All I Want For Christmas Is You

Just wanna share since this is festive!!!!!

Hope you guys will get what you want for Christmas!!!!

XoXo

iStyled: Edgar Allan Guzman for Manila Bulletin Students and Campuses

NO MORE JUST MR. POGI!

Edgar Allan Guzman for Manila Bulletin- Students and Campuses

Photographed by ANDREW APUYA

Styled by JP DICHE 

Grooming by MARTIN ALONZO

Clothes from BENCH 

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Special Thanks to Manila Bulletin - Students and Campuses Section

Like their Facebook page here and follow them on twitter HERE

Triumphant (Get' Em) Mariah Carey ft Rick Ross and Meek Mill

It is a triumphant August 2, 2012!!!

This is because today, Mariah's first ever post-pregnancy Single was released!!

And yes, the title is Triumphant (Get 'Em) ft Rick Ross and Mee Mill

Play the Audio!!

I love Mariah the RnB / HipHop Diva!!

I must say the song is a grower!! I cannot blame some lambs for having violent reactions..

I know we miss Mariah the Ballad Queen, but what the heck...

This song is very Mariah!!

The lyrics , very inspiring.. and the hook (Get'em get'em get'em) very addicting!!!

And what I love to do the most when listening to Mariah songs... I challenge myself to hear and differentiate those Mariah vocals (and whistles) which are used as part of the melody... and this new song never fails.... there are tons of Mariah in the melody, besides the "Get'Em" part,

there are little whistles and whispers in there... lol

Here's the Mariah part of the song...

"Can’t fall down now, so even when clouds surround you

And everyone seems to doubt you

Baby still know who you are

So you gotta keep on climbing

In spite of the chains that bind you

You can see the mountain top

It’s not too far..."

"Can't fall down stay triumphant keep on living

Stay on your toes

Get off the rope

Don’t let em ever count you out

Realize all things are possible

In your heart who's the greatest

Reach for the stars

Be all that you are

And make em all fall down..."

Thanks Mariah!!!

One true lamb here!!!

PBB Teens Big 4 for Manila Bulletin

Teensations!

Article by Jaycon Yaneza

Photography JERICO MONTEMAYOR of Illuminati (assisted by NEIL EDGER RAMIREZ)

 Creative direction JASER A. MARASIGAN

 Styling JP DICHE and DICE SILVERIO (assisted by KAM UNTALAN)

Makeup KIT FABIA and SHEILA NIU TIU

Hair AARON CUNANAN and JAY MAR D. MARTINEZ

Clothes from LEE and CANDIE'S

Shoes from CONVERSE and PARISIAN (from SM Department Store)

Accessories from WWW (What Women Want from SM Department Store)

Five is the new four, that is for the recent fourth season of the reality show Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition where five people made it to the big 4 - twins joj and jai Agpangan, Roy Requejo, Karen Reyes and big winner, Myrtle Sarrosa.

Students and Campuses Bulletin had a literal walk in the park with these kids recently and saw how simple, yet ambitious and career-driven they are.

Following are snippets from our interview with the PBB Teens top finisher, on how their lives were before PBB, their families, their struggles as teenagers as well as their dreams and aspirations, and why they believe in their hearts that they have a bright, bright future ahead of them

Roy Requejo

Big Dreamer

If there is one thing common among the PBB housemates who had been evicted earlier, it was the fact that they all thought Roy Requejo deserved to be the big winner.

Roy, 17, was born in Naga City, Camarines Sur to a driver father and a beautician mother. He is the eldest of four siblings and is a graduate of Tinago High School in CamSur.

Life was hard for Roy who had to work as a construction worker at one point. His mother left them and went to Manila to work and for nearly a year, Roy and his siblings did not hear from their mother. It was not until the PBB Big Night that Roy was able to talk to his mother again. “We’re okay now,” he quietly says.

Growing up hard-up though has not stopped Roy from going on little romantic pursuits. Tall, dark, and handsome, Roy claims he has already had three girlfriends. “My first love was the girl next door. The other two girls, I met in school,” Roy looks back with a laugh.

He first aspired to become a seaman but with PBB, his plans have begun to take new turns.

“I’m still open to the idea. PBB has actually guaranteed me a scholarship to Mariner’s Polytechnic College  in Bicol. But I have yet to enroll. I dream to finish school of course and make life better for me and my family. But I’m also open to other opportunities. If something better comes along, I’m open to it,” he says.

