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A night of music and escape with Aurora

��ý — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 16:05:20 +0000

By Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Concert Review
Aurora: What Happened to the Earth? Part 4
Jan. 31, 2025
New Frontier Theater, Araneta City, Cubao, Quezon City

IT TOOK half an hour after the performance-fantasy-storytelling project by Yaelokre and Filipino-Japanese singer Ena Mori before Norwegian singer Aurora (real name: Aurora Aksnes) entered the stage. The audience — her fanbase call themselves Warriors and Weirdos — cheered when the lights dimmed and a video on screen showed the singer facing the camera saying, “It’s so quiet. Hello?” The haunting introduction of “Churchyard” (2019) began in the background as Ms. Aksnes entered the stage barefoot, looking like a forest fairy in a light-colored gown.

After two opening songs, the 28-year-old singer greeted the crowd, “It’s about time that time here. You have no idea how excited I am to be here finally.” She then quickly responded to the screams by casually imitating the crowd’s excitement. “Everyone that we have met — what kindhearted people you are. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s something in people’s eyes and hearts here that is just incredible. I have felt so good since the very second I came to your country,” she said.

She said that she will proceed with a song, of course, asking the crowd how to say “of course” in Filipino. She made three attempts to say “siyempre” and got it right the third time.

As a surprise for the evening, she performed “Infections of a Different Kind” (2018), which she introduced as a song she “wrote from a dream” at age 18. This song is a personal favorite because it showcases the singer’s wide vocal range. The intense red stage lights shifted to blue for a calmer atmosphere. The crowd fell quiet as she sang and hit the notes flawlessly, similar to the studio version.

After the first ballad of the night, came an ethereally subdued version of “The River” (2019), accompanied only by Zen-like background music on a loop which highlighted the blend of the melody with the harmonies of the backing vocals.

Things then shifted to an upbeat mood with “A Soul with No King” (2024) and “All is Soft Inside” (2018). This was followed by a mysterious rendition of the 2016 single “Runaway” — a track that recently garnered 1 billion streams on Spotify. It was probably the most popular song of the night as the crowd sang along from beginning to end.

In her second chat, Ms. Aksnes asked the audience how to say “salamat” and “mahal kita.” The crowd had fun teaching her the words by the syllable which she repeated until she said (and proudly screamed them out) correctly. “Thank you for teaching me. It’s a very beautiful language. I only know three things, but I want to learn more, I promise next time when I come back,” she said enthusiastically.

To introduce the love song, “Exist for Love” (2020), she told the crowd, “You are worthy of love… You should be free in the love you have in you, because it is so important.” The stage lights transitioned to a deep blue accompanied with visuals of what looked like stars or fireflies, creating a relaxed atmosphere. The crowd grew quiet as they waved their light sticks and white roses.

The standout performance of the evening was “The Seed” (2019), an anthem for Mother Earth. The blue stage lights remained, and graphics of dried trees flashed on screen. Once again, the crowd began to sing along, but Ms. Aksnes’ words and upper-range vocalizations (that have similar qualities to traditional Scandinavian herd calling kulning) stood out and sounded clear. It was hauntingly beautiful to watch.

When the introduction to the next song began, it took me a while to realize it was “Starvation” — a track from her latest album, What Happened to the Heart? (2024). The bass dropped midway, intense red stage lights were joined by blinking strobe lights, and the concert turned into a rave party.

After Ms. Aksnes exited the stage, the crowd naturally cheered for more. I was thinking (and hoping) that my other favorite song — the women empowerment anthem, “Queendom” (2018) — would be part of the encore.

The energy in the theater continued when she re-entered the stage singing “Cure for Me” (2021), a dance track about self-love and acceptance. The energy was on a new level when she waved the Pride flag and moved around with improvised movements.

Near the concert’s final moments, the singer began accepting gifts from those in the front row, including a rays of sunlight headdress. Without hesitation, she put it on as she sang “Some Type of Skin” (2024).

The show ended quietly with Ms. Aksnes alone onstage playing the keyboard on the final song about recovering from pain, “Invisible Wounds” (2024).

I never expected that a Norwegian artist with a niche fanbase like her’s (I have never heard her songs on Philippine radio), would schedule a stop in Manila for the Asian leg of her tour. It ticked off an item on my bucket list to see her perform live.

Before the encore, Ms. Aksnes thanked the crowd for a sold-out show, and said that is a possible reason “to have her back.” I am keeping my fingers crossed that she returns. Hopefully, she performs “Queendom” then.

Listen to Aurora on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, or visit .

Michelle Anne P. Soliman was a ��ý reporter covering the lifestyle beat from 2017 to 2023.

‘Fur-baby’ boom: Pets span new generation of parenthood in PHL

��ý — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:32:00 +0000

ALEXANDRIA AMIGO CHAN, 27, keeps a cabinet for clothes and toys, pillows and water bottles for each of her 15 dogs — a Jack Russell terrier, a beagle and 13 Belgian Malinois.

“My family and I are dog lovers,” the jewelry designer from Manila said in an e-mail. “Our dogs are part of our family. We give them the love and attention they need. We give our dogs the best organic treats and good quality toys.”

Her family also celebrates their birthdays and gives them Christmas presents. The popular saying is so apt: pets are the new kids and plants are the new pets.

Her family spends as much as P30,000 ($542) each month for their pets.

“Growing sociological literature expands the notion of family as ‘inter-species’ to include pets in the care and support relations in the family as a social unit,” Ateneo de Manila University sociologist Czarina Medina-Guce said in an e-mailed reply to questions.

“Some theories emphasize that pets contribute to individuals’ and social groups’ affective or emotional identity development, counteracting the increasing demand for rational and productive work,” she said. “In close bonds, pets are treated as children-proxies, only because children conventionally are the subject of care and nurturing affection in families.”

Veterinary clinics have experienced a sudden surge in customers as dog owners sought to provide their fur babies with proper care during the pandemic. Owners take care of dogs, cats, fish and birds not as a working animal but primarily for companion and entertainment.

Last year, Pola Del Monte, 33, entered her dogs at the PAWS’ Binibining Aspin pageant, where one of them won third place.

“For that pageant, I spent over P3,000 for YSL’s custom gown,” the Manila-based writer said, referring to her corgi-looking aspin. Her sister handcrafted a float for Meghan, the “child” of YSL with a schnauzer named Philip to ensure both were dressed for the occasion.

“We consider these once-in-a-lifetime activities, and our efforts were worth it because they got a lot of media coverage and took home prizes.”

Keeping a dog — man’s best friend — is no joke. A dog food costs P80 a kilo, the annual canine 8-in-1 shot costs P650 and an anti-rabies shot is P300.

“Because YSL is a senior dog, I have her undergo blood tests (P2,000) to be sure she doesn’t have underlying conditions,” Ms. Del Monte said.

Other costs include a CCTV/baby camera (P1,200), and acrylic panels on their home balcony (P5,000) and quarterly deep cleaning of her home (P4,000).

“Some people say it’s expensive to raise a dog. I always say it’s more expensive to raise a human,” she said.

The Philippines ranked the highest in Asia in terms of dog ownership at 67%, while 43% of Filipinos own cats, according to a Rakuten survey in 2021.

Pet food sales in the Philippines are expected to grow by 9% to $434 million this year, the United States Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultural Service said in its latest pet food market brief.

Businesses in the Philippines have become more pet-friendly and more shops catering to them have sprung up amid a coronavirus pandemic.

Ms. Del Monte last year opened a franchise of The Dog Spa & Hotel Metrolane Complex in Cubao, Quezon City. Full expert grooming at the shop costs P700 for medium breeds and P900 for large breeds.

“I was a patron of this brand first because they were the only ones who understood how to do a good schnauzer cut,” she said. “I believed in the brand and thought it was something our family could hop on as a business because we already had an innate understanding of how to deal with dogs.”

She said running a pet business gives them leverage to do philanthropic work. “It allows us to finance our advocacy, including supporting organizations such as the Philippine Animal Welfare Society and PAWSsion project,” Ms. Del Monte said.

“We think of the dog business as a tool that allows us to do good while doing what we love,” she said.

The pet lover says she’s always on the lookout for pet-friendly places. “I tend to support these places because they allow me to hit two birds with one stone — I can read or work while my dogs also enjoy the outdoors.”

“There is an economic side to our affective language, which is why we give gifts and spend on quality time and experiences,” Ms. Guce said. “As pets become part of one’s family or community, pet owners extend gifts and spend to care for their pets.”

That is where the pet businesses come in — to cater to pet owners who consider such spending not as economic costs or liabilities, but as purchases transferring an affective, emotional value, she added.

“Pet-friendly public spaces contribute to expanding the affective identity formation of the ‘inter-species’ family to ‘inter-species’ communities — a larger social group,” the sociologist said.

PET-FRIENDLY SPACES
“Public spaces support community identity development as places where people can share collective experiences,” she added.

Nieva Arieta Padasas, a veterinarian at E.S. Veterinary Clinic in San Juan City, says opening spaces for pets in many public and commercial places develops animal socialization.

“Either they adapt to an urban or rural type of living. It also tends to develop the socialization skills of pets in terms of mingling with other pets,” she said in a Viber message.

“It teaches them how to react to different stimuli around them and when other pets are trying to provoke them. It lessens their aggressiveness, and they tend to be more relaxed as they get used to a different environment.”

In 2019, Robinsons Malls launched their pet parenting program and started hosting Animal Day during a weekend in October, when their malls offer free pet consultation, vaccination, grooming and activities for pets and their owners.

“It would enhance the mall experience further and even one’s hotel stay if you have your pets with you when you go for a staycation,” Robinsons Land Corp. Director Roseann Villegas said in an e-mail.

“Stores catering to pets have always been part of Robinsons Malls’ tenant mix portfolio,” she added.

Every quarter, Robinsons Malls partners with the Animal Kingdom Foundation and Pawssion Project to offer free pet consultations, rabies vaccination and deworming. The mall also offers the Happy Pets Club, a program where pet owners can take part in pet-related events and activities.

Ayala Land, Inc. also saw the opportunity to open commercial spaces to pets during the pandemic.

“People became fur parents while we were indoors,” Ayala Land Estates head of Marketing and Communications Christine Roa said in an online interview. “It just became natural to answer that need so there will be a safe and secure place where pets can freely roam comfortably outside their homes.”

Pet parks called The Barkyard were opened near Ayala Malls in 2021.

While pet-friendly spaces allow pet owners to engage in outdoor activities, Ms. Del Monte and Ms. Chan cited the need to make a distinction between businesses that are “pet-friendly” and those that are “pet-tolerant.”

“It’s very misleading when establishments claim to be pet-friendly but are not,” Ms. Del Monte said. “That includes the restriction toward big dogs. The size of the dog is not always proportional to the size of their energy.”

Ms. Padasas said a common area for pets poses health risks.

“We don’t know which among them is a carrier of a disease or parasite,” she said. “Sometimes, they tend to be aggressive, while others shake when exposed to other pets.”

Robinsons’ Ms. Villegas said customers who wish to dine with their pets, may do so al fresco. House rules require owners to put them on diapers and on a leash or a stroller.

Ayala Malls have three tiers for pets — the Lax, Limited and Hybrid tier “pawlicies” to also ensure they are properly cared for and supervised.

“If you are pet-friendly, you make sure that your mall is a welcoming space. You create programs that are for their benefit,” Ayala Land’s Ms. Roa said.

“Businesses thrive as the economy thrives. If inflation continues to challenge the financial capacities of pet-owning families, then pet businesses need to consider the kinds and costs of services and goods they provide,” Ms. Guce said.

Pet businesses can thrive in the longer term by matching pet owners’ evolving care language and sensibilities,” she added.

Business establishments and pet parks are a good venue to spread the information on how to be responsible pet owners,” Ms. Padasas said. “People should be aware of a lifetime commitment to pets from the day they acquire it up to its last breath.” — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

A new take on a comedy classic

��ý — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 16:03:25 +0000

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TV5 is introducing a 1950s comedy classic to a new generation, by turning the film into a television series.

Kurdapya will air every Saturday at 6 p.m. beginning March 18 on TV5.

Pablo S. Gomez’s Kurdapya was first published in Tagalog Klasiks in 1954. It was adapted into a film the following year, starring the glamorous Gloria Romero who plays both the titular role of an ugly girl who is in love with a muscular handsome man, and her long-lost twin sister who is her complete opposite — a very beautiful woman. The original film also starred Ramon Revilla, , Dolphy, and .

In the new series, Yassi Pressman plays the two sisters, Kuring and Daphne.

The series follows the twins who reunite in a strange accident after living vastly different lives. Kuring grew up in the province with her cruel extended family, while Daphne was raised in the city under the guidance of her strict father who is the CEO of a publishing conglomerate. Both are unhappy with their current realities so their unexpected reunion leads to their switching identities. Misadventures follow as the twins navigate through life’s challenges, and come face-to-face with their past.

Ms. Pressman described Kuring as a happy-go-lucky character and Daphne as more snobby. “She just wants to be happy,” Ms. Pressman said of Kuring during a press conference at the TV5 Media Center in Mandaluyong City on March 9.

Meanwhile, Daphne as a character is someone most people try to avoid, said the actress. Despite playing characters as polar opposites, Ms. Pressman said that she admires Daphne’s “love for her family.”

The show also stars Marco Gumabao as Carlos, Kuring’s childhood friend and the apple of her eye; Nikko Natividad as the nouveau riche Tadeo, handpicked by Daphne’s father to woo her; Ryza Cenon as the gold-digging girlfriend of Daphne’s father; Katya Santos as Kuring’s strict and ambitious aunt; Candy Pangilinan as the ex-con mother of the twins; and Lander Vera-Perez as the twins’ father.

KEEPING THINGS RELATABLE
“One of the major considerations in doing a comedy is gusto ko masa pa rin siya, relatable, madaling maintindihan, tatawa ka nalang, ‘di mo kailangan mag-isip (I still want it to cater to the masses, be relatable, easy to understand, and you will just laugh without having to think too much),” series director Easy Ferrer said of the show’s treatment.

