George Tapan’s winning photo in National Geographic Photo Contest 2011

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"Into the Green Zone", winner in the Places category. A beautiful rainbow after the rain, into the green zone of the Palawan Islands. Location: Onuk island, Balabac Palawan, Philippines (© George Tapan)

Veteran Filipino photographer George Tapan wins top place in the prestigious National Geographic Photo Contest 2011 Places Category for his composition, Into the Green Zone. The contest was judged by National Geographic magazine photographers Tim Laman, Amy Toensing, and Peter Essick.

Tapan’s photograph “Into the Green Zone”with a rainbow after a rainstorm taken in the island of Onuk in Balabac, Palawan. It showcases the real beauty of the Philippines through the beauty of our beaches in Palawan. 
The photo has all the right elements. Tim Laman says Tapan “showed a perfect sense of timing and composition in the way he captured the two small human subjects in this beautiful scene, and that really made the shot.” Toensing notes that the photo “compellingly shows a sense of place” while Essick says “the photographer has documented a sense of style and flair."


The National Geographic Photo Contest is the most prestigious annual International Photo Contest capturing the beauty of the world through captivating imagery.  There were 20,000 photographs submitted by the best photographers in 130 countries for three categories: people, places, and nature. There is a winner in each category and an overall winner among the three category winners.

Congratulations George Tapan for winning the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest 2011 - Places Category!

Visit : National Geographic

EVANESCENCE AND BUSH Live in Manila February 19, 2012

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American rock band Evanescence will be live in Manila on February 19, 2012 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum with the special guest- alternative band from London, Bush.

Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer , pianist and songwriter Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody.

Their group is a rock band, but the twist is that the band's music is epic, dramatic, dark rock,The band's official website classed their musical genre simply as 'rock.’

Ticket Prices:

PATRON(103&101) STANDING (Reserved Seating) – P5810

PATRON SEATED (Reserved Seating) – P5810

LOWER BOX(200 & 201) (Reserved Seating) – P4755

LOWER BOX(202 – 215) (Reserved Seating) – P3700

UPPER BOX A (Reserved Seating) – P2640

UPPER BOX B – P1585

GENERAL ADMISSION – P530

Tickets for Evanescence featuring Bush concert are now available at all Ticketnet outlets. Call 911-5555 or visit www.ticketnet.com.ph  for more details

Music video by Evanescence performing Bring Me To Life

Romi Garduce successfully completes his Seven Summits Quest

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The Philippines finally puts on record a historic feat in the elite adventure sport of mountaineering. This after renowned Filipino mountain climber Romi Garduce officially set foot atop Mt. Vinson Massif in the Antarctic Region on January 5 at 6:45pm, Antarctica time (January 6, 5:45am, Philippine time) – officially completing his historic “Seven Summit” quest after long 10 years.

According to news, Romi’s team has successfully reached the summit of 16,067-foot alpine mountain lying in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains on a cold -26 degree Celsius weather.

Here’s the list of mountains conquered by Romi Garduce

Mt.Kilimanjaro in Africa (September 2002);

Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina (January 2005)

Mt. Everest in Nepal (May 2006)

Mt. Elbrus in Russia (August 2007)

Mt. McKinley or Denali Peak in North America (June 2008)

Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia (December 2008)

Mt. Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia (July 2011)

Mt. Vinson Massif in Antarctica (January 2012)

Africa - Mt. Kilimanjaro (2002)- 5,895m

Sept 2002. Garduce on top of Uhuru Peak, Kilimanjaro (Tanzania, East Africa)

 South America - Mt. Aconcagua (2005) - 6,960mJan 1,2005. Summit of Aconcagua with Magnus (Sweden) and Pablo (Argentina), Andean Range (Argentina)

Asia - Mt. Everest (2006) - 8,848mMay 2006 Mt. Everest Summit Photo

 Europe - Mt. Elbrus (2007) - 5,642m

Aug27, 11.02am Local time - Romi made it to the top of Mt Elbrus' West Peak 5642m (Highest in Europe). This is the 4th of the 7 SUMMITS!

