Primetime King Coco Martin, Angel Aquino, Michael de Mesa, Raymart Santiago & Taskforce Agila Performs in AP Partylist Grand Rally in Tondo Manila

Primetime King Coco Martin led the AP All Stars with Angel Aquino, Michael de Mesa, Raymart Santiago and the Taskforce Agila during the Grand Rally of the AP Partylist (Ako’y Pilipino) held in Parola Tondo, last April 28, 2022.

The AP All Stars or #TaskForce164, better known on television as Task Force Agila, are composed of Michael de Mesa, Angel Aquino, Raymart Santiago, John Prats, Marc Solis, and John Medina. They were also joined by Smugglaz, Bassilyo, Sisa Crazyaspinoy, and Gracenote delighting the thousands of Manilenos in the crowd with performances, games and prizes as they pledged their full support to the AP Partylist.

Prior to the grand rally, Coco joined AP partylist first nominee Rep. Ronnie Ong for a motorcade from Baclaran to Quiapo before ending the day in Parola, Tondo. #TaskForce164 have been going around the country to let people know about the programs and initiatives of AP Partylist and Rep. Ronnie in uplifting the lives of Filipinos. AP Partylist’s Biyaheng Asenso platform includes initiatives for better livelihood opportunities, education for all, better access to health services and commuters’ bill of rights. ‘”Ito pong partylist na ito ay napakaimporante sa aming lahat, dahil itong partylist na ito ay binuo para tulungan ang lahat ng mamayang Pilipino…Lahat po tayo ay may pinagdaanan at naghirap dahil sa pandemya…maraming mga drivers ang hindi nakapasada… kaya nais ng AP Partylist na matulungan ang sambayanan Pilipino.

Wag nang mangamba, nandito na ang AP Partylist. Dito na tayo sa biyaheng aasenso ang lahat ng Pilipino,” Coco told the crowd who replied with deafening cheers of support. To know more about the programs and initiatives of AP Partylist, visit and follow their social media pages: appartytist on Instagram and Twitter; APPartylist on Facebook and Youtube; and the.ap.partylist on TikTok. #164APPartylist #APAkoyPilipino #Taskforce164 #CocoMartin

PH Bags 3 Awards at the 19th Asian Film Festival in Italy; Brillante Mendoza Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Three out of three In Competition Filipino films won major awards at the 19th Asian Film Festival (AFF 19) which was held onsite in Rome, Italy last April 7 to 13, 2022. The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) brought a total of five Filipino films to the AFF 19, including films by Lifetime Achievement Awardee, Brillante Mendoza.

The highly-acclaimed Filipino films were chosen by the festival to be featured in this year’s showcase. Under the In Competition section are Jun Lana’s Big Night, Brillante Mendoza’s Resbak, and Erik Matti’s On the Job: The Missing 8, while Mendoza’s Gensan Punch and Daniel Palacio’s The Brokers participated in the Out of Competition and Newcomers’ section, respectively.

Two Filipino actors, Vince Rillon for Resbak and Christian Bables for Big Night! shared the Best Actor Award while Erik Matti’s On the Job: The Missing 8 received Best Film.

The festival described the Best Film awardee, On the Job, as “filmed with mastery, with unique sequence plans, and a soundtrack that often goes in line with the dramaticness of situations, this opera has an overwhelming lining and gives us a little-known portrait of this part of the east.”

Through FDCP’s Spotlight: Philippines program, the country was represented by the film Resbak, DirectorBrillante Mendoza, and lead actor Vince Rillon, in the in-person event in Italy as the festival reopened its doors as a physical event.

Aside from the screening of Mendoza’s films, he was also bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award by the festival for his outstanding contributions as one of the proponents of “Philippine New Wave” in filmmaking.

“We are grateful to not only be honored with these awards but by having this chance to promote these Filipino films—films that we are proud of—in established platforms such as the Asian Film Fest. This stellar line-up of masterpieces from our esteemed filmmakers are ready to take on the world. And of course, to Direk Brillante Mendoza, Direk Erik Matti, Vince Rillon, and Christian Bables who have been championing PH Cinema everywhere they go, we are extremely proud of you,” said FDCP Chair and CEO Liza Diño.

“The Lifetime Achievement Award from the Asian Film Festival, a prestigious international film festival known for showcasing auteur cinema from Southeast Asian countries, is a significant achievement not just for Direk Brillante Mendoza as a filmmaker, but also for Philippine Cinema. His valuable contributions through his films has helped the Philippines gain traction in the international scene,” Chairperson Diño added.

