OMG’s Tsinelas and Apple campaign in full swing

Wake-uppers:

Scene:  Kristian Nikko Chatto Geangan and Liezel May Lodonia Turtoga from the College of Teacher Education (CTE) were crowned Mr. and Ms. Bohol Island State University- Main Campus (BISU-MC) 2014, reported Christian Ariel Fementira. “Nikko was also adjudged Best in Interview, Best in Shorts, Best in Production Number, and Fans Choice Award, while Liezel was Best in Shorts and Best in Production Number.” Christian also added that “Nikko and Liezel will represent the Main Campus in the provincial SCUAA Meet in October.” The pageant was the highlight of the one-week celebration of BISU-MC Intramurals 2014.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV (3^rd from left) with (l-r) Loon 

Councilor Rex Masamayor, Bohol 1^st district Rep. Rene Relampagos, 

Tagbilaran Councilor Jerry Pabe, Magdalo-Bohol VP 

Jun “Alerto” Gutierrez and Engr.  

Roland Calipusan of Magdalo-Ubay chapter.

Seen: Spotted in Bohol was Sen. Antonio Trillanes lV in a quick visit to Tagbilaran on Aug. 31 to meet the members of Samahang Magdalo-Bohol chapter.  The meeting also served as the venue to discuss local concerns in membership and some needs in medical and financial assistance to their members. The Samahang Magdalo is a non-government organization registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission advocating good governance and social justice.

Seen:  Five survivors of the Bohol earthquake will meet and eat with Pope Francis when he visits the country in 2015, according to Bishop Leonardo Medroso in a radio interview on Radyo Veritas.

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Do you smell Christmas in the air? Welcome the “ber” months! 

The start of September also means that Christmas is just around the corner as the world’s longest Christmas season unfolds in the Philippines. 

Now that the “Ber” month is finally upon us, US-based Boholano socialite Mikey Gatal gives early Christmas presents to schoolkids while enjoying his “makabuluhang bakasyun” in Bohol after visiting Thailand and HongKong.

Mikey Gatal continues his advocacy to change the lives of schoolkids 

through his tsinelas and apple campaign.-LPU

“Giving warmth, love and hope. That’s what Christmas should be all about,” said Mikey.

The moment he set foot on Bohol soil, Mikey went to the Holy Trinity Orphanage in Albur town. He spent time at the orphanage and gave Crocs slippers to kids through the One Heart for Hope headed by Mikey’s friend Merlita Helms. 

Last Friday, Mikey and his angels (Wardiflex Vallespin, Mayen Gatal, Allysa Inting, Joemar Gatal and Pham Marzon) donated slippers and apples to 309 pupils of Tamboan Elem. School in Carmen town. Mikey and the team were warmly welcomed by master head teacher of Tamboan Julieta Valentos and her colleagues.

Tamboan Elem. School is also the home of the talented Tamboan Elem. School Ukelele Ensemble. The 48 members of the group play and learn the tricks of the ukelele musical instrument. These young kids were also the recipients of the OMG charity event.

The 11--year-old Grade 5 student Novem Vallentos walks to school with her worn-out slippers, beamed with joy as she received her new pair of slippers and apple from Mikey.

Novem, like many other poor children from the province, did makeshift repairs on her rubber slippers so she can still use them. She used wire she picked up from the streets to make her slippers wearable.

“Thank you Kuya Mikey! I have a new slipper,” said Novem.

After the sumptuous lunch served by the teachers and performance of the Tamboan Elem. School Ukelele Ensemble, Mikey and his angels proceeded to Anda town.

In Anda, Mikey and his OMG Team were welcomed by Virgen barangay captain Flor Flores of the Flower Beach Resort (www.flower-beach.com, Phone: +63918 579 6166; Email: requests@flower-beach.com).

Mr and Ms. BISU-MC 2014 Kristian Nikko

 Geangan and Liezel May Turtoga

310 pupils of Virgen Elem. School received their slippers and apples. “Nindot among tsinelas nadawat, tam-is among apple nadawat,” echoed the pupils. . 

“I applaud Mikey and friends in America for this great work for the community. Thank you for making these kids happy,” said school principal Valeriano Balo.

