Suspension Of Classes Guidelines

The following guidelines shall be followed for the automatic cancellation or suspension of classes in all public and private elementary, secondary and tertiary schools, as well as work in all government offices:

Suspension of Classes Guidelines

a. When Signal No. 1 is raised by PAGASA, classes at the pre-school level, in the affected area, shall be automatically cancelled or suspended.

b. When Signal No. 2 is raised by PAGASA, classes at the pre-school, elementary and secondary levels, in the affected area, shall be automatically cancelled or suspended,

c. When Signal No. 3 or higher is raised by PAGASA, classes at pre-school, elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels, in the affected area, including graduate school, as well as work in all government offices, shall be automatically cancelled or suspended.

The PAGASA shall issue weather forecasts through various media outlets (radio and television), and the NDRRMC, not later than 10:00 PM of the previous day and 4:30 AM of the day of the intended cancellation of classes and work. In cases where there are classes and work in the morning and suspension of classes and work is only effective in the afternoon, PAGASA should issue the forecast not later than 11:00 AM of the said day.

Localized Cancellation or Suspension of Classes and Work in Government Offices

In the absence of typhoon signal warnings from PAGASA, localized cancellation or suspension of classes and work in government offices may be implemented by local chief executives, as chairmen of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) concerned, in coordination with PAGASA and the NDRRMC, specifically in flood-prone or high risk areas.

Announcements will be made not later than 4:30 AM of the day of the intended cancellation of classes and work, or not later than 11:00 AM for suspension of work and classes in the afternoon session, through diverse mass media, particularly radio and television, landline communications and other technologies for communication within the community or locality.

Cancellation or Suspension of Classes and Work in the Government During Other Calamities

Classes in all levels in both public and private schools as well as work in the government offices may be cancelled or suspended in areas affected by disasters or calamities other than typhoons, such as but not limited to floods, earthquakes, tsunami and conflagration, upon the declaration by the President of a State of Calamity based on the recommendation of the NDRRMC.

The concerned Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO) headed by the local chief executive shall be responsible for announcing the suspension of classes and work in the government offices in the affected areas in coordination with the NDRRMC, through all forms of mass media available under the circumstances.

Excerpts from Executive Order No. 66, s. 2012 FULL STORY...

Edward Benosa Trends On Twitter (The Voice Philippines)

Edward Benosa made it to local Twitter trends after his audition in "The Voice of the Philippines" was aired Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Edward Benosa (Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN)

Many viewers of the show tweeted out their appreciation of the singing heartthrob's good looks. Among the tweets were as follows:

"edward benosa is the name of the super cute guy on the voice PH mwehehe"

"Oo nga ang gwapo nung Edward Benosa. My gosh #cyberstalking"

"Marry me EDWARD BENOSA!!! Bubuhayin kita hihihi"

Benosa, 23, performed Bruno Mars' "It Will Rain" but none of the coaches turned their chairs around. It means the singing hunk is not advancing to the next round of the competition.

When he was still 19, Benosa joined GMA-7's popular star search, "StarStruck" and made it to the Top 28. FULL STORY...

Emmanuelle Vera Auditions For 'The Voice Philippines'

Singer-actress Emmanuelle Vera apparently tried out for "The Voice of the Philippines."

Emmanuelle Vera (Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN)

Just to refresh your memory, Vera co-starred with one of "The Voice" coaches, Sarah Geronimo, in the short-lived musical series, "1DOL." In the show, Vera played the role of Diana Rosales, the antagonist to Geronimo's character Billie Jean Suarez.

The 18-year-old Fil-Am songstress also has her own album, which was released last year under Universal Records. She is also a Star Magic talent and is handled by Cornerstone Talent Management Center, which boosted the careers of Sam Milby, Richard Poon, Yeng Constantino, Erik Santos, Slater Young, among others.

In the first few minutes of the premier episode of "The Voice" on Saturday, Vera's interview with the coaches during her audition was shown, wherein she said winning the contest might be the big break she has been waiting for.

