Julia Montes on New Leading Man Sam Concepcion

Julia Montes has a new leading man and first official ka-love team in Sam Concepcion. The young actress best known for her villain role in the hit teleserye Mara Clara and the actor/singer/dancer will be paired in a movie to be produced by Star Cinema which will also star Kathryn Bernardo and Albie Casiño, also from Mara Clara. The role as Julia’s partner was supposed to be for AJ Perez, but the 18-year-star died in a vehicular accident last April 17.

After AJ’s death, Julia was asked about whom she thought could best take over the role, and she mentioned Sam’s name. “Kasi sa edad si Sam lang ‘yung nakikita kong malapit sa age ko kaya parang siya ‘yung tingin ko na bagay maging ka-partner ko. Happy ako na siya nga ‘yung napili.” Julia is 16 years old while Sam is 18.

Julia and Sam first met as part of the now defunct teen variety show ShoutOut. There Julia admitted that she became a fan of Sam’s talents. “Sa ShoutOut pa lang close na kami. Si Sam magaling sumayaw. Kapag nasa stage na siya magugulat ka kasi parang hindi siya ‘yun. Ang tawag ko nga diyan ‘next Gary Valenciano.’ Si Sam kasi on and off camera ganun na siya.”

Like other love teams that came before them, Julia and Sam were also asked about the possibility of a romance blossoming in real life. Julia blushed when the topic of love life was raised. “Single ako ngayon. Pero bakit naman napunta sa mga ‘single’ ang usapan? Ha ha ha! ‘Yung movie muna pag-usapan natin.”

Julia explained that she feels she’s still very young to be thinking about having a boyfriend. Plus, as of the moment, her focus is on her budding showbiz career. “Ano naman kasi ‘yung point na mag-entertain ako ng suitors kung hindi rin naman ako ready for a relationship. Hindi ko pa naiisip ‘yung mga ganyan. Work muna ngayon.”

When asked on what she will do if Sam courts her, Julia felt a bit embarrassed to answer with the young actor standing next to her. “Hindi naman manliligaw ‘yan e, ha ha ha! Ano ba ang nangyayari ngayon?!”

Source: www.push.com.ph

Julia Montes Answers Issues Regarding the Men Being Linked to Her

Naging emosyunal si Julia Montes sa The Buzz nitong Linggo nang balikan niya ang pinagdaanan niya bago siya naging sikat. Kuwento pa ng batang aktres, nagkaroon pa sila noon ng utang dahil sa kakapunta sa mga VTR sa pag-asang mabigyan ng proyekto kahit maliit lamang upang kumita. Nangiti siya nang biruin siya ni Toni na bayad na siya ngayon sa lahat ng utang dahil sa dami ng proyektong nakukuha niya. “Thank you kay God,” sambit ni Julia na gumaganap na Clara sa patapos nang top rating soap na Mara Clara.

Samantala, maraming actor ang nalilink sa young star ngayon na kinabibilangan nina Sam Concepcion, Sam Milby at Enchong Dee.

Ang magiging kapareha ngayon ni Julia sa kanyang upcoming movie ay si Sam Concepcion na naging kaibigan na niya simula ng magkatrabaho sila sa defunt TV show na Shout Out. “Since Shout Out doon po nabuo ang bonding. Before nagkikita naman sa ASAP, nagkakapareho ng prod (production numbers) pero naging close talaga sa Shout Out.”

Wala naman daw katotohanan ang mga bali-balitang nagkakamabutihan na raw sila ng Fil-Am actor na si Sam Milby. “Nagugulat ako sa mga isyu,” natatawang sagot ni Julia. Paliwanag niya, bukod sa malayo ang agwat ng edad ay malayo rin daw ang antas nila sa buhay. “Nagugulat po ako sa mga isyu kasi wala po talaga,” paniniyak ng 16-anyos na dalaga. Wala raw katotohanan ang mga isyung textmates sila ng aktor. Nagkikita lang daw sila sa ASAP at nagkakabatian.

Pero sa lahat ng nali-link sa kanya, pinakamatunog ang pagkaka-link niya kay Enchong. Diumano’y two months na silang magkarelasyon ng aktor. Nabuo raw ang pagkakaibigan nila dahil sa Shout Out pero aniya, walang katotohanang may relasyon sila. Hindi rin daw siya sigurado kung may pag-asa si Enchong kung sakaling manligaw siya. “Guwapo naman po talaga si Enchong pero ayoko pa munang magsalita ng ano (tapos), pero work po muna ngayon kasi sa ibinibigay sa aking opportunity, ayoko munang sayangin.”

