MMFF Ranking 2014 Latest Update: 'Praybeyt Benjamin', 'Feng Shiu' earn P304M in 4 days

MANILA, Philippines - Star Cinema-produced movies “The Amazing Praybet Benjamin” and “Fung Shui 2” have dominated the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) ranking and nationwide box-office gross total income as the two films earned P304 million after 4 days in theaters.

Vice Ganda announced that his film "The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin" breached the P200-million mark at the close of nationwide screenings on Sunday, beating the record set by the current all-time top-grosser in the same period last year.

On Monday, the comedian tweeted that 'Praybeyt Benjamin' has already earned P201 million after its fourth day in theaters.

The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin closed Day 4 with 201Million. Maraming maraming salamat po Madlang People! Lolo must be very happy.
— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) December 29, 2014

'Benjamin's box-office performance so far puts it on track to topple the gross earnings of another Vice Ganda-starrer "Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy," an entry in last year's MMFF that is currently the highest-grossing Philippine film of all time.

Meanwhile, Kris Aquino-led horror film "Feng Shui 2" has earned a total of P103.5 million in 4 days as announced by ABS-CBN's AdProm Head for Social Media & Publicity Eric John Salut on Instagram.

CONGRATULATIONS IN 4 DAYS FENG SHUI P103,542,136.71 @aquinokristinabernadette @mr.rodelnacianceno @chitorono @yescppicache @beauty_gonzalez @carmimartin @starcinema #FengShui #fengshui2 @raikko_mateo

A photo posted by EJS (@ericjohnsalut) on Dec 12, 2014 at 9:38pm PST

On Sunday, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman and overall MMFF head Francis Tolentino officially announced that gross total income of the entries in the MMFF had already reached P365 million for the first three days of showing.

Tolentino said that the figure is 12 percent higher compared to last year’s three-day total of P326 million.

He said that the top four films, in no particular order, are “The Amazing Praybet Benjamin,” “Fung Shui 2,” My Big Bossing,” and “Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles are leading the rest of the entries in terms of overall earnings since the first day of showing.

Other entries include “Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo” “English Only, Please”, “Magnum Muslim .357″ and “Shake, Rattle & Roll 15.”

However, no official figures from the MMFF have been cited, saying the executive committee is careful not to influence moviegoers by announcing a top favorite in terms of nationwide earnings.

Tolentino said the festival is likely to hit P1.2 billion in gross earnings when it closes on January 4.

During the MMFF awards night on December 27, the Robin Padilla-starrer "Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo" and the romantic-comedy "English Only, Please" received the top honors.

DOH: Piccolo is still the top cause of fireworks injuries, 67 percent

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) today reiterated its call not to let children play with fireworks during the holiday season as latest data revealed that 67 percent of all fireworks injuries from December 21-29, 2014 were caused by piccolo.

Piccolo, a small firecracker that comes in attractive packaging is very poisonous because it contains yellow phosporous substance.

From December 21-29 this year, there were 139 cases of fireworks-related injuries and one case of fireworks ingestion. This figure is 39% lower than the five-year average and 45% lower compared to the same period last year. No death was reported.

Most (51) of the cases came from the National Capital Region, followed by Northern Mindanao (12), Davao Region (11), and Cagayan Valley (10). At the National Capital Region, Manila has the most number of cases (22), followed by Pasig (10). Las Piñas, Mandaluyong, and Pasay had three cases each.

Of the 139 cases of fireworks injuries, 87% were males whose age ranged from 3-68 years. There were 51 cases (37%) children less than 10 years old and 102 (73%) were active users.

The top causes of injuries were piccolo (67%), unknown firecrackers (6%), and five star, camara, and boga with 4% each.

“We can celebrate the holiday season without fireworks. Let us greet the New Year without injuries,” Health Acting Secretary Janette Loreto-Garin said, adding that firecracker injury can be treated and eventually get healed but not the damage on our children’s future brought about by a few minutes of merry-making.

DOH urged the public to celebrate the holidays with utmost caution as it launched this year’s anti-firecrackers campaign dubbed “Mahalaga ang Buhay, Iwasan ang Paputok.”

“There are other means to celebrate than exploding firecrackers and lighting fireworks. Mahalaga ang buhay. It is not worth risking losing lives and limbs,” Loreto-Garin said, noting that DOH recorded 1,018 fireworks-related injuries during the 2013 holiday season.

'Bagyong Seniang' PAGASA weather update (December 30, 2014)

MANILA, Philippines - State weather bureau PAGASA on its 5:00am update today, December 30, 2014 announced that 'Bagyong Seniang' (international name: Jangmi) has maintained its strength and is now moving towards Cebu Province.

At 4:00 am today, 'Bagyong Seniang' was estimated based on all available data including Cebu doppler radar at 35 km Southeast of Mactan, Cebu (9.9˚N, 123.7˚E) with maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It is forecast to move West Northwest at 11 kph.

Typhoon Seniang Forecast Positions:

• 24 hour (December 31, morning): 235 km West Northwest of Dumaguete City.
• 48 hour (January 1, morning): 115 km South Southwest of Puerto Princesa City.
• 72 hour (January 2, morning): 450 km Southwest of Puerto Princesa City.

PAGASA raised Public Storm Warning Signal PSWS#2(Winds of 61-100 kph is expected in at least 24 hrs) over Visayas in the following provinces: Bohol, Siquijor, Cebu, Guimaras, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental. The areas will experience stormy weather with rough to very rough seas.

Impacts of the wind are the following:

• Rice and corn maybe adversely affected
• Few large trees uprooted
• Large number of nipa and cogon houses partially or totally
• unroofed and old galvanized iron roofs may roll off.
• Billboards/Signage may roll off
• Travel by all types of sea vessels and aircrafts are risky

PSWS#1(Winds of 30-60 kph is expected in at least 36 hrs)

Visayas: Leyte, Southern Leyte, Camotes Island, Iloilo, Antique, Capiz and Aklan.

Mindanao: Camiguin, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental and Zamboanga del Norte.

These areas will have rains with gusty winds with moderate to rough seas.

Impacts of the wind are the following:

• Twigs and branches of trees maybe broken
• Some banana plants may tilt or land flat on the ground
• Rice in flowering stage may suffer significant damage
• Some nipa and cogon houses maybe partially unroofed
• Sea travel of small sea crafts and fishing boats is risky

The estimated rainfall amount is from 7.5 – 15 mm per hour (moderate - heavy) within the 300 km diameter of the Tropical Storm.

Residents in low lying and mountainous areas of the provinces with PSWS#2 and PSWS#1 are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Meanwhile, ocean waves may reach up to 5 meters.

Fisherfolks and those with small seacrafts are advised not to venture out over the seaboards of northern and central Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon, seaboards of Visayas and over the northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao.

Bicol region and Samar provinces will be cloudy with moderate to heavy rainshowers and thunderstorms which may trigger flashfloods and landslides. Metro Manila, Calabarzon, MIMAROPA and the rest of of Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of Luzon will have cloudy skies with light rains. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Northeast will prevail over Luzon and coming from Northeast to Northwest over the rest of the country with moderate to rough seas.