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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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MANNY PACQUIAO has become so famous and rich, people think he can do anything. Sadly, Manny believes them.
That’s why Manny is running for Congress.
Just what is Manny Pacquiao thinking? Why the dirty business of politics? Why put a blemish on his immaculate legacy as the greatest Filipino sportsman in history?
Pacquiao, without a doubt, is the most accomplished Filipino athlete ever. But why is he going into a business that he knows nothing about?
He is financially secured. Money is not an issue for him anymore.
Then why politics?
Perhaps he really wants to serve.
But why not form a foundation and send kids to school or give food to hungry families? Why politics?
There is something going on here. Something fishy. Literally.
General Santos is known to be the most important Tuna center in Asia. The fish is so abundant there, people don’t even have to fish. Tuna just jumps right into their nets and frying pans. The Pacific current brings the tuna right into GenSan waters by the millions. Now that’s a lot of money, right?
Not really. General Santos City is still struggling, and surprisingly, there are depressed areas there too. Too weird even for the tuna. If tuna knew about the poverty, they would cease going there in the knowledge that their sacrifice is not paying debts.
Now, the land of GenSan is controlled by political families that are not too friendly with the current regime. Not to mention some Islamic extremists prowling the area and getting their share of the fish and money as well.
The royal families of Manila aren’t getting any fish. They also want a piece of the action. Enter Congressman Manny.
The Arroyos see something special in Manny Pacquiao.
They see gold.
For them, Manny is the Golden Boy, not Oscar.
They are aware that whatever Manny touches turns to dollars.
They see Pacquiao as a winner and a saint.
And they see the boxing champ as their ultimate fisherman.
This theory is a crazy theory, I know.
But this is the only thing that could make sense out of what the great Pacman is doing right now.
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VETERAN TV host and GMA 7 pillar German “Kuya Germs” Moreno has been pacified after he reportedly got upset that he was “left out” in the network’s new station ID.
In a phone interview with Inquirer Entertainment, Moreno confirmed that he discussed the subject on his radio show on dzBB, the Kapuso AM station.
In the original station ID aired on Sunday for the first time—before the Pacquiao-Solis fight—“lumaktaw sa akin (it skipped me),” Moreno said.
In a previous interview with the Inquirer, station ID director Louie Ignacio admitted that fitting 260 stars in a two-minute video could be a “headache.”
“We have to make sure that we’ll give [everyone] equal exposure,” said Ignacio.
The network came up with a solution, according to Regie Bautista, vice president for program support: “Stars with billing and blocking concerns should approach their shows’ executive producers.”
Moreno said he didn’t get to talk to the EPs of his late-night Saturday show “Master Showman: Walang Tulugan.”
He had been with GMA’s radio station since 1969, Moreno pointed out, and with the TV channel since 1978.
“I’m used to [such lapses]. I don’t mind anymore,” he said. “It’s just that a lot of people called, asking me about it.”
What was important, Moreno stressed, was that the network had noticed the oversight and immediately reedited the station ID.
“The new version now includes Moreno,” Bautista reported in a phone interview on Tuesday. “We have different versions of the video. The all-star edition is set to premiere on Sunday during ‘S.O.P.’”
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MANILA, Apr 16 (Mabuhay) -- The reconciliation between movie star siblings Gretchen, Claudine and Marjorie Barretto was an act of God.
Actress Marjorie Barretto credited divine intervention in the healing of a three-year rift between her siblings Claudine and Gretchen, who ended up embracing each other and crying inside a supermarket where they met by accident during the Holy Week break.
Claudine narrated her emotional reunion with older sister Gretchen.
“Napadaan lang ako (sa The Fort) kasi may meeting ako. Masyado akong maaga. Mag go-grocery sana ako. Biglang dumating na lang siya. Tamang-tama pagpasok niya nagkatinginan tapos yon na, naayos na (I happened to pass by The Fort on my way to a meeting. I was too early. I decided to buy some groceries. Suddenly she arrived. When she came in, our eyes met and that was it. Everything was OK),” said Claudine. Gretchen said she and her family were on their way for a Holy Week vacation when they passed by The Fort.
At some point, Gretchen’s daughter Dominique (fathered by businessman Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuangco) asked for some frozen pizza. That was why Gretchen went inside the supermarket and saw her sister Claudine.
“We cried when we met. No one spoke. I’m happy about what had happened. There was not much talking that occurred. There was just hugging. It was meant (to be),” Gretchen wrote in her statement.
While the sisters have kept mum about the real reason for the misunderstanding, news reports during the height of their public spat said the conflict had something to do with the hiring of actor and TV host Willie Revillame for a show in ABC-5, the network owned by Gretchen’s partner Tonyboy Conjuangco.
Reports said Marjorie Barretto’s husband, comedian Dennis Padilla, resented Revillame’s hiring. Padilla allegedly blamed Revilla for the cancellation of ABS-CBN’s “Magandang Tanghali Bayan,” a noontime variety show they both hosted.
