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For the past 17 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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 A MAN from Pangasinan has filed a complaint against actress-TV host Kris Aquino and two ABS-CBN executives, claiming that the game show “Pilipinas, Game Ka Na Ba?” was his idea.
Romeo C. Bagarino of Alaminos filed the complaint before City Prosecutor Abraham Ramos. He accused Aquino, ABS-CBN president Cito Alejandro and chair Gabby Lopez of copyright infringement.
Bagarino claimed that he sent a letter to ABS-CBN on Jan. 17, 2002, presenting his concept for a TV program, which he called “Pyramid Game Show.” The network did not reply, Bagarino said in a statement sent to the media.
After about two years, ABS-CBN launched “Pilipinas, Game Ka Na Ba,” whose concept, the statement noted, was similar to his copyrighted “Pyramid Game Show.”
“Pilipinas, Game Ka Na Ba,” with Aquino as host, is the reformatted version of “Game KNB?,” which aired on ABS-CBN in the evenings on weekdays. The new show, which first aired last November, is now seen at noontime.
Ten contestants are chosen daily, but only four get to join the Pyramid Round, competing for the P50,000 grand prize. The winner of this round then challenges the current champion for the jackpot prize of P1 million.
Bagarino said he wrote another letter, addressed to Alejandro and dated Dec. 15, 2004, “pointing out the infringement ... but to date, [he] has not given the courtesy of a reply.”
The network issued its own official statement, maintaining that Bagarino’s concept was “very much different” from the contested show’s format.
“It is true that there is an on-going case regarding the subject,” said the ABS-CBN statement. “The network feels ... it is best left for the court to decide on the merits of the case.”
According to Bagarino’s statement, his copyright application was filed and deposited on Jan. 11, 2002, with a certificate issued by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) on Jan. 18 of the same year.
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 “WHO me?” A bewildered Aga Muhlach told Inquirer Entertainment yesterday when asked about the wild rumor that he perished in a car accident on the way to his farm in Batangas.
“That’s not true, obviously” the actor said in a phone interview. “I’ve been home all day. After noon, I went to the gym. I’m very much alive.”
The news, which is said to have originated from the public information system of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), said the crash happened somewhere in Cavite.
Aga continued: “I left my phone in the car. When I got back [from the gym], I saw that I had missed a lot of calls. Tita Ethel [Ramos, his manager] said the news came from Senate or Congress. Ang sikat ko naman masyado [I must be that important].”
Fans will not see Aga for three whole weeks, though. He is flying to Dubai on April 10 to shoot a new movie with Claudine Barretto for Star Cinema.
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YOUNG actress Jodi Sta. Maria married the son of Sen. Panfilo Lacson in Las Vegas last Easter Sunday, not because she was pregnant but “for the simple reason that they are very much in love with each other.”
Thus ABS-CBN confirmed in an official statement the news that Sta. Maria, an exclusive ward of the network’s talent center, Star Magic, and Panfilo “Pampi” Lacson Jr., 21, were wed at the chapel of the posh Mandalay Bay hotel on March 27.
“Jodi informed her ABS-CBN bosses of her wedding,” said the statement.
A show biz insider said it was the wish of Sta. Maria’s mother, Mercedita, who is seriously ill, to see her daughter settle down.
Star Magic was still trying to contact Jodi as of presstime, PR Head Rikka Dylim told Inquirer yesterday.
Among the principal sponsors were the elder Lacson’s colleagues Sen. Lito Lapid, Luisa Ejercito and Ramon Revilla Jr.
Other sponsors were Estrella Dimaculangan, Carlos Chan, Berna Lomotan, Antonio Chua Jr., Glo Uy,
Sebastian Chua, Ging Marcelo, Julius Espina, Betsy Quisimbing, Mariano Nocom Sr., Bernardita Espina, Oscar Parel, Theresa Santiago, Jerson Samson, Lenie Valerio, George Ty and Erlina Samson.
Pampi’s eldest brother, Ronald Jay, was his best man, and sister-in-law Genarie was matron of honor.
Jodi co-hosted the recently concluded talent-search program “Star Circle Quest” with Luis Manzano.
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