SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2015

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03 04FCC wraps up 2015 with gift-giving,

salo-salo

Page 07Laguda wins ‘Pinoy Arabia FM Sing Galing Karoling’

FIL-ASEAK hosts ‘star-studded’ awards night

MANILA: Pinagdudahan ng isa sa mga naghain ngdisqualification case laban kay Sen. Grace Poe angnaging pahayag ng presidential candidate sa naginghatol ng Comelec en banc. Sinabi ng abogadong siEstrella Elamparo na mukhang hindi naman inasahanng kampo ni Poe ang pagkatig ng Comelec en bancsa desisyon ng dalawa nilang division nadiskwalipikahin ang senadora. Dagdag niya na kungtunay ngang inaasahang na ni Poe ang hatol ng pollbody dapat ay nakapaghain na sila ng petisyon saKorte Suprema. “She said she expected the Comelecen banc ruling. If that were the case, then her lawyersshould already have a prepared draft of the petitionfor filing with the Supreme Court today,” pahayag niElamparo sa kaniyang Facebook account. Sinabi pa niElamparo na maswerte ang kampo ni Poe na maagainilabas ng Comelec ang kanilang desisyon.—PSN

TUKURAN: Seven Christian farmers werek i l led on Thursday as M usl im guer r i l laslaunched a series of attacks in the troubledsouthern Philippines, the military said.

The fighters of the Bangsamoro IslamicFreedom Fighters (BIFF) seized the seven andthen killed them in a series of raids in theisland of Mindanao where Christian-Muslimconflicts have seethed for decades.

About 150 fighters of the BIFF launchedassaults in different mainly-Christian townsbefore dawn, said Colonel Ricky Bunayog, thelocal military commander.

“They abducted farmers and then killedthem. When we attempted to recover theirbodies, they f ired on us,” he told AFP inthe southern town of Tukuran, one of the

the group’s targets.He said that four of the guerrillas were

reportedly also slain in the fighting about775 kilometres (470 miles) south of Manilabut villagers said their bodies were carriedoff by their comrades.

The attackers had since dispersed but themil itar y was planning a “counter-action,”Bunayog said, although he would not dis-close details.

BIFF spokesman Abu Misr y Mama con-firmed they were behind the attacks, saying itwas over a land dispute. He would not elabo-rate.

In Manila, mil itar y spokesman ColonelRestituto Padilla said the guerrillas may havelaunched the attack “to make a statement,”

ahead of the Christian holiday of Christmas.The Phi l ippines i s over whelmingly

Christian but has a Muslim minority thatclaims the south as their homeland.

The BIFF split from the main Muslim rebelgroup, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front(MILF), in 2008.

It has opposed a peace process betweenthe government and the MILF for the cre-ation of a Muslim autonomous area in thesouth and has vowed to keep fighting for aseparate Islamic state.

Last year, the B IFF uploaded c l ips onYouTube showing one of its leaders pledgingsupport for the Islamic State organisation,the jihadist group that has seized a largeswathe of territory in Iraq and Syria.—AP

PH guerrillas murder seven in Christmas eve raids

525 NPA rebs nalipol ng AFP

MANILA: Umaabot sa 525 mga rebeldeng NewPeople’s Army (NPA) ang nalipol ng tropa ng mili-tar sa pagtatapos ng taong 2015. “We were able toneutralized a total of 525 communist rebels as partof the AFP gains on the 3rd quarter of 2015 and weare still gaining grounds,” pahayag ni AFP PublicAffairs Office Chief Col. Noel Detoyato. Kabilangnaman sa bumagsak sa batas ay si MariaConcepcion Araneta Bocala, secretary general ngNPA Central Committee na nasakote noongAgosto 3, 2015 sa Kalibo, Aklan. Sa kasalukuyan,nakatutok ang AFP troops sa Compostela Valley-Davao Region, CARAGA Region, ilang bahagi ngVisayas at Luzon na nanatili pa ring malakas angpresensya ng komunistang NPA.

