Pinoys dominate inter-agency bowling in Holland
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
Even if the sole team from the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague beat the other 23 bowling teams, the Pinoys still dominated the overall bowling event in Holland last March 15, reported ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau reported.
The Pinoys bagged most of the awards at the 2008 Inter Agency Bowling Tournament held at the Dolfijn Bowling Center, in the legal capital of the world.
This year proved to be the biggest ever since the annual bowling event for expatriates and staff of international organizations and companies in The Netherlands was held in 2002.
A total of 120 players from 24 bowling teams participated from seventeen different international organizations namely: Eurojust, International Cultural Exchange (ICE), International Criminal Court (ICC), Europol, NATO, Shell, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), ESA/ESTEC, University of the Philippines Alumni Association-NL (UPAA-NL), The Hague Online, AXS Techniek, Viva Voce Reporting Ltd, The Fifth Business, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, European Patent Office, Octagon and the Indonesian Embassy.
Of the 120 players, 18 are Filipino expatriates working for the different international organizations in The Hague.
It was beginner’s luck for the Indonesian embassy players who bagged the first place in the team category with a total of 2,340 pinfalls.
The second place went to the Europol team with total pinfalls of 2,272 and which boasts of three Pinoy players out of five: Leandro Bautista, Lourdes Bautista and Kleng Bautista.
The third place team award went to the ICE Bears with a total of 2,265 pinfalls.
For the individual performers, Giovanni van Gurp, a Pinoy from Eurojust team, felled 567 pins to become the top male bowler.
Incidentally, van Gurp is also the highest scorer overall with an average of 189 pins.
Manuel Tomas of the UPAA-NL, was the second-best male scorer with total pinfalls of 550, averaging 183 pins while Pinoy Patrick Allen of OPCW garnered the third spot with 544 pins and an average of 181 pins.
For the fiery ladies, Pinay Lourdes Bautista was the top female scorer, knocking down a total of 516 pins for an average of 172 points. Irene Heukels of the ICE Bears won the second place with a total of 501 pins, averaging 167 points as another Pinay, Elaine Saguno of ICE Penguins, trailed behind to get the third spot with total pins of 482 for an average of 161 points.
"I did not think that I would land in third place. I’m just playing for the fun. The Filipinos are really good at this so I always root for them," Saguno said.
This is the first year that the Indonesian diplomats joined the games and they sent in their participants at the last minute.
Indonesian player G.E. Rijono Soedarso said that his team didn’t expect to win.
"We just love to play. If we can win, it’s just luck," Soedarso said.
Soedarso also doesn’t think that being Asian or European has anything to do with being a good player.
"No, personally, if I look to the sport of bowling and when I play it in the lane, the most important for me is how to conquer the lane and not to conquer the opponent when I play it," Soedarso explained.
"It’s just a matter of the know how. How much you can conquer the lane. It’s a matter of whether you know or not to play well the lane," Soedarso added.
But for European Marcus Richardson of the ICTY team, Filipino players are tough.
Richardson bowls with and against Pinoys on a separate bowling league held every Tuesday and is very impressed with their prowess.
"Filipino bowlers are amazingly strong. They’re all in the top 2, 3, first place. It’s incredible. They’ve taken all the prizes. We’re really struggling to compete with the Filipinos. It’s inspirational to all of us," Richardson exclaimed.
Even the Dutch bowling attendant who is familiar with the Pinoy players who regularly bowl at the Dolfijn alley can’t help but notice how good they are.
"They’re [Filipinos] very good. I saw them at the league. On Tuesday, they play the league and today with the tournament I saw them playing, they were very good," the attendant said.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=112569
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Pinay shuttler wows Europe
Pinay shuttler wows Europe
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
Karyn Cecilia Velez can certainly add to her badminton storybook her recent trip to Europe where she failed to vanquish the shuttlebugs but succeeded in conquering new friendships and gaining more experience outside her habitual domain.
She also found out that her favorite sport is still not a "big thing" in Europe as it is now in Asia.
The 18-year-old, who is the Philippines’ top junior badminton player, competed in the Dutch Junior 2008 Badminton in Haarlem, Netherlands, held February 29-March 2 and then proceeded to Bottrop, Germany for the German Junior 2008 tournament held from March 6-9.
In the Netherlands, Velez made an impression as she disappointed the Dutch fans when she ousted their second seeded Yik Man Wong during her first ever match on European soil.
Velez beat Yik in two straight sets (21-14 21-19) and breezed her way to the quarter finals, defeating first Franziska Burkert of Germany, 21-16, 21-6 and Munn-Tzin Bong of England, 21-13, 15-21, 21-12.
Her quarterfinals was tough as she faced a top player from Hong Kong, losing out in two straight sets, 25-27, 11-21.
In Germany, Velez regained her composure as she reached the Round of 6, whipping her non-Asian opponents Zdenka Svedova of the Czech Republic, 21-10, 21-8; Roxanne Fraser of Canada, 21-18, 21-11 and Selina Weinzettel of Germany, 14-21, 21-15, 21-14. She, however, had to yield to Malaysia’s topgun Vivian Kah Mun Hoo, 19-21, 12-21.
In a telephone interview while she and her family were waiting at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for their flight to Manila, Velez’s father told ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau that this trip is part of the preparations for her to possibly compete in the London championship in 2010.
"It is part of our planning to give her exposure at different levels of the game," her father, Jose Fernando (Jofer), said.
Being first-timers in Europe, Jofer who is more than a manager and mentor, observed that in this part of the continent, badminton is a sport that’s very much behind.
"If you track records back thirty years up to now, in world badminton the Asians dominated and continue to dominate. Denmark is probably the exception in terms of any particular country team that is challenging," Jofer said.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=112087
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
Karyn Cecilia Velez can certainly add to her badminton storybook her recent trip to Europe where she failed to vanquish the shuttlebugs but succeeded in conquering new friendships and gaining more experience outside her habitual domain.
She also found out that her favorite sport is still not a "big thing" in Europe as it is now in Asia.
The 18-year-old, who is the Philippines’ top junior badminton player, competed in the Dutch Junior 2008 Badminton in Haarlem, Netherlands, held February 29-March 2 and then proceeded to Bottrop, Germany for the German Junior 2008 tournament held from March 6-9.
In the Netherlands, Velez made an impression as she disappointed the Dutch fans when she ousted their second seeded Yik Man Wong during her first ever match on European soil.
Velez beat Yik in two straight sets (21-14 21-19) and breezed her way to the quarter finals, defeating first Franziska Burkert of Germany, 21-16, 21-6 and Munn-Tzin Bong of England, 21-13, 15-21, 21-12.
Her quarterfinals was tough as she faced a top player from Hong Kong, losing out in two straight sets, 25-27, 11-21.
