The country was ravaged by typhoons, floods and earthquakes and so far, the Dig!P|us Foundation has deployed 8 million peseos worth of help for disaster relief in the Philippines.
From the several towns in Bulacan, to help in Northern Cebu hit by the huge earthquake, they have provided efforts to make sure they reach to far flung towns to help rebuild their homes, especially those severely affected by typhoons in the region. This goes the same with the ones in Luzon, who made resource tap in the BayanihanP|us programs they've implemented for resilience projects , also for Typhoon Tino and Uwan with less thank 15k families affected, including Cebu, Nueva Ecija and Central Luzon provinces too. It has totaled to 8 Million pesos, and has inspired even more people til today.
Congratulations to Dig!P|us Foundation and Dig!P|us Interactive corp who never stopped helping people no matter how hard it has been. Visit their social channels and main website because they've got more information about their efforts there.
Recent earthquakes have jolted the country and crippled a lot of lives in Northern Cebu. While the government addresses relief efforts, the private sector also took some of the chores to make sure everybody gets the help that they need. The folks from B!ing0P|us in Cebu (employees) took potable water, packed food and needed medicine to roughly 56,000 individuals in places like Bogo, Medellin, Daanbantayan, San Remegio, Borbon and Tabogon communities as they partnered with LGU's and other private entities in the region.
B!ing0P|us Foundation treats this as a call to action which is why they immediately took 6 million funding to affected folks in Cebu. Through their Bayanihan P|us program, it took them a while to get to these areas but committed to the cause. They were met with aftershocks, heavy rain and transport challenges, but they didn't fret because they knew how much help the folks need including a 5.8 Richter scale aftershock that they experienced too.
Their teams from Manila and local Cebu offices took to the streets together with the AFP engineering brigades to deliver help to far flung areas in Northern Cebu, also doing it house to house including PWD's in the community via PADS (Philippine Accessible Disability Services).
It might be a long recovery process, but they will not hold back helping this part of the country. They plan to monitor and partner up with even more organizations to make sure Cebuanos, Filipinos would get access to supplies at the most trying times. If you want to know more about their efforts, follow their social channels by searching for the foundation name on FB and other channels.
Certainly, this year's Miss Asia Pacific International pageant felt so different. Last October 8th, Cebu Coliseum became the venue for the crowning of this year's queen, Isabela Fernandes of Brazil. Her advocacy on education and sustainability proved to be a huge factor in her gaining the crown.
1st Runner Up went to the Philippines very own Anita Rose Gomez while 2nd, 3rd and 4th Runner Up posts went to Bowomrat Maneerat of Thailand, Jana Jannsens of Belgium and Delilah Almira Wildboer of the Netherlands. These ladies showcased not just their culture, but the individual causes they support in line with their own stories and the event's theme #HERStoryAblaze. These ladies also competed for their National Costume, Swimsuit and Evening Gowns. The special awards went to Bowomorat Maneerat representing Thailand for the National Costume, Anita Rose Gomez of the Philippines for the Best in Swimsuit and Isabela Fernandes of Brazil for the Evening Gown. They gave the Miss Photogenic award to Danube Kangjam of India and the Peoples Choice to UK's Anne Gomes.
This year also marks a new set of women representing the best of the regions, they're named Continental Queens. For the Americas, Michelle Whilar Lazarte of Peru won it. For Asia Aisyah Amini of Indonesia got it. For Europe Delilah Elmira Wildeboer of the Netherlands got the crown. For Africa, it went to South Africa's Bejandri Lourens while for Oceania was awarded to New Zealand's Hannah Leigh Cross.
A Heartfelt Advocacy
All 43 delegates have experienced the 6.9 magnitude earthquake in the province of Cebu (Bogo City). Instead of the usual fanfare, the queens took part in relief efforts and took to streets and shelters, joined several partner NGO's, private entities to make sure they got to comfort those ravaged by the calamity. They were also in the Operation Smile gala when it happened, and it was heartwarming to see them helping during that time. They're definitely beauty queens with compassion, took their gloves off and cared for those in need. That made it all different this year, the pageant had lux and elegance, but it was being human that mattered most. Seeing that was certainly precious!
