REALITY COOKING CONTEST SHOW 5th SEASON:  TOP  CHEF  IN  NEW YORK

[PHOTO AT LEFT - Season Five features notable guest judges in the fields of food, culture and entertainment |MANILA, Philippines]

MANILA, OCTOBER 21, 2009 (STAR) Experience New York City at its hottest when Top Chef Season Five airs Wednesday nights at 10 on 2nd Avenue.

After four seasons, the reality cooking competition is ready to take a bite of the Big Apple. Seventeen talented chefs from all across America head to New York City for a shot at culinary stardom in Top Chef.

Joining the season’s roster of “cheftestants” again are host Padma Lakshmi and judges Tom Collichio and Gail Simmons. Season Five also welcomes food critic and How to Lose Friends and Alienate People author Toby Young as new judge.

The new season promises to be the most challenging and most star-studded yet, since it will feature notable guest judges in the fields of food, culture and entertainment. Expected to drop by are Martha Stewart, Rocco DiSpirito, the Foo Fighters, Jean-Georges, Eric Ripert, Wylie Dufresne, Jean-Christophe Novelli and the late Natasha Richardson. The guest judges will go hand in hand with the resident panel in offering their insights and give the chefs a peek into the competitive, high-pressure world of culinary arts and restaurant business.

Like in past seasons, each episode will hold two challenges for the chefs. The first is the Quickfire challenge which will test the chefs’ basic abilities, and the second is the more crucial elimination designed to test their capabilities, skills and how they deal with teammates and demanding customers. Throughout the season, the competing chefs will live and breathe the high-pressure lifestyle required of being a master chef. Every week, one of them will be asked to pack their knives and go home.

The FAMAS awardees (The Philippine Star) Updated October 20, 2009 12:00 AM

Photos by Enie Reyes MANILA, Philippines - Allen Dizon (leftmost), scored his third acting trophy when he was proclaimed Best Actor in the 57th Annual FAMAS Awards held last Sunday at the Grand Theater of PAGCOR Parañaque.

Snooky Serna was named Best Supporting Actress while German Moreno won as Best Supporting Actor.

Both won for Paupahan. Not in photo is Heart Evangelista, who was proclaimed Best Actress for Ay, Ayeng.

 

NEWS FEATURE: Comelec rejects 'sabungeros' By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star) Updated October 20, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The hopes of an alliance of cockfighting aficionados to be represented in Congress have been dashed as the second division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) rejected the application for accreditation of Alyansa Sabungero.

In a resolution, the second division headed by Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer ruled that the petition of Alyansa Sabungero was “not verified and does not conform with Section 5 of Republic Act 7941” or the party-list law.

Under the law, “any organized group of persons may register as a party, organization or coalition for purposes of the party-list system by filing with the Comelec not later than 90 days before the election a petition verified by its president or secretary stating its desire to participate in the party-list system.”

The verification should include the group’s constitution and bylaws, platform of government, list of officers, agreement and other relevant information.

But in a motion for reconsideration filed with the Comelec, Alyansa Sabungero founder Nid Anima said the poll body’s “adverse resolution… has been done without due process…

“Alyansa Sabungero never having been called to a hearing and thus, never given its proverbial day (in) court,” he noted.

Anima added that it was an “oversight on the part of Alyansa Sabungero to skip on things it thinks as obvious” as he mentioned requirements for putting up a party-list organization.

These requirements include nationwide coverage, non-affiliation with any religious sect or denomination, adherence to law and being non-recipient of foreign funding.

Aside from filing a motion for reconsideration, the group had also lodged a supplemental petition that seeks to “correct the infirmities in its original petition.”