Nestle Philippines' Kasambuhay Habambuhay: A short film Anthology.

Ngayong taon, pinagdiriwang ng NESTLE PHILIPPINES ang kanilang 100 years. At bilang pagbibigay pasasalamat sa mga taga-tangkilik ng kanilang mga produkto ay inihandog nila ang isang Short Film Anthology na pinamagatang Kasambuhay Habambuhay.

Binubuo ang anthology na ito ng 10 Short Films in 100 minutes.

Ang pagkakasunod-sunod nito ay base sa sarili kong pagkaka-paborito at pinakanagustuhan. :)

TOP 1: 

“Unplugged” by Raul Jorolan

Genre: A Feel-Good Adventure of Discovery

A Football coach (Marvin Agustin) takes his team of teenage boys out on a fieldtrip to the provincial home of his grandfather (Eddie Garcia). But instead of bonding as a team, the boys are more caught up with their gadgets. The coach’s grandfather is determined to change all that as he challenges the boys to detach from their virtual distractions and explore the great outdoors instead. The boys then unlock a new world of natural wonder and discovery, realizing that going offline is the only way to reconnect back to life. A life that is… unplugged.

TOP 2:

“The Howl and the Fussyket” by Chris Martinez

Genre: A Family Comedy of Manners

8-YEAR OLD AARON (Gerald Pesigan) is dead set on winning the Grand Prize in his 2nd Grade declamation contest. He is determined to win despite his obvious “f” and “p” speech defect, a proclivity common amongst some Filipinos to interchange the pronunciation of English words with the letters “f” and “p”. His mother (Eugene Domingo) takes an active albeit humorous role in preparing him for the competition. This is a story of perseverance, family unity and the real meaning of triumph and possibly the “Rocky” of all declamation contests!

TOP 3:

“Tingala Sa Baba” by Henry Frejas

Genre A Coming-of-Age Satire

IN A TYPICAL PLAYGROUND, life plays a game of irony when two 8-year old kids are on a seesaw. One is a rather hefty child from a well-to-do family who is stuck at the bottom, whereas a lanky child brought up in poverty is on top. Rich kid is looking up to the poor boy, who in turn, is looking down on him. How will the rich kid reverse his position The answer to that question will make one realize that friendship is more valuable than money, while the other one would discover his true worth as a friend.

TOP 4:

“Oh! Pa Ra Sa Ta U Wa Yeah!” by Jeorge Agcaoili

Genre An Original Pinoy Musical Comedy

THE CLEMENTE FAMILY IS OFF TO AN OUTING but teenage son, Nicos (Neil Coleta), seems out of it. Nicos is besotted with his ladylove, Mattina (Colleen Garcia), whom he can’t quite figure out. The inside info that Nicos gets from Mattina’s younger sister, Bettina (Jillian Ward), doesn’t seem to help. Seeing his son’s despair, Nicos’ father finally shares to his son an ancient family heirloom. It is a 100-year old manual containing the secrets, alphabetically arranged, of how men in their clan courted women. Through this, Nicos finally learns what every man should know by heart — the ABC’s of what women truly want.

TOP 5:

“Downtown” by Stephen Ngo

Genre: A Quiet Story of Love

IN A CHINESE COMMUNITY IN DOWNTOWN MANILA, we meet a man who has floated through life with his ladylove by his side. But now, times have changed as he begins each day waking up alone on his bed made for two. He realizes that his coffee has it better because, at least, it has a creamer to be its mate. In these moments, he misses his beloved the most and decides to get his act together for a second shot at the greatest thing in life— love.

TOP 6:

“Silup” by Jun Reyes

Genre: A Gritty Urban Drama

SILUP IS “PULIS” (Police) SPELLED BACKWARDS. We peek into the life of a Manila cop (Sid Lucero) whose day is made up of dealing with denizens and the crimes they commit. At work, he may be all tough and stern, but at home, we see his more sensitive side. He has this mysterious routine of taking out a can of sterilized milk from a cupboard and depositing his revolver in its place. Later on, it is revealed why he makes the switch and symbolizes how it is like to live by his duty as a policeman to serve and protect.

TOP 7:

“Sign Seeker” by Carlo Directo

Genre A Romantic Comedy

A SUPERSTITIOUS GUY, Bien (John Lloyd Cruz), seeks all sorts of “divine” signs that will determine his decision of asking the girl of his dreams (Solenn Heussaff) out on a date. The fear of rejection swallows him whole, making him justify his cause to willfully seek for more unfathomable signs. But when each sign he seeks for materializes, he soon learns that he has to be careful with what he wishes for.

