Pinay hackers win international honors!

Filipina mobile app developers Rubi Santa Cruz and Michie Ang (center and right), and their Singapore-based teammate, software engineer Dee Tan, bested hundreds of competitors to take home the $30,000 grand prize at AngelHack Singapore, June 2. AngelHack, via Twitter

Meet Filipino who will graduate with honors at US academy

By Rodney Jaleco, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

COLORADO - Growing up in the fringes of the Dipolog city airport, Theodore Karl Quijano was bitten early by the lure of flight and that has taken him all the way to Colorado, where he graduates next week from the US Air Force Academy.

With the cost of college proving too much of a burden on his family, Quijano decided to apply at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City, and later saw the opportunity to fulfill his childhood dream by competing for a slot in the USAFA.

“I grew up right next to the airport,” he revealed. “I saw planes land and take off every day and the sight made me dream to be able to fly those aircraft one day.”

He not only learned to fly, he soared in the Academy, achieving feats that should make Filipinos proud – he was given command of Cadet Squadron 10 last Fall after being assigned as Cadet Wing Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, said to be one of the highest positions in the Academy managing over 4,000 people, during the Summer. A year earlier, he was also made Superintendent of CS-10.

“God, family and country – it was clear to me that I was doing this for them, not for myself,” Quijano said. “I wanted to work for something bigger than myself. This made me stand out in the Academy and drove others to have the same outlook.”

As part of the graduating class of 2013, he marches with honors at Falcon Field next Wednesday. He belongs to the Superintendent’s (overall excellence) and Dean’s (academic excellence) list. Quijano will also receive the Outstanding Basic Cadet Award from the Academy’s Commandant for finishing 1st in the class of 1,300 cadets for military excellence.

In addition he will get his Parachutist Badge, Space Wings (for completing the space operations program that taught him, among others, how to operate satellites), Glider Pilot Wings and the Powered Flight Wings.

Quijano ranked 2nd in athletics for his batch and is the only Filipino cadet (out of 15 who preceded him in the USAFA since 1956) to get a perfect physical fitness score in the Academy’s 500 Club.

The eldest in a brood of seven, he learned early on the challenges of being a leader in the family. “My father inspired me with stories about successful people both in the military and corporate worlds, and how I should work to be just like them when I grew up and help send my siblings to school.”

“But most of all I learned from my parents the value of living with honor, integrity and service to others,” Quijano said.

He spent three years at the University of the Philippines (UP) campus in Diliman, Quezon City but the expenses were taking a toll on the family finances, Quijano explained, so he grabbed the opportunity to enter the PMA where he not only got a free education, he also got a modest stipend and the guarantee of a good job after graduation.

He later took the tests to qualify for the United States Service Academies – one of the most rigorous examinations that allows only the brightest and strongest candidates from all over Southeast Asia to join West Point (Army), Annapolis (Navy and Marines) and the Air Force Academy (the Philippines used to have yearly slots reserved in these schools until the US closed its military bases in the country).

Life in USAFA wasn’t easy, Quijano conceded. There wasn’t much difference in training concept with PMA, he added, but it still took a heavy mental, physical and emotional toll partly because he was so far from home and family.

“I couldn’t let my American counterparts look down on me; that’s why I strived to be better at everything I do every single day – whether it’s military, athletics or academics. It just so happened I excelled militarily and athletically. I had the right attitude which PMA equipped me with and it helped me get through the difficult times,” Quijano explained.

After the graduation ceremonies, the foreign cadets are usually ushered to a separate ceremony where they will get their officer’s commission from their respective countries. The Philippine Air Force’s DC-based military attaché, Col. Arnel Duco is expected to swear him in as a 2nd Lieutenant in the PAF.

“I intend to serve my country to the utmost of my abilities,” Quijano stressed. “I will use what I learned here to be an asset for change and innovation in the military. I will do what I can at my level to hopefully affect the bigger system.”

