Geneva Cruz drops first holiday single 'When Christmas Comes'

BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT

Dec 19, 2024 00:28 AM 

AT A GLANCE

• Through the past holidays, Geneva continues to romanticize the holidays for all its usual trimmings and trappings.

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Geneva Cruz

Pop songstress Geneva Cruz ushers in the holiday season with the timely release of her very first Christmas song, ‘When Christmas Comes.’

Barely a week since its soft launch on her social media platforms last Nov. 24, the catchy, upbeat tune has caught the attention of her fans and close showbiz friends, who all generously welcomed it with a resounding thumbs up.

It’s just a matter of time before the feel-good ditty becomes another anthemic OPM hit that kicks off the start of our long holiday season. 

She shares, “I’ve always been a huge Christmas fan! I love the traditions, movies, music, and what it stands for — love, peace, and joy for everyone!”

The Smokey Mountain alumna reveals her primary motivation for writing the song, which she initially attempted starting last year.

She shares, “What motivated me was love. I discovered the perfect inspiration, and along with my passion for Christmas, everything just came together.”  

“Last year was my first attempt at creating a Christmas song, so I reached out to my good friend Dan Gil, who is one of Maestro Ryan Cayabyab’s top students who also played for Smokey Mountain's major concert in Araneta Coliseum in December of 1990. But we couldn’t create.

Creation is all about inspiration and timing. I guess the timing wasn’t right then.” “Fast forward to this year… I went to Dan’s place, sat in front of his computer, and started typing. After I wrote the song, he worked on the melody and arrangement, and ‘When Christmas Comes’ was born.”

“So, I wrote it first, Dan came up with the melody, and arranged it. Apparently, this isn’t Geneva’s first attempt at songwriting.

She clarifies, “I’ve composed some songs that have been part of my past albums, starting from my first solo album when I was 15. Some of the songs I did include ‘Love Can Wait,’ ‘To Manila,’ ‘Love Is Here,’ ‘Set You Free,’ and ‘Peace.’ Writing has always been an outlet of mine. I’ve written more and composed the melodies on my unused files.”

Asked to elaborate on her Christmas song’s theme, she expounds, "When Christmas Comes’ is about a woman catching feelings for her ex, who is currently long-distance. She eagerly awaits his arrival and is excited about seeing him again. The ex-partners share similar feelings and plan Christmas adventures, including riding Santa’s sleigh, enjoying formal dinners, and having fun together.” 

Through the past holidays, Geneva continues to romanticize the holidays for all its usual trimmings and trappings.

She muses, “I’m pretty old school. I’ve had wonderful memories of Christmas. My parents, especially my late mom, made the holidays special for my sisters and me. She cooked the most delicious food and took us shopping for new dresses and shoes, which I used to keep beside me while I slept. Haha!”

Asked to pick her favorite Christmas songs, her top three include Johnny Mathis’ ‘We Need A Little Christmas, the Jackson 5’s Christmas record, and not surprisingly, Jose Mari Chan’s ‘Christmas In Our Hearts.’

As a fledgling songwriter, does she feel privileged working with Ryan, whose legacy as National Artist for Music is without peer?

She says, “There is a wealth of ideas from the maestro, but only one Mr. C. While I can strive to emulate his work ethic and passion for songwriting and the arts, I must develop my own style.

Each artist has unique tricks and styles, and we are responsible for expressing our colors to the world.

Geneva feels just as proud in conceptualizing the song’s music video, and thanks good friend, prolific director and Smokey Mountain alumnus Jeffrey Hidalgo, for being part of it.

“One of my besties, Jeffrey Hidalgo, directed the music video, and I’m truly grateful to him and the whole creative team. The video was my concept. We made it snow in QC! Hahaha!”

Aside from her regular concert sorties and TV guestings, Geneva continues to be the epitome of fitness and women empowerment through her wellness endorsements. She remains committed to her duties and responsibilities as a proud reservist Sergeant of the Philippine Air Force Reserve Command.

Check out ‘When Christmas Comes’ on Spotify and Geneva’s official YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook platforms.

Rufa Mae Quinto to voluntarily surrender, warrant of arrest like in Neri Naig case confirmed — lawyer

 

Jan Milo Severo - Philstar.com

December 3, 2024 | 8:48am

MANILA, Philippines — Atty. Mary Louise Reyes confirmed that her client Rufa Mae Quinto has a warrant of arrest. 

In a report by "24 Oras," Reyes said that Quinto is charged with 14 counts of violations of Section 8 of the Securities Regulation Code in relation to the issue of Dermacare, the same company involved with the incarceration of former actress Neri Naig-Miranda.

Quinto, however, is not facing an Estafa complaint, unlike Neri, so she can post bail. 