In Germany, Velez regained her composure as she reached the Round of 6, whipping her non-Asian opponents Zdenka Svedova of the Czech Republic, 21-10, 21-8; Roxanne Fraser of Canada, 21-18, 21-11 and Selina Weinzettel of Germany, 14-21, 21-15, 21-14. She, however, had to yield to Malaysia’s topgun Vivian Kah Mun Hoo, 19-21, 12-21.
In a telephone interview while she and her family were waiting at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for their flight to Manila, Velez’s father told ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau that this trip is part of the preparations for her to possibly compete in the London championship in 2010.
"It is part of our planning to give her exposure at different levels of the game," her father, Jose Fernando (Jofer), said.
Being first-timers in Europe, Jofer who is more than a manager and mentor, observed that in this part of the continent, badminton is a sport that’s very much behind.
"If you track records back thirty years up to now, in world badminton the Asians dominated and continue to dominate. Denmark is probably the exception in terms of any particular country team that is challenging," Jofer said.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=112087
Monday, January 21, 2008
Joma Lawyer: Prosecutor Under Political Pressure
Joma Lawyer: Prosecutor Under Political Pressure
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
The camp of Jose Maria "Joma" Sison’s believes that the Dutch Public Prosecution Office is under political pressure to continue its investigation of the Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman.
"We are disappointed but not surprised. They will continue the investigation, everyone knows, but it will not lead to anything. The politics has been the main consideration to continue this and not abandon the case yet. There must have been pressure on the Prosecution to continue," Michiel Pestman, Sison's lawyer, said in a telephone interview.
The Dutch Openbaar Ministerie (OM, or Public Prosecution Office) released a statement on January 18 that it will continue its investigation on the alleged involvement of Sison in the killings of former communist leaders Romulo Kintanar and Arturo Tabara.
C.M. de Rijks, the trial judge of the District Court of The Hague, closed the criminal pre-investigation against Sison on November 29. The judge said that the prosecutor failed to provide enough information to continue the criminal pre-investigation.
De Rijks also cited two previous decisions in favor of Sison, namely the September 23 decision of the Raadkamer against detaining him because of lack of serious, grave presumptions and incriminating evidence as well as a Court of Appeals’ decision of October 3.
Sison, who is also the chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front (NDF), was arrested and detained in the Scheveningen detention center in The Hague on August 28 last year for alleged involvement in the murders of erstwhile allies Kintanar and Tabara in the Philippines. He was later released pending the pre-trial investigation.
"Basically what they’re doing is buying for time. For some reason, they’re not confident to take a decision now which means that there is no evidence yet," Pestman explained to ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.
Pestman said that after the closure of the pre-investigation trial in November, public prosecutor J.S. de Vries came under mounting pressure to announce a decision on whether to drop the charges or not.
"It’s just a way to postpone the whole decision. The only thing is that they don’t have to take this difficult decision now. The Prosecutor is afraid to take the decision on the case, to abandon the case," Pestman said.
Pestman still stands by his expectation that the case will eventually be dropped.
"We have to see what we can do. But we can file objections and it’s very likely that we will do that," he said.
The public prosecutor for her part, cannot at this point give a clear indication as to her decision.
In a separate telephone interview, OM spokesman Wim de Bruin said that the police investigation will be continued.
He said the investigation is expected to be completed this summer, when the prosecutor will decide whether to bring the case to the court or not.
He said that the public prosecutor may find that there is a reason to investigate the case further. That, however, will take some time.
De Bruin explained that when the pre-investigation trial was closed, the police investigation continued and his office was instructed to inform Sison about the situation.
"When the judge dropped the case that didn’t mean that the investigation was finished. The police investigation was continued in November and will take some more months," de Bruin said.
"We do continue the investigation but it is too early at this moment to say what is the final conclusion," de Bruin said.
Asked if at this moment the Public Prosecutor’s Office thinks that there is a case against Sison, de Bruin replied, "There is a reason to investigate, that is different."
He also explained that there is nothing new regarding the fear from Sison’s camp that the present charge to incite murder will be expanded to a case of war-crime command responsibility.
In a statement received by ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau, NDF chairman Luis Jalandoni condemned the prolonged investigation of Sison, which he said is an attack on the organization and the peace process.
Jalandoni also warned in his statement that there are indications that the Dutch prosecutor intends to expand the charge of inciting murder to a charge of war crimes, "in order to get away from the rigorous rule of evidence of direct and personal responsibility in a case of murder to the rule of command responsibility."
"If this shift were to be done, the Dutch Prosecutor will be practically recognizing the existence of a civil war in the Philippines and accusing Prof. Sison of being a leader of a belligerent force under international law," Jalandoni said in his statement.
De Bruin, however, said that it is all pure speculation.
"Yeah. But then, that’s speculating. I can’t do that. So I can’t tell you more than they are investigating…I’m not sure but I think it was already last year in the news, the possibility of the involvement [Sison’s] in war crimes," de Bruin said.
Pestman, meanwhile, thinks the war-crime command responsibility issue is irrelevant to Sison’s case.
"It’s a different label for the same facts. And if you can’t prove the facts then it doesn’t matter what label you put on it," Pestman said.
"If you know you’re going to win the case by changing the label...it only shows how desperate they are," he added.
In a separate interview, Sison’s wife Juliet said that her husband appeared before the Immigation and Naturalization Service (Immigratie-en Naturalisatiedienst or IND) Monday morning for a hearing on his appeal to be granted residency.
Sison’s legal status in the Netherlands remains in a state of limbo since the inclusion of his name on the European Union’s list of terrorists.
Sison went into exile in The Netherlands in 1987. Two decades later, he went back to square one in seeking asylum as a political refugee.
Mrs. Sison said her husband's lawyer has found a similar case giving hope that he will be granted resident status in The Netherlands.
"Ano kasi, nag-appeal 'yung lawyer niya dahil nagkaroon daw ng isang decision na somebody, out of procedure, na obligado ang state na bigyan siya ng residence. But anyway, 'yun ang hinihingi ng lawyers dahil merong precedent. 'Yang hearing na 'yan, dahil matagal na siyang walang status, baka bigyan siya dahil may decision ng similar case," she said.
(His lawyer filed an appeal because a decision said that the state is obligated to grant him residency..that's what the lawyers want because there is a precedent. He might be given residency status because there was a decision on a similar case.)
SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=106317
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
The camp of Jose Maria "Joma" Sison’s believes that the Dutch Public Prosecution Office is under political pressure to continue its investigation of the Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman.
"We are disappointed but not surprised. They will continue the investigation, everyone knows, but it will not lead to anything. The politics has been the main consideration to continue this and not abandon the case yet. There must have been pressure on the Prosecution to continue," Michiel Pestman, Sison's lawyer, said in a telephone interview.
