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Bubble Gang continues its two-part anniversary celebration this Friday, October 30, as it airs three equally hilarious made-for-TV flicks: Tya Ring, Dingdong Lang Ang Pagitan, and Tim Song Ko.

In Tya Ring, a dying aunt is about to leave a 1 million peso-ring with her nephew but on one condition: He must search through an old and dilapidated hospital and bring back with him five keepsakes. A funny twist that will both surprise and annoy the nephew happens in the end. Tya Ring stars Michael V., Julia Clarete, Francine Prieto, and Iza Calzado.

The second flick is Dingdong Lang Ang Pagitan, a sexy comedy about the mysterious death of a hot plumber named Dingdong. The suspects? Dingdong’s neighbours who are both secretly in love with him: the closet gay, Buddy and the model-wannabe, Pam. Find out who murdered Dingdong in this scintillating comedy starring Ogie Alcasid, Maureen Larrazabal, Antonio Aquitania, and Dennis Trillo.

Last on the list is a spoof of a Koreanovela called Tim Song Ko featuring a love story that funnily repeats itself. Find out how two people challenged by their social differences still end up together even in the face of amnesia?! Laugh and fall in love over and over again in Tim Song Ko starring Ogie Alcasid, Michael V., Rufa Mae Quinto, Francine Prieto, Wendell Ramos, Jacky Woo, and Ms. Regine Velasquez.

Tya Ring, Dingdong Lang Ang Pagitan, and Tim Song Ko are especially written for the anniversary by BG’s creative team and mainstay Michael V. Experience an unbelievably funny movie experience that only 14 years of Bubble Gang can bring this Friday, October 30, after Survivor Philippines Palau on GMA-7.  – Pep.ph

GENEVA, Switzerland — The Philippines ranked ninth in the top 10 ranking of countries where women face the least discrimination, the World Economic Forum said Tuesday.

According to WEF’s Global Gender Gap Index, which measures economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment, health and survival of women in 134 countries, the Philippines was the only Asian country in the top 10.

The Philippines had “closed the gender gap on both education and health and is among only 12 in the world to have done so,” according to the WEF.

Sri Lanka was the next best performer among Asian countries, ranking 16th due to its “privileged position having the best performance in the region regarding political empowerment”.

Two southern African states—South Africa and Lesotho—have leapt into the list. South Africa sprang from 22 to number six, while Lesotho climbed from 16 to number 10 in the WEF’s Global Gender Gap Index.

“The latest data reveal that South Africa makes significant improvements in female labor force participation in addition to gains for women in parliament and in ministerial positions in the new government,” said the WEF.

Lesotho also climbed into the top 10 “driven by large gains in the labor force participation of women and narrowing wage gaps”, it added.

Overall, Nordic countries continue to offer women the most equal treatment compared to men, with Iceland ranking number one, followed by Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

At the other end of the scale was Yemen, while Chad and Pakistan were ranked second and third worst in terms of equal opportunities for women.  – Agence France-Presse

THERE’S A REASON why Freddie Roach has been baiting Miguel Cotto into a word war with taunting one-liners—and it has nothing to do with disrespect.

“Cotto is a tough guy, a very strong guy,” Roach said. “I respect him.”

Rather, the renowned trainer wants the Puerto Rican champion mentally roughed up on fight night when Manny Pacquiao guns for his WBO welterweight belt on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“We want him to go crazy,” Roach said. “I want him to hate my guts. I’ll get inside his head [whenever] I can.”

And that’s just phase one of Roach’s plan, which he got going by predicting Pacquiao would knock Cotto in one round. It isn’t plain needling, though. Told that Cotto is studying to become a counterpuncher for the fight dubbed “Firepower,” Roach actually hopes to rock the 29-year-old champion early to lure him into a brawl.

If he gets knocked down in the first round, he’s gonna go crazy,” Roach said. “We want to throw him off. He’s gonna try to be a counterpuncher but if Manny hits him, he’s gonna be back to his aggressive style and that’s where were gonna hit him.”

Roach has studied Cotto’s fights in the past and knows his penchant for slow starts and he expects Pacquiao to set the pace early.

“We will not give him any momentum,” Roach said. “I think we’re going to have a window of opportunity to catch him cold so we have to put some pressure on him right away but we are going to do it in a scientific way. Manny is not [the] reckless fighter that he once was. He’s a lot stronger now.

And part of that strength comes from the work the Filipino ring icon puts into training.

Talking to ESPN’s Dan Rafael, Top Rank chief Bob Arum, who is promoting the fight, praised the way Pacquiao works out in preparation for bouts.

