Poverty not an excuse to humiliate Jan-Jan: columnist

MANILA, Philippines - On Sunday, mom and columnist Cathy Babao Guballa wrote a letter to Jan-Jan, the 6-year-old boy who was made to dance in a lewd manner in television show Willing Willie in exchange for P10,000.

Since then, the letter has been making the rounds on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and has been causing netizens to react strongly to the issue.

In the said letter, Guballa stressed that a child shouldn't go through humiliation for any reason, not even money woes.

"It's not all about the money, Jan-jan. The dignity of every child must be upheld. By allowing you to perform that way, they trampled on you and made you feel so small. I could see the fear and embarrassment in your eyes. It was undeniable. If there was only some way to rescue you from that moment, I'm sure every parent worth their salt would have done so," Guballa wrote.

"Poverty must never be an excuse to humiliate people. A child must be allowed to be a child. This terrible experience has probably left a mark on your soul and my prayer is that you will not be damaged by it forever. And this is why this insanity has to stop," she added.

Guballa, a columnist for The Philippine Daily Inquirer, said there are many people to blame for the humiliating experience that Jan-jan went through -- the child's guardians, the studio audience and host Willie Revillame.

She scored Revillame in particular for egging on the crowd and comparing Jan-jan to a "burlesque dancer."

"Willie had the power in that moment to stop, no, to prevent you from even performing your dance number. Had he done so, he may have even redeemed himself in a way. But what did he do? He gave you the money that you perhaps came for so that you could give it to your parents who for the life of me perhaps did not know any better than to send you there," Guballa wrote.

She continued, "Willie, a parent many times over, and a grandfather -- did not see the faces of his children or of his grandson when he was egging you on to dance a second or a third time? That he found enjoyment in watching you, and poking fun at you as you cried and looked so miserable was to my mind inexcusable. You are a child, and you are supposed to be loved and protected. Your right to protection is provided for under the law. I am so sorry that we failed to do this for you."

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has stepped into the controversy involving Willing Willie and Jan-jan, saying that the episode aired March 12 is a "clear case of child abuse."

DSWD has asked TV5 to not allow children to appear in shows like Willing Willie and other programs that "capitalize on poverty as a source of immediate entertainment."

The agency will also get in touch with Jan-jan's family, determine the incident's effect on the child and determine if necessary counseling should be given to the child and his parents.

Below is the full letter written by Guballa to Jan-jan.

Prince William holds stag night in private: palace

LONDON, United Kingdom - Prince William has given the press the slip and has held his stag night in private, palace officials confirmed Monday.

The 28-year-old, who marries long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, reportedly marked the end of his life as a single man with a low-key party at a rural retreat at the weekend.

"It has taken place. We are not saying when, or where," a spokeswoman for the prince told AFP.

When William announced that his younger brother Prince Harry would be his best man and would therefore organise the stag, commentators suggested he gear himself up for a big night at some of Harry's favourite London hotspots.

But wary of a potential media frenzy, William held a low-key party with about 20 of his closest friends at a country estate outside London, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

But the newspaper could give no details of where the stag night took place.

William and Kate's wedding is the biggest royal event in Britain since the marriage of his parents, Prince Charles and Diana, in 1981 and has sparked a frenzy of excitement around the world.

Pagcor settles endowment for National Museum

MANILA, Philippines – The country's National Museum will live through any hurdles.

This is what the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) vowed after finally promising to pay its P178 million balance to the National Museum of the Philippines.

PAGCOR signed the agreement with the Museum to compensate for the P250 million endowment fund bound by law. Partial remittances had been made in the past, with only P178 million left as balance.

In a signing ceremony attended by PAGCOR Chairman Cristino Naguiat Jr., National Museum Director Jeremy Barns and Assistant Director Cecilio Salcedo, and Senator Edgardo Angara of the Museum's Board of Trustees, PAGCOR pledged to finally pay the balance between April and December this year.

The Museum is authorized to use endowment funds "necessary for the preservation of its art collection" under Republic Act No. 8942 or the National Museum Act of 1998.

