Filipino Cultured

Phil Younghusband meets David Beckham

2011-12-26T16:14:00.001+08:00

Phil Younghusband met David Beckham, his childhood hero, after the L.A. Galaxy won the game against the Azkals.

Younghusband says that Beckham is the reason why he wanted to play football in the first place. Beckham was so honored, he even returned after the press conference to give Phil his team shirt.

Shaila Durcal Latin Grammy 2011

2011-11-12T02:37:00.006+08:00

Shaila Durcal attended the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada last night Thursday, November 10, 2011, and looked spectacular.

The singer, daughter of Philippine singer Junior (Antonio Morales) and legendary Spanish singer Rocio Durcal, looked like a glamorous movie star in this beautiful gold dress.

Watch the interview video of her on the Red Carpet!

Charice 9/11 Tribute NFL Game

2011-09-18T09:38:00.001+08:00

Charice sang the American national anthem and "God Bless America" at the September 11 NFL Tribute Game (Titans vs. Jaguars) in Jacksonville, Florida to a standing ovation.

“Big day. I need Prayers,” said the petite Filipina singer with a huge voice on her Twitter account right before her performance. “My heart…. I have to calm down, Before it Explodes! Lol,” she jokingly added.

“Shaking… and Crying..,” was Charice's reaction after she performed the Star Spangled Banner.

Cosmo Bash 2011!

2011-09-16T23:22:00.003+08:00

Cosmo Bash 2011 took place last night in Manila, Philippines.

A horde of celebrities took part in the fashion event of the year!

The best photos of the event here and here.

Piolo Pascual KC Concepcion Wedding Video

2011-09-15T06:18:00.010+08:00

Piolo Pascual discusses his upcoming wedding with girlfriend and fiance, actress KC Concepcion at a press conference. Watch the video for more details, and thanks to Noel Orsal for the scoop!

KC is the daughter of Gabby Concepcion and Sharon Cuneta. Cuneta has been unhappy that Piolo is dating her daughter, and told the press that she hopes Piolo's "intentions are good" for her daughter. Perhaps it's the rumors of his sexuality that have her concerned, and with good reason. Brokeback Mountain was a beautiful groundbreaking movie, but to live that in real life is very tragic indeed.

I'm not saying that Piolo Pascual is gay, but if he is, then that's sad that people still have to hide themselves in this day and age and live a life that is a lie. Either way I feel sorry for Piolo. You can tell behind the smile that he puts on in public appearances, there's a sadness behind it that speaks volumes...

Daniel Matsunaga Filipino Dance, with Hideo Muraoka

2011-09-14T13:13:00.016+08:00

Watch Daniel Matsunaga and Hideo Muraoka video.

Daniel Matsunaga Filipino Dance, with Hideo Muraoka

2011-09-14T03:51:00.000+08:00

Daniel Matsunaga and Hideo Muraoka guest starred on QTV's The Sweet Life to perform a native Philippine dance

Host Iza Calzado remarked that the performance by the two Brazilian-Japanese actors was "very good". Host Lucy Torres said that they were "cute" and that the last time she saw a dance like that was in high school.

Matsunaga is Heart Evangelista's boyfriend. Muraoka is married to Spanish model Fatima Rabago.

Both of Japanese descent from Brazil, they moved to the Philippines for their modeling careers. Matsunaga learned the craft of acting, and has appeared on a few Philippine TV series and the movie "D'Survivors" with fellow Brazilian-Japanese friends, actor Akihiro Sato, who was voted the winner of Survivor Philippines by the Filipino public, and actor/comedian Fabio Ide, who has a regular hosting stint on Comedy Bar with Eugene Domingo and Allan K.

All four, and all of Brazilian-Japanese descent, are managed by Mercator Agency. Watch the video clip below of their performance and be sure to subscribe to the Filipino Cultured Youtube channel for the latest video updates!

Nicole Scherzinger X Factor

2011-09-10T18:23:00.002+08:00

Nicole Scherzinger will be a featured host on the upcoming talent show The X Factor, with executive producer Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul. The series premieres Sept. 21 on Fox.

I think she'll do a great job. She's a fantastic singer and has so much talent besides being, you know, sexy and all.

Outing Gay Celebrities

2011-09-04T10:13:00.009+08:00

Ricky Martin has recently come out as a gay man.

