Willie Revillame's leave extended, sexy dance numbers removed

abs-cbnews.com

MANILA - Fans of popular TV host Willie Revillame will have to wait a little while longer before he returns on-air after ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. decided to extend his leave until next month.

A statement from the Kapamilya Network said the company will extend Revillame's leave from his hit show "Wowowee" until September 20, 2009. It also ordered the removal of the sexy dancing segment of "Wowowee" mainstays Luningning and Saicy from the show. 

The network said that in the interest of self-regulation, it availed of the conciliation process under the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Rules of Procedure. It said the MTRCB has approved the sanctions imposed on the show. 

Revillame, 48, has been on indefinite leave from his top-rating noontime show "Wowowee" after he drew heavy criticism when he ordered, on-air, the removal of procession footage of former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino's funeral convoy on August 3.

The transfer of Mrs. Aquino's remains from La Salle Greenhills to the Manila Cathedral was aired simultaneously with "Wowowee" through a small inset video. Revillame ordered it removed because he said it was disrespectful to the former president and dampened the show's mood.

The full statement of ABS-CBN is as follows: 

"In the interest of self-regulation, ABS-CBN has availed of the conciliation process under Section 6, Rule 7, of the MTRCB Rules of Procedures, regarding the incidents involving Mr. Willie Revillame in the program Wowowee. After having considered the facts, issues and terms of self-regulation to be imposed in the pertinent cases, the MTRCB has approved the same.

"Whereof, the ABS-CBN shall undertake to perform the following: 

"1. Extend Mr. Revillame's leave until 20 September 2009; and,
"2. Remove the present dance segment of Luningning and Saicy.

"Further, ABS-CBN reiterates that it is fully aware of its legal and moral responsibilities as a broadcaster and shall undertake to continue to uphold the values and customs of the Filipino viewing public."

Apology not enough

Revillame's action was condemned in various online forums, which culminated in an online petition to have him removed from the show. The petition has gathered 60,927 signatures since it was launched earlier this month.

Revillame has publicly apologized for his on-air rant and has offered to leave the show. 

"My intention there was not to disrespect the former president but to give respect. Sana lang po ay habang nagluluksa tayo ay hindi kami nakikitang nagsasaya, parang hindi kami nakikidalamhati," he said in an ABS-CBN interview. 

"Kung ako'y hindi nila wine-welcome at sa tingin ko ho na ako'y hindi na welcome sa bawa't Pilipino, sa araw-araw na gusto nila makasama, ako po'y aalis na sa programa," he said. 

The children of the late former President Cory Aquino, meanwhile, said they have accepted Willie's apology.

Last August 11, MTRCB chief legal counsel Jonathan S. Presquito filed a consolidated complaint against Revillame based on the statements of at least three aggrieved parties identified as Arlene de Guzman-Ronquillo; Edward Berador and a certain “M. Ballesteros.”

Also named respondents in the six-page complaint were ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation; Socorro Vidanes, ABS-CBN vice president for TV programming and entertainment; and Raymond Ronquillo, estranged husband of Arlene and a resident of 40 Spinach St., Valle Verde 5, Pasig City.

Arlene claimed that Revillame caused psychological pain on her three children when he teased her estranged husband for a “Wowowee” dancer in at least five separate airings of the game show from March to July this year.

The two other complainants also called the attention of the MTRCB over Wowowee’s failure to comply with its Parental Guidance rating by repeatedly showing dancers in skimpy attire.

Sy, Villar, Marcos allies in RP's 40 richest"Forbes

ABS-CBN - Friday, August 28


MANILA - The recent Forbes Asia magazine’s accounting of the wealth of the Philippines’ 40 richest people just might be an indication of economic recovery.

Published last August 25, Forbes Rich List showed that the total networth of the country's wealthiest has reached $16.4 billion, higher than last year's $14.2 billion.

Nine of the top 10 and 25 of all 40 in the list posted higher wealth compared to the previous list available last October 2008.

Forbes attributed this to signs of recovery as various industries benefited from continuously growing money sent home by Filipinos working abroad and healthy consumer confidence that kept Filipinos spending.

It also cited the 52% uptick in the Philippine Stock Exchange composite index since the beginning of the year and 67% increase since bottoming out in October 2008.

Share values are still 26% off the 2007 peak, but Forbes said the current levels are “enough to begin to turn around the fortunes of the country’s richest.”

Forbes based the networth calculation on share prices of companies listed in the stock market and an estimation of the worth of privately held assets if they were listed. The figures also included the share of the individuals in their family’s fortunes.

Share prices and exchange rates were based on prevailing rates as of August 14.

Mall power

Retail mogul Henry Sy again topped the list. His wealth increased by $700 million more since Forbes’ last list in October 2008.

His current $3.8 billion networth was attributed to the appreciation of the share prices of his main holding family, SM Investments, which appreciated by 28% since October. SM Investments has stakes in banking, insurance, property, and malls.

The Sy family has the widest network of retail outlets—from malls to hypermarkets—nationwide. Four of his over 100 malls in the Philippines and China are included in the world’s biggest malls.

The wealth culled from the retail business has propelled a new entrant, Marian Rosario Fong, into the Top 40 list.

Fong, who grabbed the last spot, was a former partner of Sy's supermarkets and still has a 1% stake in SM Investments, Forbes noted.

These accounted for her networth of $38 million, which Forbes said is still higher than the $30 million networth of the person who held that last spot in October. The networth of the last on the Philippine list again made the Philippines the easiest to make in all 14 countries in Asia that Forbes tracks for its Rich List.

Meantime, tycoon Lucio Tan (#2) and Ayala conglomerate’s chairman emeritus Jaime Zobel de Ayala (#3) took the next slots.

Both used to clinch the top spot.

Tan, who is of Chinese descent, has interests in tobacco, beer, and banking. He is also in highly regulated industries, including aviation. Philippine Airlines, where he has a controlling stake, has been having financial troubles as it faces tougher competition and after hedging fuel supply when prices reached record highs last year.

On the other hand, Zobel de Ayala, who is of Spanish descent, has left the day to day management of his family’s interests in property, retail, banking, telecommunications, and water to his children. He is now an art advocate and is into photography.

Business and politics

A notable member of the top 10 is Sen. Manuel Villar (#9) who is a May 2010 presidential aspirant. He has interests in real estate, which includes listed home developer Vista Land and Lifescapes.

Villar and his wife, Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar, have been topping the list of richest solon with a P1.05 billion combined networth as of 2008.

However, Forbes calculate his current wealth at $530 million or about P25 billion.

Richer than Villar are two more politically connected individuals: Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. ($660 million, #7) and Enrique Razon Jr. ($620 million, #8).

