Pinoy Biographies

Angel Alcala - Filipino Biologist

2011-11-02T23:08:00.002+08:00

Angel Chua Alcala

Angel Chua Alcala (b. 1 March 1929) is a Filipino marine biologist who was conferred the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 1992. He has done extensive work on Community Development in conjunction with Marine Development and Ecology, Marine Biogeography, and Marine Life Conservation.

Early life

Angel C. Alcala was born to Porfirio Alcala and Crescenciana Chua on 1 March 1929 in the small coastal village of Caliling, Cauayan, Negros Occidental. The Alcala household was a humble one, but the family had everything it needed as they lived where the products of the sea were bountiful.

Alcala attended high school on a scholarship at Kabankalan Academy. He was active in co-curricular activities as he took part in the school's [[Boy Scouts of the Philippines|Boy Scout troop], and was a member of the school's debate team.

In 1948, Alcala took a pre-medical course at Silliman University in Dumaguete. He was later accepted at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine but chose not to proceed because of his family's financial circumstances. Instead, he continued to study Biology at Silliman University and graduated magna cum laude in 1951.

Alcala's life-long interest in marine ecology started at an early age. His father was a fish farmer who made a living out of taking care of fish ponds that produced a steady supply of milkfish. As the eldest child, Alcala helped his father tend the fish ponds. He and his brothers also spent much of their time going after crabs, shrimp and shellfish and exploring the shallow waters and coral reefs near their home.

Dr. Angel Alcala has devoted more than 30 years studying how to conserve the marine ecosystems throughout Southeast Asia. What make him do this? It’s the fact that the sea is threatened because of the very riches it holds.

Dr. Alcala is an authority on community ecology, biogeography, and the systematic of amphibians and reptiles. He developed the first community-based program that created artificial coral reefs. This program became the model for similar fisheries development programs throughout establishing the Apo, Sumilon, Carbin, an Pamilacan marine reserves in the Philippines, Alcala is also the Director of the Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management.

Having written more than 60 scientific papers, Dr. Alcala believes that marine reserves have a significant role in ensuring fish abundance even in areas beyond the protected sanctuaries. This process, called “spillover,” is the focus of his work with the Pew Institute for Ocean Science. To set up more effective marine sanctuaries local communities and organizations to manage and protect the sanctuaries. Dr. Alcala believes that sustainable development it’s only possible through informed and committed human involvement.

Dr. Alcala has headed the Institute of Marine Biology at the University of the Philippines and was deputy executive director of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development. He has been a visiting researcher at various universities and establishments, including the University of Florida and the Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Alcala has also worked for the Philippine government as secretary of Environment and National Resources, and as chairman of the Commission on Higher Education.

Angel Alcala - Degrees:

• Undergraduate degree Silliman University

• Ph.D. Stanford University

Angel Alcala - Awards:

• 1994 - The Field Museum Founders' Council Award of Merit for contributions to environmental biology

• Magsaysay Award for Public Service

• Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation

Work with Philippine Amphibians & Reptiles:

Angel Alcala has done the most comprehensive studies on Philippine amphibians and reptiles, and minor studies on birds and mammals. His research was done between 1954 to 1999 lead to the addition of fifty new species of amphibians and reptiles.

Jesli A. Lapus

2011-11-02T13:24:00.002+08:00

Jesli A. Lapus

Jesli A. Lapus is the Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd)2007-2010. Prior to his cabinet appointment, Lapus was known as a top professional manager in the manufacturing and financial sectors, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a college professor, and a member of the House of Representatives for three consecutive terms, serving from 1998 to 2007.

Lapus was born on September 12, 1949 in Tarlac, Tarlac. He attended the Little Flower Academy (Holy Spirit Academy) in Tarlac for his elementary and secondary education. In 1969, he earned a BS in Accountancy from the St. Louis University in Baguio City, finishing college in three years and subsequently passing the accountancy board exams at the age of 19. He further honed his management skills by enrolling in the Masters in Business Management (MBM) program of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) and graduating in 1973. In 1998, Lapus was conferred a doctorate in public administration (honoris causa) by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP).

Lapus also attended several post-graduate studies, excelling each time in the following fields:

Investment Appraisals and Management – Harvard University, United States of America (USA)

Management of Transfer of Technology – INSEAD, France

Project Management – BITS, Sweden

Personal Financial Planning – University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA

Private sector

The management career of Lapus started at a very young age. This earned for him the title, “Management Whiz Kid in the ASEAN,” given by Asian Finance international magazine. At 20, he worked as an auditor and consultant at SyCip, Gorres, Velayo & Company (SGV & Co.). He then became the chief financial officer (CFO) of the Ramcar Group of Companies at age 23, and helped propel Ramcar to become the country's undisputed leader in the battery industry. From 1979 to 1986, Lapus worked as managing director and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Triumph International (Philippines), Inc. He also worked in the banking sector, serving as director of Union Bank of the Philippines from 1988 to 1992.

Lapus also shared his management expertise in the academe. He was among the original core faculty members of AIM's Masters in Development Management program and has taught at the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and Maryknoll College (now Miriam College). He has also conducted executive training courses in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Executive Branch of Government

Lapus' expertise did not go unnoticed by two former presidents. From 1987 to 1989, he served as undersecretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) under the administration of President Corazon C. Aquino. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Fund and the Support Services Sector of DAR.

During the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos, Lapus served as president, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and vice chairman of the board of directors of Land Bank of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. Under his leadership, the bank rose to become the 3rd biggest in the banking industry and the best performing government financial institution (GFI).

Legislative Branch of the Government

In 1998, Lapus was elected member of the House of Representatives, representing the 3rd district of Tarlac. He was reelected twice and was unopposed when he ran for his third and last term in the 2004 elections. In Congress, Lapus initiated important legislations pertaining to education, teachers' rights, suffrage, and other social issues.

Lapus exposed and helped streamline the in famous multibillion peso automatic payroll deductions scheme at DepEd which has adversely affected the net take home pay of public school teachers. This practice has been considered a major cause of teachers' low morale, thus, affecting the quality of Philippine education. Lapus was recognized for this effort and was honored with the title, "Champion of Public School Teachers," by teachers' associations.

In his capacity as chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral reforms during his second term, Lapus sponsored the Overseas Absentee Voting Law. This law allowed Filipinos living and working overseas to vote, beginning in the 2004 national elections. He also sponsored the World Trade Organization (WTO) Safeguard Measures Law in 1999. Starting the year 2000, Lapus was also principal author of inquiries and bills on preneed companies. These measures led to timely Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations, years before the controversial collapse of a number of preneed companies.

Mr. Jesli A. Lapus is a Secretary of Department of Trade and Industry. Mr. Lapus serves as Director of Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. He has been Director of Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. since August 18, 2010.

PROFESSIONAL/CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS

Management Association of the Philippines (past Governor)
Bankers Association of the Philippines (past Treasurer)
Alumni Association of the Asian Institute of Management (past President)
Young Presidents Organization (YPO)
FINEX, PICPA, PCCI, PMAP, GBAP
Museo Pambata (past Treasurer)
Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor (Trustee)
Rotary Club of Manila
German Club

Awards and recognition

The following are some of the awards and recognition given to Lapus in the course of his private and government career:

Triple A Award for outstanding achievements in the practice of Management (the highest AIM alumnus award) – given in 1980; was the youngest recipient (at 29 years old) of the award
Elevated to the Hall of Fame as Outstanding Legislator for 5 consecutive years (2000-2004) – given by the Makati Graduate School and Congress Magazine
Conferred the title Datu Bantugan V for invaluable service to Mindanao
Outstanding Citizen of Pampanga and Tarlac
Outstanding CPA in the Philippines
Outstanding Legislator of the Consumers Union of the Philippines

Ram Revilla

2011-10-29T12:13:00.001+08:00

1989-29 October 2011

Born and hailed in Parañaque City, Philippines

The eldest of the nine children of Ramon Revilla Sr. and Genelyn Magsaysay

Sister (Magsaysay side): Ma. Ragelyn Gail.

Half-brother (Revilla side) of Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr., Strike Revilla, Andrea M. Bautista, Diana M. Bautista, and Marlon Bautista.

Ram's Filmography

Tonyong Bayawak (2010) “Jeff Gatdula” (actor)
Kamandag (2007) “Harn (2007)” (actor)
Resiklo (2007) “Council 3 (as Ramgen Revilla)” (actor)
Exodus: Tales from the Enchanted Kingdom (2005) (actor)
Anak ka ng tatay mo (2004) (actor)
Tonyong Bayawak (2010) “Jeff Gatdula” (actor)
Kamandag (2007) “Harn (2007)” (actor)
Resiklo (2007) “Council 3 (as Ramgen Revilla)” (actor)
Exodus: Tales from the Enchanted Kingdom (2005) (actor)
Anak ka ng tatay mo (2004) (actor)

Isnilon Totoni Hapilon

2011-09-25T10:34:00.001+08:00

Isnilon Totoni Hapilon

Born: March 18, 1966

Born in Bulanza , Lantawan , Basilan Philippines a leader of the Filipino terrorist organization called the Abu Sayyaf Group. He is thought to have recently suffered a stroke, which has limited his activity with the group.

In the late 1980s Hapilon graduated from the University of the Philippines School of Engineering.

Hapilon is also known as The Deputy, and by aliases including Abu Musab, Sol, Abu Tuan, Esnilon, and Salahuddin. He is a citizen of the Philippines, a thin man at 5'6" and only 120 pounds. He speaks Tausug, Tagalog and Yakan, as well as English. His whereabouts are unknown; he may travel to Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

In 2002 Hapilon and four other ASG members -- Khadaffy Janjalani, Hamsiraji Marusi Sali, Aldam Tilao, and Jainal Antel Sali, Jr. -- were indicted in Guam and in the United States for their role in the 2000 Dos Palmas kidnappings of 17 Filipinos and three Americans, and the eventual beheading of one of the Americans, Guillermo Sobero. Hapilon is the only one of the five indicted who is still alive. On February 24, 2006, Hapilon, along with Janjalani and Jainal Sali, Jr. was added to the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list. The Rewards For Justice Program of the United States Department of State is offering up to US$5 million (approx. 230,000,000 Philippine pesos as of August 2010) for information on Hapilon's location.

Abu Sabaya (Aldam Tilao)

2011-09-21T10:27:00.001+08:00

Aldam Tilao

"Abu Sabaya"
1962 – June 21, 2002

Abu Sabaya, whose real name is Aldam Tilao (1962 – June 21, 2002) was one of the leaders of the Abu Sayyaf in the southern Philippines until he was killed by soldiers of the Philippine Army in 2002. He was a former engineering student and police trainee, and had lived in Saudi Arabia for several years

Prior to his death, the United States government had placed a USD 5,000,000 reward on his arrest for the May 2001 kidnappings of two American missionaries and another American who was beheaded. According to the Philippine Army documents, Sabaya had dropped out of a criminology course to join the Moro National Liberation Front (M.N.L.F.), an Islamic rebel group, who trained him in bomb-making and assassination. When the M.N.L.F. signed a peace treaty with the Philippine government in 1997, Sabaya joined Filipinos working in Saudi Arabia. Upon his return to the Philippines he came into contact with Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani, one of the founders of the Abu Sayyaf. Sabaya was accused of several hostage kidnappings. In Basilan, he was accused of being involved in 13 kidnappings incidents, including that of a Roman Catholic priest, schoolchildren and teachers. In reaction, the Philippine government offered a 5,000,000 peso reward for his capture.

On June 21, 2002, after being tracked by United States and Philippine forces, Sabaya was confronted by a Special Warfare Group team of the Philippine Navy. After attempting to evade capture, Sabaya was shot and killed at sea. Four other members of the Abu Sayyaf survived and were arrested during the incident.

Arsenio Lacson

2011-09-17T10:09:00.003+08:00

Arsenio H. Lacson

December 26, 1911 — April 15, 1962

Was a Filipino journalist and politician who gained widespread attention as Mayor of Manila from 1952 to 1962. An active executive likened by Time and The New York Times to New York's Fiorello La Guardia, he was the first Manila mayor to be reelected to three terms. Nicknamed "Arsenic" and described as "a good man with a bad mouth", Lacson's fiery temperament became a trademark of his political and broadcasting career. He died suddenly from a stroke amidst talk that he was planning to run in the 1965 presidential election.

Lacson was born in Talisay, Negros Occidental. He was related to Aniceto Lacson, the President of the short-lived Republic of Negros. His niece, Rose, would later gain prominence as a controversial socialite in Australia.

A sickly lad, Lacson turned to athletics while a student at the Ateneo de Manila University, where he would obtain his Bachelor of Arts degree. He became an amateur boxer while a student, accounting for his broken nose that later became a prominent feature of his profile.

Lacson studied law at the University of Santo Tomas. After graduating and passing the bar examinations in 1937, he joined the law office of future Senator Vicente Francisco, and later, the Department of Justice as an assistant attorney. Lacson also worked as a sportswriter before the outbreak of World War II.

World War II guerrilla

Lacson joined the armed resistance against the Japanese military which had invaded the Philippines in late 1941. He joined the Free Philippines underground movement, and acted as a lead scout during the Battle of Manila. Lacson was joining the soldiers under the 66th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFIP-NL also fought in the battle for the liberation of Baguio City on April 26, 1945.

For his service during the war, Lacson received citations from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Sixth United States Army. Years later, when asked by Japanese Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi if he had learned Japanese during the war, Lacson responded, "I was too busy shooting at Japanese to learn any.

Congress

Lacson resumed his career in journalism after the war. He also had his own radio program called In This Corner, where he delivered social and political commentary. Lacson became popular as a result of his radio show, but also earned the ire of President Manuel Roxas, whom he nicknamed "Manny the Weep". In 1947, President Roxas ordered Lacson's suspension from the airwaves. The incident drew international attention after former United States Interior Secretary Harold L. Ickes defended Roxas's action and in turn drew rebuke for such defense from the popular radio commentator Walter Winchell.

In the 1949 general elections, Lacson ran for and won a seat in the House of Representatives, representing the 2nd District of Manila. He was elected under the banner of the Nacionalista Party. During the two years he served in the House, Lacson was cited by the media assigned to cover Congress as among the "10 Most Useful Congressmen" for "his excellent display as a fiscalizer and a lawmaker.

Mayor of Manila

It was only in 1951 that the office of Manila mayor became an elective position, following the amendment of its city charter. Representative Lacson successfully unseated incumbent Manila mayor Manuel de la Fuente in the first ever mayoralty election in the city. He assumed the office of mayor on January 1, 1952. He was re-elected in 1955 and 1959. He immediately became known as a tough-minded reformist mayor, and in the 1950s, he and Zamboanga City mayor Cesar Climaco were touted as exemplars of good local governance. Climaco, in fact, was praised as "The Arsenio Lacson of the South".

At the time Lacson assumed office, Manila had around 23.5 million pesos in debt, some of which had been contracted thirty years earlier, and had no money to pay its employees. Within three years, the debt had been reduced in half, and by 1959, the city had a budget surplus of 4.3 million pesos and paid its employees twice the amount earned by other local government employees. By that time, Lacson claimed that the income earned by Manila for the Philippines supported 70% of the salaries of the national government officials and members of Congress, as well as 70% of the expenses of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Lacson embarked on crusades to maintain peace and order and good government in Manila. He fired 600 city employees for incompetence, and dismissed corrupt policemen. He personally led raids on brothels masquerading as massage parlors and on unauthorized market vendors. Lacson ordered bulldozers to clear a squatter colony in Malate that had stood since shortly after the war. Lacson established a mobile 60-car patrol unit that patrolled the city at all hours, and he himself would patrol the city at nights in a black police car. Lacson also established the Manila Zoo and the first city underpass, located in Quiapo, posthumously named after him.

Throughout his ten years as mayor, Lacson maintained his radio program, which now aired over DZBB and would also later be broadcast on television. The broadcasts were pre-recorded in order to edit out his expletives and occasional foul language. He spoke out on air on national and international issues, and responded to critics who suggested that he confine himself to local Manila issues that he did not lose his right as a citizen to speak out on public affairs upon his election as mayor. He was a fervent critic of President Elpidio Quirino of the Liberal Party. In 1952, upon the filing of a criminal libel complaint against Lacson by a judge whom he criticized on his radio show, Quirino suspended Lacson from office. Lacson remained suspended for 73 days until the Supreme Court voided the suspension order.

Though the hard-drinking, gun-toting Lacson projected an image of machismo, the author Nick Joaquin observed:

“ Lacson has sedulously cultivated the "yahoo" manner, the siga-siga style, but one suspects that the bristles on the surface do not go all the way down; for this guy with a pug’s battered nose comes from a good family and went to the right schools; this character who talks like a stevedore is a literate, even a literary, man; and this toughie who has often been accused of being too chummy with the underworld belonged to the most “idealistic” of the wartime underground groups: the Free Philippines. ”

Presidential ambitions

In 1953, Lacson actively campaigned for Nacionalista presidential candidate Ramon Magsaysay, who would go on to defeat the incumbent Quirino. After President Magsaysay's death in a plane crash months before the 1957 presidential election, Lacson claimed that Magsaysay had offered to name him as the Nacionalista candidate for Vice President, in lieu of incumbent Vice-President Carlos P. Garcia. According to Lacson, he declined the offer, telling Magsaysay "the time has not yet come".

Nonetheless, after Magsaysay's death, Lacson turned against the newly-installed President Garcia, and considered running against Garcia in the 1957 election. In April 1957, Lacson went on a national tour in order to gauge his nationwide strength as a presidential candidate. While the tour indicated considerable popularity of Lacson in the provinces, his potential run was hampered by a lack of funding and a party machinery. It was believed that Lacson would have easily won the presidency in 1957 had he obtained the nomination of either his Nacionalista Party, then committed to Garcia, or the rival Liberal Party, which would select Jose Yulo as its candidate. The American expatriate and industrialist Harry Stonehill later claimed that Lacson had asked him to finance his campaign against Garcia. When Stonehill refused, Lacson decided not to run, and thereafter, staged a rally at Plaza Miranda where he denounced the United States and what he perceived as the subservience of the Philippine government to the Americans. In his career, Lacson was frequently tagged as anti-American, and he had criticized the United States for having no foreign policy "but just a pathological fear of communism".

Garcia won in the 1957 election, and Lacson became a persistent critic of the President throughout his four-year term. In 1961, Lacson turned against the Nacionalista Party and supported the presidential candidacy of Vice-President Diosdado Macapagal of the Liberal Party. He was named Macapagal's national campaign manager and was attributed as "the moving spirit behind a nationwide drive that led to Macapagal's victory at the polls". Not long after Macapagal's election, Lacson returned to the Nacionalista Party and became increasingly critical of the President, explaining "I only promised to make Macapagal President, not agree with him forever." Lacson was considered as the likely presidential candidate of the Nacionalistas for the 1965 elections, and when that prospect was mooted by his death, the party would select Senator Ferdinand Marcos, who would defeat Macapagal.

Death

As mayor, Lacson had faced several attempts on his life. He twice disarmed gunmen who had attacked him, and survived an ambush as he was driving home one night. Yet it would be a stroke that ended Lacson's life at the age of 50. He was fatally stricken at a hotel suite while preparing to leave to do his weekly radio and television broadcast. Lacson was buried at the Manila North Cemetery.

A high school and a street in Sampaloc, Manila have been named after Lacson. A statue in his honor was likewise erected in present-day Plaza Lacson, which is behind Sta. Cruz church. Another statue was erected along Roxas Boulevard facing Manila Bay, this time of Lacson seated on a bench reading a newspaper.

General Carlos F. Garcia

2011-09-17T00:57:00.000+08:00

General Carlos F. Garcia P.A (Ret)

Maj. Gen. Carlos F. Garcia

former AFP deputy chief of staff for comptrollership

Charged with perjury by the Office of the Ombudsman; charged with Articles of War (AW) 95, 96 and 97 in military court

Investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman revealed that Garcia

has 9 vehicles registered in his name, that of his wife, and his son Ian Carl, yet he disproportionately declared in his latest SALN that the total cost of all his vehicles amounted only to P1,150,000.00

did not declare in any one of his SALN for years 1993-2003 properties in Ohio and New York, USA

on September 16 2011, Garcia was arrested as per President Aquino's directive for Plunder Case and sent to Bilibid Prison to serve a 2 years Jail term.

Artemio Ricarte

2011-09-15T22:08:00.000+08:00

Artemio Garcia Ricarte
"Vibora" (Viper)

October 20, 1866 — July 31, 1945

A Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War. He is considered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as the "Father of the Philippine Army". Ricarte is also notable for never having taken an oath of allegiance to the United States government, which occupied the Philippines from 1898 to 1946.

Ricarte was born in Batac City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines to Faustino Ricarte and Bonifacia García. He finished his early studies in his hometown and enrolled at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. At the University of Santo Tomas and then at the Escuela Normal, he prepared for the teaching profession. He was sent to the town of San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias) to supervise a primary school. While there, he met the likes of Mariano Álvarez, another school teacher and surviving revolutionary of the 1872 Cavite Mutiny. Ricarte then joined the ranks of the Katipunan under the Magdiwang Council, where he held the rank of Lieutenant-General. He adopted the nom-de-guerre "Víbora" (Viper).

Philippine Revolution

After the start of the Philippine Revolution on August 31, 1896, Ricarte led the revolutionists in attacking the Spanish garrison in San Francisco de Malabon. He crushed the Spanish troops and took the civil guards as prisoner. At the Tejeros Convention Ricarte was elected Captain-General and received a military promotion to Brigadier-General in Emilio Aguinaldo's army. He led his men in various battles in Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas. Aguinaldo designated him to remain in Biak na Bato, San Miguel, Bulacan to supervise the surrender of arms and to see to it that both the Spanish government and Aguinaldo's officers complied with the terms of the peace pact.

Philippine-American War

When the Philippine-American War started in 1899, he was Chief of Operations of the Philippine forces in the second zone around Manila. In July 1900 he was captured in Manila and deported to Guam together with Apolinario Mabini.

Post-War

In early 1903, both Ricarte and Mabini would be allowed back in to the Philippines upon taking the oath of allegiance to America. Just as their transport USS Thomas pulled in to Manila Bay, both were asked to take the oath. Mabini, who was ill, took the oath but Ricarte refused. Ricarte was set free but banned from the Philippines. Without setting foot in the Philippines, he was placed on the transport "Galic" and sailed to Hong Kong.

In December 1903, Ricarte returned to the Philippines as a stowaway on board the "Wenshang". Ricarte planned to reunite with former members of the army and rekindle the Philippine Revolution. Upon meeting with several former members and friends, he discussed his general plan and the continuation of the revolution. After said meetings, some of these members turned on Ricarte and notified the Americans, specifically ex-General Pio del Pilar. A reward for US$10,000 was then issued for Ricarte's capture, dead or alive. In the following weeks, Ricarte traveled throughout central Luzon trying to drum up support for his cause.

In early 1904, Ricarte was stricken by an illness that put him at rest for nearly 2 months. Just as his health was returning, a clerk from his outfit, Luis Baltazar, turned against him and notified the local Philippine Constabulary of his location at Mariveles, Bataan. On March 29, 1904, Ricarte was arrested and jailed. He would spend the next six years at Bilibid Prison. It should be noted, Ricarte was well received and respected by both the Philippine and American authorities. He was frequently visited by old friends from the Philippine war as well as U.S. government officials, including then Vice-President of the United States Charles W. Fairbanks.

Due to good behavior, Ricarte served only 6 of his 11 year sentence. On June 26, 1910 he was released from Bilibid Prision. But upon his exit he was detained by American authorities and taken to the Customs-House in Bagumbayan. He was again ordered to pledge his oath of alligence to the United States. He still refused to swear allegiance and within the hour of the same day, he was again put on a transport and deported to Hong Kong. His name was repeatedly brought to light whenever any type of uprising occurred in the Philippines. To get away from false propaganda, he and his wife moved to Yokohama, Japan where they lived in self-exile. While in Japan, Ricarte opened a small restaurant, Karihan Luvimin, and returned to teaching. His book, “Himagsikan nang manga Pilipino Laban sa Kastila” (The Revolution of Filipinos Against the Spaniards) was published in Yokohama in 1927.

Just as Ricarte's life was fading away in to obscurity, World War II began and Japan invaded the Philippines. The Japanese flew Ricarte back to the Philippines to help them pacify the Filipinos. In December 1944, Ricarte was forced to establish the Makapili, a pro-Japanese organization during World War II which was used to root out guerrillas.

Death

Near the end of World War II, Ricarte again found himself taking flight from American and Filipino forces. It is stated by Colonel Ota, that he ask Ricarte to evacuate the Philippine island but Ricarte refused, stating "I cannot take refuge in Japan at this critical moment when my people are in actual distress. I will stay in my Motherland to the last." Due to the hardship and difficulties from evading American and Filipino attacks, Ricarte became ill and suffered from debilitating dysentery. On July 31, 1945 at Hungduan, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ricarte died at the age of 78. His grave was found 9 years later in 1954 by treasure hunters. Ricarte's body was exhumed and his tomb now lies in Manila at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. On April 2002, at the same place where he dies, a landmark was inaugurated by Mr. Ambet Ocampo of The National Historical Institute, and Mrs. Teodoro, a granddaughter of Artemio Ricarte.

Memorials

In 1972, a monument was erected at Yamashita Park in Yokohama, Japan
The birth house of Artemio Ricarte is now the Ricarte National Shrine in Batac City, Philippines.
A marker was placed at Poblacion, General Trias, Cavite for General Artemio Ricarte for the battles and good deeds he accomplished in Cavite

Manny Pacquiao (Pacman)

2011-09-06T08:09:00.000+08:00

Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao born December 17, 1978), also known as Manny Pacquiao, is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is an eight-division world champion, the first boxer in history to win ten world titles in eight different weight divisions. He is also the first boxer in history to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000's by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). He is also a three-time The Ring and BWAA "Fighter of the Year", winning the award in 2006, 2008, and 2009.

Currently, Pacquiao is the WBC Super Welterweight World Champion and WBO Welterweight World Champion (Super Champion). He is also currently rated as the "number one" pound-for-pound best boxer in the world by most sporting news and boxing websites, including The Ring, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBC Sports, Yahoo! Sports, Sporting Life and About.com.

Aside from boxing, Pacquiao has participated in acting, music recording, and politics. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, representing the province of Sarangani. He is the only active boxer to become a congressman in the Philippines.

Personal life

Pacquiao was born on December 17, 1978, in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Philippines. He is the son of Rosalio Pacquiao and Dionesia Dapidran-Pacquiao. His parents separated when he was in sixth grade, after his mother discovered that his father was living with another woman. He is the fourth among six siblings: Liza Silvestre-Onding and Domingo Silvestre (from first husband of his mother) and Isidra Pacquiao-Paglinawan, Alberto "Bobby" Pacquiao and Rogelio Pacquiao.

Pacquiao is married to Maria Geraldine "Jinkee" Jamora, and they have four children: Emmanuel Jr. "Jimuel", Michael, Princess, and Queen Elizabeth "Queenie". He resides in his hometown General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippines. However, as a congressman of lone district of Sarangani, he is officially residing in Kiamba, Sarangani, the hometown of his wife.

Pacquiao is a devout Roman Catholic. Within the ring, he frequently makes the sign of the cross and every time he comes back from a successful fight abroad, he attends a thanksgiving Mass in Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila to kneel and pray.

Pacquiao is also a military reservist with the rank of Sergeant Major for the 15th Ready Reserve Division of the Philippine Army. When younger he had considered becoming a soldier, and was enlisted in the military reserve force as an Army Private.

Education

Pacquiao completed his elementary education at Saavedra Saway Elementary School in General Santos City, but dropped out of high school due to extreme poverty. He left his home at age 14 because his mother, who had six children, was not making enough money to support her family.

In February 2007 he took, and passed, a high school equivalency exam making him eligible for college education. He was awarded with a high school diploma by the Department of Education. Pacquiao enrolled for a college degree in business management at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU) in his hometown in General Santos City.

On February 18, 2009, Pacquiao was conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) by Southwestern University (SWU) at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Lahug, Cebu City in recognition of his boxing achievements and humanitarian work.

In preparation for his career as a lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Pacquiao enrolled in the Certificate Course in Development, Legislation, and Governance at the Development Academy of the Philippines – Graduate School of Public and Development Management (DAP-GSPDM).

Amateur boxing career

At the age of 14, Pacquiao moved to Manila and lived, for a time, on the streets. He started boxing and made the Philippine national amateur boxing team where his room and board were paid for by the government. Pacquiao reportedly had an amateur record of 64 fights (60–4).

Professional boxing career

Early years at Light Flyweight division

In 1995, the death of a young aspiring boxer and close friend Eugene Barutag spurred the young Pacquiao to pursue a professional boxing career. Pacquiao started his professional boxing career when he was just 16 years of age, stood at 4'11'', and weighed 98 pounds (7 pounds under the minimumweight division). He admitted before American media that he put weights in his pockets to make the 105 pound weight limit. His early light flyweight division fights took place in small local venues and were shown on Vintage Sports' Blow by Blow, an evening boxing show. His professional debut was a four round bout against Edmund "Enting" Ignacio, on January 22, 1995, which Pacquiao won via decision, becoming an instant star of the program.

Pacquiao's weight increased from 106 to 113 pounds before losing in his 12th bout against Rustico Torrecampo via a third round knockout. Pacquiao failed to make the required weight, so he was forced to use heavier gloves than Torrecampo, thereby putting him at a disadvantage.

Flyweight division

Following the Torrecampo fight, Pacquiao continued undefeated for his next 15 fights. He went on another unbeaten run that saw him take on the vastly more experienced Chokchai Chockvivat in flyweight division. Pacquiao knocked out Chockvivat in the fifth round and took the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) Flyweight title. After one official defense and two non-title bouts, Pacquiao got his first opportunity to fight for a world title. Pacquiao captured the World Boxing Council (WBC) Flyweight World Title (his first major boxing world title as well as the flyweight lineal title) over Chatchai Sasakul by way of knockout in the eighth round. He defended the title successfully against Mexican Gabriel Mira via 4th round technical knockout. However, Pacquiao lost the title in his second defense against Medgoen Singsurat, also known as Medgoen 3K Battery, via a third round knockout. The bout was held in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. Singsurat got Pacquiao on the ropes and landed a flush straight right to the body coiling Pacquiao over and keeping him there. Technically, Pacquiao lost the belt at the scales, as he surpassed the weight limit of 112 pounds.

Super Bantamweight division

Following his loss to Singsurat, Pacquiao gained weight anew and skipped the super flyweight and bantamweight divisions. This time, Pacquiao went to super bantamweight or junior featherweight division of 122 pounds, where he picked up the WBC Super Bantamweight International Title. He defended this title five times before his chance for a world title fight came. Pacquiao's big break came on June 23, 2001, against former IBF World Super Bantamweight champion Lehlohonolo Ledwaba. Pacquiao stepped into the fight as a late replacement on two weeks' notice but won the fight by technical knockout and won the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Junior Featherweight World Title belt, his second major boxing world title. The bout was held at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao went on to defend this title four times under head trainer Freddie Roach, owner of the famous Wild Card Gym in West Hollywood.

Featherweight division

On November 15, 2003, Pacquiao faced Marco Antonio Barrera at the Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, in a fight that many consider to have defined his career. Pacquiao, who was fighting at featherweight for the first time, brought his power with him and defeated Barrera via technical knockout in the eleventh round and won The Ring Featherweight World Title (as well as the lineal featherweight champion), making him the first Filipino and Asian to become a three-division world champion, a fighter who won world titles in three different weight divisions. He defended the title twice before relinquishing it in 2005.

On November 24, 2003, the then Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo conferred on Pacquiao the Presidential Medal of Merit at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace for his knockout victory over the best featherweight boxer of the world. The following day, the members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines presented the House Resolution No. 765, authored by the then House Speaker Jose De Venecia and Bukidnon Representative Juan Miguel Zubiri, which honored Pacquiao the Congressional Medal of Achievement for his exceptional achievements. Pacquiao is the first sportsman to receive such an honor from the House of Representatives.

Six months after the fight with Barrera, Pacquiao went on to challenge Juan Manuel Márquez, who at the time held both the World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) Featherweight World Titles. The fight took place at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, on May 8, 2004, and after twelve rounds the bout was scored a draw, which proved to be a controversial decision that outraged both camps.

In the first round, Márquez was caught cold, as he was knocked down three times by Pacquiao. However, Márquez showed great heart to recover from the early knockdowns, and went on to win the majority of rounds thereafter. This was largely due to Márquez's counterpunch style, which he managed to effectively utilize against the aggressive style of Pacquiao. At the end of a very close fight, the final scores were 115–110 for Márquez, 115–110 for Pacquiao, and 113–113. One of the judges (who scored the bout 113–113) later admitted to making an error on the scorecards, because he had scored the first round as "10–7" in favor of Pacquiao instead of the standard "10–6" for a three-knockdown round. In fact, the fight should be scored as split decision in favor of Pacquiao. Consequently, both parties felt they had done enough to win the fight.