It’s been a long journey for the young man whose dreams were built watching the planes fly in and out of the runway close to their home. So, near the end of four years of study and toil, the newly-minted Philippine Air Force officer declared his most ardent wish, “I hope to fly the Philippine’s aircraft soon.”

(c) http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/05/22/13/meet-filipino-who-graduates-honors-us-academy

Bruno Mars : Half Filipino

Mars was born Peter Gene Hernandez on October 8, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and was raised in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu. He is the son of Peter Hernandez and Bernadette "Bernie" San Pedro Bayot (died June 1, 2013). His father is of half Puerto Rican and half Jewish (from Hungary and Ukraine) descent, and is originally from Brooklyn, New York. Mars' mother immigrated to Hawaii from the Philippines as a child, and was of Filipino descent. His parents met while performing in a show, where his mother was a hula dancer and his father played percussion. At the age of two, he was nicknamed "Bruno" by his father, because of his resemblance to legendary professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino. 

Mars is one of six children and came from a musical family who exposed him to a diverse mix of reggae, rock, hip hop, and R&B. In addition to being a dancer, his mother was a singer and his father used his musical ability to perform Little Richard rock n roll music. Mars' uncle was an Elvis impersonator, and encouraged three-year-old Mars to perform on stage as well. Mars also performed songs by artists such as Michael Jackson, The Isley Brothers, and The Temptations. At age four, Mars began performing five days a week with his family's band, The Love Notes, in which he became known on the island for his impersonation of Presley. In 1990, Mars was featured in MidWeek as "Little Elvis", going on to have a cameo in the film Honeymoon in Vegas in 1992.

His time spent impersonating Presley had a major impact on Mars' musical evolution and performing techniques. He later began playing guitar after drawing inspiration from Jimi Hendrix.[citation needed] In 2010, he also acknowledged his Hawaiian roots and musical family as an influence, explaining, "Growing up in Hawaii made me the man I am. I used to do a lot of shows in Hawaii with my father's band. Everybody in my family sings, everyone plays instruments...I've just been surrounded by it." In 2003, shortly after graduating from President Theodore Roosevelt High School at the age of 17, Mars moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue a musical career. He adopted his stage name from the nickname his father gave him, adding "Mars" at the end because "I felt like I didn't have [any] pizzazz, and a lot of girls say I’m out of this world, so I was like I guess I'm from Mars. 

Mars had an unsuccessful stint with Motown Records, but then signed with Atlantic in 2009. He became recognized as a solo artist after lending his vocals to the songs "Nothin' on You" by B.o.B, and "Billionaire" by Travie McCoy, which were worldwide hits, and for which he co-wrote the hooks. He also co-wrote the hits "Right Round" by Flo Rida featuring Ke$ha, and "Wavin' Flag" by K'naan, allowing him to work with an assortment of artists from various genres. Mars' debut studio album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010) peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, anchored by the worldwide number-one singles "Just the Way You Are", "Grenade" and the hit single "The Lazy Song". The album was nominated for seven Grammy Awards, winning Best Pop Vocal Performance for "Just The Way You Are". His second album, Unorthodox Jukebox (2012), peaked at number one in the United States. The album spawned the international hit singles, "Locked Out of Heaven" and "When I Was Your Man". In addition to his solo music, Bruno has collaborated with numerous other artists, notably being featured on the worldwide hits "Lighters" (with Bad Meets Evil) and "Young, Wild & Free" (with Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa).

Mars' work has earned him numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy, an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award and a BRIT Award. Since the beginning of his career as a singer, in 2010, Mars has sold 8 million albums and 58 million singles worldwide as a singer, although as a songwriter, producer and singer, his total single download sales surpass 100 million worldwide. He has achieved a total of five number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and six top ten singles, including first place with "Just the Way You Are", which sold 12.5 million copies and contributed to Mars becoming the best-selling digital artist in 2011.

