Grand welcome awaits Pacquiao

A ticker tape parade in the city of Manila, a grand welcome in Mindanao and a possible unprecedented military promotion await newly crowned International Boxing Organization (IBO) junior welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao upon his return to the country on Friday.
Pacquiao’s hometown of General Santos City is also busy preparing a reception upon his arrival there despite his having switched his place of origin to Sarangani province.

The city of Manila, scene of countless ticker tape parades in Pacquiao’s previous winning campaigns, is again expected to play a major role in the Filipino boxing icon’s welcome celebration.

President Arroyo, speaking before members of the Filipino community in Damascus, Syria, had announced that she would declare a national day of celebration for Pacquiao’s victory.

“I join the entire nation in jubilation and in giving thanks to God for the spectacular second-round knockout victory of Manny over Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton in Las Vegas, Nevada,” the President said.

Mrs. Arroyo said Pacquiao’s victory “should inspire all of us Filipinos to have resiliency and dedication to triumph against all odds.”

Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said the details of the day of celebration were still being finalized and would most likely be announced tomorrow along with the presidential proclamation for this purpose.

She said the appointments office of Malacañang is working out the details.

Complete List of Oscar Winners 2009

Complete List of Oscar Winners 2009
The 81st Academy Awards or Oscar Awards 2009 was held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California and was hosted by Hugh Jackman.

Here is the complete list of winners of the Oscars:

Supporting Actress - Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Original Screenplay - Dustin Lance Black - Milk

Adapted Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire

Animated Feature - Wall-E

Art Direction - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Cinematography - Anthony Dod Mantle - Slumdog Millionaire

Animated Short - La Maison en Petits Cubes

Costume Design - The Duchess

Makeup - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Live-Action Short - Spielzeugland (Toyland)

Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

Documentary Feature - Man on Wire

Documentary Short - Smile Pinki

Visual Effects - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Sound Editing - The Dark Knight

Sound Mixing - Slumdog Millionaire

Film Editing - Slumdog Millionaire

Jean Hersholt Award to Jerry Lewis

Original score - Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman

Original song - “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire

Foreign Language Film - Departures (Japan)

Best Director - Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actress - Kate Winslet, The Reader

Best Actor - Sean Penn, Milk

Best Picture - Slumdog Millionaire

Russia is crowned Miss World

The eyes of the world were on one stage when Kseniya Sukhinovia from Russia was crowned Miss World in a glittering, star-studded ceremony at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, the City of Gold.

The 2008 Miss World Festival, a record breaking year in the number of contestants taking part, has seen 109 beautiful and talented contestants spend an unforgettable month in South Africa. However, there could only be one winner and the applause rang out in the packed Convention Centre as Julia Morley, Chairman of the Miss World Organisation and of the international panel of judges, announced the winners name.
Kseniya Sukhoinova smile spoke a thousand words to a worldwide TV audience of over 2 billion as she was crowned by last year`s Miss World, Zilin Zhang.
First runner-up was Trinidad and Tobago followed by India as second runner-up. The other two finalists were South Africa and Angola.

The Final opened with 14 minutes of African music and dance and the contestants walking on to stage wearing their dresses designed by African Fashion. The opening sequence ended with local schoolchildren carrying all of the representative countries` flags onto the stage.

The TV spectacular was hosted by top Chinese TV presenter Angela Chow, presenting Miss World for the sixth year in succession, alongside co-host South African celebrity, Tumisho Masha, making his Miss World Final debut.

The show told the story of the contestants` stay in South Africa, with video clips of their activities and sightseeing, including their exciting trip to Safari, Mpulanga and the dazzling Indian Ocean and white beaches of Durban.
With an amazing stage and lighting and performances from international record-breaking band McFly, singing `Smile` and `Lies`, a mid tempo rocker and UK pop sensation Alisha Dixon singing her latest single `The boy does nothing`, the 58th Miss World Final was one of the most spectacular to date.
Miss World The Final is the Worlds largest live annual TV event with global viewing figures topping two billion. This year the 58th Final was broadcast in 187 countries and 373 TV stations.

www.missworld.com

PACQUIAO DEFEAT THE ODDS, BEATS THE GOLDEN BOY

Others said it was simply insane to put up a smaller guy who has never fought over the 135 lb. limit against a bigger fellow who had done it in as far as the 160 lbs division.

Still others said that the Golden Boy will simply vaporize the smaller Pacquiao. In fact, even the experienced bookies at Vegas did not believe in Pacquiao’s chances for an upset setting him one time as an underdog at about 10 to 7.


Pacquiao may have been disadvantaged in terms of height, reach, body mass and overall natural weight. But what he lacked, he made up with pure “Filipino blood and guts”, a huge heart and most specially, a blinding speed that shamed the best there is in the sweet science. “They forgot to measure his mindset, heart and soul”, a blogger wrote.

Plus, he had the support of more than 80+ million souls in the Philippines and countless others abroad, praying and hoping that he comes out victorious.
And, that is not to mention the myriad of boxing fans from all over the world who appreciates the sweet science and the Mexican-born boxing fans that crowded the MGM Events Center in support of Pacquiao simply because they really did not care for de la Hoya. They said ODLH does not have the “Mexican style”, whatever that is, that Pacquiao carries to the ring. (But, I suspect it’s really because de la Hoya beat their idol, Julio Cesar Chavez).

During the whole 8 rounds, Pacquiao’s defense was solid and almost invincible. The game plan and technique developed by Freddie Roach and his team of assistants, Buboy Fernandez, Alex Ariza and Nonoy Neri were wholly effective and entirely supreme.

All the training overseen by the celebrated Mexican coach Nacho Beristain and the tons of experience and power Oscar de la Hoya had, did not matter at all. Even the expert advices from Angelo Dundee did not carry any weight. Indeed, Dundee’s presence as an “adviser” amounted to nothing more than a nice PR stunt tailored to what HBO needed to drive up the PPV.

Pacquiao’s victory patently shut up Bernard Hopkin’s big mouth who at the media room of the MGM last Wednesday and at the weigh-in yesterday, loudly predicted that his buddy de la Hoya will KO Pacquiao between the eight and ninth round.
Team Pacquiao had an answer for every iota of stuff the Team Golden Boy brought to the ring and more.

Roach, the wily trainer from the Wildcard Gym in Hollywood was right all along. Oscar de la Hoya was very good. But that was in the past. Tonight, he simply did not have enough to pull the proverbial “trigger” anymore. The “gas left on his tank” was barely enough to carry him and the results were glaringly displayed on top of the ring at the MGM Grand Events Center.

Simply put, he Golden Boy lost his luster as the fight progressed.

Courtesy of Pacman

WE SALUTE YOU!!!
PROUD to be PINOY!