TOP 8:

“Sali Salita” by A/F Benaza

Genre A Family Fantasy Drama

A MOTHER WHO WRITES children’s storybooks, ironically, doesn’t have enough time to create stories for her own son. Therestless child finds a chance to create his own stories when his grandfather (Bodjie Pascua),comes up with a game. They fill an old milk can with pieces of paper, each containing a word which will be a “story-starter”. Tales of heroes and villains, magic and places fill up the child’s imagination. But the child’s made-up story is in need of a happy ending. Now, it depends on the storyteller mother to create the greatest ending of them all.

TOP 9:

“Cooking Mo, Cooking Ko” by Chris Martinez

Genre A Shakespearean Food Film

THIS COMEDIC VERSION OF THE CLASSIC “ROMEO AND JULIET” narrates two star-crossed lovers born into warring families who each happen to be proud owners of their own carinderias (local eateries) battling for their town’s cuisine supremacy. Old wounds are reopened among the Montano and the Capule families when the former’s loyal customers start patronizing the latter. Young lovers Romina Montano and Julius Capule are caught in this web of intrigue, espionage and extra rice.

TOP 10:

“Isang Tasang Pangarap” by Sid Maderazo

Genre: A Comedy of Epic Proportions

IN A SMALL TOWN DEVASTATED by calamity and chaos, Elias (Ramon Bautista), still holds on to the one thing he considers sacred—a shiny red coffee mug. For him, this mug not only symbolizes his love for coffee but his hope for a better life. After an enlightening encounter with a strange sari-sari store owner, he is suddenly gifted with the ability to tell the future. Soon enough, he is proclaimed as “The Coffee Psychic” and personifies hope for the townsfolk. But can hope truly spring eternal in this comedic homage to the award-winning epic Filipino film, “Himala” (Miracle)?

Eto ang pagkakasunod-sunod ng mga nagustuhan ko sa films nila. :D Feel Free to comment your own Top 10. :)

Thanks to  http://pinoymovieblog.com/ for the Film's Short Narration. :)

Jan-Jan Incident on Willing Willie TV Show

Willie Revillame has been known for being “generous” to people that’s why he became very appealing to the eyes of many. We cannot deny the fact that Willie is wealthy and can afford to buy anything he would want – condo units, malls, yachts, luxury cars and even girls. He is so rich that he can manipulate the minds of the poor that he is an ATM Machine and that he is their only hope in this poor country.

I have nothing against game shows or noon time shows because they are really entertaining, but sadly Filipinos become lazier and dependent on easy-money.  What’s worse? Even children now are allowed to play on game shows like this, while on other countries, one must be on legal age to join such game shows. Is this how desperate Filipino people are?

Few months ago, there has been an issue of child abuse on the show Willing Willie on TV5. This happened when a 6-year old boy named Jan-Jan was forced to do a stripper dance. I say “forced” because he was asked to do it not just once but four times more or less. The part that made me really mad was when he was lifted in an elevated stage that makes Janjan more exposed to people. The dancers and even Willie was there at the center, laughing so hard at JanJan making him cry while doing the macho dance.

Eto ang buong VIDEO! Look for yourselves.

“Ang hirap ng buhay ng tao, [si] Jan jan syempre nagsasayaw sya bilang isang macho dancer, sa edad nyang yan! Para sa kanyang mga mahal na pamilya. Pinahanga mo ako Janjan!” Revillame says with a laugh giving him 10,000 pesos.

Nowadays, for some people maybe, such acts are now looked up as a “just for fun”, but maybe some looked at it as child abuse in the form of forcing a child like Jan-Jan to dance like a macho dancer. What makes it worse is that Jan-Jan was crying during his performance. I can’t help but think, “kelan pa naging entertainment ang pag-iyak ng isang bata?”. It simply proves that there has been a child abuse.

If I were to own a company and to pick a TV show to advertise my products, why would I choose to sponsor a show that tolerates such acts? Why would I let my products be exposed on TV when there is child abuse happening? Maybe Willie Revillame can really bring my products to a hit, but I would never risk it if there’s something indecent with such TV show. Morality over everything is my business.

Never will I be blinded by Willie’s fame and money and never will he stain my company’s integrity!

UP, Ateneo, UST, La Salle in 2011 top 200 Asian universities

June 14, 2011, 1:47pm

By PIT M. MALIKSI (Contributor)

MANILA, Philippines — It has been an easy road for five universities from Japan, three from Hong Kong, one each from Singapore and South Korea to land in the 2011 top 10 slots of the best universities in Asia this year.

For the most part, Times Higher Education-Quacquarenelli Symonds also hands it to four Philippine universities to be at par with international education standards.

Alongside their ranks and scores, the Philippines’ big four, in keeping with their last year’s standing are — No. 62. University of the Philippines (UP) –58.10 percent; No. 68. Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) – 57.20 percent; No. 104. University of Santo Tomas (UST) – 47.10 percent; and 107. De La Salle University (DLSU)–45.90 percent.

Ateneo was ahead of UP in 2010 list.

