ABS-CBN.com counts down the biggest news of 2009!

ABS-CBN.com conducted a poll on the biggest news that created the most buzz in 2009 and the Kapamilya online community voted the passing of former President Corazon Aquino as the biggest news of 2009 with 46% of votes. Mrs. Aquino died last August 1 after over a year of battling colon cancer. The woman hailed as Philippine’s mother of democracy left a nation in grief but revitalized the Filipino spirit. The government offered a state funeral for the former leader, but the Aquino family opted for a simpler wake and burial. But this did not prevent the millions of Filipinos from flocking to the Manila Cathedral for the public viewing. World leaders and international organizations also expressed their condolences to the Filipinos who seemed to have lost a mother. President Cory’s youngest child, Queen of All Media Kris Aquino expressed her deepest gratitude to everyone who showed their love for her mother. Kris’s brother, Senator Noynoy Aquino later announced his decision to run for the presidency in the 2010 national elections as his way of protecting and continuing his mother’s legacy of peace and progress.

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Christine Reyes will soon move into her new home!

Matapos ang trahedyang sinapit sa kamay ni Bagyong Ondoy, kung saan ilang oras din siyang na-stranded kasama ang ilang kapamilya sa bubong ng kanilang bahay sa Provident Village, Marikina, unti-unti na di umanong bumabangon si Christine Reyes upang maibalik sa normal ang pamumuhay nilang mag-anak. Sa kasalukuyan, nakatira pa rin daw sila ng kanyang ina sa bahay ng ate niyang si Ara Mina. Ngunit sa kabila nito’y patuloy pa rin daw ang pag-aayos niya sa binili niyang bagong matitirahan nila.

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Jericho Rosales finally speaks up about his heroic deeds during Typhoon Ondoy

Jericho Rosales was one of the celebrities who risked their lives to help save the victims of the Ondoy tragedy. Jericho braved rising floodwaters using only his surfboard to rescue people stranded in their homes. “Wala 'yun, maraming-marami pang iba na hindi kilala na nagtutulong-tulong. Saludo talaga ako. God bless the family of the construction worker who saved 30 lives [and died after one rescue]. Kasi wala naman ['yun ginawa ko, e], matagal na akong nagsu-surf, ten years na. Kaya ko namang mag-paddle sa tubig, eh. To be honest with you I didn’t want any interview about that because I believe na kung ano yung ginawa ko, it's not that great.”



Jericho admitted that the heavy rains brought about by Typhoon Ondoy were scary, but he realized that he should not just sit and wait in his home until the flood subsided. He said that he needed to take action and help those who needed to be rescued.

“For me, the great thing about it, I guess, [is that] I hoped I inspired other people to help as well. For example, my friends, a day after [the storm] lumabas sila, dala-dala na nila ang surfboards nila. Buong Aloha team namin, surfers talaga, nandun na sa Pasig at sa Cainta. More than 20 of them. The next day nasa helicopter na sila dropping off [relief] goods.”

The actor also reacted to criticisms that he only went out to help his neighbors for the sake of publicity. “There are many ways to promote myself, but you know kung ano man ang naiisip ninyo I don’t actually need to promote myself because it's not really my job. I'm not running for politics.”

Jericho also revealed some of the incidents that have left their mark on him since then. “Merong time noong gabi na nagpa-paddle ako sa streets, hindi ko kabisado talaga. Natatakot ako [sa current kasi a] few hundred meters away, ilog na 'yun, e. Sumisigaw kami, 'May tao ba diyan?’ [Then] biglang may sisigaw. Then there was one question that hit me, [someone asked,] 'Titigil ba ang ulan?' Sabi ko, 'Titigil po in Jesus's name. May tutulong na po diyan.’ They just wanted to talk to me [for] assurance lang. Sabi ko, 'May MMDA na po diyan, may salbabida po kami. Ito po ang linya magkakabit po kami. Kailangan po namin ng hagdan.’ True enough, tumigil ang ulan. It was one of the most solid at totoong time sa buhay ko.”

The actor had preferred not to talk about what he had done since he felt no need for it. But Genesis, the talent management agency he belongs to, enlightened him. “I was asking Sir Gary (Valenciano) and my pastors. Sabi ko, 'What's the point of [talking about it in public?]’ They said, 'Point is, you inspire other people to do it so go ahead and talk about it, tell them what you did.’ I've been invited to some relief centers and I asked, 'What am I going to do there?' They say, 'Just talk to them.' Parang 'yun ang time na na-realize ko how depressed our country was that time. 'Yung simpleng encouragement lang talaga na-boost ang morale nila.”

