Dara holds live broadcast to celebrate reaching 1 million subscribers on YouTube
Dara, aka Sandara Park, held a live broadcast on Oct. 16 to celebrate her milestone of getting one million subscribers on her YouTube channel Dara TV. People from different countries tuned in to watch Dara’s broadcast where she thanked subscribers, gave updates about herself, discussed her plans and raffled off personal items to mark the occasion. Her YouTube subscribers reached one million on Oct. 10 and she tweeted, “Happy 1M subscribers #DaraTV Thank you so much everyone!!! Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat!!! #DaraTV1Million.” “This is the first time I’m doing YouTube Live and the comments are coming in so fast we can’t even read it,” Dara said during the broadcast. She added, “I’ve been doing YouTube for three years and there are about 60 videos uploaded on my channel. But, guys, that is amazing because I still hit one million. Thank you to everyone who subscribed.” Dara also revealed that she put on some weight and she’s very happy about it, saying, “I gained some weight for the first time in my life. I’ve been 38 to 39 kilos. I’ve finally gained six kilos.” “A lot of people were worried about me. I look more mature and I’m very pleased. The sad part about gaining weight is I don’t fit into all of my clothes anymore. I recently donated my clothes to my niece and nephews. I’m gonna shop for some jeans next week. My jeans don’t fit me anymore,” she said. She told her Pinoy fans, “Kamusta kayong lahat? Nagustuhan nyo ba yung recent upload ko sa DaraTV, yung Philippine market? Super enjoy ako dun. Ang ginawa ko dun nagpicture lang pero nag-enjoy pa rin ako (How are you? Did you like my recent upload on DaraTV about the Philippine market? I enjoyed it. I only took photos but I still enjoyed it).” In a video she uploaded on Oct. 3, Dara went to a Filipino street market near the Hyehwadong Catholic Church in Hyehwa-dong in Jongno, Seoul where she got to mingle and take photos with Pinoys and Koreans. Every Sunday, hundreds of Filipinos go to the street market to eat, buy Filipino food and products.The video now has more than 2 million views on YouTube. Dara also ranked the top five countries that watch her YouTube videos the most and the Philippines emerged as No. 1. “Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat. Grabe number one talaga kayo (Thank you very much. You are really number one). I love it because I started my career there. I miss you guys. I’m always thankful for support,” she said. Dara during her live broadcast on YouTube (Screenshot from Dara’s video) The US placed second with Dara saying, “Thank you so much for supporting DaraTV. South Korea, her home country, is third. She commented, “Even though I have a lot of content outside of Korea, im very thankful that I have a lot of Korean subscribers.” “Thank you so much, Indonesia,” she said as the country placed fourth while United Arab Emirates is fifth and Dara said, “I’ve never been there but I really wanna go.” Dara thanked viewers for enjoying her video with CL and said she also wants “to go to Minzy’s dance academy to learn and dance there.” She was asked what was most memorable during the music video shoot with Park Bom and she said, “It’s always very chaotic when I’m with her. The most memorable thing about that shoot is that it had to be very serious but she just made me laugh so much and she asked why I wasn’t being all ‘hip-hoppy’ for my web scene but I just enjoyed that shoot a lot because it was so funny.” Dara started her showbiz career in the Philippines and left it to debut in 2NE1 in 2009. The group disbanded in 2016. She is still under YG Entertainment. She was asked if she’s going to blog about a tour of the new YG Entertainment headquarters located in Hapjeong in Mapo District, Seoul. “Next year, maybe. Still a work in progress. It looks very futuristic, very cool looking. Kinda looks like a music video set,” she said. One commented that Dara has no problem buying new clothes but she said “I can’t shop that much these days because I want to save more money [because of the ongoing pandemic].” “We should all save money. Since we can’t perform and also everyone around the world, we have to save our money. We’re just being very mindful here. I’m very thankful because I’ve been working so much. I just came back from a schedule and this entire week I had schedules and it looks like I will be very busy next week as well so I’m very thankful for my job,” she said. She said the upcoming episodes on DaraTV include staycation and cooking episodes. To celebrate the milestone, Dara raffled off bracelets and Polaroid photos, and her own clothes. Dara will also be hosting the second season of the TV show “Idol League” with BTOB’s Eunkwang and the first episode is set on Oct. 17. About her plans, she said, “Right now, I’m gonna focus on emceeing and you guys can look forward to that. You guys might see something related to acting because I’ve been talking to my musical friend. And for music, it’s always on my mind. We are all working on it so stay tuned.” Caption Dara during her live broadcast on YouTube (Screenshot from Dara’s video).....»»
Kim sa bashers: Makatanga naman kayo, naka-graduate rin ako, ha!
TO celebrate her Youtube channel’s reaching more than 2 million subscribers ay sinagot ni Kim Chiu ang mga nasty comment about her. Isa sa mga common na tawag sa kanya ng bashers ay tanga. Ipinagkibit-balikat lang ng “It’s Showtime” host ang pagtawag sa kanya ng kung anu-anong masasakit na salita. She wasn’t affected at all. […] The post Kim sa bashers: Makatanga naman kayo, naka-graduate rin ako, ha! appeared first on Bandera......»»
