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This might not be the typical expat blog, written by a German expat, living in the Philippines since 1999. It's different. In English and in German. Check it out! Enjoy reading! Dies mag' nun wirklich nicht der typische Auswandererblog eines Deutschen auf den Philippinen sein. Er soll etwas anders sein. In Englisch und in Deutsch! Viel Spass beim Lesen!
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Choco Mucho enhanced its bid for a return trip to the finals with a 25-20, 25-19, 25-23 victory over Chery Tiggo on Thursday night, May 2, in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Choco Mucho enhanced its bid for a return trip to the finals with a 25-20, 25-19, 25-23 victory over Chery Tiggo on Thursday night, May 2, in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
It was the second straight win for the Flying Titans in this round-robin semifinal phase, following up their five-set triumph over the Creamline Cool Smashers the other day.
Royse Tubino went full blast at the attack line and unleashed 17 points including crucial kills late in the third set that anchored Choco Mucho to the much-needed victory.
“Yung mindset talaga namin dito, kailangang maipanalo namin kaagad para mataas yung makuha naming points dito sa semis,” said Tubino, who highlighted her performance with 15 attacks and two blocks.
Sisi Rondina also waxed hot for the Flying Titans by scattering all her 18 points on kills apart from managing 14 digs.
The Flying Titans encountered stiff resistance late in the third after sisters Eya and EJ Laure conspired for three straight points to trim the Crossovers’ deficit from 23-19 to 23-22.
Tubino stopped the bleeding with her own quick attack to bring Choco Mucho at matchpoint, 24-22, but Eya was not yet done, retaliating with her own down-the-line spike to keep Chery Tiggo afloat, 24-23.
Choco Mucho also shackled Chery Tiggo with its tight defense, limiting Eya and EJ to single-digit productions with only Cza Carandang finishing in twin figures with 10 points.
The Flying Titans also took advantage of the Crossovers’ weak serves, receiving the ball well and executing a variety of plays with Mars Alba finishing with 14 excellent sets.
Choco Mucho hopes to sweep the semis and advance to the championship round on Sunday, May 5, when it squares off with Petro Gazz at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Chery Tiggo, which absorbed its second straight defeat, tries to keep its slim chance of making into the finals when it faces Creamline on the same day.
BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT
When she turned 55 on March 4, Dawn made a pact to pursue aging naturally with grace and confidence.
Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo may be considered one of the most beautiful actresses ever to grace local showbiz.
When she turned 55 on March 4, Dawn made a pact to pursue aging naturally with grace and confidence.
She attributes her timeless beauty to a healthy lifestyle, a peaceful outlook in life, and regular skincare treatments. “Aging is representative of all the wisdom one gains through the years,” says Dawn. “I am not afraid of it. Instead, I embrace it.”
The mother of two and wife of the Special Assistant to the President, Anton F. Lagdameo Jr., juggles a busy lifestyle managing family and social affairs, including jetting back and forth to the East Coast where her eldest son is currently taking up college.
“I am an advocate of aging gracefully and naturally. But that is only possible if one keeps healthy, happy and at peace.”
“Peace of mind is very important and reducing stress. Also, when you are happy and you give back to the people, the feeling you get from there is something you cannot equate from receiving luxuries or getting external validation such as an acting award.”
“I also take skincare seriously by eating healthy, keeping fit and active, having a positive outlook in life, and of course going to Dr. Issa Cellona regularly.” Dawn prefers going to renowned Dermatologist, Dr. Clarissa V. Cellona whose discreet and unassuming practice located in Forbes Park Makati is said to be the favorite of society’s crème dela crème. “Issa is my most trusted skincare and anti-aging specialist.”
“What I like about Dr. Issa is that she works with me to ensure that all my health and beauty goals are met, without having too much done. Her light-handed touch when it comes to beauty is discreet and flawless.”
For her part, the Celebrity Dermatologist describes Dawn as one who “exudes beauty and confidence on and off screen.”
Dr. Issa says, “I am constantly in awe of her commitment to maintaining her youthful appearance through non-invasive treatments that have allowed her to age with grace and elegance while looking effortlessly stunning.”
“Her swan-like neck remains smooth and supple and can rival even the young stars of today."
Dawn serves as an inspiration to women that youthful beauty can be achieved without looking overdone, overfilled , or overstretched. Truly, her ageless beauty is grace and poise unmatched.
BY ZEKINAH ELIZE ESPINA
The Department of Health (DOH) warned of the high likelihood of heat stroke as temperatures soar and reminded the public to remain alert and ensure to stay cool and well-hydrated.
DOH Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Albert Domingo explained the importance of “thermoregulation” to prevent heat stroke during an interview with Saksi sa Dobol B on Wednesday, May 1.
“Sa madaling salita, ‘yung katawan natin ay hindi kayang alisin 'yung init. Kasi sa sobrang init ng paligid, wala nang pupuntahan yung pinakainit (In simple terms, our bodies can't dissipate the heat. Because of the extreme heat in the surroundings, the excess heat has nowhere to go),” he said.
