Adopted singer joins talent show in search of mother

LONDON - A Filipina singer, who was adopted when she was a baby, joined a talent competition to reach out to her biological mother through music and the press.

Aspiring singer Amly Gealone Lieder, 37, competed against dozens of performers in a talent search in London. She made it through and eventually finished at third place, delivering an emotional performance of “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen.

But Lieder is searching for something more important than a talent show title. As an adopted child, she has been looking for her biological mother known simply as “Edna”.

“It’s not about winning,” she told ABS-CBN Europe. “I joined this competition because I’m looking for my birth mother. She holds the key to my dad’s whereabouts. I would like this story to come out so people would know. Probably they know somebody that knows about my story, or probably Edna herself will hear about this.”

Born in July 1974, Lieder was adopted as a baby by a couple from Balintawak, Quezon City in the Philippines. Her adoptive parents, Josefina and Antonio Gealone, raised her as their own with their biological son, who came a few years later.

“I had a good life. Even though we were poor, we were surviving. But something was not right. There was always something missing,” she revealed, claiming she always knew she was adopted because of her mixed-race features.

“People behind my back were calling me names, like ‘ampon’ in Tagalog. That’s how I knew. If you’re adopted it’s like a taboo. Nobody wants to talk about it. It’s a hush-hush thing, even though I’ve always been different than most Filipinos. But I didn’t have the courage to talk about it before.”

She finally got the courage to explore the subject when her own son started to ask questions about their ancestry.

She recalled: “My son came home from school one day and said ‘family tree.’ And I thought ‘What family tree?’ With my husband’s side we can easily trace it, but with my side it’s really unfortunate. So when my (adoptive) mum visited four years ago, I gathered up the courage to confront her and ask her about it. Ever since, she’s been really helpful in locating Edna, my birth mum.”

“Amly is a good daughter,” said her adoptive mother Josefina. “She is kind, obedient and supportive. At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk about her adoption. I was scared of pushing her away and loosing our bond. But ever since we opened up about it, we’ve become closer than ever. Nothing has changed. She calls us almost everyday.”

Josefina’s recollection of events is the only link they have to Lieder’s past, but at 66 years-old, her memory has started to fade.

“I don’t remember everything. Edna was a customer at the beauty parlor I was working in at Plaza Ferguson in Ermita in Manila. She came in regularly for a manicure from me, and sometimes she even came with what we thought was her boyfriend at the time, a black soldier. She was also pregnant and there were rumors that he was the father.”

Staff at the salon speculated about the mysterious Edna. They thought she was either a waitress, or even a dancer. Josefina became friendly with her and started to talk about the baby.

“I used to joke with her asking for her baby. But she would always refuse and say that the baby has a father. Then she suddenly stopped going to the salon, and the next we’ve heard is that she already gave birth. There were also rumors that she separated from the father,” she recalled.

Josefina and her colleagues also heard rumors that Edna’s baby was born at the Manila Doctors Hospital, but nobody knows for sure.

“Then one day she came into the salon with the baby. She left me the baby to look after for a while, and I told her to come back at the end of the day. But I never saw her again. I had no documents or anything, just a pair of clothes and a bottle of milk. I vaguely recall her giving the baby a long name, but I can’t remember it exactly. Something like the name of a Miss Universe at that time. Maybe Evangeline, after the beauty queen Evangeline Pascual. But I really can’t remember it now. Then my husband and I decided to name the child Amly to keep it simple.”

Edna has not been seen since. Josefina describes her as a “morena” from the province, possibly the Visayas region. She is approximately 5 feet tall, and roughly the same age as her, now in her 60s.

Lieder is hopeful that through her music, and the attention she gets from it, she will be able to locate her long lost mother from the Philippines.

Music has always been her saving grace, saying: “I’ve gone tough times. Thank goodness for the choir. I was involved in St Joseph’s Choir in Balintawak. They completely showed me the right path.”

With tears from her eyes, Lieder shared a message for her birth mother Edna: “All I want is to see you. I hope we can meet each other soon. I hope you remember me, even though I was still a baby when you gave me away. My only wish is to meet you. And if that happens, I hope I can have a place in your heart for you to accept me. I’m not blaming you for anything. I know it’s not your fault. I understand what you must have gone through at the time when you gave me up. I just want peace.”

Lieder is based in Fort William, Scotland, where she works as an account clerk at a hotel. She lives with her husband, a German national, and their son. She continues her search for her birth mother Edna.

