Controversial ₱700-million Iloilo Convention Center opens for APEC Summit

PNoy opens Iloilo Convention Center

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III led on Monday the inauguration of the controversial ₱700-million Iloilo Convention Center (ICC).

Aquino opened the state-of-the-art convention facility located on a 1.7-hectare lot in Iloilo Business Park, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

The ICC became controversial last year after former provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada Jr. alleged that the structure was overpriced and implicated Senate President Franklin Drilon, an Ilonggo.

Mejorada accused Drilon of conspiring with a supposedly favored contractor to rig the bidding of the project.

Mejorada alleged that W.V. Coscoluella and Associates, which designed the building, was awarded a contract without a public bidding and that construction was overpriced by ₱488 million.

President Aquino at the inauguration of the Iloilo Convention Center in Iloilo City. Official Gazette PH

Drilon was charged with graft before the Office of the Ombudsman in October 2014, but the charge was dismissed for lack of merit.

Two stories high with a floor area of 11,832 square meters, the ICC can accommodate over 3,000 guests. It will be used as one of the venues for some high-level ministerial meetings of this year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit.

The construction of the ICC began in 2013 and was based on a design inspired by Iloilo's Dinagyang and Paraw festivals.

Aquino also joined the ceremonial launch of the Iloilo Business Park and Richmonde Hotel Iloilo. - Louis Bacani @philSTAR

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VIDEO: Pinay X Factor favorites 4th Power grew up in poverty before shooting to stardom got standing Ovation

The group impressed the judges. image: mirror.co.uk

X Factor favorites 4th Power grew up in poverty before shooting to stardom, their mum reveals

The girl group sparked outrage last week as it was revealed they were professionals, but they have come a long way from their childhood

X Factor favorites 4th Power grew up in poverty before reaching stardom, their mum has revealed.

Filipino sisters Almira, 27, Celena, 19, Mylene, 23, and Irene, 25, wept with joy on the opening show after getting a standing ovation from the new judging panel of Simon Cowell, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Rita Ora and Nick Grimshaw.

Some viewers were livid when the Sunday People last week revealed they were seasoned professionals.

But life has not always been so good. The girls grew up in a poor neighborhood in the city of Santiago with two more siblings, their junk dealer dad Dominador and mum Erlindo.

Revealing the family's struggle, Erlindo said: "We moved from place to place to find a better life. Poverty forced my husband to buy and sell bottles and newspapers in a pushcart.

"I sold Tupperware, beauty products and fashionwear. With our hard work, we sent our five daughters and our son to school."

She revealed how they got their first break by finishing second in a family singing contest while wearing homemade kit.

The group appeared on This Morning

The sisters raised travel money by singing at an arena between cock fights and went on to perform at birthdays, weddings and concerts to help pay for school tuition.

A string of international competitions followed.

The band had told X Factor producers about their extensive experience before being invited to perform for the judges.- Read more at Mirror.co.uk

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Piolo Pascual back on the cover of Esquire

Piolo Pascual @ Esquire. image: Coconuts Manila

This time, Piolo Pascual gets his solo Esquire cover.

Unlike his usual glossy appearances in other magazines, Kapamilya idol Piolo Pascual sported a gritty, understated look on the September issue cover of Esquire. The cap Piolo was wearing is actually owned dby photographer Geric Cruz, who shot the cover.

In a Facebook post, Esquire said Papa P will be sharing his thoughts on fatherhood, fame, and his role in Lav Diaz's movie Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis.

Of all his experiences on cam, Piolo told Esquire that playing Simoun, who is based in Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo, is one of his most challenging roles to date.

Esquire last had Piolo on the cover in 2013, when he was promoting the film, On The Job. At that time, he shared the cover with co-stars Gerald Anderson and Joel Torre.

"I think I’ve come to the point in my life where I can say, 'I think I’ve done enough.' I’ve done more than enough. But if God is going to take me some place else, I won’t mind. But for now, damn, man... never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I’d get this far," Piolo said.

The September 2013 issue will also be giving readers an inside look at the set of the film, as well as Lav's directing style.

With the theme "Say You Want A Revolution"  (a line from Revolution of The Beatles, yes?), Esquire also touches on poems from writer and poet Pete Lacaba and a love story from the Martial Law era.

More of Papa P coming through:

Piolo Pascual @ Esquire. image: Coconuts Manila

Piolo Pascual @ Esquire. image: Coconuts Manila

Read more at Coconuts Manila

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