8 Top Local Trending News of 2014

The year 2014 was marked with a diverse list of news stories, both locally and internationally. These stories made headlines and initiated discussions all over. Before we end the year, let us look back at the top local stories and personalities which captured our interests all year round.

Here are, in my opinion, the top 8 noteworthy local trending news and personalities of 2014. Coming in at 8th place:

8. WHO GOT HITCHED?

In the local showbiz scene, 2014 saw a rise of celebrities who got engaged or tied the knot. The most notable of which will have to be the grand wedding of Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera who will be tying the knot on December 31st this year. Preparations seem to be impressive, with their prenup set in Dubai and Marian's gown fashioned by the world-renowned Michael Cinco. Their entourage will include the who's who of Philippine showbiz and politics, with no less than President Pnoy himself who's rumored to have a special part in the ceremony.

The engagement of Sen. Chiz Escudero and Heart Evangelista also spurred a bit of news with their wedding location and Heart's familial struggles. The latest wedding of Aiza Seguerra to her partner, Liza Dino, in the US made headlines as well. And then there was also that ambitious flash mob proposal of John Pratts to Isabel Oli. Other notable celebrities who got hitched or got engaged this year include Drew Arellano and Iya Villania, Jericho Rosales and Kim Jones, Yael Yuzon and Karylle, Yeng Constantino and Victor Asuncion, Bianca Gonzales and JC Intal, and the controversial Chito Miranda and Neri Naig. 2014 was indeed a year full of love in local showbiz.

7. BROADWAY DIVA

It was a whirlwind year for Broadway and West End star, Lea Salonga, who has recently become a regular presence in Philippine television with her being the coach of The Voice Kids and the latest second season of The Voice of the Philippines. Outspoken, frank and maybe a bit conceited to some, Lea Salonga remained a hot topic of discussion in 2014 for her being vocal about her opinions on certain matters. The latest of which would have to be her rants on Twitter this December regarding the leaks made online on who made it to the knockout rounds of The Voice of the Philippines Season 2. Being social media savvy, she was also very vocal about her frustration last November over Facebook accounts pretending to be her daughter. And who could forget that Daniel Padilla gaffe regarding an auditionee and the Darren Espanto comment that the latter should have won The Voice Kids?

But then, Lea Salonga is Lea Salonga. Her fellow coaches in The Voice of the Philippines have come to her defense and have affirmed that she had all the right to voice out her sentiments. True to form, Miss Salonga blew all her critics away and displayed her vocal prowess with impressive performances at the anniversary concert of Miss Saigon in West End and at the opening show of The Theater at Solaire with a twelve-minute rendition of memorable tunes of her past roles on stage. For me, Lea Salonga still stands as one of Philippines' icons in the entertainment industry. 

6. THE PACMAN

Manny Pacquiao has had a busy 2014. Possibly the most popular Filipino athlete of all time, the pambansang kamao produced not one but two boxing victories this year. Following the win over Brandon Rios in November 2013, Manny sought a rematch with Timothy Bradley after that controversial win back in 2012. In a tough fight last April 2014 held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the Pacman came out the better fighter by gaining a unanimous decision victory from the judges. And just seven months from that fight, the local boxing hero followed it up by facing WBO Light Welterweight champion Chris Algieri in Macau last November 2014. Pacquiao ruled the fight, scored six knockdowns and gained a hard earned victory via unanimous decision. Now the sights are set for 2015 on what could possibly be the long overdue fight with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Now that will be one for the books.

And if that wasn't enough for him, aside from his work as a sitting congressman of Sarangani province, he surprised everyone by announcing his intent to join the PBA as playing coach of Kia Motors, making him the oldest rookie drafted, the shortest player and the first dual-sport athlete in the PBA. His personal life also merited an achievement with the arrival of his fifth child, Israel.

2014 seemed to be very productive for Manny Pacquiao. Let's see what this will result to when he faces familiar foes in the form of the BIR and IRS.

5. SENATOR TRIO

Senators Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile earned a spot in the list this year. The senator trio came under fire in 2014 and has gained notoriety with their supposed involvement in the PDAF scam and contributing to the alleged bogus foundations of Janet Lim-Napoles. In what was considered a media circus in the Senate, privilege speeches were made, accusations were hurled, prayer vigils were held and charges were eventually filed against the three embattled senators.

