Gary V. Live at Eastwood and McKinley

After the phenomenal success of his historic collaboration with Martin Nievera in the Manila repeat of their groundbreaking concert AS 1 and his much-awaited comeback that happened last September at Music Museum in his solo series Soul In Motion, Gary Valenciano (photo) returns to the concert stage in a series of free concerts at Eastwood Mall Open Park tomorrow, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. and at Mckinley Hill Venice Piazza, Dec. 11, 8 p.m.

The series is also in line with the mainstream release of his current full-length, studio album under Universal Records titled Replay.

It should be noted that Replay is Gary V’s 25th full-length studio album under Universal Records and its main thematic concept is centered on the idea of providing Gary V’s previously recorded songs, culled from his past multi-platinum albums, a second chance in the mainstream since they did not make it on the top of the charts at the time of their release. These songs were not as popular, even bordering to being relatively unknown, as compared to the monster hits that other songs in their respective CD collections they belong to have become. Some may consider the song selections in Replay to be overshadowed or upstaged by the other certified hit songs of Gary V, hence they are somewhat overlooked by some fans, even neglected.

This time, these songs take the spotlight in Replay and it is refreshing to know that these songs are as relevant today as when they were recorded several years ago.

For example, in his recent sold-out concert series Gary V: Soul In Motion, which happened at the Music Museum, Gary V wowed the crowd in a segment which showcased some tracks found in Replay. Gary performed Ohhh and the CD’s carrier single Did It Ever.

For Gary’s shows at Eastwood Mall Open Park and at Mckinley Hill Venice Piazza, fans and music aficionados can expect two unforgettable evenings of pure energy and beautiful love songs as Gary dishes out selected tracks from Replay as well as his timeless tunes as culled from his impressive catalogue of multi-platinum hits.

Replay is released by Universal Records and it’s available in all record bars nationwide. Paul Soriano directed the music video of Did It Ever and it airs on MYX. To vote for Did It Ever on MYX text myx_vote_Did It Ever and send to 2366.

Sharon Cuneta's Loving by Sharon Perfumes

Megastar Sharon Cuneta launched her own line of fragrance in partnership with Michelle Acense of Zenzest. Called Loving by Sharon, it comes in a sexy bottle with an elegant box with a photo of the Megastar in a seductive pose, now available in all Zenzest outlets and Boardwalk direct sales.

Maja Salvador Rushed to the Hospital

Maja Salvador was rushed to a provincial hospital in Ilocos Norte after she experienced severe leg cramps and muscle spasms while shooting the indie film, Thelma. The movie’s director, Paul Soriano, was the one who brought the young actress to the emergency room.

Maja reportedly collapsed after filming a running scene in the movie. She plays a runner in Thelma, which was partly shot for ten days in Ilocos Norte. In her training scenes, Maja had to run barefoot on concrete highways, the river and even on rocky roads.

At times, Maja’s feet would bleed from extensive running scenes, but she hardly complained on the set. According to Paul, Maja would simply splash Betadine and rubbing alcohol on her feet, then she would start running again for a different scene.

In one take, Maja started screaming from pain before she collapsed. She was in tears when Paul carried her to a standby car that rushed her to the hospital, where she was immediately given treatment.

Thankfully, Maja was not confined. Paul told her and the staff to return to the hotel and rest for the remainder of the day. Instead, Maja returned to the set and after two hours and demanded to work again despite the pain she was feeling. She apparently didn’t want to be the cause of the delay in the Ilocos Norte shoot.

Paul and the rest of the production staff and crew of Thelma were all praise with Maja’s professionalism. It was truly admirable working with her as the lead star of the movie.

“Maja literally gave her blood, sweat and tears to this movie,” said Paul. “We shot 14 to 16 hour days, with very little sleep, but she never complained. She gave her full commitment to this project.”

In her first indie film project, Maja gets able support from Tetchie Agbayani, John Arcilla, Eliza Pineda and Jason Abalos, as the track and field teammate who develops a special bond with Maja (Thelma) as they train together. Elma Muros portrays a running coach in the story.

