Global Pinoys

Here's a list of Filipinos who have distinguished themselves recently by grabbing the headlines worldwide. I personally, find their stories inspiring and am proud we share the same race.

THE PUGILISTS- Recently, three boxers hogged the headlines: Anna "the Hurricane" Julaton - the first Fil-Am female boxer who captured the WBC title. She has the same coach as Manny Pacquiao in the person of Freddie Roach. Anna flew in just recently and was feted with a ticker tape parade and a courtesy call on P Noy as well as guest spots on various TV Shows. On the same arena (pun intended)are two guys Brian Villoria and Nonito Donaire who pommelled their Puerto Rican and Mexican opponents. The victory is especially sweet for Donaire who recovered his championship belt, albeit, on a different weight category... but a victory, nonetheless.

FRANCISCO "DJANGO" BUSTAMANTE - Recently won the World Pool Championships in Cardiff, Wales. Billiards is a strong arena for Philippine talents. It has gone a long way from the dyas of Efren "Bata" Reyes and Amang Parican both of whom elevated billiards consciousness in the country and elevated the sport into an art form. Incidentally, Mr. Reyes also competed in the same competition but was eliminated in the earlier rounds. Django pocketed the cash prize of 36,000.00 Euros and bragging rights as world pool king.

FRANCISCO DOMAGOSO- Formerly better known as Isko Moreno, the man who was a struggling actor in his younger days has become an icon of sorts when he was invited to and graced a seminar on local governance in the United States. Born of humble beginnings, Francisco was a street urchin who spent his childhood begging for scraps of food and frequenting the mounds of trash in Smokey Mountain. He ended up in Showbusiness as a discovery of German Moreno and eventually entered politics first as a councilor of Manila. He then pursued higher education and continued to serve in the local government. Isko was duly elected and was one of the first to be declared winner in the vice-mayoralty race in the City of Manila in the 2010 elections.

CANDICE ADEA - A diminutive ballerina of no meager talent, Diday, as she is fondly called by friends won the Silver Prize in the recently concluded ballet olympics in Jackson, Mississippi. The International Ballet Competition in Jackson is held every 4 years and is participated in by hopefuls from all points of the world. Young dancers come from far and wide to compete in dance technique which they have finely honed in their own respective countries.

Candice follows in the footsteps of celebrated Filipino dancers Lisa Macuja Elizalde (who won silver in Japan) and Camille Ordinario Joson (again, silver medalist in Paris). Candice is a principal dancer of Ballet Philippines.

ARTHUR AALA- Make no mistake about it, Italians know their food well. So how the heck did one Filipino win the hearts (and stomachs) of a nation that perfected pasta and pizza? Well, give them sushi.

Arthur Aala opened his first Japanese restaurant, Ohashi, in 2002. He is now the owner of 6 Japanese restaurants. Two of them are solely his, while he co-owns the other 4 with his Filipino buddies.

A framed certificate recognizing the quality of their food is proudly displayed in one of his restaurants, Osaka. It was awarded to the restaurant by the Il Gotha del Gusto International Press Association, which has a membership of 300 food critics worldwide.

Aala believes the quality of food and service in his restaurants is the reason why customers keep coming back. He started as a janitor in the Middle East at the young age of nineteen with dreams of providing for his family. He then rose the ranks and learned to make sushi. When he felt he had learned enough, he moved to Turin and established a small Japanese restaurant ( i know, why not Pinoy food?. His business grew and he now owns 6 restaurants employing Filipinos.


UST SINGERS - The University of Sto. Tomas Singers made history when they bagged the Choir of the World- Luciano Pavarotti Grand Prize at the 2010 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, in Wales, UK -- the oldest and most prestigious choir competition in the world. They won the same award in 1995, making them first and only Filipino and Asian choir to win the celebrated award twice.

The Choir of the World competition (COTW), which is the highlight of the festival, is exclusive for the 1st prize winners of 5 major choir categories: Mixed Choir, Chamber Choir, All-Male Choir, All-Female Choir and Barbershop/Close Harmony Choir.
The UST Singers won the top prize in the Mixed Choir Category, which qualified the group for the COTW competition.

In the COTW competition, the UST Singers triumphed over 4 champion choirs: the Cywair Choir of Wales, winner of the Chamber Choir category and also a Choir of the World winner in 2005; the White Rossettes Choir of England, winner of Barbershop/Close Harmony Choir; Cantabile Choir of Limburg, Germany , winner of the All-Male Choir Category, and the Chanterelles Choir of England, the winner of All-Female choir.


The COTW trophy is named after the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who started his career as a singer at the same Llangollen International Musical Eistedfodd stage in 1955 when he was a choirboy in an All-Male Choir in Modena, Italy. His choir emerged as the All-Male Choir Champion in the same competition in 1955. The Pavarotti name was added to the COTW title in 2005.

The University of Santo Tomas Singers was founded in 1992. It is a mixed choral ensemble composed of a select group of students and alumni representing the different colleges and faculties of the oldest university in Asia. The group, under the baton of Prof. Fidel G. Calalang Jr., is completing its tour in some European cities before returning to the Philippines.

Meanwhile, another entry from the Philippines, the DLSU Chorale, also won 2nd place in the Chamber Choirs category.