In June of this year, the Sandiganbayan issued warrants of arrest for plunder and malversation of public funds against the three senators and more than 30 others. Revilla and Estrada surrendered to the Sandiganbayan and were eventually detained in Camp Crame. Due to his health and frail condition, Senator Enrile, on the other hand, was placed under hospital arrest at the Philippine General Hospital.

As of this writing, investigations on this political scandal involving the senator trio are currently ongoing.

4. VP UNDER FIRE

This year, the Philippine vice-president managed to steal the limelight from the president. 2014 has been extra controversial for the country's second highest ranking official, Vice President Jejomar Binay. Indeed, it has been an eventful year for him when a former ally in the form of Ernesto Mercado disclosed questionable decisions and projects made when Binay was still mayor of Makati. From allegations of an overpriced car park to a costly high school building in Makati to a supposed luxurious farm estate in Batangas, VP Binay had his plate full.

But he refused to budge. Binay snubbed a Senate invitation to answer all the allegations tossed at him. He also backed out from a debate with Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, citing that the latter was incapable of handling debates. His camp also resorted to diversionary tactics which eventually backfired.

As a result, his ratings have been plummeting. The 2016 presidential hopeful saw his chances dropped to 26% by November from a high of 41% last June. His trust ratings as vice president also got affected, sliding to 45% from 66% in September.

Let's see what his political machinery can come up with to save him from this mess. 2016 is still a long way ahead though. Anything can happen.

3. ICE, ICE BABY

Who can ever forget that craze called the ice bucket challenge?

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was a dare involving a bucket of ice water on someone's head to promote awareness of the disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and encourage donations to research. The challenge urged participants of having ice water poured over them and then nominating at least three persons to do the same within 24 hours or forfeit it by way of donating to the foundation.

The phenomenon went viral on social media around June to August 2014 and Filipinos gamely participated. From local celebrities like Anne Curtis, Vice Ganda, Kris Aquino, to Pinoy international stars like Lea Salonga and Apl.de.Ap., to politicians like Bongbong Marcos, Kim Henares and Leila De Lima, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge took the online world by storm. I just didn't like it when some crummy individuals took to the challenge for the sake of having fun or just showing off.

2. STUPID IS FOREVER

Known for her fearless quips and sharp tongue, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago lands high in my top local trending newsmakers of 2014. Thanks to her quotable quotes and witty punchlines, the feisty senator has been a regular in the public forum circuit this year, from graduation ceremonies to awarding rites. Tagged as Asia's Iron Lady, her comments have since generated an online trend of memes in Facebook and Twitter.

Likewise, Sen. Santiago continues to be a vocal critic on anything pertaining to government corruption and crime, fearlessly exposing suspects in legislative investigations with her legal brilliance. That is why she was elected in the United Nations as judge of the International Criminal Court, the first Filipino and first Asian from a developing country to receive such honor. Sadly, illness forced her to resign from that post. In June 2014, she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

But that didn't stop her. She bravely fought back with her signature humor and claimed that her health has vastly improved after a series of treatments. She still continues to champion against crime and corruption with her intense tirades coupled with a sense of humor. She even managed to publish a book entitled, Stupid Is Forever, a collection of her quotable quotes and witty punchlines. And now, she's eyeing again on possible running for the 2016 presidential elections. There's definitely no stopping this Iron Lady.

1. SCANDALS, SCANDALS, SCANDALS

Filipinos love their scandals. And boy, 2014 had a good deal of them. 

The hottest of them all came in the form of a bruised and beaten Vhong Navarro. Last January of this year, the comedian and It's Showtime host hogged the headlines when he was allegedly beaten up and abused by a group of men led by businessman, Cedric Lee, inside a condo unit in Taguig after an apparent sexual rendezvous with model Deniece Cornejo. The parties seemed to have varying versions of the incident with fingers pointing at each other. Eventually, Cornejo accused and charged Navarro of rape while the TV host filed illegal detention charges, serious physical injuries and extortion that placed Lee's and Cornejo's group in jail. A diversionary allegation also came out from a Roxanne Cabanero accusing Vhong of rape as well. Both rape charges were later dismissed though, and just this September, Cedric Lee and Deniece Cornejo posted bail. This on-going saga brought about a series of online memes, text jokes and video parodies. No wonder Vhong Navarro became Google Philippines' most searched term for 2014.