To give it a different flavor, Mr. Ferrer used visual comedy including teleportation effects, and deadpan humor.

Adapting a classic, he said, gives a chance for these films to be reintroduced to a new generation. “Why not revise a classic para mas ma-appreciate ng mga audience kung ano meron tayo noon (Why not revise a classic so that audiences can better appreciate what we previously had)?”

Applying what he learned at a scriptwriting workshop run by National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee, Mr. Ferrer noted that “lahat naman ng kuwento inuulit-ulit natin. Nasa sa iyo kung paano siya ibibigay at ilalahad sa bagong audience (All stories are repeated anyway. It is up to you to find a way to tell the story to a new audience).”

Kurdapya will premiere on March 18 on TV5, and will air every Saturday at 6 p.m. There will be replays on the Sari Sari Channel (available on Cignal Ch. 3) every Sunday at 8 p.m. starting March 19.��— Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Bryan Adams is keeping busy

��ý — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 16:09:36 +0000

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On Filipino fans, a new album, and career longevity

AFTER going back on tour in February 2022 and playing over a hundred shows, Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams is returning to Asia. Next week, he will be performing for his Filipino fans for the first time in six years when his So Happy It Hurts Tour makes a stop at Quezon City’s Smart Araneta Coliseum on March 15.

“I meet Filipino people all over the world and they always remind me that they love the songs,” Mr. Adams said at an online press conference on March 4. “So, when the opportunity came to come and play in Asia again, I said to my agents, ‘Make sure the Philippines is on there.’”

In Mr. Adams’ four-decade career, he has released 16 studio albums. His song writing has garnered him numerous awards and accolades including three Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, a Grammy award, an American Music Award, an ASCAP Film and Television Music Award, and multiple Juno Awards, among others. He is a recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award for his charitable concerts, as well as the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for his lifetime contribution to the arts in Canada. He is also set to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame this fall.

KEEPING BUSY AMIDST COVID
In the midst of COVID-19 lockdowns, Mr. Adams has remained busy, releasing two new studio albums over the last two years. First was So Happy It Hurts, released in March 2021, which the concert tour is in support of. One of the songs on the album, also called “So Happy it Hurts,” was nominated for Best Rock Performance at the 2023 Grammy Awards). He then re-released Pretty Woman — The Musical with 16 tracks sung by himself. He also re-recorded some of his classic hits on Classic PT I (released in April 2022) and II (released in July 2022) which were released digitally with Platoon and are available physically under Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG).

“I’ve just been very busy making new music and creating a new live show. And with all the time I had on my hands for two years where I couldn’t work, I just wrote a lot of songs,” Mr. Adams said of the time he spent at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I particularly needed to be writing music that was uplifting and positive,” he said of the new album’s title, So Happy it Hurts.

“I was not going to let that pandemic get me down. Even though it was the strangest time and also the most creative time I’ve ever had,” he added.

Apart from making music, the 63-year-old has also been engaged in photography for 25 years.

“I do all my album covers and promo pictures. What’s nice about being the writer of the song is that I can also try and visualize how I want to create my videos and how I want to create my albums,” he said. “I feel it’s kind of an extension of what I do as a musician,” he said.

OLD AND NEW
For his Manila concert, Mr. Adams will be playing his famous hits and songs from his new albums.

The singer’s popular songs include “Summer of ’69,” “Straight from the Heart,” “Cuts Like a Knife,” “I Finally Found Someone,” and “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You.”

“We’re going to be playing all the songs that you know and love,” he said, noting that “Please Forgive Me” is a “national anthem” amongst Filipino fans.

Still, it is not just about the past. “We’ve got a new live show and it’s a whole different look to the last time we were here in Philippines,” he said.

“I love the idea that when you play songs live is like playing them again for the first time, because something always happens, whether it be something within the musicians or when the people sing the song back to you. All kinds of things happen,” Mr. Adams said of the experience of performing live.

THEN AND NOW
Having had a long successful career as a musician, Mr. Adams said that starting out now is different from how it was back then. “Back then there were lots of places to play — clubs and live music was quite a big thing. It’s changed quite a bit now.”

Building a career as a musician involves “having some sort of conviction that you’re going to get there. Despite any rejections,” he said.�� It is also about working with a team of musicians, a producer, and manager “to get to where you want to go.”

Aside from looking after one’s health and keeping grounded, Mr. Adams’ advise is “to stay true to yourself and don’t get swayed by influence.”

“Just stay on course. Trust your gut. And, most of all, have a laugh,” he said.

Tickets to the So Happy It Hurts Tour are now available at TicketNet.com.ph and TicketNet outlets nationwide. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

ZsaZsa Zaturnnah returns onstage to address a new generation

��ý — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 16:06:30 +0000

A NEW generation will meet ZsaZsa Zaturnnah as she returns onstage to take on the evil doers threatening her town in the Ateneo Blue Repertory (blueREP) production of ZsaZsa Zaturnnah the Musical… ‘Yun Lang!.

The show will run from March 17 to April 2 at the Ateneo de Manila University’s Doreen Fernandez Black Box Theater in the Areté building.

Based on a graphic novel by Carlo Vergara, ZsaZsa Zaturnnah the Musical… ‘Yun Lang! follows the misadventures of Ada, a gay beauty salon proprietor who transforms into the superheroine ZsaZsa Zaturnnah and saves her town from monsters.

The character of ZsaZsa Zaturnnah first appeared in 2002 in Vergara’s graphic novel titled Ang Kagila-gilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni ZsaZsa Zaturnnah (The Spectacular Adventures of ZsaZsa Zaturnnah). The was soon transported to the live stage, and between 2006 to 2011, the musical was performed multiple times by the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ resident company, Tanghalang Pilipino. In 2006, a movie adaptation of the material, ZsaZsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh ,was an official entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival that year.

This year, the play written by Chris Martinez, with lyrics, music, and musical direction by Vincent DeJesus, returns to the stage as the only production of Ateneo blueREP’s 31^st performance season.

The show presents themes of inclusivity, equality, and celebrating differences. Director Missy Maramara noted the story’s dramatic question — How do queer folk find love in a heteronormative society? — which, she said, was “a very brave of them to ask in the 2000s.”

“There’s been so much development since then… And you will find that as much as we progress, we still have a push back. Is it really about queer love versus heteronormativity?” she said in a press conference at the Ateneo De Manila University on Feb. 28. “The answer is constantly to transform. That’s what we hope our audiences feel as they watch the journey with us, that they do transform.”

Playing the titular role as ZsaZsa Zaturnnah is Kim Molina, who was offered the role in September last year by Ms. Maramara thorough a video call.

“I haven’t seen the movie. And during that time, I hadn’t even read the comics yet. So, I got to read everything. I got to see the clips. So, mayroon akong, ‘Paano ko siya gagawing ako, na hindi lang ako nangopya? (So, I asked myself, ‘How do I make it my own without imitating?’)” Ms. Molina said of her preparation for the role.

“I am just very grateful to the Ateneo, for Missy with helping me out through the process for ZsaZsa to have a new voice, and a new persona in a way,” she added.

Phi Palmos, Adrian Lindayag, and Shaun Ocrisma will alternate in the role of Ada. Joshua Cabiladas, Almond Bolante and Robert Bradley Hao will alternate as Didi, Ada’s sidekick. Juan Carlos Galiano, Jude Matthew Servilla, and Elian Dominguez alternate as Dodong, the object of Ada’s crush. And Kakki Teodoro, and Anyah de Guzman alternate as ZsaZsa’s nemesis, Queen Femina Suarestellar Baroux.

Also in the cast are Carlin Maximo, Jelena Evangelista, Dani Tan, and Heart Romeo as Queen Femina’s Amazonistas, Kyla Rivera as Aling Britney, and other members of the Ateneo Blue Repertory in the ensemble.

Kaki Teodoro who plays Queen Femina, is exploring a different form of femininity.

“In the 2000s, there was a concept of hyper femininity [such as the] supermodel,” Ms. Teodoro said.�� “What does it mean to be hyper feminine now? Ano ’y�ܲԲ� pagiging (What did it mean to be) hyper feminine then?” she added, citing the recent popularity of the art of drag in mainstream media in the Philippines.

“There is a similarity between ZsaZsa and Femina. But it’s ZsaZsa’s choice that makes all the difference because of her identity as a baklang parlorista (a gay beautician). She could easily hate everyone else in the town, but she doesn’t. And it’s that choice of love and transformation, which makes all the difference. And I think that’s something that we could bring into this generation,” said Anya de Guzman who alternates with Ms. Teodoro.

“ZsaZsa Zaturnnah is not only a superhero, she [is] an icon. She is a movement even, and she further expands the spaces that we have for love and inclusivity here in the Philippines and here in BlueREP at least,” BlueREP company manager Frankie Ramos said.

“Inclusivity is a message that we wish to impart to our audiences, and it is a conversation that we wish to have for the rest of the Filipino community,” she said.

For ticket inquiries, contact Dani Villa (0917-139-4640), or send an e-mail to bluerep.house@gmail.com. For more information, visit . — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Filipino fans give Song Kang language lessons during meet

��ý — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 16:04:56 +0000

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KOREAN actor Song Kang certainly knows that the way to his fans hearts is through their language. Less than a minute after he stepped onstage for the Deoproce Fan Meet at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on March 5, the actor said “Mahal ko kayo” (I love you all). In between answering questions, he often said “Salamat” (thank you).

Fans interacted with their idol by teaching him a few Filipino sentences, and dialing a phone number onscreen for a chance to ask a question on the phone. Lucky fans also took home a signed Polaroid selfie and custom-painted shirt by Mr. Kang.

The 28-year-old actor first garnered international attention when he played Hwang Sun Oh in Netflix’s Love Alarm in 2019. He also starred in Netflix’s horror program Sweet Home (2020). His other popular shows include Nevertheless (2021), Navillera (2021), and Forecasting Love and Weather (2022).

He was given the title “Son of Netflix” having worked in three successful Netflix titles since 2019.

“It is fascinating, I am grateful,” Mr. Kang said about the title during a press conference at Marco Polo Ortigas prior to his fan meet. “They (Netflix) feel like family because they have been with me since the beginning of my career. I am enjoying my work with the people familiar to me.”

The actor said that he is currently shooting the second season of Sweet Home where he plays Cha Hyun-Soo, the character he says is currently closest to him. Sweet Home is an apocalyptic horror series about humans surviving attacks from monsters that are born from human desires.

Mr. Kang paused to think of responses to questions in order to avoid mentioning any spoilers for the upcoming season.

“In season one, it was the story of how the people grew and matured. Seasons 2 and 3 will be a story of who have grown,” he said.

When preparing for scenes he said, “I record the lines of other actors, and listen back to it… I look at the scene before and after the one they will shoot, so I can get a good grasp of the emotion I should be expressing at that time.”

Despite admitting that he has no intentions of becoming a K-Pop idol after his dance cover of NewJeans’ “Hype Boy” went viral, Mr. Kang stood up during the press conference to dance to the song.

In one of the question-and-answer segments with fans, Mr. Kang was asked about his advice to those who want to give up on their dreams. He said to be adventurous in the search for one’s passion.

“If you are not passionate about this thing that you are trying to do, maybe it’s not your dream. Try many different things and see where you gravitate…,” Mr. Kang said. “So, if you become more adventurous try many different things and you will eventually find the thing that you like. If you put enough time and effort into it, it can eventually become your dream. You can shine by doing that.”

THE NEW FACE OF DEOPROCE
Song Kang was in the country under the auspices of skincare brand Deoproce Philippines — he is the company’s new ambassador.

“Song Kang has a glow like no one else. He is perfect for the brand. We were enthralled by his great talent and fantastic personality. We truly enjoy working with him,” Angie Goyena, president of ZFace, Inc. — the brand’s distributor, said in a statement.

According to Mr. Kang, his simple skincare routine consists of a cleanser and a toner, which he follows up with a moisturizer and then sunscreen.

The brand’s new skincare products featuring Song Kang are the Green Caviar line (made with sea grapes) and Skin Rescue line.

Green Caviar contains vitamins A and C, as well as amino and Omega-3 fatty acids which help boost collagen production to reduce fine lines. It also has polysaccharides like Fucoidan which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

The Green Caviar line consists of a cleansing water (P690/150ml), a facial cleanser (P590/170ml), a toner (P790/150ml), a Vitamin C ampoule (P1,490/30ml), a water cream moisturizer (P1,490/100ml), and a skin-perfecting tint with SPF 30+ (P790/50ml).

Meanwhile, the Skin Rescue line comes with a cleansing foam (P690/170ml), a peeling gel (P790/170ml), a toner (P890/150ml), an ampoule (P1,490/30ml), a day and night moisturizer (P1,790/100ml), and a lightweight sunscreen (P890/50g).

Deoproce products are available in Watsons and SM Beauty, and online on Amorfia. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

A play on what it means to be a man

��ý — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 16:08:33 +0000

TOPICS about manhood and masculinity that are deemed taboo and vulgar are the focus of Dicktalks, a theatrical production of V-Roll Media Ventures that premieres in mid-April.

Directed by Phil Noble, the play takes inspiration from Eve Ensler’s popular The Vagina Monologues which broke many taboos when it premiered in 1996. Dicktalks includes open and intellectual discourse by those who identify as male — either by birth or choice.

The people behind production company V-Roll Media Ventures thought of producing an out-of-the-box project in their third year. Mr. Noble and V-Roll’s CEO and Creative Director Eboy Valdez Vinarao, Jr. came up with the play’s concept over coffee when the country was still under tight restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are new. We are unknown. And at this day and age wherein lahat ay pinag-uusapan na sa (everything is now talked about on) social media. We need to create something that is strong, brave, and bold,” Mr. Vinarao said in a press conference on Feb. 22 at the Mowelfund Film Institute in Quezon City.

