NOT BAD FOR SHAMCEY

Shamcey Supsup, our very own representative to the 2011 Miss Universe pageant finished 3rd Runner-Up (4th place) in the recently held iconic beauty competition in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Angola’s Leila Lopes took home the crown.

Miss Philippines placed a notch higher this year. In 2010’s Miss Universe, Philippines represented by Venus Raj placed 4th Runner-up (5th place). Compared to Shamcey, Venus was an early favourite to win the crown but failed to make it due to a major, major miss during the final question and answer.

This year the Bb. Pilipinas organization led by Stella Araneta learned their lessons well. It was Q&A where we lost thus they will never commit the same mistake again. True enough Shamcey was a beauty to behold during the last round with one of the anchors commenting that her answer “blew me away”. She was very articulate, the only girl who answered without an interpreter by the way & responded with confidence & humility. Her answer to Vivica Fox’s question, “Would you change your religion to marry the man you love who has a different belief?” reflected her personality & conservative upbringing. I must say Shamcey’s parents are very proud with her response telling the judges & the whole world that she won’t change her religion because first & foremost her first love is God, her Creator.

Shamcey’s answer was not surprising considering that she is a Filipina & was schooled in a conservative Catholic school back in her province at Gen San. Her answer was neither wrong nor right. It was a matter of personal opinion. The main factor why she did not take home the crown would be because her answer may not have universal appeal. It was a very safe answer. She could have won the crown & everyone’s applause if she took a risk & explored options in her reply.

A better answer in my opinion would be to say that religion is not a hindrance at all in relationships. Although it is a factor for a successful relationship it should not be the entire basis at all. She could have added momentum by opining that we only have one God & His love is universal thus two people with different religions as long as they have pure love for each other may succeed in their relationship because they are being unified by just one God & to show practicality & flexibility in her personality she could have said, strong relationships are based on mutual understanding & respect for each other & with a strong foundation of pure love for each other definitely there will always be means for two different people to meet halfway harmoniously. If she thought that way, I would say, she could be our 3rd Miss Universe. But I am not Shamcey. And we think differently.

Personally, I was satisfied with her answer. The feeling, of course is really different when you’re up stage. I can’t even tell if one will be able to think straight once fielded with a very simple question upon realizing that your country is counting on you & a billion people worldwide is waiting both for your victory or downfall. What brings me with so much pride is that Shamcey didn’t fail us. She was able to dispel rumours that Filipinas are just pretty & have nothing between their ears. She regained last year’s Q&A disappointment with Venus Raj & Miriam Quiambao’s unprepared reply in 1999.

Miss Angola didn’t finish her answer but it was filled with substance. She was able to point her message well. I think she earned a high score from Lea Salonga alone who questioned her who has been very vocal about rooting for a candidate not only with beauty, grace & charm but with substance. Angola’s Leila Lopes answered with charm. She was smiling all throughout her response & with such firmness stood by her own opinion but justified herself graciously.



Angola’s Lopes was a strong candidate even from the beginning. She stood out during the preliminaries with her stunning beauty, perfect posture, grace & elegance especially during the evening gown competition. Her nearly perfect bronzed skin spelled I OWN THE UNIVERSE in her own way.





I did not have a personal bet to win Miss Universe this year. As compared with last year I was really betting my two cents on Venus. Down to the last round I thought Miss China will be the one to win the crown purely because of business reasons. Donald Trump has set his eyes on doing business with other countries & giving China the win mark would surely be a first step in tying up his business plans with today’s rising economy, China.



Miss China was a dark horse in the pageant. However she proved her way to the Top 5 with her disarming beauty. She is such a sight to captivate. She is also one of the tallest & sexiest. In her evening gown she spelled fierce & elegance. Too bad her answer during the last round ruined her chances. Her reply was quite unorganized & too limited.

Miss Philippines was not my personal bet at all. To be honest, I was not that confident that Shamcey will make it. I was more confident with Venus before. But good thing she proved me wrong. Her performance in the preliminaries definitely was a good one & fielded her with such excellent scores.

The surprise candidate to join the Top 16 was Miss Portugal. It was unexpected. She landed a spot purely because of the online polls. However during the swimsuit round for the Top 16 her beauty & physique cannot be denied. She even made it as far as joining the Top 10.



There were a few though on my personal list that didn’t make it to the Top 16. Bolivia had a face to behold but from what I’ve heard she flunked during the online interviews. Curacao was equally stunning as Angola & Trinidad&Tobago. I wonder what happened to her. Maybe she didn’t have a strong fan base.

