K-pop girl group Lapillus gears up for release of new album ‘Girl’s Round Part. 2’

BY JONATHAN HICAP

Jun 19, 2023 08:52 AM

  

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Members of K-pop girl group Lapillus are ready to release their second mini-album “Girl’s Round Part. 2” on June 21. 

“Girl’s Round Part. 2” is fronted by the song “Who’s Next” with members releasing spoilers for the song. 

Lapillus (Twitter)

Lapillus is composed of Filipino-Argentinian Chanty, Shana, Seowon, Yue, Bessie and Haeun that debuted in June 2020. 

“Girl’s Round Part. 2” will be released through various online streaming platforms that will mark the start of Lapillus’ promotional activities. 

The second mini-album, a second part of the “Girl’s Round” series, contains Lapillus’ relentless determination. 

The girls, who continuously showed their adventurous side since their debut, have even put in more powerful energy and are planning to meet their listeners with their title song, “Who’s Next.” 

The upcoming album also contains the songs "Marionette," "Ulala," "Paper" and an English version of "Who's Next.”

Lapillus debuted with the single “Hit Ya” followed by “Gratata.” As they’re a step closer to their goals, with “Who’s Next,” they plan to announce their leap forward as the frontiers of the new generation girl group.

‘Who’s Next’ is a hip-hop dance song with exciting beats and self-love lyrics. It will give courage to the listeners with Lapillus’ unique energy and the charming unique vocals of the members. 

Since debut, Lapillus have actively promoted not only in South Korea but in other countries. They successfully launched in the Philippines in just three months after their debut. They were even appointed ambassadors of the province of Ilocos Sur. 

Moreover, in their first guerilla fan meeting held in Mexico, they gathered more than 2,000 fans. They also attended the “Premio Lo Nuestro 2023” held in February in Miami. 

Lapillus will release “Girl’s Round Part. 2” at 6 p.m. KST on June 21.

Pride PH Festival to stream on ABS-CBN YouTube and iWantTFC on June 24

BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT

Jun 19, 2023 10:39 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Quezon City will once again host Pride PH’s Pride Festival, one of the broadest networks of LGBTQIA+ individuals and organizations, while Pride PH is the organizer of Quezon City’s Pride Festival, with the theme “Love, Laban: A Celebration of the Fight for Love in All Forms and Ways.”

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Celebrate love this Pride Month with this year’s Pride PH Festival which can be streamed by viewers online on ABS-CBN’s YouTube channel and Facebook page and on iWantTFC this June 24. 

Apart from ABS-CBN’s digital platforms, the Pride PH Festival can also be accessed through various online and streaming channels such as Pride PH‘s Facebook page and the Quezon City Government’s official Facebook page.

Quezon City will once again host Pride PH’s Pride Festival, one of the broadest networks of LGBTQIA+ individuals and organizations, while Pride PH is the organizer of Quezon City’s Pride Festival, with the theme “Love, Laban: A Celebration of the Fight for Love in All Forms and Ways.”

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has expressed full support to Pride PH and its Pride Festival happening on June 24 at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

“More than a celebration, the Pride Festival is a call to end the discrimination, hate, and prejudice among members of the LGBTQIA+. We are holding this activity not because this sector is seeking special treatment. Rather, what they long for is simply a halt to the undeserved ill treatment and denial of opportunities they continue to suffer from,” said Mayor Belmonte.

The Pride Festival is a one day event that celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community through three major activities - Pride Expo, Pride March, and Pride Night.

“The pride marches are seen as safe spaces that provide a venue to push for equality and inclusivity. And while these festivities remain celebratory, Pride is still a protest and should remain so. Not until the LGBTQIA+ community no longer needs to fight for their human rights, their right to love, and the freedom to be their true authentic selves,” says Mela Habijan, Miss Trans Global 2020 and lead convener of Pride PH.

Cine Europa returns onsite with 28 films

The European Union (EU) Delegation and the EU Member States Embassies, together with Goethe Institut Manila, are proud to present the 26th edition of Cine Europa in 100 percent physical screenings from June 16 to July 16.

Cine Europa brings 28 multi-awarded films from different EU Member States, as well as guest country, Ukraine.