The play revolves around five different yet relatable men — a teenager, a trans man, a sex worker, a metrosexual, and an old man. The characters are played by Jake Cuenca, Gold Aceron, Mikoy Morales, Archi Adamos, and Nil Nodalo.

Twenty-four-year-old actor and model Gold Aceron says he wants to learn more as an actor with exploring live theater.

“Gusto ko pa kasing matuto pa lalo. Ang alam ko sa teatro mas iba siya, iba ’y�ܲԲ� atake. (I want to learn more. Acting for theater is different and the approach is different),” Mr. Aceron said.

Nil Nodalo said that the play is an opportunity to give representation to transmen like him. He hopes “to share awareness on our community,” adding that there are not many transmen actors.

Movie and television actor Jake Cuenca returns to live theater whenever there is an opportunity. His last stint was with The Sandbox Collective and 9 Works Theatrical’s staging of Duncan McMillan’s Lungs in 2018.

“Every time I have the time to go back to theater, gagawin ko talaga (I will really do it),” Mr. Cuenca said. “Why I accepted the play was to remind myself kung bakit ko ginagawa ang ginagawa ko (why I do what I do). It’s because I’m an actor. It’s this continuous challenge… so that I can get better.”

Written by Ara Vicencio and Benj Cruz Garcia, the script went through numerous revisions and critiquing for a well-balanced storytelling. Mr. Vinarao said that the male writer wrote from the point of view of the actual male experience, and a female writer included insights from the female perspective.

“I don’t want to offend anyone ang gender anyone. We want to be sensitive in telling stories,” Mr. Noble said. “Pag-uusapan natin ang lalaki, ano ang kinalaman ng lalaki sa lipunan at sa kababaihan, [at kung] ano ang pagkalalaki. (We’ll talk about men, how they relate to society and to women, and what masculinity is).”

The play will have performances on April 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 23 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium (RCBC Theater) in Makati City. Tickets for DickTalk will be available at ; prices range from P2,000 to P3,650. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Imao sculpture honoring business restored, relocated

��ý — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 16:06:46 +0000

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FOR many years, the brass sculpture stood at the bank’s entrance facing De la Costa Street in Makati City. While protected by a roof, the sculpture was unnoticed and unappreciated as passersby went about their day at the business district. But now it has, figuratively, seen the light of day.

The hammered brass sculpture titled Filipino Entrepreneurs was created by Dr. Abdulmari Asia Imao, Sr. in 2006, the year he was named a National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts. The design veers from Mr. Imao’s signature motifs of the sarimanok and okir. It was originally commissioned by Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting, chairman of the Planters Development Bank. His father-in-law had in the past provided the National Artist with a scholarship.

Planters Bank merged with CBS China Bank Savings in 2015, and it was CBS that, in celebration of National Arts Month this year, made the sculpture more accessible to the community. This was done under the auspices of its expansion program called CBS Build & Rise Initiative.

The sculpture has been relocated to the entrance of CBS’s head office at 314 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Ave. in Makati.

CBS rededicated the work “to Dr. Imao, to Filipino entrepreneurs and their role in economic development, and to the men and women of CBS, whose expertise help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses through financial solutions and advisory services.”

“Filipino Entrepreneurs is one of Abdulmari Imao’s last monumental works. It is unique in that it is not a sarimanok nor a portrait of a historical figure (as Dr. Imao was usually commissioned to make) but his work is no less important because it pays tribute to Filipinos who create business, who may not have made it into history books but who are vital to our country’s economy,” a statement from the Imao family said.

THE RESTORATION
In 2022, CBS got in touch with the Imao family about having the sculpture restored. The National Artist’s son, Abdulmari “Toym” Imao, Jr., and his own son Diego Imao worked on the project.

Diego Imao said that the brass had faded over time while it was left in the shade. A portion of the faded patina has been kept to contrast with the polished golden whole he explained to ��ý shortly after the unveiling of the sculpture on Feb. 14.

“For most of my lolo’s work’s now, the estate is currently handled by my dad (Abdulmari “Toym Imao, Jr). All the restorations, paintings, archival work, certifications all go through the family,” he said.

“When CBS took us on for the project, my dad was busy because it was around that time Anak Datu was showing,” he said, referring to theater group Tanghalang Pilipino’s play based on a story by the National Artist and whose production design was done by his son. “So, this is something that I helped him out more a bit so we can make it happen.”

“CBS was very proactive in reaching out to us on wanting to relocate it and want to take efforts with the city to notice it,” said the National Artist’s grandson.

“There are still paintings and sculptures that have flown off our radar that pop up,” Mr. Imao said of his grandfather’s work. “Hopefully, it’s something that people take more of an effort for. You never know if the artist years ago eventually becomes a National Artist and you don’t know if you have [their works] in your building.”

ART FOR THE PUBLIC
The reinstalled sculpture is the first of many exceptional artworks the bank plans to share with the public.

CBS Officer-in-Charge of Marketing and Advertising Josephine F. Fernandez said that the bank plans to feature and display art at the bank’s more than 240 branches located throughout the country.

“Mr. Tambunting was a very serious art collector,” Ms. Fernandez told ��ý, adding that they have found paintings by Filipino artists kept in their head office which they plan to display in a public exhibition.

“In every locality where we (CBS) have presence, [there will be] something of heritage,” she said. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Summer MMFF pushing through; 8 entries announced

��ý — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 16:06:12 +0000

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A CRIME��drama from Brillante Mendoza and a musical using the songs of Rey Valera are among the eight entries in the inaugural summer edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) in April.

Originally meant to start three years ago, the summer edition of the annual film festival was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic which lead to nationwide lockdowns. The Summer MMFF will finally push through from April 8 to 18 in all cinemas nationwide.

The eight official entries are:

• Apag. A crime drama directed by Brillante Mendoza starring Coco Martin, Lito Lapid, Jacklyn Jose, and Gladys Reyes.

• Unravel: A Swiss Side Love Story. A romance filmed in Switzerland, it is directed by RC Delos Reyes starring Gerald Anderson and Kylie Padilla.

• Yung Libro sa Napanuod Ko. Actress Bela Padilla directs and stars opposite South Korean actor Yoo Min-gon in this romance.

• Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko. A musical directed by Joven Tan featuring the music of Rey Valera. It stars RK Bagatsing and Meg Imperial.

• Singlebells. A comedy directed by Fifth Solomon starring Aljur Abrenica, Alex Gonzaga and Angeline Quinto.

• Here Come the Groom. A comedy directed by Chris Martinez and starring Enchong Dee, Kempee de Leon, Awra Briguela, Maris Racal, and Kalad Karen.

• About Us But Not About Us. A dramatic thriller directed by Jun Robles Lana and starring Romnick Sarmenta and Elijah Canlas.

• Love You Long Time. A romance directed by JP Habac and starring Carlo Aquino.

“With the success of the holiday MMFF in bringing the movie going public back to the theaters, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Romando ‘Don’ Artes thought of finally pushing through with the very first summer MMFF which should have happened three years ago if it weren’t for the pandemic,” film festival spokesperson Noel Ferrer told ��ý in a message through Instagram.

The film festival is an annual project of the MMDA.

Last year’s December film festival, the first held fully onsite after the start of the COVID 19 pandemic, reached its target of P500 million in gross sales.

“We are hoping that with the built-in publicity and awareness that come with the MMFF, people can treat this as another event and chance to go back to the theaters once again,” Mr. Ferrer wrote.

Thirty-three films were submitted for consideration for the inaugural summer edition of the film festival.

Mr. Ferrer noted that film submissions for the summer edition are also eligible for the holiday edition “provided they fill up the necessary new entry forms” as there will be a separate selection.

The entries were chosen based on criteria similar to that of the annual MMFF: artistic excellence (40%), commercial appeal (40%), Filipino cultural sensibility (10%), and global appeal (10%).

The MMFF summer edition is organized by the MMDA along with the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines.

“This very first Summer MMFF is exciting because it’s all new, without any precedent or formula, nothing of the usual December film festival features and players, and a very good time for new and exciting concepts and collaborations that the Filipino audience should look forward to and support,” Mr. Ferrer said.

The Summer MMFF’s Parade of Stars will be held on April 2 from Commonwealth to Quezon City Circle, while the Awards Night is scheduled on April 18 at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City.

Just like during the annual film festival in December, no international movie titles will be screened in regular theaters for the duration of the Summer MMFF. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Barbie Almalbis celebrates 25 years in music

��ý — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 16:08:41 +0000

SHE started learning the guitar, writing songs, and singing at the age of 11. Alternative rock singer-songwriter Barbie Almalbis’ love for music has led to 25 years in the local music industry. Next month, she will celebrate the milestone with a concert, Firewoman: 25 Years of Barbie Almalbis which will be held at 123 Block in Mandala Park on March 11.

Ms. Almalbis began her career in 1996 as the lead vocalist of the bands Hungry Young Poets and Barbie’s Cradle. Their song “Tabing Ilog” was used as a theme for an ABS-CBN afternoon TV series of the same title. In 2005, she pursued a solo career and has since released four studio albums.

Growing up in Roxas City, Capiz, Ms. Almalbis was never exposed to the idea of making a career out of music.

“What happened to me musically speaking — l being here, and 25 years later having all these songs — is a surprise to me,” Ms. Almalbis said at a press conference on Feb. 22 at the Empty Stomach Café and Lounge Bar in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. “All I knew was I love music. I play the guitar every day since [I was] 11 years old, and hindi ko siya plinano na magiging ganito (I did not plan for it to become the way it is).”

The concert will reunite her two bands — Hungry Young Poets and Barbie’s Cradle. She will be performing some of the most notable hits of her career in three separate sets.

“I’m just so excited to play alongside some of my old friends, who also happen to be some of my favorite musicians,” Ms. Almalbis in a statement. “We have so many great memories, making music, touring, and growing up together. They’ve taught me so much over the years. I’m just so grateful for this opportunity to jam with all of them on the show. I’m also looking forward to sharing the stage with many other artists I admire.”

“When you enter the music industry, suddenly may pressure na kailangan may maabot ka na success or dapat ma-sustain mo (there is suddenly the pressure to achieve a level of success or maintain it),” she said. “Not every song that you put out will be received the same way. So, I guess what helped me was that original reason why I started writing music — it was just for the joy of it.”

The concert will also feature performances by Sandwich, Gab Alipe of Urbandub, Clara Benin, I Belong To The Zoo, Kai del Rio, and Bird, and is presented by GNN Entertainment Productions, in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment, Backspacer Records, JB Music, Nova Wellness Store, and 123 Block.

A NEW ALBUM
Alongside the upcoming anniversary concert, the singer will release a new album, Barbie Almalbis: Tower Sessions Live.

The idea for the album came about after listening to a recording from a Tower Sessions online show where Ms. Almalbis’ band played. The show was hosted by the music production studio Tower of Doom.

“We were just supposed to do a gig with them… so we just made the setlist for the show,” she said. “But after the event, we were having dinner and listening to the playback and natuwa kami (we were happy) [about] how it was recorded and how it sounded,” she said.

The album was recorded in 2021. It includes the track “Kumpas” — a song she co-wrote with her husband, Martin Honasan — which takes its inspiration from the Bible verse Matthew 6:33. In the track, Ms. Almalbis also plays the kudlong, a boat-shaped two-stringed lute played among Southern Mindanao groups.

In terms of songwriting, Ms. Almalbis noted incorporating simple and complex chords and techniques.

“I have also gotten to the point where hindi naman porket nagawa mo na iyon ay kailangan mo nang itapon (Having done something does not mean it has to be disregarded),” She described the process as “swimming forward and then swimming back” and “finding out what works.”

“Enjoy the ride. Sometimes [when] you get caught up in the pressure, sometimes you don’t appreciate where you are,” she said.

Ms. Almalbis will also be releasing a collaborative single titled “Catch Me” with Sugar Hiccup’s Melody del Mundo on March 1.

The 45-year-old singer considers the collaboration as a wonderful opportunity to finally work with her favorite musician after missing her at a college fair concert.

“Over the years, I finally got to meet her in the States [where Ms. Del Mundo is now based] and we got to play in the same venue,” Ms. Almalbis said, adding that they talked online and she was invited to write and record a song.

With 25 years and counting in the local music scene, Ms. Almalbis maintains her original goal from when she started.

“Music is a gift. Music can be enjoyed in many ways. You can be a professional musician, you can be a musician at home. Being able to play, being able to listen, being able to write is a really a great source of joy…I think, I think that should first and foremost – that you’re really enjoying,” she said. “And then at the same time, have a great team. We can’t do it on our own. Get out there and collaborate with people.”

Tickets to Firewoman: 25 Years of Barbie Almalbis are available for purchase via TicketMelon. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Markki Stroem and Karylle Tatlonghari join The Sound of Music cast

��ý — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:04:37 +0000

KARYLLE TATLONGHARI��and Markki Stroem join the international touring cast of The Sound of Music for its Manila season.

Actress, singer, and host Karylle Tatlonghari takes on the role of Baroness Elsa von Schraeder; the woman who has her eyes set firmly on the Captain. Radio host, model, and actor Markki Stroem will be playing Rolf, the delivery boy in love with the eldest von Trapp child, Liesl.

The two actors waited to be confirmed for their roles for about a month, after sending an audition video and reel, and then having one meeting with the creative team.

“I have sent a few auditions already to a lot of other international projects.�� And sometimes you feel [that] they’ll get someone from [another] country,” Mr. Stroem said in a press conference on Feb. 17 at The Gallery at Greenbelt 5 in Makati City.

“There’s a part of you that feels like it’s not going to happen. But you just have to keep becoming a better performer than you were before,” he added.

Mr. Stroem got the call from the production while he was doing a radio program. His reaction was secretly filmed by his colleagues upon receiving confirmation.

Meanwhile, Ms. Tatlonghari noted that she auditioned fairly for the role, debunking the notion that roles in the theater scene are offered more easily to children of celebrities or artists.�� Ms. Tatlonghari is the daughter of singer and actress Zsazsa Padilla. This comes after several discussions about “nepo-babies”: children of celebrities who were alleged to have had their last names play a role in getting plum parts.

