University Turns Over New Car to Bar Exams 6th Placer

Photo above: (L-R) Chancellor Candice Gotianuy, Manuel Sarausad with her two daughters, his mother, Belen Sarausad, his wife, Liezel Sarausad, and the College of Law Dean, Atty. Baldomen Estenzo (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

“A brand new car is really a bonus”. This is what 2013 Bar exams 6th placer Manuel Elijah J. Sarausad said when University of Cebu (UC) officials finally turned over to him the promised brand new car on Thursday at the university quadrangle.

Sarausad, who finished Magna Cum Laude in Philosophy in University of San Carlos, was a full scholar in UC law school.

“UC has a great part for this success. I was a full scholar and granted a free tuition for four years… We strive for excellence gyud,” Sarausad said.

University Chancellor Candice Gotianuy, said Sarausad's achievement brought honor to the university. “In the recent years, we enforced a reward system as a gift for our topnotchers. In this way, we encourage our students to strive for their studies to top bar examinations and board exams as well”, Gotianuy said.

(photos by: MJ Catriz)
According to Gotianuy, UC gifts all their bar exams topnotchers with a car, while those who top other exams get cash rewards of P50,000 or P200,000 and full tuition refund.


(photos by: MJ Catriz)

Sarausad is the third alumni of the school to land in the Top 10 in the Bar examination since the university opened its law school in 2002.

Globe, Gawad Kalinga Rebuild 100 houses in Ormoc

Photo above: Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu shakes hands with GK Executive Director Luis Oquinena during the Tattoo-Gawad Kalinga Village market unveiling last February 4, as Ormoc City Mayor Edward Codilla looks on.(Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Globe, with deeply-rooted partnership with Gawad Kalinga (GK), provided holistic cooperation and shared nation-building efforts to rebuild houses for super typhoon Yolanda victims in a GK Village situated in Brgy. Tambulilid in Ormoc, Leyte.

Globe Tatto-Rotary-GK Village project is said to be Globe’s first housing project after the typhoon devastated areas in the Visayas last November 8, 2013. The initiative is estimated to cost P15 million, of which P10 million went to the construction of 100 houses for beneficiaries, while the remaining P5 million, will be allocated for the sustainable livelihood program for the community.

Globe Telecom President and Chief Executive Officer Ernest Cu said that apart from the P15 million initial support from the mobile and home broadband brand Tattoo, an additional P1.2 million was raised, which were donations from Globe executives and brand ambassadors during a fund raising event in Globe Tower, Manila.

According to GK executive director Jose Luis Oquiñena, the houses built cost P125,000 each, and will measure 21 square meters in area. It will also comprise of a loft space measuring 10 to 12 square meters.

RELOCATION SITE

The relocation site where the GK Village is located was donated by the Rotary Club of Ormoc not only for the Yolanda victims but also for the 1991 Ormoc flash flood survivors.

“This is a relocation area donated by the Rotary Club of Ormoc for them and when Yolanda came, they lost their homes. Now our aim is to build a sustainable community which we will call Globe-Rotary-GK Village,” Oquiñena said.

GK’S ‘LIVELIHOOD’ PROGRAM

Oquiñena said that the beneficiaries of the Globe sponsored houses will also be involved in GK’s livelihood programs, which includes hollow block making where the recipients can sell the hollow block they make at P9.50 per piece.

Oquiñena also added that he looks forward to having some land areas near the village, where residents can grow plants that can be used for beauty care products under the Human Nature brand.

Human Nature produces and sells organic toiletries and personal care products.

                   Jerome Yntig, Globe External Affairs VisMin head doing hollow block molding. (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

REBUILDING

Globe’s top executives, brand ambassadors and employees themselves initiated the construction work on the site of the village project last February 4, 2014. The Globe team divided themselves into six to delegate each team into different construction tasks: hollow blocks piling, roof painting, sand screening, hollow block making/molding and house wall painting.

Oquinena said the houses will be finished by the members of the village, who will get to own these units.

