Charice Covers Lady Gaga in "Poker Face"

Besides Lady Gaga, my other favorite singer is Charice Pempengco. In this video, she tries to imitate Lady Gaga(Accapella). She did a good job mimicking Lady Gaga even without a musical instrument as background.
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In case you have not heard about Charice (no TV in your House) here is a write up about her sudden rise to fame from Wikipedia.

"Charmaine Clarice Relucio Pempengco (born May 10, 1992), better known as Charice, is a Filipina singer and actress who rose to popularity through YouTube. Dubbed by Oprah Winfrey as the Most Talented Girl in the World, she is the first Asian artist in history to land in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 album chart.

Pempengco was born in San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines. Raised by a single mother, she helped support the family by joining amateur singing contests at age seven, from town fiestas in various provinces to singing competitions on TV. She is said to have joined almost a hundred singing contests.

In 2005, Pempengco joined Little Big Star, a talent show in the Philippines loosely patterned after American Idol. Eliminated after her first performance, she was later called back as a wild card contender and eventually became a finalist. Although she was a consistent top scorer in the final rounds, she only finished in third place based on text voting.

Pempengco made minor appearances on local television shows and commercials, but essentially had fallen off the radar after her stint at Little Big Star. It was not until 2007 that she gained worldwide recognition after an avid supporter started posting a series of her performance videos on YouTube under the username FalseVoice. These videos received millions of hits making Pempengco an internet phenomenon.

In June 2007, Ten Songs/Productions, a music publishing company in Sweden, invited Pempengco to a demo-recording after producers saw her Little Big Star videos. She recorded seven songs - six covers and an original song entitled "Amazing".

For being one of the finalists of Little Big Star, she was invited to the South Korean talent show Star King. On its October 13, 2007 edition, she sang "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and a duet with Kyuhyun, from Super Junior.

After watching her Star King performance on YouTube, Ellen DeGeneres extended an on-air invitation to Pempengco to guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She flew to the United States for the first time and performed two songs on the December 19, 2007 episode of the show - "I Will Always Love You" and "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going".

Following her American debut on Ellen, she made a second appearance on Star King as the "Most Requested Foreign Act" of the show. On its December 28 edition, she performed Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" and sang a duet with singer Lena Park.

In January 2008, she was invited to the Malacañang Palace where she performed for Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. She returned to the international scene when she guested on the April 8 episode of The Paul O'Grady Show in London, England.

Her self-titled Philippine debut album Charice was released in May 2008. The mini album, consisting of six songs and six backing tracks, was awarded gold certification in the Philippines in October 2008. The album eventually achieved platinum status in 2009.

Pempengco appeared on the May 12 edition of The Oprah Winfrey Show in an episode entitled the "World's Smartest Kids", where she performed Whitney Houston's I Have Nothing. After the show, Oprah Winfrey contacted David Foster to see what the legendary music producer could do for Pempengco. She performed with Foster for the first time as one of the entertainers on the May 17 opening of the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut.

She made her debut on the international concert stage in Foster's May 23 tribute concert, Hitman: David Foster and Friends, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. She performed a medley of songs from The Bodyguard as well as her standard, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going". A CD/DVD of the concert, including Pempengco's The Bodyguard medley, was released on November 11, 2008. The show was aired several times on PBS and other public television networks starting in December 2008 under the Great Performances banner.

One of the singers at the concert was Pempengco's idol, Andrea Bocelli. Bocelli subsequently expressed interest in performing a duet with her and personally invited her to be a guest on his birthday concert "The Cinema Tribute" held on July 20 at the Teatro del Silenzio in his hometown of Lajatico, Tuscany, Italy. Aside from her solo performance, she sang a duet of "The Prayer" with the famous tenor in front of more than 8,000 people.

She was invited to perform for the Feyenoord's Centennial Anniversary in the Netherlands held on September 26. Before a crowd of about 50,000 football (soccer) fans, she sang the team's anthem, "You'll Never Walk Alone."

When she guested on the "Dreams Come True" episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show on September 9, Oprah referred to her as "The Most Talented Girl in the World." She sang Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" with David Foster on piano, after which Oprah surprised her with an appearance by Celine Dion via satellite, who invited her to sing a special duet at New York City's Madison Square Garden as part of Dion's Taking Chances Tour.