“It doesn’t come easy. You might think that they were just probably cast,” Ms. Tatlonghari said, referring to actors already with a degree of fame, whether by themselves or through their families. “It’s nice to have a support group,” she said about the time she was waiting for the announcement.

SOUND OF MUSIC MEMORIES
Both actors have vivid memories of enjoying the musical in their childhood. For Ms. Tatlonghari, watching the musical was a bonding activity with the family. “My dad and I would rent laser discs every Friday,” she recalled. “The Sound of Music is one of the top rented musicals in our home.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Stroem first saw the musical in German on VHS tape.

“I lived in Germany from when I was nine to 12 [years old]. Essentially having studied over there, it’s a whole different process. I don’t think they’re even allowed to show the Nazi flags — that is the conflict of the story. And that is where my character usually takes a lot of it from,” he said.

“[Rolf] is a soldier. Having watched it in Germany, I got to understand how much were so against this regime. And having seen that, I was able to understand it in a different way from people who were part of the opposition,” he added.

Both actors have begun rehearsals in Manila and will be joined by the rest of the touring company at the end of the month.�� Ms. Tatlonghari and Mr. Stroem will be joining touring company members Jill-Christine Wiley as Maria Rainer, Trevor Martin as Captain von Trapp, and Lauren Kidwell as Mother Abbess, and Lauren O’Brien as Liesl. The von Trapp children starring in the musical will join the company for the first time during the Manila production.

“I think there’s something about the classics and the things that we grew up with that speaks to the hearts of people,” Ms. Tatlonghari said of the musical’s timelessness. “When a lot of people are excited about The Sound of Music, it’s because it brings them back to a simpler time — to their inner child — that it just goes around and sings and twirls and enjoys life,” she said.

The Sound of Music runs in Manila from March 7 to 26 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati. The international tour of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical is presented by Broadway International Group, Broadway Asia, AMA Group of Companies, in association with GMG Productions.

�� Tickets are available online at ticketworld.com.ph and TicketWorld outlets. BPI credit cardholders can get up to 15% off on tickets to Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday evening performances. The following discounts apply for every card variant: 15% discount for BPI Visa Signature Card; 10% discount for BPI Platinum Rewards Mastercard and BPI Amore Platinum Cashback Card; and 5% discount for BPI eCredit Mastercard, BPI Blue Mastercard, Petron-BPI Mastercard, BPI Edge Mastercard,�� BPI Amore Cashback Card,�� BPI Gold Mastercard, and BPI Corporate Mastercard. These offers are valid until March 6, 2023. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

A witty take on a zarzuela

��ý — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:02:28 +0000

Theater Review
Walang Aray
PETA Theater
Runs from Feb. 17 to May 14

When the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) announced that they were doing an original musical as their opener for their comeback season to live theater since the coronavirus pandemic, I felt it was a bold move as many theater productions were pursuing reruns of their hit shows. Walang Aray doesn’t disappoint.

Walang Aray is an adaptation of a screenplay of the same name, based on Severino Reyes’ classic zarzuela, Walang Sugat. Zarzuelas are lyric-dramas written in Filipino, popular in the 1800s, influenced by Spain’s tradition of musical drama and dance. Stories of Philippine zarzuelas often give representation to lives of Filipinos.

Set during the Philippine revolution of 1896, the musical begins with a front act of three women performers. As they are singing, the audience is slowly introduced to one of the main settings of the story — the stage. After the first number, actors who play stage crew fuss about the star of the show — Julia has not shown up for her opening number.

In the following scene, we see Julia in her dressing room as her mother reminds her to go onstage because the affluent Miguel (Jarred Jaicten), who she wants to introduce to her only daughter, is watching that evening. Despite secretly speaking to her real lover Tenyong (KD Estrada) and hiding him in the dressing room’s clothes rack, Julia stubbornly follows her mother. As the first act unfolds, the audience learns that Julia is against the idea of her mother choosing a husband for her.

Meanwhile, another conflict is presented with the story of Tenyong, whose father was killed by friars. To avenge his father’s death, Tenyong joins the rebellion in the fight against the colonizers. This decision leads him to sacrifice his time away from Julia. After a long time of waiting, Julia learns that Tenyong has been killed. She is then confronted with the decision on whether or not to agree wedding Miguel instead.

Alexa Ilacad was a delight to watch as Julia. The harmonies in her duets with Mr. Estrada blend beautifully. Another couple, Monica (Kiki Baento) and Lucas (Carlon Josol Matobato) who play the help, upstaged the other couples as they had adorable chemistry. The character of Padre Alfaro (Johnnie Moran) also had a strong presence. Despite being the villain of the story, his exaggerated antics make him a likable character. JayLo Cunanan’s detailed and colorful costumes added personality to each character.

Rody Vera’s script merges the classic story with contemporary language, music, and humor that land successfully. Vince Lim’s music shifts the material from the lyric-drama style of a classic zarzuela to a contemporary musical. The scenes focused on the couple and their families felt like watching an old sitcom.

While it was interesting to follow the progression of Julia and Tenyong’s love story, I felt that the plot on the Philippine Revolution was a bit sidelined. Watching this version made me interested to also see a staging of the original material.

I personally like the catchy songs and the fusion of contemporary trends such as TikTok dances and spoken word poetry. It also includes references to present-day technology, such as the use of a ring light and giving a ride a five-star rating. The story is also updated with LGBTQ+ representation.

Since the show runs until May, I plan to watch it again (and also see the portrayals of the alternate actors), this time with companions. It was the first time I had a good laugh in a long while. Despite the two-hour run, I did not realize time passing. The evening made for a Valentines’ Day well-spent at the theater.

Walang Aray will run at the PETA Theater Center from Feb. 17 to May 14, 2023. Tickets will be available via TicketWorld.com.ph — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Fantasy series focuses on Philippine heroine

��ý — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 16:01:31 +0000

AFTER its success with historical series Maria Clara at Ibarra, GMA Network again turns to the country’s past — again with a twist of fantasy — with Mga Lihim ni Urduja which premieres on Feb. 27, replacing the earlier time-travel tale based on Joe Rizal’s famous novel, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

The drama, set in a pre-colonial world, showcases a modern adventure.

It is loosely based on the legendary warrior princess — or hara – Urduja. She is mentioned in the travel accounts of Ibn Battuta in the 1400s, where he was impressed by her military exploits. She is believed to have been from the province of Pangasinan.

The stars of the show Encantadia — Kylie Padilla, Gabbi Garcia, and Sanya Lopez — reunite in the new series. as Gem, Crystal, and Hara Urduja, respectively.

Gem, a modern-day police officer, and Crystal, a jewelry designer, recover priceless jewelry known to be the magical amulets of Hara Urduja. To defeat a nemesis that they never imagined to be so closely linked to both of them, Gem and Crystal must deal with personality problems as well as the astonishing realization that they may be long-lost half-sisters and gifted descendants of Urduja.

“I’m surprised that I was included in the cast,” Ms. Lopez said in a press conference on Feb. 15 at Le Reve Pool and Events venue in Quezon City. She added that she is happy that she reunited with the her fellow cast members from Encantadia.

“Si Urduja ibang klase siya at magandang role siya para sa akin, kaya ko siya tinanggap (Urduja is a unique role and for me it is beautiful, that’s why I accepted the role).”

“It’s my first time to play a policewoman, so it’s a very different place in the craft,” said Ms. Padilla, who has previously done action scenes in fantasy shows.

Also in the cast are Arra San Agustin, Michelle Dee, Vin Abrenica, Kristoffer Martin, Pancho Magno, Jeric Gonzales, Rochelle Pangilinan, and Zoren Legaspi.

Co-director Jorron Lee Monroy, without stating any figures, said that the series is also a big-budget project which utilizes filmmaking technology that will include graphics as if living in a virtual world.

The series tackles the theme of women empowerment and the narrative of how women held positions of power during the precolonial period.

“Sometimes, we are wrong about how we think of ourselves and how we belittle our strengths,” concept creator and head writer Jojo Tawasil Nones said of the show’s message.

“Matagal na tayong pinapaniwalang hanggang biktima lang ang ating pwedeng gampanan. Pero tayo ang lahi ng mandirigma na palaban at matatapang (For a long time, we were made to believe that we could only play victims. But we are a race of warriors who fight and are brave),” he said.

“Whatever you are into, you should be proud of it. We are happy to be creating something for the Filipino audience and hopefully something for the international audience that we can be proud of,” associate director Ralf Malabunga said.

Also in the show’s creative team are director Aloy Adlawan, senior creative consultant Agnes Gagelonia-Uligan, content development consultant Ricky Lee, senior writer John Roque, writers Renei Dimla and Patrick Ilagan, and contributing writer Jai Shane Cañete.

Mga Lihim ni Urduja premieres on Feb. 27. It airs weeknights at 8 p.m. and at 9:40 p.m. on GTV. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Ballet Manila dances again with classics for its 25th season

��ý — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 16:03:50 +0000

AFTER a fire destroyed it in 2019, followed by the coronavirus pandemic which kept its doors shut for a further two years, the Aliw Theater in Pasay City is finally reopening. Its inaugural performance is also Ballet Manila’s return to the stage with the first of three productions of its 25^th performance season, Of Hope and Homecoming.

“Once again Aliw Theater is open, and live performances are back, and there is a rebirth and a renewal of the ability to perform to a live audience,” Ballet Manila CEO and artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde said during a press conference on Feb. 8 at the Aliw Theater.

Due to the uncertainty of mounting a full season, Ms. Macuja-Elizalde waited for the other ballet companies to finish their shows last year before opening a full season for Ballet Manila.

She described it as a “radical” move to open the season in February instead August as the company used to do.

ROMEO AND JULIET
Just as radical is the 25^th season’s opening production, British choreographer Martin Lawrence’s reimagining of Romeo and Juliet in a modern Filipino setting with a mix of musical genres.

The ballet is set in a quaint Philippine town with dancers dressed in hip costumes, performing to a mash-up of the original Prokofiev score along with popular OPM songs, and tracks from the musical West Side Story.

“I really wanted it to be a mixture,” Mr. Lawrence said of combining contemporary music and with the original classical score.

“Prokofiev is so heavy all the way through [that] I needed to give it some variety,” he said.

There will be performances on Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 19 at 5 p.m.

DON QUIXOTE
The season will continue with the classical ballet, Don Quixote.

“My ballet teacher in Russia said that company dancers get strong with putting up classical ballet,” Ms. Macuja-Elizalde said. “So, I really wanted there to be a full-length classical. And the easiest classical performance to put on if you don’t have that many dancers is Don Quixote.” Ballet Manila currently has 30 dancers.

The main role of Kitri will be played by Katherine Barkman. Mentored by Macuja-Elizalde from 2015 to 2018, Ms. Barkman was a principal dancer at Ballet Manila before moving back to the US in 2018. She is currently at the San Francisco Ballet.

Ms. Barkman will be in town to dance alongside Esteban Hernandez, a principal danseur at San Francisco Ballet, who will play Basilio.

“Coming back to the full-length Kitri, I had a lot more time dancing excerpts of Kitri over the last few years,” Ms. Barkman, who began dancing the role at 19, said at the press conference via Zoom. “To return to the full-length, the biggest difference that I hope will be evident is a more authentic and natural approach to the character,” she said.

Don Quixote goes onstage on May 27 at 8 p.m. and May 28 at 5 p.m.

IBONG ADARNA
Finally, the performance season will close with an original Filipino work, Ibong Adarna by Gerardo Francisco.

Mr. Francisco’s choreography for the ballet has received multiple accolades including Gawad Buhay awards for Outstanding Male Lead for Modern Dance, Outstanding Modern Dance Production, and Outstanding Choreography for Modern Dance.

Mr. Francisco noted that this version will be shorter, and an LED screen will be maximized for visual effects.

Ibong Adarna goes on stage Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. and Aug. 20 at 5 p.m.

“This is an auspicious beginning. It may be a simple beginning but it’s a beginning, nonetheless. And from here, we are just starting and we are going to soar,” Ms. Macuja-Elizalde said.

All performances will be staged at Aliw Theater, Pasay City. For tickets, visit or call 8891-9999. To know more about Ballet Manila and its shows, visit . — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

The CCP in 2023

��ý — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 16:01:53 +0000

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AS the main building of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) shuts down for the first of a multi-year renovation, the CCP’s programs will be traveling to a variety of performances spaces.

The CCP’s program lineup this year aims to be more accessible and diverse, with live performances, productions, exhibits, as well as training and education programs.

“We hope that through our increased geographical presence and more outreach activities, the public will know that we are relentless in offering arts and cultural experiences for people from all walks of life,” CCP president Margarita “Margie” Moran-Floirendo said in a statement. “While we are temporarily closing our home, our commitment to fulfill our duties will even be intensified.”

CHALLENGES
The program announced during the press conference was not complete as more performances and programs by resident companies will be announced as schedules are firmed up.

CCP Vice-President and Artistic Director Dennis Marasigan said that the chosen titles will depend on how the final venue will measure to their requirements.

“Because of the transfer of the CCP, we are really behind in terms of the fulfillment of the contracts. Because also of the changes of schedule with the transfer of venues we are finalizing those things,” Mr. Marasigan said in a press conference on Feb. 2 at the CCP Black Box Theater.

“One of the problems we are encountering because of the changes in the CCP is that we also lack rehearsal venues. There are certain companies that are having second thoughts about their own seasons,” he added.

THE PROGRAM
The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) will present the sixth and seventh concerts of its 38^th season on Feb. 24 and March 17 at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.

Tanghalang Pilipino’s Ang Pag-uusig, the Filipino adaptation of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, will open on Feb. 17 and run until March 12. The play won six Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards (including Outstanding Translation and Outstanding Play) after its first run in April 2018. The Crucible used the setting of the Salem witch trials in the 1690s to comment on the United States government’s persecution in the 1950s of people accused of being communist. Ang Pag-uusig in turn, uses The Crucible to comment on the Philippine situation.

