By mid afternoon of Saturday, The Katy Perry arrived just in time for the launch of her perfume Purr at the SM Mall of Asia (SM MOA Concert Grounds is also the venue of her concert). There was also a meet & greet with fans, and I saw this pic of her and Tim Yap on Twitter. She’s sporting blue hair.

I wrote before about how I watched her concert Down Under and I must say it’s highly recommended. Katy’s concerts show her talent to the fore and this is matched only by the spectacular production of her team. Katy even performs magic stunts on stage. Her stage props like giant cupcakes, lollipops and cotton candies are meant for the mostly young girls who comprise her fans.

So yes, am sure Katy’s concert just in time for Chinese New Year will rock Manila! When I watched her in concert, she was still happily married to Russell Brand. Now they are no more and I wonder if that will add another dimension to her singing. The California Girl is an ultra-talented artist, no doubt about it. Enjoy folks and welcome to Manila Miss Perry!

The results are best viewed online through the UPCAT Results 2012 Online link in the University of the Philippines College of Admission website. Names on the list will qualify for enrollment in any of the nine campuses in the UP system namely: Baguio, Cebu, Diliman, Iloilo, Los Baños, Manila, Mindanao, Pampanga and Tacloban

Here’s the list of UPCAT passers in alphabetical order:

Aaron, Eunice Moncada – Abes, Hector Salazar

ABES, LOIZA ALLISON BANDIOLA – ACLAN, SHERLYN ANTOINETTE BOONGALING

ACLAN, STELLAH GRACE PALOMARES – AGREDA, ROCHELLE IVY DELACRUZ

AGRIMANO, RONALYN BENDO – ALAZAS, ANDRE MIKO BONTES

ALBA, MAXINE LALLY TYBACO – ALFARO, RACHELLE ANNE TOLENTINO

ALFARO, RUMEL ANGELO TORRE – ALVARAN, LOUISE MARIE ROSE TUMALIUAN

ALVAREZ, ANNE KRISTINE VILLANUEVA – ANCHETA, ALEJANDRO LORENZO SANTOS

ANCHETA, ELLICE DANE WEE – ANSUAS, ANGELO BAYE BRUCELO

ANTANG, EULA KRISTINA DELA CRUZ – ARAMBULO, LYRACHEL GENERAL

ARANA, JOHN PAUL NUNEZ – ARNEDO, JHON PAUL PASCUA

ARNIGO, JAY MAR BRIONES – AUSTRIA, FLORIE MAE SALAZAR

AUSTRIA, HANNAH FAYE MERCADO – BAGADIONG, RIZZAH MAE SIGUA

For letters B to Z of UPCAT passers, please refer again to the official website the UPCAT Results 2012.

The results are highly anticipated by incoming college freshmen of Class 2012 and their families. The University of the Philippines is still considered the top-ranked institution for tertiary learning in the country. Many people aspire to study here because of its lower tuition as a state university and the prestige of being enrolled in a school where most of the country’s leaders and top professionals have passed.

When: January 22, 2012

Where: St. Benedict Church in Ayala Westgrove Heights

We’ve found this pic of the inside of the very modern village church where Shalani will make her bridal walk (photo credit: mynewcondo.com.ph). Quite uncharacteristic, if we might say, but in line with the couple’s wish to have a small, simple wedding.

Reception will be at an undisclosed location somewhere in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna where about 400 guests are invited (this doesn’t make the wedding small to our standards, but “small” considering the couple’s stature – enough said)

The bride will wear a gown by Inno Sotto (I was actually betting on Rajo Laurel. She wore his gown during Pnoy’s inauguration, and I guess she doesn’t want to be reminded!)

Best wishes to Congressman Roman and Shalani. She’s not marrying an Aquino, but at least it’s a Romulo. Besides, the R sisters look less intimidating

Of late, Pauleen’s mom, Chat Luna,has come out with a statement answering the issues portraying her twenty-something daughter as a “gold-digger” for being linked to Vic Sotto.

But we couldn’t help but read between the lines since by her statement, Mrs. Luna confirms that Vic indeed courted Pauleen. To wit:

“We would like to extend our regrets to Mr. Vic Sotto for being dragged in this issue.

