Georgina Wilson on Showtime

It seems that almost all Richard Gutierrez exes are seen on ABS-CBN. Former girlfriends Anne Curtis and Jewel Mische, even long-time TV and film screen partner Angel Locsin and once-rumored special friend KC Concepcion are all Kapamilya. And now, another ex-girlfriend Georgina Wilson is now a guest judge in Showtime. ABS-CBN should give this pretty Filipino-British model a permanent show.

The Search for the Next Binibining Pilipinas Begins

What was once a closed-door process, the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc . (BPIC) finally allows the media to cover its preliminary screening on Jan. 22 at the Araneta Center. This is the first time that this off-cam process, attended by hundreds of beauty title hopefuls from all over the country, has been shared to the media.

“All the applicants are presented to the press. We never did that before. We did only showing of the 24 candidates that we produce every year,” BPIC Chairperson Stella Marquez-Araneta told “The Buzz” on its Jan. 23 report.

“The provinces make a lot of effort, and they spend a lot of money to bring these girls… to be able to face us. Why not give them a chance to be known by the rest of the people of the Philippines,” she continued.

The screening was attended by a distinguished panel composed of beauty experts as well as several beauty queens including Miss Universe-4th Runner Up Venus Raj and 2005 Miss International titlist Precious Lara Quigaman.

This is Quigaman’s return to the BPCI fold after a previous misunderstanding between her and the organization. Allegedly, Quigaman was banned from attending the Binibining Pilipinas coronation night in March of 2009. She had also purportedly received cold treatment from founder Marquez-Araneta for having established another beauty pageant, Turismo Pilipina, in 2008 along with fellow beauty queens Karen Loren Ostrea and Denille Lou Valmonte.

But with its past and present allies in full force, everything seems ripe for the Binibining Pilipinas pageant, which is now on its 47th year, to make vaunted changes—beginning, of course, with the BPCI signing a five-year deal with ABS-CBN to air the pageant, which was previously done by GMA for years.

“It’s like nothing has happened,” Marquez-Araneta said about having Quigaman participate at the screening this year. “I Invited them and they came. I am very happy to have these winner back with us,” she related, sharing a laugh with Quigaman.

“We have really missed Binibining Pilipinas. We have missed helping out, training the girls. This is a great start,” Quigaman says.

Among this year’s aspiring candidates was former “Deal Or No Deal 26K” girl, Chloe McCully, who shared, “I was part of ‘Kapamilya Deal Or No Deal’ for three seasons. And then after that I continued my studies and then started my training for Binibining Pilipinas.”

Another aspirant was Sharon Cuneta’s niece, Reina Cuneta, who said, “I’m very honored to be here. It’s the most prestigious pageant the country, as we all know…”


The Binibining Pilipinas pageant airs on ABS-CBN in April.

ABS-CBN to do Mula Sa Puso Remake

After Mara Clara, ABS-CBN will do a remake of another classic. They are planning to do a rehash of the Claudine Barretto - Rico Yan - Diether Ocampo starrer Mula Sa Puso. This teleserye started the career of Claudine Barretto. Let's guess who will be the new Via and Gabriel. What about the main villain Selina originally played by Princess Punzalan?

Piolo Pascual Wants to be Taken Seriously as a Singer

Piolo Pascual is set to serenade his fans this Valentine’s Day at his major concert entitled Piolo meets the Maestro Ryan Cayabyab on February 14 at the PICC Plenary Hall. The Ultimate Heartthrob will be performing some of the most loved ballads arranged by renowned composer/musician Ryan Cayabyab. Piolo said he is just thankful that in the years that he’s been doing concerts here and abroad and releasing studio albums, the support of his fans has remained unwavering. “I’ve just released my seventh album. Halos every year yata nagre-release ako ng album. Modesty aside, naging okay naman ‘yung response ng tao. Siguro I’ve been more exposed abroad. Average of four or five shows ang ginagawa ko abroad in a year. Ten years na akong nagto-tour abroad.”

Piolo started out in showbiz as an actor/model. It was only in the early 2000s after he became a mainstay on the musical variety show ASAP did he discover that he could actually sing. Together with his then all male group The Hunks which included Diether Ocampo, Jericho Rosales, Carlos Agassi, and Bernard Palanca, he would do concerts around the country and other parts of the globe, which were all sold-out events. Piolo continued his venture into music by recording one album after another.