Roy likes to try new things, including learning how to play the guitar, and trying out acting. He idolizes John Lloyd Cruz (and dreams of working with him), Vhong Navarro, and Parokya Ni Edgar. But for now, he is doing the rounds of ABS-CBN live shows and looks back to that fateful big night that changed his life.

“I thank all those who voted for me, especially to the mayor of CamSur who announced his support for me. Thank you!” Roy says. Fans may follow him on Twitter at @requejoroy28

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Joj and Jai Agpangan

Two peas in a pod

Joj and Jai Agpangan are the wacky, 16-year-old identical twins from Bacolod City. Born to a community developer/ farmer father and an accountant mother, the twins graduated from Bacolod City Tay Tung High School although they do not come from a Chinese family. “The school was near our place. We thank the school for accepting us. We had a great time studying there where we learned to speak and write some Fookien and Mandarin.” They were classmates in freshman high school and had a blast playing pranks,  oftentimes pretending to be the other twin.

Even with crushes, the Virgo siblings share a liking for the same person – young TV host and PBB Teen alumnus Robi Domingo! Joj and Jai both dream of working with him.

Both are inclined towards taking up Medicine. While Joj wants to be like famous dermatologist Dr. Vicki Belo, Jai wants to specialize in pediatrics. They want to enroll in Silliman University for college.

It is amazing how the twins can be the same not only in looks but also in attitude, in their likes and dislikes, and even in their attitude. Two peas in a pod, indeed!

“We’re like Disney Channel’s ‘Zack and Cody,’ always happy, wacky, and almost inseparable,” Joj exclaims.

Jai describes Joj as talkative but with a kind heart, probably the traits that housemate Roy liked in her. Joj says Jai is naughtier and a little bigger than her!

As early as now, the twins’ wackiness is earning for them some guesting spots, such as that in the noontime show ‘It’s Showtime!’ Fans may follow them on Twitter at @jojagpangan (for Joj) and @jyramay (for Jai).

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Karen Reyes

Tough Teenager

She might have been the strongest, most noticeable personality inside the PBB Teen house but 15-year old Karen Reyes could also very well be the toughest.

Born to an OFW father who is now deceased, and a carinderia cook/ entrepreneur mother, Karen was originally from Makati City until she and her family moved to Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. She was a junior high school student at Jose J. Leido, Jr. Memorial National High School in Calapan before she joined PBB Teens.

“It was tough growing up without a father. My mother did her best to support us. I have two elder siblings who finished college and they helped out until they had their own families. We look after each other. I’ve had a normal teen life,’’ says Karen, the youngest among four children.

Her pretty face, being likened to that of a young Lorna Tolentino, has given her a newfound fame. Yet Karen still dreams of finishing high school and pursuing a course in Tourism in college. She says she is still a simple girl with simple joys, someone who enjoys texting, playing computer games, eating, and sleeping.

Aside from dancing, Karen has also acquired the talent of “seducing’’ the camera when posing for pictures. She idolizes actress Angel Locsin and says that she is open to any acting job. In fact, she has already been included in the cast immediately in the afternoon teleserye “Angelito” (Book 2) on ABS-CBN 2. Fans may follow Karen on Twitter at @iamkarenreyes17

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Myrtle Sarrosa

More than a cosplaying housemate

Myrtle Sarrosa, so unique among all housemates because of her passion for cosplay, is 17 years old and hails from Iloilo City.

An Accountancy sophomore at the University of the Philippines-Visayas before she decided to enter the PBB house, Myrtle is the youngest of two children of Iloilo City councilor Rodolfo Sarrosa and accountant Fatima Porlucas-Sarrosa of the Department of Finance. She is also a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman in their district.

Myrtle emulates famous cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao as she herself has been into cosplaying for four years now.

“I had a simple life before PBB but it has been a happy, amazing and wonderful experience so far. Everything feels new to me after the show. I never had any idea that I would become the big winner because I had the highest save percentage at 45.01 percent but also the highest percentage to evict at 11.09 percent.

It’s crazy! When Kuya admitted me to the PBB house, he told me ‘This will be a summer you’ll never forget.’ I still have yet to get used to all the public attention. I’m hesitant to have a Twitter account because I’m still holding on to my privacy. I have my Facebook though where I have my cosplay photos which are valuable to me,” Myrtle gushes.

With looks oftentimes likened to young actress Erich Gonzales and supermodel Niki Taylor, Myrtle says she is still the ordinary teenager that she has always been.