We respect his show of interest with Pauleen and trust that whatever she decides regarding this matter will be for the best of everyone.”

Of her daughter, Mrs. Luna said: “She is a very simple lady with simple wants and needs. She has been smart in ensuring that her future is secured through her investments.

“Investments such as the new house she is building from her savings—contrary to the speculations that it was a gift.”

Although Pauleen suddenly went quiet with her Twitter, her past tweets showed her to be a woman in love as shown in this post.

The same couldn’t be said of Oyo Boy Sotto, Vic’s son by Dina Bonnevie, who is said to be against the Vic-Pauleen romance. Maybe because Pauleen is younger than the Sotto children and maybe because she had a gap before with Oyo Boy’s wife Kristine Hermosa. This is Oyo’s controversial post on Twitter and we can just read between the lines:

The HSBC Fun Run featured 3k, 5k and 10k categories for adults, as well as sprint challenges for children 12 years old and below. Runners of all ages and fitness levels assembled at the SM Mall of Asia grounds at dawn wearing singlets specially designed for the event by international renowned Josie Natori.

Some pictures:

Warm up time. It is important to stretch and stretch prior to running events like these …

It is cute to see the kids running for the 100 meter dash. Ms. Lizzie Zobel led the gun to kick off the relay

OMG!HSBC president & CEO Tony Cripps hands over a replica of the grand prize, trip to London for 2, to the winner in the 10K race Annlouise Castro. If prizes in fun runs are like these, I’ll be serious with my running Congratulations!

Over the past eight years, HSBC’s initiatives for Sa Aklat Sisikat have benefited over 650,000 students; 9,000 teachers; and 285 principals all over the country through their reading programs and pioneering workshops for principals and teachers.

Cripps said: “It’s been a great year for HSBC, Asia’s strongest financial brand. It’s been a wonderful year for us here in the Philippines, as well, and this event is our way to celebrate that, as well as to give back to the community which makes our success possible. We contribute 100% of the run proceeds to our beneficiary, because we believe that there is no better investment in the future than investing in the education of our children.”

Inconsolable grief is pictured in the face of this father who lost his child at the height of the typhoon. I imagine there was no time to run for most as they got swallowed up by the rampaging floodwaters. Photo via @mindanaoan on twitter.

Authorities now say the affected areas in Northern Mindanao experienced in one day more than a month’s worth of rainfall. And I can’t believe the national weather bureau failed us again in this point. NASA’s measuring satellite already assessed “very heavy rainfall of over 50mm/hr” on December 15 whereas PAGASA’s instruments predicted only an amount of 10-25 mm per hour rainfall amount for Sendong. Likewise, only signal number 2 was raised in the Sendong stricken areas as heavy rains battered their land.

This part of Mindanao probably never thought what could happen in Metro Manila during typhoon Ondoy could EVER happen to them. The ever-rising death toll in Sendong is a sad testament that authorities are once again only reacting AFTER THE FACT. If storm alerts and disaster preparedness were in place at the slightest hint of heavy rain, then the needless loss of lives a week before Christmas could have been prevented. But I guess it’s just too late now to ruminate about the what if’s and could have been’s….

More signs of devastation. And pardon the graphic content. Photos submitted by citizen journalists via @bayanmo on Twitter.

Whether you’re in the Philippines or anywhere in the world, here’s how to help:

Xavier University, Tabang Sendong

Account Name: Xavier University

Bank Name: Bank of the Philippine Islands, CDO Divisoria Branch

Account Number: 9331-0133-63

Kalinaw Mindanao:

c/o BDO Cogon Branch
Account name: Kalinaw Mindanao Movement, Inc.
Acct No. 1910059607.

Route Number BNORPHMM with same account name and number for donations coursed through foreign account.

Office of Senator Koko Pimentel
Room 512, GSIS building, Senate of the Philippines

TV5 Kapatid Foundation Inc. (bank account name)
BDO Savings Account No. 005310-410164 and BPI Savings Account No. 1443-05333-2

(this list to be updated)

Storm Sendong (international code name: Washi) unleashed its fury in Mindanao in the early hours of December 16 while most people were sleeping. The death toll has reached 200, with close to 500 missing in the flashfloods caused by heavy rains. It’s a sad footnote to a tragic Christmas that will be observed in the affected areas this year, notably the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao region. Most of us who were living in Manila and enjoyed a sunny weather were unfortunately unaware of what went on and learned about this quite late in the day.

