Asian Countries' Rankings in MISTER GLOBAL (2014 to 2019) by Runners-up & Winners

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Asian Countries' Rankings in MISS TOURISM INTERNATIONAL Malaysia Version (1994 to 2020) by Runners-up & Winners

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Asian Countries' Rankings in MAN OF THE YEAR (2016 to 2019) by Runners-up & Winners

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Asian Countries Rankings in MISS INTERNATIONAL (1960 to 2019) by Runners-up & Winners

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Favorite Filipino Fashion Designers

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Asian Countries Rankings in MISTER WORLD (1996 to 2019) by Runners-up & Winners

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Batangas City: Another Southern Gateway to Luzon

Batangas City is the capital of the Province of Batangas. It is located in the southern portion which makes it a viable place to be a gateway not only to the province but to the rest of Luzon as well. It has a port that is important to the delivery of goods and services to this side of the country.

The effective management of the city is one of the best attributes that makes it efficient and progressive. Batangas City has become an important area in making things easy for business to flow flawlessly from any point in Southern Philippines to the northern-most part of Luzon.

The Batangas Port is one busy hub as evidenced by the many sea vehicles that ply the route from different island-provinces in the south. Roll-on, roll-off ships as well as passenger boats dock there and commerce starts to flow.

It is to no surprise that big businesses have started to mushroom in Batangas City. SM City Batangas and Waltermart are just two of the establishments that offer shoppers convenience for their daily needs. With the mall psyche of Filipinos, these malls and supermarkets have their share of the trade.

Other business establishments are also doing well in the city. With the many patrons that go to them, commerce is alive in Batangas City. Of course, with development comes the problem of traffic but the city government has formulated a system that is effective as evidenced by the smooth flow of automobiles in their formulated one-way routes.

Batangas City has always been ready for the influx of tourists. Big hotels and resorts are scattered everywhere in the city. With the many times that I have visited the place, it is noticeable that foreign and local visitors can be seen in tourist areas such as malls, hotels, restaurants and other places of interest. It is a major area this side of the country.

Batangas City has a homey atmosphere that might be considered for retirement purposes. With its vast land area, it is no wonder anymore that residential enclaves have been developed. Modern houses have been built and property is relatively affordable.

The Philippines being a predominantly catholic, churches abound. But Batangas City respects the religious affiliation of people especially so that Batangas has a history of Islam in its midst. Everybody is welcome to the city whatever religious persuasion one might have.

In the many years that I have been invited to sit as a judge in the annual Bb. Lungsod ng Batangas, I can say that it is also a land of beauty. Some of their winners and candidates have moved on to join national pageants and made names for themselves. Thanks to Mr. Ed Borbon of the Batangas City Cultural Affairs Office for always inviting me and to ace fashion designer Renee Salud for bringing me with him to do the pageant judging duties. The Batangas City Coliseum is a fitting venue for the pageant.

But Batangas City has a certain appeal that makes you want to go back. The people are warm and friendly. The city is relaxed and still has that certain appeal unspoiled by the onset of development and progress. It is a gateway that has a character of its own.

Year in, year out, I always look forward to be invited to Batangas City. I feel at peace when I am in the city. After the pandemic, when everything is okay already, I hope to go back and enjoy the sights, sounds and people of Batangas City once more.

Credit goes to the owners of the photos.

Asian Countries Rankings in MISS EARTH (2001 to 2020) Elemental Queens & Winners

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HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY NEW WORLD 2021!

What happened in 2020 are learnings that we should remember for the rest of our lives. It was during this lifetime that a pandemic ravaged the world. It seemed that time stood still. Suddenly, we became afraid to wander. Paranoia set in. The virus ruled our minds and lifestyle. For some people, it was an unexpected year. Nobody was prepared for what has befallen mankind.

Personally, it was a time for reflection. We may have enjoyed the things that the world has offered us. We enjoyed to the point that we felt we were invincible. We thought that the world was really ours. Little did we realize that through the journey of our material-driven life, we really abused what nature offered to us. We became so selfish that we thought we can do anything that our heart desired.

Nature fought back. It unleashed a virus that we did not expect to affect us all. The abuses that man has inflicted on nature has come back. We have become victims of our own wrong-doings. And now, we are made to realize to go back to basics.

I am not blaming anyone for what has become of the world. We all did our share in the degradation of the relationship between man and nature. With the new year, we are again given time to reflect and make amends so that we can go back to our ways as changed and better people. Sometimes, lessons have to be learned the hard way.

Despite of everything, I wish everyone a new year full of hope for a better environment. I wish everyone good health away from the ravages of Covid-19. I pray to God that we clean our hearts in bringing to fore a better human race.

Let's us have a prosperous 2021 and may this year give us better world for everyone.