Calabarzon sent highest number of Pinoy workers abroad in 2010, govt says

Region IV-A (Calabarzon) sent the most number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in 2010 —327,000 workers or 16 percent of some 2.04 million workers who left the country that year, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said.

According to a statement released by the NSCB about the 2010 statistics on OFWs, the next two regions that sent the most number of OFWs abroad in that year were:

• Region III (Central Luzon): 294,000 (or 14.4 percent of the total number of OFWs who left the country), and
• the National Capital Region: 282,000 (or 13.8 percent).

 
Meanwhile, Region XIII (Caraga), Region IV-B (Mimaropa), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) sent the least number of overseas workers with each sending less than 2 percent of the total number of OFWs who left the country in 2010.
 
“Increasing numbers of OFWs are coming from the Ilocos Region, Central Visayas and Cagayan Valley,” the state-run statistics agency said.

NSCB cited that from 2008 to 2010, the number of overseas workers in the Ilocos Region jumped almost twice to 294,000 from 156,000.
 
“Overall, for every 10 women who work abroad as OFWs, there are 11 men,” the statement read.
 
Still, in some regions, sex distribution among OFWs differed.  
 
In Region XII (Soccsksargen), Region II (Cagayan Valley), Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and CAR, for every 10 female overseas workers, there are only three to five male, based in the 2008 to 2010 records.
 
“There is a very slight trend that our OFWs are getting older but their average age has been consistently about 34.4 years,” NSCB noted.
 
The statistics agency explained that male OFWs are older at 36 year old, while female overseas worker’s average age were only posted at 34.
 
The largest number of OFWs generally came from the 25 to 29 age group, representing about 25 percent of all overseas workers, NSCB cited.
 
“Our young kababayans are leaving the country for work, spending probably the most productive years of their lives away from their families and their friends,” NSCB stated.
 
However, female OFWs outnumber their male counterparts in the younger age group.
 
With overseas workers aged 15-24, there are only six men in 10 women who were leaving the country for work. In the age group of 25 to 29, there were nine men OFWs for every 10 women.
 
“This calls attention to the greater vulnerability of our female OFWs compared to male OFWs,” NSCB warned.
 
According to the statistics agency, 76 percent of the OFWs were hired in the occupational groups: laborers and unskilled workers, those engaged in trade and related works, service workers and shop and market sales workers, and plant and machine operators and assemblers.
 
Professionals and technicians and associate professionals comprise about 10 percent.
 
Female overseas workers, NSCB noted, are predominantly working as laborers and unskilled workers (domestic helpers), clerks, and service workers and shop and market sales workers.
 
Where do OFWs go?
 
According to NSCB, 79 out of 100 overseas workers work in Asia, while 9 OFWs would be working in Europe and 8 workers will be based in North and South America. Both Australia and Africa will have 2 OFWs in their continents per 100 overseas workers.
 
The three biggest work destination countries of OFWs were Saudi Arabia (21 out of 100), United Arab Emirates (15 out of 100), and Malaysia (10 out of 100), the statistics agency said.
 
Meanwhile, based on the 2010 stock estimates of the Commission on Filipino Overseas, the top 10 destination of Filipinos including OFWs and emigrants were:

1. United States, with 3,166,529 Filipinos
2. Saudi Arabia, 1,512,539
3. Canada, 667,674
4. United Arab Emirates, 636,154
5. Australia, 345,592
6. Malaysia, 316,273
7. Japan, 290,358
8. United Kingdom 196,740
9. Hong Kong, 169,749
10. Kuwait, 169,106
- VVP, GMA News

Jessica Sanchez wows crowd in 'American Idol' finale

Jessica Sanchez lost no time in letting viewers know she’s “in it to win it” by delivering a powerhouse rendition of “I Have Nothing” just minutes after “American Idol” Season 11 finale began Wednesday morning (PHL time; Tuesday night in the US West Coast).

 

The petite 16-year-old Filipina-American-Mexican sang the Whitney Houston song for round 1 of the top-rating show.