It's been a while since I've last seen Daniel Padilla, one of the most sought after actors in the country. Life certainly happened, but we got news that he's going to renew ties with Cebu based coffee brand Don Macchiatos Philippines. Honestly, it's the first time for me to hear about them, but learned how they've managed to thrive as an SME, slowly grown even when the country was battling through the pandemic. They're nothing short of a miracle, and now has more than a thousand branches across the country.
Would you imagine, they all started from a small street side kiosk that had one goal, to provide quality but affordable coffee and beverages for the common folk. I entered the event area seeing one of their kiosks on the side of the venue where they were serving some of their top drinks. One thing caught my attention, the price posted said 39 PESOS on it. The event was graced by Don Macchiatos Don Macchiatos CEO Nickie San Juan, their COO Marc Anthony Abangan and their General Manager Ariel Alegado. We asked them about the business and reasons why Daniel Padilla gets top choice for their brand ambassador.
Ms. Nickie says "We are really excited to renew our partnership with him because he's been with us since day 1. When we planned to cover Luzon to expand, Deej is someone who really had it in him. He really helped us big time in brand awareness while we were expanding here in Luzon.
GM Ariel Alegado adds "DJ is very talented, very humble, just like Don Macchiatos, we came from very humble beginnings, but now we are available nationwide. Aside from that, Daniel's team was such a breeze to work with. He's also very approachable so we didn't have problems working with him. No other endorser would be able to do that but him."
Mr. Abangan says "You will expect an even bigger campaign with Daniel, more collaborations, and even more product innovations. We are also announcing our efforts to go GLOBAL. Our first project is to reach UAE/Dubai, the city of gold. Please wait as we reveal more of our plans in the coming months."
Daniel was very excited about this partnership and says "I wasn't much of a coffee drinker in the past but only learned while doing INCOGNITO because we start shooting at 4am in the morning. We live a soldier's life out there and I'm not used to sleeping early and waking up at that time. Tito Ian and the rest of the cast really influenced me to appreciate coffee then. I also drink a lot of water and get so much energy from it. I'm more of a mocha person or prefer the classic Americano."
He adds "Sir Marc and Ms. Nickie was such a breeze to work with. That's what I look for these days, it's the relationships that becomes important for me. The time we've spent together, we've become really good friends rather than me just being an endorser for their products. That's what's important for me these days. They trust me and I'm very thankful for that. I'm happy to be part of this family."
Here's the press conference on video:
Asked how they were able to make the prices low, COO Marc Anthony Abangan explained they only purchase much of their products locally and even do it by bulk which gives them a lot of room to sell their drinks at a really affordable price. Their model is certainly unusual, but so far, they've managed to do it and replicate their practices wherever they put branches. They're still looking for more franchisees, so if you're interested just message their social channels so they could hook you up with DON MACCHIATOS. Daniel is even quite excited because he believes in the business so much that he also has opened branches of his own (lest not divulge where!). He's also excited how he would be able to continue helping them grow, and is optimistic to help local businesses like theirs be even bigger in the coming years.
I'd like to say congratulations and here's to more branches to DON MACCHIATOS, I hope to see more of you in Manila because those that I've tried at the event that afternoon were really nice.
I'm not surprised how the folks from UFC spend their weekend with kids from several organizations and foundations, they're really that kind to start with. Over at Cebu and Manila, they cooperated with both Robinsons Supermarket and Metro Supermarket and their partners to hold movie screenings as part of their Sharelebrate Joy UR Way event.
Kids from SOS Children's Village, Norfil Foundation, Grace to be Born, House of Refuge and several organizations so they get to play, win gifts and screen one of their favorite movies, Mufasa: The Lion King. They got to enjoy activities with their mascots Gogo, Ori and Captain Choco too before the screening. To end, they also gave these cute kids some URC snacks, goodies, Jack n Jill products, C2 and more. This is just one of the few things URC plans to do to connect with communities especially this year.