Mother seeks help for son held captive in Somalia

MANILA, Philippines – A mother of a Filipino seafarer is seeking the help of government and nongovernment organizations and even the international community in helping rescue her son who is still being held hostage in Somalia for two years now.
Aurora Gonzales of Jaro, Iloilo City went to the Blas F. Ople Policy Center to follow up the case of her son, 31-year-old Gerald Gonzales.
Gerald, an engine cadet, was on board a hijacked cargo vessel owned by Dubai-based Azal Shipping & Cargo in 2010. He is the only Filipino onboard the Iceberg 1 ship.
Mrs. Gonzales said she received a call from her son at 2 a.m. on March 29, 2010 informing her that their ship has been hijacked.
Since then, the OFW’s family has been relying on updates from the local manning agency, Inter-World Shipping Corporation.
“We urge the Department of Foreign Affairs to go the extra mile in requesting for international assistance because the shipping company concerned has not been forthcoming with answers as to extraordinary delay in the release of Gerald Gonzales,” Susan Ople, head of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center said.
The manning agency, in turn, has been sending e-mails to the operations manager of Azal Shipping & Cargo in Dubai to request for information.
“Gerald’s mother showed us an e-mail thread filled with terse assurances from Azal Shipping & Cargo that the crewmembers are still onboard the vessel and are fine. If they are fine, then what’s holding up the negotiations? Two years is a long time to be in the hands of Somali pirates,” Ople added.
Gerald left the Philippines on April 7, 2009 on his first contract as a seafarer. The family has not received any allotment from the Dubai-based shipping company since the seafarer was held captive. Other Filipino crewmembers went home prior to the hostage-taking incident since their contracts have ended.
 

Pinoy documentary bags top award in Dutch film fest

Marty Syjuco, director of documentary film "Give Up Tomorrow"

NETHERLANDS - A documentary film about a Filipino-Spanish teenager who was convicted in the 1997 massacre case in Cebu won the highest award in the "Movies That Matter" film festival in the Netherlands.
Pinoy producer Marty Syjuco's "Give Up Tomorrow," a documentary film with a controversial and sensitive theme, won the Audience Choice Vara Awards in
The Hague.
Syjuco was coy but very happy to receive the award.
“This is my first film. I was not a filmmaker prior to this film. We are so honored and grateful,” Syjuco told ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.
“Give Up Tomorrow” centers on the case of Paco Larranaga, one of the 7 who were convicted for the kidnapping and murder of sisters Mary
Joy and Jacqueline Chiong in 1997.
Paco, the son of Spanish pelotari Manuel Larranaga and a member of the influential Osmena clan in Cebu, has been serving a life sentence for 15 years now.
It was on Feb. 3, 2004 when Paco and his other six co-accused were sentenced to death by lethal injection in a Manila court.
His death penalty was then commuted to life when capital punishment was abolished in the Philippines two years later.
Paco was then transferred to a prison in Spain in October 2009 under the Transfer of Prisoner Treaty between Madrid and Manila.
Apart from the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Paco’s appeals for a reinvestigation of his murder case and release reached the Fair Trials International and different human rights bodies in Europe.
The documentary film attempted to show the many loose ends in the trial of Paco’s case.
A young Dutchwoman who watched the film at the festival was very touched.
"I think he [Paco] is innocent especially if you look at what Amnesty International said and what the U.N. said about it and I believe he should be free,” said Jorinde.
Syjuco is related to Paco because his brother is married to Paco's sister.
Syjuco said that the VARA award is very meaningful because it comes from the very prestigious Movies that Matter Festival, which is associated with Amnesty International and one of the biggest and most important human rights festivals in the world.
“It also brings further attention to the injustice that Paco continues to suffer and our ‘Free Paco Now’ campaign. To receive the award in the international city of peace and justice is incredible, especially since we have a campaign to bring justice to an innocent man,” Syjuco said.
“Also this award means that our film will have a television broadcast in Holland and we're so thrilled that the entire country will get to see our film,” Syjuco added.
The documentary film received a huge amount of support from those who are petitioning for the pardon and release of Paco.
During the Movies That Matter festival, the “Free Paco Now” petition collected 500 signatures.

Pinoys skeptical of new transport security measures in Belgium

BRUSSELS – Operations of the city’s public transport is now back to normal after a 4-day strike.

Drivers and employees of the Societe des Transports Intercommunaux des Bruxelles (STIB) stopped working for days to demand the government implement measures that will ensure safety to all public transport employees.

They walked out in protest after one of their colleagues, a 56-year-old inspector who had been working for the company for 29 years, was beaten to death while investigating a collision between a bus and a car.

STIB also complained of a number of violent acts committed against its employees.

Gov't to adopt security measure

Belgium announced some measures which they hoped will help improve security on the Brussels Transport Network.

“We will hire 400 extra police officers. This is a strong signal and symbolizes our determination to step up security standards in Brussels,” Minister of Interior Joelle Milquet said.

She also stated that for the meantime, 100 policemen from the federal police staff will be deployed. On the other hand, STIB security officers will be given more powers. They will be allowed to demand from passengers ID documents and can hold the offenders for hours before policemen arrive.

Discrimination on new safety measures

While the government hopes the new security measures will minimize violence on the road, Filipinos in Brussels think otherwise.

