|
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.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
To tell us what you think about Filipino Express Online or to comment on the stories published here, E-mail us at Filexpress@aol.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rivermaya to park its wings?
|
|
|
|
WE HAVE just received reports from Manila that Pinoy supergroup Rivermaya have disbanded.
According to our source, the band known for their hits like, ‘Ulan’, “Hinahanap Hanap Kita’, ‘Elesi’ and more, played their last show last May 4 at Metro Bar (formerly known as Kampo), along with Sandwich and Pupil.
During Rivermaya’s set, front man, Rico Blaco made an emotional speech. He was quoted as saying that the gig is memorable because it was held at the very same place where Rivermaya played their first ever gig as fron acts for the legendary Eraserheads. And he added that now, on this show, he is blessed to be with Ely Buendia and Raims Marasigan once again.
During Rivermaya’s rendition of their hit, ‘Umaaraw, Umuulan’, it was reported that Blanco shouted “isang huling malupit’ (One last Blast!). The crowd applauded, and then bassist japs Sergio shouted, “lakasan nyo pa, Huli na ito” (louder, this is the last).
Rumours of their split have circdulated since April, but only on that May 4 gig did the band indirectly confirmed the news. The source even managed to talk to the band’s long time road crew, and apparently, the crew confirmed the split. “We have no jobs anymore”, they said.
Speculations grew that Rico Blanco will continue as a solo act and will be known as simply, ‘BLANCO’.
Likewise, it was known that Rico left the management team of Lizza Nakpil.
In one OPM blog, it was posted that Rivermaya intends to go on without Rico.
With that, rumors of a Rivermaya/Bamboo back to back gig here in the States crumble into the ground. It will never happen. Unless, I suppose, the money is extremely hard to ignore.
Just how true are these reports is still up for grabs.
But from where Rivermaya stands, it is clear that they have indeed reached their peak and has nowhere else to go but down.
Perhaps, Rico finally decided to pull the plug and embark on a different musical direction totally apart from his band that brought him fame. Perhaps, he recognized that his music with Rivermaya is over.
I suppose it’s the right time. It’s time for this legendary band to rest on its laurels and enjoy the legacy that they have made since coming into the scene in 1994.
Now what about the other members?
I think to go on bearing the name Rivermaya without Rico is as disastrous as an Ely Buendia-less Eraserheads in 2001. It just wont work. If Mike, Japs and Mark plan to continue rocking, they have to rename themselves and be a different band altogether.
Now it’s not the end of the world, if indeed Rivermaya calls it quits. As John Lennon once said after the Beatles split, “ It’s not the end of the world, it’s just a rock band that made it very big. The records are there. Feel free to reminsce.”
I have all the Maya records, and I will reminisce for as long as I can . Thanks guys.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA, -- Jay Manalo admits he became addicted to gambling. Because of this, he lost all his savings.
“I’m glad nagising na ako sa katotohanang mali ang ginagawa ko dahil sa bisyo at pati pamilya ko, naapektuhan dahil nawalan din ako ng panahon sa kanila,” he says. “Sayang dahil lahat ng kinita ko noon, nauwi sa wala at pati sasakyan ko, nabenta ko kaya nagta-taxi lang ako ngayon. Ako na mismo ang kusang huminto dahil wala na akong ipantataya.”
He wants to thank his wife, Raiza, who made him closer to the Lord. “Hindi niya ako inaway. Sa halip, ipinagdasal niya ako at isinamang magsimba. Ngayon, na-realize ko na ang kamalian ko at dumadalangin akong sana, bigyan pa ako uli ni Lord ng chance na makabawi sa mga pagkukulang ko sa pamilya ko.”
Jay used to say he goes to casinos just to have some fun and he’s still in full control of what’s he’s doing. Now, he knows that he only made PAGCOR richer with his own hard-earned income from acting. Some fans who love Nora Aunor are praying she would also soon wake up like Jay. (MNS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
YILMAZ Bektas issued an open letter about the breakup of his 4-year marriage to Ruffa Gutierrez.