 

Phillip Phillips, the other finalist, on the other hand, sang “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King, accompanied by bongos and an electric guitar.

 

AI judge Randy Jackson said round 1 went to Sanchez, making the crowd go wild.

 

For round 2, the finalists got to relive their favorite performances in this season.

 

Sanchez sang "The Prayer" by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli while Phillips chose "Movin' Out" by Billy Joel.

 

AI judge Steven Tyler said Sanchez won the second round, but Jennifer Lopez, another judge, thought Phillips won it. 

 

Jackson believed it was dead even.

 

For the last round, the two finalists sang songs that would be their first single if they win the finals.

 

Sanchez's song is the pop ballad "Change Nothing", which is about love.

 

Lopez said a pop ballad should not be Sanchez's first single considering that the young singer has a lot of soul.

 

Jackson wasn't such a fan of the new song, but loved how Sanchez made more out of it. He also advised her to put in some "urban swag" into her songs.

 

Phillips' song, on the other hand, is an acoustic song entitled "Home" and he received a standing ovation from the audience after singing it.

 

Jackson said everything about it was perfect, from the production, the song, the band, and Phillips himself.

 

Lopez thought it was moving and different, while Tyler believed Phillips was "perfect" and sounded like Paul Simon.

 

Voting for US residents will run for four hours right after the performances.

 

The winner will be revealed on Thursday morning (PHL time). 

'A natural'

 

"She's a natural," said Filipino musician Jim Paredes in an interview on GMA News TV’s News to Go after Sanchez's final performance.

 

"At 16 years old and you can do that, my gosh! What are you going to do at 20? Parang pagaling lang nang pagaling from this point on. Hindi 'yun downhill," said Paredes.

 

He noted that Sanchez had an advantage in terms of being more mysterious than Phillips. “’Yungmold na babae na bata na minority, there's more myth about that. Mas average lang si Phillip in terms of what he is—he’s a white singer na magaling kumanta. Parang there's more mystery kay Jessica," he said.

 

Paredes also said it's important to choose the right song.

 

"May limitations din ang song. A singer can only do so much with a song. Considering that it's ‘American Idol,’ sometimes you don't even do the whole song; you do one half of the song only," he said, adding that a singer must capture the audience at once. 

 

"Within a few seconds dapat may takeoff ka na. That's why all of the songs that they choose, parangright away you up the ante already, may birit na," he said.

 

Paredes said that Sanchez is a versatile singer, but her natural style seems to be R&B. "'Yung kulot ng boses niya, 'yung kanyang dating, ‘yung kanyang mga birit, I think 'yun ang nakasanayan niya," he said.

 

He also said that winning “American Idol” would be "the icing on the cake." 

 

"I think she definitely has a career. The world has taken notice of her," he said, noting that others before her were successful even without winning first place on “American Idol.” — Karen Galarpe and Carmela G. Lapeña/LBG, GMA News

Pinoy fans gush after Jessica Sanchez does Whitney in finale

 For Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips, it’s finally over. They have done their best throughout the Season 11 of the singing reality competition "American Idol."

Now, all that the final two contestants have to do are to rely on the votes of their supporters and wait for the verdict during the final show tomorrow -- May 23 in the US (May 24 in the morning in Manila).
 
Sanchez and Phillips battled it out on performance night on Tuesday (Wednesday morning in Manila) when they had to sing three songs each.

According to an earlier report, the crowd went wild after "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson said Round 1 belonged to Filipina-American-Mexican Sanchez, 16, who sang “I Have Nothing” by the late Whitney Houston.
 

In Round 2, the finalists sang their favorites in this season.

While Sanchez sang "The Prayer," Phillips chose "Movin' Out" by Billy Joel.

Judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler had different opinions when they handed it out to Phillips and Sanchez respectively.

Jackson, on the other hand, thought both second round performances were “dead even.”

For the third and final round, the two finalists sang songs that would be their first single if they win the finals.