I don't believe people should out celebrities if they themselves have not come out yet, because coming out of the closet is a personal process that everyone, famous or not, gay or bisexual, has to go through and one should only come out when they're ready to, when they've accepted themselves and learned to love themselves completely.

That's why I was so happy when Ricky Martin was on Oprah recently and talked about his process of coming out as a gay man (and you can watch the full episode below):

People were mocking my sexuality, and I was like: "I don't want to be that. Is that me? I totally want to reject myself. You know what? I think I hate myself." And that's where you go. Those are the thoughts where you go. That's why I must insist when someone is not ready, we must not try to force that person to come out. Right now we're dealing with people that are being bullied because they are gay, and now we're dealing with people that are committing suicide because they're forced to come out. And that is horrible. You're ready whenever you're ready. You have to go through a process. You have to go through a very spiritual process in order for you to accept yourself, and then it feels amazing when you do so.

Ricky Martin, above, with his two beautiful sons.

I'm so happy for him. I have several gay members of my family and many gay friends, and I love them with all my heart and I know that it is not a choice, they were born that way and that is something a lot of people in this world still have yet to understand.

Filipinos in general are very open-minded about being gay. In the native Malay culture of pre-Spanish colonial Philippines (the Spanish colonizers actually brought homophobia to the Philippines, as Latin culture in itself and in general is very homophobic due to misconceptions about machismo), and like many other Asian cultures like in India and Thailand (which shares our Malay heritage), and Malayo-Polynesian cultures like in Tahiti, Samoa, and Hawai'i where I grew up, gay men and women are viewed as the "third sex", but that does not mean that there still unfortunately isn't a stigma associated with being gay in Philippine society.

When journalists and television hosts on Filipino showbiz programs talk about an "intriga" of gay rumors about a certain celebrity, the way it's handled is as if it's scandalous to be gay, and when people say things like "Piolo Pascual is not gay! You're just a hater!", it shows that people view being gay as if it were to be an insult, and that's not right, because there's nothing wrong with being gay, and referring to someone as gay should not be viewed or said in a negative light. By the way, I'm just referring to Piolo Pascual since his sexuality has often been discussed in the Philippine news media. At the end of the day, the only thing I wish for Piolo is that he learns to love himself completely and honestly and that he finds happiness in his life.

Also, no offense to Cesar Montano, who is an amazing actor and who I am very proud of for his accomplishments in Hollywood, but it was funny to me when the American media during the promotion of his 2005 movie "The Great Raid" referred to him as the "Tom Cruise of the Philippines", because if there is one "Tom Cruise of the Philippines", based on how the news media is obsessed with every step of his life, and with every piece of Adobo chicken he puts in his mouth, Piolo Pascual is definitely the "Tom Cruise of the Philippines."

Scientists have discovered that the most homophobic men and women are often secretly gay themselves and are in deep psychological self-denial. These are the ones who say "That's so gay!" or "You're so gay!" and mean it as an insult or something bad. It doesn't matter if you say those phrases jokingly, the message is sent: being gay is a negative thing, and that's wrong, because people are born gay. Would you say something like "That's so black!"? Of course not, because there is nothing wrong with being black.

It's called psychological repression and denial, or more specifically, latent homosexuality, and the way they subconsciously handle the fear they have of being gay is manifested often in anxiety and negativity towards those who are comfortable with being gay or bisexual as a way to publicly declare to others and themselves that they're "not gay". Of course at the end of the day, their efforts are futile, because the more you repress an emotion, and in this case, an integral part of your biological being, your sexuality, your desires, your emotions, eventually it will catch up to you, and you will have to face the truth eventually. Some men or women are never able to face the truth that they are gay or bisexual until the day they die, and live a life that is a lie, and that is very sad and tragic indeed.

I believe that God loves unconditionally. The day when a man or woman does not have to hide the fact that they are gay or bisexual, especially from themselves as there are still millions of gay men and women in this world who are in self-denial about their own sexuality, and the day when all men and women who are gay or bisexual can feel happy and secure in themselves, will be a happy and blessed day indeed for this world.

Azkals 2012 AFC Challenge Cup

2011-08-14T11:18:00.000+08:00

James Younghusband and the Philippine Askals National Football Team are headed to Nepal in 2012 for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup.

The Azkals made it to the Final 8 of the Challenge Cup by winning over the Bangladesh Bengal Tigers.

James and brother Phil were born in Britain to a Filipina mother and an English father.

The brothers became famous in the country after Phil's stint in Celebrity Duets, and their guest appearances on TV5, GMA, and ABS-CBN shows.

