PAGTUTULUNGAN.ORG: Auction For Action 2012

Last Year, UNICEF made a unique fundraiser event that did not happen in a physical auction house but rather online. The Auction for Action back in 2011 was a success with pieces that were donated by well-known artists that believed in the advocacy of UNICEF in helping unprivileged children in the Philippines.

This year, they are now preparing Auction for Action for this year with more items and artists joining for the cause. This year, they have a theme for the auction which is "Play" as the auction will happen live on eBay Philippines on October 2012. 

UNICEF Philippines and Daphne Oseña Paez brings together Filipino artists for children

In celebration of the 20th year of National Children’s Month, UNICEF Philippines presents UNICEF Auction for Action, an online auction to benefit children in the Philippines and worldwide. 

For the second time, this online auction brings together more than seventy pieces of work from admired artists in design, furniture, art and jewelry for a good cause. Curated and presented by UNICEF Special Advocate for Children Daphne Oseña Paez, the online auction is a product of UNICEF and Daphne’s collaboration to bring the world of art, furniture and design together with her advocacy on children.  “Whenever I go to the field with UNICEF, I am heartened to see that we are doing a lot to improve children’s lives all over the Philippines. But there is always more to do; that’s why I support UNICEF.”  

XSTIG: MOVE App By Meralco

Mobile Applications brings a lot of convenience to many of us because of the many things they can do for us. From playing games, organizing notes, even do mobile blogging. And this makes our mobile devices very helpful, and now, Meralco, the country's largest distributor of power in the country, created a very amazing app that will further help us with our daily living.

Imagine an application that calculates your appliances' daily, weekly and monthly electric consumption and informs you about power interruptions and notifications. Helps you in knowing about your bill and also know where would be the nearest bayad centers for easy bill payments. Yes, all of these are found in the MeralcO Virtual Engine (MOVE) App! 

I installed them on all my android devices and helps me in calculating my daily electric consumption and gives me tips on how to save on electricity and also improve efficiency of appliances.

REEL DEAL: The Croods SPOTLIGHT

Dreamworks 3D THE CROODS

“The Croods” is a prehistoric 3D comedy adventure from DreamWorks Animation to be distributed by 20th Century Fox that takes us back to the beginning of time.  In a previously undiscovered era known as the Croodacious – we find the Crood family when Mother Nature was still experimenting and the flora and fauna we know today hasn’t evolved yet is where the story all began.

At the center of this world is the Crood family, led by Grug (voiced by Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage), an over-protective father who, like all dads, is doing all he can to hold his family together at a time when cataclysmic changes are happening.  Together with his wife (Catherine Keener), kids (Emma Stone and Clark Duke) and ornery mother-in-law (Cloris Leachman) in tow, Grug guides his family through this spectacular environment, full of amazing creatures, to find a new cave to call home. Along the way, they encounter Guy (Ryan Reynolds), an imaginative and resourceful newcomer who takes risks and wholeheartedly embraces the promise of tomorrow.

Inspired to tell a story of how a family survives during tough times, directors Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders set the story in a prehistoric frame when they don’t have to worry about bills, but is concerned on how they would adapt to the world changing before their very eyes.  “This is the world’s first family road trip,” says De Micco while Sanders shares that “Our cavemen are very gifted, they can run 40 miles an hour, can throw a rock many many miles and very physically capable, but mentally we have a lot of beginner minds.”

Take a look at the world’s first family – The Croods family photo: (from left to right)

Thunk (Clark Duke): The middle-sibling who stands 6-foot and weighs 9, 320 pounds, and 9 years old who has the best heart and the worst coordination.

Gran (Cloris Leachman): The ferocious, almost crocodile-type woman and is the main antagonist for Grug’s  pater families.

Sandy the baby:  Who doesn’t speak but more of growls and is one tough kiddie survivor.

Ugga (Catherine Keener): The open-minded wife of Grug who like moms around the globe tries to keep her family alive and fed all the time.

Eep (Emma Stone): The adventurous daughter of Grug and Ugga who likes to try new things.

Grug (Nicolas Cage): He is the animated caveman version of well-meaning but hopelessly outdated dad and leader of the clan.

Guy (Ryan Reynolds, in a separate photo with his sloth-like pet): A prehistoric revolutionary guy who prefers using his brain and comes up with new ideas with whom Eep falls in love.

                

“The Croods” will open in cinemas March 30, 2013.

MUSIC LYF - Brewer Boys

Teen duo Brewer Boys visit Manila

With their boy-next-door looks and charming appeal, it is unbelievable that the teen brother’s duo Brewer Boys, composed of Justin (18) and Nathan (15), can perform wide range of songs  country to pop to classic rock and even bluegrass.

The Brewer Boys, who look up to the Everly Brothers, can perform mean covers of songs of Johnny Cash, Crosby Stills & Nash, Big & Rich, Journey, Train and even Jason Mraz. They also write some of their music.