“I know Cotto works hard, but in contrast to the other guy [Pacquiao], it looks like he’s taking a vacation,” Arum said. “Pacquiao goes for, like, four or five hours. It’s amazing. They train differently. Pacquiao is so work-intensive. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen.

“When I was with Cotto, I saw him do 10 rounds one day and six rounds another day. He looked good. He’d do his two hours and be done. After two hours, Manny’s just getting started. I’m glad Manny pays Freddie a lot of money, because he earns it.”

Former lightweight champion and Pacquiao sparmate Jose Luis Castillo had the same thing to say in an interview with the LA Times’ Lance Pugmire.

“You have to have [guts] to get in the ring with [Pacquiao], he’s very dedicated and is all about constant preparation. It’s going to be a great fight. The more intelligent man will win, and Manny is very smart.” – Inquirer.net

MANILA, Philippines—Opposition Sen. Francis Escudero Wednesday rearranged the political landscape ahead of the May 2010 elections by resigning from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), the party founded by business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr.

“I am leaving my party because I believe that I can fulfill the role that I am bound to play in connection with the coming elections … not as a member of any party or a companion of any person, but as just me,” Escudero announced at the historic Club Filipino in San Juan City.

The announcement came after Escudero failed to convince Cojuangco, NPC chair emeritus and chair of San Miguel Corp., to bankroll his presidential candidacy in talks early this week.

“This should be the first test of leadership of any putative candidate—for him to decide on his own and take full responsibility for the decision whether or not to run and what position to run for,” Escudero said at a press conference.

But to the consternation of his mostly young supporters who turned up at Club Filipino despite the belated advisory, the lawmaker from Bicol deferred the announcement of his plans for the 2010 elections.

Escudero asked his supporters to give him time to decide what to do next. “I will freely decide on my own, just give more time because it’s only now that I can rest from all of these.”

But Escudero did not leave the NPC—the party that carried him to victory since he run for representative of Sorsogon in 1998—without unloading his frustrations.

“Whoever will run or will become president of the country can’t fulfill all the things that he should do … when his hands and feet are shackled, his eyes are blindfolded and mouth gagged,” he said in Filipino.

Dictates of single group

“And he can’t decide on the basis of the dictates of the interest of a single group, party or person,” Escudero said.

Escudero’s decision to abandon ship left the NPC without a standard-bearer a month before the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy.

This took everyone by surprise, causing party mates to convene an emergency meeting at the NPC Clubhouse in New Manila sudivision, Quezon City, hours after Escudero’s announcement.

Open to all options

In his speech at Club Filipino, Escudero wasn’t clear if he would still throw his hat into the ring.

However, he said, when asked later by a reporter, that he was ready to “serve in a higher capacity.”

He denied that there was a simmering tension between him and Sen. Loren Legarda, an NPC member seeking the vice presidency. “I have no problems with Loren,” he said.

Asked if he could slide down to the vice presidential post, Escudero said: “I’m open to all options.”

Rise to national prominence

Elected to the Senate in 2007 after serving three terms as minority leader in the House of Representatives, Escudero, who turned 40 on Oct. 10, has three more years left in his six-year term.

His rise to national prominence followed his pivotal role as leader of two of the four impeachment drives against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

His charisma and debating prowess as a lawyer—captured by national TV every time he stood on the floor of the House—were attributes which endeared him to the youth.

His election in 2007 also saw the rise to the upper chamber of three House colleagues—opposition Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, and administration ally Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri.

No party affiliation

Escudero cited three reasons for the surprise announcement before a jampacked crowd of allies and supporters, who include the group identified with the late opposition presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. and detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

“Whoever is planning to run for president of the country should have no allegiance to any party—NPC, LP, PMP, Lakas or whatever. The party that anyone is aspiring to run under should be none other than the Philippines, and his party mates should be all Filipinos,” Escudero said, drawing applause from the crowd.

He pointed out that only a united citizenry, and not a single party or group, could solve the many deep-seated problems of the country.

Parties obstacles to change

Second, he said political parties had become obstacles to genuine and meaningful change.

If a presidential candidate is beholden to his party, “how can he make crooked government officials accountable if he belongs to the same party?” Escudero said.

“I want to prove to you and to myself that I am doing this for the right reason, not for any interest. Not for just anyone, but for you and for the motherland,” he said.

Lacson, Grace Poe

A member of Escudero’s inner circle told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Escudero was considering a presidential candidacy as an independent, but several of his campaign strategists raised the possibility of running in tandem with either Sen. Panfilo Lacson or Poe’s daughter Grace Poe.

