KZ Tandingan “Rehab” at The X Factor Philippines: Simply flawless

KZ Tandingan outshines the rest in her Amy Winehouse “Rehab” rendition during the Top 9 Performance Night of The X Factor Philippines aired Saturday, August 25, 2012. (File photo from: theultimatefan.blogspot.com)

She is KZ Tandingan.

She isn’t Amy Winehouse in all aspects of her personality except for one distinct character… It was KZ’s character as Amy in her flawless rendition of “Rehab“.

Judges in The X Factor Philippines during their commentary couldn’t find, at least, a subtle mistake at KZ’s unparalleled performance in the Top 9 Performance Night of The X Factor Philippines. That night was truly her night and unarguably was!

The song, “Rehab” is produced by Mark Ronson and was written by the late Amy Winehouse — a singer and songwriter who won five Grammys for her album Back in Black in 2006. Unfortunately, Amy’s glitz and glamour in the spotlight was “overshadowed” by her drugs and alcohol dependence, and eventually, she died at an early age of 27 on July 23, 2011 (Source: biography.com).

What truly astounds the crowd during the Top 9 Performance night of The X Factor Philippines, lately, in KZ’s rendition of “Rehab” is the way she projects and grinds every piece of note and deliver every word through her lips like a pro Amy Winehouse. No one would certainly ask how a certain KZ Tandingan did it; because she is simply like that way she performs that night before our very eyes.

She is simply KZ, simply flawless.

Related articles

1. MyVideo2day: KZ Tandigan XFactor Philippines Audition (emayey.wordpress.com)

2. KZ Tandigan of X Factor Philippines (ayandeatoinrandom.wordpress.com)

3. Fans Protest Mark Mabasa’s Exit (tagalogjournal.wordpress.com)

4. Remembering Amy Winehouse: 1 Year Later (923now.cbslocal.com)

5. Is a nose job the next op for Amy Winehouse? (mya.co.uk)

    

August 26 is Women’s Equality Day in U.S.

 

(File photo from: realcourage.org)

Every 26th of August every year, the whole America celebrate the most significant honor for women to commemorate the 1920 passage of the 19th amendment, granting women to exercise their right to vote or suffrage.

While the Philippines, through Republic Act 6949 signed on April 10, 1990,  celebrate March 8 each year as National Women’s Day, the 1971 Joint Resolution of U.S. Congress declares August 26 of each year as Women’s Equality Day in America.

Thursday, August 24, 2012, U.S. President Barack Obama stated in his proclamation posted on the White House website, “I call upon the people of the United States to celebrate the achievements of women and recommit to realizing gender equality in this country.”

While the Republicans and the Democrats conventions are approaching, Women Organized to Resist and Defend or WORD reported a call to action on Women’s Equality Day, published by defendwomensrights.org,

On Women’s Equality Day, August 26 – on the eve of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, which will be immediately followed by the Democratic National Convention – women and their allies will take to the streets of Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Chicago and other cities across the country in defense of women’s rights.

History of women’s right recognition started when women themselves started recognizing their self-worth and continuously asserting it.  Women’s suffrage activists like Jane Addams, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, Susan B. Anthony, and among others are institutions in the history of women asserting their rights to vote.

Below is the 1971 Joint Resolution of Congress (from National Women’s History Project):

Joint Resolution of Congress, 1971
Designating August 26 of each year as Women’s Equality Day

WHEREAS, the women of the United States have been treated as second-class citizens and have not been entitled the full rights and privileges, public or private, legal or institutional, which are available to male citizens of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the women of the United States have united to assure that these rights and privileges are available to all citizens equally regardless of sex; and

WHEREAS, the women of the United States have designated August 26, the anniversary date of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, as symbol of the continued fight for equal rights: and

WHEREAS, the women of United States are to be commended and supported in their organizations and activities,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that August 26th of each year is designated as Women’s Equality Day, and the President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation annually in commemoration of that day in 1920, on which the women of America were first given the right to vote, and that day in 1970, on which a nationwide demonstration for women’s rights took place.

