Happy New Year!
You just shake 2014 off for 2015! A lot of changes had come your way, be it good or bad, but the best lesson is that we learn from our past experiences!
With the new year beginning, let's make it an optimistic one by having a dose of inspiration from the amazing news that placed the Filipino pride in the international spotlight last 2014!
So, let's refresh that motivation with some headliners and celebrate the global recognition of Pinoys in different fields below:
Singers, Composers, and Actors
1) Rose "Osang" Fontanes
The 47-year old caregiver, Rose "Osang" Fontanes, swept the hearts of viewers with her amazing vocal range and won X-factor Israel!
2) Marlisa Punzalan
Marlisa Punzalan was the 15-year old Pinay who reigned as X-Factor Australia's 2014 singing grand champion!
3) Eva Noblezada
At 18 years old, Fil-am actress Eva Noblezada, who was plucked from the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, now stars as Kim in the London revival of Miss Saigon!
4) Rachelle Ann Go, Tanya Manalang, Julia Abueva and Jonjon Briones
Joining Eva on stage are Jonjon Briones who plays the engineer and singer Rachelle Ann Go who plays Gigi. She also posted an instagram picture of being proud to be with other Pinays in the coveted Miss Saigon Broadway- Tanya Manalang and Julia Abueva, who are both alternating for Noblezada as Miss Kim!
5) Mark Bautista
Mark plays as Ferdinand Marcos in the stage play "Here Lies Love" in London and was also recognized during the 60th Evenening Standards Theatre awards!
6) Robert Lopez
Let It Go composers Fil-am Robert Lopez and wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez won an Oscar for best original song. Prior to that, Lopez had already bagged 3 Tony Awards, a Grammy Award for the Book of Mormon, and a Daytime Emmy Award for his work on the show "The Wonder Pets," landing him the 12th person and by far the quickest (10 years) to win an Emmy, Oscar, Tony, and Grammy in a career! 
7) Gab Valenciano
Gab. V. gained international social media attention this year that tagged him the superselfie king title from his superselfie videos on youtube! Marking his year was also Beyonce's superselfie-inspired 7/11 music video!
8) Kim Chiu
After the confirmation from Walt Disney Company, Kim Chui's dream of being a Disney princess came true! And any Filipino connected to a beloved Disney character is a head turning news!
9) Sarah Geronimo
Another treat from Disney! After making rounds of parts of the pop star's rendition of "The Glow," the time came for Disney Channel Asia to release online the full music video of Sarah Geronimo's rendition of "The Glow."
Video Posted by: Disney Channel Asia
10) Kyla
R&B and Soul Princess Kyla, represented the Philippines at the Asia Song Festival 2014 held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Busan, South Korea last November 2, 2014.
11) Paolo Ballesteros
Paolo Ballesteros became a global internet sensation when he ruled the make-up transformation scene!
12) Anne Curtis
Anne Curtis' Blood Ransom movie marked her American movie debut in the U.S.!
Sports & Other Competitions!
1) Michael Christian Martinez
The first Filipino figure skater to compete in the Winter Olympics was behind the 17-year old Michael Christian Martinez who left a lasting impression in the competition.
2) Doug Baldwin Jr.
Filipinos endeared the Fil-Am Seattle Seahawks star Doug Baldwin Jr. when he carried the Philippine flag to support the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in the Superbowl last January.
3) Kobe Paras
The son of PBA legend Benjie Paras, Kobe has been compared to a younger LeBron James. He is also known around the world as “the kid who dunked on LeBron” and “the New Kobe,” and is now playing for UCLA!
4) Gilas Pilipinas
The passion of Gilas Pilipinas captured the hearts of basketball fans around the world! Their last game against Senegal became the highlight of the 2014 FIBA Basketball World cup, which earned a respect that proved Philippines is in it to compete!
5) Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao remains the undefeated World Welterweight Champion, knocking Chris Algieri in Macau last November!