The Asian Film Festival is considered to be the top art-house cinema in presenting Eastern Asian cinema to the world. This edition featured 30 films from eight Asian countries namely China, South Korea, Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand.

The AFF 19 is just one of the many film festivals where Filipinos continue to shine. Through UniPhilippines and its Spotlight: Philippines program, the Film Development Council of the Philippines gets to support Filipino filmmakers by promoting PH cinema globally through showcasing retrospectives and highlighting significant milestones and key players of the industry.

Jolina Magdangal Backs ‘Hardworking Leader’ Leni Robredo

Actress/host/singer Jolina Magdangal believes Vice President Leni Robredo has what it takes to provide a better life and more opportunities for Filipinos if she becomes president.

In a video where she backed VP Leni’s candidacy for president, Jolina shared that she had to work at a young age to provide her family with a better life.

“Yung sa’kin? What a journey. All my life ko hong pinangarap at pinaghirapan ‘yun. Eight years old pa lang ako, nagtatrabaho na po ako. Lahat tayo gusto ng ginhawa. Hindi kailangang marangya ha!” the actress-singer said.

“Relate kayo? At dahil alam ko ang pakiramdam ng kumayod kahit sa napakamurang edad, mahalaga sa akin ang magdesisyon nang tama, kasama na ang pagkilatis ng mga kumakandidato tuwing eleksyon,” she added.

Jolina then lamented the lack of employment and other livelihood opportunities for Filipinos in the past years.

“Kung kami ngang mga artista eh nahirapan pa nitong nakaraang mga taon, ano pa kaya iyong mga kapwa nating Pilipino na mas maliliit at kapos sa oportunidad?” she pointed out.

But Jolina said things could make a turn for the better by choosing a hardworking leader like VP Leni in the May elections.

“Pwede nating baguhin ang lahat ng ito kung pipiliin natin ang tamang tao. At dahil alam ko ang kahalagahan ng maayos at ligtas na trabaho, doon ako sa marunong magtrabaho, at nakita natin na nagtatrabaho!” Jolina said in a video message where she expressed support for VP Leni’s candidacy.

“Yung naranasan na makisalamuha sa masa, yung kagaya nating nagbabanat ng buto, at kayang magtrabaho ng 18 hours per day,” she added.

With VP Leni at the helm, Filipinos are assured that she will serve and look after the welfare of ordinary people, according to Jolina.

“Dahil ang kailangan natin ngayon ay Pangulo na nakikita tayo, kasama na rito ang mga pangarap at paghihirap nating mga Pilipino,” the actress/host said..

Jolina also said that VP Leni has concrete plans and programs for workers who need to work everyday to make ends meet.

“Ang presidente ko, may resibo, plataporma at konkretong solusyon para sa ating mga kumakayod sa araw-araw,” she said.

“Wala nang iba pang karapat-dapat na katuwang natin para magkaroon ng buhay na maganda! Si Leni Robredo ‘yan!” Jolina ended.

X-Factor UK Contender Alisah Bonaobra Revived The Song “Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin”

 

It is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. For X-Factor UK and The Voice of the Philippines contender Alisah Bonaobra, in relation to her journey as a singer, she has indeed come a long way from her humble first step towards her dream; starting out at an early age as a “kontesera” joining various singing contests in Metro Manila as well as distant provinces and bagging awards from these endeavors. These singing contests developed her talent and confidence, and the cash she got for winning was a way for Alisah to help her hardworking sidewalk vendor-parents. 

Alisah’s patience and persistence paved the way for her to blossom into a full-fledged songstress. Her videos showcasing her world-class talent caught the attention of US-based Rosabella Jao-Arribas who heads RJA Productions, LLC and got in touch with Alisah to offer to manage her. Alisah shared, “It all started with a chat with Tita Rosabella on my Facebook Fanpage. She offered to help me with my career and she’s been a really good manager, giving her all-out support since day 1. Being part of RJA Productions, LLC is one of the best things that happened in my singing career.” Under RJA Productions, LLC, Alisah has released numerous songs such as “Ginto Ang Sandali,” “Gintong Tinig,” “Kahit Na Malayo Pa Ang Pasko,” “Faithful,” “Pangako,” “Kahit ‘Di Totoo,” “Can I,” “Do You Have A Miracle For Me,” and “Muli’t Muli.” Her song “Faithful,” composed by renowned songwriter Cecile Azarcon-Inocentes, recently won Best Inspirational Song in the 43rd Catholic Mass Media Awards. 

