POP NEWS PHILIPPINES

Sen. Cynthia Villar pushed for the establishment of at least one medical school in each and every region in the country as a way to increase the number of doctors and improve the healthcare workforce. During the Senate deliberation on Senate Bill 1520 or the Medical Scholarship Bill, Villar said state universities and colleges (SUC) should be required to establish at least one medical school in all 17 regions of the country. “Dapat magtayo ang malalaking SUC ng isang medical school sa bawat region. Kapag tinayuan mo all 17 regions, makukuha mo na ang target na number of doctors at nasa buong Pilipinas pa sila. Hindi mangyayari na may region na walang duktor,” Villar said. About 79,800 doctors are needed in order to achieve the ideal ratio of 10 physicians for every 10,000 individuals. Villar said SUCs should work together with Department of Health-operated hospitals and start operating medical schools. “The lack of public medical schools and the prohibitive cost of studying medicine di...

Manila Standard pageant columnist and National Awardee for 2019 Eton Concepcion is taking his animal welfare campaign to the streets these days as he feeds the homeless and hungry cats and dogs. Concepcion, who also works for the Philippine National Police (PNP) at Camp Crame in Quezon City, considers this as his biggest achievement by far when it comes to taking care of stray animals. “Last year, I came across Whitey, the street dog of a poor family living in a kariton with 5 small kids. Going home from office, I would bring Whitey food to eat, and also give some to the children. However, after several months I learned that they had relocated; “But I consider to be my biggest achievement is Scaly, a street-smart dog that practically resembled a zombie when I saw her in April 2020. It was saddening to see the dog suffers from heavy mange or scabies. I knew how super itchy and achy it was. Subsequently, I started to give her food and mixed it with tablet-medicine to treat her malignant ...

A young pageant king from Masbate province topped the National Science Quest competition held at Teachers’ Camp in Baguio City recently. Ian James Alinsoot Monisit, 17, edged out hundreds of contestants from all over the country in the annual science event. He represented his school Cataingan National High School, Masbate Province Division, Region V. “I am so happy for this recognition. I want to dedicate my award to my parents,” said Ian James, a Grade 11 student with Humanities and Social Sciences Strand 1, during an online chat over the weekend. He is the only son of Ian Monisit and Marjury Monisit. A native of Bugtong Pio V. Corpus in Masbate, Ian James was coached by Tomas L. Dungog III in the prestigious science contest. Ian James is also a young fashion model who is the reigning Lakan ng Kalikasan 2020 senior high public school category. He is a member of the JosephC Casting Agency (JCCA) run by national pageant director Josephus Ople Canabuan. At the modelling contest, Ian Jame...

 

Juvy Fantilanan is taking a break from designing kids fashion these days to give way to her online selling business dubbed Mikay Kikay Online Store. Fantilanan, 43, tells us that she has been involved in this business for five years now. Her hubby helps her out during busy days. They have three children. “Ngayon lang uli ako naging busy sa online selling dahil affected ng pandemic ang fashion industry. Pero noon ko pa talaga na-establish ito.” “ Dati ako lang naka-motor mag-isa. Para akong kargador,” she laughs. Would you believe she gets orders as far as Tarlac and Cavite? Just like in fashion, where she specializes in kids fashion, Fantilanan describes herself as fussy. “Sa online selling mabusisi ako. No return, no exchange kasi ang items na kukunin ko from the suppliers. I pay in cash the items I get from the suppliers.“ For the month of July, the most popular ordered item in her store is the Samgyupsal grill from South Korea. “Would you believe sir more than 25 pieces ang deliver...