The Dutch Openbaar Ministerie (OM, or Public Prosecution Office) released a statement on January 18 that it will continue its investigation on the alleged involvement of Sison in the killings of former communist leaders Romulo Kintanar and Arturo Tabara.
C.M. de Rijks, the trial judge of the District Court of The Hague, closed the criminal pre-investigation against Sison on November 29. The judge said that the prosecutor failed to provide enough information to continue the criminal pre-investigation.
De Rijks also cited two previous decisions in favor of Sison, namely the September 23 decision of the Raadkamer against detaining him because of lack of serious, grave presumptions and incriminating evidence as well as a Court of Appeals’ decision of October 3.
Sison, who is also the chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front (NDF), was arrested and detained in the Scheveningen detention center in The Hague on August 28 last year for alleged involvement in the murders of erstwhile allies Kintanar and Tabara in the Philippines. He was later released pending the pre-trial investigation.
"Basically what they’re doing is buying for time. For some reason, they’re not confident to take a decision now which means that there is no evidence yet," Pestman explained to ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.
Pestman said that after the closure of the pre-investigation trial in November, public prosecutor J.S. de Vries came under mounting pressure to announce a decision on whether to drop the charges or not.
"It’s just a way to postpone the whole decision. The only thing is that they don’t have to take this difficult decision now. The Prosecutor is afraid to take the decision on the case, to abandon the case," Pestman said.
Pestman still stands by his expectation that the case will eventually be dropped.
"We have to see what we can do. But we can file objections and it’s very likely that we will do that," he said.
The public prosecutor for her part, cannot at this point give a clear indication as to her decision.
In a separate telephone interview, OM spokesman Wim de Bruin said that the police investigation will be continued.
He said the investigation is expected to be completed this summer, when the prosecutor will decide whether to bring the case to the court or not.
He said that the public prosecutor may find that there is a reason to investigate the case further. That, however, will take some time.
De Bruin explained that when the pre-investigation trial was closed, the police investigation continued and his office was instructed to inform Sison about the situation.
"When the judge dropped the case that didn’t mean that the investigation was finished. The police investigation was continued in November and will take some more months," de Bruin said.
"We do continue the investigation but it is too early at this moment to say what is the final conclusion," de Bruin said.
Asked if at this moment the Public Prosecutor’s Office thinks that there is a case against Sison, de Bruin replied, "There is a reason to investigate, that is different."
He also explained that there is nothing new regarding the fear from Sison’s camp that the present charge to incite murder will be expanded to a case of war-crime command responsibility.
In a statement received by ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau, NDF chairman Luis Jalandoni condemned the prolonged investigation of Sison, which he said is an attack on the organization and the peace process.
Jalandoni also warned in his statement that there are indications that the Dutch prosecutor intends to expand the charge of inciting murder to a charge of war crimes, "in order to get away from the rigorous rule of evidence of direct and personal responsibility in a case of murder to the rule of command responsibility."
"If this shift were to be done, the Dutch Prosecutor will be practically recognizing the existence of a civil war in the Philippines and accusing Prof. Sison of being a leader of a belligerent force under international law," Jalandoni said in his statement.
De Bruin, however, said that it is all pure speculation.
"Yeah. But then, that’s speculating. I can’t do that. So I can’t tell you more than they are investigating…I’m not sure but I think it was already last year in the news, the possibility of the involvement [Sison’s] in war crimes," de Bruin said.
Pestman, meanwhile, thinks the war-crime command responsibility issue is irrelevant to Sison’s case.
"It’s a different label for the same facts. And if you can’t prove the facts then it doesn’t matter what label you put on it," Pestman said.
"If you know you’re going to win the case by changing the label...it only shows how desperate they are," he added.
In a separate interview, Sison’s wife Juliet said that her husband appeared before the Immigation and Naturalization Service (Immigratie-en Naturalisatiedienst or IND) Monday morning for a hearing on his appeal to be granted residency.
Sison’s legal status in the Netherlands remains in a state of limbo since the inclusion of his name on the European Union’s list of terrorists.
Sison went into exile in The Netherlands in 1987. Two decades later, he went back to square one in seeking asylum as a political refugee.
Mrs. Sison said her husband's lawyer has found a similar case giving hope that he will be granted resident status in The Netherlands.
"Ano kasi, nag-appeal 'yung lawyer niya dahil nagkaroon daw ng isang decision na somebody, out of procedure, na obligado ang state na bigyan siya ng residence. But anyway, 'yun ang hinihingi ng lawyers dahil merong precedent. 'Yang hearing na 'yan, dahil matagal na siyang walang status, baka bigyan siya dahil may decision ng similar case," she said.
(His lawyer filed an appeal because a decision said that the state is obligated to grant him residency..that's what the lawyers want because there is a precedent. He might be given residency status because there was a decision on a similar case.)
SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=106317
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Pinoy Scholar in Holland Continues to Inspire
Pinoy Scholar in Holland Continues to Inspire
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
A physically challenged Filipino has proven that there is life after losing an arm.
Joebel Gurang is the star guitarist of Pinoy scholars studying at Wageningen University in Wageningen, The Netherlands.
There are about 80 Filipino scholars in the Netherlands. They came from the Philippines and other countries to take up their Masters or Doctorate in Philosophy degrees in the different universities here. Gurang, who is studying Masters in Communications, is one of them.
In a recent gathering of Pinoy scholars at the Philippine embassy in The Hague, the guests and students themselves stood in awe as Gurang strummed his guitar, providing the accompaniment to a musical skit that the Wageningen scholars presented.
Gurang lost half of his right arm when he was 11 years old due to a New Year’s Eve accident involving firecrackers. He doesn't want to discuss it anymore.
"I got this sadly from the New Year’s celebration back in 1988. I was eleven then. It’s a long story. It got amputated kasi medyo grabe ang itsura (because it looked horrivble)," Gurang said.
But four years after the accident, he developed an interest in the guitar. His physical disability didn’t stop him from trying this seemingly impossible venture.
So from the age of 15, Gurang studied how to manipulate the world’s most popular musical instrument, to the point that he was able to master the chords and most importantly, strumming with his half right arm.
"I don’t know, maybe I just like playing music siguro (I guess). At saka I think I’m enjoying it naman at saka masaya dahil nakakapagpasaya (I think I'm enjoying it because it's fun and it provides fun)," Gurang said.
The vibrant Pinoy scholar had always strived hard to become a role model for all with physical disabilities.
