All posts by Pol Pinoy

Miss Universe: Will History Repeat Itself?

April 15, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Quick trivia: who was the very first Miss Universe?

If you said Armi Kuusela, you’re absolutely right. The beauty queen from Finland won the Miss Universe crown at the age of 17. That was in 1952. The rest is history, so they say. She ended up marrying a Filipino, Virgilio Hilario, but not until she gave up her crown eight months into her reign. After all, the title was MISS, not Mrs. Universe.

Fast forward to 2016. This time the Miss Universe is Filipina, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.

Miss Universe and the "Sexiest Doctor Alive" (photo from Dr. Mikhail Varshavski's Instagram page) — Miss Universe and the “Sexiest Doctor Alive”
(photo from Dr. Mikhail Varshavski’s Instagram page)

A few months into her reign, she has openly admitted that she was dating America’s “sexiest doctor alive,” Mikhail Varshavski.

Will love wait, or will history repeat itself? If does repeat, it will be the other way around: not a Filipino winning the heart of Miss Universe. Miss Universe — a Filipina — does the winning over.

International, Politics, Technology, Travel

Duterte Unveils Proposed Philippine Railway Plan In Exchange For Giving Up Spratlys To China

April 15, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – With over 7,000 islands separated by water, the Philippines has faced major challenges in bringing about fast and efficient travel within the country, thereby creating barriers in terms of trade, tourism and unity among Filipinos. Not anymore.

Previously, we reported that presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte promised, if elected, to abandon the Philippines’ claim to the Spratly islands in the South China Sea provided China builds trains that would make it easier for Filipinos to travel within their country.

Duterte’s statement caught the attention of the Beijing government and asked for more specifics.

In response, Duterte unveiled his plan for a Pan-Philippine high-speed railway system that would connect the northernmost province of the Philippines to the southernmost tip in Tawi-Tawi. The Davao City mayor wants China to pay for building the system.

China is reportedly very interested but is withholding a final decision until after the May 9 Philippine presidential elections — just in case Dueterte does not win.

Politics, Religion

Bernie Sanders Heads For The Vatican To Seek Pope’s Blessing

April 14, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

NEW YORK, New York (The Adobo Chronicles, Washington Bureau) – After today’s contentious Democratic presidential debate in New York, Bernie Sanders is headed for The Vatican to seek the blessing of Pope Francis.

Sanders, who does not participate in any organized religion, is hoping that by seeking the Pope’s blessing, he will gain the support of American Catholics in this coming Tuesday’s primary in New York. In New York City alone, it is estimated that there are 2.6 Million practicing Catholics.

Sanders faces one of the more important primary contests in New York against Hillary Clinton, a Methodist.

Will Sanders’ strategy work?

Stay tuned.