There will also be a three-day festival called Performatura slated on March 31 to April 2 at the CCP’s new black box theater, the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez. Performatura is the country’s biggest performance literature festival celebrating the written word, performance, and the rich history of Philippine literature.

On March 28 to April 1, Ballet Philippines will hold a week-long dance celebration featuring characters of Carlo Calma’s Diyosa. To be performed at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit Makati, this story is set in a dreamy mythical world depicting Filipino culture and heritage, fusing fashion, art, music, and architecture.

The CCP will also conduct workshops and training programs for young musicians in different regions to upgrade their skills and prepare them for professional careers with the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA).

WEBSITE MAINTENANCE
Meanwhile, the CCP’s official website is undergoing maintenance and will soon be active within the year.

“Our website, once its fully up, will really have a good connection to the archives,” Mr. Marasigan said. “We have not digitized all the collections… we are making sure that the library is going to be up [and running] again as soon as possible.

The digitized collections are accessible at https://collections.culturalcenter.gov.ph/ while the CCP time capsule, which includes text and photos of events and programs, is accessible at https://timecapsule.culturalcenter.gov.ph/.

THE RENOVATIONS HAVE BEGUN
After the National Artist Leondro Locsin-designed main building of the CCP was the named an important cultural property in 2019, it closed this January for the first year of a major three-year renovation.

The redevelopment of the building, which opened in 1969, will retain its architectural design and focus on structural improvements including upgrading its fire, drainage, electrical and environmental protection systems and other changes needed to conform to modern building codes. The project will include climate change adaptation measures to improve energy and water efficiency. The improved facilities will be gender-responsive and inclusive for persons with disabilities and senior citizens.

An initial budget of P900 million was allocated for the rehabilitation of the CCP Main Building, which came from an earlier proposed budget for an Artist Center.

The second phase will cover the repair of facilities such as the hydraulic lift, freight elevator, LED lights, rigging system, and acoustics. But given the scale and ambitions for the project, more funds may be needed.

The allotted P900 million will only cover the structural renovations such as plumbing, electrical, and drainage. Additional money will be needed for interior renovations and architectural design.

“We are approximating that it will cost an additional amount of about P200 million, but that is a very conservative amount,” CCP trustee Junie del Mundo said. “X-rays are being taken of the structure [for structural defects] because… we do not want to damage the integrity of the building,” he said.

“We are going to go back to congress for additional appropriation and [will] also tap sponsors to help us with the renovations,” he added.

For more inquiries and information on this year’s programs, visit the CCP website at www.culturalcenter.gov.ph or like and subscribe to their Facebook Page, Twitter or Instagram accounts. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Avon releases new floral fragrance

��ý — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 16:03:37 +0000

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AS the warm weather returns and with the opening up of mobility with the end of the COVID-19 lockdowns, fragrances, along with cosmetics, have seen an increase in market demand.

Taking advantage of this interest, Avon has released its new fragrance, Eve Truth, in the Philippines, with actress Heart Evangelista serving as the ambassador for its ad campaign, “Own Your Truth.”

“It’s really part of our innovation to be launching different kinds of products within the beauty category, and because fine fragrances are increasing in terms of demand, we saw this as an opportunity,” Avon Cosmetic marketing director Anna Garces told ��ý during the product launch on Feb. 8 in Makati City.

“The fine fragrances are the ones that are more concentrated,” Ms. Garces explained.

Eve Truth is an eau de parfum that means that it contains a high concentration of fragrance oils. Formulated by French perfumer Laurent Le Guernec, Eve Truth’s top notes are cassis, carambola (star fruit), black currant, and pomegranate, with middle notes of pink freesia, peony, and gardenia.

“Eve Truth is an intensely fresh floral fragrance created with an exclusive-to-Avon Natural Aura Accord that captures the olfactive family of fresh freesia combined with warm cedarwood,” explained Kariz Gabrin, Avon Cosmetics group category manager for fragrance, during the launch. “Personally, what I like about this product is it’s a very clean scent, it’s a pure scent that doesn’t mask your true self,” she said.

The fragrance comes in a 50ml geometric-cut glass bottle with a lime green tint.

As a perfume wearer, Ms. Garces said that she usually applies the scent on pulse areas “because that’s where there is warmth to distribute the scent.”

When a stronger scent is desired, she advised to spray it on clothes, on the back of the calves, and on the user’s hair too.

Avon’s Eve Truth is available at avonshop.ph, Lazada and Shoppee for P795. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Writer, activist Lualhati Bautista, 77��

��ý — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 08:32:46 +0000

Writer, novelist, and activist Lualhati Bautista passed away at the age of 77 on Sunday morning. ��

“Sad news for our Torres Clan, our first cousin Lualhati Bautista died at 77 years old this morning,” the late writer’s cousin Sonny Ross Samonte said in a Facebook post on Feb. 12. ��

Born in Tondo,��Manila on Dec. 2, 1945, Ms. Bautista��studied��journalism at the��Lyceum of the Philippines. The publication of her first short story��“Katugon��ng��Damdamin”��in��Liwayway Magazine��launched her writing career. ��

Ms. Bautista is best known for her novels��Dekada��’70��(1983); Bata, Bata,��Pa’no��Ka��Ginawa?��(1984); and��Gapo��(1980) – all titles��which��earned Carlos Palanca Memorial for Literature awards.��

Apart from being a novelist, Ms. Bautista also��wrote��screenplays��for film and television. The film��Bulaklak��sa��City Jail��won Best Story and Best Screenplay at the Metro Manila Film Festival in 1984, while the 2002 film adaptation of her novel��Dekada��’70��also earned Best Story and Best Screenplay recognition from the Urian Awards and Young Critics Circle. The series��Isang��Kabanata��sa��Libro ng Buhay��ni��Leilani��Cruzaldo��won Best Drama Story for TV at the Catholic Mass Media Awards in 1987.��

Ms. Bautista��also served as vice-president of the Screenwriters Guild of the Philippines and as chair of the��Kapisanan��ng��mga��Manunulat��ng��Nobelang��Popular. She was��a��founding��member of��the��Concerned Artists of the Philippines Women’s Desk and Writers in Cultural and Creative Alternatives. ��

In 1986, Ms. Bautista became a national fellow for fiction by the University of the Philippines (UP) Creative Writing Center. She also received the Diwata Award for best writer at the 16^th��International Women’s Film Festival of the��UP Film��Center in 2006. ��

Ms. Bautista was also an activist who criticized the sociopolitical system in the country – issues and topics were evident in her writing. ��

Among her last published titles were��Bayan Ko, an anthology of short stories, in 2019;��and��Alitaptap��sa��Gabing��Madilim, a poetry collection, in 2020.��— MAPS

A series tackles a child’s first 1,000 days

��ý — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 16:07:04 +0000

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THE KNOWLEDGE Channel has come up with a new educational show on parenting and early childhood care. Presented together with the National Nutrition Council (NNC), the show, ILY 1000, premieres on Feb. 14.

The 16-episode show will tackle various topics ranging from health and nutrition, to early learning in the context of a child’s first 1,000 days in life.

“This partnership with the NCC started as a response for the need to continuously improve and provide nutrition education classes to parents and caregivers during the pandemic when face to face activities are more difficult,” Rina Lopez, executive director of Knowledge Channel Foundation, said at a press conference on Feb. 6 at the National Nutrition Council in Taguig City.

“Studies have shown that 90% of brain development happens before the age of five. Because the brain is extremely malleable at this point in a child’s life, their experiences, including their nutrition, in their first five years will serve as a foundation of their learning and development later in life.”

In the series, Marlo Mortel and Majoy Apostol play new parents, Mark and Angela.

“It’s very important for viewers to watch it because when we were shooting it, we learned about proper care for the wife. That’s what I feel is not much informed to many…,” Mr. Mortel said on the educational aspect of the show. “It’s not just entertaining but also fun.”

In working on the project, Ms. Apostol said she learned about many of a mother’s responsibilities.

“It’s about a newlywed couple and the series will also show to raise a family properly. There will be lessons about the pregnancy period, and coping with postpartum stress,” Ms. Apostol said in English and Filipino.

ILY 1000 premieres on Feb. 14, 4 p.m., at the Knowledge Channel and on the following Facebook pages: NNC Official, Knowledge Channel, and First 1000 Days PH. New shows will be released on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with replays aired every Thursday and Saturday on the Knowledge Channel. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Sansó’s images of Brittany

��ý — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 16:04:41 +0000

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For 24 summers, the Le Dantec family, publishers of Ouest France, the largest newspaper in France at that time, invited Filipino-Spanish artist Juvenal Sansó to visit them at their house in Brittany, a peninsula situated in the northwest of France. Because of his visits, Mr. Sansó painted scenes of Brittany from the 1960s to the 2000s.

A collection of “Sansó’s Brittany” paintings, including never before seen works, is currently on view until Feb. 11 at Galerie Joaquin at Power Plant Mall in Makati City.

The artist’s visits to Brittany were the result of his friendship with the Rouault family — Yves le Dantec was a son in law of Georges Rouault.

“For over 22 years, I would go to their house on the coast and they helped me ever so gently but efficiently to feel and understand a world so different from my visual past.�� It took me two years of just staring at the sea and the changing tides, and the rose granite rocks,” Mr. Sansó wrote in an essay about his Brittany experience.

“I simply could not paint. I had to digest it first and filter it. If the friendship faltered or ceased, I would have developed an inner path to Brittany. This landscape was so beautiful. I felt I did not deserve it. I had no language to express it yet,” he added.

The exhibit shows the transition from the early stages of the Brittany series to his most recent. The collection was acquired by Galerie Joaquin during its two-decade partnership with the artist since 2003.

PROGRESSIONS
Among highlights are 12 works from 1960s sketchbooks which Mr. Sansó classified as “AA” (“really good”). The series shows close paintings of waves crashing on the rocks.

“He would sketch details on how the water crashed against the rocks, how the wind affects the waves, how the light changes as the time goes by,” Fundacion Sansó curator and director Ricky Francisco told ��ý at the exhibition opening on Feb. 3.

Painted in olive and brown, the landscapes done in the 1970s and 1980s were the more popular of the Brittany series.

Mr. Francisco said that it was in this period when Mr. Sanso started exploring and “making his own imaginary landscape” and included the breadth of the coast in his paintings.

Then in the 1990s and 2000s, the works evolved to be more imaginary, with a combination of yellow and green rocks with vegetation, and the sea at the background.

“Brittany was his expression of gratitude to the Le Dantec [family]… Aside from being a place where he healed himself from the trauma of war, it was a [place of] human interaction between [the artist and] Le Dantec,” Mr. Francisco said.

“Sansó’s Brittany” is on display until Feb. 11 at Galerie Joaquin Rockwell. For more information, visit . — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

NCCA celebrates National Arts Month with onsite and online activities

��ý — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 16:03:44 +0000

THE NATIONAL Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) celebrates this year’s National Arts Month (NAM) with both online and physical activities from February to March.

Themed “Ani ng Sining, Bunga ng Galing,” this year’s celebration aims “to immerse Filipinos in diverse cultural expressions and celebrate the bountiful harvest from the Filipino imagination,” a press release stated.

NCCA Executive Director Oscar G. Casaysay noted the word “g��Բ�” which refers to excellence in the arts as both a source of bounty despite challenging times, and a product of the passion of Filipino artists and cultural workers.

“It also underscores the capacity of the arts to heal, reveal, and restore in a post pandemic setting,” Mr. Casaysay said in a speech at a press conference announcing the activities on Feb. 1 at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.

“[The arts allow] us to preserve and collect stories. It can be a personal story, story of a community, or story of a nation and presented in an art form that is allowed to be appreciated no matter if that person is from that community or not, whether they went through that experience or not,” beauty queen and NCCA Arts ambassador Catriona Gray said.

During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the NCCA was able to give 10,212 affected freelance artists and cultural workers financial assistance.

“They (the artists) are back into creating works and many of that we will harvest during this National Arts Month celebration. Kaya ang ating mga events ay dadalhin natin sa iba’t ibang probinsya para ma-showcase iyung ating mga artists (Our activities will be brought to various provinces to showcase our artists) who continue to create works in the different art forms,” NCCA Deputy Executive Director Marichu Tellano said.

The festivities will kick off with an opening ceremony on Feb. 12 at the Rizal Park Open-Air Auditorium showcasing various performances, workshops, a poem and story reading, and film excerpts. There will be a walking tour and workshops on visual arts, action-song for theater, dance, indigenous music, short film making using smartphone, and spoken word performances from 2 to 4 p.m. From 6-8 p.m., there will be performances by singer Joey Ayala, Kalinga Music, spoken word poetry, classical guitar, a rondalla, and a theater performance, among others.

THE ACTIVITIES
The architecture and allied arts committee will host a hybrid-webinar series called Saan Ka Lulugar 2023: Resiliency in the Built and Design Environment which will discuss how interior and exterior spaces changed in the new normal. It will include hybrid webinars, an exhibition, and walking tours that highlight the history and significance of selected sites in the context of their communities and how they have stood the test of time attesting to their resilience. It will be held on Feb. 27 at the Metropolitan Theater, and March 3 in Cebu City.

The committee on cinema will host the 15^th Cinema Rehiyon, a festival that promote films that tell stories rooted in the culture of the regions. It will provide an opportunity for regional filmmakers — first-timers, veterans, amateurs, professionals — to show their films to a wider audience and to provide an opportunity for regional filmmakers to build networks. It will be held in various venues in Baguio City on March, with onsite and online activities such as film talks with an online component, and on ground screenings, talkbacks and round table discussions. The schedule will be announced on the NCC Facebook page ().

The dance committee’s Sayaw Pinoy festival will host a show on Feb. 19 at Manila’s Rizal Park, with more performances on Feb. 23 to 24 in Kalibo, Aklan, Feb. 27 in San Fernando and Mabalacat, Pampanga, and March 29 to 30 in Bacolod. Founded by artistic director Dr. Shirley Halili-Cruz, Sayaw Pinoy aims to provide venue for established and upcoming dance groups to interact, exchange choreographic ideas, discover more groups from the regions and provide them with opportunities to showcase their works.

