Philippines is Mr. Gay World 2019

Filipino crowned Mr. Gay World 2019

ABS-CBN News

May 05 2019 

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MANILA - John Jeffrey "Janjep" Carlos became the second Filipino and Asian to win the Mr. Gay World crown after winning this year's pageant in South Africa. 

Carlos, who hails from Cavite, bested 21 other candidates in the final round of the pageant in Cape Town, South Africa on May 4 (May 5 in Manila). 

He joins fellow Filipino John Fernandez Raspado took the crown in 2017. 

Carlos succeeded Mr. Gay World 2018 Jordan Bruno, an Australian national, for the crown.

Spain's Francisco Alvarado was crowned 1st runner up, followed by Hungary's Oliver Pusztan (2nd runner up), Thailand's Cjayudhom Samibat (3rd runner up) and Belgium's Nick Van Vooren (4th runner up) 

In his introduction video posted on the Mr Gay World 2019 Youtube channel, Carlos said mental health awareness was one of his main advocacies, particularly the fight against depression. 

"Depression is real, and it has caused the tragic loss of lives. Depression is a real illness that can be treated if properly diagnosed," he said.

"With love and understanding of people undergoing depression, this illness can be transformed into wellness." 

Filipino is Asia's sexiest accent

Filipino hailed as ‘sexiest accent’ in Asia 

Jan Milo Severo

Philstar.com

May 2, 2019

MANILA, Philippines — A travel and food website announced that Filipino is the sexiest accent in Asia and 21st sexiest accent in the world, according to its survey.

Big 7 Travel recently unveiled their survey results, Top 50 Sexiest Accents in the World, based on their readers’ opinion.

“Gentle and soft, the accents you’ll hear when in the Philippines are simply lovely,” the website described the Filipino language. 

New Zealand’s Kiwi was hailed as the world’s sexiest accent, followed by South African, Irish, Italian, Australian, Scottish, French, Spanish, South American and Brazilian Portuguese.

“To a novice ear, the New Zealand accent might sound just like the Australian accent, but Big 7 Travel readers disagree. The ‘Newzild’ dialect is outrageously charming,” Big 7 Travel wrote.

In the Asian ranking, the Philippines is followed by Vietnamese and Indian, placing 25th and 26th respectively. Japanese and Chinese, meanwhile, are in the 42nd and 43rd places respectively.
 

Second Fastest Emerging Market

Oxford Economics: PH will be 2nd fastest 

growing emerging market in 2019-2028



Ben O. de Vera
Inquirer.net
20 February 2019

MANILA, Philippines — With an expanding labor force, the Philippines will be eclipsed only by India among emerging markets (EMs) expected to post the fastest economic growth in the next 10 years.

In a February 15 report, UK-based Oxford Economics projected the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by an average of 5.3 percent between 2019 and 2028, only outpaced by India’s 6.5 percent.

For 2019, Oxford Economics had said its expects the Philippines’ GDP growth at 6.1 percent, below the government’s 7-8 percent target range.

China and Indonesia’s economies were both seen expanding by 5.1 percent during the 10-year period; Malaysia, 3.8 percent; Turkey, 3 percent; Thailand, 2.9 percent; Chile, 2.6 percent; Poland, 2.5 percent; and South Africa, 2.3 percent.

The labor force in the Philippines was projected to increase by an average of 2.3 percent during the next 10 years, the fastest among the 10 emerging markets.

The labor force growth figure was computed by Oxford Economics as the number of people in the labor force multiplied to the average number of hours worked.

Total factor productivity growth was seen at 1 percent, while capital deepening or the contribution of capital accumulation to labor productivity growth was projected to rise by 1.6 percent from 2019 and 2028.

In a report titled “Sustained growth in EMs calls for thrift and innovation,” Oxford Economics said that while “countries with higher gross domestic saving (as a share of GDP) tend to have higher trend growth… the Philippines seems to be a major outlier, but its domestic savings are supplemented heavily by remittances.” /kga

Philippines is Miss Universe 2018

Catriona Gray crowned Miss Universe


Joel Guinto
ABS-CBN NEWS | 17 December 2018

BANGKOK -- Catriona Gray was crowned Miss Universe here Monday, capping a two-year long journey from her heartbreaking loss at Miss World to her rise as visionary beauty queen and social media star.

Miss Philippines Catriona Gray is crowned Miss Universe during the final round of the Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok, Thailand, December 17, 2018. Athit Perawongmetha, Reuters

The 24-year-old Filipino-Australian won the Philippines' fourth Miss Universe crown, pulling all the stops from a giant lantern strapped to her back, a slow-motion twirl in a hot pink bikini, and a long gown in flame hues that symbolized a mythical Filipino bird.

Fans screamed at the IMPACT Arena here as outgoing Miss Universe Demi Leigh Nel Peters from South Africa crowned her successor.

Pia Wurtzbach last won the Miss Universe crown for the Philippines in 2015 and the succeeding edition was hosted in Manila.

Tamaryn Green of South Africa was first runner-up followed by Miss Venezuela Sthefany Gutiérrez.

During the final question, Gray was asked "What is the most important lesson you've learned in your life and how would you apply it to your time as Miss Universe?"

She replied: "I work a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila and the life there is... it's poor and very sad. And I've always taught myself to look for the beauty of it, to look for beauty in the faces of the children and to be grateful. And I would bring this aspect as a Miss Universe, to see situations with a silver lining, and to assess where I could give something, where I could provide something as a spokesperson. If I could teach also people to be grateful, we could have an amazing world where negativity could not grow and foster, and children would have a smile on their faces. Thank you."