These films may be watched onsite in venue partners within Metro Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod and Davao. Cine Europa 26 opened to the Filipino audience with the film "Historja – Stitches for Sapmi" from Sweden that was screened at Cinema 3, Shangri-La Plaza over the weekend.

This Swedish film is a documentary about the Sami female artist Britta Marakatt-Labba, whose art showcases the past and the present of Sami culture, and how reindeer husbandry is being affected by the global climate crisis.

‘Murina’ from Croatia and Slovenia

‘Murina’ from Croatia and Slovenia

‘Ensilumi (Any Day Now)’ from Finland

‘Ensilumi (Any Day Now)’ from Finland

‘Historja – Stitches for Sapmi’ from Sweden

‘Historja – Stitches for Sapmi’ from Sweden

‘Murina’ from Croatia and Slovenia

‘Murina’ from Croatia and Slovenia

‘Ensilumi (Any Day Now)’ from Finland

‘Ensilumi (Any Day Now)’ from Finland

‘Historja – Stitches for Sapmi’ from Sweden

‘Historja – Stitches for Sapmi’ from Sweden

‘Murina’ from Croatia and Slovenia

‘Murina’ from Croatia and Slovenia

The other films that will be screened at Cine Europa 26 are "Murina" from Croatia and Slovenia; "My Love Affair with Marriage" from Latvia and Luxembourg; "Sweat" from Poland; "Rien à Foutre ("Zero Fucks Given") from Belgium; "Ensilumi ("Any Day Now") from Finland; "Miss Viborg" from Denmark; "The Cleaners" from Germany; "Szelíd ("Gentle")" from Hungary; "Ramona" from Spain; "Dodo" from Greece; "Róise & Frank" from Ireland; "Moi dumky tykhi ("My thoughts are silent")" from Ukraine; and "Lyuksemburh, Lyuksemburh ("Luxembourg, Luxembourg")" from Ukraine.

Also included are "Marocco/Mikado" from Romania and the Czech Republic; "From Africa with Love — OSS 117" from France; "Os Demónios Do Meu Avô" from Portugal, Spain and France; "Srdce na dlani" from Czech Republic; "Imad's Barndom ("Imad's Childhood")" from Sweden and Latvia; "Golata istina za grupa Zhuguli ("The Naked Truth about Zhugui") from Bulgaria; "Girl" from Belgium; "Bėgikė ("Runner") from Lithuania and the Czech Republic; "Mitra" from the Netherlands; "Kratt" from Estonia; "Smagen af sult ("A Taste of Hunger")" from Denmark; "Olmo" from Italy; and finally, "Le Variabili Dipendenti" from Italy.

PAL intl flights moved to NAIA Terminal 1

A Philipine Airline plane taxis on the runway as rows of planes are seen parked beside NAIA Terminal 1 and 2. FILE PHOTO BY: J. Gerard Seguia

By Alexandra J. Furio

The domestic flights of PAL started operating on NAIA Terminal 3, alongside AirAsia's domestic terminal.

PAL already issued an advisory on June 9 on their Facebook page and the next day on their official website.

As part of the advisory, PAL urged their on-boarding passengers to arrive four hours before their scheduled departure for international flights and at least three hours before departure for domestic flights.

According to the airline company, this will give the passengers enough time for immigration and security checks.

To check the international flight status, PAL advises its passengers to check their flight status on philippineairlines.com.

These reassignments are based on the Schedule and Terminal Assignment Rationalization program of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), which sees the capacity of Terminal 2 increasing from 7.5 million to 10 million passengers a year.

MIAA also started moving the terminals for other airline companies since April of this year.

Public Weather Forecast issued at 4:00 AM | June 18, 2023

5,537 views Streamed live 6 hours ago #WeatherReport #DOSTPagasa

Public Weather Forecast issued at 4:00 AM | June 18, 2023 DOST-PAGASA Weather Specialist: Grace Castañeda #WeatherReport #DOSTPagasa

Finnegan clinches vault bronze in Asian Championships

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Fil-American Aleah Finnegan boosted her 2024 Paris Olympics campaign after bagging the bronze medal in vault in the Asian Senior Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Singapore Saturday, June 17.