Razon is into the ports business through International Container Terminal Services Inc. He emerged into prominence due to his closeness with First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, a golf buddy. Razon also helped in a recent campaign of senatorial aspirants who are allies of President Gloria Arroyo.

The closeness of the Arroyo couple and Razon is apparent as the latter would even include official visits to countries like Brazil and Syria, which have little trade or migrant labor relationship with the Philippines. Razon recently started operating ports in these countries.

Razon also won a concession for the power transmission business, a recently privatized monopoly. Roberto Coyuito Jr. ($290 million, #18), who was recently part of the consortium behind the transmission business, also made it to the Forbes list.

Razon and Coyuito’s consortium was previously dragged to court by nickel businessman Salvador Zamora II for allegedly being favored by the state agency overseeing the bid. Zamora and his partners eventually lost the bid.

Zamora’s $20 million fortune last year put him at the 32nd slot. This year, Forbes lumped his wealth with that of his brother, Manuel Zamora.

The Zamora brothers’ combined $110 million networth pushed them to the 27th slot.

Marcos’ allies

Cojuangco was an ally of former President Ferdinand Marcos who allowed Cojuanco to monopolize commodity businesses in the Philippines, including coconut. About 20% of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corporation, which he controls, is still under litigation for allegations of ill-gotten wealth.

Cojuangco made a bid for the presidency in 1992 but lost. He has since focused on regaining and growing San Miguel, and has become a kingmaker of sorts. He is currently chairman of the political party Nationalist People’s Coalition.

Another Marcos ally that made it to the top 40 is Benjamin Romualdez ($70 million, #30), younger brother of Imelda Marcos. Romualdez is still battling various sequestration cases, but his sons are well-entrenched in politics and business: Benjamin heads a high-profile mining industry federation and Martin is a Lower House member as representative of hometown Leyte.

Martin Romualdez was recently dragged into a scandal for allegedly picking a $20,000 dinner tab for President Arroyo and her entourage in a recent official visit to Washington. The dinner cost became hot topic amid increasing hunger rates and widening national budget gap.

One notch richer than Benjamin Romualdez is President Arroyo’s trusted ally Tomas Alcantara ($75 million, #29). Forbes considered his interests in mining, power, property, energy, and agriculture, all housed under Alcantara Group. Alcantara is said to have migrated to Canada.

Forbes also noted David Consunji (#17) as one of the big gainers. The stock price of his construction firm, DMCI, has doubled, propelling his networth by $300 million. This figure is $200 million more that his networth last year.

DMCI’s mining related assets may have not grown as much due to declining mineral prices, but it had been clinching deals left and right. It has already expanded into water and tollroad businesses, where it sealed partnerships with the likes of San Miguel Corporation and other Manlia’s biggest conglomerates.

Poorer and missing

Nine of the Top 40 are poorer than a year ago. This includes married couple Rolando and Rosalinda Hortaleza who founded personal care products company Splash.

The couple’s combined networth of $39 million was considerably lower than their $90 million last year. Forbes attributed this to the weak performance of Splash, best known for skin whitening products. Share price of Splash dropped by more than 50% since last October.

The Hortalezas slipped to the 39th spot this year from 27th last year.

Noticeably absent in the list this year is Manuel Pangilinan. He previously held the 37th slot in 2007 with a $35 million personal fortune and the 39th in 2008 with $39 million.

He is considered one of the highest paid executives in the country and the only professional who had been included in the Forbes list.

Pangilinan runs the leading telecommunications firm in the country, Philippine Long Distance Company where he represents the interests of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Holdings Inc. The latter is controlled by the Salim family of Indonesia.

Up to 80% of First Pacific’s investments are in the Philippines, essentially proving how much the Salims trust Pangilinan. Aside from telecommunications, Pangilinan has since clinched deals involving the juiciest businesses in the Philippines. Through another First Pacific unit, Pangilinan has added health services, property, water distribution, power distribution, tollroads, mining, media, and more to the business portfolio.--by Lala Rimando, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak

 

Someone will save your life or you will save someone life if you know some simple information below

SENT EMAIL BY MR ERIC ABELLANO RIZAL COLLEGE OF LAGUNA- BSBA DEPARTMENT

INFORMATION EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW........ ......... .......

Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue

I will continue to forward this every time it comes around!

STROKE:Remember the 1st Three Letters....S.T.R.

My nurse friend sent this and encouraged me to post it and spread the word.
I agree.

If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks.
Seriously.

Please read:

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) .she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening

Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 PM Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this...

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE 

Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today..)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediatelyand describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.

I have done my part. Will you?

Frenchman hurt by 'exploding iPhone'

YAHOO NEWS!

MARSEILLE, France (AFP) - – A French security guard said Tuesday he had received a faceful of glass when the screen of his iPhone exploded, the second such reported incident in France.

Yassine Bouhadi, a 26-year-old supermarket watchman from the southeastern town of Villevieille, said he was typing a text message on Monday afternoon when the screen exploded.

Bouhadi, who says he was hit in the eye with a glass shard, said he was "very angry" and planned to consult a doctor and file suit for damages.

"I want an explanation about this damned telephone," said Bouhadi, who bought the hugely-popular smartphone device for 600 euros (850 dollars) three months ago and now wants his money back.

France's official competition, consumer affairs and fraud watchdog, the DGCCRF, said Tuesday it had opened an investigation after a French teenager suffered an eye injury in a similar iPhone incident earlier this month.

"An investigation is under way. We have been alerted to the problem and we are looking into it closely," said a spokesman from the agency.

The US technology giant Apple, which makes the iPhone and the iPod music player, assured the European Union on August 14 that the exploding screen cases reported so far were "isolated incidents."

The French cases come a few weeks after an uproar in Britain over an exploding iPod owned by an 11-year-old girl.

And a US television station reported last month that an "alarming number" of iPods had burst into flames, though without causing serious injury, a problem apparently caused by overheated lithium ion batteries.

A spokesman for France's consumer rights group, UFC-Que Choisir, called on Apple to "communicate a bit more with its customers" about reported glitches with its iPod and iPhone devices.

"We want to know if this is an isolated incident as they claim, or a real problem involving the iPhone -- in which case, what are they planning by way of compensation and to prevent it happening again?"

Ninoy’s alleged ‘Undelivered speech’......The most famous undelivered speech in Philippine history

yahoo.com



(This is the entire statement as it appears (all-caps, italicized quote, and all) in “A Testimony by Ninoy,” a pamphlet published on September 1, 1983 by the Human Development Research and Documentation office of the La Ignaciana Apostolic Center as Human Society No. 21)

I have returned on my free will to join the ranks of those struggling to restore our rights and freedoms through nonviolence.