Sa hanay naman ng mga bandidong Abu Sayyafay nasa 59 ang na-neutralize at nasa 41 mula sagrupo ng Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters(BIFF) fighters. Ang Abu Sayyaf na target ng opensi-ba ng militar ay namumugad sa Sulu at Basilanhabang ang BIFF ay sa Central Mindanao. Sa tala ngmilitar kabilang sa mataas na lider ng Abu na nap-atay ay si Basit Usman na nakasagupa ng tropa ngmilitar sa Maguindanao noong Mayo 3, 2015. —PSN

MANILA: Filipino fans gather as floats carrying popular Filipino movie stars, Maine Mendoza, left on bus in black shirt, and AldenRichards, 2nd from left, make their way during the “Parade of Stars” in Manila, Philippines on Wednesday. The annual event is heldto promote the Philippine films and Filipino made movies. —AP

‘Poe dapat pag-isipan kung tatakbo pa sa 2016’

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2015 2

KUWAIT: Idinaos kamakailan (18 Disyembre2015) ng ICSA ang taunang pagtitipon-tiponna nilahukan nang mga studyante at alumning ICSA at CAP College. Sinimulan ang cele-brasyon sa isang mataimtim na dasal at sinun-dan nang isang inspirational message mula sa

CEO na siAamir “Mark” Farooq Muhammad.Nagkaroon din nang iba’t-ibang games katu-lad nang Tongue Twister, Charades atQuestion Relay na nilahokan hindi lamangnang mga pinoy kundi nang ibang lahi din.Nagkaroon din nang exchange gift na nagbi-

gay buhay sa kultura ng mga pinoy na magbi-gayan tuwing pasko. Nagkaroon din ng mgaTrivia Quizzes na may kaukulong papremyokagaya nang mga gift items at scholarshipmula sa Management. Bago natapos ang Get-Together Party ay nagsalo-salo ang mga

studyante kasama nang mga Faculty andStaff. Naging matagumpay ang nasabing par-ty at masayang nagsi-uwian ang mgastudyante dala-dala ang layunin ng okasyongna magka-isa ang lahat nang mga estudyantekahit ano pa ang lahi nila.

ICSA holds get-together party

Jyll Evan Gratil thanked all his well wishers, parents, grandparents, ninong, ninang, relatives and friends for the warm welcome accorded to him (child dedication) in aChristian community ceremony (18 December 2015). The reception was held at the Chi Chi’s Grill, Sultan Center, Gulf Road. “May the Lord give His angels charge overyou, to guide you in all your ways Psalm 91:11

Greetings

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2015 3

By Maria Al-Ameri

KUWAIT: In our simple way of saying THANK YOU for thecountless & overflowing blessings received this year, FCC fami-ly spent time with our less privileged kababayans numberingto almost 300, currently housed at the Philippine Embassy,Faiha last Friday, (19 Dec). The simple thanks giving startedwith a brief yet very inspiring message of hope from the presi-dent of FCC, Madame Mildred Lacson, followed by few parlourgames participated in by the wards to warm up the place, butthe warmth and cheers turned very emotional when one ofthe guest singers, Maroel Guarin, who is now a successful busi-

ness enterprenuer in Kuwait (SPA owner) and who happenedto have been through difficult times, rendered one tagalogsong ‘Pasko na Sinta Ko’, which created a mood of sadness andloneliness, remembering family & love ones back home in thePhilippines. The brief emotional moment shifted to howlingand laughter as the instant host turned stand up comedian ofthe day, Dok Chie Umandap gave few stunt of jokes whichturned teary eyed into red and brighter faces. The brief pro-gram ended with a simple yet entertaining magic show fromone of our fellow kababayans aka Jigs, who just like many ofus, went through hard times before reaching his peak of suc-cess. Highlight of the day’s event was treating the wards with a

simple yet mouth watering homemade dishes and gifts. For allthe immeasurable blessings you shared, let me convey myheartfelt thanks and gratitude to each and everyone of you,most especially to our FCC family & friends, sponsors anddonors ( Tariq Al Ashi, Gen. Manager of Arwa Gulf, Macky ofJeunesse Kuwait, Ramtron International, Flor Awadh, Paul &Chezka Regaspi, Rye Pujante & Shaima Khuraibet, guestsingers & KFMO moms) who are always at the rescue in timesof need. Your outpouring contributions to the FCC family isbeyond definition of the word THANK YOU! Let us then reward& congratulate ourselves by saying To GOD be the Glory, Weare TRULY BLESSED! Merry Christmas to one and all!

FCC wraps up 2015 with gift-giving, salo-salo

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2015 4

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: A ‘star-studded’ awards night and Christmas gather-ing was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel organized by theFilipino Association of Secretaries of Employment Agencies inKuwait (FIL-ASEAK). The awards night was attended byembassy officials headed by Philippine Labor Attache toKuwait Cesar Chavez and Philippine Consul Jabbar Adiong.

