Philippines Get Ready for Wonder Girls’2 Different Tears

Filipino Wonder Girls fans are ready to spread the wonder with a launching event for 2 Different Tears. Earlier, we reported about the launching of 2 Different Tears in China on August 9th, but Chinese fans are not the only ones getting their hands on Wonder Girls latest mini-album. Universal Music Philippines, better known as MCA Music, together with Wonder Girls’ Philippine fan base, WonderFulPh, and music channel MYX, will be celebrating a launching event for the Philippine version of the album on August 7th from 10:00AM onwards at Astroplus at SM North Edsa The Block and Odyssey at SM Megamall.

Though Wonder Girls will not be attending these events, Filipino fans who participate will not only be able to buy the album before the official release on August 9th, but they’ll get tons of freebies and will be able to take part in contests and even send a video message to the Wonder Girls. Wonder Girls’ Nobody became one of the most popular Kpop songs in the Philippines  and some say it might have been the biggest helper for the current Kpop craze in the country. MCA Music and Wonder Girls fans hope for the first official release of a Wonder Girls album in the Philippines to be a huge success. (kpoplive)

Take a look at some of the preparations for the big event!

Filipino-Australian Young Model, Actress and TV Host Anne Curtis

Anne Ojales Curtis-Smith, also known as Anne Curtis (born on 17 February 1985 in Yarrawonga, Victoria, Australia) is a Filipino-Australian actress, model, television host, and VJ.

Born Anne Ojales Curtis-Smith is the eldest daughter of Carmen Ojales, a Filipina and James Curtis-Smith, an Australian  lawyer. She has 3 siblings, a sister (Jasmine) and a brother (Thomas) who are currently living in Australia with her mother, and their baby Clare, who died at four-months-old.

She is presently managed by Viva Artists Agency.

Filipino Girls Among Biggest Smokers in the World —WHO

MANILA, Philippines the World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates World No Tobacco Day, highlighting that the average of philippines smoker girls is higher than the golbal average.
Tobacco use is the second cause of death globally (after hypertension) and is currently responsible for killing 1 in 10 adults worldwide. It is an epidemic, the WHO says, but a preventable one. The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2010 is “Gender and Tobacco,” with an emphasis on marketing to women. WHO will use the day to draw particular attention to the harmful effects of tobacco marketing and smoking on women and girls.The main marketing message by the tobacco companies is that women and girls who smoke relate better socially,  are more tasteful, and are more attractive to men. Women comprise about 20% of the world’s more than 1 billion smokers. However, the epidemic of tobacco use among women is increasing in some countries, including the Philippines.Women are a major target of opportunity for the tobacco industry, which need to recruit new users since old users are dying prematurely from tobacco-related diseases.
Targeting adolescent girls
Especially troubling is the rising prevalence of tobacco use among girls. A new WHO report, “Women and Health: Today’s Evidence, Tomorrow’s Agenda,” points to evidence that tobacco advertising increasingly targets girls. Data from 151 countries show that 7% of adolescent girls smoke cigarettes as opposed to 12% of adolescent boys.  In some countries, almost as many girls smoke as boys.

The Philippine data is higher than the global average. According to the latest WHO report, the smoking percentage of Filipinos in the age group 13-15 years is 22.7% with more boys smoking than girls who are, nevertheless, catching up. It also represents a 6.8% increase from the previous WHO report. Despite the passage of the Tobacco Control Act of 2003, more young Filipinos are smoking today. Since 2007, separate bills have been pending with lawmakers to introduce the printing of graphic health warnings instead of text in cigarette packages. This is in keeping with a global survey of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance that showed young people were more responsive to graphic warnings compared to text warnings.

Cabral ignores slow Congress

However,  Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral could no longer wait for the long-delayed action by Congress.Last May 24, the Philippines joined countries that use picture-based warnings printed on the packages of tobacco products. A Department of Health (DOH) administrative order mandated measures that would prohibit the promotion of tobacco use through packaging and labeling.

The administrative order will become effective 15 days from the publication of the order. It may be challenged in court by the tobacco companies, led by the merged entity of Fortune Tobacco and Philip Morris Philippines Inc. that ontrol 92 % of Philippine cigarette trade. They insist that Congress must first pass the legislation before the DOH can impose its administrative order. However, the DOH has stated that the Philippines is a signatory to an international agreement with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control that mandates signatories to come up with strategies to eliminate the ill-effects of tobacco use.

Among the strategies is the use of graphic warnings on tobacco products. This agreement was ratified by the Senate in 2005. Shortly after signing the administrative order, Secretary Cabral joined other concerned citizens in urging the country’s most likely next president, Benigno  Aquino III, to be a role model for young Filipinos by giving up smoking.

KIM CHIU Innocent Filipina Actress

Kimberly Sue Yap Chiu (born April 19, 1990), better known as simply Kim Chiu, is a Filipina actress. Chiu was the first winner of Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition and is currently part of ABS-CBN’s Star Magic. Chiu launched her career by winning Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition. Chiu and the rest of the housemates entered the Big Brother house on April 23, 2006. After 42 days in the Big Brother house, she was named the Teen Big Winner with 626,562 votes (41.4% of the total votes) at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex in Pasay City. She was the only housemate who was never nominated for eviction.

In the six months following after her winning, Chiu together with on-screen partner, Gerald Anderson, appeared together in several ABS-CBN network shows, and appeared in their first film, First Day High. Chiu and Anderson also appeared in Love Spell and Aalog-Alog.

In 2007, Chui and Anderson starred in the movie I’ve Fallen For You under Star Cinema. That same year, Chiu starred in her first primetime TV series entitled Sana Maulit Muli alongside Anderson. She was then cast in Philippine adaptation of My Girl, a Korean series. In January 2009, Chiu starred in the TV series entitled Tayong Dalawa which gave Chiu several acting awards. She also became part of Star Cinema’s official entry to the 2009 Metro Manila Film Festival, I Love You, Goodbye. In 2010, Chiu starred in her fourth fifth movie, Paano Na Kaya. She also starred in the primetime drama, Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo. Chiu started performing as a regular on ASAP XV in 2006.  (Wikipedia)

Intelligent Philippines Model and Actress Angel Locsin

Angel Locsin (born Angelica Locsin Colmenares on April 23, 1985 in Bulacan, Philippines) is a Filipina television and film actress and commercial model. Aside from this, she is also a film producer and fashion designer.

She starred in the fantasy-themed television series Mulawin in 2004. Soon after, she starred as the superheroine Darna in the TV adaptation of the Mars Ravelo comics. When her contract expired on March 2007, Locsin did not renew her contract with GMA Network and signed an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN. Her first project under ABS-CBN was the television series Lobo. Locsin starred in her first box office movie under Star Cinema, Love Me Again,[3] directed by Rory Quintos. She starred in the television series Only You with Sam Milby and Diether Ocampo.(Wikipedia)