“I’m a girl who gives her best, with passion and enthusiasm – 100 percent,” says Myrtle who also sings, dances, and plays the piano.

Two things she is setting her sights on are participating in cosplays abroad and opening her own fashion line. After all, being a cosplay artist has taught her how to do her own hair and make-up and style her own costumes.

She also plans on taking on an advocacy for the youth. After fulfilling her duties as a contract talent, Myrtle intends to go back to school and fulfill her ultimate dream to become a CPA-lawyer someday.

At present, Myrtle has started guesting on TV shows and is gearing up for the Pinoy Big Brother tour. Fans may follow Myrtle at www.facebook.com/myrt.gail and or www.facebook.com/sarrosamyrtle

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Congratulations to the Big Winner!!!

Myrtle!!

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Special thanks to Kapamilya - ABSCBN (PBB)

and

Manila Bulletin- Students and Campuses Section

Visit and Like their Facebook Page Here

and Follow them on Twitter @mbsac

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XoXo

How Do I Love Thee Photo Exhibit by The Love Yourself Project

Here's a little something for my community...

I salute these guys (from The Love Yourself Project) for continuing this great advocacy.

Let's continue to spread love....

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The guys from The Love Yourself Project, an advocacy group aimed to raise awareness in order to stop/prevent/lessen the spread of HIV,

will be having a Fund Raising Photo Exhibit this July 8, 2012 6PM at The Love Yourself Hub

located at 1850 Leon Guinto St., Malate, Manila (at the back of PWU).

The Exhibit entitled "How Do I Love Thee" will feature photos taken

by reknowned Artist-Photographer, Ian Felix Alquiros.

Check out some of Ian Felix Alquiros' works by visiting his website HERE

< http://www.ianfelixalquiros.com/ >

The exhibit will be open to the public from Monday to Sunday

starting July 9 - August 5, exhibit hours from 1-6PM.

For more information, you can visit loveyourself.ph

or you can follow them on Twitter @LoveYourself_VA

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It's the simplest things we tend to ignore, when it's the simplest things that mean so much more.

Thanks Anderson Cooper!

It is the best way to end Pride Month!

I woke up this morning, and as usual, the first thing I did was check my twitter for any relevant news. And to my surprise, Anderson Cooper was trending worldwide. I sort of had an idea but i still didnt jump into conclusion. When you trend in twitter, it's either you died, you said or did something really stupid or great, or you came out of that closet. True enough, as I read the blog where Anderson directly answered his thoughts and views about the visibility of gay people as one of the core means for our equality. It was a very honest and touching answer for a letter..

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"Andrew, as you know, the issue you raise is one that I've thought about for years. Even though my job puts me in the public eye, I have tried to maintain some level of privacy in my life. Part of that has been for purely personal reasons. I think most people want some privacy for themselves and the people they are close to.

But I've also wanted to retain some privacy for professional reasons. Since I started as a reporter in war zones 20 years ago, I've often found myself in some very dangerous places. For my safety and the safety of those I work with, I try to blend in as much as possible, and prefer to stick to my job of telling other people’s stories, and not my own. I have found that sometimes the less an interview subject knows about me, the better I can safely and effectively do my job as a journalist.

I've always believed that who a reporter votes for, what religion they are, who they love, should not be something they have to discuss publicly. As long as a journalist shows fairness and honesty in his or her work, their private life shouldn't matter. I’ve stuck to those principles for my entire professional career,even when I’ve been directly asked “the gay question,” which happens occasionally. I did not address my sexual orientation in the memoir I wrote several years ago because it was a book focused on war, disasters, loss and survival. I didn't set out to write about other aspects of my life.

Recently, however, I’ve begun to consider whether the unintended outcomes of maintaining my privacy outweigh personal and professional principle. It’s become clear to me that by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, I have given some the mistaken impression that I am trying to hide something - something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. This is distressing because it is simply not true.

I’ve also been reminded recently that while as a society we are moving toward greater inclusion and equality for all people, the tide of history only advances when people make themselves fully visible. There continue to be far too many incidences of bullying of young people, as well as discrimination and violence against people of all ages, based on their sexual orientation, and I believe there is value in making clear where I stand.

The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud.

I have always been very open and honest about this part of my life with my friends, my family, and my colleagues. In a perfect world, I don't think it's anyone else's business, but I do think there is value in standing up and being counted. I’m not an activist, but I am a human being and I don't give that up by being a journalist.