Hope springs eternal for former Kapuso broadcast journalist Steeeeve Dailisan. Weeks after he shed tears when he left Cebu Pacific, Dailisan is soaring high once again – this time for Air Asia. On Instagram August 15, Dailisan flashed a big smile as he wore the official red jacket of the popular airline. He shared an emotional post. “Red” has always been associated with courage, passion, and adventure. It is usually painted in the sky at dusk — the beginning of a bright new day; “A few months ago, I thought it was the end of my much loved aviation career. Tears were shed and so the vision turned blurry; “But my good friend Claire Delfin told me, “Steve, bleak times are not always bad.” I figured, I will find my way back, so I carried on each day with high hopes, “Laban lang!” “More or less 8 months into this pandemic, we should learn how to be tough, resilient, and bullish. As pilots, we were trained to rely on our instruments, but when all else fails, you just have to trust your insti...

  Activities and travel related to agriculture and environment, according to Senator Cynthia Villar, will be the new growth areas and will provide the impetus to revive travel and tourism, one of the most adversely affected sectors by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “We all know that the ongoing lockdowns all over the country and the world has really hit the travel and tourism sector hard. All the industries related to it, especially hotels and airlines, are really reeling until now. Increased interest and popularity of farm tourism and eco-tourism will provide the much-needed impetus to the sector,” said Villar, who is the chairperson of both the Senate Committees on Agriculture and Environment. Villar added: “After being locked down for months, people are longing to get reconnected to nature. Filipinos have also turned to gardening and growing their food. They can continue to do or pursue those interests and experiences when they visit a farm or a natural tourist attraction when t...

Smart Signature is giving K-drama fans a simple way to get closer to Korean superstar and Smart endorser Son Ye Jin, and relive one of the most romantic moments in the hit series ‘Crash Landing On You.’ With its new promo, customers who sign up for a new Smart Signature Plan shall get an exclusive limited-edition scented candle handpicked by Son Ye Jin, and a chance to win a shopping spree worth up to P100,000 in cash credits via Paymaya. To join the promo, customers only need to sign up for a new Smart Signature Plan at the nearest Smart Store or via the Smart Online Store at store.smart.com.ph from Aug. 10 to Sept. 10, 2020. Customers can get any of the following data-packed Smart Signature SIM-Only Plan or Smart Signature Device Plan: Plan S at P999 per month; Plan M at 1499 per month; Plan L at 1999 per month; and Plan XL at 2999 per month. Aside from getting an exclusive limited-edition scented candle, new Smart Signature subscribers shall also get a corresponding number of entrie...

Harry Styles Harry Styles just reached a (watermelon sugar) high. After holding steading at No. 7 on Billboard's Hot 100, his current single "Watermelon Sugar" launched to the top spot this week for his first No. 1 ever. The song, off his sophomore solo full-length album Fine Line, owes its massive jump in part to digital sales numbering 63,000, according to Nielsen Music, earning him his second Digital Song Sales No. 1 (after "Sign of the Times" in April 2017). While Styles isn't the first member of former boy band One Direction to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100 (Zayn Malik holds that honor after his "Pillowtalk" led the chart in 2016), this is the first of his solo outing and a record for his career. His former Hot 100 peak was when "Sign of the Times" debuted at No. 4 in April 2017, and his song "Adore You" reached No. 6 this April. When Styles was in One Direction, the group had six songs in the Hot 100 top 10, with "Best S...

Kapuso game show host Willie Revillame promised to give another P5 million in September to help the poor Filipinos during the pandemic. Revillame made the announcement during the live broadcast of his program “Wowowin-Tutok to Win” over GMA 7 on Monday, August 10. This is the second time that the popular TV host would shell out P5 million out of his personal savings. Two days ago, Revillame gave P5 million to jeepney drivers unable to ply their routes due to social distancing measures. Revillame slammed critics who claimed that his act of donating money was just a show. “Alam ninyo hindi ko na talaga maintindihan minsan. Iba ang dating sa iba nitong ginagawa ko. Hindi po ako nang-hijack. Ang alam kong hijack iyong nang-hostage. Kung may kabutihan na nagagawa ang pang-hijack, e di mang hijack na lang tayo araw-araw,” he said. Revillame said he feels blessed because he still has a top-rating program and sponsors still trust his program. He did not specify what organization would benefit ...

  Sen. Cynthia Villar moves to put more areas under government protection in filing bills that seek to declare protected areas in the provinces of Masbate, Negros Oriental, and Pampanga. Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, said there is a need to amend Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-NIPAS) Act to include at least three areas in the Philippines. “We have to put in place adequate conservation measures and appropriate management schemes to safeguard the biodiversity of ecologically rich and biologically important areas in our country so that present and future generations will continue to benefit from it,” Villar said. Villar filed Senate Bill 1712, which seeks to declare the Hinakpan Mystical Hills in Negros Oriental as a protected area with a category of a natural monument. Hinakpan Mystical Hills is a group of around 237 conical limestone peaks in unique shapes and sizes, found in the highland ...

Son Ye-Jin One of the memorable moments for Korean actress Son Ye-Jin during her shoot for Smart Signature was driving a high-performance Ducati motorcycle. “She was excited to drive a Ducati motorcycle during her shoot for Smart,” said Jane Basas, Smart’s SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business, during a recent online press conference which revealed Ye-Jin as the latest endorser for the popular telco company. In Smart’s latest 44-second TV ad, Ye-Jin confidently rides a motorcycle and navigates the city through the fast lane, alluding to the prioritized, worry-free, and elevated lifestyle that Smart Signature provides its customers, powered by the country’s fastest mobile data network. The ad also powerfully ends with Son Ye Jin affirming, “Simple. Smart Ako.” “Son Ye Jin’s appeal is undeniable among Filipinos who have been swept by the Korean wave, and we are thrilled to fulfill their wish. This is one way of supporting the Hallyu passion of our customers, who put their trust in ...

Jojo Bragais The results are in for the first “Tocotocoto” challenge organized by international pageant shoe designer Jojo Bragais! Of the hundreds of entries, only 25 made it to the semi-finals. Bragais has finally announced the winners and he’s extremely happy with the results of the fun challenge. Bragais, the official shoe designer of Bb. Pilipinas 2020 pageant, has compiled all the winners in one entertaining video. Watch the video: The “Tocotocoto” contest encouraged fans to be edgy and funny as they walk, dance, or do stunts in their favorite Bragais heels. Based on the video, the contestants had a wonderful time ramp modelling in their stylish Bragais shoes! Bragais thanked all those who joined the challenge. “Hi guys! Here are the winners of #TocotocotoWithBragais! Thank you sa lahat ng naki isa at sumali! 😊 Till next game!’‘ “We combined all the videos so you guys can enjoy em too! Special thanks to my good friend Jed Velasco.” – Robert Requintina

Korean actress Son Ye-Jin, who captured the hearts of Filipino K-drama fans in the blockbuster Netflix series “Crash Landing On You,” wants to visit the Philippines once again and meet her Filipino fans. Ye-Jin made the remarks after she was revealed as the latest celebrity endorser for the popular Philippine telco company Smart Communications on Monday. “I actually wanted to go to the Philippines and shoot. The fans who loved the drama sent so many messages on social media. It’s sad that I am not able to meet them because of the current situation,” said Ye-Jin, in a pre-taped message to her fans, during an online press conference. Smart executives said that they never had any problem with Ye-Jin from Day 1 that they reached out to her management until the last day of her shoot. In Smart’s latest 44-second TV ad, Ye-Jin confidently rides a motorcycle and navigates the city through the fast lane, alluding to the prioritized, worry-free, and elevated lifestyle that Smart Signature provid...

Senator Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said that she wanted to monitor the disbursement of the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) to see how it could help the farmers. Villar also urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to report out its status, similar to what is currently being done with the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). “ACEF is another source of support for farmers, just like RCEF, so we would like to know if the funds are being distributed and utilized for their intended purposes and beneficiaries. The Senate Committee which I chair has oversight authority over ACEF, so we would like to look into it and get regular updates from the DA,” said Villar. The senator is the primary author and sponsor of Republic Act (RA) No. 10848 or “An Act Further Extending the Period of Implementation of the ACEF” until 2022. It amended RA No. 8178 that originally created ACEF in 1996, when it replaced quantitative impo...

