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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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Having been an avid observer of the Fil-Am music scene here in the East Coast for a while now, I have found a lot of reasons why it has not taken off nor achieved any considerable recognition in the American mainstream. I know the scene has tried many times to get the attention and success it deserves, yet still, the scene hasn’t proven anything except its ability to self destruct when it’s already poised for glory.
Why can’t the Filipinos carry the Fil-Am music scene to unprecedented heights? The answer may lie deep within the core of our culture.
The non-supportive colonial culture
Filipinos by nature are not supportive of their fellow Filipinos. I know, this might raise a lot of eyebrows, but really, I could care less.
How many times have we, yes myself included, looked at any Pinoy product as the inferior product from hell? Countless, I suppose. We have viewed our very own as forever subordinates to anything imported. The great Eraserheads will forever be judged and ultimately trashed as “Beatle-Clones”, The unbelievably gifted Cynthia Alexander will only fare as the number 46th Joni Mitchell wannabe in the Pinoy mind.
Sad but true, we have relegated our very own to the place of second rates, below the anointed gods of foreign entertainment. Whenever there’s a breakout artist, we immediately and automatically search for flaws and then compare the artist to a legendary or mediocre foreign artist, which always results in the demotion of the Pinoy artist.
Maybe the stigma of being once called an Indio by the Spaniards have created a national and generational inferiority complex that is still very much on fire in our own modern souls. Can anything good come out from the Philippines? Believe it or not, in our subconscious, we are saying no.
The faulty concept of Filipino friendship
For a Filipino, friendship is a sacred bond. A bond that is so tight, both parties are willing to do, or give anything to each other for free; including concert tickets, Compact discs, promo T-shirts, DVDs, food, etc. Being an artist myself, I have experienced losing friends because I charged them for the tickets I ask them to get to watch my gigs. All along, they have been expecting me to give their tickets for free. I didn’t, so off they went.
For them, charging them with money for my gig or CD is a clear signal that I am not a real friend. Once I asked a friend to check out my band’s CD and he quickly asked, “Is it for free? Are you giving it to me for free? I said no. Then he replied, “ for that money, I could get myself a better BeeGees CD”.
This practice is deeply buried underneath the Pinoy heart and is a cultural trait that can sink all prospective Pinoy released CDs and shows and whatever.
The ever present crab
Crab Mentality. For most of us, a fellow Pinoy who is gaining higher ground is a crime punishable by death, and the thought of a fellow Filipino actually doing better than ourselves is a punch to the gut and make us feel that the person has maliciously betrayed us.
For us, another Filipino’s success is a confirmation of all our failures and unfulfilled dreams, likewise, another fellow’s fame is but a proof of our own obscurity and mediocrity, while another fellow’s large amount of wealth does nothing but a highlight our impoverished conditions. Therefore we must bring the other fellow down, to level the playing field.
It is disheartening to discover that here in New York City, we are the only ethnic group that has no real entertainment industry. For goodness sake, the Timorese National Brass band’s CD is selling like Metrocards at the Grand Central Station; and they are being hailed as conquerors of America back in their homeland.
Meanwhile, a local Fil-Am band’s CD is buried under piles of rotting Ensaymada. Worse, a well-known Filipino store in Jersey City won’t even sell them.
The truth is, most Fil-Am artists will never get support from the home crowd. Therefore, artists should aim for the American mainstream and maybe hide the fact that they are Filipinos. If they pose as Taiwanese or Korean, the Pinoys here in the East Coast might carry them and place them on a pedestal of a broken culture.
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Ted Reyes is a musician, composer, record producer and journalist based in NYC. If you have any comments you can visit his website at www.tedreyes.com or email him at tedreyes@mac.com
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MANILA --- Claudine Barretto and John Lloyd Cruz are both the youngest in their families. No wonder, they treated each other like siblings when they were shooting scenes for their movie ‘Dubai,’ produced by Star Cinema, in Dubai.
“In John Lloyd, I saw a younger brother whom I would have spoiled so much. Mabait kasing bata si John Lloyd kaya ‘di puwedeng ‘di mo mahalin,” said Claudine.
John Lloyd, for his part, shared: “In Claudine I found a sister na ‘di ako nagkaroon at magkakaroon pa man. I have two elder brothers. Tatatlo lang kaming magkakapatid na pawang mga lalaki.
“I would have loved having a sister, lalo’t katulad ni Claudine na ‘di lang mabait, kung hindi masyadong masilbi pa. Aba, noong nasa Dubai kami ini-spoil niya kami pareho ni Aga (Muhlach). We were assigned the same apartment. Do you know na inasikaso kaming mabuti ni Claudine? She not only served as our cook but also our labandera.