Thelma is the maiden production venture of Time Horizon Pictures, with first-time producers Rino Que and Samantha Chavez-Que, in cooperation with Abracadabra Productions and Underground Logic. The movie is slated to be shown early next year.

Kim Chiu Approves Jewel Mische's Teleserye With Gerald Anderson

Napabalitang makakatambal daw ni Gerald Anderson sa isang project ang bagong addition sa Star Magic Family na si Jewel Mische. Ano kaya ang reaksiyon ni Kim Chiu na si Jewel na ang makakapareha ni Gerald ngayon? “Masaya ako para sa kanya, and na-meet namin si Jewel Mische. Mabait naman siya,” maikling bungad ni Kim.

Paano naman kaya matatanggap ng fans nina Kim at Gerald ang bagong tambalan nina Gerald at Jewel? “Para iba naman, and sana ay walang masamang reaksiyon, sana ay tanggapin nila si Jewel Mische. Artista rin siya, nagta-trabaho lang din, mabait siyang artista kaya okay naman. Kapatid namin siya sa Star Magic, wala naman pong masama roon. I-welcome na lang natin siya,” pakiusap ni Kim sa fans.

Samantala, nagbigay din ng reaksiyon si Kim sa naging pahayag ni Sarah Geronimo na hindi siya magpapaapekto kung magkakaroon man ng death threats mula sa fans nina Kim at Gerald dahil isa rin ang popstar princess sa bagong makakatambal ni Gerald. “Salamat kay Sarah dahil understanding siya. Huwag siyang mag-alala dahil walang death threats. Masaya kaming lahat by 2011. Okay na po ang buhay natin,” makahulugang pagtatapos ni Kim.

ASAP XV Gives Back!

This Sunday, witness the most heartwarming and touching moments as ASAPXV savors the true kapamilya spirit in a very special ASAP GIVES BACK episode.

More than the usual partying, our ASAPXV kapamilya takes precious time in celebrating the holiday season with special people who truly deserve to experience the joy of Christmas. Catch your favorite ASAP kapamilya as they reach out to our kapamilyas and wholeheartedly gives back all the blessings.

Plus get ready as ASAPXV opens up the biggest gifts for everyone. Tune in this Sunday and get the chance to receive extraordinary gifts straight from your ASAP kapamilya.

ULTIMATE HOLIDAY PARTY

Also this Sunday, ASAPXV gives out non-stop performances sure to bring delight this Christmas season.

Feel the joy of the holidays with unparalleled concert experience from the country’s top concert artists.

Be carried away as Mr.Pure Energy Gary Valenciano together with acoustic favorites Yeng, Sam and Aiza create pure music together.

Get overly romantic as the Sessionistas jam all-time Christmas melodies for everyone.

Pop Star Princess Sarah Geronimo shows off another showstopping performance on SOS.

Supah surprises explode on the ASAP centerstage with ultra hot dance performances from the Supahdance Krew, ASAP Ultimate Leading Ladies back to back with the Supahkids, Kim Chiu, Melai and Billy Crawford.

Get an early Christmas gift from the stars of Metro Manila Film Festival 2010. Join the cast of DALAW, SUPER INDAY AND THE GOLDEN BIBE and RPG METANOIA.

SkyCable Reaffirms Leadership!

SKYCABLE Corporation is leveraging its lead in digital to provide cable subscribers the best in digital home entertainment, the unique feature which allows flexibility and customization of contents to suit individual preference for greater viewing pleasure.

The Lopez-owned cable company’s aggressive move to be at the forefront of providing consumers with choices of how, what, when, and where they watch TV content was ushered in by the introduction of SKYCABLE Select, an innovative service that powers the DigiBox, a digital set-top box that gives subscribers more flexibility and choice to tailor-fit their own cable TV line up, by allowing them to pick and choose the channels they want added to any basic cable package that they have. This has resulted in a fully customized subscription package that conforms to the family’s viewing preferences and budget.
This move to offer full digital service will culminate with the launch of another first-of-its-kind service in the country — the personal video recorder (PVR) system.

