Korean war film on Pinoy soldiers premieres in Seoul

“The Forgotten War,” a film about the Filipino soldiers who took part in the Korean War from 1950 to 1955, had its exclusive premiere at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the film is a 90-minute feature that tackles the exploits of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) as they fou

ght under the auspices of the United Nations Command.

“The Forgotten War” directed by Carlo Cruz is an independent film produced by Smoke and Mirrors Entertainment.

The movie stars ABS-CBN talent Baron Geisler with Kyla Lapus, Lance Raymundo and Yul Servo.

“It recreates important battle scenes and shares the stories of the soldiers as they faced adversity in a foreign land, finding courage, dedication, strength and love amidst the tragic backdrop of war,” the DFA said.

It also offers a compelling account of how close ties developed between the Philippines and South Korea and highlights the valuable role that the Philippines played in safeguarding democracy in the peninsula.

“As we celebrate this year the 60 years of friendship between the Philippines and Korea, we honor 

the memories of the 7,500 soldiers through the world premiere of “The Forgotten War,” Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Luis Cruz was quoted as saying.

“Through this film, we hope to immortalize their stories,” he added.

The premiere is as part of the yearlong activities prepared by the Philippine Embassy to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Korea on March 3, 1949.(http://www.goodnewspilipinas.com)

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Mall guard returns P2.4M in cash, checks

Trinidad Quintana, an SM City Baliuag security guard found and returned a clutch bag containing P2.4 million worth of checks and P35,000.

Quintana, a four month old employee with the RDC Security Agency was on a routine check at the mall’s food court when he saw the clutch bag on a table.

The 27-year old said he initially kept watch on the clutch bag, thinking that its owner might have gone to the comfort room. With nobody taking it after a few minutes, he then asked a couple on another table if it was theirs.

Since its owner apparently had already left, Quintana took the clutch bag and brought it to his office.

Beverly Cruz, public relations officer of SM City Baliuag, said the clutch bag contained at least seven checks worth P2.4 million, P35,000 in cash and other valuables.

The bag was later returned to its owner, a certain Matias Cruz.

When asked why he returned the bag, Quintana said it was not his and it’s part of his job to do so.

Quintana added that his parents had taught him to be honest, explaining that he felt good after the owner got the bag.

The SM City Baliuag management commended Quintana for his honesty.

The third of nine siblings from Leyte, Quintana aspires to become a police officer. He finished his Bachelor of Science in Criminology at the Tacloban-Leyte Colleges in 2007.(http://goodnewspilipinas.com)

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Pacman bobbleheads in Giants-Padres game

Manny Pacquiao, the person and the bobblehead doll, were all over the AT&T Park in San Francisco as the Pinoy boxing icon was the honorary guest in the Major League Baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres.

Boxing’s pound-for-pound champion whose visit was part of “Filipino Heritage Night” hosted by the Giants threw the ceremonial pitch for the Giants-Padres baseball match.

Giants Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, who is half-Filipino, was behind the plate t

o catch Pacquiao’s pitch.

The “Filipino Heritage Night” is an annual event hosted by the Giants to honor the Bay Area’s

 large Filipino-American population.

Lucky fans also received limited edition Pacquiao bobblehead dolls which are now up for auction on Ebay.

Pacquiao was such a lucky charm for the Giants, his presence sold 11,000 extra tickets, which is better compared to last year’s Filipino night that drew a group of 5,000.

The event raised $50,000 that will be used by the Giants’ for their charity works, and last but not the least, San Francisco won the game, 8-3.

Pacman is in the homestretch of his three-month training for his scheduled fight against Englishman Ricky Hatton on May 2 (May 3 in Manila) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Ve

gas.

At stake in their 12-round bout are Hatton’s International Boxing Organization and Ring Magazine world light welterweight titles.

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‘Project Drive’ drives through Iloilo

www.thenewstoday.info

Project DRIVE (Dagdag Regular Income Via Entrepreneurship), intended to extend micro-financing to the spouses and immediate family members of drivers and conductors of public utility vehicles, will be launched in Iloilo City.

The Philippine Postal Savings Bank, (PPSB) Inc. which spearheads the campaign, is targeting from 60 to 100 participants to attend its launching at Grand Hotel, on April 29, from 2 – 5 in the afternoon.

PPSB Senior Manager Alfredo Tayo III, said Project DRIVE is the Arroyo government’s response to the unpredictable increase in price of oil and gas by providing a safety net to public transport cooperatives or associations.