"She will face those charges... mag-voluntary surrender siya and magpo-post po kami ng bail for that. She's worried kasi hindi naman totoo 'yung allegations kasi my client po is just a brand ambassador, a model-endorser," Reyes said.

"Ni hindi sa kanya nakapagbayad ng down payment, tapos 'yung mga tseke po puro tumalbog. Lahat po 'yan hawak naman po namin 'yung ebidensya, ipe-present namin sa court," she added. 

Neri was arrested in a mall in Pasay City last November 23.

The arrest warrant was reportedly served for Neri because of 14 counts of violation of Securities Regulation Code. Bail was set at P126,000.00 for each of the counts, amounting to over P1.7 million or almost P2 million in total, but the Estafa case has no stated bail.

Pulang Araw,’ OPM, P-pop music among Filipino cultural works to be sent to the moon

According to its official website, Lunar Codex is a project by Incadence Corp., designed to preserve artistic and cultural creations for future generations. All works included have been archived with the creators’ permission, and copyrights remain with their respective owners.

STAR / File

Patricia Dela Roca - The Philippine Star 

November 30, 2024 | 12:00am

Several Filipino creations are set to soar into new heights, with their legacies to be preserved in a time capsule destined for the moon.

As reported by GMA News reporter Nelson Canlas on “24 Oras” last Wednesday, the Kapuso wartime series “Pulang Araw” has made a groundbreaking history as the first and only Filipino TV show to be part of the Lunar Codex’s time capsule set for the moon.

The series is included in the Polaris Collection, which will be part of the Lunar Codex project, a curated archive of cultural works from across the globe, launched via the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Artemis and Commercial Lunar Payload Services’ (CLPS) program partners.

According to its official website, Lunar Codex is a project by Incadence Corp., designed to preserve artistic and cultural creations for future generations. All works included have been archived with the creators’ permission, and copyrights remain with their respective owners.

“Individual works are copyrighted by their respective creators, editors, publishers, or owners, and all rights as appropriate remain with them, whether or not a notice appears adjacent to the work. All works included in the Lunar Codex have been archived with permission from their respective creators, editors, publishers, or owners, whether individually, or as represented in a collection such as an anthology, exhibit, catalog, or magazine,” read the organization’s statement on the website.

The Lunar Codex aims to send cultural works from over 40,000 artists, writers, musicians, and filmmakers to the moon in a time capsule. The project will use NanoFiche technology, a lightweight and durable format that compresses images of the works, ensuring their preservation on the moon — a site immune to earthly threats such as war and climate change.

“It costs about a million dollars per kilogram to send things out into space, but one of the biggest things that we’ve done is we’ve used semiconductor technologies on something called NanoFiche,” explained Dr. Samuel Peralta, founder of the project.

The Filipino works, along with other masterpieces from other creators from different countries, are scheduled for launch to the Lunar South Pole in 2025.

According to Philippine STAR’s report, the historical drama was invited to be part of the collection as it showcases a “significant part of Philippine history and reflects the indomitable spirit of Filipinos in facing adversity.”

“Pulang Araw’s” director, Dominic Zapata, announced the honor to the cast, with one of its main stars, Alden Richards expressing his gratitude: “Kanina nga, this morning, in-announce ‘yan ni Direk Dom, and we’re very honored na napili ‘yung proyekto namin para magkaroon ng opportunity to be part of the Lunar Codex project, so maraming-maraming salamat for the opportunity po.”

His co-star, Sanya Lopez, added: “Balita ko nga na bilang lang ang mga inilalagay doon, so parang ang sarap lang sa pakiramdam na isa na tayo doon.”

Pulang Araw also stars Barbie Forteza, David Licauco, Dennis Trillo, Angelu De Leon, Epy Quizon, Rochelle Pangilinan, Aidan Veneracion, and more.

Its story chronicles the lives of Eduardo (Richards), Teresita (Lopez), Adelina (Forteza), and Hiroshi (Licauco), set during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. The characters will navigate an intricate web of loyalty, betrayals, sacrifices, and resilience amidst the backdrop of a war ravaging the country.

Aside from Pulang Araw, songs by P-pop groups SB19, BINI, and BGYO, as well as works by OPM band Apo Hiking Society, Ryan Cayabyab, Gary Valenciano, Moira Dela Torre and others will also be part of the Lunar Codex.

Spotify empowering Pinoy creators

SOUNDS FAMILIAR - Baby A. Gil - The Philippine Star 

October 18, 2024 | 12:00am

Spotify empowering Pinoy creators

Ben&Ben, one of the headliners at the ‘Spotify Lounge: Philippines Edition,’ is named Spotify’s inaugural decade definer.