Also known as a digital video recorder (DVR), the PVR is a device that records TV onto a hard drive in digital format. Unlike video and DVD recorders, there is no need for tapes or disks. PVRs give you the ability to pause live TV, instantly replay scenes just watched while continuing to record. It is similar to TiVO, the world’s first digital video recorder which has a very large following in the US.

At the heart of any PVR is the electronic program guide (EPG). It’s needed for selecting all the things you want your PVR to record. The better the EPG, the more intuitive your PVR becomes, recording programs by itself based on your previous choices.

The SKYCABLE PVR service is currently on trial and will be commercially available by the first quarter of next year.

PIONEER AND LEADER IN HDtv IN PH

As the Philippines ushers in the age of digital broadcasting, SKYCABLE has already staked a claim in this promising new area with its recent offerings in the market of many significant firsts in both Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD), thus further cementing its leadership position in the local cable TV industry.

Nowadays, if THX and 3D movies have become the new standards for theater watching, Digital and HD standard is starting to stamp its mark in home TV viewing. SKYCABLE is at the forefront of this revolution with offerings that enhance the viewing enjoyment of its subscribers by providing the widest array of digital content and High Definition (HD) programs that subscribers can choose one at a time.

In 2008, the cable firm pioneered the first HDtv broadcast in the country when it presented the Ryder Cup golf tournament in high definition followed by the introduction of 24/7 HD channels by April 2009. In June of the same year, SKYCABLE scored another winning innovation in the Philippine cable TV industry when it produced the first ever locally produced HD program with the airing of live and exclusive coverage of the UAAP and NCAA basketball games in HD. Last July, SKYCABLE also offered the exclusive HD coverage of the 2010 World Cup matches in South Africa. Since then SKYCABLE has carried on the zeal by adding more HD channels and HD pay-per-view options.
Rodrigo P. Montinola, SKYCABLE Corp. head of marketing said, with the current depth and breadth of digital content and HD program offerings of SKY, complemented by its planned innovations that are currently in the drawing board, he is confident that SKY will continue to enjoy its market leadership position in the years to come.

“Our plan of digitization of cable services augurs well with our vision of ensuring delivery of superior TV viewing experience for our customers and help bring about newfound television intelligence that makes it possible for subscribers to tailor-fit their viewing preferences,” Montinola said.

BEST HD PACKAGE OFFERING

In the latest SKYCABLE HD pay-per-view offering – the Pacquiao vs Margarito fight – SKYCABLE subscribers were able to experience “ringside” seat to all the boxing action. They can also get the same “courtside” feel when they subscribed to NBA premium on HD.
At present, SKYCABLE offers eight HD channels, namely: Discovery HD World, History HD, National Geographic Channel HD, HBO HD, NBA Premium HD, Star Movies HD, Fox Crime HD and ESPN HD.
HD fans have multiple subscription options to get their fix of high definition content.

Availing of the SKYCABLE HD Innovation pack gives them access to Discovery HD World, History HD and HBO HD while SKYCABLE HD Revolution offers Fox Crime HD, National Geographic Channel HD and Star Movies HD. Basketball fans may avail of NBA Premium HD on a separate package while a free one-year access to ESPN HD comes with a subscription to any SKYCABLE HD package.

Pilipinas Got Talent Audition Kicks Off!

The much-awaited second season of “Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT),” touted as the country’s biggest nationwide talent reality show, will kick off first quarter of next year.

Auditions in the Visayas and Mindanao have already started.

Thousands of hopefuls flocked to the Cebu Institute of Technology University in Cebu and Philippine Women’s College in Davao to show what they got in hopes of following in the footsteps of PGT’s first grand winner Jovit Baldivino.

The PGT team only visited two locations but the turnout already surpassed the combined number of people who auditioned in almost 20 cities during the first season.