Mindanao hardly suffers from the disastrous effects of storms and floods. This probably made its residents and local governments complacent as families were not even evacuated to higher ground despite storm signals being raised.

Mostly it was unnerving to see pictures of dead children swept by overflowing rivers or thrown out to sea.

It would be good if we can say a prayer for the victims of the Mindanao flashfloods and the speedy recovery of the affected families. Appeals for donations will be made in the coming days…let us take time to help.

One of the groups to first make the call is the Iligan Bloggers Society.

They are accepting donations in kind for the victims of Typhoon Sendong. They encourage the following items for donations: canned goods, noodles, bath and laundry soaps, toothpaste, rice, used clothings, slippers, and cash donations.

SENDONG DONATION DROP
You can contact the following point persons for your donations and other inquiries.

ILIGAN BLOGGERS SOCIETY, Inc.
SITE: http//:iliganbloggers.com
EMAIL: iliganbloggers@gmail.com
FB Fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/iliganbloggers

Tune Hotels, a sister company of leading budget airline Air Asia, was launched in the Philippines this week with a P188 room offer for its initial branches in Angeles City (opening in 10 February 2012 with 165 rooms), followed by Cebu City (24 February 2012, 150 rooms) and Ermita, Manila (9 March 2012, 167 rooms).

To avail of the P188 room offer, log on to www.tunehotels.com from now until December 16 2011. The promo rates are available on a first come, first served basis, for stay periods commencing with the opening date of Tune Hotel Ermita, Cebu & Angeles City up to 30 November 2012.

Ever the excited hotel user, I tried booking with the Tune Hotels website and was glad to see that I can get a room for as low as P188. Clicking the Next button greeted me with this window:

It dawned on me that the P188 room promo was for the room only and I had to pay extra to use other amenities. But at P420 per night to have an Executive Package with 12 hours of aircon, 24 hour TV, 24 hour wi-fi, towel and toiletries…. it wasn’t so bad

P188 for the room plus P420 for the other amenities plus tax…. my total bill amounted to P651.24.

In his official statement, Mark Lankester, Group CEO of Tune Hotels said: “The Philippines is an important market for Tune Hotels. With the rise of budget travel packages from airlines and increase in business travels, there’s a high demand for no-fuss hotels that would provide affordable, safe, clean, convenient and comfortable accommodations and that’s precisely what Tune Hotels is all about.”

Tune Hotels has successfully pioneered a branded value hotel brand with the concept of pay-as-you-use that has become hugely popular among travelers from across the world. Under the concept, guests only pay for room rates with the option of adding on other amenities like towels & toiletries, air-conditioning, in-room wifi and satellite TV service at selected hotels.

Apart from enjoying great value, great savings at Tune Hotels, guests can also enhance their benefits and privileges by becoming a member of the BIG loyalty programme, of which Tune Hotels is a partner. BIG is a global loyalty programme that has just been launched, allowing card members to accumulate points when travelling and shopping with BIG partners worldwide, and redeem the accumulated points for exciting rewards including flight seats on the world’s best low cost carrier, AirAsia. More information on BIG is available at www.tune2big.com.

Apart from Angeles City, Cebu and Ermita, Manila, Tune Hotels also plans to expand to the following key Philippine cities: Makati, Cagayan de Oro City and Ortigas. By 2013, another branch is scheduled to open in Quezon City, totaling to seven Tune Hotels in the Philippines for the next two years alone.

If you’re planning to travel to other countries, Tune Hotels’ rooms in other countries are also on offer. Rooms in Malaysia will go from RM10 per night while rates for Bali, Indonesia rooms start from Rp29.000, Thailand (Bt 99) and the UK (GBP 35).

Meanwhile, here’s the latest on the DJ Mo Twister & Rhian Ramos scandal uploaded on December 20. Though both of them are fully-clothed, the video shows them in one of their more intimate moments.