STAR / File

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I always get a big kick out of checking the daily Spotify hit list. I’ve been covering the music business for many years and one of my dreams back then was to find a local chart dominated by Filipino artists, not foreign acts.

This finally happened about five or six years ago when I saw Moira dela Torre, the harana boys Zack Tabudlo, Arthur Nery and others leaving the foreigners on the wayside. And with Dionela, Bini and Hev Abi on top these days, it has been so ever since.

Gustav Back, managing director for Spotify SEA (Southeast Asia), said that the present ratio between foreign and local acts as far as streaming is concerned is 75 percent to 25 percent in favor of the Pinoys. That is quite a number not to mention the fact that our artists also most of the time occupy the top rungs.

Back, who like Spotify comes from Sweden, wants it to stay that way. He was in town a few weeks ago to meet and greet our artists and to hand out Spotify S trophies to the most streamed music. The task was a happy one.

“We at Spotify are very proud of how we have been able to help put Filipino music in the charts,” he said.

In fact, he said Spotify has come up with a lot of ways to keep Pinoys busy creating big streamers and enjoying the experience.

Spotify is an audio and media streaming platform established in 2006. That was a downtime for the music industry with piracy at an all-time high. Spotify offered a legit alternative to the peer to peer sharing of content that was popular during the late ‘90s and a way to make music more accessible to everybody.

It was music available in a convenient manner. On demand and anywhere you are with a wifi. No more players. No talkative DJs. No skipping cuts in an LP. It was just the music you like when you want it. Aside from that Spotify also royalties to copyright owners.

Spotify is now the largest provider of music all over the world. It is home to over a hundred million music tracks. It has also branched out to podcasts and now has six million podcast shows. And in the near future, there will be videos, movies, games and even DJs to simulate old-time radio shows.

Back mentioned several ways by which artists and content creators can take advantage of what Spotify has to offer.  “Spotify champions hyperlocal genres,” he says.

“We make it easy for artists to pitch their music to listeners. We have data available so they will know how their music is doing. We give them the opportunity to connect with fans and even sell merchandise.

“Now that the podcast market is growing fast, Spotify has creator tools available for podcasters who need to create, manage and grow shows. We have also introduced interaction among artists through master classes and creative partnerships.”

And then there is RADAR, which I think, up and coming talents should aspire to get into. “RADAR is Spotify’s commitment and partnership with emerging artists to grow their careers and cross borders. It is the global home for what’s next and what’s new in sound, uplifting rising artists as they expand their global reach.”

Take a look at the names which entered RADAR last year. I am sure that Spotify must be very proud that they are all doing very well in their careers. Maki, Cup of Joe, Dionela, Hev Abi, Illest Morena, Jason Dhakal, Denise Julia, dwta, Ysanygo and BINI. The only hitch I see here is that the artists are recommended by labels they are signed with.  This puts the indies at a disadvantage.

Of course, while empowering creators of all types Spotify also makes sure that it is the go-to place for listeners.  Why not? It has all sorts of playlists available — from my favorite Daily Chart to the Viral50 to Rap Caviar to Discover Weekly, etc., etc.

Lakbay Magazine officially launched

 

Earl D.C. Bracamonte - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Lakbay Magazine, a premiere bi-monthly publication dedicated to the vibrant tourism and hospitality sectors of the country, and the world, was officially launched through an intimate ceremony at its office in Lucky Chinatown Hotel.

"We are thrilled to launch Lakbay, a publication that embodies the spirit of Philippine tourism and hospitality. Our goal is to showcase the beauty, culture, and unique experiences that our country offers; inspiring both local and international travelers to explore and appreciate the Philippine destinations more," enthused Enrico Sy, chairman of the magazine's board of directors.

Manila vice mayor Yul Servo, Taytay vice mayor Pia Cabral, and Department of Tourism's accreditation officer-in-charge Dmitriv Ivannovich were among the dignitaries who graced the occasion.

"The support we have received from the hotel industry and business sector is truly heartwarming. Today, we celebrate not just the launch of a magazine but also the continuous growth of our country's tourism industry," said Lualhati Fausto, executive editor and founder of Lakbay.

Lakbay Magazine aims to be the leading source of information and inspiration for travelers and industry professionals by offering insightful articles, captivating photography, and comprehensive guides to the best destinations, accommodations, and experiences in and around the Philippines' 7,147 islands.

A rich boat-making tradition

Tracing the Philippines’ maritime roots

BY ELIZA ROMUALDEZ-VALTOS

Oct 4, 2024 11:32 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Another sea vessel indicative of the existence of a strong and developed maritime tradition in the Philippines even before the point of contact with our colonizers is the balanghai.