Since my early days as a reporter, I have worked hard to accurately and fairly portray gay and lesbian people in the media - and to fairly and accurately portray those who for whatever reason disapprove of them. It is not part of my job to push an agenda, but rather to be relentlessly honest in everything I see, say and do. I’ve never wanted to be any kind of reporter other than a good one, and I do not desire to promote any cause other than the truth.

Being a journalist, traveling to remote places, trying to understand people from all walks of life, telling their stories, has been the greatest joy of my professional career, and I hope to continue doing it for a long time to come. But while I feel very blessed to have had so many opportunities as a journalist, I am also blessed far beyond having a great career.

I love, and I am loved.

In my opinion, the ability to love another person is one of God’s greatest gifts, and I thank God every day for enabling me to give and share love with the people in my life. I appreciate your asking me to weigh in on this, and I would be happy for you to share my thoughts with your readers. I still consider myself a reserved person and I hope this doesn’t mean an end to a small amount of personal space. But I do think visibility is important, more important than preserving my reporter’s shield of privacy."

- Anderson Cooper

source: andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com

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As I've said before, no one is requiring anyone to step out and say he/she is gay. And stepping out and saying that you are gay doesn't mean that you will become an activist of some sort. But that small act of being out and saying you are in fact gay means a lot especially if it could give positive impact to, not just you, but also to others like you.

It was very courageous for Mr. Cooper to step out and tell the whole world his sexual orientation and I salute him for that. And I extremely appreciate his reasons for coming out. In times like these where we thought wrong, that discrimination based on sexual orientation is still existing, it is good that people like Anderson Cooper (someone of that magnitude) would come out and say " I'm gay, always have been, always will be,...." is a big thing for the gay community, and for that, thank you Anderson Cooper.


XoXo 

Georgina Wilson Covers Esquire Ph this July!

A level up for Esquire Philippines as they cover one of the country's, if not the country's, Top Cover Girl.... Ms Georgina Wilson!!!

Styled by Liz Uy and photographed by BJ Pascual, this cover will definitely set a standard for other magazines in the country for next month!

THE BEST CALL ME MAYBE VIDEO EVER!!!!!

This for me is the best Call Me Maybe video ever!!!

Abercrombie & Fitch Boys!!! Whoot whoot whoot!!!

Hot Boys + Nice Song = HOT HOT HOT!!! 

In October of 2011, Abercrombie & Fitch discovered Carly Rae's 'Call Me Maybe' and launched the song on its official soundtrack. To celebrate the song's Summer popularity, A&F asked its hottest guys from its Flagship stores all around the world to have fun with the song—film it on their phones and to do whatever came naturally... This is what the guys sent back!

XoXo

Emma Stone for Vogue this July

So happy for Emma!! She started having supporting roles, and now she's getting all the big parts! And as a validation of that success, she will be covering Vogue US next month!!! Cant wait to see the full editorial!

The Reasons Why I Love Philippine Football- James and Phil Younghusband

I read an interview from Manila Bulletin a few weeks ago about the Soccer Cuties/Siblings, Phil and James Younghusband, and I just think that it's worth blogging.... I must commend these cuties, for without them, Soccer will never be as big as it is now in my country!

Here is the Manila Bulletin- Students and Campuses Section 60 Minutes Feature..

Photos by Jerico Montemayor and Nhil Edger Ramirez

Grooming by Rhina Montemayor

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Soccer Siblings

Philippine National Football team players James and Phil Younghusband

June 3, 2012

It’s easy to look at the Younghusband brothers — James and Phil — and think that the two of them are living it up.

Riding on the string of successes that the Philippine National Football Team — popularly known as the Azkals — has been achieving since their exhilarating performance during the 2010 Suzuki Cup, the two brothers are a constant presence on advertising billboards and television screens.

The brothers have endorsement deals with clothing brands and restaurants, a regular segment on free TV sports channel AKTV called "FYI: Football Younghusband Instructional," and even guesting gigs on TV sitcoms and late night talk shows.

This Tuesday, the brothers and the rest of the Azkals will be showcasing their talents once again as they clash with the Indonesian National Football Team at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

But as the brothers themselves will tell you, being able to do what they do now is the product of long years of perfecting the football skills that have won them fans on and off the pitch.