Aside from the fund from PAGCOR, the Museum is also bound to receive another P250 million from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

The Museum shall receive the endowment funds within a period of three years until completed, its charter dictates.

Perfect timing

Barns said PAGCOR's settled endowment fund will help in the Museum's agenda for revitalization.

“We are in the process of creating a new and improved National Museum that every Filipino can be proud of. We have been working hard to modernize, expand and upgrade our facilities for the general public as well as enhance the general appeal of the Museum. We have not had the resources that we need to make any big moves, but that has changed significantly now," he said.

Angara, an ex-officio member of the Board, commended the move as "a huge milestone for our country."

"It will foster cultural and artistic literacy. The National Museum has not acquired any large collection in the last few years, and now it finally can. This is the largest amount that any government agency has given so far, and the National Museum can use every penny of it," the head of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture said.

Meanwhile, apart from completing the endowment, Naguiat said PAGCOR is also consistently working to raise funds for the governments’ socio-civic and national developmental efforts.

78-year-old man graduates from college

CEBU, Philippines - “It’s never too late.” This is Miguel Lajos’s frequent answer when asked about going to college.

This March, Lajos, now 78 years old, will be graduating with a degree in AB Political Science from the University of the Visayas-Dalaguete campus in Cebu.

And it's not the end yet for Lajos's education. In fact, he plans to go to law school in June.

Lajos believes that age cannot be a hindrance in pursuing his dream. He said that ever since he was young, he had dreamt of becoming a lawyer.

Miguel Lajos plans to enrol in law school this June.

“But I fell in love with my first wife. So I ran away with her after high school,” Lajos explained. He knew that his parents could not afford to send him to college so he decided to get married instead.

“I had it all planned. I said to myself, I will get married. I will have a dozen children. I will raise them and send them to school so later on, they will spend for my tuition fees,” Lajos said.

Lajos worked as a plumber after he learned the skill in a vocational class when he was in first year college.

He had 13 children with his first wife. When his first wife died, he got married again and had another 5 children.

Lajos raised all 18 of his children. Some of them are now professional teachers and architects. These children are now paying for Lajos’s school fees and tuition. They also give him his weekly allowance.

“When my second wife died, I felt that it was time for me to do something for myself, and all I can think of was pursuing my dream to become a lawyer,” he said.

Lajos said that he did not have any doubts about what he wanted to do. Aside from achieving his dreams, he thought that going to school will help him stay away from Alzheimer’s disease.

“I still have good memory. I can easily remember our professors’ discussions,” said Lajos. He said that he likes participating in class debates. He also loves studying criminal law.

Lajos’s professor can attest that even if Lajos is the oldest in class, he can keep up with his younger classmates. Prof. Ricardo Dinawanao, Lajos’s adviser in Political Science, said that Lajos consistently participates in class.

“He is a good example for everyone that education is for everybody. No age, gender, or color [can be a hindrance],” said Dinawanao.

Facing challenges

Lajos also shared that the only struggle he has in college is having the required books and references he needs to study. He said the books are too expensive so he has to borrow from friends and photocopy the other books. But this did not weaken his resolve to continue with his studies.

“If there is something you really want in life, you have to fill your heart with passion and determination, and you have to always be ready to face the challenges,” he said. Lajos studies every night after dinner. He wakes up at 3 a.m. to study again until 5 a.m. before going for a jog.

Lajos will be graduating this March 30, but he cannot get his diploma yet because he has to enrol in Physical Education (PE) this summer.

He is currently asking the school for a humanitarian consideration that he be allowed to march with his graduating batch. Lajos said he did not enrol in PE because he thought he did not need it to become a lawyer. He also said that at his age, it’s hard for him to play sports.

But Lajos is positive that by June, he will be able to enrol in law school. His children are all willing to support him financially until he takes his bar exam. Lajos will be spending another 4 years in law school.

“I will be 82 years old by the time I finish proper law. I will take the bar exam and I will pass it. I’m sure I will still be a strong man and I will practice law. It’s never too late for me. God will help me realize my dreams,” he said.

