Beauty queen leads team in free enterprise world cup

Author: Isah V. Red
Column: Life & Entertainment

The phrase “beauty and brains” has become so common that when someone in the beauty realm is described as such it only elicits a grin, not in approval, but perhaps in disbelief.

Yet, if one describes Jikkie Divino Lee, Miss Teen Philippines in 2005, as such, not one among those who know this 20-year-old charmer will protest. In fact, her teammates in the Students in Free Enterprise in San Beda College, will go into a chant of cheers for their team leader. And why not?

San Beda College team represented the Philippines in the SIFE World Cup held last Oct. 10 to 13 at the Hilton Hotel in New York, along with other teams from 44 countries.

San Beda topped the national championship on July 11, earning for the college the right to represent the country in the international competition.

Students In Free Enterprise is a global non-profit organization active in more than 40 countries. SIFE is funded by financial contributions from corporations, entrepreneurs, foundations, government agencies and individuals. Working in partnership with business and higher education, SIFE establishes student teams on university campuses. These teams are led by faculty advisors and they are challenged to develop community outreach projects that reach SIFE’s five educational topics: market economics, success skills, entrepreneurships, financial literacy, and business ethics.

At the SIFE World Cup Competition, the 45 countries were divided into eight leagues. SIFE Team Philippines was placed in league no. 7, competing with Ukraine, Egypt, Brazil, Tajikistan and Albania.

SIFE Team Philippines placed third in the league and got the “SIFE Spirit Award.”

The project of SIFE San Beda College-Team Philippines: “SIFE in the Life of a Boatman” with Pagsanjan, Laguna, as the adopted community and which directly benefited the bangkeros or boatmen and their wives.

Pagsanjan is a world-class premiere tourists destination. However, there are peak and lean months. During the tourism lean months, the income of a bangkero is inadequate to sustain his family on a daily basis. Also, due to extreme poverty, the parents are forced to sell their innocent children to pedophiles.

Case at hand, SIFE Team Philippines saw this as an opportune avenue to institute the SIFE Community Development building block programs. The first project is the development of the Tomato Prune industry. SIFE Team Philippines standardized the production process, quality, accreditation of the tomato prune industry and its entry to the local market. From the SIFERS market study, the tomato prune is highly acceptable both to local and foreign tourists. SIFE is now preparing the product to penetrate major cities in Asia in the next two years. By this, the income contribution of the tomato prune solved the income deficit of the bangkeros during tourism lean months.

Not many know that Jikkie is the sister of Jennifer Lee, the Viva Hot Babe. Jikkie and Jennifer are half Koreans, their father (who has since abandoned them when they were just little girls) is a Korean. Their mother, a Filipino, raised them as a single parent.

Apart from Miss Teen Philippines in 2005, Jikkie also won other beauty titles, among which were Miss Laguna (2004), Miss Philippine Junior Marketing Association (2004), Miss Red Cross Laguna (2004). She was also the muse of the San Beda Red Lions in 2004.

She is graduating this school year and will finally realize her and Jennifer’s dream to earn a degree. She is majoring in legal management.

Cristina’s Patio Victoria

Cristina Gonzalez Romualdez still makes sure that Patio Victoria gives the best service and best wedding venues to her client even though she is now busy, being a councilor of Tacloban and wife of Mayor Alfred Romualdez.

Patio Victoria is a place where every cherished moment starts to happen, a place where the beauty of binding can be witnessed, and a place where every occasion can be a memorable one.

Cristina said that Patio Victoria is committed to bringing the best possible service that the place can offer to guests and ensure that client expectations are met.

Patio Victoria has an old world charm reminiscent of the Spanish era in the Philippines, and being located in what was then known as the Walled City.

The place is replete with cobblestone pathways, antique wood gate, lush foliage and an old-fashioned fountain. The place is an exquisite garden wedding venue.

Patio Victoria has two gardens—Sofia Garden and Diana Garden. Apart from those, it also has an air-conditioned banquet hall.

Sofia Garden and Diana Garden suggest a romantic ambience. The well-tended and lush gardens have become a favorite for wedding receptions or debut parties because it offers something that is not present in many indoor venues —intimacy. It is perfect for people who love outdoor parties but need not worry about being rained out. The gardens have a gazebo and lots of covered areas.

Contrary to the impression it makes, Patio Victoria is not as expensive as the usual hotel and conference center. The place is also famous for its cuisine, which includes Spanish favorites like paella, lengua, and other international dishes.

Patio Victoria is celebrating six years in the business, and Cristina says it is coming up with promos for everyone.

(For inquiries and reservations, call 527-8006/523-6940/523-1953, send e-mail to patiovictoria5435@yahoo.com, or log on to www.patiovictoria.com

Another box-office winner?

From Star Cinema comes another potential box-office winner.

This November, the movie company of ABS-CBN is releasing One More Chance with John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo.

The movie is about a break up between two people in love.

Written by Vanessa Valdez and Carmi Raymundo, Cathy Garcia Molina directs. Opening on Nov. 14, the film shows a more mature Bea (who slimmed down for her role in the movie) and John Lloyd as they gradually veer away from the Mills&Boon type stories.

Will their fans like them in their new image as mature individuals?

We’ll see how the movie fares. If it’s a smash hit, then we can safely say that the two have finally crossed over.

Smart turns up the party at MassKara ’07

In support of the Philippines’ most colorful and popular festivals, leading wireless services provider, Smart Communications Inc. sponsored the widely followed MassKara Festival held last Oct.14 to 21 in Bacolod.

Now on its 28th year, the MassKara Festival has earned for Bacolod the title “City of Smiles,” as the festival’s prominent feature are the colorful masks worn by the street dancers, all adorned with smiling faces, during the grand street dance competition, which was held last Oct. 20 at Bacolod City Plaza.

What was new this year, though, was the Electric MassKara held at the Lacson Street party strip last Oct. 19 and 20. The Electric MassKara is the evening version of the traditional dance parade, wherein the dancers’ masks and costumes were literally lighted! Lacson Street was closed to traffic—for the first time—and converted into MassKara Festival’s first-ever, mardi gras-like party strip. Bacolod’s partyphiles, visitors from Manila, and other countries packed the bars and restaurants which had tables spilling over to the streets to accommodate the huge crowds.

Smart added to the festivities by holding a “Smart Day” event last Oct. 20, entitled “Smart presents Birada sa Masskara!” Booths were set up in front of PNB on Lacson where Smart subscribers enjoyed on-ground activities such as hair braiding, face painting, henna tattoos, and fortune telling. Local pop-RnB group Avatar, La Carlotta Drumbeaters and Street Dancers, reggae band Reefer, Pinoy rock veteran Razorback, and Wowowee girls Luningning and Mariposa kept an enormous crowd rocking and dancing till past midnight.

Smart has also partnered with some of Bacolod City’s hottest gimmick places for the festival, most of them along Lacson, considered as Bacolod’s version of Malate. It also tied up with popular Bacolod nightspots, like Sorrento, Pavillion, Quorum Disco Bar, Sueño Restaurant and Bar, and North Bar for the weeklong celebration.

Former Negros Occidental Gov. Daniel Lacson Jr. said in an interview that the Electric MassKara and the first-ever festival party strip was a great idea, and would “bring the MassKara Festival to new heights in the future” since it is something new and it compliments the traditional MassKara Festival activities.

Source: Manila Standard Today

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