With the help of its officers and embassy officials, Maripol

Abdullah, FIL-ASEAK President, handed awards to victors basedon their valuable contribution to OFWs in Kuwait and FIL-ASEAK, the vanguard of household service workers. “Our objec-tive in organizing this awards night is to encourage everyonewithin the group and secretaries of agencies to treat our HSWswith respect and properly serve them the best possible means,so as to have smooth working relationships, not just within us(recruitment agencies), but with their employers as well,”Maripol noted.

The awardees include: Best Actress Milady Cat Alam, BestSupporting Actress Lydia Abubakar, Best Actor Carlos Emberso,Best Supporting Actor Jun Madamba, Best Newcomer PatraLumiges and Jevelyn Caballes, Future Front Liner BelindaBelnas, Inspirational Secretary Laila Venturina and LifetimeAchievement Dolores Elenany. FIL-ASEAK extended its sincerestgratitude to faithful FIL-ASEAK members, leaders of the Filipinocommunity, Philippine Embassy POLO-OWWA Kuwait and allagency owners affiliated with the embassy.

FIL-ASEAK hosts ‘star-studded’ awards night

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2015 5

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2015 6

Colombia’s president shared his dismayMonday after his country’s beauty queenwas wrongly named Miss Universe in a dra-

matic mix-up watched live by millions, before theglittering crown was bestowed on the rightfulwinner Miss Philippines.

The pageant’s host, US comedian Steve Harvey,misread his cue card in front of a global televisionaudience late Sunday and initially announced thatMiss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez, had triumphed.

Half-laughing, half-sobbing with emotion,Gutierrez was fleetingly crowned and congratulat-ed at the ceremony in Las Vegas, waving to fans asshe cradled a huge bouquet of flowers. But as sheblew kisses to an adoring crowd, Harvey was

forced to come clean about his blunder.“OK folks, I have to apologize. The first runner

up is Colombia.”“Miss Universe 2015 is Philippines,” he added as

the music picked up again, with the actual winner,Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach — a high-profile actressand television host — looking stunned andmouthing “What?”

Harvey attempted to explain the error to a per-plexed audience, who greeted the news with bothcheers and boos.

“This is exactly what’s on the card. I will takeresponsibility for this. It was my mistake, it was onthe card,” he said.

The glittering crown was then promptly placedon Wurtzbach’s head. She later told reporters shewished the best to the crestfallen Miss Colombia.

“I’m very sorry, I did not take the crown fromher and I wish her well in whatever she wants topursue after this pageant,” Miss Philippines said.

Harvey later took to Twitter to ask forgivenessfor what he called “an honest mistake.”

“I’d like to apologize wholeheartedly to MissColombia & Miss Philippines for my huge mistake.I feel terrible,” said one of his messages, retweetedmore than 85,000 times.

‘Still our queen’Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said

Monday he was shocked by the episode, whichmade the front pages of the country’s main news-papers.

“I was watching Miss Universe with my family,”Santos told Radio Nacional. “Our queen was mar-velous. She looked spectacular. It was such a dis-appointment when the host said he’d made a mis-take.”

“To me, our queen is and will remain MissUniverse. They put the crown on her head. Thephotos are there to prove it. To me, as aColombian, she is still Miss Universe.”

Santos had publicly celebrated a year agowhen the previous Miss Colombia, Paulina VegaDieppa, won the Miss Universe 2014 title.

Colombia-born film star Sofia Vergara,America’s highest-paid TV actress, also posted aphoto of Gutierrez on Instagram, with a Spanishcaption that read “queen all the same.”

Philippines celebratesIn the Philippines, celebrations broke out

despite the gaffe.

The presidential palace led in hailing the victo-ry of the German-Filipino model, who this yearfuelled gossip of a relationship with 55-year-oldPresident Benigno Aquino by saying they werefriends and that “he’s very fun to talk to.”

“We congratulate her for this success as thethird Miss Universe of the Philippines,” Aquino’sspokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a statement.

“In bagging this victory, Ms Wurtzbach notonly serves as a tremendous source of pride forour people, but also holds up the banner of ourwomen and of our country, as a true representa-tive of what the Filipina canachieve,” he added.

Lacierda praisedWurtzbach’s “tremendouspoise and control” afterthe pageant host’s mis-take.