The 17^th TANGHAL under the dramatic arts committee will consist of two components — regional live theater performances in in-person festivals in each island cluster, and a national online festival wherein the performances at the regional festivals will be videoed, edited, uploaded, and disseminated through online platforms. The schedule of activities will be announced later.

The National Committee on Literary Arts (NCLA) will conduct Panitikan ng Panumduman, an on-site conference that will delve into the “literature of memory” within and along the strands of Klima (Climate), Kuwerpo (Body), and Kronika (Chronicle). The two-day public plenary event will have National Artists Resil Mojares and Jimmy Abad as the keynote speakers. There will be a tribute to the literary stalwarts of Pangasinan like the late National Artist F. Sionil Jose, Carlos Bulosan, and Maria Magsano, as well as a launch of four literary publications by the NCLA. The schedule of activities will be announced on the NCLA Facebook page ().

Musikapuluan: Mga Bagong Tugtugin Natin is the project of the National Committee on Music (NCM) with the aim to provide a venue for different music forms and genres from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and the National Capital Region to showcase their works. The program will enable different musicians, choirs, symphonic bands and orchestras, and production teams to be innovative in these uncertain times. To provide more space for artistic expressions, newly created works and music will be showcased through a four-weekend program. The schedule of activities is to be announced at a later date.

The committee on visual arts will present the Bagong Biswal festival which is composed of three sections: Sineng Sining, Sining Sinag, and Sining Biswal. Sineng Sining features videos from artists/groups with in-community art engagements related to visual arts activities such as art therapy workshops, public performance art, new media or video engagements, street art initiatives, art residency programs, and art education campaigns. “Sining Sinag” is a physical art exhibit which will include artist’s talks and fellowship activities. Sining Biswal Scene is an introduction of artists and their works, with discussions on a variety of topics including copyright, production and praxis, return to the native, ageless artmaking, street art now, new media, and exploration of possible solutions. The schedule of activities is to be announced on the NCVA Facebook page ().

This year, the NCCA will also host the Ani ng Dangal awarding ceremony which recognizes artists, cultural workers and works that have earned international awards and accolades during the past year. Details for this year’s Ani ng Dangal have yet to be announced.

For more information, visit the NCCA Facebook page (). — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

South Korean bargain shopping show gets Philippine adaptation

��ý — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 16:02:21 +0000

SINCE everyone loves a bargain, and online platforms have made these even more popular, a Korean reality show on shopping and figuring out the best deals for a product now has a Philippine version.

The Philippine adaptation of South Korea’s web variety show Nego King premieres on Feb. 8, 8 p.m., on and LazLive on the Lazada app.

The original Korean Nego King premiered in 2020 on YouTube. Since then, it has aired 60 episodes across four seasons.

Nego King Philippines is produced by KROMA Entertainment’s ANIMA Studios in partnership with global entertainment company A+E Networks Asia.

“As a global IP Media Group, we’re constantly creating new formats that transcend cultures and languages. We’re thrilled to have found a likeminded partner in Kroma, to bring Nego King to the Philippines,” the A+E Networks Asia Managing Director said in a statement.

“Fueled by our desire to expand our content portfolio, we now bring to our audience a fresh and original unscripted show that is excellently delivered by our talents and creatives at ANIMA. And on top of our objective to wildly entertain our viewers each and every episode, we also want to reward them royally with unprecedented deals courtesy of our episode partners,” Head of ANIMA Studios Bianca Balbuena said in a statement.

The host of the local version of Nego King is television and radio personality Sam YG (real name: Samir Gogna) who is the show’s “Nego King” or king of negotiation. He negotiates with company executives to lower product prices and come up with offers for the show’s audience.

In the show, Mr. Gogna roams the streets of Metro Manila to interact with potential customers. He asks them their thoughts on a product and what would make them purchase it. These people’s sentiments will serve as a basis to negotiate the best deals with business owners for discounts and offers that viewers can avail in each episode.

“Talagang lalapitan ko iyung mga tao (I will approach people) — man on the street, mga normal citizens. Ako ang hahabol sa kanila (I will go after them)…,” Mr. Gogna explained during a media conference on Feb. 2 at Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

The product to be negotiated over will be revealed to the host just before he roams the streets.

“I don’t even know the product or service that I am going to be talking about or dealing with for the episode. Ire-reveal siya sa akin naka-camera on na (It will be revealed to me on camera),” he said about the candid aspect of the show.

ANIMA Studio’s Head of Distribution and Operations Aldo Miravalles said that the featured products are “attuned to the Filipino taste.”

“He does not know where our ANIMA production crew is going to drop him off. I think the importance of that is the localization of our shoots,” Mr. Miravalles said, adding that man on the street subjects will vary from employees, vendors, and students.

Episodes of Nego King Philippines will be uploaded weekly starting Feb. 8. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Isabela’s Bambanti Festival returns

��ý — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 16:09:49 +0000

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After a 10-hour drive from Manila to Ilagan City in Isabela, a trip that has visitors surrounded by view of the province’s agricultural nature, they get a confirmation of the area’s bounty. Upon arrival to the city capitol on a chilly Wednesday morning, we found ourselves surrounded by booths filled with food and other products, and locals excited to experience the comeback of the province’s Bambanti Festival.

After a lapse of two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Bambanti Festival in Isabela returned to onsite activities from Jan. 20 to 28. This year’s festival theme was “Isabela, Pagharap sa Bagong Hamon ng Kinabukasan” (Isabella: Facing the New Challenges of the Future).

The Bambanti Festival (“bambanti” is the Ilocano word for “scarecrow”) was introduced in 1997 during the term of then-governor Benjamin Dy, and the first festivals were held in May, the province’s founding month. Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, who assumed the governorship in 2011 and is the current vice-governor, drafted the resolution that moved the festival to January.

Isabela, located in Luzon’s Cagayan Valley, at 12,414 sq kilometers, is the country’s second largest province. It is known for its agriculture and is considered the corn capital of the Philippines, so the Bambanti Festival is a celebration of the previous year’s harvest. The annual festival aims to foster unity among the province’s residents, promote and preserve its cultural heritage, and promote it’s local products and industries.

Amidst the occasional rain and the chilly January weather, the province celebrated the return of the festival with a beauty pageant, a cooking contest, and street dance competitions, held amongst agri-ecotourism booths from the provinces’ towns and cities which sold local products. Preparation for this year’s festival began as early as June 2022.

Since 2020, the festival’s contests saw the 31 participating towns and cities divided into two categories, A and B. This was done upon the request of the local government units, Isabela vice-governor Mr. Dy told ��ý on the sidelines of the festivities, explaining that having two categories gave the opportunity for more contingents to win cash prizes which would be allocated to the winning city or municipality’s projects.

THE CONTESTS
The first contest on Jan. 25 was the Queen Isabela pageant which became part of the festival in 2020. After holding the titled for three years (thanks to the pandemic), Roseann Camille Fernandez of the municipality of Quirino passed the crown on to Catherine Joy L. Legaspi from the municipality of San Manuel. Assuming nothing forces the cancelation of the festival again, Ms. Legaspi will wear the crown for a year, relinquishing it to the next beauty in 2024.

The beauty pageant was followed by the Makan Ken Mainum (Food and Drink) contest, an initiative of the vice-governor’s wife, Mary Ann Arcega-Dy. The tilt — in which participants explore their creativity in preparing dishes using ingredients and produce from their own towns — is considered the highlight of the festival.

This year’s Makan Ken Mainum welcomed younger contestants — ages nine to 14. Tourism officers from each of the participating contingents took charge in selecting participants from the various schools. The children underwent short culinary courses and were supervised by a cooking coach for their competition recipe.

“It is aimed to discover signature dishes and beverages of the Isabeleños na puwede natin ipagmalaki sa ating probinsya (which our province can be proud of) — not only in Isabela but in the entire country,” Ms. Arcega-Dy said during the opening speech at the contest on Jan. 26.

The competition’s judge, Cornelio “Cocoy” Ventura III, a chef who is a native of Isabela, noted that “after the pandemic, people just want to be expressive and they have been waiting for this time to be out and about especially the kids who have been stuck [at home]… this is their time to show what they can do and also pursue something that is exciting apart from being on their phones and being in school.”

Speaking to the press after the contest, Mr. Ventura said, “Children have very wild and great imagination. I give kudos to those kids for being so creative.”

The cooking tilt’s first prize was awarded to the city of Santiago’s Binalkot a baboy and chicken sinaba — wrapped pork and chicken in a banana leaf vessel. The municipality of Tumauini’s multi-layered drink with flower extracts won Best Drink.

As a way of keeping record, Ms. Arcega-Dy is spearheading the publication of a cookbook of the winning recipes from the last seven years of the festival.

STREET DANCING
As in other festivals around the country, a highlight of�� Bambanti is the street dance competition and dance showdown. This year, 20 contingents — divided into Category A and B — paraded in colorful scarecrow costumes and performed three-minute dance sequences about their area’s popular myths, industry, or pandemic resilience.

The city of Cauayan (Category A) and municipality of San Agustin (Category B) bagged the first prizes for Best Street Dance Contingent, while the municipalities of Echague (Category A) and Quirino (Category B) bagged the first prizes for the Best Streetdance Showdown Contingent.

The various booths in The Bambanti Village also received awards. The designs of the booths, which displayed each town and city’s local produce, were inspired by the industries and local produce of each area. First prize for Best Agri-ecotourism booth went to the futuristic booth of Ilagan City (Category A) and the fairytale forest themed booth of the municipality of Cordon (Category B).

The various towns and municipalities also set up giant scarecrow installations, and the municipalities of Dinapigue won in Category A for its giant beauty queen figure made of the dried fish sapsap holding a crown, while Cabatuan took the prize in Category B for its giant scarecrow made of abaca and rattan.

The municipality of Quirino was named the festival’s overall champion for 2023 and won P1 million worth of projects. The municipality of San Agustin followed as the first runner-up, receiving P750,000 worth of projects. Second runner-up was a tie between the municipality of Alicia and the City of Ilagan which both received P250,000 worth of projects. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Boyce Avenue returns to Philippines for three concerts

��ý — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 16:03:40 +0000

IT is safe to say that the boy band Boyce Avenue really likes performing in the Philippines — it will, after all, be returning for the 11^th time in February for concerts in Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

Based in Florida, the US band Boyce Avenue — the band’s name is a combination of two streets the members grew up on in Sarasota — consists of the Manzano brothers, Alejandro Luis (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Fabian Rafael (guitar, vocals), and Daniel Enrique (bass, percussion, vocals). The band was formed in 2004 and began posting song cover videos on YouTube in 2007 which help paved their career as professional musicians. To date, they have over 4.8 billion YouTube views and over 16.2 million subscribers. The band frequently tours North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and visits new countries every year.

Boyce Avenue will be performing in Manila on Feb. 11 at the Araneta Coliseum, in Cebu on Feb. 12 at the Waterfront Hotel Ballroom, and in Davao on Feb. 14 at the SMX Convention Center.�� The group first performed in the Philippines in 2009.

“[We] are more excited to play live than we ever have been before just because we’ve taken a little bit of time off because of the pandemic and everything,” guitarist Fabian Manzano said during an online press conference on Jan. 25. “I think there will be genuine excitement that hopefully they’ll feel from us on stage,” he said, speaking about the Philippine audience.

SINGING ALONG
Filipino fans tend to sing along with the band’s love songs during live shows.

“We’ve always loved to do… these acoustic versions that by nature are putting more of the focus on the lyrics, and the melody and the emotion of the song,” said lead singer Alejandro Manzano.

“Whenever we’ve performed live, the crowds sing so passionately in the Philippines, especially to the love songs. So that’s kind of something that’s always struck us,” he said.

Joining the band as front acts for three concerts are singer and model Adie, and pop rock band Nobita. Pop rock band The Juans is joining the front acts for the Manila show only.

Singer-songwriter Adie is best known for his songs “Paraluman,” “Tahanan,” “Dungaw,” and “M��󾱰첹.” He is currently one of the top artists on Spotify Philippines, with over 3.6 million monthly listeners. OPM band Nobita entered the music scene with their song “Ikaw Lang” and the wedding-themed track “Unang Sayaw.” Meanwhile, The Juans are behind the chart-topping hits “Hindi Tayo Pwede” and “H��پ��.”

“I think this is the most local acts we’ve ever had open for us. So, I think it’s not only going to be our show, but a whole night filled with a bunch of good music,” Fabian Manzano said.

YOUTUBE PERFORMERS
Over the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, said that they have become better musicians and released more songs on YouTube.

“There’s new songs for us to play in the concert,” he said.

While YouTube continues to be their primary platform for releasing and promoting music, the band has also continued to post music on Instagram (@boyceavenue) and TikTok (@boyceavenutiktok).

“We have continued to… also post our music on a lot of the other platforms. There’s always a different set of eyes and ears on these other platforms, [there] are always our younger people who are looking at something else,” Daniel Manzano, the band’s drummer, said.

“We do a little bit of all of it, but I have to say our heart always comes back to YouTube — that seems to be a platform that really appreciates high quality musical and video content,” he added.

Being siblings who grew up together, sharing everything from one room and toys to interests in a popular song, show, or movie helped them stay together as a band.

“It’s not to say that we don’t have conflicts or that we don’t have disagreements, but we find a way to make it work and to get through it…,” Alejandro Manzano said. “Maybe if we were just friends, there would have been moments that would have pushed us to a certain point. But I think by nature of being family and brothers we’ve always found a way to make it work and stick together.”

As for new music, Boyce Avenue will release a cover of “Beauty and the Beast,” which they recorded with Irish singer Mia Black, at a later date.

Tickets to the three concerts are on sale via and TicketNet outlets, with tickets for the Cebu and Davao shows also available via and SM Ticket outlets. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

A multi-layered revenge drama

��ý — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 16:07:45 +0000

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A GROUP of poor people take on fake identities to uncover the truth about the unexplained disappearance of relatives in the new ABS-CBN drama Dirty Linen.