Vera certainly has the voice that the judges are looking for and we are most certain that the audition phase was a piece of cake for her.

Check out this amazing cover of "A Thousand Years" by Emmanuelle Vera and another "1dol" star Mica Caldito below:
FULL STORY...

'The Voice Of The Philippines' Blind Auditions Kick Off

"The Voice of the Philippines" kicked off Saturday with the show's signature Blind Auditions wherein coaches will select the artists they want to mentor just by listening to the aspirant’s singing voice.

"The Voice of the Philippines" Blind Auditions (ABS-CBN)

During this phase, coaches Lea Salonga, Apl de Ap, Sarah Geronimo, and Bamboo are tasked to pick 12 artists for their respective teams who will advance to the next rounds of competition— the Battle Rounds and the Live Shows.

The following were the successful auditions featured during the premiere episode of the "The Voice of the Philippines":

1. Darryl Shy, 44, Baguio, "Tatsulok" (Team Lea)
2. Deborah Victa, 21, Laguna, "American Boy" (Team Bamboo)
3. Chien Berbana, 31, Zamboanga Sibugay, "Sayang Na Sayang" (Team Lea)
4. Thor Dulay, 32. Davao del Norte, "I Have Nothing" (Team APL)

"The Voice" is a unique singing competition where auditions are based solely on vocal ability. It first started in Netherlands in 2010 and in a span of three years, has been localized in more than 40 countries worldwide including the more popular US version where Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton, Shakira, and Usher sat in the iconic red swiveling chairs as celebrity coaches. It is open to artists aged 16 and above with pure singing talent and with or without professional experience.

Hosted by Toni Gonzaga, the Philippine franchise airs every Saturday and Sunday night on ABS-CBN. FULL STORY...

Nursing Board Exam Results To Be Released On June 17, 2013?

The Nursing Board Exam Results for June 2013 will be released on June 17, according to a rumor that has spread through SMS.

Photo courtesy of bls.gov

"Announcement from PRC: To all JUNE 2013 NLE takers, the releasing of the result will be nextweek 'june 17'. I would like to congratulate in advance to all new RN's. Pls pass this to all June NLE takers," the text message reads.

This rumor is probably not true as PRC does not normally announce when it is going to release the results of the nursing board exam nor any other licensure examinations they conduct. The date is also quite soon, just 12 working days since the day of the exam. The results of the last NLE (Nursing Licensure Exam) were released in 30 working days.

About 38,656 nursing grads took the board exam for nurses last June 2 and 3 in various testing centers across the country. The number is about 10,000 lesser than the previous NLE.

Did you take the June 2013 Nursing Board Exam? How did you find it? FULL STORY...

Richard Poon And Maricar Reyes Official Wedding Photos (Slideshow)

Richard Poon and Maricar Reyes' wedding sure was a hot topic online, as well as offline, this week. In fact, the amateur photos taken by those who attended the ceremony spread like wildfire in the interwebs.

Richard Poon and Maricar Reyes' wedding kiss

The onsite wedding video made by Mayad Studios was also an instant hit after it made its way on social media sites like Facebook and Youtube. One Youtube upload of the clip has amassed more than 250,000 while another has over 180,000 hits as of this posting.

More people will surely talk about the celebrity couple's wedding once again as it is expected that some weekend showbiz magazine and talk shows are going to feature it once again.

Lito Sy, the official photographer who covered the nuptials, has also just released a slideshow of the newly-weds' onsite wedding photos. Check it out below:
Big band crooner Richard Poon, 31, and model-actress Maricar Reyes, 27, secretly tied the knot last Sunday, June 9, at the Bellevue Hotel and Resorts in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

Read more details here: http://noypistuff.blogspot.com/2013/06/richard-poon-and-maricar-reyes-wedding.html FULL STORY...

Architecture Board Exam Results June 2013 List Of Passers

The Architecture Board Exam Results for June 2013 have been released by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on Friday, June 14, 2013.