Kate to be transported on gold carriage used by Diana

LONDON, United Kingdom - Prince William and Kate Middleton may be banking on dry weather for their April wedding, but many royal watchers are hoping for rain and the appearance of Diana's famed horse-drawn bridal carriage.

The Glass Coach, which carried William's mother to her 1981 wedding, will only be used in the event of wet weather, with the open-topped gold 1902 State Landau set to be used if conditions are fair.

The carriages will only be used to transport the couple from the wedding venue of Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace after Middleton decided she would arrive for the April 29 service in a Rolls-Royce.

Speaking of the Glass Coach, Martin Oates, senior carriage restorer, said: "It has been used over the years as the bridal carriage.

"This was the carriage that Diana and Sarah Ferguson used to go from Clarence House to their churches.

"Because we're only doing one way this year, we won't be actually using it as what they class as the bridal carriage, but this is the carriage that everybody wants to see," he added.

The carriage, weighing almost one tonne, was originally designed as a sheriff's town coach when it was built by Peters and Sons in 1881.

It came into royal hands when it was purchased for George V's coronation in 1911. The State Landau was built by Hoopers for Edward VII's coronation.

The responsibility for the coach's appearance rests with Oates, who admitted he was apprehensive about the big day.

"It's been a lot of preparation, and obviously it's just nice to be part of the big day and hopefully everyone will be watching what I do," he said.

"It's a bit of a worry as well because if something does go wrong, I'll be in trouble."

FHM brings 'Bikini Heaven' to Bora

MANILA, Philippines – It was a showdown of Philippines’ sexiest celebrities.

Wearing their best bikinis, female celebrities flaunted their curves on Sunday as they strutted on stage during FHM’s “Bikini Heaven” show on Boracay island.

Among the celebrities who graced the event were "Banana Split" star Nina Jose, model actress Regine Angeles, former Pinoy Big Brother housemates Wendy Valdez and Sam Pinto, and Filipino-French model-actress Solenn Heussaff.

In the middle of the show, a dancer’s bikini top accidentally came undone, exposing her breast. She, however, was able to fix the so-called wardrobe malfunction right away.

Meantime, despite the glitz of the night, 2 of the sexy participants turned emotional.

In an interview, sexy star Katrina Halili burst into tears when she recalled the biggest challenge she faced in 2009 – the sex video scandal.

Halili said she is thankful that, despite the scandal, blessings continue to come her way.

"Siyempre thankful ako sa lahat ng nangyari sa akin. Thank you po sa second chance na ibinigay ninyo sa akin, sa lahat ng tao na naka-appreciate sa akin, sa lahat ng tumatanggap sa akin at sa mga prayers ninyo para sa akin... Thankful ako na naka-survive ako," she said.

"Mas iba na ‘yong utak ko ngayon, hindi na pang-sarili, pang-lahat na… Mas priority ko ibang tao kaysa sa sarili ko... Kailangan kong ayusin 'yong sarili ko, kailangan kong mag-catch up," she added.

On the other hand, sexy actress Aubrey Miles said she’s worried about her family living in quake and tsunami-hit Japan.

“’Yong dad ko half-Japanese actually, kaya lahat ng buong side ng dad ko nasa Japan. So naga-update kami, then may isa pa kaming relative, family member na hindi namin ma-contact... So ‘yon ‘yong ginagawa namin –updating. Tumatawag kami sa embassy kung puwedeng gawan ng paraan para makauwi.. Ngayon inuuna ko muna ‘yong family ko na makauwi,” she said.

Larger, brighter super moon tonight

MANILA, Philippines - The moon will be "larger" and "brighter" on Saturday, March 19, as the distance between the moon and the earth becomes nearer.

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the moon will be 14% bigger and 30% brighter this weekend. It will be the biggest the moon has ever been in 20 years.

This will happen as the distance between the moon and the earth becomes smaller during perigee.

The phenomenon has been dubbed "super full moon" or "super moon" and superstitious people aired concerns this can be a sign of a coming disaster, such as an earthquake.

There is no truth to that belief, according to a local astronomer, Prof. Edmond Rosales.

"Walang kinalaman ang buwan sa lindol," he said.