The tragedy has also left him some life lessons he won’t likely forget. “What I learned from the bagyo is that it doesn't really matter who you are. It really doesn't matter where you are standing. It doesn't matter whether you live in a big house or you're driving a nice car. What matters is what you are and what's inside your heart. Sabi ko 'nung araw na 'yun, habang nagpa-paddle ako, 'Kapag tayo binaha, hinubaran at walang matitira, pare-pareho lang tayo."

“Sa buhay ng tao may oras para tumawa, may oras para umiyak. May oras para magpugay, may oras para magluksa. May oras para manahimik, may oras para mag-ingay. Sa buhay natin may mga oras na ganito dumadaan ang bagyo, 'di ba?” Ang purpose ng ulan minsan is to clean the air, clean the environment. Maybe a tragedy like this happened in our lives to clean our hearts to clean our mind, to clear away all the bad things in our lives. And that after the rainy days, the sun will shine again.”

He also had words of encouragement for the survivors of Ondoy and for the whole Philippines. “I'm so sure po na kung ano man ang nangyayari ngayon ay may magandang epekto. Mas magiging matibay kayong tao, mas magkakaroon kayo ng maraming kaibigan. Mas magkakaroon kayo ng malinaw na pananaw sa buhay at mas makikilala niyo si God kung sino talaga siya. God just wants to make you feel that He loves you unconditionally. He just wants to make you restore [your life] at iayos ang lahat ng bagay. Don't waste your time thinking about negative stuff. Start thinking about good things. If you're going to spend your time thinking about something, think about good things and it will actually make you feel good.”

Source

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Angel Locsin’s net worth is P100 million!

Angel Locsin spent almost P1 million for Typhoon Ondoy victims. She has so much money that detractors accused of getting from her rich Chinese lover. And why not? She bought a house at the beachfront of a private resort in San Juan, Batangas in cash. The four-story commercial building in Don Antonio Royale Estate will be paid in cash this October. The extension of her house on the lot she bought last year is under construction.


Estimated to be worth P100 million, Angel has accumulated above properties plus the Mindanao Renata property, vehicles (Savana, Hummer, Vios, and a private bus), the Don Antonio house where she shacks, its adjacent lot, a Boracay condo, the Commonwealth condo, a Tagaytay lot, a Bulacan lot, a Sta. Rosa, Laguna lot, Ethan Allen furnitures, jewelries, designer bags, and millions in the bank.

A quiet and simple woman, Angel accumulated them over the years with blood, sweat, and tears. She’s not the type who would flaunt her acquisitions. Where is Angel getting the money? She is an actress and one of the highest paid endorsers. Her dad knows where to invest her hard-earned money. Most of her properties are income-generating. Her condo along Commonwealth Ave., her first acquired property, her condo in Bora, and Mindanao Avenue are being rented. She also rents out her private bus.

Solid and liquid, Angel has no need for a rich benefactor as she works hard for her money.

Source:Edgar O. Cruz, www.stir.ph

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Gerald Anderson finally speaks about his celebrated heroic act

Matapos ang mabilis na pagkalat ng balita kaugnay ng ipinamalas niyang kabayanihan noong kasagsagan ng Bagyong Ondoy sa subdibisyon nila sa Vista Real Classica sa Quezon City, kanina ay nagsalita na rin sa SNN si Gerald Anderson patungkol dito.


Wala di umanong kamalay-malay si Gerald na habang sumusuong siya sa rumaragasang baha’y kinukuhaan siya ng litrato ng ilang mga kapitbahay niya. Ani pa niya, ang pinaka-concern lamang daw niya noong mga oras na iyo’y masigurong ligtas sa kapahamakan ang mga nakatira sa kalapit-bahay gayong delikado na talaga ang sitwasyon. Kaya naman nang marinig niya ang malawakang pagbabahagi ng isang nagpapasalamat na kapitbahay, sadyang hindi raw niya maiwasang makaramdam ng lubos na pagtaba ng puso.

Isang honor daw sa parte niya ang mabigyan ng pagkakataong tumulong sa mga nangangailangan. At kaugnay ng ngayo’y laganap na pagtingin sa kanya ng publiko bilang bayani, agad namang nagbigay ng isang mapagkumbabang mensahe ang binata sa lahat. “Gusto ko po i-clear out yung tuwing tinatawag akong hero or bayani; nakakahiya talaga kasi yung mga tunay na heroes o bayani andiyan sila sa labas ngayon, yung mga tumutulong ngayon.”