“I think tama lang na magkaroon ng police sa mga nagko-control ng ticket sa mga public transports para na rin sa security ng lahat. Pero yung pagbusisi nila sa mga dokumento ng pasahero ay maaring maging mitsa para mapauwi ang mga undocumented workers sa kani-kanilang bansa,” Fil-Belgian Anne Kukenheim said.

Undocumented migrants fear there might be discrimination, especially to those who do not look like Belgians.

Instead of demanding proper documents from passengers, Pinoys believe that it is better if the government would implement stricter road safety rules and that offenders should be given heavier fines and be punished accordingly.

Filipina drummer a finalist in 'Hit Like A Girl'

MANILA, Philippines – A 25-year-old Filipina is among the 15 finalists of the international drumming contest for women, “Hit Like A Girl 2012”.

Karmi Santiago’s name was announced during the live webcast on DrumChannel.com.

“I’m not just your ordinary drummer girl. I’m a musician. A lover. An enthusiast. A teacher. And will always be a learner,” says Santiago’s short description of herself which she submitted to the contest along with her three-minute video entry.

The Hit Like A Girl website explained that the 15 finalists include the top 12 popular vote recipients, as well as three wild-card entrants chosen by the contest’s sponsors.

“The finalists’ videos will be judged by a panel of world-class drum artists, including Sheila E, Jess Bowen, Kim Thompson, Dawn Richardson, Suzie Ibarra and Hannah Ford, with the grand prize winners announced on May 1, 2012,” according to a contest statement.

Santiago has been playing the drums for 10 years and has covered almost all music genres, including jazz, classical, pop, soul, rock and alternative.

“When I grow old, I want to see myself still sitting on the drummer’s seat, doing my thing,” Santiago’s short biography on the contest website says.

But Santiago is not only aiming to win. She also wants to share her knowledge to other musicians like her.

“I also want to impart to others the things that I have and have learned as a musician. I want them to experience the joy of expressing my feelings and emotions as I play each beat,” she said.

Hours before the announcement was made, Santiago already thanked in advance all those who supported her entry to the contest.

“Sa lahat po ng nag support, thanks po! Ma-qualify o hindi, tuloy pa rin ang musika!. Let His will be done!” wrote Santiago on her Facebook account.

Aside from Santiago, the other finalists are:

Arianna Fanning,
"Pearl Girl" Mandy Tieman,
Adriana "Gata" Pinaya Johanssen,

Illari Arbe,
Monica (Moni) Del Valle,
Nikki Blout (NIKnSTIX),

Jess De Vries,
Drashti Thakkar (D.T.),
Taryn Lee Young (TarynDrumfire),

Janitra Priyanka Vaswani (JP Millenix),
Ankita Bhardwaj (Basement),
Lindsey Raye Ward,

Agnieszka Matuszczak (agadrummer), and
De'Arcus Curry (dbaby).

Contestants will get a chance to win more than $10,000 in drums and other prizes.

Contest organizer Phil Hood said they were overwhelmed by the response they received.

“With well over 350 entries from around the world, more than 300,000 votes cast, 10,000,000 page views thus far and as many as 12,000 visitors per day, what started out as the first contest for girl drummers became a global phenomenon for the women’s drumming community,” Hood said.

PNoy wants OFWs to be 'treated with dignity'

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino urged labor ministers of different countries to ensure that Filipino workers abroad are treated with dignity, as well as workers from other countries. 
 
In his speech during the Abu Dhabi Dialogue among labor ministers, Aquino noted that 60% of Filipinos working abroad and 12% of all migrant workers are stationed in countries, who were represented in the meeting. 
 
“Suffice it to say: We all have a significant stake in this; and our discussions today will affect the lives of tens of millions of our people, at the very least, perhaps even more,” Aquino said. 
 
“What all of us want is clear: we want recruitment for our people to be both fair and efficient; we want workers to be treated with dignity; and we want to be able to go back home in a convenient manner, and to be successfully reintegrated in our respective societies. In other words, the idea behind our meeting today is to make sure of one thing: that the people do indeed come first.”
 
Aquino said that his administration’s objective is to attract more investments and create jobs here so that Filipinos would not be forced to look for work abroad. 
 
“Our reform efforts are focused on attracting more investments, creating more jobs and giving our countrymen reason to believe that a good life awaits them here, at home. In this regard, we have been quite successful. Investors are regaining their confidence and putting up more and more businesses here; and if we build on our momentum, I think we can achieve our dream of keeping more of our countrymen here,” he said. 
 
The Abu Dhabi Dialogue is a regional consultation composed of Asian countries of labor origin and destination, including the Colombo Process countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam) and 9 more countries of migrant worker destinations (Bahrain, Kuwait Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen).
 
Part of the discussions would be the adoption of the 2012 Framework of Regional Collaboration of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, which would include a pledge to “respond effectively to problems inside and outside workplaces by improving inspection and enforcement of labor standards, laws, and adopt specific protocols for resolving most common problems/ disputes.”

