The Cinema of the Philippines (Filipino: Pelikulang Pilipino; Spanish: Cine Filipino) began with the introduction of the first moving pictures to the country on August 31, 1897, at the Salón de Pertierra in Manila. The following year, local scenes were shot on film for the first time by a Spaniard, Antonio Ramos, using the LumiereCinematograph. While most early filmmakers and producers in the country were mostly wealthy enterprising foreigners and expatriates, on September 12, 1919, Dalagang Bukid (Country Maiden), a movie based on a popular musical play, was the first movie made and shown by Filipino filmmaker José Nepomuceno. Dubbed as the "Father of Philippine Cinema," his work marked the start of cinema as an art form in the Philippines.
Even with the problems currently facing motion pictures around the world, films are still considered one of the popular forms of entertainment among the Filipino people, directly employing some 260,000 Filipinos and generating around ₱2 billion revenues annually. Among its neighbors in Southeast Asia, Philippine cinema remains as the strongest in the Southeast Asian region with the majority of films made in the region came from the Philippines along with the film industries of Thailand and Indonesia. (Full article...)
... that the Filipino fraternityAlpha Phi Beta has been involved in instances of violence, including getting mauled by rival fraternities, such as Sigma Rho?
... that Sharon Cuneta and Regine Velasquez's concert Iconic has been referred to as a venture of two unrivaled names in the music scene of the Philippines?
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Image 1A map of the Philippines showing the location of all the regions and provinces
Image 2Banaue, Philippines: A man of the fugao tribe in traditional costume
Image 3A leaning belfry of St. Andrew Church, in Bacarra town, province of Ilocos Norte
Image 4Banaue, Philippines: a view of Banaue Municipal Town
Victor Ma. Regis "Vico" Nubla Sotto (Tagalog pronunciation:[ˈbikoˈsɔtɔ]; born June 17, 1989) is a Filipino politician serving as the incumbent mayor of Pasig. A member of the Sotto family, he first entered politics when he ran for a seat on the Pasig City Council in 2016. He won the election as an independent and served a term in the city council. He joined the Aksyon Demokratiko party and was elected mayor of Pasig in 2019 with a platform focused on public consultation, data-driven governance, and universal health care in the city, which prioritizes housing programs, easier access to education, and cracking down on corruption. Sotto was re-elected in 2022; shortly afterwards, he resigned from Aksyon Demokratiko.
The Philippines announces that it will close all schools on Monday and Tuesday, due to an extreme heat wave currently affecting the country. (The Straits Times)
...that the Philippines average cellphone user sent 2,300 text messages in 2003, making it the world's most avid texting nation?
...that the closing mass for the World Youth Day 1995, held at the Luneta Park, was estimated to be attended by 5 million people and was considered to be the largest papal gathering in the Roman Catholic history but it would be the last time for Pope John Paul II to visit the Philippines?
...that Darna garnered 50.3% overnight ratings from AGB during its second episode and it became the highest rated show ever in Philippine television?