noynoy aquino and his girl friend

MANILA, Philippines—Yes, Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III has a girlfriend. She is a councilor in Valenzuela City.
No, he did not think she was planning to run for Congress.
These were Aquino’s cautious answers when he was peppered with questions on Wednesday about gossip circulating in text messages and the internet that his girlfriend, whom he refused to name, was eyeing a congressional seat.
"I think she’s opting for reelection," Aquino told reporters. "She hasn’t told me she has changed her mind," said Aquino, but quickly added that it would be up to his girlfriend to decide what political road to take, and that he would be there to support her.
It was the first time the bachelor senator, who is now being touted as a possible presidential candidate, talked about his personal life.
Aquino, the only son of the late president Corazon Aquino and martyred opposition leader former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., both national icons, revealed that he and his girlfriend would celebrate their first anniversary as a couple next month.
He had already introduced her to his mother, who died on Aug. 1.
Aquino appealed to reporters not to insist that he name her. He said his girlfriend had been recently at the receiving end of many requests by some people.
"I don’t want to add to the chaos in her life," Aquino said.
The tabloid People’s Tonight, however, has already identified the senator’s girlfriend as 29-year-old Councilor Shalani Soledad, a pretty and unassuming political leader in Valenzuela City.
Asked whether his girlfriend would be supportive if he were to run for the presidency next year, Aquino said they haven’t had time to discuss the issue.
"I don’t think, if I have a decision, she will not be supportive of it," he said.
Soledad’s official website describes her as a native of Catanduanes and a graduate of Human Resources Management at De La Salle’s College of St. Benilde.
She used to work in the Senate as a staff member in the office of Senator Panfilo Lacson in the Senate (2001-2003).
A source close to the senator claimed the two first met in 2000 or 2001 when Soledad interviewed him for a media project. They met again, this time by accident, in August 2008 at Alfredo’s restaurant in Quezon City. Both were dining with their respective friends but they had their picture taken with each other and exchanged phone numbers.
The following month, Aquino reportedly introduced her to some of his friends, although he said they were just going out.
Aquino has been previously linked to a stewardess, a staff member of Senator Francis Pangilinan and two actresses.
Aquino is also known to have dated news anchors Korina Sanchez (now engaged to Senator Mar Roxas) and Bernadette Sembrano.source

'Jaws' Shark Hunted Down

The star of "Jaws" has been found resting in a Los Angeles junkyard.

No, not Richard Dreyfuss -- the shark! With the 35th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's classic blockbuster just around the corner, an NPR reporter set out to track down the mechanical beast that struck fear into the hearts of so many.

In order to maximize their control over the creature, the "Jaws" filmmakers built three sharks for their 1975 movie. All created from the same mold, the sharks were dubbed "Bruce" after Spielberg's lawyer, Bruce Ramer. The gigantic metal creatures were 25-feet long and weighed hundreds of pounds. The heads alone came in at 400 lbs. apiece, with jaws the size of a small human.
Photos: Jaws, Chucky among most iconic film villains >>

When reporter and "Jaws"-enthusiast Cory Turner set out to track down Bruce's whereabouts, he went straight to the source -- the movie's director. A spokesman for Steven Spielberg explained that the original Bruces had all been destroyed, as no one had thought to save them.

But theories circulated on a Facebook page for the famous shark that another Bruce might be out there. After a little research, Turner discovered that a fourth shark had indeed been cast from the original mold, just months after its brothers were constructed. The baby of the Bruce family was created for display at Universal Studios Theme Park, where it hung by its tail for fifteen years.

In 1990, the shark was taken down and shipped out to destinations unknown. Turner picked up the phone and started dialing junkyards. He finally found the creature in a yard in the Sun Valley area of Southern California -- just minutes away from Universal. Turner brought the team who built Bruce -- art department members Joe Alves and Roy Arbogast to verify the shark's authenticity.

"It's the real one," Arbogast told Turner after examining the creature. "It's just kinda' nice to see it again after 25 or 30 years. It's amazing that it's still here."

Bruce's discovery couldn't come at a better time. There's talk that Universal might be considering a 3D "Jaws" remake -- with comedian Tracy Morgan in the shark-hunter role. Perhaps Bruce will find his way onto the silver screen once again.

Their shelter from the storm

I was aimlessly wandering around CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) when I sighted what seemed to be structures amid a clump of coconut trees. So I went further to explore what looked like a park, half-expecting to sit for a while in the shade. What I found instead were bare-footed kids playing and later on people lying on cartons under the shade. And then it dawned on me that these people could be ACTUALLY living here. From afar, camouflaged by trees and foliage, I spotted makeshift tents. And more kids. I tried making conversation with Joey and Jingjing -- they won’t give me their surnames -- and learn more about the people living there. They told me there are about 200 people who live in this park Joey, a 47-year-old native of Iloilo, was the more amiable one, telling me stories about how they are able to survive through "pangangalakal" or the picking up thrown away stuff they can sell -- along Roxas Boulevard and nearby areas. According to this marker I found, the 6th ASEAN Square Sculpture Symposium was ordered built in 1989 by former Foreign Affairs secretary Raul Manglapus. Some of the sculptures produced during this gathering were put in this park right beside the Sarimanok site, the venue for the Miss Universe pageant held in the country back in 1974. Spain’s Amparo Munoz, who later became actress, won that year. I wanted to linger for a while but seeing more and more kids gathering around me begging for alms -- not to mention this suspicious -- looking character who tried to lure me to look more “statues” somewhere -- I decided to go. So then maybe it’s just fair to warn people to be extra cautious should you find yourself in this park along Roxas Boulevard, fronting Aliw Theater right beside CCP. The sculptures look interesting but in dire need of restoration. Unfortunately, I won’t guarantee that the place is safe enough for a leisurely stroll.

Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and cris

And so it begins. With the recent announcement of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III bid in the upcoming 2010 Philippine Presidential Elections, top local celebrities have been openly expressing their support for the senator, many of whom have close connections to his younger sister – popular TV host, Kris Aquino.

According to Kris in a recent interview, many of her celebrity friends have been communicating with her to affirm their support for her senator/brother’s presidential aspirations come 2010. Ogie Alcasid even sent her a song, which he composed and recorded together with Regine Velasquez, to be used in Noynoy’s presidential campaign. Martin Nievera will also collaborate with Zsa Zsa Padilla for another Noynoy-inspired campaign song, this time as a duet, to be recorded later this year. Even Jodi Sta Maria-Lacson, who is married to Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s son, told Kris that she is willing to offer her services for her brother’s campaign regardless of her current political affiliation in connection to her marriage. Other top Philippine celebrities such as Claudine Barretto, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Anne Curtis, Bea Alonzo, Pokwang and Mariel Rodriguez have also personally expressed their support for Noynoy Aquino and will volunteer as campaign endorsers for Noynoy’s presidential ticket.

To show their appreciation, Kris and her family will be hosting a dinner on October 4 for all the celebrity friends who have expressed their support for Noynoy Aquino’s presidential campaign. This event will also be an opportunity for the celebrity endorsers, in Kris’ words, “for them to get to know my brother well”.

With the impending Presidential Liberal Party tandem of Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, who is scheduled to marry popular TV host and newscaster Korina Sanchez on October 27, expect a star-studded celebrity affair when the 2010 official presidential campaign season begins.