The first Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition had few memorable moments. I wasn’t avid viewer of that show but if I have time I watch. Remember, the giggling moments between Bianca Gonzalez and Zanjoe Marudo; the hairy sacrifice of John Prats and the highlight of them all – the gay revelation of Rustom Padilla, now Bebe Gandanghari. Of course, part of that dramatic scene was Keanna Reeves to whom Rustom confide. You know, she urinated in one dark corner of Big Brother’s house.

However, the one word that commonly used in that show was Connivance. I heard that so many times from Bianca. I just didn’t know if she was the one who initiate to use that. Anyway, I still heard that word from her sometime.

Hmmmm, without looking in dictionary I thought Connivance has something to do with connection or conspiracy.  My guess was quite right in a way because Connivance means agreement on a secret plot; it’s more of in negative side or wrong doing.  Connivance in Tagalog is pakikipagsabwatan o kutsabaan.

Wait, it should be heard from a news program or political speech, don’t you think?

Also in this entry:

• Misamis Oriental wins Liga Conference II
• Mutya Hong Butuan 2009 Finalists
  
• PBB Auditions in Butuan City

Media group hails press freedom monument plan

MARK FRANCISCO

Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno (right) shovels cement into the spot where the capitol would build a monument for press freedom to honor slain journalists. Looking on are Cagayan de Oro Press Club president Vincent Jaudian (left) and other capitol officials. (PHOTO BY GERRY GORIT)

THE city’s premier media organization yesterday lauded the capitol for laying the groundworks for a monument in honor of slain Filipino journalists at the De Lara Park.

Vincent Jaudian, president of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC), joined capitol officials during the breaking of the ground yesterday morning.

Jaudian said the plan to build a press freedom monument was hatched by the COPC at a time when Jerry Orcullo was its president but the group did not pursue it due to lack of financial resources.

“Now, Jerry’s dream has been realized. Dugang inspiration kini sa atong mga media practitioners,” Jau-dian said of the monument to be built by reknowned artist Eduardo Castrillo.

Castrillo said press freedom monument would be done by September.

To stand near the Press Club Building on Velez Street, the press freedom monument would consist show three journalists––a reporter with a note pad, a radio commentator and a slain journalist on the ground.

The groundbreaking rites at the capitol grounds coincided with the launch of the signature sculptural tableau of Misamis Oriental.

The tableau would measure 14mx14m. The centerpiece would have the following measurements: 6.30 meters (height), 4.30 meters (width) and 4.30 meters (length). Each human figure in the tableau is twice life size.

A dedicational plaque marker with an engraved seal of Misamis Oriental would also be installed.

The left side of the tableau features farmers indicating agricultural life of Misamis Oriental, a Muslim maiden playing an indigenous instrument and early professional settlers from all over the country that contributed to the well-being and progress of the province.

The right side would show the noted leaders and statesmen that fostered the growth and gained the pride for Misamis Oriental citizens as they held the highest office in the national government; the lower side would be the continuation of the Cagayan River and the forests and Xavier University.

Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno said the tableau would be “a symbolic legacy that democracy is alive in our society.”

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Misamis Oriental wins Liga championship series vs Cebu

THE top seed Misamis Oriental Meteors captured the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference II National Championship with a sound 64-52 thrashing of the defending champion M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños Monday night in front of a stunned crowd at the New Cebu Coliseum. The Meteors thus ended the best-of-five series, 3-2.

A crippling 24-4 bomb by the Meteors in the third period blew the erstwhile close contest wide apart. Mark Yee started the initial salvo and Philip Butel, Lyndon Gudez and Ramil Tagupa finished the task giving the Meteors their biggest lead of the contest, 53-34.

Overall, the Meteors outscored the Niños in the pivotal third period, 26-11. They nursed a slim 29-27 advantage at the halftime break.

A triple by Stephen Padilla opened the third period, giving the Niños their final taste of the lead, 30-29. A maze of turnovers spelled doom for the Niños, compiling 17 by the end of three periods and 21 for the entire game.

Back-to-back triples by veteran guard Joey Mente opened the second period followed by the lone basket of center Erian Daja to build the Meteors’ first big lead, 25-14. The Niños countered with a 14-3 blitz to close the gap at the halftime break.

The Niños rushed to a 10-5 lead. Back-to-back triples by Dexter Micutuan and Mente immediately erased the Niños’ lead, 11-10, and the Meteors took the first period, 17-14.

Yee finished with 12 points, 10 coming in the third period, on top of 12 rebounds. Mente scored all his 11 points in the first half.

Mark Ababon recovered from a shoulder injury in the first half to pump in nine of his team best 13 markers to pace the Ninos. Marlon Basco followed with 11 points and 14 rebounds.

For averaging 14.6 points in the series, Yee was named Most Valuable Player of the Finals, a fitting follow-up to his Conference MVP award received at halftime of Game Four last Saturday.

The Meteors won Games One (70-64) and Three (73-71) and the Ninos took Games Two (58-55) and Four (62-58) to set-up the deciding Game Five.

