By TJ Burgonio
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–In business, it pays to go green, to embrace one’s roots, and to engage small communities.

Ask the owner of Binalot, a fast-food chain famous for its low-budget Pinoy meals wrapped in banana leaves harvested in a poor farmers’ community in Laguna, a neighboring province of Metro Manila.

As it continues to make good business through its 35 outlets, mostly inside malls in Metro Manila, the young company is starting to gain international recognition.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Pablo Tariman, Alcuin Papa
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine Madrigal Singers won the prestigious European Grand Prix for Choral Singing Sunday night (Monday morning, Manila time) in Arezzo, Italy.

The Madz, as the choir is popularly known, is the first and only choir to win twice in what is known as the choral Olympics of the world.

It won the European Choral Grand Prix (GPE) for the first time in June 1997 when the Madrigals represented the Tolosa Competition, the first and only Philippine choir to win this competition.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Carmela Reyes
Central Luzon Desk

CITY OF MALOLOS, Philippines–Bulacan residents and officials hailed an 11-year-old girl from this city who topped the junior division in the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held on July 31 to August 3 in California.

Aria Daniella Clemente, who arrived here last week, was proclaimed grand champion in the WCOPA junior division after besting 5,000 contestants from 52 countries.

Clemente, a Grade 6 pupil of Stella Maris Academy of Malolos, also bagged the “Performer of the World” award in the junior category after she beat winners in other categories.

[Read the rest of this entry »]