I seek no confrontation. I only pray and will strive for a genuine national reconciliation founded on justice.

I am prepared for the worst, and have decided against the advice of my mother, my spiritual adviser, many of my tested friends and a few of my most valued political mentors.

A death sentence awaits me. Two more subversion charges, both calling for death penalties, have been filed since I left three years ago and are now pending with the courts.

I could have opted to seek political asylum in America, but I feel it is my duty, as it is the duty of every Filipino, to suffer with his people especially in time of crisis.

I never sought nor have I been given assurances or promise of leniency by the regime. I return voluntarily armed only with a clear conscience and fortified in the faith that in the end justice will emerge triumphant.

According to Gandhi, the WILLING sacrifice of the innocent is the most powerful answer to insolent tyranny that has yet been conceived by God and man.

Three years ago when I left for an emergency heart bypass operation, I hoped and prayed that the rights and freedoms of our people would soon be restored, that living conditions would improve and that blood-letting would stop.

Rather than move forward, we have moved backward. The killings have increased, the economy has taken a turn for the worse and the human rights situation has deteriorated.

During the martial law period, the Supreme Court heard petitions for Habeas Corpus. It is most ironic, after martial law has allegedly been lifted, that the Supreme Court last April ruled it can no longer entertain petitions for Habeas Corpus for persons detained under a Presidential Commitment Order, which covers all so-called national security cases and which under present circumstances can cover almost anything.

The country is far advanced in her times of trouble. Economic, social and political problems bedevil the Filipino. These problems may be surmounted if we are united. But we can be united only if all the rights and freedoms enjoyed before September 21, 1972 are fully restored.

The Filipino asks for nothing more, but will surely accept nothing less, than all the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the 1935 Constitution — the most sacred legacies from the Founding Fathers.

Yes, the Filipino is patient, but there is a limit to his patience. Must we wait until that patience snaps?

The nation-wide rebellion is escalating and threatens to explode into a bloody revolution. There is a growing cadre of young Filipinos who have finally come to realize that freedom is never granted, it is taken. Must we relive the agonies and the blood-letting of the past that brought forth our Republic or can we sit down as brothers and sisters and discuss our differences with reason and goodwill?

I have often wondered how many disputes could have been settled easily had the disputants only dared to define their terms.

So as to leave no room for misunderstanding, I shall define my terms:

1. Six years ago, I was sentenced to die before a firing squad by a Military Tribunal whose jurisdiction I steadfastly refused to recognize. It is now time for the regime to decide. Order my IMMEDIATE EXECUTION OR SET ME FREE.

I was sentenced to die for allegedly being the leading communist leader. I am not a communist, never was and never will be.

2. National reconciliation and unity can be achieved but only with justice, including justice for our Muslim and Ifugao brothers. There can be no deal with a Dictator. No compromise with Dictatorship.

3. In a revolution there can really be no victors, only victims. We do not have to destroy in order to build.

4. Subversion stems from economic, social and political causes and will not be solved by purely military solutions; it can be curbed not with ever increasing repression but with a more equitable distribution of wealth, more democracy and more freedom, and

5. For the economy to get going once again, the workingman must be given his just and rightful share of his labor, and to the owners and managers must be restored the hope where there is so much uncertainty if not despair.

On one of the long corridors of Harvard University are carved in granite the words of Archibald Macleish:

“How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms; by truth when it is attacked by lies; by democratic faith when it is attacked by authoritarian dogma. Always, and in the final act, by determination and faith.”

I return from exile and to an uncertain future with only determination and faith to offer — faith in our people and faith in God.

ASIA'S TITANIC "DONA PAZ" on NAT GEO!

as i watch it on television it would be shown on tuesday august 23 2009 i dont know the time when would it be or i mean what time would it be shown. philippine time of course,,hopefully i can watch it even i got to go to school that day,

(we are a CABLE SUBSCRIBER THANKS GOD,,HEHE!)

,Dona Paz is a history to us especially the one who travels through ships when going to our povince,,,its been a traumatic experience once you experience a heavy blow of winds and tides when you are at the middle of the sea especially at night time,

according to NATGEO or the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL:

Just five days before Christmas in 1987, the passenger ship Doña Paz collided with an oil tanker off Mindoro Island in the Philippines. 4,000 passengers died in the tragedy. It was the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster. Through dramatic first hand accounts from survivors and rescuers, transcripts from the Philippine congressional inquiry into the tragedy, archival footage and photos and a re-enactment of the collision, dissect the unfolding tragedy of Doña Paz.

Daily Event for December 20 

1987: The greatest peacetime disaster in history took place in the waters off Mindoro in the Philippines. The passenger ferry Dona Paz collided with the tanker Vector in the Sibuyan Sea in the strait between Mindoro and the Island of Marinduque. Dona Paz, built in Japan in 1963 measured 305' long with a 45' beam. Owned by the Sulpicio Line she was licensed to carry only 1,518 people. However, in the Philippines laws are often ignored and the infamous disasters due to overloading are numerous. It is estimated that between 20,000 and 40,000 people die each year in accidents among the over 880 inhabited islands of the Philippines. 

The morning of Dec. 20 was no different than any other on a Filipino ferry. Thousands crowded into a ship not able to carry them safely and no authority, including the Coast Guard, checked let alone stopped the ship. She sailed from Tacloban on the island of Leyte bound for the capitol of Manila with an estimated 4,343 passengers plus the crew. The majority of the people were returning home to celebrate Christmas making the following events that much more tragic. One can only imagine how these people were stacked around the ship. No quarters for most of them so they were sleeping on the deck and in the gangways. A sea of humanity on a journey to eternity. 

At 22:00 only a junior officer was on the bridge, the rest of the ships officers were either watching TV or drinking beer. Shortly after entering the strait the tanker Vector, carrying 8,800 barrels of flammable liquids approached from the opposite direction. The night was described as dark and moonless but clear so, why neither ship say the lights of the other is unknown. Soon after 22:00 the ships collided. 

The Vector's cargo exploded and flames spread across the water and on to the Dona Paz. Both ship were engulfed in flames. There was no distress signal sent by the Dona Paz for one a simple reason, she had no radio! Why a ship in 1963 could be sailing around without a radio is unknown to me. This was just another blunder that contributed to the disaster. However it is unlikely that much could have been done even if a distress signal had been sent. 

