Korina Sanchez and Mar Roxas Getting Married This Year

Senator Mar proposed to Korina Sanchez over the Holy week and as reported in Inquirer: told his entire family and kin that he had asked Korina to be his wife, all the while holding hands with his bride-to-be. The couple also showed off the gorgeous diamond engagement ring Korina was wearing. Korina’s wedding gown will be done by one of our most talented Filipino couturiers

I really couldn't care less, but what the heck...

First Philippine Cruise Ship - 7107 Islands Cruise Ship

Here's the first cruise liner in the Philippines - 7107 Islands Cruise. They sail from Boracay to Palawan to Batangas almost daily. The trip costs at least 3,500 pesos per person (triple sharing) and less for quad but that only includes breakfast. Full board would be close to 5K per night per person. I think it's great that luxury like this has come to the Philippines.

There are after all 7,107 islands here that people can actually enjoy. It's also a great avenue for tourists to appreciate the natural beauty of the Philippines. It's too bad that living in Cebu, I'd have to take a plane/ bus or boat ride to one of the destinations just so I can joint the trip - and aside from that shell out a hefty sum that's probably equivalent to a trip to Hongkong.

Nevertheless, it's nice to have. Would help if it were more affordable though. The amenities though are pretty good, so I would say you're getting your money's worth

ABS-CBN Newscaster - Ted Failon's Wife In Critical Condition - Suicide or Homicide?

It was all abuzz in the news last night and today when Ted Failon - well-known newscaster of ABS-CBN had to cut his show on the radio to rush home apparently his wife shot herself in the head.

Ted Failon and his entire household became suspects in this very public suicide they're calling it. Only time will tell, if his wife, Trinidad, does wake up to tell the tale that should simplify things. But for now I guess we'll have to depend on the police and the media for news on the matter

Here's an image from Inquirer.net during the investigation of Ted Failon




Based on GMA news

Police authorities on Thursday said the paraffin test on news anchorman Ted Failon (Teodoro Etong) yielded negative result, but clarified that this is not yet conclusive.

The paraffin test on Failon was conducted in connection with the shooting of his wife Trinidad in their house in Quezon City Wednesday.

“Yung paraffin test kay Ted Failon yielded negative but it is not yet conclusive," said National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) head Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales in a press conference at Camp Katingal in Quezon City.

Rosales said that they are still gathering pieces of evidence to determine the nature of Trinidad’s shooting.

He also said that the note supposedly written by Trinidad is not necessarily a suicide note. “It’s a sorry note."

He added that they are still investigating whether it was Trinidad herself who wrote the note, which read: “Papa, I’m so sorry. Gustung-gusto ko ang magsabi sa iyo ng totoo pero hindi ko po alam kung paano uumpisahan. Sobrang takut na takot ako. Umalis muna ako, kasi hindi ko kaya at nahihiya akong humarap sa iyo. Sana po mapatawad mo ako, papa. Sorry, sorry papa – Mama."

[Papa, I’m so sorry. I really want to tell you the truth but I don’t know where to start. I am so scared. I left home because I cannot take it anymore and I don’t think I can face you. I hope you can forgive me, papa. Sorry, sorry papa – Mama.]

Asked whether the police would file a case against Failon, Rosales said," After we examine the pieces of evidence, that’s the time you will be able to build or not. We have to wait for the final results…."

Rosales also assured that the investigation would be fair and would follow due process.

“Walang sacred cow [There will be no sacred cow in the investigation]. I would like to emphasize that we would treat this case just like any other case," Rosales said.

Everybody thinks its tragic but people are divided as to the cause of the event. He's a public personality there's no hiding this from them. They will have to endure the public eye, specially now.

Brangelina was in Boracay or Manila?

Rumor is that Brangelina is staying in one of the Shangrila hotels in the Philippines, buying out a P130,000 room (or is that a whole floor already?)

Rates for the 60-square-meter deluxe rooms that have balconies and sea views start at $450 a night, while villas that have butler-serviced retreats and private plunge pools start at $1,000.

News that the Hollywood celebrity couple (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) are in town spread on Friday after a US-registered private plane arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The travellers reportedly booked a room in a Shangrila hotel.

The buzz was that the couple will grace a soft opening of one of the ShangriLa Hotels and Resorts' four branches in the Philippines.

