POP NEWS PHILIPPINES

Days before the 95 contestants of the 67th Miss Universe beauty pageants arrive in Bangkok, Thailand on Dec. 2, Miss Philippines Catriona Gray emerged as the top favorite to capture the crown, according to two online betting sites abroad. Gray, 24, leads the pack based on Sportsbet.com.au, a betting site in Australia. Other candidates who followed her, in order of ranking, were Thailand, Ecuador, South Africa, USA, Peru, Puerto Rico, Russia, Australia, Brazil and Vietnam. In Pinnacle.com, a licensed online betting site in Curacao and Malta, Gray is No. 1 with betting odds of 5.490. She is followed by candidates from Thailand, USA, Venezuela, Ecuador, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Russia, Peru and Brazil. In Nicerodds.co.uk, a betting site in the United Kingdom, Gray ties with Miss Ukraine for third place. On top of the list is Miss USA followed by Miss Venezuela. It's not only in betting sites that Gray hit the summit. Last Nov. 19, her debut single "We're In T...

Miss International 2018 first-runner up Maria Ahtisa Manalo has only one wish for herself this holiday season: get enough rest. When asked about the gift she wanted for Christmas, Manalo said: "Yung gift sa sarili ko hindi ko pa naibibigay which is rest. Bago ako umalis, I was busy already. In Japan full-packed 'yung schedule namin for one month. We rarely get some sweet time also." "When I got back here, wala pa rin rest. I really just wanted to rest. But that the best gift I can give to myself," says Manalo. Throughout the finals night of the Miss International 2018 pageant held in Japan, Manalo was confident but relaxed on stage. It simply showed that she just enjoyed the whole competition. "Even when I joined Binibini, I was relaxed. I was just having the time of my life with the girls. I just be myself. I just be talkative, maingay. I eat a lot also. I treat the girls as my friends," the beauty queen from Quezon says. "It’s a c...

K-pop boy band BTS has submitted entries for the 2019 Grammy Awards which will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on Feb. 10. Considered as the highest award in music, the nominations for the 2019 show will be announced on Dec. 5, 2018. BTS has reportedly submitted six entries for their best-selling album "Love Yourself: Tear" and for the song "Fake Love." Entries for “Fake Love” include Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop/Duo Group Performance and Best Music Video.  For “Love Yourself: Tear,” the entries are Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. It would be recalled that K-pop made history in the American music scene after "Love Yourself: Tear" went to No. 1 on the Billboard music charts for the week ending on June 2. This is the first time that a Korean album finished at the summit of the prestigious music charts since it published its first music hit parade in the US in 1936. Released through B...

Fifteen-year-old Simone Nadine Bornilla will be the country's representative to the Miss Teen International contest which will be held in New Delhi, India on Dec. 19. Bornilla is a Grade 10 student of Colegio San Agustin in Makati City. Last Jan. 5, she represented Makati City in the Mr. and Ms. Philippines Youth contest. Nadine, as fondly called by her peers, loves to sing. In fact, she is a Senior Soprano 1 member of the prestigious Augustinian Singers of Colegio San Agustin-Makati. Her talent in singing blossomed following her summer training workshops at Spotlight Artist Centre under the supervision of Isay Alvarez. She also attended ballet classes when she was 8 at Ballet Manila under the supervision of Lisa Macuja. Also, she is a theater actress and regular attendee of The Repertory Philippines Summer Workshops for the past seven years. Nadine is an advocate of "quality healthcare as a right and not as privilege.''  She is also an aspiring neurosur...

AirBit Club is an organization that promoting and using Bitcoin, considered the most popular cryptocurrency in the world. The club holds its annual seminar and meeting for 2018 at the grand ballroom of Shangril-La Hotel in Bonifacio Global City last Nov. 24. The assembly was attended by the active members of the club as well as interested individuals who can be prospective members in the future. The club was established way back in 2016 with the objective to enlightened the general public on the origin of Bitcoin, its advantages and where and how to use it. Special guest speaker during the forum is no less than the club Master Council here in the country, and a former UAAP athlete champion Dr. Tom Academia Jr. who tackled how the Bitcoin will work in the market. In the Philippines alone, there are already more than 40,000 members and counting. Globally, the club has an estimated 4.1 million members . To be a bonafide member of the club, one must buy any of the three member...

Mutya ng Pilipinas president Hemilyn Escudero-Tamayo says peace of mind and having a baby girl are some of her birthday wishes as she turns a year older today, Nov. 27. “My birthday wishes are good health for myself and for my family, more blessings and peace of mind, and a baby girl,” says Hemilyn during an exclusive interview on her advance birthday celebration held at the Four Seasons Buffet and Hotpot at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City last Sunday, Nov. 25. She adds: “Also, I want to keep all the friends that I have now. Wala na akong mahihiling pa. Peace of mind na lang talaga. Ayoko ma-stress.” The former beauty queen-turned-philanthropist is the daughter of former Casiguran, Sorsogon City Mayor Dr. Oscar Escudero. She is married to Philippine Air Force Major Richard Antonio Tamayo, whose family owns the University of Perpetual Help DALTA Medical Center. They have two sons. Hemilyn also prays for the success of her “Mutya’’ queens in international pageants. “All m...

