Theatre (1974).

I bet you didn’t know that photography was a fad at Digal Studio near the intersection of Libertad Street and El Filibusterismo, which currently are CPG and Genaro Visarra Streets. The Digal Studio was located where Footstep is now (fronting LICA Trading). “There used to be a Farmacia in one of the doors of the building owned by the Digal,” says Fernando Po.

Interesting! Interesting!
***
Her name is Prony. I saw her when she was small. I attended her “Quinceañera.” I also witnessed when she transferred to her new home in Baclayon town.

That’s how important this “woman” to me that I’d witnessed her life. But sad to say, she died of unknown causes early Wednesday (August 14) in her cage.

Yes, she’s Prony (python reticulates). People called her “The Anaconda of Bohol.”

A visit to Bohol, Philippines is not complete without Prony which is considered as one of the tourist attractions in the province of Bohol.

It was on October 21, 1996 when Prony was found by Sofronio Salibay which measured 5 feet and 5 kilograms at that time. In 2012, Prony weighed 280 kilos and measured 27 feet long. Her waist line was 34 inches.

JingJing Salibay with her gigantic pet Prony. LPU
The Salibay family, which runs the sanctuary and owned the python, maintained she was the largest snake in captivity in the Philippines, though there were no official records.

"Prony is a self-developed and trained Python found in the Philippines," shares Georgia “JingJing” Salibay, caretaker of Prony.

Prony is a very choosy snake! They fed Prony live chickens before but due to her large consumption and the cost of chickens, they fed her with virgin dogs. However, the animal rights groups protested the feeding of dogs. From then on, the Salibay decided to give her two goats or one white pig, and they must be live during feeding time or else Prony will just snub them. After eating, Prony can sleep for the whole month!

Prony is a superstar as Filipino celebrities Kris Aquino, Richard Gutierrez, Dra. Vicky Belo, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Cesar Montano, Kim Atienza, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid and Hollywood celebrities coach Freddie Roach, Tom Cruise and Brooke Shields went to see her.

Now that she's gone, what will happen to Prony and Wildlife Park (where it houses other animals such as birds, flying lemurs and monkeys)?

“Life must go on,” says JingJing. “She is like a daughter and I know her characteristic. She is the only snake which has human feelings.”

“The Python and Wildlife Sanctuary is still open,” adds JingJing.

What will happen to Marimar who is known for her deadly acrobatic antics?

“I will continue my animal show!” gushes Marimar. 

The Salibay family wants to preserve the snake's body and put it back on display.

I will be missing Prony. She will be remembered forever as an important part of the magic web of life. 


***
Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Kim Mainit gets warm homecoming

Wake-uppers:
Scene: From Edik Dolotina on Mandolin Regis’ (Amay to all her friends) death:  If tears could build a stairway, And memories a lane, I'd walk right up to Heaven, And bring you home again. As I close the Ramadan today, I offer my sacrifices for the everlasting peace of my very good friend, Mandolin Regis and her unborn child. I will surely miss you Amay. I had an exciting journey with you. We will be having our reunion when it is our time. Sleep tight girl.

Scene: The coronation night of Miss Philippines-USA 2013 is on August 18 at the La Mirada Theatre of Performing Arts. For tickets, please call 818-242-2088.

A mini-tornado hit Jagna, damaging five houses in barangay Can-upao. Courtesy: Allan Espiritu/Can-upao BDRRMC
Scene: From Brigitte Tanoja Burato who posted this message on Facebook:  Hi Everyone! I would just like to tell all of you that I was not dethroned as Ms. Bohol Sandugo 2013. I backed out as a candidate for Ms. Silka Bohol 2013 after I have learned that I am not allowed to join any pageants while I am the reigning Ms. Bohol Sandugo 2013. The issue has already been resolved. I am hoping that this will end all the speculations. Let us all maintain positive vibes. Thanks to all Boholanos who are all been supportive since day one. I am truly grateful after seeing all the concerned comments and reactions, it all made me happy that there are many people that care. God Bless and again Daghang Salamat Bohol!