“One thing I noticed about her is that she’s a stickler for cleanliness. Kapag nagkakalat kami ni Aga, kaagad she will call our attention; which we didn’t mind at all. Tama naman kasi siya kaya opo na lang kami ng opo ni Aga.”
John Lloyd considers “Dubai” his first adult movie and a most challenging one at that. After all, he explained, not every young actor is given the chance to pit talents with two award-winning and popular performers like Aga and Claudine.
“I notice that both of them are very generous with their talents,” he related. “When we were rehearsing for a scene, they would give me tips on how to do my part, and I appreciated their help so much.”
He has, likewise, good words for Rory Quintos, their director, who was so patient with him. “May mga pagkakataon kasi, lalo’t noong mga unang araw ng siyuting, when I felt nervous. Direk would always assure me. Alalay talaga siya sa performance ko from beginning to end.
“This early, kahit magkakasama pa nga kami for the promotions of the movie, parang nami-miss ko na sila,” he said further. (MNS)
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MANILA --- Francine Prieto is busy taping for three shows regularly: ‘Bahay Mo Ba ‘To,’ ‘Sugo’ and ‘Bubble Gang.’
But despite her hectic schedules, she still finds time to go to school to finish her BS Psychology course at Adamson University. ‘Sayang naman as I’m now in third year,’ she says. ‘So kahit hirap, I still go to school twice a week. My classes are from 7 a.m. to 12 noon. Kung may assignments ako, I bring them to the taping and do them during our breaks. What suffered is my movie career. I got an offer sana but since I’m so busy na, hindi ko natanggap. Sayang nga. May gigs pa kasi ako, like I’ll be singing with Marissa Sanchez and Rufa Mae Quinto in a show at Le Pavillion on September 10.’
Is she given special treatment in school? “No, I’m treated just like any other student. Pero noong UAAP opening, they requested me to be the muse of our varsity team at pumayag naman ako.”
Is it true some members of the cast of “Bahay Mo Ba ‘To” got insecure when most of the show’s episodes focused on her and Keempee de Leon?
“Hindi naman siguro, kasi in fairness to the writers, binabago-bago naman ang nila ang focus ng bawat episode, pero dinaragdagan lang ang scenes namin ni Keempee kasi hinahanap daw talaga ng viewers. But that doesn’t necessarily mean sinasapawan na namin ang other cast members as they’re also given importance.”
Did she expect that her tandem with Keempee will click with the viewers? “Not at all. Nagulat nga kami when we got very positive feedback and warm reception. Now, my character has gotten into showbiz. I’m now an extra in the movies at, dahil tanga ang character ko, natutuwa pa ako nang ma-take 10 ako sa shooting.”
How about her lovelife? “Zero. Kung sinu-sinong na-link sa’kin noon, puro di naman totoo. Lahat ng nanliligaw sa’kin already gave up as I just don’t have any time for them.” (MNS)
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MANILA --- After a very emotional Bing Loyzaga came out on national television last Sunday admitting that she and husband Janno Gibbs were no longer together, the singer-comedian still opted to be silent in the face of all the press inquiry.
Janno’s manager Malou Choa-Fagar told the paper she has yet to talk to her talent regarding Bing’s revelations on “The Buzz.”
“I cannot comment because I didn’t see Bing’s interview and up to now Janno hasn’t talked about it yet. In fact, I’m also trying to call his mobile phone because I don’t know where he is now but I can’t get through him yet,” disclosed Malou.
“I’m really sorry I can’t talk about it,” she further said when the Bulletin called her for comments.
It is recalled that Bing admitted that she and Janno are not living together anymore in last Sunday’s “The Buzz.” Bing also revealed that they have been having problems for the longest time and that she needed to set things straight because it’s beginning to affect their two daughters, especially Alyssa who is now a teener.
“I’m a mother first and foremost,” Bing stated, “and I always have to consider my kids first.” She also denied that it was one of her siblings who divulged and witnessed that Janno was kicked out of the house, as reported by “The Buzz.”
“It is unfair to say na may kapatid akong nakakita na pinalayas ko si Janno because all my siblings and family are living in Australia . The only one who is still here in the Philippines is Chito (Loyzaga) and he doesn’t live with us so it’s unfair naman na ganun ang mga lumabas. Wag naman sana nila sabihin yun ,” clarified a very emotional Bing in phone interview with “The Buzz” hosts Boy Abunda, Cristy Fermin and Kris Aquino.
Bing’s voice trailed off several times during the interview as she asked for understanding from the public about what her family is going through at the moment.
