Planet Philippines (EDMONTON EDITION) - May 15, 2011 Issue

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13 PHILIPPINES

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14 PHILIPPINES

Local television feeds Filipinos a steady, dirty diet of trash, according to leading film and television critic Lito Zulueta.

AST-TALKING comedian Willie Revillame is one of the most popular TV personalities in the country with a legion of poor fans who crave the thick wads of cash he hands out to audience members.

But to many critics, the 50year-old star represents all that is wrong with an industry that they say has for years promoted lowbrow entertainment and toilet humor.

Producers at TV5 yanked Revillame’s Willing Willie show off the air on April 11 amid an uproar over a segment involving a crying six-year-old boy the host cajoled into simulating a striptease for P10,000. (Editor’s note: Willie said he was taking a leave for two weeks to ponder his next move and stressed he was not suspended by TV5. The network later said it would resume Willie’s show but admitted that its content needed improvement.)

The incident on March 12 has sparked a heated debate over the standards of Philippine television, with some calling for an end to shows they say prey on the poor and debase moral values in the conservative Catholic nation.

“Local television feeds Filipinos a steady, dirty diet of trash,” leading film and television critic Lito Zulueta told Agence France-Presse.

He said Revillame was a creation of an industry that had lost its moral compass as networks fought an intense ratings war.

“Television people forgot the canons of ethics and good taste, thereby contributing to the shallowness of Filipino pop culture,” said Zulueta, a senior member of Manila’s movie critics association.

In Revillame’s show, studio

To many critics, Willie Revillame represents all that is wrong with an industry that they say has for years promoted low-brow entertainment and toilet humor.

‘WILLING WILLIE’

STIRS DEBATE ON STATE OF TELEVISION

A local film critic says Willie Revillame is a creation of an industry that had lost its moral compass as networks fought an intense ratings war. “Television people forgot the canons of ethics and good taste, thereby contributing to the shallowness of Filipino pop culture.” audiences get the chance to win cash, cars, houses and other prizes by dancing and doing other acts on stage, but also by having to recount their problems with poverty and other hardships.

With a third of the country’s 94 million population living on a dollar or less a day, Revillame’s prizes appear as golden tickets to a better life while his show offers TV viewers a temporary escape from their hardships.

Highlighting the desperation of the poor, 78 fans were killed in a stampede in 2006 as they lined up to join Revillame’s previous show on ABS-CBN. Zulueta and other critics said Revillame was not the sole purveyor of bad taste, pointing to other reality shows that promote greed and open hostility among contestants.

Meanwhile, scantily clad women who gyrate on stage and flirt with game show hosts are common fare on prime-time TV, while senseless plots in soap op-

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eras copied mostly from South Korean and Mexican telenovelas are a dime a dozen.

Daytime comedy shows accessible to children also use language heavy in sexual innuendo, in a country where sex education in schools remains controversial.

A soap opera that recently completed its run on one network was patterned after a 1980s-era soft-porn movie about a 14-yearold girl in a sexual adventure with two men, leading to unwanted pregnancy.

Another talk show currently on air allows housewives and mistresses, and warring neighbors to confront each other, often leading to verbal abuse and punch-ups, hair-pulling and other angry en-

Senseless plots in soap operas copied mostly from South Korean and Mexican telenovelas are a dime a dozen. counters on live television.

Content of this kind may be considered common in the West, but is much more controversial in the Philippines where about 80% of the population are Catholic and the church remains a powerful moral force.

Divorce and abortion remain illegal here, and conservative lawmakers have repeatedly rejected bills that would promote artificial contraceptives.

In an emotionally charged appeal on her blog recently, theater actress Monique Wilson called on her fellow artists to help raise television standards and boycott exploitative, low-brow shows.

Wilson, who counts among her achievements the lead role in the West End production of the Miss Saigon musical in the early 1990s, said television was supposed to empower and educate. ‘”When you see shows like Willing Willie -- and many other similar shows -- they do the opposite,” she said.

“They dumb down audiences.

They disempower them by creating a mendicant society with game shows that promise quick money.

They keep them dependent on handouts, instead of creating opportunities for them to build on skills.”