FROM THE WORLD TO THE UNIVERSE

Only 2 years ago, Gray was widely tipped to win the Miss World crown, a campaign that ended in defeat to Puerto Rico's Stephanie del Valle.

A photo of Gray weeping, clutching the Philippine flag close to her chest, made the rounds on social media platforms.

Miss World Philippines head Cory Quirino stepped down after Gray's defeat and the Philippines struggled to make the winner's circle of the London-based pageant since then.

Gray reemerged in January for the Binibining Pilipinas screenings, trading the high bun for long curls and the baby pink dress for a short red dress.

In an Instagram post at that time, Gray said much of her transformation happened away from the public eye.

The self-described "stubborn" and "visionary" beauty enlisted the help of a new team and went outside her old mentors' circle, which was largely behind the Philippines' hot streak at Miss Universe since Venus Raj broke the 10-year semifinals drought and finished in the top 5 in 2010.

The Philippines has made at least Top 10 at Miss Universe since Raj's breakthrough performance in Las Vegas. This year, the country's Miss International bet, Ahtisa Manalo placed first runner while Celeste Cortesi finished top 8 in Miss Earth.

FOR THE PHILIPPINES

Gray has 1 million followers on Instagram and her photo on the Miss Universe Facebook page was liked or loved by over 600,000 users, the most for any candidate.

She made ear cuffs a conversation piece when she wore a gold and diamond "three stars and the sun" on her right ear during her Miss Universe-Philippines crowning.

From there, her every move was rife with nationalist symbolism.

Her national costume, while difficult to walk in, paid homage to the Philippines' 3 main islands. A government body praised Gray for highlighting Filipino civilization before the Spanish occupation with her 'pintados' body suit.

Her fire orange and yellow gown stood out from a sea of sheer and gold tones, symbolizing both the Ibong Adarna, which can cure with song, and the rising phoenix from which the Miss Universe crown by Japanese jeweler Mikimoto was patterned after.

Miss Philiipines Universe 2018 in UK paper

Philippines’ Catriona Gray featured in UK, compared to Miss Universe winner 

Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Philippine Star
27 November 2018


MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe Philippines 2018 Catriona Gray has been featured on November 27 in one of the United Kingdom’s leading news sites, Daily Mail.

In the article written by Alice Murphy for Daily Mail Australia, Catriona was called “the next Jennifer Hawkins.”

Catriona Gray being crowned as Miss Universe Philippines 2018

Philstar.com/Kat Leandicho, file

Winner of the 2004 Miss Universe, Hawkins is a top model that endorsed international brands like Covergirl. She also hosted and became a judge for reality TV show “Australia’s Next Top Model.”

In the same article, Catriona was described in the title as “the stunning Australian-Filipino singer, model and TV host tipped to take out the 2018 Miss Universe crown.”

“Boasting 570,000 Instagram followers, Ms Gray is the hot ticket to cinch the crown next month with Sports Bet Australia announcing her as the $4.00 favourite,” the article announced.

According to the story, Gray’s biggest rivals for the crown would be Miss South Africa ($8.00), Ecuador ($7.50) and Thailand ($5,50).

The Daily Mail story also stressed that Gray “is the first woman in history to have been awarded both World and Universe national titles.”

Similarly, the article mentioned Catriona’s newly released music video “We're in This Together,” which “shot straight to number one in the Philippines iTunes chart.”

The video aims to raise awareness on children’s poverty in the slums of Manila. Daily Mail added that Catriona is known for her promotion of female empowerment and women's causes.

Born in Queensland to a Filipino mother and a Scottish-Australian father, the 24-year-old Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray, who was named after her two grandmothers, will represent the Philippines at the 2018 Miss Universe in Bangkok, Thailand on December 17.

RICS London Top Prize Designer

Filipino wins top UK prize for bamboo home design

Asia Times
22 November 2018

Earl Patrick Forlales gained inspiration for his 'Cubo' design from the bamboo shack his grandparents called home on the outskirts of Manila 

With its modular design, Cubo housing components can be linked together to create quality living space for families. Photo: handout

A young Filipino designer has scooped the top prize in a Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) competition for his low-cost modular housing solution that could bring relief to low-income families across Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Material science engineering graduate Earl Patrick Forlales, 23, pipped 1,200 competitors from all over the world to win the prestigious £50,000 (US$63,900) Cities For Our Future prize with his “Cubo” home concept. Made mostly of bamboo, components for the Cubo can be built off-site in one week, and the house erected in situ in only four hours.

Inspired by the bamboo shack on the outskirts of Manila that Forlales’ grandparents called home, the Cubo is first and foremost devised to be economical to build. Estimated to cost only $77 per square meter, it is constructed almost entirely of bamboo, which grows in abundance in poorer parts of the world, and is uniquely sustainable. Bamboo is also inherently good for the environment, releasing 35% more oxygen into the environment than trees, according to a report in the Guardian.

The judges agreed. “One of the reasons Earl’s entry stood out from the other finalists,” said Dr Beth Taylor, “was

 through its use of traditional, sustainable technology and materials, to solve an issue facing modern cities across the world.”

The target is to give the urban poor a chance to embrace affordable, yet dignified housing. Photo: handout

With a third of Manila’s 12 million inhabitants living in slums, Forlales now has his sights set on building Cubo homes in the Philippine capital.

“Engineered bamboo is here and it is going to stay,” says Forlales in a short video explaining the qualities and attractions of Cubo. “We know how to work the material and we can build our future cities around it.”