Chop the pork and beauty pageant gaffe

• Angry but peaceful anti-pork protest held in Bohol

• Latest beauty pageant gaffe in America goes viral

Last week’s highlights and surprises:

Surprise: On Miley Cyrus' twerking performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, many find it awkward. 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! Looking at the audience reaction that awarding night, most of them were dumbfounded. Many didn’t find it sexy including my nephews and cousins who liked her during her Hannah Montana days.)

Highlight: In Bohol, less than 200 concerned citizens and taxpayers came to Plaza Rizal in Tagbilaran City to join the nationwide Million March Protest, demanding an end to the alleged misuse of public funds.

Spotted in the event was former provincial administrator Antonio Amora who joined the crowd in giving burning insights about the pressing issue.

Marianito Luspo came to protest the pork barrel misuse.

Environmental activist  Zenaida Darunday, who came with friends Adelia Dela Serna, Rosemarie Schwartz, Winston Bolo, Novis Lagunay, Dr. Virgie Bube, Roebert Varquez, Bert Gacera, Celio Tomoc, said they attended the event to show their outrage on the pork barrel system of the government.

Angry but peaceful Million March anti-pork protest was held in Bohol last Monday banding people from different walks of life and many sectors of society.- LPU

 

Doris Dinorog-Obena was there as one of the volunteers who “organized” the citizen-driven activity.

“We are here to signify our sentiments to scrap the pork and any form, our stand is not to be resurrected in any form,” said Dinorog-Obena.

There were also Mitzi Ibaya, teacher DenDen Calope, Lope Hubac, Atty. Alma Aparece with former CM-SCA Secretariat members, Fr. Dennis Salazar, Pat Ruiz, Dr. Zaldy Buac, Ric Ramasola, Engr. James Uy and Noel Uy.

Miko Cañares was also at the Plaza Rizal to show support to the people's demand for transparency and accountability from our government officials. His wife Arlene Salgados and kid were also there.

Mytee Palo shared the sentiment of the people. There were also NGO people like Alvin Acuzar and his two kids, Emie Roslinda, Joy Balane, Regina Estorba-Macalandag and Liza Macalandag.

There were also Jeff Bernasor, A. Hontanosas, Doy Bantugan, Rey Anthony Chiu, Judith Sumatra-Uy, Ric Obedencio, Paul Vistal, Nobet Bolo and some BCBP members.

During the mass at the St. Joseph Cathedral, there were Atty. Myrna Pagsuberon, Marissa Tuazon of Pakisama,  Suki Plaza Cyrus Lobrigas, Ruben Balistoy, Inting Loquellano and Msgr. Nalzaro.

The participants also agreed to ask the former congressmen who are allegedly involved in the pork barrel scam to explain to the Boholano people.

 “Nagkasinabot sab mi sa among tapuk karun nga manawagan sa kanhi congressmen nga naapil sa mga congresman nga nagahatag sa grupo ni Napoles,” said Acuzar. “Ihatag nila ang responsibilidad nga masabtan sa lalawigang Bol-anon kung giunsa, ug asa ug kinsa ang gitagaan sa maong pondo. Tungod kay mituo ta nga ang kausaban sa panawagan sa maong abolition sa PDAF magsugod diri sa atong lokal.”

After the Million March, the fugitive Janet Lim-Napoles, alleged brains of the P10-billion pork barrel scam, surprised the whole nation when, after hiding for two weeks, suddenly surrendered to Pres. Aquino.

Stay tuned: The night Napoles surrendered, the pork barrel scam saga is far from over.

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I bet you didn’t know that a Filipina is probably the most well-known pageant contestant right now.

After US-based Boholano socialite Mikey Gatal uploaded the video of the QnA portion of the Miss Philippines-USA 2013 held in California, it has gone viral, appearing on multiple news sites such as the E! News, Huffington Post, Daily Mail and CNN.

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?!?

The Miss Philippines USA 2013 candidate’s cringe-inducing Q&A answer becomes a viral video hit. –Screenshot from CNN

Everyone was confused.

I’d asked Mikey (who was one of those behind the search) for his comment.

“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,” said Mikey.

In my opinion, Lising was probably overly nervous.

Remember, it is not easy to be onstage. Ask any candidate and she would agree. Right Raul?

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.

Meanwhile, the annual charity project of Mikey (thru his Mikey Gatal Charity Inc.  in cooperation with Guindulman Association of California,Southern Area or GACSA)  was held on August 24 in Barangay Canhaway, Guindulman. 

Mikey gave out slippers to children too poor to afford them.

Mikey came out with the idea years ago during her vacation in Bohol.  He had realized the extent of the need for slippers, which is something a lot of people take for granted.

“More than 300 kids have received new and nice slippers they can use,” said Nikki Gatal-Quintia who supervised the activity.

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Thank God, it’s September 1!

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.

Never mind if the whole country just got shaken by the pork barrel scam, the Filipinos’ enduring spirit could never be shut down.

Today, radio programs begin playing holiday tunes. It can’t be denied that Christmas songs can help lift our moods.  And the thought of Christmas decor and Christmas bonus make the “Ber” months more exciting!

Now that the “Ber” month is finally upon us, the mornings are expected to get colder in the coming days.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Note: As you read this paper, I already sent my Christmas greetings to my high school classmate and VDT-LC principal Elaine Joy Auza. We have had our contest of “Who Can Greet First Merry Christmas on September 1” since we’re in high school. As expected, I won for the nth time!

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