Tayo said DRIVE is a micro-finance project open to spouses and immediate family members of drivers and conductors of PUVs who are accredited or registered transport cooperatives or associations by the Office of the Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) and the Land Transportation and Franchising Board (LTFRB).

In this Micro-Finance Facility, each transport cooperative or association can avail of interest free and no collateral capital seed fund amounting to P5,000 per beneficiary or a maximum of P150,000 for 30 beneficiaries for a term of one year.

President Gloria Arroyo has approved the release of P500 million for the project taken from VAT proceeds and released by the Budget Department directly to the PPSB.

Tayo said the Transport Cooperative/Association assisted by the OTC and the LTFRB shall establish a criteria for screening eligible spouses and immediate family members of drivers and conductors.

When the first 30 beneficiaries pass the selection criteria, the transport cooperative/association should identify viable livelihood project to be undertaken by each beneficiary including the financing requirement and prepare a list of livelihood projects to be financed by the PPSB.

The cooperative or association shall then prepare the loan documentation and application in accordance with the checklist of requirements of PPSB, and then submit the loan application to the nearest PPSB branch.

The PPSB will have more details on this scheme, as they conduct the information dissemination campaign, Tayo said. (PPSB/PIA6/ESS)

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"THE BATTLE OF EAST AND WEST" LIVE ONLINE STREAMING

Please stay tuned to NEWSBITS.co.cc to watch "THE BATTLE OF EAST AND WEST" live from MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. Don't be left out, subscribe to NEWSBITS.co.cc to keep informed of this much awaited fight between "Pac Man" Pacquiao and Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton this May 2, 2009.

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THE BATTLE OF EAST AND WEST" SOLD OUT

PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 22 Apr 2009

Closed Circuit Tickets Still Available For Pacquiao vs. Hatton May 2nd Mega-Fight 

LOS ANGELES, April 21 - After capturing the world's attention, "The Battle of East and West", the mega-fight between Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao and Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton on May 2nd at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, has officially sold out. For those not as fortunate as the thousands of fans who will be in the arena that night, there is still a chance to experience the action in Las Vegas as closed circuit tickets are still available at Mandalay Bay, Mirage, TI, Monte Carlo, Circus Circus, Luxor and New York-New York.

"Given that the live gate for this event is sold out, coupled with the sellout of tonight's San Francisco Giants baseball game where Manny is the guest of honor, indicates to me that 'The Battle of East and West' is on track to break all existing pay-per-view records," said Bob Arum, Chairman of Top Rank. 

"We're extremely pleased with the way fans have reacted to this event and I'm really not surprised that this fight is sold out," said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. "You've got two of the best fighters in the world in Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao, as well as two of the most exciting fighters, facing each other in their primes. This is going to be a fight to remember." 

Tickets for the closed circuit telecast are priced at $50, not including handling fees. All seats are general admission and are now on sale at each individual property's box office outlets or by phone with a major credit card at (866) 799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. 

Pacquiao vs. Hatton - "The Battle of East and West," a 12-round bout for Hatton's IBO and Ring Magazine World Junior Welterweight titles, is promoted by Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, in association with MP Promotions and Hatton Promotions, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Southwest Airlines. The championship bout, scheduled for Saturday, May 2, will be produced and distributed by HBO-Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. 

HBO Sports' all-access reality series "PACQUIAO/HATTON 24/7" will premiere episode #3 in HD on Saturday, April 25 at 9:35 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. Episodes #1 & 2 are available on HBO ON DEMAND. 

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Hole in The Wall premieres tonight, April 20

Be prepared for the craziest thing to squeeze into primetime television as the segment-turned-worldwide phenomenon from Japan invades the Philippines this  April!

Let top-caliber comedian Michael V. and funny man Ogie Alcasid stretch the limits of entertainment possibilities in the most-awaited game show this season titled Hole In The Wall.

Watch Ogie and Bitoy as the tongue-in-cheek duo Angelina and Yaya cheer on teams of players as they twist and turn to fit their bodies through oddly-shaped holes cut from gigantic walls hurtling towards them.
Read the full story here.

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20 Most Important Inventions of the Next 10 Years

Things are looking pretty bleak right now. But, the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention.

