A Painting Competition geared towards the promotion of art while raising the consciousness among Filipino commuters the advantage of patronizing the LRTA trains

The Competition

• is open to all Filipino artists age 18 and above
• entries must respond to the theme: “LRT at ang Buhay Pinoy”
• entry size requirement is 3 feet by 4 feet, horizontal or vertical, and must be done in either oil or acrylic on canvas
• entries must be original and have been done within 2009, not been exhibited nor entered in any other art competitions
• entries must be submitted ready for hanging on May 30, 2009, Saturday at the LRT Cubao Station West Side in Quezon City
• other rules and guidelines and offi cial entry forms will be available for download at the LRTA website, www.lrta.gov.ph by the launching date, March 18, 2009, or at the NCCA Arts Division c/o Ferdie isleta, and at the CCP offi ce of the VisuaL Arts
• Awards include: One Grand Prize with Php 200,000.00 cash; Five Jurors’ Choice with Php 100,000.00 cash; and Six Finalists with Php 50,000.00 cash
• Awarding of winners and opening of the exhibition of selected entries will be on July 11, 2009 to coincide with the LRTA anniversary
• All winning entries shall automatically be the property of the LRT Authority
Information

You can download the entry form here.

You can view the entire mechanics here.

CNN is honoring ordinary citizens who have done outstanding works for the community in a program called CNN Heroes. Efren Peñaflorida, a 27-year-old Filipino teacher and youth worker from Cavite, is among the 32 nominees all over the world for his work at the Dynamic Teen Company.

At a year-end gala, CNN will honor the 10 heroes and reveal the “CNN Hero of the Year” who will receive $100,000. In its second year in 2008, the multiplatform initiative received nearly 4,000 submissions from 75 countries. A special CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute program will then air globally on CNN International, CNN/U.S. and CNN en Español.

According to a CNN backgrounder, Peñaflorida experienced “hell” in high school. He was constantly harassed and threatened by the local gangs that terrorized his school. Students had few alternatives to the gangs. They were either forced into joining or they dropped out of school. Despite the pressure, Peñaflorida was determined to complete his education.

Growing up near the slums of Cavite City, he knew that, despite his problems, he was lucky. A lot of kids with his background didn’t have the opportunity to go to school. At 16, Peñaflorida decided to combine two problems to create a solution. He recruited three fellow high school students to go to the slums on Saturdays to teach younger kids. That was the beginning of the Dynamic Teen Company (DTC).

Ten years later, DTC’s membership has grown to around 10,000 members and they have tutored approximately 1,500 children from the slums. DTC became the solution Peñaflorida envisioned. It gives high school students an alternative to gangs and young children access to education.

Peñaflorida continues to share the gift of learning. He teaches at a local private school in Cavite City and still accompanies DTC to the slums every Saturday. His deep commitment to education continues to change the face of his community.

You can help make Peñaflorida the “CNN Hero of the Year.” The winner will be chosen by a Blue Ribbon Panel via voting at the CNN website, www.CNN.com/Heroes. Vote now!

(Note: For more information, visit www.CNNPressr-oomasia.com.)

As part of its effort in expediting the application and release of important documents to the Filipino seafarers, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) announced that seamen can now file their applications on the internet to get authenticated copies of their Seamen’s Identity Record Book (SIRB) and it will be sent directly to you for your convenience.

Filipino sailors who wants to get their SIRB renewed needs to log in www.sirb.com.ph or dial 737-77-37 (for Metro Manila based seafarers) for additional details to start the process rolling.

Te site was activated early this March, seafarers will no longer need to line up for hours or even days at the SIRB Processing Center in Manila and thus will cut on the cost of the public doing business with the maritime regulator.

Seamen who filed their SIRB applications online can also check the release date of their documents on the website.

McDonald’s Philippines is calling all children aged six to 12 for the 2009 Kiddie Crew Workshop. The McDonald’s Kiddie Crew Workshop is a yearly event specially designed for kids to learn the values of hard work, friendship, team work, self-confidence and cleanliness while having fun. Over 20,000 McDonald’s Kiddie Crew members from all over the country — the biggest in Kiddie Crew history — are expected to join this summer!

The McDonald’s Kiddie Crew is a five-day workshop over a six-week period from March 31 to May 15. There will be several batches of Kiddie Crew Workshops to be held per day in each participating store. It has three main activities per day — a values formation lecture that fosters a different value per day, on-floor training and art workshop. With a healthy mix of fun and learning activities, the kids will be taught how to man the counter, greet and serve guests and how to clean up. Fun art classes will also be held. Kiddie Crew members will be making Ronald and the Gang Sock Puppets, a McDonald’s Mosaic and a special treat for moms. All these activities are anchored on promoting positive values among the kids.

At the end of the program, a special graduation celebration will be held for the Kiddie Crew members together with their parents; a salute to a fun and memorable summer at McDonald’s.

The Kiddie Crew Workshop, the first of its kind in the country, started in the mid 1980s. It is conducted under the McDonald’s Kids On The Go program, a global brand initiative that features activities sponsored by McDonald’s to champion the well-being of children. Since its beginning, hundred of thousands of kids have joined and successfully graduated the workshop.

Bring your kids to a participating McDonald’s store now and sign them up for the biggest and most exciting Kiddie Crew Program yet. Give your child the best summer yet and experience all the fun only at McDonald’s.

International master hair designer Hilbert Ng is in town with his team to grace Sophistication 2009 Hair Show and Seminar on March 16, 1 p.m. at the Hotel Rembrandt Grand Ballroom, Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City.