"Maybe I just got motivated with my environment dahil (because) I felt that I have lots of energy. Pero alam ko ang limitation ko (I know my limitations). Para bang gustong-gusto kong gumalaw, pero limited nga dahil sa aking sitwasyon but maybe the energy just got me into it and inisip kong gumawa ng mga bagay-bagay beyond my physical abilities (It's as if I want to move but my movements are limited...I thought about doing things...)," Gurang told ABS-CBN's Balitang Europe.
He made it a guiding principle in life to attain what is beyond his means and has only that sad incident in his youth to thank for because it made him what he is now.
When Gurang plays the guitar, he uses his right arm to strum the chords and does this with a breeze.
In fact, he has invented a device which allows him to play the guitar as if he has a right hand.
"Meron akong nilalagay na gadget which I invented actually. It’s a simple machine na nanggaling sa isang container ng alcohol. Nilagyan ko para makakapag-strum ako and siguro mukha namang wala ring pinag-iba dun sa tunog kapag dalawang kamay na ang tumutugtog. So I think it’s a matter of knowing your limitations and doing something that you would like to do," Gurang said.
(I attached the gadget that I invented...It's a simple machine that came from an alcohol container. I attached it so that I can strum and well, it's not different from strumming when you have both hands.)
Gurang said he cut the top and bottom of a green alcohol plastic bottle, the good size of two lady’s bangle bracelets and attaches it to the amputated arm, which he then uses for strumming.
The music generated is heavenly.
The representative of a Manila-based commercial bank watched Gurang perform in veneration. He even took video clips of Gurang’s performance via his mobile phone.
"I’m trying to learn how to play the guitar but it’s been very difficult for me. But with what I saw, I think I will have a stronger faith in myself that I would be able to do it," Tito Rabago said.
"I thought he started early but when I found out that he started at the age of 15, it must have been difficult for him and yet he was able to come with such a skill today and he amazes me," Rabago added.
Gurang is truly amazing because even if he has already worked for non-government organizations and the Department of Social Welfare, his quest to help and to inspire continues.
"I think na-prove ko na lahat. I’m just here because nakikita ko na may kulang or gusto ko pang makapag-serve ng mas quality sa atin sa Pilipinas and at the same time, gusto ko pang makapag-reach out sa mas marami dun sa trabaho ko kasi I am a development worker," Gurang said.
(I think I've proven everything already. I'm just here because I see that there's something missing or I want to serve more in the Philippines and at the same time, to reach out to more Filipinos through my work because I'm a development worker.)
"Mahirap magkipagtrabaho na nagbibigay ng serbisyo sa tao na mali ang approach mo dahil buhay ng tao ang naapektuhan (It's hard to work in public service if you're approach is wrong because people's lives are affected)," Gurang added.
As a development worker, Gurang works with poor communities in the Philippines in order to help them realize their potentials and also identify the really needy or the poor communities.
"Dun kami nakikipag-work para makabangon sila sa kahirapan and we formulate with them various programs and projects. Nung nasa DSW ako, yung anti-poverty program. Nung nasa isang NGO ako dati, isang child-focus program."
(We work with them to help them recover from poverty. When I was in the Department of Social Work, there's the anti-poverty program. When I was in an NGO, it was the child-focus program.)
Gurang hopes to be a symbol of strength and determination in order to inspire a lot of those with physical disabilities who had given up on hope.
"Ang makapag-inspire din ng mga katulad ko [na] dati na sa tingin nila eh medyo malayo ang bukas, na sana ma-inspire sila para mag-strive further (I hope to inspire others like me who think that's dawn's so far away, I hope to inspire them to make them strive further)."
After succeeding in his battle for the betterment of knowledge in The Netherlands, Gurang plans to go back to the Philippines to share his blessings as well as to impart his wealth of mind.
"I think babalik din ako sa Pilipinas doing the same thing but this time with more quality and mas makaka-serve ng mas maraming tao and also mas focused din sa talagang nangangailangan din at saka makatulong and share knowledge sa mga kasama ko na development practitioners."
(I'll return to the Philippines doing the same thing but this time with more quality and I hope to serve more people and have a more focused approach to those who are really in need and to help and share my knowledge to my colleagues.)
Gurang also hopes to strum a new chord in stopping "brain drain" in the country and sustain the flow of "brain gain."
SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=105818
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
A physically challenged Filipino has proven that there is life after losing an arm.
Joebel Gurang is the star guitarist of Pinoy scholars studying at Wageningen University in Wageningen, The Netherlands.
There are about 80 Filipino scholars in the Netherlands. They came from the Philippines and other countries to take up their Masters or Doctorate in Philosophy degrees in the different universities here. Gurang, who is studying Masters in Communications, is one of them.
In a recent gathering of Pinoy scholars at the Philippine embassy in The Hague, the guests and students themselves stood in awe as Gurang strummed his guitar, providing the accompaniment to a musical skit that the Wageningen scholars presented.
Gurang lost half of his right arm when he was 11 years old due to a New Year’s Eve accident involving firecrackers. He doesn't want to discuss it anymore.
"I got this sadly from the New Year’s celebration back in 1988. I was eleven then. It’s a long story. It got amputated kasi medyo grabe ang itsura (because it looked horrivble)," Gurang said.
But four years after the accident, he developed an interest in the guitar. His physical disability didn’t stop him from trying this seemingly impossible venture.
So from the age of 15, Gurang studied how to manipulate the world’s most popular musical instrument, to the point that he was able to master the chords and most importantly, strumming with his half right arm.
"I don’t know, maybe I just like playing music siguro (I guess). At saka I think I’m enjoying it naman at saka masaya dahil nakakapagpasaya (I think I'm enjoying it because it's fun and it provides fun)," Gurang said.
The vibrant Pinoy scholar had always strived hard to become a role model for all with physical disabilities.
"Maybe I just got motivated with my environment dahil (because) I felt that I have lots of energy. Pero alam ko ang limitation ko (I know my limitations). Para bang gustong-gusto kong gumalaw, pero limited nga dahil sa aking sitwasyon but maybe the energy just got me into it and inisip kong gumawa ng mga bagay-bagay beyond my physical abilities (It's as if I want to move but my movements are limited...I thought about doing things...)," Gurang told ABS-CBN's Balitang Europe.
He made it a guiding principle in life to attain what is beyond his means and has only that sad incident in his youth to thank for because it made him what he is now.
When Gurang plays the guitar, he uses his right arm to strum the chords and does this with a breeze.
In fact, he has invented a device which allows him to play the guitar as if he has a right hand.
"Meron akong nilalagay na gadget which I invented actually. It’s a simple machine na nanggaling sa isang container ng alcohol. Nilagyan ko para makakapag-strum ako and siguro mukha namang wala ring pinag-iba dun sa tunog kapag dalawang kamay na ang tumutugtog. So I think it’s a matter of knowing your limitations and doing something that you would like to do," Gurang said.
