'A Second Chance' is now the highest grossing non-MMFF Filipino Film of all time

MANILA, Philippines - After making history as the first Filipino film to be screened in giant movie theater chain Vue Cinemas in United Kingdom and topping at the box office in Middle East last weekend, ABS-CBN Star Cinema and TFC@theMovies’ “A Second Chance” has just reached another Philippine cinema milestone: it is now the highest grossing local non-Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry of all time.

On Wednesday, it was announced that the movie has now made P442 million at a victory party held for the cast and crew of the film attended by stars Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz, director Cathy Garcia-Molina, and screenwriters Carmi Raymundo and Vanessa Valdez.

The previous record-holder for highest grossing non-MMFF Filipino film was another Star Cinema offering, last year’s “Starting Over Again,” which passed the P400-million mark after a month in local cinemas. To compare, “A Second Chance” achieved the same feat in just 10 days.

Meanwhile, the record for the highest grossing Filipino film of all time is the 2014 MMFF entry, “The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin.” The comedy flick passed P456 million in 22 days, unseating “Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy,” an entry to the 2013 MMFF, for the title.

“A Second Chance” just got extended for another week in 65 theaters in the U.S. and in 14 Canada theaters. It got extended for another weekend run in select Vue Cinemas in U.K. It was also extended in the UAE and Qatar in the Middle East till December 16.

The film, which has yet to debut in countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong, is now on its third week in the Philippines. It will not be facing stiff competition locally until the December 16 bow of the much-anticipated Hollywood film, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Topnotchers, Top Regions October 2015 civil service exam (CSE-PPT)

MANILA, Philippines - The Civil Service Commission (CSC) announced that a total of 13,152 examinees passed the Career Service Examination-Paper and Pencil Test (CSE-PPT) held last October 18. Region 7 (Central Visayas) got the highest passing rate at 14.28% or 1,429 passers out of 10,010 examinees.

Louise Marie Loreno from Davao Region and Lonn Albert Chong from Caraga led the 11,364 new professional eligibles with a rating of 86.99. For the subprofessional eligibles, Estelle Kathleen Castelo from Southern Tagalog took the top spot with a rating of 90.98.

The full list of topnotchers will be posted on this page once available online.

RELATED RESULTS
List of Passers: Civil service exam results October 18, 2015 CSE-PPT released

According to the CSC, Region 7 (Central Visayas) got the highest passing rate at 14.28% or 1,429 passers out of 10,010 examinees. Other top performing regions of the country in terms of passing rate include Region 3 (Central Luzon), 14.02%; Region 4 (Southern Tagalog), 13.71%; Region 6 (Western Visayas), 13.43%; and Region 5 (Bicol Region), 12.34%.

The total number of passers represents 11.02% of the 119,333 total examinees for both the professional and subprofessional levels. The figure does not include, though, some 56,985 registered examinees from areas where the examinations were suspended and re-scheduled to December 6 due to recent calamities. These include all testing centers in Regions 1, 2, National Capital Region (NCR) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and those in Olongapo City, Cabanatuan City, and Bongao in Tawi-tawi.

All examinees may generate their individual test results through the Online Civil Service Examination Results Generation System (OCSERGS) available by Dec. 14, 2015 and thereafter. Certification of Eligibility for passers (printed on CSC letterhead, free of charge) shall be available by January 4, 2016 and thereafter. Passers may also opt to apply for regular Certification of Eligibility (printed on security paper at cost).

The CSC said the new subprofessional eligibles are qualified to enter the first level of government service, while the professional eligibles may join both the first and second levels.

The first level includes clerical, trades, crafts, and custodial service positions that involve non-professional or sub-professional work requiring less than four years of college studies. The second level covers professional, technical, and scientific positions up to Division Chief that involve professional, technical, or scientific work requiring at least four years of college studies.

However, the CSC clarified that professional or subprofessional eligibility is just one of the requirements to join the government. A civil service eligible must also meet the education, experience, and training requirements for permanent appointment to a government career service position.