But does Piolo really want to be taken seriously as a singer, or is music just a pastime he enjoys doing on the side? He explained that given the massive support from fans for his albums and concerts over the past years, he will continue to take music very seriously. “I’m more known as an actor but with the chance that I’m given, to perform live in front of people, I don’t want to limit myself. If I can sing in ASAP and in shows abroad, I’ll do what I can do. I’ll do what I feel is best for me. I can’t say how I want to be viewed in terms of music. But I’ll keep doing this as long as there are producers out there who want me to do an album or a concert and of course people who want to listen and watch me.”

However, Maestro Ryan pointed out one obstacle that his hindering Piolo from proving to the public that he can really sing. Based on Ryan’s experience doing concerts with Piolo in the past, the audience, most especially the ladies, would rather swoon over the handsome man than listen to his voice. “Ang hirap kasi sa mga artistang katulad ni Piolo, paglabas pa lang sa stage, magtitilian na lahat ng tao. Wala ka nang maririnig sa kanta kasi puro tilian na lang hanggang matapos ‘yung show. All the ladies umaakyat na ng stage para magpa-picture. We’re talking about seven thousand people. Dati nga nakita ko ‘yung expression sa mukha ni Piolo, ‘Mr. C, itutuloy pa ba natin ito?’ So, I want to present him as a singer-performer. Gusto ko makita talaga ng mga tao ang talent niya sa performing.”

Phil Younghusband Excited for Azkal's Exposure on ABS-CBN

Last January 24, ABS-CBN Sports welcomed the Azkals, the Philippine National Football team, to the Kapamilya network by being its media partner which will ensure that sports fans can catch all succeeding matches of the Azkals via live and delayed broadcast on Studio 23. This is especially timely because the team is currently gearing up for their first game in the AFC Challenge Cup against Mongolia, which will be held in Bacolod on February 9.

During the press conference for the Azkals, Fil-Brit Phil Younghusband shared his thoughts on his team now being under ABS-CBN’s wing. “I’m excited because it means we get more TV time. I always said that soccer always needs more exposure and in the Philippines, basketball has been getting a lot of the exposure so it’s good to hear that finally football is getting the exposure that it deserves and it’s up to us to make it entertaining for everyone. So we’re under pressure but all the players are really happy because ABS-CBN is probably the most watched channel in the Philippines. So to know that our games will be broadcast here is great for the team,” he shared with Push.com.ph.

The 23-year-old sports hunk admits that he would love to get the chance to meet two of his local celebrity crushes, Angel Locsin and KC Concepcion. “I see them on the billboards and I get used to seeing their faces. To be honest, I obviously find them very beautiful and very attractive,” he shared. When asked to choose whom he would want to date on Valentine’s day, Phil said he couldn’t decide because he has to get to know them first to know who he would like better. “I haven’t met them or even seen their shows. I just see their billboards. I don’t really watch a lot of TV because I’m always in the car driving somewhere like training. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting them yet, but of course I want to,” he said with a smile.

The popular Askalz forward also added the girl he would like to date doesn’t even necessarily have to be an actress. “It’s difficult. It’s not all about appearance for me. As long as I get along well with the person. It doesn’t depend on whether she’s from showbiz or not, it’s about us having good conversation and getting along well together. The most important thing for me is that I enjoy her company,” he explained.

Although he has no concrete plans for February 14 yet, Phil showed a bit of his romantic side by sharing with Push.com.ph what his ideal date would be like. “It’s difficult because I really like planning out my night. We’d probably go to a nice restaurant, take a nice walk somewhere, and then do anything she’d like to do. I’m not one who likes people to treat me, I like to be the one to treat the people I’m with and if I’m them, I want to spoil them and share with them who I really am,” he said. With a packed schedule, Phil joked about letting his Valentine’s date find him instead of the other way around. “Right now I’m single so if they’re interested, they can give me a call! (laughs),” he said in jest.

Catch more of Phil Younghusband and the Azkals in the AFC Challenge Cup with their match against Mongolia. Games will be broadcast live from the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City on February 9 at 8 pm on Studio 23.