(I attached the gadget that I invented...It's a simple machine that came from an alcohol container. I attached it so that I can strum and well, it's not different from strumming when you have both hands.)
Gurang said he cut the top and bottom of a green alcohol plastic bottle, the good size of two lady’s bangle bracelets and attaches it to the amputated arm, which he then uses for strumming.
The music generated is heavenly.
The representative of a Manila-based commercial bank watched Gurang perform in veneration. He even took video clips of Gurang’s performance via his mobile phone.
"I’m trying to learn how to play the guitar but it’s been very difficult for me. But with what I saw, I think I will have a stronger faith in myself that I would be able to do it," Tito Rabago said.
"I thought he started early but when I found out that he started at the age of 15, it must have been difficult for him and yet he was able to come with such a skill today and he amazes me," Rabago added.
Gurang is truly amazing because even if he has already worked for non-government organizations and the Department of Social Welfare, his quest to help and to inspire continues.
"I think na-prove ko na lahat. I’m just here because nakikita ko na may kulang or gusto ko pang makapag-serve ng mas quality sa atin sa Pilipinas and at the same time, gusto ko pang makapag-reach out sa mas marami dun sa trabaho ko kasi I am a development worker," Gurang said.
(I think I've proven everything already. I'm just here because I see that there's something missing or I want to serve more in the Philippines and at the same time, to reach out to more Filipinos through my work because I'm a development worker.)
"Mahirap magkipagtrabaho na nagbibigay ng serbisyo sa tao na mali ang approach mo dahil buhay ng tao ang naapektuhan (It's hard to work in public service if you're approach is wrong because people's lives are affected)," Gurang added.
As a development worker, Gurang works with poor communities in the Philippines in order to help them realize their potentials and also identify the really needy or the poor communities.
"Dun kami nakikipag-work para makabangon sila sa kahirapan and we formulate with them various programs and projects. Nung nasa DSW ako, yung anti-poverty program. Nung nasa isang NGO ako dati, isang child-focus program."
(We work with them to help them recover from poverty. When I was in the Department of Social Work, there's the anti-poverty program. When I was in an NGO, it was the child-focus program.)
Gurang hopes to be a symbol of strength and determination in order to inspire a lot of those with physical disabilities who had given up on hope.
"Ang makapag-inspire din ng mga katulad ko [na] dati na sa tingin nila eh medyo malayo ang bukas, na sana ma-inspire sila para mag-strive further (I hope to inspire others like me who think that's dawn's so far away, I hope to inspire them to make them strive further)."
After succeeding in his battle for the betterment of knowledge in The Netherlands, Gurang plans to go back to the Philippines to share his blessings as well as to impart his wealth of mind.
"I think babalik din ako sa Pilipinas doing the same thing but this time with more quality and mas makaka-serve ng mas maraming tao and also mas focused din sa talagang nangangailangan din at saka makatulong and share knowledge sa mga kasama ko na development practitioners."
(I'll return to the Philippines doing the same thing but this time with more quality and I hope to serve more people and have a more focused approach to those who are really in need and to help and share my knowledge to my colleagues.)
Gurang also hopes to strum a new chord in stopping "brain drain" in the country and sustain the flow of "brain gain."
SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=105818
Monday, January 14, 2008
WRITING ABOUT VINCENT BUENO, THE NEW CRUSH OF 2008
(Photos courtesy of King Bueno shown here from top to bottom: Vinz with mom, dad and sis Maricel; Vinz with beloved Mom; Vinz with Austrian girlfriend Barbara, Uncle King and his wife Marie Gay; Vinz in his first TV appearance that took Austria by storm; Vinz has it all: the looks, the move, the voice)
I was the first person to break the news to the Philippines (and to the world in the English language) about Vincent Bueno.
I had watched Vinz’s beginnings at the Musical! Die Show via http://www.digitalpinoy.org/, the website maintained by his uncle, King.
From there, I was so impressed by his inherent talents and looks and couldn’t satisfy my cravings to get to know more about this new star in the making.
Checking out http://www.youtube.com/, I had seen video clips of Vinz posted by King which were pre-Musical! Die Show and those were during his younger years.
I was particularly impressed by that video clip when he was 4 years old, doing the moonwalk.
I said to myself, this is the only proof that no doubt shows that Vinz’s talents are really crude.
I am a mother of two so I definitely know the child’s motor skills from the time he/she was born and as far as having two children, I can say that a four-year-old couldn’t dance like Vinz at that age, if there’s no in-born talent.
I mean the way he dances naturally but with such grace and rhythm, as if it was choreographed.
I had watched Vinz’s beginnings at the Musical! Die Show via http://www.digitalpinoy.org/, the website maintained by his uncle, King.
From there, I was so impressed by his inherent talents and looks and couldn’t satisfy my cravings to get to know more about this new star in the making.
Checking out http://www.youtube.com/, I had seen video clips of Vinz posted by King which were pre-Musical! Die Show and those were during his younger years.
I was particularly impressed by that video clip when he was 4 years old, doing the moonwalk.
I said to myself, this is the only proof that no doubt shows that Vinz’s talents are really crude.
I am a mother of two so I definitely know the child’s motor skills from the time he/she was born and as far as having two children, I can say that a four-year-old couldn’t dance like Vinz at that age, if there’s no in-born talent.
I mean the way he dances naturally but with such grace and rhythm, as if it was choreographed.
And from watching other clips from Youtube, one will see that Vinz was able to develop his skills furthermore in front of an admiring and ever supportive Filipino audience.
How I wish I could have been part of the Pinoy community in Vienna who had seen Vinz perform all these years.
I would have loved to see his transcendence from a normal, young break dancer/pop singer to a mature all-around, total and versatile performer who has revolutionized the broadway musical world.
At one clip, when he was called onstage for a duet with Pops Fernandez, you could hear the audience screaming and loudly applauding.
And then, out of the blue, King had asked me if I can do something for him and that was before Christmas.
Two weeks before that, King and I (not the broadway musical) had gotten ourselves busy with the launch of DigitalPinoy’s Holland site http://www.holland.digitalpinoy.org/ which I was asked to maintain.
After the New Year, King asked me straight if I can write an article on his nephew.
To start with, King has already been bombarding all the DigitalPinoy sights with stories on Vinz’s success in all the elimination rounds and even campaigning for support from visitors and Pinoys all over the world, giving them specific instructions on how to send their televotes.
King has used the Internet and such is a mighty tool to spread the word.
I was just honored to have been asked to write the first news article about Vinz.
It was like a wish was just granted.
Vinz has already impressed a big Pinoy following in Austria even before Musical! Die Show because his parents Tony and Cora have exposed him to the social life of the community at an early age.