A ferry only eight miles away sighted the burning ships and sped toward the scene arriving about 22:30. When they arrived the Dona Paz was fully involved, the captain of the other ferry said he saw flames as high as a ten storey building. He also found only twenty six badly burned survivors, only twenty four from the Dona Paz. Around midnight the Dona Paz went under, the death toll was appalling, 4,317 people had either burned to death or were trapped below and drowned. Two crewmen from the Vector, which sank a couple of hours later, survived but, the other eleven were killed along with fifty eight of the crew of the Dona Paz making the total number of people killed a staggering four thousand three hundred and eighty six. 

The inquiry found the Coast Guard negligent for allowing the Dona Paz to sail in such an overcrowded condition but, found the collision was the fault of the Vector. Although as one would guess the tankers owners claimed that the Dona Paz was at fault. We will never know for sure what happened to cause the collision because all those involved were killed. 

© 2005 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com

orihinal na tula na ako ang may akda

PUSONG BATO

ni: JOMAR LINGA



Ang isang pag-ibig, tulad din ng bagyo,
Masaya na malungkot, ang dulot nito,
 Masaya dahil nagmamahalan tayo,
 Malungkot, dulot ay sakit sa puso ko.

Susungkitin, mga bituin sa langit, 
 Pangako, noong ikaw ay kinukulit,
 Kung imposible man, kukunin kong pilit,
 Tapat na pagmamahal, aking sinasambit.

Naging masaya, ang mga buwang nagdaan,
 Sa gabi man o araw, nagmamahalan,
 Hindi buo ang araw, kapag kulang ang isa,
 Simbolo ng pag-ibig, dulot ay saya.

Dumating ang araw, di inaasahan,
 Nawala ang noon, wagas na pagmamahalan,
 Duguan, durog, wasak itong puso ko,
 Mali ba ang magmahal, ng isang tulad mo?

Abot-langit na sakit, ang dulot nito
 Ako sayo’y nagtanong bakit mahal ko?
 Minahal kita, bakit nagging ganito?
 Bato ba ang puso, ng taong minahal ko?

Here is the complete poem done by MR JOEY DE LEON dedicated to MR WILLIE REVILLAME

The funeral cortege of former Pres. Cory Aquino: My tears came naturally

BY JOEY DE LEON

Wala na sa piling ng mga Pilipino,
Tinig ng awiting Mga Kababayan Ko,
At lumisan na rin noong isang Sabado,
Inang nagpalipad sa awiting Bayan Ko.
Ako'y sumasaludo, paalam Pangulo,
May isa 'kong lihim, kay tagal itinago,
Sa lahat nang inabot kong mga namuno,
Tanging ikaw lang sa luha ko'y nagpatulo.

Marami ang nalungkot sa iyong pagyao,
Magalang ang lahat at puno ng respeto,
Nagpasalamat pa nga Kapamilya sa 'yo,
Dahil kanilang himpilan naibalik mo.

Subalit ano itong nabalitaan ko?
Nangyari noong Lunes, a-tres ng Agosto,
Habang inililipat ang mga labi mo,
Ika'y parang nabastos sa isang TV show.

At ang napakasaklap at masakit dito,
Ang nambastos pa'y kapamilya ng anak mo,
Napanood ito ng tao at publiko,
Kakaunti na nga, ngunit lahat nahilo.
Sabi ng TV host na mainit ang ulo
Pagkakita sa video na kanyang kasalo,
"Sandali, meron akong ano... sa'ting ano...
Hindi naman sa ano," nagkaanu-ano!
Ayon sa Internet, meron pa s'yang nasambit,
"Sana pakitanggal muna 'yan sa'ting traffic..."
At 'di maaalis sa iyong pag-iisip,
Ang parada ng patay ang pinaliligpit!
At dagdag pa daw ng naghahari-harian,
"I don't think na dapat n'yong ipakita iyan..."
Nasaan naman ang paggalang, o nasaan?
Mga sinasabi natin minsa'y pag-ingatan.

At 'di pa nangimi nang sumunod na araw,
Pinilit pa ring ginawa n'ya ay tama raw,
Mga nakarinig 'di na nakagalaw
At ayon sa iba sila na la'y napa-wow!

"... Pero ako, totoo 'ko eh ... ", sabi kuno,
Totoo nga at totoo ring walang modo,
Pwede namang sabihin itong pa-sikreto,
Kaya't wala na rin mga paliwanag mo.

"Kung ganyan, pakita na lang 'yan!", ang hamon pa,
Para bang ang prusisyon nila-"lang - lang" lang ba,
Ang pangasiwaan ay pinapili pa n'ya,
Sumunod ang himpilan, nung August 5 wala s'ya.

May mga komentong pwede nang pang-harapan,
"On camera" baga sa TV ang tawag d'yan
At kung sensitibo man ang gustong bitawan,
Pagpasok ng commercial, hintayin mo na lang.

Matutong magbaba muna ng mikropono
At saka idikta lahat ng iyong gusto,
Lagi kang mataas lahat daw takot sa 'yo,
Ratings lang ang mababa — totoo ba ito?

The breaking news breaks your heart — at 'yan ang bawi mo,
Nang mahalata mong sumablay ang pasok mo,
Pero sigurado ika'y maa-abswelto,
'Di ba ikaw rin ang may-ari ng network n'yo?
Nung Hueves nag-apologize sa diario naman,
O, akala ko ba wala kang kasalanan,
Tapos ng angalan, sunod paliwanagan —
COMPLAIN before you EXPLAIN ka na naman!
O ito kaya ay isa na namang "glitch" lang,
Tulad ng "two-zero" 'di na natin nalaman,
O ito ay maliwanag na kabobohan?
Sa tingin ng marami, mahirap lusutan.

Ang sabi ng iba — istupidong mayabang,
At giit ng iba — istupidong mayaman,
Mayaman man o mayabang ang tiyak diyan,
Napakayaman n'ya sa kaistupiduhan.

Buti pa ang apat na honor guards ni Cory —
Sina Malab, Laguindan, Rodriguez, Cadiente,
Walong oras tumayo sa ulan at viaje,
Ang lahat ay tiniis at walang sinabi.

Samantalang ikaw na may bubong sa ulo,
Komportable ka lang sa malamig na studio,
Nang kapirasong libing sa TV sumalo,
Angal at inis ang sumambulat sa iyo.

Maaari din namang pabayaan na s'ya,
Subalit ang nangyari'y mabigat talaga,
Namayapang pangulo'y huling paalam na,
'Di mo pa pinagbigyan ... hoy, nag-iisa ka!

At nais ko lang sabihin at ipagyabang
Sa mahigit na s'yam na libong tanghalian,
Sa limang pangulong sa Bulaga'y dumaan,
Kahit isa wala kaming nilapastangan.

