Zambales, Philippines

Anawangin Cove, Capones and Camara Islands, Pundaquit Waterfalls, Subic

Reviews and Comments at http://tourism-philippines.com/zambales

Zambales Coast

Start:	May 30, '09 05:30a
End:	May 31, '09 5:30p
Location:	Zambales, Philippines

Anawangin Cove, Camara Island, Capones Island

Philippines' Brillante Mendoza Wins in Cannes 2009.

After getting violent reactions from his last year's film in Cannes, Serbis, Brillante Mendoza bested the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Pedro Almodovar in this year's competition at the most prestigious film festival in the world. 3 other Filipino films were invited and screened in Cannes - proof that the Independent Cinema in the Philippines is one of the most vibrant if not the hottest in Asia and a force to be reckoned with in the world.



Mendoza wins best director award at Cannes


Agence France-Presse
First Posted 03:24:00 05/25/2009

   

CANNES -- Brillante Mendoza of the Philippines on Sunday picked up the best director prize at the Cannes film festival for his dark movie "Kinatay".

"Kinatay" (meaning "massacre") notably features corrupt cops hacking a prostitute to pieces with blunt kitchen knives.

Mendoza, at Cannes for the second year running, again split the critics, drawing both hisses and applause for "Kinatay".

Last year's "Serbis" was set in a Manila porn-theatre with long close-ups of festering boils and overflowing toilets, as well as the poverty and distress on the streets.

Still determined to portray the social reality around him, Mendoza in "Kinatay" traces 24 hours in the day of a trainee policeman, happily beginning with his wedding in the morning to close with the young man's first outing at night with a band of corrupt colleagues.

To his surprise, fear and anguish, they pick up a prostitute accused of betrayal and wind up torturing, raping, killing and hacking her before disposing of the body parts across Manila.

"This is not just entertainment, these kinds of stories are real," Mendoza said at Cannes.

Last year was the first time since 1984 the Philippines had a film competing for the top prize at Cannes, the Palme d'Or.

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20090525-206946/Mendoza-wins-best-director-award-at-Cannes



The Cannes 2009 Winners

CANNES, France -- Awards presented Sunday at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival, chosen by a jury headed by French Actress Isabelle Huppert:

• Palme d'Or (Golden Palm): "The White Ribbon," by Michael Haneke (Austria)

• Grand Prize: "A Prophet," by Jacques Audiard (France)

• Jury Prize: "Fish Tank," by Andrea Arnold (Britain) and "Thirst," By Park Chan-wook (South Korea)

• Special Prize: Alain Resnais

• Best Director: Brillante Mendoza, "Kinatay" (Philippines)

• Best Actor: Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds" (United States)

• Best Actress: Charlotte Gainsbourg, "Antichrist" (Denmark)

• Best Screenplay: Feng Mei, "Spring Fever" (China)

• Camera d'Or (first-time director): "Samson and Delilah," by Warwick Thornton (Australia)

• Best short film: "Arena," by Joao Salaviza (Portugal)

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20090525-206956/Cannes-Film-Festival-prize-winners

A walk through the Salcedo Weekend Market

Fresh organic produce and products from the different regions of the Philippines as well as international cuisine represented by Portugal, Italy, Japan, China, Spain, USA, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, France , Germany and many others are available at the Salcedo Weekend Market, Salcedo Carpark, Salcedo Village, Makati City, Philippines every Saturday morning up until 2-3PM. A similar bustling weekend market of haute and organic products are also available at the Legazpi Weekend Market every Sunday around the same times.


http://www.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,1883233,00.html


A Taste of the World in Manila
By Lara Day Thursday, Mar. 05, 2009

If you're in Manila and looking for a culinary experience with a community feel, Salcedo Market is hard to beat. This lively event takes place on Saturdays between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., and features food from the city's best kitchens, all in one neat, bustling, deliciously tasty location.

Established in 2004 with just 11 stalls, the market, located in the leafy Jaime C. Velasquez Park in the heart of the upscale Bel-Air district, has since developed into a vibrant gourmet gathering of over 140 vendors, all carefully vetted for quality and variety of product. With the exception of cooked-food vendors, everyone is required to offer something unique: for instance, there can only be one wine stall, one florist and one frozen-yoghurt stand.

The fare reflects Manila's cosmopolitan tastes. Authentic renditions of foreign staples include French crepes, German sausages, Malaysian laksa and Indonesian rendang, and people travel from across the metropolis to enjoy them. But they also visit to try Philippine flavors usually found locked inside the country's homes or tucked away in far-flung provinces. Look out for crispy-skinned lechon, or roast suckling pig, from Cebu (Filipinos make an art out of roasting whole animals on spits). Try the rich, fiery-hot Bicol Express from southern Luzon (a pork and vegetable dish with coconut and chili). And don't miss the Filipino-fusion creations, such as pasta sauces in flavors such as mussel adobo and creamy shiitake pesto. If you can manage it, wash it all down with thick, creamy tsokolate, a Spanish-style hot chocolate blended with peanuts and whipped to a heady froth. But be prepared to swap those afternoon sightseeing plans for another great Spanish import: a siesta.