North America - Denali Peak (2008) - 6,194m

Post-summit picture of Mt. Denali climb

Australia and Oceana - Mt. Kosciuszko (Dec. 2008) *highest peak in Bass List - 2,228 m

Dec 28,2008. On top of Mt. Kosciuszko

Australia and Oceana - Carstensz Pyramid (July 2011) *highest peak in Messner List - 4,884m

July 22, 2011. Summit Photo

Feast of Black Nazarene January 9, 2012

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The Black Nazarene/
Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno/
Itim na Nazareno

The Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 2012 will have the procession scheduled to start at 8 a.m. after the Mass but, because of the multitudes of those who attend, it is expected to last for 10 to 12 hours.

A grand Fiesta, this festival centers on the image of the Black Nazarene which was transported by galleon from Mexico to Manila in the 17th century. The festival is marked by an afternoon procession by thousands of devotees.

Around eight million devotees flock in Quiapo every year and wear the color maroon and go barefoot in imitation of Jesus on his way to Mount Calvary.

Last  Saturday Malacanang asked devotees of the Black Nazarene to take necessary precautions and refrain from bringing along their children and valuables to ensure an orderly and peaceful celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene Monday, Jan. 9.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte echoed the appeals made by officials of Manila, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Philippine National Police (PNP) to the public against bringing children and their valuables.

"To our elderly devotees, let us also take the necessary precautions," she said.

Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim said the Nazarene procession’s route has been cleared of obstructions, potholes, hanging wires and even broken bottles and the like to ensure the safety of the devotees who will be joining the procession barefooted.

Meanwhile, instead of the usual “namamasan,” priests will be the ones to transfer the 40-year-old image of the Black Nazarene from the altar to its “andas” (carriage) Monday.

Monsignor Clemente Ignacio, rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, said he will ask the priests to transfer the life-size image of Jesus Christ to prevent chaos during the feast day mass in Luneta.

“The priests will be the ones to carry. This is a first for them,” he said.

“We are requesting the ‘mamamasan’ to wait for the Mass to finish. Don’t rush because the priests are not used to shoving,” Ignacio said in Pilipino.

In the past, the Mass was temporarily interrupted when devotees started climbing the stage to get near the Nazareno image for the procession.

Ignacio said they are hoping that the presence of the priests will help pacify the devotees.

The Quiapo rector appealed anew to the faithful to respect the occasion and Mass. He said devotees need not climb the stage during the Mass as they’ll be given several opportunities to approach the Nazareno such as the “pahalik” (the faithful’ kissing of the feet and hands of the Nazarene image) which will start at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, Manila.

Around eight million devotees are expected to join the annual “traslacion” procession of the Black Nazarene from Luneta to Quiapo Church Monday afternoon.

Traditionally, men are the only ones permitted to hold the ropes pulling the image's carriage, but in recent years female devotees also participated in the procession. People who have touched the Black Nazarene said they  have been cured of their diseases, and Catholics come from all over Manila to touch the image in the hopes of a miracle. Towels and handkerchiefs are wipe on the statue in their hope of a miracle they attributed to the "rubbing off". To some devotees it is their annual rites to beg for forgiveness and renewal of their subscription to God’s grace.

A RUN FOR CHANGE: CALL FOR VOLUNTEER RUNNERS

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The Run for Pencils is a cause-oriented activity under the Black Pencil Project (BPP) wherein running enthusiasts partake in the advocacy of promoting primary and indigenous education amongst Filipino children in the far-flung communities around the Philippines. Volunteer runners make use of their official race performances to collect pledges from supporters, who can give a corresponding donation for every kilometer they complete. In turn, these contributions are consolidated to create a pool of funds that would later be used to purchase school supplies and other learning facilities for schoolchildren.

For more information, call or SMS 09228338009 (Jordee Queddeng) or visit        www.blackpencilproject.org

Marathons must be held between months of January and March. Outreaches are scheduled by June.

Visit A RUN FOR CHANGE: Call for Volunteer Runners 

by Mon Corpuz