Jovic Baldivino is The First Grand Finalist of 'Pilipinas Got Talent'

After revealing its 36 Semi-finalist, Pilinas Got Talent announced tonight its first Grand Finalist as a result of the first semi-final round held last Saturday night.

Jovit Baldivino sings Carrie on PGT Semi-Finals Night


Jovit Baldivino, singer from Batangas, was the Voter's choice and received a whopping 80% of text and online votes.

Meanwhile, Ruther Urquia, ventriloquist from Las Piñas City, was also declared as one of the 12 Grand Finalists when he was chosen by the judges over singer Rolando Permangil from Davao.

Here's the results of the text and online voting:

1. Jovit Baldivino 80.00% - Voters' Choice
2. Ruther Urquia 9.77% - Judges' Choice
3. Rolando Permangil 5.22%
4. Snap Boiz of Cebu 2.21%
5. Xavier University Cultural Dance Troupe from CDO 2.20%
6. Baguio Siblings from Cebu 0.06%

Jovit Baldivino and Ruther Urquia - PGT Semi-finals Results Night


Next Saturday, May 8, another batch of contenders for the second round of the semi-finals will compete against each other for the remaining 10 slots of Grand Finalist. They are:

Kapidamu Band from Atimonan, Quezon
Markki Stroem from Quezon City
Allan De Paz aka Alakim from Quezon City
Mae Lozada and Anselmo Estillore from Cebu
Florante Ihutan from Davao
Garrett Bolden Jr from Olongapo City

Pilipinas Got Talent will have its grand finals night on June 12 - 13, 2010.

Top 10 Dumbest Things Said About the Arizona Immigration Law

Byron York of the Washington Examiner has compiled this list of the hysteria on the Left to Arizona’s new immigration law. York says it’s hard to choose which one on the list is the most over-the-top.

What do you think?

From The Washington Examiner:

The last few days have seen an extraordinary outburst of criticism of Arizona’s new immigration law.

In the nation’s elite media outlets, its most respected commentators are portraying the law as an act of police-state repression. Many, if not all, of the specific criticisms can be refuted simply by reading the law itself, but others are more generalized criticisms of immigration enforcement. In any event, it’s hard to choose the most over-the-top and wrongheaded commentary on the law, but here are ten choices, in no particular order.

(If you don’t know why a particular statement is wrong, you can check here, and here, and here, and here.)

1. “The statute requires police officers to stop and question anyone who looks like an illegal immigrant.”
– New York Times editorial

2. “As the Arizona abomination makes clear, there is a desperate need for federal immigration action to stop the country from turning into a nation of vigilantes suspicious of anybody with dark skin.”
– Dana Milbank, Washington Post

3. “I can’t imagine Arizonans now reverting to German Nazi and Russian Communist techniques whereby people are required to turn one another in to the authorities on any suspicion of documentation.”
– Cardinal Roger Mahony

4. “This law creates a suspect class, based in part on ethnicity, considered guilty until they prove themselves innocent. It makes it harder for illegal immigrants to live without scrutiny — but it also makes it harder for some American citizens to live without suspicion and humiliation. Americans are not accustomed to the command ‘Your papers, please,’ however politely delivered. The distinctly American response to such a request would be ‘Go to hell,’ and then ‘See you in court.’”
– Michael Gerson, Washington Post

5. “In case the phrase ‘lawful contact’ makes it appear as if the police are authorized to act only if they observe an undocumented-looking person actually committing a crime, another section strips the statute of even that fig leaf of reassurance. ‘A person is guilty of trespassing,’ the law provides, by being ‘present on any public or private land in this state’ while lacking authorization to be in the United States — a new crime of breathing while undocumented.”
– Linda Greenhouse, New York Times
(Greenhouse’s “trespassing” allegation was based on an early version of the Arizona bill that was not the bill that became law. Her mistake was later removed from the Times site, but you can see original version here.)

6. “Federal law treats illegal immigration as a civil violation; Arizona law criminalizes it by using the legally dubious mechanism of equating the mere presence of undocumented immigrants with trespassing.”
– Washington Post editorial
(This editorial makes the same mistake as Linda Greenhouse’s “trespassing” column above.)