 

Sanchez's song is the pop ballad "Change Nothing", which is about love, picked by Simon Fuller, creator and executive producer of "American Idol." 
 
Lopez and Jackson both agreed that the song choice ‘limited’ her performance though they commended her for making more out of it.

On Twitter, fans were full of praises for Sanchez:
 
Patricia Q.: “Jessica Sanchez sings I Have Nothing . OMG. #TotallyWinning”
 
Maxine Colby: “Yesterday, LADY GAGA,Today, CJ CORONA, Tomorrow, JESSICA SANCHEZ: mga GAGA si Jessica mag-uuwi ng CORONA now ! #Round 2 #Corona in ICU.”
 
Raven Blu Jay™: “Ohh God!! Jessica Sanchez just sent everybody into the heavens when she sang The Prayer.”
 
♫ Menox ♫:  “Jessica Sanchez - "The Prayer" may have been her most stunning perf all season. Ugh! Poise. Musicality. Emotion. Conviction. Wow. #idol”
 
Ariana Nova:“Change Nothing- Jessica Sanchez ....I'd buy it.”
 - VVP/HS, GMA News

Jessica vows to give her all in 'Idol' finale

MANILA, Philippines – “Whether I lose or win, it’s like a win-win thing for me because I’m in the Top 2.”

This is what Filipino-Mexican-American singer Jessica Sanchez said in an exclusive interview with Fox All Access days before the “American Idol” finale.

Sanchez said she never thought she would be where she is now, with just a win away from becoming the next "American Idol". 

Sanchez was almost sent home after she got the lowest number of votes during the top 7 week on “Idol” only to be saved by the judges.

She, however, said she is glad that “all the dedication I’ve put into this has paid off a lot.”

“I’m a 16-year-old working really really hard. This is what I really wanted my whole life. I’ve just been hustling even since,” she said.

Sanchez admitted she is really a perfectionist and competitive by nature, and being on “Idol” has taught her a lot of things.

“I’ve been in so many competitions. I’m really competitive and I’m a perfectionist. It’s not like I’m competing with other people. It’s like I’m competing with myself. I just want to top myself in every performance. But this whole competition has changed that because...being with these people, they have taught me so much,” she said.

Sanchez said she actually feels home just by being around so many musicians on “Idol.”

“I’ve never had many talented people or that much home with me. I’ve never been around so many musicians and it feels like I’m in my place,” she said.

According to the San Diego native, she actually thought she was the one going home last week, not Joshua Ledet.

“Last week I thought I was gonna be eliminated that’s why the whole time I was smiling. And when they called my name, I looked like I was hit by a truck. That night my song choices, I knew they weren’t the best. That whole night I was just trying to be positive about everything that’s why I was smiling throughout my whole songs,” she said.

Sanchez, meantime, said she is confident with her song choices for the finale.

“I believe they are. We’ll see what America thinks but I love my songs choices. I’m comfortable with all my songs. I’m really excited to perform them,” she said.

On Tuesday night (Wednesday morning in Manila), Sanchez will face off with Georgia’s Phillip Phillips.

Asked how ready she is for it, Sanchez said: “I’m just gonna bring it all out. I’m just gonna put my heart into every song I will sing. I’ll just do my best for the finale.”

Pinoy students triumph in Future Minds tourney in Spain

Three students from the University of the Philippines won the grand prize in a competition in Spain sponsored by a leading multinational technology firm in Europe and Latin America.

The Indra Future Minds international competition for students sponsored by Indra, aims to find solutions to the challenges faced by the business sector, such as globalization, multiculturalism, and collaborative networking.

Erwin Soleta, Maria Katrina Volante and Benedict Ivan Andrade clinched their victory in the competition’s second edition “by resolving the final Smart Cities case, which is based on an actual Indra project for the City of Barcelona,” the Philippine embassy in Madrid reported.

The Philippines, the only participating Asian country, bested teams from Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Spain, Colombia, Czech Republic and Argentina.

The three Filipino students will be offered the opportunity to join Indra.