He says there is no third party involved. The cause is “one materialist relative” of Ruffa who takes advantage of her.
When Annabelle Rama guested in “Showbiz Central” last Sunday, she said it’s obvious that Yilmaz is referring to her.
But she says that contrary to what Yilmaz alleges, she’s not a materialistic person as she willingly gave her permission for Ruffa to marry Yilmaz at the time Ruffa’s career was starting to bloom in the US. “Kung materialistic ako, ‘di hindi ako pumayag dahil sayang ang commission ko,” she adds.
The crucial question here, of course, is if Ruffa is a battered wife.
When Ruffa spoke in “The Buzz,” instead of saying a simple “yes,” she just cried.
She said that in the culture of Yilmaz, it’s normal for the husband to hurt the wife physically and she’s questioning that. As for Annabelle, she said that while still in Istanbul, Ruffa would call her up and cry to her every night. She added that she and Ruffa keep a secret no one else knows.
It can be inferred that this is a confirmation that Ruffa is indeed a battered wife. When asked pointblank if Yilmaz hurts Ruffa, her answer is: “You have to ask Ruffa herself about that.”
Annabelle says her fear is that Ruffa seems to be wavering about her decision to split up from Yilmaz, who calls her ten times a day. “’Pag nagpunta si Yilmaz dito’t nakausap si Ruffa, baka sumama uli siya sa Istanbul. Sabi ko, baka maging ‘Chop Chop Lady’ siya dun, o kaya pauwiin siya ritong mag-isa at kunin ang mga anak nila, gaya dun sa movie ni Sally Field na ‘Not Without My Daughter.’ Kaya ang pakiusap ko na lang kay Ruffa, huwag na huwag na siyang sasama kay Yilmaz.” (MNS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA, -- Is it true that their current teleserye, the popular and most-admired “Maging Sino Ka Man,” will be the last TV pairing of John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo?
An ABS-CBN and Star Cinema insider said the company will experiment on the pair by giving them different partners in their next projects.
Thus, it is said that a sitcom is currently being prepared for Bea, which will pair her with either Victor Basa or Zanjoe Marudo. “Sa pelikula naman, pinag-u-usapan ang next movie ni Bea with Aga Muhlach and Claudine Barretto na gagawin sa South Africa. Actually, hinihintay na lang makapanganak si Claudine (in July) at sisimulan na ang movie,” said our source.
John Lloyd will most likely be asked to “rest” from TV work. As soon as he arrives from Dubai, where he is fulfilling a personal appearance commitment, he will work on a movie with Sarah Geronimo. This John Lloyd-Sarah project has long been on the planning stage and the two are reportedly excited to work together.
John Lloyd has long expressed his wish to do a movie with Vilma Santos. But this will have to wait, because if Vi wins in her bid to become Batangas governor, she would surely want to get the feel muna of her new post before attending to her career as an actress. Vi was last seen doing a cameo role in the Pokwang-Eugene Domingo starrer, “D’Lucky Ones.”
“I surely will miss Lloydie (John’s nickname). The two of us have worked together in so many projects kaya whenever we are before the cameras, all we need is an instruction from our director on how to do a particular scene. Then we are left on our own. At nagagawa namin ang eksena na ‘di kailangang mag-take two,” Bea said.
Bea and John Lloyd do not make secret the fact that they are taken. Bea keeps her relationship with Mico Palanca alive. John Lloyd, for his part, is still making beautiful music with Liz Uy, the assistant fashion editor of a glossy magazine.“We are happy for each other,” stated Bea. “I just hope we can maintain our closeness kahit, halimbawang matagalan bago kami muling magtrabaho together. Lloydie is one friend I’ll always treasure.” (MNS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SHE knew that intrigue-mongers would feast on her controversial move.
After the success of Star Cinema’s Metro Manila Film Festival entry, “Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo,” Judy Ann Santos opted to do, as a follow-up project, the movie “Ouija,” produced by her home studio’s rival, GMA Films (with Viva Films).
“I have no movie lined up with Star Cinema,” Santos explained.