Filipinos Got Talent - Charice Pempengco Launches Album on Oprah

Sights and Sounds of Pahiyas Festival 2009

The annual Pahiyas Festival is a time when the citizens of Lucban decorate their homes with fruit, vegetables and various other things to be blessed by a saint for a bountiful harvest. We wandered the streets for a few hours.

Philippines' Pahiyas Festival 2009

Lucban, Quezon with a sidetrip to Pagbilao, Quezon - Patayan Island and Isla Puting Buhangin

The Environment Report - 42 Ilonggo Fishermen caught blast fishing in Tubbataha Reef

http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/theenvironmentreport/view.php?db=1&article=20090510-204254
You stupid jerks! You should be put to death fuckers!

Getaway to Sagada, Philippines

Labor Day Trip to Sagada, Philippines

Discovering Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte!

Start:	Jun 12, '09 12:00a
End:	Jun 14, '09
Location:	Around Ilocos Sur & Ilocos Norte, Philippines

Bangui Windmills, Vigan, Pagudpod, Batac, La Paz Sand Dunes and heaps of other beautiful places in beautiful Ilocos!

Going with Discover Asia!

Philippines - Southeast Asia's Last Frontier

You have been to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, even perhaps Myanmar and Brunei. Now you are missing the big kahuna for a destination.

Welcome to the Philippines. Be our guest.

MALAYSIA CENTRAL: Please Help This Puppy: Dogs Rescue Mission

http://www.mycen.com.my/rescue/
Another sad sad sad situation in Malaysia

Welcome to the Philippines

One of the most beautiful places in the planet.

Colours of the Philippines

The Philippine underwater world.

Expat Magazine

http://server4b.pressmart.net/Expat/index.aspx?page=12&issue=issue09
My article on Expat Magazine - Re: Aliwan Fiesta 2009. :)

The SAGADA GENUINE GUIDES ASSOCIATION

http://sagadagenuineguides.blogspot.com/
The best guides in Sagada - Thanks Kuya Oscar (Magwilang), Carlin, Gareth (SAGGAS) and Bang of Discover Pinas- our tour agency for this trip.

For Discover Pinas:

Discover Pinas is a project recently launched by Discover Asia International Travel and Tours that will further develop the promotion of Philippine Tourism. Currently, those whose shades are in blue are the destinations that we were able to make packages with for 2008.For the upcoming year (2009), we are aiming to "blue out" all the places posted in the Lakbayan Map. Thus, making all these places more accessible for you! Happy Trip Everyone!


Contact Information:

Discover Asia International Travel and Tours
Main Office: 123 Narra St Sta Clara Sta Maria, Bulacan
Telefax: (044) 6417249
Mobile #: 09322187868 (Suncel - Mex)

Manila Office: Unit 223 Cityland Pioneer Building, Pioneer St ,Mandaluyong City (Near Robinson's Mall - Pioneer)
Landline#: (02)7470830 Mike/ (02) 7470796 Joy/ (02)7470829 Anne
Mobile #: 09085824899 (Mike)

Look for Mex or Bang for Discover Pinas - tell them that Ryan Buaron of Tourism Philippines sent you. :)


And we stayed here:

Philippines' Manny Pacquiao Manhandles Man from Manchester

I am not a big fan of boxing which I considered to be brutal but I take exception with Manny Pacquiao's victory over much-hyped British pugilist Ricky Hatton whom he possibly powerpunched into retirement in just a little over under 2 rounds. I was in on my way back to Manila from an amazing trip back in beautiful Sagada when we stopped over for a few minutes in Atok, Benguet (at the marker for the Philippines highest point for its national highway- 7400 feet above sea level) where we confirmed with a group of bikers that Pacquiao made mincemeat of Ricky Hatton in just about 2 rounds. We were thrilled and excited. When we finally arrived at the city of La Trinidad, Benguet to stop over at the strawberry farm and have some dinner and rest for about over an hour, we finally confirmed that the Pacman was indeed victorious. I wasn't even able to find a strawberry taho sellers are all of them are away watching the match (see photo left). My friend Arnie was facebooking and he ran into this article from LA Times written hours after the match:


Bill Dwyre:
Manny Pacquiao's fists are loaded, and his bouts are a lock


Manny Pacquiao celebrates his knockout of Ricky Hatton on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

With his second-round destruction of Ricky Hatton, Pacquiao continues to cement his reputation as the world's best fighter, pound for pound.

Manny Pacquiao can no longer be identified as a boxer. Lethal weapon, maybe. Or destroyer missile. Whatever the definition, he is unquestionably the sport's top gun.

What he did to Ricky Hatton on Saturday night, in a boxing ring at the MGM Grand Garden, before a crowd of 16,262 and millions more all over the world watching on pay-per-view, was mostly mayhem. The man from Manchester was manhandled.

British fans who swoop down on this city every time Hatton fights -- which is three times since December 2007 -- serenaded him into the ring as usual, with the now-annoying version of "Winter Wonderland" that begins: "There's only one Ricky Hatton."