Advocacy group HealthJustice wins prestigious Bloomberg award

A Filipino organization actively working to reduce the tobacco epidemic has been selected to receive the Bloomberg Awards.

HealthJustice Philippines was chosen among thousands of organizations for demonstrating excellent progress or achievement in the implementation of Monitoring as required in the MPOWER policies.

The MPOWER strategy, established by the World Health Organization, are the six most effective — and proven — tobacco control interventions: Monitoring the epidemic and prevention policies, protecting people from secondhand smoke, offering help to people who want to quit, warning about the dangers of tobacco, enforcing bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship, raising taxes and prices.

“Our awardees represent the thousands of heroes who are taking on the fight against tobacco in their countries, regions, and cities every day. We are honoring those who have shown exemplary progress since our efforts commenced in 2007, and we hope their work will inspire to achieve similar success,” said Michael Bloomberg, philanthropist and New York City mayor during the awards ceremony for Bloomberg Awards for Global Tobacco Control held at the 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health.

HealthJustice president Dr. Daniel Tan received the award on behalf of the organization. Dr. Tan shared the award with local partners in the Philippines who have fought hard to prevent and counter tobacco industry interference.

HealthJustice Managing Director Irene Reyes described it as “encouraging and affirming to have international support when working in a country where tobacco grabs the crown from the grips of public health”.

Other awardees include Turkish National Coalition on Tobacco or Health, Uruguay Ministry of Health, Corporate Accountability International Colombia, Fundacion para la Educacion y el Esarrollo Social, and Egypt’s Ministry of Finance.

National Geographic showcases Phl travel destinations

A six-part series showcasing the travel destinations in the Philippines is coming out in the National Geographic Channel, the government said yesterday.

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez said they intend to showcase and promote the country’s different destinations through various international networks.

An intensified promotional campaign is essential to lure foreign tourists to the Philippines, he added.

In the United Kingdom, 25 double-deck buses and 50 black cabs now sport a uniform design of the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” slogan and logo and different faces of the Philippines, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.

Subway stations, on the other hand, feature images of the Ifugao rice terraces and the Puerto Princesa Underground River, both proclaimed as World Heritage Sites, the DOT added.

Jimenez said the timely execution of the ads has been deliberate and well studied.

“Imagine the gross impact of these ads,” he said.

Jimenez said London has a population of about 7.5 million and attracts around 15 million international visitors.

“We are generating awareness, not only among the British population, but also among visitors to the United Kingdom, rated number seven among the most visited countries in the world.”

Jimenez said the two-week advertising campaign in buses and underground railways coincides with the worldwide marketing campaign through CNN International.

The campaign through the London cabs will continue until early next year, he added.

Jimenez said the campaign would bring the opportunity to capture the millions of visitors attending the Queen’s Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics and the season 2012-2013 of the Fulham Football Club of the English Premier League, estimated to draw 690 million household viewers.

The London cabs come with a 30-minute digital ad which will feature the 30-seconder “It’s more fun in the Philippines” TVC and 15-seconder tarsier TVC recently launched worldwide via network giant CNN, he added.

Jimenez said the DOT is the very first national tourism organization to advertise through the taxis’ digital platform and these will be shown in the 1,400 units that Verifone Media owns.

“We will soon furnish these cabs with flyers to contain more fun information,” he said.

Different Philippine posters are also found at strategic stops near London’s tourist areas like Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus and Tottenham Court Road.

Vertical posters and escalator panels feature the underground river and rice terraces through the memes, “The Underground: More Fun in the Philippines” and “Stairway to Heaven: More Fun in the Philippines.”

The DOT said the UK is a major tourist market for the Philippines, being the top generator from this region. Last year, it ranked 9th overall with an unprecedented 104,000 arrivals, registering a 7.78 percent increase over the 2010 performance.

Jimenez expressed confidence that the country would be able to lure more tourists from the UK to visit the Philippines through the current publicity efforts and other promotional activities.

(Story courtesy of Philippine Star’s Mayen Jaymalin)