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For the past 21 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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Drama in Long Island City
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WE arrived at the venue at around 3:30 PM last Sunday, March 25, for the 2nd show of Bamboo and Parokya ni Edgar here in the New York/New Jersey area.
The call time for opening acts was actually 2:00 PM, but the famous Lincoln Tunnel traffic kept us to from making it anywhere near that time. Luckily, upon entering the Banquet Hall, the stage was still empty of any familiar musical instruments that would be used for the night’s show.
Unlike the previous show the day before in Asbury Park, where the general mood was festive, there was an undeniable tension hanging over the lavish oriental decors of the Banquet Hall. No, it was more than tension. It was more of a negative vibe.
While the band techs of the two Pinoy superbands set up the equipment, they came up to us with a bit of a problem: There was no bass amplifier loud enough for Parokya and Bamboo to use. What was there was a measly 70 Watt amp that would have worked well as a practice amp than an amp that would feed bass to a crowd that was expected to be 600.
The producers had to scram for a quick solution to the bass amp crisis. After all, the managers of the Pinoy bands made it clear that if they won’t come up with a loud enough bass amp, there would be no show at all.
The fastest and usual way was to borrow from any of the opening acts, who were all local bands. Almost all the opening acts provided gear for the two shows. It just so happened that the bass amp that was used the night before(Saturday) cannot be used that Sunday night because the owner was in South Jersey attending to some personal matters.
So the organizers had to tap the generosity of the front acts playing that Sunday. From among the five opening acts, only one band was known to have an amp powerful enough to keep the show going. But after repeated requests by the other bands and organizers, that band, who has an amp, refused to lend it. According to one of them, they would only lend the amplifier with one condition: ONLY Bamboo, Parokya Ni Edgar, and their own band are authorized to use it.
But what about the other four local opening acts? Apparently, they would have to find a bass amp for themselves, or not use a bass amp, or worse, not play at all.
This got the irk if the other opening acts who were scheduled to play. Thus the drama started.
One lead singer of a Jersey band confronted the guitarist of the band that owns the much needed amp and lambasted him for being selfish.
After the brief fracas, the producers decided to rent an amp from nearby Queens to avoid any more delays and fights. But the damage had been done.
The manager of Bamboo got so angry at the band that has the bass amp, that he recommended the removal of that band from the list of performers. Apparently, the word of their removal got into the bassist who actually owns the amp so, reluctantly, he went into his car and pulled out his 300 Watt amp and offered it to all the bands that night.
But it was too late. The rented amp arrived just in time for the show.
The show went on as planned with all the bands rocking out, except for that band who refused to lend their 300 Watt amp to their fellow opening acts.
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MANILA -- Although they no longer see each other as often as they used to Angelica Panganiban and Heart Evangelista have remained best friends.
“But Heart and I keep in touch,” Angelica said. “There’s not a day when we don’t send text messages to each other. At madalas din kaming mag-usap sa celfone.”
Does Heart tell her about Jericho Rosales?
“She does,” she answered. “But I wait for her na voluntarily ay magsalita siya tungkol kay Echo. I’m glad, she’s happy with him.”
How about her? Does she talk to Heart about Derek Ramsey, her reported boyfriend?
“I won’t deny that Derek is special to me,” she replies. “Pero ‘di pa kami seriously in love. We are still getting to know each other.
“But I admit that he comes to my unit to visit me. I cook for him, yes. Before, ginisang corned beef lang. Pero ngayon nakakatikim na siya ng ibang luto ko. Hotdog. Sometimes, noodles din.”
Angelica lives at a plush condominium unit in Eastwood, Libis.
She refuses to compare Derek with her first boyfriend, Carlo Aquino.
“Batang bata pa kami pareho ni Carlo when we fell in love. Ewan ko sa kanya, but he is my first love. Sa kanya ko unang naranasan ang lahat ng nararanasan ng isang babaing umiibig. Pero sa paraang malinis.
“In the case of Derek,” she continues, “he’s nine years older kaya sabihin na nating I’m learning a lot from him. And I appreciate that so much.”
Angelica plays Aura, one of the characters in the new tele-epiko “Rounin.” She has a forbidden relationship with fellow rounin Juris, played by Luis Manzano.
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WHAT can Erik Santos say about the e-mail that his GF Rufa Mae Quinto got from ex-BF Rudy Hatfield?
It’s said that when she cried about it, Rudy even quipped: “She’s a drama queen.” “She made me read the e-mail and it’s really bad,” he says. “Hindi katakataka kung naiyak man siya. But I told her huwag na lang niyang patulan kasi mas lalaki at hahaba pa.”
We ask him about the contents of the letter, but he won’t talk about it anymore.