Scene: The Bohol Runners Club has announced that runners can register for the Bohol International Marathon 2013 today. With a new route for the race, the event is expected to draw keen participation from both professional and leisure runners from Bohol, the country and across the globe. The Bohol International Marathon 2013 will be held on Sunday, August 25. There will be three official race categories – 42km, 21km and 10km – and registration fees are Php 1,500, Php 1,000 and Php 500, respectively. For the 5k- fun run category, the registration fee is Php 350 (with singlet) and Php 100. Registration for the Bohol International Marathon 2013 is available at Tagbilaran Community Hospital Business Office, Runner's Circle Shop in Cebu, Arbilon's Eatery beside Panglao Municipal Hall. It is also available on Facebook page Bohol International Marathon. For more details, contact the Secretariat at 09327111484.

Scene: At least five houses were damaged when a waterspout which developed into a tornado barreled through barangay Can-upao in Jagna last Sunday, August 4. While no one was reported hurt, residents were scared as winds blew the roofs off their houses. According to Allan Espiritu,  who took photos of the damaged houses, residents were caught by surprise as what they initially thought as an approaching heavy rain formed into a huge violent rotating column of winds ripping away roofs of their houses around 10 p.m. Barangay Can-upao was hit by a tornado in July 2012.

***
Winning "The Voice Philippines" is the goal, but for Bohol’s pride Kim Mainit, “The Boses na May Gustong Patunayan,” going home is always the sweetest trip.

Kim Mainit
After the stressful battle rounds, Kim got the chance to be with his family and friends for a two-day visit in Bohol on Wednesday.

According to VRS, who tagged along with Kim, tears flowed as he finally got to meet his immediate family in Anda town whom he hadn’t seen for a long time. He also paid an emotional visit to the cemetery to visit the graves of his grandparents “to pay homage and ask for guidance.”

The 16-year-old lad from Anda couldn't keep his emotions in check during his sentimental trip back to Bohol, where he dropped in at the city and provincial government offices, hung out with friends at Martins Resto Bar and judged a talent show in Dauis. He also popped in to dyRD and dyTR for his radio stations drop-ins.

Kim studied at Holy Spirit School (HSS)-Tagbilaran where he was an active member of HSS-Red Cross Youth (RCY). 

According to Emman Pilayre, former president of RCY, Kim also volunteered in the many activities of RCY.

“I’m proud of Kimpoy! He’s proud to be an RCY!” said Emman.

Since TVOP contest requires tons of loads to guarantee a win, Kim is asking the support of his fellow Boholanos to vote for him to achieve his long-time dream of becoming the voice in the music industry.

“Thank you so much for the support system BOHOL :))” he posted on Facebook.

During every battle round, Kim always earned the praises of the judges and the viewers, making him as one of their top favorites.

He admitted that ever since he was a child, he always loved to sing and be able to sing with his idols.

Kim Mainit receives a warm welcome from officials and fans in his whirlwind visit to Bohol. 
 Courtesy: Elvie Bongosia and Kim Mainit
Kim said that through TVOP, he was able to embrace and love the music world.

His mentor Broadway star Leah Salongga said she always believed in his exceptional talent.

Kim is asking his fellow Boholanos to vote for him. Just wait for the text voting mechanics.

Also in first season of TVOP is Boholano diva Eva Gulle-delos Santos (of Sarah G team). Music has been part of Eva's life. During her glory days of singing, she was able to perform around the country and in some major cities around Asia. She told ABS-CBN that  she joined the competition not only for the chance of making her dreams come true, but to inspire people her age that they can still dream new dreams, or awaken passion in hiatus.

The plot is thickening. Painit na nang painit!

Again, stand by for further development.

More of Kim courtesy of TVOP:
Kim discovered that he is adopted when he accidentally overheard his Aunts talking about it. He later on learned that his birth father is the brother of his adoptive father, but he still has not met his birth mother. Both of his adoptive parents are working overseas and it was his extended relatives who worked together to raise him to the young lad he is today.

Kim Learned music through the family he grew up with. It may not be in his genes, but he did a fantastic job of learning to spot notes on his own. He wanted to join a choir earlier on, but the group turned him down as he would cause "imbalance" in the team. That incident might have affected him as he did not join any singing competitions prior to the show.

Kim Mainit joins TVOP to make his adoptive parents proud. He would want to win the competition to save enough money to keep his parents from working abroad further.

***
Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.