The pair’s involvement with the Couples for Christ had also influenced the somewhat down-to-earth, humble personality of Vinz.
Whenever there were Pinoy gatherings, Vinz was the star performer where he has learned to adjust to the special treatment from the Filipinos and at the same time become a very responsible person.
In fact, he himself organized kids’ dance numbers as part of the program.
One of his biggest supporters in the community is a priest who had also become a sort of spiritual adviser to him.
Fr. Ron Sandoval is Vinz’s close buddy who had been guiding him especially during the Musical! Die Show days when life for the star has become stressful and hectic.
No wonder Vinz’s feet stayed on the ground even when it has become obvious that whether he wins or not in the Musical! Die Show, his fame has already a blueprint.
Even his family still couldn’t taste that Vinz’s popularity that has penetrated all barriers in Austria.
Until now, they still couldn’t feel the whole Vinz Mania because they still see him as their Vinz, who has remained the same person that he was before and after being elevated to his celebrity status now.
Vinz continue to do what he loves most, apart from his musical interests and that is to bond with his family, a trait he received from his maternal genes.
Mrs. Mendoza-Bueno is the pioneer of the Mendoza/Bueno clan which count about seventy heads now in Austria.
She helped the heads of the families come from the Philippines to Austria.
She loves to organize weekly family get-togethers even if she finds it laborious to cook for such a big family.
So that’s where Vinz gets his sentimental, caring side.
Vinz also loves his younger cousins so that each summer, when he doesn’t have any engagement, he takes care of them or takes them out.
He’s also very close to his grandmother, his lola called “Nanay Leoning” who lives in New York.
In fact, the Bueno-Mendoza clans are so tightly knit that they had already planned a grand family reunion even before Vinz won the Musical.
It will be a big one since relatives from the Philippines and the U.S. are scheduled to go to Vienna.
For the moment, they have already tasted the sweet victory but they are still downplaying Vinz’ glory and prominence.
They can only be too happy that he won and are very ecstatic that so many people from all over the world have supported Vinz and that the kinds words, greetings and fan mails are steadily pouring in.
But after everything that has happened at such a very fast pace, Vinz will still be that energetic handsome Vincent Bueno, the people’s boy that is homegrown to Austria and a native of the Philippines.
And what a better way to start the year…when Vinz is already dubbed as the “new crush of 2008!”
How I wish I could have been part of the Pinoy community in Vienna who had seen Vinz perform all these years.
I would have loved to see his transcendence from a normal, young break dancer/pop singer to a mature all-around, total and versatile performer who has revolutionized the broadway musical world.
At one clip, when he was called onstage for a duet with Pops Fernandez, you could hear the audience screaming and loudly applauding.
And then, out of the blue, King had asked me if I can do something for him and that was before Christmas.
Two weeks before that, King and I (not the broadway musical) had gotten ourselves busy with the launch of DigitalPinoy’s Holland site http://www.holland.digitalpinoy.org/ which I was asked to maintain.
After the New Year, King asked me straight if I can write an article on his nephew.
To start with, King has already been bombarding all the DigitalPinoy sights with stories on Vinz’s success in all the elimination rounds and even campaigning for support from visitors and Pinoys all over the world, giving them specific instructions on how to send their televotes.
King has used the Internet and such is a mighty tool to spread the word.
I was just honored to have been asked to write the first news article about Vinz.
It was like a wish was just granted.
Vinz has already impressed a big Pinoy following in Austria even before Musical! Die Show because his parents Tony and Cora have exposed him to the social life of the community at an early age.
The pair’s involvement with the Couples for Christ had also influenced the somewhat down-to-earth, humble personality of Vinz.
Whenever there were Pinoy gatherings, Vinz was the star performer where he has learned to adjust to the special treatment from the Filipinos and at the same time become a very responsible person.
In fact, he himself organized kids’ dance numbers as part of the program.
One of his biggest supporters in the community is a priest who had also become a sort of spiritual adviser to him.
Fr. Ron Sandoval is Vinz’s close buddy who had been guiding him especially during the Musical! Die Show days when life for the star has become stressful and hectic.
No wonder Vinz’s feet stayed on the ground even when it has become obvious that whether he wins or not in the Musical! Die Show, his fame has already a blueprint.
Even his family still couldn’t taste that Vinz’s popularity that has penetrated all barriers in Austria.
Until now, they still couldn’t feel the whole Vinz Mania because they still see him as their Vinz, who has remained the same person that he was before and after being elevated to his celebrity status now.
Vinz continue to do what he loves most, apart from his musical interests and that is to bond with his family, a trait he received from his maternal genes.
Mrs. Mendoza-Bueno is the pioneer of the Mendoza/Bueno clan which count about seventy heads now in Austria.
She helped the heads of the families come from the Philippines to Austria.
She loves to organize weekly family get-togethers even if she finds it laborious to cook for such a big family.
So that’s where Vinz gets his sentimental, caring side.
Vinz also loves his younger cousins so that each summer, when he doesn’t have any engagement, he takes care of them or takes them out.
He’s also very close to his grandmother, his lola called “Nanay Leoning” who lives in New York.
In fact, the Bueno-Mendoza clans are so tightly knit that they had already planned a grand family reunion even before Vinz won the Musical.
It will be a big one since relatives from the Philippines and the U.S. are scheduled to go to Vienna.
For the moment, they have already tasted the sweet victory but they are still downplaying Vinz’ glory and prominence.
They can only be too happy that he won and are very ecstatic that so many people from all over the world have supported Vinz and that the kinds words, greetings and fan mails are steadily pouring in.
But after everything that has happened at such a very fast pace, Vinz will still be that energetic handsome Vincent Bueno, the people’s boy that is homegrown to Austria and a native of the Philippines.
And what a better way to start the year…when Vinz is already dubbed as the “new crush of 2008!”
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Filipino is grand champion in Austria's 'Musical! Die Show'
Filipino is grand champion in Austria's 'Musical! Die Show'
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
Filipino singer Vincent Bueno triumphed in his bid to become the grand winner of the "Musical! Die Show" on Friday, reported ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.
A full-blooded Filipino born in Vienna to Pinoy parents, Bueno shouted "Philippines! Philippines!" after he was declared the winner of "Musical! Die Show" (Musical! The Show), an Austrian singing competition with all the pizazz and campy glamour of "American Idol" but much tougher: instead of simply singing pop tunes, contestants are required to choose from Broadway musical theater repertoire, and give a performance that involves singing, dancing, acting and theatrical effects.
"Musical! Die Show" is aired over the Austrian national broadcaster ORF.
Televiewers in Austria and nearby countries where ORF is telecast and supporters of Bueno from all over the world either phoned in or sent SMS messages to give him 67% of televotes--a landslide victory.
