Virtual Secret Santa or VSS (Monito Monita is the Filipino version) is a kind of exchange gift (during Christmas season of course) that takes place at virtual world, specifically on TWITTER. In virtual secret Santa, each participant must submit a picture of him or her holding the present or gift for the person that the organizer (who used some kind of random secret Santa name generator) gave to them. In the picture, he/she must hold up a sign that includes: WHO is it for, FROM who & WHERE you’re (the sender) from.

Here is a sample picture how VSS Twitter Version is done.

VSS sample picture, but, @ronniedare is hoping that she will send it to him for real LOL.

This project or activity is an idea started by Ann or @m_2squared on twitter. Her goal is to spread the Christmas spirit with fellow FILIPINOS and FILIPINAS (or those who carry the FILIPINO blood with them), who lives at different countries. She then approached Ron or @ronniedare about the idea and both of them got excited about how they were going to organize it. Then they both approach their friends about it and like them, those people got excited as well and easily joined in. Then it happened.

Virtual Secret Santa (VSS) started last year (December 2009) and since it's the first VSS twitter version ever, there was only few participants. The participants were Ann (@m_2squared), Ron (@ronniedare), Sarita (@saritaonline), Czarina (@czboogie), Maria (@filipinahgal), Kristine (@kraistine), Annie (@AnnieAreYouOhK), Sofie (@adobongsinigang), Ivy (@psyche83), Aileen (@aileenabigail) & Rhianne (@jlord13). The said participants are all FILIPINOS who currently lives at different countries such as Philippines, Canada, USA, China and many more. Although few people joined in, it was such a total blast. You can check the 2009 VSS Twitter Version photos at this blog of @m_2squared.

And for the 2010 Virtual Secret Santa (VSS) Twitter Version, here are the participants and their corresponding gifts in photos.

Participants

Ivy [psyche83]
Sofie [adobongsinigang]
Sarita [saritaonline]
Maria [filipinahgal]
Abi [abheadoverheels]
Yvette [yvetteyzon]
Kristine [kraistine]
Mike [miksas]
Czarina [czboogie]
Jheane [Helina2KuuLei]
Kym [iamkymc]
Mae [choc0bunny]
Carlo [carlo_maniquez]
Pau [iPetim]
Annie [AnnieAreYouOhK]
Al [aldian09]
Blem [zomblem]
AJ [ayerswagg]
Ann [m_2squared]

Photos
Here are the awesome photos!

Philippine Holidays 2011 - Proclamation No. 84

Philippine Holidays For 2011 - Proclamation No. 84 is signed by President Aquino. The said proclamation outlined and list down the special and regular holidays for 2011 based on existing laws.

Here is the list of Philippine holidays for this coming 2011.

A. Regular Holidays

* New Year’s Day – January 1 (Saturday)
* Araw ng Kagitingan – April 9 (Saturday)
* Maundy Thursday – April 21
* Good Friday – April 22
* Labor Day – May 1 (Sunday)
* Independence Day – June 12 (Sunday)
* National Heroes Day – August 29 (Last Monday of August)
* Bonifacio Day – November 30 (Wednesday)
* Christmas Day – December 25 (Sunday)
* Rizal Day – December 30 (Friday)

B. Special (Non-Working) Days

* Ninoy Aquino Day – August 21 (Sunday)
* All Saints Day – November 1 (Tuesday)
* Last Day of the Year – December 31 (Saturday)

C. Special Holiday (for all schools)

* EDSA Revolution Anniversary – February 25 (Friday)

Additional Information

* National holidays for the observance of the Islamic holidays Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha shall be determined in accordance with the Islamic or lunar calendar. The dates shall be determined by National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).

* The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall promulgate the implementing guidelines for this Proclamation.

Download the full text (pdf format) of Proclamation 84 via abs-cbnnews.com.

The current Mens Ranking of WPA or World Pool-Billiard Association placed our very own Francisco "Django" Bustamante at the top spot. This really shows the caliber we had in terms of pool and/or billiards. Not only that, 7 out of 10 spots of the top 10 are grabbed by Filipinos as well.

Here are the Filipino pool-billiard players who made it into the top 10 with their corresponding rank and points.

1) Francisco Bustamante With 1142 Points
3) Antonio Lining With 940 Points
5) Jeffrey De Luna WIth 841 Points
7) Ronnie Alcano With 784 Points
8) Vicenancio Tanio With 759 Points
9) Marlon Manalo With 732 Points
10) Lee Van Corteza With 704 Points

And here is the image I got from the wpa-pool.com website:



Source: http://www.wpa-pool.com/index.asp?content=players_men

The Bangko Sentral of the Philippines (BSP) released the newest Philippine money. The highlight of the change is the inclusion of the late former President and mother of current Philippine President, Corazon ‘Cory’ Aquino. Her picture will be joining Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino (who is now smiling at his picture by the way) at the new P500 peso bill. This makes 3 Aquinos in the P500 Peso Bill because, PNOY, as the Philippine president, is the one who signed the official bank note. According to PNOY, "The last time I checked, no other bank note all over the world has both parents and his son in the same bank note." This new face of P500 peso bill created a new record and history for Filipinos.

President Aquino is presented with the new 500-peso bank notes, featuring the images of both his parents and bearing his signature as President (overlaid). (Photo by RICHARD VIÑAS)
Source: http://mb.com.ph/


The design of the new P500 bill features the faces of President Cory Aquino and the late Sen. Ninoy Aquino. Jam Sisante
Source: http://www.gmanews.tv

A total of six denominations; P20, P50, P100, P200, P500, and P1,000 bills have now have new designs, which were especially designed to upgrade their security features so the public would easily detect if the money is real or fake.

Here are the details of the changes.

P20 Peso Bill

Front: Younger-looking Quezon at the front and pictures of the declaration of Filipino as a national language, and the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan.
Back: Picture of the Banaue Rice Terraces can be found, alongside an animal related to that area, the Palm Civet or most commonly known as the Musang.

P50 Peso Bill

Front: Younger-looking Osmeña and prints of the Leyte Landing and the First National Assembly on either side.
Back: Taal Lake and the Maliputo fish are featured.

P100 Peso Bill

Front: Young Roxas with pictures of the old BSP building in Intramuros, Manila, and the inauguration of the Second Republic.
Back: The Mayon Volcano in Albay and the whale shark (popularly known as butanding) can be found at the back of the new P100.

P200 Peso Bill

Front: Younger Diosdado Macapagal with photos of the Edsa People Power 2001 that elected her daughter, former President and now Rep. Gloria Arroyo of Pampanga, and the Independence House (former President Emilio Aguinaldo’s museum) in Kawit, Cavite.
Back: Sprawling Chocolate Hills in Bohol and the tarsier.

P500 Peso Bill

Front: Faces of the country’s two icons of democracy, former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino and former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. It will also feature pictures of the Edsa People Power 1 in 1986 and the Benigno Aquino monument on Ayala Avenue, Makati City.
Back: Picture of the Subterranean Underground River in Puerto Princesa, Palawan and the Blue-Naped Parrot can be found.

P1,000 Peso Bill

Front: Almost similar pictures of Santos, Lim and Escoda are printed, as well as photographs of the centennial celebration of Philippine independence and the Medal of Honor, which was awarded to each of the trio.
Back: Pictures of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and the South Sea pearl.

All bank notes will have a color almost similar to the ones used on the current bank notes—orange for P20, red for P50, bluish violet for P100, green for P200, black/gold for P500 and blue for P1,000.

Watch Or View Here The Complete And New Philippine Money Designs (Slideshow)

Other Image Source:
http://twitpic.com/photos/drixsalazar