Hired! Filipino wins first ‘Apprentice Asia’

Age: 27

Nationality: Filipino

Marital Status: Single

Education: Bachelor in Science in Economics from University

of the Philippines

Occupation: Senior Product Manager

“I am an extremely driven and passionate person. I always set my eyes on the prize, and as people would describe me - what Nate wants, Nate gets.”

Jonathan is a proud pinoy and is not afraid to show it. His belief that ‘Asians are the best’ in the corporate world drives his personal track records. He successfully launched a new pharmaceutical brand, achieving market leadership in terms of volume and sales in just eight months, a world record in the company’s history across 30 countries. Jonathan was also the recipient of the 2012 Mansmith Young Market Masters Award, as one of the top seven marketers in the Philippines under the age of 35.

Filipino Jonathan Allen Yabut became the first-ever winner of the reality TV show “The Apprentice Asia”, topping 11 other contestants in the competition that stakes a job under business mogul Tony Fernandes.

Yabut emerged the winner after edging co-finalist Andrea Lo of Singapore in the contest’s final task, which is to spearhead a black-tie fundraiser for the AirAsia Foundation in Kuala Lumpur. It was aired as the show’s season-ending 11th episode.

Fernandes is the chief executive officer of AirAsia.

In winning the contest, Yabut, an Economics graduate from the University of the Philippines, secured for himself a one-year contract to work for AirAsia. The job reportedly comes with a salary of at least $100,000.

The unsung Filipina who cured HIV

Time Magazine’s 2013 listing of the 100 most influential people in the world included two Filipinos: President Benigno Aquino and Dr. Katherine Luzuriaga, a pediatric immunologist from the University of Massachusetts.

And yet, despite the groundbreaking impact of her work, she remains largely unacknowledged in her own country.

Luzuriaga —whose father is Filipino and who still does, in fact, speak Filipino— was part of an all-woman medical team acknowledged for the first cure of a baby with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the cause of AIDS.

The cured baby was born in Mississippi more than two years ago to a mother who had HIV but was not diagnosed until she had gone into labor.  The mother apparently did not have prenatal care because if she did, she would have been diagnosed early and given three drugs to prevent the fetus from being infected.  

In this case, the child was first given the drugs 30 hours after she was born.  Right before being given the medicines, the baby was tested for HIV, the results of which came back positive.   Within the first month of therapy, tests could no longer find the virus.  However, doctors kept the child on the drugs, standard practice in the United States and developed countries because of the possibility of reservoirs or “hideouts” for the virus that allow it to continue to replicate.

With time though, the mother began to become irregular with her hospital visits for her child.  When the child was brought in for a check-up around the age of two, the mother admitted that the child had missing out on the drugs.   Yet when tests were conducted, the child’s HIV levels still remained undetectable, which means a “functional cure”.

UP, ADMU, DLSU among World’s best in English and Literature

Three of the top universities in the country were included in the list of best schools in the world, excelling in English language and literature, based on a 2013 survey released by a London-based research institution.

The University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University made it to the top 200 schools in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking by Subject 2013.

 

The report showed UP and Ateneo in the top 51-100 schools for English language and literature.

ADMU logo

La Salle was in the top 101-150 for the same subject, while Ateneo was also in the top 151-200 in the global ranking for modern languages.

UP, on the other hand, was in the top 151-200 schools for agriculture and forestry. Its ranking, however, slipped to 348th from 332nd in the previous list.

Ateneo de Manila also slid to the 451-500 bracket from being ranked 360th. De La Salle University dropped to the 601+ bracket from 551-600 bracket.

DLSU logo

The global university ranking by subject was based on assessments of academics and employers of university graduates.

This year, the company rated 2,858 schools but only ranked 678 institutions.

US schools led the rankings in most subjects, with Harvard University topping 10 disciplines.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology topped the list of best universities, ranking first in seven subjects, followed by the University of California-Berkeley, Oxford University and Cambridge.

The Winners: Mutya ng Pilipinas 2013

The 45th edition of Mutya ng Pilipinas highlighted the best of Filipina beauties when it held its coronation night last July 26 at NBC Tent, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

Koreen Medina was crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas Asia Pacific 2013, while Angeli Dione Gomez of Cebu City took home the Mutya ng Pilipinas Tourism 2013 crown.

Meanwhile, Maureen Montagne of Arizona was declared Mutya ng Pilipinas 2013 1st runner-up; Kristian Aubrey Nolasco, 2nd runner-up and Asdis Karlsdottir of Iceland, Mutya ng Pilipinas Overseas Communities 2013.

Koreen Medina in her red traditional outfit.

Koreen Medina looks very confident on the stage in her two-piece.

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.