Veteran TV programmer Nessa Valdellon joined the chorus of calls in the mainstream press for advertisers to invest on shows that provoke critical thinking.

“It’s not just a pipe dream. I believe the Pinoy (Filipino) audience is a thinking audience,” Valdellon told AFP. Nevertheless, many critics believe Revillame will soon be back on the air, with his show currently only being suspended for two weeks and the host defiant about his style of entertainment.

“The program aims to provide a venue for everyone to show their talents, tell their stories and make their dreams come true,” he said in a joint statement with his employers. (AFP) n

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BY ALEX PASTOR

WO YEARS after exchanging vows and months after the birth of their first-born, Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos recently shared with us their intimate stories and their memorable experiences as a married couple.

RYAN AND JUDAY:

SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE

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The couple are having a blast during their honeymoon in Spain.

What time do you wake up now that you have two kids in the house?

Judy Ann: Nung unang month ko after giving birth, maaga talaga akong nagigising, mga 5 or 6 am.

Ngayon na tama na ang pattern ng pagtulog ni Lucio, nagigising na rin ako ng late kasi mahaba na ang tulog niya. Matagal na rin ang gising niya sa umaga.

Mahirap bang mag-adjust ng may bagong baby sa bahay?

Judy Ann: Oo naman kasi sanay kang walang iniintindi, wala kang iniisip pero after a while, prepared ka na rin kasi, after all, siyam na buwan din akong buntis. Dumarating talaga ’yung point na gusto mo nang manganak kasi ’pag dumating na ’yung

Juday sums up the joy of motherhood: Ang sarap lang ng pakiramdam na after mong mag-trabaho, meron kang uuwian na magpapa-ngiti sa iyo. Totoo pala talaga iyon, kasi akala ko dati overly dramatic lang ang mga nanay. Ngayon mas nagiging sensitive and selfless ka.

So how’s domestic life treating you?

Judy Ann: I love it! Ito pala ang ibig sabihin ng domestic life. I’m just happy obviously. I wonder why so many girls do not enjoy domestic life when I do. I still enjoy having choices in my life, like just staying at home or going out with my friends. Masuwerte lang talaga ako na meron akong ganon na pinagpipilian. I really enjoy my life now.

I’m very relaxed and very content with my husband.

then pinag-babaunan ko siya ng at least tatlong klaseng pagkain. Meat eater kasi siya and si Ryan naman ’di mahirap pakainin. Kung ano’ng nagustuhan niya, puwede niyang kainin ’yon ng isang lingo.

Mahilig siya sa steak or sa steak omelet.

I just make sure na ’yung mga niluluto ko ay puwede sa diet niya.

So what’s keeping you busy these days?

Judy Ann: Ngayon, wala. Ano lang, gym, patakbo-takbo, or shopping.

What’s your schedule like?

Judy Ann: When I wake up in the morning, pinapaliguan ko si Lucio, aalagaan ko muna siya, then play kami ni Johann (Johanna Lois, their adopted child). Si Ryan naman ’pag meron siyang ‘Eat Bulaga’ and kung wala kaming ma-orderan ng pagkain niya, ako ang nagluluto ng pagkain niya.

Depende kung ano ang schedule niya for the day, if meron pa siyang taping for ‘Talentadong Pinoy’,

Two years after tying the knot, Ryan and Juday say they learn something new from each other every day.

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baby, prepared ka na sa puyat, doon sa breast-feeding, ’yung mga ganon. Marami pang mga pagkain na hindi puwede sa iyo. Masuwerte lang ako na pag gising ako, gising din si Ryan.

So, now, what’s the best thing about being a mother?

Judy Ann: Everything. If you want to go home early, meron kang mga batang uuwian. Ang sarap lang ng pakiramdam na after mong mag-trabaho, meron kang uuwian na magpapa-ngiti sa iyo.

Totoo pala talaga iyon, kasi akala ko dati overly dramatic lang ang mga nanay. Ngayon mas nagiging sensitive and selfless ka. Magshopping man ako, pag-uwi ko sa bahay, dalawang bagay lang pala ang nabili ko para sa akin, and the rest are para sa mga bata. Masarap talaga. I can’t wait pag-lumaki na si Lucio and nagtata-takbo na sila.