With the success of Conference II already in the history books, Liga Pilipinas Conference III will commence in the third quarter of this year.

Scores:

MISAMIS ORIENTAL (64) – Yee 12, Mente 11, Tagupa 9, Kong 8, Gudez 8, Butel 6, Micutuan 5, Moreño 2, Daja 2, Bombeo 0.

CEBU (52) – Ababon 13, Basco 11, Dacia 8, Padilla 6, Santos 6, Mepana 4, Enriquez 2, Aying 2, Tangkay 0, Cavan 0.

Period Scores: 17-14, 29-27, 55-38, 64-52.

***

Mutya Hong Butuan 2009 Finalists

by: striker_jem

Butuan – Of the 20 pretty Butuanon ladies who undergo final screening last April 4, the lucky 10 were finally chosen and became the official candidates for the Mutya Hong Butuan 2009. Just this week the candidates attended photo sessions and trainings on Speech Development and Table Etiquettes, and for the first time, the candidates receive Health Awareness Lecture with Dr. RJ Villanueva, sponsored by Butuan DOTS Clinic as part of the World TB Day. The ladies were lectured about TB Awareness, Fitness Enhancement and Sex Education.

On Friday April 17, the Mutya Hong Butuan 10-official candidates will be presented to the local media and a press conference will follow.

Mutya Hong Butuan beauty pageant is just one of the many activities lined up for the month long celebration of the Balangay (pronounced as ba-lang-hay) Festival in May.

The 10 Pretty Faces will be seen for the first in public during the opening ceremony of the Balangay festival on May 1 at the Rizal Park after the motorcade, and to be officially introduced on May 2 during the Mutya Presentation Night at FSUU Gym.

The coronation night is scheduled on May 17.

***

PBB Auditions In Butuan City

Pinoy Big Brother Auditions in Butuan City drew huge crowds. Accordingly some fall in line as early as 3 o clock in the morning just to be accomodated first. The stretch from Dunkin Donuts to Chowking at Curato street was closed to traffic to accomodate the long line of applicants.

The crowds are not solely from Butuan but includes aspirants from neighboring provinces in Northern Mindanao. I believe one or two of these hopefuls can make it to the final list.

Direk Laurent Dyogi of Pinoy Big Brother

I have two confessions to make. But we’ll go to them later.

It took me weeks to decide to mention in this column the most puzzling singing group of all time: Village People. The mere mention of the group here will alienate younger readers who didn’t have the misfortune of enduring songs like “Macho Man” in their childhood. On the other hand, failure to do so will disappoint older readers who look up to Village People as the personification of their gay fantasies. They’ve been emailing me to please write about George Michael too.

I said puzzling because Village People’s greatest hit, “YMCA,” which was released in 1978, supposedly extolled the virtues of an international Christian association but at the same time was hailed as the ultimate gay anthem of the disco-dancing 70s. How could that be? YMCA volunteers themselves didn’t know what the hell was happening when they heard the song for the first time. You can imagine them huddled in prayer asking God what horrible sins had they committed to deserve Village People’s endorsement.

Anyways, this is not about “YMCA” and the let’s-spell-out-the-letters-with-our-arms-and-look-stupid gesture that goes with it. This column is about something that has far greater significance. It’s just that whenever I think of the global economic crisis, which a serious columnist like me should be writing about (ha ha), my thoughts lead me to the line “they want you as a new recruit” from the group’s 1979 hit “In the Navy.”

It’s like this. The news last week said the number of young Filipinos who want to join the military has doubled since the start of the global economic crisis. Accompanying the news were footages of young men and women with application papers in hand waiting for their turn at the recruitment office.

Confession Number 1. I want to give military service a try. I grew up imagining myself as a soldier, protector of the country, an Armalite-toting defender of freedom, democracy and canned goods. I will look hot in camouflage. I will send my friends photos of my war wounds, especially the ones inflicted by fellow soldiers during drunken brawls.

Confession Number 2. I want to be in the Pinoy Big Brother.

It’s like this again. The same newscast featured a monstrous traffic in Manila caused by a huge crowd of young people wanting to be in the voyeuristic, let’s-fool-the-people-by-saying-this-is-not-scripted reality show. I grew up dreaming to be in showbiz someday, at the same time I dreamed of being in the army.

At the Bahay ni Kuya, I will do anything for the ratings. I will dance. I will sing. I will pretend I’m not on primetime TV and cry over my painful experiences in an orphanage. I will get mad at the housemate who laughs at my Bisaya accent, fall in love with the one who laughs at my jokes, whisper to her sweet nothings and cozy up to her as if there are no cameras around.

I checked the Internet and found the age requirement to be my only problem, whether in the military or PBB. But they said they are willing to waive the age restrictions for me if I have skills that prove invaluable to the military or the showbiz industry.

I’m mastering the YMCA dance now.