Source:Heidi Anicete, abs-cbnNEWS.com

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Cristine Reyes cherishes family and friends more after Ondoy tragedy

Ramdam pa rin ni Cristine Reyes ang trauma na inabot nila ng pamilya niya dahil sa bagong Ondoy. Wala pa rin siyang tigil sa pagpapasalamat kay Richard sa pagsagip sa kanya ng aktor mula sa bubong ng bahay nila sa Provident Village sa Marikina City. “Sobrang, hindi ako makapaniwala na nandu’n siya sa tapat ng bahay namin. Kasi kapag nagkikita kami tahimik lang. Feeling ko tahimik lang. Hindi siya nagsasalita. Hindi ko rin alam na darating siya. Pero sa mind niya, hindi niya ine-expect na nandu’n ako sa kalagayan na ‘yon,” umpisa ni Cristine.

May nagtataka naman kukng bakit si Richard at hindi ang ex-boyfriend niyang si Dennis Trillo ang tinext niya para iligtas siya nu’ng kasagsagan ngn bagyong Ondoy? “Hindi ko po alam. Hindi ko na naisip bakit si Richard ang ang-rescue sa akin at hindi siya. Kasi nu’ng time na ‘yun kung sino lang ang ma-i-text ko sige.” Hindi man lang ba siya tinext ni Dennis? “Ah, hindi na siguro magandang pag-usapan pa ‘yun. Basta ang sa akin importante’yung ngayon, eh. Nabuhay kami. Huwag na lang nating istorbohin pa ‘yung ibang tao. Kasi for sure siya rin may inaalala rin ang pamilya niya.”

Speaking of pamilya, dahil sa nangyari ay mas na-realize niya ang value ng kanyang mga kapatid especially ang kanyang ate na si Ara Mina. “Matagal na kaming bati ni Ate. Actually, lahat kaming magkakapatid. Lahat kasi kami palaging nag-uusap, ganyan-ganyan, Pero ngayon kapag kailangan ng isang kapatid ng tulong, lahat kami to the rescue.”

Ano naman ang sa tingin niya ang maibibigay niyang kapalit sa paglililgats sa kanya ni Richard? “Ah, actually, ‘yun nga ang iniisip ko. After nu’ng ginawa ni Richard, hindi ko alam kung papano ko papalitan, kung paano ko susuklian ‘yun. Kaya nga lagi ko’ng sinasabi kay Chard kulang ‘yung salitang thank you para sa ‘yo. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ibabalik ‘yun. Sobrang laki ng utang na loob ko sa kanya. Buhay niya ‘yun, e. Buhay niya. Kaya sobrang bilib ako kay Chard.”

Pinuri-puri din ni Cristine ang ina ni Richard na si Anabelle Rama. “Ay, salamat. Actually, pagdating dito lumapit agad ako kay Tita Anabelle. Sobra po akong nagpapasalamat sa kanya kasi alam kong nag-aalala siya ng sorba kay Richard. Dahil kung alam lang po ninyo talaga na sobrang grabe ang sinuong niya. Nag-thank you ako sa kanya na maraming salamat sa tulong. ‘Tsaka sabi ko sa kanya, hindi talaga biro ’yung nangyari sa amin. Thankful ako kasi nand’yan ‘yung pamilya niya. Sina Tito Eddie, pati si Ruffa Gutierrez nandu’n din. Hindi ko ine-expect na of all people sila ‘yung nandun at sasalubong sa akin. Sobrang salamat. Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Tita, kulang ang thank you, kulang ‘yun. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ibabalik ‘yun.”

Samantala, nilinaw ni Cristine ang balitang babalik daw siya sa Banana Split. “Hindi na,” ngiti ni Cristine. May balita kasi na mag-ge-guest siya sa show lalo na ngayon na araw-araw ng napapanood ang programa. “Ah, hirap sila sa schedule ko kasi everyday po akong may work. Shooting-taping, taping-shooting ako hanggang Sunday. Iniimbitahan po nila ako . Pero hindi talaga pwede. Kahit ako naman okay lang sa akin. Kaya lang hindi talaga pwede.” Hindi kaya dahil ayaw niyang makatrabaho ulit ang mga kasama niya sa show? “Hindi, actually, friends na kami nina Angelica (Panganiban), nina Pokwang, e. After nu’ng nangyari sa akin sa baha, sinabi ko sa sarili ko na parang ayoko nang magkaroon ng hatred sa ibang tao. Nakapag-usap na rin kami.” So, wala na siyang mga kagalit? “Wala na. ‘Tsaka ayoko nang magkaroon ng mga ganyang bagay. Minsan lang ang buhay, eh.”

Source:Cristine Reyes cherishes family and friends more after Ondoy tragedy, ABS-CBN.com

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