Popular PPOP Girl Group G22 took the stage to perform Predator League's "It Lies Within" theme at the finals in Cebu City. They are after all Acer ambassadors and from the looks of it, AJ, Alfea and Jaz were ecstatic in performing the single at Robinsons Galleria in Cebu. They did this in the Manila leg a couple months back, but this resonates with different regions because they did it in different languages too in different countries. Acer's Senior Marketing Manger Princess Laosantos was happy about the song as it captures what ESports players feel, like the rush to achieve greatness in the sport.
For those who don't know, the Predator League is a yearly competition that aims to find the best of the best in game titles here in the Asia Pacific region. It's a great avenue to start your ESports career, sort of a grassroots level discovery for this huge industry. The Grand Finals will happen in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and they've got USD 400,000 prize for the winners. The Philippines will be represented by Execration, Ivory for DOTA 2, while ZOL Esports and Team Secret will be doing their skirmishes in Valorant. The single "It Lies Within" by G22 will be available on streaming platforms, go listen to it now. You can visit their social channels and acer.com if you want to know more about the tournament and its results.
Exciting news regarding a few more projects of DigiPlus' BingøPlus Foundation as they build a new PLUS Center specifically for sports and physical rehab. The groundbreaking event was held recently in Cebu.
This is a place for Persons with Disabilities so they could work out, do rehab work, so they could function as productive members of society. This was funded with Php 2 Million with the help of Philippine Accessible Disability Services Inc. to empower PWD's so they could also engange in sports, health services and even employment.
According to DigiPlus VP for Investor Relations Celeste Jovenir (BingøPlus Foundation COO) "The PLUS Center will be a place for PWD's so they could become athletes, leaders and more in the future. We are working with PADS to develop world class athletes, to provide training and healthcare so they could do more in sports and related industries."
They also partnered with the City of Mandaue Cebu, Cebu Doctors University, various organizations dealing with the Rehabilitative Sciences, and PWD Federations in Cebu. This will be free for those who are recovering from the effects of strokes, paralysis, and other conditions. This will also become a place where Doctors could train, and provide needed care for those who need therapy among other services. The LGU's and local organizations express their thanks as the foundation will help and benefit thousands of people, the impact of this will surely be insurmountable.
You may check their website to know more about this cause and their CSR work.
You've seen him in It's Showtime as a searchee Lawyer from Cebu, but we all know he's got the looks and physique to make it to showbusiness and yes, he's actually doing it as he just signed with Cornerstone Entertainment today. His name is Oliver Moeller, and he's just starting.
He is a real deal lawyer, one who graduated from University of San Carlos in Cebu. He took the bar exams in 2016 and passed, so yes, you can call him Atty. Oliver for all the right reasons.
He didn't stop there though, because he also took his masters degree in Public International Law from University of Queensland Australia back in 2019. He also worked in Brisbane at Little Lawyers who's specialty lies in compensation cases before he went back to the Philippines. His specialty is corporate law.
He's also into sports, fitness, strength training and coaching. His Filipina Mom Joy Moll, German Dad Heino Moller and his siblings were all at Kao Manila club that afternoon to support him. He was born in Deutschland but grew up in Lapu-Lapu city in Cebu. He has a lot of potential so we wondered what he wants to do in show business.
He was welcomed by Cornerstone Vice President Jeff Vadillo and their President Erickson Raymundo. As for now, Oliver will be flying back and forth from Cebu if ever he has projects in Manila. He also is open to do workshops and training for acting projects, and maybe delegated hosting stints because he's quite eloquent in English.
Here's the interview on video, please enjoy!
Thank you to Cornerstone Entertainment for letting us interview Oliver, he's got a lot of things on his plate, but we see him taking his sweet time to put all his health, fitness and legal assistance causes in front of his new found fame.. to hopefully put it to good use with the folks from Cornerstone. Thank you also for partnering up with Philippine Entertainment Bloggers Association (PEBA), I'm so glad to be part of this organization ☺️.
Special mention to KAO Manila (2F Newport) for being the perfect spot to do this interview. Can't wait to go back there for food and clubbing!
Congratulations Oliver! Looking forward to see you in shows soon!
For those looking to collect cards from beep™, you've got to see these new ones they just released the National Museum beep™ cards.
The designs include 4 National Museum structures in the Philippines that include "The National Museum of Fine Arts", "The National Museum of Anthropology", "The National Museum of Natural History" and the "National Museum of the Philippines-Cebu". On its face are artists work like Lualhati by Guillermo Tolentino, the historical Manunggul Jar, the largest saltwater crocodile LOLONG, and the Cebu Flower Pecker (a critically endangered species). This is a partnership between the National Museum of the Philippines and AF Payments Inc. which manages beep™.
You may acquire these in LRT/MRT Stations, online shops and various
authorized establishments for Php 400. It comes loaded with Php 50 and
can be used in different modes of transportation, Lawson convenience
Stores, Uncle John's and modern jeepneys. To know more, please go to the
National Museum social channels and official website. You may also get
in touch with beep™ and partner up with your brand via
beep.com.ph/beep-business/ if you're interested. AF Payments, Inc. is a consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and the Ayala Corporation.
This 11.11 is going to be a little hectic for a lot of people. Why not make the most out of it and take that well deserved rest and refuge amongst the different local destinations in the country. It's time to see why that Blood Moon we saw has something to do with some of the deals you can enjoy specifically til November 15. Imagine, 75% OFF on hotel bundles in places like Manila, Cebu, Tagaytay, Batangas, Baguio City, Palawan and the lovely island of Bohol.
If you haven't heard of KLOOK, it's time to download the app. It has literally helped me make my vacation in Bangkok worthwhile since I was foreign to the activities that the city actually offers. They have packages to take you in each spot, but this one in the Philippines is special since it will get you remarkable deals at some of the best beach, tour spots and hotels in the country. One is at La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel, the fabulous Hennan Palm Beach Resort, there's also JPark Island Resort and Waterpark. Aside from that, they've got deals in Quest Hotel Tagaytay, there's also one in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan for deals amounting to 75% OFF the rooms regular price. Head on to klook.com/en-PH/tetris/promo/phyearend2022 if you want to take advantage of it. Follow @Klook_PH on IG, KlookPH on FB, for those uhmazing deals this side of the world!
Cebu is certainly one destination I wouldn't get tired of. I've been there countless times for pleasure, work and play. With it's sprawling landscapes, fantastic beaches, good food anytime of the day, and genuinely warm people, one would not resist the ample combination of having urban metro scenes with the quiet countryside.
I wouldn't be surprised that Golden Haven Cebu has chosen this to be their site for a memorial park. In fact, it's one of the most beautiful in the country. It's huge 13 hectare property has mountains in the foreground, trees, grassy hills and terrain, definitely a peaceful place to spend with family and the dearly departed. It's at the Binaliw Road area and you can tell, it's got that Italian theme. There's the Saint John Paul II Memorial Hill, and the Garden Plaza, plus the Imperial Gardens that makes quite calming, it changes the mood outright if you're up for some tranquility. For a little Asian flare, Golden Haven Cebu also has The Mood Gate which functions as an entrance to mausoleums. There rests three columbaries named after St. Teresa de Avila, St. Mary of the Child Jesus and Mother Teresa of Calcutta India (called the Thereseum). If you also like nature, there exists the Vatican deck where you can see scenic views of this memorial park.
It's also near shops, schools, religious landmarks. Aside from that, I could imagine how this would be a worthy investment especially for OFW's, for their families and their children. Get in touch with them via (02) 8873-2922 to 23 as they've got people who can answer your queries.
Everyone loves music, and we've enjoyed in the Philippines immensely through Fête de la Musique. They're back in a big way as pandemic restrictions ease and live performances are going back, they're doing it in different parts of the country. Whilst we've been locked down the past few years and enjoyed it online, they promise to bring French artists in like DJ Blutch, Marc Fichel among others. They will be collaborating with our home grown talents, so there's really something to look forward to this year!
As with the previous years, this will be 100 percent FREE and you will see artists like Autotelic, Leanne and Naara, Chets, Lola Amour, Syd Hartha, Dilaw, Eloisa, and Brass Pas Pas Pas Pas perform on stage for everyone's enjoyment. This is presented to you by Alliance Francaise de Manille together with the Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia, B-Side Productions in cooperation with the Department of Tourism - Philippines. Make sure you catch the schedules by following their social channels particularly their Facebook page located at https://www.facebook.com/FetePH. Locations include Manila, Cebu, Siargao among others. Make sure you're there as there are other local musicians and artists joining in the fun!
Here's some excerpts from the press conference a few days ago which was hosted at Sofitel Manila.
I've been in these parts of Cebu - usually to go to places where friends and family do touristy stuff because the sights and the seas are absolutely scenic, like living in a city and still have beach and hotspot access whenever I need to. The same Mactan Island I've loved is going to have their own BRIA Homes in the person of BRIA Condo Mactan right in Sudtunggan in Lapu-Lapu City. If you want to go to Cebu City, it's a few minutes away and it's easy to catch a car, else, go to other nearby islands in Cebu's south which a lot of people do.
Mactan has history, a throng of world class hotels and resorts which would be the envy of anyone who would like it to be their permanent address. Think about it, if you live there and enjoy the same lifestyle as tourists, wouldn't that be nice? It's also very near the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and can soon be accessed via the viral Cebu-Cordova link expressway.
BRIA Homes President Red Rosales says "This would be ideal for young professionals and career driven individuals. The young ones are thinking about their future and if they have a keen eye, this would be a worthy investment. You need really good quality and affordable housing to coincide because monthly amortizations are not that easy to pay for if you also have family obligations."
Millenials would find this to be a good option for their first home. The amenities in BRIA Condo Mactan are good despite it being a mid rise residential build. It's got a multi purpose hall, pools, gym, a gazebo and a kids playground. They're all earthquake resilient too and very secure as it is a gated community. They've also got CCTV and near the essential services you need to raise a family.
You've got to see BRIA Condo Mactan! If you want to know more about the property, visit https://www.bria.com.ph/ for a 360 degree tour, it's quite nice to see that before you come to the property physically. BRIA Homes by the way is a subsidiary of GOLDEN MV Holdings, Inc.
Great morning to see good things happen to good people. In Cebu, Pilipinas Shell just inked a partnership with Grab partners in the Queen City of the South wherein now they can use and give assistance to the public making 11 of their stations have logistics, food delivery and essentials too.
Rolyn Tomarong the Non Fuel Retail Manager of Pilipinas Shell says "To be able to launch this in Cebu made me so happy. The weather is good and feels it welcomes this partnership as well. To continue to provide services where it counts, Shell expanded offers to make essentials available in convenient locations Cebu wide. Shell Select will offer even more things during the pandemic. Dealers have ensured customers will be served during this time. This will enable driver and delivery partners to move Cebu economy and communities. This will entail us to give better service for our Cebuano customers. You can now shop at Select and Grab your groceries and needs for your homes."
Mandaue City Councilor Jun Del Mar says "I would like to thank Shell and Grab in this momentous event. Any endeavor to revive our economy during this time is a cause for celebration. They are joining hands to boost the transport industry through logistics, food delivery and transportation services. Now they can provide needs for their loved ones so they can feed their families. It is the value of working together that we can empower each other. We are happy they are leading the way to ignite sectors of SME's, I hope we will learn more about their example, this is just the beginning of better things ahead."
Gines Barot Head of City Operations Grab Philippines "We know how hard our driver and partners work in Cebu. We at Grab continue to find ways, we both share the same goals to allow them to maximize their earnings. First is the discounted meals and gas. We want them to save and get more take home pay everytime. We know how hard times are so we will make sure of needed bookings, make sure bike lanes are secured for Grab Express, Grab Food, and transport services Grab Car and Grab Taxi so people in Cebu can move around with safety as our priority. I hope through our partnership with Shell, and the meaningful things we do for our drivers, we continue to support them and our kababayans in on deman delivery needs and support the economic recovery of Cebu."
Grace Vera Cruz Grab's Country Head says "Our drivers play an essential role in Cebu's economic recovery. With their help, we doubled safety hygeine solutions through Grab Protect. Through this, our delivery partners were able to continue supple food, essentials online. With many businesses doing digital these past few months, this will aid in Cebu's recovery and Grab will continue to have mobility which the province needs. By providing our drivers with insurance, scholarships, discounted food and fuel, this will further motivate them to serve more Cebuanos. We hope to continue to deepen our partnership to support our drivers and partners across the province. Thank you!"
Randy Del Valle Vice President of retail for Shell says "I hope I could be in Cebu but I'm stuck in Manila. This is still a big momentous event. Thank you to our media partners in Manila and Cebu. In Pilipinas Shell, we drive mobility and progress especially while we are under pandemic. This made one thing clear, we need to live with the virus, which is why we are also part of Ingat Angat early this year. The renewed commitment includes movement of people and products especially with the pandemic. Cebu is rising, and this will lead in legacies that will outlast the virus. The transport plans will have more modern bridges, expressways, in different parts of Cebu, we will be an ally. We will support livelihoods so drivers, passengers can mobilize themselves. We have opened branches in different locations so products like fuel and essentials to serve the needs of our customers and progress their careers. This partnership is a testament of our commitment, it introduces opportunities to our hard working drivers and our stakeholders. This is just a pilot, we will welcome it with enthusiasm. Drivers will have first class services available to them like safety checkpoints, open mobility stations, dedicated motorcycle lanes so we can serve more people. We want to move forward and promise to be part of nation building, and growth of Cebu."
To get discounted fuel, drivers can also use the Shell Go + Card and App and earn points from each transaction with Shell. You can get the Shell GO+ Grab Card Card in selected stations. Grab drivers get fuels discounts, points for purchasing fuels, lubes, and Select . They can use these points to pay at any Shell station. By being an active user, they can get travel accident insurance for the driver, scholarships for their dependents, and special rewards catalogs. They are also replicating this in even more branches nationwide. Shell and Grab are like minded, customer-centric, which I think is the reason why they can make plans happen easily.
Looks like things are looking up down south. Can't wait to go there in the near future. Congratulations Pilipinas Shell and Grab!
I've been contemplating and thinking of a short vacation somewhere in Cebu. This year's Sinulog for example is one thing I shouldn't miss, with all the parties, the revelries and religious stuff to do, it's the perfect place to be in.
I don't have sponsors for that so using UnionPay might prove to be useful ar these dates because UnionPay Cardholders have special perks at Days Hotel in Toledo Cebu. The catch is you need to spenf 3 nights, Pay 2 nights for a Deluxe King Room. They also have even better promos for Platinum and Diamond Cardholders, they can get the same offer but get the Premiere Room instead. You may check out http://unionpayintl.com/ on how to get the special rates because it's all there!
Days Hotel Toledo also gives 10% discount on food and beverage, now that's a treat for all UnionPay Cardholders, it couldn't be better you say? But there's more!
Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria and Holiday Inn Manila Galleria gives 15% to 25% off on room rates for UnionPay Cardholders if you stay Mondays to Thursdays. You can also get 25%-35% discount on Fridays to Sundays, that would be a great offer to get if you're planning a staycation, it's near all the malls and restaurants so don't hold back if you're planning a day of rest or retreat if you've got a stressful home.
If you wanna go further north the metropolis, Microtel by Wyndham at the UP Technohub in Quezon City also has special offers for UnionPay Classic, Platinum and Diamond cardholders. Stay 3 nights, Pay 2 nights for two queen beds if you're a classic card holder. If you've got a Platinum and Diamond Card, you may get an extra 10% off on food and beverages aside from the Stay 3, Pay 2 promo we mentioned earlier.
A place I stayed in a couple months ago right in front of Eastwood City is Microtel by Wyndham Acropolis in Libis, Quezon City. For those who have the will be Classic Card, you may get the Stay 3, Pay 2 discount promo, plus an additional 20% off on all yoga class packages at Yoga Tree Manila which is nearby. You can also take advantage of the 30% off on all services at Lumiere Spa so you can really take a long time for rest and recreation. Platinum and Diamond cardholders on the other hand will have a 2 p.m. late checkout perk, you can stay longer for lunch if that's the case.
There's more perks over at www.unionpayintl.com so if I were you, I'd take these promos because it's not offered anywhere else. You can check the site because there's a lot of things there that I haven't even mentioned here yet. Thank me later people!
You may get these cards at BDO, BOC, Omnipay, PNB and RCBC Bankard branches nationwide. These UnionPay Cards can alsp be accepted at major retail, lifestyle and food and beverage outlets in Manila and other major cities. It's time to make that shopping, dining and travel perks to a different level with UnionPay!
Maja Salvador is not letting down. Coming from the success of her soap Wildflower, Maja Salvador is getting her dance prowess another go this February 4 in Cebu in a concert called Maja On Stage. This is a tour which they will start at the IEC Convention Center in Cebu City. Then they'll also be taking it to The Big Box East Jurong in Singapore on February 18 plus another performance on March 23 at the KIA Theater in Quezon City.
“I haven’t been in ASAP lately because of Wildflower, it’s almost all action everyday. It’s also a preparation for my concerts, so my weekdays are for provincial shows and my handler also balances things so I don’t overwork. I’m lucky with my handler who does an absolute good job with my schedules. I also have to have time with my family, my Mom and siblings are in Canada and in the states so that’s where I spent Christmas. I’ll also have my co actors Vhin, Joseph and RK (in the US) with me so you’ll be seeing them there too. It’s been a while since we’ve done a concert and my crew are booked to a brim too so some of them could only go to important meetings, I am just keeping watch. I feel I am using my gut feel to choose the best dances and performing my favorites during these dates so I hope people would appreciate it on the actual show. I won’t be able to have the same production in US or CEBU but KIA will be bigger, that’s what I heard in the meeting. You’ll see music, lights, costumes that I personally chose myself, you will be entertained. Yes this will be WILD!”
”If in the past you’ve seen my leading men in bed, you’ll see Vhin Abrenica and Joseph Marco also fight over me in the show. Vhin can sing, Joseph can do it too so they’ll have solo prods and one with me. It’ll surely be BIG! I’ll be singing in my range and I hope I could further showcase that in the US, Singapore, Cebu and Manila. I’ll be trying my best and singing songs of my idols, I’ll surely try my best to entertain people, that I promise you!”
She will also be with Kakai Bautista, Anna Fegi, Vin Abrenica, Joseph Marco so make sure you get tickets!
Tickets will be sold via IC3 Booth 09325110962, MAV 09260747776, Christina 09372506848. Oh and Maja also hinted that Wildflower will be ending soon, like a month or so. It depends on the script.
We just got off the press conference and private screening of Brillante Mendoza Presents: KADAUGAN, an installment for the show that the world famous Filipino director is doing for Kapatid Network TV5. The series has been done to showcase different customs, traditions, festivals around the Philippines and mirror Filipino lives, as real as it should. During the short interview witb the acclaimed Director, he mentioned a couple of the plans that they want to do during President Rodrigo Duterte's State of the Nation address which is going to happen on July 24, this Tuesday at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.
He was asked about what he thinks of doing the SONA this year and said "Maybe they believe in me and I do this pro bono, I do this for free because this is for the President and this is for the country. Other people would want to do this I'm sure, I can do this every year because I enjoy it. I have help from Malacanang and they don't limit me at all. I want to capture the President as he is, raw and not hiding anything that he says. I'll do more close ups, shots with his hands, his gestures, he is a working president and I see him mostly outside."
This installement of Brillante Mendoza Presents will star Dionne Monsanto and Daniel Marsh. According to the Director "Major networks are busy with ratings, I believe in original stories and content and will also do this in Cebuano with subtitles in Tagalog. This will star Dionne Monsanto and Daniel Marsh (although Irish is very fluent in Cebuano). Kadaugan means to win, the term stemmed from Magellan's fall against Lapu Lapu. All these episodes are from real life festivals, I had difficulty communicating with the staff sometimes as most of them are really from that place. I also did it in 3 days. After this, I will have a presscon for AMO with Derek Ramsey, which will stretch 12 episodes. I will also have Directors cut, some to be shown on free TV and cable and I feel encouraged because I see something different on TV. I work on limited budget, but produce movies, a hard task but we do it. This is an effort as we used to be number 3 in the world in producing films, we're a bit late I know but we are doing our share. I intentionally hired artists and production that are from Cebu because this is where they are from, to show their passion. Tere is a Cebuana who wanted to get married, but didn't know the foreigner fiance didn't really have plans to do that. It will touch a little on family ties, on Cebuano hospitality. Their script is all in Tagalog but the actors all translate it in Cebuano. While there are some limitations, the Cebuano crew is experienced. They will also give others the ability to see how Filipinos see foreigners and vice versa. I hope you get to enjoy this. The story is intertwined with the festival and isn't forced. The festival is like the same journey as Tere and is doing a battle for love, much like Lapulapu versus Magellan. We are very thankful for SM for helping through it's different channels and programs, we've been doing this for 7 years and continually educating people about alternative viewing, the same line as our advocacy."