Architecture Board Exam Results June 2013

According to the PRC, a total of 901 out of 1,767 examinees successfully passed the Architect Licensure Examination (ALE) given by the Board of Architecture in Manila last June 7 and 9, 2013.

PRC also announced that registration for the issuance of Professional Identification Card (ID) and Certificate of Registration will be on June 25, 26 & 27, 2013. Those who will register are required to bring the following: duly accomplished Oath Form or Panunumpa ng Propesyonal, current Community Tax Certificate (cedula), 1 piece passport size picture (colored with white background and complete name tag), 2 sets of metered documentary stamps and 1 short brown envelope with name and profession and to pay the Initial Registration Fee of P600 and Annual Registration Fee of P450 for 2013-2016. Successful examinees should personally register and sign in the Roster of Registered Professionals.

The date and venue for the mass oathtaking of the successful examinees in the said licensure examination.

Check out the list of passers of the June 2013 Architecture Board Exam below:

Roll of Successful Examinees in the
ARCHITECT LICENSURE EXAMINATION
Held on JUNE 7 & 9, 2013
Released on JUNE 14, 2013

FULL STORY...

Kat.ph Taken Down By IPOPHL

Kat.ph, a popular torrent website, has been taken down by the Philippine government.

Kat.ph Taken Down IPOPHL

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), the government agency mandated to administer and implement State policies on intellectual property, issued a temporary restraining order following a copyright infringement complaint filed by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry Inc (PARI).

PARI alleges the website of illegally using Original Pilipino Music (OPM), which has caused "irreparable damages" in the industry.

The TRO, which prompted local domain registrar dotPH Domains to halt its service to Kat.ph, will last for 72 hours and may be extended to 20 days if Kat.ph files a memorandum.

Kat.ph's previous web address was kickasstorrents.com. Talks on Facebook say the website has migrated to another address following the IPOPHL take down. FULL STORY...

Suspension of Classes June 14, 2013

Suspension of classes has been announced in the following schools and universities due to flooding and inclement weather:

University of Santo Tomas: "Classes in the high school, college, post-graduate levels and office work will remain suspended tomorrow, Friday, June 14, 2013, in order to allow stranded Thomasians to go home for clean-up of affected buildings; and considering a forecast of afternoon rains." --Office of the Secretary General

Other than UST, no other schools have released an advisory regarding cancellation of Friday classes, as of 6:30am.

Please standby for updates. Visit this page later.

As of 3am, PAGASA has terminated all thunderstorm warnings. FULL STORY...

Julia Barretto's First MMK Episode To Air This Saturday

Julia Barretto will star in her first ever "Maalala Mo Kaya" (MMK) episode this Saturday, June 15.

Julia Barretto's First MMK Episode Airs This Weekend

The rising star said it has always been one of her dreams to be able to star in one of ABS-CBN's longest running television programs.

According to her, the moment the project was offered to her, though nervous of the great responsibility it would lay on her shoulders, she immediately grabbed the chance without any second thoughts. She shared that she felt so honored to be part of the show, let alone get the lead role for it on her first go.

She added that she is feeling the pressure but she is very determined to prove to everyone that she is not just another pretty face nor another daughter of a famous celebrity couple.

Written by Mark Angos and directed by Dado Lumibao, the heart-warming episode also features Ara Mina, James Blanco, Jacob Dionisio, Tommy Abuel, Manuel Chua, Kristoff Meneses, Marikit Morales, and Yda Yaneza.

Julia Barretto is the daughter of former celebrity couple Marjorie Barretto and Dennis Padilla. She is part of the latest batch of Star Magic Circle and has snatched the lead role in the upcoming ABS-CBN teleserye, titled "Cofradia." FULL STORY...

Hynix Rambus $240M Patent License Agreement Signed

SK Hynix and Rambus Inc. have signed a $240M patent license agreement, ending years of legal battle between them.

The agreement between South Korean semiconductor supplier Hynix and American technology licensing company Rambus includes a license to certain DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) products for payments of $12 million per quarter for the next five years. Other terms of the agreement are confidential.

