Three Filipino-American Producers Score Oscar Gold Tonight!

Gigi Dement, Stephanie Walmsley and Stephen Dypiangco - three Filipino-American producers of the short film - Gods of Love - won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short tonight!

Gigi Dement was born in Baguio City and is the daughter of Deane Dement, a sailor in the American navy, and Manolita Almario Buenaventura Borja, an actress. A graduate of New York University (NYU), where she took both her undergraduate degree in film and television and her masters in film, Gigi has produced 15 films and directed 4 of her own.

Stefanie Walmsley was born and raised in Manila and hosted Eat Bulaga, and at 18, acted opposite Bob Hoskins in Showtime’s Noriega: God’s Favorite, and was later cast as the adopted daughter of Chad Lowe and Kristin Davis in The John Denver Story.

Stephen Dypiangco is based in LA and is the son of Filipino immigrants Oscar and Lucila Dypiangco. He earned his MFA in film production from NYU. His short documentary, Made in the Bronx, was a regional finalist for the Student Academy Awards and won the Best Documentary prize at the Starz First Look Student Film Festival. His narrative short Clean screened at the Asian American International Film Festival, the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival and many others.

 

Below is the trailer of this Oscar-winning live action short -

Azkals Finally Seeded in ASEAN Suzuki Cup 2012 competition

I was so happy to read in the papers today that our very own Azkals is now a seeded team in the 2012 Asean Suzuki Cup!  It just means that we don't have to qualify for it anymore, like what we did in 2010, where we ended up runner-up in the qualifying division, losing to Laos. This time around, we get into the final six and fight with the big boys - pronto! Well, we have beaten two of the teams there so we hope to do better next time around, maybe even reaching the finals!

In Support of Mining

I am a beneficiary of the earnings from a mining company.  If not from the benefactor of Atlas Mining, I wouldn't have had access to a La Salle education and we might not have had an idyllic childhood in a beautiful place up, up there in the mountains of Cebu.  I am writing this because I have heard of the signature campaign of a group headed by Ms. Gina Lopez that wants to gather ten million signatures against mining.  Well, there have been many environmental incidents which abusive mining companies have caused but there are laws now in place and implementation is important.  We have the DENR and we have the media so people are now definitely watching.  Mining is really a viable economic activity and should stem the continued exodus of our fellowmen.  It should also, in the end, help the communities they are in.  There should be a win-win situation for all and not make mining a culprit to all the ills in our society.

Whistleblowers as Heroes: The Bravery of Heidi Mendoza

It's not easy to become a whistleblower, especially in a country as corrupt as the Philippines.  The odds are just so stacked against you, it's wiser to actually just keep your eyes and mouths closed.  But not Heidi Mendoza, the latest whistleblower who has blown off the lid in the corrupt practices of our own Philippine generals!  Bravo Heidi!  You have the whole Filipino people behind you and I know your conscience will not let you rest that's why you had to do what you had to do.  Be brave and we'll be praying for your safety.  Something really has to be done to expose the corrupt practices of our military since a lot of money just goes to their pockets while the lowly foot soldier does not even have the correct battle gear to suit him up to fight the insurgents properly.  Que horror!