The entire Barretto family ended up taking sides, with Claudine, Marjorie and their mother banding together against Gretchen.
Marjorie and Dennis and their children also ended up getting evicted from the house they were living in, which was owned by Cojuangco.
An emotional and contrite Padilla also appeared on The Buzz and publicly apologized to Gretchen for whatever pain he may have caused her.
“That is divine intervention, I’m glad kahit si Dennis nag-heal na rin. I’m so proud of my husband for being man enough to say sorry. Nag-usap na kami a year ago. She’s my closest sister.
“Pero three years kaming nagkaroon ng break. Yung foundation was very strong nayanig lang pero God heals. There was never any love lost. Nagkaroon ng break pero the love was always there,” said Marjorie. (MNS)
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MANILA, Philippines -- Popular TV host and actress Kris Aquino gave birth to a boy at 5:08 p.m. Thursday via Caesarian section at the Makati Medical Center in Makati City.
Aquino is naming the boy James, after his father, basketball player James Yap. The newborn weighs 4.3 pounds.
“But the baby’s name could still change, or another name could be added,” said TV host Boy Abunda, one of Aquino’s closest friends.
Abunda said Aquino’s delivery was unexpected. The actress was only in the hospital for a routine check-up when her doctor, Grace Luna, thought it best that she stay in the hospital because she was already having contractions or rhythmic tightening of the uterine wall to push the fetus down through the vagina during childbirth.
Luna then ordered that Aquino be brought to the deliver room at around 1 p.m. Aquino had been 35 weeks pregnant before going to labor.
Aquino had originally set May 6 as the birthdate of Baby James. She then changed her mind and wanted to give birth on the last week of April instead. Before she could suggest any preferred delivery dates, Luna even advised that a May 13 delivery was more probable.
“I had a blow by blow account of what happened. The operation had been really swift,” Abunda told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a telephone interview. “She was conscious during the operation, but was made to sleep shortly after.”
With Aquino at the hospital were her husband Yap, her mother former president Corazon Aquino, and sister Balsy, according to talent manager Dolor Guevarra, Aquino’s friend.
Aquino and Yap tied the knot in 2005 but did not publicly admit it until last year. The actress has an 11-year-old son, Joshua, by actor Phillip Salvador.
Aquino and Yap became the subject of news stories in March because of the shocking claims of a former receptionist at the Belo Medical clinic that she had an 11-month sexual relationship with Yap.
The woman, Hope Centeno, appeared on show biz talks shows with the story of her affair with Aquino’s husband. Since her revelations for two successive weekends, she had since gone scarce. Reports said she had left the country.
Aquino, who was seven months pregnant at the time, was hospitalized after experiencing repeated contractions that had threatened her pregnancy.
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THE night of April 13, 2007 was a memorable one of music, laughter and entertainment as Filipinos from different states converged to watch three of the brightest Philippine stars perform at a fully packed Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center Studios.
The concert featured : Piolo Pascual, Sam Milby and Pokwang.
Piolo Pascual, one of the Philippines’ biggest names in show business wooed the crowd with his rendition of popular Philippine ballads such as “Kailangan Kita,” one of his famous hits. His handsome face and the legendary universal appeal that propelled him to movie stardom and commercial success elicited loud cheers and shouts of “I love you, Piolo!” from the audience.
The Philippines’ dream housemate, Sam Milby, likewise showcased his spectacular singing talent, serenading the audience with hits from his self-titled album “Sam Milby”.
The audience screamed with delight as the Filipino-American crooned his way into many hearts with his boy-next-door charm and romantic voice.
The comedic antics of Pokwang spiced up the evening. This rapidly rising comedienne provided a welcome burst of spontaneous comic relief. Keeping a large audience rolling in laughter is quite a challenge, but it was all in a night’s work for the plucky Pokwang, whose hilarious sketches united everyone in a spirit of enthusiastic cheer. Part of her entertaining act was singing and dancing to the beat of a Shakira song.
For the audience of this sold-out event, it appeared that the fun would never end. Even after the last note was sung, the audience demanded an encore, which the trio gladly obliged.
Enthusiastic concert-goers were left with joyful memories of an event that was well worth the price of admission. Diehard fans got an extra chance to bond with the stars after the concert via an autograph signing and picture taking session.
This concert was another successful production of Special Edition Press, Inc., which, as always, never fails in fulfilling its mission of bringing the best in Philippine entertainment to the United States. Riding high on the success of this event, SEPI can only promise bigger and better shows ahead.
Special Edition Press, Inc.’s next project is the Pinoy Musik Festival on May 5 which will take place in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall (near Trump Plaza & Casino), featuring Apo Hiking Society, Heart Evangelista and Nanette Inventor. Community leaders are invited to take advantage of this event for their organizations’ fundraising activities. For more information, please call Mila Mendez at 212-682-6610 or 917-443-3634.
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