Twenty-six year old James Joseph Younghusband began his football career at the age of 10, and by the time he was a high school senior, was playing for English teams namely, Chelsea, Wimbledon, Staines Town, Woking and Farnborough. At around the same time, he was also playing for the Philippine National Football team, debuting in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

Twenty five-year old Philip James Younghusband was part of the Chelsea Football Club’s youth team, eventually rising to the club’s reserve team, which he was a part of from 2005 to 2008.

As the right midfielder and forward for the Philippine National Football team respectively, James and Phil have also put in a lot of hard work for the country through the years. Between the two of them, the Younghusbands have clocked in more than 20 international goals for the team.

The brothers say that if football in the country is to soar to even greater heights this year, an equal amount of hard work and money have to be invested into football infrastructure, as well as educating the country’s growing number of football fans.

"We’re competing against countries that have invested billions and billions of dollars over decades. You can’t compete with that. We’ve just started investing money now," explains Phil. "We also have to educate the people and help them understand the game. We have to make them understand what’s realistic and what’s feasible."

That goal, the brothers say, is what drives them to take on as many projects as they can possible can.

"Everything we do is to promote football. I went into acting not to be an actor, I went into singing not to be a singer. It’s all about football," says Phil. "When we do sitcoms or talk shows, maybe they learn something about football, maybe they are interested now."

The brothers are also investing in Filipino football talent in the long-term with the Younghusband Football Academy, which teaches public school students and P.E. teachers the basics of football for free. The Academy has been to Taguig, Tarlac, Cavite, Palawan, La Union and Iloilo and has recently partnered with the Chelsea Soccer Schools to further build on the growing football scene in the country.

"Our partnership with the Chelsea Soccer Schools is a long-term thing. They want us to have our own facility, they want for us to eventually fly kids from here to compete against students from the Chelsea Soccer School in Hong Kong, Macau, and other regions of Asia," shares James.

In this 60 Minutes conversation, the brothers talk honestly about their quest to fully entrench football into the Philippine consciousness. From their frustrations at the country’s grassroots football development program, to their excitement at their upcoming match against Indonesia, the Younghusbands are candid about it all. There’s a lot to be done for football in the country, and James and Phil Younghusband are willing to put in the work. (Ronald S. Lim)

AND CAMPUSES BULLETIN (SCB): How’s it been like working with the kids here at the Younghusband Football Academy?

PHILIP JAMES YOUNGHUSBAND (Phil): It’s great because it gives us another satisfaction other than playing. It’s something that we want to do. Once we’re finished playing, we want to dedicate our lives to teaching full-time, and now we have a base and a foundation with the Academy. We can really push on in the years to come.

JAMES JOSEPH YOUNGHUSBAND (James): We enjoy coaching and we love passing on everything we’ve learned. We want to build future players for the national team and for the club teams in the local league here in the Philippines. We want them to have fun, but we also want to develop football players and good people as well.

SCB: Has the interest in football increased even more since you guys started the Younghusband Football Academy?

James: There’s a lot more interest now compared to before. We started before the whole Suzuki Cup success, when we took a break from the national team because we didn’t want to get involved in the politics but still wanted to be involved in football in the Philippines. We had great friends and great support to help us set up the Younghusband Football Academy.

It’s good coaching kids because we really feel that they need a goal to achieve. With me and Phil going back into football, they see us playing competitively with other top players, the kids now have something to aspire to. We’re very thankful for that but it’s also important for us to keep training to be good footballers.

Phil: The success of the national team has brought the awareness to the public, but the next challenge is sustaining the sport in the Philippines, and that’s where the grassroots development comes in, that’s where the local league comes in. The only way the national team can improve in the long run is with the local foundation here in the Philippines, and that’s where the grassroots and the league come in. That’s why we want to balance playing for the national team as well as playing for the Meralco Sparks as well as coaching. If they all come together at the right time and they’re all successful, then Philippine football can really pick up.

SCB: Where do you think the various grassroots program will focus their attention in the coming years?

James: We’ve complained about this (laughs)! We’ve said that the kids don’t need training. They need opportunity, they need more competition. In previous years, the kids have been training and training and training, and some of them have been training for nothing. They’re all good technically, but when it comes down to games, they don’t understand tactics and game situations. It’s important that more money is invested towards competitions. You could have competitions in each province of the Philippines and at the end they could come together for a big play-off like they do in the States where the MLS (Major League Soccer) play East versus West. That’s the perfect thing to do here.

