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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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Sunshine Cruz has reportedly decided to end her marriage to Cesar Montano.
According to sources close to the actress, she has acquired the services of a lawyer to file an annulment case against the award-winning actor. She also asked the lawyer to help her get all the things that she and their three daughters have left at their home on Scout Rallos St.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian model said to be the cause of the rift between Cesar and Sunshine is Mariana del Rio. She’s only 16 but looks more mature than her age. It’s said she really wants to join showbiz and was once linked to Victor Basa.
Many of the friends of Buboy and Shine are praying that they’ll be able to patch things up quickly but it seems Shine is still smarting from the hurt she felt after a friend of Buboy (said to be Bayani Agbayani no less) confirmed his relationship with Mariana.
Lenlen, the wife of Bayani, is also a good friend of Shine, and it could be that Shine was referring to them when she said she got the news of Buboy’s philandering from very reliable sources.
Buboy has already denied the affair, adding that he and Shine just had a “tampuhan” which was magnified by the press. (MNS)
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It’s confirmed. Actress Jennylyn Mercado is pregnant with the child of actor Patrick Garcia. This piece of news was
soon confirmed by Mercado's own manager, Becky Aguila.
According to Garcia, he and Mercado had already gone to the Makati City Hall to consult a judge about the possibilty
of a civil wedding.
“Jennylyn is 6 weeks pregnant. I want to set things right sana at panagutan siya,”
said Garcia, who added that he wanted to do the right thing for his girlfriend.
After talking to the judge for over an hour, the couple decided to hold off the wedding and reconsider when
the best time for the wedding would be.
“The judge said it is easy to get married, but for the right reasons daw sana. Sabi niya we still have time,” said the actor.
Garcia also said that he is taking into consideration the fact that his sister Cheska, also an actress, is scheduled to tie
the knot this year. The actor is well aware of the belief in "sukob" or wedding curse.
According to Filipino belief, no marriage should happen within the family if an immediate family member has
either died or gotten married within the same year. If this is not followed, disaster and tragedy will happen.
Mercado meanwhile said that she is already feeling the effects of her pregnancy.
“Masakit na ang tiyan ko, nahihilo ako. Morning sickness,” she said.
The couple said that they never considered hiding the truth from the public, adding that what matters most
to them is that they love each other.
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MANILA - Marian Rivera plays Courtney in “Desperadas,” a liberated girl who is aggressive when it comes to sex.
When her boyfriend, Will Devaughn, becomes a born-again Christian and refuses to have premarital sex with her, she gets disappointed and even berates him.
”Ma l a y u n g -ma l a y o ‘yung role ko from what I am in real life kaya hirap na hirap akong maka-relate at first,” she says.
“Even my lines, hindi ko masabi, like when I told Will: ‘Wala ka kasing kalubog-libog. Ilabas mo nga ‘yang libog sa katawan mo!’ In real life, hindi kaya ng powers ko to say something like that. Hindi naman sa dahil sobrang manang ako, kaya lang, I’m just not used to speaking that way talaga. But with the help of our director, Joel Lamangan, palagay ko, nagampanan ko naman ng tama ang role ko.”
Does that mean she’s still a virgin? “Honestly, I don’t want to talk about that. I’m not comfortable kasi hindi magandang pag-usapan ang virginity ng isang babae.
“It’s something very private kaya pangit naman tanungin ang isang girl kung virgin pa siya o hindi na. Kapag sinabi mong yes, virgin pa ko, sasabihin, nagmamalinis ko. When you say namang hindi na, masama rin ang iisipin sa’yo at baka mawalan pa sila ng respeto. And all women should be treated with respect, di ba? Virgin man siya o hindi na.”
About her alleged feud with Katrina Halili, she says, they’ve talked about it when they last taped for “Marimar” and they agreed to be more cordial to each other.
“Hindi naman kami talaga magkaaway. We just said hindi kami talaga masyadong nag-uusap. Ang magkaaway, the characters we play in ‘Marimar’, but it doesn’t mean na dapat ganun din kami sa isa’t isa in real life.” (MNS)
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MANILA - After trying her hand in comedy and even a singing career, actress Ara Mina is going back to doing sexy roles in local films, starting with Star View Productions' new movie “Selda.”
Ara says she was intrigued with the role offered by directors Paolo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos that she could not say no.
“Iba kasi ang treatment sa script kaya hindi mo basta matatanggihan. (The treatment in the script is so different you couldn't easily ignore it),” said Ara at the premiere showing of the film at Robinsons Galleria.
According to Ara, it has been four years since she had last disrobed for a movie.
"Mahirap ang adjustment pero maganda talaga ang role. Hindi lang talaga sa talent fee. Kaya hindi rin ako nahirapan na mag-decide to go bold again (The adjustment is hard but the role is really nive. It's not only the talent fee. That's why I didn't find it hard deciding to go bold again),” Ara said.