Super Featherweight division

On March 19, 2005, Pacquiao moved up in super featherweight or junior lightweight division of 130 pounds, in order to fight another Mexican legend and three-division world champion Érik Morales for vacant WBC International and IBA Super Featherweight Titles. The fight took place at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. In this fight, Pacquiao sustained a cut over his right eye from a from an accidental clash of heads in the fifth round. He lost the twelve round match by a unanimous decision from the judges. All three scorecards read 115–113 for Morales.]

On September 10, 2005, Manny Pacquiao fought Héctor Velázquez at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. He knocked Velázquez out in six rounds to capture the WBC Super Featherweight International Title, which he went on to defend five times. On the same day, his rival, Érik Morales, fought Zahir Raheem and lost via unanimous decision.

Despite Morales's loss to Raheem. Pacquiao got matched up against Morales in a rematch which took place on January 21, 2006 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. During the fight, Morales escaped being knocked down twice, once in the second round by holding onto the ropes, and once in the sixth by falling on the referee. Pacquiao eventually knocked Morales out in the tenth, the first time Morales was knocked out in his boxing career.

On July 2, 2006, Pacquiao defended his WBC Super Featherweight International Title against Óscar Larios, a two-time super bantamweight champion, who had moved up two weight divisions to fight Pacquiao. Pacquiao won the fight via unanimous decision, knocking down Larios two times in the 12-round bout at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines. The three judges scored the fight 117–110, 118–108, and 120–106 all for Pacquiao.

On July 3, 2006, the day after winning the fight against Larios, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo personally bestowed the Order of Lakandula with the rank of "Champion for Life" (Kampeon Habambuhay) and the plaque of appreciation to Pacquiao in a simple ceremony at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang Palace.

Pacquiao and Morales fought a third time (with the series tied 1–1) on Nov. 18, 2006. Witnessed by a near record crowd of 18,276, the match saw Pacquiao defeat Morales via a third round knockout at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. After the Pacquiao–Morales rubber match, Bob Arum, Pacquiao's main promoter, announced that Manny had returned his signing bonus back to Golden Boy Promotions, signaling intentions to stay with Top Rank. This prompted Golden Boy Promotions to sue Pacquiao over breach of contract.

After a failed promotional negotiation with Marco Antonio Barrera's camp, Bob Arum chose Jorge Solís as Pacquiao's next opponent among several fighters Arum offered as replacements. The bout was held in San Antonio, Texas, on April 14, 2007. In the sixth round, an accidental headbutt occurred, giving Pacquiao a cut under his left eyebrow. The fight ended in the eighth when Pacquiao knocked Solis down twice. Solis barely beat the count after the second knockdown, causing the referee to stop the fight and award Pacquiao a knockout win. The victory raised Pacquiao's win–loss–draw record to 44–3–2 with 34 knockouts. This also marked the end of Solis's undefeated streak.

On June 29, 2007, Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions announced that they agreed to settle their lawsuit, meaning the long-awaited rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera would occur despite Pacquiao being the top-ranked contender for the super featherweight title of Juan Manuel Márquez. On October 6, 2007, Pacquiao defeated Barrera in their rematch via an easy unanimous decision. In the 11th round, Pacquiao's punch caused a deep cut below Barrera's right eye. Barrera retaliated with an illegal punch on the break that dazed Pacquiao but also resulted in a point deduction for Barrera. Two judges scored the bout 118–109, whereas the third scored it 115–112.

In The Ring Magazine, Pacquiao (45–3–2) remained at the top of the super featherweight division (130 pounds). He had been in the ratings for 108 weeks. On November 13, 2007, he was honored by the World Boxing Council as Emeritus Champion during its 45th Annual World Convention held at the Manila Hotel.

On November 20, 2007, José Nuñez, manager of WBO Super Featherweight champion Joan Guzmán, accused Pacquiao's handler Bob Arum of evading a match between the two boxers to protect Pacquiao. Guzmán went as far as to directly call out Pacquiao at the postfight press conference of the Pacquiao–Barrera rematch in front of a stunned crowd at the Mandalay Bay Events Center's media room in Las Vegas.

On March 15, 2008, in a rematch against Juan Manuel Márquez called "Unfinished Business", Pacquiao won via split decision. The fight was held at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. With the victory, Pacquiao won the WBC Super Featherweight and The Ring Junior Lightweight World Titles (as well as the lineal junior lightweight title), making him the first Filipino and Asian to become a four-division world champion, a fighter who won world titles in four different weight divisions. The fight was a close hard fought battle, during which both fighters received cuts. Throughout the fight Márquez landed the most punches at a higher percentage; however, the decisive factor proved to be a third round knockdown, wherein Márquez was floored by a Pacquiao left hook. At the end of the fight, the judges' scores were 115–112 for Pacquiao, 115–112 for Márquez, and 114–113 for Pacquiao.

In the post-fight news conference, Márquez’s camp called for an immediate rematch. In addition, Richard Schaefer, Golden Boy Promotions CEO, offered a $6 million guarantee to Pacquiao for a rematch. However, Pacquiao ruled out a third clash with Márquez, saying, "I don't think so. This business is over." The reason that Pacquiao did not want a rematch was because he intended to move up to the lightweight division to challenge David Díaz, the reigning WBC Lightweight World Champion at that time. Díaz won a majority decision over Ramón Montano that night as an undercard of the "Unfinished Business" fight.

Lightweight division

On June 28, 2008, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Pacquiao defeated David Díaz in lightweight division via ninth round knockout and won the WBC Lightweight World Title. With the victory, Pacquiao became the first and only Filipino and Asian to become a five-division world champion, a fighter who won world titles in five different weight divisions, and also became the first Filipino fighter to ever win a world title at lightweight. During the fight, which Pacquiao dominated, Díaz was cut badly on his right eye in the fourth round. After the bout, Díaz acknowledged Pacquiao's superior hand speed, stating "It was his speed. It was all his speed. I could see the punches perfectly, but he was just too fast."
Bob Arum reported that the fight had made 12.5 million dollars earning Díaz his best payday of 850,000 dollars, whilst Pacquiao earned at least 3 million dollars. Official records revealed an attendance of 8,362 (out of a maximum capacity of 12,000).

On August 7, 2008, the members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines issued a House Resolution, sponsored by South Cotabato Congresswoman Darlene Antonino-Custodio, which recognized Pacquiao as a "People’s Champ" — "for his achievements and in appreciation of the honor and inspiration he has been bringing... to the Filipino people." He received a plaque from the then House Speaker Prospero Nograles.

Welterweight division

On December 6, 2008, Pacquiao moved up to the welterweight division, in order to face the six-division world champion Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, in a fight called "The Dream Match". Presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, the bout was scheduled as a twelve round, non-title fight contested at the 147 pound welterweight limit. Although Pacquiao went into the fight widely recognized as the leading pound-for-pound boxer in the world, some boxing pundits had speculated that 147 pounds could be too far above his natural weight against the larger De La Hoya. However, due to rehydration after the weigh in, De la Hoya came into the fight actually weighing less than Pacquiao, and close to 20 pounds under his usual fighting weight. Pacquiao dominated the fight, and after eight rounds De La Hoya's corner was forced to throw in the towel, awarding Pacquiao the win via technical knockout.

Pacquiao was ahead on all three judges' scorecards before the stoppage, with two judges scoring the fight at 80–71 and one scoring it at 79–72. Moreover, Pacquiao landed 224 out of 585 punches, whilst De La Hoya landed only 83 out of 402 punches. After the bout, trainer Freddie Roach stated "We knew we had him after the first round. He had no legs, he was hesitant and he was shot." The fight would be De La Hoya's last, as he announced his retirement from boxing shortly after.

Pacquiao received 15 to 30 million dollars (share of the pay-per-view), plus a guaranteed amount. Tickets reportedly sold out just hours after they went on sale. Moreover, the total gate revenue for the fight was said to be nearly 17 million dollars, making it the second largest gate revenue in boxing history.

On December 22, 2008, Pacquiao has been decorated with the Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of "Officer" (Pinuno) in a ceremony marking the 73rd founding anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. As an army reservist, he was given recognition for bringing pride and honor to the country through his remarkable achievements in the ring.

Light Welterweight division

On May 2, 2009, Pacquiao fought at light welterweight or super lightweight division for the first time against Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, in a fight billed as "The Battle of the East and West". Pacquiao won the bout via knockout to claim the International Boxing Organization (IBO) Junior Welterweight and The Ring Junior Welterweight World Titles (as well as the lineal light welterweight title). In doing so, Pacquiao became the second man in boxing history to become a six-division world champion, a fighter who won world titles in six different weight divisions and the first man ever to win lineal world titles in four different weight classes.]

The fight was originally placed in jeopardy due to disputes with both camps over the fight purse money. Eventually, the money issue was settled and the fight went on as scheduled. HBO aired the contest.

Pacquiao started the fight strong, knocking down Hatton twice in the first round. A somewhat shaken Hatton beat the count, only to be saved by the bell seconds later. In the second round Hatton seemed to have recovered, as he stalked Pacquiao for most of the round. However, with less than ten seconds remaining in the second round, Hatton was knocked out cold by a sharp left hook, prompting the referee to award Pacquiao the win by knockout (at 2:59 of the round). The knockout won him the The Ring Magazine "Knockout of the Year" for 2009.

On November 14, 2009, Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto via technical knockout in the twelfth round, at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, in a fight billed as "Firepower". Although the bout was sanctioned as a world title fight in the welterweight division, where the weight limit is 147 pounds, Cotto agreed to fight at a catchweight of 145 pounds.

Pacquiao dominated the fight, knocking Cotto down in round three and round four, before the referee stopped the fight at 0:55 of round twelve. With this victory, Pacquiao took the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Welterweight World Title and WBO Super Champion belts, to become the first seven-division world champion, the first fighter in boxing history to win world titles in seven different weight divisions. Pacquiao also won the first and special WBC Diamond Championship belt. This belt was created as an honorary championship exclusively to award the winner of a historic fight between two high-profile boxers. After the fight, promoter Bob Arum stated "Pacquiao is the greatest boxer I've ever seen, and I've seen them all, including Ali, Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard." Miguel Cotto said in a post fight interview: "Miguel Cotto comes to boxing to fight the biggest names, and Manny is one of the best boxers we have of all time." Cotto showed heart and fans regarded this as one of the year's best fights.

The fight generated 1.25 million buys and $70 million in domestic pay-per-view revenue, making it the most watched boxing event of 2009. Pacquiao earned around $22 million for his part in the fight, whilst Cotto earned around $12 million. Pacquiao–Cotto also generated a live gate of $8,847,550 from an official crowd of 15,930. On November 20, 2009, in a simple rites at the Quirino Grandstand, President Macapagal-Arroyo conferred Pacquiao the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu (Grand Cross) with Gold distinction (Katangiang Ginto) which usually bestowed to foreign diplomats and heads of state. It was awarded to Pacquiao for winning his historical eight weight division world title.

Following the victory against Cotto, there was much public demand for a fight between the seven-division world champion Manny Pacquiao (the number 1 pound-for-pound boxer) and the five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (the number 2 and former number 1 pound-for-pound boxer). Pacquiao reportedly agreed to fight Mayweather on March 13, 2010, for a split of $50 million up front. And it was later agreed that the venue for the fight would be the MGM Grand Las Vegas. However, the bout was put in jeopardy due to disagreements about Olympic-style drug testing. The Mayweather camp wanted random blood testing by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, whereas Pacquiao refused to have any blood testing within 30 days from the fight, because he thought it would weaken him, but he was willing to have blood taken from him before the 30-day window as well as immediately after the fight. Freddie Roach, on the other hand, commented that he would not allow blood to be taken from Pacquiao one week before the fight. In an attempt to resolve their differences, the two camps went through a process of mediation before a retired judge. After the mediation process Mayweather agreed to a 14-day no blood testing window. However, Pacquiao refused and instead only agreed to a 24-day no blood testing window. Consequently, on January 7, 2010, Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum declared that the fight was officially off.

Because of Pacquiao's reluctance to submit to random blood testing to the extent requested by Mayweather, and despite lack of evidence, the Mayweather camp repeated their suggestion that Pacquiao was using banned substances, which resulted in Pacquiao filing a lawsuit for defamation, seeking damages in excess of 75,000 dollars. The lawsuit cited accusations made by Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Floyd Mayweather Sr., Roger Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya, and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer.

After negotiations for the Mayweather fight fell through, other boxers were considered to replace Mayweather as Pacquiao's next opponent, including former light welterweight champion Paul Malignaggi, and WBA World Super Welterweight champion Yuri Foreman. However, Pacquiao chose to fight former IBF Welterweight World Champion Joshua Clottey instead.

On March 13, 2010, at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Pacquiao defeated Clottey via unanimous decision to retain his WBO Welterweight World Title belt. The judges scored the fight 120–108, 119–109 and 119–109, all in favor of Pacquiao. During the fight, Pacquiao threw a total of 1231 punches (a career high), but landed just 246, as most were blocked by Clottey's tight defense. On the other hand, Clottey threw a total of 399 punches, landing 108.

The fight was rewarded with a paid crowd of 36,371 and a gate of $6,359,985, according to post-fight tax reports filed with Texas boxing regulators. Counting complimentary tickets delivered to sponsors, media outlets and others, the Dallas fight attracted 41,843, well short of the 50,994 that was previously announced, but still an epic number for boxing. In addition, the bout drew 700,000 pay-per-view buys and earned $35.3 million in domestic revenue.

Manny Pacquiao was named as the Fighter of the Decade for years 2000–2009 by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). This award was presented by legendary boxer Joe Frazier, who was also a recipient of the award himself back in 1978 for defeating Muhammad Ali. Aside from this prestigious recognition, he was also named as the Sugar Ray Robinson Fighter of the Year for 2009, having received the same honor in 2006 and 2008. The awards ceremony was held at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City on June 4, 2010.

After his victory over Clottey, Pacquiao was expected to return to boxing in late 2010 with a possible matchup against Floyd Mayweather Jr. It was later reported that Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer and Top Rank Chief Bob Arum worked out a '"Super Fight" between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. However, complications arose when Mayweather requested Pacquiao undergo random blood and urine testing up until the fight day. Pacquiao responded that he would agree to undergo blood and urine testing up until 14 days before the fight (as requested by Mayweather in the first round of negotiations), stating that giving blood too close to the fight day would weaken him. On May 13, 2010, Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum announced that he had penciled in November 13, 2010 as the date of Manny Pacquiao's next fight, possibly against Mayweather. However, the stumbling block over demands that Pacquiao submit to Olympic level random drug testing put the fight in jeopardy.

On June 12, 2010, the President of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya, stated during an interview with a Spanish network that the deal for the fight was very close and the negotiation process has been very difficult. On June 30, 2010, Arum announced that the management of both sides had agreed to terms, that all points had been settled (including Pacquiao agreeing to submit to both blood and urine testing) and only the signature of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. was needed to seal the deal that could have earned both fighters at least $40 million each. Mayweather was then given a two-week deadline for the fight contract to be signed. Arum also announced that Pacquiao accepted the terms of the random drug testing, blood and urine, leading up to the fight.

On July 15, 2010, Bob Arum announced that Pacquiao's camp would give Mayweather until Friday midnight to sign the fight. The next day the Top Rank website embedded a countdown clock on their website with the heading "Money" Time: Mayweather's Decision. On July 17, 2010, Arum announced that there was no word from Mayweather's camp and the deal for a November 13, 2010 fight with Mayweather Jr. was not reached.

On July 19, 2010, Leonard Ellerbe, one of Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s closest advisers, denied that negotiations for a super fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao had ever taken place. Ellerbe stated that Bob Arum was not telling the truth. Bob Arum responded, questioning that if there was no negotiation, then who imposed the gag order (referring to a gag order about the negotiation allegedly imposed on both camps) and who could there be a gag order from if there were no negotiations. He also criticized Oscar De La Hoya and his Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer for denying that negotiations took place, when De La Hoya himself had previously stated that they were "very, very close in finalizing the contracts". Arum revealed that HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg acted as the mediator between Mayweather’s handlers and those of Pacquiao’s from Top Rank Promotions. On July 26, 2010, Ross Greenburg said in a statement that he has been negotiating with a representative from each side since May 2, 2010, carefully trying to put the fight together and he did in fact act as a go-between in negotiations with the two sides, but they were unable to come to an agreement. Floyd Mayweather Jr., after the second negotiation had been officially declared off, told the Associated Press that he had fought sixty days ago and that he was not interested in rushing into anything and was not really thinking about boxing at the moment.

Light Middleweight division

On July 23, 2010, Bob Arum announced that Pacquiao would fight Antonio Margarito on November 13, 2010. The fight for the vacant WBC Super Welterweight World Title gave Pacquiao the chance to win a world title in his eighth weight class, the light middleweight or super welterweight division. A catchweight of 150 pounds was established for the fight although the weight limit for the light middleweight division is 154 pounds. During the pre-fight, Pacquiao weighed in at a low 144.6 pounds, while Margarito weighed in at the limit of 150 pounds. Pacquiao said he was pleased with his weight because he loses too much speed when he gains pounds. During the fight itself, Pacquiao weighed 148 lbs, 17 pounds lighter than Margarito's 165.

Prior to the fight, Pacquiao's team demanded to the Texas officials to test Margarito for banned substances after a weight loss supplement, reportedly Hydroxycut, was found in his locker. It was stated that the officials would undergo testing for both boxers after the fight. In the fight, Pacquiao defeated Margarito via unanimous decision, using his superior handspeed and movement to win his 8th world title in as many divisions. In the penultimate round, Pacquiao implored referee Laurence Cole several times to stop the fight as Margarito had a swollen face and a large cut beneath the right eye, but the referee let the fight continue. Margarito had to be taken directly to the hospital after the fight, where it was discovered his orbital bone had been fractured; he had to undergo surgery. Because Pacquiao had no plans to defend the title he won against Margarito, the WBC Board of Governors voted to declare the title vacant.

Professional boxing record

52 Wins, 3 Losses, 2 Draws, 38 Knockouts

1995
01-22 -- Edmund Enting Ignacio, Mindoro Occidental, Philippines, W 4
03-18 -- Pinoy Montejo, Mindoro Occidental, Philippines, W 4
05-01 -- Rocky Palma, Cavite, Philippines, W 6
07-01 -- Dele Decierto, Mandaluyong, Philippines, TKO 2
08-03 -- Flash Simbajon, Mandaluyong, Philippines, W 6
09-16 -- Arman Rocil, Mandaluyong, Philippines, KO 3
10-07 -- Lolito Laroa, Makati, Philippines, W 8
10-21 -- Renato Mendones, Puerto Princesa, Philippines, TKO 2
11-11 -- Rodulfo Fernandez, Mandaluyong, Philippines, TKO 3
12-09 -- Rolando Tuyugon, Manila, Philippines, W 10

1996
01-13 -- Lito Torrejos, Paranaque City, Philippines, TKO 5
02-09 -- Rustico Torrecampo, Mandaluyong, Philippines, KO by 3
04-27 -- Marlon Carillo, Manila, Philippines, W 10
05-20 -- Jun Medina, Manila, Philippines, TKO 4
06-15 -- Bert Batiller, General Santos City, Philippines, TKO 4
07-27 -- Ippo Gala, Mandaluyong, Philippines, TKO 2
12-28 -- Sung-Yul Lee, Muntinlupa, Philippines, TKO 2

1997
03-08 -- Michael Luna, Muntinlupa, Philippines, KO 1
04-24 -- Wook-Ki Lee, Makati, Philippines, KO 1
05-30 -- Ariel Austria, Almendras, Philippines, TKO 6
06-26 -- Chokchai Chockvivat, Mandaluyong, Philippines, KO 5
09-13 -- Melvin Magramo, Cebu, Philippines, W 10
12-06 -- Panomdej Or Yuthanakorn, South Cotabato, Philippines, KO 1

1998
05-18 -- Shin Terao, Tokyo, Japan, TKO 1
12-04 -- Chartchai Sasakul, Bangkok, Thailand, TKO 8
(Won WBC Flyweight Title)

1999
02-20 -- Todd Makelin, Kidapawan, Philippines, TKO 3
04-24 -- Gabriel Mira, Quezon City, Philippines, KO 4
(Retained WBC Flyweight Title)
09-17 -- Medgoen Singsurat, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, KO by 3
(Pacquiao failed to make weight, lost WBC Flyweight title)
12-18 -- Reynante Jamili, Manila, Philippines, TKO 2

2000
03-04 -- Arnel Barotillo, Manila, Philippines, KO 4
06-28 -- Seung-Kon Chae, Manila, Philippines, TKO 1
10-14 -- Nedal Hussein, Antipolo City, Philippines, TKO 10

2001
02-24 -- Tetsutora Senrima, Manila, Philippines, TKO 5
04-28 -- Wethya Sakmuangklang, Kidapawan City, Philippines, TKO 6
06-23 -- Lehlohonolo Ledwaba, Las Vegas, NV, TKO 6
(Won IBF Super Bantamweight Title)
11-10 -- Agapito Sánchez, San Francisco, CA, Tech Draw 6
(For WBO Super Bantamweight Title)
(Retained IBF Super Bantamweight Title)

2002
06-08 -- Jorge Eliecer Julio, Memphis, TN, TKO 2
(Retained IBF Super Bantamweight Title)
10-26 -- Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym, Davao City, Philippines, KO 1
(Retained IBF Super Bantamweight Title)

2003
03-15 -- Serikzhan Yeshmangbetov, Manila, Philippines, TKO 5
07-26 -- Emmanuel Lucero, Los Angeles, CA, TKO 3
(Retained IBF Super Bantamweight Title)
11-15 -- Marco Antonio Barrera, San Antonio, TX, TKO 11

2004
05-08 -- Juan Manuel Marquez, Las Vegas, NV, D 12
(For WBC Featherweight Title)
(For IBF Featherweight Title)
12-11 -- Fahsan (3K Battery) Por Thawatchai, Rizal, Philippines, TKO 4

2005
03-19 -- Erik Morales, Las Vegas, NV, L 12
09-10 -- Hector Velazquez, Los Angeles, CA, TKO 6

2006
01-21 -- Erik Morales, Las Vegas, NV, TKO 10
07-02 -- Oscar Larios, Manila, Philippines, W 12
11-18 -- Erik Morales, Las Vegas, NV, KO 3

2007
04-14 -- Jorge Solis, San Antonio, TX, KO 8
10-06 -- Marco Antonio Barrera, Las Vegas, NV, W 12

2008
03-15 -- Juan Manuel Marquez, Las Vegas, NV, W 12
(Won WBC Super Featherweight Title)
06-28 -- David Diaz, Las Vegas, NV, TKO 9
(Won WBC Lightweight Title)
12-06 -- Oscar De La Hoya, Las Vegas, NV, TKO 8

2009
05-02 -- Ricky Hatton, Las Vegas, NV, KO 2
11-14 -- Miguel Cotto, Las Vegas, NV, TKO 12
(Won WBO Welterweight Title)

2010
03-13 -- Joshua Clottey, Arlington, TX, W 12
(Retained WBO Welterweight Title)
11-13 -- Antonio Margarito, Arlington, TX, W 12
(Won Vacant WBC Light Middleweight Title)   Professional boxing debut at Light Flyweight division.
Titles in boxing

Major World Titles:
    * WBC Flyweight World Champion (112 lbs)
    * IBF Junior Featherweight World Champion (122 lbs)
    * The Ring Featherweight World Champion (126 lbs)
    * WBC Super Featherweight World Champion (130 lbs)
    * The Ring Junior Lightweight World Champion (130 lbs)
    * WBC Lightweight World Champion (135 lbs)
    * The Ring Junior Welterweight World Champion (140 lbs)
    * WBO Welterweight World Champion (147 lbs)
    * WBC Super Welterweight World Champion (154 lbs)

Minor World Title:

    * IBO Junior Welterweight World Champion (140 lbs)

Lineal Championship Titles:

    * Lineal Flyweight World Champion (112 lbs)
    * Lineal Featherweight World Champion (126 lbs)
    * Lineal Super Featherweight World Champion (130 lbs)
    * Lineal Light Welterweight World Champion (140 lbs)

Regional/International Titles:

    * OPBF Flyweight Champion (112 lbs)
    * WBC Super Bantamweight International Champion (122 lbs)
    * WBC Super Featherweight International Champion (130 lbs)

Special Titles:

    * WBC Emeritus Champion
    * WBC Diamond Champion
    * WBO Super Champion

Acting Career

Pacquiao started his acting career as an extra in some local films and guest appearances on ABS-CBN shows.

In December 2005 Pacquiao took his first lead role in Violett Films' Lisensyadong Kamao (Licensed Fist). The movie is titled so because (according to director Tony Bernal), being a Boxer, Pacquiao is licensed to use his hands.

In 2008, Pacquiao starred with Ara Mina and Valerie Concepcion in Anak ng Kumander (Son of Commander). The movie was not a commercial success and was panned by critics
Pacquiao starred in the superhero/comedy film entitled Wapakman, which was released on December 25, 2009 as an entry to the 2009 Metro Manila Film Festival. Like his previous films Wapakman was not commercially successful.

Upon the expiration of his contract with ABS-CBN, Pacquiao signed with GMA Network as an actor in September 2007. On December 17, 2007, he taped his first episode of the networks infotainment show Pinoy Records. His other projects with the network included Totoy Bato and the sitcom Show Me Da Manny in which his mother, Dionesia, also appeared.

American actor Sylvester Stallone is reportedly in talks with Pacquiao over co-starring in one of Stallone's future films, which is in the planning stages. The film would be Pacquiao's Hollywood debut.

Filmography

2000    Di Ko Kayang Tanggapin    Dong
2001    Mahal Kita... Kahit Sino Ka Pa!
2001    Basagan ng Mukha    Dodong
2005    Lisensyadong Kamao    Ambrosio "Bruce" Lerio
2008    Anak ng Kumander    Kumander Idel    Writer/Producer
2008    Brown Soup Thing    Cousin Manny
2008    Pangarap Kong Jackpot    Abel    segment "Sa Ngalan ng Busabos"
2009    Wapakman    Magno Meneses/Wapakman
Year    Television Shows    Role    Other Notes
2004    Walang Bakas    Himself (uncredited)
2004    No Fear: The Manny Pacquiao Story    Himself    Video documentary
2004    The People's Champion    Himself    Video documentary
2005    Kamao: Matira Ang Matibay    Himself – Host
2005    Ok Fine Whatever    Himself – Guest
2006    Ako ang Simula    Himself    TV documentary
2007    The Battle of Cebu: Moment of Truth    Himself – Crowd
2009    Kababayan LA: Manny Pacquiao Specials    Himself
2009    Pinoy Records    Himself – Host
2009    Totoy Bato    Emmanuel
2009    Show Me Da Manny    Manny Santos
2009    Rome is Burning    Himself – Correspondent    Episode dated May 1
2009    Jimmy Kimmel Live    Himself – Guest    Episode dated November 3
2009    MMA H.E.A.T.    Himself    Episode dated November 12
2010    Jimmy Kimmel Live    Himself – Guest    Episode dated March 3
2010    HBO Boxing After Dark    Himself – Audience Member    Episode dated June 18
2010    ESPN Friday Night Fights    Himself    Episode dated July 2
2010    Jimmy Kimmel Live    Himself – Guest    Episode dated November 1
2010    60 Minutes    Himself – Guest

Discography

Labels Star Records
MCA Records
GMA Records

Associated acts: Lito Camo, Francis Magalona, Most of the Tagalog songs of Pacquiao were composed by Lito Camo.

The following are the songs from Manny Pacquiao's albums:

    * Laban Nating Lahat Ito (2006) – under Star Records
          o "Bilog"
          o "Para Sa'Yo Ang Laban Na 'To"
          o "Pagsubok Lamang Yan"
          o "Byaheng Pag-asa"
          o "Ipakita Mo"
          o "Ikaw at Ako"
          o "Hindi Ko Kaya"
          o "Kanta Tayo"
          o "Champion Sa Kantahan"
          o "Laban Nating Lahat Ito" (feat Francis M.)

    * Pac-Man Punch (2007) – under MCA Records
          o "Pac-Man Punch" – Willie Wilcox feat. Nemesis Yankee and Manny Pacquiao
          o "Pac-Man Punch (R U Ready?)" – Willie Wilcox feat. Nemesis Yankee
          o "Pac-Man Punch (Knockout Remix)" – Willie Wilcox feat. Nemesis Yankee and Manny Pacquiao
          o "Pac-Man Punch (Minus One)"

    * Under GMA Records
          o "Lahing Pinoy"

Political career

Emmanuel D. Pacquiao

Member of the House of Representatives from Sarangani

Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2010
Preceded by    Erwin L. Chiongbian
Political party    Liberal Party (2007, 2010)
Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (2008)
Nacionalista Party (2009–2010)
People's Champ Movement (2010)
Residence    Kiamba, Sarangani
Alma mater    Notre Dame of Dadiangas University
Profession    Professional Boxer, Actor
Religion    Roman Catholic
Website    www.congress.gov.ph

On February 12, 2007, Pacquiao officially announced that he would be running for a seat in the House of Representatives in the May 2007 legislative election as a candidate of the Liberal Party, aiming to represent the 1st District of South Cotabato. Pacquiao, who has been known to be supportive of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said that he was persuaded to run by local officials of General Santos City, who hoped he would act as a bridge between their interests and the national government. Pacquiao was defeated in the election by incumbent Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who said, "More than anything, I think, people weren't prepared to lose him as their boxing icon".

In September 2008, Pacquiao was sworn in as member of Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI), a pro-administration political party.

On November 21, 2009, Pacquiao confirmed that he would run again for the congressional seat but this time in Sarangani province, the hometown of his wife Jinkee. He originally planned to run for congress under his own party, the People's Champ Movement, but has since joined the Nacionalista Party headed by Manny Villar. Villar said arrangements were made to accommodate Pacquiao’s People’s Champ Movement in a coalition with the Nacionalista Party for the May 2010 elections in Sarangani.

On May 13, 2010, Pacquiao was officially proclaimed congressman of the lone district of Sarangani. He scored a landslide victory over a wealthy and politically well-entrenched clan of the province. His triumph ended the reign of Chiongbian clan that has been in power for more than thirty years. Pacquiao got 120,052 votes while his political rival, Roy Chiongbian, got 60,899 votes.

On June 28, 2010, Pacquiao took his oath of office as congressman before Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio in the Provincial Capitol of Sarangani in Municipality of Alabel. He announced that he will transfer to President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III's Liberal Party from Nacionalista Party as he wants to ensure the entry of more projects to his province.
In popular culture

A film based on Pacquiao's life, Pacquiao: The Movie, was released on June 21, 2006, featuring Filipino actor Jericho Rosales as Manny Pacquiao and was directed by Joel Lamangan. The film flopped at the box office, grossing a total of only P4,812,191 (approximately US$99,322), as confirmed by Lamangan.

Pacquiao is featured in the boxing video games Fight Night Round 2, Fight Night Round 3, Fight Night Round 4 and Fight Night Champion. EA Sports released a limited edition demo of Fight Night Round 4, featuring Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton prior to their May 2 fight.

Pacquiao became the first Filipino athlete to appear on a postage stamp.

Pacquiao became the first Filipino Olympic non-participant to be Team Philippines’ flag-bearer during the August 8 opening ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics at the Beijing National Stadium. Swimmer Miguel Molina, 2005 Southeast Asian Games’ Best Male Athlete, yielded the honor to Pacquiao, upon the request of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the national sports officials on the Philippines at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Pacquiao plays basketball as a cross-training to keep himself in shape. He is playing in the semi-professional basketball league, Liga Pilipinas, with the team he owns, the MP-Gensan Warriors. He made his debut in the Smart-Liga Pilipinas Conference II in January 16, 2009. He wears jersey number 17.

Pacquiao became an honorary member of Boston Celtics. The honorary membership was bestowed on him in a brief ceremony and he was presented with a replica of a green and white Celtics jersey bearing his name and number 1. As a measure of gratitude, Pacquiao delivered a stockpile of red autographed boxing gloves to TD Garden. On March 10, 2010, prior to the night's game with Memphis Grizzlies, many of the Celtics had a special motivational gift waiting for them in their lockers.

With his popularity, various business sectors have solicited Manny Pacquiao's help in endorsing their products through commercial advertisements in print and in broadcast media. These include detergents, medicines, foods, beverage, garments, telecommunications, and even a political ad for politicians during the 2007 and 2010 Philippine elections. His most acclaimed commercials yet were for Nike's "Fast Forward" campaign (alongside Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Maria Sharapova, Roger Federer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Liu Xiang) and San Miguel Beer with Jet Li and Érik Morales.