Inspired by popular broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez’ tsinelas campaign and RJ Garcia’s apple drive campaign, Mikey’s Tsinelas and Apple Drive Campaign originally started as a public service segment on his popular website www.mikeygatal.com when Bohol was hit by a killer quake. Mikey learned that most of the schoolchildren of Bohol had to either walk barefoot or wear tattered slippers to school. Some of them get to eat apples for the first time. He also launched the OMG alkansyang bagols (coconut shell coin banks) to teach kids about saving money.

“Through this project, we can restore their dignity and revive hope. It is our dream that none of them will never attend school barefooted,” said Mikey.

Today, Mikey’s Tsinelas and Apple Drive campaign is in full swing as he is partnering with several friends in America, Merlita Helms and Atty. Sandy Roxas, who share his vision of ensuring that schoolkids in Bohol have a decent slippers (and apples to eat) which they can use every day.

Next week, Mikey will be back to the US, but the children hope he will be back soon....with some goodies!

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

It’s a brand new Miss Bohol 2014

• It’s a brand new Miss Bohol this year

• The day Mikey ‘sold’ bagol in the US

Wake-uppers:

At BIPC

Scene: Only10 minutes! That’s from your Bohol Investment Promotion Center (BIPC), which serves as a One-Stop Processing and Approval Center for existing and potential investors and enterprises. The BIPC- Bohol BOSS (Business One Stop-Shop) has full cycle DTI business name registration (yes, for about 10 minutes! That fast!), frontline information services regarding new membership application for PhilHealth, Pag-Ibig and SSS and facilitate SEC registration application for stock and non-stock corporation.  It’s truly a service oriented office!

Scene:  The star-studded birthday celebration of multi-awarded director Maryo delos Reyes in Bohol. It was also the blessing of Direk Maryo’s mansion in Alicia town. Spotted stars were Yul Servo, Katrina Halili, Leandro Baldemor, et al.

Scene: The Sandugo Trade Expo is on July 23-27 at the ICM Food Court (for food products) and The Block (for non-food items which are usually home furnishings, fashion accessories, travel and tourism services, etc).  It’s a "tradition" of the Sandugo which started with the showcasing of the best products of Bohol, then has reached out to the neighboring provinces of Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor and then in the recent years has attracted the exhibitors of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao provinces.

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Bohol’s Miss Bohol Sandugo will officially be celebrated this year as Miss Bohol, the original name of the province’s oldest and prestigious beauty pageant, which will turn 60 in 2015.

Miss Bohol is back. How much has changed?

“With the change of name from Miss Bohol Sandugo to simply Miss Bohol, we usher in a new era for the province's most prestigious pageant,” Bohol’s seasoned host Raul Gatal said in his blog.

Meet Queenie Melody Fullante (of Dauis), an aspiring beauty queen who looks a lot like Venus Raj. Will she have the same fate as the Ms. Universe 4th runner-up in this year’s Miss Bohol?

A rose by any other name would still smell like a rose as Miss Bohol encompassing the best of Bohol, not just about Sandugo. It is a showcase of Boholana elegance in simplicity, according to a veteran beauty pageant watcher.

“Wider ang scope sa Miss Bohol than Miss Bohol Sandugo,” said another beauty pageant watcher. “The title is not just limited to the festival.”

The Miss Bohol committee says: Through the years, the Miss Bohol Pageant has maintained its reputation as the province’s most prestigious beauty pageant. The pageant however, needs to reinvent itself in order to keep up with the times. Aside from being the quintessential symbol of Boholana beauty, brains and breeding, Miss Bohol should also be the epitome of the modern Boholana. Confident, charming and career-oriented, she is also in a unique and privileged position to use her popularity and personality for a good cause by being the spokesperson for various projects, cause and advocacies as well as be a positive role model for her peers and for the community. These advocacies can be literacy, environment, women’s health, education and cultural heritage. Believing that a beauty queen is a very effective spokesperson, Miss Bohol would surely be able to give the spotlight to these projects. This would ensure that her year of reign would be meaningful and relevant.

Maria Tiffany Tabigue (of Balilihan) who was a Miss Bohol Sandugo 2009 candidate will try her luck for the second time in Miss Bohol 2014. Tabigue was second runner-up of the defunct Mister and Miss Teen Bohol 2009.

 

This year’s Miss Bohol is also a collaboration of three choreographers: Dennis Walton Balbero, Joseph Alexis Cadeliña, and Arnel Tumakay. Gowns will be sponsored by the Bohol Designers Circle led by fashion icon EJ Relampagos. The candidates will feature the collections of the designers during the pageant.  