“The number of people who auditioned is very overwhelming. We can’t event take a break because the number of hopefuls to be interviewed and to be watched will surely pile up in a matter of minutes,” said Rancy Recato, executive producer of PGT.

Even hopefuls during the first season tried their second shot at stardom by auditioning again.

To all PGT hopefuls, you can audition on December 15 and 16 at the Lyceum Northwestern University in Dagupan, and on December 18 and 19 at the ABS-CBN complex in Manila.

Auditions will also be held in other parts of the country in January 2011

ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup 2010 Semi-Finals on Studio 23

The Philippines will shoot for a semi-final seat in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup against Myanmar at the Hien Troung Stadium in Nam Dinh, Vietnam on Wednesday night.

The Filipino booters just need a draw against the winless Burmese at 8 p.m. to book its first semis ticket in the 16-year history of Southeast Asia’s most prestigious football tournament.

The game will be aired live by ABS-CBN’s Studio 23 (Channel 17 on SkyCable).

The Philippine team ended up as Group B frontrunners after their historic 2-0 upset of host and defending champion Vietnam last Sunday.

The players of British coach Simon McMenemy pace Group B with 4 points, counting their 1-all draw against Singapore Lions.

The Filipino squad is ahead of the Lions, who have the same points as the Filipinos, on goal difference.

This leaves the match between the Vietnamese, running 3rd with 3 points, and the Singaporeans, a must-win for both squads when they tangle also at 8:30 p.m.

Because of the likely down-the-wire outcome of the tourney, organizers scheduled last-day matches simultaneously so that no team can afford to relax and pull their punches due to the stakes involved.

The Azkals, the heavy pre-tournament underdog, have a chance to emerge as group topnotcher with a win on Wednesday.

The Philippines reached this far after placing 2nd in last month’s qualifier in Vientiane, Laos.

However, a Philippine loss, coupled by a draw between Vietnam and Singapore, can still eliminate the Filipinos from event.
If Vietnam prevails, the Filipinos must finish with a better goal difference over Singapore to advance, which is why team manager Dan Palami warned his wards not to be complacent.

“There should be no let-up from our team,” Palami said. “We should not be satisfied. We have a great chance to do something big for Philippine football and we want to make the most out of it.”

His sentiments were echoed by skipper and national team veteran Aly Borromeo who said: “We must forget about the Vietnam game and just focus on Myanmar.”

McMenemy also cautioned his charges, saying, “It’s very difficult try to stay grounded after that win against Vietnam. Things like that don’t happen very often. As much as we’re elated, we’re not looking further than the next game.”

“Myanmar will give us problems because they have nothing to lose,” he said.

All three have every reason to be wary about the Burmese, who played the nationals to a scoreless draw in the 2007 tournament in Bangkok, an outcome that was the only consolation for the Philippines in their forgettable campaign.

However, this year, with persistent hard-nosed defense and enterprising counter-attacks, the Filipinos now thrive in the eight-nation soccer tournament.

With Phil Younghusband, Neil Etheridge, Jason de Jong, Rob Gier and Ray Jonnson among the key additions, combined with mainstays like Borromeo and Chieffy Caligdong, plus the return of Chris Greatwitch, they have earned the respect of their formidable foes.

Myanmar has had a disappointing campaign so far, but showed plenty of energy against Singapore.

The Burmese led, 1-0, at halftime only to give up two goals in the second half, including an injury-time strike from Agu Casmir. They absorbed their second straight setback last Sunday.

Here are some of the members of the Philippine Azkals!

















Phil Younghusband
























Neil Etheridge

















Rob Gier




















Jason De Jong























Chieffly Caligdong
























Aly Borromeo

Boy Abunda Supports Campaign on Gender Equality

King of Talk Boy Abunda on Wednesday shared his thoughts on gender equality in a forum in Malacañang where he was invited as a resource speaker.

In an interview with “Showbiz News Ngayon,” Abunda said he is one with Filipinos supporting the campaign to stop violence against women. He thanked Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chair Grace Poe-Llamanzares for trusting him to be among the forum’s resource person.

