WILL ANGEL REDEEM POPULARITY VIA 'LOBO'?
MANILA, JANUARY 26, 2008 (MALAYA) DREAM FACTORY by MARIO BAUTISTA (“[I]’m confident viewers will enjoy our show dahil ginastusan talaga ng ABS ang production nito.”– Angel Locsin)
ANGEL Locsin feels tense now that her first show "Lobo" on ABS-CBN is about to air on Monday. "I know very high ang expectations ng mga tao sa akin," she says. "I’d like to thank Piolo Pascual for agreeing to be my leading man in my first project with ABS kahit alam niyang grabe ang pressure at maraming issues na dapat harapin. I’m confident viewers will enjoy our show dahil ginastusan talaga ng ABS ang production nito."
They’ve been taping since October but do you know that they’ve completed only two weeks of advanced episodes so far? They really spent so much for the episodes to be shown on the first week to make sure the public will get hooked in watching it. Writer Ricky Lee said that three years ago, a new writer pitched its story to them. "Parang ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ the love story between a human and a werewolf, and we liked it. Three years nag-evolve ang project before it became a reality. Hinintay talaga si Angel for the lead role."
Angel plays Lyka Raymundo, a fashion assistant in the House of Elle owned by Pilar Pilapil. She has a bubbly and winning personality, but she doesn’t know that when she reaches 21 years old, a family curse will cause her to transform into a werewolf. Piolo is Lt. Noah Ortega of the Philippine Army where he’s considered an asset because of his bravery and talent. Quiet and mysterious, he falls in love with Lyka, not knowing her secret that will be the ultimate test of their love for each other.
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The truth has set Ogie Alcasid free. "Before Regine and I admitted our relationship, siyempre, hirap na hirap ako," he says. "Ang pag-amin ko was a major thing kasi, before, I can’t be myself as I was hiding something. E, ang sarap ma-in love, ‘di ba? Tapos, hindi mo maamin. So I’m thankful for Regine’s patience as I only admitted our relationship nang maayos na sina Michelle in Sydney."
He and Regine went to Sydney for the holiday season. "My daughters are okay. Lila is now 10 and Sara is 5. Hindi na marunong mag-Tagalog. Hindi sila spoiled dahil wala silang yaya, so they’re very responsible kids. They’ll be here in September to watch my concert in Araneta, ’20-20,’ on September 27."
Has Michelle found a new love in Sydney? "Ay, ayokong magsalita. Hindi ko puedeng sabihin," Ogie quips. "Hayaan n’yo na lang siya roon. Basta ang mahalaga, she’s happy now."
From this, it’s easy to infer that Michelle has also found someone new. We asked Ogie why there’s no Valentine concert with girlfriend Regine? "Rest muna kami. But I do have a Valentine concert at pinalitan ko siya ng tatlong babae," kids Ogie. "This is ‘My Funny Valentine’ with Ai Ai de las Alas, Verni Varga, and Diana Zubiri. I’ve worked with all of them before kaya maganda ang teamwork namin. I’ll have a production number with all of them then may duet ako sa bawat isa, all love songs as it’s Valentine. This is my third Valentine show produced by Tita Annabelle Rama’s Royal Era Productions on February 8, Friday, sa Crown Plaza Hotel Ballroom with dinner at 7:30 p.m. and show time at 9. Directed ito by Al Quinn and with Gerry Matias as musical director for the benefit of Asilo Medalla Milagrosa sa Cebu, sponsored by Bench, Calayan Sugricentre, Emperador Brandy, Kisses & Co, GMA, Met Tathione, at Philosophy."
"I like getting Ogie kasi mga high end ang customers ko and when they don’t like the singer, they walk out," says producer Annabelle. "But with Ogie, they stay at sumisigaw pa ng ‘more, more!’"
Aside from "SOP" and "Bubble Gang", Ogie will soon be one of the three jurors in "Pinoy Idol." "Ako ang magiging katumbas ni Paula Abdul," he says.
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Mickey Ferriols was last seen as Kim Chiu’s mother in "Sana Maulit Muli." She now plays mother to child actor Paul Salas in "Kung Fu Kids." She came to presscon with her own cute baby boy, Brent, 2, in tow. When does she intend to have another baby with partner Archie Alemania? "Siguro ‘pag four na si Brent," she says.
Do they intend to formally tie the knot soon? "Ilang beses na naming pinlano pero hindi matuluy-tuloy due to financial reasons. Kailangan munang mag-ipon kami nang husto. Suwerte nga, ngayong natapos ang ‘Lastikman’ ni Archie, ako naman ang nagkaroon ng regular show, ‘Kung Fu Kids.’ At least, hindi kami nakakalimutan ng ABS. Kasama rin ako sa bagong movie ni Sharon Cuneta, ‘Caregiver,’ and I play her sister. Sa last movie niyang ‘Kung Ako na Lang Sana,’ kasama rin ako."
