Piolo Pascual

It was inevitable. It only took a few questions if he was going to beat his previous best of 47 minutes for the 10k and immediately declared an open challenge. Screen heartthrob Piolo Pascual is going to race 15k for his next run on March 21 at “The Green Miles” (Run For An Eco-Smart Lifestyle) at the SM Mall of Asia grounds.

The Press Launching of the Green Miles Run was held this afternoon as i was one of those invited among the bloggers. Organized by the UST High School Batch 88 Alumni Association headed by Undersecretary Lorelei Fajardo, the venue, at Paul Calvin’s Deli at the Fort was packed to the rafters as press people and the organizers occupied both floors of the tiny venue.

When Piolo was asked if he was aware that his 10k time of 47:54 at the Timex run caused a “tsunami” and an earthquake of Haiti-an proportions that  “revolted” the running community who thought of him as a “non-runner”, he answered in the affirmative and read all the accounts including that of the OPEN LETTER made by Luis (http://www.gingerbreadrunning.com/2009/11/lost-gingerbread-mojo-open-letter-to.html). He said that he trains with his brother and with plenty of time to train before his next race, he thinks he could do a 1:10 for the 15k.

When told that he or his time will be the next target to beat for those whom he ‘annihilated’, he just laughed off such threats and said that anybody can beat his time given the right training and conditioning. “I’m not pressured to compete with anybody. I always give my best to whatever i do so those who choose to compete with me better train as well. I’ll be competing in the 15k race,” he declares with his arresting smile.

The race is being managed by the UST HS Batch 88 Alumni Association, Inc. and will benefit the rehabilitation of the Marilao River System. Its organizers are Ian Alacar and takbo.ph honchos, Jinoe Gavan and Doc Lyndon.

Registration starts on January 15, 2010 at Secondwind, ROX.

Registration Fees: 3k, 5k, 10k, 15k – P500.

Not everybody knows Piolo Pascual takes good photographs. Recently, Piolo auctioned off some of his photographs in an exhibit called SunPiology in Auction. The winning bidders went home with autographed photos on framed canvass. Piolo’s masterpieces are still up for bidding on-line at www.sunpiiology.com until Jan. 12. Simultaneous with the auction was the launch of the SunPIOLOgy Calendar.

Beneficiaries of the exhibit are the scholars of Piolo’s Hebreo Foundation. “ This project with the Sun Life will not only send poor but deserving Filipinos to school but also serve as a venue for the kind hearted to advocate the worthy cause of education,” said Piolo.

SunPIOLOgy 2010 is available at Fully Booked branches nationwide.

Thank you Piolo! I’m one with you that it is education that breaks the cycle of poverty and discrimination.

Piolo Pascual has about 300,000 photos in his computer. He has accumulated that amount of still pictures using a digital camera he takes with him whenever he goes on a trip around or out of the country. Yes, the guy loves staying behind the camera to take some awesome shots that capture his adventure, his emotion, and point of view.

We are used to seeing Piolo in front of the camera, but this time he unveils a different artistic side of him that most of his fans do not know. He is into photography and showed his flair as a lens master in a benefit photo exhibit on view from Dec. 9 to 18 at the Art Hall of the Enterprise Center along Ayala Avenue in Makati.

Piolo is better known as a television and movie actor, a recording artist, and a movie producer (Kimmy Dora and Manila). His decision to delve into photography happened when one-mega pixel cameras were introduced in the market.

“It started out with a one- mega pixel camera, and then each year a better camera with a higher mega pixel comes out so I get to buy nice equipment for this hobby,” Piolo shared at the launching of the photo exhibit dubbed SunPiology.

In an interview with the members of the press, the actor said that SunPiology is a project in partnership with Sun Life Financial, an international financial services organization.

“When they approached me for this project, I eagerly agreed because I believe that this hobby of mine can benefit so many children from my foundation,” Piolo said.

All proceeds of the benefit photo exhibit will go to Hebreo Foundation, which main advocacy is to provide education to poor children. The actor himself didn’t finish college but still values education, and through Hebreo Foundation, he asserts that he can apply the mindset of giving value to finishing school by giving hope and encouragement to people to take advantage of the chance to attend school.

“I want to help those who help themselves, and we do that by sending them to school,” was Piolo’s simple answer when asked about the foundation he created with the help of his siblings.