‘Liter of Light’ Brightens 200 Houses in Lahug

Photo above: Frm. R-L: Dr. Virgilio Y. Abellana, USJR Enginnering Dept. Dean; Collin Rosell, Executive Assistant of the Office of the Mayor; Illac Diaz, Liter of light head; Mayor Michael Rama and Vice mayor Edgardo Labella of Cebu City (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

After 11 years of living in darkness, residents of Laguera, Busay Hill Cebu City, finally had their light source after non-profit interest group, Liter of Lights, lighted 200 houses in the said village Wednesday. One resident, Gloria Tuico, 56, narrated her happiness after receiving the help from the global open source movement. “Nalipay dyud mi nga mahatagan mi og suga diri sa amoa kay dili na mi maglisod og lihok tungod kay ngitngit" she said. Tuico added the lighting in their community eases their worries as children can now walk in lighted road. "Karon dili na ko mabalaka sa akoang mga anak nga maabtan og gabie sa dalan kay naa nay suga sa ilahang agianan ug makatuon na sila sa balay kay naa na mi suga.” said Tuico. Tuico and her family has been living in the village for four years without light. Lampost A total of 400 solar powered bottle lamposts and lighted bottles were turn over by the group to the community,where the number of lighted bottles per houses depends on the number of the household. One bottle of liter of light costs P600 to P700 before it assembles completely. Engineer Efren Barabat, USJR faculty who trained the volunteers in making the light source, said its power can last for 8 hours, starting at 6 pm to 2 am, and automatically charges itself at sunrise. “Igo ra dyud nga mumata ang mga tawo before ni siya mapawong kay magsugod man ni og siga kung wala nay adlaw hangtod kadlawon, 8 hours mani… Unya inig buntag automatic na ni siya mu-charge kay i-absorb na niya ang sunlight kung walay adlaw." Barabat said. He added "bisag gamay nga init iya dyud na i-absorb ug makasiga gihapon siya, apan dili kusog kaayo ang siga kay nagdepend rani siya sa kakusog sa adlaw." Liter of Light Liter of Light is a global open source movement with the aim to provide an ecologically and economically sustainable source of light to underprivileged households that could hardly have access to electricity or are unable to afford it. Liter of light project is solar powered. It is made up of bottles, either plastic or glass, with assembled solar battery to store sunlight. It is filled with water to create a prism that captures light which it disperses to illuminate one specific place.

Lighted area using solar powered bottles in Laguerta Village. (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Plan for the Whole Country

Actor-model Illac Diaz, head of Liter of Light movement said they are planning to bring the project nationwide.

“We’re planning to bring light not only to specific places but also to the whole country because it is also in line to the advocacy against climate change. This is safer than any lights because it is natural.” Diaz said.

Gratitude

Cebu Mayor Mike Rama has expressed his gratitude to Liter of Light organization for choosing the village to be their project's first beneficiary.

“When he (Diaz) said to me about this project, I immediately gave him my permission to pursue it because I know it is very helpful to the village and I always look forward for a better Cebu City which his project support a better living for Cebuanos.” Mayor Rama said when Diaz turned over the gift of light to the village.

No Light for 11 years

Villagers said they had no light for 11 years due to inaccessibility and inadequacy of electrical service.

FIP Showcases Celebrity Gowns

Photo above: Ribbon cutting. (L-R) Yves Camingue, Fashion designer and stylist, Bee Urgello, Queen Universe 2011, Rizzini Gomez, Ms. Tourism International 2012/13, Councilor Margot Osmeña, Shanon Pamaong, FIP president, Benjo Lencio, Daphne Johanna Uy, J Centre Mall Manager (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Fashion Institute of the Philippines (FIP) from Cebu, Makati, Ortigas and Cagayan de Oro brought their best fashion pieces in the “Celebrity Gown Exhibit” at JCentre Mall last February 17, 2014. More than 20 different gowns of celebrities created by FIP students and graduates were showcased to the spectators. FIP in Cebu opened on May 2012, with the intention of providing accessibility to aspiring students in the Visayas area. “Many students from Visayas came to FIP Manila to enrol in fashion design course. We see the potential of going to them instead of spending money of going to Manila…” said Shanon Pamaong, FIP president. Pamaong also added, that, fashion design is an “amazing course” wherein after six months of studying the modules, students cam learn a lot about the industry. Among these are, making their own designs of gowns, dresses and costumes. FIP Cebu offers a eight-module fashion design course worth P10,000 per module. If one takes in a four-module course, each module will be given at P7,500. The course will span for six months.