Miss Bolivia's Olivia Pinheiro


Miss Curacao's Eva Van Putten


Slovak Republic, a very pretty girl was amiss as well. Perhaps the prettiest of them all, Miss Mexico also didn’t make it. Could it be because she was pretty enough to be a Hollywood actress? And that didn’t appeal to the organizers.

Miss Slovak Republic's Dagmar Kolesarova


Miss Mexico's Karin Ontiveros


Where was Miss Malaysia? Initially, we thought her as a strong front-runner. Dominican Republic & Greece, both of beauty queen stature also failed to make the cut.

Miss Malaysia's Debirah Henry


Miss Dominican Republic's Dalia Fernandez


Miss Greece's Iliana Papageorgiou


My unexpected finalists aside from Portugal were Kosovo & Netherlands. How come I weren’t noticing them with all the pre-pageant hooplas? They did not advance to the Top 10 though. They were not in my list for the Top 10. At least from that perspective I was right.

Miss Kosovo-Aferdita Dreshaj

Miss Netherlands-Kelly Weekers


If there is one category that I am good at judging at I would say it will be the swimsuit competition. Maybe because after all, I am a male & I am able to sense what men want when their girls flaunt in their bikinis.

All of my Top 7 bets from the Top 16 finalists made it to the Top 10. They were Costa Rica, France & Ukraine, my three highest scorers. Angola, Australia, Brazil & Philippines followed their lead. It was surprising that perennial pageant winners Puerto Rico, Venezuela & Colombia did not advance to the Top 10.

Miss Costa Rica's Johanna Solano


Miss France's Laury Thilleman


Miss Ukraine's Olesia Stefanko


During the evening gown my personal favourites were Australia, Costa Rica & Angola. All of them were stunning & very glamorous on stage. However Australia & Costa Rica didn’t make it. One thing I realized though, a woman’s true beauty really shines during the evening gown competition.





Today is such a victorious day for all Filipinos. I am sure every Filipino is real proud that we made waves in this year’s Miss Universe. Not only were we represented by the most beautiful Filipina but also our credibility in judging real beauties with substance were personified in Lea Salonga.

Aside from being this year’s Miss Universe 3rd Runner-up, Shamcey is a true winner indeed especially in the hearts of Filipinos because she just proved that Filipinas are well-rounded individuals who can be glamorous, sexy & beautiful at the same time without neglecting her roots, principles & values while being globally competitive.

For all beauty pageant aficionados Shamcey definitely sparked our country’s momentum more. She is an inspiration for being able to regain previous Miss Philippines candidates slump in the final question & answer. It will be more pressure to our country’s next candidate to the Miss Universe pageant because Shamcey, and Venus as well, quenched our decade-long drought in Miss Universe. Both girls did a very good job & the next contender, with all expectations soaring up is compelled to do better.

MISS UNIVERSE 2011: Angola – Leila Lopes
1st Runner-up: Ukraine – Olesia Stefanko
2nd Runner-up: Brazil – Priscilla Machado
3rd Runner-up: Philippines – Shamcey Supsup
4th Runner-up: China – Luo Zilin

TOP 10 Finalists:
Australia – Scherri-lee Biggs
Costa Rica – Johanna Solano
France – Laury Thilleman
Portugal – Laura Goncalves
Panama – Sheldry Saez

TOP 16 Finalists:
Puerto Rico – Viviana Ortiz
Venezuela – Vanessa Goncalves
Colombia – Catalina Robayo
Kosovo – Aferdita Dreshaj
Netherlands – Kelly Weekers
USA – Alyssa Campanella

I was also correct in betting for the Best in National Costume: PANAMA – Sheldry Saez

Miss Universe 2011: My Top 17

It's that time of the year again that we celebrate the world's most iconic beauty pageant, the Miss Universe. Now on its 60th year this year's competition will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil & is set to air tomorrow, Tuesday (September 13) at around 9am in Philippine shores.

A day before the competition I came up with my own bets to place in this year's Top 17. And they are:

1. VENEZUELA
2. BOLIVIA
3. CURACAO
4. FRANCE
5. SLOVAK REPUBLIC
6. PANAMA
7. ANGOLA
8. AUSTRALIA
9. MEXICO
10. BRAZIL
11. MALAYSIA
12. PHILIPPINES
13. COSTA RICA
14. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
15. USA
16. PUERTO RICO
17. GREECE

Strong possible shoo-ins: ARUBA, SOUTH AFRICA, COLOMBIA, EGYPT, INDONESIA, SPAIN & HONDURAS.