Some writers say she could have been a bigger star now had she been more professional in her career. "I do realize my mistakes now. E, kasi ako, ‘pag in love noon, nagluluka-lukahan so I let go of so many opportunities. What I do now, pinagbubuti ko na lang anumang project ang ibigay sa akin. Like itong ‘Kung Fu Kids,’ I’m sure magugustuhan ito hindi lang ng mga bata but also their parents as it deals with family relationships."
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Valerie Concepcion is happy with the exposure she’s getting on ABS-CBN. She’s a regular in "Wowowee" and also gets to guest in various ABS shows. She’s the featured main player in the top rated game show, "1 Vs. 100."
"I feel lucky they invited me to join the show as I myself have become used to watching it whenever I’m home on Saturday night," she says. "Mas maganda talaga ‘pag celebrities ang main player as it’s more interesting to watch if they’d beat or be beaten by the 100 mob players."
Is she not scared to face the mob? "No, not at all. As a matter of fact, I welcome the challenge at excited nga ako kasi dream ko talaga to be a main player in ‘1 Vs. 100’ especially after Mariel Rodriguez played in it. Nag-treat pa nga sa amin noon si Mariel sa ‘Wowowee’ kaya naging dream ko na ring sumali sa ‘1 Vs. 100’."
One hurdle she has to pass is the recently introduced scheme called "10 Picks" where the main player chooses 10 mob members at random and he must eliminate all of them before she can aim for the jackpot prize. "Makakaya ko pati yan, if the Lord wills it," adds Valerie who’s now also doing a comedy movie with Vhong Navarro where she plays the mom of Makisig Morales.
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Aljur Abrenica is now very vocal about his feelings for Kris Bernal, his leading lady in "Zaido, Pulis Pangkalawakan" "I really care for her but I don’t have the guts to court her formally," he says. "Alam ko kasi that, like me, her priority is her career at ayaw pa rin niya munang magkarelasyon. I share the same view kasi baka pag hinaluan ng love affair ang trabaho namin, magiging bad ang epekto nito sa amin. So, as of now, satisfied na ako that she is my inspiration."
How come it’s said that Kris had previously gone steady with their "Zaido" co-star, Marky Cielo? "That’s not true. I would know kung nangyari nga ‘yun. We’re always together at never ko nakitang naging sweet sila sa isa’t isa kaya hindi ako naniniwala. Isa pa, I asked Kris directly about it and she said they were never really on."
So what he feels for Kris is the real thing? "I know higit pa sa kaibigan ang feelings ko for her. Masayang-masaya ako kapag magkasama kami. But we have to sacrifice our feelings for our work. Baguhan pa lang kami kaya trabaho muna. If we’re really meant for each other, ‘di kami rin ang magkakatuluyan kung pareho na kaming stable ang careers."
In "Zaido," Dennis Trillo as Gallian tries his best to reunite their group after Marky Cielo as Alexis joined the evil Kuuma as the villainous Drigo (Jay Manalo) turned out to be his dad, while Aljur as Cervano and Kris as Amy also went their separate ways. But Gallian’s efforts to bring them all back in the service of the Galacti Force will fail. Because of this, it will now be easy for the leader of the Kuuma, Lear (who has transformed into Tirso Cruz III) to wage a deadly war and conquer Planet Earth with Alexis fighting for the Kuuma. Watch the action-packed last two weeks of "Zaido" on "GMA Telebabad."
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Seasoned broadcaster Pia Hontiveros (host of ANC’s "Shop Talk" and "Strictly Politics") and husband of 20-years, Lt. Col. Rwin Pagkalinawan of the PNP, have been elected 2008 president and chair couple of the board of the Marriage Preparation Foundation, a volunteer arm of the Center for Family Ministries that runs the monthly Discovery Weekend for couples who want to know if they’d be compatible for marriage. Vice chair are Mike and Tintin Asis of Ateneo, with Atty. Raffy and Michelle Zialcita as Secretary and Erwin and Pauline Gomez of Plains & Prints as treasurer. In charge of the various committees are Dondi and Cherry Mapa for formation, Atty. Randall and Aiza Tabayoyong for Membership, and Mario and Vicky Bautista for Outreach. If you’re a couple seriously considering marriage, call 426-1271 for inquiries.
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GMA-7’s "Pinoy Idol" had a successful audition at Cagayan de Oro City last weekend. The venues of their next stops are SM Batangas (January 24), SM Iloilo (January 31); SM Cebu (February 7), SM Davao (February 14), SM in one Metro Manila outlet (February 21), Stadia Dagupan (February 16), SM Pampanga (March 13) and SM Naga (March 27). If you want to join "Pinoy Idol," better keep this sked with you for the audition schedule in the mall nearest your place.
Also, congrats to GMA-7’s entertainment show, "Showbiz Central" as it ranked No. 1 again in the ratings among the showbiz talk shows aired last weekend. Here’s the rating of each show: "Showbiz Central," 15.5%; "Startalk," 14.9%; "The Buzz," 11.6%; and "Entertainment Live," 8.6%.
We thought "The Buzz" should lessen the lengthy exposure they devote to the ratings war because the moment they show that, a lot of viewers get bored and switch channels instead. The feedback about the prodigious airtime both networks give about the ratings war turns out to be really negative for both of them.