S.Korea party concerned over racial attacks vs Jasmine Lee

MANILA, Philippines - South Korea's ruling Saenuri Party (New Frontier Party) is becoming increasingly concerned about the racist attacks against Jasmine Lee, a Filipina who became the first naturalized Korean to win a seat in parliament.

Yonhap News reported on Tuesday that the party is concerned about the false rumors about Lee being spread on social networking sites, as well as negative comments against her.

"The party is expressing serious concern over the spread of false information regarding Lee Jasmine and attacks against her on social networking services," Saenuri spokesman Hwang Young-cheul was quoted by Yonhap as saying.

Lee, who is originally from Davao City, was elected as a party-list candidate of the Saenuri Party last week.

Since her win, Lee has been the subject of racist comments attacking her ethnicity and background. False rumors have also surfaced that Lee promised free medical care for illegal immigrants and preferential treatment for children of multicultural families in South Korea.

The 35-year-old widow is a well-known advocate for multicultural families and the Filipino community in South Korea. She met her husband Lee Dong-ho when she was still a college student at Ateneo de Davao, and moved to Seoul in 1995. She became a naturalized Korean citizen in 1998. Her husband died in 2010.

OFWs warned against using PH backdoor to work abroad

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has warned prospective overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) against using the country’s backdoor to work abroad.

POEA chief Hans Leo Cacdac said workers, mostly women who were deployed after leaving through the southern backdoor, usually end up stranded without work permit or are forced to accept low paying jobs.

“Human traffickers use exit points in the southern provinces to deploy workers without proper work documents to countries such as Malaysia, South Korea, China, Morocco, Lebanon, Syria, and other Middle East countries,” Cacdac said.

He said that from the southernmost parts of Mindanao and Palawan, traveling by sea to Malaysia is the more convenient way for a human trafficker to move his victims to their final country of destination.

Recently, Cacdac said the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Kuala Lumpur reported that five Filipino women were being held in a nightclub in Malaysia, which is controlled by a large syndicate involved in human trafficking for prostitution.

It was learned that the syndicate transported the victims through the Zamboanga-Sandakan-Kota Kinabalu-Johor Bahru route.

Cacdac added that based on recent studies, most of the human trafficking victims in the Philippines were travelers deceived by their recruiters about their real jobs or the conditions of their employment overseas.

“Hence, I would advise aspiring OFWs to be doubtful when recruiters offer Mindanao and Palawan as exit points,” he said.

Pinay sold to another employer breaks down

MUSCAT, Oman – Filipinos at the Filipino Workers Resource Center in Muscat are concerned about the condition of a 51-year-old household service worker who allegedly became mentally unstable after her agency sold her to another employer.

“Nancy,” not her real name, first arrived in Dubai in August of last year. The Ozamiz City native worked for an Emirati employer who brought her back to her agency in Al Ain.

Last January, Nancy said her agency sold her to another employer who is based in Oman. This is allegedly to recoup the expenses paid by her agency.

But after only two months, Nancy was fetched by personnel from the Philippine Embassy’s Assistance to Nationals and brought to the custody of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO).

“May mga observations kami sa kanya at dahil sa mga observations na iyan, kinordinate natin don sa ATN [Assistance to Nationals] para masabihan yung kanyang sponsor who happens to be a government employee of Oman,” said Labor Attache Ernesto Bihis.

Nancy was able to tell ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau how she ended up in Oman. But after further questioning, her answers allegedly made no sense.

“Medyo siya nga po ay nagkaroon ng problema, atubili siya di namin ma-describe ang kanyang pagkilos at ang mga kasama po niya ay hindi niya pinatulog noong unang gabing nandito siya. Marami daw po siyang nadidinig, nakikita na wala naman pong nakakadinig kung di siya lang,” said OWWA Officer Erick de Jesus.

Her present state of mind has been making her fellow wards at the FWRC worried. They fear that she might harm herself when left alone.

“Umakyat siya sa bintana sabi niya may humahabol sa akin. Sino humahabol sa iyo? Yung amo ko! Yung amo ko ang humahabol sa akin,” said Evelyn Monte de Ramos.

Reports said there were several wards that came from the border of Oman and the UAE who were allegedly possessed by evil spirits.

But Bihis explained this could be due to depression, because the workers were not prepared when they left the Philippines to work overseas.

“Siguro may mga dala-dala siyang problema galing sa Pilipinas tapos pagdating dito, yung working environment niya malaki yung adjustment, pagbabago, maari di siya naka-cope,” he said.

Kembali Coast Residential Beach Resort

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Evacuation of Pinoys in Libya set

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) - Philippine embassy officials in Libya are going around hospitals in the nation's capital, Tripoli, as well as nearby cities to convince Filipinos to leave the country, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Raul Hernandez said Monday.

The DFA, however, said it will not force overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to leave if they do not want to.

It is still up to the Filipinos to decide if the want to leave Tripoli, the department said. If they decide to leave, the government will provide everything they need to bring them home.

The DFA on Monday raised Alert Level 4 in Libya, which means the mandatory evacuation and repatriation of Filipino nationals in the area at the Philippine government's expense.

