A Different Miss Asia Pacific International This Year

 

Certainly, this year's Miss Asia Pacific International pageant felt so different. Last October 8th, Cebu Coliseum became the venue for the crowning of this year's queen, Isabela Fernandes of Brazil. Her advocacy on education and sustainability proved to be a huge factor in her gaining the crown. 

1st Runner Up went to the Philippines very own Anita Rose Gomez while 2nd, 3rd and 4th Runner Up posts went to Bowomrat Maneerat of Thailand, Jana Jannsens of Belgium and Delilah Almira Wildboer of the Netherlands. These ladies showcased not just their culture, but the individual causes they support in line with their own stories and the event's theme #HERStoryAblaze. These ladies also competed for their National Costume, Swimsuit and Evening Gowns. The special awards went to Bowomorat Maneerat representing Thailand for the National Costume, Anita Rose Gomez of the Philippines for the Best in Swimsuit and Isabela Fernandes of Brazil for the Evening Gown. They gave the Miss Photogenic award to Danube Kangjam of India and the Peoples Choice to UK's Anne Gomes.

This year also marks a new set of women representing the best of the regions, they're named Continental Queens. For the Americas, Michelle Whilar Lazarte of Peru won it. For Asia Aisyah Amini of Indonesia got it. For Europe Delilah Elmira Wildeboer of the Netherlands got the crown. For Africa, it went to South Africa's Bejandri Lourens while for Oceania was awarded to New Zealand's Hannah Leigh Cross. 

A Heartfelt Advocacy

All 43 delegates have experienced the 6.9 magnitude earthquake in the province of Cebu (Bogo City). Instead of the usual fanfare, the queens took part in relief efforts and took to streets and shelters, joined several partner NGO's, private entities to make sure they got to comfort those ravaged by the calamity. They were also in the Operation Smile gala when it happened, and it was heartwarming to see them helping during that time. They're definitely beauty queens with compassion, took their gloves off and cared for those in need. That made it all different this year, the pageant had lux and elegance, but it was being human that mattered most. Seeing that was certainly precious!

Silent Auction In Trinoma

There is joy in giving. With the recent plight of our countrymen in the Visayas region, both whom have been victims of the huge earthquake in Bohol; and typhoon Yolanda who's ravaged several provinces in that area, Ayala Malls wanted to give more to rebuild their homes and community.

Up for grabs are items from the best fashion and beauty brands and much more. This will be held on December 19, 2013 - thats this Thursday 5PM at the 4th Floor Cinema Lobby in TriNoma, EDSA corner North Avenue, Quezon City. 

Rowena Tomeldan of Ayala Malls, Thelma San Juan of PDI and Citcit Sioson of Look Magazine.

This event is brought to you by AYALA Malls, in cooperation with Look Magazine, Inquirer Lifestyle and AYALA Foundation.

I'll be there too, so I hope yo see you on Thursday! :) 

Update: I'm here now in the auction and am really excited about the items I did bid on.. Hope to win some of them! :)

I would have bid on those Sebago shoes but it's gonna be a tight fit at size 10.

This Apple TV is also a steal at 2,495, hope no one bids over my price.

This shirt and pants is a little procey for me but since it is for charity, who cares right? 

A quartet of Philippine Madrigal Singers were there too to sing lovely Christmas Songs during the launch!

Hurry shoppers! You gotta run to trinoma because this will only last until December 22! Just proceed to the Cinema Lobby right beside the carousel.

KUMAGCOW

Men's Lifestyle Redefined!

For Victims of the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan

400 hundred people confirmed dead and hundreds more still missing; that is the thing that made my day miserable yesterday. It was horrific; just to see the actual tsunami take over the city of Tokyo, the Miyagi Prefecture and other provinces in the outskirts of Honshu. My heart was broken seeing people still inside their cars as they are being swept away parallel with yachts and fishing boats. Survivors desperately climb up their houses and wave white cloths as helicopters try and save whoever they can. There are still a lot of people under debris and probably having so hard to keep themselves alive after those set of waves that ravaged the country. My condolences to everyone in Japan. To the Japanese people, I only can do much but I am so heartbroken... I adore your country and your citizens... I sincerely hope you get through this.

Oh Haiti!

When I woke up this morning to get my regular dose of chocolate drink, I was dumbfounded when I heard in the news that there was another earthquake in Haiti. Not just a simple aftershock because this one registered 6.1 in the richter scale. It was almost as strong as the first one they had that toppled almost the whole capital. I was worried about the casualties that we had (I mean the Philippines) because as it turned out, the missing 3 UN workers actually died and was just recovered yesterday. There is total chaos in the region because of the thousands that died and they could not even get them accommodate on local cemeteries. Some of them literally leave their loved ones outside the streets to rot because they are not able to preserve them anymore.

It was not a sight for a cup of Cadbury Chocolate Drink but good think I was strong at least I was able to still finish the drink.. But boy it was not a pretty sight to see!

I pity those who perished and the people they left behind. I wish there was something we could do to speed up the rescue efforts. I wish them well in the days to come because the last thing that they need is another earthquake!

Update Re: Earthquake in Haiti

There are around 500 Filipino Overseas workers staying in HAITI and they want to immediately go home after the earthquake hit that country a few days ago. The Philippine government said that they will try to do their best and help the ones who would want to do so.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)is ready to repatriate these Pinoys and get them home safe. They also set up a task force specifically for this calamity and sent them to seek victims who are still under the rubble. An earthquake drill is now required to be done regularly on all schools and public offices because of this. The Armed Forces of the Philippines however are still doing the deed in Maguindanao’s election since it is still in a hotspot. They will also be putting the province of Masbate in Comelec control because of the recent violence and ambush attempts on local candidates.

The training of teachers is set to be done in three days. This is relatively short for people who did not even see a computer in their entire life. Retrieval operations on MV Catalyn B have been stopped by the Coast Guard because they have assumed to have gotten all the bodies when they dived yesterday. The JBC or Judicial Bar Council will be sued in court if they do not submit a list for Supreme Court justice nominees. Phivolcs also said that the earthquake that happened in Haiti will never happen in the Philippines. I just hope they are right.

PNP contingent in Earthquake stricken Haiti are all OK!

Photo by ABC news

All 15 members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Forces are okay in Haiti after they have experienced a 7 magnitude earthquake at around 5PM EST. This has been confirmed by PNP Spokesman Leonardo Espina in a press conference held in Camp Crame.

Espina said that Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Fuentes headed the PNP Contingent and among them are 5 officials and 10 Police Non-Commissioned Officers. There was a huge difficulty in getting information even on satellite phones on that day.
They have re established contact through e-mail around 3:30PM that confirmed all 15 policemen are fine in the midst of that strong earthquake which is the strongest they have felt in around 200 years.

Espina also added that with his talk with Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Office that out of the 155 soldiers that were there, nobody was hurt.

Earlier this day, there were reports that they were trapped under the rubble of the United Nations office in the said country.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on the other hand is finding it difficult to have information on Filipino conditions in Haiti. DFA Spokesman Attorney Ed Malaya said that the primary lines of communication on the said island have totally been disabled by this catastrophe.
Even the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York, USA, could not contact the Philippine Peacekeeping Contingent in Haiti.

Aside from the Philippine troops, there are around 447 Pinoys that have not been still contacted.
Malaya said that the DFA and their people from the Philippine Embassy in Cuba have been sent to check on the conditions of the Filipinos there. I wish they and the people in the island are safe.