Zubiri Points Out What Should Be Addressed in Upcoming SONA

The SONA or State of the Nation Address will be happening on July 22nd. This is the third time the President is doing it. Before that, Senator Zubiri laid a few concerns of Filipinos that should be discussed, which he hopes the President would do in his term.

He says "The country could have been an upper middle income economy by year 2028, but this has been dampened by high inflation. The high price of rice, usual commodities affects the ordinary working class. It is essential that the growth seen with the GDP translates into good things in the daily lives of Pinoys. He should also address the minimum wage, increase it. Maybe a new wage law, acted upon, and not just sit in the house of representatives. Aside from the wage hike, food security should be prioritized at this time."

These are just some of the things he deem important to be addressed at the upcoming SONA. The former Senate President has been working hard in making sure his peers at the Senate do the same for the development of the country. The SONA is the best platform to not just show what he has done, but what plans he have to make sure that all the gains he has done in the past year would continue in the future.

"Finding Rizal in a Time of Barriers" Premieres on ANC

In a time when Filipinos are still confined in the walls of our homes, how do we remember our heroes?

This year marks the 160th birthday celebration of our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. As a person who enjoyed the subject and much of the life/teachings of the man who proved that the pen is mightier than the sword, there seems to be little to no information available to Filipinos about what he did in Europe. This June 19, a Rizal documentary is set to premiere on the ABSCBN News Channel and ABSCBN Youtube account. It's aptly called "Finding Rizal in a Time of Barriers" which is conceptualized and envisioned by well known environmentalist, cultural mover and journalist, Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda.

The former Senator had the chance to tour Heidelberg and a little German town called Wilhelmsfeld two years ago. In that place, she met Dr. Fritz Hack Ullmer (who is the great grandson of Pastor Karl Ullmer) who's family hosted our national hero for 3 months in 1886. His lineage (all three generations) had kept Rizal's letters, memorabilia all these years. This wouldn't have been possible without the help of Ambassador Theresa de Vega of the Philippine Embassy in Berlin, Consul General Evelyn Austria Garcia of the Philippine Consulate in Frankfurt and the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila + the men and women from the Office of Deputy Speaker Legarda. With the pandemic making all things impossible for them to finish everything, they came to help make this happen in time for Rizal's 160th birthday this year.

Senator Legarda says "Our national hero Jose Rizal lived in a time where there were barriers on skin color, religion, ideologies and more. He broke though these barriers, and his trip through Germany also earmarked the completion of his most famous book Noli Me Tangere which changed a whole country in the process. He also wrote "A Las Flores De Heidelberg" while studying ophthalmology and lived with scientists and humanists Blumentritt and Virchow in Berlin. You'll also get to know the Ullmer family whome he stayed with for a short time in Wilhelmsfield. The Filipinos need to know about this time in Rizal's life, and we're showing that on the documentary. It will also include stories passed on from his Grandfather Friedrich who was only 14 during Rizal's time. You will also see how special he's regarded in Germany as he remains immortalized in streets, plazas, tons of markers paying homage to our national hero."

This will be shown on the ABS-CBN News Channel this comine June 19th, 2021 which falls on Saturday at 7PM. It will also be streamed simultaneously on ABS-CBN News YouTube channel and the Facebook Pages of the Department of Foreign Affairs, National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Office of Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda. Replays will also be done the day after on ANC at 4PM so make sure you catch it at these times.

Happy birthday Pepe!

Philippine Delegates for 2014 Euro Pop Singing Contest in Berlin

Chacha Cañete is one of five other singers that will vie for the Grand Prize at the Europop contest in Berlin.

Visited Sequoia Hotel over at Timog Avenue in Quezon City to see the 6 Filipinos vying for the Grand Prize at the Euro Pop Singing Contest "Berliner Perle" in Berlin, Germany. We saw several familiar faces and a couple of new ones under the production of Charie Vega. There was quite a long dialogue about government funding and support but they're pretty optimistic that they can achieve winning this with the sheer talent that Filipino singers have, and we got a taste of that.

They were amazing, they auditioned for this so they were really hand picked according to the organizers. They will battle in different age groups so Chacha Cañete and Natalie Martinez will battle with other countries on the 10-13 age division. Chacha was like a pro, I felt like she was already an adult and didn't have any hardships on belting, like she just woke up. Natalie was a little meek at first especially on the group performance but once that her turn arrived to perform a song from the Annie musical, we all felt our hair stood up. I wonder what her piece will be come the night of the competition. Gleenette Gaddi went a little church on us and she'll be battling the 14-17 Age Division. 

Then Ana Katrina Ramsey (grand daughter of Ms. Elizabeth Ramsey) went wild on her voice much like the rock and roll grandma she has. She's in a different class, she's got soul and might get Aunt Jaya a run for her money too. Gian Marla Gloria and Ana Katrina Ramsey will battle other hopefuls in the 18-24 Age Division so you'll have big voices and great performers showing Europeans how it's done in our side of the world. Meanwhile, they are also in the process of picking another one to be with Gleenette Gaddi's age range and prefer a male performer to have the last slot. It's going to make a difference on their first bid in the competition, which they say is going to be highly possible to win come November 27, 2014. We are also the first Asian country to be included in this competition so once that this happens, we have to make it a memorable one and pretty much win it even more than the WCOPA wherein we did very good.

Great singers and accomplished ones too, this is 5th Gen. The group composed of singers Raymond Sajor, Rhap Salazar, Marielle Mamaclay, Angela Aguilar and RJ Buena. They are the mentors of the Philippine delegates to the Euro Pop Singing Contest "Berliner Perle" in Berlin, Germany.

We also got to ask questions to new group 5th Gen who serves as mentors to the Philippine delegates to the Euro Pop Singing Contest and they told us the rigorous screening process that they did before finally choosing the delegates. They chose the one that can already handle it, those that can stand up against the best of the world. They didn't have to put that much effort because obviously we have bigger standards here at home, what's more advantageous is that they really look into the quality of voice rather than belting prowess which we're quite used to.

Vega Entertainment Productions under Charie Vega will be making arrangements for needed sponsors but implied they need more. If you want to help, check out their channels below or the "contact link" on their official website. They will win this, we just have to make sure they get there. The needed plane and hotel fares would be a bit heavy in the pocket but if they win, this won't be just something that they will benefit from but the whole country! This is for the Philippines!

For more information about their talents:

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http://www.europopphilippinepearl.com