Dark horses: CYPRUS, CHINA, KOREA & JAPAN

Best National Costume: PANAMA


For the official photos check www.missuniverse.com

I Heart My Off

In our company it is seasonal that we get to experience two consecutive days off. Back when I was working for call centers I used to complain about how short two days of rest is not until I was out of the call center world & is now working for a company with normally, only has one day off. Suddenly I learned to appreciate the importance of taking a break from work & how one should spend days off to full satisfaction.

Let me share with you a few things I did since last week after getting the privilege to have two days off. These are activities that really relieves my stress.

Sunday of last week after my shift I discovered how leisurely Bonifacio High Street is. It was my first time in this upscale mall & I love the Fully Booked branch there. The bookworm in me fell in love once again for the nth time to books & book shops. I am so loving their stacks of cd's as well. I shall go back to add some few titles to my collection.



I shall go back this Saturday for a rare scheduled special screening of "Paglipad Ng Anghel" an indie film starring gifted thespian Sid Lucero. I am excited for a first time experience to watch a movie in U-View, Fully Booked's 69-seater basement theater.



Just across Bonifacio High Street is Serendra then across Serendra is Market Market. I've been to Market Market several times & everytime I'm there I never fail to eat at Ineng's. A cozy barbecue fast food that serves sumptous chicken & pork barbecue.



Market Market is such a happy place for happy people. It is also a one stop shop to those fond of bringing home native delicacies & pasalubongs from different parts of the country as it features stalls selling each province's specialties.

A personal favorite section in Market Market is its home & furniture store. The pieces are amazing & truly Filipino. There was a sale when we visited the shops. Too bad furniture shopping was not yet in my budget. Otherwise I would have bought several fascinating pieces.

The following day was spent on dvd hunting. I used to go to Quiapo for such hard-to-find dvd titles however since there is already a ban I have no choice but to reroute. Makati Cinema Square is my second choice. Although just a second choice I still get to relieve stress browsing from a wide array of movie titles. It is quite cozy in this shop which was a former Makati movie house but now almost left abandon but still operational with the remaining shops on it.

Going to Makati Cinema Square is one of my well-kept secret escapades. But now that it is being featured on this blog I think my secret's finally over.

Here are a few of the titles I bought:

MOVIES: Friends With Benefits, Trust, Jane Eyre, Midnight In Paris
CD's: All Souled Out (Jaya), Gail Blanco (Gail Blanco), Unbreakable (Rachelle Ann Go), Merry Christmas II You (Mariah Carey), OST - Tangled, Forevermore (Juris)

There were two Tagalog movies I watched during my last day off. Out of curiosity I screened Tikoy Aguiluz's "Tatsulok" which was not bad for a soft porn flick. The story provides substance to the film. The cast led by Elizabeth Oropesa & Albert Martinez also delivered good performances.



Celso Ad Castillo's "Isla" was the other movie I watched during last week's rest day. Too bad the copy I got was busted in the middle of the film. It's a promising film though. A true reflection of Filipino society in rural settings.



For this week's off there's so many things are on my to do & to watch list.

After our work schedule last Sunday a friend & I went to hear Mass at Baclaran Church. It was my first time to hear Mass in Baclaran. I didn't expect that the church is fully ventilated which really reduced heat that afternoon & is intricately designed. I shall go back to this church soon. I might even become a devotee.



The travel to Baclaran was exhausting as we had to walk from Pasay Taft to Baclaran Church. My source of entertainment while walking were peddlers on the street selling every item you can think of. Most of the items are RTW's & are really affordable. It's just not that comfortable to shop.

We arrived at Baclaran Church too exhausted & good thing Chowking was nearby. An order of their special halo-halo & yummy siopao quenched our exhaustion. Chowking halo-halo with extra milk is now a favorite of mine.

After Baclaran our next go to place is Mall of Asia. Although I live just near the place it is still very rare for me to drop by. Unless I want to buy something. MOA has improved a lot. We took a preview if the Science Discovery Center & will be going back soon to explore more of its features.

MOA by the bay is thrilling. There are a lot of activities to engage in. From strolling to zip lining MOA has changed how Pinoys shop.



I had to rush home & make sure that I make it to the premiere of GMA 7's "Philippine Treasures". I've been anticipating this tv special ever since the network started airing teasers.

After watching the show it made me more proud to be a Filipino. I came to realize that Filipinos are an existing civilization even before Christ's birth. We already had our national identity long before conquerors set foot in our land.

"Philippine Treasures" reawakened my interest in history that I am now seriously considering taking crash courses in maybe history, anthropology or archaeology.



Tomorrow it's Miss Universe 2011 & all eyes are set on the Philippines' bet Shamcey Supsup. I know she will do her best & I am excited how my other bets will fare in the world's most iconic pageant.