Donny Pangilinan reaches 1-M YouTube subscribers
Filipino actor Donny Pangilinan reached a new career milestone when he garnered a million subscribers on his YouTube channel on 17 July. The same day Pangilinan reached a million YouTube subscribers, fans and viewers were also anticipating the debut of his vlog with his younger sister, Solana, titled “Date with Sola (The Remake).” In the 15-minute vlog, the 25-five-year-old actor took his younger sister, Solana, out on a date as she turned 12 on 14 July. The siblings went on a shopping spree date, bought birthday gifts, ate a scrumptious meal and played arcade games to celebrate his Solana’s birthday. The heartwarming vlog was also a remake of the same vlog he did with his sister six years ago. Fans reacted quickly and lauded the siblings’ tight bond through the years. As soon as he gained a million subscribers, Pangilinan went to Instagram to thank his fans and subscribers for the support. “HAPPY 1M LABYU,” said his Instagram story. [caption id="attachment_158930" align="aligncenter" width="525"] DONNY Pangilinan is also working on a new single, according to Universal Records Philippines. | Photograph Courtesy IG/Donnny Pangilinan[/caption] The celebration is far from over for Pangilinan fans and DonBelle supporters, since Pangilinan and his onscreen partner Belle Mariano just won the Movie Love Team of the Year Award for their movie Love is Color Blind (2021), at the 38th Philippine Movie Press Club, Inc. Awards for Movies on 17 July. The popular pair was nominated for the Movie Loveteam of the Year Award alongside Paolo Contis and Yen Santos for A Far Away Island, Andi Abaya and Joaquin Domagoso for Caught in the Act, JC Santos and Janine Gutierrez for Dito At Doon, Ken Chan and Rita Daniela for Huling Ulan sa Tag-Araw, Jeremiah Lisbo and Kaori Oinuma for Love At First Stream, and JC Santos and Yassi Pressman for More Than Blue. Aside from Pangilinan’s successful career as an actor and a vlogger, his singing career is also on the upswing. On 16 July, Universal Records Philippines announced on Twitter that Pangilinan is working on a new song in Baguio. In 2022, ABS-CBN announced that DonBelle will headline the TV show Can’t Buy Me Love under the direction of director Mae Cruz Alviar. Alviar is the director of the hit TV series 2 Good 2 Be True (2022) and the movies Can’t Help Falling in Love (2017) and Four Sisters Before the Wedding (2021). Although not much has been disclosed to the public, the pair has revealed that they have begun preparing for the show. Can’t Buy Me Love will be Pangilinan and Mariano’s comeback to the small screen after He’s Into Her (2021), a teen romantic-comedy series based on the 2012 Wattpad novel by author Maxine Lat Calibuso or Maxinejiji. The post Donny Pangilinan reaches 1-M YouTube subscribers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘FPJ’s Batang Quiapo’, ‘The Iron Heart’, ‘Dirty Linen’ earn over 642 million views online
Filipinos nationwide are hooked on ABS-CBN’s primetime shows as the three programs amassed more than 642 million total views on Kapamilya Online Live from February to April 2023. In April alone, FPJ’s Batang Quiapo, The Iron Heart and Dirty Linen earned over 194 million combined views on Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s Facebook page, which currently has 36 million followers, and on its YouTube channel with 43.7 million subscribers. As more viewers continue to tune in to their favorite Kapamilya shows, ABS-CBN announced that the latest episodes of currently airing shows such as FPJ’s Batang Quiapo and The Iron Heart are now available to stream on-demand for an extended period of up to 14 days after they are shown on Kapamilya Online Live. Follow Tanggol’s (Coco Martin) action-packed adventures in FPJ’s Batang Quiapo as he begins a new chapter in his life and vows to transform into a better man alongside Mokang (Lovi Poe). Join Apollo (Richard Gutierrez) in his mission to destroy Priam’s (Albert Martinez) plans that could endanger the people in the action series The Iron Heart. Apart from the two primetime shows, viewers can also enjoy up to 14 days of binge-worthy entertainment for shows such as Magandang Buhay, It’s Showtime, I Can See Your Voice, The Voice Kids, ASAP Natin ‘To, as well as well-loved teleseryes Be Careful with My Heart, Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin and A Soldier’s Heart. On YouTube, Kapamilya Online Live streams continuously throughout the day from morning until nighttime. On Facebook, meanwhile, viewers can catch their favorite shows on regular timeslots with scheduled breaks between timeblocks. The post ‘FPJ’s Batang Quiapo’, ‘The Iron Heart’, ‘Dirty Linen’ earn over 642 million views online appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
La Jornada – The number of AMLO-following YouTube subscribers has grown by nearly half a million
The YouTube broadcast of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s morning conference, as well as the events he leads, increased the number of followers of the.....»»
Sandara milyonarya na rin sa YouTube, nag-thank you sa Pinoy fans
ILANG araw matapos mag-viral ang pagbisita ni Sandara Park sa isang Pinoy market sa South Korea, umabot na sa 1 million ang subscribers niya sa YouTube. Ibinandera ng Korean singer-actress sa buong mundo ang isa na namang milestone sa kanyang showbiz career. Ipinost ni Dara sa kanyang social media accounts ang good news na ang […] The post Sandara milyonarya na rin sa YouTube, nag-thank you sa Pinoy fans appeared first on Bandera......»»
Ben& Ben reaches 1M subs on YouTube, promises to cover K-pop songs in new ‘BBTV’ series
Award-winning folk-pop band Ben&Ben will be making good on its promise to cover K-pop songs as the band’s YouTube channel has finally gained 1 million subscribers. After reaching the milestone, the band made a short video announcement for the Aug. 5 launch of its upcoming “BBTV” series on YouTube where they will do the said […] The post Ben&Ben reaches 1M subs on YouTube, promises to cover K-pop songs in new ‘BBTV’ series appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
MSMEs good payers — SB Corp.
The micro, small and medium entrepreneurs are being extolled by Small Business Corporation, an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, for being good payers even though some of them have already closed shop because of the global contagion three years ago. During his guest appearance at the Daily Tribune’s digital show Straight Talk on Wednesday, SB Corp. president Robert Bastillo said almost one-third of the lenders catered to by SB Corp. have closed their businesses during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The good thing is that these MSME lenders are still paying their debts even if their businesses were shuttered. These are indeed entrepreneurs as they want to have a good reputation and a good track record when it comes to debt. That is important for us. But still, the majority of the lenders are good payers even though some are delayed,” he said. The past-due rate of SB Corp. during the pandemic was 30 percent, considering that most funds in its portfolio were released during the pandemic. Past due rate manageable The past-due rate refers to the lenders who are delayed in their payments. Currently, the past-due rate of SB Corp. is from 20 to 25 percent, considered by Bastillo as healthy, considering that the country is just coping with the pandemic crisis. From 2019 to date, Bastillo said SB Corp.’s total direct MSME lenders are now at 55,000, while those courses through cooperatives, micro-finance institutions, and private financing companies — or what they call loan conduits — are now reaching 300,000. “SB Corp. lenders can borrow from P30,000 up to P20 million maximum. Lenders up to P5 million do not need collateral, but first-time borrowers can only borrow up to P3 million. If they are good payers, they can expand their loan after six months,” he said. No stringent requirements required In terms of process, SB Corp. does not require stringent requirements for MSMEs if they are only lending up to P100,000. “We only require other requirements, such as a Mayor’s Permit, among others if they are already asking more than P100,000. We have credit scoring in place based on the lender’s assets or annual sales. That’s a discipline in lending and a risk management procedure,” he said. SB Corp.’s fund being ushered to MSME lenders is coming from its corporate equity, being a corporation. Inadequate revolving fund “We have a capital of P10 billion, but what has been given to us for the past 28 years, was P2 billion. It’s a revolving fund that is not enough. The P10 billion was given in full in the last pandemic, but those are meant for dying MSMEs. It’s hard during that time,” according to Bastillo. He said even the salaries of their employees are coming from the revolving funds, as they are given by the government annual appropriations because they are a corporation that is supposed to earn money. “We live within what we earn. It is difficult in the sense that it is also challenging. How do you help and keep yourself afloat when everybody around you is struggling? That is our problem during the pandemic. But we are happy to say that despite that, we have a modest income, and we were able to serve MSMEs very fast,” he said. According to Bastillo, MSMEs with P100,000 to P3 million worth of assets are considered micro, MSMEs that have an asset of P3 million to P15 million are considered medium, while those with 100 million assets are considered large entrepreneurs. The country’s MSMEs dominate the entrepreneurial environment, accounting for more than 99.5 percent, 80 percent of which are micro. The SB Corp. is a government financial institution created in January 1991 under Republic Act 6977 or the Magna Carta for Small Enterprises, amended by RA 8289 in 1997 and RA 9501 in 2008. It has the primary responsibility of implementing comprehensive policies and programs to assist MSMEs in all areas, including but not limited to finance and information services, training and marketing. The post MSMEs good payers — SB Corp. appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
