Richard Poon is a huge disappointment

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Mocha Uson out, Richard Poon now on deck. Lol!

So, basically, Richard Poon just called people dumb after shamelessly flaunting his ignorance regarding the WPS issue and the Hague ruling.

Why do Duterte fanatics love accusing their opponents of things they & their bosses are guilty of?

Excuse me, Mr. Richard Poon. May I barge in? You are anti-Filipino. What are you doing here? Start packing up your things & find your exit away from the Philippines. We can’t stand your insults. You have no right to question & find fault in our HAGUE Victory. Do you understand??

Damn Richard Poon is such a huge disappointment and the audacity na magkalat online.

People who are dumb, will just eat simple slogans:) But Pinoys who are not stupid will RESEARCH ONLINE about the WPS issue, clue: 2012

Richard Poon: "Pinoys who are not stupid will RESEARCH ONLINE.."

Also Richard Poon: *shares screenshot of Jay Sonza's post

Seriously?? Jay Sonza as your source??? Omfgggg looolz.

Richard Poon, I defended you from those who slaughtered you before when you had an unpopular opinion regarding the Grammy's. But I wish I could turn that time back, so that I would become one of them denouncing you! Because I didn't know then you were a rabid DDS!

Obviously another troll from the Troll Academy. 

Are you literally calling a retired SUPREME COURT JUSTICE dumb?! What the fuck are your qualifications on international law Mr. Richard Poon? Mahiya naman si Justice Antonio Carpio sa iyo. I know you need income rn because your singing career is dying but wag ka naman magpakabobo.

We are basing our opinions of the incompetence and cowardice of the Duterte admin on the issue of the WPS on Justice Carpio's own assertions. What other "facts" are more relevant than the assertions of an international law expert who defended our sovereignty in the UN tribunal? 

Kung mag research kayong mga DDS, kumpletohin nyo naman. Wag maging selective .

Be careful of cherry picking because those who do often end up looking like stupid, foolish, amateur peddlers of mal-information. 

In hindsight, based on Wardle & Derakhshan (2018)’s definitions, Richard Poon isn’t stupid. Disinformation & malinformation involve the spread of outright false content OR twisting the context of real quotes/events with an intent to harm. That’s not tanga, but rather sinister. 

Tulungan na lang kaya niyang magbake ang asawa niya kaysa magkalat sa socmed hano?

Richard Poon is a one hit wonder singer. Oh wait, I don't even remember a single hit song of his. 

Though I think that every car music playlist should have those Richard Poon covers, but if I don't share the same sentiments with him, then it's not gonna be a great driving experience. Because his music will remind me of a leader who didn't and don't deserve to be the father of my nation.

People who are defending Richard Poon on Twitter are either dumb or uneducated. Stay away from this shitty singer people.

Is this Richard Poon, a Filipino or 'Chinized intsik' whose pledge of allegiance is to his family's root, like Duterte, back in China. If they were not spies, they certainly are traitors.

Di ko kayo gets Jay Sonza and Richard Poon and the rest of DDS and even this admin on the issue of the WPS. For ff. reasons.

1. Ayaw nyo sa war pero hini-hit nyo ang previous admin for withdrawing the ship in 2012 which the previous admin did to avoid escalation.

2. Ayaw na ayaw nyo ma-hit dyan sa kawalan ng strong stand ng admin sa issue ng WPS pero hinihit nyo ang previous admin with the same criticism.

3. Inaaway nyo mga taong gusto lang protektahan ang dapat ay atin? Bakit????!!!

4. Tayo tayo na ang nag aaway. China must be happy.

Excuse me, Mr. Richard Poon. May I barge in? You are anti-Filipino. What are you doing here? Start packing up your things & find your exit away from the Philippines. We can’t stand your insults. You have no right to question & find fault in our HAGUE Victory. Do you understand??

Mother-daughter artists IWI and NICOLE LAUREL will launch their duet song 'SPECIAL MEMORY' on May 9 via Spotify.

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

As a special Mother's Day tribute, noted mother-daughter artists IWI and NICOLE LAUREL will launch their duet song 'SPECIAL MEMORY' on May 9 via Spotify. The music video will be launched on May 14 via Facebook Live. 

Background:

How can a 19 year old Iwi Laurel juggle her love for theatre, multiple singing stints, a restaurant job and a pre-law college course, unknowing that she would encounter a simple melody that would change her life forever. The year: 1983.

“It was during a rehearsal for a play we were doing with Repertory Philippines when a friend of mine, Raymond Lauchengco asked me if I could sing one of the songs on the soundtrack of a movie he was working on with Gary Valenciano called “Hotshots."

It was a song meant to appear in the dream sequence of the movie. I said yes, and immediately they gave me the study material on casette tape. 

They sent the tape at 11:00AM and by 1:00PM that day, I found myself in the studio. 

The music and lyrics were composed by Cecile Azarcon and arranged by Homer Flores and I did my little bit and after one take they dismissed me, and that was it. 

This song really took me by surprise because way back in 1983, I was singing, working and studying at the same time, so when I was offered this song, I thought my mind was set on becoming a lawyer, but then the film became a hit and the song garnered awards, and so I guess I became a singer, not a lawyer.”

It was three years after Iwi’s serendipitous first encounter with the Cecile Azarcon masterpiece that she had become a mother to Nicole.

Raising Nicole as a single mother had its many challenges, but ultimately, an unbreakable bond between them, through blood, unconditional love and music was forged. 

Nicole recounts her utmost gratitude through a musical tribute.