Ping’s role

Rumors that Escudero had already joined forces with Lacson seemed to have been validated when Banayo, Lacson publicist, showed up at Club Filipino.

Banayo, who joined Escudero’s camp two months ago, confirmed to reporters that Escudero called up Lacson minutes before his announcement Wednesday.

Lacson, however, had earlier said he was supporting the presidential bid of Senator Aquino.

The absence of NPC stalwarts at Club Filipino proved that all was not well within the party.

Neither Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco (a son of the NPC emeritus chair), who was present at the announcement of Legarda’s vice presidential bid on Friday, nor party chair Faustino Dy, president Frisco San Juan and secretary general Jack Duavit were present.

Besides his young supporters, only Escudero’s close friend, An-Waray Rep. Florencio “Bem” Noel, and former PNP chief Avelino Razon, who as a new NPC recruit is gunning for the mayoral seat of Manila, turned up to join Escudero in what could be one of his saddest moments in his political career.

Agonized over decision

“It was a very painful decision for him. But in the end, it was a decision that had to be made because his brand of politics—people politics—would eventually contradict party politics,” Banayo, Escudero’s campaign manager and strategist, said after Escudero left the hall.

Banayo said it was a decision that Escudero had “agonized” over in the past weeks and months.

“Chiz did not want to be saddled by the compromises that go with party politics. To be able to institute genuine change and reforms in this country, one must find the courage to go beyond party politics. What he will do now is bring his platform of change directly to the people, especially the youth,” he said. – Inquirer.net

They are now, officially, no longer the most eligible bachelor and bachelorette in the country.

Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas and broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez said “I do” to each other at the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City Tuesday afternoon to the cheers of select guests inside the church and the public who closely followed their romance.

The exchange of vows was made with a Filipiniana-inspired background that was meticulously set up by the groom’s cousin, Margarita Fores. Sto. Domingo was literally abloom with sampaguita and rosal, Korina’s favorite flowers, for what is touted to be the country’s Wedding of the Year. Six bishops officiated in the wedding. Fr. Tito Caluag, S.J., delivered the homily.

The radiant bride walked down Sto. Domingo Church’s aisle (purportedly one of the longest aisles in the country) in an ecru Filipiniana dress by Pepito Albert and shoes by Cesar Gaupo to the beautiful  rendition of Vehnee Saturno’s “Kahapon, Bukas, Ngayon” by the Philippine Madrigal Singers with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.

The song was inspired by the romantic response of Sanchez to Roxas’ repeat “performance” when the couple became guests in the television noontime show Wowwowee.

Sanchez’s brothers G, Milano, and Mickey gave the bride away to the groom who wore a Randy Ortiz Barong. The senator waited patiently at the altar with the Best Man, his son Paolo.

All the bridesmaids, including Korina’s closest friend Dang Cecilio-Palanca who was Maid of Honor, were dressed in Patrice Ramos-Diaz creations while the male entourage was all in Barong Tagalog by Ortiz.

Baby James Yap, son of actress Kris Aquino and cager James Yap, was the Ring Bearer, while Miguel Sanchez, son of Dyan Castillejos, was the Bible Bearer. Korina’s niece, Shaila, was one of the flower girls.

Broadcaster Ted Failon did the First Reading, followed by Elay Antonino for the Second Reading. Margarita Fores, the groom’s first cousin, delivered the Prayers of the Faithful.

The principal sponsors were Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Chief Justice Reynato Puno, former Senate President Jovito Salonga, ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio Lopez III, George Araneta, Red Cross’ Rosa Rosal, Probe’s Che Che Lazaro, Ruby Roxas, Baby Fores, and Helen Costales.

The wedding was attended by the couple’s closest friends and families as well as political and showbiz bigwigs.

Both public personalities, Roxas and Sanchez opened their wedding to the public with seats reserved within the church on a first-come, first-served basis. There were also giant TV screens outside the church for those who didn’t make it inside the church.

There was none of the pomp and pageantry usually associated with such high-profile weddings. The couple decided to forego their grand reception which was originally planned to cater to 10,000 people at the Araneta Coliseum.

Instead, the couple had a meet and greet with their visitors who were treated to refreshments and sandwiches.

The couple donated the money intended for their wedding reception to the victims of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. An estimated P2.2 million was apportioned to the Caritas Manila, the Philippine National Red Cross, ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya, and GMA 7’s Kapuso Foundation.