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ANCIENT TRAVELERS Scholars believe the existence of a maritime tradition practiced by early Filipinos to get around the archipelago (Source: Tadhana Vol. 1 Abridged Edition 1982)

In my previous article, I talked about the Austronesian Migration Expansion and how maritime technology increased our ability to sail longer and farther. The Austronesian-speaking people settled in and around China about 6,000 years ago, then about 3,500 years ago, groups started to migrate to the Philippines (as a jump off point), then to other islands in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. This maritime culture came with a rich boat-making tradition, even observed by colonizers upon the point of contact, as documented in Maximilianus Transylvanus’s book De Moluccis Insulis, a compilation of accounts by survivors of the Magellan-Elcano expedition (1519-1522), Italian scholar and member of the expedition Antonio Pigafetta’s journals, now known as A Report on the First Voyage Around the World, among others. 

 

Not long ago, I was introduced to the many modes of watercrafts found in the Philippines by Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Division senior museum researcher and officer-in-charge Bobby Cuaton Orinllaneda. You see, I was reading old correspondence of my great-grandfather Daniel Arcilla Romualdez to his relatives regarding booking safe passage back to Leyte for his three sons Norberto, Miguel, and Vicente Orestes, who were stranded in Manila during the siege of Andres Bonifacio on Intramuros in 1896. 

 

Norberto, Miguel, and Vicente Orestes were studying at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila and, as the school shut down because of the siege, found themselves stuck in Manila. It took a few months before the boys were able to book a passage to Negros and then, finally, to Leyte. Bobby pointed me to the article “Types of Watercrafts in the Philippines” by Ricardo E. Galang, where he enumerated and described the different types of watercrafts that had been used in the archipelago since the point of contact with Spain. 

 

Based on the article, my lolo (Vicente Orestes) and his brothers would have taken a schooner to get back home.  

 

On one of my proxy duty trips for my cousin Senator Imee Romualdez Marcos, I was sent to Negros. At the event I was attending, I told a Negrense about how my lolo and his brothers had to flee Manila during the siege of Manila. I asked him why it was necessary to book a boat bound for Negros instead of going straight to Leyte. He explained that in the middle of the 19th century Negros saw a period of rapid economic expansion on account of the widespread cultivation of sugar. There was a lot of traffic of trade goods and, because of the booming economy, many were migrating to the island. Negros had a bustling port with a lot of vessels coming in and out from all parts of the archipelago. Just to note, two years after my lolo and his brothers boarded their boat to Leyte, Generals Aniceto Lacson and General Juan Araneta joined Aguinaldo’s revolutionary army and laid a successful siege on the Spanish garrison in Negros.

 

Another watercraft mentioned by Galang was the karacoa, the largest locally made vessel at the time made for war and raiding. They were owned by chieftains and when decked up could carry as many as 300 warriors. Spanish accounts would describe the sight of at least 50 or so karacoas at a time attacking settlements along the coasts of Leyte and Samar and at times going head on with Spanish fleets. What a sight that would have been!

 

Another sea vessel indicative of the existence of a strong and developed maritime tradition in the Philippines even before the point of contact with our colonizers is the balanghai, described as “beyond 30 meters long, with squared keels and edge-pegged planks.” The balanghay or balanghai is also where we get the word barangay from. 

 

Today the barangay is known as the smallest political unit or “administrative division” in the Philippines. As it was when the barangay was first observed by Spanish colonizers to be “well-organized independent villages serving under a chief,” the barangay today is the “primary planning and implementing unit of government policies, plans, programs, projects, and activities in the community.” Also, it exercises judicial powers to settle disputes between and among neighbors. In simple terms, the barangay is tasked to address the immediate concerns of members of its community and cater to their wellbeing. 

 

The late President Ferdinand E. Marcos (PFEM) believed that the barangay system could restore power to the people, “where it properly belongs.” PFEM believed that the barangay provided the humble citizen who could not be heard and who seemed powerless with a ready access to political authority through his barangay. This political authority is the barangay captain, who is accountable to his constituents on “a daily basis and (is) the people’s link to government,” he explained. 

 

Voter’s registration in the Philippines ended on Sept. 30, 2024 and the filing for Certificates of Candidacy has now begun (Oct. 1 to 8, 2024). Participatory democracy is still in its infancy in the Philippines whose independence has been regained only in 1946, only to be succeeded by a number of republics (five total in nearly 100 years!). We are still learning but as Plato in The Republic is quoted as saying, “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” 

We need to pray

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

IT’S amazing that Christ had to excuse himself from his very busy schedule in order to pray. He is God himself. He should have no need to pray. But as the gospel many times say, he had to go somewhere to talk to the Father.

