People and Places

A typical “probinsiyana”, so to speak, one could hardly recognize this woman in a crowd – be it in a shopping mall or in a banquet. But unknown to many, this dainty, gentle and soft-spoken beauty, accented with an alluring smile, is the mayor of one of the most progressive towns and the country’s fourth richest municipality.

The golden future of San Pascual, Batangas, is at hand. On the eve of its 50th founding anniversary as a full-fledged municipality in August 2019, San Pascual – the youngest among the province’s 31 towns – is gearing up to the status of an economic rising star with potential benefits to its 65,000 plus constituents. Thanks to the indefatigable leadership of the incumbent first-term mayor, Roanna Dinglasan Conti, the fundamental template of such holistic future has been cast through a big bundle of infrastructure projects – and attendant numerous public welfare programs – that are already benefiting more San Pascualeños than ever before.

Atty. Nick – as he is commonly called – first served as Legal Consultant in the Office of the Press Secretary of the Philippine Information Agency and the Philippine Heart Center from 2001 to 2002. As he turned 30, he was appointed by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as Presidential Assistant at the Office of the President and Assistant Secretary at the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff in 20003 until 2004. During this period, he was the administration’s answer in its early fight against corruption through the Transparency Group, an ad-hoc team he led, created to conduct lifestyle checks on various government officials and employees suspected to be having lifestyles beyond their means. For this, he was recognized as “Outstanding Law Enforcer for 2004” by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC). Out of his experience in good governance, he authored a primer on corruption entitled “To Serve With Honor”.

Famed fashion designer Ianne Martin was born Marianne Martin on December 23, 1975, in Manila, Philippines. She is the youngest child and only daughter of a businessman, Eddie Martin and his wife, Jeng Martin. Marianne is known to her close friends and family as “Ianne”. Her mom and grandmother raised her, as her father was very active in the business during her childhood.

She is known as “Mother of the Universe” – the first such award given in the Mrs Universe pageant held in 2017 in Durban, South Africa – but for her family, close friends and numerous fans, Dr. Joyce Penas Pilarsky is the perfect and living version of the how-to book she wrote – Young, Sexy and Gorgeous – for a fulfilling healthy life.

That she’s a person of rare and admirable beauty, inside and out, may still be an understatement, for Karla Tiangco’s sense of accomplishment – she’s a fitness enthusiast, fashion icon, entrepreneur and a certified wanderlust – does not trivialize her earthy ego but rather dignifies the nobility of her worldly spirit.

Author Bio: Hailing from the Philippines, Mercy Jane Ballesteros is a young talent with a soul older than her years.Mercy Jane Porquez Ballesteros was born in Bacolod City, Philippines on February 10,1997. She graduated from Sagay National High School Open High School Program in her hometown Sagay City.

Beauties for a cause and Miss Earth 2018 candidates yesterday visited the People’s Tonight office in Intramuros, Manila. They are (from L) Miss Earth Poland Aleksandra Grysz, Miss Earth Singapore Kara Dong, Miss Earth Korea Song Suhyun, Miss Earth Nepal Priya Sigdel, Miss Earth USA Yashvi Aware and Miss Earth Czech Republic Tereza Krivankova. Coronation will be at the MOA Arena on Nov. 3 and will be aired on Fox Life at 8 p.m. It will be telecast on GMA 7 at 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 4.

It was a birthday party that really set a new standard in celebrating milestone events. Ma. Lourdes De Vera Navarro’s 60th-year celebration last May 19 was jampacked with some 250 plus friends from Australia, USA, Zamboanga and Metro Manila who came fresh and in their best attire for the 1920s’ Gatsby-inspired and –decorated The Conservatory of the Manila Peninsula Hotel which was transformed further with a ton of all-white flowers and additional chandeliers by no less than celebrity stylist Gideon Hermosa.

As life is a business, John Salandanan’s entrepreneurship is one remarkable journey worth knowing as an example of how one could overcome challenges – and come out wiser and more polished and primed to pursue further a passion-driven initiative. Here, he enthuses how he has so far steered his physical and financial enterprise – and, for one who has a strong faith in God, divinity! – and how he is mindfully shaping his future that is always, at the least, an exciting work-in-progress.

At about a hundred years old, as many claim her to be, Maria Oggay is diminutive and looks frail, but when she is moved or persuaded to tattoo, her arms had a power, vigorous and never tentative, both gentle and forceful. Age is her only enemy now.

If visibility were a gauge of success, RS Francisco has everything going for him now. He is very back in showbiz news as he reprises the role that professionally launched him in 1990 to entertainment stardom – Song Liling in M. Butterfly – for his and partner Samuel Verzosa’s production outfit aptly called Frontrow.