7. “I am saddened today at the prospect of a young Hispanic immigrant in Arizona going to the grocery store and forgetting to bring her passport and immigration documents with her. I cannot be dispassionate about the fact that the very act of her being in the grocery store will soon be a crime in the state she lives in…An immigrant who is charged with the crime of trespassing for simply being in a community without his papers on him is being told he is committing a crime by simply being.”
– Bishop Desmond Tutu, Huffington Post
(Tutu is perhaps relying on the erroneous information in the New York Times and Washington Post above.)

8. “It harkens back to apartheid where all black people in South Africa were required to carry documents in order to move from one part of town to another.”
– Cynthia Tucker, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, on ABC’s “This Week”

9. “You can imagine, if you are a Hispanic American in Arizona…suddenly, if you don’t have your papers and you took your kid out to get ice cream, you’re going to be harassed.”
– President Barack Obama

10. “This week, Arizona signed the toughest illegal immigration law in the country which will allow police to demand identification papers from anyone they suspect is in the country illegally. I know there’s some people in Arizona worried that Obama is acting like Hitler, but could we all agree that there’s nothing more Nazi than saying ‘Show me your papers?’ There’s never been a World War II movie that didn’t include the line ’show me your papers.’ It’s their catchphrase. Every time someone says ’show me your papers,’ Hitler’s family gets a residual check. So heads up, Arizona; that’s fascism. I know, I know, it’s a dry fascism, but it’s still fascism.”
– Seth Myers, “Saturday Night Live”

Via Washington Examiner

Via Memeorandum


The Last Tradition

Carmen Soo Covers METRO Magazine May 2010 Issue

The May 2010 issue of METRO Magazine is all about the Travel Chic and who else to perfectly cover this issue but the Malaysian Superstar Carmen Soo, don't you think so?

Carmen Soo has been "Home and Away" since he began working in the Philippines for the ABS-CBN teleserye “Kahit Isang Saglit” in 2008. The Malaysia actress-model-host is now one of the new hosts of the top-rating noontime variety show Wowowee.

Other features in Metro’s Travel issue include "Style Passport," "Fashion Watch New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo," "Who are You Voting For," and "The Tress Test."

METRO Magazine May 2010 issue is now available at all magazine stands nationwide.

Bea Alonzo Covers Cosmopolitan Philippines May 2010 Issue

Bea Alonzo is the cover girl of Cosmopolitan Philippines' on its Anniversary issue this May 2010.

In this issue, Cosmopolitan magazine made a cover story for the Kapamilya blockbuster actress titled "Bea Alonzo – Reasons She’s On Our Top List and Why You’ll Love Her Even More!"


Also in this issue are: "Fun Fearless Female Awards 2010," "LQs Solved! Fix Love Issues in Just 10 Seconds," "When a Breakup Drives Him Mad," "Gimik Wear That'll Make You Hot," "Cowgirl Sex: Do It Cosmo-Style," "These Women Will Inspire You to Make a Difference," "El Nino? Eco Friendly Showers to Take Alone or Together," and the "Man on Fire: Daniel Matsunaga"

Cosmopolitan Philippines May 2010 issue is now available at all magazine stands nationwide.

Its a Double Victory for GMA-7's 'League of Intrigues' - Startalk TX and Showbiz Central

It's a double celebration for the League of Intrigues, composed of the combined forces of the undisputed showbiz authority, Startalk and the Intriga Capital of the Philippines, Showbiz Central, as both shows captured high ratings and received abundant praises from viewers all over.

Based on the data of AGB Nielsen, among viewer-rich Mega Manila households last April 24 and 25, Startalk TX totally outclassed its competitor with an average audience share of 11.2%, 4.3% higher than competing showbiz talk show’s 7.0%. Showbiz Central also secured victory with a 9.1% rating while its competitor only had an 8.6% audience share.

The Burgeoning Legacy . For 14 years, Startalk has remained at the top of its game, going from strength to strength through fearless delivery of the latest entertainment news and by offering an engaging format that features the talk show hosts at their best.