Willie on leave 'indefinitely'

abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA – Willie Revillame is on leave “indefinitely” in the wake of the controversy generated by his order to cut the simultaneous live broadcast of the procession of President Corazon Aquino's remains from his noontime show last August 3.

“Yes, naka-leave [siya]. From his (Revillame) own text [message] to me, indefinitely," Bong Osorio, head of ABS-CBN's corporate communications, told abs-cbnNEWS.com in a phone interview.

In an interview with the entertainment website, Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP), Johnny Manahan, a Star Magic executive, said Revillame "has been asked to go on leave" beginning Monday, August 10.

Revillame, YES! magazine's most powerful entertainer, has been conspicuously absent from his show since Saturday. His female co-hosts, Mariel Rodriguez, Pokwang, Valerie Concepcion and RR Enriquez, have taken over “Wowowee” in his absence.

"He feels isolated and beleaguered... I don't know when he will be back. Maybe, he will soldier on and do the two-week leave, or again, he may be back next week. Meanwhile, he has a real time to rest, be alone, and contemplate the future," Manahan told PEP.

Manahan defended Revillame from critics who have lashed at the host for being "arrogant." Contrary to criticisms, the Star Magic executive said the “Wowowee” host is "simple, compassionate and a pushover."

Manahan also pointed out that the "Wowowee" host would never disrespect the late former president and her family. Manahan admitted though that Revillame did not carefully choose his words when he ordered a stop to the live broadcast.

The live broadcast showed the transfer of Mrs. Aquino's body to Manila Cathedral from La Salle Green Hills on August 3, prompting an irked Revillame to have it cut.

Revillame explained that it was inappropriate to broadcast the funeral procession while they were having fun inside the studio.

Revillame's action last Monday drew instant criticism from various quarters, particularly in various online forums.

On August 4, Revillame publicly apologized, but said he was standing by his decision to have the simultaneous broadcast removed on air. He also disclosed that he had asked ABS-CBN entertainment production head Linggit Tan to remove it, and that he only blew his top when he saw the broadcast again on the screen.

He also said that he never meant to offend people. He said his only intention was to give respect and make the occasion a solemn one.

Osorio, meanwhile, said Revillame has already “apologized and the Aquino family has accepted it.”

Face value

Cory's son, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, on Monday said he was willing to accept Revillame’s explanation.

“I take what he said at face value, na wala siyang insultong gustong iparating sa aming pamilya,” he said.

He added: “Pero I understand he talked to our eldest sister, Ballsy, yesterday. At gusto ko lang tingnan, siguro nga naman hindi appropriate na may solemn occasion na parang kino-cover [tapos], on the other hand, meron kang show devoted to eliciting laugher and fun,"

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board is eyeing possible sanctions against Revillame as it urged the Kapisanan ng Broadkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) to immediately resolve the issue.

In a letter, Diana Gozum, chairwoman of KBP standards authority, already asked the ABS-CBN management to answer the complaint of MTRCB against Revillame within five days. -- With a report from Mario Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

Petition to Oust Willie Revillame Petition

Im not a big fan of Mr. Willie Revillame but sad to say parang foul nga ung sinabi nya regarding the august 6 incident,, a bit sad because on WOWOWIE program you can laugh either cry for the different situation that the contestant have encountered in their life,,,then suddenly here it is,,

how many struggles and problems should Mr Revillame can faced?,,Ultra stampede,sexual harassment among others,,,

even he have everything what a tipical pinoy want to achieve,,a great life,,but it just a bit disapointing however a reality that we must be aware for what is happening,,especially when our kids are watching television...

here's the PETITION!

To: ABS CBN Management, MTRCB and PANA 

To Whom It May Concern: 


I am an avid viewer of ABS CBN and I am very well up-to-date regarding their shows. Without any doubt, I am a Kapamilya. However, last August 03, 2009, an incident happened when Wowowee Host Willie Revillame blurted out comments when a video of Pres. Cory's cortege appeared on the screen. 

While a contestant was dancing for the talent portion, a snippet of Pres. Cory Aquino's cortege was shown on the screen. But Willie did not cut short the dancing portion. Instead, he let the contestant finish her routine. After that, he blurted out comments regarding the video of Pre. Cory's cortege. He said: 



"Kung ganyan, pakita na lang natin 'yan. Kasi nagsasaya kami dito, tapos... Masakit sa akin 'yan, e. Nagsasalita ako dito... 'yan, please. Sana maintindihan n'yo. Nagsasaya kami dito, papakita n'yo sa amin yun ang... di ba? Hindi tama, e. Okey? Hindi ba?" 

"Pangit! Hindi ho maganda sa atin. Nagsasalita, ipinapakita yung kabaong ni Tita Cory, hindi ba? Papano kami makapagsasaya, nahihirapan kami? I'm sorry ho, ha. Pero ako, totoo ako, e. 'Wag n'yo akong pagagalitan, kasi totoo ang gusto kong malaman... 

"Pagkatapos ng show, ipakita n'yo ang gusto n'yong palabas. Kasi itong Wowowee, gusto ko... Hindi ba, at alam din ni Tita Cory 'yan dahil napasaya rin siya ng show na ito na laging masaya dito, ok?" 




Some may argue that Willie's intention was good, but I rather find these statements rude and arrogant. Wowowee and Revillame is known by millions of Filipino viewers and the show is even watched across several countries through TFC. To react in such way is downright arrogant and disrespectful to the former President Corzaon Aquino. I know that it was a bad taste for ABS-CBN to show a snippet of the funeral on Wowowee, but it was worst for Revillame to react that way. 

Willie have chosen to let the contestant dance instead of cutting short her act and give way to the coverage of the cortege. Willie have chosen to blurt out his rude comments ON-AIR instead of Off-cam. In short, Willie have chosen to have fun instead of giving way to the funeral of Pres. Corazon Aquino. So they'd rather have fun instead of pay our respects to our democracy icon? That was not a good example to our youth today. 

Was it really hard for him to be humble and human? I believe that this is not the first time that he aired his views and rather arrogant comments On-air. He embarasses his staff, makes fun of the contestants, and arrogantly act on TV almost everyday. Pres. Aquino taught us humility, and Revillame is showing us the exact opposite: arrogance. 

This time, Willie's statement should be condemed not only by the public, but by the management of ABS-CBN as well. It also creates a public outrage in the internet forums, chatting boards, and online-newspapers. Majority have negative reactions and have condemned Willie Revillame's brutal statements. 

With this, I am calling the attention of the management of ABS-CBN to stop the “arrogant actâ€� of Willie Revillame on National TV program and reprimand him because of his actions. Willie Revillame had been very disrespectful to the Pres. Cory Aquino's cortege, Filipinos icon of democracy. It was also worst for your company that your own employee criticize you on national television instead on off the air conversations. 