Top Philippine broad-caster ABS-CBN, whereWurtzbach works as anactress and host, cut off a livebroadcast of Aquino addressing the military to airan on-camera apology by Harvey after the pag-eant.

“I felt sorry for both candidates... and for all theFilipinos... who were watching live. It took awayfrom the experience,” said the country’s last MissUniverse, 1973 winner Margie Moran.

Social media ablazeRepublican presidential frontrunner Donald

Trump, who formerly co-owned the pageant,took to Twitter Monday to say the inci-dent would not have occurred on hiswatch. “Very sad what happened lastnight at the Miss UniversePageant.... This would never havehappened!” the billionaire business-man tweeted. News of the errorspread rapidly on social media, withthe #MissUniverse2015 hashtagtrending. “People are human, mis-takes can happen. Luckily somehave the bravery to own it & take a

step to correct it. Hugs to#MissUniverse2015 wow,”tweeted Audrey Bolte, whodescribed herself as Miss OhioUSA 2012. The contest is wild-ly popular in LatinAmerica andmuch ofAsia.—AFP

LAS VEGAS: Miss Universe 2014 Paulina Vega (C) removes the crown fromMiss Colombia 2015, Ariadna Gutierrez, left, in order to give it to MissPhilippines 2015, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, right, after host Steve Harvey mis-takenly named Gutierrez the winner instead of Wurtzbach during the 2015Miss Universe Pageant at The Axis at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino onSunday in Las Vegas, Nevada. —AFP

Miss Universe crowns wrongbeauty queen in live TVgaffe

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: A singing nurse from Al-Seif Hospital bagged therecently concluded ‘Pinoy Arabia FM Sing Galing Karoling’contest. Roy Laguda belted out ‘O Holy Night’ (Josh Grobanversion) to win the grand prize title, held at Marina FM 88.8studio last Thursday.

Laguda bested 10 other contenders who presented bestand also diverse versions of Tagalog and English Christmassongs. Laguda was followed by Charles Molaco (Christmas

Medley) for the first prize, Jeffy Cambel (O Holy Night,Mariah Carey version) and Roy Rutagines (My Grown upChristmas List) for the second and third prizes respectively.

Jennifer Uy served as the head of the panel of judgeswhich also include the first Sing Galing Grand ChampionMark Lopez and famous Pinoy artist Buboy Aguilar. PinoyArabia FM Sing Gal ing K arol ing was launched last 7December 2015 for audition and elimination rounds whichlasted till December 17.

The grand finale was held at the studio 2 on the eve of

Christmas Day which subsequently followed by a sumptu-o u s C h r i s t m a s m e a l at t h e M a r i n a M a l l fo o d co u r t .Organizers would like to thank the following sponsorsh e a d e d by E m m a n H a e l o f A l i M a r zo o k M a n p owe rRecruitment Agenc y, Mar io De Los Reyes of Mar io’sRestaurant, Nelson Fernandez (President-Philsoc), TinaBarrios Of Abbas Ali Karam Haider, Rosita Ortiz of AIMGLOBAL, Gina Mills, Radisson Blu Hotel, The Morning Talk( R i c k y L a x a ) a n d M e l i z a M e n d e z o f B a h ay Ku b oRestaurant.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2015 7

Laguda wins ‘Pinoy Arabia FM Sing Galing Karoling’

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2015

Pages 6

Miss Universecrowns wrongbeauty queen in

live TV gaffe

KUWAIT: The Filipino Badminton Committee (FBC) organized last Friday1-Day Christmas Tournament’ for a cause where in participants from vari-ous badminton groups enjoyed the one-day event and took home somevaluable prizes plus gifts and cash awards. The tournament is held underFBC’s new president Jimmy Carandang. Here’s list of winners by category:

Advanced CategoryChampion: Mohammad Nasser / Mohammad NurRokhim

Runner-up: Moo Elkhayat / Murad

Intermediate CategoryChampion: Alexis Viola / EssamMeslmaniRunner-up: Subin / Rajesh

Novice CategoryChampion: Nitin N. Bharaskar / FasilValangodan

Runner-up: Cheryl ManaytayMeslmani / Nesky M. Alvarez

Mix C&D CategoryChampion: Eduardo Gardose / AnnieCentenoZaballeroRunner-up: TayyabShafi / Omar

Level D CategoryChampion: MyleneCollado / Charisse Collado

FBC organizes ‘1 Day Christmas Tournament’ for-a-cause