iBlog 8 Now Happening!

For today and tomorrow iBlog 8 is happening at the UP College of Law, Malcolm Hall. Another fun filled day of learning and networking about what's new and what's going on in the Phlippine Blogging Scene. Now on its 8th year, it brings together bloggers from the metro and even from North Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to join in this annual event.

I have attended iBlog since 2009 and have been looking forward to meet more blog friends and companies who support the online media.  The Agenda for the two days are as follows:

HEALTHY LYF: What’s New with Watsons?

Wonderful things happen when you’re in perfect health. A great body is not a luxury but a necessity so we can all live happy and meaningful lives. Watsons offers twogreat news that both benefits health and also brings savings.  Welcome Generic Medicines and Now Foods now available at Watsons stores!

REEL DEAL: Taken 2 - Liam Nelson SPOTLIGHT

Shot in Istanbul, Turkey and directed by Olivier Megaton , “Taken 2” reunites Liam Neeson with his co-stars Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace in this rocket-paced action sequel that rivals some of the greatest gun-handlers in cinema history.

Neeson reprises the role of Bryan Mills, a father and an estranged husband who would do anything for his family in the movie.  Mills’ daughter having been kidnapped the first time. But he faces a different kind of conflict in “Taken 2.”  Liam Neeson returns as Bryan Mills, the retired CIA agent with a particular set of skills who stopped at nothing to save his daughter Kim from Albanian kidnappers.  When the father of one of the kidnappers swears revenge, and takes Bryan and his wife hostage during their family vacation in Istanbul, Bryan enlists Kim to help them escape, and uses the same advanced level of special forces tactics to get his family to safety and then systematically take out the kidnappers one by one.

Thank You Mom, You Are My IDOL

Everyone needs someone to look up to, a model that we mimic our actions and mold us to what we will be and lead us to what would be the best for us. We are looking for an IDOL where we get our inspiration. Before we knew the beautiful and wild world, we had our first Idol, and we call her mother. In my case I grew to call her "mama" and others call her "Josie".

Mama Josie was the youngest of the three sisters and learned to stand up on her own at a young age, as their family were not that financially stable, in which only one of them finished college with the help of my mother as she goes to many "rakets" to bring food to the table and help my aunt finish her studies.


With the people she meets everyday, her eyes was opened into the vast opportunities and the love of travel. She would go out with friends and go on trips from Baguio to Albay, then hop on a ship to Cebu and also got a roundtrip ticket to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia without sending a cent. She was indeed charismatic, she has the gift of persuastion as well a fiesty attitude when oppressed. A strong woman she grew after she was left with her first son (my eldest brother Jeffrey) and raise him on her own. 

PAGTUTULUNGAN.ORG: Saudi Envoy Hands Over 60 Tons of Dates to WFP for Conflict-Affected Communities in ARMM

Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ambassador to the Philippines Abdullah Al-Hassan (second from left) and senior representative of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Finance in Riyadh Saad Al Sunaidi (far left) formally hand over 60 tons of dates to U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) Philippines Representative and Country Director Stephen Anderson (far right), with Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Middle East and African Affairs Executive Director Neal Imperial (second from right) acting as witness.  

The generous date donation from the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest ever to WFP Philippines.  In coordination with the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development, WFP will distribute the food to 30,000 vulnerable families in the conflict-affected provinces of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.    

Photo Credit: WFP/Anthony Lim/Philippines

REEL DEAL: Snow White and the Huntsman - Charleze Theron SPOTLIGHT

Charlize Theron’s monsters turns to evil queen.

Reflects director Rupert Sanders on the power of this creature in our minds, as well as her role in this interpretation of the iconic story: “The Queen symbolizes death, and she is trying to stop her own from arriving.  She is seeking immortality, so everything in the kingdom is thrown off balance.  Oppositely, Snow White is the beating heart of life, and the Huntsman’s job is to take that life.  If the Queen fails, life and death may fall back in sync and the kingdom will return to how it once was.”

