POP NEWS PHILIPPINES

Donna Marie Jan Balaor will be the county's official representative to the Miss Lumiere International World 2018 pageant which will be held in Malaysia on Nov. 10. Sammie Anne Legaspi, national director of Miss Lumiere Philippines and 1st runner-up in the same pageant in 2017, says Miss Lumiere International World is in search of the luminous woman who cultivates a core of peace and self awareness. Legaspi also provides us some interesting information on Balaor, 25, from Trece Martires, Cavite. Balaor says: "One funny thing about me is that I don’t eat pork. I honestly can’t tell why but since I was a kid, I just hate the smell and the taste of pork so vegetables became my best buddies! I am proud to represent my country and to tell the world that I am adopted and raised by a member of the LGBTQia community – a lesbian. I was raised by my 'amma' to be a strong, faithful woman; "After 17 years, I was blessed to meet my biological parents. I could ...

Japanese DJ Rapper King Tomoro is in the house! Just recently, King Tomoro visited Manila to seek musical opportunities and possibly collaborate with some of our local artists. "I first came here in your country April this year. Since then,  I always look forward to come back because I learned to love your people and its climate which is similar to my place back in Japan and also to share my music to all party goers," says King Tomoro during a meet-and-greet event with the media at Sekitori Japanese Restaurant in Mandaluyong City. Japanese rapper King Tomoro and interpreter Jincky Malate. The event was made possible through the help of jeweler and producer Otek Lopez and broadcaster Atorni Ton of DzRH TV. While many rap songs deal with illegal drugs and violence, King Tomoro says he composes rap songs that focus on chasing your dreams, wealth and fortune. The 31-year-old rapper who lives in the Roponggi District of Tokyo idolizes Pitbull, Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre...

Traffic in major thoroughfares in Las Piñas and neighboring towns and cities is expected to ease in time for the holiday season as the second phase of the Las Piñas and fourth phase of the Zapote River Drives road projects were opened to motorists. Sen. Cynthia A. Villar and daughter Camille Villar led the inauguration of the partially completed Phase 2 of the Las Piñas River Drive, a 600-meter road connecting the CAA Bridge to Manuela 4B. VILLAR SAYS ROAD PROJECTS TO EASE TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK. Senator Cynthia Villar and daughter Camille Villar together with Las Pinas government officials and homeowners of private properties in the city tour the second phase of the Las Piñas and fourth phase of the Zapote River Drives road projects which were opened to motorists.  It will pass through the Villanueva, Dela Cruz and Batibot compounds, through the Daimar Subdivision and end at Manuela 4B. Once completed, the entire 1.2 kilometers Phase 2 of the road project will cover the foo...

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE, Zambales - A freelance model from Olongapo City was crowned at the inaugural Miss Econest 2018 pageant last Oct. 28, after a nationwide search for a woman who will promote environmental awareness, particularly in the area of proper solid waste management. At the Subic Convention Center here, pageant veteran Christine Juliane Opiaza bested 16 other candidates for the pageant title that will serve as a tool to elevate the use of recycled or upcycled materials as the new status symbol for the elite. From left: Coeli Fiel, president and CEO of Econest and over-all pageant chairperson; Leandrea Batingan, 2nd runner-up; Christine Juliane Opiaza, Miss Econest 2018; and Nicole Minano, 1st runner-up. First runner-up honors went to Nicole Minano, of Romblon; while Leandrea Batingan, of Bulacan, 2nd runner-up. Winners of special awards were Sheena Zaldivar, Dapitan City, Miss Congeniality; and Best In Evening Gown; and Miss Photogenic, Batingan. Coeli...

Miss Philippines Eva Psychee Patalinjug may have lost in the Miss Grand International 2018 pageant in Myanmar last October 25 but she is thankful for the all love and support of her fans in her journey to international pageant. "Crowns and titles are not a measurement of one’s capability to do great things. I have served my purpose and that purpose is to show courage, determination, beauty and substance as a Filipina; Miss Philippines Eva Psychee Patalinjug "To be an inspiration to all people from all walks of life. To never give up in life every time you fall. I cried not because I felt bad but because I can really feel the love and support from the people all over the world, specially my loving country, PHILIPPINES! That being said, I already won even before I lost. Hanggang sa huli, Mahal ko kayo!❤️ says Eva on Instagram. Miss Paraguay Maria Clara Sosa Perdomo won the title as she passed out moments after her name was announced as the winner of the Miss Gran...