It’s Mary Ann Sta. Ana of Backgroom, who organized the interview with him, who answered. “In other words, na-insecure ‘yung current girlfriend ni Rudy (Bethany Herr, whom he’s marrying on August 4) kasi nag-promote si Rufa Mae ng concert nila ni Erik sa PBA at kinantiyawan si Rudy ng crowd doon. It’s not her fault. Dapat, dun siya sa mga tao nagalit.”
The letter also told Rufa Mae not to mention Rudy anymore each time she’s interviewed. She feels he’s being used each time she’s promoting something. In fairness to Rufa Mae, though, she never volunteers his name. It’s the reporters interviewing who keep on asking her about Rudy.
“Kaya nga, huwag na lang siya banggitin and he might say we’re using him,” says Erik.
Erik is very happy as he won three awards in the recent MYX Music Awards: Favorite Male Artist, Favorite Remake (“Your Love”), and Favorite Collaboration (“Bakit Ba Inibig Ka” with Regine Velasquez). “I won those awards through the text votes sent by viewers and I feel good to receive them. It’s an affirmation that listeneres recognize my hard work and believe in my talent as a singer, so I want to thank all my fans who continue to support me. They remain my inspiration. Just being nomination with other great artists like Ogie Alcasid, Gary Valenciano, FrancisM, Christian Bautista, Kamikazee and Spongecola, is already a big honor for me.”
Erik also won the Favorite Male Artist last year. “Winning it for two consecutive years is really wonderful. Tapos ngayon, may two other awards pa ako. I now promise to try my best to live up to these awards that MYX gave me,” he adds. (MNS)
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DAWN Zulueta is currently one of the most sought after endorsers on TV. PhCare now got her to do their latest campaign and this is her sixth endorsement.
The TV commercial was shot on location in no less than the islands of Batanes, where her award-winning film, “Hihintayin Kita sa Langit,” was also shot in 1992. Did her visit to Batanes bring back memories of her first trip there?
“Of course, I remembered Tita Midz (Armida Siguion Reyna, producer of ‘Hihintayin’), Direk Carlitos and the crew who worked with us,” she says. “It brought back happy memories of our stay there.”
Did she also remember the actor who’s now running for the senate who was also with them? “Siempre naman, my co-star. That’s where it all started, after all,” she refers to their off-camera romance.
Will she be willing to help Richard Gomez campaign? “Why not? But I’d also be very busy helping my husband (Anton Lagdameo) who’s running for congress in Davao del Norte.”
Who was her leading man in the PhCare commercial whose face was never shown? “It’s the younger brother of Anton, JM Lagdameo. I’m really thankful that they got me someone I’m already comfortable with.”
Will she recommend PhCare to Gretchen Barretto? “Ikaw, you’re naughty, huh. I’ll recommend it to anyone, to young and old women alike, kahit nag-menopause na, as it really helps you maintain clean personal hygiene and is available in four variants na unscented, summer blossom, pink passion and shower fresh.”
Is she willing to reconcile with Gretchen? “Okay lang, pero hindi naman ‘yung puedeng pilitin. Actually, nagkausap na kami. May iba lang nakikisawsaw kaya lumalala. One of these days, baka ‘pag nagkita kami uli, everything will be ironed out.”
The endorsers of PhCare used to be Sharon Cuneta and KC Concepcion. Does this mean Dawn is replacing them? “No, they’re not being replaced. Dawn just joins our pool of celebrity endorsers. We got her as we know a lot of consumers look up to her. She’s had a good relationship with her husband for nine years and she’s dynamic and beautiful, so we got her,” say PhCare execs. (MNS)
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MANILA --Actor John Regala was released from police detention after a prosecutor recommended further investigation into his alleged involvement in a drug case earlier filed against him and two other suspects.
Operatives of the Manila Police District’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Group (DAID-SOG) arrested Regala, Antonio Flores Jr. and Roberto Aguas during a drug raid on Saturday.
Police said Flores and Aguas were caught using illegal drugs on the ground floor of an apartment unit at 2065 Benitez St. in Singalong, Manila. DAID-SOG agents found
Regala sleeping on the second floor. The actor lives in the apartment owned by his brother-in-law. One of the suspects is a tenant on the ground floor area.
Police seized an undetermined amount of illegal drugs during the raid. (MNS)
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IN THE past, Piolo Pascual said that he didn’t bother himself with intrigues and rumors about him, especially about his sexuality and special male friends.
Remember that he has been linked with fellow male stars before like Yul Servo, and the latest, Sam Milby, and even Erik Santos. With the last two, they were linked to Piolo through cheap computer-generated tricks, like in a photo showing Piolo and Sam holding hands while walking (this was found to be a fake), and another showing Erik almost slumped against the back of Piolo with the Golden Bridge as background (but in the actual photo, Rufa Mae Quinto, who was beside Erik, was deleted.