This immense musicality and charm made the Brewer Boys enter the elite roster of finalists of the X Factor USA, where they were hailed the top 16th.

“It was fun, stressful, but memorable experience,” exclaims Justin when asked of the X Factor stint. “We will never, ever forget those times and we are thankful that because of that exposure so many doors have opened for us.”

GMA Network, official broadcast media partner of ZAC EFRON visit for Penshoppe

Broadcast giant GMA Network recently inked an agreement with leading publicity firm PR Asia Worldwide to be the official broadcast media partner of PENSHOPPE Fan Conference 2012 which will present Zac Efron live at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on September 29, 2012.

Followers of the international star can witness the year's biggest Hollywood arrival by accumulating a single-receipt purchase made at selected PENSHOPPE branches and exchanged for SM Tickets until September 23.

For every single receipt purchase worth P800 (general admission), P1,200 (upper box), P2,500 (lower box), P3, 500 (patron) and P5,000 (VIP front seats), customers must request for a FanCon voucher signed by the store manager. Customer must then present the voucher to any SM Tickets (www.smtickets.com) branch nationwide in exchange for the actual FanCon ticket.

REEL DEAL: Ruby Sparks Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas SPOTLIGHT

Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas in RUBY SPARKS

A once bestselling author who is suffering from writer’s block finds inspiration once again writing about his ideal girl whom he named Ruby Sparks.  Paul Dano, whose remarkable performances in “Little Miss Sunshine” and “There Will Be Blood” stars in “Ruby Sparks,” a story that his real-life girlfriend Zoe Kazan wrote.  The movie is fittingly brought to life by married pair of directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris whose previous feature “Little Miss Sunshine” was nominated for four Academy Awards® including Best Picture. 

KESZ WINS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S PEACE PRIZE 2012

The International Children’s Peace Prize 2012 was presented to Kesz (13) from the Philippines at the Ridderzaal in The Hague today. Of the three nominated children, who have all made extraordinary efforts in the area of children's rights, the Expert Committee selected Kesz as the winner. He was awarded the prize by Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu.

Kesz received this award for his efforts to improve the rights of street children in the Philippines, where more than 246,000 street children are subjected to abuse, violence and child labour. Many of them also struggle to cope with major health issues. Kesz was in the same situation. He was severely abused and forced to scavenge at the dumpsite at the age of two. Three years later, he sustained burns on his arm and back, which forced him to run away and look for help. He has transformed his own experiences into a drive to help other street children and inspire them to change their own lives.

12 Heavenly Music to be heard at ASOP Music Festival 2012 Finals Night

“While songs about love and relationships are a dime a dozen on air, few and far-between are the songs written for the glory of God”, remarked by BMPI-UNTV Chairman & CEO, also a known songwriter and recording artist, Dr. Daniel Razon, thus the birth of “A Song of Praise (ASOP) Music Festival” hosted by Richard Reynoso and Toni Rose Gayda aired every Sunday on UNTV.

As days progressed, more praise songs written by amateur and professional composers were heard in said TV program expressing the wonderful things the Maker has bestowed on us.

                                                                                                                               

Now the stage for its grand finals is all set on September 24, 2012, Monday at 7 o’clock in the evening at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

REEL DEAL: Ted SPOTLIGHT

Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane brings his boundary-pushing brand of humor to the big screen for the first time as writer, director and voice star of Ted.  In the live action/CG-animated comedy, he tells the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), a grown man who must deal with the cherished teddy bear who came to life as the result of a childhood wish…and has refused to leave his side ever since.

“Ted” is distributed and released by United International Pictures

 through Solar Entertainment Corporation.

REEL DEAL: The Hunting Party REVIEW

The Golden Globe Award-winning actor, Richard Gere, plays Simon Hunt, a journalist who is desperate to save his sinking career. On a frantic hunt for a story big enough to propel him back into the limelight, he convinces his former camera man, Duck (Terrence Howard), to embark on a mission to interview the number 1 war criminal of Bosnia, Radoslav Bogdanovi, also known as "The Fox".  They are accompanied by Duck’s buddy, the young reporter Benjamin (Jesse Eisenberg).  Simon Hunt convinces the two to track down and capture the Fox. Along the way, they are mistaken as CIA hit squad by the United Nation’s police force and by the Serbians. They are captured by the Fox’s guards and are about to be executed.  Fortunately, the CIA assassins come and free them. The CIA orders the journalists to board the plane bound for the US, but they run away and continue their quest to hunt down the Fox. They seize him while he is hunting in the woods and then release him in the village filled with the family members of the victims of his war crime.

The cast includes James Brolin, Diane Kruger and Joy Bryant.  The film is directed by Richard Shepard based on the screenplay written by Richard Shepard himself.

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has given the The Hunting Party an R-13 rating. E-PLUS members get to enjoy 50% off on the ticket. SM Advantage cardholders, Prestige Card, BDO Rewards Card and Global Pinoy Card holders can enjoy 20% discount on tickets.