Pacquiao has been included by Time Magazine as one of the world's most influential people for the year 2009, for his exploits in boxing and his influence among the Filipino people. Pacquiao was also included by Forbes Magazine in its annual Celebrity 100 list for the year 2009, joining Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie and fellow athletes Tiger Woods and Bryant. Forbes also listed Pacquiao as the World's 6th Highest Paid Athlete, with a total of 40 Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) or 2 Billion Pesos (₱2,000,000,000.00) from the second half of 2008 to the first half of 2009. Tied with him on the sixth spot was the NBA player LeBron James and golfer Phil Mickelson. Pacquiao was again included in Forbes' list of Highest Paid Athletes from the second half of 2009 to the first half of 2010; he was ranked 8th with an income of $42 million. Pacquiao had also won the 2009 ESPY Awards for the Best Fighter category, beating fellow boxer Shane Mosley and Brazilian mixed martial arts fighters Lyoto Machida and Anderson Silva.

Pacquiao has also graced the cover of Time Magazine Asia for their November 16, 2009 issue. According to their five-page feature story, "(Pacquiao is) a fighter with enough charisma, intelligence and backstory to help rescue a sport lost in the labyrinth of pay-per-view. Global brands like Nike want him in their ads." They also added, "Pacquiao has a myth of origin equal to that of any Greek or Roman hero. He leaves the Philippines to make it even bigger, conquering the world again and again to bring back riches to his family and friends." He became the eighth Filipino to grace the cover of the prestigious magazine, after former Philippine presidents Manuel L. Quezon, Ramon Magsaysay, Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III and Filipino actress and environmentalist Chin Chin Gutierrez. Pacquiao was also featured on the cover of Reader’s Digest Asia, where a seven-page story was written about the Filipino boxing superstar. The issue came out before Pacquiao’s epic match against De La Hoya on November 2008.

Recognitions

    * 2000–09 Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Decade
    * 2000–09 Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Decade
    * 2000–09 HBO Fighter of the Decade
    * 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Boxing Writers Association Fighter of the Year
    * 2006, 2008 and 2009 ESPN Fighter of the Year
    * 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 The Ring Fighter of the Year
    * 2001–2010 World Boxing Council Boxer of the Decade
    * 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008 PSA Sportsman of the Year
    * 2003 Presidential Medal of Merit
    * 2003 and 2010 Congressional Medal of Achievement/Honor
    * 2006 Order of Lakandula with the rank of "Champion for Life" (Kampeon Habambuhay)
    * 2008 Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of "Officer" (Pinuno)
    * 2008 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Honorary Award for Sports Excellence
    * 2008 Sports Illustrated Boxer of the Year
    * 2008 Yahoo! Sports Fighter of the Year
    * 2008 and 2009 The Ring No.1 Pound-for-Pound (year-end)
    * 2008 and 2009 TheSweetScience.com Boxer of the Year
    * 2008 and 2009 ESPN Star's Champion of Champions
    * 2008 and 2009 World Boxing Council Boxer of the Year
    * 2009 Ask Men Most Influential Men (ranked 24th)
    * 2009 ESPN Knockout of the Year (in Round 2 against Ricky Hatton)
    * 2009 ESPY Awards Best Fighter
    * 2009 Forbes Magazine World's Highest-Paid Athletes (ranked 6th)
    * 2009 Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu (Grand Cross with Gold Distinction)
    * 2009 Sports Illustrated Fighter of the Year
    * 2009 The Ring Knockout of the Year (in Round 2 against Ricky Hatton)
    * 2009 TIME 100 Most Influential People (Heroes and Icons Category)
    * 2009 TIME Asia Magazine cover for November 16, 2009 Issue
    * 2009 and 2010 Forbes Magazine Celebrity 100 (ranked 57th and 55th)
    * 2010 Bleacher Report Most Exciting Athletes of All Time (ranked 85th)
    * 2010 World Boxing Organization Fighter of the Year
    * 2010 Yahoo! Sports Boxing's Most Influential (ranked 25th)

On May 7, 2011, Pacquiao successfully defended his WBO World Welterweight title against three-division world champion Shane Mosley via lopsided unanimous decision at the MGM Grand Arena.

Bob Arum talked about having Pacquiao's next bout at the MGM Grand on November 5, 2011 or across town at the Thomas and Mack Center on November 12, 2011. Arum listed Juan Manuel Marquez as the first choice and then mentioned Timothy Bradley and Zab Judah as other options.

Benigno "NoyNoy" Aquino III

2011-03-15T10:36:00.000+08:00

Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (born February 8, 1960), also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010.

Aquino is a fourth-generation politician: his great-grandfather, Servillano "Mianong" Aquino, served as a delegate to the Malolos Congress; his grandfather, Benigno Aquino, Sr., held several legislative positions from 1919 to 1944; and his parents were President Corazon Aquino and Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. Aquino is a member of the Liberal Party. In the Liberal Party, Aquino held various positions such as Secretary General and Vice President for Luzon. Aquino is currently the Chairman of the Liberal Party.

Born in Manila, Aquino graduated from Ateneo de Manila University in 1981 and joined his family in their exile in the United States shortly thereafter. He returned to the Philippines in 1983 shortly after the assassination of his father and held several positions working in the private sector. In 1998, he was elected to the House of Representatives as Representative of the 2nd district of Tarlac province. He was subsequently re-elected to the House in 2001 and 2004. In 2007, having been barred from running for re-election to the House due to term limits, he was elected to the Senate in the 14th Congress of the Philippines.

Following the death of his mother on August 1, 2009, many people began calling on Aquino to run for president. On September 9, 2009, Aquino officially announced he would be a candidate in the 2010 presidential election, held on May 10, 2010.

On June 30, 2010, at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila,] Aquino was sworn into office as the fifteenth President of the Philippines, succeeding Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines Conchita Carpio-Morales.

Despite the official residence of the President being Malacañang Palace, his actual residence is the Bahay Pangarap (House of Dreams), located within the Palace grounds.

Early life and education

Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Cojuangco Aquino III was born on February 8, 1960 in Manila. Aquino is the third of the five children of Benigno Aquino, Jr., who was then the Vice Governor of Tarlac province, and Corazon Aquino. He has four sisters, Maria Elena (Ballsy) Aquino-Cruz, Aurora Corazon (Pinky) Aquino-Abellada, Victoria Elisa (Viel) Aquino-Dee, and Kristina Bernadette (Kris) Aquino.

From 1965 to 1981, Aquino attended Ateneo de Manila University from elementary to college.

Eleven months after Aquino's father, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr., was arrested and detained for "advocating the overthrow of the government by force or violence", Ninoy was brought before a military tribunal in Moran Hall, Fort Bonifacio in August 1973. On August 25, 1973, Ninoy wrote a letter to his son, Noynoy from Fort Bonifacio at 11:10 p.m., giving advice to his son;

"The only advice I can give you: Live with honor and follow your conscience. There is no greater nation on earth than our Motherland. No greater people than our own. Serve them with all your heart, with all your might and with all your strength. Son, the ball is now in your hands."

In 1981, Aquino graduated from Ateneo de Manila University, earning a Bachelor's degree in Economics. Shortly after graduation, he joined his family in Newton, Massachusetts, in exile.

In 1983, after two years in exile in the United States, Aquino returned to the Philippines with his family, shortly after the assassination of his father on August 21, 1983. He had a short tenure as a member of the Philippine Business for Social Progress, working as an assistant of the executive director of PBSP. He later joined Mondragon Industries Philippines, Inc. as an assistant Retail Sales Supervisor and assistant promotions manager for Nike Philippines, Inc.

From 1986 to 1992, during the presidency of his mother, Aquino joined the Intra-Strata Assurance Corporation, a company owned by his uncle Antolin Oreta Jr., as vice president.

On August 28, 1987, eighteen months into the presidency of Aquino's mother, rebel soldiers led by Gregorio Honasan staged an unsuccessful coup attempt, attempting to siege Malacañang Palace. Aquino was two blocks from the palace when he came under fire. Three of Aquino's four security escorts were killed, and the last was wounded protecting him. He himself was hit by five bullets, one of which is still embedded in his neck.

From 1993 to 1998, Aquino worked for Central Azucarera de Tarlac, the sugar refinery in charge of the Cojuangco-owned Hacienda Luisita, as the executive assistant for administration from 1993 to 1996, then he worked as manager for field services from 1996 to 1998.

On March 8, 2011, Aquino received an honorary doctorate in law from Universitas Pelita Harapan, Indonesia.

Congressional career

Aquino was elected to the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 1998, representing the 2nd district of Tarlac. Aquino won re-election in 2001 and 2004, and served until 2007.

As a member of the House of Representatives, Aquino passed numerous house bills and resolutions:

    * House Bill No. 4251, granting annual productivity incentives to all workers in the private sector.
    * House Bill No. 4397, strengthening the regulatory power of the Department of Trade and Industry to effectively enforce consumer laws.
    * House Bill No. 4252, increasing the penalties for non-compliance of the prescribed increases and adjustments in the wage rates of workers.
    * House Bill No. 3616, extending the reglementary period for the educational qualification for the Philippine National Police.
    * House Bill No. 1842, providing for the codification of criminal laws.
    * House Resolution No. 65, inquiry in aid of legislation into the policies and processes of the Energy Regulatory Commission in granting rate increases to electric utilities.
    * House Resolution No. 788, a house bill Aquino is reportedly proudest of, which created a Congressional Oversight Committee to check and study the use of intelligence funds by government agencies, thus ensuring that allocated funds are actually used for the purposes they were originally intended for.

Aquino served on numerous committees as a member of the Congress of the Philippines:

    * Civil
    * Political & Human Rights
    * Public Order & Security
    * Transportation & Communications
    * Agriculture
    * Banks & Financial Intermediaries
    * Peoples' Participation
    * Suffrage and Electoral Reforms
    * Appropriations
    * Natural Resources
    * Trade & Industry
    * Good Government
    * Inter-Parliamentary Relations & Diplomacy
    * Energy
    * Export Promotion
    * Public Order & Safety

Aquino became Deputy Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives on November 8, 2004, but relinquished the post on February 21, 2006, when Aquino joined the Liberal Party in calling for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the height of the Hello Garci scandal.

Aquino was also Chairman of the Board of the Central Luzon Congressional Caucus.

Senate

Barred from running for re-election to the House of Representatives of the Philippines, to represent the 2nd district of Tarlac, due to term limits, Aquino was elected to the Senate of the Philippines in the 2007 Philippine midterm election on May 15, 2007, under the banner of the Genuine Opposition (GO), a coalition comprising a number of parties, including Aquino's own Liberal Party, seeking to curb attempts by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to amend the 1986 Philippine Constitution. In Aquino's political ads, he was endorsed by his younger sister, TV host Kris Aquino, and his mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino. Although a devout Roman Catholic, Aquino was endorsed by one of the largest Christian churches in the Philippines, the Jesus Is Lord Church. With more than 14.3 million votes, Aquino's tally was the sixth highest of the 37 candidates for the 12 vacant seats elected from the nation at large. Aquino assumed his new office on June 30, 2007.

During the campaign, Aquino reached out to his former enemy, Senator Gregorio Honasan, supporting his application for bail. Aquino told Job Tabada of Cebu Daily News, on March 5, 2007;

"I endorse Honasan's request for bail para parehas ang laban [to even out the playing field]. I was hit by bullets from Honasan's men in the neck and hips but that's past now. The principle of my father was, 'Respect the rights even of your enemies.' Ito ang nagpatingkad ng demokrasya [This is what defines democracy]. Genuine reconciliation is democracy in action."

Aquino was referring to an unsuccessful coup attempt staged by rebel soldiers led by Gregorio Honasan on August 28, 1987, in which Aquino was seriously injured.

Senate bills

The Budget Impoundment and Control Act (SB 3121), wherein "impoundment" refers to the power of the President to refuse the release of funds appropriated by the Congress of the Philippines, is another bill Aquino is proud of; he regretted, however, that such power has been used and abused by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a result of which abuse has been the significant emasculation of Congress' ability to check the President's authority. Aquino filed this bill so the President would have to pass through Congress every time the President decides to impound part of the budget.

Another significant Aquino contribution to the Philippines' corruption problem is Senate Bill 2035, which is the Preservation of Public Infrastructures bill, seeking to raise standards in the construction of all public infrastructures by penalizing contractors of defective infrastructures. The bill also requires the Bureau of Maintenance under the Department of Public Works and Highways to conduct periodic inspections of public infrastructures.

Aquino also pushed for the passage of the Amending the Government Procurement Act (SB 2160), which applies to all government procurement activities regardless of source of funds whether local or foreign; only treaties or international/executive agreements entered into by the government prior to its enactment shall be exempt from coverage. The bill was filed in light of the Department of Justice declaration regarding the validity of the controversial NBN-ZTE scandal, wherein its international aspect, as well as the fact that it was an executive agreement, was cited as one reason for its exemption from the procurement process stipulated in Republic Act 9184.

Focusing further on accountability in government appropriations and spending, Aquino filed other reform-oriented, well-thought-out types of bills, among which were for: Philippine National Police reform; an increase in penalties for corporations and work establishments not compliant with minimum wage; the banning of reappointment to the Judicial and Bar Council; the prevention of reappointment and bypassing of the Commission on Appointments; real property valuation based on international standards; and superior responsibility for senior military officers, who are ultimately responsible for their own subordinates. However, none of these bills were passed into law.

2010 presidential campaign

On November 26, 2008, the Liberal Party elected Mar Roxas, president of the Liberal Party, as the standard-bearer of the Liberal Party for President of the Philippines in the then-upcoming 2010 presidential elections.

Following the death and funeral of Aquino's mother, former President Corazon Aquino, many people began calling on Aquino to run for President of the Philippines. This groundswell of support became known as the "Noynoy Phenomenon".

On August 27, 2009, Edgardo "Eddie" Roces, son of the late Chino Roces, former publisher and owner of The Manila Times, and a group of lawyers and activists formed the Noynoy Aquino for President Movement (NAPM), a nationwide campaign to collect a million signatures in order to persuade Aquino to run for President, reminiscent of Roces' father, who on October 15, 1985, launched the Cory Aquino for President Movement (CAPM), collecting more than one million signatures nationwide, asking Aquino's mother to run against Ferdinand Marcos in the 1986 presidential snap elections.

On September 2009, the Liberal Party held numerous press conferences in relation to the 2010 elections at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan, the site of the presidential inauguration of Aquino's mother in February 1986.

On September 1, 2009, at the Club Filipino, in a press conference, Senator Mar Roxas, president of the Liberal Party and standard-bearer of the Liberal Party for President of the Philippines, announced his withdrawal from the presidential race and expressed his support for Aquino, as the standard-bearer of the Liberal Party for President. Aquino later stood side by side with Roxas, but did not make a public statement at the press conference. The next day, Aquino announced that he would be going on a "spiritual retreat" over the weekend to finalize his decision for the 2010 presidential election, reminiscent of the decision of his mother, who in 1985, went on a retreat before giving her decision to run for the presidency during the snap elections in 1986. Aquino went on a retreat over the weekend, visiting the Carmelite sisters in Zamboanga City.

The following week, on September 9, Aquino officially announced his candidacy for the presidency in the then-upcoming elections.

On September 21, 2009, Roxas, alongside Aquino, officially announced his candidacy for the vice presidency, as the standard-bearer of the Liberal Party for Vice President, launching the Aquino-Roxas tandem. On November 28, 2009, Aquino and Roxas filed their certificate of candidacy for President and Vice President respectively.

During the 90-day election campaign period from February 9–May 8, 2010, fake psychiatric reports on Aquino's mental health began circulating. According to Aquino, his camp had received information that the first fake psychiatric report on his mental state that was circulated on the Internet came from the wife of Guido Delgado, a supporter of the Nacionalista Party. Aquino noted that the Nacionalista Party supporter's move was made with "malicious intent". An unidentified supporter of Senator Manny Villar, president of the Nacionalista Party and the standard bearer of the Nacionalista Party for President of the Philippines, sent a second fake psychiatric report to Villar’s volunteer center located at Star Mall in Mandaluyong City. The psychiatric report was presented in a restaurant in Quezon City, during a press conference held by Guido Delgado, a supporter of the Nacionalista Party and former president of the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR). The psychiatric report was supposedly signed by Father Jaime C. Bulatao, S.J., PhD, a Jesuit priest, a professor of Psychology and a clinical psychologist at the Ateneo de Manila University, taken when Aquino was finishing his Bachelor's degree in Economics at the Ateneo de Manila University in 1979, showed that Aquino suffered from depression and melancholia, however, Father Bulatao had denied writing or signing the psychiatric report. A fake third psychiatric report on Aquino’s mental state was circulated on the Internet. The psychiatric report was supposedly signed by Father Carmelo A. Caluag II, S.J, a Jesuit priest at the Ateneo de Manila University. The psychiatric report showed that Aquino suffered from major depressive disorder, however, Father Caluag had denied having made any psychiatric evaluation of Aquino. The psychiatric report was disowned by the Ateneo de Manila University Psychology Department. Aquino described the release of another fake psychiatric report as an "act of desperation" of his political opponents to besmirch his reputation. Aquino dismissed his "psychiatric evaluation", saying its release only showed how desperate his rivals were.

Aquino-Binay campaign

During the 90-day election campaign period, Senator Francis Escudero began endorsing Aquino as President and PDP-Laban standard-bearer Jejomar Binay, for Vice President, launching the Aquino-Binay campaign. However, this was done without the consent of the two candidates, since Escudero, Aquino and Binay came from different political parties. Binay was former President Joseph Estrada's running mate for Vice President. The Aquino-Binay campaign endorsed by Escudero was successful as the Congress of the Philippines proclaimed Aquino and Binay the winners of the 2010 elections for President and Vice President on June 9, 2010.

During the 2010 presidential election, held on May 10, 2010, in unofficial tallies, conducted by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), Aquino was the leading candidate in tallied votes for President, and in the official Congressional canvass, Aquino was the leading candidate in canvassed votes for President. Aquino was unofficially being referred to as "President-apparent" by the media.

Aquino being proclaimed as the President-elect of the Philippines by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and House Speaker Prospero Nograles at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on June 9, 2010.

On June 9, 2010, at the Batasang Pambansa Complex, in Quezon City, the Congress of the Philippines proclaimed Aquino as the President-elect of the Philippines, following the 2010 election with 15,208,678 votes, while Jejomar Binay, the former mayor of Makati City, was proclaimed as the Vice President-elect of the Philippines with 14,645,574 votes, defeating runner-up for the vice presidency Mar Roxas, the standard-bearer of the Liberal Party for Vice President.

Presidency

The Presidency of Benigno S. Aquino III began at noon on June 30, 2010, when he became the fifteenth President of the Philippines, succeeding Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Aquino is the third-youngest person to be elected president, and the fourth-youngest president after Emilio Aguinaldo, Ramon Magsaysay and Ferdinand Marcos. Aquino is the first president to be a bachelor, being unmarried and having no children. Aquino is the second president not to drink alcoholic beverages; the first president not to drink alcohol was Emilio Aguinaldo. Aquino is the eighth president to be a smoker. Aquino is the first graduate of Ateneo de Manila University to become president. Aquino is the third president who will only hold office in Malacañang Palace, but not be a resident, following Corazon Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos. Aquino is the first president to make Bahay Pangarap his official residence. Aquino is the third president to use his second given name, Simeon, as his middle initial, as Manuel L. Quezon and José P. Laurel did. Aquino is the second president to be a child of a former president, his mother was former President Corazon Aquino; the first president to be a child of a former president was President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is the daughter of former President Diosdado Macapagal.

The presidential transition began on June 9, 2010, when the Congress of the Philippines proclaimed Aquino the winner of the 2010 Philippine presidential elections held on May 10, 2010, proclaiming Aquino as the President-elect of the Philippines. The transition was in charge of the new presidential residence, cabinet appointments and cordial meetings between them and the outgoing administration.

The presidential residence of Aquino is Bahay Pangarap (English: House of Dreams), located inside of Malacañang Park, at the headquarters of the Presidential Security Group across the Pasig River from Malacañang Palace. Aquino is the first president to make Bahay Pangarap his official residence. Malacañang Park was intended as a recreational retreat by former President Manuel L. Quezon. The house was built and designed by architect Juan Arellano in the 1930s, and underwent a number of renovations. In 2008, the house was demolished and rebuilt in contemporary style by architect Conrad Onglao, a new swimming pool was built, replacing the Commonwealth-era swimming pool. The house originally had one bedroom, however, the house was renovated for Aquino to have four bedrooms, a guest room, a room for Aquino's household staff, and a room for Aquino's close-in security. The house was originally intended as a rest house, the venue for informal activities and social functions for the First Family by former President Manuel L. Quezon. Malacañang Park was refurbished through the efforts of First Lady Eva Macapagal, wife of former President Diosdado Macapagal, in the early 1960s. First Lady Macapagal renamed the rest house as Bahay Pangarap. During the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos, the house was restored and became the club house of the Malacañang Golf Club. The house was used by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to welcome special guests. Aquino refused to live in Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines, or in Arlegui Mansion, the residence of former presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos, stating that the two residences are too big, and also stated that his small family residence at Times Street in Quezon City would be impractical, since it would be a security concern for his neighbors.

On June 29, 2010, Aquino officially named the members of his Cabinet, with Aquino himself as Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, a position that Vice President-elect Jejomar Binay initially wanted, however, Aquino stated that the post is not being considered for him, but has offered Binay various positions, such as, to head a commission that will investigate the outgoing Arroyo administration, the posts of Secretary of Agrarian Reform, chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), and the chairman of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), but Binay refused. Aquino also announced the formation of a truth commission that will investigate various issues including corruption allegations against outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Aquino named former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. to head the truth commission.

Traditionally, it is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines who administers the oath of office to the incoming President and Vice President, however, Aquino refused to allow Chief Justice Renato Corona to swear him into office, due to Aquino's opposition to the midnight appointment of Corona by outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on May 12, 2010, two days after the 2010 elections and a month before Arroyo's term expired. Instead, Aquino formally requested Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines Conchita Carpio-Morales, who opposed the midnight appointment of Corona, to swear him into office.

Aquino took the oath of office on June 30, 2010, at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila. The oath of office was administered by Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, who officially accepted Aquino's request to swear him into office, reminiscent of the decision of his mother, who in 1986, was sworn into the presidency by Associate Justice Claudio Teehankee. After being sworn in as the fifteenth President of the Philippines, succeeding Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Aquino delivered his inaugural address.

During the inaugural address, Aquino created the no ‘wang-wang’ policy, strengthening the implementation of Presidential Decree No. 96. The term ‘wang-wang’ is a street lingo for blaring sirens. Presidential Decree No. 96 was issued on January 13, 1973 by former President Ferdinand Marcos, regulating the use of sirens, bells, whistles, horns and other similar devices only to motor vehicles designated for the use of the President, Vice President, Senate President, House Speaker, Chief Justice, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, Land Transportation Office, Bureau of Fire Protection and ambulances. However, despite having the privilege of using ‘wang-wang’, Aquino maintained he would set the example for his no ‘wang-wang’ policy, not to use ‘wang-wang’, even if it means being stuck in traffic and being late every now and then. Aquino also traded the official black presidential Mercedes Benz S-Guard limousine for his own white Toyota Land Cruiser 200. After the inaugural address, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority began to enforce Aquino's no ‘wang-wang’ policy, confiscating ‘wang-wang’ from public officials and private motorists who illegally used them.

From June 30–July 9, 2010, Aquino was Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, until Aquino named Jesse Robredo, a former Naga mayor, as Interior Secretary.

On July 14, 2010, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) called an emergency meeting in Camp Aguinaldo to assess the damage caused by Typhoon Basyang. Aquino attended the meeting to obtain information on the damage caused by Typhoon Basyang and to personally monitor the repair and recovery work in the aftermath of the typhoon. In the meeting, Aquino criticized the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) for failing to predict and to warn the residents of Metro Manila that Typhoon Basyang would ravage Metropolitan Manila.

On July 15, 2010, Aquino offered Vice President Jejomar Binay the position of chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Binay has accepted the offer of Aquino to take charge of the housing sector as chairman of HUDCC.

On July 26, 2010, at the Batasang Pambansa, in Quezon City, Aquino delivered his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).

During Aquino's first State of the Nation Address (SONA), Aquino announced his intention to reform the education system in the Philippines by shifting to K–12 education, a 12-year basic education cycle. K–12 education is used in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

On July 30, 2010, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 1, creating the Truth Commission. The commission is tasked to investigate various anomalies and issues including graft and corruption allegations against the past administration, government officials and their accomplices in the private sector during the last nine years. The commission has until December 31, 2012 to complete its mission. Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. will head the commission.

On August 4, 2010, Aquino implemented Executive Order No. 2, signed on July 30, 2010, ordering the immediate removal of all midnight appointments made by the previous administration for violating the 60-day constitutional ban on presidential appointments before a national election.

On August 6, 2010, Aquino implemented Executive Order No. 3, signed on July 30, 2010, an executive order revoking Executive Order No. 883, signed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on May 28, 2010, that automatically promoted lawyers in government executive service to the rank of Career Executive Service Officer III (CESO III). Aquino also announced the removal of Prisco Nilo as administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). PAGASA was directly under Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary for Research and Development (R&D) Graciano Yumul. A special order from DOST Secretary Mario Montejo, dated August 5, 2010, designated Yumul as PAGASA administrator, replacing Nilo. On August 7, 2010, Malacañang announced that Yumul will be heading PAGASA temporarily, for only three months, as PAGASA will undergo a "reorientation" to improve its services. Aquino has yet to name the new administrator who will permanently head PAGASA.

On August 9, 2010, Aquino implemented Executive Order No. 4, signed on July 30, 2010, reorganizing and renaming the Office of the Press Secretary as the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), and creating the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO). Aquino appointed former ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) anchor Ricky Carandang and Herminio Coloma as secretaries of the new media communications group.

On August 13, 2010, Aquino appointed Maria Lourdes Aranal Sereno as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, his first appointment to the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

On August 14, 2010, Aquino directed the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to fully implement Executive Order No. 255, issued on July 25, 1987 by former President Corazon Aquino, requiring all radio stations to broadcast a minimum of four original Filipino musical compositions every hour.

On August 16, 2010, Aquino launches his official presidential website. The presidential website's aim is to create communication between Aquino and the people, getting feedback from the people, telling Aquino their woes and grievances.

On August 23, 2010, in front of the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila, the site of Aquino's presidential inauguration, the Manila hostage crisis occurred. Aquino expressed concern over the matter and gave his condolences to the victims. Aquino defended the actions of the police at the scene, stating that the gunman had not shown any signs of wanting to kill the hostages. Aquino ordered a "thorough investigation" into the incident, and would wait until it is completed before deciding whether anyone should lose his or her job. Aquino declared that the media may have worsened the situation by giving the gunman "a bird's-eye view of the entire situation". Aquino also made reference to the Moscow theater hostage crisis, which, according to Aquino, resulted in "more severe" casualties despite Russia's "resources and sophistication". On August 24, 2010, Aquino signed Proclamation No. 23, declaring August 25, 2010, as a national day of mourning, instructing all public institutions nationwide and all Philippine embassies and consulates overseas to lower the Philippine flag at half-mast, in honor of the eight Hong Kong residents who died in the Manila hostage crisis. On August 25, 2010, at a press conference in Malacañang, Aquino apologized to those offended when he was caught on television apparently smiling while being interviewed at the crime scene hours after the Manila hostage crisis.
Aquino said;

"My smile might have been misunderstood. I have several expressions. I smile when I'm happy, I smile when I'm faced with a very absurd situation...and if I offended certain people, I apologize to them. It's more of an expression maybe of exasperation rather than anything and again, I apologize if I offended certain people, who misunderstood (my) facial expression."
On September 1, 2010, Aquino implemented Executive Order No. 5, signed on August 25, 2010, an executive order amending Executive Order No. 594, signed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on December 20, 2006, stating the rules governing the appointment or designation and conduct of special envoys. Executive Order No. 5 prevents special envoys from using the title "ambassador". Aquino also ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to support and assist all regional hospitals and health centers and intensify their efforts to attend to the needs of dengue–inflicted patients.

On September 2, 2010, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 6, extending the duration of the operations of the Presidential Middle East Preparedness Committee (PMEPC) to December 30, 2010.

On September 3, 2010, Aquino took responsibility for everything that happened during the Manila hostage crisis. Aquino actually has direct supervision of the Philippine National Police, since Aquino had asked Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Jesse Robredo to address other concerns, such as coming up with a comprehensive plan on delivering social services to and relocating informal settlers in coordination with the local governments.

On September 8, 2010, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 7, ordering the suspension of all allowances, bonuses and incentives of board members of government-owned and-controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs) until December 31, 2010.

On September 9, 2010, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 8, reorganizing and renaming the Build-Operate and Transfer Center (BOT) to the Public-Private Partnership Center (PPP) and transferring its attachment from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

On September 13, 2010, Aquino appointed Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Director General Raul Bacalzo as the new PNP Director, replacing General Jesus Verzosa, who retired on September 14, 2010.
On September 20, 2010, Aquino delivered his departure statement at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), before leaving for his first official trip to the United States. Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto Romulo, Secretary of Finance Cesar Purisima, Secretary of Trade & Industry Gregory Domingo, and Secretary of Energy Jose Rene Almendras, including 34 businessmen and 12 officials and support staff of the Presidential Communications Operations Office joined Aquino in the trip. On September 22, 2010, Aquino delivered his speech during the Citibank Economic Conference in New York City. On September 23, 2010, Aquino delivered his extemporaneous remarks during a meeting with the Filipino community at Baruch College in New York City. Aquino also delivered his remarks at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact agreement signing ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The US$434-million MCC compact agreement will fund the Aquino administration's various programs on poverty reduction, revenue generation, and infrastructure development. On September 24, 2010, Aquino delivered his statement before the 65th United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Aquino also had a seven-minute one-on-one talk with President of the United States Barack Obama during the 2nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-US Leaders Meeting at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. During the meeting, Aquino recognized the United States’ commitment to reinvigorating its relationship with the region and its individual nations at a time of ever-increasing complexity in global affairs. Obama expressed his determination to elevate RP-US relations to a higher level, and welcomed the Aquino administration’s anti-corruption efforts. Aquino and Obama also discussed military matters, about the possible removal of thousands of tons of war materials that Allied forces had left behind on Corregidor Island during World War II. On September 26, 2010, during a visit to the Seasons Market Place in Milpitas, California, Aquino was greeted by cheering members of the Filipino community of San Jose, California. Aquino also delivered his speech in front of the Filipino community at the Mission San Francisco de Asís in San Francisco, California. On September 28, 2010, Aquino arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), after his week-long working visit to the United States. Aquino delivered his arrival statement at NAIA.

On September 30, 2010, Bishop Nereo Odchimar of Tandag, head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said that Aquino might face excommunication from the Catholic Church for supporting the Reproductive Health Bill, the plan to distribute and give Filipino couples the choice to use contraceptives for artificial birth control. However, despite the possibility of excommunication, Aquino said that he is not changing his position on contraceptive use.

On October 1, 2010, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 9, amending Section 1 of Executive Order No. 67, signed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on January 22, 2002, and reorganizing the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement created under Executive Order No. 199, signed by former President Joseph Estrada on January 17, 2000.

On October 2, 2010, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 10, declaring October 2, 2010 as the Nationwide Philhealth Registration Day (NPRD) and directing the Department of Health (DOH) to lead concerned government agencies to facilitate the nationwide Philhealth registration.
President Benigno Aquino III (3rd to the right) and other ASEAN leaders during the 2nd ASEAN-Russia Summit, Hanoi, Vietnam, October 30, 2010.

On October 26, 2010, Aquino delivered his departure statement at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), before leaving for his first official trip to Vietnam. Aquino met with President of Vietnam Nguyễn Minh Triết at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam. Aquino and Triết signed four memorandum of agreement on four areas of cooperation, namely, higher education, defense, oil spill preparedness and response, and search and rescue at sea. Aquino also met with Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyễn Tấn Dũng. Aquino delivered a toast at the State Banquet hosted by Triết at the Government Guest House. On October 27, 2010, Aquino delivered his extemporaneous remarks during a meeting with the Filipino community in Vietnam. On October 28, 2010, Aquino delivered his statement during the ASEAN Leaders’ Retreat in Hanoi, Vietnam. On October 29, 2010, Aquino delivered his statements during the 13th ASEAN-Japan Summit, 13th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit, 13th ASEAN-China Summit, 13th ASEAN Plus Three Summit, and 3rd ASEAN-UN Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. On October 30, 2010, Aquino delivered his statements during the 8th ASEAN-India Summit, 5th East Asia Summit, 2nd ASEAN-Russia Summit, ASEAN-Australia Summit, and ASEAN-New Zealand Commemorative Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. On October 31, 2010, Aquino arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), after his first official trip to Vietnam. Aquino delivered his arrival statement at NAIA.

On November 8, 2010, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 11, transferring the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to the Office of the President.

On November 9, 2010, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 12, delegating to the Executive Secretary the power to approve compromises or releases of any interest, penalty or civil liability to the Social Security System (SSS) pursuant to Section 4(6) of Republic Act No. 8282, otherwise known as the Social Security Act of 1997.

On November 10, 2010, former President of the United States Bill Clinton arrived in Manila. Aquino met with Clinton in a courtesy call at Malacañang Palace. Clinton gave a talk on globalization and delivered a lecture titled "Embracing Our Common Humanity" at the Manila Hotel, attended by politicians, business executives and members of the media. The next day, Clinton quietly left for Singapore.