As the gospel narrates, “Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.” (Lk 6,12) Why did he have to pray, we might ask. And the answer, to be blunt about it, is nothing other than that Christ is also a man who needs to be always in vital and constant connection with his divinity.

He is actually showing us that we as man, created in the image and likeness of God, and meant to share in the life and nature of God, also need to be vitally and constantly connected with God. And this is what prayer is all about.

Prayer is the most basic thing we ought to do to be with God who is be-all and end-all of our whole existence. All the other necessities we have can only be attended to properly when this need for prayer is first met. Otherwise, everything else would just be waste of time.

We need to pray, and at these times, we need to pray more than ever, given the increasingly deteriorating conditions of humanity. Prayer, of course, is our sublime act of worship, of thanksgiving, of asking for pardon and favors. It is what keeps us spiritually alive, vitally connected with our Lord, and in a very mysterious way what keeps us properly linked to everyone else.

What eating, drinking and breathing do to our physical organism, is what prayer does to our spiritual soul which is the most important component of our humanity. It animates us, since it exercises our faith, hope and charity that are the lifeblood of our soul. Without these theological virtues, we would just get lost in life, left kaput spiritually and morally.

When we pray, we dispose of ourselves to receive the wisdom and power of God, so important as we cruise through our very confusing world and contend with the frailties of our flesh, the wiles and temptations of the devil, the sweet but deadening allurements of the world.

The challenges of the times simply urge us to pray even more. A quick look around already gives us very sobering thoughts and compelling appeals for prayer.

If understood and done properly, praying actually gives us joy always. It enables us to see and understand things better. More importantly, it helps us to have a glimpse of God's will, where everything starts and is governed and led to its proper end.

Praying processes and finding the answers to all our needs. In good times and bad times, when we are healthy or sick, when we enjoy successes or suffer defeats or are tempted, praying comes as our natural way of coping with everything that our spiritual life needs just like breathing does with our bodily needs.

To those who are afraid that praying just gets in the way of our human activities and concerns, the contrary is true. If anything at all, praying tremendously helps us in putting our activities and concerns on another level so they acquire a spiritual, moral and supernatural value, which is proper to us, since we are God's image and likeness, and children of his.

This truth should be spread out quite widely these days, since many now are the factors and elements that tend to deny the indispensability of prayer in our life. 

Global girl group Katseye to hold shows in the Philippines

 

Kristofer Purnell - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Global girl group Katseye, which includes Filipina member Sophia Laforteza, will have a series of performances in the country this September.

The group announced it would be going around Asia in the middle of September, with stops in Korea, Japan and the Philippines.

Katseye will be in Korea from September 12 to 16, the Philippines from September 17 to 19, and Japan from September 20 to 23.

Ticket prices and venues will be announced at a later date.

— KATSEYE (@katseyeworld) August 30, 2024

Earlier this month, Netflix released "Pop Star Academy: Katseye," which documents the year-long journey to form the girl group where Sophia — daughter of singer, actress and thespian Carla Guevara-Laforteza — is the lone Filipina.

Other Katseye members are Daniela, Lara, and Megan from the United States, Manon from Switzerland, and Yoonchae from South Korea.

The group recently released its first extended play "SIS (Soft Is Strong)," which carries the singles "Debut" and "Touch."

Who killed the socialite?

The socialite was the personification of polite society, the embodiment of a collective aspiration to graceful living, though it has become a kind of nostalgia, no longer a living thing, alive only in memory or history, in black and white pictures.

BY AA PATAWARAN

Aug 17, 2024 08:28 AM

  

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When exactly was the decline of the socialite, who once ruled the world from her throne among the ladies who lunched in such hallowed places as The Colony or Le Pavillon in New York City—and at the right table, dressed in Mainbocher or any custom number worthy of a Cecil Beaton portrait, and with just the right company like Truman Capote?

Juan Luna's 'Hymen, oh Hyménée!' masterpiece (Photo by Noel Pabalate) 

The dictionary definition of socialite is lame, “a person who is well-known in fashionable society and is fond of social activities and entertainment.” On the internet, it is still a raging topic, but the questions are even more lame, if not downright stupid, questions like “Is a socialite a social climber? What is the difference between a socialite and a courtesan? Is it a difficult job, being a socialite?” But what is a socialite? 

“There is no one definitive answer to this,” said a girl named Catriona in an internet forum. “[It’s] simply a person thrust (sometimes unwillingly) into a particular role. In my case it was something that fell on me when I married a very ambitious man with delusions of social grandeur.”