Celebrity gowns exhibit. Gowns created by renowned FIP graduates including Renee Salud, Francis Libiran, designer of Megan Young’s Miss World winning gown, Maricar Reyes’ wedding gown, and TV personalities like Angel Locsin, Anne Curtis and Bea Alonzo; Los Angeles-based designer Oliver Tolentino, who's doing designs of Hollywood celebrities and Oscar Awards red carpet gowns, exhibited at JCenter Mall until Febg. 28. (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Courses include Basic Fashion Design, Basic Pattern Making, Children’s wear, Menswear, Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Marketing, Fashion Styling, Fashion Make-up, Fashion Hairstyling, Fashion Photography, Fashion Embellishments and Beading, Fashion Accessories, Bag Making, Sewing for Ladies’ Wear, Menswear Tailoring, and Haute Couture Techniques.

Megan Young's dress during Miss World

Renowned top designers in the Philippines who graduated from FIP are Renee Salud; Albert Andrada, formerly Dubai-based, and now operating his haute couture boutique at Greenbelt 5; Francis Libiran, designer of Megan Young’s Miss World winning gown, Maricar Reyes’ wedding gown, and TV personalities like Angel Locsin, Anne Curtis and Bea Alonzo; Oliver Tolentino, Los Angeles-based designer for a lot of Hollywood celebrities and Oscar Awards red carpet gowns; to name a few.

For inquiries, visit website www.fashioninstitutephilippines.com or visit office at 2nd floor CAP Bldg., Jones Ave., Cebu City. You may also contact them thru their contact numbers: 0932-8742666/0932-8698492 and (032) 253- 5887.

Meanwhile “Celebrity Gown Exhibit” at JCentre Mall will be open until Feb. 28.

BalikBalay Project Raises More Donors During BalikCebu

Photo above: BalikBalay committee members hold the check from Ayala Center Cebu, donating 10 Balay nga Payag units for the typhoon survivors in Pilar, Camotes Island. (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Hundreds of balikbayans showed up in the Welcome Dinner and Handumanan Cultural Show organized by the Balik Cebu Committee of the Cebu City Tourism Commission (CCTC) last January 16 at The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu.

Aside from a one-of-a-kind 'Boodle Fight' dinner served by Seafood Island Grill, which gave the balikbayans the thrill of once again experiencing this Filipino tradition, the program for the evening  was also successful in drawing donations for Balik Cebu's 'BalikBalay' project for the typhoon Yolanda victims.

On top of the initial 10 Balay nga Payag (Nipa Hut or Bahay Kubo) that the committee received from donors before the Handuman Cultural Show happened, another batch of 10 units of the houses were donated during the show itself, as generous balikbayans and friends donated one, two, three houses, on-the-spot, courtesy of the respective organizations and families they represent, or even just from their own personal pockets.  

A replica of the Balay nga Payag presented to the balikbayan attendees during the Balik Cebu welcome dinner and Handumanan cultural show. (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Last January 2, the BalikBalay project was launched with the partnership of Ayala Center Cebu, Miss Cebu Charities, ilovepilipinas.com, Department of Tourism Region 7, Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), the Cebu City government and the Cebu Provincial government. Its aim is to donate 30-50 units of Balay nga Payag to the far-flung area of Sitio Esperanza, Pilar Town, Camotes Island, one of those badly hit by the typhoon last year. The committee decided to have Balay nga Payag as the kind of house to donate to the survivors, for its many positive features and usage that could withstand tropical heat and calamities like earthquakes, typhoons and floods.