On November 11, 2010, Aquino delivered his departure statement at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), before leaving for his first official trip to Japan for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Yokohama, Japan. On November 12, 2010, Aquino delivered his speech during the APEC CEO Summit in Yokohama, Japan. On November 14, 2010, Aquino delivered his statement during the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting Retreat in Yokohama, Japan.

On November 15, 2010, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 13, abolishing the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) and transferring its investigative, adjudicatory and recommendatory functions to the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs and the Office of the President.

On November 19, 2010, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 14, transferring the control and supervision of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) from the Department of Health (DOH) to the Office of the President.

On November 22, 2010, Aquino signed Proclamation No. 73, declaring November 23, 2010, as a national day of remembrance for the victims in the Maguindanao massacre.

Administration and Cabinet

The Aquino Cabinet

Office                                                      Name                        Term
President                                                Benigno Aquino III    2010–present
Vice President                        Jejomar Binay             2010–present
Executive Secretary                Paquito Ochoa, Jr.    2010–present
Secretary of Agrarian Reform                 Virgilio De Los Reyes    2010–present
Secretary of Agriculture                        Proceso Alcala    2010–present
Secretary of Budget and Management    Florencio Abad    2010–present
Secretary of Education        Br. Armin Luistro FSC    2010–present
Secretary of Energy                              Jose Rene Almendras    2010–present
Secretary of Environment & Natural Resources    Ramon Paje    2010–present
Secretary of Finance                            Cesar Purisima* ‡    2010–present
Secretary of Foreign Affairs                 Alberto Romulo*    2004–present
Secretary of Health                              Enrique Ona* ‡    2010–present
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government    Jesse Robredo    2010–present
                                                                             Benigno Aquino III    2010–2010
Secretary of Justice                             Leila De Lima* ‡    2010–present
Secretary of Labor and Employment    Rosalinda Baldoz* ‡    2010–present
Secretary of National Defense       Voltaire Gazmin    2010–present
Secretary of Public Works & Highways    Rogelio Singson    2010–present
Secretary of Science & Technology    Engr. Mario Montejo    2010–present
Secretary of Social Welfare & Development    Corazon Soliman    2010–present
Secretary of Tourism                          Alberto Lim    2010–present
Secretary of Trade & Industry            Gregory Domingo    2010–present
Secretary of Transportation and Communications    Ping De Jesus    2010–present
Presidential Management Staff             Julia Razon Abad    2010–present
Presidential Adviser on National Security    Cesar Garcia    2010–present
Presidential Adviser on Peace Process    Teresita Deles    2010–present
AFP Chief of Staff                           Lt. Gen. Ricardo David    2010–present
PNP Director General                     Dir. Gen. Raul Bacalzo    2010–present
CHED Chairman                             Dr. Patricia Licuanan    2010–present
Presidential Spokesperson               Edwin Lacierda    2010–present
Secretary of Presidential Communications
Development and Strategic Planning    Ricky Carandang    2010–present
Secretary of the Presidential
Communications Operations Office    Sonny Coloma    2010–present
National Economic and Development Authority    Cayetano Paderanga, Jr.    2010–present
*Retained from previous administration.
‡ Promoted from lower office(s).

Judicial appointments

Aquino appointed the following to the Supreme Court of the Philippines:

    * Maria Lourdes Aranal Sereno - August 13, 2010.

Personal life

Aquino is the first president to be a bachelor, being unmarried and having no children. Aquino previously had a relationship with Shalani Soledad, a Valenzuela councilor and niece of former Senator Francisco Tatad. Aquino and Soledad first met around 2000 or 2001, when she interviewed him for a media project; they ran into each other some years later, in August 2008, and began going out. In November 2010, Aquino confirmed that he and Soledad had broken up. He had previously dated Korina Sanchez, and Bernadette Sembrano.

Aquino had been an enthusiast of shooting and billiards, but today, he relaxes by playing computer games since he could no longer engage in the first two aforementioned pastimes. He is a history buff, an audiophile and enjoys listening to music. Aquino does not drink alcoholic beverages. He is an avid smoker, and has admitted to smoking up to three packs a day. During his presidential campaign, Aquino promised to quit smoking if he wins the election. However, he decided later he would not quit smoking, preferring to do it at the "appropriate" time. He also said he is not keen on being a poster boy for anti-smoking advocates.

Francisco "Django" Bustamante

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Francisco Bustamante (born December 29, 1963)

A Filipino professional pocket billiards (pool) player from Tarlac, and the current world nine-ball champion., nicknamed "Django", after the lead character of the film of the same name[ and sometimes also called "Bustie", especially in the United States.

Bustamante never completed high school and has been concentrating in pocket billiards from 12 years of age. He quoted:

After some succeess in the Philippines, Bustamante moved to Germany where stayed for more than a decade, competing in a number of tournaments in Europe.

Career

Francisco "Django" Bustamante makes the front page of Inside Pool magazine, issue 8, 2002.

Bustamante has been playing since the age of ten, and has won titles such as the Munich Masters, The German Nine-ball Championship, and the Japan Nine-ball Championship, making him one of billiard's greatest international stars.

With his win in Tulsa, Bustamante locked up the 1998 Camel Pro Billiards Series year-long point fund's top spot. He then finished the season in record breaking style, winning the Columbus 10-Ball Open and becoming the first player to win three Camel titles in one season. His Columbus 10-Ball title also completed the first ever Camel trifecta, with titles in each of the three games contested on the Camel Pro Billiards Series: eight-ball, nine-ball and ten-ball. Known for his graceful style at the table and his signature behind-the-back shot, Bustamante is one of the best Filipino players of the game[neutrality is disputed] along with fellow Kapampangan Efren Reyes, Marlon Manalo and Ronato Alcano. He also holds the world record for having the most powerful break shot: 43 miles per hour.

In 1999, Bustamante finished 3rd place in the WPA World Nine-ball Championship after losing to Efren Reyes who later won it. Months later, he won the International Challenge of Champions. He won that tournament again three years later.
The next year, Bustamante won the Motolite 9-ball Tournament, an event held in the Philippines, at the expense of Antonio Lining. The victory earned him $30K which was the largest first prize offered in a Philippine-held tournament at that time (this was later surpassed when Alcano won $100K in the 2006 WPA World Nine-ball Championship which was held in that country).

The year 2002 was probably the coldest year for Bustamante, especially considering his experience at the World Pool Championships. While the tournament was still going on, Bustamante was most shocked when he received a phone call from his wife informing him that his daughter, who was less than a year old, had died. Devastated by this, Bustamante strongly considered forfeiting his contention at the tournament to return to the Philippines but some people around convinced him to go on.

On his way to the final, Bustamante bested Antonio Lining in the last 16, Efren Reyes in the quarter finals and Ching Shun Yang in semis. In the final, he met Earl Strickland, the 2-time winner of the tournament. Bustamante was leading most of the time and could have won the title. At one point, he went for a jump shot but missed. Strickland returned to the table and won a few rack in a row to win the match 17-15.

His loss in the finals of the World Championship was most definitely a big blow to him due to the fact that his lack of focus on the match cost him the tournament. Later on, however, Bustamante regained momentum and began winning more tournaments.

Bustamante won the Peninsula Nine-ball Open, Gabriel's Las Vegas International Nine-ball tournament, the IBC Tokyo Nine-ball International and the All Japan Nine-ball Championship. He even won the Sudden Death Seven-ball tournament and dedicated the victory to his daughter, whom he had tragically lost. With such a string of victories, he became the AZBilliards 2002 Player of the Year.

Bustamante also won the tournament called the World Pool League in 2004 where he defeated the then world nine-ball champion Alex Pagulayan. He reached the finals of that event in 2001 but was bested by Steve Knight of Great Britain.

In 2007, he was undefeated in the United States Pro Tour Championship held at the Normandie Casino in Los Angeles, California.

For 2007, he was ranked #7 in Pool & Billiard Magazine's "Fans' Top 20 Favorite Players" poll.

Despite the fact he never won a world championship, Bustamante is rated second to Reyes when it comes to recognition.

He competed in the 2008 World Straight Pool Championship as the Philippines' only entry. This was his first-ever participation in straight pool event. In the end, he finished at 2nd place behind Niels Feijen, the tournament winner.

In 2010, Bustamante again reached the finals of the World Nine-ball Championship. Unlike his first final eight years ago, fate did not deny him. Bustamante won the match and the title against Taiwan's Kuo Po-cheng, a second-placer in the 2005 event.

On July 27, 2010, Francisco Bustamante, along with Terry Bell and Larry Hubbart who are founders of the American Pool Players Association (APA), were elected to the Billiard Congress of America's Hall Of Fame and will be enshrined on October 21. In this, Bustamante shall be the second player from the Philippines after Efren Reyes to be added.

Film

On June 15, 2008, Efren Reyes, Francisco "Django" Bustamante and 2007 Women's Amway World Pool Championships finalist Rubilen "Bingkay" Amit will begin photography and had been cast to star with American Jennifer Barretta in and independent film, "9-Ball," at Universal Studios. This movie will be directed and produced by Main Street Production's Anthony Palma, with Ralph Clemente as executive producer.

Achievements

    * 2010 World 9-Ball Championship in Doha, Qatar - Champion
    * 2007 Pool & Billiard Magazine Fans' Top 20 Favorite Players, #7
    * 2007 Hard Times Summer Jamboree winner (One-pocket Division)
    * 2007 Hard Times Summer Jamboree winner (Nine-ball Division)
    * 2007 US Pro Tour Champion
    * 2006 World Cup of Pool winner
    * 2005 Masters Nine-ball Champion
    * 2005 Joss Northeast Nine-ball Tour Finale Champion
    * 2005 All-Filipino Billiards Open winner
    * 2005 Weert Open Ten-ball Ring Game winner
    * 2004 World Pool League Champion
    * 2003 ESPN International Challenge of Champions winner
    * 2002 All-Japan Nine-ball Champion
    * 2002 ESPN Sudden Death Seven-ball Champion
    * 2002 Gabriels Las Vegas International Nine-ball Champion
    * 2002 Peninsula Nine-ball Open winner
    * 2002 IBC Tour Stop 2 (Munich, Germany) winner
    * 2002 Motolite World Nine-ball Challenge winner
    * 2002 IBC Tokyo Nine-ball International winner
    * 2001 World Pool Masters winner
    * 2001 Turning Stone Casino Classic II winner
    * 2000 Motolite International Nine-ball Champion
    * 1999 ESPN International Challenge of Champions winner
    * 1999 Camel Tulsa Nine-ball Open winner
    * 1998 Camel Riviera Eight-ball Open winner
    * 1998 World Pool Masters winner
    * 1998 Camel Tulsa Nine-ball Open winner
    * 1998 Camel Columbus Ten-ball Open winner
    * 1998 Sands Regency Open 28 winner
    * 1997 Camel Kasson Open winner
    * 1997 Camel Denver Open winner
    * 1993 PBT Bicycle Club Invitational winner

Sergio Osmeña

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Osmeña, Sergio (1878-1961), Philippine independence leader and statesman, born on Cebu. Trained as a lawyer, he was elected to the first Philippine assembly, became its speaker (1907-1916), and later served as senator from Cebu. Osmeña headed several missions to the United States to argue for Philippine independence and was instrumental in gaining commonwealth status for the Philippines in 1935. Twice elected vice-president of the commonwealth (1935 and 1941), he became president of the government in exile when President Manuel Quezon died in 1944. He was, however, defeated (1946) in the first elections of an independent Philippines.

He was the founder of the Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista) and president of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. Osmeña received a law degree from the University of Santo Tomás, Manila, in 1903. He was also editor of a Spanish newspaper, El Nuevo Día, in Cebu City. In 1904 the U.S. colonial administration appointed him governor of the province of Cebu and fiscal (district attorney) for the provinces of Cebu and Negros Oriental. Two years later he was elected governor of Cebu. In 1907 he was elected delegate to the Philippine National Assembly and founded the Nationalist Party, which came to dominate Philippine political life.

Osmeña remained leader of the Nationalists until 1921, when he was succeeded by Manuel Quezon, who had joined him in a coalition. Made speaker of the House of Representatives in 1916, he served until his election to the Senate in 1923. In 1933 he went to Washington, D.C., to secure passage of the Hare-Hawes-Cutting independence bill, but Quezon differed with Osmeña over the bill's provision to retain U.S. military bases after independence. The bill, vetoed by the Philippine Assembly, was superseded by the Tydings-McDuffie Act of March 1934, making the Philippines a commonwealth with a large measure of independence.

The following year Osmeña became vice president, with Quezon as president. He remained vice president during the Japanese occupation, when the government was in exile in Washington, D.C. On the death of Quezon in August 1944, Osmeña became president. He served as president until the elections of April 1946, when he was defeated by Manuel Roxas, who became the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines.

Ferdinand E. Marcos

2010-03-21T02:42:00.000+08:00

Philippine president Ferdinand Edralin Marcos (1917-1989) began his career in politics with the murder of Julio Nalundasan in 1935, and ended it with the murder of Benigno Aquino, Jr., in 1983. Some believe his entire life was based on fraud, deceit, and plunder, and his two decades as president have come to epitomize the worst excesses of autocratic rule.

Ferdinand Marcos was born in Sarrat, Ilocos North, on September 11, 1917, to Josefa Edralin and Mariano Marcos, both teachers. Mariano was later a two-term congressman and during World War II, a collaborator with the Japanese. Subsequently he was tied to four water buffalo by Filipino guerrillas and pulled apart. Marcos'real father, a man Marcos claimed was his "godfather," was a wealthy Chinese named Ferdinand Chua. He was a well-connected municipal judge who was responsible for much of Marcos' unusually good luck. Among other things, Chua paid for young Marcos' schooling and managed to influence the Philippine Supreme Court to throw out the solid testimony which in 1939 had convicted Marcos of murder.

Marcos did well in school, as he had an extraordinary memory which allowed him to quickly memorize complicated texts and recite them forwards or backwards. In college, Marcos' principal interest was the .22-caliber college pistol team. On September 20, 1935, Julio Nalundasan was at home celebrating that day's Congressional election victory over Mariano Marcos when he was shot and killed with a .22-caliber bullet fired by the 18-year-old Marcos. Three years later, the honors student who was in his senior year of law school, was arrested for Nalundasan's murder. A year later, now a law school graduate, he was found guilty "beyond any reasonable doubt." Jailed, Marcos spent six months writing his own 830-page appeal. He also took the Philippine bar exam and passed with scores so high he was accused of cheating. Upon an oral re-examination by the Supreme Court, Marcos scored even higher with his remarkable memory. When the Supreme Court finally took up Marcos's appeal in 1940, the judge in charge (allegedly influenced by Judge Chua) was disposed to simply throw the case out. Marcos was a free man. The next day, he returned to the Supreme Court where he was administered his oath as a lawyer.

Marcos emerged from World War II with the reputation of being the greatest Filipino resistance leader of the war and the most decorated soldier in the U.S. Armed forces. (Marcos served in the U.S. Army at the beginning and the end of the war as a "third lieutenant" on clerical duty, for a time in 1944 he was a U.S. prisoner of war under a death sentence) The Army investigated these claims after the war and found them to be false and "criminal." In fact, Marcos seems to have spent the war on both sides, and at various times, was in hospitals with fevers and stomach pains, possibly from the onset of lupus, the degenerative disease tha ultimately ruined his health. In early 1943 in Manila, Marcos concocted a "secret" resistance organization called Ang Mga Maharlika ("Noble Studs") which he claimed consisted of spies, saboteurs and assassins, but in fact consisted of many forgers, pickpockets, gunmen and racketeers, united by an interest in black market operations.

At the war's end, as a deputy to the U.S. Army judge advocate general in northern Luzon, Marcos was involved in choosing friends and relatives to fill minor civil service jobs, passing out favors to be redeemed later. After, he resumed his law practice, often filing false claims in Washington on behalf of Filipino veterans seeking back pay and benefits. Emboldened by his success, he filed a $595,000 claim on his own behalf, stating that the U.S. Army had commandeered over 2,000 head of brahmin cattle from Mariano Marcos's wholly imaginary ranch in Mindinao. Washington concluded that the cattle had never existed. Marcos also tried to get recognition and benefits for his resistance force, the Ang Mga Maharlika; army investigators concluded that Marcos's unit was fraudulent.

In December, 1948, after a luncheon meeting with Marcos, a magazine editor published four articles on Marcos's extraordinary war exploits, including the history of the Maharlika just after the army's findings of fraud. Marcos' reputation grew. In 1949, campaigning on promises to get veterans' benefits for 2 million more "unrecognized" Filipinos, Marcos ran on the Liberal Party ticket for a seat in the Philippine House of Representatives and won astonishingly, with 70 percent of the vote. In less than a year he was worth a million dollars and owned a Cadillac convertible, mostly because of his American tobacco subsidies, a colossal cigarette smuggling operation, and his practice of extorting commissions from Chinese businesses. In 1954 he formally met Imelda Romualdez and married her.

Marcos was reelected twice, and in 1959 was elected to the Philippine Senate. He was also the Liberal Party's vice-president from 1954-1961, when he successfully managed Diosdado Macapagal's campaign for the Philippine presidency. As part of the deal, Macapagal was supposed to step aside after one term to allow Marcos to run for the presidency, but when Macapagal reneged, Marcos joined the opposition Nationalist Party and became their candidate in the 1965 election against Macapagal, which Marcos won handily strongly helped by Hartzell Spence's biography, called For Every Tear A Victory.

In 1969, Marcos became the first Philippine president to win a second term; the month following produced the most violent and bloody public demonstrations so far in the history of the country. Three years later, facing growing student unrest and a crumbling economy, Marcos declared martial law, using as his excuse the growing rebel presence of the Communist New People's Army. During the nine years of martial law, he tripled the armed forces to some 200,000 troops, guaranteeing his grip on government, and when martial law was lifted in 1981, he kept all the power he had been granted by himself. Bled to death, the economy continued to crumble as Ferdinand and Imelda became "arguably the richest couple on the planet." Marcos's health began to fail, the United States cooled off, and political opposition took hold in the Philippine middle class.

The Marcos regime began its accelerated collapse after the August 1983 assassination of Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., gunned down at the Manila airport upon his return after a self-imposed three-year exile. The killing enraged Filipinos, as did the official story that the murder was the work of a single assassin. A year later, a civilian investigation brought indictments against a number of soldiers and government officials, but by 1985 they all had been acquitted. In a surprising blunder, Marcos, thinking to regain control of the situation, called for a "snap election" to be held early in 1986. The election was marred by violence and charges of fraud; his opponent was the martyred Aquino's widow, Corazon.

When the Philippine National Assembly announced that Marcos was the winner, a military rebellion, supported by hundreds of thousands of Filipinos marching in the streets, forced the Marcos to flee the country. Marcos' plea to the Americans for help produced nothing more than a U.S. Air Force jet, which flew him and Imelda to Hawaii. He remained there until his death in 1989. They took with them some 300 crates of prized possessions and more than 28 million cash, in Philippine currency. President Aquino's administration said this was only a small part of the Marcos's five to ten billion of illegally acquired wealth; Ferdinand's frozen bank accounts in Switzerland were said to have $475 million. In 1995, the government was able to auction off three jewelry collections worth $13 million. In 1999, after a thirteen year legal battle, the Marcos family agreed to pay $150 million to about 10,000 victims of human rights abuses.

Diosdado Macapagal

2010-03-19T02:33:00.000+08:00

Diosdado P. Macapagal (1910-1997) was the fifth president of the Republic of the Philippines. He was instrumental in initiating and executing the Land Reform Code, which was designed to solve the centuries-old land tenancy problem, the principal cause of the Communist guerrilla movement in central Luzon.

Diosdado Macapagal was born on Sept. 28, 1910, the son of poor tenant farmers. In 1929 he entered the University of the Philippines, where he received an associate in arts degree in 1932. Meanwhile he worked part time with the Bureau of Lands.

Macapagal was constantly forced to interrupt his schooling for lack of funds. His brother-in-law Rogelio de la Rosa, with whom he acted in and produced Tagalog operettas, helped him continue his education. Macapagal entered the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, receiving his bachelor of laws degree in 1936, his master of laws degree in 1941, and doctor of laws degree in 1947. He also received a doctorate in economics in 1957.

Early Career and Government Service

In 1941 Macapagal worked as legal assistant to President Quezon and as professor of law in the University of Santo Tomas. A claim is made that he served as an intelligence agent for the guerrillas during the Japanese occupation, but this period of his life has not been well documented.

In 1946 Macapagal served as assistant and then as chief of the legal division in the Department of Foreign Affairs. In 1948 he was second secretary to the Philippine embassy in Washington and in 1949 became counselor on legal affairs and treatises in the Department of Foreign Affairs. In 1949 he was elected representative of the first district of Pampanga Province on the ticket of the Liberal party. In 1953 he was the only Liberal party member to win reelection.

Macapagal attained worldwide distinction in 1951, when, as chairman of the Philippine UN delegation, he conducted a debate with Soviet foreign minister Andrei Vishinsky. In November 1957 Macapagal was elected vice president, receiving 116,940 more votes than the total received by the elected president, Carlos P. Garcia. In December Macapagal became the titular head of the Liberal party. In spite of his rank as vice president and because he belonged to the opposition party, Macapagal was treated as a complete outsider; he was barred from Cabinet meetings and was assigned routine ceremonial duties. Consequently, Macapagal denounced the graft and corruption in the Garcia administration and toured the country campaigning for the next election.

On Jan. 21, 1961, Macapagal was chosen as Liberal party candidate for president. Rallying the masses in the villages and towns, he elaborated a familiar motif in his speeches: "I come from the poor…Let me reap for you the harvest of the poor. Let us break the chain of poverty…"

Performance as President

Macapagal became president on Nov. 14, 1961, defeating Garcia. In his inaugural statement he declared: "I shall be president not only of the rich but more so of the poor. We must help bridge the wide gap between the poor man and the man of wealth, not by pulling down the rich to his level as Communism desires, but by raising the poor towards the more abundant life." With his naivetéand paternalistic attitude, Macapagal vowed to open Malakanyang Palace, the presidential residence, to all the citizens. He canceled the inaugural ball and issued a decree forbidding any member of his family or of his wife's to participate in any business deals with the government. He dismissed corrupt officials and started court action against those who could not explain their sudden acquisition of wealth. He changed the date that Filipinos celebrate their independence to June 12 from July 4. In 1898, Filipino revolutionaries had declared independence from Spain on June 12; July 4 was the date the Philippines were declared independent by the United States after World War II.

Macapagal aimed to restore morality to public life by concentrating on the elevation of the living standard of the masses. Addressing Congress in 1962, he formulated the objectives of his socioeconomic programs as, first, the immediate restoration of economic stability; second, the alleviation of the common man's plight; and third, the establishment of a "dynamic basis for future growth." Unfortunately, Macapagal's friends in the oligarchy and the privileged minority in Congress and business soon began parading their lavish wealth in conspicuous parties, junkets, and anomalous deals.

On Jan. 21, 1962, Macapagal abolished the economic controls that had been in operation since 1948. He devalued the Philippine peso by setting its value according to the prevailing free market rate instead of by government direction. He lifted foreign exchange controls and reduced tariff rates on essential consumer goods. Seeking to remedy the problem of unemployment, he took steps to decentralize the economy and at the same time encourage commerce and industry in the provinces. He also proposed decentralization in government by investing greater power in provincial and local governments as a step essential to the growth of democratic institutions. He also suggested the establishment of eight regional legislatures with power to levy taxes.

Land Reform Program

To ameliorate the plight of the Filipino peasant in the face of vast population growth, Macapagal instituted a public land clearance program to make new farmlands available for immediate use. The product of his concern for the impoverished majority was the Land Reform Code of Aug. 8, 1963, which sought to replace the abusive and unjust tenancy system inherited from colonial times by the leasehold system, affording full government protection to the leaseholder. The positive result obtained in 1966 demonstrated the value of the land reform program in materially improving the local living conditions of the rural poor.

Foreign Policy

Macapagal's foreign policy displayed an eccentric course. On the one hand, he affirmed that he would never recognize Communist China despite what the United States or other nations might decide. On the other, he criticized in May 1962 the United States support of Laos neutralists as "a species of sophistry that can only weaken the defense of the free world."

In June 1962 Macapagal registered a claim of Philippine sovereignty over British North Borneo (Sabah). In July he proposed the establishment of a greater Malayan confederation which would supersede the British-sponsored plan for the Federation of Malaysia. This would be a step toward ultimate establishment of a Pan-Asian Union. Macapagal initiated the Manila Accord of July 31, 1963, signed by himself, President Sukarno of Indonesia, and Abdul Rahman of Malaya; on August 6 the three chiefs of state issued the Manila Declaration toward the establishment of Maphilindo, designed to set up closer ties between the three countries in their collective fight against neocolonialism. This plan broke up with the formation on Aug. 1, 1964, of the Federation of Malaysia by the Malayan and British governments.

Although Macapagal prided himself in being the "conscience of the common man," he failed in preventing his administration from being wrecked by the Stonehill scandal of 1962, which revealed massive government corruption and racketeering that involved almost the whole bureaucracy and Congress. Despite Macapagal's so-called incorruptibility, he failed to solve decisively the major social and economic problems of the nation. He lost his bid for re-election in 1965 to Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled for the next 20 years. However, Macapagal's political legacy lives on in his daughters, both of whom followed him into politics: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino senator, and Cielo Macapagal-Salgado is vice-governor of Pampanga, her father's home province. Macapagal also had two sons, Arturo and Diosdado, Jr.

He died in Manila on April 21, 1997 of heart failure. He was 86.

Carlos P. Garcia

2010-03-15T02:31:00.000+08:00

Carlos P. Garcia (1896-1971) was the fourth president of the Republic of the Philippines. He was noted for the enunciation of the Filipino First Policy, intended to complete and guarantee Philippine economic independence and sovereignty.

Carlos P. Garcia was born in Talibon, Bohol, on November 4, 1896. He took law courses at Silliman University in 1918-1919 and graduated with a law degree from the Philippine Law School. He topped the bar examination in 1923. He was elected for three terms (1925-1931) as representative of the third district of Bohol. He served for three terms (1933-1941) as governor of Bohol Province. For 13 years (1941-1954) Garcia served in the Senate of the Philippines.

During World War II, in May 1942, Garcia was hunted by the Japanese military authority because of his loyalty to the Allied cause and his refusal to surrender and cooperate with the government. After the war he participated in several missions to Washington to work for the approval of the Philippine Rehabilitation and War Damage Claims. He was a delegate to the World Conference at San Francisco to draft the charter of the United Nations Organization in May 1945. He acted as presiding officer of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization Conference in Manila in 1954, which produced the Manila Treaty and the Pacific Charter.

From 1947 to 1953 Garcia was vice president of the Nacionalista party directorate, and he also served in the Cabinet beginning in 1953 as vice president and secretary of foreign affairs. When he was in the Senate, he was chairman and member of numerous key committees, among them government reorganization, foreign affairs, public works, army and navy, and justice. He was also a member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal. From 1946 to 1951 Garcia served as minority floor leader of the Senate.

Succeeded President

When President Magsaysay was killed in an airplane accident on March 17, 1957, Garcia became his successor, having been elected vice president in November 1953. In the elections of 1957 Garcia won over three other candidates and became fourth president of the republic since its independence in 1946.

Garcia's main achievement before he became president involved his activities as foreign policy expert for the government. As secretary of foreign affairs, he opened formal reparation negotiations in an effort to end the nine-year technical state of war between Japan and the Philippines, leading to an agreement in April 1954. During the Geneva Conference on Korean unification and other Asian problems, Garcia as chairman of the Philippine delegation attacked communist promises in Asia and defended the U.S. policy in the Far East. In a speech on May 7, 1954, the day of the fall of Dien Bien Phu, Garcia repeated the Philippine stand for nationalism and opposition of communism.

Garcia acted as chairman of the eight-nation Southeast Asian Security Conference held in Manila in September 1954, which led to the development of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, known as SEATO. Garcia's cardinal principles in foreign affairs, as announced in a speech on November 30, 1957, were "to maintain and improve Philippine-American relations" and "to foster closer ties with our Asian neighbors."

Stressed Austerity, Nationalism

Garcia's administration was characterized by its austerity program and its insistence on a comprehensive nationalist policy. On March 3, 1960, he affirmed the need for complete economic freedom and added that the government no longer would tolerate the dominance of foreign interests (especially American) in the national economy. He promised to shake off "the yoke of alien domination in business, trade, commerce and industry." Garcia was also credited with his role in reviving Filipino cultural arts.

The prevalence of graft and corruption in the government, institutional carryover from previous administrations, and U.S. disfavor of his Filipino First Policy put Garcia on the defensive and led partly to his defeat in the 1961 elections. Garcia died in 1971 at the age of 74.

Manuel M. Villar Jr.

2010-02-06T02:30:00.000+08:00

Note: this biography is lifted from the senate website

Manny Villar was born to humble beginnings in Moriones, Tondo, Manila. His father, Manuel Montalban Villar, Sr., hailed from Cabatuan, Iloilo and his mother Curita Bamba came from Orani, Bataan.

At an early age, he helped his mother sell seafood at the Divisoria market in order to support his siblings and himself to school. With the burning desire for a better future and strong determination to improve his family’s lives, Manny finished his studies at the University of the Philippines (UP) where he earned his Bachelor’s and Masters’ degrees in Business Administration. He started his professional career as an accountant and financial analyst for prominent corporations before venturing into his own business.

Armed with an initial capital of only P10,000 and a solid determination to succeed, Manny went on to establish the largest homebuilding company in the country today.

Manny Villar received several awards including the Ten Outstanding Young Men in 1986, Agora Award for Marketing Management in 1989, Most Outstanding CPA by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in 1990, and Most Outstanding UP Alumnus in 1991. In 2004, Manny Villar was named the Most Distinguished Alumnus—the highest recognition given by the University of the Philippines — for his exemplary public service and achievements.

In 1992, he entered politics and was elected Congressman of Las Pinas and Muntinlupa for three terms in a row, consistently posting landslide victories. In 1998, he was chosen Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He was elected Senator of the Republic in the year 2001. In July 2006, with the staunch support of a majority of his colleagues, he assumed the Senate Presidency during the third regular session of the 13th Congress. He has previously held the position of Senate President Pro-tempore and the chairmanship of the Committees on Finance, Foreign Relations, Public Order, and Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries.

Manny Villar is the first post-war public official who became both Speaker of the House of Representatives and Senate President.

He is the President of the Nacionalista Party—the country’s grandest political party.

Manny Villar dreams to help and inspire Filipinos to fulfill their dreams thru hard work and determination (Sipag at Tiyaga) – the same values that helped him conquer poverty and succeed in life.

Grace Padaca

2010-01-03T00:01:00.000+08:00

Ma. Gracia Cielo "Grace" Magno Padaca (born October 25, 1963) has been the governor of the northern province of Isabela, Philippines since 2004. Among Filipino politicians, she is among the minority not from politically connected families. Her success has largely been attributed to her support from the Catholic Church and her fame as a radio commentator on radio station Bombo Radyo in Cauayan.

During her childhood, she suffered from polio, which has forced her to walk with crutches for most of her life.

2001 congressional elections

Grace Padaca ran for Congress in 2001. Her campaign struck a responsive chord among Isabela voters, and initial results showed her winning in most of the seven municipalities and one city of the congressional district. The final tally, though, had her losing to her opponent, Faustino "Bojie" Dy, by a margin of 1,285 votes (he got 50.7 percent of the vote to her 49.3 percent).

She protested the results of 151 ballot boxes. Dy countered, questioning the results not only of the 151 precincts but all 812 precincts. Padaca initiated what she called an "Adopt A Ballot Box" campaign, where a donor knew that each P1,000 donated would defray the cost of a ballot box revision. Her campaign was not limited to Isabelinos. She sent letters to people she had never met, but whom she believed to be persons of good will, asking for their help. The great majority responded--people like Enrique Zobel (who also hired her as an accountant in his hacienda in Calatagan, Batangas)--and she raised the required amount.

The revision of the ballots in 812 ballot boxes found definitively that not only were the questioned Angandanan CoC and SoV fraudulent, falsified, and padded, there was also evidence of post-election fraud in the form of genuine ballots being removed from the boxes, then replaced with spurious ones that had Dy's name in handwriting other than the voter's.

But after two and a half years, the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET), in a decision promulgated on December 18, 2003, declared Dy the winner by 48 votes. Those who signed that decision were Supreme Court Associate Justices Leonardo A. Qusimbing, Angelina Sandoval Gutierrez, Representatives Douglas Cagas (Davao del Sur), Zenaida Ducut (Pampanga), Enrico Echiverri (Caloocan), and Joaquin Chipeco (Laguna).