AS expected, President Rodrigo Duterte gave in to mounting pressure from medical organizations wanting the government to revert the national capital region under strict modified enhanced community quarantine in view of the rapid spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in the country. Aside from Metro Manila, Duterte also re-imposed strict lockdown measures in Calabarzon and Central Luzon. Specifically, areas reverted to MECQ include Metro Manila’s 16 cities, the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon in Region IV-A and Central Luzon, with strong emphasis on Bulacan. MECQ takes effect August 4 and will last until August 18. During a meeting with his Cabinet on Monday night, Duterte hinted on the need to address the concerns of the medical community whom he said plays the major role in the government’s battle against the global pandemic. Interestingly, Duterte announced last Friday that Metro Manila would remain under the more lenient general community quarantine (GCQ) for...

METRO Manila’s fate – whether or not to revert the region under strict lockdown, will depend on the outcome of meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and his Cabinet. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the President is set to meet his Cabinet men today, August 2, to discuss the call of the medical community to declare enhanced community quarantine in the national capital region. "The President will meet with key Cabinet members today to discuss yesterday’s letter from the frontliners," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement sent to reporters. "I will make the proper announcement in due course," he added. In calling for the return of Metro Manila to ECQ from August 1 to 15, medical associations in the country are hoping to "recalibrate strategies against COVID-19," according to the joint letter read by Philippine Medical Association president Jose Santiago in a virtual press conference. “Health care workers are united in s...

For our neighbors to the north, the documentary “Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind” reaffirms the Canadian singer-songwriter’s position as a national treasure. U.S. audiences will be reminded of the power of an artist who was once a radio staple and regularly sold out shows at the Hollywood Bowl, the Greek Theatre and Universal Ampitheatre whenever he came to L.A. Written and directed by Martha Kehoe and Joan Tosoni, the film is smartly structured around notable songs in the Gordon Lightfoot catalog, charting his journey from small-town, post-World War II Ontario to the coffee houses of 1960s Toronto and his chart-topping run of hits in the 1970s, as the gifted musician found success across the folk, country, rock and pop realms. Known for his distinctive baritone and emotion-rich songs about heartbreak and betrayal (“If You Could Read My Mind,” “Sundown”), isolation (“Early Morning Rain,” “Song for a Winter’s Night”) and trains and ships (“Canadian Railroad Trilogy,” “The Wr...

GOVERNMENT leaders need to work harder to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the economy, the health sector and the people.   Stressing her earlier statements were NOT aimed at medical frontliners who have called for a two-week break and proposed that Metro Manila revert to enhanced community quarantine, Senator Cynthia Villar said: “We have to work harder and better, but I am not referring in particular to the medical workers--our frontliners. We are referring to all of us and DOH and Philhealth in particular. There is so much room for improvement in the government’s response to curb the transmission of the disease.”   “Alam ko po ang sakripisyong ginagawa ng ating mga health frontliners.  Buhay nila ang nakataya sa ginagawa nilang pag-aalaga sa ating mga kababayan na nagkaroon;   “We in Congress have just passed the Bayanihan package 2, after intense debates, to provide health and financial support to the people.  The government’s economic team wi...

Sen. Cynthia Villar welcomed the agriculture program that will encourage more people to grow their own food and asked the Department of Agriculture to make sure that the ‘Plant, Plant, Plant’ program includes a training component in order to be effective. Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, has been pushing for home gardening and urban agriculture as a food security strategy that will make sure people have sources of food in times of calamity or health emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic. “For this program to be effective, we cannot just distribute seeds and let the people plant on their own. We should also have a program that will teach them the know-how of planting. The strategy is to let people see that growing food is a joyful undertaking by helping them make their planting projects thrive,” Villar said. Villar said DA should tap the more than 20,000 farm schools all over the country to train the people how to plant. She said training programs like the Ag...