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).

SONA 2013 of Pres. Aquino Full Transcipt (Tagalog)

The SONA 2013 full text or the complete transcipt will be available here once we get a copy from our reliable sources. President Aquino is currently delivering his State of the Nation Address before the opening of the 16th Congress.

The President’s fourth SONA is the opening salvo of the joint session at the opening of the regular session of the 16th Congress at the Batasang Pambansa Complex, in Quezon City.

President PNoy is expected to report the status of the Philippines, he will reveal the government’s agenda for 2014, and the propose legislative measures to the Senate and House of Representatives. The President delivers his SONA 2013 in the Philippines national language, Filipino.

Here’s the Full Transcript of the President’s Fourth SONA:

State of the Nation Address

of

His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III

President of the Philippines

To the Congress of the Philippines

[Delivered at th

e Session Hall of the House of Representatives, Batasang Pambansa Complex, Quezon City, on July 22, 2013]

Marami pong salamat. Maupo ho tayong lahat.

Bise Presidente Jejomar Binay; Senate President Franklin M. Drilon; Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.; Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno at ang ating mga kagalang-galang na mahistrado ng Korte Suprema; mga dating Pangulong Fidel Valdez Ramos at Joseph Ejercito Estrada; mga kagalang-galang na kagawad ng kalipunang diplomatiko; mga miyembro ng Senado at Kamara de Representante; mga opisyal ng lokal na pamahalaan; mga miyembro ng Gabinete; mga unipormadong kasapi ng militar at kapulisan; mga kapwa ko nagseserbisyo sa taumbayan; at sa aking mga Boss, ang mga minamahal kong kababayan:

Isang , magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat. [applause]

Ito po ang aking ikaapat na SONA; dalawa na lamang ang natitira. Halos apat na taon na nga po ang lumipas nang una akong nilapitan ng ilang kampo upang hikayating tumakbo sa pagkapangulo. Ang sabi nila: Alam naming hindi masosolusyonan sa isang tulog, sa isang taon, o kahit pa sa anim na taong termino ng isang Presidente ang lahat ng problema ng bansa. Pero simulan mo lang, at tiyak, kasama mo kaming mag-aaruga nito.

Noon pa man, mulat po ako sa tindi ng mga problemang aking kakaharapin. Mula sa pagiging kandidato, o Presidente na, o kahit ba matapos nang makababa sa puwesto, hindi biro ang peligrong kakambal ng trabahong ito. Malawakang transpormasyon ng lipunan ang aking hangarin, at mulat akong marami akong kailangang banggain para matupad ito. Pero hindi po ako pinalaki ng aking mga magulang para tumiklop lamang sa mga hamon. Hindi ko mahaharap ang aking sarili kung tinanggihan ko ang pagkakataong bawasan ang pagdurusang hindi naman dapat dinaraanan ng Pilipino. [applause]

Tumugon nga po tayo sa panawagan, at ang mga kasama natin noong una, nadagdagan pa. Sa paniniwala ko nga po, kung tama ang aking ginagawa, lalo pang dadami ang ating magiging kasangga. Nito ngang nakaraang Mayo, tinanong ko kayo, “Boss, tama ba ang direksyon natin?” Ang tugon ninyo: “Tama, at pabilisin pa natin ang transpormasyon ng lipunan.” Humiling ako ng mga kakamping makikisagwan sa iisang direksyon, at ibinigay ninyo ito. Ang totoo nga po, hindi lang mayorya, hindi lang siyam sa labindalawa, kundi siyam sa sampung pinakamataas na puwesto na senador ay mga taong inilapit ko sa inyo. [applause] Sa aking pakiwari, malinaw po ang mensahe nitong huling halalan: tama, ituloy natin, damihan pa natin ang 8,581 na sitiong napailawan; dagdagan pa natin ang 28,398 na pamilyang dati’y informal settler, ngunit ngayon ay mayroon na o magkakaroon na ng disenteng tirahan; palaguin pa natin ang di bababa sa 40 bilyong piso kada taong dagdag ng perang napupunta sa edukasyon, kalusugan, serbisyong panlipunan, at marami pang iba, dahil sa tama at mas masugid na pagkolekta ng buwis; dama namin ang marami pang ibang patunay na talagang nagbabago ang lipunan. Lalo nga po akong nabuhayan sa ipinarating ninyong mensahe; malinaw po talagang hindi ako nag-iisa sa pagpasan ng mga responsibilidad. [applause] Paano ba naman pong hindi lalakas ang aking loob, kung pati ang mga tulad ni Ginoong Niño Aguirre ay nakikihubog sa ating kinabukasan? Isipin po ninyo, hindi na nga makalakad dahil sa kapansanan, pilit pa rin niyang inakyat ang presintong nasa ikaapat na palapag ng gusali, para lang makaboto at makiambag sa tunay na pagbabago ng lipunan. Salamat, Ginoong Aguirre. [applause]