A major point of disagreement was what to do with the ballots with "Grace" written on them. The majority of the HRET refused to count ballots with "Grace" written on them in favor of Grace Padaca. Their reason was that her real name was "Maria Gracia Cielo Padaca" and the nickname she gave when she filed her candidacy was "Bombo Grace". According to their logic, "Grace" was not the same as "Bombo Grace", and there was no reason to conclude that Grace derives from Gracia. Furthermore, it is not the dominant name in Maria Gracia Cielo, since "Maria" appears first.

Justice Vitug made no bones about what he thought of that reasoning, "The admission of 'Grace' only votes will not in any way violate the law," he opined. "No doubt the voters intended to vote for Protestant when they wrote 'Grace' only on the ballot, considering that the same is admittedly the name by which Protestant is popularly known. Additionally, there was no other candidate, whether national or local, who ran in the May 14, 2001 elections with the name or nickname of 'Grace.'"

Vitug also pointed out that the name "Maria GRACE Cielo Padaca" was listed in the certified list of candidates, in all the different copies of CoCs and SoVs and even in the ERs found inside the ballot boxes. He therefore concluded, there could be no doubt that the voters intended to vote for Padaca when they wrote "Grace" on their ballots.

2004 Governatorial elections

Grace Padaca was victorious in the 2004 gubernatorial election in the northern province of Isabela with 55% of the vote. The physically challenged look to her, a polio victim, as proof that being handicapped is no barrier to success (valedictorian in elementary and high school and magna cum laude in college). Would-be public servants reluctant to enter the political race because they are honest and poor are inspired by her performance (what she lacked in financing, she got from volunteers). Ordinary people who felt helpless against dynasties and political machinery have been heartened. Grace has shown them that they can make a difference.

Of course, the feeling is not unanimous. The Dy family, whose 30-year grip on political power was broken in the 2004 elections, is not among her fans. Then there are Election Commissioners Rufino Javier and Virgilio Garcillano, whose rulings leave no doubt in anyone's minds as to whose side they are on. It was on their order that radio station Bombo Radyo was closed down on the eve of election day; and it was they who signed the temporary restraining order on Grace's proclamation, based on the charge that she should be disqualified because she used terrorist tactics to force people to vote for her.

2007 gubernatorial elections

She was reelected as governor in the 2007 election.

International Women of Courage Award

On December 5, 2007, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney personally conferred to Padaca the prestigious International Women of Courage Award, an award which was also conferred to former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. It was bestowed on Padaca for her continued development of Isabela following a colorful stint as a broadcast journalist.

Padaca, 44, on July 31, 2008 was among the 8 winners of the 2008 Ramon Magsaysay Award( Asia's version of the Nobel Prize), for Government Service for "empowering Isabela voters to reclaim their democratic right to elect leaders of their own choosing, and to contribute as full partners in their own development."

Governorship and Illegal logging task force

Padaca campaigned against illegal logging problems, which caused 30,000 "Bugador" (loggers) to lose jobs despite pleas for livelihood. i-Witness: The GMA Documentaries featured this controversy. Padaca reactivated the anti-illegal task force amid incessant complaints and reports from the province's concerned citizens, the Catholic Church (whose 7 priests staged hunger strikes) and various organizations against the resumption of illegal logging in government protected Sierra Madre biodiversity corridor - "Sierra Madre National Park." Isabela has 600,000 hectares of Cagayan Valley's 900,000 hectares of forest cover.

Kaya Natin

Padaca, Gov. Ed Panlilio (of Pampanga), (Naga City) Mayor Jesse Robredo, and Mayor Sonia Lorenzo of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, launched "Kaya Natin", a group that "seeks to recruit principled local government officials to change the country's deteriorating political situation." Their 'Islands of Hope' - university campus tour, a new movement for ethical leadership and good governance was launched on July 31, 2008, at the Ateneo de Manila University's Walter Hogan Conference Center in Quezon City. They also launched a website mainly to give Filipinos working abroad easier access, which can be reached at Kayanatin.com

Datu Pakung "Pax" Mangudadatu

2009-12-01T14:39:00.000+08:00

Hon. Pakung S. Mandudadatu also known as Pax Mangudadatu is the newly elected Representative of the 1st district of Sultan Kudarat with Tacurong City under the administration's Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) party.

He was born in Buluan, Cotabato (now Buluan, Maguindanao). He served as municipal mayor of Lutayan before he ran for governor of the province in 1998. During his campaign for governor, he and Rep. Angelo Montilla created the SK UNA political party. He defeated Sultan Kudarat Vice Gov. Rose Jamison for governor of the province and making history as the first Muslim governor of the Christian-dominated province. He served as provincial governor for nine years from 1998-2007. During his campaign for his last term as governor last 2004, he was challenged by his ally Rep. Angelo Montilla who he defeated. He was reelected as governor and his son, Mayor Suharto Mangudadatu of Lutayan won the lone district congressional race.

Last May 14, 2007, he was elected as representative of the first district of the province over his rival Angelo Montilla. Again, he made history for being the first representative of the first district of the province; While his son, Rep. Suharto Mangudadatu, succeeded him as provincial governor.

Datu Zaldy Ampatuan

2009-12-01T14:33:00.000+08:00

Zaldy Ampatuan (born August 22, 1967) is the Governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and was elected on August 8, 2005. He is former chairman of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats for ARMM, but was ejected when his brother, Andal Ampatuan Jr., was accused of carrying out the Maguindanao massacre. He is one of the sons of Andal Ampatuan Sr., head of the powerful Ampatuan family political clan in Maguindanao province.

On December 8, 2007, P1,000 bills rained at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) when 2 Mindanao governors played Santa Claus. Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan and his father Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan distributed the bills near the VIP lounge, before a 5:20 p.m. flight for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for “30 to 40 minutes."

Datu Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu

2009-12-01T14:24:00.000+08:00

Esmael “Toto" Mangudadatu is the Vice Mayor of Buluan, Maguindanao, in the Philippines. Mangudadatu is a candidate in the 2010 general elections for governor of Maguindanao. The race came to international attention after the Maguindanao massacre during which men from a rival clan kidnapped and murdered his wife, sisters, aides, and lawyers, plus several journalists.

Four days after the massacre, Mangudadatu traveled along the same road where the attack had occurred to successfully file his candidacy in the election.

Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr.

2009-12-01T14:04:00.000+08:00

Andal Ampatuan, Jr. is the current mayor Datu Unsay, Maguindanao. A member of the powerful Ampatuan political family in Maguindanao province, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines, his father, Andal Ampatuan, Sr., is governor of the province and patriarch of the family. His brother, Zaldy Ampatuan, is the regional governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Ampatuan came to international attention in November 2009 as a result of the Maguindanao massacre. He was to run for governor of the province against Esmael Mangudadatu in the 2010 elections. However, Mangudadatu's female relatives and a group of journalists were ambushed and killed in the massacre, and Ampatuan Jr. quickly became the prime suspect. A member of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, he and his father and brother were expelled by party chairman Gilberto Teodoro due to the massacre. He surrendered to Filipino authorities and was charged with murder. He has denied any involvement, though several witnesses have gone on record stating that they saw him at the scene of the crime.

Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr.

2009-12-01T13:55:00.000+08:00

Andal Ampatuan, Sr. is the patriarch of the powerful Ampatuan political family in Maguindanao province, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. He is the governor of the province.

Ampatuan first came into prominence when President Corazon Aquino appointed him as officer-in-charge of Maganoy (now Shariff Aquak) in 1986, right after the People Power Revolution. Aquino, having come into power via revolutionary means, replaced every locally-elected official with officers-in-charge. The town of Maganoy was approached differently; the ageing mayor, Pinagayaw Ampatuan, was replaced by his vice mayor, Andal Sr. He won the 1988 local elections, then served for ten years. In the 1998 elections, Andal Sr. was elected as governor.

Ampatuan's sons, Zaldy Ampatuan and Andal Ampatuan, Jr., are both members of his political clan. Andal Ampatuan Jr. came to international attention in November 2009 as the prime suspect in the Maguindanao massacre. As a result, all three Ampatuans were expelled from President Gloria Arroyo's Lakas Kampi CMD political party.

Andres Bonifacio

2009-11-30T00:00:00.000+08:00

ANDRES BONIFACIO
(1863-1897)

In one of the houses located opposite the present Tutuban Station lived a young couple, Santiago Bonifacio, a tailor and Catalina de Castro from Zambales. On November 30, 1863, a boy was born to them and was christened Andres. As devout Catholics, Andres' parents took him to the parish of Father Gregorio Prieto in Tondo where he was baptized by Fr. Saturnine Buntan with Vicente Molina as godfather. Andres was the oldest of four brothers, the other three being Ciriaco, Procopio and Troadio and two sisters, Esperidiona and Maximina.

His first teacher was his aunt Remigia Castro de Sanchez, who taught him his prayers and the alphabet. Later, he attended the school of Don Guillermo Osmeña from Cebu.

Orphaned at an early age, Andres and his brothers and sisters made canes and paper fans which he sold to meet their bare necessities. He also made posters for commercial firms as he had a fine penmanship and a keen interest in the calligraphic arts. Subsequently, he was employed as clerk-messenger in the British commercial firm of Fleming and Company. His industry and honesty earned him promotion as an agent of the firm, he was authorized to sell rattan and other articles of trade. It was while working for this firm that he learned the rudiments of the English language.

Later, Andres transferred to work again as an agent at Fresell and Company, a German commercial firm located at 450 Nueva Street. To augment his income, he continued to make canes and paper fans with his brothers and sisters until 1896.

To educate himself, he bought a few good books and read them avidly deep into the night under the flicker of the lamp. Among these books were Robiespiere's The French Revolution, Eugene Sue's The Wandering Jew, Hugo's Les Miserables, Rizal's Noli and Fili, The Ruins of Palmyras, The Holy Bible, International Law, Penal and Civil Code, Lives of the Presidents of the United States, and the novels of Alexander Dumas and his son.

To improve his Tagalog, he joined the dramatic society in Palomar, Tondo. Ha would memorize his lines patiently and take part in the moro-moro to learn more of the nuances of the language. In 1887 he and his friends founded the El Teatro Porvenir. Inspired by his profound knowledge of the Tagalog tongue, he gradually changed to Tagalog the names of things, places and scenes in the Spanish plays staged in the vernacular.

Andres married Monica, a comely and beautiful neighbor. A year later, however, she contracted leprosy and died. Fond of fiestas and dancing, widower Andres came across Gregoria de Jesus of Kalookan and fell in love with her. Gregoria's father objected to the match because Andres was a Mason, having affiliated himself with the Masonic lodge Taliba. But the old man finally acceded to the entreaties of the young lovers. In 1893, less than a year after Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, Andres and Gregoria were wed at the Binondo Church. Restituto Javier and his wife, Benita Rodriguez were the sponsors.

As a katipunero, he later took his bride to Oroquieta Street, the home of his sponsors where they were married again in accordance with the rites of the Katipunan. Present in the affair were Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Josefa and Trinidad Rizal, Jose Turiano Santiago, Marina Dizon, (Turiano Santiago's fiancee), Roman Basa and other members of the Katipunan. Gregoria de Jesus-Bonifacio was initiated into the organization as Lakambini (muse) and was made custodian of the Katipunan seal and of the society's valuable papers.

The founding of the Katipunan took place on July 7, 1892 in a house on Calle Ilaya with Ladislao Diwa, Teodoro Plata, and Deodato Arellano. Its full name was Kataastaasang Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (K.K.K.N.MA.N.B.), Bonifacio adopted the name Maypagasa .

It was at this time that Bonifacio became closely acquainted with Emilio Jacinto then a law student at the University of Santo Tomas. Bonifacio chose Jacinto to be the Secretary of the Supreme Council. He later became the "Brains of the Katipunan." Taking extreme precaution and foresight for the safety of their documents in the event that the authorities would discover the society, Andres, together with Emilio Jacinto, Guillermo Masangkay, Aurelio Tolentino, Faustino Mañalac, Pedro Zabala and a few other katipuneros convened in the mountains east of Manila on April 12, 1895.

In San Mateo and the Montalban mountains, they came upon the caves of Makarok and Pamitinan. Deep inside the cave of Pamitinan was an ideal place. It was selected for an initiation site as well as for a hiding place. Rebels from Morong joined them. With a piece of charcoal, Andres wrote on its walls: "Long Live Philippine Independence."

Because of the dangerous and heavy responsibilities imposed upon him as head of the Katipunan, he returned to Manila. He expanded the society's activities; removed members who were less active in the performance of their duties: imposed discipline on its members: and embarked on espionage missions to keep them well-informed of the movements of the Spanish civil and ecclesiastical officials. With cunning persuasion, Andres was able to secure a recommendation from the parish priest of Santa C'ruz for the employment of Julio Navarro, a katipunero, in the Spanish secret service Likewise, Jacinto succeeded in getting a recommendation from his professor in the University of Santo Tomas for the employment of secret katipuneros in the branches of government.

Andres was a calm and composed individual, yet alert and prudent in avoiding leakages of the activities of the Katipunan. In one instance, a coded message of the Katipunan fell into the hands of a certain Professor Arias of the University of Santo Tomas. This professor was a close friend of a Spaniard, the husband of Felicula Javier who was a half-sister of Jose Turiano Santiago then, the Secretary of the Supreme Council. Although Santiago's complicity in the leakage of information was not clearly established, he was expelled in accordance- with the meeting of the Katipunan under Bonifacio at Kalookan in 1895.

In 1896 Andres, together with Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Procopio Bonifacio, Candido Tirona and Emilio Jacinto, toured Cavite to recruit more members to the Katipunan. Upon his return, the house where he left Gregoria de Jesus was burned. They moved to Lavezares Street then to Magdalena. Two months later, their only son died.

By this time, alarming reports about the Katipunan reached Governor-General Bianco. But Bianco, in his disdainful attitude and tired of the complaints of the friars, dismissed the information as mere imagination of the overzealous clergy.

On May 1. 1896, a meeting was held by Bonifacio at Ugong. Morong Province (now Rizal) where they decided to consult or enlist the support of Rizal the moment the armed clash would start. Dr. Valenzuela was chosen to carry out the mission. With a blind man, Raymundo Mata and a boy named Rufino Magos, Dr. Valenzuela boarded the S.S. Venus for Dapitan under the ruse of seeking medical consultation with Dr. Rizal.

Upon reaching Dapitan, Dr. Valenzuela told Rizal of his mission. The latter, however, advised the group that the Filipinos must be financially and militarily prepared before staging an armed revolution.

After the discovery of the Katipunan by the Spanish authorities, Bonifacio and his men prepared for the eventual armed struggle. Bonifacio ordered his men to assemble in Balintawak. In a place called Kangkong, on the 21st of August in the house of Apolonio Samson they discussed the start of the armed rebellion but they were unable to come to an agreement.

On August 23 in the yard of Juan Ramos, son of the famous Tandang Sora, Bonifacio and his men decided to start the armed uprising on the 29th. There, they tore their cedulas to symbolize their final determination to rise in arms and to free the country from Spanish sovereignty this is called "Unang Sigaw sa Balintawak".

The pursuig Spanish soldiers however, dispersed them. On the 24th, Boaifacio and his men lodged in the house of Tandang Sora. The next morning, the civil guards and infantrymen overtook them but they fought back under the command of Bonifacio. The battle swung back and the Katipuneros had to retreat, under the cover of darkness and thick cogon grass to Balara. They reached Marikina, then Halang Bato where Bonifacio proclaimed the general uprising against Spain on Saturday, August 29, 1896.

The plan to lay siege on Manila did not materialize. Instead, Bonifacio and Jacinto's men attacked the powder magazine at San Juan. From Marikina, they seized the powder magazine and encircled the Spanish garrison. On the 30th however, a relief column of Spanish soldiers arrived and completely routed the rebels. But the flame of armed resistance had already engulfed Pasig. Noveleta, Tagig, Kalookan, Kawit, San Francisco de Malabon and Makati. Bonifacio's men assaulted and captured San Mateo only to yield the town to the enemy three days after.

On August 30, 1896, Governor-General Bianco declared martial law in the provinces of Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Bulakan, Pampanga, Tarlak and Nueva Ecija.

Meanwhile, in Cavite, Aguinaldo, a young revolutionary leader, proposed the establishment of a revolutionary government. The issue as to who should head the new government began to divide the Katipunan. The Magdalo faction maintained that the victories were attributed to Aguinaldo's leadership while the Magdiwang faction held on to the idea that since they were the instigators of the rebellion in Cavite, they were entitled to higher recognition as leaders of the armed organization. Magdiwang leaders, however, believed that the question of leadership could only be resolved by Bonifacio. An invitation was sent to the Supreme who was then in the mountains of Montalban. On December 31, 1896, the revolutionaries convened the Imus Assembly. Unfortunately no agreement was reached to transform the Katipunan into an organized government, much, less was there an agreement on the leadership question. They agreed, finally, to hold another meeting in Tejeros on March 22, 1897.

Before the assembly started, they decided to respect the majority. In the election for president, Aguinaldo was elected in absentia. Bonifacio placed second. Severino de las Alas, suggested that Bonifacio be the vice-president but his plea was not heeded. Instead, Mariano Trias was elected vice-president and Bonifacio was chosen minister of the interior. But his qualifications were questioned by Daniel Tirona who said a lawyer was more fit to occupy that office. Feeling gravely insulted, Bonifacio threatened to shoot Tirona but cooler heads intervened.

Bonifacio and his followers believed that as Bonifacio was the founder of the Katipunan and initiator of the armed rebellion, he should have been president. Embittered, Bonifacio and his followers determined to ignore and to nullify the results of the elections. Even General Ricarte affirmed the irregularity of the elections by refusing to take his oath as Captain-General. He was, however, prevailed upon by those present to accept the position. On March 24, Bonifacio and his men drew up a document repudiating the validity of the Tejeros electoral results. Misleadingly called the Acta de Tejeros, it showed the repugnant character of the new government and expressed the threat that should other parties impose its sovereignty over them they would resist.

Bonifacio, with his wife, brothers and a few followers left Tejeres for Limbon, a barrio of Indang, Cavite. The Magdalo faction overtook them, fought the men of Bonifacio, killing Ciriaco and wounding Bonifacio. Gregoria de Jesus, Procopio and the Supreme were taken to Maragondon where they were tried by a military court presided over by General Mariano Noriel. The prosecuting fiscal was Jose Elises. Teodoro Gonzales was the defense lawyer of Procopio and Placido Martinez for Andres Bonifacio. The military court, allegedly found them guilty of sedition and condemned them to death.

On May 7, 1897, the papers were forwarded to President Aguinaldo, who after a study of the case, commuted the death sentence to exile in a distant place. Upon learning of this decision, General Mariano Noriel and General Pio del Pilar rushed to Aguinaldo and prevailed on him to confirm the original sentence in order to safeguard the interests of the revolution and prevent the demoralization of the officers and men. Cautious of the position of the President in those times of emergency, Aguinaldo acceded to the entreaties of the two military officers.

On May 10, 1897 Bonifacio and his brother Procopio were taken by Major Lazaro Makapagal from the prison at Maragondon and brought them to Mt. Buntis where they were shot to death.

In his memory and honor, November 30th of every year was declared a legal holiday by virtue of Act No. 2946, approved on January 16, 1921. To perpetuate his greatness further, the cornerstone of his monument in Monumento, Caloocan was laid on November 30, 1929.

Juan Nakpil

2009-11-22T02:48:00.002+08:00

Juan F. Nakpil (1899 – 1986) was a Filipino architect, teacher and a community leader. In 1973, he was named one of the National Artists for architecture.

Among Nakpil's works are:

* Geronimo de los Reyes Building

* UP administration building and library

* Quezon Institute

* Social Security System

* State and Ever Theaters

* International Eucharistic Congress altar, 1937

* Magsaysay Building

* Rizal Theater

* Capitol Theater

* Captain Pepe Building

* Manila Jockey Club

* Avenue Hotel and Theater

* Rufino Building

* Philippine Village Hotel

* Philippine Trust Building

Awards

* Architect of the Year, 1939, 1940, 1946

* GGold Medal from Institute of Architects, 1950

* Most Outstanding Professional in Architecture, 1951 from Philippine Association of Board Examiners

* Honorary correspondent member ng Societe de Architectes par le Gouvernement Francais, 1952

* Chevalier de la legion d'Honneur, 1955

* Presidential Medal of Merit from President Ramon Magsaysay noong 1955

* correspondent member of Colegio de Arquitectos de Chile, 1956

* Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award, 1968

* Republic Cultural Heritage Award, 1971

* Rizal Pro Patria Award, 1972

* Pambansang Alagad ng Sining, 1973

Jose Torres Bugallon

2009-09-11T00:04:00.001+08:00

Jose Torres Bugallon (b. August 28, 1873 – d. February 5, 1899) a revolutionary soldier, was officer in command of the Filipino army who fought the Spaniards in the Battle of La Loma in 1899. In 1896, he went to Toledo, Spain where he studied military organization and warfare. By December 10, 1898, after the Treaty of Paris, he worked as aide-de-camp of General Antonio Luna.

Jose's father was from Baliwag, Bulacan and his mother was from a well-known Gonzalez family of Pangasinan. He was in the guardian of Rufino Villacruz who was a well-known schoolmaster of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija. In 1888, he studied at Colegio de San Juan de Letran where he took up his secondary course, with excellent grades. He entered the Seminary of San Carlos but his real passion was to became a soldier, he took up a military entrance exam. After passing the validation, he was granted to study at the Military Academy of Toledo, Spain, 1892, where he studied for three years and concentrated in the study of military organization and warfare.

Upon his return, he was appointed second lieutenant by the Spanish army and served under the 70th Infantry regiment . After the batlle of Talisay, Batangas,May 30, 1897, he was promoted to captain and was awarded the highest medal of San Fernando. He was also awarded with Cross of Maria Cristina and the Red Cross for Military Honor (Cruz Roja Del Merito Militar). After the Treaty of Paris, he obtained clearance papers. When the Americans came to the Philippines on February 1899, he joined the the rebels. Gen. Antonio Luna needed instructors for his officers in the European art of warfare at Malolos,Bulacan. He was the aide-de-camp and the recruiter of the Spanish war veteran. His knowledge was very instrumental in the reorganization and dicipline of the Filipino soldiers at that time.

On February 5, 1899, he was in La Loma defending the fronline. The Americans under Gen. Douglas MacArthur were attacking their defences at that time. They were outflanked, thus exposing Bugallon to the advanced firepower of the enemies, he was hit by a bullet in the thighs. Col. Queri told Gen. Luna that Bugallon was wounded, The general ordered: " Bugallon wounded. Order forward. He must be saved at all cost. Bugallon is worth 500 Filipino soldiers . he is one of my hopes for future victory." After which, the general found him along side of the road. All that he could utter was "My..... don't expose yourself so much. Don't advance any further." He was withdrawn by Commander Hernando and Gen. Luna himself, he was taken to Kalookan medical station where he was given first aid by Dr. Jose Luna and Santiago Barcelona. Later was rushed by train to Malolos, Bulacan for hospitalization, somewhere after Lolomboy and nearing Bocaue, Bulacan, Bugallon asked "Have the reinforcement arrived?", But he was too weak to keep up and he was bleeding, he died in the greast of Gen. Antonio Luna.

Bugallon was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel after his display of gallantry in battle and heroism. The former town of Salasa in Pangasinan was renamed Bugallon in honor of Jose Torres Bugallon. This was law sponsored by Congressman Mauro Navarro of Pangasinan in 1921 to perpetute Bugallon's gallantry. His remains lies in Sampalok Church in Manila.

Don Mariano Ponce

2009-09-09T00:01:00.002+08:00

Mariano Ponce (March 23, 1863-May 23, 1918) was a Filipino physician who was a leader of the Propaganda Movement that spurred the Philippine Revolution against Spanish in 1896.

He was born in Baliwag, Bulacan where he completed his primary education. He later enrolled at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran and took up medicine at the University of Santo Tomas. In 1881, he left for Europe to continue his medical studies at the Unversidad Central de Madrid.

While he was studying in Spain, he joined Marcelo del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena and Jose Rizal in the Propaganda Movement which espoused Filipino representation in the Spanish Cortes and reforms in the Spanish colonial administration of the Philippines. He wrote in the propaganda publication La Solidaridad under several pseudonyms, including Naning, Kalipulako and Tikbalang.

He was briefly imprisoned when the revolution broke out in August 1896 but was later released. Fearing another arrest, he fled to France and later went to Hong Kong where he joined a group of Filipinos who served as the international front of the ongoing revolution.

In 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo chose him to represent the First Philippine Republic in Japan to seek aid and purchase arms. He went to Yokohama on June 29, 1898. During his stay, he met and befriended Sun Yat Sen, first president of the Republic of China (Sun Yat Sen also supported Philippine Independence by supplying him with arms) and even show sympathy to the Chinese. Mariano married a Japanese woman named Okiyo Udanwara.

With the help of a Filipino-Japanese named Jose Ramos Ishikawa he purchased weapons and munition for the revolution. But the shipment did not reach the country due to a typhoon off the coast of Formosa.

When he returned to the Philippines, he was made director of El Renacimiento in 1909. He also joined the Nacionalista Party and established El Ideal, the party's official organ. He later ran for a seat in the Philippine Assembly and was elected assemblyman for the second district of Bulacan. Ponce wrote his memoirs, Cartas Sobre La Revolucion, before he died in Hong Kong.

Federico I. Abaya

2009-09-07T12:57:00.001+08:00

Federico Isabelo Abaya (b. 1854 – d. May 3, 1900) was a member of the Espiritu de Candon, a revolutionary group founded in Candon, Ilocos Sur. He led the Ikkis ti Kandon (in English: Cry of Candon) on March 25, 1898 which drove the Spaniards away and made him declare a free Republic of Candon.

The young Federico, studied at a public school in Candon, Ilocos Sur. He then enroll at Vigan Seminary, but later decided not to pursue his priesthood. An Uncle took him to Pangasinan, where he learned the art of fencing.

Upon his return to his hometown, Federico became a policeman and a cabeza de barangay. In 1898, he joined the Philippine Revolutionary Army, then under Col. Manuel Tinio. At the onset of the Filipino-American War, with his recruited Igorots (under the command of General Antonio Luna), he led the Battle of Caloocan in February, 1899. Later, he became a commander of forces of a guerrilla movement in southern Ilocos headed by Col. Juan Villamor. Federico Abaya was, likewise, responsible for the termination of the Spaniards in Ilocos Sur.

Nick Joaquin

2009-09-05T15:37:00.003+08:00

Nicomedes Márquez Joaquín, usually known as Nick Joaquin (May 4, 1917–April 29, 2004), was a Filipino writer, historian and journalist, best known for his short stories and novels in the English language. He also wrote using the pen name Quijano de Manila. Joaquin was conferred the rank and title of National Artist of the Philippines for Literature.

Biography

Joaquín was born in Paco, Manila, one of the ten children of Leocadio, a colonel under General Emilio Aguinaldo in the 1896 Revolution, and Salome Marquez, a teacher of English and Spanish. Being read poems and stories by his mother, Joaquin taught himself by reading widely at the National Library of the Philippines and the library of his father, hwo by that time was a successful lawyer after the revolution. This developed further his interest in writing.

At age 17, Joaquín was first published in the literary section of the Pre-World War II Tribune under writer and editor Serafín Lanot. Before publishing in the Tribune, Joaquin worked as a proofreader of the paper.

After winning a Dominican Order-sponsored nationwide essay competition for La Naval de Manila, the University of Santo Tomas awarded Joaquín an honorary Associate in Arts (A.A.) and a scholarship to St. Albert's Convent, the Dominican monastery in Hong Kong. Upon his return to the Philippines, he joined the Philippines Free Press, starting as a proofreader. Soon, he was noticed for his poems, stories and plays, as well as his journalism under the pen name Quijano de Manila. His journalism was markedly both intellectual and provocative, an unknown genre in the Philippines at that time, raising the level of reportage in the country. Nick Joaquin is interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Joaquín deeply admired José Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. Joaquín paid tribute to Rizal by way of books such as The Storyteller's New Medium - Rizal in Saga, The Complete Poems and Plays of Jose Rizal, and A Question of Heroes: Essays in Criticism on Ten Key Figures of Philippine History. He also translated the hero's valedictory poem, "Land That I Love, Farewell!"

Joaquín served as a member of Motion Pictures under President Diosdado Macapagal and President Ferdinand E. Marcos. According to writer Marra PL. Lanot, Joaquín was untouched by Marcos' iron fist. Joaqun's first move as National Artist was to secure the release of imprisoned writer José F. Lacaba. Later, at a ceremony on Mount Makiling attended by First Lady Imelda Marcos, Joaquín delivered an invocation to Mariang Makiling, the mountain's mythical maiden. Joaquín touched on the importance of freedom and the artist. As a result, for the remainder of the Marcos regime, Joaquín no longer received invitations to address important cultural events.

Joaquín died of cardiac arrest in the early morning of April 29, 2004. He died in his home in San Juan, Metro Manila. At the time of his death, he was editor of Philippine Graphic magazine and publisher of its sister publication, Mirror Weekly, a women’s magazine. He also wrote columns (“Small Beer”) for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Isyu, an opinion tabloid.

Tatarin

Tatarin, a movie based on Philippine National Artist Nick Joaqin’s short story The Summer Solstice, was directed by Amable “Tikoy” Aguiliz and released in 2001. The screenplay was written by Ricardo Lee. Nick Joaquin was consulted on his portrayal. The cast consisted of famous Filipino actors Edu Manzano (Paeng Moreta,) Dina Bonnevie (Lupe Moreta), Rica Peralejo (Amada), and Raymond B. Bagatsing.

Works of Nick Joaquin

* Prose and Poems (1952)
* The Woman Who had Two Navels (1961)
* La Naval de Manila and Other Essays (1964)
* A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino(1966)
* Tropical Gothic (1972)
* A Question of Heroes (1977)
* Jeseph Estrada and Other Sketches (1977)
* Nora Aunor & Other Profiles (1977)
* Ronnie Poe & Other Silhouettes (1977)
* Reportage on Lovers (1977)
* Reportage on Crime (1977)
* Amalia Fuentes & Other Etchings (1977)
* Gloria Diaz & Other Delineations (1977)
* Doveglion & Other Cameos (1977)
* Language of the Streets and Other Essays (1977)
* Manila: Sin City and Other Chronicles (1977)
* Tropical Baroque (1979),
* Stories for Groovy Kids (1979)
* Language of the Street and Other Essays (1980)
* The Ballad of the Five Battles (1981)
* The Aquinos of Tarlac: An Essay on History as Three Generations (1983)
* Almanac for Manileños
* Cave and Shadows (1983)
* The Quartet of the Tiger Moon: Scenes from the People Power Apocalypse (1986)
* Collected Verse (1987)
* Culture and History: Occasional Notes on the Process of Philippine Becoming (1988)
* Manila, My Manila: A History for the Young (1990),
* The D.M. Guevara Story (1993),
* Mr. F.E.U., the Culture Hero That Was Nicanor Reyes (1995).
* Rizal in Saga (1996)

Awards

* José García Villa's Honor Roll (1940)
* Philippines Free Press Short Story Contest (1949)
* Ten Most Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM), Awardee for Literature (1955)
* Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Literary Awards (1957–1958; 1965; 1976)
* Harper Publishing Company (New York, U.S.A.) writing fellowship
* Stonehill Award for the Novel (1960)
* Republic Cultural Heritage Award (1961)
* Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award from the City of Manila (1964)
* National Artist Award (1976).
* S.E.A. Write Award (1980)
* Ramon Magsaysay Award for Literature (1996)
* Tanglaw ng Lahi Award from the Ateneo de Manila University (1997)
* Several ESSO Journalism awards, including the highly-covetedJournalist of the Year Award.
* Several National Book Awards from the Manila Critics' Circle for The Aquinos of Tarlac: An Essay in History as Three Generations; The Quartet of the Tiger Moon: Scenes from the People Power Apocalypse; Culture and History: Occasional Notes on the Process of Philippine Becoming; The World of Damian Domingo: 19th Century Manila (co-authored with Luciano P.R. Santiago); and Jaime Ongpin: The Enigma: The Profile of a Filipino as Manager.

Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.

2009-08-21T10:47:00.000+08:00

Benigno Servillano "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. (November 27, 1932 – August 21, 1983) was a Philippine Senator, Governor of Tarlac, and an opposition leader against President Ferdinand Marcos. He was assassinated at the Manila International Airport (later renamed in his honor) upon returning home from exile in the United States. His death catapulted his widow, Corazon Aquino, to the limelight and subsequently to the presidency, replacing the 20-year Marcos regime. In 2004, the anniversary of his death was proclaimed as a national holiday now known as Ninoy Aquino Day.