One Balay nga Payag costs P35,000. The BalikBalay campaign shall run from January 2014 to January 2015. For inquiries, email CCTCommissioner Tetta Baad at tettabaad@gmail.com and CCTC Executive Director Cinbeth Orellano at info@cebucitytourism.com or see Facebook page of BalikBalay.

Miss Tourism International Angeli Dione Gomez Returns to Cebu

Photo above: Angeli Dione Gomez poses with her mom, Gwendolyn Barbas, during her homecoming last January 16 at City Sports Club. (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Cebu pride Angeli Dione Gomez, crowned Miss Tourism International 2013/2014, welcomed her warm homecoming by her family, friends, supporters and members of the press as she returned to her hometown in Cebu City today, January 16, 2014. She graced during the Sinulog grand parade on Sunday, January 19, on the Mutya ng Pilipinas float. The 20-year-old Cebuana beauty brings to her hometown the title for being the fourth Filipina international winner in 2013. According to the president of Mutya ng Pilipinas Inc., Jacquelin Tan, the winning of Angeli Gomez was a rare back-to-back win as she inherits the crown held by her fellow Cebuana, Mutya ng Pilipinas 2012 titlist, Rizzini Alexis Gomez. “Her winning was really a blessing because it was back-to-back win. Philippines to Philippines, Cebuana to Cebuana and Gomez to Gomez”, said Tan to the press as she explained her feeling on Angeli’s winning. Angeli shared her experiences during the pageant, that, she was just enjoying the whole pageant and never expected to win. She narrated that every time they (contestants) were asked to walk before the audience, she gave out her best to smile at all times, and has to dress differently from the other candidates to standout. “Actually, I just enjoyed every moment during the pageant. I didn’t want to expect ‘coz it may turn to disappointment. I just bring the best smile to them and if all the candidates are wearing black then I’ll wear red. I always want to be different so I would be able to gain the attention of the audience…” enthused Gomez. Gomez’ victory adds a long list of Mutya ng Pilipinas achievers in Miss Tourism International pageant which includes Sherilyn Reyes, 3rd runner-up in 1995; Mellany Montemayor, 2nd runner-up in 1998; Racquel Uy, 1st runner-up and proclaimed Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International in 1999; Maria Esperanza Manzano, winner in 2000; Anna Marie Morelos, 4th runner-up in 2007; Barbara Salvador, 3rd runner-up in 2010, and Diana Sunshine Rademann, Miss Personality in 2011.

More Than P13M Cash Returned By Pinoy Taxi Driver in U.S.

A Pinoy taxi driver returned $300,000 or more than P13 million in cash left in his driven cab, ABS-CBN's TV Patrol reported yesterday.

In a report by Gigi Grande, Gerardo Gamboa was traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada when he discovered a bag at the back of his cab. When he opened it, he was surprised at what he saw--an enormous cash worth $300, 000 was inside the bag.

Gamboa immediately called his taxi company to return the money to his passenger who left it, and was able to do so.

According to him, even Christmas was approaching at that time, it never crossed in Gamboa's mind to get the money. "Because it's not belong to me. First of all I'm not interested about those money and ... I'm not interested. And, I just wanna do the right thing, " he said in the interview with Reuters.

Gamboa became known in America and was interviewed by various media organizations.

He believes that big change happens when doing the right thing. "It's about doing something good to the other people, so they can pick up a good Reputation. So even if you’re driving a cab, I want these people to give you respect. Be a decent person, "  said Gamboa.

US-based Pinoy taxi driver Gerardo Gamboa was hailed "Driver of the Year" by his company as he did a heroic act of returning $300,000 or more than P13M cash to a passenger who left it inside his cab. (Image credit: philstar.com)

As a reward of his heroic act, Gamboa received $1, 000 from his company and he was also named as

"Driver of the Year" by his company.  His company owner said that Gamboa did terrific a job and that he never had problems with the driver in his 13 years of work.