"We are still convincing the 2,000-plus, especially the 1,600 who are still in Tripoli and in the suburbs," Hernandez said.

Philippine Ambassador to Libya Alejandrino Vicente told TV Patrol on Monday night that only 86 Filipinos have expressed their desire to leave Libya.

He said a majority of OFWs want to stay in the country because they fear that they won't have good-paying jobs when they return to the Philippines. "Nangingibabaw iyung economic reasons po. Sinasabi po nila, makikipagsapalaran po sila dahil walang katiyakan po ang trabaho."

Tripoli falls

Rebel fighters have swept into the heart of Tripoli and crowds took to the streets to celebrate what they saw as the end of Moammar Gaddafi's 4 decades of power, but a government fightback was reported as dawn broke on Monday.

Tanks emerged from Gaddafi's stronghold in the center of the Libyan capital and were shelling the area, Al Jazeera television reported.

Despite euphoria among rebels and their backers in Tripoli and elsewhere, a rebel spokesman, identified on Al Jazeera as Nasser, said government troops still controlled "about 15 to 20 percent of the city."

The Philippine government on Monday warned Filipinos in Libya to stay indoors as it arranged for a ship to get them out of the country, amid the final thrust by rebels into the capital.

DFA Undersecretary Esteban Conejos said the government has the funds and the capacity to bring the Filipinos back home.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has allocated 400 seats on a chartered ship to take Filipinos from Tripoli to Alexandria, Egypt.

From Alexandria, a commercial flight will take the Filipinos back to the Philippines.

Wait and see first

The DFA, however, wants to see how the situation develops in Libya in the next 24 hours before implementing the forced evacuation OFWs, according to the department's acting secretary, Antonio Rodriguez.

"Wait and see tayo next 24 hours baka di na kailangan i-repatriate," he said. If rebel forces succeed, baka tapos na ang boxing."

"Baka naman kasi pag pina-uwi natin, babalik din sila kasi may mga contracts ang mga yan," Rodriguez added. "Malalaki rin ang sweldo ng mga health worker sa Libya."

Conejos, meanwhile, expressed confidence that all Filipinos still in Libya are accounted for and can be reached if the situation turns for the worse.

"We have contingency measures, we have coordinators... 1,600 filipinos are all accounted for," he said. "They are documented, the DFA is in touch with them."

He said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is ready to help the repatriated Pinoys. "DOLE has a return reintegration program. It is a P2-billion program."

He said the program includes soft loans for former OFWs to start their own business, as well as local employment opportunities and entrepreneurial programs.

Zero hour for Gaddafis

After a 6-month civil war, rebels have moved quickly into Tripoli, with a carefully orchestrated uprising launched on Saturday night to coincide with the advance of rebel troops on 3 fronts. Fighting broke out after the call to prayer from the minarets of the mosques.

Libyan rebels have captured 2 of Gaddafi's sons, but the whereabouts of leader himself were unknown.

Rebel National Transitional Council Coordinator Adel Dabbechi confirmed that Gaddafi's younger son Saif Al-Islam had been captured.

The International Criminal Court in The Hague, which wants Saif along with his father on charges of crimes against humanity, confirmed he had been held and said he should be handed over for trial.

Gaddafi's eldest son Mohammed Al-Gaddafi had surrendered to rebel forces, Dabbechi told Reuters.

In a television interview, the younger Gaddafi said gunmen had surrounded his house, but he later told al-Jazeera in a phone call that he and his family were unharmed.

Only 5 months ago, Gaddafi's forces were set to crush the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, the leader warning then that there would be "no mercy, no pity" for his opponents. His forces, he said, would hunt them down "district to district, street to street, house to house, room to room."

The United Nations then acted quickly, clearing the way for creation of a no-fly zone that NATO, with a campaign of bombing, used ultimately to help drive back Gaddafi's forces.

"It's over. Gaddafi's finished," said Saad Djebbar, former legal adviser to the Libyan government.

In Benghazi in the east, thousands gathered in a city-center square waving red, black and green opposition flags and trampling on pictures of Gaddafi as news filtered through of rebel advances into Tripoli.

Mohammed Derah, a Libyan activist in Tripoli, told Al Jazeera: "This is another day, a new page in Libya's history. We are witnessing a new dawn and a new history of freedom. The regime is finished."

"We are living historic moments, moments that we haven't witnessed since we were born, since we came out of our mothers' wombs," said We'am Mohanna.

Celebratory gunfire and explosions rang out over the city and cars blaring their horns crowded onto the streets. Overhead, red tracer bullets darted into a black sky.

"It does look like it is coming to an end," said Anthony Skinner, Middle East analyst, Maplecroft. "But there are still plenty of questions. The most important is exactly what Gaddafi does now. Does he flee or can he fight?"

"In the slightly longer term, what happens next? We know there have been some serious divisions between the rebel movement and we don't know yet if they will be able to form a cohesive front to run the country."