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Fil-American Aleah Finnegan boosted her 2024 Paris Olympics campaign after bagging the bronze medal in vault in the Asian Senior Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Singapore Saturday, June 17.

Aleah Finnegan makes a podium finish in vault in the Asian Championships. (Linee Yeo)

The 20-year-old Missouri-born gymnast, who was second in the qualifications Friday, June 16, posted a 13.483 average in her two vaults to finish behind eventual gold medalist Yeo Seojeong of Korea and Oksana Chusovitina of Uzbekistan.

Yeo, who topped the qualifications, tallied 14.317 while Chosovitina scored 13.517.

Finnegan eyes more podium finishes when she competes in balance beam and floor exercise Sunday, June 18.

She was seventh in balance beam and eighth in floor exercise after the qualifications.

Finnegan, Yulo and another Fil-Am in Kylee Kvamme already booked slots to the World Championships slated in Antwerp, Belgium late September.

The world tilt is one of the qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics where Yulo seeks a second Games appearance.

ENJOYING LAZY DAYS

Having a lazy day gives your brain a break and your body a chance to recover. It also reduces stress which could help you be more productive in your non-lazy days. It is also an easy way to prevent burnout and being susceptible to chronic diseases. "If you don't pick a day to relax, your body will pick it for you.

Indeed, you don't get anything for nothing in life. This is our life's main motto. This is our biography's epigraph - whether we like it or not. Many times, I stressed this already in different write-ups in distinct publications.

I am on my veranda as I write this, and although the month of June has just begun, only a few people seem to be in a good mood. Yes, also today the sky is cloudy and looks like rain. But a wonderful  breeze is around me, and more and more flowers in my big garden are blooming. 

Hurray, doing nothing is really something. No, I am not talking about those people, who just hang out day-by-day and week-by-week by doing nothing and -maybe- just fed by someone. No, I mean doing nothing is really something great after a period  of really hard work. By the way, it doesn't matter, if it regards us or our children.

Talking about our children: School vacations are there, and yes, children also deserve several lazy days. If I talk about my nephews and nieces here, I am surprised to learn: summer school vacations are not equal to three months total laziness. There are dance-, gymnastic- or piano lessons as well as summer classes. Great, guys! I like that!

Of course, time off should be really time off. Days by the beach - with family or alone. I jst enjoyed this for almost one week with my wife. Let's stay outside and do absolutely nothing structured. I love to do drawings, write-ups (that's not work for me!) or reading. There are still books in my library, which need to be 'discovered'.

I still remember several lazy summer days, sitting in the blazing sun (shouldn't be done anymore of course!), eating a Popsicle, getting all sticky, and running away from the bees. Of course, while still in Germany, those old lazy summer days turned into lazy winter days too. Lazy days shaped and characterized my whole (especially professional) life until now.

Relaxation, meditation and reinvigoration are needed. Life, affected by the "burnout syndrome" needs to reanimate with energy. So let's rest for a while to acquire new energy. HAPPY VACATION DAYS!

BLACKPINK’s Jennie apologizes for suddenly leaving stage at Melbourne concert

BY JONATHAN HICAP

  

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K-pop girl group BLACKPINK member Jennie issued an apology for suddenly leaving the stage during their Melbourne concert on June 11. 

BLACKPINK held their “Born Pink” world tour at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on June 10 and 11. 

BLACKPINK's Jennie (Instagram)

BLACKPINK's Jennie leaving the stage at Melbourne concert (Screenshots from Idolinews video)

BLACKPINK member Jennie's apology (Instagram)

In a video that circulated online, BLACKPINK members were performing ““Lovesick Girls” when Jennie suddenly left the stage and went down towards the backstage. She did not finish the concert. 

YG Entertainment explained that Jennie “was unable to complete the stage due to her deteriorating [health] condition.”

Jennie took to Instagram to apologize for her action and said she is recovering. 

“Dear Melbourne Blinks, I'm so sorry i wasnt able to finish the show on Sunday. I'm doing my best to recover atm [at the moment]. Your understanding and support means the world to me. Thank you to everyone who came to our Melbourne show. Love you guys,” she posted on her Instagram Stories. 

“We would like to extend our sincerest apologies to all the fans who have shown their support for BLACKPINK and those who attended the event. We kindly ask for your understanding in this situation,” YG Entertainment added. 