Sa kabilang banda, kung magkaaway daw sila ni Kathryn Bernardo sa Mara Clara, sa totoong buhay daw ay sobrang magkasundo sila. Sinabi pa nga na umattend sila ng isang party kung saan parang kambal ang dalawa na parehas pa ng suot na sapatos. Nagkakilala sila at naging malapit sa Goin’ Bulilit noong mga bata pa sila. “Andami po kasi namin in common so ‘pag nagso-shopping pareho ng tinitingnan. Minsan magkatinginan lang kami alam na namin ang gusto namin.”

Source: www.push.com.ph

Carlos Agassi and Joem Bascon on Guitar

For somebody rumored these past three years to be of failing health and undergoing dialysis, Carlos Agassi surprisingly looks, as they would say, fit and fabulous; and, to quote a cliché, as healthy as a bull.

Looking a bit heavier than he was before he went on a self-imposed respite from showbiz (the few extra pounds sit perfectly well with his 5’10”/185-pound frame), Carlos told a handful of movie writers at a dinner presscon at Dulcinea (Tomas Morato) for the half-century-old Guitar brand (men’s wear) which Carlos has been endorsing for four years now, with the recently-named Urian Best Supporting Actor Joem Bascon (for the indie Noy) as the new one (since January this year).

“Up to now I don’t know who spread that nasty rumor,” admitted Carlos, a non-smoker who attributed his finely-trimmed body to regular workout at his own gym at home and a healthy all-white diet (white meat, three dozens of egg whites per day, etc.) supplemented by veggies (broccoli, etc.) and fruits (apples, pineapples, guyabano, etc.) “That rumor has become irritating. It refuses to go away. I guess that somebody who envies me has started that rumor. I just hope it doesn’t boomerang on him. Look,” added Carlos, 31, lifting his shirt to show his six-packs, “the way my body looks now is the way it looked when I was 16.”

Or maybe people began wondering, suspecting the worst, when they saw Carlos all muscles and concluded that he was taking steroids that eventually ruined his kidneys. The rumor seemed to gain credence when Carlos dropped out of the scene for a while.

“Actually, I might start taking steroids when I turn 50 and then I will compete in the Mr. Universe contest. By then, I will have my own family with a few children.”

During his brief absence, Carlos said he spent his time helping mostly his celebrity friends (among them John Estrada and beauty contestants) work out at his own gym.

“I still do that, only by appointment now, but merely as a hobby. I still consider showbiz as my profession. So I’m back full time.”

He was in the just-concluded ABS-CBN fantasy-adventure Imortal (with John Lloyd Cruz and Angel Locsin) and will star in the forthcoming Private Benjamin, a co-production between Viva Films and Star Cinema.

Like Carlos, Joem has gained a few (becoming) pounds not, he hastened to add, caused by depression resulting from his break-up in July last year with Meryll Soriano (who initiated it when she went to London to take up a course in fashion-designing) but due to lack of time for workout since he has been busy with projects, mostly indies.

“But I did work out before we did the pictorial for Guitar,” said Joem.

Discovered by a talent scout during a shoot at their family residence in Antipolo City, Joem has been getting good breaks in indie films which give him a chance to showcase his talent. Joem got the nod of the Manunuri (who are behind the Gawad Urian) for his performance as Coco Martin’s invalid brother in Noy.

In the beginning, Joem was “packaged” as a Piolo Pascual lookalike which turned out to be a minus factor (you know, why settle for a “clone” when you can have the original?), until he managed to shine on his own away from Piolo’s long shadow. Talent prevails, see!

Holding a poster of Guitar showing Carlos and Joem in trunks, a movie writer asked if they did some “padding” to make them look, you know, “gifted.”

Carlos and Joem laughed, blushing.

“No need,” said Carlos.

“Everything you see is real,” seconded Joem.

All Male Dance Group and Power Balladeer Join Pilipinas Got Talent Season 2 Grand Finalists

ABS-CBN's "Pilipinas Got Talent" (PGT) Season 2 has named its 7th and 8th grand finalists.

Singer John Micheal Narag led the nationwide text votes with 31.85%, automatically securing him a slot in the show's finale.

PGT's judges Freddie Garcia, Ai Ai delas Alas and Kris Aquino, had to choose between all-male dance group "Filogram" and band "Next Generation" who ranked 2nd (27.09%) and 3rd (22.04%) in text votes, respectively.

The show's judges in the end chose "Filogram" to advance to the grand finals.

"Alam mo napakahirap nitong desisyon na gagawin namin. I mean it's always difficult to choose between two very good performers," Garcia said.

"Tama si Boss, magagaling yung mga bata at magagaling din ang Filogram," delas Alas added.