And then on July 2014, another scandal also took the limelight - the Paolo Bediones sex video. It can be remembered that a sex video of Bediones with an unidentified woman was circulating around the web and social media. Rumors were there had been three sex videos. Mr. Bediones sought the help of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Division after receiving a message from someone asking for a ransom. His TV network, however, supported Bediones amidst the scandal.

Another scandal that came to light this year involved Vhong Navarro's co-host and best friend, Billy Joe Crawford. Sometime September of this year, Billy Crawford got arrested and detained after he had allegedly gone wild at a police precinct in Bonifacio Global City. According to the reports, the TV host supposedly punched and damaged the precinct's glass doors out of frustration, prompting the officers on duty to arrest him. Crawford has since apologized about the incident.

In the local Cebu front, let's not forget the infamous "Beautiful Cebu Sholifter" named Jobelle Bascug. Earlier this year, she was charged with estafa for allegedly shoplifting more than Php20,000 worth of merchandise from a boutique shop in a local mall. She struck again and made headlines later this year when she supposedly ran off after availing hair and nail services from a local salon shop. But that's not all. A local Cebu resort also made claims that she failed to settle her bills amounting to Php15,000. Miss Bascug has since settled internally with the affected parties and pledged to seek treatment.

So there you have it. 2014 is almost over guys! Did your newsmakers make it to the list? Let me know your thoughts and reactions in the comments section.

Eight cents deposited!

Credits: Yahoo! Philippines, Rappler.com, ABS-CBN News, Wikipedia

8 Simple Food Joys I Can Be Satisfied With

"Simple joys bring life's sweetest pleasures." - Flavia

Life is filled with simple delights. It's those minor yet gratifying feelings you never really expect, but you'd always be pleased with. For me, food has always been one of life's greatest pleasures. And I take contentment with simple food indulgences whether on a bad or stressful day or on days when I just want to reward myself a treat.

Here is my rundown of 8 simple food joys I can be contented with, coming in at 8th place:

8. JOLLIBEE SPAGHETTI MEAL

 

This has always been an old childhood favorite. It's the classic Pinoy-style spaghetti recipe - saucy, meaty, sweet with some ham and hotdog bits and a sprinkle of cheese on top. The more sauce, the better - that's always the additional request at the counter. However, there are times when I'd have to contend with long queues in certain branches though.

7. FRUIT SALAD FROM THIRSTY!

Thirsty! has been the forerunner of the fresh juices and shakes industry in Cebu and the brand managed to innovate itself with different fruit drink concoction to serve the varied tastes of customers as well as address health consciousness. Since they serve up fruits, naturally, Thirsty! offered the fruit salad and I was pleased. Always the health buff, I love to eat fruits and the brand's no-fuss fruit salad simply satisfies that. Just fruits (without the sweet corn please) served with a bit of cream (sometimes yogurt) on top and I'm good to go.

6. ALBERTO'S PIZZA

 

I have never really been a lover of pizzas. I always thought pizzas are a bit heavy on the stomach, oily and use too much bread. My pizza preferences also tend to lean towards the sweeter ones, e.g. something with pineapples in it. But for some reason, this local brand gets me. One order of an 11-inch meat-lovers special topped with quickmelt cheese is already a perfect meal for me. It's not too oily with just the right amount of salami, ground meat and onions, and the crust sits right with my palate. And it doesn't hurt to have a bottle of Mountain Dew on the side to finish it off.


5. CORNED BEEF MEAL NEAR VELEZ HOSPITAL - My best friend, Jbee, introduced me to this one. There's this little makeshift eatery across Velez Hospital that opens at night around 8-9PM on occasional days, usually on the weekends. Taxi drivers, nurses, after-party goers, boarders and students converge here when they set up shop. The guy-in-charge cooks your meals on the spot ranging from a simple pancit canton or a beef loaf meal or some good old instant noodle soup. But what got me into it is his no-fuss canned corned beef meal. Yes, it can be a bit unhealthy because I could see him sprinkle some amount of seasoning in it, but it's how the corned beef's cooked that got me hooked. He cooks it with beaten egg and forms it like an omelet. With a generous serving of ketchup and a steaming cup of rice on the side, personally, it's a great meal to cap off a hungry stomach or an evening of drinking.