Directed by Onat Diaz and Andoy Ranay, Dirty Linen is revenge drama-love story where four household workers of a well-known family mysteriously vanish without a trace. Their relatives then seek revenge against the prominent family.

While it may have similarities with certain famous Korean revenge dramas, Mr. Diaz said: “We are aware na maraming (that there are many) influences that would affect filmmakers of today.”

Speaking at a press conference on Jan. 17 at the Dolphy Theater in Quezon City, he explained: “When we were briefed for the project, it was clear that we want this to compete with the world’s standards, and to stand side by side with the content of streaming services.

“It’s not the typical television coverage (as in usual dramas)… there are extra efforts to make it look cinematic.”

Dirty Linen’s co-director Andoy Ranay said that while Korean dramas are considered their benchmark for the project, the material still contains “touches of a Filipino teleserye.”

WHO PLAYS WHO
Janine Gutierrez plays Alexa, who gets herself hired as a maid for the wealthy Fiero family years after the disappearance of her mother Olivia (played by Dolly De Leon), whom Alexa suspects was killed by the family.

To execute her plan of exposing the Fieros, Alexa connives with Rolando (Joel Torre), Lala (Jennica Garcia), Max (Christian Bables), and Nico (Seth Fedelin), all of whom are also seeking justice for missing family members.

However, love unexpectedly gets in the way of Alexa’s revenge as she grows close to one of the Fieros.

The Fiero family consists of the matriarch Cielo (Tessie Tomas), Feliz (Angel Aquino) and her husband Ador (Epy Quizon), the “sabong king” Carlos (John Arcilla) and his wife Leona (Janice de Belen), and their children Aidan (Zanjoe Marudo) and Chiara (Francine Diaz).

Award-winning actor John Arcilla stressed how the collaboration between the writers, directors, actors provide the substance in a show.

“Writers can always manipulate a story and a character. Directors can always control the storytelling. Actors can control the story through nuances and interpretations,” Mr. Arcilla said.

“’Pag hindi nag-jive ang tatlong ’y�ܲ�, somewhere along the way, ’y�ܲԲ� substance and meat (of the show), madidiskaril… Sana ’y�ܲԲ� pag-collaborate ng tatlong ’y�ܲ� ay ma-channel namin sa audience (If those three do not jive, somewhere along the way, the substance and meat of a show gets derailed… I hope we are able to channel the collaboration to the audience),” he added.

While the goal is to seek justice, the story progresses to reveal that there are no absolute winners and losers.

“In the story, the goal of the writer and directors is that they want the vengeance here where the characters morale is slowly eating them,” Joel Torre said.

Joining the cast are JC Santos, Xyriel Manabat, Raven Rigor, Andrea Del Rosario, CJ Navato, Rans Rifol, Raphael Robes, and Rubi Rubi, with the special participation of Susan Africa, Soliman Cruz, Liza Diño, Karl Medina, and Ruby Ruiz.

Dirty Linen airs daily on the Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5, iWantTFC, and Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page at 9:30 p.m. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

The Sound of Music returns to Manila

��ý — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 16:08:04 +0000

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MANY fans who have seen the film or have been exposed to its music in their youth have fond memories of The Sound of Music. Whether it’s seeing the mountain ranges at the introduction of the film and panning to Maria’s turns, or being introduced to the music by their parents. They may also have had the chance to watch the musical on which the film was based when the international touring production came to Manila in 2017.

Metro Manila audiences will again be able to see the musical live when the international tour of a reimagined version of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, produced by Broadway International Group, comes to the metro for performances from March 7 to 26 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati.

The musical’s story follows the governess (and failed novice) Maria who changes the lives of the widowed Captain von Trapp and his seven children by reintroducing them to music. It culminates with the family’s flight across the Austrian mountains as tensions rise prior to the outbreak of World War II.

The music, which celebrates its 65^th anniversary next year, won five Tony Awards including Best Musical, and the Grammy Award for Best Show Album for its original run. It has also entertained generations of audience members with live productions across the world, and, of course, the classic film starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, which won five Oscar Awards including Best Picture.

“It’s quite exciting because Jack O’Brien — who is truly one of the great Broadway directors — has reimagined the show. He’s been able to really dig deep into the heart of the show can find a lot of the humanity, a lot of the honesty and the integrity of this really beautiful musical,” said Marc Routh, president of Broadway Asia Group, who has been producing, managing, and licensing the show for 30 years, at a press conference on Jan. 18 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

Aside from the Broadway Asia Group, the new touring production of The Sound of Music is produced by Simone Genatt, along with co-producers Roy Furman, Broadway Asia Group, Cornice Productions and Gabrielle Palitz, in association with GMG Productions.

THE CAST
At the age of five, Jill-Christine Wiley saw The Sound of Music – her first musical theater show – together with her mother.

“[I remember thinking that] this five-year-old would not make it through the show or be at all interested. I apparently sat at the edge of my seat the entire time and had to meet the girl playing Maria afterwards and hand her a rose,” Ms. Wiley recalled. Soon after, she auditioned for the musical bagged the role of Marta von Trapp, the second youngest child in the family.

Now she plays the governess Maria Rainer and recently performed her 500^th show with the musical.

The children are what she loves about doing the show. “The children of our show are one of my favorite aspects of the show and getting to share the stage with them…There is no greater masterclass in acting than watching a child light up onstage and watching them discover their characters and make genuine connection with their stage siblings,” Ms. Wiley said. The cast of children from North America will be joining the full company for the first time during the Manila leg of the tour.

Joining Ms. Rainer onstage is Trevor Martin who plays Captain von Trapp, and Lauren Kidwell as Mother Abbess.

“I love singing with Jill… I don’t know if many of you know but ‘My Favorite Things’ is actually between Mother Abbess and Maria,” Ms. Kidwell said. Unlike in the 1965 film musical, Maria and Mother Abbess perform the song together in Act 1 of the musical.

“Being able to access my character in a way that is surprising to a lot of people who come to see our show and just getting to play and access a fun childlike enjoyment of music through my character is something I love discovering every single time onstage,” Ms. Kidwell added.

THE MUSIC AND STORY
The show features music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.

The touring production highlights the original creative work of three-time Tony Award winning director Jack O’Brien, Broadway choreographer Danny Mefford, and musical supervision by Andy Einhorn, as well as an award-winning Broadway creative, design, and production team.

“At the heart of it is the music,” Mr. Routh said of what makes the musical a classic. “It’s a story about self-discovery, deep romantic love, and supporting these children who are growing up in harsh environments and giving them love through the medium of song…,” he added.

Having performed in the show many times, Ms. Kidwell admitted to still getting emotional every time she sings her solo.

“Every time I sing ‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain,’ without fail I get emotional,” Ms. Kidwell told ��ý. “I sing it twice throughout the show, and the moment that underscoring happens, I get goosebumps.”

Aside from its music, the story’s relevance remains evident in situations around the world today.

“Georg von Trapp was a real person, so was Maria Rainer, and obviously these situations really did happen,” Mr. Martin said of the themes in relation to the Second World War. “There are some parts that are brought into the theatrical realm in the show, but that context is still there.”

The story, he said, transitions to being about surviving authoritarian rule and “refugees having to leave their home.”

“At the end of the show, the last 30 minutes or so, really feel like [a] new show… and that makes me very proud to be a part of it. [Because] I felt like that is an extremely important subject to talk about, whether it be from the 1940s or today,” Mr. Martin said.

Tickets to The Sound of Music are now on sale, online at ticketworld.com.ph and at TicketWorld outlets. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

SB19 wins big at the 8th Wish Music Awards

��ý — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:04:58 +0000

FILIPINO pop group SB19 won four awards during the 8^th Wish Music Awards (2023) show which was held on Sunday, Jan. 22, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

The group won three major awards: Pop Performance of the Year, Pop Song of the Year, and Group of the Year. This year also marked the fourth time that the group bagged the special Wishers’ Choice award, which is given to the nominee who garnered the highest number of public votes across all categories.

The winners of the Wish Music Awards — which is a project of the radio station Wish 107.5 — were determined by votes from a panel of judges (70%) and the public (30%).

“As we always say, music is universal. No matter what language is used, we still get connected through it. Wish has helped artists promote their craft not only in the Philippines but across the globe. We hope that Wish continues to support the community in the years to come,” the group said in their acceptance speech.

SB19 member and R&B-hip-hop soloist FELIP was named Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, who was named KDR Icon of Musical Excellence for her significant contributions to the OPM industry, was one of the notable acts in attendance.

“Maraming maraming salamat po sa karangalang ito. [N]agpapasalamat ako sa Panginoon for giving me this wonderful talent (Thank you very much for this award. I thank God for giving me this wonderful talent),” Ms. Velasquez-Alcasid said in her acceptance speech. To the next generation of Filipino artists, she said: “Keep creating music. Kayo ang future ng OPM (You are the future of Original Pilipino Music).”

The awards night celebrated the return of live music with performances by Moira, Ben&Ben, Zack Tabudlo, and Flow G.

Directed by Paolo Valenciano, the show was hosted by Gretchen Ho and Christian Bautista.

CHARITABLE EFFORTS
Each year, Wish 107.5 donates P100,000 to the chosen beneficiaries of major-category winners.

This year, a total of P1.97 million will be handed out to the Adarna Group Foundation, A Home For The Angels Crisis Home For Abandoned Babies Foundation, the Autism Society Philippines, ChildHope Philippines, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Philippine Cancer Society, Resources For The Blind, Virlanie Foundation, Inc., and Operation Smile Philippines Foundation, Inc.

The figure also includes the P70,000 that the Andrea O. Veneracion (AOV) Sing Philippines Foundation will receive as this year’s KDR Icon of Music and Philanthropy awardee.

Apart from the financial aid extended to the beneficiaries, the winning artists received P25,000 in cash.

The 8^th Wish Music Awards will be streamed on the in February. — MAPS

And the winner is…

WISH1075.COM

THE winners at the 8^th Wish Music Awards (2023), held on Sunday, Jan. 22, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, are listed below. The Wishclusive awards are for performances.

Wishclusive Pop Performance of the Year: SB19 for “Bazinga” (Beneficiary: Autism Society Philippines)

Wishclusive Ballad Performance of the Year: Ben&Ben for “Magpahinga” (Beneficiary: Virlanie Foundation Inc.)

Wishclusive R&B Performance of the Year: FELIP for “Palayo” (Beneficiary: A Home For The Angels Crisis Home For Abandoned Babies Foundation, Inc.)

Wishclusive Rock/Alternative Performance of the Year: Zild for “Huminga” (Beneficiary: Adarna Group Foundation, Inc.)

Wishclusive Hip-hop Performance of the Year: Flow G for “Praning” (Beneficiary: Adarna Group Foundation, Inc.)

Wishclusive Contemporary Folk Performance of the Year: Adie for “Tahanan” (Beneficiary: Resources For The Blind, Inc.)

Wishclusive Contemporary R&B Performance of the Year: Leanne & Naara for “Anticipation” (Beneficiary: Autism Society Philippines)

Wishclusive Collaboration of the Year: JRLDM feat. Gloc-9 for “Lagi Na Lang” (Beneficiaries: Make-A-Wish Foundation and Philippine Cancer Society)

Wish Pop Song of the Year: “WYAT” by SB19 (Beneficiary: Autism Society Philippines)

Wish Ballad of the Year: “Kumpas” by Moira Dela Torre (Beneficiary: Virlanie Foundation, Inc.)

Wish R&B Song of the Year: “Hello 2.0 (Legends Only)” by James Reid (Beneficiary: A Home For The Angels Crisis Home For Abandoned Babies Foundation, Inc.)

Wish Rock/Alternative Song of the Year: “Asan Ka Na Ba” by Zack Tabudlo (Beneficiary: ChildHope Philippines)

Wish Hip-hop Song of the Year: “Kagome” by Lo Ki (Beneficiary: ChildHope Philippines)

Wish Contemporary Folk Song of the Year: “Paninindigan Kita” by Ben&Ben (Beneficiary: Virlanie Foundation, Inc.)

Wish Contemporary R&B Song of the Year: “Pagsamo” by Arthur Nery (Beneficiary: Operation Smile Philippines Foundation, INC.)

Wish Song Collaboration of the Year: “Mahika” by Adie and Janine Berdin (Beneficiaries: Resources For The Blind, Inc. and Philippine Cancer Society)

Wish Breakthrough Artist of the Year: FELIP (Beneficiary: A Home For The Angels Crisis Home For Abandoned Babies Foundation, Inc.)

Wish Group of the Year: SB19 (Beneficiary: Autism Society Philippines)

Wish Artist of the Year: Moira Dela Torre (Beneficiary: Virlanie Foundation, Inc.)

SPECIAL AWARDS
Wishers’ Choice: SB19

KDR Icon of Music and Philanthropy: Andrea O. Veneracion (AOV) Sing Philippines Foundation

KDR Icon of Musical Excellence: Regine Velasquez-Alcasid

K-Pop group Stray Kids meet their fans

��ý — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:02:59 +0000

THE EIGHT-piece Korean pop group Stray Kids arrived in blue, denim, and white Bench outfits for their first engagement just a few hours upon arriving in Manila on Jan. 20.

It was the group’s second visit to Manila — they first came in 2019 for their Unveil Tour. This time it was for a fan meet, Stay with Bench: The Stray Kids Fan Meet, held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The fan meet was organized by Filipino fashion brand Bench.

Stray Kids was formed by JYP Entertainment through a competition reality show of the same name in 2017. They are known for tracks such as “MIROH,” “God’s Menu,” and “Back Door.”

In August 2021, Stray Kids released a comeback album, NOEASY, followed by a Christmas album, Christmas EveL. Their latest album, Maxident, was released last year.

Stray Kids — composed of Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. — was named Bench brand ambassador in April 2022, joining the company’s roster of Korean brand ambassadors including Hyun Bin, Kim Soo Hyun, Park Seo Jun, Lee Min Ho, and the girl group TWICE.