Bueno faced Austrian Eva Klikovics who won the second place with 37% of televotes in the final part of the Musical! Die Show.
The other Austrian, Gudrun Ihninger, was eliminated early on, after the three completed their two solo numbers.
For his first act, Bueno energetically sang "Greased Lightning", a Broadway song from the musical "Grease".
He immediately received a roaring applause and standing ovation from the studio audience.
The crowd went wild and again stood in ovation and gave Bueno thunderous, almost deafening applause after he sang his final solo number which was "Music of the Night", the most famous song from the musical "The Phantom of the Opera".
The jury said that for them, Bueno was undoubtedly the winner but said that his fate would be decided by the world, as everyone waited for the televotes to pour in.
The world agreed and crowned Bueno the first Asian, the first Filipino to become grand champion.
Bueno faced astonishing odds from the start. For the auditions, he had to compete with 400 other aspirants.
His first appearance already made an impact among televiewers in Austria because not only is he the only Asian among Austrian contenders but he was already proving to be the best performer of the pack.
Bueno has become an instant celebrity in Austria when he won televotes to keep him in the second of seven elimination rounds of Musical! Die Show which started on November 23.
The jury repeatedly commended his excellent performance.
Bueno continued to wow the jury and audiences around the world, getting a large number of supporters and fans all over Europe, North America, the Philippines and even Australia.
With so many supporters, he survived seven eliminations and entered the Magic Three in the finals.
By the seventh round on January 4, Bueno already became a byword in Austrian households and attracted the interest of Pinoys world-wide.
With his stellar performances and good looks, he is endlessly watched on www.youtube.com, www.digitalpinoy.org and discussed at blogs and forums.
During the finals, Pinoys who live in countries where ORF is not broadcast, tuned in to the live forum at DigitalPinoy where Aries Fortuna gave a blow-by-blow account of what’s actually happening at the show.
The live forum at the website gave Pinoys, who couldn’t watch the show, the chance to immediately know the result of the competition.
Fr. Ejay Jarapa who is studying in Rome, was one of those who joined the forum because he wanted to know the fate of Bueno and also to support him.
Jarapa has only recently learned about Bueno from the article that was published on this website on January 9 and was so proud for the Pinoy.
Pinoys from different time zones remained glued at the forum until the end of the competition.
After being declared the winner, Bueno was swarmed by reporters and fans just like the previous Fridays.
Previous reports in major newspapers and magazines in Austria already gave Bueno rave reviews and wild forecasts that he will win.
He was the favorite to win and also the jury’s bet but the world still jumped with joy when he was declared the winner.
Bueno, for his part, thanked all those believed in him.
The show ended at 11:30 pm and felt like another New Year’s eve for all the fans, friends, believers and supporters of Bueno who have already readied themselves to toast for him, win or lose.
After all, Bueno has long been a winner in their hearts.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/
SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=105293
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
Filipino singer Vincent Bueno triumphed in his bid to become the grand winner of the "Musical! Die Show" on Friday, reported ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.
A full-blooded Filipino born in Vienna to Pinoy parents, Bueno shouted "Philippines! Philippines!" after he was declared the winner of "Musical! Die Show" (Musical! The Show), an Austrian singing competition with all the pizazz and campy glamour of "American Idol" but much tougher: instead of simply singing pop tunes, contestants are required to choose from Broadway musical theater repertoire, and give a performance that involves singing, dancing, acting and theatrical effects.
"Musical! Die Show" is aired over the Austrian national broadcaster ORF.
Televiewers in Austria and nearby countries where ORF is telecast and supporters of Bueno from all over the world either phoned in or sent SMS messages to give him 67% of televotes--a landslide victory.
Bueno faced Austrian Eva Klikovics who won the second place with 37% of televotes in the final part of the Musical! Die Show.
The other Austrian, Gudrun Ihninger, was eliminated early on, after the three completed their two solo numbers.
For his first act, Bueno energetically sang "Greased Lightning", a Broadway song from the musical "Grease".
He immediately received a roaring applause and standing ovation from the studio audience.
The crowd went wild and again stood in ovation and gave Bueno thunderous, almost deafening applause after he sang his final solo number which was "Music of the Night", the most famous song from the musical "The Phantom of the Opera".
The jury said that for them, Bueno was undoubtedly the winner but said that his fate would be decided by the world, as everyone waited for the televotes to pour in.
The world agreed and crowned Bueno the first Asian, the first Filipino to become grand champion.
Bueno faced astonishing odds from the start. For the auditions, he had to compete with 400 other aspirants.
His first appearance already made an impact among televiewers in Austria because not only is he the only Asian among Austrian contenders but he was already proving to be the best performer of the pack.
Bueno has become an instant celebrity in Austria when he won televotes to keep him in the second of seven elimination rounds of Musical! Die Show which started on November 23.
The jury repeatedly commended his excellent performance.
Bueno continued to wow the jury and audiences around the world, getting a large number of supporters and fans all over Europe, North America, the Philippines and even Australia.
With so many supporters, he survived seven eliminations and entered the Magic Three in the finals.
By the seventh round on January 4, Bueno already became a byword in Austrian households and attracted the interest of Pinoys world-wide.
With his stellar performances and good looks, he is endlessly watched on www.youtube.com, www.digitalpinoy.org and discussed at blogs and forums.
During the finals, Pinoys who live in countries where ORF is not broadcast, tuned in to the live forum at DigitalPinoy where Aries Fortuna gave a blow-by-blow account of what’s actually happening at the show.
The live forum at the website gave Pinoys, who couldn’t watch the show, the chance to immediately know the result of the competition.
Fr. Ejay Jarapa who is studying in Rome, was one of those who joined the forum because he wanted to know the fate of Bueno and also to support him.
Jarapa has only recently learned about Bueno from the article that was published on this website on January 9 and was so proud for the Pinoy.
Pinoys from different time zones remained glued at the forum until the end of the competition.
After being declared the winner, Bueno was swarmed by reporters and fans just like the previous Fridays.
Previous reports in major newspapers and magazines in Austria already gave Bueno rave reviews and wild forecasts that he will win.
He was the favorite to win and also the jury’s bet but the world still jumped with joy when he was declared the winner.
Bueno, for his part, thanked all those believed in him.
The show ended at 11:30 pm and felt like another New Year’s eve for all the fans, friends, believers and supporters of Bueno who have already readied themselves to toast for him, win or lose.
After all, Bueno has long been a winner in their hearts.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/
SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=105293
Filipino singer Vincent Bueno sweeps Europe off its feet in "Musical! The Show"
(Philippine Entertainment Portal or PEP picks up Loui Galicia's first report for ABS-CBN on Vincent Bueno)
Filipino singer Vincent Bueno sweeps Europe off its feet in "Musical! The Show"
by Bong Godinez
Friday, January 11, 2008 04:44 PM
Another Pinoy performer is on the verge of breaking international ground.