Hindi nga po nauubos ang mga Pilipinong handang makiambag, na siyang ugat ng pagbabagong tinatamasa natin ngayon. Ang stratehiya: Sagarin ang oportunidad para sa lahat, lalo na para sa mga mas nangangailangan. Hindi natin pakay maghintay ng trickle down; hindi puwedeng baka sakali o tsamba lang silang daratnan ng mga biyaya ng kaunlaran. Ito pong tinatawag nating inclusive growth—itong malawakang kaunlaran—ang mismong prinsipyong bukal ng bawat inisyatiba, bawat kilos, bawat desisyon ng inyong gobyerno. Ang maiiwan na lamang ay ang ayaw sumama, dahil hindi sinamantala ang pagkakataon.

Gardenia Bakeries BREAD MADE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Gardenia Bakeries Philippines, the country’s top breadmaker will nearly double total production capacity to four million loaves in one month after opening its new 600-million facility in Biñan, Laguna,

Company president and general manager Simplicio Umali Jr. said the company would also pursue its long-delayed expansion in Cebu in the second half of 2010.

He said the proposed Cebu factory would cater to the requirements of the Visayas and Mindanao markets.

The new state-of-the-art bread manufacturing plant in Laguna is capable of making 6,000 loaves of bread per hour, or nearly 150,000 a day, almost doubling its production capability.

“We now have a total capacity of 14,000 loaves per hour or four million loaves of bread in one month. We will be able to serve the entire Luzon and Metro Manila areas. At present, only the neighboring provinces and main cities are reached by our supply,” said Umali.

He said the company also wanted to expand to the provinces because of a huge market in those areas.

Gardenia has a 60-percent share of the market in Metro Manila for bread, and over 70 percent for loaves.

“Using the latest and high- technology equipment to make the breads practically untouched by human hands, we are now more than capable to continue providing safe and best quality products that many Filipinos can enjoy any time of the day,” he added. 

World champion Nonito Donaire

Nonito Donaire was born in Talibon, Bohol, Philippines, to Filipino parents, Nonito Sr. and Imelda Donaire. He is the third among four siblings: Glenn, Rochelle Donaire-Nasalga and Ermie. Back then, there was no electricity in Bohol. He grew up in General Santos City, South Cotabato, where he lived until age six and went to the same school as boxing icon eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao. His father, a second year high school dropout, was in the Philippine Army for eight years and fought as an amateur before trying his luck alone in the US in 1990. In 1993, at the age of eleven, he had joined his father in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California and they lived in San Leandro in the Bay Area, later moving to San Mateo.

In childhood, Donaire was a frail, asthmatic and wimpy kid who got bullied in school and frequently came home crying. He was picked on for three years, until a little after he migrated to San Leandro. At home, he felt no attention was paid to him, as a middle child. He wanted to be recognized by his parents, especially his father. As soon as his brother started boxing, ten year old Nonito craved the respect and recognition his brother received, and started it. His father took him to a boxing gym at age eleven to get him off the streets. In his first amateur bout as a child, he beat his opponent with straight punches, all the while thinking that "I’m going to kill him before he kills me." However, he had little confidence until he earned five professional knockout victories.

During their younger years, Donaire and his older brother Glenn would spar, with the younger brother losing the majority of their bouts. As a kid, Donaire watched videos of his hero Alexis Argüello, using them to learn how to throw his powerful left hook. While in San Lorenzo High School in San Lorenzo, California the brothers won an assortment of regional and district amateur boxing championships. His cousin, Richard Donaire, is also a professional boxer.

Donaire is married to Rachel Marcial, a Filipino-American USA National Collegiate and Military Taekwondo Champion. They were married on August 8, 2008 in a private ceremony in Carmel, California, with all their close relatives. Subsequently, they had a church wedding in the Philippines on November 11, 2011 (11/11/11). Donaire's wife is a pivotal member of his team, with her father acting as his chief security. His parents-in-law, Gerry and Rebecca Marcial, are the leading members of his support group.

During his early career, he had hated boxing. Due to excessive pressure, he had not only never enjoyed boxing, but had even dreaded it every day. Nevertheless, he did stick with it because he did not want to disappoint his father. Currently, he always fights for such people who support him and believe in him, and finally for himself, so he loves and enjoys boxing.

On July 4, 2013, his pregnant wife saved a child from drowning and got injured in the process. She was brought to a hospital and the unborn baby in her womb was unharmed.