San Mateo fetes Go on 451st anniversary
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go had been honored with the Gawad Pagkilala Award at the San Mateo Municipal Stadium in recognition of his contributions to the community. “On this day, as we celebrate the 451st founding anniversary of San Mateo, Rizal, I am overjoyed to be a part of this historic occasion,” he said on Thursday. Go then emphasized the importance of unity and cooperation in the community’s progress. “Bayanihan is not just a simple word; we live it and it is what strengthens our community and inspires us all to face challenges together,” he said. Go also commended the local government led by Mayor Bartolome Rivera for their service to the community. He also extended support to residents who may need medical assistance from the government. He told them that there are Malasakit Centers in the province that they can reach out to if they need support with their medical-related expenses. “Patients, please approach the Malasakit Center because it is for you. If you have a hospital bill, government agencies are there to help pay for it,” Go said. The Malasakit Centers program, a brainchild of Go, is designed to help ensure that indigent patients have convenient access to the medical assistance programs offered by partner agencies. Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. Currently, there are 159 operational centers that have assisted more than seven million Filipinos nationwide, according to the Department of Health. In Rizal, the Malasakit Centers are located at Antipolo City Hospital System Annex IV, Casimiro A. Ynares Sr. Memorial Hospital in Rodriguez, Bagong Cainta Municipal Hospital, and Margarito A. Duavit Memorial Hospital in Binangonan. The post San Mateo fetes Go on 451st anniversary appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Accused of rape, Russell Brand speaks of ‘distressing’ week
British comedian and actor Russell Brand on Friday spoke of an "extraordinary and distressing week" in his first public comments since rape and assault allegations were aired against him, but did not address the claims. "Obviously it's been an extraordinary and distressing week and I thank you very much for your support and for questioning the information you are being presented with," he said on a video posted to his YouTube channel, which has 6.64 million subscribers. "I need your support now more than ever, more than I ever imagined I would," he added. But he did not comment on the joint investigation by The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4 television in which four women made claims of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse against him. Then on Thursday, a woman accused Brand of exposing himself to her in 2008. Brand criticized the British government for asking tech companies to take action against him. Denouncing what he described as "deep state and corporate collusion" and "media corruption and censorship", he said he would post a longer video on Monday. In a video released last week, just before the story broke, Brand, 48, denied the allegations against him, which are said to have taken place between 2006 and 2013. He said his relationships had always been "consensual", even during a period when he admitted he was "very, very promiscuous". Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's official spokesman called the allegations "very serious and concerning". Sunak "has been clear there should never be any space for harassment, regardless of where it is found", he added. Brand's publisher Bluebird announced that "all future publishing" with the comedian had been put on hold. Video-sharing platform YouTube has also demonetized his content. /jj © Agence France-Presse The post Accused of rape, Russell Brand speaks of ‘distressing’ week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
How Hong Kong became a fencing powerhouse and cheered up a city
Hong Kong is one of the smaller Asian Games teams by population, but when it comes to fencing the city is a regional heavyweight with ambitious medal hopes. Edgar Cheung won gold at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games two years ago -- Hong Kong's first Olympic fencing title and first Olympic gold in any sport in a quarter of a century. It turned Cheung into a celebrity overnight and prompted parents across the Chinese territory of 7.5 million people to rush and sign their children up for fencing classes. Cheung's historic win in the foil competition was a much-needed dose of good news for a city mired in social unrest and pandemic gloom at the time. With more funding and public attention as a result, Cheung and his team-mates now hope to stamp their mark on the Asian Games in Hangzhou when they open on Saturday. Despite a strong record at recent editions, including eight medals in the sport in 2018, Hong Kong is yet to win fencing gold at the Asian Games. "No matter for individual or team events, I hope we can (win gold at last)," the softly spoken Cheung, 26, said. The city will have 24 fencers, 12 women and 12 men, at the Games. Another gold-medal contender is 29-year-old Vivian Kong, who is ranked number two in the world in women's epee. There is also Ryan Choi, who along with Cheung was part of the Hong Kong team that won bronze in the men's team foil at the world championships in July. Cheung said the Hong Kong team have "improved greatly" since the 2018 Games in Jakarta. The left-hander, who has recovered from a recent wrist injury, told AFP he wanted to "prove to our competitors they need to beware of us". - Pathway to success - Fencing in the city stretches back decades, to when Hong Kong was a British colony, with its amateur fencing association founded in 1949. The city had occasional success in the early 2000s, but it was the 2010 Asian Games, where Hong Kong fencers won seven medals, that first established them as a regional powerhouse. Local organisers made efforts to popularise the sport, bringing classes to schools and community hubs in the past two decades -– that is where Cheung had his first taste of fencing. Fencers also benefited from a reform to Hong Kong's pipeline for discovering and training talent which allowed Cheung to devote himself to the sport full-time when he was 17 with his parents' blessing. Cheung's final bout at the Tokyo Olympics drew hundreds of fans who crowded into a Hong Kong mall to watch the live broadcast, popping champagne corks after he emerged victorious. Days later, then-city leader Carrie Lam announced more funding for elite Hong Kong athletes, including an expansion to the fencing hall at the institute where Cheung trains. Fencing schools reported a spike in applications, although observers say interest has since tapered off somewhat. - Warning for star man - Gregory Koenig, who previously coached in his native France and also Taiwan, began working with Hong Kong's fencers five years ago and has developed a close relationship with Cheung. He had a warning for Hong Kong's star man, who has slipped to seventh in the men's foil world rankings. "When you're Olympic champion it's very hard because everybody has an eye on you and everybody's fighting hard against you," Koenig said. He said he told Cheung: "You have to understand that many people fight all their life to reach the goal you've already reached." "Okay, do you think you reached the maximum level and you want to stop here? Or are you still motivated for more?" Koenig says he told Cheung. "He told me, 'No, I really want to put my name in the history of fencing.'" hol/pst © Agence France-Presse The post How Hong Kong became a fencing powerhouse and cheered up a city appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting
The president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Nina Lim-Yuson, grew up in a family and home of Girl Scouts. Her grandmother, Pilar Hidalgo-Lim, was one of the co-founders of the GSP. “It was actually my Lola Pilar who suggested to Josefa Llanes Escoda, the GSP founder, to go to America to learn about girl scouting.” This tidbit of history, Nina shared in an online interview with the DAILY TRIBUNE. Pilar Hidalgo-Lim became GSP president, and so did Nina’s mother, Estefania Aldaba-Lim, who served as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Nina’s sister too, the eminent broadcast journalist, Cheche Lazaro, was a Girl Scout. Coming from a lineage of women achievers, Nina could not have chosen a different path. It was scouting that formally introduced the family to social responsibility, skills development and citizenship. Her brothers were also Boy Scouts. “I started when I was six years old and it was my Lola Pilar who inducted me as a Brownie. It used to be called Brownie because we were still using the American pattern,” she related. She belonged to Troop Number One, the first to be organized by the GSP national headquarters. In high school at the Jose Abad Santos Memorial School of the Philippine Women’s University, she became a junior and later a senior Girl Scout. College would briefly end her Girl Scouting as she focused on her studies. Along the way, she also danced with the Bayanihan Folk Dance Company. It was not unexpected that she would return to scouting, her first love, and her first extra-curricular activity. For the last 36 years, she has been active in various organizations and volunteer work. She founded the Museong Pambata. She is a recipient of The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service and is active in its various social development efforts. What Nina brings to her post is the legacy of leadership that had been passed on to her through generations of women leaders in the family. “My Lola Pilar was my idol. She was such a nice person and I never knew her totally as a president. I knew her more as a loving lola from all the stories she related when we rode up to Baguio. “My mother, on the other hand, was the opposite. She was very career-minded. I learned naman from her a lot of things, like being thrifty and having a list of things to do. In terms of organization, she was like that. Because she was in government. And, you know, when we started Museo, while it was actually my concept, I learned a lot from her. She would call me up at 5 o’clock in the morning and she would rattle off what needed to be done, like ‘number one, number two and so on.’ That was her. And I’m glad that I worked with her for six years in Museo. She was the president and I was the executive director for six years. I took over in 2000 as president and chief executive officer. And then, I stepped down in 2017.” Girl Scouts who read and tell stories Nina was elected president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines for the term 2021-2024 during its 2021 national convention. From day one, she shared, “My purpose was to reach out to the community-based troops because we have always been school-based. Many young women now have social problems so we need to reach out to the communities through our community-based troops.” Also on top of her priorities is literacy development, a cause that she addressed even in the Museo Pambata. She explained, “My advocacy has always been education. So, I was very concerned because the Asian Development Bank reported in 2022 that the World Bank found out that our Filipino children at ages 9 and 10 cannot read. So, I felt that because girl scouting is all over the country, with 96 local councils, the organization could serve as a vehicle for improving literacy in our country. “We started the Girl Scout Storyteller project because storytelling affects the heart first before the mind. When young people start with storytelling, they will love the stories and then the written word. They would then want to read. “We now have storytelling in economically challenged communities and we have partners. We sent out 2,500 books throughout the country with the help of our partner couriers.” Initially, she sought the help of her family foundation “to give a donation. I also sought the help of Ging Montinola, who is into literacy development. Together, we founded the literacy program. We are building this fund to cover the cost of buying children’s books. We will have a storytelling contest next year.” Raising funds for Camp Escoda Nina then shifted the conversation to another major endeavor that she is spearheading as GSP president — fundraising for the 27-hectare Camp Josefa Llanes Escoda in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, which was donated by the provincial government during the term of Governor Amado Aleta, the father of consul and civic leader Fortune Ledesma. “Palayan is beautiful because it has rolling hills, but it doesn’t have electrical and water facilities and roadworks. It doesn’t have a swimming pool, and it’s so hot in Nueva Ecija. It also does not have a conference hall. This is a big one-time fundraising project because it’s for the future of the girls who are going to the camp. Because as of now, if you go camping there, you have to walk up the hills to get your drinking water. You have to make buhos to take a bath.” She recalled, “In my time as a young Girl Scout, which was of another era, we had to walk in the dark to fetch water to fill up two drums. I was so scared because there were tuko in Los Baños. That taught me to be courageous. Camps really build up your lifetime skills and attitude. Camping is very integral in girl scouting and boy scouting. So, this camp will serve a purpose. It just needs various basic facilities to make it world-class and convenient with the proper amenities, but the girls will continue to learn all those survival techniques and appreciate nature right on the camp.” She praised architect Pippo Carunungan, “who is an environmental planner. He surveyed the site and drew up everything. It will be a beautiful camp, he said, because it’s a gift of nature.” First Lady as Chief Girl Scout Nina recently led the Girl Scouts in a fundraising ball attended by the “First Lady, Liza Araneta-Marcos, who is our Chief Girl Scout. It’s mandated in the GSP constitution that whoever is the female president of the country or the First Lady is the Chief Girl Scout. In the past, we had Imelda Marcos, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. All the first ladies were all Chief Girl Scouts. “Mrs. Liza Marcos spoke before us and she promised to help. She said, ‘We will make it the best campsite.’ Everyone was excited to see her and she obliged everyone who asked to have selfie with her. She is very friendly. She is really a Girl Scout.” Nina shared, “A generous couple is sponsoring the swimming pool at P6 million, while a gentleman entrepreneur is sponsoring the perimeter fence at P1.5 million. Many other businessmen and leaders have pledged to help build this dream GSP project. “We really need to raise about 50 million to have a very good camp. But when the First Lady heard about it, she said, ‘It has to be P250 million.’ But, really, when we have the funds, we can have deep toilets that have running water instead of tabo-tabo. Since we have a little Pampanga river that runs across the camp, we can build a bridge that crosses it and then the girls can have white-water rafting there in the Pampanga river. “Camp Escoda will be a very important and significant venue for our Girl Scouts to gather, bond, learn new skills and develop as morally upright citizens of the country and the world. It is especially so because camping is integral in any Girl Scout’s life. If you don’t have camping, it’s like half of your scouting life is missing. Every Girl Scout remembers that time of her youth. And being the national camp, it will welcome Girl Scouts representing the 96 councils from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who will participate in various events and trainings.” Girl Scouts of all ages As GSP president, Nina travels to various parts of the country. “We have regional conferences aside from the meeting of the Central Board when regional heads and executives come to Manila. “I had just come from Baguio where I stayed for two-and-a-half days. I met our young Girl Scout representatives from ages 14 to 18. I enjoyed listening to them and exchanging ideas with them. I am so happy that we have a wealth of intelligent girls who want to serve the country. They are the ones who are going to take over. “It’s amazing that GSP is no longer limited to old people on the board. We finally have young ones on the board. Our Escoda committee is headed by Jade Delgado from Iloilo. Then we have Justine Bautista. She’s a psychometrician. She heads the Program Committee, which is a big committee because when we were in Baguio, we had 86 girls from all the councils throughout the country. Many of them are running for SK. “So, in my 70s now, which I don’t feel at all, I don’t take any medicines or something like that. Being with young people is what inspires me. Because at 15, 16 or 17, they already know that they have some kind of a mission.” Nina proudly shared that the venue of the Baguio conference, 'Ating Tahanan' on the South Drive was bought during the tenure of my Lola Pilar. We have four buildings there, including the houses of Senator and actor Rogelio de la Rosa and Carlos Valdes, the accountant. Lola Pilar, according to Carlos Valdes, twisted his arm to get a low price. I’m so thankful for all those who preceded me because they bought these places. It’s on South Drive which is so valuable. We even have a reserved forest behind us.” As she looks forward to the next camping and gets even busier raising funds for Camp Escoda, Nina feels elated that “every one of us in the Girl Scouts has been together in our various undertakings. The nice thing is we are now intergenerational because we try to bring in the old with experience, institutional memory and their wisdom born of their long life, and the young who are full of enthusiasm, energy and new ideas.” A star scout for a granddaughter While Nina does her part for the bright future of girl scouting in the country, her personal family too has not stopped contributing to the roster of members to this worldwide organization. Today, a granddaughter of hers, seven-year-old Rocio Yuson de Guzman, is a Star Scout. She is the daughter of Nina’s daughter, Nicky. No grandmother could have been prouder. Nina said, “Rufio loves being a star scout. When I arrived from the recent world conference in Cyprus, I came back with some badges and I gave some to Rufio who is very proud of the little badges that I got for her.” For sure, Nina will pass on not just the badges to Rufio. More importantly, she will give her granddaughter the once-in-one’s-childhood experience of being a Girl Scout and learning “the values that are identified in the Girl Scout Promise and Laws. I think that while there is so much to enjoy and learn, it is the inculcation of these values that would mold her into a well-rounded human being. As we all know, a Girl Scout’s honor is to be trusted. A Girl Scout is loyal, thrifty, courteous… and so on. It’s like a mantra -- the values that one lives by. “I have reached that point when it is not about success or what one accumulates in life, whether awards or accomplishments or material things. It is more about what I can share and scouting gives me that honor and privilege — to do my part in helping mold our young girls and making them aware even at an early age that they have a mission and worthy purpose in life. It is not just about being good and outstanding on your own but it is also about helping others to become better in what they’re doing and live better lives. “And I need not look far. As a grandmother, I dote on my Star Scout granddaughter, Rufio. There’s a world out there for her to discover and in which she has a role to play and use the skills and values she will learn from scouting.” The post Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sweden throws royal bash for king’s golden jubilee