Academy Award® winner Charlize Theron was brought aboard to play the fabled monarch.  Discussing his decision to cast Theron, Sanders commends: “Charlize has given such staggering performances in her career, but she is also such an incredibly beautiful woman.  She encompasses, more than any other actor out there, both power and beauty personified.  She is Margaret Thatcher-meets-Kate Moss.” 

Camille Prats not yet entertaining suitors but not closing her doors

Eight months after the untimely death of her husband Anthony Lansingan, Camille Prats is now trying to recover from her husband’s demise.  Her husband died in September 2011 after suffering from nasopharyngeal cancer, a type of throat cancer affecting the upper section of the throat.

“Masasabi ko po na I’m getting better now.  Kasi mas natatanggap ko na na wala na talaga siya, na hindi na siya babalik. Kasi nung mga first few months talagang ang iniisip ko baka naman bumalik pa. May ganun e.  Parang in denial pa ako. Ngayon natatanggap ko na na hindi na talaga siya  babalik.  But there are days na ‘pag naiisip ko siya ang sakit talaga,” she shared in an interview during the press launch of GMA-7’s newest primetime series Luna Blanca.

MUSIC LYF: Lifehouse Live in Manila

Fall in love once again with American rock band, Lifehouse, as they take Manila by storm in an evening of extraordinary musical pleasure this May 26th at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

Lifehouse’s leap to mainstream success started with the release of their international hit single “Hanging by a Moment” which became the Most Played Song in 2001. Written by Jason Wade, the song catapulted the band into commercial recognition. This was followed by other chart-topping hits such as “You and Me” and “Blind” from their self-titled album “Lifehouse” as well as “Whatever It Takes” from the album “Who We Are” all under MCA Music. Their latest album, “Smoke & Mirrors”, debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200 marking the highest chart debut of their 10-year career. It sold 500,000 units in the United States and over two million worldwide, owning the charts for twenty consecutive weeks.   

Most of the band’s songs were featured on TV series and motion pictures in the United States. “Everything” was used in the series Smallville, “All in All” in Scrubs while “Good Enough” was played over the end credits of the Disney film “The Wild”. The band’s ability to evoke emotions and effectively translate it into a song was what gained them their massive fan base over the years. Tracks like “Sick Cycle Carousel”, “Everything”, “Breathing”, “First Time”, “You and Me” and more, were played over and over again by loyal listeners worldwide. These songs captured the hearts of millions and left them wanting more. 

Bactidol Idol: The Best Performances from 12-hour Sing-a-thon

We would like to thank all the participants who joined and won in the Bactidol 12- hour Sing-a-thon held at Red Box Rock Dine and Roll in Eastwood City Mall.

If you missed the event, you can still get a chance to win Bactidol Gift packs! Join the Bactidol IDOL promo!

To join:

• Like the Bactidol and Manual to Lyf facebook pages
• On this blog post just leave a comment of your guess who are the winners for each category:
• Best Solo Performance Bactidol IDOL
• Best Group Performance –Bacteria-busting Barkada[r2]
• And thats it, Very easy indeed!

To know more about the participating groups and Bactidol IDOL contestants performances, you can check out my coverage of the Bactidol Sing-a-thon event and/or  the Bactidol facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Bactidol).  

Julie Anne wishes for happiness, more opportunities as she turns 18

Julie Anne San Jose had just finished her birthday/thanksgiving concert held on May 16 when she sat down for an interview with some members of the entertainment press to share her elation over the success of her first concert.

Julie Anne San Jose had just finished her birthday/thanksgiving concert held on May 16 when she sat down for an interview with some members of the entertainment press to share her elation over the success of her first concert. 

“Grabe, ang saya.  Hindi ko ineexpect na ganito pala karami ‘yung mga tao.  It’s really an overwhelming feeling na nag-enjoy talaga sila,” she shared.