Richest Pinoy

Forbes Magazine has just released its 2012 list of the 40 Richest People in the Philippines. SM tycoon Henry Sy retained his spot as the country’s richest person with an impressive net worth of $9.1 billion. There are also newcomers: Lucio and Susan Co of Puregold and civil engineer Michael Cosiquien of Megawide Construction. Two from 2011 missed this year’s $140 million cut off: Luis Virata of Nickel Asia and media tycoon Eugenio Lopez Jr.

            Here is the complete list of 2012 Forbes 40 Richest People in the Philippines

This Day in History: The Assassination of Senator Ninoy Aquino

Ninoy Aquino Day is a non-working holiday in the Philippines observed annually on August 21 commemorating the anniversary of the assassination of one of the greatest Filipino icon of our times, the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.. Ninoy was the husband of Corazon Aquino, the 11^th president of the Philippines. The two are treated as heroes of democracy in the country.

King of Comedy died at 83

Comedy King Rodolfo “Dolphy” Vera Quizon died on July 10, 2012 after a four year battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He died at the age of 83. A statement from Makati Medical Center revealed the exact cause of his death. “We would like to inform the public that Mr. Rodolfo ‘Dolphy’ Quizon passed away today at 8:43 pm due to multiple organ failure, secondary to complications brought about by severe pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute renal failure”.

Following Dolphy’s death, fans and friends of the actor flooded the internet with condolence messages. President Benigno Aquino III also declared July 13, 2012 as “National Day of Remembrance” in honor of Dolphy’s contributions to the Philippine showbiz industry.

Manny Pacquiao: Pambansang Kamao

     Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao also known as Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is a Filipino boxing superstar that was named Fighter of the Decade by the Boxing Writers Association of America. He is the first 8-division world champion as well as the first to win the lineal championship in 4 different weight classes. He is also a three time The Ring and BWAA Fighter of the Year winning the award in 2006, 2008 and 2009. He was long rated as the Best Pound for Pound Boxer in the world by some sporting news and boxing websites including BoxRec.com, Sporting Life and The Ring Magazine. Pacquiao has a record of 54 wins, 4 losses and 2 draws with 38 wins coming by a knockout. He was ranked 22^nd in the 3^rd annual Time Magazine’s 100 poll for the World’s Most Influential Person. He also ranked 2^nd in the Forbes Magazine list of World's Highest Paid Athletes for earning $62 million between June 2011 to June 2012.

Jessica Sanchez is our American Idol

    First there were Camille Velasco and Jasmin Trias on Season 3. Then, Ramiele Malubay in Season 7 and Thia Megia in Season 10. And now, another contestant with filipino blood is making the country proud, the 16-year old power belter, Jessica Sanchez.

Different Faces of Pepe

JOSE RIZAL, the national hero of the Philippines and pride of the Malayan race, was born on June 19, 1861, in the town of Calamba, Laguna. He was the seventh child in a family of 11 children. Both his parents were educated and belonged to distinguished families. His love for his country, and his observations of Spanish rule impassioned him to speak out about injustice. He was a peaceful man and used the power of the pen to express himself. It would eventually lead to his imprisonment and his execution on December 30, 1896. Aside from the information we get from books, what other things do we know about our national hero? Here we try to discover the different facets of Jose Rizal; his life, love and works.

Sino si Bob Ong?

    Bob Ong is the pseudonym of a contemporary Filipino author known for using conversational Filipino to create humorous and reflective depictions of Philippine life. His actual name is not known. The pseudonym Bob Ong came about when the author was working as a web developer and a teacher, and he put up the Bobong Pinoy website in his spare time. When someone contacted him after mistaking him as an actual person named Bob Ong, his famous pseudonym was born. The site received a People's Choice Philippine Web Award for Weird/Humor in 1998, but was taken down after former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada was ousted after the Second People Power Revolution.

Remembering Filipino Saint, Blessed and Venerable

     Popularly known as "Undas or Todos los Santos", All Saints’ Day is the day set apart in the Roman Catholic Church in honor of the saints, known and unknown. It falls on the first day of November and a national holiday in many Catholic countries, including the Philippines.

1. SAINT LORENZO RUIZ

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz is the first Filipino venerated in the Roman Catholic Church. He was martyred during the persecution of Japanese Christians under the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 17^th century for declining to leave Japan and refusal to renounce his Roman Catholic beliefs.

St. Lorenzo Ruiz is considered the Patron Saint of the Filipino and Chinese Filipino youth. The Feast of St. Lorenzo Ruiz is every September 28. Before he died he reputedly said:

“Isa akong Katoliko at buong pusong tinatanggap ang kamatayan para sa Panginoon, kung ako man ay may sanlibong buhay, lahat ng iyon ay iaalay ko sa Kanya.”