“Ako ay nagpapasalamat kay Grace Poe-Llamanzares dahil sa kanyang pag-imbita sa akin dito sa forum na ito. Ako ay nakikiisa sa mga kababaihan at sa mamamayan na nakikipaglaban sa karahasan against women, lahat ng taong isinusulong ang gender equality,” Abunda shared.

Abunda said that it would be beneficial for the public to be aware of social issues. “Napakagandang pag-usapan po ng buong bayan ang relasyon ng publiko, ng media. Ang pinag-uusapan ho natin ay tapusin ho natin ang lahat ng uri ng karahasan laban sa kababaihan. Iyan ang ating ipinaglalaban,” he said.

Abunda also stressed that this is important since securing women’s rights has a direct relation to achieving sustainable peace and security in the country.

Meanwhile, Poe-Llamanzares expressed gratitude to the members of the media who took part in the gender equality campaign.

“Talagang dito napapatunayan na maraming miyembro ng media ang may malasakit sa ating mga kabataan at lalong lalo na sa gender equality. Lahat talaga sila nagbigay ng magagandang ehemplo kung gaano kagagaling ang mga nakikipaglaban para sa karapatan ng lahat,” Poe-Llamanzares related.

Aside from Abunda, award-winning broadcast journalist Karen Davila also spoke at the forum.

Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Coco Martin Overwhelmed With 2010 Blessings, Still Busy on 2011

Actor Coco Martin received an award in the 2010 Anak TV Seal Awards program held December 8, Wednesday, for the Most Admired TV Personalities category. Coco mentioned in the interview afterwards that he has been really blessed this year, what with projects and awards coming his way.

“Sobrang thankful ako dahil sa lahat ng mga blessings na dumating sa akin. Unang-una sunud-sunod ang mga blessing na dumating sa akin dahil nanalo ako sa Golden Dove Awards (Best Actor) tapos napasali ako sa Walk of Fame ni Kuya Germs (Moreno). Tapos nagkaroon ako nitong Anak TV. Sobrang thank you lang,” explained Coco.

For 2011, the actor revealed that he is already working on his next TV series, where he will be working with Lorna Tolentino, Andi Eigenmann, and Maja Salvador.

On a personal level, Coco said that he will be spending Christmas with his family in Pampanga. He said that he is not treating himself to any luxurious gift this Christmas. “Siguro gusto ko lang mapasaya ko ang pamilya ko at magampanan ko nang tama ang responsibilidad ko para sa pamilya.” But he is hoping that the house that he is currently having built for his family will be done by next year.

Asked if he intends to have a love life by next year, Coco replied smiling, “Saka na ‘yon. Mahilig kasi ako sa trabaho. ‘Pag nagkataon kung meron akong mapusuan, bakit hindi?”

Although Coco is becoming a very in-demand actor and endorser nowadays, he said that he does not mind making bold movies, which he has made in the past in the indie film industry. The actor said that he will continue doing similar projects as long as a good script requires it. “Sa tingin ko naman hindi naman sagabal ‘yon (award). Sabi ko naman the more na naniniwala ako sa proyekto, wala sa aking makakapigil kasi para sa akin artista ako, trabaho ko ‘yon,” he justified.

The actor was also asked about the recent confrontation that ensued between fellow actors Jake Cuenca and Jason Abalos. It was reported that had not it been for Coco, Jake and Jason could have possibly engaged in a fistfight. “Meron lang bagay na hindi nagkaintindihan. Napag-usapan na rin nung araw ring ‘yon,” said Coco while refusing to reveal the cause of the confrontation. He said that he treats Jake and Jason as his brothers so he would not allow them to hurt each other. “Normal lang naman ‘yon. Sabi ko nga sa bawat tao minsan nangyayari ang mga ganong bagay. Ang importante naayos."

Luis Manzano Will Have a New Movie With Anne Curtis

In a recent interview with Luis Manzano, the ever-accommodating actor-TV host was happy to say that he’s set to start shooting his movie with Anne Curtis this month. Some of the projects they’ve done together include the movie Ang Cute Ng Ina Mo and the teleserye Dyosa. “Anne is one of my onscreen partners na never akong magsasawa. Our relationship goes beyond camera. Ang pagmamahal ko sa kanya ay talagang buong puso. So kapag iba ginagawa namin nami-miss ko siya. So at least now we get the chance to spend time together and work together.”

Luis said he couldn’t give any details yet about their movie, but it’s slated to be shown sometime before Valentine’s Day. “Yung storyline medyo confidential pa. All I can say for now is that it’s a romantic comedy. Siyempre sa daming ginawang teleserye ni Anne at ako din naman madami na akong ginawa na movie and teleserye… pero direk Wenn Deramas and Viva Films will make sure na there’s going to be something different about our love team na makikita ng moviegoers.”

When asked if they’ll have kissing scenes for their fans to look forward to, Luis joked, “Hay naku, hindi ko alam kung nag-request si Anne. But I wouldn’t be surprised kasi sino ba naman ang hindi magre-request ng kissing scene sa akin ‘di ba?”

Aside from his upcoming movie, the dashing 30-year-old feels really blessed because he’s also busy with ABS-CBN’s new prank show Laugh Out Loud. He’s also looking forward to the return of Pilipinas Got Talent early next year. “It goes to show na nagtitiwala ang management sa aking kakayahan. Sabi ko nga nagtapos man ang Panahon Ko ’To nandiyan naman ang Pilipinas Got Talent. So napakarami talagang blessings na talaga namang pinagpapasalamat ko.”

Source: www.push.com

Maja Salvador on Minsan Lang Kitang Iibigin

After the series Precious Hearts Romances: Impostor, rising actress Maja Salvador is all set to show a different side in the 2011 teleserye Minsan Lang Kitang Iibigin, which also stars Coco Martin, Andi Eigenmann, as well showbiz veterans Lorna Tolentino, Tonton Gutierrez, and Amy Austria. The action-drama series will have the 22-year-old actress playing the role of an NPA rebel. “Bagong Maja talaga ang makikita nila kasi NPA ako dito so panibagong challenge sa akin na sana magampanan ko ng maigi yung character na binigay nila sa akin. Na-excite ako na gumanap na NPA. Excited ako kasi bagong character ito, kakaibang role ito for me,” she shared during the ABS-CBN Trade Launch held last December 2 at the PICC.

Maja also admitted that she is looking forward to showing off her more athletic side in the series. “Kasi tapos na ako sa pag-de-daring, sexy, at comedy. Para naman hindi rin magsawa yung tao siguro. Excited ako sa mga gagawin naming action scenes,” she added. Maja and the cast underwent training in preparation for their roles as rebels. “Hanggang sa set may nagtre-train sa amin. Tinuruan kami kung paano humawak ng baril, ganun,” she revealed.

A visibly excited Maja also admitted she is looking forward to working again with Coco and sharing screen time with the veteran actresses in the cast. “Mabibigat ang mga artista dito, bigatin. Talagang malawak at mabigat din yung kuwento. Nandito lahat talaga. Sobrang nasasabik ako kasi may action ang gagawin ko. First time ko makaka-work si Miss Lorna and Miss Amy,” she said. Maja also had nothing but praises for Agua Bendita actress Andi. “Napakahusay niya. Ano pa bang masasabi natin? Napakahusay niya. Sa kuwento may rivalry kami pero sa totoong buhay parang kapatid ko talaga si Andi,” she said.

This coming holiday, the petite actress plans on going on a trip with her family. “Nagplaplano ako mag out-of-the-country with my family pero titingnan pa sa oras kung kakayanin kasi siyempre sa first quarter of 2011 ipapalabas yung Minsan Lang Kitang Iibigin kaya busy ako. So yun nga, pinaplano pa namin kung saan. Kasi yun ang gusto kong Christmas gift ko na sa kanila,” she said.

Source: www.push.com