She performed her promised duet with Celine Dion on September 15. They sang "Because You Loved Me," dedicated to Pempengco's mother. The performance received rave reviews in The New York Post and The New York Times. The duet was eventually featured on the September 19 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. She would then perform at the Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children Benefit Concert at the Wynn Las Vegas casino resort.

In November, she and David Foster guested on Good Morning America to promote Foster's tribute album, Hitman: David Foster and Friends. She performed The Bodyguard medley and "I Will Survive."

In January 2009, Pempengco performed at two US presidential pre-inaugural events in Washington, D.C., namely the Martin Luther King Jr "Realizing The Dream" gala at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and at the "Pearl Presidential Inaugural Gala" at the Mandarin Hotel.In February, she performed at two post-Oscar award events: Oscar Night at Mr. Chow's and Oprah's Oscar After Party held in Kodak Theatre. She debuted a new original song entitled "Fingerprint" composed by Robbie Nevil and produced by David Foster.

In April, she appeared in the season premiere of Ti lascio una canzone, an Italian musical variety show televised from Teatro Ariston in the city of Sanremo. She performed "I Will Always Love You", "I Have Nothing", "The Prayer", and "Listen". Later that same month, she would go on to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in front of 57,000 baseball fans during the Los Angeles Dodgers 52nd season home opener at Dodger Stadium.

In May, she released her Philippine second album entitled My Inspiration. The album consisted of 12 tracks, including "Always You" and a cover of Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World" performed as a duet with her mother. The album was certified gold in the Philippines within two months after release, and then platinum in December 2009. Also in May, she would again perform at a David Foster and Friends concert held at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

On the May 18 episode "Finale: Oprah's Search for the World's Most Talented Kids" of The Oprah Winfrey Show, she debuted her first internationally released single "Note to God", written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster. The single was made available for digital download on the same day and debuted at #24 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart, #44 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, #9 on the Hot Canadian Digital Singles chart and #35 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart. Later that same month, she was again invited to sing at the Ti lascio una canzone show as a special guest.

She staged her first major concert called: Charice: The Journey Begins on June 27 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia, Philippines to a sold-out crowd. Her guests included Christian Bautista, Kuh Ledesma and Little Big Star finalists.

Pempengco contributed to two Christmas albums in 2009. The first as David Archuleta's duet partner for the song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" in his Christmas album entitled Christmas from the Heart. The second is a compilation Christmas album entitled A Very Special Christmas Volume 7 in which she contributed her own rendition of "The Christmas Song". She was one of the headlining acts in the David Foster and Friends 10-City North American Tour that ran during the fall of 2009.

She made a cameo appearance in her first feature film, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, released in North America on December 23. She is also part of the official movie soundtrack with her rendition of "No One" by Alicia Keys accompanied by The Chipettes. Later in the month, she appeared on Singapore Idol's grand finale episode as a guest performer, where she performed two of her signature songs, The Bodyguard medley and "Note to God".

On January 23, 2010, she appeared on Io Canto, a popular children's singing competition in Italy. She performed her standards plus an Italian favorite entitled "Adagio", made popular by Lara Fabian. On January 31, she was one of the featured musical acts on a NBC Sports taped coverage of Silk Soy Milk Skate for the Heart, a show designed to raise awareness of heart disease. She performed "Note to God" and debuted two new songs included in her debut album, "In This Song" and "Breathe Out" (later retitled as "Breathe You Out").

The album version and club remixes of her second single, "Pyramid" (featuring Iyaz), from her international debut album were released on February 23, 2010 and March 2, 2010. The Pyramid Remixes EP debuted at #46 on the Billboard Dance/Club play songs charts and quickly soared to #1 spot.

Her self-titled international debut album with Reprise Records was released on May 11, 2010. On its first week, the album reached #8 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart, making her the first Asian to enter the Top 10. On the same day as part of her album launching, she again made a guest appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show along with another YouTube-discovered singer Justin Bieber.

On June 22, Pempengco herself confirmed that she will join the cast of the hit US television series Glee on its second season. As a recurring character, she will reportedly play a foreign exchange student from the Philippines with astounding vocals who will present serious competition against lead character Rachel Berry (played by Lea Michele).