Kasi ngayon buhat-buhat ko lang si Lucio. Excited na akong makita ’pag laki nila, especially kung saan sila magkakasundo ng tatay niya at kung saan sila magkaka-away. Kasi ngayon ang nakatutok kay Ryan ay si Johann.

Of course, there will be days when you argue with each other.

How do you fix such wrinkles?

What do you normally argue or fight about?

Judy Ann: Honestly, depende sa isyu. Minsan mabilis lang, minsan matagal. Longest fight namin lasted for four days.

Ryan: Our last fight was about my garage. Ang deal kasi namin, ’yung kitchen sa kanya, ’yung garahe sa akin. Eh one night when I got home, all my cars were out of the garage while hers were inside. Pero at the end of the day, we don’t really take our fights seriously. We always try to put humor in our life para lang ’di rin maging boring. Mas mabuti nang kaming dalawa ang magaway kesa magalit kami sa ibang katrabaho namin.

Judy Ann: ’Pag meron kaming mga problems na ’di namin maayos agad, ang in-laws namin ang tumutulong din sa amin para madaling maayos ang problema.

Ryan: Yes, we both have very good in-laws. Both our parents are more than willing to help us out.

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Juday: “So, far nage-enjoy naman kami and marami pa kaming naiisip na gimik para mas lalo pang maging exciting ang marriage namin.”

One more thing, she craves for the weirdest food in the middle of the night. Comfort food kasi siya eh, so she cooks really excellent gourmet food for me pero siya simple lang, like fried chicken or peppered tuna.

Do you still learn anything from each other?

Jokes Ryan: “Ang secret sa aming marriage ay separate kumot.”

Juday: “I really enjoy my life now. I’m very relaxed and very content with my husband.”

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Judy Ann: Sometimes, we also argue about the TV remote.

Minsan kasi nalunod na sa kumot or sa comforter ’yung remote, so we end up tossing the whole bed para hanapin lang iyon. Despite all of this though, it’s really fun to be married. So, far nage-enjoy naman kami and marami pa kaming naiisip na gimik para mas lalo pang maging exciting ang marriage namin. We love surprising each other kahit na we agreed na not to surprise each other, especially with big gifts.

Minsan kasi ’pag may nakita ka na alam mo talagang magugustuhan ng asawa mo, you will still get it para i-surprise siya. Minsan pag-naisip ko na magluto ng fine dining sa bahay,

I surprise him. When he gets home, nagpa-fine dining kami sa bahay.

Naka-setup lang sa garden namin.

Are there things that Ryan does that bother you?

Judy Ann: Nasanay na kasi ako sa kanya. Alam ko kung pagod na pagod siya kasi ’pag uwi niya nakakalat lang sa floor ang damit niya. Pero OK lang talaga sa akin iyon. Parehas naman kasi kaming hindi OC. Ryan: I know when she’s really hungry, ’di na niya ako pinagsisilbihan. Normally ’pag OK lang siya, lalagyan pa niya ako sa plato ng ulam, ng kanin at drink sa baso, pero alam ko pag-gutom na talaga siya, ’di na niya gagawin lahat ’yun.

Judy Ann: Of course. Every day we learn something new from each other. Especially for me, kasi normally si Ryan tahimik lang ’yan kahit na may mali akong nagawa pero when I ask him for help on things, he tells me naman what he thinks, his opinions and his suggestions. Sasabihin niya sa akin ’yung pros and cons if I decide to do a certain thing. Meron kaming ganon. Lagi naman akong may choice on what I’d like to do. Importante sa akin na malaman kung ano’ng iniisip niya kasi admittedly, mas marami siyang alam kaysa sa akin.

Ryan: I’ve been learning a lot as well. One of the things I’ve learned is how to be not so abrasive kasi bilang lalaki, I’ve normally had my way or had to force my way to get what I want.

With her, I’ve learned about subtlety and how she gets her way with people without being too aggressive about it. We’ve been together for seven years now, including ’yung time na we were still dating. I’ve learned how to be kind on a daily basis, even when dealing with our kids. (Business Mirror) n

Are you the jealous type?