Sweden celebrates the 50th anniversary of King Carl XVI Gustaf's reign with pomp and circumstance on Friday and Saturday, with a gala banquet, street parties and a procession through central Stockholm. The 77-year-old king was the world's youngest monarch when he came to the throne aged 27 in 1973 after the death of his grandfather Gustaf VI Adolf. The two days of festivities will be attended by foreign dignitaries as well as hundreds of thousands of people who are expected to line the capital's streets to catch a glimpse of the king and Queen Silvia in a cortege on Saturday. Several of the festivities will be broadcast live on television to Sweden's 10 million inhabitants. "It's an intense week," palace spokeswoman Margareta Thorgren told AFP, adding that preparations have been underway for several years. On Friday, a Te Deum church service will be held at the Royal Chapel attended by the royal family, other Nordic royals and heads of state, as well as Swedish political leaders, followed by a gala banquet hosted by the king at the palace. The highlight of the celebrations will be Saturday's afternoon cortege, when the royal couple will wave to the public from a horse-drawn carriage escorted by 3,000 troops from the army, navy and air force and military bands. The final leg of the procession will see the royal couple being rowed across the water in the royal barge to the steps below the palace in the Old Town. That will be followed by an outdoor concert nearby featuring several popular Swedish acts. Dancing in the streets As afternoon heads into evening, the city center will transform into a giant public dance floor, with DJs playing everything from boogie woogie to Cuban salsa, rock 'n' roll, disco and Swedish hits, and food trucks serving food and drinks. Several hundred thousand people are expected to turn out for Saturday's festivities, police spokeswoman Rebecca Landberg told AFP, comparing the event to the massive crowds that lined the streets for Crown Princess Victoria's 2010 wedding. "It feels really exciting," said Jenny Schannong, a 53-year-old medical secretary who plans to be in place early Saturday to get a good viewing spot for the cortege. "It'll be cool to experience this in my lifetime... I was just a little baby when he became king, I was three years old so I don't really remember that," she said. However, the celebrations are taking place under heightened security, after Sweden last month raised its terror alert level following a spate of Koran burnings that have angered the Muslim world. Carl Gustaf XVI is the longest reigning monarch in Sweden's history. Born on April 30, 1946, Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus Bernadotte was only nine months old when his father, Prince Gustaf Adolf, died in a plane crash in Denmark. He grew up with four older sisters and an often-absent mother -- Princess Sibylla of Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha -- before becoming king in 1973. He is the European monarch with the second-longest reign, behind his cousin Queen Margrethe of Denmark who took the throne in 1972. Popular despite sex scandals Despite occasional scandals -- the biggest when a 2010 book alleged he frequented sex clubs and had numerous affairs -- the king still enjoys broad support. A poll this month in Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter said 62 percent of Swedes were in favor of the monarchy, a level that has remained stable over two decades. The king's role has been purely ceremonial since constitutional reform in 1974. The palace has remained tightlipped on the cost of the weekend festivities. "It's a public celebration and the costs will be detailed in a report to be published in April," palace spokeswoman Margareta Thorgren said. This year also marks the 500th anniversary of the reign of Gustav Vasa, Sweden's first king elected in 1523, ending the Kalmar Union that joined the three Scandinavian kingdoms under a single monarchy from 1397. The post Sweden throws royal bash for king’s golden jubilee appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taylor Swift, Shakira shine at MTV Video Music Awards
Taylor Swift cleaned up at Tuesday's MTV Video Music Awards and won the evening's top trophy, as Shakira accepted the night's prestigious Video Vanguard honor with a hip-shaking, career-spanning performance. Swift continued her global reign by scooping awards including Best Song, Best Pop and Best Direction, as well as the top competitive award for Video of the Year, which she won for her hit "Anti-Hero." Turn-of-the-millennium teen heartthrobs NSYNC reunited onstage for the first time in a decade to present her with the Best Pop award, leaving Swift, who is poised to post the first billion-dollar tour, fanning her cheeks. "This is unbelievable," Swift said as she accepted the night's top prize, which she also took home in 2022. "I just want to say that the fact that this is a fan-voted award means so much to me." But she didn't perform on the night known far more for its spectacle than its awards, instead sipping her drink as artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Anitta and Doja Cat took the stage. The made-for-broadcast show, held this year in Newark's Prudential Center, frequently panned to Swift who was seated near the main stage next to Ice Spice, the viral Bronx rapper who has collaborated with the pop phenom and who won the evening's prize for Best New Artist. A camera operator was reportedly tasked with filming Swift for the show's entire duration. The nearly four-hour show that included some 20 performances ended without handing out awards in a number of categories, however, including for Artist of the Year, which for the first time was an all-women slate including Swift, Shakira and Beyonce. Lil Wayne opened the show in a nod to this year's 50th anniversary of hip hop, and Sean Combs -- known by his stage names Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy and Diddy -- delivered a career-spanning performance as he accepted the night's Global Icon lifetime achievement award. "This is so surreal," said the 53-year-old from Harlem. "I started out as a paper boy." [caption id="attachment_183305" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Colombian singer Shakira performs onstage during the MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on 12 September 2023. (Photo by Timothy A. CLARY / AFP)[/caption] And it was Shakira who scored the night's most prestigious honor for lifetime achievement, the Video Vanguard award that celebrates music video innovations. The Colombian performer, 46, stole the show as she performed her signature hip swings and pops, singing a bilingual medley including "She Wolf," "Te Felicito," "Objection (Tango)," "Whenever, Wherever" and "Hips Don't Lie." Wearing a glittering, nude ensemble, the artist finished her set by crowd-surfing to a platform that then elevated her high above a screaming crowd of fans and peers. "Thank you MTV. Thank you for being such a big part of my career since I was only 18 years old," she said. Afrobeats and Bongos Rapper Nicki Minaj hosted the event for the second consecutive year, also debuting live her newest single, "Last Time I Saw You," which is slated for release on her album "Pink Friday 2" in November. She won the night's award for Best Hip Hop, for "Super Freaky Girl." [caption id="attachment_183306" align="aligncenter" width="1707"] US rapper and singer Nicki Minaj arrives for the MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on 12 September 2023. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)[/caption] Minaj also participated in the evening's tribute to five decades of hip hop, which also saw Lil Wayne return to the stage for a medley performance that included pioneers Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick, LL Cool J, DMC of Run-DMC, and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Earlier Doja Cat ignited the crowd as she performed a medley of "Attention," "Paint The Town Red" and "Demons," donning a sexy skirtsuit situation she slowly loosened as she danced, meanwhile unfurling a long blonde mane. Best R&B went to SZA, who did not attend, while South Korea's Stray Kids won the award for Best K-pop and later performed. Nigeria's Rema won the prize for Best Afrobeats, a new category, for his remixed single "Calm Down" featuring Selena Gomez. The song surpassed a billion streams on Spotify over the weekend. "This means so much seeing Afrobeats grow this big," Rema said while accepting the trophy. Brazil's Anitta dropped a booty-shaking dance party of a show with hits including "Funk Rave," which earned the evening's prize for Best Latin. Colombian Karol G was also among the evening's top performers, and she scored a prize with Shakira for Best Collaboration. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion debuted their live performance of "Bongos," their latest collaboration that follows the resounding success of "WAP." Cardi entered the stage from the ceiling on a disco ball, her hair in loose waves a la Donna Summer. Megan joined her from another stage, and after their respective verses the pair led the audience through a high-energy, twerkified dance breakdown. Pop-punk band Fallout Boy rounded out the millennial nostalgia tour that began the night with NSYNC. The emo rockers performed their updated version of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire," hitting major moments of the past three decades in a revamp that includes the line: "YouTube killed MTV." The post Taylor Swift, Shakira shine at MTV Video Music Awards appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Robot fried chicken: entrepreneur seeks to improve S. Korea’s favorite food