“But I asked permission from Star. It wasn’t easy—there was a lot of discussion,” she said. Yes, she’d heard that Star Cinema people were dismayed.
“If I’ve stepped on some toes over at ABS-CBN, I’m asking for their patience. I’m just doing my job as an actress. I had to act quickly. I was told [by Star Cinema] that I should hang on, that they had a project for me. But how long should I wait?”
There were also rumors that her ABS-CBN bosses had asked Juday to delay her next film until Claudine Barretto’s date with the stork in July. The plan was for a Juday-Claudine team-up, according to Santos’ manager Alfie Lorenzo, who said, “That was taking [too much] time. As if pinapaasa lang kami (It seemed they were just giving us false hopes).”
“Walang personalan, trabaho lang ito (nothing personal),” Santos clarified.
The GMA Films offer had come over a year ago, long before “Kasal,” Lorenzo noted.
According to a Star Cinema insider, “Kasal” earned P212 million. “[Star Cinema] wouldn’t confirm that,” Juday said. Officially, according to another Star Cinema source, “‘Sukob,’ starring Claudine, is our biggest earner.”
Juday has no time to nitpick, and has only praise for “Kasal,” directed by Joey Reyes. “That film is a big blessing. I’m just so happy that viewers liked it,” she said. “It was not expensive, either, and it proved that a movie doesn’t have to be shot abroad or [be laced with] special effects to become a hit.”
She feels the pressure as the July 25 opening of “Ouija” approaches.
Fortunately, she said, she can share the jitters with co-stars Jolina Magdangal, Iza Calzado and Rhian Ramos.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WHEN Kris Aquino made her first public appearance after giving birth to son Baby James, the controversial TV host said that she’s not going back to one of her former shows on ABS-CBN.
Before she went on a maternity leave, Kris was doing three shows – “Game KNB,” “Deal or No Deal,” and “The Buzz.” Speculations grew wild that Kris is probably referring to “The Buzz” as the show she would give up. We sought Boy Abunda’s comment on this matter.
‘Hindi ako naniniwala kasi hindi niya ako matitiis,”said Boy. “Kris didn’t say categorically that she’s no longer coming back to ‘The Buzz’. I don’t know which show she is referring to as the one she’s no longer coming back to. I don’t want to speculate pero sigurado akong hindi niya ako matitiis iwanan sa ‘The Buzz’.”
Kris wants to make Sunday her family day that’s why she wants to quit the Sunday talk show of ABS-CBN. But Boy says Kris could still make Sunday her family day. All she has to do is choose as to what time of the day she wants to spend with her family – will it be before or after “The Buzz.”
Boy says she understands Kris. He also used to host a Sunday show on GMA 7 (“Startalk” used to air on a Sunday slot). Boy opted to quit to have his Sundays back for him to enjoy.
“I understand Kris because she has a baby. But Kris has this special talent of balancing her life. Naniniwala pa rin ako na kaya niyang maging pamilyadong ina at hindi niya kayang iwanan ako sa ‘The Buzz’,” Kuya Boy adds.
One reason why Kris reportedly wants out of “The Buzz” is because of her ‘tampo’ to TV host cum columnist Cristy Fermin which stemmed from the issue involving James Yap and Hope Centeno.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA, Philippines -- Veteran radio broadcaster Cesar Nucum, known for decades and to millions of Filipinos as “Kuya Cesar,” died of an apparent heart attack at the age of 69 on Thursday.
His son Erwin told dzMM radio that his father felt chest pains and had difficulty breathing at around 7 p.m. at his home in Pag-asa, Quezon City. Nucum took a taxi to a hospital where efforts to revive him failed.
Brother Jun Banaag, known as Dr. Love over dzMM, said he last saw Kuya Cesar last Sunday, when the veteran broadcaster had his last radio program, also over dzMM.
Kuya Cesar was known for his trademark style of speaking slowly in an even voice, providing a sharp contrast in a medium that values high-octane, dramatic and even flamboyant speaking styles. For his unique delivery, Kuya Cesar provided comic relief to some listeners. He appealed to the older generation and songs from decades past were usually played in his radio program.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