A few days ago, Alisah released another song from the acclaimed composer, her own version of “Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin,” released under RJA Productions, LLC and distributed by House of Tunes. The iconic songwriter, Cecile Azarcon-Inocentes said, “With the new release of ‘Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin’ by Alisah Bonaobra, I was filled with excitement and anticipation, especially since the song’s music arranger is one of the best arrangers I have ever worked with, Homer Flores, who also arranged the original version of Martin Nievera. I just knew in my heart, the combination of these two very gifted and talented artists is going to be absolutely magical! And as expected, Alisah did a beautiful rendition with the help, guidance and recording supervision of vocal coach, Arnie Mendaros.” Aside from her singing engagements, Alisah can also be seen in the online show “Winner Ka Sa RJA” which is live streamed every Wednesday, where she and fellow RJA Productions, LLC talent, Myko Manago, do hosting duties. 

This November, she will be staging a concert; Alisah remarked that in preparation for her concert with RJA Productions, LLC, she is keeping herself healthy and fit as she also continues to widen her repertoire. Rosabella Jao-Arribas, Alisah’s manager, shared, “Alisah is such a joy to manage. She is a very hard working, very focused and dedicated artist. Her work ethics exceed my expectations as her manager. She is very current and very tech savvy. In fact, she does her own promotional materials. I am very pleased with how she manages her time. She is very involved in all RJA goals and objectives. Her talent as a singer is amazing. I couldn’t be more proud to be her manager.” With her management label RJA Productions, LLC and the fans giving constant support, Alisah’s career is moving forward at a steady pace. Asked about her future plans regarding her singing career, she stated, “Honestly, there’s much more to look out for as we are still exploring different facets of my voice.” Alisah continues the journey she has chosen armed with a strong sense of optimism, gratitude and dynamism. 

SM Megamall Unveils Their Giant 3D Whale Shark along EDSA

Last April 27 at 8:00pm SM Megamall unveiled its newest attraction, the Giant 3D Whale Shark, an immersive art installation that put the spotlight on the whale shark. This high-definition showcase is projected through an LED billboard and aims to “increase the state of advertisement in the country and give awareness to our artistic Filipinos.”

Starting April 28, shoppers can watch the 3D immersive show daily (7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m., and 10 p.m.), near the “Time” sculpture by Filipino-American public artist Jefre Manuel Figueras.

Why disaster preparedness should be part of your plan

Prioritize your safety during natural calamities by knowing what to do – and doing it

The Philippines has long been considered calamity-prone and vulnerable to disasters. In fact, it placed third among all the highest-risk countries worldwide, according to the World Risk Report of 2018.

A big contributor is the country’s geographical location and make-up. As an archipelago, the Philippines is composed of many small islands and is surrounded by water. It is also located within the Typhoon belt and the “Ring of Fire” and between the Eurasian and Pacific tectonic plates. Thus, natural occurrences such as typhoons, tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, are almost always a disaster waiting to happen – literally.

Just recently, the Visayas and Mindanao regions suffered from the devastating effects of Typhoon Odette. Taal Volcano’s last eruption was only in 2020, and it affected more than 736,000 people. Filipinos constantly experience a barrage of natural disasters, and yet, a study from the Harvard

Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) in 2018 shows that 47.5% of all the respondents said they have not done anything to prepare themselves for a disaster within the past five years, and only 36% feel prepared enough.

Vice Ganda, Gary V, Regine Attend Leni’s Star-Studded Birthday Rally

The birthday celebration of Vice President Leni Robredo held last Saturday at Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City remains one of the top discussion topics as it was not only a show of force, but it was also a star-studded affair with entertainment’s biggest names attending to express support for her presidential run.

For the first time, Vice Ganda, Regine Velasquez, Janno Gibbs, Maricel Soriano and Gary Valenciano appeared in the record-breaking grand rally, which was attended by around 420,000 supporters.

Aside from them, Sharon Cuneta, Ogie Alcasid, Julia Barretto, Andrea Brillantes, Bianca Gonzalez, Jolina Magdangal, Nikki Valdez, Cherry Pie Picache, Ogie Diaz, Mela Habijan and the Magalona siblings Saab, Arkin and Elmo also attended the event.

Young stars Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, Liza Soberano and Donny Pangilinan also appeared via video to express support and greet VP Leni. 

Gary Valenciano shared the stage with his son Gab Valenciano as they sang and danced to the delight of the crowd while Ben & Ben, Bayang Barrios, Jona, Juan Karlos, Kerwin King, Imago, Jolina Magdangal, Rivermaya, Moonstar88, The Company, Celeste Legaspi, and APO’s Boboy Garovillo and Jim Paredes were among the musical artists who enthralled the crowd.