It’s also a purposeful stride in that direction of higher quality tertiary education to have 11 additional Philippine universities cited in list of the top 500 universities in Asia.

Under each of the following 10 indicators, QS reports the top Philippine universities’ standing:

• Citations for faculty - 1.University of Santo Tomas (100% score); 112. University of the Philippines (65.60); 178. De La Salle University (48.50); 193. Ateneo de Manila University (44.00); 201+slots = Xavier University (26.00)

• International faculty – 109. UST (27.20); 158. ADMU(19.50); 201+ slots = DLSU (7.20), UP (4.60), University of San Carlos (4.60), Saint Louis University (4.00) • ACADEMIC PEER REVIEW– 32. UP (92.90); 47. ADMU (84.70); 73. DLSU (65.80); 95. UST (55.40); 148. University of San Carlos (26.80); 190. Silliman University (18.20); 201+ slots= Mapua Institute of Technology (12.70); Mindanao State University (10.70); St. Louis University (6.10); Adamson University (4.30); Central Mindanao University (3.90); University of Southeastern Phils. (1.70); Father Saturnino Urios College (1.60);

• International students – 94. DLSU (40.40); 112. ADMU (32.50); 125. Siliman University (29.50); 190. UST (15.70); 201+ slots = Mapua Institute of Technology (5.60); Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP - 1.70), Saint Louis University (12.20); UP (1.80).

• Employer review – 22. UP (94.20); 25.ADMU (92.30); 29. DLSU(89.09); 59. UST (73.00); 116. PUP (35.60); 124. Saint Louis University (33.30); 168.Mapua Institute of Technology (21.50); 180. Ateneo De Davao University (18.20); 191. Siliman University (16.60), and University of San Carlos (16.60); 201+ slots = Adamson University (15.20); Father Saturnino Urios College

• Student (per) faculty – 58. University of Southeastern Phils. (81.20); 132. Central Mindanao University (55.40); 172. Silliman University (47.20); 178. ADMU (46.50). • Life Science and Medicine – 37. UP (9.10); 61. UST (5.30); 64. ADMU (4.80); 74. DLSU (3.60); 158. Silliman University (1.20); 174. Xavier University (1.00); 177. Saint Louis University(1.00); 195. University of San Carlos (.08).

• Arts and Humanities – 20. UP (20.30); 29. ADMU (14.70); 59. DLSU (7.00); 103. UST (3.60). • NATURAL SCIENCES – 38. ADMU (8.50); 39. UP (7.90); 98. DLSU (2.50); 104. UST (2.30); 151.University of San Carlos (1.20).

• Engineering and Technology – 63. UP (5.70); 89. ADMU (3.30); 113. DLSU (2.40); 157. Mapua Institute of Technology (1.40); 170. UST (1.30).

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/322608/up-ateneo-ust-la-salle-2011-top-200-asian-universities

LETTERS to JULIET (2010)

Sophie's reply to Claire on her letter for Juliet:


Dear Claire,


"What" and "if" are two words as nonthreatening
as words can be. But put
them together side-by-side and they
have the power to haunt you for the
rest of your life: ‘What if?'..."

I don't know how your story ended.
But I know that if what you felt
then was true love - then
it's never too late. If it was true
then it why wouldn't it be true
now? You need only the courage to
follow your heart.

"I don't know what a love like Juliet's
feels like... a love to leave loved
ones for, a love to cross oceans
for... but I'd like to believe if I
ever felt it. I'd have the courage
to seize it. I hope you had the
courage to seize it.


And Claire,  if you didn't, I hope one
day that you will."


All my Love,
Juliet

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE BENEDICT XVI
FOR THE 45th WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY

Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age

June 5, 2011

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On the occasion of the 45^th World Day of Social Communications, I would like to share some reflections that are motivated by a phenomenon characteristic of our age: the emergence of the internet as a network for communication. It is an ever more commonly held opinion that, just as the Industrial Revolution in its day brought about a profound transformation in society by the modifications it introduced into the cycles of production and the lives of workers, so today the radical changes taking place in communications are guiding significant cultural and social developments. The new technologies are not only changing the way we communicate, but communication itself, so much so that it could be said that we are living through a period of vast cultural transformation. This means of spreading information and knowledge is giving birth to a new way of learning and thinking, with unprecedented opportunities for establishing relationships and building fellowship.

New horizons are now open that were until recently unimaginable; they stir our wonder at the possibilities offered by these new media and, at the same time, urgently demand a serious reflection on the significance of communication in the digital age. This is particularly evident when we are confronted with the extraordinary potential of the internet and the complexity of its uses. As with every other fruit of human ingenuity, the new communications technologies must be placed at the service of the integral good of the individual and of the whole of humanity. If used wisely, they can contribute to the satisfaction of the desire for meaning, truth and unity which remain the most profound aspirations of each human being.