The Younghusbands now have endorsement deals with the most important companies in the Philippines.

Filipino Culture and Authenticity

2011-08-08T07:57:00.019+08:00

Filipino Culture and Authenticity
by Richard Arce Herrera

There seems to be a lot of confusion about Filipino culture and the fact that it's so mixed. But in reality, all cultures are mixed and have influences from other cultures, because human beings are complex and have migrated and expanded, traded, and intermarried with different peoples since the beginning of time. So in the sense that every culture in itself is an amalgamation of a lot of different cultures, it upsets me when Filipinos and non-Filipinos say that Filipino culture is not authentic or bastardized just because it has Spanish, Chinese, and Indian influences in the national culture.

First, let's dissect what the word Filipino means. 'Filipino' is originally a caste term during the Spanish colonial period to refer to Spaniards born in Filipinas (the Spanish and original name for the country now known in English as the Philippines). The native Malays were called Indios, those of Spanish-Malay descent called Mestizos, those of Chinese descent called Sangleys, those of Chinese-Malay descent called Mestizos de Sangley, and those of Spanish-Chinese-Malay descent called Tornatras. After the revolution against Spain, when Filipinas became it's own country, the word 'Filipino' was appropiated by nationalists to refer to the entire population of the country regardless of race or ethnic background.

At this time in 1898, there were two national languages officialized: Español (Spanish) and the native Malay language of Tagalog, which the government named 'Filipino', essentially sealing the viewpoint for generations to come that anything 'Filipino' should be native Malay in nature and ancestry-wise, which was detrimental in my opinion in retrospect, because that meant that anything that is not "Malay" is not "Filipino", meaning that the Spanish, Chinese, and Indian influences would mistakenly be not considered as "authentically" Filipino, ignoring centuries and centuries of cultural development and influences from the aforementioned cultures. In fact, Filipino is often misused as a racial term in place of Malay, and now means the exact opposite of what it meant a few centuries ago, as it now refers to only those of supposed pure Malay descent. Of course, as it is, the Philippine population, like Latin America and the whole world basically, is mixed, and has been mixed for centuries, and this is historically documented, and evident in our people's faces and family histories and wide range of skin tones and facial features, so the notion that there is such a thing as a "pure Filipino" or a "half Filipino" makes no sense at all if you really think about it.

A Filipino's openness or rejection of the Spanish language or culture of the Philippines often has to do with an individual Filipino's upbringing. For example, if they had a positive experience with the Spanish language growing up and they were encultured into it; their family occasionally spoke to them in Spanish or spoke to each other in Spanish, sang Spanish songs, and had an upbringing where delicadeza reigns supreme in everything you do and say, then they wouldn't be so strongly against it. The same holds true for the Chinese and Indian cultural influences that are part of the national culture of the Philippines.

But if a Filipino perhaps grew up in an entirely different perspective where Spanish wasn't spoken at all, or grew up overseas where the influences are instead American or Australian or British, or just perhaps just had nothing in their immediate lives growing up that would endear them to the culture, then of course it wouldn't have such a positive effect on them today in their lives, and they have no emotional connection to it like other Filipinos, so they don't feel a strong need to incorporate it as part of their lives, and don't feel it's part of their identity, especially since it had very little to do with their own upbringing. But I don't think it's right to say that just because a Filipino speaks Spanish or wants to learn to speak Spanish, or Chinese, or any other language, or because a Filipino says that they have Spanish or Chinese ancestry that they're automatically suffering from an identity crisis, like that ridiculous and racist Wikipedia article called "IMSCF Syndrome", that has since been taken down and rightfully so, or are not being authentic to Filipino culture, because what exactly is authentic Filipino culture? It's not just one thing, and it's not the same thing for everybody. And mixed people are exactly that: mixed. Who is anyone to say what a mixed person is supposed to look like? Are all people of European ancestry supposed to look Caucasian?

I also feel that sadly, a lot of Filipinos who have grown up in communities with a racist climate against Filipinos and other people of color have internalized that racism unto themselves, which is why a lot of Filipinos tend to lack a lot of pride in their culture, and tend to view it with shame, which then affects their own self-esteem in general, which is a shame in and of itself. Of course, internalized racism and racism itself are not uncommon phenomenons, but it doesn't make it them any less noteworthy or important as they're still issues that plague the world that we live in to this day in 2011.