Judy Ann: (Laughs) ’Di ko aaminin.’Di pa ako masyadong marunong umamin na nagse-selos ako.

What’s the secret to your marriage?

Ryan: Ang secret sa aming marriage ay separate kumot.

Judy Ann: Palagi kasi kaming nag-aagawan sa kumot. Sa umaga pagka-gising niya, aawayin niya ako, kasi inagaw ko raw ang kumot niya.

Ryan: Ito kasi ang hilig mangagaw ng kumot. Kahit gaano pa kalaki ng kumot, she still manages to hog the whole kumot kaya pagka-gising ko sa umaga, I end up having cough the next day kasi nalamigan ang likod ko.

So, just to avoid any arguments, two separate kumot kami and if it’s possible, two lababo na rin para ’di kami nag-uumpugan when we both brush our teeth at the same time.

SUDOKU RULES: Place a number from 1-9 in each empty cell. Each row, column and 3x3 block bounded by bold line (9 blocks) contains all the numbers from 1-9

SOLUTION ON PAGE 23

EDMONTON EDITION MARIA PERCY JAVELOSA .................................. Publisher/Advertising Manager (780) 328-7006 JASMIN DICLAS ............................................ Managing Partner (780) 710-6739 STEVE TARZWELL ............................................ Contributors Published by: Edmonton Pinoy News and Media Ltd. 16722-113 Ave. NW, Edmonton, AB T5M 2X3 Tel: (780) 328-7006 or (780) 710-6739 • Fax: (403) 474-9041 Email: planetphiledmonton@yahoo.ca

PLANET PHILIPPINES, the global newsmagazine for overseas Filipinos, is published and circulated in various cities and countries around the world. Each edition of PLANET PHILIPPINES is published by authorized individuals and companies under an exclusive licensing arrangement. We welcome inquiries from anyone interested in becoming a publisher of PLANET PHILIPPINES in their territory. Contact us at planetphilippines@gmail. com or visit our website at www.planetphilippines.com.

PLANET PHILIPPINES Worldwide LEANDRO MILAN ..................................................................................

PEPPER MARCELO ...............................................................................

ARNEL RIVAL........................................................................................

ROMY FLORANTE..................................................................................

DIANA PAMELA TRISTE ........................................................................

Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Art Director Photographer Editorial Assistant

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CELEBR TY WILLIE FACES 2 RAPS FOR CHILD ABUSE CONTROVERSIAL TV host Willie Revillame is facing two separate criminal cases in connection with a 6-year-old boy’s “lewd” dance on his show Willing Willie last March 12.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) charged Willie with violation of Republic Act No. 7610, or the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, filed on April 27 before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

Concerned citizens who joined the complaint include Fr. Robert Reyes, Froilan Grate and

ROBIN, MARIEL PUT OFF CATHOLIC WEDDING ROBIN Padilla and Mariel Rodriguez have decided to postpone their plan to get married in Catholic rites this coming June.

This came after the Church said it won’t allow their union under its rules because of certain Islam practices and beliefs that are in conflict with those of the Church.

Robin, a Muslim, and Mariel, a Catholic, were married in Islam rites in India on Aug. 19, 2010.

Mariel said retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz sent them some documents laying down the rules of Roman Catholicism.

“So far it’s (Catholic marriage) on hold. Ewan ko ba. May ipinadalang paper ng rules si Archbishop. Mayroon kasi doong

WILLIE blogger Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

“Our decision to initiate legal proceedings is pursuant to our mandate to protect children who are vic-

ROBIN and MARIEL parts na kailangan, hindi puwedeng magpakasal kapag iba ang religion kasi nga ang Muslim puwedeng magpakasal ng more than one na babae,” she said.

Mariel said she would not ask Robin to convert to Catholicism even if the documents mentioned this is one way for their planned marriage to push through.

She said she and Robin are finding ways to make their Catholic wedding happen.

“Sabi niya wala naman tayong magagawa, rules iyan,” she said.

“Ang puwede lang siguro nating magawa is makikiusap tayo. Sobra siyang mellow pero naiintindihan ko na ginagawa niya ‘yon to make me feel better kasi naa-affect ako, nakikita niya.”