In fried-chicken-obsessed South Korea, restaurants serving the nation's favorite fast-food dish dot every street corner. But Kang Ji-young's establishment brings something a little different to the table: a robot is cooking the chicken. Eaten at everything from tiny family gatherings to a 10-million-viewer live-streamed "mukbang" -- eating broadcast -- by K-pop star Jungkook of BTS fame, fried chicken is deeply embedded in South Korean culture. Paired with cold lager and known as "chimaek" -- a portmanteau of the Korean words for chicken and beer -- it is a staple of Seoul's famed baseball-watching experience. The domestic market -- the world's third largest, after the United States and China -- is worth about seven trillion won ($5.3 billion), but labor shortages are starting to bite as South Korea faces a looming demographic disaster due to having the world's lowest birth rate. Around 54 percent of business owners in the food service sector report problems finding employees, a government survey last year found, with long hours and stressful conditions the likely culprit, according to industry research. Korean fried chicken is brined and double-fried, which gives it its signature crispy exterior, but the process -- more elaborate than what is typically used by US fast food chains -- creates additional labor and requires extended worker proximity to hot oil. Enter Kang, a 38-year-old entrepreneur who saw an opportunity to improve the South Korean fried chicken business model -- and the dish itself. "The market is huge," Kang told AFP at her Robert Chicken franchise. Chicken and pork cutlets are the most popular delivery orders in South Korea, and the industry could clearly benefit from more automation to "effectively address labor costs and workforce shortages", she said. Kang's robot, composed of a simple, flexible mechanical arm, is capable of frying 100 chickens in two hours -- a task that would require around five people and several deep fryers. But not only does the robot make chicken more efficiently -- it makes it more delicious, says Kang. "We can now say with confidence that our robot fries better than human beings do," she said. Investing in 'foodtech' Already a global cultural powerhouse and major semiconductor exporter, South Korea last year announced plans to plough millions of dollars into a "foodtech" fund to help startups working on high-tech food industry solutions. Seoul says such innovations could become a "new growth engine", arguing there is huge potential if the country's prowess in advanced robotics and AI technology could be combined with the competitiveness of Korean food classics like kimchi. South Korea's existing foodtech industry -- including everything from next-day grocery delivery app Market Kurly to AI smart kitchens to a "vegan egg" startup -- is already worth millions, said food science professor Lee Ki-won at Seoul National University. Even South Korea's Samsung Electronics -- one of the world's biggest tech companies -- is trying to get in on the action, recently launching Samsung Food, an AI-personalized recipe and meal-planning platform, available in eight languages. Lee predicted South Korea's other major conglomerates are likely to follow Samsung into foodtech. "Delivering food using electric vehicles or having robots directly provide deliveries within apartment complexes, known as 'metamobility', could become a part of our daily lives," he said. "I am confident that within the next 10 years, the food tech industry will transform into the leading sector in South Korea." 'Initially struggled' Entrepreneur Kang now has 15 robot-made chicken restaurants in South Korea, and one branch in Singapore. During AFP's visit to a Seoul branch, a robot meticulously handled the frying process -- from immersing chicken in oil, flipping it for even cooking, to retrieving it at the perfect level of crispiness, as the irresistible scent of crunchy chicken wafted through the shop. Many customers remained oblivious to the hard-working robotic cook behind their meal. Kim Moon-jung, a 54-year-old insurance worker, said she was not sure how a robot would make the chicken differently from a human "but one thing is certain -- it tastes delicious". The robot can monitor oil temperature and oxidation levels in real time while it fries chicken, ensuring consistent taste and superior hygiene. When Kang first started her business she "initially struggled" to see why anyone would use robots rather than human chefs. But "after developing these technologies, I've come to realize that from a customer's perspective, they're able to enjoy food that is not only cleaner but also tastier", she told AFP. Her next venture is a tip-free bar in Koreatown in New York City, where the cocktails will feature Korea's soju rice wine -- and will be made by robots. The post Robot fried chicken: entrepreneur seeks to improve S. Korea’s favorite food appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
James Arthur serves up grit, emotion, rawness in ‘Blindside’
Singer-songwriter James Arthur serves up a superb offering in his new song “Blindside,” which features a killer, top-down driving chorus and powerful belting vocals. “Blindside” is a song I’ve wanted to write for years, about falling in love with the right person at the wrong time. It’s an energetic song with a sad lyric and it really suited this new rawer style I was after,” Arthur said. The anthemic single also comes with a visual helmed by Tim Mattia. Arthur recently received the BRIT Billion award, which celebrates surpassing one billion career UK streams. Presented to him live on BBC’s The One Show, the award puts him in elite company, alongside recipients including ABBA, Anne-Marie, Coldplay, Ellie Goulding, George Ezra, Lewis Capaldi, Mariah Carey, Rita Ora, Sam Smith and Whitney Houston. The Middlesbrough-born artist has scored four top 10 albums, with 2016’s Back From The Edge hitting the Number 1 spot, and over his career has collaborated with the likes of Anne-Marie, Sigala, Rudimental, Marshmello and many more. Arthur is one of the world’s biggest streaming artists, with over 37 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. “Say You Won’t Let Go” became his breakthrough hit in the US. It was officially the UK’s most streamed song in 2016 and has gone on to be enjoyed via four billion streams, while the song’s official video has achieved 1.5 billion views on YouTube. Earlier this year, the track became his first RIAA Diamond Single with 10 million certified units, making Arthur one of just 100 recipients of an RIAA Diamond Single certification in the program’s history. The post James Arthur serves up grit, emotion, rawness in ‘Blindside’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Golden Globes to air January 7 under new ownership
Next year's Golden Globes will take place on 7 January, the organization that bestows the entertainment awards said Thursday, in the wake of intense scrutiny over accusations of corruption and racism in recent years. Nominations are set to be revealed on 11 December, the organization added in a statement. The combined film and television awards have long been considered among the most prestigious in Hollywood after the Oscars. But the Golden Globes have lost their luster among many in the industry after The Los Angeles Times in 2021 revealed the bleak backstage operations of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which made up the contest's jury. In particular, the report said the group did not have a single Black member at the time, and detailed accounts of HFPA voters receiving lavish gifts from entertainment studios whose products they were voting on. In 2022, the historically raucous ceremony was shunned by Hollywood's elite and was not broadcast on television. Since then, the Globes have launched several image reform measures, including involving a more diverse group of voters and instituting a crackdown on ethics violations. The changes brought the ceremony back to live television in January 2023, and despite several notable red-carpet absences, the number of stars in attendance -- including Steven Spielberg, Michelle Yeoh, and Brad Pitt -- suggested that Hollywood was ready to move on from the scandal. Still, the show recorded its worst-ever ratings, with only 6.3 million viewers. As part of its reforms, the Golden Globes have been bought out by private investors, effectively shuttering the 80-year-old HFPA. As part of Thursday's announcement, the Globes said it had formed a new committee that would now be "responsible for selecting, ratifying and accrediting journalists as voting members" of the Globes' jury. The nine-member committee will "uphold and enforce rigorous standards and practices for the voting body," the statement added. The committee will include Tim Gray, veteran entertainment journalist from Variety magazine, who was named vice president of the Golden Globes. The post Golden Globes to air January 7 under new ownership appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
What’s Bretman Rock’s beef with Vanessa Hudgens?