A culture is the amalgamation of its history, there is no one single influence to any culture in the world, and the same thing can certainly be said about the Filipino culture. This is something that needs to be taught to Filipinos so they don't feel like their culture is not authentic or bastardized because it has Spanish, Chinese, and Indian influences like many unfortunate young Filipinos do.

A lot of different worlds in the Philippines (and among Filipinos overseas) exist side by side with each other, and they cross paths, but they're not always from the same place. What is right for one Filipino is not necessarily right for another, because not everybody always has the same upbringing or views on things in life, even those among the same culture. In conclusion, there really isn't just one single Filipino identity. I believe people should be able choose what they want to do in their life and have the freedom to carve their own identity.

I also believe that while it's good to be educated about and have a positive view of your own culture and country, nationalism in itself is detrimental to all human beings, because in the end, we are all essentially just that, human beings, and all essentially part of just one race, the human race.

(C)opyright 2011 by Richard Arce Herrera

Images are courtesy of New York University's Sheer Realities Exhibition.

Jackie Rice Sexy Pics

2011-08-06T19:33:00.006+08:00

Jackie Rice stars in Sisid with Dominic Rocco on GMA 7. I've been watching it, and Dominic is doing a great job with his acting. He has a bright future ahead, and so does she. Here are some sexy pics of Jackie in a bikini, it's like she's nude, but not really, if that makes any sense... Who cares what makes sense when you look as hot as this?

Pilita Corrales Rock and Roll!

2011-08-04T22:13:00.000+08:00

Filipina Eden's Crush Member's New CD!

2011-07-31T14:35:00.007+08:00

Maile Misajon, one of the two Filipina members of former pop group Eden's Crush (the other being Nicole Scherzinger), is coming out with a new album and single! Download a free wallpaper of Maile above!

Check out Maile's music video for "More Than I Already Do"

And check out Maile and Nicole and the beautiful ladies of Eden's Crush in the music video for their worldwide hit single "Get Over Yourself", which is one of my favorite songs ever. I even bought their single and played it over and over and would sing along to it, both English and Spanish versions, lol.

And the Spanish version:

Heart Evangelista! Daniel Matsunaga! Sexy!

2011-07-27T12:04:00.001+08:00

Heart Evangelista and Daniel Matsunaga look amazing in this latest photoshoot. The showbiz couple have no qualms about sharing their love with the world, which makes sense because when you're in love, sometimes you just want to shout to the heavens and rejoice. I know I do.

Congratulations Heart and Daniel! You're a beautiful couple, and the picture looks classy and elegant and sexy all at the same time.

Heart is rumored to be up for a role in a teleserye with Dingdong Dantes. I wonder what Marian Rivera has to say about that...

Marian Rivera, Heart Evangelista Fight!

2011-07-27T11:42:00.005+08:00

Why does Marian Rivera seem to always be in the headlines for fighting with people? Of course I don't know her personally, so I'm not judging her, and I don't know who starts the fights, whether it's her, or the person she's fighting with at the moment, (Heart Evangelista now, Karylle before, and Katrina Halili before that), but I gotta say, there is a pattern emerging here, and she's making a lot of enemies in show business, which is not a very smart career move.

I love Heart. I think she's funny and sweet and a great actress. I also love Marian. I think she has charisma and spunk, and she's funny too.

So I don't know, but I do care. As the old adage goes, why can't we all get along? Does anybody know Marian personally and does anybody know the answer to the first question on this page?

Nicole Scherzinger Engaged?

2011-07-26T07:59:00.001+08:00

Nicole Scherzinger has been dating race car driver Lewis Hamilton for four years. Will they be tying the knot any time soon? The beautiful X Factor host replied to the question her twitter account:

'Lewis and I woke up this morning and read we were engaged! Sorry to disappoint u all but its not true:)'

Lucky is the man who ends up with this beauty!

Cinemalaya Awards 2011 Winners

2011-07-26T07:28:00.002+08:00

The Cinemalaya 2011 Awards ceremony was held last night in Manila. Here are the winners.
Bembol Roco, Best Actor (Directors' Showcase) for Isda
Shamaine Buencamino, Best Supporting Actress (Directors' Showcase) for Niño
Jaime Pebangco, Best Supporting Actor (Directors' Showcase) for Patikul
Edgar Allan Guzman, Best Actor (New Breed) for Ligo na U Lapit na Me
Racquel Villavicencio, Best Actress (Directors' Showcase) for Bisperas