I am calling the attention of the MTRCB to be more vigilant, so that this lowest form of personal attack by a tv showbiz talk show host, for her/his personal agenda, will not happen again 

I am calling the PANA to stop supporting Wowowee until they axe or reprimand Willie Revillame due to his actions. With him as one of the hosts, your product does not project a positive image to the public. 

The public and TFC subscribers deserve better programming, and we deserve better than the likes of Willie Revillame. 

Sincerely,

The Petition to Oust Willie Revillame Petition to ABS CBN Management, MTRCB and PANA was created by OK and written by Roel C. Saguisag (roelsaguisag@yahoo.com). This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.

Saint Cory Aquino? 2 miracles needed

abs-cbnnews.com

One of the qualifications for sainthood is that a person must have performed 2 documented miracles, according to a Filipino priest.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Fr. Aris Sison, parish priest of the Parish of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Quezon City, said any person or group can initiate a petition for canonization.

The Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, located at Daily Mirror St., West Triangle, Quezon City, is also known as the parish of the late President Corazon Aquino.

A petition for Mrs. Aquino's canonization must begin at her diocese.

Mrs. Aquino died August 1 after an 18-month battle against colon cancer. Around 250,000 people joined her 8-hour, 20-kilometer funeral procession on August 5.

Fr. Aris noted that Mrs. Aquino was a very prayerful person, very simple, and very humble. He believes that Mrs. Aquino lived a holy life.

However, Fr. Sison said the process towards sainthood is a long one. It takes from 1 to 3 years for a group or individual to petition a person for sainthood.

The petition should be filed in the diocese where the candidate for canonization lived. In Mrs. Aquino's case, it is the Diocese of Cubao.

Fr. Sison said the process of canonization takes at least five years. The process is a long one because the petition must first be submitted to and then studied by the Vatican. The Vatican will undertake a thorough and rigorous screening of a candidate's life, a process that often takes years.

He said one of the qualifications is that the candidate must have performed 2 documented miracles.

Fr. Sison, former spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Manila, is a professor of media literacy, pastoral communication, Homiletics (study of sermons), and social communications.

The Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish was formally consecrated and dedicated by the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin in May 1992.

The first people power revolution at EDSA, which led to restoration of democracy under President Aquino, has often been referred to as a "miracle."Priests, nuns and ordinary citizens stopped military tanks and successfully prayed for a peaceful resolution of the political crisis.  
as of 08/09/2009 1:21 AM

Willie apologizes anew, MTRCB eyes sanctions

abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA - "I am asking forgiveness to those who were offended. I hope you understand I had no intention to offend. If there are people who were offended, I apologize. For myself, my intention there was to give respect and make the occasion a solemn one."

This, in a nutshell, was TV host Willie Revillame's response to mounting criticism being leveled against him for ordering the removal of the video of President Corazon Aquino’s cortege, which was being beamed live simultaneously with his noontime show "Wowowee" last Monday.

Willie said most reports coming out in Internet sites took his comments out of context since the funeral cortege was shown at least twice during the airing of "Wowowee." 

He said he called up ABS-CBN management immediately during a break to request that the video be removed since he felt that the show's jovial mood was inappropriate for the cortege's somber mood. He said he could no longer contain his emotions after seeing the seond update of the cortege. 

"My intention there was not to disrespect the former president but to give respect. Sana lang po ay habang nagluluksa tayo ay hindi kami nakikitang nagsasaya, parang hindi kami nakikidalamhati," he said in an ABS-CBN interview. 

"Kung ako'y hindi nila wine-welcome at sa tingin ko ho na ako'y hindi na welcome sa bawa't Pilipino, sa araw-araw na gusto nila makasama, ako po'y aalis na sa programa," he said. 

Outrage overflows vs Willie

Revillame's action last Monday drew instant criticism from various quarters particularly in various online forums.

An online petition, which has gathered 9,709 signatures as of 3 p.m. Friday, urged ABS-CBN management to sanction Revillame for his arrogance and for showing a bad example to the youth. It also urged advertisers to stop supporting "Wowowee" until Revillame is removed as host.

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?badwilly

Lourdes Dee Dee Siytangco, spokesperson of the Aquino family, also issued a strongly worded rebuke against Revillame. The statement read: "It is regrettable and a crass attempt to desecrate the memory of the beloved Tita Cory."

The Alyansa ng Filipinong Mamamahayag (Afima) also issued a statement condemning Revillame's action as a "blasphemy of democracy" and urged the Movie and Televisions Review and Classification Board to sanction the TV host.

"He may have the right to demand it, but he never waited until the next commercial break to quietly do it. He expressed his angst against Corazon Aquino funeral being shown side by side his “Wowowee” right before the dumbstruck millions of Filipino viewers around the globe," Afima said.

MTRCB: Willie violated KBP code

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, meanwhile, said it is eyeing possible sanctions against Revillame. It said Revillame's comments falls under MTRCB's jurisdiction and violates Presidential Decree 1986 Section 3c which states that the MTRCB may sanction portions of programs deemed "indecent, contrary to law and or good customs and injurious to the prestige of the Republic of the Philippines or its people."

"It's really a violation of PD 1986 and the [Kapisanan ng Brodkaster ng Pilipinas] Code. He should have had respect. He should gone off air," MTRCB Chairwoman Consoliza Laguardia said. 

She said the MTRCB will send a letter to ABS-CBN management next week about its decision on Revillame's case. 

Revillame, meanwhile, said he will respect the decision of the government censors. He added, however, that what is important is that he has already explained himself to the Aquino family. 

"Kung may pagkakasala ako at kailangan niyo akong ipakulong, e di magpapakulong ako," he said.

"Ang importante ay nakausap ko na ang Aquino family. Natanggap nila na wala akong intensyon na mambastos sa kanila."
 
as of 08/07/2009 11:29 PM

British ex-child star claims he fathered Jackson's daughter

abs-cbnnews.com

LONDON - Former child acting star Mark Lester said in a British newspaper Sunday that he donated sperm to Michael Jackson and believes he could be the biological father of the late singer's daughter Paris.

Lester, who played Oliver Twist in the 1968 film musical "Oliver!", told the News of the World: "I gave Michael my sperm so that he could have kids -- and I believe Paris is my daughter."

He said he was willing to take a paternity test to establish whether or not he is 11-year-old Paris' father.

The 51-year-old Briton became friends with Jackson and is godfather to Paris, and Jackson's two other children, Prince Michael, 12, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, known as Blanket.