Gaddafi, in his second audio broadcast in 24 hours, dismissed the rebels as "rats."

"I am giving the order to open the weapons stockpiles," Gaddafi said. "I call on all Libyans to join this fight. Those who are afraid, give your weapons to your mothers or sisters.

"Go out, I am with you until the end. I am in Tripoli. We will ... win."

A Libyan government official told Reuters that 376 people on both sides of the conflict were killed in fighting overnight on Saturday in Tripoli, with about 1,000 others wounded.

Fil-Am twins at the top of their game

MENLO PARK, California – Seventeen-year old Jesse and Christian Perkins are Filipino-American twins who seem to have it all.

The boys are respected athletes, winning the Grand Prix for Doubles and Northern California’s Athletes of the Week.

They are also promising musicians, singers and upcoming models. The twins were recently chosen as 2 of the top 60 most gorgeous men in the world by Nigel Who! Males 2012.

The Perkins family.

Their grades can’t be beat as well, as the boys both have 4.5 GPAs.

The twins credit their parents for their achievements.

"Our parents are a driving force in our lives and they instilled in us to be the best that we could be, in... school, athletics. That helps us get motivated," says Jesse.

Tess and Tarny Perkins said they raised their boys as Christians, prayer warriors who strive to live a good life.

“We wanted to make sure they would be role models, not only for themselves but for the family and the world,” said Tess.

To be the best they can be, the Perkins laid down rules for the boys.

"No partying," Christian said. "We're cool with that. We don't want to drink, we don't want to do drugs or smoke."

The twins also cannot use Facebook.

"We're not going to have any of that, even instant messaging," Jesse said.

"And no girls," Christian added. "Not right now. My parents said no for now."

But they do have their celebrity crushes. Jesse likes Kim Chiu, while Christian thinks Erich Gonzales is pretty.

For now, nothing and no one can distract the boys from achieving more in life.

Top colleges all over the United States, including Stanford and Yale, have sent letters to the twins.

"God gave them gifts," said their father, Tarny. "It's up to them to take advantage of the gifts God gave them. If they do, their world is frighteningly great."

The Perkins twins are considering taking a year off and living in the Philippines to pursue show business. The possibilities are endless for them, but what’s certain is that they have what it takes to be even more successful in life.

Petron takes Game 7, wins PBA Governors Cup

MANILA, Philippines - It was sweet redemption for the Petron Blaze Boosters as they defeated the Talk N Text Tropang Texters in Game 7 of the PBA Governors Cup Finals, 85-73, taking home the title by winning the series, 4 games to 3.

Arwind Santos named finals MVP.

A series that many thought would be easy for the Texters instead went all the way to a do-or-die Game 7, where both teams left everything on the court.

With their victory, Petron not only won the championship, but also avenged their loss to Talk N Text in last conference's Finals. They also prevented Talk N Text from achieving a historic grand slam.

Arwind Santos sealed the win for Petron with 37.5 seconds to go, when scored on a dunk after Talk N Text turned the ball over.

The Texters were unable to get their offensive going, and also suffered several defensive breakdowns that led to easy lay-ups for Petron.

Talk N Text had to finish the game without spitfire guard Jason Castro. Castro suffered a sprained ankle in the 2nd period, and left the game for good in the 3rd quarter.

Anthony Grundy bounced back from a horrible Game 6, leading the Blazers in scoring while also playing defense on TNT counterpart Maurice Baker.

With the victory, Coach Ato Agustin became the 2nd coach to win a championship in his rookie season.

Kelly Williams was able to keep Talk N Text in the game in the third period, as he scored 9 points in the quarter, most of which came from lay-ups.

Season MVP Jimmy Alapag also gave the Texters a lift with a buzzer beating 3-pointer to end the period.

But Petron still led by double-digits, 64-53, going into the final period

The Blazers started the game on fire from the floor, with Denok Miranda scoring the first 7 points for Petron.

Grundy immediately made his presence felt with a 3-pointer that gave Petron an early 5-point lead at 10-5.

Ranidel De Ocampo kept the Texters in the game with timely baskets midway through the opening period.

Momentum shifted the Texters' way in the 2nd quarter, when Jojo Duncil was sent off the court after incurring a flagrant foul against Maurice Baker.

Duncil had stuck out his foot while Baker was taking a shot.

De Ocampo had a chance to get Petron's lead down to 4 at the end of the half, but his lay-up was soundly rejected by Santos.

Petron led 40-34 going into the break.

Adding to the Texters' 1st half woes were the 4 fouls called against Baker, forcing Reyes to go to his bench for a stopper against Grundy.

TNT's scorers, meanwhile, had trouble connecting from the field, with Larry Fonacier and Kelly Williams both unable to find the bottom of the net on their scoring attempts.

Miranda had 11 first half points to lead Petron, while de Ocampo had 15 points for TNT.