 

She intimated what being a socialite had been like for her, in retrospect, since her marriage to this “delusional” man had ended. “My days consisted of worrying about whether I was up to the planning and presentation of his facade. Did I know how to make the latest cocktail? If not, could I find someone who did on a moment’s notice?” she confessed, which sounded to me so much like an ordeal. “Was our home filled with the best… and decorated to impress…? I am not an extrovert and it was pretty much the seventh level of hell having to discover what each of my husband’s guests was likely to want to talk about, and learning all I could about it, whether it was the restoration of Samurai swords, the writing of HTML code, the makes and models of Boeing aircraft, or the likelihood of a stock market crash in the next 18 months.” 

Babe Paley, is that you? 

 

But Babe Paley, as you know, ever the doyenne of the New York social scene, Truman Capote’s foremost swan, and best dressed of all time, would never dare say such a thing about her husband, CBS founder William Paley, whom the rumor mill portrayed as a womanizer and whom Truman Capote revealed in his roman à clef “La Cote Basque 1965” as the cause of Babe’s broken, never mended heart. Neither would she have said anything remotely similar to what Catriona said of her erstwhile husband. The socialite would find it so inelegant, if not so vulgar, to wash dirty linen in public.

Photo courtesy of Edgar Allan

The fascination is still there, for sure. It persists in me, who grew up on the pages of my mother’s copies of Vogue, where the world, for the most part, was a trove of treasures in the form of a snow-covered chalet in Gstaad, breakfast champagne at the Grand Hotel in Rome, a beach trip to Coopers Beach at the Hamptons, and dressed for show, say, in the case of the Hamptons, in Emilio Pucci swimwear.

 

The socialite was the personification of polite society, the embodiment of a collective aspiration to graceful living, though it has become a kind of nostalgia, no longer a living thing, alive only in memory or history, in black and white pictures. 

 

But before we digress further, other than being a celebrity or royalty, who is much in demand at parties, how does one become a socialite? First to come to mind is that one at least has to be an object of beauty, arm candy on some man or walker to a lady, or—in the case of Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, who said, “I'm nothing to look at, so the only thing I can do is dress better than anyone else.”—command attention. Imelda Marcos once told me, “You sense beauty more than you see it. I know. Anywhere I go, when I walk into a room, people turn to look at me. We don’t have eyes on our backs, do we?”

Photo courtesy of Edgar Allan

You could say a socialite has to be rich, but not really, like Truman Capote, who was welcomed into the sanctum sanctorum of New York’s upper crust. If you can’t be rich, then you ought to have rich friends, who can fly you to the moon on their Gulfstream G700, or sail you across the seven seas on their luxury yacht, or drive you around on their Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail. Before you say “social climber,” remember that you can be as rich as the friends you hang around with and because you are friends, you get to stay for free in a villa that is owned by one of them in a historic building in the Campo San Polo in Venice, just as any of your friends can stay free of charge in your duplex at 220 Central Park South in Manhattan. 

 

Supposing you have no private jet, sailboat, or luxury car to share with your bosom buddies, then to be a socialite, you must have something else to bring to the table—your wit, for instance, or your personal style, your social charm, your sense of humor, or your golden friendship. 

 

Back in the day, you couldn’t be a socialite, unless the media took notice of you, unless you landed in the pages of uppity magazines or in the newspaper headlines.

 

I might be wrong, but pop culture has guillotined the socialite just as the French Revolution killed Marie Antoinette.

 

In just the same way as possession obsession, all that waltzing around in a dazzling display of wealth, nod-nodding to consumerism and inconspicuous consumption, has been exhausted by such pop culture movies as The Devil Wears Prada, Zoolander, even documentaries like The September Issue or The Grey Gardens, the socialite has been dragged back to earth by the seemingly innocuous raiding of her closets in Gossip Girl, The Nanny Diaries, Downton Abbey, W.E., even Mean Girls.

 

In its obsession with exposes and BTS, the 1980s thrust the socialite under a magnifying glass and we all looked in and gasped: “You’re no different than us, you’re just like every last one of us!”

 

And then social media took over, democratizing everything, where a single viral post could catapult you to the A-list—for how long, who knows?—in much the same way as, just a decade before Instagram ruled the world, winning a reality show could turn you into a household name, whether or not you were beautiful, elegant, sophisticated, graceful, world-wise, or stylish.

 

It doesn’t really matter now how you look, speak, move, think, or behave, as long as you fetch the numbers in terms of views, likes, follows, or shares.

 

The socialite is dead. 

Miss Earth-Air Yllana Aduana grateful for Miss FIT Philippines journey

 

By: Armin P. Adina

INQUIRER.net / 10:44 AM July 10, 2024

Reigning Miss Earth-Air Yllana Marie Aduana with the 2024 Miss FIT Philippines behind her onstage

Reigning Miss Earth-Air Yllana Marie Aduana with the 2024 Miss FIT Philippines behind her onstage. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina

Reigning Miss Earth-Air Yllana Marie Aduana has now become one of the most iconic Filipino beauty queens in recent memory, and she fondly looked back on her first national title that she said helped mold her into the woman that she has become.