They were right. He was the only one who ended up on his back in the middle of the ring.

The fight summary is one paragraph. Pacquiao knocked Hatton down twice in the first round, dominated the second and caught Hatton with a vicious left hook as the round ticked down. Hatton's eyes rolled back and his body fell, like a sack of potatoes, flat on his back. Referee Kenny Bayless knelt over him for several seconds, then waved his hands, with one second left in the round, to signify that the fight was over.

The aftermath was a bit scary. Hatton didn't move right away, and soon there were many people with concerned looks on their faces, kneeling and hovering. Hatton may have been on his back longer than he was on his feet during the fight.

Eventually, they brought his stool to the middle of the ring and got him on it, and a few minutes later he left the ring under his own power, waving feebly to a crowd of Brit fans who may have been driven to drink by the result. Of course, any result would have driven them to drink.

Pacquiao, the Filipino powerhouse whose record went to 49-3-2 (with 37 knockouts), weighed in Friday at 138 pounds and went to 148 by fight time. Hatton, now 45-2-0 (with 32 knockouts), weighed in at the limit of 140 and gained 12 pounds by fight time.

A measure of how dominant Pacquiao has become is that this victory marked his fourth different weight-class win in the last 14 months. His previous conquest, of boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya at 147 pounds, sent De La Hoya into retirement. Hatton is only 30, two months older than Pacquiao, but may be pondering a similar path. The pubs of Manchester are a lot safer than Pacquiao's left hand.

Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, now the pound-for-pound best corner man in his sport, pretty much called the shot again, just as he had against De La Hoya on Dec. 6. He said Pacquiao would knock Hatton out in the third round. Pacquiao apparently had earlier dinner reservations.

"This fight was no surprise to me," Roach said.

The star trainer always seems to have a secret strategy, and he revealed afterward that, for this one, he had watched hours of film of Hatton -- "I knew him better than my own fighter," he said -- and realized that Hatton was wide open for the right hook.

"Hatton pumps his fist before he throws," Roach said. "We also knew he'd be looking for the left," Pacquiao's main weapon.

The first knockdown in the first round came via a right, the second with a left. Hatton had actually survived somewhat better in the second, despite Pacquiao's quickly evident superior hand speed, foot speed and punching power. But the left that finished him started at about 7 o'clock, landed on Hatton's face at about 12 noon and made the likely obvious result official.

Hatton didn't attend the post-match news conference, because he was taken to Valley Hospital. Before he left, he said, "It was a hard lot, but I'm OK. I really didn't see the punch coming, but it was a good shot."

Pacquiao, ever the diplomat, said, "I'm surprised the fight was so easy. I worked hard in training camp and he was open for the right all night. It was nothing personal. I was just doing my job."

Bob Arum, whose Top Rank Promotions handles Pacquiao, called his boxer "a monster" afterward, and started making noises about Pacquiao's becoming boxing's "all-time great."

Two things to consider there. As a promoter, Arum is wired for hyperbole. But also, he is no newcomer to this and began his career promoting no less than Muhammad Ali.

The only thing that might stop Pacquiao now is his desire to become a prominent government official someday soon in his beloved Philippines. There is even talk of the presidency someday.

Were that to happen now, it would make Pacquiao the answer to the trivia question: Which country has a president even more popular than Barack Obama?

For Hatton, a nice guy and tough competitor who is also beloved in his country, there may not be a lot of return trips upcoming.

Which, of course, will send the beer distributors of Las Vegas into deep depression.

(bill.dwyre@latimes.com - http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dwyre-pacquiao-hatton3-2009may03,0,7932325.story )


Stats:

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao
Age: 30
Division: Lightweight
Belt: WBC Lightweight Champion
Country: Philippines

Record: 48 - 3 - 2
KO: 36 (67.92%)
Rounds Boxed: 291 rounds

Height: 5'6 1/2"
Reach: 67"

Last five Opponents:
Oscar De La Hoya -W TKO 8
David Diaz - W TKO 9
Juan Manuel Marquez - W SD 12
Marco Antonio Barrera - W UD 12
Jorge Solis - W KO 8
Ricky "Hitman" Hatton
Age: 30
Division: Light Welterweight
Belt: The Ring Belt 140 Lbs
Country: United Kingdom

Record: 45 - 1 - 0
KO: 32 (69.57%)
Rounds Boxed: 274 rounds

Height: 5'7 1/2"
Reach: 65"

Last five Opponents:
Paul Malignaggi - W TKO 11
Juan Lazcano - W UD 12
Floyd Mayweather Jr - L TKO 10
Jose Luis Castillo - W KO 4
Juan Urango - W UD 12

Stop Animal Cruelty - Jail JC Candare - Justice for Tengteng - The Petition Site

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/102/Justice-for-Tengteng
Stop Animal Cruelty - Jail JC Candare - Justice for Tengteng - The Petition Site

Sagada, Philippines

One of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Please check my article on Sagada at - http://tourism-philippines.com/sagada/

Feel free to leave your comments. :)