The wedding was all the more memorable for its simplicity. An intimate dinner followed at the Bahay na Puti, the Aranetas’ ancestral home in Cubao, Quezon City with just the wedding entourage, immediate family members, and closest friends of the bride and groom, numbering around 200, in attendance.

The “white-and-wood” themed reception featured wooden candelabras carved by artisans from Pampanga and bedecked with rosal and sampaguita flowers for the table centerpiece, glass vases, candles, Venetian mirrors, and Araneta-Roxas heirloom pieces like crystal and silver.

Traditional Filipino food such as caldereta, kare-kare, and lechon, all prepared by Cibo which is family-owned, was served at the wedding banquet. Guests went home with Venetian mirrors and jewelry boxes all crafted in Pampanga as wedding souvenirs. – Manila Bulletin

By Dodong Nemenzo

ALMOST 300 people were killed in the worst flood brought by Typhoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana). Damage to agriculture and public and private infrastructures has been extensive. Now tens of thousands are homeless, living in packed temporary shelters, dependent on food donations, and with vague ideas of what their future would be, as two more typhoons threaten the Philippines.

Disasters of this magnitude call for a collective response, a demonstration of national solidarity. We in Laban ng Masa (Struggle of the Masses) therefore join the other organizations, schools, religious groups, government agencies, and concerned individuals in helping the survivors. Let us turn this colossal tragedy into an opportunity to unite and thus emerge a stronger nation.

But in the first place, this calamity would not have reached this enormity if the right social system were in place. There would be no shanties on river banks, there would be no housing subdivisions on natural catch basins. There would be adequate shelter for all, there would be comprehensive disaster response plans (given that we are on the path of tropical depressions and are within the so-called Ring of Fire prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions). There would be sufficient social protection to also encompass such natural tragedies, which the human-created social system made more tragic. Because even before this calamity, half of the 90 million Filipinos were already languishing below the poverty line. And the recent devastation is bound to worsen our economic situation.

As we bury our dead, repair the damage, rebuild our homes, pick up our lives, and prepare for the impending typhoons, we also express our deepest sympathy for the peoples of Vietnam, Indonesia, Samoa, and Tonga who have been similarly struck by natural calamities.

We are, of course, aware that these calamities are not entirely of natural causes. They are, to some extent, nature’s revenge against a social system that encourages greed, disrespects nature, and disregards people’s general welfare. Logging, urban congestion, discharge of industrial waste into rivers, clogging esteros, and brazen disregard of land-use plans by the so-called development companies have made Metro Manila and surrounding towns utterly vulnerable to typhoons and floods.

At the heart of it is a government unable to enforce environmental laws and regulate private enterprise. Despite our nation’s location and history with such natural calamities, the government has built no adequate institutional mechanisms for environmental protection and disaster response. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo—and the system she represents—is obsessed with creating an attractive climate for investments while remaining insensitive to the basic needs of our people.

This tragedy should thus push all of us to seriously commit to the realization of a society that is just, equitable, and sustainable. A society that does not allow people to go without decent work or livelihood, without adequate food and shelter, and other social protection measures, especially in these earth-shaking times. A society where people live with dignity, disaster or no disaster.

TV host Kris Aquino’s eldest sister, Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, thanked TV host and birthday celebrant Boy Abunda for “not just being an angel, but a living saint for our family.”

Ballsy revealed on “The Buzz” that Boy is their confidant whenever they have ‘problems’ with Kris.

Kris’ elder sister, Pinky Aquino-Abellada, is also grateful to the King of Talk for being “such a good influence on Kris.”

“Kapatid, sorry you gained 5 ‘kapatids,’ but we’re lucky!” she kidded.

Boy returned the compliments to the Aquino family, saying “ang hirap ipaliwanag na ang inyong mga sinabi ay pinupunuan ‘yong wala ako.”

MANILA, Philippines—Maybe this time, Puerto Rico will grind to a halt to watch Miguel Cotto fight.

With his belt on the line and trainer Freddie Roach’s words under his skin, the reigning WBO welterweight champion understands exactly how much bigger the stakes actually are when he climbs the MGM Grand ring to face Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas.

“It’s huge,” trainer Joe Santiago told DailyBreeze.com’s Robert Morales of the fight’s implications. “Everybody knows what Pacquiao has done and we know what Miguel is capable of doing. It would not only be huge for me and Miguel, but for everybody in Puerto Rico.”

A popular athlete in the Caribbean nation, Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) could achieve the iconic status of Pacquiao—who compels an entire nation to sit still every time he fights—with a victory over the reigning pound-for-pound king.