"This is a milestone agreement for both companies that puts years of legal disputes behind us and gives us the opportunity for collaboration," said Dr. Ron Black, president and chief executive officer at Rambus. "With this agreement, we can focus more on engaging with the industry as we work on future challenges where we can bring invention and value to the market with superior solutions and products."

Rambus filed a patent lawsuit against the other party back in 2005. In September, a federal judge in California ruled that Rambus' claims were valid and that Hynix should pay royalties for past infringement.

Hynix and Rambus said they have settled all outstanding claims. FULL STORY...

Daiana Menezes, Victim Of Violence?

Brazilian model Daiana Menezes posted a series of photos and cryptic messages relating to violence against women on her Instagram account recently, causing her "followers" to show their concern as to what she is really going through.

The model, who is reportedly engaged to Cagayan de Oro representative Jose Benjamin "Benjo" Benaldo, posted another photo last June 8, 2013 with the caption, "The end," and then another photo that read, "NO TO RAPE."

Another photo shows her arm with cuts and wounds.

Such is the trend of her posts that even a woman connected with the Gabriella organization was drawn with curiosity and concern to her posts.

She would just reply to some with very little detail or even ignore some of her supporters.

But just yesterday, she broke her silence by posting on Instagram a much longer message that would somehow let us take a peak as to what this beauty is really going through behind closed doors.

Her post said: "I am aware of the posts and they're aren't cool. How can they be cool? But keep silent isn't the best anymore after i heard that they'd believe me only seeing with their own eyes. So time to SPEAK UP. My apologies to those I had to ignore or not give details, even if i do, aside from looking DUMB MYSELF, I wish I had a CCTV, or if i knew, record would do, but "ang sakit"; it's a physical, sexual and emotional pain that can't be explaiined. Besides there are two sides of the coin and i know the other side will fight for defense, since there's bipolar order, things can be turned around. I had witnesses but unfortunately, they're paid to keep quiet."

Prayers are pouring and are being offered for her. FULL STORY...

Tony Awards 2013 Winners Revealed, 'Kinky Boots' Wins Big

The 67th Annual Tony Awards was held Sunday, June 9, at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City and was broadcast live on CBS television network. The event was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, his fourth time in his three consecutive years in hosting.

Tony Awards 2013 Winner Cyndi Lauper (Youtube Screengrab)

"Kinky Boots," the musical adaptation of the 2005 British comedy film, led the pack of winners this year, winning 6 of 13 award categories it was nominated for.

Non-competitive Awards were also given to personalities in the theater world who has contributed much through the years. Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre was awarded to three personalities, namely Bernard Gersten, executive producer of Lincoln Center Theater; Ming Cho Lee, scenic designer; and Paul Libin, executive vice president of Jujamcyn Theaters.

Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre was awarded to Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City; Career Transition for Dancers; William "Bill" Craver; Peter Lawrence, production stage manager; and The Lost Colony. The same award was given jointly to Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon, and Milly Shapiro, who shared the lead role in Matilda the Musical. Their performances were recognized by the committee and were given to them on June 8, 2013, one day prior to the event.

As co-founder of Gay Men's Health Crisis, Larry Kramer received the Isabelle Stevenson Award for his works.

Meanwhile, the Regional Theatre Tony Award was awarded to the Huntington Theater Company in Boston, Massachusetts.

The ceremony also showcased performances from the musical nominees, including "A Christmas Story, The Musical;" "Annie;" "Bring It On: The Musical;" "Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella;" "Kinky Boots;" "Matilda The Musical;" "Motown The Musical;" and "Pippin."

