Christine Picardal of the Philippines Wins Miss Diamond of the World 2016

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Congratulations to Christine Picardal of the Philippines for being crowned as Miss Diamond of the World 2016 at the international contest held at Sofitel Hotel in Algiers, the capital city of Algeria, last October 7, 2016.

Christine was crowned by Delia Duca of Romania, last year’s winner.

Runners-up to Christine were the delegates from Romania (Lavinia Grigore) as 1st runner-up, and Russia (Sofia Lunina) as 2ndrunner up. Misses Algeria and Germany completed the Top 5.

Special awards were given to Miss Poland as Miss Friendship and Miss Zambia for Best National Dress.

There's just too many beauty competitions out there of which not all get mainstream coverage as wide as the Miss Universe. Though all aim to seek the same quality attributes from ladies to represent their respective pageants, not all share the same popularity and following.

The lavishness is also noticeable as sponsorship is not as huge compared with the grand productions of the bigger beauty pageants.

Nevertheless, the honor and prestige of winning in any beauty pageant is equally appreciated by all the winners as they compete exerting all efforts to attain the top title of the competition. Being crowned the best among a group of girls is already rewarding by itself. The perks and privileges are just a big bonus for them.

Miss Diamond of the World 2016 is one of the leading international beauty contests in the world.

We would like to congratulate Christine Picardal once again. We are proud to have another beauty queen for our country. Thank you for bringing home another proud moment for the Philippines.

Imelda Schweighart: Forced or Voluntary Resignation as Miss Philippines Earth 2016?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"If it's a crime to tell the truth, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend Miss Ecuador."

That's what Imelda supposedly said in her defense after she criticized the winning Miss Earth 2016, Katherine Espin of Ecuador when she said "Yung nanalo peke ilong, peke baba, peke boobs! Miss Earth, dapat natural."

They say "Her behavior is unbecoming of a beauty queen." Would you agree?
Though it may be the truth, I guess there would be a lot others who underwent plastic surgery or improvement of their body and facial features. Additionally, I don't think candidates are expected to be truthful in beauty pageants. Just like politicians or showbiz personalities, beauty queens are expected to act and talk decent regardless of their personal beliefs in life. Though it is very difficult to show sincerity, it is very rare for individuals monitored or seen regularly by photo and video cameras, and in the eyes of the public, to show their true selves. In most cases, the beauty queen title is simply a job as well.

For beauty pageant candidates, winning means being your best. So they should forget what they were, or at least leave the negative attributes behind, and make efforts to only highlight their positive assets, including maximizing your chances of winning even if it means being "plastic" or "fake." Everyone is aiming to win at least the Miss Congeniality title. Winning the top title is everyone's dream, and whether they would admit it or not, everyone hopes they would stand out among the other ladies.

Honestly,I was disappointed that Imelda did not even make it to Top 16 during the coronation night, and when somebody from Carousel Productions told me it was because of her attitude problem, I knew beauty pageants such as Miss Earth, and all the rest, would not really have women entirely positive or cordial in their outlook and social preferences.

But since beauty is made to appear never enough to win a beauty pageant, candidates would tend to "smile" even to the most disgusting realities that goes on in a world full of lies and deception. After all, beauty pageants are merely there to project an image for others to envy or look up to. Are all those Earth-friendly advocacy nothing but marketing gimmicks to differentiate Miss Earth from the other beauty pageants? Maybe or maybe not! Just as long as role models are made to exist amidst all these worldly issues and problems, the brands and companies would still sponsor, and the world will still watch beauty pageants.

Synergy88 Digital Launches Barangay Basketball, A Mobile Game With Many Pinoy Firsts

Wazzup Pilipinas!
 

Synergy88 Digital, a pioneering digital solutions company based in the Philippines, has recently announced the release of Barangay Basketball on Google Play. A distinctly Pinoy gaming experience, Barangay Basketball is not only the first story-based mobile game created by Filipinos but is also the first to reflect local community life in the Philippines.

A GAME WITH A UNIQUE PINOY FLAVOR

Barangay Basketball follows the story of Wax, son of a former Filipino basketball legend, as he tries to step out of his father’s shadow and become a basketball star in his own right.  Along the way, he meets a slew of interesting characters who can help make or break his dream.

Players will get to hone their skills in dribbling, shooting, blocking and dunking through a set of challenging and fun mini games. As they clear one challenge after another, they will get to follow Wax’s journey from the humble hoops of the barangay court, to the grand stage where the “big boys” play.

Aside from its awesome gameplay and story, Barangay Basketball features world-class art and animation created by Synergy’s pool of talented artists and animators. Teen stars Patrick Sugui and Ysabel Ortega, and veteran actor and former pro baller, Joey Marquez, lent their voices to breathe life to the game’s protagonists.

Set in Tondo, Barangay Basketball perfectly captures the atmosphere of a working-class neighborhood, making it an excellent backdrop for a narrative that Filipinos can definitely relate to.

QUIRKY PINOY CHARACTERS

A cast of colorful characters fill up the canvas to make the story come alive.

Coach B, a former professional basketball player serves as coach and mentor to Wax, while his son Robbie becomes Wax’s kuya or older brother as well as his best friend. Gasti, the barangay’s iron-pumping bully, makes life less easy for Wax and challenges him to improve his skills on the court.

To help with Wax’s training, Coach B enlists a group of basketball “masters” who will assist Wax in understanding the rudiments of Pinoy street basketball: Croco Martin, a sharp-shooting policeman by profession, gives Wax a lesson in shooting outside the paint. Popoy, who peddles coconuts for a living, teaches him how to block his opponent’s shots. Boy Pana, the barangay’s resident troublemaker, helps improve Wax’s dribbling skills. And Gardo Distrito, the neighborhood’s beautician, instructs Wax on how to dunk a ball with flourish and flair.

And, of course, no story is ever complete without some romantic inspiration. That’s where Vicky, a geeky and yet pretty young lady, comes in as the lead character’s “secret crush.”

SLAM DUNKS AND FUTURE PLANS

“We’re proud and very excited to share this unique mobile gaming experience not just to Filipinos but also to people in other parts of the world,” says Jackeline Chua, Managing Partner of Synergy88 Digital. “There are only a few games out there that highlight the fun and positive side of the Filipinos and we feel that Barangay Basketball is a game that will definitely help fill this gap.”

Because of the game’s high production value and unique storyline, Barangay Basketball was recently nominated under the People’s Choice Award category of the International Mobile Gaming Awards for Southeast Asia.

When asked about the future of Barangay Basketball – the Synergy88 Digital team shared that an iOS version of the game will soon be available for download on the App Store, additional chapters in the story are in the works, and an online player vs. player (PVP) mode is in the development pipeline.

Barangay Basketball also serves as a prequel to the story of an upcoming anime TV series, Barangay 143. The show, co-produced by Synergy88 Entertainment Media, August Media and TV Asahi, will revolve around the challenges, defeats and victories of a group of basketball-loving Filipino teenagers. The show will initially be aired in the Philippines but will also make waves on international shores later on.

Barangay Basketball can be downloaded and played for free using any gaming-capable Android device. For more info about the game, visit www.barangaybasketball.com.