Ng is renowned for establishing Hit Salon and Academy, a training salon and educational center for hairdressers worldwide. He opened and currently operates MOMO, one of the first studio salons in Guangzhou, China and takes pride to be a top designer of Salon Vie on the East Coast of Florida. He took advanced seminars from Vidal Sassoon, Tigi, Mahogany London, UK and is currently an educator and senior member of Pivot Point International of Chicago, USA.

Maureen Larrazabal hosts the event and will delight participants and guests with her melodious voice.

There will be lots of give-aways and raffle packages from sponsor Mondes International Beauty Products, Inc. Jackpot prize is a complete salon package worth P20,000.

For details call 482-28270 or 0919-4312071.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Department of Health (DOH) offers the Pinoy MD scholarship for those aspiring to become doctors.

I. SCHOLARSHIP PACKAGE:

1. Tuition Fees
2. Miscellaneous/Laboratory Fees
3. Living Subsidy
4. Lodging Allowance
5. Daily Transportation Allowance
6. Book and Uniform Allowance

List of accredited schools and requirements are listed here.

II. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Must have an NMAT percentile score of 40 and
above.
2. Must have at least two (2) character references.
3. Must be physically and mentally fit.
Priority will be given to:
1. Applicants who have a combined Gross Family
Income of Php 50,000/month or Php
600,000/annum or lower.
2. Applicants who are part of, or are children of
Barangay Health Workers, government
employees or Indigenous People (IP).

III. OBLIGATION:

1. Must render two (2) years of service to the
government for every year of study/scholarship.

IV. APPLICATION PROCESS:

Interested parties may contact their preferred Medical
Schools (see Pinoy MD Medical Schools Information
Directory) for further inquiries on eligibility, documentary
requirements and application processes.
National Medical Admissions Test (NMAT):

Applicants who have not yet taken the NMAT are advised
to coordinate with the Center for Educational
Measurement, Inc. for NMAT schedules:

Contact Nos: CEM NMAT Secretariat
(02) 813-3686 / 813-3691 to 95
loc. 106

For further inquiries, you may contact Mrs. Amy David or Mr. Erick Villaflor at our
Pinoy MD Hotlines: (02)781-1723, (02)743-8301 loc 4204, 4203

Cebu Pacific (CEB) is offering a seat sale from all its hubs – Cebu, Clark, Davao and Manila – starting March 10 to 13, 2009, to keep travel affordable in these challenging times.

The promotional seat sale is valid for travel from April 1 to July 31, 2009. Domestic fares are all-inclusive; Regional passengers need to pay travel taxes, except OFWs and foreigners staying in the Philippines for less than a year who are exempt. Promo fares are non-refundable.

Candice Iyog, CEB VP for marketing and distribution, said, “The current seat sale supports the focus on tourism to tide the country over the financial crisis. Cebu Pacific has always been keen in making travel more affordable for Filipinos.”

CEB is offering a P1,488 one-way ‘Go Lite’ fare for its Manila-Kota Kinabalu and Manila-Kaohsiung services. This is also extended to services from Clark to Bangkok; Hong Kong; Macau; and Singapore.

The budget airline is also offering a one-way P1,388 ‘Go Lite’ all-in fare for its Manila to Cotabato and Butuan services.

From Cebu, the airline is offering a one-way P188 all-in ‘Go Lite’ fare to Bacolod, Butuan, Du-maguete and Surigao, and a one-way P488 all-in ‘Go Lite’ fare to: Cotabato; Dipolog; GenSan; Legaspi; Ozamiz; Puerto Princesa; Siargao; Tacloban; and Zamboanga.

From Davao, the airline is selling a one-way P488 all-in ‘Go Lite’ fare to Iloilo and Zamboanga.

‘Go Lite’ fares are for passengers traveling with no check-in baggage. Passengers with check-in bags just have to add P200 to the fare.

Passengers can book online at www.cebupaci-ficair.com or call reservations at 70-20-888, or visit their nearest travel agents.

The Passport Section of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced it is now open on some Saturdays to provide services to applicants who are not available during weekdays.

The DFA Office of Consular Affairs (OCA) said they have decided to extend their operation to Saturday to give opportunity to applicants who are working or are in school to apply for their passport without having to miss work or class.

The extension of operations is expected to address the increasing number of passport applicants, which usually soars during the summer.

“To avail of the Saturday processing, applicants need to set an appointment through the Internet or through the regular appointment system,” a Consular Affairs official said.

A P750 uniform fee shall be charged for passports during the Saturday processing.

The Saturday operations started on Feb. 21.

They will also be open on March 21; April 4 and 18; May 2, 16 and 30; and June 6.

A 15-inch whale shark, locally known as butanding, has been found in Sorsogon.

World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF-Philippines) reported That a baby whale shark was caught yesterday in a nearby San Antonio, a barangay of Pilar town just adjacent to Donsol, Sorsogon where it was about to be sold in the local market. It is believed to be the smallest whale shark in the country, and perhaps in the world, might lead to answers to the mystery of where the sea creatures breed.

The authorities in the area was then alerted and they took over the custody of the whale shark and after some documentation it was again freed in the deep part of the ocean.

Bb. Pilipinas Coronation night was held at the Araneta Coliseum last night!

Bb. Pilipinas International – Melody Gersbarch

Bb. Pilipinas Universe – Pamela Bianca Manalo

Bb. Pilipinas World – Mary Ann Umali

1st Runner-up – Richelle Angalot

2nd Runner-up – Regina Hahn