"It's a been a secret for so long," Lester told the newspaper.

"In 1996 Michael asked me if I would give him my sperm and I said yes. It was a gift to him, no money was paid, it was something I was honoured to do. He wanted children so badly."

Lester added: "I do feel a definite bonding with Paris and I think there's a definite possibility that she's part of me.

"I want to have contact with her, Prince and Blanket regardless of whether any or all of them are mine. I think it's cruel that I've now been excluded from them."

He said that since Jackson's mother Katherine had been granted custody of the children following the singer's death, all his phone calls and emails had gone unanswered.

Lester, who has four children himself, said there was a strong resemblance between his 15-year-old daughter Harriet and Paris.

"Paris is very pale, with blue eyes. All my daughters, apart from my eldest, are fair with blue eyes. So many people have commented on how alike Harriet and Paris look."

He told the News of the World that Jackson first confided in him in 1996 that he was desperate to be a father.

Both were then aged 37 and Lester already had three children.

"He realised having kids was a natural thing but that he just couldn't do it," Lester said.

"I mentioned the fact there are alternative ways of going about it.

"I think he'd already tried using his own sperm but it hadn't worked for him, so I made an off-the-cuff comment saying, 'Try mine'"

Jackson agreed and the donation was arranged through a clinic in Harley Street, London, in February 1996.

Eight months later Jackson announced he had married nurse Debbie Rowe and three months later the couple revealed the birth of their first child, Prince.

Paris was born just over a year later, in April 1998.

Lester said he felt compelled to speak out because he feared being excluded from the lives of Jackson's children.

"This isn't what Michael would have wanted," he said. I feel I have to come forward, as my only way of saying, 'Please don't shut me out!'."
as of 08/09/2009 11:57 AM

TAYOMISMO? ano bang naging sukli natin sa kabutihan ni PRES. CORY AQUINO?

AKOMISMO?

on my part ,,bilang return sa kabutihan nya sa ating mga pilipino,maghapong nakatutok sa TV,,my time na medyo naiiyak especially pag pinapakita c kris,,di maiwasang madala ka ng kanyang emosyon,,un ngang TV nmin starts ng 6am pinatay is 9pm na halos,,dere-deretso tlga,,since my cable kmi kaya even on CNN i watched it.

naisip kaya ni RAMOS even ni PGMA ? "kapag cla namatay ganito din kaya gagawin ng sambayanang pilipino sa kanila?

4 honor guards stand on truck for 9 hours

By Jocelyn Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:24:00 08/06/2009

MANILA, Philippines—The four honor guards who stood motionless and braved the rains for almost nine hours atop the flat-bed truck that carried the late President Corazon Aquino from Manila Cathedral to Manila Memorial Park were trained to do just that.

They were handpicked from the elite honor guard units of the Philippine Navy, Army, Air Force and National Police, Navy spokesperson Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo told the Inquirer last night.

He identified them as

Pfc. Antonio Cadiente, Airman 2nd Class Gener Laguindam, Petty Officer 3 Edgardo Rodriguez and Police Officer 1 Danilo Maalab.

“They’re specially trained to undertake such ceremonial duties, specially to bear such difficult task to be immobile,” Arevalo said. He added they were trained even to resist “the call of nature.”

Rigorous field training and routine formation were among the secrets to their remarkable strength, he added.

If nature called, they would have to do it where they were standing, he said. But since the four men were among the fittest in the pack, it was expected that they would stand still up to the final moments of their task for the day, he said.

The four honor guards boarded the truck at past 11 a.m. when police generals, acting as pallbearers, carried Aquino’s wooden casket out of the cathedral after the more than two-hour Requiem Mass.

They got off the truck past 8 p.m. when they reached Manila Memorial Park where the revered People Power heroine was laid to rest next to her martyred husband, former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.

“Apart from discipline inherent in security forces, the prestige of the various services of the AFP and PNP is at stake here,” he said.

He added that he was inclined to believe that aside from skills acquired from training, it was the privilege and the honor to stand guard on the remains of Aquino, “the epitome of sacrifice, selflessness and strength,” that made them last long, said Arevalo.

“That was their own tribute to the former President,” he added.

East Timor head attends Aquino funeral

By Cynthia Balana, Marlon Ramos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:17:00 08/06/2009

East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta broke protocol when he came to Manila to bid farewell to his friend of many years. Diplomats said the gesture was a no-no for heads of state given the fact that it was not a state funeral.

Ramos-Horta braved a downpour and arrived on Wednesday morning in time for the funeral Mass at Manila Cathedral.

However, he had to proceed to Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City ahead of the mourners because he could not sit for long hours due to the wound he sustained from an attempt on his life in East Timor in 2008.

Lesson learned

Ramos-Horta said one lesson he learned from the Aquino presidency was being compassionate and humble.

“I’m always impressed by leaders who showed compassion and humility. To me, there is no greater quality in a leader than being compassionate and being humble because only through compassion and humility that one can bridge the divide, build bridges of dialogue between communities and between warring sections,” he said.

He said compassion and humility were the best traits of a leader. “Because being compassionate means being humble, and humility means being compassionate.

“No amount of intellect or academic record can replace compassion and humility that was Cory Aquino,” Ramos-Horta said at Manila Memorial Park.

Inspired by Aquino

“I could not fail to come here to the Philippines because I was always inspired by her courage in the ’80s in shouldering the legacy of Ninoy Aquino and when she left the presidency with humility, with compassion, with dignity,” Ramos-Horta said in an interview over ANC.

Ramos-Horta said he considered Aquino “one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century.”

“Cory Aquino, through her compassion and humility, inspired me. That’s the lesson I learned from her, the lesson I learned from Mahatma Gandhi, from Nelson Mandela. So I put Cory Aquino on the same status as probably one of the greatest people of this century,” he said on the cable channel.

At Manila Memorial Park, he said he first met Cory and Ninoy when the latter gave a lecture at Columbia University in New York City shortly before Ninoy’s fateful trip back home in 1983.

Ramos-Horta said he was then a member of an activist group seeking audience with the United Nations.

Humbled

On ANC, he said he last met an ailing Cory Aquino during his state visit to the Philippines last year.

He said he was “humbled” when Aquino, who was then undergoing chemotherapy treatment for her colon cancer, called him at his hotel and said she was coming over to visit him.

Ramos-Horta said he insisted that he be the one to visit the ailing Aquino. She declined.

“I wanted to visit her because I did not feel it was appropriate that she should come to my hotel because I’m a smaller person and I knew her as a greater leader,” he said.

