GoodNewsPilipinas

Lawyer Eugenio Insigne, chairman of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, was elected to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues during the 32nd meeting of the Humanitarian Affairs Segment of the 2008 Substantive Section of the Economic and Social Council.

Insigne, the first Filipino to be elected to the 16-member council of experts on Indigenous Issues and who himself belongs to the Tingguian tribe of Abra, will represent the Asia and Pacific region filling up the seat vacated by China’s representative, Xiaomei Qin, beginning Jan. 9, 2009 up to Dec. 31, 2010.

“This is a triumph not only for the indigenous peoples of the Philippines but also for the indigenous peoples of Asia. I will serve as their voice as I work with the other members of the UN Forum in addressing the various issues that face indigenous peoples today,” Insigne said.

Insigne, who ran against Ambassador Berenado Vunibobo of Fiji, has been actively involved in the indigenous peoples’ struggle for most of his adult life, working with organizations such as director of the Cordillera Tribal Communities Development Foundation Inc., and serving as general counsel of the Binongan Tribal Foundation.

He was also former president of the Tribal Lawyers Assembly of the Philippines and was a member of the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army-Cordillera Bodong Administrative Negotiating Panel in the 1986 Cordillera Talks.

Good News Pilipinas

Monique Wilson together with Glenn Close, Oprah Winfrey, Salma Hayek and other top U-S actresses rendered a resounding performance in the recent New Orleans chapter of “V to the Tenth,” another successful staging of Eve Ensler’s “Vagina Monologues” last April 11 and 12.

Monique did the “Reclaiming Cunt,” a part she did in Tagalog, making her the only Asian who performed using her own language and making Filipino the only Asian tongue performed in “V to the Tenth.” She took hold of the crowd just before Glenn Close closed the show.

Monique performed the monologue in Filipino while the “Fatal Attraction” actress interpreted the lines in English.

The former Miss Saigon star expressed how excited she was with the opportunity of doing a segment of Vagina Monologues with the five-time Academy Award nominated actress.

The two-day event “V to the Tenth” marked the decade-long women empowerment that the Monologues scattered throughout the world. The Queen of Talk Oprah Winfrey performed a special monologue Ensler wrote for the event while Faith Hill and Jennifer Hudson also took part in the celebration.

Invited by Eve Ensler herself, Monique was also the only Pinay on board the powerhouse cast that included aside from Close, Winfrey and Hayek, Calpernia Addams, Lilia Aragon, Stephanie Bataille, Jennifer Beals, Peter Buffet, Didi Conn , Rosario Dawson, Jane Fonda, Kristen Krepela, Christine Lahti, Ali Larter, Liz Mikel, Doris Roberts, Leslie Townsend, and Kerry Washington.

Good News Pilipinas

Wesley So, the Filipino whiz kid topped the $45,000 Dubai Open chess championships at the Dubai Chess Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

So, currently the youngest grandmaster in the world at 14, held his ground against Chinese GM Li Chao on Board 1, agreeing to a draw after 18 moves of a Sicilian Defense Accelerated Dragon skirmish to clinch the crown in the highly competitive event attracting 29 GMs and a total field of 131.

The Bacoor, Cavite resident actually finished tied with Li and two others on top with seven points each at the end of the nine-round Swiss system tourney. But So took the coveted Sheikh Rashed Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Cup with a better tiebreak score.

Georgian GM Merab Gagunashvili also halved the point with Ukrainian GM Valeriy Neverov on Board 2 to take the first runner-up honors. Iranian GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami whipped Kazakh GM Nurlan Ibrayev to finish third followed by Li.

So, Gagunashvili, Maghami and Li evenly split the prizes for the top four totaling $18,000, earning $4,500 each.

Seeded No. 16 in the tourney, So with a 2540 Elo rating, finished with seven points with six wins, two draws and one loss.

So is next competing in another tough competition in Indonesia before returning home for the Battle of Philippine Grandmasters.

Good News Pilipinas

Kris Aquino has been chosen as one of few Deal or No Deal hosts worldwide to host the global tour of the famous and top rated U-S game show program with Howie Mandel.

Mandel currently the host of the popular U.S. game show airing on NBC, and the Canadian version, Deal or No Deal Canada will visit Manila and tape a special episode of DOND with Kris from April 22-25.

So televiewers in America will soon see how their favorite game show is played in the Philippines.

ABS-CBN Business Unit head Alou Almaden said that American contestants will be playing the game according to the rules of the show’s Philippine version with the local Banker and 26K girls.