She released her second single entitled "Crescent Moon" in Japan on June 23. The single is an English rendition of the Japanese song "Mikazuki" by Ayaka".

She is another Filipina, we can be proud of. Congratulations Charice on your achievements. I could see a bright future for you!

ATTENTION: TO ALL Filipinos or Fil-Americans in the Las Vegas Area

Fish and Other Marine Life Dies from the mine toxic waste coming from the waters of the contaminated Boac and Mogpog Rivers

Here's an urgent message from Reda Hicks, one of the attorneys representing Marinduque in its lawsuit against Barrick Gold Corp. If you are in the area, please attend this important event.

Hello all!

I am one of the attorneys representing the Province of Marinduque in its lawsuit against Barrick Gold Corp., the mining company that wreaked havoc on their environment, health, and economy. I am writing to seek support from the Filipino community in Nevada, and particularly Las Vegas, in our efforts to seek justice for Marinduque. This case has been ongoing for over five years, and all of that time the defendant has never denied that it caused horrible environmental damage and health problems in Marinduque. Rather, it has argued that the case should not be in Nevada (they want to send it to Canada where the courts refuse to consider cases based on bad acts in other countries) because the people of Nevada do not have an interest in the outcome. We want to show Barrick that they are wrong, that Filipinos in Nevada care what the company, which obtains 60% of its revenue from Nevada mines, does to injure environments in the Philippines and other places. Marinduque is not the only place in the Philippines that has been exploited by foreign companies, and the Filipino population in Nevada cares about stopping this kind of behavior anywhere in the Philippines.

So here's how you can help: After a very long procedural battle that has gone all the way to the Supreme Court, we finally have a hearing in a Nevada court that could move this case toward a resolution. The hearing is set for this Friday, September 10, 9:30am at the Clark County Courthouse in Las Vegas, Judge Adair's courtroom. We would welcome any of you who are able to attend the hearing and show your support for Marinduque's efforts to force cleanup of the mess that Barrick made. Help us show the company in a tangible way that Filipinos, Nevadans, will not support any company's efforts to exploit the Philippines and then skirt responsibility for that exploitation.

If anyone has any questions, they can email me at rhicks@diamondmccarthy.com. Also, lots of background information on the case is available on the web if you google Marinduque and Barrick.

I thank you in advance for your support for our efforts.

Salamat po!
Reda Hicks

Have you Heard of The Battle of Pulang Lupa?

Governor Carmencita Reyes and Congressman Allan Jay Velasco during the Battle of Paye Anniversary Celebration,2010

I have a feeling you have not heard of this event in The Philippine-American History. Unless you you are a history enthusiast, I am pretty sure you do not know the details and significance of this battle in Philippine-American history. I heard of this battle when I read that a monument in Torrijos, Marinduque has been constructed to honor the Filipino and American soldiers that died in that Battle. The monument was constructed on a top of a hill with a beautiful view of the Eastern Marinduque Sea. It is now one of the historical tourist attraction in Marinduque.

Panoramic View of the Eastern Marinduque Sea from the Pulang Lupa Monument in Torrijos

My wife had been planning to see this place, but it required a long walk uphill, so we would not be able to make it. Here's a short description of the battle from Wikipedia for your reading pleasure.

"The Battle of Pulang Lupa was an engagement fought on September 13, 1900, during the Philippine-American War between the forces of Colonel Maximo Abad and Devereux Shields, in which Abad's men defeated the American force.

On September 11, Captain Devereux Shields led a detachment of 54 29th U.S. Volunteer Infantrymen into the mountains of Torrijos to combat the elusive Abad and his guerillas. They experienced little success, except for the dispersing of 20 guerillas, in which no casualties were inflicted on either side.