 

Innovation from Recession

BusinessWeek asked several futurists, including Futurist.com's Glen Hiemstra, consultant David Zach, and author Howard Rheingold, to describe what they'd like to see arise from the current downturn. Notably, our experts didn't think of innovation merely in terms of products or services. These ideas will change the way humans interact with the earth — and with each other.
-- By Damian Joseph, BusinessWeek

del.icio.us Tags: 20 Most Important Inventions,technology

1. Ocean-Driven Hydropower. Till now, hydropower has mostly been generated at dams. Now, turbines around the world are being designed to harness the power of the ocean. Blue Energy Canada is close to commercializing a turbine that captures energy from ocean currents, and already has purchased power agreements in India, Indonesia, and New Zealand. With a set of subway-size floating turbines, Pelamis Wave Power is converting wave power into electricity off the coast of Scotland.

 

2. Miniaturized Medical Equipment

Truly tiny implants that can test, diagnose, and even alert doctors to problems with their patients will replace costly routine visits. Researchers in the Netherlands say they've developed a pill that can be loaded with medicine and programmed to travel to a specific part of the body to unload it. A pen-size device is being developed at the University of Texas that can detect skin cancer without the need for a biopsy.

 

3. 3D Printing

It has been around for a while, but 3D printing, in which three dimensional object is created by layering and connecting successive cross sections of material, is becoming more affordable, which in itself will unleash a host of new inventions and applications, pushing beyond prototypes and models. Scientists have been experimenting using the technology to reconstruct human tissue.

 

4. Even Smarter Apps

  Mobile applications can already identify what song is playing, point you to a nearby restaurant, or manage your social networking utilities, but that was just the start. The relatively low cost of entry and the speed at which an app hits or misses creates a environment ripe for breakthrough innovation. What's next could be the first big business to arise from the downturn.

 

5. Next-Generation Bio-Fuels

The first round of biofuels caused a spike in global food prices. Now companies are developing the next generation from non-edible sources. Scientists at ADM (ADM) are creating cellulosic ethanol from corn stalks, and other companies are experimenting with switchgrass, woodchips, and the tropical grass miscanthus.

 

6. Electric Avenues

While Detroit struggles, would-be automakers are getting in on the action, with a host of electric vehicles now in various states of readiness to roll. Shai Agassi's Better Place is proposing a network of stations where drivers of electric cars can exchange dying batteries for ones freshly charged. For its part, GM's (GM) Chevy Volt is due in 2010.

 

7. Truly "On-Demand" Entertainment

As entertainment technologies converge, we're better able to watch, listen, or read anything we want any time we want. The Netflix Player by Roku streams an ever-growing library of Netflix and Amazon content directly to the TV. Apple TV offers both shows and movies for purchase or rental. Open-source media software, Boxee, aims to run on all third-party streaming boxes and plans to release its own box, too. Soon, these systems won't only be for the alpha geeks.

 

8. Nanotech Computing

In Chicago, two separate teams recently made breakthroughs that dramatically shrink the size of electronics. One team's new transistors allow for processors that will make silicon chips seem gigantic. The other came up with film material that can store the equivalent of 250 DVDs on the space of a quarter.

 

9. Cure for Cancer

Huge advances are being made that could some day eradicate cancer, AIDS, brain tumors, prostate cancer, and other diseases. Nanotech medicine provides a more targeted delivery to cells than chemotherapy or other treatments, which means doctors can lower dosages to minimize side effects.

 

Click here to see the rest on BusinessWeek.com

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Ted Failon's wife shot, critically wounded

MANILA, Philippines -- The wife of broadcast journalist Ted Failon was shot in the head by still unidentified suspects inside their house in Quezon City today.

Trinidad Etong, 45, was declared brain-dead by physicians at the New Era Hospital after sustaining a bullet wound in her right temple.The slug went through the side of her head, police said.

Police said the incident happened around 10: 30 a.m. inside their home in Tierra Pura Subdivision in Quezon City. The victim's sisters brought her to the hospital after hearing the gunfire, police added.

Investigators have yet to release an official statement and findings on the incident.

Meanwhile, Bong Osorio, ABS-CBN corporate communications head, issued the statement over dzMM, urging the privacy of Failon, a news anchor of the network giant.

"We appeal to everyone to please respect the privacy of Ted Failon and his family. His wife is fighting for her life," Osorio said.

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Pinoy lawyer wins award in US

MANILA, Philippines - Environmental lawyer Tony Oposa will receive the International Environmental Law Award from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) at a luncheon ceremony in Washington on April 21.

Oposa is cited as “one of Asia’s leading voices in the global arena of environmental law.”