“ Growing up I was familiar with “Special Memory” because everyone knew my mom 

for it and I would constantly run into people who would ask me: “So, you are Iwi’s daughter…. Can you sing her song?” I grew up around that beautiful melody, but it was only as I got older that I realize how much more "Special Memory" meant to me than a song my mother once sang. It was the last song she recorded before changing her life entirely to raise me. I saw how tough things were for mom when I was growing up around her, how she worked tirelessly making ends meet, how she made countless sacrifices to ensure me a better life. I relished every home cooked meal and home baked cake. I saw the tears and I saw the happiness, I am forever grateful.”

Fast forward 2021:

Nicole found herself taking shape 

in familiar shadows, nestling her feet in the sand beneath her mother’s footsteps, after all…. so much of history, though unplanned,  

seemed to repeat itself. 

“It was Mom who encouraged me to be independent and move out when I turned 21.I found that like her, I also had aspirations to be a lawyer, grew up doing a couple plays with Repertory Philippines, spent my college days doing bar gigs at night and even worked part time in a restaurant just like her. We never talked about it, but it seems that so much of her was ingrained in me. 

The parallelisms were undeniable. Years later, after Dad passed away, it was just the two of us left, and it really makes me look back on the years she raised me. I just felt an overwhelming desire to thank her somehow. 

It was then when I first attempted to reach out to Ms. Cecile Azarcon’s publisher to ask permission if we could remake the song and re-arrange it as a duet. Through the wire, Ms. Cecile gave her blessing and my heart 

was full. It was during those days that 

I was also in constant talks and jam sessions with my regular keyboardist and arranger, Nikko Rivera. I was absolutely delighted 

to find out that the prolific Mr. Homer Flores had arranged the original version of “Special Memory. ” 

He is like a father figure of sorts to Nikko and I thought it would be an interesting twist to have a stellar and greatly accomplished “father and son-in-music” 

arrange the 2021 version of the song as a tandem. Thankfully Nikko immediately said yes. 

A week later I had bumped into Mr. Homer at Nikko’s wedding and mustered up the courage to ask him if he would be willing to arrange it. I could not be more grateful that they both said 'yes,' and the arrangement that came of these two great musical forces was sensational. 

Mr. Homer, Nikko and the rhythm section recorded in their homes, and as soon as I had the tracks, we immediately booked Wildgrass studios where the horns section and vocals were recorded. The tracks were then mixed by award-winning engineer Angee Rozul and mastered in Abbey Road UK.” 

“You will always be a special part of me.”

The Cecile Azarcon classic masterpiece is truly a “Special” one. It spans generations, it forges an unbreakable bond between a mother and a daughter, who through their unique voices, sing together, creating wonderful moments to cherish.

“I’ll put together all of your laughter like a symphony.”

Everything my mother did through 

the years is God’s ultimate blessing 

to me, and not a day goes by that I try to give thanks for it. I wish there was more I could do to thank her, but for now, I hope this simple celebration of love will do. 

I love you mom. Happy Mother’s Day.”

SONG CREDITS: 

MUSIC AND LYRICS: CECILE AZARCON

ARRANGEMENT: HOMER FLORES AND NIKKO RIVERA

PRODUCER: NICOLE LAUREL ASENSIO AND IRA CRUZ

DRUMS: OTEP CONCEPCION

BASS: KAREL HONASAN

GUITAR: IRA CRUZ

PIANO AND SYNTHS: HOMER FLORES

ELECTRIC PIANO AND SYNTHS: NIKKO RIVERA

SAXOPHONE: MICHAEL GUEVARRA

TRUMPET: LESTER SORILLA

TROMBONE: ISLA ANTINERO

VOCAL ARRANGEMENT: YOSHA HONASAN

VOCALS: IWI LAUREL AND NICOLE LAUREL ASENSIO

TRACKING ENGINEER: JESS FERMINO 

MIXING ENGINEER: ANGEE ROZUL

MASTERING ENGINEER: GEOFF PESHCE (ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS UK)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: NICOLE LAUREL ASENSIO

Instituto Cervantes online discussion tackles the place of Spanish in international relations

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

On Thursday, April 29, at 6pm, Instituto Cervantes de Manila will be holding an online panel discussion about the role of Spanish in international institutions and relations. Titled “La importancia del español en las relaciones internacionales", this event will bring together four ambassadors to discuss the importance of Spanish in global institutions and its weight in international relations.

Last April 23 was not only the International Book Day but also the day of the Spanish Language, a commemoration declared by the United Nations in 2010 to highlight the global relevance of Spanish, which even Google celebrated with a special doodle featuring the characteristic Spanish letter “ñ”.

In line with this, Instituto Cervantes de Manila has invited H.E. Carlos Rojas, Ambassador of Chile in the Philippines; H.E. Marcela Ordóñez, Ambassador of Colombia in the Philippines; and H.E. Jorge Moragas, Ambassador of Spain in the Philippines, who will join H.E. Celia Anna Feria, Ambassador of the Philippines in Portugal, to measure the importance of the Spanish language in the international context and address commonly asked questions, such as the reasons for a Filipino aspiring to be a diplomat to learn Spanish.

The discussion will be conducted in Spanish but simultaneous English interpretation will be available. Admission is free and open to all on a first come, first served basis. The link to access the event is https://zoom.us/j/96951246678.

This event is organized by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, in collaboration with the Embassy of Chile in the Philippines, the Embassy of Colombia in the Philippines, and the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines.

For further information about the webinar, please visit to Instituto Cervantes’ website (http://manila.cervantes.es), or Instituto Cervantes Facebook page www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila.