ICE SEGUERRA Set to Do Musicals on ICE SINGS!

Missing Ice Seguerra and his music?! Don't blink as she comes back to the stage for a two night concert at the Music Museum slated November 6 and 7 in Greenhills. It's entitled "ICE SINGS! An Intimate Convert Series: Musical Hits". 

He will be doing this together with US based producer Troy Laureta who's worked with the likes of Arianna Grande, Nicole Scherzinger, Justin Bieber among others. As his musical director, Troy will find several theater and film hits that would fit Ice's intimate way of singing songs, so it would feel closer than usual. 

Ms. Liza says "This all started over a casual conversation between me and Ice. Defining who he is now is something we could expand. A guitar and huge concerts, it has brought him places and this will bring him to that person who is a storyteller, and one that brings his message across. He wanted to do musicals, standards, and I was lucky to hear him song those who you will never even think he will do on stage, and this is Ice Sings!"

Ice laments "I've always performed with a guitar in tow but I've always had an inkling with musicals ever since. I'd be able to return to that phase and showcase what it means to me now."

Ice adds "In the past, I surrounded myself with singer songwriters and felt inadequate when I didn't sing my own songs on stage. It took a while to have the courage to come out with my own songs, it takes a lot for me to write songs, and I had to be sad. I also know when I put out something it'll be scrutinized. At that time I wasn't prepared for the reaction, but I was able to sing it in public and realized there wasn't any difference, I always give my all to the songs I sing, I was just overthinking. The "Kamusta Ka" single is out, but did it my way, without arrangements at first, I supplied my own story there. When I'm singing, there's this conscious effort to make it mine. Range was also a factor with choosing the songs, so if in doubt, make the guest sing it." 

Here's the press conference on video!

Fire and Ice Music is also planning to release songs that are Ice-ified probably next year so stay tuned for that.

These theater pieces will be done with Ice Seguerra's way of doing things. The arrangements will be done with the help of Troy who promises several instrumental moments which means you'll hear it different than usual. This is under Fire and Ice Live Productions of Ms. Liza Diño who's also doing creative direction for it. 

Tickets are available via TicketWorld, so go get them before they run out fast!

Puregold Cinepanalo Film Festival Winners Bared: Interview with Character Actor Rani Caldoza

Some of the winners in the recent Puregold Cinepanalo Film Festival this 2026 Awards Night

After seeing several movies and shorts during the Puregold Cinepanalo Film Festival this 2026, I was looking forward to see if my personal favorites would get the accolades that they deserve come awards night. True enough, both Mono No Aware, JK Labajo, and Shorts Limlim took the major prizes that evening.  

Full Length Category

Mono No Aware won Best Picture, Picked by International Jury, Best Director BC Amparado Best Supporting Actress Momoko Kobayashi and Best Actor Juan Karlos Labajo. 

Xyriel Manabat won Best Actress for their film Stuck On You. The awarding for that category was epic since they did a pageant like act during the announcement. It was versus Sassa Gurl.

Zanjoe Marudo won Best Supporting Actor for his role of the father in the movie Apol of My Ai. While Zion Cruz took Best Child Performer for the role of the kid in the same movie. He looked like a real life cherub, no joke!

Student Short Films

In the Student Shorts, I watched Set A and felt an inkling to the short film called Limlim because of its unexpected twists and turns. It also talked about a very heavy subject which they wanted to put out into conversation. They also won Best Director tied with the one from Kung Hain, Bisan Diin. 

Dark horse Alumahan got the Jury Award and Brand Intrusion. They also got Best Film Poster for the movie. Starfish was called several times as they got Best in Visual Effects, and Best Supporting Actress. I still need to see that. Technical Awards went to When Heaven Inched Towards Earth (Film Promotion), Multwoh for Brand Intrusion, and Alumahan for the same category.

We also got to talk to one of the stars of Kung Hain Bisan Diin and Bum Tak Sara Ti Nuangen, a personal friend, very visible character actor Rani Caldoza who's been in several films in past Cinepanalo entries, commercials and shows. This year, it was doubly hard for the chap since he is doing regional languages as part of the two short films, we asked if that proved a hindrance to do the role since he's not much of a native speaker. He says "Being a part of a film is always a new learning for me. Whether feature-length or a short film, I treat them like vessels that will teach me something. Each film is an opportunity to grow, to learn more about myself. Making them would mean I'd subject myself in a whirlwind of emotions. "Bumtak Sara Ti Nuangen” and “Kun Hain, Bisan Diin” resonated with me because of my roots as a Caldoza. I have family that are Ilocano and Waray. Doing this taught me a lot more than it just being work."

He adds "The Caldoza’s are hailed from Batac, Ilocos Norte and Hindang, Leyte. Solid Ilocano and Waray! I haven't met much of my relatives in Ilocos, this goes the same with my Waray clan. I have not met my Grandparents either from Leyte, but I'd like to change that. It brings me so much pride to me to be a part of these projects. Family milestones remind me how the simple things can turn into memorable experiences. While I still consider myself a newcomer in the film industry, I am trying to learn to recognize every moment as something worthy of being filmed. I am yet to learn, but I cannot wait to tell stories of life, love, and family. There is more to come from Rani Caldoza."  

I am so proud of you buddy! I've been seeing him almost everywhere and I'm glad that in a way, we get to work in the same industry and didn't even know it LOL. This is what the Puregold Cinepanalo Film Festival is doing, bringing more opportunities for people in entertainment, behind the camera and recognizing them too. They also have been able to put forward very nice Filipino films and short films and have it available for folks to watch in cinemas, expose them to an entirely different audience every year! Here's hoping for more international accolades for the films this year, because I'm sure, they'll go places!

TV5 Cops 2 Nominations at Asian Television Awards

Luck and hard work has come upon TV5 lately. The Manila based TV station just got the nod from the Asian Television Awards with their 2 shows namely "A Secret in Prague" starring Enrique Gil and Andrea Brillantes and entertainment show "VIBE+".

This is the first time they have ever gotten nominations from this international institution, and they're glad about how they managed to showcase world class Filipino talent. "A Secret in Prague" is located in the heart of Europe, particularly Czech Republic where most of the scenes were shot. It's a change of usual venues for series that are being shown in the Philippines and other regions. Meanwhile, VIBE+ has been showcasing not just current music performances, but even the classics, those that have surpassed the test of time, even a full pledge concert at times to honor OPM artists, and their music!

This is just the start for the Kapatid Network, and they're planning to put out more content with their homegrown artists. Stay tuned on TV5!

Innovation, Tradition, Diversity and The People of GUIZHOU

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd end up traveling to China. To tell you honestly, the differences could have all made this not happen, but I was smitten with the thought of meeting their people. This, and a journey to an unfamiliar place that most folks wouldn't define as a tourist destination. Going there with a mission to discover its charm, see the kindness of its people away from the preconceived notions and see its potential, or for what it is when we get there.

We flew via China Southern Airlines from Manila and set forth to Guangzhou then Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport (took over 8 hours + with layovers) which is located in their capital city called Guiyang. 

 

Looked over the window since it was a daytime flight and saw how various structures that looked like factories, condominium units, villages weren't just plain concrete, but filled with intricate Chinese designs, sensibly placed solar panels and a network of river ways transporting goods, people and a behemoth quantity of industrial products they'd be known to carry. Who was I to think they'd be just farmlands, forests and mountain ranges when recent economic onlookers specifically identify them as booming digital data hubs. Guizhou houses data centers from the biggest corporations in the world, as they are blessed with weather conditions apt for cooling them au naturelle, and little to no additional infrastructure they can't handle. Guizhou is filled to the brim with engineering marvels, one of which is the BALINGHE BRIDGE. This was our first destination. (Warning: Picture Heavy Post Ahead!)