Phil: We want to create more opportunities for the kids to play. You only see them playing 10, 15 games a year. It’s about creating more competitions. The whole reason that you train is so you can play the game. You do on the training pitch what you want to do in your game. In the future, you might see youth competitions coming up in different parts of the Philippines.

SCB: How many areas has the academy been to?

Phil: We’ve done Taguig, Paniqui Tarlac, Cavite, Palawan, La Union, Iloilo. We’re setting the base and the foundation right now, and eventually we want to conquer the rest of the Philippines (laughs).

SCB: Are you guys invited or do you pick the places?

Phil: The Academy makes a proposal, we talk about the advantages and what the program offers, and if they support the program, we go through with it.

James: It’s been very successful, if we go by the feedback of the coaches and the P.E. teachers. They realize that football is so simple, because when they watch it they think football is so complicated. Once you sit down and explain it, they see that it’s so simple.

GOING TO THE GRASSROOTS

SCB: Is the lack of competition the biggest stumbling block when it comes to grassroots development in the country?

James: At the moment, it is. Football here has a growing number of fans as well as supporters. For example, our partnership with the Chelsea Soccer Schools is a long-term thing. In the future, they want us to have our own facility, they want for us to eventually fly kids from here to compete against students from the Chelsea Soccer School in Hong Kong, Macau, and other regions of Asia. It’s stuff like that that needs to be established. More competitions need to be arranged and not just training all the time (laughs). Competition will measure how far you are against other players.

Phil: Now, TV networks are putting money into educating Filipinos by showing the best leagues in the world. That’s one great thing because the only way you can be the best is by watching the best and copying the best and that’s what we did. We grew up idolizing David Beckham and we wanted to be like him. We’d see something they did on the field and we’d practice it at home.

James: Straight afterwards we’d actually go to the back garden and say that "I’m David Beckham!" Or "I’m Michael Owen!" (laughs)

SCB: We recently talked to coach Weiss and Chieffy (Caligdong) about the grassroots program of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF). Chieffy was saying that one thing that is holding back certain players who are trying out are either, they lack confidence or the schools won’t allow them free time. Would you guys agree with that opinion?

James: Chieffy is right there. The first things that we noticed when we first came here is that some people here are very territorial. They are very "you can’t take away my players from my team," this is a school team. I think education is very important here but you have to realize that the more football the player plays, the better they become. And that also goes with confidence, the more football a player plays the more confident they become. When you try something new, at first, of course you’ll get all nervous but with more practice you become more confident.

Phil: We were playing for our school, we were playing for two clubs outside.

James: We kinda cheated (laughs).

Phil: (Laughs) But I think it’s important to build the club system in the Philippines as well. Now you see the UFL team building their academies. We’re working with Meralco and the clubs have their own academies. It’s important you strike that balance between school and the club system and that’s what we’re trying to build right now.

James: I think that’s the problem here. Some schools are treated as clubs. I think it’s important for tournament organizers to say that we’re just going to allow clubs and some organizers may want to invite just schools.

Phil: I’m sure Chieffy is running his own program in Barotac Nuevo and we’re running one here in Manila. Everyone is trying to find a way to contribute, it won’t get done unless you do it yourself. Eventually, hopefully, PFF can bring everyone together. You can build one team and you have 22 players that can possibly make the national team. Or you can build a whole league and you have hundreds of kids that develop in different ways and can make it to the national team.

  

FOOTBALL FANDOM

SCB: How would you guys describe the football fandom here in the Philippines? Is there still room to grow?

James: There’s still loads of room to grow. We may be higher than Indonesia in the rankings, but Indonesia is football crazy.

Phil: They’d kill for it (laughs)!

James: If money is invested the right way and you have the right people involved and people work together not only on the field but off the field, then a lot can happen.

Phil: I think in terms of awareness, we’re there. But in terms of knowledge and understanding, then we’re not there yet. But people are aware now of the national team and that there is football in the Philippines. Now it’s just about getting them more enthusiastic about the game and getting them to understand. It’s a domino effect. If they understand the game, they’ll be more interested.

SCB: Has this change translated to more support from the government?

James: We’re very thankful for the support from the local government units that come to the Younghusband Football Academy and ask us to train their P.E. teachers so they can go off and teach kids simple drills that they can do in badminton courts or basketball courts. But I really wish that there were more plans and more support from the national government. For example, a national stadium, as well as giving more money to schools for football equipment. Just more opportunities for kids.