Abad had excellent intelligence and was informed of Shields' movements by the local guerillas ahead of time. In response, he assembled his entire force of 250 regular Filipino soldiers and around 1,000-2,000 bolomen. The regular Philippine soldiers were well organized and reasonably well armed with bolos, pistols, and Spanish Mausers, despite the fact that most were poor shots. The bolomen, armed only with machetes or bolos, served mainly to bolster Abad's forces. Dressed as friendly farmers or civilians in the day time, they took part in guerilla activities at night. Ambushing small detachments of American soldiers, sabotage, and most importantly, supplying Abad with intelligence on American positions and movements. They had little military value however, considering they had no firearms.
American Soldiers of the 29th Infantry landing in Laylay, Marinduque, April 25, 1900

On September 13, Abad positioned his men along a steep ridge overlooking the trail which Shields would soon cross. Both Shields and his men had little combat experience and easily fell into the trap. Abad and his 250 soldiers opened fire on the column, which led to a fire-fight that lasted for several hours. Meanwhile, as the Americans and Philippine riflemen exchanged fire, the large force of Filipino bolomen began maneuvering to surround the Americans.

Shields, seeing that he was almost completely surrounded, ordered a withdrawal, which soon turned into a full blown retreat, as Abad's much larger force poured over the ridge after Shields and his men. The Filipino soldiers harassed Shields for nearly four miles (6 km) before cornering them in a small rice field; their escape to Santa Cruz was cut off by the large force of Filipino bolomen. Abad's men again opened fire, forcing the Americans to take cover behind some paddy dikes.

Shields, recognizing the futility of the situation, raised the white flag in order to surrender. Abad's men disregarded it and fell upon the totally encircled Americans firing and hacking away with bolo knives. In the fight, Shields fell severely wounded, shot through the shoulder and neck. Men of the 29th volunteer infantry wading ashore on Marinduque April 25 1900

Abad, observing that the Americans were trying to surrender, regained control of his men before any more surrendering Americans were slaughtered, and the survivors were led away as prisoners.

After months of hiding, Abad in only a few hours eliminated nearly one third of the American garrison on Marinduque.

The Americans lost 4 killed and 50 captured, 6 of which wounded including Shields. A large selection of American firearms were also taken by the guerillas. The Filipino losses are unknown, although Shields claimed to have inflicted 30 casualties on the Filipinos, this number was never verified.

Aftermath

Shields' defeat sent shock waves through the American high command. Aside from being one of the worst defeats suffered by the Americans during the war, it was especially significant given its proximity to the upcoming election between President William McKinley and his anti-imperialist opponent William Jennings Bryan, the outcome of which many believed would determine the ultimate course of the war. Consequently, the defeat triggered a sharp response.

Although Abad and most of his command had eluded the American military, the civilian population was suffering for it. Being placed into concentration camps and routine interrogation led many of the guerillas to surrender, thus decreasing the manpower and materials of the resistance. These new tactics led to the surrender of Abad in April 1901".
Mural of Pulang Lupa, Torrijos, Marinduque

Every year the province of Marinduque, celebrates the anniversary of this battle with a program at the site attended by the top provincial officials,along with the Governor and the Congress Representative of the lone district of Marinduque.

Marine Wildlife of the Philippines

A Whale Shark
One of the tourist attraction of the Philippines is its marine wild life. The Philippines Marine wildlife is one of the most diverse in the world. The Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park teems with 300 coral species, 46 coral genera, 7 seagrass species, 71 algae species; large marine life, dolphins, marine turtles; and seabirds. It was honored by UNESCO as the First Natural Site in the Philippines to be inscribed in the prestigious World Heritage List.
The Turtle Islands are South East Asia's only remaining major green turtle rookery and a vital nesting ground for the hawksbill turtle. Pamilacan Island in Baclayon is considered a critical marine mammal habitat in the Philippines. Palawan is home to the “dugong” or sea cow, the only herbivorous mammal today, while Donsol, Sorsogon is home to huge, gentle whale sharks which the locals call the “butanding”.

Come visit the Philippines and Marinduque Island's and enjoy its marine wild life.

Julie Andrews-My Favorite Things-40 years After

A friend from the Philippines forwarded the following article just recently. It rings a bell as a senior citizen. The Sound of Music is one Broadway play and movie, I will always treasure.

"It wouldn't be funny if it weren't so true... Julie Andrews turned 69 and to commemorate her 69th birthday on October 1, actress/vocalist Julie Andrews made a special appearance at Manhattan 's Radio City Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP. One of the musical numbers she performed was "My Favorite Things" from the legendary movie "The Sound Of Music."

Here are the actual lyrics she used:

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Cadillac's and cataracts, and hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favorite things..

When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don't feel so bad.

Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Back pains, confused brains, and no need for sinnin',
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin',
And we won't mention our short, shrunken frames,
When we remember our favorite things.

When the joints ache, When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I've had,
And then I don't feel so bad.

Ms. Andrews received a standing ovation from the crowd that lasted over four minutes and repeated encores. Please share Ms. Andrews' clever wit and humour with others who would appreciate it.

Latest Article on Traveling to Marinduque

Poctoy White Beach in Torrijos with Mt. Malindig in the Background

The following article was printed under the Marinduque Travel Guide dated August 17, 2010(www.localphilippines.com).It is a good summary of what to do and see in Marinduque. The article is very informative specially if this will be your first visit to Marinduque.

"A heart-shaped island in the Southern Tagalog Region is a certified tourism magnet come the Lenten Season. The province has been making waves in the travel sector behind a colorful event (odd for some) called the Moriones Festival. Aside from this religious occasion, the island is known as an alternative destination to Boracay and Palawan, as it is blessed with beautiful sand beaches, enchanting caves, unspoiled diving sites, and rejuvenating hotsprings. The place, which is commonly included in the list of recommended vacation getaways in most Philippine travel guides, is called Marinduque.

Marinduque is located at the geographical center of the Philippines. Covering an area of 952.6 square kilometers, the province is situated south and west of Quezon, east of Mindoro, and north of Romblon. It is home to around 230,000 people as of 2007, with the majority of the populace earning a living by farming and fishing.

The Marinduquenos are known to be hospitable and friendly. First-time tourists are usually welcomed with a big smile and a heart-warming putong, a traditional song-and-dance ritual performed by local folks. Putong, or tubong, in some parts of the island, also means the crowning of a guest or an honorary with flowers or gaily-decorated crowns. This practice adds to the appeal of Marinduque to both local and foreign holidaymakers.

Video of Rob Trent plane ride via Zest Air from Marinduque to Manila.

The Manila to Marinduque trip via Air is only about 45 minutes versus the land and ferry ride of around 10 hours or more depending on the traffic and delay in Dalahican Port in Lucena, Quezon or San Juan, Batangas

Getting to Marinduque is not as problematic compared to other travel destinations in the archipelago. Some local airlines offer direct flights from Manila to Marinduque several times a week. As a travel tip, make reservations in advance to avoid any inconvenience. For tourists who are afraid of flying, there are buses and ships bound for the province.

The best time to go to Marinduque is during the Holy Week, when the province is all systems go for the Moriones Festival. The event is highlighted by a parade participated in by people, usually God-fearing men, wearing colorful masks and garbs replicating that of the biblical Roman soldiers. The main attraction in the festival is a show reenacting the event when, Longinus, a blind soldier, punctures Jesus with his spear and the blood droplets from the wound enables him to regain his sight.
Isolated Cove in Gaspar Island-Plenty of Privacy for those who enjoy sun bathing

Marinduque is also an ideal place for beach bummers. The island is dotted with unspoiled white-sand beaches and tranquil islets that are perfect for swimming and other water recreation activities such as snorkeling, windsurfing, and diving. Boac, the provincial capital, is famous for the white sand of the Poctoy Beach. Not to be outdone are the beaches in Maniwaya Island in the town of Sta. Cruz.

Correction: Poctoy White Beach is in Torrijos about 50 minutes drive from Boac.


Accommodations(http://chateaudumer.blogspot.com) vary from the very simple to the extravagant. One of the famous vacation rentals in Marinduque is the Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa, which is located on an excluded island several minutes away from the mainland. Its location makes the resort an ideal place for travelers looking to escape the hassles of the city life.

With the growing interest in nature, Marinduque has joined the bandwagon for promoting the “green” thing. The province is being promoted as a premier ecotourism destination in the Philippines. The must-see sanctuaries and protected areas in the island include the Balagbag Mountain Range, Tres Reyes Marine Sanctuary, and Malindig Volcano. The chance of tourists getting bored in Marinduque is very unlikely. Spelunking enthusiasts can explore Bathala Caves in Sta. Cruz and Tarug Caves in Mogpog while travelers looking to get their body recharged with new energy can soak in the hot springs of Malbog in Buenavista.

With so many things to do and see in Marinduque, it is no wonder, then, that the province is close to the heart of travelers".