REGINE CONFIRMS PREGNANCY AFTER keeping silent for weeks amidst reports that she is infanticipating, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid has finally confirmed that she is indeed pregnant.

“Alam po namin na marami na kayong naririnig pero siyempre maganda na sa amin mismo manggaling kung ano na talaga [ang] nangyayari. Totoo po na Ogie and I are going to have a baby,” Regine said during a taped interview aired over GMA News TV’s Balitanghali on April 18.

In separate report on 24 Oras last April17, showbiz reporter Aubrey Carampel quoted the singer-actress as saying that the seven-week pregnancy is a “dream come true” and that it was the best gift she received for her birthday on April 22.

tims of abuse, neglect and exploitation. It is also in response to the public clamor for government intervention regarding Mr. Revillame’s actuations toward the little boy in that unfortunate episode of Willing Willie,” DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman said in an official statement.

Earlier on April 25, Willie and top officials of TV5 were sued for child abuse by six people, including officials of the End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT).

Other respondents were TV5 chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, and top officials of the broadcast company.

“The depiction of the child in such a sexualized fashion is tantamount to abuse and exploitation,” according to the complaint sheet.

“The degrading exhibition is compounded by the cruelty of the show’s main host, mocking his [boy’s] appearance amidst the laughter of the jeering crowd.”

REGINE

“It’s very difficult to have a pregnancy, God has blessed us and of course it comes with prayers,” her husband singersongwriter Ogie Alcasid said in the same report.

The 41-year-old Regine said the doctor has advised her to stay in bed for a while because she is having a delicate pregnancy.

She recently left her GMA-7 teleseryere I ♥ You Pare allegedly due to migraine.

She was replaced

by Iza Calzado.

CHIZ

CHIZ: LEAVE US ALONE! LEAVE us alone!

That’s the appeal of Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero after he was swamped with calls and requests for interviews in the wake of entertainment columnist Ricky Lo’s report in the Philippine Star that Chiz and his wife of 10 years, Tintin, have separated.

Lo said it was “somebody who

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loves both Chiz and Tintin dearly” who told him the real score between the couple.

He reported that the two have been living apart for five months now. Quoting his “Very Deep Penetration Agent,” who purports to be close to the couple, Lo said it is not known at this time if there is a third party involved.

“What I know is that they just drifted apart,” said Lo’s alleged VDPA. Chiz and Tintin refused to comment on the report. They are the parents of 3-year-old fraternal twins.

WILL HEART & DANIEL TIE THE KNOT SOON?

THE father of Heart Evangelista feels that wedding bells are just around the corner for his daughter and her boyfriend, BrazilianJapanese model-actor Daniel Matsunaga.

But if he could have his way, he wants Heart to first be financially secure before taking the plunge.

“Yung daddy ko, sabi niya, ‘Parang nararamdaman yata kita na ito na ‘yon, ha!’ Sabi niya ‘Huwag ka munang magpakasal, ha? Tulungan muna kita. Ako ang hahawak ng pera mo. Ayusin na muna natin yung business,’” related Heart.

HEART and DANIEL “So, sabi niya, ‘At least kahit hindi ka na mag-artista, kumikita ka ng ganitong amount para okey yung lifestyle mo. Baka naman maaawa ako sa iyo, ma-depress ka na hindi mo na mabili yung mga gusto mong bilhin.

Siyempre sasabihin mo lang ‘yan ngayon, pero pag nandiyan ka na, medyo mahihirapan ka ng konti. So, ito gagawin natin’...

Pinaplano na niya!,” she added.

She again showered Daniel with compliments.

“Si Daniel, mabait talaga siya.

Kasi iba talaga yung kultura nila, [he’s] very patient tsaka anghel talaga. Pero hindi naman ako demonyita!” she said, laughing.

Heart disclosed that Daniel’s wish is to play professional football in the country and be given the chance to join the Azkals, the Philippine national football team.

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19 PHILIPPINES

MAY 2011

CELEBRITYFILES

CHARICE RETURNS TO ‘GLEE’

PACQUIAO HIGHEST-PAID ATHLETE IN 2010 MANNY Pacquiao is truly hard to match, almost impossible, on and off the ring.