“I notice that the Bench clothing is very beautiful which I can wear day to day. Being a model for Bench is a very big honor for us,” rapper Hyunjin said during a press conference at the Sofitel in Pasay City.

As endorsers, Stray Kids have modeled and done a campaign for Bench’s Better Made and Everyday collection.

During the event, the group entertained their fans (who are called “Stays”) with performances and games.

“Being able to receive love from all our fans allows us to live our lives very happily. And to think that so much people are giving us so much interest, it also allows us to realize our responsibility as artists where we are able to reach the expectations of our fans as well,” rapper Changbin said.

“Up to this day, it is really unbelievable that we reached such accomplishments… Our eagerness that we poured in the album was delivered to our Stays as well… We’ll make sure that time and time again we’ll do our best more and more,” Seungmin said.

Stray Kids will return to Manila to perform on March 11 and 12 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena as part of the group’s second world tour, Maniac.

“[The Stays] really help remind us of who we are and what we are capable of. Through our fans and through the people who deeply care for us, it is because of them that we gain our confidence, motivation, and push through our limits,” Felix said.��— Michelle Anne P. Soliman

Ebe Dancel revisits Sugarfree’s Sa Wakas

��ý — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 16:09:05 +0000

20^th anniversary concert sticks to the original songs in a school fair themed event

TO write original songs, and play at intimate venues were the alternative rock band Sugarfree’s goals when they began playing music in the 1990s. Their demo album Sa Wakas — which later was launched as their first studio album in 2003 — sparked the band’s rise to fame.

This year, singer-songwriter and former Sugarfree lead vocalist Ebe Dancel celebrates the 20^th anniversary of the release of the album with the concert Sa Wakas: 20^th Anniversary Celebration on Jan. 28 at the 123 Block, Mandala Park in Mandaluyong City.

“I spoke to Mitch [Singson], who was the former drummer of the Sugarfree because he owns the 123 Block,” Mr. Dancel said of the initial idea for a show.

“So, I mentioned that to him. Tapos sabi niya (And then he said), ‘Yeah, I remembered its [turning] 20. You don’t?’ ‘Sabi ko (I said), ‘Actually, no…Sige (Sure), let’s do a small show here. Tayo-tayo lang (Just us), just to celebrate with especially fans of that album na matagal ko nang hindi nakikita (whom I haven’t seen in a long time),” he said during an online media conference on Jan. 11.

Before the band — composed of Mr. Dancel, Mr. Singson, Jal Taguibao and Carlo “Kaka” Quisimbing — became a big hit, selling albums and playing in big events, they recorded Sa Wakas as just a demo.

“With my lifetime savings, we recorded a demo in a studio — which was far more expensive than the technology we have these days,” Mr. Dancel recalled, adding that back then recording music from your own home was impossible, and the required equipment was only found in a professional studio. After recording, Mr. Dancel personally brought copies of the demo CD to radio stations.

“I’m so blessed that that night I was giving away demos at Freedom Bar, Francis ‘Brew’ Reyes of [radio station] NU107 happened to be there. He had a show called In the Raw where he features independent bands. So, I said, ‘If you like it, you can play it on your show, please’,” he said.

That the songs from Sa Wakas aired on the station, Mr. Dancel said, was an integral part of their success as a band. “They were the first radio station that played [our songs] regularly. Even before the albums was released, our albums were already on NU107’s playlist.”

In 2003, the commercial version of the 12-track album was launched at Freedom Bar. The first two singles, “Telepono” and “Mariposa,” were played in radio stations. In the same year, Sugarfree released their hit song “Burnout.” The band went on to win Best New Artist, Album of the Year, and Best Alternative Recording for “Burnout” at the NU Rock Awards.

After hitting the mainstream, Sugarfree released five albums before disbanding in 2011.

A SCHOOL FAIR THEMED CONCERT
Sa Wakas: 20^th Anniversary Celebration is presented by GNN Entertainment Productions and Backspacer Records, in partnership with 123 Block and Balcony Entertainment.

“At the core of Sa Wakas is nostalgia shaped by bittersweet memories and adolescent discoveries,” Ian Urrutia, PR and Marketing Director of GNN Entertainment Productions, said in a statement.

“We want to honor the impact of Sugarfree’s debut album by reliving the simple joys of going to college or university fairs with friends, family, and loved ones. Looking back doesn’t have to be getting stuck in the past. Sometimes, it’s okay to experience the old times with fondness and a different perspective as it gives new meaning to these memories. We’re finding means not to reimagine Sa Wakas, but to celebrate it: a record that feels like a tight embrace at the end of the dark days,” Mr. Urrutia said.

The concert will feature a full-length all-Sugafree set (16 songs) by Ebe Dancel, with the special participation of Mitch Singson. It will also feature guest performances by the Cheats, Johnoy Danao, and The Itchyworms.

“It’s definitely more of reminiscing… Many of the songs, I don’t really perform them anymore. Some of them, I forget the lyrics,” Mr. Dancel admitted. “Promise ko iyun sa Sugarfree fans, just for one night puro old hits iyung tutugtugin ko (It’s my promise to Sugarfree fans that just for one night I will be playing just the old hits).”

Not only will there be live music, but Mandala Park will also be turned into an amusement park with carnival games and rides, arts and crafts booths, food stands, and other immersive activities. Special band merchandise will be sold exclusively at the venue and select Ebe Dancel albums will be available via Backspacer Records.

Mr. Dancel said that it was the producers’ idea to pursue a school fair concept for the concert.

“I think a lot of the fans, una nila akong napanood sa UP Fair (they first saw me perform at the UP Fair). So, I guess, my intention [is] to recreate that vibe [of] when they met me for the first time,” Mr. Dancel said.

Having been in the music industry for more than 20 years, Mr. Dancel says not much has changed. “May nagbago ba? Tumanda lang siguro ako (Did anything change? I guess I just got older),” he joked. “Ganoon pa rin naman ang pananaw ko, na ’y�ܲԲ� next show ko might be my last (My perspective remains the same, that my next show might be my last).”

LESSON LEARNED
Mr. Dancel, now a solo artist, said he has learned three valuable lessons throughout his career.

The first is humility, which 46-year-old singer admits he “didn’t have a lot of it when we started out.”

“We went from a band what was largely ignored by labels. Suddenly there was a switch that turned on and we were doing big shows. Personally, I don’t think I was ready for it. Baka wala akong humility noon (I don’t think I had the humility back then) to be grateful and to accept things,” Mr. Dancel explained.

Having worked with members of the Eraserheads, Rivermaya, and National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab, among many others, the band has always been told to keep learning. “Don’t stay put. You can’t be happy with just one hit song or one hit album. Go out and talk to people and explore,” he said.

And finally, keep a guitar tuner handy. “Bumili kayo ng tuner, importante iyun (Buy a tuner, it’s important),” he said.

For more information on Sa Wakas: 20^th Anniversary Celebration, visit . — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

It all began with a lucky coin

��ý — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:06:27 +0000

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ELIZABETH Anne “Lizanne” C. Uychaco was five years old when she got sick and had to stop kindergarten. Her family consulted a feng shui master who gave her a lucky charm to help her recover and grant prosperity.

“We came to this feng shui master… who gave me this coin and told me it is a ‘magic coin’,” Ms. Uychaco recalled. “‘You would be well. You will be lucky. You will be rich.’ At that time, I didn’t know what ‘rich’ meant.”

“I wore it all my life. And I really got well. Since then, I haven’t been sickly,” she said.

The same coin later became the signature symbol of the Filipino-Chinese visual artist’s works.

The current Senior Vice-President of SM Investments Corp., Ms. Uychaco is an active artist under Art the Elements Asian Gallery. She held her first solo exhibition, “Heaven and Earth” in June 2019 at Conrad Manila’s Gallery C. Her work was first launched in 1993 when the Ayala Museum included her in a “discovery” series.

Most of her works are mixed media, owing to her lifelong training in sculpture, pottery, jewelry-making, silver craft, gold gilding, calligraphy, and painting in watercolor, oils, and acrylics.

This year, Ms. Uychaco will hold her 22^nd exhibition as part of the Conrad Manila hotel’s Of Art and Wine: Colors of Prosperity series, which runs until March 18.

“We are delighted to usher in 2023 and the Year of the Rabbit with Lizanne’s vibrant Filipino-Chinese art pieces that echoes tradition, family, and positivity,” Conrad Manila’s general manager Fabio Berto said in a speech at the exhibit’s launch on Jan. 11. “Our commitment in sharing the light and warmth of hospitality through curated touches of luxury that are empowering and bold are echoed by Lizanne’s solo exhibit, her second with the hotel.”

Ms. Uychaco’s works feature a recurring symbol of an abstract coin. Originating in the Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1911), the metal coin is a symbol of luck, wealth, harmony, prosperity, and protection. Its round shape with a square void in the center represents heaven and earth, yin and yang which was the basis of the I-Ching, the circle of life, and the Zen of meditation. The coin is usually hung or displayed at the entrance of Chinese households for good fortune.

Her works are known to be minimalist and carry rich textures, with a focus on subjects that bring good luck, harmony, prosperity, wealth, and success. The 34 paintings in this exhibit, which took three years to complete, are grouped according to the elements as seen through their colors. Red represents fire, blue represents water, while the gold and silver represent metal.

Rich textures are a feature in her paintings Ancient Wisdom of Good Fortune, Long Life and Prosperity, Seals of Good Fortune, Long Life and Prosperity, and Opulence and Good Tidings.

The feng shui coin is incorporated in images of horses, money trees in different colors and settings, mountains, and sometimes a blend of Filipino and Chinese culture.

The paintings Earth’s Blessings and Eternal Flame feature the feng shui coin and miniature bulul (granary gods) which she had collected.

In her work titled Perennial Bliss, Ms. Uychaco used a purple, blue and green color story for a mountain landscape with the feng shui coin serving as the sun or moon, to depict serenity.

She said that while she travels, the landscapes she makes are not based specific locations but painted while in her studio.

“When you’re painting, you’re the boss. You choose the colors and anything you like. It’s a very good retreat,” Ms. Uychaco told members of the press during the exhibit launch.

While the original feng shui coin Ms. Uychaco received in her youth has corroded, she continues to collect them when she travels and keep the ones given to her as gifts.

“If you know that this (the artworks) is a symbol of success, you know that when you look at it it’s like you’re meditating on success,” Ms. Uychaco said.

“So, when you see positive things and things that bring good luck, it somehow it also affects your being. It brings you to that fold, you attract it,” she said.

Of Art and Wine: Colors of Prosperity by Lizanne Uychaco is on view until March 18. For inquiries on the artworks, call Conrad Manila at 8833-9999 or Art Elements Asian Gallery at 0917-957-7005 or e-mail conradmanila@conradhotels.com. The paintings’ prices range from P68,888 to P999,888. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

HK Disneyland welcomes guests back with tour packages, new activities

��ý — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:05:20 +0000

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FOLLOWING the further easing of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in Hong Kong, tourists are now welcome to rediscover familiar rides, take photos with their favorite Disney characters, and enjoy several new activities at the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

Tourists no longer have to quarantine when they visit Hong Kong and they are allowed to explore attractions and restaurants as soon as they arrive.

“We have seen guests from other parts of the world, including Philippines, Australia, Singapore returning to HKDL (Hong Kong Disneyland). We are encouraged and invigorated to see more and more inbound tourists returning to HKDL and Hong Kong recently,” Eva Lau, Hong Kong Disneyland Sales Director for Hong Kong and international markets, told ��ý in an e-mail.

The theme park has been closed four times and opened five times as part of the city’s efforts to contain the virus outbreak since the first easing of restrictions in June 2020.

“We’ll continue to work with the Hong Kong Tourism Board, industry peers and corporate partners to further promote Hong Kong to international market to attract more inbound tourists,” Ms. Lau said.

This year, the theme park is offering special tickets and hotel promos such as “Reignite the Magic Combo:��1-Day Park Ticket” and “Disney Premier Access,” which enables priority access to some of the Park’s most popular attractions.

NEW ATTRACTIONS, CHINESE NEW YEAR ACTIVITIES
There are a number of newly opened attractions plus special activities lined up for the Chinese New Year weekend.
In celebration of the theme park’s 15^th anniversary, the reimagined centerpiece, named Castle of Magical Dreams, was launched in 2020. Inspired by 13 stories of Disney princesses and queens, the architecture embraces their unique characteristics through the interpretation of color, icons, and symbols.

There are a couple of new shows. Follow Your Dreams is a 20-minute live outdoor musical show with a new song of the same title, while Momentous is a 20-minute show told in six chapters with large-scale projection mapping technology, choreographed fountains, illuminated water projection, lasers, theatrical lighting, and fireworks effects.

Guests who visit during the Chinese New Year weekend (Jan. 20 to 22) can expect Disney characters parading on Main Street dressed in festive new year outfits, Ms. Lau said. As a Chinese New Year tradition, guests will receive a newly designed lai see (red envelopes), from Jan. 22 to 25 (while stock lasts). The envelopes contain chocolate gold coins as well as dining and shopping coupons. Guests will also meet the lavender rabbit StellaLou, the Year of the Rabbit mascot, dressed in a cheerful red dress and fan. StellaLou will be joined by her friend, the pink fox LinaBell.

“As we always say, ‘Seeing is Believing’,” Ms. Lau said. “We want to invite Filipino tourists to visit HKDL and experience their long-missed magical moments in person.”

HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES
While restrictions have eased, there is still an ongoing pandemic, so there are health and safety measures to accomplish. Prior to visiting, guests are required to fill up a “Vaccine Pass” that allows access to premises. Guests will have their temperature screened before entering the theme park and must wear masks (except at outdoor areas of the park). For more information, visit .

For the latest travel information about Hong Kong, guests may visit .

Tickets to the theme park are to be purchased in advance with via the Hong Kong Disneyland reservation website (). They are also available at and .com. — MAPS

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