The country's rising models are ready to compete in their respective modelling competitions abroad. This was announced by beauty queen maker Jonas Gaffud of Aces and Queens who presented the five models during a press conference held at the Empire Studios in Bonifacio Global City on Saturday, Nov. 24. Manhunt Philippines Jeff Langan will vie for the Manhunt International title which will be held in Gold Coast, Australia on Nov. 26 to Dec. 2. Joining Langan are GLAM Philippines 2018 winners Ella Lubag and Vince Marcelo; and Best Model of the World Philippines 2018 Aaron Davis and Samantha Lo. POP NEWS PHILIPPINES got the chance to talk to these newbies who will surely rule the runway real soon. - ROBERT REQUINTINA Jeff Langan - Manhunt Philippines 2018 What are you most proud of these days? - "It would have to be my family. They support me throughout my whole life. I am always in touch with my mom. She gives me the guidance I needed." Best trait - ...

Financial literacy, especially on investments and business start-ups, are important factors in ensuring that hard-earned incomes and savings of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are put to good use, Sen. Cynthia Villar said at the 8th OFW and Family Summit last Nov. 21. Villar, in her capacity as director of the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), made the remark as she urged OFWs who attended the event to be financially-smart to ensure a better future for their families. “I hope that you will practice all the lessons, tips and suggestions that you learned today from our finance experts. Use your incomes and savings wisely,” Villar said at the end of the Summit, which had as its theme, “OFW: Perang Pinaghirapan, Palaguin.” EMPOWERING OUR OFWS. Senator Cynthia A. Villar leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony that ushers the opening of the 8th OFW and Family Summit at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. The summit, with the theme, OFW: Pe...

This year's winners of the Mr. Universe Tourism Philippines signed their contracts and received their cash prizes during a photo shoot held at Studio A Photography House in Quezon City last Nov. 15. Present at the contract signing were Patrick Santillan Acebo, 2nd runner-up; Christian Villarin, Mr. Imperial Universe Philippines; Mark Angelo C. Avila, Gentleman of the World Philippines; Kelvin Aguilan Vicente, Mr. Universe Tourism Philippines; Keanu Fernando, Man of the Year Philippines; and Miggy Uchimura, 1st runner-up. Witnesses were  Manuel Genabe III, CEO, Mr. Universe Tourism Philippines Organization; Dr. Jumel Bornilla, President of Mister Universe Tourism Philippines; Tonett Chua, VP For Image and Aesthetics; Michael Sta. Maria, VP For Public Relations and Communications; and Norman Tinio, Head of Press Corps. Also at the same event were fashion designers Edwin Uy and Dave Ocampo. POP NEWS PHILIPPINES had a chat with these gorgeous hunks during their photo shoot br...

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga --- Beauty queens and other groups led the launch of the Christmas project dubbed "Angels' Dream" that will grant the wishes of some 800 Aeta kids here. "From 300, 600 and now we are granting the 800 wishes of Little Angels. We are thrilled on how our partners, employees and guests support this breakthrough. With this program, we all can be a heaven sent and we can be a blessing by giving," says Midori Clark Hotel and Casino General Manager Vic Chan, during the media launch of the Christmas project. The highlight of the event was the hanging of wish cards, wherein kids hung up their wishes into the establishment's giant Christmas tree. Officials say among these simple wishes of the kids include toys, shoes, clothes, etc. The gift-giving ceremony will take place on Dec. 18. "This tradition symbolizes the wishes and dreams of the kids which will be fulfilled by the heaven-sents or the employees, subsidiaries, spo...

Filipino beauty queens continue to shine abroad as a forensic anthropologist won second runner-up in the Miss Scuba International 2018 pageant held in Sabah, Malaysia last Nov. 17. Noelle Fuentes-Uy Tuazon, 26, of Tangalan, Aklan, finished third in the pageant that advocates marine conservation and promote safe diving practices. Tuazon is said to be one of the very few forensic anthropologists in the Asia-Pacific Region. Daisy Whetlor of the United Kingdom was crowned Miss Scuba International 2018 while Dami Huang of Chinese Taipei, 1st Runner-Up. An independent person, Tuazon worked her way as a consistent scholar while doing several jobs to sustain and support her stay in the US. From left: Dami Huang of Chinese Taipei, 1st Runner-Up; Daisy Whetlor, United Kingdom, Miss Scuba International 2018; and Noelle Fuentes-Uy Tuazon, Philippines, 2nd runner-up She finished her course of Bachelor of Science in Anthropology minor in Geography with a focus on biological anthro...