He wasn’t known to react to issues like these in the past but this time, Piolo has said he felt bad that this kind of character assail continues to hound him. He feels this is so unfair, so gross.
And now, it’s rumored that he wanted to return the Best Actor trophy he received from the Entertainment Press (Enpress) because it was for a comedy performance and not drama where the actor excels in.
But of course this was just rumor; it was far from Piolo’s mind to return the award to Enpress. It would be out of character for Piolo to give back what was given him wholeheartedly. The least that he could do is accept with gratitude any thing that he receives.
Anyway, in a recent “Breakfast with Piolo” event sponsored by Max’s Restaurant to launch its Power Breakfast line, we saw a super fit and lean Piolo Pascual. “That’s because lately, I have been real low on carbohydrates,” the actor revealed. “I feel better, especially when I’m working, when I’m not overweight, when I’m this lean,” he pointed to his super flat tummy.
For Piolo, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. “I make it a point to start my day with a hearty breakfast. It makes me to work better, concentrate better, and be in a good mood for the rest of the day.”
Back home in the US with his mom, they’re used to having a heavy breakfast every day, consisting of the usual Filipino table fare. Piolo would try cooking once in a while but he never got to perfect any of his mom’s recipes, like the champorado (which they would usually eat with fried tuyo).
With his hectic and heavy schedule as actor, singer and product endorser these days, Piolo is happy to discover that in Max’s Power Breakfast line are sumptuous meals intended to jumpstart everyone’s day the right way, and his favorites too.
Breakfast meals at Max’s include the 60-year old heirloom recipe of Max’s founder Nanay Ruby Trota, the classic Tapa Meal, and Chef Gene Gonzalez’s Adobo Flakes meal. Others include the Pepperoni Omelet Meal, Vegetable Omelet Meal, Triple Chocolate Champorado, Sausage Meal, Tocino Meal, Longganisa Meal, and Bangus Meal.
Max’s Power Breakfast line is available from 7-10 a.m. daily at all of 72 free-standing Max’s outlets nationwide. All are served with Max’s specially brewed coffee from imported Arabica mixed with local Robusta beans which makes a perfect cup of balanced aroma and strength.
“I love Max’s not only because of the excellent food, but also because it has been part of Filipino culture and tradition,” Piolo enthused.
Piolo has been endorsing Max’s for five years now, since 2002, with television commercials (such as the runaway hit Episode 1, 2 and 3 with Isabel Oli playing his childhood sweetheart) and the popular Piolo standees. But Piolo’s longstanding relationship with Max’s actually goes further than that.
“I distinctly remember that the reception of the first wedding I attended as a coin bearer was held at a Max’s Restaurant,” Piolo revealed. “That was when I discovered Max’s fried chicken - sarap to the bones!”
Incidentally, Piolo has started shooting his yet untitled movie with Regine Velasquez.” His teleserye with Claudine Barretto, “Walang Kapalit,” will also start airing soon.
If Piolo was working doubly hard for his latest movie and teleserye it’s because he and Sam Milby will leave soon for their US concert tour. Their fans in New York and other key cities in the US are now eagerly awaiting their arival. Through The Filipino Channel (TFC), Piolo and Sam are very popular among Filipinos abroad.
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DENNIS TRILLO is known as a rising star, a great musician and a hunky heartthrob and actor.
He loves to sing “Hammer Smashed Face” and enjoys the sound of metallic music. He dances hip-hop to appeal to the younger crowds.
Gladys Guevarra is a popular comedienne best known for hosting the noontime show, Eat Bulaga. She has a marvelous showmanship that can put on various personalities in a show, including the household character “Chuchay.”
Gabby Concepcion was a former movie actor in Manila who occasionally sings and entertains the Filipino community in California where he resided since the early 90’s.
Ara Mina has a sweet, melodic voice and blessed with a graceful movement in dancing, plus a voluptuous body. She is one of the most famous screen goddesses in the P hilippines.
These stars are sure to shine in the coming Philippine American Expo to be held on May 27 to 28 at New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center at Raritan Center, Edison.
Topnotch Electronics invited the stars of GMA Pinoy TV and GMA artists centre, including Mina and Trillo and and some Spanish singers , dancers and performers to grace the extravagant show.
The two-day event promises to bring fun, entertainment.
Isagani Morales of Topnotch said the festival was a mixture of Latino and Filipino celebration of cultures and entrepreneurship. ”This will bring business and entertainment to many ethic companies,” said Morales.The festival will feature a diverse mix of exhibitors from different parts of the world including China, Japan, Philippines , Korean and other countries in Latin America.
The festival hopes to attract 20,000 participants and spectators with over 100 exhibitors and vendors.
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