Phil: On a personal level, the LGUs have been very supportive. But on a bigger scale, there’s a lack of facilities right now in the Philippines for football. We can have a national stadium that we can share with all sports. You look at Thailand, they have a center for sports in the center of Bangkok.

James: I think it’s important that sports become a social thing. Like in Thailand, people jog rather than go nightclubbing and drinking.

SCB: Do you feel like the Filipino audience sometimes has an inflated sense of what the national team can accomplish?

Phil: That’s the whole thing about educating the people and helping them understand the game. Realistically, just because we have had a bit of success, it doesn’t mean we’re going to be the best in the world. We’re competing against countries that have invested billions and billions of dollars over decades. You can’t compete with that. It’ll take time.

When we lose a game, people think we’re the worst team in the world. When we win a game, they think we’re the best team in the world. It’s about educating them about football and making them understand what’s realistic and what’s feasible. That’s what we try and do with our Twitter and Facebook accounts. We try and let people know that we got this result because of this and not because of that.

SCB: Has the image of football here in Manila changed? In Barotac Nuevo, in the Visayas, it’s obvious that it’s big. Has it changed here or is basketball still king?

Phil: I think basketball is still the number one sport but we’re not competing against basketball. Obviously Manila is the key because it’s the business center and the money is there. That is why it is important that football is promoted in Manila. If we can build football in Manila, it can get big everywhere else.

SCB: Do you guys still feel there’s a mistaken image of elitism when it comes to football especially here in Manila?

Phil: I think before, yeah. That’s one of the reasons why we do the grassroots program in Manila, we go to public schools. We want to change the image that football should be for the mass, pang masa. It’s everywhere in the world, Brazil, in England it’s a working class game. It’s the most accessible sport, all you need is a football, you can make a goal out of anything. I think before, you have to pay money for cleats. You have to pay money to use the country club.

James: It doesn’t have to be played on grass. It can be played on the streets or the beach. In the bedroom, in your house.

SCB: Is it a necessary evil to promote football?

Phil: We’ve always said, everything we do is to promote football. I went into acting not to be an actor, I went to singing not to be a singer. We thank the shows that gave us an opportunity to promote football even more in the entertainment industry. People who watch that show maybe they learn something about football, maybe they are interested now. Like we’ve said, anything we do is about football. Any guesting we do on TV is about football.

SCB: Does it really have an effect in awareness? Like afterwards do people go up to you...

Phil: I mean, we used to watch comedy shows back in England and if this show is about football then, bang! We were really interested. In England, people became aware of football because of kids’ shows or a comedy show. I think it’s a good avenue to promote the game. They may not understand the game but they may find it interesting. They may see the funny side of it unlike before they think it is boring. They can relate and talk about football. I think there are a lot of avenues to promote football not just through sports but lifestyle and entertainment.

James: And also because of Posh Spice (laughs).

Phil: (Laughs) Yeah, that’s another thing, people go to football because of Posh Spice. They go to the games and dress like Posh Spice. That became a trend in England, they go dress like Posh Spice and watch football. It has an add-on effect and it’s another avenue to promote football.

SCB: Is boring still a misconception you have to grapple with here in the Philippines?

James: Yeah it’s very difficult. You have to get the game and watch the game closely. There’s more to a game than just scoring goals. I think some sports fan think football is boring whenever there’s a draw or zero-zero.

Phil: But there are things you have to admire like the technique of the pass or the aggression of someone. Lots of fans say, I did not like football before but now I start watching it and I like it. Those little things, give them something to kick-start their interest.

ALL SET

SCB: How are you guys feeling about the upcoming match against Indonesia?

James: Excited, because I think it’s an opportunity for us to have the strongest team available. The players from Europe will be available to play because it’s their off-season so we get to showcase in front of the Filipino fans again, especially here in Manila.

Phil: We lost to Indonesia in the semi-finals of the Suzuki Cup, so it will be a good test to see how far we’ve come since then. We’re looking forward to the match and I feel we’ve had some good preparation so we’re ready.

SCB: Is there any anxiety or trepidation considering you guys are ranked higher than them right now?

James: I didn’t know that (laughs)!

Phil: It’s really difficult to determine how strong the team is with rankings. As with us, sometimes we have our strongest players and sometimes we’re missing them. It’s really difficult to determine through the rankings how the team will perform during the actual day. Obviously it gives us more confidence now that we’re ranked higher than them. But on the day, whether you’re ranked number one or 112, the result all depends on what team you have out on the day and how you approach the game.