 

Related articles

• On Women’s Equality Day, Humanists Reaffirm Commitment to Equal Rights Amendment (americanhumanist.org)
• 5 Ways to Celebrate Women’s Equality Day! (self.com)
• National Women’s History Project (womensphilanthropy.typepad.com)
• JBLM Observes Women’s Equality Day (dvidshub.net)
• August 26th Day of Action – Women’s Equality Day (occupywallst.org)
• Susan Harrison Wolffis: Suffragettes weren’t just out marching for their health (mlive.com)

 

MIRIAM Makes History to the ICC as First Female and Asian Judge

Dr. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, newly-elected as judge to the International Criminal Court based in The Hague, Netherlands. (File photo from komentaryopilipino.blogspot.com)

 “Dr. Santiago is eminently qualified.  She has shown competence and commitment in defense of the rule of law.   She has demonstrated her intelligence and legal acumen through her decisions that have been cited by the Philippine Supreme Court.  She has shown independence and integrity in her actions. She is more than qualified for this position,” as Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said in the news article.¹

Miriam overwhelmingly topped the first round of elections, held on December 12 in New York, bested candidates from every region and first to be elected out of 18 candidates competing for the six (6) seats in the International Criminal Court (ICC).

 

With 79 votes out of 104 valid votes, Dr. Miriam Defensor-Santiago made history not only in the Philippines, as the first Filipino elected, but also to the ICC and to the states parties, as the first ever Asian female from a developing state to sit as judge in the International Criminal Court -– the first permanent international court that prosecutes individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.

 

On Her Way to ICC

In May 2011, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario endorsed Miriam to Mr. Aquino as the country’s candidate to the International Criminal Court.² Then to satisfy the legal requirement pursuant to the Rome Statute of the ICC, Article 36, par. 4(a)(ii), the Philippine National Group in the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ( in which the members of the PCA are: Former Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr, Former SC Justice Florentino P. Feliciano, Prof. Merlin Magallona, and Former Ambassador Lilia R. Bautista) nominated her candidacy to the qualifications and category specified in Rome Statute of the ICC, Article 36 par. 3 (b)(ii):

Have established competence in relevant areas of international law such as international humanitarian law and the law of human rights, and extensive experience in a professional legal capacity, which is of relevance to the judicial work of the Court (the ICC).

In addition, Miriam is also qualified under Rome Statute of the ICC, Article 36 par. 3 (b)(i):

Have established competence in criminal law and procedure…as judge, prosecutor, advocate… in criminal proceedings.

 

After all confirmations and tough screenings conducted by the ICC to Dr. Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s stellar qualifications as having established competence in international law, criminal law and procedure, and outstanding experience as trial court judge, and after all the campaigns and speeches Miriam had delivered to states parties, hard work and outstanding brilliance, Miriam had shown, paid off.

Philippine Permanent Representative Ambassador Libran N. Cabactulan said in a statement:

 ”Dr. Santiago’s triumph is a victory for the entire Philippines and a demonstration of the international community’s complete faith and confidence in her outstanding abilities and of the country’s commitment to the global fight against impunity.”

 

 

Philippines to the ICC

From left to right in this photo: Her Excellency, Senator Loren Legarda, President of the Senatorial Committee of Foreign Affairs (Philippines); His Excellency, Mr Libran N. Cabactulan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines; Ms Arancha Hnojal, Legal Officer, Treaty Section, United Nations Office of Legal Affairs; Mr Andrei Kolomoets, Officer-in-Charge, Treaty Section, United Nations Office of Legal Affairs (File Photo from:http://icc-cpi.int/NR/exeres/C38C365E-EFAC-4758-A18D-EBBD8D171C9C.htm)

The Philippines formally submitted its instrument of ratification to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on August 30, 2011 at the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs in New York. On November 1, 2011, the Philippines became officially one of the states parties that joined the Rome Statute system.

International Criminal Court President Sang-Hyun Song, once visited the Philippines, stated that this act (the Philippines’ move to join the ICC among other Asian nations) is another indication of Asia’s growing role and cooperation in the international community’s effort to end impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to humanity.

 

Dr. Miriam Defensor-Santiago Profile³

Miriam is a consistent Valedictorian graduate from elementary to high school.  She also graduated magna cum laude in college (completed her AB Political Science in just 3 1/2 years) and cum laude in law school both in University of the Philippines.

She took her master’s and doctor’s degree in law at the University of Michigan as a Barbour Scholar and DeWitt Fellow and completed her requirements for doctorate in just six (6) months with an “A” average.

She further studied postdoctoral courses at Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, and the University of California-Berkeley; where in the latter school, she received the highest grade in judicial writing.

Miriam became special assistant to the Secretary of Justice after passing the bar. Then, she worked as a legal officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland; then as a legal consultant for the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.

(For complete profile information of Dr. Miriam Defensor Santiago, you may click this link: http://www.icc-cpi.int/iccdocs/asp_docs/Elections/EJ2011/ICC-ASP-EJ2011-PH-CV-ENG.pdf)

The working languages of the International Criminal Court are English and French. However, there are six official languages of the Court: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. Russian, and Spanish.