6) Jamie Herrell
Beauty and brains indeed! Miss Philippines Earth 2014, Jamie Herrell recently joined the roster of Pinay beauty queens with a fierce global titleholder by being the crowned Miss Earth 2014!
Arts, Design and Fashion
1) Jhett Tolentino
Hailing from Iloilo City, Jhett Tolentino is the third Filipino to win a Tony Award following Lea Salonga and Robert Lopez! But he made history as the Pinoy who bagged two Tony awards in a night!
2) Kenneth Cobonque
Renowned furniture designer Kenneth Cobonque, whose roster of clients inclued Hollywood stars Brandgelina and some royalty, was named the "Asian Designer of the Year" by Maison et Object Asia Paris for his use of “traditional Filipino techniques and in particular rattan weaving.”
3) Albert Andrada
Filipino Fashion designer Albert Andrada brought home the bacon for the "Most Connected Designer Award," one of the three awards given at the Mercedes Benz Stylo Asia Fashion Week held in Kuala Lumpur from October 17-22.
4) Jonathan Christopher Hofwegen
27-year old Fil-Am emerging international designer Jonathan Christopher Hofwegen was the winner of the first edition of the Global Denim Awards held in Amsterdam, which is Europe’s denim capital.
5) Dennis Ramos
US-based Filipino Dennis Ramos beat 3,900 entries from 54 countries to win this year’s Epson International Pano Awards, the biggest competition for panoramic photography in the world.
6) Ashley Nicole Abalos
The 11-year old student bagged the bronze prize out of an estimated 1.5 million young people who joined the 2014 International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People organized by the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a specialized agency of the United Nations.
The young girl's letter was about a blind musician she heard at a public concert. "Music is not music until it is shared," she wrote. "Through your music, you are able to open the eyes of many even if you yourself cannot see."
7) Noel Cruz
US-based Filipino artist Noel Cruz made the headlines on several online newspapers namely The Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, and Mashable among others when he repainted and restyled a Katniss Everdeen Barbie doll to look exactly like The Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence.
Leaders
1) Filipino UN Peacekeepers in Golan Heights
Surrounded, outnumbered and low on ammunition for several hours against a hundred Syrian rebels, 40 Filipino peacekeepers pulled off the “greatest escape” in Golan Heights last August.
2) Maritess Gattan-Balbas
In London, Maritess Gatan Balbas of Isabela province received the Whitley Fund for Nature Award for her protection and conservation efforts of the world's rarest crocodile -the Philippine crocodile.
Video Posted by: Whitley Awards
3) Asst. Professor Diego Maranan
Diego Maranan received the Marie Curie fellowship for a PhD in music neurotechnology. The Marie Curie fellowship is a prestigious award granted to research scientists by the European Commission.
4) Shiela Coronel
Multi-awarded Filipina journalist Sheila Coronel assume the position of Dean of Academic Affairs at the Columbia Journalism School in New York, which is arguably the leading journalism school in the world.
5) Mayor Joanne del Rosario and Vice Mayor Diana Colvin
Both of Filipino descent, the newly-elected double Fil-Am leadership in a small town in California highlighted the leadership skills of a Filipino and the importance of woman empowerment.
6) Lovely Marquez-Prueher
Among the 5 of over 300,000 teachers in California who received the honor as "California's Teacher of the Year" was Cavite-born Pinay Lovely Marquez-Prueher.
PLACES
1) Baguio City's Bencab Museum
Bencab Museum has been voted by Asian travelers in TripAdvisor as one of its Top 25 Museums, becoming the only Filipino museum to make the list that includes The Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses in China.
2) VIGAN
Vigan has now been declared one of the seven wonders cities of the world!
2014 indeed brought a portfolio of Filipino pride in the global scenes, giving one of the best reasons to celebrate for the New Year!
The best of Pinoy around the world proved that our country is a competition to be reckon with! So, Let us hope for more Filipino pride this 2015!
How proud are you to be a Pinoy after looking back at the 2014 Pinoy pride? Leave us a comment below.