SCB: Are you guys also pumped for the upcoming Suzuki Cup?

James: We’re also excited about that because that is the tournament where we made people aware that the Philippines does have a football team (laughs)! There’s a lot of pressure on us to show that the last run wasn’t just a fluke. We have to show that we’re consistent, and I think that these games coming up are good for the team to come together. It gives coach Michael Weiss an idea of which players he can use for the tournament. It’s very difficult to prepare because we don’t know which team we’ll be playing against. But it’s the biggest football event in Southeast Asia and everyone will be watching, and it’ll be a chance to play in front of a lot of people.

Phil: I think that for the Philippines to really stamp its mark on football, we have to really stamp our mark first on Southeast Asia. We’ve had competitions in the Challenge Cup, we’ve participated in qualifiers for the World Cup, but of course our priority is stamping our mark and becoming one of the top teams, consistently, in Southeast Asia, and the Suzuki Cup will be a measure of how strong we are within this region.

SCB: Is that the game you’re really revving up for or are you taking it one game at a time?

PJY: I think all games are important. The FIFA friendlies are also important because they count towards your FIFA ranking, and the FIFA ranking has a big importance in the draw for the World Cup qualifiers, for Olympic qualifiers. All the games, the competitive games where things are at stake, they’re all important. I wouldn’t say one competition is one important than the other. They’re all at the same level, and every game we go into we want to win and we want to show everyone that we’re improving and we’re becoming more successful.

SCB: Is football your only sport?

Phil: We watch basketball, tennis.

James: We played rugby in high school. I think people like to compare us to other sports but I think the goal here is to get people into sports, sports in general. Getting the kids off the streets and not doing drugs and getting into gangs and crimes.

SCB: You’re also working with Gawad Kalinga?

Phil: We want to take away the elitist image of the sport, we partnered with Gawad Kalinga. Right now, we’re training 40 students from Gawad Kalinga with the Chelsea program and the Younghusband Football Academy program. It’s a scholarship program to get them involved in football. That is something we’re very proud, working with the kids and seeing them enjoying it. They are actually the most enthusiastic group. They are the loudest and they enjoy the most. You see the smile on their faces, it’s great to work with these kids.

SCB: How many communities have you worked with?

Phil: About seven to eight communities in the last two years. We also run a boot drive wherein we get donations from kids who have old shoes that they don’t need then we give the shoes to kids who need them to have proper footwear. Anyone who have shoes they don’t need, please donate them so we can give them to the GK kids. 

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David Beckham: Elle Magazine's First Male Cover

Yup!! David Beckham is to be the first male to cover the famous fashion magazine in UK this July. So does this mean it is the start of a new beginning for Elle Magazine Covers??

Elle editor, Lorraine Candy said ...

"David Beckham is a national hero. He is an icon and Elle is known for featuring icons on its cover.

"This is a first for us on the newsstand I believe he is loved by men and women alike. Anyway, who doesn’t want to see a picture of one of the world’s most handsome men on the front cover of a magazine.”

The question now is will this cover be picked up by other Elle Magazine's around the globe??

And since Sir Elton John is considered a national hero and an icon (by the queen) should the readers expect to see him in Elle's upcoming covers?? LoL

Hotmessblogger Is Now A Certified MONSTER

Photo by MARK TERENCE SY 

And yes! Lady Gaga has conquered me and the rest of the audience who bought tickets to watch that 2-night Born This Way Ball World Tour in Manila last 21st and 22nd of May!

I consider it more of a spectacle than a concert. A visual and auditory feast!! From the intricate set (that castle!) to the fabulous outfits and the flawless and smooth continuity of the songs. Perfect!

Well obviously I was not converted into worshipping Satan (just like what those stupid demonstrators were saying on their interviews). Last night I saw a performer, an artist, who wanted to entertain her audience to make the money they spent all worth it! As she said it herself, "it's all part of the liberation thing..." which is the primary theme of the whole show.

For me the most special moment of the night was the part where she sang "Hair". It was just her and the keyboard/motorbike, as she addressed her sentiments with the whole brouhaha about her show in Indonesia and the people rallying against her show in Manila.

Here's what she said in between verses of the song.

What she said totally conquered my heart. It sealed the deal, and it baptized me as a legit little Monster!!!

Here are photos taken by popular concert photographer, MARK TERENCE SY during the concert!

"Like" his Facebook Fan Page HERE to see more photos of Lady Gaga

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( Photos used with permission from the owner)