For Aquino, she congratulated Filogram and gave her unsolicited advise to "Next Generation."

"Sana Next Generation, 'wag kayong mawalan ng pag-asa. Season 3 right after, immediately after our Grand Finals, we're looking forward na makita kayo sa season 3. Filogram, congratulations," Aquino said.

The PGT will be naming its last 4 finalists in the coming weeks.

Before Narag and Filogram, six finalists have already been named: Freestylers, Madrigal Siblings, B4 and Angel Canlas, Happy Feet and Jose Emmanuel "Jem" Cubil.

"Pilipinas Got Talent 2" airs every Saturday and Sunday at 8:45 p.m. on ABS-CBN.

ANC's Harapan RH Bill Debate Trends on Twitter

ABS-CBN and ANC’s “Harapan” debate on the Reproductive Health Bill last May 8 was not only the first major TV special on the controversial issue, it was also a trending topic on the popular micro-blogging site “Twitter.”

Viewers actively shared their thoughts on the issue on Twitter and Facebook while millions watched worldwide over ABS-CBN’s multimedia platforms—on channel 2 on free TV, on ANC on cable, and via abs-cbnnews.com on the Internet.

“Harapan: RH Bill, Ipasa o Ibasura?,” anchored by multi-awarded broadcast journalists Karen Davila and Julius Babao, was the first to gather the bill’s most prominent defenders and opposition, which included Rep. Janette Garin, Rep. Edcel Lagman, and Carlos Celdran for “Pro-RH” and Rep. Roilo Golez, former Laguna Gov. Joey Lina, and Fr. Melvin Castro of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for “Anti-RH.”

While the “Anti-RH” side won the online and text polls during the debate, with 65.38% voting not to pass the bill, the heated exchange from both sides persisted online as comments poured in on ABS-CBN and ANC’s official Facebook accounts.

Poster Noel D. Villar said the RH Bill will just be a tool for corruption. He said RH Bill proponents just want the royalty they will get from pharmaceutical companies that will manufacture the contraceptives. Poster Avatarlady Bique, meanwhile, said the RH Bill is neither about religion nor taxes. She said it is about the health and well-being of women like her.

Through the debate, ABS-CBN and ANC, which is celebrating its 15 anniversary this year, were able to enlighten viewers on the issues surrounding the RH bill so that they’ll be able to decide for themselves if the bill is good or bad for the nation.

ABS-CBN will continue to bring to Filipinos more events that will stir up discussion on important national issues with an upcoming debate on the planned burial of the late former dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the “Libingan ng mga Bayani.”

Take part in the discussion. Get a whole picture of the nation’s biggest issues through the “Harapan” debate series of ABS-CBN.

Kathryn Bernardo and Julia Montes on Chalk and Star Studio Magazine June 2011 Issue

Although their hit teleserye Mara Clara is coming to a fold in less than 2 weeks, the fans of Kathryn Bernardo and Julia Montes need not to be sad as the two Kapamilya teen stars are prepping up for thier upcoming big screen debut! Their leading men in the said movie are fellow Mara Clara star Albie Casiño and Good Vibes star Sam Concepcion, who replaced the late AJ Perez for the role.

Grab a copy of Chalk Magazine and StarStudio Magazine as both of them are on the cover this June.

Patrol ng Pilipino Probes Into Governor Leviste's Unathorized Trips Outside Prison

ABS-CBN’s expose on convicted former Batangas Gov. Jose Antonio Leviste’s unauthorized trips outside the New Bilibid Prison got the men of Bureau of Corrections pointing fingers as to who should be blamed.

Find out the latest on this controversial case in the report of ABS-CBN correspondent Jorge Cariño this Thursday (May 17) on “Patrol ng Pilipino.”

Leviste, who was sentenced to jail for killing his close friend and aide in 2009, had allegedly enjoyed the special privilege of going in and out of prison as he wished. Many are asking if influence and money have allowed him and other prominent convicts to do so.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN correspondent Jeff Canoy takes a ride on a public-utility bus, the so-called “king of the road” along accident-prone Commonwealth Avenue.

Authorities have made efforts to prevent accidents on this road, such as implementing a speed limit, but have these been enough to ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians?

Get an inside look at the stories behind the news with Jorge Cariño and Jeff Canoy in “Patrol ng Pilipino,” every Tuesday, after “Bandila” on ABS-CBN.

Star Cinema's Forever and A Day Poster

Here is the official poster of the upcoming Star Cinema movie “Forever and a Day”. It stars Sam Milby and KC Concepcion under the direction of Cathy Garcia-Molina. The film is coming to theaters this June!