Iglot: A Simple Yet Heartfelt Premiere

finally, the better (when it comes to acting) barretto sister is back on national primetime tv, a slot she previously dominated for quite a long time when she was still ABS-CBN's prized talent.



i don't remember GMA giving Claudine a project that really has recall. good thing she agreed to star in Iglot which is a very promising series & for sure will charm kids' hearts. i believe GMA got the idea of having Claudine star right next to a child star was because of her heartfelt performance with Jillian Ward's christmas series last December. her chemistry with children & motherly appeal definitely paved the way for her to star in this new show. in Iglot, the Optimum Star shares lead billing with Milkach Wynne Nacion (her name's quite difficult to remember though), GMA's newest child star.

i was able to catch the premiere telecast today & i think it is worth following considering that it airs just after the network's primetime news it wouldn't be much of an effort to follow through (compared with Big Thing, a koreanovela which i happen to like but entails a lot of sacrifice just to watch it because of it's almost midnight airtime schedule).

Iglot's story is easy to follow. it is not surprising though. it's premise comes from a previously top-rating tv series, Mulawin. although you'll know what to expect in the next few episodes it's charm can be undeniable. for adults it will bring out the kid in you. this can also be GMA's answer to ABS-CBN's 100 Days to Heaven & TV5's Bangis, tv serials that are currently getting kids' attention. Iglot will definitely steal a chunk of this viewership share as the plot thickens & most especially when Iglot starts appearing.

it's first episode is very simple. nothing extravagant at all. however, i would like to commend its cinematographer for taking shots which are easy on the eyes & visually enticing when magnified on screen. the angles by which shots are taken were carefully thought of.

production set & design was also good. it was able to capture a rural ambiance the story is aiming for. Mt. Makiling appearing as a backdrop amidst lush rice fields is such a release from stress when seen. the architectural design of the house used as Luis Alandy's place is impressive & appropriate because it showed the grandeur of provincial luxury.

there were some inconsistencies though. Marvin Agustin may be miscast as Claudine's farmer-boyfriend, physically. for a farmer he looks so expensive especially on the scene where Marvin proposes to Claudine atop a bridge in an irrigation water-fed canal. it cannot be denied that his polo & jeans are branded. same thing happens on the scene where he was plowing rice fields. was his jeans Levi's? he also looks too made up to act as a farmer. he looks like a haciendero to me. he looks more moneyed than Luis Alandy's role.



Marvin's dilemma also happens to Patrick Garcia. Marvin, luckily, for sure will be able to match his physicality & fashion style as his role progresses for i think he will become rich in the course of this series. but Patrick's role? i simply have no idea. for an assistant, he doesn't look the part. maybe he & Luis Alandy should switch roles instead. Patrick looks like the senyorito boss especially when he's inside Luis Alandy's van.

Iglot is a comeback & reunion of sorts for the cast. all major cast were former stables of ABS-CBN. it is not only Claudine who will regain stardom in this series but also, Jolina Magdangal (who, for the first time is not in a goody good girl role. thumbs up for the risk taken!), Luis Alandy, Patrick Garcia & Marvin Agustin. personally, the major cast ensemble appears worth following for me because they were the young stars of my generation. i was a teener too enticed with pop culture when they all started in showbiz thus, i can say, they represented my generation.







i hope Iglot gets better everyday. after all, you don't need an extravagant production all the time. sometimes the sincerest stories are the ones worth following & in my personal opinion i believe this show has what it takes to tickle our imagination & hearts.

Gap Filler: DESIDERATA (Once again, a glimpse at my favorite poem..)

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

-Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

destination: laguna

last sunday, 5th of june, my team & i plus a couple of good friends were all too excited to embark on a journey. a very simple one, actually. it does not call for big budgets & too detailed preparations. it just entails riding a bus, commuting south of Manila & enjoying relaxing backgrounds.moreover, this was also our own way to celebrate & signal the start  of our office's non-peak season which means we will now be having two days off beginning this June until the end of July.

our first stop is Laguna, a province associated with hot springs, buko pie, espasol & Mt. Makiling. but this we did not do or experience for we wanted to experience more of the unfamiliar routes in the province. after all, for me, taking roads less traveled are far more exciting than treading familiar paths.