In fact, he said, people won't even notice that the moon would seem bigger and brighter as the effect is negligible.

"Napaka-negligible para makita natin ang pagbabago...Kung hindi susukatin ang high tide, hindi natin mapapansin," he said.

As to the belief that people's behavior changes during full moon, Rosales said there is no truth to that too.

"Mas mabait pa nga ang tao 'pag buo ang buwan," he said, citing that because the moon is bright, there are less accidents and burglars do not want to go out for fear of being caught.

Food Bowl Night Market opens at Eton Centris

MANILA, Philippines - A new food market featuring healthy fresh produce and products has just opened in the northern part of Metro Manila.

The Food Bowl was formally launched on Friday, March 18 at the Eton Centris Walk on EDSA corner Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.

Vegetables, grains, animal and fish products good for one's health are sold at the market which is open every Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 12 midnight.

Organizers describe the Food Bowl Night Market as "a marketplace that works on the concept of accessibility, sustainability, and fair trade practices to capture the bulk buying demand and promote sustainable lifestyle."

“We have invited almost everyone in the organic and natural industry to join us in this endeavor. Big groups of organic and natural farming practitioners have signified their interest to support by joining the market," said Sharon Tan, co-organizer of the Food Bowl Night Market.

Among the groups participating in the market are: Organic Producers Trade Association (OPTA), One Organic Movement of the Philippines with the Agri-Aqua Network International, Inc. (AANI), Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc. (SIBAT) Peoples' Store, Go Organic Philippines, Intercontinental Network of Organic Farmers Organizations (INOFO), and the Philippine Development Assistance Program, Inc. (PDAP).

They are joined by Kasama Ka Organik Cooperative, Aquarius Agricultural Source Corporation (AASCORP), Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikutura (MASIPAG), Philippine Natural Farming, Inc. (PNFI), Organic na Negros Organic Producers and Retailers Association (ONOPRA), Agrikultura Natural, Inc. (ANI) Mo, Cosmic Farm of Benguet State University in La Trinidad, the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) under the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Service of the Department of Agriculture (DA-AMAS).

"The potential for the organically grown produce and foods is growing both domestically and abroad due to the increasing health, environment and social concerns. Food Bowl Night Market will highlight crops and commodities of Philippine 'sustainable agribusiness'," added Tan.

Aside from natural, organic and biodynamic farm produce, the market will also have booths for food operators, wellness organizations, ornamental and herbs producers, and eco-friendly product manufacturers.

Apulit resort in Palawan cited as one of Asia’s best

LONDON - A new eco-resort in the Philippines has been named as one of the top destinations in Asia by the travel section of The Sunday Times in Britain.

In a feature entitled “Asia’s Greatest Island Getaways,” travel writer Susan d’Arcy presented the best new destinations in the region, including Apulit Island Resort in Palawan, the newest project of El Nido Resorts.

“The unique selling point is the setting,” wrote d’Arcy. “Apulit Island Resort is in a quiet cove, backed by towering limestone cliffs and overlooking the soft-focus silhouettes of the dozens of tiny islets dotted through untouched Taytay Bay.”

The newspaper article also praised Palawan for its “unspoilt” environment, as well as for the numerous activities on offer on the island.

“We are certainly very proud and pleased to be regarded as one of the best new destinations for this year,” said Joy Anne Denoga, Director of Sales and Marketing at El Nido Resorts.

“Apulit Island Resort in Taytay is owned and managed by El Nido Resorts, the pioneer in ecotourism in the Philippines. It offers guests unique and enriching experiences amidst a beautiful natural landscape. All 50 well-appointed rooms are beautifully perched over the water, and guests are treated to fresh seafood, a variety of exciting tours around the bay, and genuine local hospitality. Already the resort is attracting both local and foreign leisure travelers who seek the glorious 'sun, sand, and sea experience.'”

The accolade is also a welcomed boost for Philippine tourism, which continues to attract more international travelers each year.