2 Pinays charged for 'sex in public’ in Dubai

DUBAI - A Filipino women’s group advised their compatriots in the United Arab Emirates to strictly follow the laws of their host country particularly on morality and public decency following two separate cases involving Filipinas who had sex at Dubai’s public beach recently.

In a report published in UAE’s major dailies, a Filipina housemaid was sentenced to one year in prison by the Dubai Court of Misdemeanors on Tuesday after her Emirati employer reported to the police that she had become pregnant during her several late night trysts with her Pakistani lover at the Jumeirah Open Beach.

The 26-year-old Filipina admitted in court she had consensual sex with her 25-year-old Pakistani boyfriend who works as an accountant. Presiding Judge Mohammad Ahmad Shoaib said the couple will be deported following the completion of their jail terms.

In another report, the Dubai Court of Misdemeanors heard in the same week another illegal sex-on-the-beach case involving another Filipina and her Lebanese boyfriend who were “caught red-handed by the police kissing and having sex at a secluded spot on Umm Suqiem’s public beach” last July 5.

According to police records, the 30-year-old Filipina salesgirl and her 21-year-old Lebanese waiter boyfriend admitted to their act.

"We were at the beachside having a walk along with my two friends. I took her to a poorly lit spot near the rocks. When we finished and were getting dressed, the police arrived,” the Lebanese said.

The court charged the two with having "sex out of wedlock and public indecency" but the pair did not attend the hearing and the next trial was moved on August 18.

Gabriela-UAE Coordinator Jhasmin Cipriano said Filipinos should strictly follow UAE rules.

“Nananawagan ang Gabriela-UAE sa lahat ng ating mga kababayan – babae man o lalaki – na mag-ingat at sikaping gawin ang lahat para maitaguyod ang dangal ng ating lahi,” Cipriano said.

Chona Nocido, who works as personal assistant in one of the multinational companies based in Dubai’s business district, shares the same view.

“Bukod sa hindi sila kasal, bawal talaga iyon. Sana matuto na sila,” Nocido said.

Gay Mendoza, finance administrator at Westin Mina Seyahi, said she was scandalized after hearing the news.

“Are they idiots or are just plain dumb? This is a Muslim country and they should know better. Nakakahiya. At any rate, regardless of what country and nationality, I believe stuff like that should be done in a private place,” Mendoza said.

Cipriano, however, warned others not to make sweeping generalization and pass quick judgment on Filipino women’s morality.

“Hindi nakapagtataka na sa isang patriyarkal na lipunan na may relihiyong Muslim man o Kristiyano, na lagi na lang babae ang mas naituturing o lumalabas na masama sa paningin ng nakararami lalo't patungkol sa usaping katulad nito,” added Cipriano, who works as a Social Science teacher at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Dubai.

“Totoo na hindi akma lalo na't sa publikong lugar nila ito ginawa, hindi pa rin maipagkakaila na ang mga bagay na katulad nito ay gabutil lamang kumpara sa mas malaking suliranin ng mga kababaihan tulad ng talamak na human trafficking, prostitusyon at sinasapit ng mga kasambahay na pagmamalupit sa kamay ng kanilang mga employer. Ito ang mga suliraning kailangang mas tugunan ng pansin ng mga nasa otoridad lalo na ng ating Embahada at Konsulado dito sa UAE,” Cipriano concluded.

Evans confident of beating Ortiz

MANILA, Philippines – Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans is confident that he will defeat Tito Ortiz in the upcoming UFC 133 event.

"I'm confident no matter where the fight goes, I'm gonna destroy him," Evans told UFC.com.

Evans and Ortiz will fight in the main event of UFC 133, a rematch of their 1st bout in UFC 73, which ended in a draw.

"It's been a long time, and I actually gave up on the hope that this match-up may happen again," Evans said. "But fate has shown me differently, and I'm very excited and pleased that Tito Ortiz stepped up so we can have this fight."

Evans, who was the winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 2, believes that he has the advantage over Ortiz.

"I'm much faster than him. As long as I keep my movement, keep using my speed, he should be a couple of steps behind me," he said.

Evans holds a 20-1-1 win-loss-draw record and is coming off victories over Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson.

"He's making a mistake when he steps into the cage with me," Evans said. "There is no doubt in my mind that I will defeat Tito Ortiz."

Turqueza scores win in World Juniors Chess

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino chess player Mari Joseph “MJ” Turqueza notched a win in the 50th World Junior and 29th Junior Girls Chess Championships in Tamil Nadu, South India on Thursday.

Turqueza defeated India’s Abhilash Reddy in the third round for his first win in the tournament.

In the women's event, Filipina Janelle Mae Frayna suffered another setback against Russian Aisa Imeeva.

Turqueza will meet Benjamin Vincent Hercules of South Africa in the fourth round. Frayna, on the other hand, plays opposite Zsofia of Slovakia.