Ara says she has no qualms about doing Selda.
“Hindi ako nagsisisi na tinanggap ko ang role. Kahit bumalik ako sa pagpapa-sexy, may sense ang ginawa ko (I don't regret having accepted the role. Even if I go back to doing sexy roles, I think I did a sensible portrayal),” Ara beamed with pride.
In the movie, Ara plays wife to convict Rommel (Sid Lucero) who was jailed for homicide. While in prison, Rommel develops a relationship with a fellow inmate (Emilio Garcia). It is this relationship that later threatens Rommel's relationship with his wife and leads to the accidental killing of Rommel's daughter.
Ara says she has a milder bold scene with Manny Pacquiao in the 2007 Metro Manila Film Festival Philippines' entry “Anak Ng Kumander.”
“Hindi maiiwasan na may konting sexy scene pero hindi tulad rito sa 'Selda' na matagal ang exposure ng bed scene namin ni Sid. (It couldn't be avoided that a little sexy scene is incorporated in my movie with Manny but it is unlike 'Selda' where the exposure of my bed scene was longer),” she said.
In 2008, the actress will produce and star in her own digital film with younger sister, Cristine, where they will both bare flesh. "Handa na kami ni Cristine (Cristine and I are ready),” she said. (MNS)
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Abdul Candao, a Pinoy professional tenor is making a name in the German-speaking countries of Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
Abdul is the leading star of Franz Lehar’s musical play "Land des Lächelns" (Land of Smiles), where he plays Prince Sou-Chung, the son of an emperor from China. The musical play is being staged in key cities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland under the auspieces of the Hannover Opera House, where Abdul is a resident artist.
"I am very much honored to get this role since a number of European professional vocalists have auditioned for this. This proves that may ibubuga talaga ang mag Pinoy kahit saan sila ilagay. I am very proud for this," said Abdul.
The play started its European tour last November 2007 and will go on until April 2008.
Beginnings
Abdul is considered as the first Muslim tenor vocalist from Maguindanao.
He comes from a prominent family in the region. The Candao’s are known in the province. Abdul’s father was the brother of Maguindanao former governor Zacaria Candao. His father was shot dead while driving his younger children to school.
"My father had always been proud of me with my achievements at home but I know that he would be doubly proud to hear that I made it in the international scene," Abdul commented.
Before making a name here in Europe, Abdul has already a lot of musical and opera experiences in the Philippines.
He was a member of "Kayumangging Kalikasan" under the late Prof. Ernani Cuenco.
"The time under Prof. Ernani Cuenco gave me a lot of experiences and was able to perform regularly on stage. I regard this period important form of my training," asserted Abdul.
A scholar of the UST Conservatory of Music where he was a scholar of Prof. Irma Potenciano, he graduated Bachelor of Music under the late Prof. Kathy Sternberg. He garnered another scholarship grant from the CCP Young Artist Fund. This took Abdul to the Opera School of the Vienna Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of the school's best instructors and masters.
Before finishing his studies in Vienna, he already performed in different musical and opera shows.
Two months after his graduation in 1995, he got a contract to be a part of the ensemble of a musical called Elisabeth. The play is an original Austrian musical named after Elisabeth, the empress of Austria. Abdul played the role of a Baron in this long-running musical.
He also performed several leading roles in Bernstein’s Candide before signing up another contract as tenor of the opera house in Hannover, Germany.
Competition
In spite of the big competition in Europe, especially when it comes to classical, musical, operetta performances, Abdul could still manage to sing and compete with other known vocalists in Europe.
Abdul commented: "Europe is a big market. You must sell yourself as a finished product. In Europe is indeed the real world. There is so much competition here. Singers are everywhere and everybody would present themselves as a finished product. Kaya pakapalan na lang ng mukha. I have to present myself, too, at kaya ko naman. This is not Manila, where your relatives, if influential, can get a job for you. This would not work in Europe. You just cannot sit and wait to get discovered."
Now, Abdul is enjoying his dream role in the play "Land des Lächelns."
Abdul and the Pinoy community in Austria
Aside from his regular opera shows, Abdul still finds time to give concert for the Pinoy audience here.
Last November 2007, he gave an all-Filipino classical concert where he sang original Pilipino Music and kundiman, too. There were a number of Pinoy classical enthusiasts though Abdul would have expected more Filipinos from the audience.
"Inasahan ko talagang maraming Filipinos na manood sa concert pero mas marami pa ang mga dayuhan. I did exactly the concert to encourage the Filipinos to come to classical concerts. Sayang at kaunti lamang ang dumalo. My only wish is that, Pinoys should learn to love their own music. Mahalin natin ang ating sariling musika at ipagmalaki natin ito," said Abdul. (by: By Hector Pascua, ABS-CBN)
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