Early life and career

Benigno Servillano Aquino was born in Concepcion, Tarlac, to a prosperous family of hacienderos (landlords). His grandfather, Servillano Aquino, was a general in the revolutionary army of Emilio Aguinaldo while his father, Benigno Aquino, Sr. (1894-1947) was a prominent official in the World War II Japanese-organized government of José P. Laurel. His mother was Doña Aurora Aquino-Aquino (who was also his father's third cousin). His father died while Benigno Aquino was in his teens amid rumors of collaboration with the Japanese during the occupation. Aquino was educated in private schools--St. Joseph's College, Ateneo de Manila, and De La Salle College. He finished high school at San Beda College. Aquino took his tertiary education at the Ateneo de Manila to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree, but he interrupted his studies. At age 17, he was the youngest war correspondent to cover the Korean War for the newspaper The Manila Times of Joaquin "Chino" Roces. Because of his journalistic feats, he received a Philippine Legion of Honor award from President Elpidio Quirino at age 18. At 21, he became a close adviser to then defense secretary Ramon Magsaysay. Ninoy took up law at the University of the Philippines, where he became a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi. He interrupted his studies again however to pursue a career in journalism. According to Maximo V. Soliven, Aquino "later 'explained' that he had decided to go to as many schools as possible, so that he could make as many new friends as possible." In early 1954, he was appointed by President Ramon Magsaysay to act as personal emissary to Luis Taruc, leader of the Hukbalahap rebel group. After four months of negotiations, he was credited for Taruc's unconditional surrender. He became mayor of Concepcion in 1955 at the age of 22. In the same year he married Corazon "Cory" Cojuangco, and they had five children; Maria Elena (Ballsy), Aurora Corazon (Pinky), Benigno Simeon III (Noynoy), Victoria Eliza (Viel), and actress and TV host Kristina Bernadette (Kris).

Political career

Benigno Aquino was no stranger to Philippine politics. He came from a family that had been involved with some of the country's political heavyweights. His grandfather served under President Aguinaldo while his father held office under Presidents Manuel L. Quezon and Jose P. Laurel. Benigno Aquino became the youngest municipal mayor at age 22, and the nation's youngest vice-governor at 27. He became governor of Tarlac province in 1961 at age 29, then secretary-general of the Liberal Party in 1966. In 1967 he made history by becoming the youngest elected senator in the country's history at age 34. He was the only "survivor" of the Liberal Party who made it to the senate, where he was inevitably singled out by Marcos and his allies as their greatest threat. In 1968, during his first year in the Upper House, Aquino warned that Marcos was on the road to establishing "a garrison state" by "ballooning the armed forces budget", saddling the defense establishment with "overstaying generals" and "militarizing our civilian government offices"--all these caveats were uttered barely four years before martial law.

In myriad ways Aquino bedeviled the Marcos regime, chipping away at its monolithic facade. His most celebrated speech, insolently entitled "A Pantheon for Imelda", was delivered on February 10, 1969, and assailed the first lady's first extravagant project, the P50 million Cultural Center, which he dubbed "a monument to shame". An outraged President Marcos called Aquino "a congenital liar". The First Lady's friends angrily accused Aquino of being "ungallant". These so-called "fiscalization" tactics of Aquino quickly became his trademark in the senate. During his tenure as senator, he was selected by the Philippine Free Press magazine as one of the nation's most outstanding senators. His achievements at such a young age earned him the moniker "Wonder Boy" of Philippine politics.

No chance Aquino was seen as a contender by many for the highest office in the land, the presidency. Surveys during those times showed that he was the number one choice among Filipinos, since President Marcos by law was prohibited to serve another term.

Martial law, hunger strike

It was not until the Plaza Miranda bombing however—on August 21, 1971 (12 years to the day before Ninoy Aquino's own assassination)--that the pattern of direct confrontation between Marcos and Aquino emerged. At 9:15 p.m., at the kick-off rally of the Liberal Party, the candidates had formed a line on a makeshift platform and were raising their hands as the crowd applauded. The band played, a fireworks display drew all eyes, when suddenly there were two loud explosions that obviously were not part of the show. In an instant the stage became a scene of wild carnage. The police later discovered two fragmentation grenades that had been thrown at the stage by "unknown persons". 8 people died, 120 others were wounded, many critically. Aquino was absent at the incident.

Although suspicions pointed to the Nacionalistas (the political party of Marcos), Marcos allies sought to deflect this by insinuating that, perhaps, Aquino might have had a hand in the blast in a bid to eliminate his potential rivals within the party. Later, the Marcos government presented "evidence" of the bombings as well as an alleged threat of a communist insurgency, suggesting that the bombings were the handiwork of the growing New People's Army. Marcos made this a pretext to suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus, vowed that the killers would be apprehended within 48 hours, and arrested a score of known "Maoists" on general principle. Ironically, the police captured one of the bombers, who was identified as a sergeant of the firearms and explosive section of the Philippine Constabulary, a military arm of the government. According to Aquino, this man was later snatched from police custody by military personnel and the public never heard from him again.

President Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972 and he went on air to broadcast his declaration on midnight of September 23. Aquino was one of the first to be arrested and imprisoned on trumped-up charges of murder, illegal possession of firearms and subversion. On April 4, 1975, Aquino announced that he was going on a hunger strike, a fast to the death to protest the injustices of his military trial. Ten days through his hunger strike, he instructed his lawyers to withdraw all motions he had submitted to the Supreme Court. As weeks went by, he subsisted solely on salt tablets, sodium bicarbonate, amino acids and two glasses of water a day. Even as he grew weaker, suffering from chills and cramps, soldiers forcibly dragged him to the military tribunal's session. His family and hundreds of friends and supporters heard Mass nightly at the Santuario de San Jose in Greenhills, San Juan, praying for his survival. Near the end, Aquino's weight had dropped from 180 to 120 pounds. Aquino nonetheless maintained the ability to walk throughout his ordeal. On May 13, 1975, on the 40th day, his family and several priests and friends, begged him to end his fast, pointing out that even Christ fasted only for 40 days. He acquiesced, confident that he had made a symbolic gesture. But at 10:25 p.m. on November 25, 1977, the government-controlled Military Commission No. 2 headed by Major-General Jose Syjuco found Aquino guilty of all charges and he was sentenced to death by firing squad. However, Aquino and many others believed that Marcos, ever the shrewd strategist, would not let him suffer a death that would surely make Aquino a martyr.

In 1978, from his prison cell, he was allowed to take part in the elections for Interim Batasang Pambansa (Parliament). Although his friends, former Senators Gerry Roxas and Jovito Salonga preferred to boycott the elections, Aquino urged his supporters to organize and run 21 candidates in Metro Manila. Thus his political party, dubbed Lakas ng Bayan (People's Power), was born. The party's acronym was "LABAN" (the word laban means "fight" in the Filipino language, Tagalog). He was allowed one television interview on Face the Nation (hosted by Ronnie Nathanielsz) and proved to a startled and impressed populace that imprisonment had neither dulled his rapier-like tongue nor dampened his fighting spirit. Foreign correspondents and diplomats asked what would happen to the LABAN ticket. People agreed with him that his party would win overwhelmingly in an honest election. Not surprisingly, all his candidates lost due to widespread election fraud.

In mid-March 1980, Aquino suffered a heart attack, possibly the result of seven years in prison, mostly in a solitary cell which must have taken a heavy toll on his gregarious personality. He was transported to the Philippine Heart Center where he suffered a second heart attack. The doctors administered ECG and other tests and found that he had a blocked artery. The surgeons were reluctant to do a coronary bypass because of their unwillingness to be involved in a controversy. Additionally, Aquino refused to submit himself to the hands of local doctors, fearing possible Marcos "duplicity", preferring to either go to the United States for the procedure or to return to his cell at Fort Bonifacio and die.

On May 8, 1980, Imelda Marcos made an unannounced visit to Aquino at his hospital room. She asked him if he would like to leave that evening for the U.S., but not before agreeing on two covenants: 1.) That if he leaves, he will return; 2.) While in America, he should not speak out against the Marcos regime. She then ordered General Fabian Ver and Mel Mathay to make necessary arrangements for passports and plane tickets for the Aquino family. Aquino was shoved in a closed van, rushed to his home on Times Street to pack, hustled to the airport and put on a plane bound for the U.S. that same day accompanied by his family.

Aquino was operated on at a hospital in Dallas, Texas. He made a quick recovery, was walking within two weeks and making plans to fly to Damascus, Syria to contact Muslim leaders, which he did five weeks later. When he reiterated that he was returning to the Philippines, he received a surreptitious message from the Marcos government saying that he was now granted an extension of his "medical furlough". Eventually, Aquino decided to renounce his two covenants with Malacañang "because of the dictates of higher national interest". After all, Aquino added, "a pact with the devil is no pact at all".

Aquino spent three years in self-exile, setting up house with Cory and their kids in Newton, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. On fellowship grants from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he worked on the manuscripts of two books and gave a series of lectures in school halls, classrooms and auditoriums. He traveled extensively in the U.S. delivering speeches critical of the Marcos government.

Marcos and his officials, aware of Aquino's growing popularity even in his absence, in turn accused Aquino of being the "Mad Bomber" and allegedly masterminding a rash of bombings that had rocked Metro Manila in 1981 and 1982. Aquino denied that he was advocating a bloody revolution, but warned that radicalized oppositionists were threatening to use violence soon. He urged Marcos to "heed the voice of conscience and moderation", and declared himself willing to lay his own life on the line.

Planning return

Throughout his years of expatriation, Aquino was always aware that his life in the U.S. was temporary. He never stopped affirming his eventual return even as he enjoyed American hospitality and a peaceful life with his family on American soil. After spending 7 years and 7 months in prison, Aquino's finances were in ruins. Making up for the lost time as the family's breadwinner, he toured America; attending symposiums, lectures, and giving speeches in freedom rallies opposing the Marcos dictatorship, with the most memorable held at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles, California on February 15, 1981.

In the first quarter of 1983, Aquino was receiving news about the deteriorating political situation in his country combined with the rumored declining health (due to lupus) of President Ferdinand Marcos. He believed that it was expedient for him to speak to Marcos and present to him his rationale for the country's return to democracy, before extremists took over and make such a change impossible. Moreover, his years of absence made his allies worry that the Filipinos might have resigned themselves to Marcos' strongman rule and that without his leadership the centrist opposition would die a natural death.

Aquino decided to go back to the Philippines, fully aware of the dangers that awaited him. Warned that he would either be imprisoned or killed, Aquino answered, "if it's my fate to die by an assassin's bullet, so be it. But I cannot be petrified by inaction, or fear of assassination, and therefore stay in the corner..." His family, however, learned from a Philippine Consulate official that there were orders from Ministry of Foreign Affairs not to issue any passports for them. At that time, their visas had expired and their renewal had been denied. They therefore formulated a plan for Ninoy to fly alone—to attract less attention—and the rest of the family to follow him after two weeks. Despite the government's ban on issuing him a passport, Aquino was able to acquire one with the help of Rashid Lucman, a former congressman from Mindanao. It carried an alias, Marcial Bonifacio (Marcial for martial law and Bonifacio for Fort Bonifacio, his erstwhile prison). He eventually obtained a legitimate passport from a sympathizer working in a Philippine consulate. The Marcos government warned all international airlines that they would be denied landing rights and forced to return if they tried to fly Ninoy to the Philippines. Aquino insisted that it was his natural right as a citizen to come back to his homeland, and that no government could prevent him from doing so. He left Logan International Airport on August 13, 1983, took a circuitous route home from Boston, via Los Angeles, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Taipei, before heading towards Manila. He had chosen Taipei as the final stopover when he learned the Philippines had severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan. This made him feel more secure; the Taiwan authorities could pretend they were not aware of his presence. There would also be a couple of Taiwanese friends accompanying him.

It would have been perfectly convenient for the Marcos government if Aquino had stayed out of the local political arena, however Ninoy asserted his willingness to suffer the consequences declaring, "the Filipino is worth dying for." He wished to express an earnest plea for Marcos to step down and seek a peaceful regime change and a return to democratic institutions. Anticipating the worst, during a pre-return interview held in his suite at the Taipei Grand Hotel, he revealed that he would be wearing a bullet-proof vest, but he also said that "it's only good for the body, but for the head there's nothing else we can do". Sensing his own doom, he told the journalists accompanying him on the flight that they "have to be ready with your (hand) camera because this action can become very fast... in a matter of 3 or 4 minutes it could be all over... and I may not be able to talk to you again after this...." In his last formal statement that he wasn't able to deliver, he said, "I have returned to join the ranks of those struggling to restore our rights and freedom through nonviolence. I seek no confrontation."

Assassination

Despite a convoy of security guards (all assigned to him by the Marcos government), a contingent of 1,200 military and police personnel on the tarmac, three armed bodyguards personally escorting him, and a bulletproof vest Aquino was wearing, Aquino was fatally shot in the head as he was escorted off the airplane. From the airplane, aviation security personnel were seen firing into the body of an unknown man dressed in blue, who was identified as Rolando Galman. Aquino's body was quickly loaded into a van and sped away.

Initially government ran radio and television reported that Benigno Aquino was killed together with an "unknown" assassin . Then the government claimed that Aquino was killed by a Communist hitman named Rolando "Rolly" Galman, who was shot dead at the scene by the aviation security. However, politicians and diplomats found evident contradictions between the claim and the photos and the videotape footage that documented the time before and after the shooting. The footage had circulated throughout the Philippines at that time.

Everyone from the Central Intelligence Agency, to the United Nations, to the Communist Party of the Philippines to First Lady Imelda Marcos was accused of conspiracy. President Marcos was reportedly gravely ill, recovering from a kidney transplant when the incident occurred. Theories arose as to who was in charge and who ordered the execution. Some hypothesized that Marcos had a long-standing order for Aquino's murder upon the latter's return.

Aquino's body lay in state in a glass coffin. No effort was made to disguise a bullet wound that had disfigured his face. Aquino's funeral procession on August 31 lasted from 9 a.m.--with a funeral mass officiated by the Catholic archbishop of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin, and held at Santo Domingo Church—to 9 p.m., when his body was interred at the Manila Memorial Park. Two million people lined the streets during the procession which was aired by the Church-sponsored Radio Veritas, the only station that covered the procession. The procession reached Rizal Park, where the Philippine flag was brought to half-staff.

Investigation

Meanwhile, President Marcos immediately created a fact-finding commission, headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Enrique Fernando, to investigate the Aquino assassination. However, the commission lasted only two sittings due to intense public criticism. President Marcos issued on October 14, 1983, Presidential Decree No. 1886 creating an independent board of inquiry. The board was composed of former Court of Appeals Justice Ma. Corazon J. Agrava as chairman, Amando Dizon, Luciano Salazar, Dante Santos and Ernesto Herrera.

The Agrava Fact-Finding Board convened on November 3, 1983. But, before it could start its work President Marcos charged the communists for the killing of Senator Aquino: “The decision to eliminate the former Senator, Marcos claimed, was made by none other than the general-secretary of the Philippine Communist Party, Rodolfo Salas. He was referring to his earlier claim that Aquino had befriended and subsequently betrayed his communist comrades."

The Agrava Board conducted public hearings, and invited several persons who might shed light on the crimes, including AFP Chief of Staff Fabian Ver and Imelda Marcos.

In the subsequent proceedings, no one actually identified who pulled the trigger of the gun that killed Aquino, but Rebecca Quijano, another passenger, testified that she saw a man behind Aquino (running from the stairs towards Aquino and his escorts) point a gun at the back of his head, then there was the sound of a gunshot. A post-mortem analysis disclosed that Aquino was shot in the back of the head at close range with the bullet exiting at the chin at an angle which supported Quijano's testimony. More suspicions were aroused when Quijano described the assassin as wearing a military uniform.

After a year of thorough investigation – with 20,000 pages of testimony given by 193 witnesses, the Agrava Board submitted two reports to President Marcos – the Majority and Minority Reports. The Minority Report, submitted by Chairman Agrava alone, was submitted on October 23, 1984. It confirmed that the Aquino assassination was a military conspiracy but it cleared Gen. Ver. Many believed that President Marcos intimidated and pressured the members of the Board to persuade them not to indict Ver, Marcos’ first cousin and most trusted general. Excluding Chairman Agrava, the majority of the board submitted a separate report – the Majority Report – indicting several members of the Armed Forces including AFP Chief-of-Staff Gen. Fabian Ver, Gen. Luther Custodio and Gen. Prospero Olivas, head of AVSECOM.

Later, the 25 military personnel, including several generals and colonels, and one civilian were charged for the murder of Senator Aquino. President Marcos relieved Ver as AFP Chief and appointed his second-cousin, Gen. Fidel V. Ramos as acting AFP Chief. After a brief trial, the Sandiganbayan acquitted all the accused on December 2, 1985. Immediately after the decision, Marcos re-instated Ver. The Sandiganbayan ruling and the reinstatement of Ver were denounced by several sectors as a “mockery” of justice.

After Marcos was ousted in 1986, another investigation was set up by the new government. The men on the tarmac, the rank and file of the military, were found guilty and sentenced to life at National Bilibid Prison. They recently filed an appeal to have their sentences reduced after 22 years, claiming the assassination was ordered by a Marcos crony and business partner (and Corazon Aquino's estranged cousin), Eduardo Cojuangco, Jr., who was eventually cleared by the Aquino family. Through the years, some have been pardoned, others have died in detention, while yet others have had their terms commuted and then served these out. As of March 2009, the last remaining convicts have been released from prison.

Aftermath

Ninoy Aquino's actual bloodied safari jacket, pants (folded), belt and boots that he wore upon his return from exile are on permanent display at the Aquino Center in Tarlac.

The death of Benigno Aquino transformed the Philippine opposition from a small isolated movement to a massive unified crusade, incorporating people from all walks of life. The middle class got involved, the impoverished majority participated, and business leaders whom Marcos had irked during martial law endorsed the campaign—all with the crucial support of the military and the Catholic Church hierarchy. The assassination showed the increasing incapacity of the Marcos regime—Ferdinand was mortally ill when the crime occurred while his cronies mismanaged the country in his absence. It outraged Aquino's supporters that Marcos, if not masterminding it, allowed the assassination to happen and engineered its cover-up. The mass revolt caused by Aquino's demise attracted worldwide media attention and Marcos' American contacts, as well as the Reagan Administration, began distancing themselves. There was global media spotlight to the Philippine crisis, and exposés on Imelda's extravagant lifestyle (most infamously, her thousands of pairs of shoes) and "mining operations", as well as Ferdinand's dictatorial excesses, came into focus.

The assassination thrust Aquino's widow, Corazon "Cory" Aquino, willingly or unwillingly, into the public eye. Convinced by leaders of the opposition that she was the person to beat Marcos, Cory Aquino went on to campaign tirelessly in the 1986 snap elections which were called by Marcos to pacify rampant public discontent. In 57 days of trying to win people's votes before the February 7, 1986 election, her UNIDO party took to the streets, visiting all but a few of the Philippine provinces. On the campaign trail, Mrs. Aquino was greeted by throngs of people throwing confetti and cheering "Cory! Cory! Cory!". Despite the Marcos-controlled Commission on Election's declaration of a Marcos' victory, the majority of the Filipino people refused to accept the allegedly fraudulent outcome, prompting the People Power Revolution that drove Marcos into exile and placed Cory Aquino in the seat of power.

While no Filipino president has ever been assassinated, Benigno Aquino is one of three presidential spouses who have been murdered. Aurora Quezon was killed along with her daughter and son-in-law in a Hukbalahap ambush in 1949, while Alicia Syquia-Quirino was murdered by the Japanese along with three of her children during the Battle of Manila in 1945.

Legacy

In Senator Aquino's honor, the Manila International Airport (MIA) where he was assassinated was renamed Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and his image is printed on the 500-peso bill. The Philippine Congress enacted Republic Act (R.A.) 9256, declaring August 21, the anniversary of his death, as "Ninoy Aquino Day", an annual public holiday in the Philippines. Several monuments were built in his honor. Most renowned is the bronze memorial in Makati City near the Philippine Stock Exchange, which today is a venue of endless anti-government rallies and large demonstrations, with another one bronze statue in front of the Municipal Building of Concepcion, Tarlac.

Although Aquino was recognized as the most prominent and most dynamic opposition leader of his generation, in the years prior to martial law he was regarded by many as being a representative of the entrenched familial bureaucracy which to this day dominates Philippine politics. While atypically telegenic and uncommonly articulate, he had his share of detractors and was not known to be immune to ambitions and excesses of the ruling political class. However, during his seven years and seven months imprisoned as a political prisoner of Marcos, Aquino read a book entitled Born Again by convicted Watergate conspirator Charles Colson and it inspired him to a religious awakening.

As a result, the remainder of his personal and political life would undertake a distinct spiritual sheen. He emerged as a contemporary counterpart of the great Rizal, who was among the world's earliest proponents of the use of non-violence to combat a repressive regime. Some remained skeptical of Aquino's redirected spiritual focus, but it ultimately had an effect on his wife's political career. While some may question the prominence given Aquino in Philippine history, it was his assassination that was pivotal to the downfall of a despotic ruler and the eventual restoration of democracy in the Philippines.

As part of Republic Act No. 9256, the Monday nearest August 21 was declared (SECTION 1. Section 26, Chapter 7, Book I of Executive Order No. 292, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987) a nationwide special holiday (Ninoy Aquino Day) by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines and approved on July 25, 2007 by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Philippines.

Timeline of the murder case

August 21, 1983 - Benigno Aquino, Jr. was assassinated after disembarking a China Airlines plane at the Manila International Airport. Also killed was Rolando Galman.

August 24, 1983 – Ferdinand Marcos sent a fact-finding commission headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Enrique Fernando to investigate the Aquino murder (composed of 4 retired Supreme Court Justices who resigned, after its composition was challenged in court and thereafter, Arturo M. Tolentino declined appointment as board chairman.

August 31, 1983 - More than 2 million people lined up the streets and joined Ninoy's funeral procession, which was the biggest in Philippine history. The procession lasted for 11 hours, from the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City to Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.

October 22, 1983 – Marcos created another fact-finding committee known as the Agrava Fact-Finding Board, headed by former Court of Appeals Justice Corazon Agrava, with lawyer Luciano E. Salazar, businessman Dante G. Santos, labor leader Ernesto F. Herrera and educator Amado C. Dizon, as members.

October 22, 1984 – Agrava Board released the reports concluding that military officers, including then Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Fabian Ver, conspired to kill Ninoy Aquino and the Supreme Court assigned the case to the Sandiganbayan.

December 2, 1985 – Following trial, the Sandiganbayan acquits all the accused.

September 12, 1986 – The Supreme Court, newly re-organized following the 1986 Edsa Revolution, orders a retrial of the accused. Warrants of arrests are subsequently issued by the Sandiganbayan for 25 military men, led by General Ver, and one civilian.

September 28, 1990 – The Sandiganbayan convicts 16 of the suspects and sentences them to reclusion perpetua. Convicted of the crime were the Avsecom chief, Brig. Gen. Luther Custodio, Capt. Romeo Bautista, 2nd Lt. Jesus Castro, and Sergeants Claro L. Lat, Arnulfo de Mesa, Filomeno Miranda, Rolando de Guzman, Ernesto Mateo, Rodolfo Desolong, Ruben Aquino and Arnulfo Artates, gunman Constable Rogelio Moreno, M/Sgt. Pablo Martinez, C1C Mario Lazaga, A1C Cordova Estelo and A1C Felizardo Taran. No mastermind was named.

July 23, 1991 – The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction.

November 21, 1998 – Ver died of a lung ailment in Bangkok.

March 8, 2005 – The Supreme Court denied the petition of the accused (filed on August 2004) to re-open the case.

August 21, 2007 – The 24th anniversary of Ninoy’s murder. Chief Justice Andres Narvasa appealed for the closure of the case; Juan Ponce Enrile asked for the review for clemency in favor of the 14 convicts; Palawan Bishop Pedro Arigo, chairman of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC) asked pardon for the convicts; Corazon Aquino and Benigno Aquino III forgave the 14 soldiers but opposed their appeals for clemency or parole (which Sec. Raul Gonzales submitted to the President on 2004); Eduardo Ermita stated that the Bureau of Pardons and Parole had recommended a grant of executive clemency.

August 24, 2007 - Eduardo Ermita officially announced that due to political implications, the appeal for clemency by the 14 soldiers was archived, even if the Bureau of Pardons and Parole presently reviews the plea. The executive secretary refused to give a time frame for the review.

November 22, 2007- After more than 21 years, Pablo Martinez, one of the convicts in the Aquino-Galman double murder case in 1983 was released from the National Bilibid Prisons after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pardoned him for humanitarian reasons. Martines stated:

"Kung nakikinig man kayo Madam Cory Aquino patawarin ninyo ako sa nagawa kong pagkakasala noon."

("If you are listening Madame Cory Aquino, forgive me for the wrongdoings that I did before.")

March 14, 2008- Former Cpl. 1st Class Mario Lazaga one of the 16 convicted soldiers died of hypertension at the National Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City. Two other convicts had already died in detention since M/Sgt. Pablo Martinez’s pardon.

February 2009 - A1C Felizardo Taran and Sgt. Rolando de Guzman, whose sentences were commuted by former President Fidel V. Ramos and President Arroyo respectively, completed their prison terms and were released.

March 4, 2009 - The remaining 10 convicts, Rogelio Moreno, Ruben Aquino, Arnulfo Artates, Romeo Bautista, Jesus Castro, Arnulfo De Mesa, Rodolfo Desolong, Claro Lat, Ernesto Mateo and Filomeno Miranda walked out of the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City Wednesday, more than two decades after they were found guilty of the Aug. 21, 1983 killings at the former Manila International Airport.

Roque Ablan Sr.

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Roque Ablan, guerrilla leader and war hero, was born to a poor couple, Victor Ablan of Salsona and Raymunda Blanco of Paoay. He studied at the Laoag Elementary Schooland graduated from the Laoag High School in 1924. He went to the University of the Philippines and there obtained a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1929 and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1930. He took the bar examinations the same year he finished law and obtained 9th place. He managed this despite his having been a self-supporting student.

At the UP, he was a reporter for the Philippines Herald and edited the Carnival Courier during the carnival season. He taught for some time at the Chinese Elementary School and at other schools in Manila and edited also the Philippine Collegian, and the Philippinesian, the graduation yearbook. He became president of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association in Ilocos Norte and secretary of the Ilocos Norte Bar Association.

After graduation, he went home to Laoag where he was elected governor at the age of 32. He was the youngest provincial executive of his time. He was backed by some colleagues but his victory was also partly ascribed to the work of his wife, Manuela Ravelo, of Batac, who was a high school teacher.

Two problems faced his administration: lawlessness and unemployment. He sought to remedy these by increasing the daily wage in his province from 60 to 80 centavos. One of his outstanding achievements as governor was the establishment of a provincial hospital in Ilocos Norte, one that came to be considered as one of the best institutions in Luzon. He also stablished a branch of the Philippine Normal School in Laoag, move that enabled the poorer families to have their children their studies at minimal expense. Finally, he worked for the construction of theprovincia1 capital, the revival of rural credit and the organization of producers' cooperatives. He also espoused idea of giving more authority and power to local govemment. Where he received by his constituents, he was re-elected to a second term.

When the Japanese landed at Vigan, Ablan refused to extend his operation to them. He left the provincial capital of Laoag to avoid arrest and transferred the seat of government to a remote barrio near the boundary of Ilocos Norte and Apayao. From there he led in the organization of guerrilla units in coordination with Lt. Feliciano Madamba of the Philippine Army. By mid-January, 1942, the Ablan-Madamba Guerilla Group of Northern Luzon was organized.

On January 27 Ablan and Madamba went to Solsona where they unearthed an arms cache of numerous rifles, machine guns and several numbers of ammunition. The following day, January 28, their first encounter with the enemy took place when Madamba's unit successfully ambushed a Japanese detachment at Banna, and in the process, killed about 50 Japanese soldiers.

The efforts of Ablan and Madamba were welcomed by the people. Many soldiers who failed to join the USAFEE (United States Forces in the Far East) in Bataan joined them. The Japanese sent planes to the towns of Banna and Nueva Era, and bomb and strafe guerrillas and civilians. Ablan managed to get in contact with President Quezon in Washington D.C. by radio and reported that "despite the occupation of Laoag and San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, our government is still functioning and our people have not alienated a bit of their allegiance to your leadership and to the Philipine Government and to the United States Government. Every day the will of our people against the Japanese becomes more intense as the enemy rob our homes, destroy property, kill civilian and rape our women."

Shortly after, Ablan radioed again President Quezon requesting P100,000 with which to pay the employees and keep the machinery the underground government functioning. Because of the difficulties involved in the transmission of money, Quezon authorized Ablan to issue emergency notes as previously authorized by your provincial expenditures." Ablan notified his people of Quezon's intention and the information, having spread throughout the province, they founded other small but independent guenilla groups to affiliate them with Ablan's outfit. Ablan then began to organize all these men to a more cohesive unit.

He divided Ilocos Norte into several sectors posed of one to three towns. Each zone was headed and supervised a guerilla leader. He established an intelligence section to gathering information from as many sources as possible. A runner-relay system was also set up for the purpose of disseminating news and sending orders to different sectors, thus linking towns and scattered guerrilla camps. Ablan assigned Lt. Isabelo Monje to take charge of operations in Batac, Paoay and Currimao; Vicente Cajigal was assigned the towns of Badoc, Pinili and Nueva Era. Ablan named Juan Albano as deputy governor, designated Lieutenant Madamba as executive officer, and placed Capt. Prime Lazaro and Damaso Samonte as chiefs of the intelligence corps. Captain Pedro Alviar was placed in charge of the counter-intelligence unit.

Ablan's guerrillas had a series of bitter skirmishes with the Japanese. After Bataan and Corregidor had fallen, the Japanese under Colonel Watanabe established their headquarters in Laoag. The enemy hunted Ablan and his resistance fighters and air units dropped Leaflets urging him and his men to surrender. He refused to give up the struggle. Large forces hunted him down. A series of raids were staged on his guerrilla camp. He escaped enemy traps twice but his outfit nevertheless sustained tremendous losses. His units then adopted hit-and-run tactics.

On November 8, 1942, Ablan launched a successful attack against Japanese patrols in Pampaniki, Solsona. On December 10 that same year, he left for Cagayan to confer with Governor Marcelo Adduru. His last words to his family reportedly were: "How I hate myself for having only one life to give to my country. But don't cry. I will be back when liberty returns to our people." He never came back.

He probably perished during an encounter with the Japanese or was captured, imprisoned and subsequently executed by the enemy. His heroic deeds have earned for him an honored place in his country history.

Domingo Abella

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Domingo Abella has a monument in his honor at the town plaza of Naga, Camarines Sur. At 25, he was the youngest of the fifteen martyrs of Bicolandia. He was born in Nueva Caceres (now Naga City) of an affluent family. His father, Manuel, a landowner and businessman, was executed with him at Bagumbayan.

Endowed with a handsome complexion and taller than most of the Filipinos of his day, he excelled both in mental and physical activities. Because of his stature, he was the envy of the Spanish male populace. He was versatile in fencing, sipa, amis, horseback riding and other sports. Domingo, a bright man, was a surveyor by profession.

When the Katipunan raised the call for revolution, the young Abella attended secret meetings in Nueva Caceres to discuss ways and means of supporting the movement. He was active in recruiting Negritoes from Mount Isarog.

When his political activities became known to the Spanish authorities, an order of his arrest was issued and young Abella was included among those accused of rebellion and the plan to assassinate all the Spaniards in Nueva Caceres. Despite the insufficiency of evidence, Domingo and his co-accused boarded the ship Isarog and were brought to Manila in chains in September of 1896. Taken to Fort Santiago, Domingo was locked up in a filthy cell where he was whipped, insulted and buffeted by the Spanish soldiers. In a nearby cell, another political prisoner, Jose Rizal, was awaiting trial.

On the 29th of December, a military commission tried the case against the Bikolrebels. It was alleged that Domingo aided Florencio Lerma, the disputed leader of the movement was said to have received a shipment of arms from Tomas Prieto of Cavite. The shipment, however, could not be located. The arms. it was alleged, were to be used in the planned general massacre of Spaniards. The military court promptly found all the accused guilty of rebellion, a crime punishable by death in accordance with article 230 of the Spanish Penal Code.

On January 4, 1897, the sentence was carried out. Domingo, together with his father and the other Bikol martyrs, faced the firing squad in Bagumbayan, just five days after Jose Rizal was martyred.

Magat Salamat

2009-08-18T01:37:00.000+08:00

MAGAT SALAMAT
(1550 - 1589)

Magat Salamat, son of Rajah Matanda, the Chief of Tondo when the Spaniards arrived, endeavored to recover his heritage by participating in the Tondo Conspiracy (1587-1588), aimed to overthrow the Spanish sovereignty in the Philippines. It was, Wenceslao E. Retana relates, la primera conguracion separatista in the country.

This movement was planned by Magat Salamat in cooperation with two other Tondo principals, and his cousins, Don Agustin de Legazpi and Martin Panga, a gobernadorcillo. Affiliated with them were other chieftains in their environs who willed to give up their landed property for that purpose.