Below is the list of the winners of the 2013 Tony Awards:

BEST PLAY: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
BEST MUSICAL: Kinky Boots
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: Pippin
BEST ACTOR (PLAY): Tracy Letts as George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
BEST ACTRESS (PLAY): Cicely Tyson as Miss Carrie Watts in The Trip to Bountiful
BEST ACTOR (MUSICAL): Billy Porter as Lola in Kinky Boots
BEST ACTRESS (MUSICAL): Patina Miller as The Leading Player in Pippin
BEST FEATURED ACTOR (PLAY): Courtney B. Vance as Hap Hairston in Lucky Guy
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS (PLAY): Judith Light as Faye in The Assembled Parties
BEST FEATURED ACTOR (MUSICAL): Gabriel Ebert as Mr. Wormwood in Matilda the Musical
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS (MUSICAL): Andrea Martin as Berthe in Pippin
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL:  Matilda the Musical by Dennis Kelly
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Cyndi Lauper (music and lyrics) for Kinky Boots
BEST SCENIC DESIGN (PLAY): John Lee Beatty for The Nance
BEST SCENIC DESIGN (MUSICAL): Rob Howell for Matilda the Musical
BEST COSTUME DESIGN (PLAY): Ann Roth for The Nance
BEST COSTUME DESIGN (MUSICAL): William Ivey Long for Cinderella
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN (PLAY): Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer for Lucky Guy
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN (MUSICAL): Hugh Vanstone for Matilda the Musical
BEST SOUND DESIGN (PLAY): Leon Rothenberg for The Nance
BEST SOUND DESIGN (MUSICAL): John Shivers for Kinky Boots
BEST DIRECTION OF PLAY - Pam MacKinnon for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL - Diane Paulus for Pippin
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY - Jerry Mitchell for Kinky Boots
BEST ORCHESTRATIONS - Stephen Oremus for Kinky Boots FULL STORY...

Richard Poon And Maricar Reyes Wedding Photos

Richard Poon and Maricar Reyes' wedding took place at around 4 p.m., today, June 9, 2013, at the Bellevue Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

Richard Poon and Maricar Reyes seal their wedding with a kiss

The private black-and-white themed ceremony was attended by the celebrity couple's family and friends including Nikki Gil, Billy Crawford, Robi Domingo, Kean Cipriano, Bettina Carlos, Nikki Valdez, Christian Bautista, Jed Madela and ABS-CBN bosses Johnny Manahan, Cory Vidanes and Linggit Tan.

Poon and Reyes first met in 2009 during the making of  the crooner's music video for his single, "You and I." In 2010, Poon admitted he was wooing the model-actress.

"Pag sinagot na niya ako. I may say that she might just be the woman for me. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. If she's willing, I will marry her," he said in an interview with ABS-CBN in 2010.

The pair announced their engagement in April, saying they wanted an exclusive wedding ceremony with limited guests.

Check out some photos of Richard Poon and Maricar Reyes' wedding below:

Photos courtesy of Garlic Garcia, Nikki Valdez, Bettina Carlos and to their original owners FULL STORY...

13-year-old With 162 IQ: Neha Ramu Scores High In Mensa Test

A 13-year-old girl scored 162 in Mensa IQ test.

13-year-old With 162 IQ (Photo courtesy of BBC)

Neha Ramu is now considered as one of UK's brightest people after her Mensa IQ test score revealed she has an IQ of 162, surpassing that of Professor Stephen Hawking, who has a reported IQ of at least 160.

Although she is proud of her achievements and extraordinary gift, Ramu said she doesn't want to be compared to the great geniuses that came before her, adding that they have already done so much for the world and she doesn't want to be in line with them just because of the score she got.

Ramu's mother Jayashree said that despite the youngster's high interest in chess and reading, she doesn't neglect the other aspects of her life and still finds time to enjoy her teenage years by going out with friends and doing what girls her age does. She also watches tv and goes swimming during her leisure time.

In the near future, Ramu dreams to be able to study at the famous Harvard University and focus her studies on Neurology.

Ramu moved from Bangalore, India to Surbiton, a suburb in south-west London about five years ago. FULL STORY...

Soy Sauce Overdose Nearly Cost Teenager His Life

A soy sauce overdose almost cost a teenager his life.

Soy Sauce overdose sends teen into coma

The unnamed 19-year-old boy drank a quart of soy sauce to satisfy his friends' dare and was rushed to the hospital after he started twitching and having seizures. Nearly four hours later, he was already in a coma.