Anne Curtis Smith

    Anne Ojales Curtis-Smith , also known as Anne Curtis-Smith or simply Anne Curtis (born on 17 February 1985 in Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia) is a Filipino-Australian actress, model, television host, singer, fashion icon, recording artist and VJ, currently active in the Philippines. She is working under ABS-CBN. She was discovered while on vacation in the Philippines at the age of 12 which made her visit permanent.                                 Anne Curtis was born in Wangaratta, Australia. Annually, her family visited the Philippines to see her mothers relatives. In 1997, her visit became permanent when she was discovered while eating in a fast-food restaurant, acquiring her first modelling job in the Philippines. Within a week or so, Curtis had bagged first commercial. Because of this, she and her father decided to relocate to the Philippines. She completed her 7th grade studies at the Colegio de Sta. Rosa, Makati. Because she was not able to speak Filipino fluently, she had to partake special Filipino classes to increase her fluency. Her first movie was 'Magic Kingdom', where she played a princess. After this, she appeared in several supporting roles in GMA Network's shows. Some of the shows were T.G.I.S., Ikaw Na Sana and the long-running situational comedy series Beh Bote Nga

  In 2004, Curtis moved to the rival network of GMA Network, ABS-CBN. The management of ABS-CBN gave her a more mature role, when she starred in Hiram. Her co-stars in the series were Kris Aquino, Dina Bonnevie, John Estrada, Heart Evangelista and Geoff Eigenmann. In 2005, she got her first title role, via the television version of Kampanerang Kuba. The film version of Kampanerang Kuba was starred by star-of-all-season, Vilma Santos. Also in 2005, she hosted the reality show Qpids with her best friend, Luis Manzano. In 2006, she got her first movie under Star Cinema, All About Love. It was a three-part movie and also starred some of the ABS-CBN's biggest stars, John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo, Luis Manzano, Angelica Panganiban and Jason Abalos. Also in 2006, she played a nurse and a psycho killer in Star Cinema and Viva Films' Wag Kang Lilingon. Kristine Hermosa also starred in the film. In that same year, she starred in the critically acclaimed television drama series, Maging Sino Ka Man, wherein she was paired with her ex-boyfriend, Sam Milby. In this series she played the role of Celine, she got the chance to work with veteran actor Christopher De Leon. Her role in the series gave her a best actress nomination in the 21st PMPC Star Awards for Television. She later reprised her role in the second installation of the series, Maging Sino Ka Man: Ang Pagbabalik. In 2007, she starred in the blockbuster comedy-film, Ang Cute Ng Ina Mo, wherein she played the daughter of the comedy-queen, Ai Ai de las Alas.

In 2008, Curtis starred in the film, When Love Begins, wherein she was paired with award-winning actor, Aga Muhlach. Later in that same year, she starred in the award-winning period film, Baler. This was her first on-screen team-up with Jericho Rosales. She won the Best Actress Award from the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival. This marked as Curtis' first acting award, and was very thankful for it. She was also nominated in the 25th PMPC Star Awards for Movies as Film Actress of the Year and in the 11th Gawad Pasado Awards as Pinakapasadong Aktres. Also in 2008, she got her second title role, Dyosa (Goddess). Curtis admitted that she was very nervous about her role and she picked that being a mermaid is the hardest. She had three leading men in the series, which are Sam Milby, Luis Manzano and Zanjoe Marudo. After this, she was dubbed as the "Dyosa" of Philippine Showbiz. In 2009, she was one of the main hosts of the highly popular morning variety show, Showtime alongside Vhong Navarro, Kim Atienza, Vice Ganda and many more. In 2009, she played the role of Candice in the television series, The Wedding. Her leading men were Zanjoe Marudo and Derek Ramsay. In 2010, she starred in the film Babe, I Love You. The movie marked her first big-screen team-up with ex-boyfriend, Sam Milby. Her second movie for 2010 was In Your Eyes. Her co-stars include Claudine Barretto and her ex-boyfriend, Richard Gutierrez. Her role in this film earned her a Best Supporting Actress Award from the 29th Luna Awards and a Movie Actress of the Year Nominee from the 27th PMPC Star Awards for Movies.