A statement from the Department of Tourism in London said: “The inclusion of the Apulit Island Resort in Palawan in The Sunday Times is an exciting news for the Philippines. We are proud to be counted in this list alongside the popular beach destinations of our Asian neighbors. The Philippines is now getting known for what it has to offer. Palawan is definitely one of the best places to visit, for it offers so much more than just its azure waters and white sand beaches.”

It also commended the resort for its eco-credentials. “Apulit Island Resort offers numerous eco-friendly land and water activities, all within a charming and majestic private island setting. It is encouraging to know that Palawan, dubbed as the last frontier, is now getting its share of the limelight that it truly deserves.”

Asia’s Greatest Island Getaways also included resorts in Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Singapore.

Web helps people locate loved ones in Japan quake

TOKYO, Japan - Searching the Internet on sites such as Google, Twitter and their local variants has become more effective in finding loved ones than sifting through wreckage following Japan's devastating tsunami.

Frantic friends and relatives leapt onto their computers to find information about people who had not been heard from since the mighty wave crashed ashore Friday.

Global web giant Google's person finder service had notched up over 45,000 records of people leaving messages seeking information on friends and family, or providing information about people in the disaster zone, by 1130 GMT.

The site was updating, in English and Japanese, by the hundred every few minutes.

A random search for the common Japanese surname "Sato" brought up hundreds of results, many of them for people living in Sendai -- the city that faced the brunt of the thunderous body of rolling water.

Gunduzhan posted a message seeking Aki Sato, a dentist from Sendai who studied at Ohu University in Koriyama. A photo of the young woman was also posted on the site.

"Looking for Aki Sato," the post read. "Last heard from after earthquake but before tsunami."

Another post seeking Fatima Sato had some good news -- "Mom is ok. She is on her way home."

The international and Japanese Red Cross also set up a similar site.

People in Japan and abroad can register names on the website or consult the list, while those in Japan can inform family and friends that they are safe and provide contact details.

And micro-blogging site Twitter was updating every second with messages of good will, of condolences and offering aid.

Hashtags, or labels that allow people to share and locate messages around a specific subject, #prayforjapan and #tsunami were soon joined by one named #radiation.

People used the new hashtag to update information on fears of meltdown following an explosion at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

"Radiation's growing, they are collecting iodine. If wind blows too much may move it all to Russia, China, Phillipines & over the Pacific. But come on! It's not Chernobyl yet," wrote fabrykamagazine.

A service was also being shared on Twitter enabling people to donate to the Red Cross via text message, the donation being added to phone bills.

Some tweets were posted by international celebrities such as the American singer Lady Gaga, who launched a bracelet campaign to support the relief effort.

She asked her legion of fans -- whom she calls "Little Monsters" -- to buy a bracelet on her website with the message, "We Pray for Japan". All proceeds will go to relief efforts, she said.

Other pop stars offered condolences. R&B icon Alicia Keys wrote on her Twitter account: "My heart breaks for Japan."

And Canadian teen idol Justin Bieber called Japan "one of my favorite places on Earth".

On Facebook, the largest Japan Tsunami 2011 page had over 2,600 people saying they "liked" the page and scores of messages, plus links to some of the astonishing videos of when the tsunami hit.

But US computer security authorities warned that online scammers may seek to exploit the quake.

The US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) told computer users to be wary of "potential email scams, fake antivirus and phishing attacks regarding the Japan earthquake and the tsunami disasters".

"Email scams may contain links or attachments which may direct users to phishing or malware-laden websites," US-CERT said in a statement.

"Fake antivirus attacks may come in the form of pop-ups which flash security warnings and ask the user for credit card information," it said.

"Phishing emails and websites requesting donations for bogus charitable organisations commonly appear after these types of natural disasters."

Phishing refers to attempts to steal user names, passwords and other personal information from unsuspecting victims, mostly through email or instant messages.

Useful links:

The English version of the Red Cross website was being set up at www.icrc.org/eng/familylinks-japan

The English version of the Google friend finder service can be found here: japan.person-finder.appspot.com/?lang=en

Facebook's Japan tsunami page can be found here: www.facebook.com/#!/japan.tsunami.2011

Better than a BMI? New obesity scale proposed

CHICAGO - Scientists have developed a new way to measure whether a person is too fat without having people step on the scale.