Modest, frail

“I wanted to go and pay tribute to her in her home but she was so humble, so modest. She insisted that she was the one to come to my hotel. I looked at her, she was so frail when she walked. She was lucid, attentive and even expressed concern about my own health which showed what a very loving, caring personality she was. She cared more about others than herself. When she declined for me to go to her place and insisted that she come to my place, I felt very humbled by that,” he said.

At that meeting, he and Aquino reminisced about the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution and the legacy of her husband.

On the ANC, he said he believed the ideals that Aquino and her husband had stood for would be etched in the hearts of Filipinos and the world.

He called on Filipinos to renew efforts to resolve their differences, particularly the problems in Mindanao and elsewhere.

“Life is so precious. One life lost, one life wasted creates deeper anger among the communities,” he said.

Enemies surrender

Ramos-Horta said that like Aquino in the early years of her presidency, he, too, struggled between life and death in 2008 when he was assaulted by his enemies but he went on to live knowing that God wanted him to bring lasting peace to his country.

Today, rebel soldiers in East Timor have one by one surrendered peacefully while the gangs that used to fight each other have suddenly become silent, he said.

“For the last two years now, we have experienced the most peaceful period in our history. So, I hope that this experience of the Philippines, the passing away of Cory Aquino, the many years of her struggles, will lead the Philippines to make a greater effort to unite as one Filipino family,” he said.

Tolerant society

Ramos-Horta said that one great thing about Filipinos, which was lacking in other Asian countries, was their being “a more tolerant society.”

“Despite problems of poverty, the Philippines is a more embracing, more inclusive society in Asia. Filipinos are always optimistic. Like Brazilians, Filipinos enjoy life and have a pleasure for life,” he added.

'The queen we never had'

By Evelyn Macairan (The Philippine Star) Updated August 06, 2009 12:00 AM

People march alongside a truck carrying the casket of former President Corazon Aquino as the funeral motorcade passes Rizal Park in Manila yesterday. Edd Gumban

MANILA, Philippines – Massive crowds lined the streets, often in the rain, the whole day yesterday, strewing confetti and chanting, “Cory, Cory!” as they bade goodbye to former President Corazon Aquino.

She was the queen the country never had, Fr. Catalino Arevalo said in his homily during the requiem Mass attended by thousands of people who gathered to express their sympathy and gratitude to the Aquino family for sharing their mother with the nation.

“The children never had their father and mother. They have always shared them with the people, but because the blood of Cory and Ninoy (former senator Benigno Aquino Jr.) flows in them, they have their grace. To the family, thank you. The people would forever be in your debt,” Arevalo said.

Mrs. Aquino, who died at the age of 76 at the weekend after a long battle with colon cancer, was buried 10 hours later at the family mausoleum at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque after a long funeral procession witnessed by hundreds of thousands of people who lined the route of the funeral cortege.

“She always made the Filipino people proud. The late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin said that ‘what a great gift God gave to the people, when she gave Cory to us,’” he said.

Arevalo said Mrs. Aquino’s three daughters – Ballsy, Pinky and Viel – highlighted their mother’s selflessness in loving the country over her family, her faith in God, courage and abiding loyalty.

He said the two other children, Kris Aquino-Yap and Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, could always speak for themselves, being celebrities in their own right.

“Oftentimes, it has been said that Mrs. Aquino said that she could not complain on how her life turned out,” he said.

“She was a housewife who became president, a woman who defeated a long-time dictator by leading the people through a peaceful revolt,” Arevalo said.

Bataan Bishop Socrates Villegas made the final commendation to the former president during the two-hour requiem Mass.

“Tita Cory, I know you can hear me. You have to go now. God has called you back home. We who are still here on earth are not ready to say goodbye. We will never meet a woman as great as you for a very long time. We will miss you. We accept it. You are not ours. You are God’s. It is the truth but it hurts us deeply,” he said.

Villegas said Mrs. Aquino is now free of the burden of taking care of the country after restoring democracy.

“The battle is over, the victory is won. You are now truly free! You are now fully happy! Move on to heaven and be with your beloved Ninoy, forever. Heaven is where the two of you will die no longer. Harvest the rich fruits of your toil on earth,” he said.

Villegas said Mrs. Aquino “died three times” for the country.

She died when she had to give up her private life for the sake of her husband, Villegas said.

“She died when she was forced to become the opposition candidate in the 1986 snap elections. She died again when she became president from 1986 to 1992,” he said.

Villegas said Mrs. Aquino dies every time that the people call on her to leave her retirement whenever there were threats against democracy. “We promise to love this country as you loved us. There is darkness in our land but you have shared with us your fire,” Villegas said.

Villegas described Mrs. Aquino as a woman who was “born to wealth and plenty but you lived in simplicity and humbly carried our painful misery.”

Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino dead at 76

CNNNEWS.COM

(CNN) -- Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino, whose "People Power" movement pushed out longtime strongman Ferdinand Marcos less than three years after her husband's assassination, has died at age 76, her family announced Saturday.

Aquino, the first woman to lead the Philippines, had been battling colon cancer since March 2008 and died of cardio-respiratory arrest at 3:18 a.m. Saturday (3:18 p.m. Friday ET), said Mai Mislang, a spokeswoman for her son, Philippine Sen. Benigno Aquino III.

Funeral arrangements were being set up, Mislang said. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has also announced a 10-day mourning period for the former president, said Ray Donato, the country's consul-general in Atlanta.

"She was the agent of change in Philippine democracy, and almost all the Filipinos I know revered her during her presidency," Donato said.

Aquino had been born into a wealthy family and was educated in the United States. She had not been involved in politics before her husband, opposition leader Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., was gunned down at Manila's airport in August 1983 as he returned from exile.

The political novice took over the leadership of her husband's movement after his death and challenged Marcos in a 1986 election, making a yellow dress her trademark and bolstered by the support of the country's Roman Catholic churches.

Marcos had been backed by the United States, the former colonial power in the Philippines, for two decades as a stalwart anti-communist. He and his wife Imelda were friends of then-President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy. But widespread allegations of electoral fraud and a mutiny by the country's military led the Reagan administration to withdraw its support, and Marcos went into exile in Hawaii.

Aquino took office in a country with a $28 billion debt, widespread poverty and a persistent Marxist insurgency. She put in place a U.S.-style constitution that limited presidents to a single six-year term and survived seven coup attempts -- including one that was supressed with American help.
She also oversaw the closure of the major U.S. military bases in the country before leaving office in 1992. The bases had been a bulwark of American power in the Pacific since the early 1900s and employed nearly 80,000 Filipinos, but Aquino's opponents argued the country was too dependent on the United States. Aquino announced in 1990 that it was time to begin negotiating the "orderly withdrawal" of U.S. forces.