“His work is internationally known for establishing at the highest Philippine Court of Law the principle of inter-generational responsibility – the right to sue governments on behalf of future generations to stop environmental damage,” an announcement from CIEL said.

An activist working on local, national, and international levels, he has worked tirelessly to protect the country’s natural resources. His work includes a decade-long fight with the government to clean up and rehabilitate Manila Bay, curb over-fishing in the Visayan Sea, fight the misappropriation of the country’s forest resources, and establish the School of the Seas, a learning center for sustainable living.

Oposa said the award “belongs to us all – the Filipino… It is my dream that one day, our collective efforts and passions will ‘infect’ the rest of our people and that one day, we – all the Filipinos, with our native genius for Nature and the natural sciences and arts – will be the beacons of light for the rest of the world.”

The CIEL award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the effort to achieve solutions to environmental problems through international law and institutions.

CIEL is a nonprofit organization working to use international law and institutions to protect the environment, promote human health, and ensure a just and sustainable society. It was founded in 1989 and is based in Washington.

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U-S Inn Chain to Expand in 6 RP Cities

Georgia-based Microtel Inn and Suites is exploring the possibility of putting up more hotels in six major cities in the country.

Microtel Pilipinas President Jose Mari del Rosario said the plan is to build new budget hotel’s in Dagupan, Angeles City, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos and Naga amid increasing demand.

The company already operates nine Microtel Inn hotels in Batangas, Tarlac, Baguio City, Boracay, Mactan, Cavite, Cabanatuan, Davao and the recently opened 50-room unit in Palawan.

One more Microtel Inn hotel will be opened before the end of the year in the SM Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City.

The 150-room hotel, which will be the biggest Microtel in the country, is a joint venture between Bacnotan Consolidated Industries Inc. of the Del Rosario family and the Hernandez family of Victory Liner.

Del Rosario said the company was targeting local tourists as budget hotels provided the best value for money, and was resistant to the global economic crisis.

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Filipino Tech Team Unveils “Intelligent TV”

A new Filipino tech company unveiled the prototype of an LCD interactive television (iTV) set, claiming to be the first of its kind to be produced in the Philippines.

Dubbed “Ilumina”, the LCD iTV was described by its creators as “a television set with the brain of a personal computer.”

The Ilumina contains a flat-screen LCD display, a hard drive and a multimedia center that allows owners to see movies, listen to music, watch and record TV shows, and even surf the web.

Its creator Inovent Inc revealed that the Ilumina was produced from easily available electronic parts to prove a point. “We want to show that the Filipinos can do it, that we stand a chance in the electronic industry and we can even excel in it,” said Inovent Inc. Chief Inoventor Brian Quebengco. “To our knowledge, this has never been done before in the Philippines. The team is actually making history.”

Ilumina is being positioned as a showcase of Filipino ingenuity particularly on engineering and design. It signals the changing habits of younger generations who grew up on the iPod, MP3s, and TV-show and movie downloads. In April of this year, iTunes took the title of top music store, besting even top-selling offline stores like Best Buy and Walmart.

“Ilumina is at the crux of a major change in our lifestyles. With Ilumina, you can play music and watch movies from Ilumina itself. No more need for separate players. It will provide that convenience to everyone,” added Mark Ruiz, Chief Marketing Inoventor.

To provide the intelligence for Ilumina, Quebengco and Ruiz tapped Dig It All Solutions, a software development company specializing on open source software. Val Gonzales, Dig It All Solutions CEO, said “We had a very tight schedule. Creating software from scratch would have been a disaster. Open source software allowed us to build an interface for Ilumina very quickly.”

Quebengco also pointed out the benefit of harnessing the creative power of a multi-disciplinary, inter-school team. “Ilumina demonstrates the power of creative collaboration. Our team members are from LaSalle, Ateneo and UP. Our normal stereotype is that these schools compete against each other, but we can also put our minds together and create something beautiful, something we can all be proud of.”

Quebengco attributed the success of the prototype to the effort and dedication of the Ilumina team. To keep expenses to a minimum, the Ilumina team took a cue from the garage startups of Silicon Valley. Working in garages to keep expenses low and rendering work at minimal or no costs.

“We simply copied the Silicon Valley way and added a modern day convenience — virtual meetings through chat and a web bulletin board. All of us have day jobs but were willing to work extra hours to complete the prototype. Some of us have not slept for more than three days,” Gonzales said.

InoventDesign has promised future upgrades both in the hardware and software of Ilumina.

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