According to Dr. David Carlberg of the University of Virginia Medical Centers, the teen was unresponsive to all stimuli they gave him, giving them the hint that his nervous system is not working well anymore.

The doctor said that there was just too much salt in his blood, a condition medically termed as hypernatremia. He further said that it is a dangerous condition because it causes the brain to lose water, which will result in the shrinking and bleeding of the said organ.

Knowing this, Dr. Carlberg and the rest of his team immediately started to flush and drain the excess amount of salt from his system. They continued doing this until his sodium level went back within normal range after about five hours.

Though already out of the dangerous sodium levels, the teenager remained in a coma for three days but woke up on his own. He was observed for a few more days and showed residual effects from the seizures but was miraculously able to show no more signs of the effects of the overdose a month after he was treated.

The teen, who is now back in college and is doing well in his exams, is said to be the first man to have overdosed on such high amounts of salt but survived without any lasting neurological problems.

Dr. Carlberg believes that the teenager survived because of the quick intervention his team had done. FULL STORY...

NBA Finals Game 1 Airs Via Satellite On ABS-CBN

The NBA playoffs have reached its climax as the Miami Heat collide with the San Antonio Spurs in the much anticipated NBA Finals match-up this Friday (June 7) airing via satellite on ABS-CBN at 9:00 AM.

NBA Finals 2013 To Air On ABS-CBN

Coming off an intense series with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat are once again headed for the NBA Finals for their 3rd straight appearance. LeBron James will seek revenge on the Spurs, the same team who swept his Cleveland Cavaliers in his first Finals appearance back in 2007, and he will need the help of Wade, Bosh, and the rest of the team in order for the Heat to repeat. Can the Big 3 and the rest of the Heat come together and cap off their historic season with back-to-back championships?

Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs easily dispatched the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Finals. Tim Duncan and the Spurs will seek their 5th championship in the last 15 years. The Spurs are coming off a ten day break and will head to Miami well rested. Can the hardened veterans of the Spurs dethrone the King and be champions once again?

Tune in to ABS-CBN for game one of the NBA finals this Friday (June 7) at 9:00 AM with primetime replay on Studio 23 at 9:00 PM. Game two is set to air on Monday (June 10) via satellite at 9 AM. FULL STORY...

'Bottomline' To Tackle Kristel Tejada's Suicide Case

This Saturday, "The Bottomline With Boy Abunda" will put the spotlight on Christopher and Blesilda Tejada, the parents of the University of the Philippines Manila student and suicide victim Kristel.

Host Boy Abunda with the Tejada Family (Photo: ABS-CBN)

Kristel Tejada took her own life by ingesting a silver cleaning solution a couple of days after she was forced to go on leave for failure to pay tuition on time.

Who do her parents think is the one to blame for Kristel’s decision of killing herself? How did their daughter’s death bring change to their lives? After almost three months since Kristel's death, when can Christopher and Blesilda finally say that justice has been served for the loss of their family?

The above questions will be answered by Kristel's parents in the June 8 episode of the 2013 USTv Awards Best Public Affairs Talk Show "The Bottomline With Boy Abunda,” which airs at 11:30 pm, after "Banana Split." For more updates, just log on at www.abs-cbn.com or follow @abscbndotcom on Twitter. FULL STORY...

Roel Manlangit Named 'Pililipinas Got Talent Season 4' Grand Winner

Internet singing sensation and child prodigy from Bukidnon, Roel Manlangit, was namedgrand winner of the country’s biggest and grandest talent-reality show "Pilipinas Got Talent" Sunday night at the PAGCOR Grand Theater, beating 29,000 other variety of acts that auditioned this season.

Roel Manlangit, PGT 4 Grand Winner (Photo: ABS-CBN)

Roel got 30.22% of the combined online and text votes, or four points higher than metal ring dancer Frankendal Fabroa (26.07%).  MP3 band (17.48%) placed third.