Laguna has grown close to my heart having considered it as my second home after the Bicol Region where I was born & raised. i was 17, a college freshman at UPLB when i called Laguna home. i would spend here all the wonderful years of my life, memorable & far more different from what I've experienced in my home region.

call it nostalgia. but i always like going back to Laguna. maybe because i already have an attachment to this place. or maybe because i call myself also as 'taga-Laguna'. it is for this obvious reason that i am proud of this place which is reasonable enough why it is a default for me to always invite close friends to Laguna.

we left the office at around 8 am & we were lucky to board a bus along Edsa going to Sta. Cruz, Laguna. first thing to do in our itinerary was to drop by UPLB through IRRI(Int'l. Rice Research Institute) & have brunch before embarking on a sightseeing to other towns.

oour entry to IRRI was made more fun by being brought there by trolleys, a makeshift vehicle made to run along train rails. not my first time to ride this very only in the Philippines type of vehicle but my friends can't help but grin upon seeing this type of ride. they can't help but giggle as soon as we started riding. as for me, i relished the fresh air brushing my face, which is very absent from the roads of Manila as we headed to IRRI.IRRI, although an experimental site is a relaxing site to see with its verdant pastures & feel clean atmosphere. it does not appear as an intimidating building but instead has a very homey feel. we took time to capture the relaxing moments we had in the facility by doing our own pose in different points of the area.

UPLB was not part of the itinerary but my friends insisted that we drop by even for just a moment. anyway, since we were already there we tried walking along Pili Drive from IRRI inwards to the UP campus. Luckily, a jeepney passed by & we had a ride all the way to Freedom Park. If you are running out of time & need to drop by UPLB the best site to go to is the Freedom Park where you can see the symbolical landmark of UP, The Carillon & in this campus, the infamous fertility tree known to have impregnated a number of UPLB female students & hometown residents as well.

[caption id="attachment_15" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="The huge tree mightily standing is the infamous Fertility Tree. Behind it is UPLB's version of the Carillon, a symbol of UP's resilience."][/caption]

It was scorching hot when we stopped by Pila, Laguna thus we can't resist the sweet & cooling taste of ice scramble presented to us in a kiosk. Here's a sample of what we ate while enjoying the rustic ambiance of Pila:



And here's our own version of ice scramble endorsements:



Pila is Laguna's "Little Vigan". It is an old town with Spanish-type designed houses. It is charming to note that these houses are preserved the way they have been almost a hundred years ago. Since we can't afford Vigan right now we contented ourselves by being delighted with these houses which we wish we had lived in.



There was not much to do in Pila except enjoying the sights of old houses & feeling time-warped into another era which is a great feeling, by the way. Before leaving this town we managed to play our own antics after discovering the beauty of having a tripod with you to take pictures.

The highlight of our trip was visiting Liliw, Laguna - the Footwear Capital of Laguna. Perhaps, next to Marikina, Liliw is the second most famous place known for producing footwear. If not for its location veering away from the Metro it could even grab the top spot from Marikina.

Liliw is such a promising place. I always love going back to this place. I could skip all other towns in Laguna but not Liliw. Maybe it's because of my gastronomic side that all of us had a sumptuous feast at a homey restaurant there called Arabella's. Definitely, Arabella is one of the reasons to keep on visiting Liliw. Next to buying cheap, quality & beautiful footwear. After filling your day with shopping never fail to not drop by in this place otherwise you'll regret it. Here's a sample of what we ordered:

[caption id="attachment_31" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="No, they did not order me. But this drink in front of me. A concoction of cucumber, sparkling soda, mint & lemon. So refreshing that it will quench your thirst in an instant & will leave you asking for more."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_32" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="Chicken alfredo pasta. I thought this dish was so normal but it was not until I tasted it's secret ingredient: peanut butter. I never thought pasta & peanutbutter can get along so well."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_33" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Vongole. Satisfied my craving up to the last bite. Clams & pasta.. I just can't wait to have another order of this one."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_34" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="The classic blueberry cheesecake. And who can't resist it's disarming sweetness?"][/caption]

One of the most beautiful churches I've ever been to is the Liliw Church. It's unique facade sets it apart from other old churches in the country. It is colored brick orange & once you're in front of this church you'll be in awe & makes you feel that you're in another country. Rome, perhaps?

One thing I learned from this trip is to cap off all road trips with a relaxing activity. Make it the last activity in your itinerary & on this trip we decided to go swimming in a not-so-famous resort called 'Batis Ng Liliw'. The cool water was enough to soothe our tired muscles from a day long road trip. It was all worth it bathing in this relaxing pool.



I really love Laguna. I am not yet tired discovering it's simple wonders. Everytime I pay a visit I still get surprised. For sure, another trip to this place is being planned out. In the meantime, this same group of people you'll see in another trip & this time we're off to Lipa, Batangas. I can't wait for our next adventure.