In 2011, Curtis starred in the Philippine adaptation of the Koreanovela Green Rose. The series featured her reunion with Jericho Rosales. In the same year, Curtis starred in the romantic-comedy film, Who's That Girl?. It served as her reunion movie with Luis Manzano. On September 23, 2011, Curtis launched her debut album, Annebisyosa, under Viva Records. She asked for her bosses to release her album, as it is one of her dreams. She described her album as "super fun" and "not serious." She also stated that people should listen at their own risk. On October 16, 2011, with less than a month of release, the album reached the gold status, as it sold 10,000 copies. Curtis cried while receiving the gold record award. On December 11, 2011, the album reached the Platinum status. In 2011, she played the role of Kara Zalderiaga in the phenomenal box-office hit, No Other Woman, which also stars Derek Ramsay and Cristine Reyes. The film earned Php 275 Million, making it the highest grossing Filipino film, until it was beaten by The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin. Her role in the film lead her and co-star Cristine Reyes to be recognized as the Box Office Queens at the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Foundation's 43rd Box-Office Entertainment award. She also won as the Pinakapasadong Aktres (Best Actress) at the 14th Gawad Pasado Awards. In the 28th PMPC Star Awards for Movies, she was nominated as Movie Actress of the Year.

In December 2011, Curtis' conference for her upcoming concert, Annebisyosa No Other Concert World Tour was held. She was to perform at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum on January 28, 2012. The concert was also a celebration for her 15th year in show business. Her guests at her first major solo concert were her sister Jasmine Curtis, her best friend Luis Manzano, her co-hosts in Showtime, Vhong Navarro and Vice Ganda, rock stars Rico Blanco and Ira Cruz, her ex-boyfriend Sam Milby, her No Other Woman co-stars, Derek Ramsay and Cristine Reyes, and the Popstar Princess Sarah Geronimo. Some of the celebrities that went to watch her first major solo concert were Solenn Heussaff, Georgina Wilson, Karylle, Kris Aquino, KC Concepcion, Richard Gutierrez, Jessy Mendiola and Jhong Hilario. After her major solo concert, several provincial concerts were held, the first stop of the concert series was held on March 23, 2012 in Waterfront Hotel, Cebu and the second one was held on May 5, 2012 in Atrium, Limketkai Center, Cagayan De Oro City.

Henry Sy : Chinese Filipino businessman

Early life
Henry Sy was born to a poor family in Xiamen, China on December 25,1924. He is the son of Henry H. Sy. He graduated from San Beda College Mendiola. He immigrated to the Philippines and got his start by selling rejected and overrun shoes from Tondo.
He completed his secondary education in a school now known as Chiang Kai Shek College  and earned his Associate of Arts degree in Commercial Studies at Far Eastern University in 1950.
Foray into business
In 1958, Sy established a small shoe store in Quiapo, Manila that marked the establishment of SM Prime Holdings. In November 1972, the small shoe store became SM Quiapo, SM's first standalone department store.
On December 25, 1985, he established his first SM Supermall, SM City North EDSA.
He is the Philippines' richest man, gaining $5 billion in 2010, amid the global financial crisis. The huge gain was due to his holding company, SM Investments Corporation, which has interests in Banco de Oro, inter alia. Forbes magazine's 2008 list of 40 wealthiest Filipinos, revealed the Sy family's net worth was $6.2 billion. Earlier, he was the second wealthiest individual in the Philippines, next to Lucio Tan, and (as of 2010) 201st in the world.
Sy is considered a tai-pan. The Sy group is the operator of Banco de Oro and owner of Chinabank. In 2006, he bought the remaining 66% of Equitable PCI Bank, the Philippines third largest lender, in which he already had a 34% stake, and merged it with Banco de Oro in 2007. The merger created the Philippines' second largest financial institution with resources of close to $17 billion. Rumors say that the Sy family has a personal stake of $4 billion in these three banks, although there is no sufficient evidence to strongly substantiate that.