Internet sensation Bretman Rock seems to have a bone to pick with Hollywood actress Vanessa Hudgens. Bretman, who’s currently in the Philippines for a vacation, reminisced about his life journey while on a holiday in Palawan. “Only if that little kid who grew up in Sanchez Mira Cagayan knew he would have everything he ever dreamt of one day. It’s so hard not to feel proud of that little brown boy when I’m home,” Bretman wrote on Instagram. The Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger, an American singer-songwriter of Filipino descent, commented, “So proud of you! [L]ittle brown babies made something of ourselves in this world.” But what earned Bretman’s attention was when a follower said “Vanessa Hudgens is shaking [fire emojis].” To this he replied with, “B**** can’t even say Palawan.” He was alluding to a video of Hudgens learning how to correctly pronounce Palawan when the actress-singer shot a documentary last March as the country’s designated global tourism ambassador. Hudgens received the title in a conferment ceremony at Malacañang Palace on 30 March this year. Even then, many fans were already saying that Rock would have been a better choice for the position, while others suggested K-pop star Sandara Park, as both of them were said to have deeper and more appreciative connections to the Philippines than Hudgens had shown. Born to Filipino parents, Rock moved to Hawaii at the age of seven. He rose to fame as a YouTube creator of beauty videos. He has 8.86 million YouTube subscribers and 18.7 million Instagram followers. In 2017, Time magazine recognized him among the 30 Most Influential Teens. He was also included in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia—Media, Marketing, and Advertising list in 2018. He became the first openly gay man to appear on the cover of Playboy magazine in October 2021 and likewise to grace the cover of Vogue Philippines. The post What’s Bretman Rock’s beef with Vanessa Hudgens? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Starfish outbreak threatens Palawan coral reefs
Puerto Princesa City, Palawan — An alarming outbreak of crown-of-thorn starfish in the northern coral reefs of Palawan has raised concerns among local authorities, prompting urgent efforts to curb their rapid spread. The outbreak, which has been reported in several key areas including El Nido, Linapacan, Taytay, Dumaran and Araceli, has sparked fears of irreversible damage to the province’s vital marine ecosystem. Board member Nieves Rosento disclosed the alarming figures on 22 August to the Provincial Board of Palawan. “In Linapacan, almost 1,800 COTS were collected by local divers. And then in El Nido, a staggering 65,209 were collected, according to data from the Malampaya Foundation,” Rosento said. Efforts to contain the outbreak have been underway in El Nido since 2009, led by dedicated volunteers from the local government. But Rosento warned the crisis is intensifying, as a recent collection in El Nido yielded 3,577 additional COTS. This surge in numbers has put Palawan’s corals at significant risk, not to mention imposed a financial burden on affected communities. “Based on our experience in El Nido, the process of collecting these starfish costs around P25,000-28,000. We don’t include payment for the divers because they’re volunteers. Normally, costs go toward fuel, food, vinegar and the divers’ air tanks,” Rosento explained. The volunteers have developed an innovative approach utilizing syringes filled with vinegar. Armed with these syringes, they plunge into the waters to inject the vinegar solution directly into the mouths of the COTS. This prompts the starfish, the venomous spikes of which prevent manual removal, to detach from the corals. Once dislodged, the COTS are transported to a safe location away from the coast to ensure that their toxic spikes do not endanger the underwater environment. The severity of the outbreak can be attributed to the COTS’ unique reproductive cycle. Unlike most starfish, which regenerate from a single limb, COTS engage in broadcast spawning. This method involves releasing eggs and sperm into the water, allowing fertilization to occur wherever the currents carry these reproductive elements. The starfish mature into adults within two to three years, producing between 60 to 100 million eggs. To counter the infestation, Rosento urged for a resolution that allocates funding and equipment to the volunteers. She also called upon local government units to maintain close surveillance of their reefs to supplement existing data and thwart further infections. Rosento also advocated for the introduction of COTS’ natural predators into affected areas. Giant triton snails, crabs, lobsters and other bottom-dwelling fish were recommended as potential solutions to curb the outbreak. “This is a temporary measure, but it can help prevent the COTS from reaching maturity,” Rosento said, underlining the pressing need for swift and sustained action to safeguard Palawan’s precious coral reefs. The post Starfish outbreak threatens Palawan coral reefs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
India becomes first nation to land spacecraft near Moon’s south pole
India on Wednesday became the first nation to land a craft near the Moon's south pole, a historic triumph for the world's most populous nation and its ambitious, cut-price space program. The unmanned Chandrayaan-3, which means "Mooncraft" in Sanskrit, touched down at 6:04 pm India time (1234 GMT) as mission control technicians cheered wildly and embraced their colleagues. Its landing comes days after a Russian probe crashed in the same region and four years since the previous Indian attempt failed at the last moment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi smiled broadly and waved an Indian flag on a live broadcast to announce the mission's success as a triumph that extended beyond his country's borders. "On this joyous occasion I would like to address the people of the world," said Modi from the sidelines of the BRICS diplomatic summit in South Africa. "India's successful moon mission is not just India's alone," he added. "This success belongs to all of humanity." The Chandrayaan-3 mission has captivated public attention since launching nearly six weeks ago in front of thousands of cheering spectators. Politicians staged Hindu prayer rituals to wish for the mission's success and schoolchildren followed the final moments of the landing from live broadcasts in classrooms. Chandrayaan-3 took much longer to reach the Moon than the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s, which arrived in a matter of days. India used rockets much less powerful than the ones the United States used back then, meaning the probe had to orbit the Earth several times to gain speed before embarking on its month-long journey. The lander, Vikram, which means "valor" in Sanskrit, detached from its propulsion module last week and has been sending images of the Moon's surface since entering lunar orbit on August 5. Now that Vikram has landed, a solar-powered rover will explore the surface and transmit data to Earth over its two-week lifespan. Ambitious program India is closing in on milestones set by global space powers such as the United States and Russia, conducting many of its missions at much lower price tags. The South Asian nation has a comparatively low-budget space program, but one that has grown considerably in size and momentum since it first sent a probe to orbit the Moon in 2008. The latest mission has a cost of $74.6 million -- far lower than those of other countries, and a testament to India's frugal space engineering. Experts say India can keep costs low by copying and adapting existing technology, and thanks to an abundance of highly skilled engineers who earn a fraction of their foreign counterparts' wages. In 2014, India became the first Asian nation to put a craft into orbit around Mars and is slated to launch a three-day crewed mission into Earth's orbit by next year. Wednesday's landing had been eagerly awaited by the Indian Space Research Organisation after the frustrating failure of its previous mission at the last hurdle in 2019. Back then, mission control lost contact with the Chandrayaan-2 lunar module moments before its slated landing. 