The 13-year-old belter jumped for joy and quickly ran towards his family immediately after his name was read by Kris Aquino as the grand winner. He was awarded with the P2 million grand prize by Big Three judges Kris, Ai Ai Delas Alas, Freddie “FMG” Garcia, and ABS-CBN head of TV Production Laurenti Dyogi.

When asked what he will do with the money, the shy and overwhelmed Roel shortly quipped in Filipino, "I can finally have our house rebuilt."

Runners up also received a cash prize of P100,000 each while the three remaining grand finalists – D Intensity Breakers, Zilent Overload, and Lateral Drift Productions- didn’t go home empty-handed as they received P50,000 each.

More viewers tuned in for the big announcement after PGT topped the list of most watched programs nationwide last Sunday (June 2), according to Kantar Media, and hit a national TV rating of 30.2%, beating rival “Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho” with 17.8%. PGT also won the ratings game last Saturday (June 1) with 30.6% vs “Celebrity Bluff” with 11.4%.

Roel first created a buzz online when his video singing Whitney Houston’s classic hit “I Will Always Love You” hit more than 2 million views on video-sharing site YouTube. A son of a carpenter and plain housewife, Roel faced a major tragedy in his life when their house was washed out during typhoon Pablo. With Roel’s victory, he plans to rebuild their lives and start anew.

Before the nerve-wrecking announcement, the PGT final results night was opened with an explosive dance number from the and one and only comedy queen Ai Ai.

PGT grand finalists also shared the stage with guest performers namely Zsa Zsa Padilla, Zia Quizon, KZ Tandingan, Jhong Hilario, and the Streetboys.

Past PGT grand winners Jovit Baldivino, Marcelito Pomoy, and the Maasinhon Trio, on the other hand, returned to the PGT stage with powerful song numbers and proudly shared how PGT realized their dreams and changed their lives.

"Pilipinas Got Talent," hosted by Luis Manzano and Billy Crawford, is a Philippine adaptation of the worldwide hit "Got Talent" franchise, owned by Fremantle Media, that have catapulted talented acts from across the globe to both local and international stardom.  The phenomenon of singers winning is not unique to the Philippines.  Singers have been winning in other territories as well like the US, Australia, Chile, and Slovenia.

Watch the "Pilipinas Got Talent" grand finalists together with the biggest Kapamilya stars perform in a one-night-only concert "You Got It! Kuwentong Talent Ito" airing this Saturday (June 8) after "MMK" on ABS-CBN. Guest stars include Jovit Baldivino, Yeng Constantino, KZ Tandingan, Erik Santos, Maasinhon Trio, Angeline Quinto, Marcelito Pomoy, Frenchie Dy, Sam Concepcion, Markki Stroem, Jem Cubil, Buildex, K Brosas, Paul Salas, Ella Cruz, Neilbeth, Rayver Cruz, John Prats, Thou Reyes, Happy Feet, the Azkals, Malditas, Merlito Sabillo, Jayvee Agojo, Venus Raj, Shamcey Supsup, Janine Tugonon, Keana Reeves, Ruben Gonzaga, Slater Young, Myrtle Sarrosa, Ejay Falcon, and Nene Tamayo. FULL STORY...

'Glee' Stars To Visit Manila, Philippines

Some of the cast of the popular musical TV series, "Glee," are set to visit the Philippines this weekend.

Glee Stars Arriving In Manila This Week (Photos: Glee)

New Directions' Melissa Benoist (Marley Rose), Becca Tobin (Kitty Wilde), Jacob Artist (Jake Puckerman) and Dean Geyer (Brody Weston) will be gracing the launch of Coca-cola's newest product at the TriNoma Activity Center on Saturday, June 8, 2013.

The event will also be attended by Kapamilya stars Enchong Dee, Julia Montes, Joseph Marco and Kathryn Bernardo.

Mystery crates containing the new Coca-cola drink have been placed in various locations in Metro Manila. They will be unveiled at exactly 2 o'clock in the afternoon this Saturday.

Which "Glee" cast member are you most excited to see in Manila? FULL STORY...