This year, 17 candidates are competing towards becoming the brand new Miss Bohol. The pageant gets even more exciting with a recycled beauty, local pageant veterans and fresh faces among those battling it out to earn the right to wear the Miss Bohol crown and sash and become’s Bohol’s finest daughter.

But before the reigning queen Miss Bohol Sandugo 2013 Brigitte Burato relinquish her crown, here are the Miss Bohol 2014 candidates: Allyson Mycee Zamora Escobia  (Anda),  Maria Tiffany Ibarra Tabigue (Balilihan),  Lisslee Torregosa Centillas (Buenavista), Annaleah Unajan Saga (Carmen), Queenie Melody Fullante (Dauis), Diozel Ramayla Namoco (Dimiao),  Natasha Amethyst Licayan Torralba (Duero), Liezel May Lodonia Turtoga (Getafe), Christine Mae Galemba Cuarto (Jagna), Jassenie Tito Mangaron  (Loon),  Mary Rose Remitar Butalid (Panglao), Farwah Niyah Buslon Soriano (Pilar), Geraldine Bernido Topsnik  (Tagbilaran), Jaya Sierras Lozana (Tubigon),  Clowie Clarus Lim  (Ubay),  Immaculada Cleofe Edubas Leopardas (Barbra Pearls Cosmetics -Bohol Distribution) and Joyce Trexie Marie Cabagnot (Bohol Island State University).

Several candidates in this year’s Miss Bohol pageant have caught the attention of fans, noting those who could make the province in future competitions.

Among early favorites are Miss Tagbilaran, Miss Dauis and Miss Tubigon.

Miss Dauis Queenie Melody Fullante is a Venus Raj deadringer. The girl has the height and exotic looks. Will she have the same fate as the Ms. Universe 4th runner-up in this year’s Miss Bohol?

Also turning head is Miss Balilihan Maria Tiffany Tabigue, second runner-up of the defunct Mister and Miss Teen Bohol 2009. This is Tabigue’s second time to join Miss Bohol. And this year, she feels much more relaxed and carefree, according to her friend James.

The Miss Bohol 2014 coronation night will be held on July 19 at the Bohol Wisdom gym. 

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The day Mikey G ‘sold’ bagol in the US

The exciting city of Hong Kong is waiting to welcome Gercy Fel Anne Daraidol, the winner of OMG's 7th year anniversary contest. Now, she can enjoy a free trip to Hong Kong, courtesy US-based socialite Mikey Gatal, the website owner.

US-based part-time model Holly Ann Olalia was the special guest to pick the lucky winner who will enjoy a 4Days/ 3Nights Magical Hong Kong with Disney Land Tour.

.

“I am so glad to all who supported and wished OMikeyGatal website a Happy 7th year anniversary, big thanks to you guys,” said Mikey.

For its 7th year anniversary, Mikey is conducting a “Perfect Attendance Contest” where a member can register for free at www.omikeygatal.com / www.mikeygatal.com and log in for a daily attendance which serves as a raffle entry.

“And another contest will start very soon,” revealed Mikey.

The next raffle draw is in February 2015. Winner will win an Asian tour.   

“If you have a perfect attendance for the entire month, that qualifies you for a raffle entry and the more months that you have a perfect attendance, the more chances of winning,” stressed Mikey.

This year, The Gatal Charity Inc. or OMG has given away so many apples and slippers to many areas damaged by the killer earthquake, and more to come when Mikey will go home in September.

Mikey is also giving 500 OMG alkansyang bagols (coconut shell coin banks). He got a supportive response from his friends in the US to support the project when he introduced the OMG alkansyang bagols last year.

“We are also giving OMG bagols to let the kids know the importance of saving and to tell also that these bagols can easily be made out from someone's garbage, you know recycling,” added Mikey.

Getting an alkansyang bagol for kids is an excellent way to teach children about the value of money and the importance of savings. It could be instrumental to demonstrate the definition of savings.  For smaller children, an alkansyang bagol can be a good way to teach about coins and bills in terms of how much each is worth.

“The OMG bagol will help the kids understand that their money is not taken away from them,” insisted Mikey, “but instead that it is simply guarded somewhere safe.”

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