Audiences admire how entertainment editor Ricky Lo could bring them exclusive interviews of both top and international celebrities. They appreciate how film critic Butch Francisco can be in two places at once just to give viewers a raw picture of the paths taken by a showbiz personality involved in the controversies of the week. Entertainment guru Joey De Leon--who always has everyone laughing with his jokes, especially those thrown at co host Lolit Solis--combines his signature humor with his intelligent analysis of showbiz issues. And then, of course, there is top showbiz manager Lolit Solis, the only woman in the formidable Startalk team who never fails to shock with her off-the-cuff comments. Ricky Lo, Butch Francisco, Joey De Leon and Lolit Solis --the Fab Four, all successful in their respective fields who have access to the inner workings of show biz. Small wonder then that when they talk, people listen.

Now that Startalk leveled up to Startalk TX, the Fab Four and the rest of the team are Three Times (TX) more aggressive at getting the hottest show biz news, Three Times more engaging, and Three Times more fun.

The Favorite Ka-Chika . At Showbiz Central, viewers can now do the talking. The segment Opinion Central just got bigger and better as it officially names the viewers as the “other host” of the show. This means that audiences can participate, react and enjoy Showbiz Central in real time -- live and online! Viewer reaction is nothing short of ecstatic. In fact, thousands of messages comprised of raging opinions, unheard-of scoops, and hard-hitting questions flooded the show. Currently, Showbiz Central has 5,000 Facebook fan page friends, and counting.

This genuine interactive experience coupled with the wild and upbeat segments hosted by the sweet intrigera John Lapus, the Eat Bulaga muse and credible ChikaMinute anchor Pia Guanio, the ever-controversial sexy TV and movie star Rufa Mae Quinto, the insightful host and party scene insider Raymond Gutierrez, and the clever but no less controversial radio jock, Mo Twister, all make Showbiz Central audiences’ favorite tambayan for unguarded showbiz discussions.

The League of Intrigues -- Startalk TX and Showbiz Central -- will also make it possible for hosts of both shows to crossover as guest hosts, doubling the excitement, the credibility and the fun!

The League of Intrigues wows audiences every weekend afternoons--Startalk TX on Saturday, after Eat Bulaga and Showbiz Central on Sunday, after Dear Friend.

I-Witness Explores "Black Propaganda" This Monday

Philippine elections are riddled with mudslinging, character assassinations, and white paper distribution. For most campaign strategists, this is just regular fare. Black propaganda, however, is not a simple undertaking. It’s a covert, complicated, and sometimes dangerous operation. This Monday, after Saksi on GMA Network, I-WITNESS explores black propaganda.

A candidate’s sin from the past may resurrect many years later. Half-truths or totally false stories may appear in text blasts. With the advent of new technology, the fine line between what is true and what is bogus is getting thinner and thinner. With the Internet, especially the social networking sites, it’s now easy for people to spread gossip as legitimate news.

This Monday, Sandra Aguinaldo explores the dark and complex business of black propaganda in the Philippines. Clandestine operations are exposed and secrets will be revealed. A week before the elections, viewers can arm themselves with the knowledge they need to help them make an informed choice.

I-WITNESS ' Black Propaganda airs this Monday, May 3, after Saksi on GMA-7.

GMA Network Cited by Reader's Digest as One of The 'Most Trusted' TV Stations

GMA Network bagged the Gold Award for the Television Network Category in the Reader's Digest Asia Most Trusted Brands for 2010.

The awarding ceremony—which was held last Friday, April 30, at the New World Hotel in Makati City—was attended by the network's Executive Vice President and COO Gilberto R. Duavit Jr., and Vice President for Corporate Communications Butch S. Raquel.

Reader's Digest bestows the Gold Trusted Brand Award to companies or products selected by Asian consumers as their preferred brand in the market. The different categories were rated based on trustworthiness, credibility, quality, value, understanding of customer needs, ability to innovate, and social responsibility.

"We are honored to be chosen as one of the most trusted brands in the Philippines. I believe that GMA Network's dedication and genuine commitment in providing superior quality entertainment and delivering credible news are reasons why we are top of mind among the respondents of this survey by Reader's Digest. This recognition inspires us to further uphold one of our company's core values, which states that the viewer is our boss," Duavit said.

He added, "As GMA Network celebrates its 60th anniversary, being honored as one of the country's most trusted brands gives importance to the hard work and devotion we have put in all these years. Looking forward, we assure our viewers, that the Network will make every effort in living up to this recognition in the years to come."