The country’s best finish in the tournament was back in 1991 when GM Rogelio "Banjo" Barcenilla Jr. won the bronze medal

Pacman wants default ruling vs Floyd in defamation case

MANILA, Philippines – Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is seeking a default ruling from a US District Court regarding his defamation suit against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

According to USA Today.com, the boxing congressman from Sarangani province sought a default ruling because of Mayweather's refusal to give a court deposition in relation to the case.

Pacquiao filed the defamation suit over claims made by Mayweather and his trainer uncle, Roger Mayweather, that Pacquiao was using performance-enhancing drugs (PED).

The Filipino boxer is asking up to US$10 million in damages plus attorney's fees.

"[Mayweather's] lawyer has to respond to the motion, and the judge will need to decide," Pacquiao’s lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli said in the report.

"Judges can and do issue defaults against parties who do not obey their orders and won't participate in the discovery process according the rules. And you forfeit your opportunity to be a litigant when you defy the rules," he added.

Pacquiao’s camp reportedly offered 24 dates for Mayweather to make his deposition.

Mayweather allegedly declined all the dates, citing that he is busy training for the Victor Ortiz fight.

Gang-raped OFW in Saudi gives birth

MANILA, Philippines – The pregnant overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who was raped by 3 Saudi nationals last week has given birth to a baby girl.

More good news came for "Salley" (not her real name) when her 3 rapists were caught

Salley was scheduled to identify the 3 suspects last Wednesday, but had to be rushed to the hospital early in the morning to give birth.

Salley had a healthy, 3.6-pound baby girl.

The OFW said that she was thankful that her daughter was not affected by the rape that she endured.

"Healthy naman po siya ngayon, normal," Salley said of her daughter.

Although she is still weak, Salley will go straight to the police precinct once she gets out of the hospital in order to identify the rapists.

The Philippine Embassy has confirmed that the 3 suspects, all Saudi nationals, are currently in jail at Dammam.

But the suspects are not yet being named as Salley has yet to positively identify them.

Salley will also be given an attorney to ensure that she receives justice.

"Tinatanong nila ako kung itutuloy ko ang kaso, sabi ko, opo. Pinapirma po nila ako kanina," Salley said.

The medical results that may tie the suspects to the rape have not yet been released.

Meanwhile, many Filipinos in the Middle East have offered their support and sympathies for Salley, with some offering financial help.

"Masaya kami ngayon at nakapanganak siya ng maayos, at healthy ang bata. Maraming salamat sa mga Pilipinong tumulong sa kanya," community leader Aiza Monares said.

Pinay is one of top entrepreneurs in US

WASHINGTON DC – Ten years after immigrating to the United States, and 3 years after starting her own business, Nina Rodecker is one of America’s top entrepreneurs.

She has been feted by the Chamber of Commerce, the US Congress, and the White House.

It was a far cry from her days growing up in Sampaloc, where she sold mangga and bagoong at a grade school until the nuns forbade it.

Rodecker and about a hundred other young entrepreneurs were invited to DC to help promote business start-ups and jobs, and help rescue the US economy.

"We have to support small business started by entrepreneurs because small business accounts for three-fourths of the economy. More small businesses, more jobs, better economy," Rodecker said.

Rodecker's Tasty Clouds Candy company was born when she couldn’t find a store to satisfy a craving for cotton candy when she was pregnant.

Some of the candy that Nina Rodecker sells in the Tasty Clouds Candy Company.

The company has now cornered the cotton candy business in Los Angeles, capturing an A-list clientele which includes Paris Hilton, other stars, chefs, musicians and athletes.

She said that Filipinos have qualities that make them good entrepreneurs wherever they may be.

"First and foremost, they should work on their passion. We Filipinos are very persevering, we are very determined. Those are good qualities that would really turn to successful business," she said.

Her advice to other aspiring Filipino-American entrepreneurs: "Think big. This is America, think bigger."

After making one of the simplest sugar treats into a million-dollar business, Rodecker is now setting her sights on bigger things.

Barbosa wins top place in Campo Memorial Chess

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino International Master (IM) Oliver Barbosa won the overall title in the Florencio Campomanes Memorial Yangon International Open Chess 2011 in Yangon, Myanmar on Monday.

The Taytay, Rizal native finished with 7.5 points to bag the overall title and the $3,000 prize that goes with it.

The event was organized by the Myanmar Chess Federation and Myanmar Sports and Physical Education Department to pay homage to the FIDE (World Chess Federation) honorary president Florencio "Pocamps" Campomanes.

“Once again our flag has been raised in this foreign land,” said National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr.

Li Hanbing of China finished second with 7 points for the $1,600 runner-up purse.

Seven players -- IM Richard Bitoon and FM Mari Joseph Turqueza of the Philippines, IM Nguyen Van Huy of Vietnam, IM Atanu Lahiri and IM Dinesh Kumar Sharma of India, IM Myo Naing and Moun Moun Latt of Myanmar -- shared third to ninth places with 6.5 points.

IM Wynn Zaw Htun, Myint Han and Zayar of Myanmar finished in a tie for 10th to 12th places with 6 points.