SUN.STAR CEBU, MARCH 10, 2009

he is the first celebrity housemate to enter Big Brothers house (season 2).  Dubbed as ‘the true lover’,  Will Devaughn’s heartwrenching love story is his main angle why he came to the Philippines – to find her Filipina girlfriend – who broke his heart TWICE??!!!?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? if he will knock on my doorsteps, i wouldnt even let him out of my house!

This 25 year old multi racial (half German, 1/4 Black African-American and 1/4 Filipino hunk) model/actor first claim to fame is through his mcdonalds mcrice commercial and as they all say, the rest is history.

Tall, dark and handsome – Devaughn is definitley one hunk that i cant really resist … His facial and manly features could simply launch a thousand ship hehehehehe…. whew….. tissue please…  so here’s Will, ‘will you resist his charm?’

i bet you cant!

Will with fellow hottie - John Hall

Toni Gonzaga’s rise to stardom was fuelled by her unique talent as a host and her natural flair for comedy. She had conquered the world of music with her first album titled “Toni: You Complete Me”. Released by Star Records, the six track album contains some of the songs dearest to Toni’s heart. The CD has already produced a hit in its carrier single “We Belong” which is also used as the theme to ABS-CBN’s Koreanovela “A Wonderful Life”

Her quick yet witty quips had landed her not only a permanent hosting stint on Studio 23’s Wazzup Wazzup but also the job of main host in Pinoy Big Brother’s last two seasons. She considers PBB her biggest break to date. She is also the host of weekend variety shows ASAP 06 and Gudtaym. You can say she has become the queen of primetime TV.

But Toni wanted to pursue her long time dream of becoming a singer too, hence the birth of her first album “Toni: You Complete Me”.

Containing a varied mix of music styles, combining new and classic elements other songs to watch out for are “You are the One” featuring Sam Milby (theme to the Claudine Barretto and Raymart Santiago’s nuptials), a remake of Donna Cruz’ “Kapag Tumibok ang Puso” (one of Toni’s all-time favorite OPM’s), the timeless “Wishing and Hopin’” and Palmolive Naturals Conditioner theme “Gandang Tumatagal”. Toni refers to “Kung Kaya Ko” as a very special song for she has penned this herself based on her run-in with love.

“Toni: You Complete Me” is now available in all record bars world wide.

A good singer, a very versatile actress and an excellent host. She’s got beauty, brains, fame, and a handsome prince charming. What more can a woman ask for. I really admire her and look up to her.

You go toni!

The Rebellious Beauty

Beauty is a known sugarcane princess, coming from a family of landed hacienderos in Negros. With doting parents and nannies to do everything for her, she is pretty much used to people around her giving in to all her whims.But despite of this, Beauty learned early in life the value of having principles, and this belief of hers has already gotten her into catfights in school.After a controversial brawl in defense of her own reputation, Beauty was prevented from joining her graduation march as imposed by the officers of her school.

Beauty admits to being vain and is very conscious of her looks even at a very young age. But she hopes that the other housemates would look beyond this characteristic of hers for she is also very friendly, a “loka-loka” and easy to get along with.

text BB BEAUTY and send to 231 for smart and talk n’ text subscribers and to 2331 for globe, tm, sun, and bayan subscribers. Vote Now!

Yes I know that the gasoline is fake and everything about the whole episode last night is a joke. But.. there are so many kids out there with no clothes to wear and Kuya wanted them (the housemates) to burn their OWN clothes? I also know that’s it’s his way of disciplining (is there such a word, i wonder…) the housemates but is INAPPROPRIATE.

My heart aches whenever I see EJ. Especially in that particular episode when that stupid selfish Spanish dad told him Do you intend to be a star without knowing english? (!!!!!!!!!!!!) OMG that’s harsh. SERIOUSLY. That’s why I want EJ to be the next big winner because he deserves it. EJ, my heart bleeds for you. LOL.

I still want Robi to be included in PBB’s Big Four though ♥ ILY Robi ♥

Haaayy PBB. Kahit scripted ka, bakit pinapanood pa rin kita?

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I’ve always been disappointed in the current set of PBB housemates, but tonight they’ve hit a new low for me, even lower than all that drama with Shy. Why, oh why did they nominate my dream top 2????

I really don’t get it. Robi and Rona were really nice. In fact to me they were the two nicest people in the house. Rona didn’t join the other girls in judging Shy. Robi was super bait, kaya nga naaawa ako sa kanya when Kuya always assigns him as the bringer of bad news (such as news of the decisions of the teen council), and he was one of the few who saw the error in Nicole and Josef’s relationship and said so (nung nomination a couple of weeks ago, it was his reason for nominating the two). For some reason the housemates didn’t feel the same about these two. Apparently Rona being conservative (Um, Ejay, what exactly is so wrong about that? She wasn’t like a total prude loser naman ah.) was more important that how mean Beauty and Nicole treated Shy. That was what disappointed me most eh, the reasons why they nominated the two. Some of them were really stupid (the stupidest being Ejay’s talaga). Ugh. Nakakahighblood panoorin!

And OMG sana nasama na lang si Nicole. Para sure nang tanggal sya, harhar.

Wala na. I’m so not watching PBB anymore.

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