'Very, very important' Former ISRO chief K. Sivan told AFP that India's efforts to explore the relatively unmapped lunar south pole would make a "very, very important" contribution to scientific knowledge. Only Russia, the United States and China have previously achieved controlled landings on the Moon. Russia launched a lunar probe in August -- its first in nearly half a century. If successful, it would have beaten Chandrayaan-3 by a matter of days to become the first mission from any nation to make a controlled landing around the south pole. But Luna-25 crashed on Saturday after an unspecified incident as it prepared to descend. The post India becomes first nation to land spacecraft near Moon’s south pole appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The lives and traditions of Davao City’s 11 ethnic groups
Considered to be the Philippines’ largest city in terms of land area, Davao City is a sprawling 2,444-square kilometer area that has a population of about 1.632,991 million people based on the 2015 census. Dabawenyos (meaning the residents of Davao City and not the ethnic group of the same name) which is how local residents of the city are called, are mostly Visayans. The rest of the population are lumads or indigenous people belonging to different ethnic groups, while massive immigration is a continuing trend since the start of the 20th century. Davao City boasts of unity in diversity among the city’s population including the 11 ethnic groups with respect for one’s culture and traditions. Dabawenyos, migrants, lumads, not to mention ethnic Americans, Chinese, Koreans, Indians, Japanese, Indonesians and Malaysians co-exist in a city that is said to be one of the world’s safest cities. Let’s get to know these 11 ethnic communities, whose colorful and rich culture contributes to a vibrant and interesting metropolis, that is Davao City. [caption id="attachment_173319" align="aligncenter" width="948"] MERANAW - The Meranaw are said to have the best traditional clothes out of all Filipino ethnic groups. The name means “People of the Lake” and they are known to be brave. Historically, the Meranaw are believed to have offered sacrifices in defense of their homelands and to pay homage to Islam, their religion. Among those the ethnic group takes pride in is their rich literature which includes the chanted epic Darangen as well as their sophisticated wood and metal crafts expressed in their Torogan — a special house built for a Meranaw maiden — Okir, a design motif.| Photograph By Roel Hoang Manipon[/caption] [caption id="attachment_173320" align="aligncenter" width="1044"] Ata MANOBO — The Ata Manobo or “dwellers in highlands” are powerful people who appear to be a mixture of Negritos and other ethnicities in the area. As occupants of the headwaters of Davao, Tuganay and Libuganon rivers, the Ata Manobo depend primarily on hunting as their livelihood. They are thought to be sensitive and vindictive but can be easily pacified if handled with utmost diplomacy. | Photograph Courtesy Of Gerald Macfred Dillera[/caption] [caption id="attachment_173321" align="aligncenter" width="683"] Kagan— The group’s name was derived from the word kaog which means “whisper.” The Kagan people are known as agriculturists—cultivating rice, corn, abaca and coconut for cash crops. Those who are living near the coasts practice fishing. They are Tagakaolo who have converted to Islam either through intermarriage or contact with the Maguindanaos. | Photograph Courtesy Of Fb.com/davao Group 6 B[/caption] [caption id="attachment_173322" align="aligncenter" width="1149"] Klata-guiangan — Klatas occupy a very small territory stretching from Catalunan to Calinan within Davao City. Their traditional population centers included Blao, Tagakpan, Dulian, Sirib, Gunalong and Tamugan. They are called the “forest dwellers.” | Photograph Courtesy Of Fb.com/kadayawan Festival[/caption] [caption id="attachment_173323" align="aligncenter" width="885"] Iranun — They are regarded as the fiercest pirates in Southeast Asia, adopting a typical maritime lifestyle of sea invaders. They attacked merchant shipping and coastal settlements in the Philippines, the straits of Malacca and the islands beyond Sulawesi. These days, they work as fishermen and long-distance traders. | Photograph By Roel Hoang Manipon[/caption] [caption id="attachment_173324" align="aligncenter" width="967"] Sama — The Sama people are described as peace-loving and cohesive people, thus putting so much value on togetherness. Their forebears are said to possess special powers having the supernatural ability to invite spirits called Jin to do things for them. Majority of the Sama people are mostly living in the Bunawan and other coastal areas in Davao City. | Photograph By Roel Hoang Manipon[/caption] [caption id="attachment_173325" align="aligncenter" width="1034"] Maguindanao — Their name means “people of the flood plain” and their traditional home range includes Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte. Outside these provinces, they are scattered around the three districts of Davao City and other nearby provinces like Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental. Living mostly along the mouths of rivers, they impeded the Spanish colonizers’ efforts in bringing the other indigenous groups of Davao into the Christian fold. | Photograph By Roel Hoang Manipon[/caption] [caption id="attachment_173326" align="aligncenter" width="973"] OBO Monobo — The Obo Monobo are known for their intricate casting, fine weaponry and jewelry. For them, these things possess souls, as souls also possess animate objects. Obo oral tradition tells of Apo Sandawa’s journey from the north to Davao. Apo Sandawa’s point of entry in Davao was at Ulas. From Ulas, Apo Sandawa and family moved north towards the Talomo mountains, even reaching Mt. Sinaka. Apo Sandawa’s journey ended in Mt. Apo where he was buried. Apo Sandawa is considered the ancestor of the Obo. | Photograph By Roel Hoang Manipon[/caption] [caption id="attachment_173327" align="aligncenter" width="919"] Tausug — The Tausugs traditionally reside in the archipelago of Sulu. Their name means “people of the current,” and they are known for their courage and bravery. Loyalty is an important trait among the Tausugs. They practice the ritual of blood compact to signify the depth of their loyalty to one another. They are fierce and dangerous but the moment one befriends one of them, the bond will be enduring. | Photograph By Roel Hoang Manipon[/caption] [caption id="attachment_173328" align="aligncenter" width="903"] Matigsalog — A subgroup of the Manobo, the Matigsalog or “river people” are considered to be the most aboriginal inhabitants of Mindanao chiefly occupying the Agusan River valley in Compostella, from Malalag to Sarangani and between Cuabo and Cape San Agustin. In Davao City, they live mostly in the hinterlands of Marilog, Marahan or Paquibato. Their houses are built near the rivers, often on the forks of trees. Of Malay descent, the Matigsalog are of slight built but athletic. Their name is made up of two words Matig (place of origin) and Salug (river). They are regarded as one of Davao’s colorful ethnic groups. | Photograph Courtesy Of Wikicommons/nick Nichols Cc By 2.0[/caption] The post The lives and traditions of Davao City’s 11 ethnic groups appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»