Here’s the timeline of DJ Mo and Rhian’s roller coaster breakup:

1. In May 2011, the public was unaware that they had a relationship but everyone woke up to it suddenly because of their not-so-private jabs to each other on Twitter.

Rhian Ramos (@whianwamos) tweeted: “Exactly 1 yr of being together, we have broken up. Thank you for loving me. It had amazing moments and am sorry for all the times I hurt you.”

Mo’s twitter @djmotwister mysteriously said: “i would never wish upon any of you the sacrifice ive had to make. and even after it, its mocked by those who benefited from it. #truthoneday”

” and it will come. the ghosts of those lost will find a way. all the lies and deceit isn’t enough of a shield. #truthoneday”

And then Rhian was angry because she found out somebody broke into her Twitter account. “well thank you for breaking into my twitter. nice job. i hope you get all the sympathy you hoped for.

and to the the rest of you, mind your business, I’ve been harassed enough for today, thank you. As if I would really publicize my personal life? As if I’m the one that is known to want to be a part of every scandal?”

Six months later, or November 16 2011 to be exact, DJ Mo mentions the topic of abortion in his Twitter.

“I have a question about abortion. Should the girl ask the guy what his thoughts are and should he have a chance to stand up for the baby?”

“Because no amount of inconvenience could ever justify treating the supreme creation of God with murderous contempt.”

Afterwards, DJ Mo (Mohan Gumatay in real life) announced in his TV show Juicy on TV5 that he’s leaving the Philippines for good. He alludes to the topic of abortion again when he answered in reply to a question by co-host Cristy Fermin “nakokonsyensya ba kayo?”

His answer: “I don’t know. Ayokong sabihin na ‘kayo’ because Rhian is her own person and I am my own person. Basta, I’m in a dark, dark place. I’m in a dark place.”

What a coincidence that on Nov. 28, a Youtube user named Prettyjenny55 uploaded the video dubbed RepairedMovie where Mo is seen as talking to himself in a hotel room talking about his ex-girlfriend Rhian’s abortion. The Mo Twister video went viral on Friday, December 2 and has close to 200,000 views so far.

The full transcript of the video is even included, and it reads:

“ITS 28TH OF JULY 2010, FIRST TIME IM DOING THIS. I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHY. UM, MAYBE ONE DAY YOU’LL WATCH THIS. JUST TO REMEMBER HOW HORRIBLE OF A DAY IT IS. YOURE IN SINGAPORE, YOU’VE BEEN CRYING ALL EVENING BECAUSE TOMORROW MORNING, YOU AND RHIAN WILL GO TO THE HOSPITAL HERE AND GET RID OUR BABY. IT DOESN’T MATTER NAMAN WHAT I THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE THIS WAS HER CHOICE. I DON’T KNOW HOW LONG YOU’LL KEEP THIS AS A SOUVENIR, BUT THIS IS THE TEST. (WHISPER) THIS IS WRONG. THIS IS THE HARDEST THING (CRYING) THIS IS THE HARDEST THING YOU’VE GONE THROUGH BEFORE AND YOU’VE GONE THROUGH SO MUCH. AND WE HAVE TO BLAME OUR JOBS FOR THIS? THIS INDUSTRY THAT JUDGES YOU FOR THESE THINGS. THIS BUSINESS HAS MADE HER BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE THE LIFE OF OUR OWN CHILD BECAUSE NO ONE WILL FORGIVE HER FOR THIS. THAT THIS JOB WILL RUIN HER, SO WE AGREED THAT WE’D COME HERE AND GET IT DONE. BECAUSE YOU LOVE HER AND YOU JUST WANT HER TO BE OKAY. ITS NOT LIKE RHIAN IS HAVING AN EASY TIME WITH THIS TOO. ITS HARD ON ALL OF US. SHE SAID ONE DAY WE WILL SEE THIS AGAIN. AND MAYBE OUR JOBS WILL BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER AND MORE ACCEPTING ABOUT IT. ONE DAY YOU’LL LOOK AT THIS VIDEO, 20 YEARS FROM NOW, I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF YOU WILL STILL BE TOGETHER AND IT WILL STILL HURT. IT WILL STILL HURT LIKE HELL. (CRYING). YOU’LL BE SORRY FOR THIS YOUR WHOLE LIFE. I’LL BE SORRY FOR THIS MY WHOLE LIFE. IM SORRY FOR THE BAD CHOICE WE ARE ABOUT TO MAKE. ITS HARD FOR BOTH OF US. NOBODY WANTS TO DO THIS. I KNOW OTHER CELEBRITIES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUCCEED AFTER THIS PROBLEM, IF IT IS EVEN A PROBLEM, I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S A PROBLEM. BUT YOU KNOW, HER PARENTS ARE TOUGH ON HER. HER STATION, HER CHANNEL, HER MANAGER IS SO TOUGH ON HER THAT IT HAS MADE HER FEEL THAT HAVING THIS BABY, IS JUST NO OTHER OPTION. I KNOW RHIAN IS YOUNG. MAYBE ONE DAY WHEN WE’RE OLDER, WHEN SHE IS OLDER, THAT WE WONT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. I DON’T BLAME HER. THE PRESSURE ON HER IS SO GREAT. THAT I KNOW SHE FEELS LIKE SHE HAS NO CHOICE. SO THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT RHIAN. ITS NOT. I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO BE YOU IN HERE, IN THIS SITUATION. ITS JULY 28, 2010 AND IM SITTING INSIDE THE HOTEL. THE RITZ-CALRTON IS SINGAPORE AND WE’VE BEEN FIGHTING ALL NIGHT ABOUT THIS. IM DOING MY BEST TO TRY TO KEEP YOU SAFE. AND ALL THIS FIGHTING IS TAKING A TOLL ON US. I WISH WE COULD HAVE THIS CHILD. I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS. THIS JOB IS SO DIFFICULT. ITS SO DIFFICULT. IM SO SORRY. I’LL BE SORRY FOREVER. AGAIN, ONE DAY YOU’LL WATCH THIS. MAYBE WHEN YOURE AN OLD MAN. YOU’LL REMEMBER HOW DIFFICULT TODAY WAS. AND I HOPE YOU WATCH THIS AND I HOPE BY THAT TIME I’LL BE MARRIED AND I’LL HAVE A FAMILY THAT I CAN TRY TO MAKE IT UP TO. YOURE GOING TO DO SOMETHING REALLY WRONG TODAY. IM SORRY FOR THAT. THIS IS BUSINESS IS SO SO HARD. THIS BUSINESS IS SO HARD ON ITS EMPLOYEES. I GUESS ALL BUSINESSES ARE. I DON’T KNOW. ITS OUR FAULT I KNOW. WE CANT REALLY BLAME OUR JOBS BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE DID IT. BUT UM, I UNDERSTAND.”

As of this time, Rhian Ramos has chosen to do a Maricar Reyes and that is not comment or talk about the issue. DJ MO has denied having a hand in the video’s uploading. He said that he has sold his computer and other people might have tinkered with the files he thinks he has already deleted.

I still think DJ Mo has knowledge about the whole thing. Why would he shoot a video of himself if it didn’t lead up to this expose? Besides, he had been alluding to Rhian’s abortion in the two weeks leading up to the video going viral.

In the meantime, Rhian Ramos will be subjected to public condemnation for keeping her options open. And now it seems the anti-RH bill proponents will be feasting on her decision. Poor girl indeed.

My friend Raoul E. took this photo of soccer star David Beckham at the NAIA yesterday. As expected, he looked so fit and handsome although it wasn’t clear how he took to walking in one of the world’s worst airports Reports said Beckham and his teammates from Los Angeles Galaxy who arrived in a chartered flight were extended the usual courtesies accorded to VIP guests by NAIA management. However, some members of the team proved to be a bit too brash and were made to wait in their bus while being cleared through immigration. Afterwards, they were promptly driven to the Makati Shang-ri La Hotel which is presumed to be their residence for the next few days.

Beckham, together with his fellow players from LA Galaxy Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan, will play in a goodwill match with the Philippine Azkals at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex tomorrow, Dec. 3. There will also be a practice scheduled at 1:30 p.m. today and a football clinic but it’s not sure if the heavily-guarded Beckham, one of the richest athletes in the world, will participate.

Beckham and the LA Galaxy team had just come from another goodwill game in Indonesia and will proceed to Australia next.