The new measure, called the Body Adiposity Index, or BAI, relies on height and hip measurements, and it is meant to offer a more flexible alternative to body mass index, or BMI, a ratio of height and weight, US researchers said on Thursday.

BMI has been used to measure body fat for the past 200 years, but it is not without flaws, Richard Bergman of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and colleagues wrote in the journal Obesity.

While there are other, more complex ways to measure body fat beyond simply stepping on a scale, BMI is widely used both by researchers and doctors.

It is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. A person who is 5 feet 5 inches tall is classified as overweight at 150 pounds (68 kg) and obese at 180 pounds (82 kg).

But there is a lot of wiggle room in that calculation.

For example, women and men with the same BMI might have very different levels of extra flab. BMI numbers cannot be generalized across different ethnic groups or used with athletes, who have extra lean body mass.

The team made the index using data from a Mexican-American population study. They confirmed the scale's accuracy using an advanced device called a dual-energy X-ray absorption or DEXA scanner. Tests in a study of African Americans showed similar findings, suggesting BAI can be used across different racial groups.

BAI is a complex ratio of hip circumference to height that can be calculated by doctors or nurses with a computer or calculator.

The team says BAI still needs some fine tuning, and they still need to test it among whites and other ethnic groups, but they think it has promise as new tool, especially in remote settings with limited access to reliable scales.

"After further validation, this measure can be proposed as a useful measure of percent fat, which is very easy to obtain. However, it remains to be seen if the BAI is a more useful predictor of health outcome, in both males and females, than other indexes of body adiposity, including the BMI itself," the team wrote.

Obesity has become a global epidemic, with more than half a billion people, or one in 10 adults worldwide, considered to be obese -- more than double the number in 1980. Obesity-related diseases account for nearly 10% of US medical spending, or an estimated $147 billion a year.

Surf, yoga or samba? Weekend retreat offers all 3

MANILA, Philippines - This summer, people have more time to try new things, such as surfing, yoga and samba.

Here's something, however, that lets you try all 3 activities at once.

"FLOW: SurfYogaSamba", a weekend retreat in La Union to be held from April 9 to 11, aims to "unify the body, mind and soul" by practicing yoga, surfing, dancing and creating music, and eating healthy food.

"A lot of people want to try surfing, yoga and samba. And they can try it all here at once," Denise Gonzales, a partner at FLOW: SurfYogaSamba, said in an interview on ANC's Shop Talk aired last week.

She continued, "Healthy meals are included throughout the weekend as part of the package. Everything is covered for that whole weekend."

The weekend retreat, which costs P7,500, includes 2 Vinyasa yoga sessions with Monica Eleazar-Manzano, 2 surfing lessons with Luke Landrigan of the Billabong San Juan Surf School, 2 samba lessons, and Brazilian batucada samba drumming led by Escola de Samba de Manila.

The fee also covers round-trip transfers from Manila to La Union, a 2-night accommodation at San Juan Surf Resort, meals and snacks, T-shirts and other freebies.

Gonzales claimed that the retreat has also helped participants cope with breakups and other problems in their lives.

"We get to make deeper relationships. Some people do this (FLOW) when they want something to do, like they just had a breakup and they do this instead of sulking," she said.

She ended, "A lot of people think that FLOW is for girls only, but we actually want more men to join us."

It would take 10 years to read every single tweet

More than 50 million tweets a day flow through our timelines. Could anyone read every one of them?

Has Twitter reached critical mass? At Death and Taxes, one writer took a stopwatch to a scroll through his Twitter feed. He reports it took an average of 6.6 seconds to read each tweet. This adds up to a huge 330 million seconds – equaling about 10 years – to give a cursory glance to all the tweets in a single day. And forget about clicking on links – that can only drive up your reading time and will most certainly distract you from the task at hand. (but then again, isn't Twitter inherently a distraction?)

Even if we left off the estimated 40% that are spam or meaningless chatter, that would still be an endeavor of six years per day to wade through the news and conversations that spread in 140 characters or less.

Not even NewsFeed has that kind of time to waste on the Internet.