In August of 2005, Sy's stake in the San Miguel Corporation, Southeast Asia's largest food and beverage conglomerate, reached 11%. He sold that stake in October of 2007 for $680 million.

Henry Sy, Sr., was named "Management Man of the Year" by the Makati Business Club in 1999 and was conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Business Management by De La Salle University in January of that year. He organized the SM Foundation Inc., which helps underprivileged and promising young Filipinos. Several of his children hold senior management positions in his companies, although he has groomed daughter Teresita Sy-Coson and his grandchildren Hailey Sy-Coson, Darcie Sy, Patrick Carlo Sy, Cheska Sy, Sarita Sy, Samantha Ong-Sy and Josiah Sy as his successors. Sy's holding company, SM Investments Corporation, has consistently been cited as one of the Philippines best-managed companies. On May 20, 2006, the SM Mall of Asia, built in the reclamation area of Pasay City, was opened to the public. It is the third-largest mall in the world as of 2012.

Mich Dulce : Filipina fashion designer

Mich Dulce (born Michelle Dianne Lopez Dulce on May 8, 1981) is a Filipina fashion designer, milliner, corsetiere, actress and vocalist of bands Death By Tampon and Us-2 Evil-0.

She graduated from the Poveda Learning Center in Quezon City (now St. Pedro Poveda College), and attended the Ateneo de Manila University where she earned a college degree in Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies: Management and Communications Track. She worked with professional designers like Jessica Ogden, Marjan Pejoski and Cecile Zamora. After college she attended a series of short Courses at the London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design both in London.

She returned to the Philippines to pursue further studies in design at the University of the Philippines and the Philippine International School of Fashion. In 2004 she went to the United States to study Merchandise planning at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

In 2005 she opened Store for All Seasons with Cecile Zamora.

In 2006, Dulce was one of the 14 housemates of ABS-CBN's Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition. She left the house after suffering asthma brought on by anxiety attacks and was treated at the Philippine Heart Center. She was evicted after she opted not to return to the BB House within the requisite 24 hours, on medical advice.

In 2009 the Mich Dulce label was first sold globally, with stockists in Manila, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Beginning in 2010, she focused on her career as a milliner and corsetiere, gaining populatiry for her bespoke period style corsets that can take off up to 6 inches on the waist. 

Notable clients and commissions

British music icon Adam Ant wears a bicorn by Mich Dulce as part of his stage costume with his band Adam Ant and The Good, The Mad, and The Lovely Posse. The hat is featured extensively in his new album Adam Ant Is The Blueblack Hussar in Marrying The Gunner's Daughter and in much of the publicity around the mentioned album.

Other celebrity wearers are Vogue Nippon Editor Anna Dello Russo and British singers Paloma Faith and Shingai Shoniwa.

Mich Dulce millinery has been featured on the American show Gossip Girl on Leighton Meester as well as on other cast members on the same show. The Carrie Diaries also featured Mich Dulce millinery in the pilot episode.

Fashion Awards

In 2002, Mich was a finalist for the Paris Young Designer’s Competition and 1st runner up in the MEGA Young Designer’s Competition. In 2004 she was nominated for Revolutionary Designer of the Year at the MTV Style Awards, and in 2007 she won the Fashion Designer of the Year Award for Streetwear at the MEGA Fashion Awards.

In February 2010, Dulce won the prestigious International Young Creative Entrepreneur (IYCE) award for Fashion at London Fashion Week.

MORE PHOTOS - 4TH STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS OF HIS EXCELLENCY BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

President Benigno S. Aquino III is shown with House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. and Senate President Franklin Drilon,delivering his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the Joint Session of the 16th Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday (July 22, 2013). The SONA delivered by the President is a yearly tradition wherein the Chief Executive reports on the status of the country, unveils the government’s agenda for the coming year, and may also propose to Congress certain legislative measures. (Photo by: Rey Baniquet / Malacanang Photo Bureau).