Talking to INQUIRER.net at the sidelines of the 2024 Miss FIT (Face, Intelligence, Tone) Philippines pageant’s preliminary competition at the Music Museum in San Juan City on Monday, July 8, she said the contest is really special for her.

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“[This] was the pageant that really paved the way, and really opened multiple doors of opportunity for me. And this is also the pageant that paved the way for me to meet my ProMedia family (her management company), who really treated me like family, too,” said Aduana, who hosted the event.

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As a competition that promotes holistic fitness, the Miss FIT Philippines is looking for a queen beyond her pretty face, emotional and intellectual intelligence, and toned physique, she said, emphasizing the pageant’s search for someone who is “holistically fit in all matters and all levels.”

Sharing her journey as a candidate in the said contest, Aduana said, “I also took the platform to really share my advocacies. Back then in 2021, I shared about my story of being able to conquer bulimia nervosa. And with that platform I was able to connect myself to people, and that molded me to become a good spokesperson that I am now.”

The licensed medical laboratory scientist said she wants the title to go to a queen who is not only holistically fit but also a great representative of the Miss FIT Philippines brand, and “someone who has an edge to join the national competition in the future.”

After clinching the Miss FIT Philippines crown, Aduana took part in the 2022 Binibining Pilipinas pageant, where she advanced to the Top 12, and also received the Face of Binibini award. A year after, she returned to the Miss Philippines pageant two years since her first participation, and bagged the top prize. She was later crowned Miss Earth-Air at the 2023 Miss Earth pageant held in Vietnam in December.

The new Miss FIT Philippines queen will be crowned at the culmination of the final competition at the SkyDome of SM North Edsa in Quezon City on July 11. Twenty-three candidates from all over the Philippines are competing this year.

Read more: https://entertainment.inquirer.net/565605/miss-earth-air-yllana-aduana-grateful-for-miss-fit-philippines-journey#ixzz8fYSELOus

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Filipinos among most positive globally, but sadness takes a toll – Gallup

 

Philstar.com

July 9, 2024 | 12:28pm

Employees of a mall in Marikina City hold Philippine flaglets during a flag ceremony as they mark National Flag Day on May 28, 2024.

The STAR / Miguel De Guzman

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 12:35 p.m.) — The Philippines ranked among the 10 countries with the highest positive experiences in 2023, a worldwide poll showed.

In D.C.-based firm Gallup's 2024 Global Emotions Report, the country scored 82 of 100 on the Positive Experience Index. This means 82% of Filipinos reported more positive emotions the day before the survey was conducted.

The score puts the Philippines in the fifth place globally on par with Malaysia, Senegal and Thailand, indicating that pleasant feelings are more pervasive than negative ones.

The Philippines is among the 10 countries in the world with the highest positive experiences, according to Gallup's Global Emotions Report 2024.

Notably, 75% of Filipino adults reported learning or doing something interesting the day before the 2023 survey, ranking them third in the world. This is well above the global average of 54%.

While the Philippines' positive experience score of 82 is still among the highest in the world in 2023, it was lower than the 85 it garnered in the 2022 Gallup survey.

While the country scored highly on positive experiences, the Philippines did not rank exceptionally low on negative ones. The country reported a score of 35 of 100 on the Negative Experience Index.

Emotion Yes No

Anger 20% 70%

Loneliness 34% 65%

Stress 53% 47%

Worry 34% 65%

Pain 24% 75%

Enjoyment 80% 19%

Well-rested 74% 26%

Learned 75% 25%

Smiled or Laughed 85% 15%

Respect 95% 5%

The Philippines' negative experience score is higher than the global average of 31.

Filipinos also had the highest reported loneliness in Southeast Asia, a region that leads globally in positive experiences. With 34% reporting feeling sad the day prior, the Philippines' score is higher than the global average of 23%.

The report, released earlier this month, was based on nationally representative samples of at least 1,000 citizens aged 15 and older from each of the 142 countries surveyed face-to-face or over the telephone.

The margin of sampling error ranges between ±2.2 and ±5.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

‘Bagong Pilipinas’ hymn, pledge now in flag rites

 PAST AND PRESENT | Preparations are underway at the Aguinaldo Shrine for the celebration of the country’s 126th Independence Day on Wednesday. President Marcos on Sunday said the struggle for independence continues in upholding “our freedom in our territory and sovereignty.” —Photo by Richard A. Reyes, Philippine Daily Inquirer

By: Melvin Gascon - Reporter / @melvingasconINQPhilippine Daily Inquirer / 05:55 AM June 10, 2024

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued an order to government offices and public schools to include the singing of the “Bagong Pilipinas” (“New Philippines”) hymn and reciting of the pledge during their flag rites, “to further instill the principles of the Bagong Pilipinas brand of governance and leadership” among state personnel and employees.