VIRAL: Open letter for Gab Valenciano reveals father Gary V’s past infidelity

MANILA, Philippines - Gab Valenciano’s debatable Facebook tirade against Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has elicited various reactions from netizens. While many admired Valenciano for courageously conveying his thoughts on Duterte’s morality, several others bashed him for criticizing the presidential wannabe.

In the anonymous open letter shared by a certain Irene Kelly on Facebook, Valenciano was reminded to look first at his family before finding faults in others. According to the letter, Gab’s father Gary V was once a womanizer who got another girl pregnant while still in a relationship with another woman.

The anonymous letter sender revealed that Gary V’s ex-girlfriend was Felichi Pangilinan-Buizon, the younger sister of Angelie Pangilinan- Valenciano, Gab’s mother. In addition, the letter sender also pointed out that Gab was the child conceived out of indiscretion.

PHOTO CREDIT: Facebook/Irene Kelly

“So stop talking about womanizing, values, morality and loyalty when your own parents did not exactly do the right thing either. How come you never condemned your parents?”

Stressing that he or she is not supporting any candidate or condoning infidelity, the writer urges Gab to look within his own family before judging others.

The writer further said that people admire Gary V for his talent and look beyond his faults in the past.

“By the way, I like Gary V because he is a good singer and not because he was a womanizer. A lot of people support and admire Gary because of his talent. They did not judge his faults. Look the story up on Google and on YouTube (Angeli and Felichi opened up about it on the 700 Club show).”

In case you’re wondering, here’s a video of the Angeli and Felichi’s interview on 700 Club Asia.


Based on Felichi’s testimony in 700 Club Asia, she and Gary V. had a relationship for two months before the latter ended it. Apparently, Gary V. had fallen in love with another woman who happened to be Felichi’s older sister. The new pair eventually tied the knot in 1985.

Despite their painful past, Angeli claims that her husband and sister remain best of friends. - Mini/TheSummitExpress

Mocha Uson responds to Gab Valenciano’s criticism against Duterte

MANILA, Philippines- Following an online feud with OPM singer Jim Paredes, sexy dancer Mocha Uson is embroiled in controversy once again, this time involving US-based artist Gab Valenciano.

In a lengthy post on Facebook, Uson has responded to Valenciano’s tirade against Presidential aspirant and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. According to Uson, Valenciano, whom he described as someone “born with a silver spoon” and does not live in the country, is not aware of what’s really happening in the country.

Stating that morality should not be the basis in choosing the country’s next president, Uson emphasized that moral standards can mean different things to different people.

“What is morally right to you might be morally wrong to me, and what is morally wrong to you might be morally right to me,” Uson wrote.

According to Uson, many detractors of Duterte dwell on the issue of morality instead of focusing on capability. Comparing the country to a sick patient in dire need of a good doctor, Uson said that we need a good doctor instead of a righteous one.

She wrote: “And here come the moralists questioning the doctor's righteousness and morality? Shouldn't we be more concerned about the doctor's experience and capability to treat disease and illness?”

Uson ended her post with a question that left netizens baffled: Do we need a moralist or a president?

Her controversial post has amassed more than 27,000 likes and almost 13,000 shares on the social network as of this writing.

MORALIST OR PRESIDENT?(My reaction to Gab Valenciano's FB post )Many anti-Duterte focus on the issue of morality. But...
Posted by MOCHA USON BLOG on Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Valenciano, the 27-year-old son of popular Filipino artist Gary Valenciano, has expressed his disapproval of Duterte’s leadership tagging him as immoral on Facebook. Although he admires Duterte for his honesty and eagerness to lead the country, Valenciano said that he cannot support his morality.

In his post’s caption, Valenciano asked: "Would you, who was born and raised a Filipino with the values and morals set and taught to you by past generations, appoint a president who completely rejects the morals we Filipino's are known for? Family. Faith. Tact.” - Mini/TheSummitExpress