In 1587, they enlisted the help of the Japanese adventurer, Juan Gayo, through an interpreter named Dionisio Fernandez. In the house of Legazpi in Tondo, the plotters composed of Magat Salamat, Agustin Manuguit, Felipe Salalila and Geronimo Bassi agreed with Gayo that he would come again with arms and recruited soldiers from japan. They also agreed that "the chiefs of the neighborhood would help them to kill the Spaniards." The Japanese would be rewarded with half of the tributes to be collected from the natives after they had conquered the Spaniards. "They swore solemnly," according to licentiate Ayala in a letter to Philip II, "according to their custom to keep and fulfill the agreement," choosing after the sandugo, "a King, captains, and officers of war." They also agreed to make weapons secretly.

Before his departure, Gayo gave Legazpi several weapons to be distributed to his men.

Later, a secret meeting that lasted for three days was called in Tambobong, by Magat Salamat and his co-plotters. Those who attended were chiefts of Pandakan, Tondo, Candaba, Polo, Catangalan, Navotas with "other Indian timaguas, servant and allies." They were all briefed as to the sad political condition of the country and themselves. With heavy hearts, they all swore an oath to throw off the Spanish yoke.

By 1588, no word was yet received from Japanese Gayo. But when the Filipinos heard the news of capture of the galleon Santa Ana in February, they again prepared for battle, this time aiming to attack swiftly moment the guns of Manila were turned toward the sea, and fire at the English privateer, Cavandish. But he never came.

A few days later, the chiefts of Bulacan, Esteban Taes, and Martin Panga agreed to call another meeting. Taes was to call all the chiefs from Tondo to Bulacan while Panga would summon the chiefs of Cavite, Malolos and Guiguinto and rally the men of La Laguna and Komintang (Batangas). With all the people gathered at Tondo, they would attack Manila.

At the meeting held in Tondo, the conspirators agreed to send Magat Salamat to the Calamianes to invite the Bornean Sultan to send a fleet that would join the Sulus and to launch an attack against Manila from the sea in conjunction with the Filipino chiefs' assault on land.

"The plan was that when the fleet of Burney reached the port of Cavite, and the spaniards trustfully called these chiefs to their aid, they would all immediately enter the houses of the Spaniards with their men, fortify themselves in them and thus take possession of them one by one. If the Spaniards took refuge in the fortress, Indian soldiers would follow them, and, being two to one, they would surely kill Spaniards."

By November 1588, Magat Salamat was in the Calamianes in company with Don Agustin Manuguit and Juan Banal. He rallied some principals of the island of Cuyo, notably Sumaclob who pledged to help him with 2000 men.

However, Antonio Suribao. Chief of the encomienda of the Spanish Captain Pedro Sarmiento, disclosed to the latter the plot of Magat Salamat and his companions, after he was persuaded to join it. They were arrested immediately. Sarmiento informed personally the governor-general of his fantastic discovery and soon the Spanish government became busy hanging or sending to exile the conspirators.

"Magat Salamat was condemned to death. His goods were to be employed for erection of the new fortress of this city (Manila). He appealed to the royal Audiencia, but the case was remitted to the governor, in order that justice might be done- exept that the goods were to be set aside for the treasury. The sentence was executed,"

And so the first of the rebels from Tondo died, his martrydom to be duplicated several centuries later by two of his disctrictmates, Andres Bonifacio and Macario Sakay.

Prescillano Zamora

2009-07-25T01:40:00.001+08:00

Prescillano Zamora is best known for his research in plant anatomy-morphology and pteridophyte biology, including the taxonomy of Philippine ferns and the discovery of more fern species.

He has been a supporter of the conservation of the environment in the Phillipines and a supporter of natural resources policy research.

Education:

* B.S. Agriculture from University of the Philippines, 1960
* M.S. Agronomy from University of the Philippines, 1964
* Ph.D. Holiculture from Rutgers, 1966

Awards:

* Rockefeller Foundation fellow at Cornell University (1961-65)
* NSF Research grantee (1962-65)
* UP Professorial Chair holder (1977-80)

Two-Phase Wall Deposition Concept:

Prescillano Zamora's research on the xylem elements of vascular plants led to the formulation of the two-phase wall deposition concept.

Eduardo San Juan

2009-07-25T01:24:00.001+08:00

Eduardo San Juan - Filipino Inventor:

Mechanical engineer, Eduardo San Juan (aka The Space Junkman) worked on the team that invented the Lunar Rover or Moon Buggy. Eduardo San Juan is considered the primary designer of the Lunar Rover. San Juan was also the designer for the Articulated Wheel System. Prior, to the Apollo Program, Eduardo San Juan worked on the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).

Moon Buggy:

In 1971, the Moon Buggy was first used by during the Apollo 12 landing to explore the Moon.

Eduardo San Juan - Education & Awards:

Eduardo San Juan graduated from Mapua Institute of Technology. He then studied Nuclear Engineering at the University of Washington. In 1978, San Juan received one of the Ten Outstanding Men (TOM) awards in science and technology.

Eduardo San Juan - On a Personal Note:

Elisabeth San Juan, the proud daughter of Eduardo San Juan, had the following to say about her father.

When my Father submitted the conceptual design for the Lunar Rover he submitted it via Brown Engineering, a company owned by Lady Bird Johnson.

During the final test demonstration to select one design from various submissions, his was the only one that worked. Thus, his design won the NASA Contract.

His overall concept and design of the Articulated Wheel System was considered brilliant. Each wheel appendage was mounted not underneath the vehicle, but were placed outside the body of the vehicle and each was motorized. Wheels could work independently of the others. It was designed to negotiate crater ingress and egress. The other vehicles did not make it into or out of the test crater.

Our Father, Eduardo San Juan, was a very positively charged creative who enjoyed a healthy sense of humor.

Simeon Ola

2009-07-01T12:59:00.000+08:00

Simeon Ola (b. September 2, 1865 - d. February 14, 1952) a native of Guinobatan, Albay was a Katipunero who launched guerrilla raids on American-occupied towns in Albay until his capture on September 5, 1903. He joined the Katipunan in 1896 and was known as one Bicol's revolutionary leaders.

Life

He joined the the local branch of the Katipunan in his hometown province of Albay and later became the leader. With the help of a parish priest he was able to acquire arms to support his men. Promoted to the rank of captain after the battle of Camalig in Albay, 1898 and again promoted to the rank of major after a daring ambush mission that led to the capture of three Americans. He was also the leader of the subsequent valiant attacks on Albay towns namely, Oas, Ligao and Jovellar. He later surrendered in condition that his men would be granted amnesty, he was put on trial and was proven guilty of sedition and was sentenced to thirty years inprisonment. In 1904, he was given a pardon and returned to his place of birth and became the municipal president. The regional police command in Legaspi City was name after Him.

Lt. Gen. Edward Soriano

2009-06-30T16:35:00.003+08:00

Army Lt. Gen. Edward Soriano (born 1946) was one of the highest-ranking Filipino Americans in the history of the American military. He was involved in some of the most difficult offensives in the Gulf War and after September 11, 2001. He joined the Army as a second lieutenant of infantry and retired as a three-star lieutenant general.

Born in Philippines to Army Father

Soriano was born on November 12, 1946, in Alcala, Pangasinan, Philippines, to natives of Ilocos Sur. Alcala is a small city some hundred miles north of Manila. Soriano was born to Federico Soriano, a military officer, and Encarnacion, a homemaker who raised Soriano and his sister Blez. He spent his youth struggling through one illness after another and even had to have an operation when he was five years old to have kidney stones removed. At one point his mother recalled that he was so sick he almost died, but somehow the young Soriano managed to fight his way out of his childhood illnesses to become a strong and healthy adult. When he was still quite young the Soriano family moved to Guam for his father's career. It was one of many moves that the children would go through over their lifetimes. Both Soriano and his sister enjoyed their youth as children of a military man because they lived in interesting locales and met many different people. Soriano told Starweek, "I thought what my father was doing was good. He was a great example for me. He was probably the reason I joined the military."

When Soriano was only seven years old, his father, a corporal in the 57th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts, was captured during the Korean War when the Japanese attacked Corregidor. Along with all the other men captured in battle, Soriano's father was forced to march to a camp for prisoners of war in Tarlac. Many men, including Federico's brother, died on the march to the camp, known as a death march, but Soriano's father survived and was forced to stay at the internment camp for three years. When her husband was captured, Soriano's mother packed her family up and moved them back to the Philippines to keep them all safe. The family stayed there until Federico was released.

Moved to the United States

In the 1960s, not long after Soriano's father was reunited with his family, the Sorianos moved to Salinas, California. After they became citizens of the United States Soriano's father joined the United States Army as a corporal. When he retired he was a major. As the children were getting used to their new home, Soriano's parents took care to make certain that their children learned English quickly after their move so that they could quickly become integrated into their new world.

Soriano graduated from the Salinas High School. While he was in high school he participated in sports, and also joined a Filipino dance troupe with his sister. Dance classes taught Soriano, among other things, how to do the tinikling, which is a Filipino folk dance done with poles. Soriano's family, while wishing their children become easily integrated into their new society, also wanted to make certain that they kept a connection with their home heritage, and this was one great way to do that. Both children were raised to be independent, free-thinking individuals, but were also instilled with a dose of the Filipino view of family values and respect for elders. His upbringing would serve Soriano well in his future endeavors.
Joined Army as Second Lieutenant

After high school Soriano went on to attend San Jose State University. He graduated in 1969 with a degree in management. He went on to get a master's degree at the same school. When it was time for Soriano to choose a career, he asked his father about a career in the military, and his father responded positively. The military opened a range of opportunities for young Soriano that other careers simply could not offer him. He told the Asian Week website, "I was interested in that way of life, which can be personally and professionally rewarding."

Soriano joined the Army, and in 1970 was commissioned through the San Jose State University's ROTC program as a second lieutenant of infantry. At the time he entered the military it was already a very diverse organization, and Soriano has said that he suffered none of the racism that had afflicted minorities earlier. He told Starweek magazine, "I never really thought about [racism] much. If I did I don't remember." It was actually the diversity of the military that had encouraged Soriano to join-he has always believed that diversity gave the military much of its strength.

Gulf War and Other Assignments

Throughout his career Soriano attended several military schools. In 1989 he graduated from the Army War College. He believed that skills learned in the military could be taken successfully into any profession. Rather than racial difficulties, Soriano faced the regular challenges of progression in the military: working alongside thousands of others for an increasingly smaller number of positions as he moved up. He told Starweek, "The challenge is always seeking those opportunities that allow you to progress, that allow you to get better. And that's what I did, that's how I rose through the ranks, how I got all the right jobs, the right positions. I worked as hard as I could, tried to be the best that I could possibly be."

After his initial training, in 1973 Soriano commanded Company C, 3d Battalion, 47th Infantry of the 3d Brigade of the U.S. 9th Infantry Division. He held that position until 1975. Soriano was next given the position of assistant commander of the 1st Infantry Division of American peacekeeping forces in Bosnia. He also served in the Gulf War, becoming the chief of a liaison team to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force sent to Saudi Arabia. In 1992 he was sent to be the Army Section chief of the Secretary of Defense Gulf War Report team for operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Part of Homeland Security After September 11th

Because of his good performance record, Soriano became the director for operations, readiness, and mobilization at the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans. In that position he made certain that Army units were prepared to be instantly deployed on missions around the world. He was specifically in charge of troops in Haiti, Bosnia, Somalia, and other areas of tension around the world. Of all his positions Soriano told the Asian Week website, "It's a significant responsibility. You're entrusted with the lives of the soldiers and their families. It takes dedication and hard work to succeed." And these were things that Soriano was more and more proving that he had.

After September 11, 2001, when the World Tade Center buildings were destroyed by terrorists, the U.S. government set up a homeland security department under the Joint Forces Command. This department ran separately from the its civilian counterpart. Soriano was given the office of the second director of homeland security in the military in November of 2001. He held the position for ten months before he was made, in 2002, a commanding general of I Corps and Fort Lewis in Washington, a position he held for the rest of his career.

Retired and Visited Philippines

When he retired in 2004 Soriano was a three-star lieutenant general. The day he attained that position he became the highest-ranking Filipino-American in the United States armed forces, and only the second general ever to have Filipino roots. Soriano attended an event at the White House when President Arroyo of the Philippines and his wife visited the United States.

Soriano married Vivian Guillermo, whose parents were from Laoag in the Philippines. She was born in California. The two had two children, Melissa and Keith. In 2004 Soriano and his family went back to the Philippines to visit relatives. It was Soriano's first return to the country of his birth. Soriano told Starweek that it was possible to achieve success in one's chosen field "if a person establishes the goals and objectives, works very hard at what he does, and if that person doesn't give up too easily and commits himself, dedicates himself to what he wants to do."

Soriano has been given many awards over the lifetime of his careers, including the Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of the Defense Superior Service Medal, four awards of the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, and several Army Commendation and Achievement Medals. He has also received many badges over his career, including the expert infantryman's badge and has been ranger and airborne qualified.

More info about Lt. Gen Edward Soriano can be found here

Sultan Kudarat

2009-06-30T00:01:00.000+08:00

Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat (also spelled Qudarat), (1581 - 1671) was a Sultan of Maguindanao. During his reign, he successfully repelled Spanish efforts to conquer his sultanate and hindered the Christianization of Mindanao. He was a direct descendant of Shariff Kabungsuan, a Muslim missionary who propagated the Islamic faith in 14th century Mindanao.

After succeeding his father in 1619, he conquered several datus and made himself the master of the Pulangui area. He also controlled present-day Cagayan de Oro and Caraga territories and made Misamis and Bukidnon his tributaries. He was able to negotiate with the Dutch and the Spaniards so that they recognize his sovereignty over these lands. The Spaniards tried but failed to conquer him in all battles.

The Spaniards were systematically defeated and forced to ransom their soldiers from the sultan. Governor-General Alonso Fajardo signed a treaty with Kudarat on June 25, 1645 which allowed Spanish missionaries to minister to the needs of the Christians in Mindanao, allowed a church built, and trade was allowed in the sultan's territories. War once more flared in 1658 when Mindoro, Bohol and Leyte were sacked. Spain was unable to dominate the lands under Sultan Kudarat's rule.

Macario Sacay

2009-06-29T23:44:00.003+08:00

Macario Sácay y de León (or Macario Sakay) was a Filipino general in the Philippine Revolution against Spain and in the Philippine-American War. He continued resistance against the United States following the official American declaration of the war's end in 1902.

Sacay was a native of Tondo, Manila where he worked as a barber. An original member of the Katipunan movement, he fought alongside Andres Bonifacio throughout the Philippine Revolution of 1896. In 1899 he continued the struggle for Philippine independence against the United States. Near the end of the Philippine-American War Sacay was captured and jailed by the Philippine Constabulary.

After the surrender of the last Filipino commanding general Miguel Malvar in April 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt officially ended the Philippine-American War on July 4, 1902. With the end of the war, Sacay was granted amnesty and released from prison.

Sacay was one of the founders of the Nacionalista Party, which strove for Philippine independence though legal means. The party appealed to the Philippine Commission. However, the Commission passed the Sedition Law, which banned the party. (An unrelated Nacionalista Party which survives to the present day was founded in 1907.) Sacay thus took up arms again.

On November 12 1902 the Philippine Commission passed the Bandolerism Act which proclaimed all captured resistance fighters or insurgents to be tried in court as bandits, ladrones, and robbers. In April 1904, Sacay issued his own manifesto proclaiming himself President and established his own government called the Repúblika ng Katagalugan (Tagalog Republic) in opposition to U.S. colonial rule. The U.S. Government did not recognize Sacay's government and through the Bandolerism Act labeled him an outlaw.

The Governor General, the U.S. Government, and the U.S. military left the pursuit of Sacay in the hands of the Philippine Constabulary and Philippine Scouts. In 1905 concentration camps, often referred to as Zonas, were re-established in parts of Cavite, Batangas, and Laguna. This had little effect on Sacay and his fighters. Extensive fighting continued in Southern-Luzon for months.

On July 14, 1906, after receiving a letter from the American governor-general promising amnesty for himself and his men in exchange for surrender, Sacay, one of the last remaining Filipino generals, finally surrendered.

Three days later, he was arrested nevertheless and imprisoned. Convicted as a tulisan or bandit, Sacay was executed on September 13, 1907 by hanging.

Maricar Reyes

2009-06-27T15:34:00.002+08:00

Maricar Reyes, 24 year-old, is a medical practitioner who finished BS Biology in Ateneo de Manila. She is a Filipino model turned actress. She had been a model of sanitary napkin brand Modess, done commercials of a fast food chain, a coffee brand and a beauty product. She was last seen on TV as Candy (as Armando's ex girlfriend) in Betty La Fea.

She says that it was Mr. Johnny Manahan of Star Magic that saw her after doing a VTR and asked her to join Star Magic. Prior to her being a member of Star Magic, she was also seen on Wowowee and ASAP. Her role as Candy in Betty La Fea is her first acting stint.

She says her employee understood her career and that she loves the contrast of her private life and her showbiz life. She's still a general practitioner and practiced being an "anti aging" doctor. She's a health buff, loves going to the gym and going jogging.

Margie Moran-Floirendo

2009-06-12T00:00:00.001+08:00

Maria Margarita Moran-Floirendo, (born Maria Margarita Roxas Moran) from the Philippines, won the Miss Universe crown in 1973 in Athens, Greece. She is also known as Margie R. Moran or Margie Moran-Floirendo, and is a granddaughter of former Philippine President Manuel Roxas.

The full-time university student and part-time Auggie Cordero model won the right to represent the country in the Miss Universe pageant after winning the Miss Philippines competition. Moran said that she entered the contest because of the incessant urgings of friends and family.

The 19-year-old, 5 ft 6 in beauty was one of the favorites during that edition, also garnering the Miss Photogenic title.

She eventually married Congressman Antonio "Tony Boy" Floirendo and settled in Davao, managing a resort called "Pearl Farm" in Samal Island.

N.V.M. Gonzalez

2009-06-10T00:00:00.001+08:00

Nestor Vicente Madali Gonzalez, familiarly known as simply "N.V.M.," was born on September 8, 1915 in Romblon, Romblon and moved to Mindoro at the age of five. The son of a school supervisor and a teacher, Gonzalez helped his father by delivering meat door-to-door. Gonzalez attended Mindoro High School from 1927 to 1930, and although he studied at National University in Manila, he never obtained a degree. While in Manila, Gonzalez wrote for the Philippine Graphic and later edited for the Evening News Magazine and Manila Chronicle. His first published essay appeared in the Philippine Graphic and his first poem in Poetry in 1934.

A Rockefeller Foundation fellowship, awarded to Gonzalez in 1948, allowed the aspiring author to travel to Stanford University in Palo Alto, California and Columbia University in New York City. While at Stanford, Gonzalez attended lectures and classes from many prominent writers, Wallace Stegner and Katherine Anne Porter amongst them.

After Gonzalez returned to the Philippines in 1950, he began a long teaching career, beginning with a position at the University of Santo Tomas. Gonzalez also taught at the Philippine Women's University, but it was the lengthy position at the University of the Philippines that gave distinction to Gonzalez's career - as a teacher at the university for 18 years, Gonzalez was only one of two people to teach there without holding a degree. Gonzalez hosted the first University of the Philippines writer's workshop with a group who would soon form the Ravens. In addition, Gonzalez made his mark in the writing community as a member of the Board of Advisers of Likhaan: the University of the Philippines Creative Writing Center, founder The Diliman Review and as the first president of the Philippine Writers' Association.

Gonzalez continued to teach when he returned to California in the 1960s, serving as a visiting professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara; professor emeritus at California State University, Hayward; and professor at University of California at Los Angeles' Asian American Studies Center and English department.

Throughout Gonzalez's teaching career, the author produced 14 books and accumulated many awards along the way. Through these writings, Gonzalez received many prestigious awards, including repeated Palanca Memorial Award for Literature awards, the Jose Rizal Pro Patria Award, and the City of Manila Medal of Honor. In addition, his books became internationally recognized, and his works have been translated into Chinese, German, Russian and Bahasa Indonesian.

Gonzalez received an honorary doctorate from the University of the Philippines in 1987 and became its first international writer in residence in 1988. He served as the 1998-1999 Regents Professor at the University of California at Los Angeles and continued to receive distinctions such as the National Artist Award for Literature in 1997 and the Centennial Award for Literature in 1998. In 1990 and 1996, "N.V.M. Gonzalez Days" were celebrated in San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively. Despite Gonzalez's travels, he never gave up his Filipino citizenship. Critics feared that Gonzalez would someday settle into the Filipino-American genre of literature, but Gonzalez often pointed out with an all-familiar twinkle in his eye, "I never left home." True to his word, the home that shaped Gonzalez's days is present in his writings, from the blossoming of a love story to the culture reflected in an immigrant experience.

NVM Gonzalez Website: http://www.nvmgonzalez.org

Sec. Raul M. Gonzalez

2009-06-08T23:27:00.003+08:00

Raúl Maravilla González, is the current Secretary of Justice of the Philippines. He was appointed in 2004 by Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Early life and education

Gonzales was born in 1931. He is the fourth child of Delfin O. Gonzalez, the last mayor of the former town of Jaro in the province of Iloilo; and Estrella Jover Maravilla, a school teacher.

Gonzalez completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at the Colegio de San Agustin (now University of San Agustin) and his Bachelor of Law degree at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law in 1955.

Gonzales took the Philippine Bar Examination in 1955 and in the same year, passed with a grade of 99% in Remedial Law and 95% in International Law. He also topped the Judge Advocate General's Office (JAGO) Examinations.

Teaching career

After passing the Bar, Gonzalez became professor of law in the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law, the Far Eastern University Institute of Law, and the Philippine College of Commerce (now Polytechnic University of the Philippines). He was also a professorial lecturer at the Philippine Normal University-Manila Graduate School, Assumption College and the College of Holy Spirit. He also lectured in the University of the Philippines Law Center Division of Continuing Legal Education.

Government service and political career

Gonzales served in the Philippine government in various capacities. He started as a Legal Assistant to the Governor of Iloilo in 1960 before serving as Senior Legal Assistant to the Mayor of Manila in 1961. Gonzales was Executive Member of the Board of Censors for Motion Pictures under the Office of the President from 1963 to 1969, Senior Committee Counsel to the Committees on Labor and Immigration in the Philippine Senate, among others.

In 1989, Gonzalez was suspended by the Supreme Court from the practice of law for an indefinite period as a Tanodbayan for ignorance of the law. He denied that he asked the Supreme Court to lift his suspension but according to the decision, penned by Justice Campos. He was reinstated four years later, in 1993.

Gonzales entered politics in 1995, running for and winning the lone congressional seat of Iloilo City. He was one of the public prosecutors during the impeachment trial of then President Joseph Estrada.

In the 2004 election, he served as Co-chairman of the 14-man National Canvassing Board of the Philippine Congress. Later, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Gonzalez as Secretary of Justice.

He was hounded by vote-buying controversies after he promised barangay captains from the city of Iloilo to deliver 12-0 senatorial sweep for the administrations party in the midterm elections. The sweep did not occur.[citation needed] He also promised another cash incentives and free trip to Hong Kong if Iloilo City Council oppositionists Perla Zulueta and Lex Tupas were not to make it to the top 12 (which they did not).

On June 4, 2008 Gonzales became the Secretary of Justice. He was appointed by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and confirmed by the Commission on Appointments' committee.

Private life

Gonzalez is married to Dr. Pacita Trinidad, a former Representative of the second district of Zambales, with whom he has four children.

Their eldest son, Raul Gonzalez Jr., is the current Representative of Iloilo City. Another son is the current president of the National Book Development Board, an organization committed to upgrade the publishing industry in the Philippines.

Gonzalo suffers from kidney problems and in September 2007 he received a successful kidney transplant. His driver, Felicito Gunay, was the donor.

Boy Abunda

2009-06-08T22:59:00.003+08:00

Eugenio "Boy" Abunda, Jr. is a Filipino talk show personality who dubbed himself as "The King of Talk" in Philippine Showbiz.

He was born in Borongan City, Eastern Samar. When his father (Eugenio Abunda, Sr.) died, he dropped out of school and tried odd jobs to survive.

He later found a job in Metropolitan Theater as an assistant stage manager and became an assistant to Conching Sunico, the administrator of Metropolitan Theater who taught him about public relations. After two years, he put up his own PR company called Backroom, Inc.

Boy Abunda was also one of the pillars behind the early years of Probe.

While doing PR consulting jobs for GMA Network, a network executive at the time, suggested that he try television. Soon, he became one of the hosts of RSVP, a late night variety show co-hosted by Dawn Zulueta, and subsequently, Startalk, an entertainment talk show. In 1999, he subsequently moved to ABS-CBN where he currently hosts three shows: The Buzz, Private Conversations, and Boy & Kris.

Boy Abunda also produced an album titled "Melodic Conversations".

Controversies:

Boy Abunda is happily committed to his partner of twenty-four years, Bong Quintana, a former Philippine Airline steward employee.

Abunda was involved in a spat between Dr. Vicki Belo and Dr. Manny Calayan. Dr. Belo claimed that if you wanted to look like Piolo Pascual or Dingdong Dantes, you should go to Belo Medical Group and if you wanted to look like Boy Abunda, you should go to Calayan Surgi-Center.

TV Shows of Boy Abunda:

1. Showbiz News Ngayon (showbiz-lifestyle)(2009-, ABS-CBN)
2. Inside The Cinema (2008 Cinema One)
3. Volta "Ama" (2008, ABS-CBN)
4. Boy & Kris (2007-2009, ABS-CBN)
5. HomeBoy (2005-2007, ABS-CBN)
6. Kontrobersyal (2003-2006, ABS-CBN)
7. Private Conversations (2001-, ANC)
8. The Buzz (1999-, ABS-CBN)
9. Startalk (1995-1999, GMA)
10. Show & Tell (1992-1995, GMA)

Filmography:

* Naglalayag (2004)
* Volta (2004) .... Ama
* Volta (TV series) (2008) ....Ama

Talents:

* Ariel Rivera
* Gretchen Barretto
* Erik Santos
* Mariel Rodriguez
* Bianca Gonzalez
* Rufa Mae Quinto
* Dominic Ochoa
* Roxanne Barcelo (former)
* Ai Ai delas Alas
* Jobert Sucaldito
* Kyla (former)
* Danita Paner
* Drew Arellano
* Chase Tinio
* K Brosas
* The Company
* Kim Flores
* Frenchie Dy
* Gigi Javier
* Marge Sandoval
* Eileen Robles
* Nyoy Volante
* Pooh
* Ina Feleo
* Gladys Guevarra (former)
* Angelika dela Cruz (former)
* Regine Velasquez (former)
* Dessa (former)
* Calvin Millado (former)
* Dante Ponce (former)

Gerald Anderson

2009-06-01T00:30:00.002+08:00

Gerald Randolf Opsima Anderson Jr. (born March 7, 1989 in Subic Bay, Zambales, Philippines).[1] is a Filipino actor who used to be a contestant on the reality television first season of Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition ,made famous by Sana Maulit Muli, a filipino teleserye, playing Travis Johnson, and also by I've Fallen For You, his first notable movie playing the role of Alex Reyes.

Discovery & Stardom:

Family - Gerald Jr. was born to Gerald Randy Anderson, Sr. an American and mother, Evangeline Opsima, a Filipina. Gerald also has a younger brother, Kenneth, and two older sisters from his mother's first marriage, Jen and Darling. When he was three years old, he and his family moved to San Antonio, Texas, and then to Missouri when he was six. Finally, at 14 years of age, his family moved back to General Santos City, in the Philippines, which he now calls home.

Celebrity Life - He was discovered by Joross Gamboa while the latter was performing in General Santos City, where Gerald is based. Joross introduced him to his manager, Jun Reyes, who then brought him to ABS-CBN to join PBB Teen Edition.

He rose to fame when he placed third overall in the first Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition with 293,234 votes. He was billed as the Amboy Hottie from General Santos City.

His popularity with viewers and an interest in show business led to acting assignments with fellow Pinoy Big Brother Female housemate Kim Chiu, who became his acting love team partner after Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition, their love team was named Kimerald by their fans well before they even left the Big Brother house. Their biggest fan clubs at the moment are Kimerald BAOs (or Buangs, Adiks and Oopsies) and Kimerald World, alone Gerald has a fan club called Geraldnaticx.

Since the end of the Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition, Anderson along with his love team partner have appeared together in several shows on the ABS-CBN network (Aalog-Alog ,Your Song (TV series), Gokada Go!, and Love Spell), and have been tapped to do several TV ads and product endorsements. Gerald also has worked on a primetime television series entitled Sana Maulit Muli, where he was once again partnered with Kim, which started on January 8, 2007. The series ended April 20, 2007 taking the country by storm, receiving a very high Nationwide Rating and besting all other primetime programs. Gerald's next projects are: Love Spell titled Cindy-Rella which started showing on October 14,2007, and is set to last for 13 weeks, a Sineserye Presents:Bagets and also a teleserye, Nagai-Aida, set to begin sometime in the first half of next year all starring with Kim Chiu.

Gerald along with Kim Chiu has co-starred in two movies, First Day High which premiered on September 27, 2006 and a year later their first solo movie I've Fallen For You directed by Lino Cayetano which premiered nationwide on September 26, 2007.

Already a rising young actor he is also a dancer with already two successful dance albums out.

Anne Curtis

2009-05-30T00:25:00.000+08:00

Anne Curtis (born Anne Ojales Curtis Smith on February 17, 1985 in Australia) is a Filipino-Australian commercial model and actress currently active in the Philippines. She is best known for her roles as Celine Magsaysay in Maging Sino Ka Man and as Imang/Fatima, the title role in Kampanerang Kuba. Both of these shows aired on the ABS-CBN network in the Philippines. Anne became the very first winner on MYX Awards 2005 for "Favorite Guest Appearance in a Music Video" for I Need You by Mark Bautista. In 2007, Anne became an MTV VJ for the new MTV Philippines which relaunched March 1, 2007. She is currently working on a new movie under Star Cinema with Aga Muhlach and a new teleserye with Zanjoe Marudo as her leading men.

Biography:

Curtis was born and raised in Australia by a Filipina mother and an Australian father.

She lived in Australia until her lawyer father, James Curtis, moved to the Philippines when she was 12 years old. It is a move that Curtis is thankful for. "I am so happy that I’m here. If I were in Australia I’d have been in a boarding school! My dad was strict when it came to education. He kept on discouraging me when I tried doing commercials, saying that they are just tricking me to get out of school. We lived in the country, so we’d be asleep around 8 or 9 p.m. It was really boring. But here there are so many gimmicks. As of now, being young, I prefer living here (in the Philippines) but maybe when I settle down, I’ll move back to Australia."

Early Career:

Curtis appeared in supporting roles or in ensemble casts during the early part of her career, with most of her early TV shows airing on the GMA-7 Network in the Philippines.

She achieved a fan following in her roles in Love to Love, where she was partnered with Richard Gutierrez.

Notable Roles:

In 2004, when she moved to ABS-CBN, Curtis received her first big break in Philippine primetime TV when she was cast in the role of Stephanie Borromeo in the TV series Hiram as the best friend and romantic rival of Margaret Benipayo, portrayed by Heart Evangelista. The role was a departure from her earlier, typical, teeny-bopper roles, and positioned Curtis for primetime.

In 2005, her successful portrayal in Hiram led to her first title role as Imang/Fatima in the fantasy TV series Kampanerang Kuba.

In 2006, Curtis returned to primetime TV as Celine Magsaysay in Maging Sino Ka Man, this time with new loveteam partner Sam Milby of Pinoy Big Brother fame.

Controversy:

Cellphone video with ex-boyfriend Richard Gutierrez

Curtis and her relationship with now ex-boyfriend and actor Richard Gutierrez became the subject of gossip particularly after a short video from her cellphone (showing the two making out [naghahalikan lang po]) began to circulate through emails and MMS messages. Her cellular phone had allegedly been lost and the video clip subsequently became public.

Curtis readily admits to the cellphone video: "I don’t see the point of not admitting it," she explained. "I’ve never been the kind of person to deny anything. I would just look like a liar."

Commercial endorsement of an alcoholic beverage

In an interview in April 2005, Curtis explained her controversial decision to become a commercial endorser of GSM Blue, an alcoholic beverage: "I've said many times before, the reason I did that commercial was that when I go out myself I don't deny the fact that I drink, but it's social drinking and not getting drunk. Besides, I need the money to fund my daily needs, papano ako mabubuhay? I don't care if it makes a bad example on the young aged group. For other people, though, they can't see that I'm already 20,"

Relationships:

With Oyo Boy Sotto

After a six-month courtship, Curtis entered into a two-year relationship with now ex-boyfriend Oyo Boy Sotto, son of well-known showbiz personalities Vic Sotto and Dina Bonnevie. Oyo 'Boy' Sotto himself is an actor. Curtis describes her relationship with Sotto as her first brush with genuine love, saying of him: "He was the one who I really loved." By June 2003, the relationship was officially over. In a later interview, Sotto blamed "immaturity and possessiveness" as the reasons their relationship did not work out.

With Richard Gutierrez

Curtis also had a well-publicized relationship with fellow actor Richard Gutierrez in 2004. The two had worked together on the TV shows Nuts Entertainment and Love to Love.

