Page 17 - LM Confidential Issue September 2014

Canada Accredits 1st Female Philippine Ambassador
Can Morissette Amon move out of Sarah Geronimo’s shadow?
“The Voice Philippines” third placer Morissette Amon wants to have her own identity even if she feels flattered and honored to be constantly compared to Popstar Princess Sarah Geronimo.
“Hindi naman ako nao-offend, honored nga ako kasi sa nag- iisang Sarah Geronimo ako naco-compare. Pero I just have to find a way to separate myself from
her,” Morissette said.
She admitted that Sarah,
her mentor and coach in “The Voice Philippines” is one of those who have influenced her musically.
“Hindi ko lang siguro maiwasan yung pagka-Sarah ko kasi influence ko naman talaga siya. But I have to look different from her and to stand
out para makagawa ako ng sarili kong identity. Para to be known more as Morissette.”
The Cebuana singer has a bigger fan base now, but she also has her share of bashers. She is just happy Sarah does not take the comparisons negatively.
“Natutuwa nga ako kasi siya mismo nagsasabi na ‘Uy, magkapatid daw tayo. Tapos kino-compare tayo. Okay naman daw po sa kanya. Hindi naman natin maiiwasan na may magbash sa akin na ‘Uy second Sarah ka lang, hindi mo siya malalagpasan.’ Kinakausap ko naman siya, humihingi pa din ako ng pasensya sa kanya na ‘Coach, wala po akong intention na ma-hurt ka.’ Gusto ko lang gumawa ng sarili kong identity.”
Almost a year after “The Voice of the Philippines,” Sarah and Morissette still get in touch regularly. Morissette always remembers Sarah’s advice -- pray and sing from the heart.
“Always keep the faith sa Lord talaga. Sobrang religious ni Coach. Lagi niya kaming sinasabihan na huwag makalimutan mag- pray. Of course, that’s something you have to keep throughout the journey. When it’s about interpreting, dapat yung emotions mo totoo inside. Dapat ma-feel mo din. Kung hindi ka man maka-relate, you look for something else para true yung song sa iyo,” Morissette said.
Aside from preparing her album, Morissette si promoting Himig- Handog with other singers.
SEPTEMBER 3, 2014 – Presiding over the presentation of credentials of six (6) newly-arrived Ambassadors to Canada, His Excellency, the Right Honourable David Johnston, warmly received today Her Excellency, Philippine Ambassador Petronila P. Garcia in a stately ceremony at the Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
Ambassador Garcia handed
over to Governor General
Johnston her letter of credence
and the letter of recall of her predecessor, Ambassador Leslie B. Gatan.
In his welcome address, the Governor General recognized the knowledge and skills that Ambassador Garcia will bring to bear on Philippines-Canada relations, which are largely shaped by people-to- people ties fostered by some 660,000 Filipinos in Canada. He expressed confidence that the Philippines and Canada will benefit from the Ambassador’s dedication to building a better world. Noting that he and the Ambassador find common ground in their legal education, the Governor General hoped to discuss their common interest when time permits and looked forward to new and exciting partnerships between Canada and the Philippines.
During her tête-à-tête with the Governor General, Ambassador Garcia summarized her priorities for growing bilateral ties with Canada, among them more educational partnerships in the fields of agriculture, engineering, environmental protection, educational technology and information technology. The Philippine Ambassador took the occasion to convey the Filipino people’s gratitude for Canada’s tremendous disaster relief assistance in the aftermath
of Typhoon Haiyan last year, including the deployment of Canada’s Disaster Assistance Relief Team (DART) by Canada to the island of Panay. The conversation also dwelled upon the recent designation of the Philippines as a Country of Focus for Canada’s development assistance and high-level official exchanges, such as the visit of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to the Philippines in 2012 and the planned reciprocal visit of President Benigno S. Aquino
III to Canada in 2015.
“Today, I carried to the Governor General not only
my credentials as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary but also the good wishes of President Aquino and the affection of the Filipino people for the entire Canadian nation. My mission is to ensure that Philippine-Canadian friendship will continue to flourish on the back of healthy political and economic relations with the large Filipino diaspora in Canada providing a rich context to pursue our goals,” Ambassador Garcia remarked.
Ambassador Garcia was accompanied at today’s ceremonies by the Philippine Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Uriel Norman R. Garibay, Minister and Consul General Eric Gerardo E. Tamayo, Minister and Consul Flerida Ann Camille P. Mayo, First Secretary and Consul Porfirio M. Mayo, Jr., Consul General Junever M. Mahilum-West of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, Consul General Neil Frank R. Ferrer of the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver, Labor Attachés Leonida V. Romulo and Jaime P. Gimenez as well as the Ambassador’s sons Angelo Victor Garcia and Jose Gabriel Reyes.
na mag-sa-sacrifice and ‘yung rerespetuhin ka nang gano’n, iyong talagang papanindi- gan na, ‘This is my stand, this is my principle.’”
“For me, marriage is sacred. Ngayon kasi, parang nagiging norm na lang, eh, sa tao na, ‘Come on, let’s do it.’ Pero iba pa rin siguro ‘yung pakiramdam pag ginawa mo siya after [getting married].”
At the time of the interview, Tugonon and Santos were eight months into their relation- ship. In April 2013, the beauty queen be- came the subject of criticisms when she re- vealed in a live, joint interview with Santos that they had broken up over her ties with The Script vocalist Danny O’Donoghue.
4. Miriam Quiambao
Less than a week after she got engaged to author Ardy Roberto, the Miss Unvierse 1999 first runner-up took to Instagram to detail their “purity pledge,” or a promise not to engage in any sexual activity before their wedding.
What they said: “Let it be known that I, Ardy Roberto aka Mr. Pogi, and I, Miriam Quiambao, aka Ms. U, vow before God to protect each other’s purity from this day on- wards until the day, by God’s grace that we are wed. Therefore, we shall not engage in any act that shall ignite sexual desires or passions prematurely, such as passionate kissing (lips-to-lips), pheromone
sniffing or foreplay.”
“The only expressions of affec-
tion allowed are: kissing on the cheek, holding hands and hug- ging or ‘akbay.’ I, Ardy Roberto, promise to take the lead in this purity pledge and protect you, Miriam Quiambao, and your tes- timony. So help us God! In Jesus’ name.”
Quiambao and Roberto, who is also a Christian motivational speaker, got married in March this year. This is both their second mar- riage. Roberto’s first wife passed away in 2013, while Quiambao was divorced from her former hus- band Claudio Rondinelli, whom
she married in 2004.
5. Nikki Gil
The 27-year-old actress said her deci- sion to stay a virgin until marriage still stands, months after she first opened up about it in a Cosmopolitan interview tackling breakup with Crawford.
What she said: “O, sige, ‘yan na ang kap- intasan ko! Peope have said, ‘Eh, kasi, lalaki. May pangangailangan.’ My point exactly! See? Kung ‘yan lang pala ang issue, [he didn’t really deserve me]. Nobody told me to stay a virgin, or because I’m a stuck-up prude na holy-holy. It’s my choice. I’ve always been ma-pride. If sex is something I value, [gano’n talaga]!”
Four months after her controversial split with Crawford, her boyfriend of five years, Gil admitted starting dating again in November 2013. She is now reportedly in a relationship with businessman BJ Albert, while Crawford has openly admitted his relationship with “It’s Showtime” co-host Coleen Garcia.
BELOW, Eugene Deocareza of Gino Solutions and Nieves Mangante pose with Kapamilya star Gerald Anderson at the Taste of Manila Festival.
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SEPTEMBER 2014
L. M. Confidential 17