Vice Ganda’s appearance was the evening’s biggest surprise as she arrived on stage wrapped wearing a pink outfit with a long trail with a print that read, “Leni Robredo is my president.”

“Ako po si Jose Marie Borja Viceral, kilala n’yo bilang Vice Ganda, naniniwala kay Leni Robredo,” Vice Ganda said, adding “sa gabing ito, opisyal kong ineendorso sa pagkapangulo si Leni Robredo.”

Vice Ganda added the Filipino people and families are the winners if Robredo prevails in the May elections.

John Arcilla, Venice Film Festival 2021 Best Actor, and Angel Locsin delivered inspirational speeches where they stressed the importance of Leni’s victory in the May elections for the Filipino people.

“Ginagawa ito ni Leni Robredo hindi para sa kanyang sarili kundi sa bayan,” John stressed.

“Ang pipiliin ko ay isang lider na sisiguraduhin na ang Malacañang ay para sa taumbayan,” Angel said.

Maricel, for her part, delivered her iconic “Huwag mo kong ma-Terry-Terry” line in the 1994 movie “Minsan Lang Kitang Iibigin” but she made it “Ang gusto ko, Leni! Leni! Leni!”

The hashtag #PasayIsPink also became the number one trending topic in the Philippines and number six worldwide on Twitter.

WellGreens Advocates for Self-Love By Going Beyond Natural Health Supplements

Alice Dixson reaffirms commitment to making natural, healthy choices

WellGreens, Pascual Laboratories Inc.’s premium and certified organic natural food supplement brand advocates self-love this pandemic by encouraging people to go beyond natural with healthier choices via its 2022 campaign “Go Beyond Natural! Choose Premium and Certified Organic​”.

Going Beyond Natural  
In these times, self-love, specifically caring for one’s health has been key to surviving and thriving.  Food supplements, such as vitamins and herbal products, have become the new must-haves in people’s daily nutrition. WellGreens doesn’t just believe in sourcing products naturally but in going certified organic. The PascualLab brand is not only natural, with ingredients found in the environment; WellGreens takes it further as it undergoes stringent processes that subscribe to industry-approved farming & production, and
high manufacturing standards, making it certified organic.

Certified Organic
WellGreens’ ingredients are mostly derived from one of the largest organic-certified farms in the Philippines, Leonie Agri Corp. (LAC).  With EU-based certifying organization
Control Union’s stamp of approval, the farm has both EU and USDA organic certifications.  Aside from these, LAC is also certified for Good Agricultural Practices by the
Department of Agriculture.

Premium Food Supplements
WellGreens products which include Sinta, Lagundi – Cuban Oregano, Malunggay, Mangosteen-Malunggay, and Ampalaya are harvested, processed, and manufactured through a stringent 13-step process.

WellGreens Organic Sinta
Sinta or Andrographis Paniculata is known in folklore as an herb that benefits type 2 diabetes¹ – the variant caused by lifestyle choices.  Clinical studies attest to this and Sinta’s many health benefits – aside from helping reduce blood sugar,^{², ³}  it also relieves upper respiratory tract infections.⁴  Moreover, it has anti-inflammatory properties⁵ that can help manage certain inflammatory conditions.⁶

WellGreens is Alice Dixson’s Healthy Choice
Alice Dixson, launched as WellGreens’ brand ambassador last year, reaffirms her commitment to loving oneself through healthy choices by going beyond her comfort zone. Known to live a healthy lifestyle, Dixson is not one to go easy on her routine, and with it, she makes sure to incorporate preventive food supplements into her diet.

Dixson says: “I started living a healthier lifestyle as part of self-love so I can pursue more of my passions.  At my age, I need to keep myself going by complementing my already healthy choices with food supplements that go beyond their natural goodness.
WellGreens Sinta which is certified organic and premium continues to be my choice since it helps keep my blood sugar in check”. WellGreens is available in all Mercury Drug branches nationwide and in PascualLab’s flagship Lazada and Shopee Stores. Avail now of WellGreens with their Buy-One-Take-One promo! Join the FB community @WellGreens for updates on the latest in healthy choices.

ABS-CBN, KROMA, AND 917VENTURES LAUNCH PH’S NEWEST “TRADIGITAL” ENTERTAINMENT CHANNEL IN MAY

Reaching 11 million TV households starting May

A new era will dawn in Philippine entertainment as the country’s leading content provider ABS-CBN, innovative entertainment company KROMA, and foremost corporate venture builder 917Ventures, introduce “tradigital” viewing to Filipinos through PIE, the Philippines’s first real-time and multi-screen interactive channel that will officially launch in May 2022.