It explained that “Jennie expressed her strong determination to carry on with the performance until the end. However, following medical advice on site, we immediately took measures to ensure she receives ample rest and stability.” 

“Jennie has conveyed her regrets for not being able to stay with the fans until the end, and assures that she will recover as soon as possible. We will do its utmost to support Jennie's speedy recovery. We would like to ask for your understanding once again,” it said.

Wie hoch wird meine Rente?

Viele Deutsche wünschen sich ein digitales System, um ihre Rentenbezüge einsehen zu können. (Symbolbild) © IMAGO/Zoonar.com/Yuri Arcurs peopleimages.com

Viele Deutsche wünschen sich ein digitales System, um ihre Rentenbezüge einsehen zu können. Das geht aus einer Studie des Digitalverbands Bitkom hervor.

Berlin – Wie hoch wird meine Rente einmal ausfallen? Um diese Frage zu beantworten, muss man sich zum Thema einlesen, Informationen sammeln und dann noch einmal rechnen. Da ist es kein Wunder, dass sich sechs von zehn Deutschen wünschen, stattdessen mit einem Klick zu wissen, wie viel Geld sie im Alter zur Verfügung haben.

Mehrheit wünscht sich digitale Übersicht zur zukünftigen Rente 

Menschen, die aktuell noch nicht im Ruhestand sind und keine Rente beziehen, wünschen sich sogar zu mehr als zwei Dritteln (70 Prozent) eine digitale Übersicht über ihre zukünftige Rente, wie der Digitalverband Bitkom zur Veröffentlichung einer Studie am Mittwoch in Berlin erklärte. 

„Ohne private oder betriebliche Altersvorsorge stünden viele Menschen im Alter vor dem finanziellen Ruin“, erklärte Bitkom-Hauptgeschäftsführer Bernhard Rohleder. Umso wichtiger sei es, den Zugang zu entsprechenden Informationen möglichst einfach zu machen und für Transparenz und einen guten Überblick bei den Leistungen zu sorgen.

Digitalverband bemängelt mangelnde Transparenz bei Rente: Zurzeit zu viel Rechnerei

Wer aktuell herausfinden möchte, wie hoch die Rente im Alter ausfällt, muss laut Bitkom viel lesen und dann „selbst zusammenrechnen“. Digitale Angebote seien noch nicht weit verbreitet. Das zeige sich auch in den Zahlen der Studie: Nur gut ein Fünftel (22 Prozent) der Befragten hat demnach das letztes Paket für die private Altersvorsorge online abgeschlossen, rund zwei Drittel sind dafür in die Bankfiliale oder ins Versicherungsbuero gegangen.

„Eine einfache, klare und digitale Darstellung würde es mehr Menschen ermöglichen, eine selbstständige und fundierte Entscheidung für ihre Altersvorsorge zu treffen“, erklärt Rohleder. Bitkom forderte „verschlankte Förderrichtlinien“ und eine lebenslange finanzielle Bildung, etwa durch Online-Angebote und Smartphone-Apps. Für die Studie wurden dem Verband zufolge tausend Menschen über 16 Jahren befragt. (afp, lf)

When is it okay to be direct and straightforward in the Philippines?

 

Filipino Relationship and Dating

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Following

Answered by 

Rhiza Robles

In the Philippines, people value politeness, respect, and keeping good relationships. This means that communication is often indirect and subtle. But, in some cases, it's okay or even necessary to be more straightforward. Here are some examples:

1. Business and professional settings: In work settings, being clear and concise is generally well-received, especially when addressing business topics, making choices, or offering input. It's important to maintain a professional demeanor and avoid being too confrontational or hostile.
2. Emergency or urgent situations: When there's something important that needs to be addressed quickly, it's usually best to be straightforward and clear in order to ensure prompt action or help. It's important to approach the situation in a friendly and respectful manner, without being too forceful or confrontational.
3. Close relationships and among friends: In close relationships and friendships with high trust and familiarity, being direct and straightforward may be more acceptable. People who know each other well might appreciate honest and open communication.

Showing respect and sensitivity is really important, especially in these kinds of situations. It's always a good idea to be aware of the context and the people involved so that you can be direct in a respectful way.