Towards the end of the interview, Bing assured her family in Australia that she’ll be all right assuring them that she can handle the situation.
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MANILA --- There’s no truth to everything that’s been coming out,” Viva Hotbabe Katya Santos directly told the paper when queried about her alleged involvement in an incident involving the reported buy and sell of ecstasy pills.
Showbusiness, Katya stated, has already made her immune to such intrigues. “You know how it always goes in the industry, just because you are a showbiz personality, people tend to connect you to just about anything negative they can connect you with. It’s the same with this issue, which is actually a non–issue,” she declared.
Earlier reports claimed that an ecstasy dealer used Katya’s car while plying the trade but the sexy actress denied all of it. “ Ang dami na ngang lumalabas at nagkakalat ng kung anu-ano. Nakaka disappoint lang na ganun ang mga naglalabasan pero walang totoo sa mga yon ,” she dismissed.
Katya denied that her car was the vehicle used to transport the ecstasy. “That’s so not true. Walang kotseng involved.”
The only thing Katya admitted was having known a friend who supposedly figured in the incident. “ Yung kaibigan ko lang talaga pero hindi ako . His name is Patrick Adajar and he is not from showbiz. Pero syempre since puwedeng i –connect sa akin, ipinalalabas nila that I had something to do with it. As far as I’m concerned I don’t know anything about what happened until my name came out in reports,” insisted Katya.
She would have wanted to come out on television, air her side to put an end to all these nasty rumors, “but I haven’t been given the chance. At least now I have finally done that through you. Salamat at hinayaan ninyo akong makapagsalita para matapos na ‘tong issue na ‘to ,” she told Manila Bulletin .
Jerome Sala parks his dump track
To be on the front seat of “Search for the Star in a Million” grand champion Jerome Sala’s white Revo while this eighteener takes command of the road is like riding down a NASCAR race track.
Whenever Jerome is on the driver’s seat, make sure you’re secured with a seatbelt before giving him the thumbs up to start his nine-seater vehicle because his speedometer normally reaches 140 kph. Fast enough to convince you he could stop only at first place in a car race just as he did on “Search for the Star in a Million.”
“Eventhough I drive fast maingat naman po ako sa daan ,” shared Jerome whose passion for driving started way back during his grade school days.
“I learned to drive when I was in grade four, gamit ko yung dump truck namin sa Bohol . Yun kasi ang gamit namin for delivering hollow blocks, gravel and sand sa probinsiya . I accompany my father all the time kasi ako ang driver at tagabuhat ng hollow blocks,” recounted Jerome as Nonoy Zuniga’s “Never Ever Say Goodbye” played in his car.
Now, as Jerome parks his two dump trucks in Bohol, he swerves in the different corners of Manila in his Revo which he had dressed with different car accessories upon its purchase last June.
Jerome added tint on his car windows and attached black sunvisors to protect him from the torturous heat of the sun while on the road. Aside from that, he changed the windshield wipers to silver and the Revo’s original steering wheel to one that has silver coating, as well.
“I’m attracted to anything that’s silver kasi maganda tingnan ,” Jerome said.
No wonder even the door handles, tail lights, plate number, and hubcaps of his Revo scream silver.
“ Yung mga nilalagay ko sa kotse ko yung mga gusto ko talaga gaya ng busina na dapat pangmalakaing sasakyan ang tunog. Okay na ako dito sa Revo but someday I wish to own a two–door car kahit Mitsubishi or Toyota lang ,” added Jerome.
Since he doesn’t have a driver, Jerome drives by himself to work. He stashes long–sleeved tops meant for his mall shows at the back of his Revo and some extra T–shirts. Aside from the malls and ABS–CBN, Jerome has driven his Revo as far as Tagaytay and Bataan and without taking a break at that.
“ Kaya ko yung tuluy–tuloy na pag– drive. Masayang–masaya ako pag nagmamaneho ako ,” he quipped.
No one, however, would ever see Jerome drive to a gimmick spot for the simple reason that this boy doesn’t even have the word “gimmick” in his vocabulary.
“ Hindi ko alam ang gimmick kasi wala yan sa amin sa Bohol . Doon pag tapos na kami magtrabaho we just stay home. Kami lang mag-anak nagsasalo sa bahay . That’s why I really miss them kasi ang layo nila it’s just me and my mother here in Manila . When I’m not busy, I just watch ‘Mr. Bean’ at home kasi idol ko talaga siya. I really just want to sing that’s why I’m here in Manila . I don’t see my winning a contest and my having an album reasons to change who I really am,” admitted Jerome.
Jerome is currently busy promoting his self-titled album under Star Records.
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