The low-key Santiago also said he faces no added pressure going up against the tested tandem of Pacquiao and Freddie Roach, the renowned trainer whose prediction of a first-round knockout had Camp Cotto barking rebuttals all over the web.

“I have been around the camp for seven years, so I know how he prepares himself,” said Santiago. “The confidence the Cotto family had in me, made me feel good.”

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) isn’t just fighting for a rich purse, either. Already with six weight crowns—including lineal ones—the hard-punching southpaw from Mindanao hopes to bag an unprecedented seventh when he hunts for Cotto’s WBO belt.

Top Rank chief Bob Arum, confident as he is in the abilities of his current top-grosser, cautioned that Cotto may catch a good enough break during fight night to pull off an upset, citing the Puerto Rican’s performance against Joshua Clottey, who he narrowly defeated despite a nasty cut above the eye.

“For Miguel to come back after suffering that cut and to come back and pull out a victory I think shows an absolutely brilliant performance,” Arum told DailyBreeze.com. – Inquirer.net

World-class theater actress Lea Salonga and celebrated VJ-actress Donita Rose have been named by Lifestyle Network as two of its 10 outstanding women.

Salonga and Rose were chosen “for having made exceptional marks in the fields they have chosen and [for having] touched the lives of people around them as they live out their passion.”

Others who made the list were model and Lifestyle Network host, Isabel Roces; fashion designer Hindy Weber-Tantoco; stage actress Menchu Yulo; cancer survivor and advocate Kara Alikpala; and chef and entrepreneur Margarita Fores.

Rounding up the list were CCP Chairman Emily Abrera, ABS-CBN Foundation Managing Director Gina Lopez and ballet dancer Lisa Macuja.

Lifestyle Network’s 10 outstanding women were presented to the public in a simple ceremony held at Power Plant Mall last Oct. 23. The announcement also served to open their weeklong photo exhibit at the same venue.

The women will also be featured in the network’s newest logo in the mini-plugs aired in between programs.

In celebration of its decade-long existence, Lifestyle Network will air stories about 10 other women who were chosen by the viewers themselves. – Mb.com.ph

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Businessman Roy Chiongbian, brother of third termer and outgoing Rep. Erwin Chiongbian, has announced that he is running for the lone congressional district of Sarangani against popular boxing champion Manny Pacquiao next year.

Chiongbian officially declared Friday his candidacy for the 2010 polls under the Sarangani Reconciliation and Reformation Organization (Sarro) Party, the local party founded by his late father, Rep. James L. Chiongbian and his mother, former Gov. Priscilla L. Chiongbian.

Sarro is allied with the the administration Lakas-Kampi Christian-Muslim Democrats Party.

“Let me confirm to you right here and right now that with the help of God, yes, I am definitely running for Congress in Sarangani,” said Chiongbian in his declaration speech before a crowd of supporters from the political and business communities in his family’s Lagao residence here.

He said he will continue the legacy started by his parents who brought development to Sarangani with their hallmarks of good governance.

He said he saw the results of the projects implemented by his parents and understood that there’s really a need to sustain them.

“I see that there is still a lot that can be done to improve the quality of life of our fellow Sarangans in education, health, agri-development, and peace and order,” he said.

Sarangani Governor Migs Dominguez, a Sarro party-mate of Chiongbian and a key figure in the Lakas-Kampi CMD Party, asserted that Sarangani needs sincere service for the people which could be attained through partnerships with Chiongbian.

The Chiongbian-Dominguez tandem would present a formidable fight to the Pacquiao-Juan Domino alliance in Sarangani in next year’s gubernatorial and congressional elections.

Pacquiao is reportedly ready with a huge P400 million budget to ensure that his popularity is converted into votes in the forthcoming polls following his defeat to Rep. Darlene Antonino Custodio in the 2007 elections for the first congressional district of South Cotabato.

“Gusto po nating ipagpatuloy ang sinserong serbisyong may dignidad, prinsipyo at pagmamahal sa tao through effective partnerships. The only person who can continue these partnerships is Congressman Roy Chiongbian,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez stressed that people must stand with their principle for peace and unity in the province.

Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, a nephew of Chiongbian, also confirmed how the programs of the province became successful with the teamwork he has with Governor Dominguez.

“We need synergy and I believe that synergy among us – Governor Dominguez and Roy Chiongbian and me – is very, very good. With our teamwork, I see that three years from now, Sarangani will grow faster and more efficient compared in the past,” Solon said.