4. BEEF QUESADILLA FROM TACOS

 

This was an acquired taste which eventually became one of my favorites. I was a fan before of their nachos with ground beef and melted cheese, but that got too boring and their cheese got too runny and soupy. The beef quesadilla, on the other hand, remained a staple whenever I'd feel a bit Mexican. It's the classic unsophisticated quesadilla with ground beef, tomatoes and melted cheese with a serving of tomato sauce over it. It's just a spot-on set for me. Lately, they've become stingy with their servings though. I miss their old quesadilla which was meatier, cheesier and the sauce had this distinct flavor of tomato chunks and tomato sauce. Even so, Tacos' one whole beef quesadilla remains a simple food favorite at #4.

3. CHATIME

 

Ah, the divine joy of milk teas! Some people are addicted to coffee; I'm into this recent craze of milk teas. There are already a number of local and international milk tea brands sprouting all over the metro, some of which I've tried. But I always end up with Chatime as my favorite, simply because of their consistency on how they make their concoctions. Unlike other milk tea brands which tend to have a powdery aftertaste, bland or just boring, Chatime wins me over for their smooth and authentic taste. Plus points too for variety (an assortment of fruit teas and milk tea variations), for hot and cold options, and for letting customers choose their preferred sugar and ice levels. I try to change my orders up a bit whenever I visit, but on a stressful day, I go all out with a large QQ Milk Tea with mousse, pearls and pudding, 50% sugar and less ice. One sip of that and I'll be a happy camper. And, oh, they've got the friendliest staff at the counter, too!

2. POTATO CORNER

 

I'm a hearty french fries enthusiast and I love perfectly fried fries. Potato Corner does just that and more. If there's one thing I'd munch on whenever I'm hanging around at the mall or out to watch a movie or just plain hungry or stressed, Potato Corner's french fries is a no-brainer as medicine for my cravings. Seriously, I can devour an order of cheese-flavored Terra or Giga fries and be happy with it. The most satisfying is when I'm almost done and it's time to lick off the cheese from my fingers, or when I get excited if there are still some cheese bits inside the carton. Aaah, heaven! It's fun too if you're enjoying it with friends and before you know it, the carton's empty!

1. MASTER SIOMAI

Siomai has been around for generations and usually served in Chinese dimsum restaurants as a standard appetizer or main course. But lately, the siomai has surged in popularity as a street food with vendors selling them in public places such us terminals, schools, churches, etc. It has even managed to place itself in the food cart industry. Enter Master Siomai! There's never really much of a difference with the siomai this brand is offering. Heck, their siomai is even small! But for some strange unknowing reason, I loooooove their siomai and I can't get enough of them! I'm never really a fan too of chili, but I get delightful satisfaction in having more chili sauce on my siomai order. And they serve yummy sago't gulaman too! On a good day, an order of Japanese siomai topped with a heaping amount of chili and washed with toyo and calamansi plus two cups of sago't gulaman on the side and two pieces of poso whenever I feel like it - that's just sheer perfection for me!

So there you have it. We all have our ideas on foods which make us feel good on a given day. What's your ultimate comfort food? Let me know in the comments section!

Eight cents deposited!

Credits: Jollibee, Thirsty! Fresh Fruit Juices and Shakes, Alberto's, Taco's, Mountain Dew, Chatime, Potato Corner, Master Siomai, www.iluvcebu.com, www.foodspotting.com

PRIMER

 

So I'm at it again with blogging. And yes, I'll be maintaining two blogs.

Don't worry. Fifty Shades Of Gemini is still up and running. That blog is basically reserved for personal thoughts, rants, raves, and a hodge-podge of stories with what's going on with my life.

This, on the other hand, is a bit different. Here, I'll just be having fun. Here, I'll just be listing off, counting down, or enumerating pieces of interest to me whether about a certain TV series, or a favorite hang-out place, or about showbiz, or about food. I guess I got inspired from that local TV series, Ang Pinaka. The possibilities are endless so I'm pretty excited with this one.

And I'll be limiting my lists to eight items only. Why eight? Hmm, my birthday falls on the 8th and it's my favorite number. So huwag na magreklamo! Haha!

And so...welcome to Bodie's Eight Cents Worth! Hope you'll enjoy and follow! My first entry will be up in a few.

Eight cents deposited!