Aside from the Philippines, the US version of Deal or No Deal will also be taping in Estonia and South Africa.

Mabuhay ang Filipino talent!

Good News Pilipinas

Reinabelle Co Reyes has received the “Chambliss Astronomy achievement student award” for her major role in the discovery of the largest number of “obscured quasars.”

She received the honor during the 211th annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society.

The prestigious society was established in 1899 and it is the major organization of professional astronomers in North America whose basic objective is to promote the advancement of astronomy and closely related branches of science.

“The membership of the American Astronomical Society include physicists, mathematicians, geologists, engineers and others whose research interests lie within the broad spectrum of subjects now comprising contemporary astronomy,” Santiago said.

The “Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Awards” are given by the Society to recognize exemplary research by undergraduate and graduate students. The awardees are honored with a Chambliss medal and a certificate.

Reyes’ role in the discovery of the largest amount of “obscured quasars,” is significant because it will eventually revise science books.

“The discovery, which may eventually revise science books, was the culmination of a five-year study spearheaded by Nadia Zakamska, a long-term post-doctoral fellow at the Institute of Advance Study, under the supervision of quasar hunter professor Michael Strauss,” Santiago said.

Aside from the “Chambliss Astronomical achievement student award,” Reyes is also a recipient of awards and fellowships which include: the Centennial Fellowship, Princeton University Graduate School (2006-2010); Merit Prize Fellowship Grant, Princeton University Graduate School (2006-2010); Martin Schwarschild Graduate Fellowship, Princeton University (2006-2007); Academic Scholarship, Ateneo de Manila University (2001-2005); and Merit Science Scholarship, Department of Science and Technology (2001-2005).

“Reinabelle’s other ongoing research projects include: Testing gravity on large scales using cosmological observations; Constraining the amplitude of fluctuations using galaxy clusters; Dust emission in the infrared spectra of SINGS galaxies; and Cometary Knots around the Helix Planetary Nebula,” Santiago said.

Reyes is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Astrophysics at Princeton University in New Jersey, USA. She was a Merit Science Scholar of the DOST after graduating valedictorian from the Philippine Science High School, after which she received an academic scholarship from the Ateneo de Manila University. In 2005 she graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Physics.

Reyes entered a masters level program in 2006 at the High Energy Physics of the Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy.

Good News Pilipinas

Cyna Rodriguez is making a name for herself in the U-S college golf circuit by winning the Mission Inn Open in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.

With a solid three-under par 69, she coasted to a 10-stroke victory over compatriot Mia Piccio and American Catherine O’Donnell.

Rodriguez, a former Junior World champion, birdied three of her first six holes at the back then never looked back en route to the runaway win, her first after two top three finishes in the Laura Diaz’s FCWT (Future Collegians World Tour).

The 16-year-old veteran of the Asian Games and World Amateurs finished the 54-hole tournament with a 213 that included a pair of 72s at the Las Colinas course as she earned an exemption to the National Championship and a nomination to the FCWT All-American Team.

“I felt so good with my game the whole week. It’s a nice feeling to get my first win,” said Rodriguez, on a golf scholarship from ICTSI who finished second in the Tampa Bay Open last September and shared third place World Woods Rolling Oaks Open ruled by Piccio last October.

Good News Pilipinas

Two Filipino leaders are in the top 300 young global leaders list for 2008 of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The Geneva-based international organization recognized Sen. Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero and former actor and entrepreneur Illac Diaz for their contributions to society, among 5,000 candidates worldwide.

Escudero is a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and currently the Secretary General of the United Opposition. During the 2007 elections, he got the second highest number of votes among senatorial candidates.

He was a member of the Philippine House of Representatives from 1998 to 2007, and served as the Minority Floor Leader of the 13th Congress.

Diaz is the founder of Centro­Migrante, a self-help business model that provides clean, safe and affordable housing for Filipinos who come to Manila to look for jobs as seamen.
He also founded the MyShelter Foundation, which builds low-cost classrooms using the Earthbag Construction System. Diaz has been named as one of The Outstanding Young Persons of the World by the Jaycees International.

The WEF also recognized Hollywood Actor Leonardo DiCaprio; Grammy Award winner Shakira Mebarak Singe; Thomas Glocer, Chief Executive Officer, Reuters, United Kingdom; Arthur Sulzberger, Chairman and Publisher, The New York Times, USA; and Hisashi Hieda, Chairman and CEO, Fuji Television Network, Japan. The selection committee is chaired by Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

“We need the Young Global Leaders to be a voice for the future in the global thought process and as a catalyst for initiatives in the global public interest,” Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of WEF said.

Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, the WEF is impartial and non-profit, and is tied to no political, partisan or national interests.

Good News Pilipinas

Ten exceptional students have earned the right to represent the Philippines in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta, Georgia, in May this year. They were selected during the Intel Philippine Science Fair in Tagaytay City.

Chosen as the Philippine representatives to Atlanta were Jed Sidney Oliva of Ballesteros National High School in Cagayan for his project “MORH: Jedoque Process of increasing the compressive strength and lessening the water absorbency of hollow blocks;” Andrew Diamante, Visayas State University Laboratory High School, “Prediction of total soluble solids in ripe mangoes based on their electrical resistance;” Steven Tan, The Quantum Academy Inc. of General Santos City, “Pharmaceutical compounds (antibacterial immunobooster) from Barringtonia Asiatica and Garcinia Mangostana;” Louie Lugto, Don Alejandro Roces Sr. Science and Technology High School of Quezon City, “Isolation and characterization of the most cytotoxic fraction of select Philippine poisonous crabs;” Michelle Borbon, Rachel Bernadas and Mary Cris Corpuz of Gingoog City Comprehensive National High School, “A comparative study on mangrove species diversity at different locations in Pangasihon Forest;” and Marvin Ambrosio, Rachel Cahilig and Adrian Patacsil of Philippine Science High School of Quezon City, “Construction of a mechanical prototype of a micro tremor recorder.”

“Just as Intel is continually innovating and evolving, through young geniuses like the Intel Philippine Science Fair participants, the [science fair] continues to be a venue that keeps alive the spirit of unlimited possibilities and the excitement of the next scientific discovery,” said Arlita Narag, Intel corporate affairs manager.

The Intel Philippine Science Fair is an annual science-project competition that draws participants from all over the country.

The first prize winners in the Life Science category were: Cluster 1- Individual, Steven Tan of The Quantum Academy Inc.; Cluster 1-Team, John Vincent Gabiano and Mae Ann Tabasin of Maasin National Comprehensive High School, Maasin, Iloilo; Cluster 2-Individual, Louie Lugto of Don Alejandro Roces Sr. Science and Technology High School in Quezon City; and Cluster 2-Team, Erwin Angelo Amago, John Isaac Merin and Lawreanne Sanico of Philippine Science High School in Eastern Visayas.

In the Physical Science category, the first prize winners were: Cluster 1-Individual, Jessel Fatima Cane of Bayugan Comprehensive National High School; Cluster 1-Team, Marc Amando Marquez, Anna Rose Malapad and Rachel Aurora Chi of Marinduque National High School; Cluster 2-Individual, Andrew Diamante of Visayas State University Laboratory High School; and Cluster 2-Team, Marvin Paolo Ambrosio, Rachel Ruth Cahilig, and Adrian Patacsil of Philippine Science High School in Quezon City.

Good News Pilipinas

A beer that takes some of the guilt out of drinking won the top prize at the International Federation of Inventors’ Association in Bangkok, Thailand.

While many of the inventions are highly technical efforts, possibly breakthroughs in the fields of medicine, agriculture and environment, crowds at the convention center in the Thai capital were rather drawn to displays such as the fail-safe hammock and Vitamin Beer.

“If you are looking for an excuse to take a swig, this is it,” said Billy L. Lalang, who concocted a beer mixed with Vitamin B, to replace this essential vitamin lost when excessive amounts of alcohol are consumed.

Although yet to be marketed, this “prophylactic for drinkers” as the Philippine inventor calls it, has won a gold medal at the European Union-sponsored Genius-Europe competition.

Lalang, president of the Manila Innovation Development Society, says he has 42 inventions to his name, including a one-a-day lollipop, packed with vitamins and other essentials for undernourished children.

Other popular creations from inventors all over the globe on display include a system to stop would-be car bombers, an even a better mousetrap, a new jam spreader from Taiwan or a “cat averter garbage bag” thought up by an Iranian.

“Every time you give inventors an opportunity to have their ideas seen, that’s what starts their blood flowing,” said Deb Hess, executive director of the Minnesota Inventors Congress.

More than 150 of their brainchildren were unveiled at this conference of the International Federation of Inventors’ Association, a Hungary-based group celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

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