The stage is set for the crowning of the 1st Miss Tourism Queen Worldwide 2018 which will be held at the 72nd Events Place in Pasig City today, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. Who will win the inaugural beauty pageant that advocates beauty thru diversity? The official candidates are Natasha Selkrig, Australia; Jessica Bueno Silva, Brazil; Kansas King, Canada; Hawi Tesfaye Natnael, Ethiopia; Eunice Manso, Ghana; Jennifer Anan, South Ghana; Kaylie Hoi Lam, Hong Kong; Dolly Boro, India; Sookini Sutnga, East India; Ibaphynhun Syiemlieh, South India; Lam Ying Ting Lam, Malaysia; Ruth Fernandez, Mexico; Khulan Munkhbat, Mongolia; Nan Htet Htet Lin, Myanmar; Seema Bhandari, Nepal; Precious Adigwe, Nigeria; Kamille Quinola, Philippines; Nikitha Reimers, Sri Lanka; Chang Yu-Tang, Taiwan;  Jongkol Chokinplub, Thailand; Jessica Vangaalen, USA: Asia Joy Dising, USA Fil-Am; and Vy Hyun, Vietnam. From left: philanthropist and businessman Antonio B. Abarquez, chief financial officer, Miss Tourism P...

The Miss Earth 2018 beauty pageant is nearing homestretch as it almost wraps up its pre-pageant activities leading towards the grand coronation night on Nov. 3. While the preliminary judging for BEAUTY of FACE and POISE is finished, the 87 candidates will hurdle  two more important pre-pageant activities: FIGURE and FORM Preliminary Judging (Century Park Hotel) on Oct. 29; and INTELLIGENCE and ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS Preliminary Judging (Diamond Hotel) on Nov. 1. Prior to that, we asked 10 candidates of Miss Earth 2018 pageant under Water Group at random the question: "If God will grant you one wish, what would it be?" Some of the candidates under the Water Group are delegates from Austria, Italy, Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Malta, Serbia, Ukraine, Bahamas, Guadaloupe, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Egypt, Ethiopia, Liberia, Reunion Island, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Israel, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, ...

Jaime Acosta, President and CEO of Psalmstre Enterprises, Inc. welcomed the 30 candidates of the Miss Earth 2018 beauty pageant during a meet-and-greet event at the Windsor Gardens Pavilion and Resort in Marikina City on Tuesday, Oct. 23. "I am avid supporter of Miss Earth beauty pageant because of its worthy cause which is to help save and protect Mother Earth," says Acosta in his welcome remarks. Jaime V. Acosta, President of Psalmstre Enterprises  Acosta also believes in the pageant’s advocacy and it somehow matches with his own company’s mantra of using only safe and natural based placenta plant extract. “I do believe in ME’s objective of preserving our natural resources, that’s why I see to it that my company sponsors this pageant in regular basis," he says. Three candidates - Mexico, Brazil and Indonesia - were named New Placenta Ambassadors who embody the ideals and beliefs of Psalmstre Enterprises, giving emphasis on capitalizing one's nat...

Pageant fans missed out on Alyssa Muhlach Alvarez of the Philippines when the official candidates for this year's Reina Hispanoamericana 2018 pageant on-going in Bolivia were presented to the press. During the special show broadcast live on social media last Monday (Tuesday in Manila), pageant fans noticed that Alvarez was not among the 30 official candidates presented to the international media. Alvarez, 22, daughter of actress Almira Muhlach and basketball star Paul Alvarez, says that she skipped the press presentation because her flight was delayed due to bad weather. On Instagram, the acoustic singer says: "32 hours of traveling from Manila to Vancouver to New York to Panama and finally to Santa Cruz, Bolivia! Although I didn’t make it to the Press Presentation earlier because my flight was delayed (due to the bad weather in Panama), I am still so honored and excited to represent the Philippines/Filipinas in Reina Hispanoamericana 2018!" She has arrived i...

Filipino-German beauty queen Pia Wurtzbach made us proud when she won Miss Universe in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2015. But Pia teases that it is not the end of her story. She says that she's doing something that will make us proud of her again. "I  think  a  lot  of  people  know  already  my  story  in  Binibini.  I  kept  trying  and  finally  made  it  here.  Beyond  that,  what  are  the  new  things  that  I’m  going  to  do.  That’s  what  I  am  working  on  right  now.  I  want  to  continue  to  make  all  of  you  proud.  I  do  have  a  never-say-die  story  because  of  my  story  when  I  joined  Ms.  Universe,  but  it’s  not  the...

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar believes urban vegetable gardening is the right community response to the high cost of commodities, especially food products, to ensure food-sufficiency among families. Villar, who is the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said families should learn to practice urban gardening so they can produce their own greens and vegetables and save hard-earned incomes for other basic needs. "Inflation is high. Everything is so expensive now, especially our food products. Vegetables are among the food produce the cost of which have gone considerably up. But we can counter this. Urban gardening is possible even in the most crowded areas. You should seriously consider this new norm to ensure not only food on your tables, but the health of your family as well," Villar told an audience of 180 farmers and farm enthusiasts and hobbyists who attended the graduation and Harvest Festival training in Urban Vegetable Farming at the Villar S...