PIE or Pinoy Interactive Entertainment offers Filipinos a digital upgrade to their traditional media consumption habits by allowing them to watch TV shows, join all-day contests, build following, and even steer the storyline of a teleserye across multiple screens including TV sets, laptops, desktops, and mobile devices.

On PIE, those in the audience are not just viewers but a well-engaged community that plays an active role in storytelling, game shows, and talk shows.

“Filipinos are very social. We love hanging out with our friends, doing activities together, and simply having fun together. But this kind of connection is something we abruptly lost at the onset of the pandemic. Filipinos long for collective fun, and PIE hopes to fill that gap,” said KROMA Entertainment CEO Ian Monsod.

PIE is bringing back the classic game show “Pera o Bayong” that takes on a new level with an interactive format and prizes given away every hour to viewers at home.  It is also introducing the country’s first interactive teleserye “UZI,” and reality show “Palong Follow,” where viewers will work together to find the Philippines’ next big digital content creator.

The channel also has a roster of exciting shows that will invite viewers to take part and own: “Ekstra Ordinaryo,” “Bida Body Part” and “Playlist Natin.”

“Our goal as a company is to continue bringing pioneering digital solutions to Filipinos especially as the pandemic lingers. This time, with PIE, we want to bring our kababayans an entertainment experience they can share. We want Filipinos to have a new way to enjoy and celebrate everyday wins to help uplift them despite their daily battles. We want them to feel like we are still together even while physically apart,” said Vince Yamat, Managing Director of 917Ventures.

ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer of Broadcast Cory Vidanes said the company’s venture into PIE is testament to their organization’s boosted digital pivot. 

“ABS-CBN is committed to bringing innovative content to as many Filipinos as possible, and in recent years, we have been engaging audiences more through a stronger digital presence and collaboration with various groups. Our partnership with PIE is a significant step in that direction and we’re looking forward to engaging with Kapamilyas in a whole new way,” said Vidanes. 

Test broadcast of PIE has begun this month. Its revolutionary brand of entertainment will also be available 21/7 to everyone through YouTube. It will be accessible to some 11 million households with digital TV boxes in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Zamboanga, Naga, Baguio and nearby provinces and to 85 Million digitally-connected Filipinos this May 2022. To find PIE, viewers may rescan their digiboxes now. 

You may also visit and follow PIE (@iamPIEofficial) on social media for more updates!

Zanjoe Marudo & Kylie Verzosa Shares Their Experienced in Sagada Doing the Film “Ikaw Lang Ang Mahal”

Rich, diverse, and full of mystery – these are some words that can describe the arts and literature in the Philippines, and somehow, these words can also define our understanding of love. Join Kylie Verzosa and Zanjoe Marudo as they let themselves explore the different arts in the country, and more so, the art of falling in love – in a Vivamax Original Movie, IKAW LANG ANG MAHAL.

Andrei (Zanjoe Marudo), a filmmaker, takes a trip to Sagada, hoping to woo three national artists as a subject for his documentary. Andrei immerses himself in the mountainous region, meets locals, and becomes intimate with some of them.

He then meets Lira (Kylie Verzosa), a best-selling author, who happens to be the niece of one of the artists that Andrei is trying to get in touch with.

The two become close as Andrei asks for Lira’s help to meet the legendary artist. Andrei slowly falls for Lira and becomes more focused on being in love with her than achieving his plans for his documentary. Set in the beautiful mountains of Sagada, fall in love not only with the movie’s characters and story but also with the cold and dreamy ambiance of the location.

The movie stars two of today’s A-list actors – Kylie Verzosa, known as the Vivamax Goddess, starred in chart-topping Vivamax Originals – My Husband, My Lover, The Housemaid, and Sisid. Her leading man, Zanjoe Marudo, recently starred in Bela Padilla’s directorial debut, 366. Joining the remarkable cast are seasoned actors – Joel Torre, Lara Morena and Ronnie Lazaro. Vivamax’s sexy star, Cara Gonzales, who has been notable for her roles in Pornstar 2: Pangalawang Putok, Palitan, and The Wife plays a very crucial role in the movie. This film is by a multi-awarded director, Richard Somes. Prepare to fall in love and get your hearts broken, conquer all for love, and make a promise of forever to that one person, IKAW LANG ANG MAHAL streams on Vivamax starting May 20, 2022.