Dr. Miriam Defensor-Santiago will serve a 9-year term to the International Criminal Court based in The Hague, Netherlands.

 

Post Note: You can browse the final results of the elections of the ICC by clicking this link: Final Results: Election of the Judges of the International Criminal Court. Tenth session of the Assembly of States Parties, held on 12-21 December 2011 at UN. Last Update : 13 December 2011, 21:00

Sources and Related Readings:

 

1. Defensor Santiago Elected Judge of War Crimes Court.  In Legal on December 13, 2011 at 1:32 am. The FilAm
2. Dr. Miriam Defensor Santiago Tops Election for International Criminal Court Judges. Tuesday, December 13, 2011 09:15. Public Information Service Unit. http://dfa.gov.ph
3. a statement: 2nd to the last par. Dr. Miriam Defensor Santiago Tops Election for International Criminal Court Judges. Tuesday, December 13, 2011 09:15. Public Information Service Unit. http://dfa.gov.ph
4. Miriam Elected as Judge to Int’l Criminal Court. abs-cbnNEWS.com. ellen tordesillas
5. Miriam Santiago Wins Judge Position in International Criminal Court (ICC). Pinoy Power.
6. Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
   
7. International Criminal Court

 

 

Footnotes:

1     7th par. Dr. Miriam Defensor Santiago Tops Election for International Criminal Court Judges. Tuesday, December 13, 2011 09:15. Public Information Service Unit. http://dfa.gov.ph

²     2nd to the last par. Dr. Miriam Defensor Santiago Tops Election for International Criminal Court Judges. Tuesday, December 13, 2011 09:15. Public Information Service Unit. http://dfa.gov.ph

³   Under Nomination Process. Coalition for the International Criminal Court: Questionnaire for ICC Judicial Candidates. December 2011 Elections. Miriam Defensor-Santiago

 

 

Qadhafi’s Threat to Massive Violence Ends with a Bang!

Qadhafi, in his journey to peace... (Photo from christwire.org)

His capture never ends the world from fears of vindication. Neither his loss from the game spells the craft of peace and harmony to Libyans and to the Arab world; nor his death liberates each one of us from hunger, abuse, human rights violation, and war…

 

Qadhafi is, like us, a human.  He aims to live, at least, with peace and contentment.  Like every child in the universe, he dreams of becoming someone of discipline and substance.  He never quits, not even his loss guarantees him to quit…forever.

In our world where everyone else is a player, Qadhafi plays himself well; to the point of becoming himself an unbecoming to the eyes of leaders, soothsayers, war mongrels, and to the US imperialism.

In his attempt to change Libya outright, he persuaded all of us to his “Green Book” that retaliated the struggles of the masses and the beauty of equality among us: the world, the rich, the poor…

Though he spared the rod through massive violence to quash the oppositions from demonstrations against his rule, he could be like our great, great grandfathers that institutionalized discipline at their homes.

Oppositions have interests: good or bad, potent or impotent, democratic or discriminatory.  Nobody can assure us the goodness of the perpetrators who killed Qadhafi, outright!

History repeats itself.  Yet human race learned not any lesson very well. Leaders maybe greed.  Qadhafi and the perpetrators categorically, are one.  Why not give the demands of those who wanted isolation or independence?  Why not give them the best for themselves according to what they thought for themselves?  Why not let them be as they wanted themselves to be?  It is the true foundation of democracy, the liberation, the freedom we always shout on air, and justice we long, isn’t it?

Qadhafi’s demands are not only for himself, we knew it.  He always try to do things, awkward, to save his people from the false prophets of democracy, peace, and brotherhood.  However, there is one deep reason of his loss; people superficially know it…

Qadhafi’s fate can happen to all leaders in the world. It can happen to Noynoy, to Barack, and even to you.  We always ask about what is the cause, yet we always failed in pointing it out.  Libyans demand versus the demands of Qadhafi is relevant to the current MILF-GRP* peace talk.  Each party has a menu to cook and be cooked.

What are we trying to emphasize ALWAYS is the preservation of the sanctity of the Constitution, which in its implementation is generally a failure to those who are said to be guardians and protectors.  Why not give in to the demands that are objective and fair?

If you defend the Constitution, does it also defend you in your darkest hour in the shadow of your death?

 

_________________________________

*Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Government of the Republic of the Philippines

 

Read Related Post:

1. Mu’ammar Qadhafi…VICTIM of the State of US Hegemony? by Regel Q. Javines at wordpress.com

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