With Paolo Araneta

Curtis later became involved with Paolo Araneta, a relationship that lasted for two years. By January 2006, however, the local entertainment press confirmed that Curtis and Araneta had parted ways. No official reason was given.

And some links were connected with Sam Milby. The loveteam partner of Anne Curtis in the teleserye Maging Sino Ka Man. Which has ended this year. But there will be a book 2.

Interests:

In 2005, Curtis participated in a hands-on outreach program to visit children in Pampanga who underwent cleft-palate operations. The experience moved her and Curtis is later quoted as saying "now I just want to help more."

Commercials and Print Advertisements:

* Smart Telecommunications
* GSM Blue - 2005[10]
* Rexona Sensive
* Watch Republic
* Colgate
* Head & Shoulders
* Petit Monde
* Freego
* Belo Medical Group
* Freeway

Itchyworms

2009-05-23T00:18:00.000+08:00

The Itchyworms is a Filipino rock band whose music is primarily guitar-driven rock with pronounced 1960s and 1980s pop sensibilities and embellished with two- or three-part vocal harmonies. The group made their name in the OPM (Original Pilipino Music) scene in 2006 with their sophomore effort Noontime Show with songs such as "Akin Ka Na Lang" and "Beer".

History:

Early years:

Formed in 1996, the band had been comprised of Jazz Nicolas, Jugs Jugueta, Kelvin Yu (on lead guitar) and Hadrian "Haji" Cruz (on bass). The quartet performed at various school-based events and competitions with a handful of original songs and Beatles covers. Unfortunately, communication and scheduling issues forced Cruz to leave the group. This predicament forced Yu to take up the bass guitar vacancy, effectively making the band a trio.

The group continued as a trio until the middle of 1997, when a common friend in the Ateneo Musicians' Pool recruited Chino Singson to play guitar with the group at a school event. Singson eventually went on to become a permanent member, which solidified the group's current lineup.

In 1998 the band put together Revenge of the Unsigned, their first official CD. They did this with the help of their manager Earnest Mangulabnan-Zabala, Eraserheads, Ely Buendia, Buddy Zabala and Romel "Sancho" Sanchez (Loquy, Cynthia Alexander). The band intended for Revenge to be their independently-released debut album in the event that no major record label would sign them.

As luck would have it, then-A&R manager at Viva/Neo Records Mike Dizon (Teeth, Sandwich (band)) got hold of Revenge. He helped push for Viva executives to sign the band and eventually release Little Monsters Under Your Bed.

Little Monsters, the band's first major-label album, was released in 2001 and contained songs from Revenge plus new compositions by Nicolas and Jugueta. The song "Antipara" was probably the most well-known song on the album. The release of the album was somewhat ill-timed as its glossy pop-rock sound was an aberration in the Korn-influenced OPM Rock landscape of the late 1990s to early 2000s.

Breakthrough Success:

In 2005, the itchyworms released Noontime Show, which gave them modest national success and industry recognition. Buddy Zabala and Raimund Marasigan, by this time both former Eraserheads, co-produced the album with the group.

Most notably, the album went on to become Album of the Year at the 2006 NU Rock Awards, with Nicolas winning Drummer of the Year and the group winning Producer of the Year jointly with Marasigan and Zabala.

"Commercial" Endeavors:

The popularity and radio-friendliness of the band's songs have gained the attention of several well-known commercial brands in the Philippines. The song "Akin Ka Na Lang" has been used by both KFC and Close-Up in separate television advertisements. In 2008, Pringles used "Salapi" for a nationwide campaign/songwriting contest. In addition Enervon, Close-Up and San Miguel Beer have also commissioned the band to write original songs for their advertising campaigns.

The band also wrote and performed "Kabataang Pinoy", the theme song for the first season of ABS-CBN's Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition. This is arguably the band's most widely-publicized song because of the series' popularity and media exposure. They also made a song for Motorola Philippines' Hello Moto campaign.

Influences:

Although the individual members of the band draw on distinct influences, their common affection for The Beatles and The Eraserheads heavily defines the quartet's musical ethos.

The Band:

Jazz Nicolas - drums, lead vocals
Jugs Jugueta - guitars, lead vocals
Chino Singson - guitars, backing vocals
Kelvin Yu - bass, backing vocals

Itchyworms' Funny Music Videos:

Antipara
Beer
Penge Naman Ako Nyan

Full-length Albums:

Little Monsters Under Your Bed (Viva/Neo Records, 2001)
And The Worm Jumped Over The Moon (Independently released, 2003)
Noontime Show (Universal Records, 2005)
Repackaged Noontime Show (with Commercial Break bonus AVCD, Universal
ecords, 2006)
Self-Titled (Sony BMG Philippines, 2008)

Compilations:

Songs from NU107 In The Raw (Sony Music, 1998)
Pulp Freakshow (Viva/Neo Records, 2001)
Gimik Nation (Viva/Neo Records, 2002)
Kami nAPO Muna (Universal Records, 2006)
Close-Up Season of Smiles Christmas CD (Universal Records, 2006)
Astig...The Biggest Band Hits (Universal Records, 2006)
AYUZ! Pinoy Alternative's Power Cuts (Viva/Neo Records, 2006)
SUPER - The Biggest Opm Hits Of The Year (Universal Records, 2007)
Kami nAPO Muna Ulit (Universal Records, 2007)
Musika Sa Bahay Ni Kuya: The Best Of Pinoy Big Brother Hits (Star Records, 2008)

Dr. Hayden Kho

2009-05-22T12:40:00.003+08:00

Hayden Kho was born in Manila on May 20, 1980

His father is a pure-Chinese doctor and a Spanish-Filipina businesswoman mother named Irene dela Santa, Doc Hayden is one of the five siblings. He Speaks fluent Chinese, Spent his 14 years of schooling in Grace Christian School in Binondo Manila and graduated from UST in 2005 with a degree in medicine. He was crowned Mr. UST in 2000, the same year he was a finalist in the Bodyshots search.

As Dra. Vicky Belo’s boyfriend and a contestant in GMA 7’s Celebrity Duets, Dr Hayden Kho has exposed to celebrity scene. What makes this lad more famous is he stands 6’3” packed with well-trimmed 189 lbs body. Hayden has the looks not so much of a doctor but, of a matinee idol.

TV Series

1. Luna Mystika (2008) ... Jonas
2. Ako Si Kim Samsoon (2008) ... Dr. Henry Kim
3. MariMar (2007) ... Doc Hayden
4. Celebrity Duets (2007) ... 2nd Runner-Up

TV Guesting

1. ASAP '08: ASAP: January 13 ... Performer

More information about this celebrated homemade movie lad can be found here

Katrina Halili

2009-05-21T02:26:00.002+08:00

Maria Katrina Irene Halili
Born - January 4, 1986

Maria Katrina Irene Halili is an actress, model, and StarStruck alumna. She was also voted several times as FHM’s Sexiest Woman in the Philippines. Oftentimes, she plays an antagonist in the television shows she appears in.

Katrina was born on January 4, 1986 in Quezon City and grew up at El Nido, Palawan. During her childhood, Kat was fond of joining beauty pageants. During her interviews, she often claimed to have Chinese blood.

Her career took its turn from modeling to acting when she was spotted at Eastwood by a talent scout for StarStruck, a reality contest of GMA Network. Although Katrina didn't win and was considered as just one of the "avengers", Katrina became a star in her own right. Aside from appearing on the covers of sexy magazines like FHM and being hailed as the Sexiest Woman in the Philippines by the said magazine, she also proved her acting prowess in different television series and easily put herself on the list of effective kontrabidas (antagonists) of Philippine television.

Aside from the long list of shows and modeling stints Katrina has done, she also released a collection of music videos entitled “Fantasies.” In the videos, Katrina shows off her voluptuous body by donning sexy and daring outfits, mostly bikinis.

TV Appearances
1. Angela Markado (2009) ... Angela Delmar
2. Gagambino (2008) ... Lucy
3. Obra (2008) ... Various
4. Magdusa Ka (2008) ... Christine Doliente
5. MariMar (2007) ... Angelika de Santibañez
6. Lupin (2007) ... Veronica Arkanghel / Ashley Calibre
7. Atlantika (2006) ... Helena
8. Majika (2006) ... Juno
9. Darna (2005) ... Carol / Black Darna
10. Forever In My Heart (2004)
11. Joyride (2004) ... Vicki
12. Starstruck (2003) ... Starstruck Avenger

Katrina is now facing a major scandal that could ruin her career. It is about the alleged “sex video” with the medical doctor turned actor Dr. Hayden Kho boyfriend of the famous celebrity aesthetic doctor Dr. Vicky Belo.

Pilita Corrales

2009-05-18T00:21:00.000+08:00

Pilita Corrales (born 22 August 1939 in Cebu City, Philippines) is a famous Filipino folk musical recording artist, who is widely referred to as Asia's Queen of Songs, having produced over 135 albums in her music career spanning over four decades.

Biography:

Pilita Corrales was born in Cebu City, Cebu in 1939, she is a mestiza, (of Spanish and Austronesian) ancestry. After finishing her studies at Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion in her native land of Cebu, she went to Spain to enroll in a finishing school in music. In 1958, Pilita began her recording career after arriving with a shipwrecked troupe of performers in Melbourne. She left her mark by becoming the first woman to make the Australian pop charts with a local recording called 'Come Closer to Me'. She became a star of the Melbourne TV circuit and her first hit, Come Closer to Me, became part of a collection on which she’s billed as one of the Grand Dames of Melbourne Radio and Television.

Pilita holds the distinction of being the first female artist to top the Australian pop music charts long before Helen Reddy, Olivia Newton-John and Kylie Minogue. Pilita also recorded at least 3 LPs in the late 1950s-early 1960s: Pilita with Arthur Young :Pilita tells The Story of Love, I'll Take Romance and This is Pilita under Astor Records. Being one of the pioneers of Australia's early television years, a street was named after her outside Melbourne. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) recently featured Pilita and several pioneering female artists in Australia in the 2nd episode of the highly acclaimed TV special, Love is in the Air. Pilita returned to Manila during the mid 1960s to pursue a career in the Philippine music industry. Her Philippine career began when she hosted a radio program La Taverna over DZPI where she sang Spanish songs and played the guitar. She performed regularly in stage shows at the Manila Grand Opera House. Subsequently, her reputation grew and during her international stints, she has performed with internationally acclaimed artists like Sammy Davis Jr. the Beatles, Bob Hope, Pat Boone, Frank Sinatra and Julie Andrews. She also appeared in movies, most of them musicals. Her film debut was a lead role in the 1968 film Miss Wawaw, and was followed by 11 more movies for the next two years. Pilita later recorded numerous albums in Spanish in the early 60s as well as numerous long playing albums in English, Tagalog and Cebuano during the 1970s under Vicor Music Corporation. Her multiawarded TV program at ABS-CBN, An Evening with Pilita (1965-1972), is widely considered as one of the benchmarks in Philippine broadcasting history.

Pilita frequently performed for Seeing Stars with Joe Quirino in IBC-Channel 13 after the martial law years where she demonstrated her range as a gifted performer of Spanish, English, Cebuano and Tagalog music. Aquarius Record Philippines produced a compilation of Pilita's Spanish songs in CDs like Noche de Ronda, Vaya Con Dios. Her signature song A Million Thanks to You was translated in seven languages. She eventually recorded songs composed by Filipino composers like Danny Holmsen, George Canseco, Willy Cruz, Ryan Cayabyab and several others. Under Vicor Records, Pilita interpreted numerous Filipino classics and introduced them to younger audiences.

Pilita first met Canseco in Your Evening with Pilita (aired on pre-Martial Law ABS-CBN) as a guest in the composers' portion of the show". For the show Canseco brought with him You're All I Love. Canseco later wrote Filipino lyrics for the song, which became Kapantay ay Langit, the first song Canseco sold to a record label in 1966. The song was first recorded by Amapola for the movie theme of Kapantay Ay Langit starring Marlene Dauden and Eddie Rodríguez. The song won for George Canseco and Amapola the Manila Film Festival award for best song of the year. The song did not fare well commercially, because Amapola had left (for her U.S. concert tours) and the song was not promoted properly, according to Canseco during an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer. But when Pilita revived the song, it turned into a classic and defied trends and time. "The song," Pilita said, "was included in my album Philippine Love Songs Vol. 1, which was released in the early 1970s."

Through the personal invitation of Sammy Davis Jr., Pilita became the first Filipino to sing in Caesars Palace. In her concert in Caesars Palace, Las Vegas during the late 70s, Pilita sang Spanish, English, Cebuano and Tagalog songs, all conducted and arranged by Ryan Cayabyab.

After receiving a 1965 Philippine Citizen's Award for TV as Best TV Female Performer, Pilita went on to receive Cecil, Aliw, Tinig and Awit and several other awards for her performances and lifetime achievement. In 1990, she received a Merit Award from the FAMAS Awards. In 1991, she was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI) for bringing Filipino musical artistry to international audience. She also holds the distinction of being the first Filipino to win in an international music festival by bagging the Best Performer Award during the 1st Tokyo Music Festival (1972) where she bested numerous international artists including the highly-regarded Olivia Newton-John.

These days she operates Pilita, a restaurant-bar in Greenhills, one of Manila's prime commercial districts. She is also a highly-acclaimed host and comedy actress on Philippine television. With over 135 albums to her credit and an international profile with many appearances in Asia, the Middle East, Australia and North America, she still enjoys a reputation as “singing icon and living legend.”

In 2006, Pilita Corrales was handpicked by Associated Broadcasting Company (ABC Channel 5) and FremantleMedia to be one of the celebrity-judges for the first-ever nationwide search for the Philippine Idol together with composer Ryan Cayabyab and rapper Francis Magalona.

Personal Life:

Corrales has two children, Lourdes Jacqueline Blanco (commonly known as "Jackielou" Blanco) and Ramón Christopher Gutíerrez. Both her two children are also well known celebrity figures in the Philippine Film Industry. Corrales was married in 1963, to the late executive businessman Gonzalo Blanco and separated soon after, while her daughter "Jackielou" was still a child. Gonzalo later died in 1981.

Corrales had a brief short love affair with actor Eddie Gutíerrez, and later gave birth to her second child, Ramón Christopher, in 1971.

Pupil

2009-05-12T00:15:00.000+08:00

Pupil is a Filipino rock band composed of Ely Buendia on frontman duties and guitars, Yan Yuzon on lead guitar, Dok Sergio on bass and Wendell Garcia on drums.

Although the band itself is relatively new, all of its members have lots of experience in the Philippine music scene. Pupil is managed by Day Cabuhat (who also used to handle the Eraserheads) and Ely Buendia's wife, Diane Ventura, who was also manager for The Mongols.

History:

Dok Sergio from the bands The Teeth and Daydream Cycle joined The Mongols' line-up during the fourth quarter of 2004, making it a five-man band. The Mongols' bassist Yan Yuzon moved to third guitar duties while Dok Sergio handled bass. The transitional five-man line-up was witnessed in The Mongols’ last single and music video entitled “Heroine”. In May 2005, guitarist, Jerome Velasco, a.k.a J. Astro, left to pursue a career in producing and recording studio engineering. The group's last gig under the name "The Mongols" was July 7, 2005.

Velasco’s departure shook things up for the group as they were trapped into the decision of whether to stay as a band or not. As they decided to continue and as they progressed, the band noticed that they were producing a different sound without Velasco on the lead guitar and decided to form a "new" band. “We got a better bass player and dumber guitarist,” jokes guitarist Yan Yuzon, who left bass playing duties to Dok Sergio to take Velasco’s place. Upon the determination of forming a “new” band, the group’s first move was to change their name.

Frontman Ely Buendia from the phenomenal band Eraserheads, chanced upon the name "Pupil" while browsing a medical book. The band wanted a classic name for a rock band. Before using Pupil, they tried several other names, such as Villain, Lords of Nasdaq, The Gets, Trochlean, Traitors, and Tyrel Corp. They chose the name Pupil because Buendia liked the fact that it was the part of the eye where light enters. Guitarist Yan Yuzon likes its double meaning, as well as the “eternal learning” connotations of the name. Pupil's launch gig was on July 13, 2005 at the UP Bahay Ng Alumni.

Pupil had a hard time searching for a record label. They submitted their demo to several labels, but no one was more enthusiastic about the new material than the newly-merged Sony BMG. Incidentally, Ely left BMG Pilipinas in 2002 in the wake of his falling out with the Eraserheads. However, BMG accepted Buendia again like a "prodigal son," as he himself describes it in their debut album's insert.

The band admits that there is a distinct challenge for them, coming out of their past bands (Eraserheads and The Teeth). The challenge is particularly pronounced on frontman, Ely Buendia, since older fans tend to compare him and his new band with the huge popularity of The Eraserheads before. In an interview by Y. Losorata he says, "I just want my fans and hopefully, my fans to be, to appreciate my music. I’m lucky to still have my career in music as a job and as part of Pupil wala akong (I don't have) delusions to become as big as my previous band was." In fact, the band itself describes their music as actually "one foot in the past, one foot in the present and both eyes dead set at the future." According to Buendia, it's not being there but getting there that's exciting for him, no matter how many times he tries to get there.

Local radio stations' reception of Pupil's music, though, is relatively limited (with the exception of NU 107) due to the band's genre and musical style. While the band's carrier single, "Nasaan Ka?" was played often and achieved quite a popularity among listeners, other singles released from their album encountered more hurdles. The song "Nasaan Ka?" was used as main theme and "story" (based on lyrics) for the first episode of the second season of Your Song. Frontman Ely Buendia says, "Some pop radio stations are still making up their minds on "Dianetic" which I personally don’t understand since it’s really just one of those straightforward love songs medyo on the noisy side nga lang (just a little bit on the noisy side). "Then again, minsan talaga hindi mo maintindihan ang ibang radio stations (sometimes you cannot understand some radio stations). It’s not as if they don’t play songs by foreign artists like Nirvana with music heavier on distorted electric guitar than ours. Pero okay lang (But that's okay), that’s the reality of things." He speculates that colonial mentality has something to do about the double standard these radio stations go by. Consequently, they were forced to release an acoustic version of their second single, "Dianetic". The acoustic version of "Nasaan Ka?" was then used as a Bonus Track for Sony BMG's CD Sampler 2006 Volume 3.

However, the band had relatively early success as evidenced by advertising projects that they were involved with and local awards that they have won. They were featured as the Rising Star for the month of May, 2006 in MTV Philippines. In the 19th Awit Awards held in Casino Filipino, they won the Award for Best Performance By A New Group Recording Artist/s Category. They received another award for their first single, "Nasaan Ka?" at the MTV Pilipinas VMA 2006, bagging the Best Rock Video Award. Then, Wrigley's Juicy Fruit chose them as their promotional models for their product along with Barbie Almalbis, another local artist. They also received endorsement deals from Levi's, Puma and Pony footwear.

In Novermber 26, 2006 Pupil won the SOP Music Awards 2006 Breakthrough Recording Artist of The Year Award. "We don't think Pupil should've qualified as 'breakthrough artist' because this actually is our second album after we changed our name from The Mongols," says Ely.

The band also participated in the 2006 MTV Staying Alive Music Summit For HIV/AIDS. Pupil’s fourth single, "Gamu-Gamo," quickly climbed NU 107’s Stairway to Seven's number one spot within the first week of 2007. The band also performed a special 8-minute medley (which included a cover of the Eraserheads hit, "Pare Ko") at the 2nd MYX Music Awards which was held on March 15, 2007 at the AFP Theater, Camp Aguinaldo.

On July 25, 2007, Yan Yuzon announced in Pupil's mailing list that Bogs Jugo, the band's drummer, left the band to pursue other things for his career. Wendell Garcia, formerly of Barbie's Cradle, replaced Jugo. Garcia played his first gig as the new drummer on July 26, 2007 at the Hard Rock Cafe, Makati. The gig also featured new songs from Pupil's new album that is soon to be released. The Mongols' Jerome Velasco played synths with the band. He is also the band's producer for their second album.

MEMBERS:

Yan Yuzon - Born in March 7, 1978, Lead guitarist Yan Yrastorza Yuzon is the brother of Sponge Cola guitarist and frontman, Yael Yuzon. He also teaches theater direction at the Ateneo de Manila University. His famous works include a pop-culture adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s Three Penny Opera, Linya, Santuario and a few more. Being a very busy man, Yan is also a writer for ABS-CBN’s TV show "Goin Bulilit". He also played the short role of Liam in ABS-CBN’s "Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay". His acting performances also include the role of Romeo in the Metropolitan Theater Guild's production of Romeo and Juliet (which has been used in Sponge Cola's Gemini music video), alongside Ina Feleo, daughter of Filipino actor, Johnny Delgado, with the role of Juliet. Yan has previously appeared in local renditions of other Shakespearean plays like "Merchant of Venice" and "Macbeth". He also starred in an indie film titled "Three Boys" for Cinemanila. The film is about a band which is composed of Marc Abaya (vocals and guitars) Ping Medina (bass) and Yan Yuzon (drums). It was directed by Ming Kai Leung and produced by Marie Jamora. He also used to front for the indie neo-glam band called Cat Siamese. Yan uses a Carvin classic white guitar, Fender Stratocaster and Epiphone Les Paul. Yan Yuzon also launched his new band called “Arch1pelago.” It’s members are Wendell Garcia on drums, Chad Rialp (of Sound and Liquid Jane) on bass, Pat Tirano (who co-produced Beautiful Machines) on lead guitars and Yan Yuzon himself on frontman duties. He was also featured in an instrumental compilation called "Mga Gitarista" (The Guitarists), wherein it features various instrumental songs from Filipino guitarists from different OPM bands such as Barbie Almalbis, Francis Reyes, Mong Alcaraz and Mike Elgar. His song "Mount Ordeals" was said to be inspired by Final Fantasy Series.

Dok Sergio - Born in February 27, 1976, Bassist Andrew Ryan Steve Ricafranca Sergio is the brother of Rivermaya's bassist Japs Sergio. Dok and Japs are also members of Daydream Cycle, doing bass and rhythm respectively. Dok Sergio wrote the lyrics of "Dulo ng Dila" on the spot during recording. It is also the band's first song to hit no.1 in NU 107's Stairway to Seven chart. In addition, Dok wrote the lyrics of "Shooting Star" by The Teeth which won the "Song of the Year" award at the NU 107 Rock Awards 2000. He also runs a silkscreen printing business whose clients include some of the bands in the local Filipino rock scene today. Aside from The Teeth, one of Dok Sergio's former bands was Warehouse Club where his bandmates were from the members of the band The Youth (Robert Javier and Joseph Carrasgo) and Jun Dela Rosa. He did guitars and vocals. Dok once played bass for the band, Imago and now for indie-band Prank Sinatra. He uses a Fender Precision Bass Guitar, and recently, a 6-string Fender Bass VI. Today, aside from having reunited with The Teeth, he also sometimes plays bass for Imago, where he also used to play bass with before.

Ely Buendia - Born in November 2, 1970, Eleandre Basiño Buendía is the band's frontman and guitarist.

Wendell Garcia - Born in May 27, 1976, Wendell Ray C. Garcia, formerly of Barbie's Cradle, is Pupil's new drummer who replaced Bogs Jugo in 2007. He is also the drummer for Pupil's second album. Garcia also played drums for Sponge Cola as sessionist and as drummer for 6cyclemind's Panorama album, he also co-produced the album with Buddy Zabala, Ebe Dancel, and Francis Magalona. Garcia also composed the song "012" with Barbie Almalbis and Kakoi Legaspi for "Parade" album. He also plays drums for the Jazz group named "Balooze." When Francis M and Ely Buendia recorded the song "Superproxy 2k6" for Ultraelectromagneticjam Eraserheads tribute, Wendell was responsible for the drum parts and played drums during the recording phase for Francis M's band, Hardware Syndrome. Wendell also sings while playing drums, his recent performance was "Fallen" from Pretty Woman OST. He also shared his drumming skills for Rico Blanco's Your Universe album.

Former Members:

Bogs Jugo - Born in February 17, 1979, Drummer Ricardo Nicholas Bañaga Jugo is also the synth and beat programmer for the dream pop/electronica group Daydream Cycle. Bogs is into video games. He once worked as an online customer assistance representative for an international videogame console company. Playing “Hypersober” live is a different set-up for the band. Yan plays the drums. Dok gets to play the guitars. Ely does the bass, and of course, Bogs on vocals. Bogs also used "d lite" and "bogaman" as a nick name during the early days of The Mongols.

On July 25, 2007, Yan Yuzon announced in Pupil's mailing list that Bogs Jugo left the band to pursue other things for his career. However, Yuzon said that Jugo had already expressed his desire to quit his duties for both of his bands, Pupil and Daydream Cycle, as early as the summer of 2007. Bogs, a pioneer member the group since The Mongols, ensured smooth transition for Pupil into its current new lineup. He was replaced by Wendell Garcia, formerly of Barbie's Cradle.

Contrary to speculations, he did not leave the music industry at all. Jugo is still a musician, but more within the indie and underground scene; perhaps to give way to his other activities. After he left Pupil and DDC, he also sessions with Nina’s live band as drummer and also for Tawo band. Currently he is the drummer for Us-2 Evil-0, and he also plays guitars for She Hates Ballet.

Up Dharma Down

2009-05-07T00:12:00.000+08:00

Up Dharma Down is a Filipino band that won the In The Raw Award at the 2005 NU 107 Rock Awards, and as Best New Artist and Best Female Award for vocalist and keyboardist, Armi Millare, at the 2006 NU 107 Rock Awards. Their first album, Fragmented, under independent record label Terno Recordings, has been one of 2006's critically acclaimed albums in the local music scene.

Apart from that, Mark Cole's BBC show tagged them as the Asian band to most likely crossover to North American shores, and has been featured in numerous regional shows together with bands such as Arcade Fire (Canada) and Bloc Party (UK). Their eclectic music gave them the leverage to stand above most local bands in the Philippines, enough to be featured in the July 2007 issue of Time Magazine. The band has also done a number of endorsement deals and projects with Adidas, Coke, and Lipton Tea.

They performed as front act for Incubus' Light Grenades Pacific Rim Tour Manila stop at Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on March 9, 2008.

They are currently recording for their second album which should be out within 2008.

They recently won the 2008 Myx Music Awards for Favorite Indie Artist competing against top performing indie bands in the country. The Award proved that the band is currently risng its fame to the OPM Music. The band now tries to spread their music in other provinces in Luzon, Visayas , and Mindanao.

Members:

Armi Millare - keyboards, vocals
Carlos Tañada - lead guitars
Ean Mayor - drums and loops
Paul Yap - bass

Recognitions:

First Filipino Band to be featured in MTV's “Advanced Warning”, showcasing up-and-coming artists in the Asian region

Made it to the QTV Channel 11 Show “Ang Pinaka”'s list of top 15 Philippine bands today

Featured in Mark Coles' BBC Radio Show

Featured in July issue of Time Magazine

Sponge Cola

2009-05-03T02:07:00.002+08:00

Sponge Cola is a Filipino rock band formed in 2002.

History:

Formation (1998-2002)

Sponge Cola is a Filipino rock band formed in 2002. Between 1998 to 2002, Ysmael "Yael" Yuzon and Reynaldo "Gosh" Dilay, both from Ateneo High School, met through the school's theater guild, Teatro Baguntao. Yael was then the frontman of a rock band called White Castle. Nevertheless, he decided to form a band with Gosh and two other members of the theater guild. They named the group Sponge after R.S. Surtee's Mr. Sponge Sporting Tour. The band won in several high school competitions boosting their popularity not just in their school but in other campuses, as well.

Some members of the old lineup left and were replaced by Christopher "Chris" Cantada and Erwin "Armo" Armovit. The latter is the guitarist of another band Rampqueen, which was managed also by Sponge's manager Raymond Fabul. Later however, they learned about a Detroit grunge band already using the name Sponge. "But we wanted to keep the word Sponge in our band name because people have already associated us with that name," according to Yael. "So we decided to add 'Cola', since it's an easy enough word to remember." Sponge Cola was officially formed in summer of 2002.

Early Career (2002-2004)

They came up with a self-titled EP in the last quarter of 2003 containing five original songs: Lunes, A Tear, Saturn, Cigarette and Jeepney. The first and the last song penned in the vernacular caught the public's attention. Lunes, written by Gosh, begins with a bossa nova-esque beat that suddenly shifts to a heavy rock riff. Second single Jeepney was written by a classmate for a school project back in 2001 and is a reminiscent piece on young love during simpler, happier times. Yael's vocal range is evident in the song showcasing his ability to shift from mellow to screamo.

Through this EP, Sponge Cola got extensive airplay from several local pop and rock radio stations. A bootlegged copy of their version of Madonna's "Crazy for You" ended up on the Internet and became an underground hit, with some listeners believing it was a Sponge Cola original. Though this misconception helped increase their popularity, the band aimed to remove the stigma of being a cover band, pushing their original songs to the forefront.

Palabas (2004-2006)

In 2004, the band signed for record distribution and released Sponge Cola's first full-length debut album, entitled Palabas, under Sony BMG Philippines, an allusion to the boys' theater backgrounds. The album features a definitive voice in unadulterated rock, reminiscent of 90s alternative but mixed with enough sing-along pop sensibility-as based on the band members' individual influences. Gosh was weaned on classic OPM from the likes of Basil Valdes and Martin Nievera; Armo lends to heavy metal and rock edge, citing bands like Deftones, Tool and A Perfect Circle as influences; Chris likes pop-rock bands like the Beatles and Athenaeum; and Yael trips on everything from novelty songs to bubblegum-pop, from 80s power ballads, to The Smashing Pumpkins. They admitted to have been also influenced by Pinoy iconic Rock Band "The Eraserheads."

They are also one of the few local rock bands that boast of using three part harmonies in a lot of their songs, supplied by Yael, Chris and Gosh and as seen in tracks such as "KLSP" and "Una". Sponge Cola also experiments with unconventional elements that are normally ignored in rock recording, like the samisen ("A Japanese guitar", Gosh boasts), the striking of amplifiers, cellphone ring tones and actual rain. The final track "Closure" faintly features the sound of a door shutting, before transposing to a melancholic acoustic number.

During 2004, their songs Lunes and KLSP gained popularity and ended up in most radio stations' charts during that period. Also, Jeepney became popular in the beginning of 2005 along with their own version of Crazy For You. With the resurgence of Pinoy Rock in the middle of 2005, Sponge Cola gained even more popularity from listeners with their song Gemini and especially the alternative rock song Una.

All their singles were able to reach the #1 spot in both Philippines 100 and MYX Hit Chart.

Transit (2006-Present)

They recorded their next album just after they graduated from college. Sponge Cola released their second album entitled Transit in September with a launch party in Metrowalk, Ortigas, under Universal Records. The album turned gold after less than three months of its release due to the success of the lead single Bitiw which enjoyed massive radio airplay. The song also became the theme song of ABS-CBN's show Pedro Penduko. In MYX's Hit Chart 2006 year ender countdown, Bitiw was the number 2 video.

Sponge Cola have contributed on two tribute albums. They covered the 90's hit song by the Eraserheads, "Pare Ko", on Ultraelectromagneticjam. The group released their cover of APO Hiking Society's classic "Nakapagtataka" on the tribute album, "Kami nAPO muna", as the next single. The song reached number 1 in the MYX Hit Charts and enjoyed massive radio airplay.

The band won 4 awards in the 2007 MYX Music Awards besting other OPM acts in both Favorite Artist and Favorite Group categories. Bitiw was voted as both Favorite Song and Favorite Rock Video.

Tuliro, the second single from Transit, was released in the first quarter of 2007. It peaked at number 1 in the MYX Hit Charts.

The band was again contracted by ABS-CBN to create the theme song of the new season of the show Pedro Penduko, Pedro Penduko at ang mga Engkantao, entitled Tuloy Pa Rin.

The band was recently featured in a MYX show, "Myxellaneous", where it showed the evolution of the band from young upstarts to icons of the Philippine rock industry.

The music video for their song "Movie" premiered on MYX on August 1, 2007 and it hit number one shortly after its release.

Sponge Cola's version of APO classic "Saan Na Nga Ba'ng Barkada" for the Kami nAPO Muna ULIT album is currently enjoying massive radio airplay despite not having a music video for it.

The band released their current single "Pasubali" on January 24, 2008. It held the number 1 spot on the Myx Hit Chart for three weeks and is still on the said chart to this very day. It is also being used as the theme song to ABS-CBN's airing of the Koreanovela Lovers

Transit Deluxe

(2008), Sponge Cola's second album repackaged.

Sponge Cola released their deluxe album "Transit" on January 24.

The album includes a bonus AVCD featuring 5 brand new tracks Tuloy Pa Rin, Nakapagtataka, Tuliro (Acoustic Version), Pasubali (Acoustic Version), Intercept, and Pasubali (Radio Edit).

The album also includes music videos of Bitiw, Nakapagtataka, Tuliro, Tuloy Pa Rin, Movie, and Pasubali. It hit platinum a week after its release.