Barely a month after young belter Charice Pempengco wowed no less than Emmy award-winning host Ellen DeGeneres in her popular talk show, another Filipino is set to duplicate the feat albeit in a different route and venue—Vincent Bueno.
According to ABS-CBN's Europe News Bureau, Vincent successfully sashayed his way to the finals of a major televised musical competition in Austria titled Musical! Die Show (Musical! The Show). As a result, Vincent was swarmed with interview requests from the major dailies and magazines in Austria. He already made headlines after gaining entrance to the finals of the Broadway-inspired musical meet.
The attention generated by Bueno, a crowd favorite in the contest, is definitely well deserved. Having to contend with 400 other aspirants, the 21-year-old Filipino performer had to crawl himself out of the equally talented crowd through talent, sheer determination, and loads of luck.
His first appearance took place during the first round of the elimination last November 23, 2007. Vincent impressed the televiewers with his version of the Broadway opus, Hair. The winner is determined through text votes or phone-ins.
PUNK-ROCK THEATER. Compared to its Western and Asian talent show counterparts, Musical! Die Show, is considered more strenuous and challenging owing to its theater leanings. To qualify and compete, contestants are required to act and sing a la Broadway. A contestant, however, is still very much required to blend his or her own style and innovation to break the stereotyped theatrics of stage performance without sacrificing quality.
Aside from going up against several aspirants, Vincent also had to face the sad reality of racial discrimination—a fear raised by most Pinoys and even early foreign fans because of Vincent's Asian background. Fortunately, his roots did nothing to hinder the barrage of European and Pinoy fan votes from coming, votes that eventually catapulted Vincent all the way to the finals, which was supposed to take place earlier today (January 11) at 9:15 pm (4:15 a.m., Manila time). For the final standoff, the Pinoy pride would be going up against two female finalists—Eva Klikovics and Gudrun Ihninger—for the title as well as the 50,000 euros (P3 million).
Since his first appearance, Vincent's European fans has grown exponentially every week. Most of the show's followers have openly admitted being enthralled by Vincent's strong stage presence, accentuated by his perfect command of graceful body movements, facial expressions and stage antics.
In a report by ABS-CBN correspondent Louie Galicia, she took note of one of Vincent's most memorable performances.
"In one performance, Bueno received a standing ovation, coupled with an unstoppable thunderous applause, from the studio crowd when he tumbled on stage while belting "Singing in the Rain" and while real water poured on his face on stage like real droplets of rain," wrote Galicia.
Fans and critics alike hailed the Bachelor of Arts in Music and Theater Arts degree holder from Vienna's Conservatory of Music for his distinct style of merging conventional theater performance with punk-rock aesthetic.
And just like Charice Pempengco, Vincent's performances have found their way through the popular video website, YouTube, uploaded by his growing number of fans and admirers spread all over the world.
A few months before Vincent competed in Musical!, he performed with Sarah Geronimo when the young singer had a concert in Vienna, Austria, last June 2007.
SOURCE: WWW.PEP.PH
http://www.pep.ph/guide/1499/Filipino-singer-Vincent-Bueno-sweeps-Europe-off-its-feet-in-Musical!-The-Show
Filipino singer Vincent Bueno sweeps Europe off its feet in "Musical! The Show"
by Bong Godinez
Friday, January 11, 2008 04:44 PM
Another Pinoy performer is on the verge of breaking international ground.
Barely a month after young belter Charice Pempengco wowed no less than Emmy award-winning host Ellen DeGeneres in her popular talk show, another Filipino is set to duplicate the feat albeit in a different route and venue—Vincent Bueno.
According to ABS-CBN's Europe News Bureau, Vincent successfully sashayed his way to the finals of a major televised musical competition in Austria titled Musical! Die Show (Musical! The Show). As a result, Vincent was swarmed with interview requests from the major dailies and magazines in Austria. He already made headlines after gaining entrance to the finals of the Broadway-inspired musical meet.
The attention generated by Bueno, a crowd favorite in the contest, is definitely well deserved. Having to contend with 400 other aspirants, the 21-year-old Filipino performer had to crawl himself out of the equally talented crowd through talent, sheer determination, and loads of luck.
His first appearance took place during the first round of the elimination last November 23, 2007. Vincent impressed the televiewers with his version of the Broadway opus, Hair. The winner is determined through text votes or phone-ins.
PUNK-ROCK THEATER. Compared to its Western and Asian talent show counterparts, Musical! Die Show, is considered more strenuous and challenging owing to its theater leanings. To qualify and compete, contestants are required to act and sing a la Broadway. A contestant, however, is still very much required to blend his or her own style and innovation to break the stereotyped theatrics of stage performance without sacrificing quality.
Aside from going up against several aspirants, Vincent also had to face the sad reality of racial discrimination—a fear raised by most Pinoys and even early foreign fans because of Vincent's Asian background. Fortunately, his roots did nothing to hinder the barrage of European and Pinoy fan votes from coming, votes that eventually catapulted Vincent all the way to the finals, which was supposed to take place earlier today (January 11) at 9:15 pm (4:15 a.m., Manila time). For the final standoff, the Pinoy pride would be going up against two female finalists—Eva Klikovics and Gudrun Ihninger—for the title as well as the 50,000 euros (P3 million).
Since his first appearance, Vincent's European fans has grown exponentially every week. Most of the show's followers have openly admitted being enthralled by Vincent's strong stage presence, accentuated by his perfect command of graceful body movements, facial expressions and stage antics.
In a report by ABS-CBN correspondent Louie Galicia, she took note of one of Vincent's most memorable performances.
"In one performance, Bueno received a standing ovation, coupled with an unstoppable thunderous applause, from the studio crowd when he tumbled on stage while belting "Singing in the Rain" and while real water poured on his face on stage like real droplets of rain," wrote Galicia.
Fans and critics alike hailed the Bachelor of Arts in Music and Theater Arts degree holder from Vienna's Conservatory of Music for his distinct style of merging conventional theater performance with punk-rock aesthetic.
And just like Charice Pempengco, Vincent's performances have found their way through the popular video website, YouTube, uploaded by his growing number of fans and admirers spread all over the world.
A few months before Vincent competed in Musical!, he performed with Sarah Geronimo when the young singer had a concert in Vienna, Austria, last June 2007.
SOURCE: WWW.PEP.PH
http://www.pep.ph/guide/1499/Filipino-singer-Vincent-Bueno-sweeps-Europe-off-its-feet-in-Musical!-The-Show
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