He explained that common symptoms of heat stroke include loss of consciousness, confusion, and in severe cases, even heart attacks.
“Pero ‘yan na po ‘yung pinakamalala sa tatlong tinatawag na heat-related illnesses. ‘Yung hindi naman ganong kalala, pababa tayo, mula sa heat stroke, meron tinatawag na heat exhaustion yung kapaguran (But those are the most severe among the three heat-related illnesses. The less severe one is heat exhaustion, which is extreme fatigue),” Domingo noted.
“Hindi naman nawawalan ng malay pero napapagod ng sobra ‘yung tao (People don't lose consciousness, but they become extremely tired),” he added.
Meanwhile, Domingo addressed the mildest form of heat-related illness, heat cramps, which manifest as muscle cramps due to dehydration and overheating.
“Namumulikat ‘yung gawing bahagi ng ating mga hita dahil natutuyuan at naiinitan ‘yung katawan (The muscles in our thighs cramp because they're dehydrated and the body is overheated),” he said.
Domingo said “dehydration” is a primary concern in heat stroke cases, highlighting the importance of drinking clean water regularly to stay hydrated.
“Yan ang pinakamalaking problema sa heat stroke. Nawawalan ng tubig kaya ang advice natin is always drink clean water (That's the biggest issue with heat stroke. Dehydration occurs, so our advice is always to drink clean water),” he highlighted.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/1/doh-oks-8-to-10-glasses-of-water-daily-amid-hot-weather-condition
Moreover, Domingo said that if a person consumes ample water yet doesn't urinate, it's due to the body's absorption of the ingested water.
"We call that insensible losses. Because, as Joel compared, when it's cold, well relatively cold during Christmas season, we don't sweat that much. So our bodies find a way to release the water," Domingo explained in Filipino.
He likened the body's cooling process to a car radiator, releasing water to mitigate heat.
“Ngayong sa sobrang init ng panahon, kailangan, para tayong ano eh, parang sa kotse ‘yung radiator, binubuhusan ng tubig para lumamig (Now, with the extreme heat of the weather, it's like our body is, well, like a car's radiator, pouring water to cool down),” he added.
In light of these risks, Domingo urged the public to remain vigilant and maintain hydration by consuming at least eight glasses of water daily to mitigate the risk of dehydration and heat-related illnesses.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Nations finished a round of negotiations early Tuesday on a treaty to end plastic pollution and made more progress than they have in three prior meetings.
Coming into Ottawa, many feared the effort would stall to craft the first legally binding treaty on plastics pollution, including in the oceans. The last meeting was marred by disagreements and there was much left to do.
But instead, there has been a "monumental change in the tone and in the energy," said Julie Dabrusin, a Canadian parliamentary secretary.
It was the fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution session. For the first time, the nations began negotiating over the text of what is supposed to become a global treaty. They agreed to keep working between now and the next and final committee meeting this fall in South Korea.
"We are working toward a world where we won't have plastic litter everywhere in our ecosystems," Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, the executive secretary of the committee, said in an interview. "The energy is there, the will is there and I know we will get an instrument by the end of the year."
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the meeting:
NATIONS ARE NEGOTIATING
The talk shifted in Ottawa from sharing ideas to negotiating treaty language. Finally, said Santos Virgílio, Angola's chief negotiator. Time was wasted in previous meetings, Virgílio said, but this time many arguments had been exhausted and it was time to find solutions.
"It's big, because we have been going round and round during these sessions without showing direction," he said in an interview. "But at least now, people are showing, OK, they have goodwill."
LIMITING HOW MUCH PLASTIC IS MADE IS ON THE TABLE
Most contentious is the idea of limiting how much plastic is manufactured globally. Currently, that remains in the text over the strong objections of plastic-producing countries and companies and oil and gas exporters. Most plastic is made from fossil fuels and chemicals.
Graham Forbes, head of the Greenpeace delegation in Ottawa, said massively reducing plastic production is the most important thing the treaty can do because it's impossible to end plastic pollution otherwise.
Plastic production continues to ramp up globally and is projected to double or triple by 2050 if nothing changes. Plastic producers and chemical companies want a treaty that focuses on recycling plastic and reuse, sometimes referred to as "circularity."
TREATY WORK WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING
The negotiators agreed to keep working on the treaty in the coming months. Expert working groups will collect information and expertise to inform the negotiations at the final meeting in South Korea in the fall.
Without this preparation work between meetings, it would've been daunting to complete the negotiations this year.
The topics they'll work on in between sessions are one indication of their priorities for the final round of talks. Plastic production won't be a focus for the working groups. Instead they will focus on how to finance the implementation of the treaty, assess the chemicals of concern in plastic products and look at how products are designed.
Environmental groups were frustrated that production cuts won't be part of the work between now and the fall meeting.
MANY BORE WITNESS TO PLASTIC POLLUTION
Waste pickers have been on the frontlines of trying to solve plastic pollution for decades, said John Chweya, a 33-year-old waste picker representing Kenyan waste pickers.