Of course the hotels denied it. They're not supposed to encourage that, given their privacy clause

Nonetheless, a source from the resort confirmed that a representative of the couple booked a suite during the Lenten season. It is not confirmed, though, if Brangelina--the moniker for Brad and Angelina--will be there to use it.

Brangelina was in Boracay or Manila?

Chip Tsao Hongkong A-Hole

Chip Tsao that nobody writer from HK Magazine made waves the past few days for his very racist and cruel article on Filipinos. He just gained worldwide infamy thanks for the good people of the Philippines - what he called the "nation of servants"

There has been a startling response to his article which he later called a "satire." This just goes to show how poor a writer he is.

He better watch out because there are a lot of people who can actually hurt him if they wanted to. I can't believe a journalist or any person for that matter would stoop so low as to call out a country based on his narrow perception of her people (being maids) while commenting on an issue he practically knows nothing about (Spratly islands).

The Philippines is not united in this matter. Although a majority loathe the man and wish him ill will for his poorly written article but there is a small group that think he was just saying his piece and that he had a right to say it.

I think it was downright uncalled for. Sure there are many domestic helpers abroad that are Filipino, but that does not define the Filipino people. Neither is the claim to Spratly islands - these are not the things that define us.

I wasn't as passionately angered by the article knowing it to be a shallow piece by a shallow person. Anyway here are the details:


Full text of "The War at Home" by Chip Tsao

The Russians sank a Hong Kong freighter last month, killing the seven Chinese seamen onboard. We can live with that-—Lenin and Stalin were once the ideological mentors of all Chinese people. The Japanese planted a flag on Diàoyú Island. That's no big problem-—we Hong Kong Chinese love Japanese cartoons, Hello Kitty, and shopping in Shinjuku, let alone our round-the-clock obsession with karaoke.

But hold on-—even the Filipinos? Manila has just claimed sovereignty over the scattered rocks in the South China Sea called the Spratly Islands, complete with a blatant threat from its congress to send gunboats to the South China Sea to defend the islands from China if necessary. This is beyond reproach. The reason: There are more than 130,000 Filipina maids working as HK$3,580-a-month cheap labor in Hong Kong. As a nation of servants, you don't flex your muscles at your master, from whom you earn most of your bread and butter.

As a patriotic Chinese man, the news has made my blood boil. I summoned Louisa, my domestic assistant who holds a degree in international politics from the University of Manila, hung a map on the wall, and gave her a harsh lecture. I sternly warned her that if she wants her wages increased next year, she had better tell everyone of her compatriots in Statue Square on Sunday that the entirety of the Spratly Islands belongs to China.

Grimly, I told her that if war breaks out between the Philippines and China, I would have to end her employment and send her straight home, because I would not risk the crime of treason for sponsoring an enemy of the state by paying her to wash my toilet and clean my windows 16 hours a day. With that money, she would pay taxes to her Government, and they would fund a navy to invade our motherland and deeply hurt my feelings.

Oh yes. The Government of the Philippines would certainly be wrong if they think we Chinese are prepared to swallow their insult and sit back and lose a Falkland Islands War in the Far East. They may have Barack Obama and the hawkish American military behind them, but we have a hostage in each of our homes in the Mid-Levels or higher. Some of my friends told me they have already declared a state of emergency at home. Their maids have been made to shout 'China, Madam/Sir' loudly whenever they hear the word "Spratly". They say the indoctrination is working as wonderfully as when we used to shout, "Long live Chairman Mao!" at the sight of a portrait of our Great Leader during the Cultural Revolution. I’m not sure if that's going a bit too far, at least for the time being.

Hongkong Magazine in fact posted this apology:

An Apology

March 27th, 2009

The publisher and editors of HK Magazine wish to apologize unreservedly for any offense that may have been caused by Chip Tsao’s column dated March 27.

HK Magazine has long championed the rights of Filipinos working in Hong Kong. We note that Filipinos have often been unfairly treated in Hong Kong, and that they make an important contribution to this community.

As a magazine, we would never want to say anything that would negate that belief.

The column in question was satirical. One aspect of satire is that it can at times be read in different ways. In this particular case, many people have read meanings into this column that were never actually intended.

We wish to assure our readers that we have nothing but respect for Filipinos, both living in Hong Kong and abroad.