Marcos issued Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 52 on June 4, a copy of which was released to the media on Sunday, directing “all national government agencies and instrumentalities, including GOCCs (government-owned and -controlled corporations) and educational institutions, such as SUCs (state universities and colleges)” and encouraging local government units (LGUs) “to integrate the recital of the Bagong Pilipinas Hymn and Pledge in the conduct of the weekly flag ceremonies, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.”

The circular, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, takes effect “immediately” and contains a copy of the said hymn and pledge.

“For this purpose, the heads of all national government agencies and instrumentalities shall ensure that the Bagong Pilipinas hymn and pledge, which are annexed to this circular, are properly disseminated within their respective institutions and offices,” Bersamin said.

The Presidential Communications Office was asked to implement effective measures to communicate and disseminate the Bagong Pilipinas hymn and pledge to all government agencies and the public.

In his directive, Marcos invoked Republic Act No. 8491, or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, which required all government agencies and LGUs to conduct flag-raising rites on Mondays and flag-lowering on Fridays.

The law authorizes the Office of the President to issue rules and guidelines for the proper conduct of the flag ceremonies, the President said.

He also cited his MC 24, which launched his administration’s Bagong Pilipinas brand of governance and leadership and directed all agencies and instrumentalities, GOCCs and SUCs “to be guided by the Bagong Pilipinas principles.”

“Bagong Pilipinas is characterized by principled, accountable and dependable government, reinforced by unified institutions of society [and] envisioned to empower Filipinos to support and participate in all government efforts in an all-inclusive plan towards deep and fundamental social and economic transformation in all sectors of society and government,” the President said.

Echoes of ‘New Society’

In Congress, Sen JV Ejercito said Malacañang’s order does not seem to be “a very good idea.”

“Lupang Hinirang, Panatang Makabayan and Panunumpa sa Watawat are more than enough to instill nationalism and love for country,” he pointed out.

“Adding a hymn and another pledge will already be too much,” he added.

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro on Sunday urged the President to rescind the directive, calling it “self-serving and [a] martial law remnant.”

Castro, the ACT Teachers party list representative, claimed that Mr Marcos’ MC 52 was an attempt at indoctrinating government workers and the youth on the “Bagong Lipunan” (“New Society”) branding and revisionism of history. “Bagong Lipunan” was the predominant theme of the President’s father and namesake during the martial law regime in the 1970s.

Ced Domingo brings maturity, composure from Thailand stint

Akari Chargers’ Ced Domingo she rejoins the PVL in the All-Filipino Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

By: Lance Agcaoili - @inquirerdotnet

MANILA, Philippines —Maturity and composure were among the things that Ced Domingo developed most in her first overseas stint where she helped Nakhon Ratchasima accomplish a successful title defense in the Volleyball Thailand League.

“One thing that I really learned coming home from Thailand is my maturity and my composure as an individual because of different kinds of instances in games,” said Domingo in Filipino after her Akari debut ended up with a  25-21, 25-18, 25-12, 25-18 loss to Cignal in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“I learned a lot from my teammates like Onuma Sittirak and other legends in Thailand. It’s super nice playing alongside them. I really just can’t wait to apply all the learnings from Thailand here at Akari.”

Domingo, who decided to sign with the Thai team last year, was instrumental in her first overseas stint as the Cat Devil finished the elimination round with a 10-2 record as the No. 2 seed behind Diamond Food, which her team beat in the semifinals round and final.

The 24-year-old middle blocker said she’s lucky to be part of Nakhon Ratchasima as she became the latest Filipino to win a title overseas after Jaja Santiago, who won the Japan V.Cup championship with her former club Ageo Medics in 2021, and Bryan Bagunas who he led Win Streak to a dominant title run last year in the Top Volleyball League in Taiwan.

“I got lucky. It’s a ‘who could have thought’ moment for me because I had no expectations coming there. I just wanted to experience playing in Thailand and come out of my comfort zone to unlock my potential as a player,” Domingo said.

“My teammates are strong and they have the same level of competitiveness and mentality as my former team,  Creamline. I felt that I was in the right team.”

Domingo, who found her new home at Akari, admitted that it’s overwhelming to the changes and transitions but she’s taking the challenge in stride.

“My mindset going back here is adapting Akari’s system and then from there, I will apply my learnings from Thailand,” she said.

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