They collect, sort, recycle and sell plastics that would otherwise pile up or be burned. They're exposed to hazardous materials and can suffer from respiratory illnesses, skin infections and other diseases. They want a treaty that recognizes the role they play and helps waste pickers transition to safer jobs.
"We've given this problem that this treaty is trying to solve our lives," Chweya said.
In Malawi, Tiwonge Mzumara-Gawa sees plastic bags littering the lands where goats and cows graze and people burning waste behind their homes because there is no waste collection. She believes it'll take a global agreement for the national government to do more to address plastic pollution. Mzumara-Gawa is a campaigner for the Christian charity Tearfund.
Frankie Orona told negotiators their decisions affect peoples' lives and health. Indigenous land, water and air are being contaminated as fossil fuels are extracted and plastic is manufactured using hazardous chemicals, said Orona, executive director of the Texas-based Society of Native Nations.
"We're here to make sure our voices are being heard," he said. "Our communities have been disproportionately impacted for decades, Indigenous and black and brown communities."
NEGOTIATORS AIM TO FINALIZE TREATY THIS FALL
They plan to finish negotiating in South Korea so the treaty can be adopted next year at a diplomatic conference. It's an extremely short timeline for negotiations, meant to match the urgency of the problem.
Dabrusin, of Canada, said she's more hopeful than ever that an ambitious treaty to end plastic pollution will be adopted on schedule. Over the past week, she said she has heard from so many people that this is what they want — from businesses and environmental advocates to waste pickers and residents of communities littered with plastic.
"We're hearing many voices coming together," she said. "That's a beautiful moment when you can see that synergy, that it's economic, it's environmental, it's for health reasons. And there is that momentum right now."
Miss World Philippines queens ‘seek strong, independent’ ladies who ‘break the mold’ | Miss World Philippines 2021 Tracy Maureen Perez (left) and reigning Universal Woman Maria Gigante/ARMIN P. ADINA
By: Armin P. Adina
INQUIRER.net
The Miss World Philippines Organization (MWPH) has made a call for applicants earlier this year, signifying the national pageant’s return after a year-long hiatus. Two of the queens the search has produced have shared what they seek in the aspirants.
Tracy Maureen Perez, who bagged the main title in 2021, and Maria Gigante, who joined the national search a year after, spoke with INQUIRER.net at the post-coronation dinner of the 2024 Limgas na Pangasinan pageant at the Sison Auditorium in Lingayen early morning on April 27.
Both queens were part of the selection committee of the provincial pageant that was held at the Pangasinan Provincial Capitol Building in Lingayen on April 26.
“I’m looking for the next Tracy Maureen Perez, and she has to be strong, independent and knows what she wants in life and goes after it relentlessly,” said Perez, who finished in the Top 13 of the 2021 Miss World pageant held in Puerto Rico.
Gigante, recently-crowned Universal Woman, said, “I’m looking for a Miss World and a Universal Woman [who] breaks the mold. Both are going to be effective communicators, but somebody who offers something we’ve never seen before. Also someone who is independent and who is unique and who knows what she believes in, but also knows how to allow others to stand in their power.”
She said she joined the Miss World Philippines pageant because she wanted to post back-to-back wins for Cebu and succeed Perez for the national title. “Although it didn’t happen, but we did make history as the first country to have sent a delegate for the first time, and to clinch the crown, for the second edition of Universal Woman, in the new era of beauty,” Gigante said.
Perez commended her, and said, “I’m so happy for my friend. We’ve known each other for the longest time, and I’m so, so, so proud of her and all of her achievements.” Gigante finished in the semifinals of the 2022 Miss World Philippines pageant, but was appointed by MWPH to represent the country at the second Universal Woman contest in Cambodia.
The two also shared how MWPH impacted their lives. “It really did change my life for the better, for the best even. It was a dream come true. I’ve always really wanted to represent the Philippines, and it was actually my third try before I finally got to say ‘Philippines’ in the world stage,” said Perez, who first joined in 2019, then tried out for the 2020 Miss Universe Philippines pageant, then returned to Miss World Philippines in 2021.
“When I came back, so many opportunities just opened for me. And I really never thought that I will be able to do all these things before, so I’m really grateful to my Miss World Philippines family for opening so many doors for me,” she continued.
Gigante also shared her aspirations for the national pageant. “I hope that we can continue that legacy, with more Cebuanas, more Filipinas, and celebrate more diversity, more inclusivity, and more open mindedness when it comes to what it means to work collectively as a community,” she said.
The last time MWPH held a national contest was in 2022, with Gwendolyne Fourniol taking the top title. But because the Miss World pageant was postponed that year, the organization put off its search until the reigning titleholder got to compete in her global tilt.
Fourniol’s Miss World contest finally pushed through in February, and MWPH opened applications for the 2024 national pageant in March. No further details about the final screening and date of competition have been released as of this writing.