The show will premier this July 30 and will feature the wonderful festival of "Kadaugan sa Mactan". AMO on the other hand will begin in August and is something to look forward to with the acclaimed director's work. A film made for TV is just priceless!
We're at the new G-Force Dance Studio in Il Terrazo's Penthouse in Tomas Morato Quezon City to hear about their BIGGEST Summer Workshop this 2016 and announce their DANCE GLAMP Dance Concert at the Mall of Asia Arena. They'll be holding workshops first in different locations in the country then have the culminating show on May 31, 2016. You've probably seen the advertisements already on ABSCBN where they were just flying in colorful wonder, so just imagine how that would actually look like in real life.
They'll be holding classes in Circuit Makati, Don Bosco Alabang, the new GFORCE Dance Center in Il Terrazo QC, the regional ones at Zaira Fitness Gym in Batangas, Embarcadero in Albay Legazpi City, Legwokz in Baguio City, Miss D & The Company MDCO in Osemeña Street Lucena City, LCB Performing Arts Center in Obrero Davao City, Champagne Garden in Naga City, and Robinsons Place in Calasiao Pangasinan. All in all, they've got about 11 tour locations to go to and that means they're going to a place near you to teach the best of the best that GFORCE could actually do.
Case in point, we had a showdown with them. (Well not me really, we just watched haha!)
Here's GFORCE Kids to start the show!
Proving that Moms can actually do it too, here's the White Shirt Moms who stole the show
So you see there's no real age to say that you can't do it. For beginners or professionals, you will learn a thing or two in the GFORCE workshop. Aside from that, I've seen people who have attended the workshops last year and have regarded it to build confidence, so now they've learned to interact with other people and even get to talk to more compared to when they started. The press was even impressed because they had differently abled people also attend the workshop and they treat them just like any other student, which is a good thing.
Hashtag Ryle Dances with Mom Sherylyn Reyes
For something impromptu, Mom Sherylyn Reyes and Ryle Paolo Tan performed too. The good looking Hashtag Ryle attributed all that he's learned in dancing to GFORCE, a feat that landed him in the Hashtag group. I know he's worked hard since his TV5 days, and dancing per se is a skill he picked up through these workshops. That also made him successful.
Here are more excerpts of the press conference:
Sorry I had trouble editing the title, but it is what it is. Anyway, if you are interested in booking a class or two for your kids OR yourself, just go to www.gforceofficial.com or call 09178GFORCE, 099852FORCE or their landline (02) 7096077.
Today is a good day for art and SM is going to celebrate it with established and new artists in a two day art fair called "Art for Everyone". It will be held simultaneously today Feb 27 until tomorrow the 28th in SM City North Edsa, SM Megamall, SM Aura, SM Southmall, SM City Cebu and SM City Lanang in Davao. This is also in part of the celebration of National Arts Month on it's 25th year since it was put into law in 1991. SM is continuing to support the local art scene and this is the first time to ever do it in 6 malls at the same time. Now, more people would be able to see how talented Filipinos are since this is in a larger venue plus it can be viewed free.
Curator Dr. Patrick Flores says "It is important to broaden the access to contemporary art. It'll give the public a better feel of these emerging artists, their work, and the galleries they belong to. We have been supporting them as they have a track record of professionalism and we cannot discount the fact that Filipino artists are world class!"
The "Art for Everyone" exhibit is organized in collaboration with Dr. Patrick Flores, Ms. Louise Marcelino of UP Vargas Museum and Mr. Peter Natividad of the Lopez Museum. Oh and yes, some of the pieces are up for sale so if you're collecting this might be a good place to discover worthy art. Open mall hours today, so see it!