Visual poetry

Twelve out of thousands of shots he has made were rendered into a desktop calendar that offers a behind-the-camera glimpse of an actor, whose life has been the topic of many curious admirers.

The photos, which according to Piolo captured his adventure, depict how differently he sees the beauty of life and environment.

The SunPiology calendar includes a slice of nightlife in Las Vegas, sunrise in Mt. Pulag, a lonesome shack somewhere in Europe, a hammock overlooking the sea in Batangas, the splendor of Sydney Opera House, and some visually-arousing stills in Darwin, Shanghai, Normandy, Beijing, and Zurich.

“Three of the 12 pictures here are taken in Paris,” Piolo told Standard Today. “These particular photos are so memorable because I did the shots while we were shooting Lovers in Paris. I’ve got more photos in my computer actually because I don’t stop clicking; I just shoot whatever catches my fancy.”

The photos Piolo was referring to are shots taken featuring a steel bridge in the city, a sunrise in Montmartre, and the panoramic tower of love, the Eiffel Tower. The actor said, the calendar also reminds him of his memorable time in Paris while shooting the series. Although the program, which also stars KC Concepcion, has ended last week, memories like the ones encapsulated in the photos remain.

Taste for panorama

The absence of human image in his choice of shots is evident in every photos included in SunPiology desktop calendar. The actor said that it’s just a matter of taste. He prefers landscapes and scenic views.

“But of course that doesn’t limit to what I can do. The apparent absence of human in the photos is a result of a theme that we followed for this project,” he explained.

Piolo does not have any formal training in photography but admitted that he admires the works of Raymond Isaac and Jaime Zobel.

“I love their works but not really influenced by them or by anyone. My interest in photography started just as a hobby. And now, with the photos I have taken throughout the years, I realized that I could help more, give more, and encourage more people to extend their help to those who are not as fortunate like us,” Piolo concluded.

SunPiology calendar is available at all Fully Booked outlets nationwide and can be purchased through www.sunpiology.com.

by Nickie Wang Contributor

MANILA, Philippines - Ang Piolo Pascual na nakilala ng lahat na matagumpay sa pelikula, telebisyon, at recording ay pinili naman ngayong maging tahimik sa likod ng camera lens — bilang photographer.

Matutunghayan ang kanyang mga likha sa kalendaryong SunPIOLOgy 2010 na ka-partner ang Sun Life Financial-Philippines. Ang kalendaryo ng mga kuha ni Piolo ay mabibili sa Fully Booked! outlets sa buong Pilipinas at maipi-feature pa sa benefit photo exhibit hanggang Disyembre 18 sa Art Hall ng Enterprise Center sa Ayala Avenue, Makati City. Mayroong bidding (www.sunpiology.com) at ang lahat ng kikitain ay mapupunta sa Hebreo Foundation na binuo ng magkakapatid na Pascual para sa kanilang education advocacy.

Paano bang nabuo ang Hebreo Foundation?

“There came a point when everything was happening so fast, blessings just pour in one after another. Thankful ako pero lagi kong naiisip kung paano ako maibabalik sa iba ang grasya,” sabi ni Piolo.

“At dahil ang edukasyon ang pinakamagandang oportunidad na maibibigay mo na makakasiguro ng magandang kinabukasan. Hindi man ako nakatapos ng kolehiyo, my parents always value education, kaya I’m applying the same mindset in raising my son.”

Idinagdag pa ng very in demand actor-endorser na kaya siya masaya sa pakikipagtulungan sa Sun Life para sa ganitong proyekto ay dahil layunin din ng kumpanya na siguraduhin ang kinabukasan ng bawat bata.

Tungkol naman sa pagkahilig niya sa photography, sinabi ni Piolo na noon pa siya interesado sa ganitong uri ng sining. Nagpapasalamat siya sa pagdating ng digital technology dahil napadali ang pagkuha ng mga larawan.

The SunPIOLOgy project with Sun Life Financial gave me the chance to showcase my photography and gather support for Hebreo Foundation. Kaya ang sarap ng pakiramdam nang kunin nila ako kasi mapapakinabangan ang hobby ko ng mga bata mula sa aming foundation,” masayang kuwento ni Piolo.

(Pilipino Star Ngayon) Updated December 12, 2009 12:00 AM

VTR that Piolo Pascual did for ABS-CBN Foundation’s 20th anniversary.

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