For one, he’d gone undefeated in 13 fights stretching back to March of 2005, in the process becoming the only boxer in history to win eight world titles in as many weight classes.

Last year, he fought twice, and of course, won twice. He defeated and crushed fighters bigger, taller and heavier than him, Joshua Clottey in March and Antonio Margarito in November.

For these two fights, the fighting congressman from the Philippines earned an estimated $32 million (about P1.376 billion), based on a report that will come out of the May 2, 2011 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

It was enough to earn Pacquiao a new tag: The Best Paid Athlete of Year 2010. He shared the pricey distinction with only one other athlete, Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees.

Meanwhile, international singing sensation Charice will sing the country’s national anthem in the Manny Pacquiao-

CHARICE

being mobbed by fans, both of the famous and non-famous variety.”

It also said, “Charice tackles one of the greatest empowerment anthems of all time, Eric Carmen’s ‘All By Myself and as expected, Charice slays it.”

Billboard.com wrote that if Charice was given the chance, the singing sensation would like to sing her new song on Glee and that she would also like to duet with Beyonce and Lady Gaga.

Charice said she is thankful to Glee for the exposure she got after appearing on the hit Fox TV series.

She said a lot of people recognize her now as “Sunshine Corazon.”

MANNY Shane Mosley showdown at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 7.

Like in his previous fights, it was Pacquiao who handpicked the 18-year-old rising Asian pop star.

Pacquiao is busy off the ring rehearsing with his MP Band for his post-fight concerts – one in Las Vegas and another in California.

LOVI EMBRACES ROLE AS SEDUCTRESS

LOVI POE’S sexier image has been gaining attention, a major departure from when she first broke into the industry as a conservative ingénue.

“It’s all about looking for a certain style that fits me,” she says.

“Hindi naman ako magsusuot ng ganitong klaseng damit if I feel na hindi bagay. But I try not to look sexy parati. May occasion naman tayo na pinupuntahan that I have to dress appropriately.”

In Regal Films’ upcoming remake of the “cult classic” Temptation Island, the 21-year-old will sexily cavort on the beach with the likes of Marian Rivera, Heart Evangelista, Solenn Heusaff, and Rufa Mae Quinto.

In the movie, Lovi plays Serafina, a seductress who bullies her maid, portrayed by Rufa Mae. She joked that there wasn’t much preparation to the role.

“It’s not unequivocally that distant from me… Just kidding! we know a lot of people like that,” adding, “I only watched lang and, hopefully, mabigyan ko ng probity ang purpose ko.”

Asked whether there was competition among the beauties on the set, Lovi said, “We actually don’t care kasi hindi naman kami nagkocompete sa isa’t isa. We’re just enjoying, and we’re trying to make

FANS of Charice, collectively known as Chasters, were delighted and ecstatic over their idol’s comeback episode on the popular musicalcomedy show Glee last April 19.

Charice’s second appearance happened almost seven months after her debut in September when Glee had its Season 2 premiere.

Meanwhile, Charice’s rise now seems to be unstoppable. She is now considered a rising star in the United States.

Her second appearance on Glee has been widely reported.

The New York Post wrote, “Since absolutely exploding in 2007, 18-year-old Charice is incapable of going anywhere without

SHARON OPEN TO ADOPTING AGAIN

SHARON Cuneta, who adopted a baby boy named Miguel last year, said that she is open to the idea of adopting again.

“I’d love to [adopt again].

Pero you have to be smart about it in the sense na aware ka dun sa hindi lang ‘yung basta nagadopt ka [dahil] nandyan siya,” she explained. “’Yung responsibility na bibigyan mo siya ng attention. Kaya mo bang hatiin ang atensyon mo?”

She said one-and-a-half year old Miguel has brought their family so much happiness. “Masayang-masaya na kami noon with our kids pero sumobrang

SHARON

talagang dagdag ng kaligayan ng batang ito,” beamed Sharon, adding that having a baby boy is a welcome change since all her kids are girls.

Sharon said that she sometimes forgets that Miguel is adopted because the boy displays characteristics that are so much like hers and Kiko’s. “’Yung mga ate niya (Frankie and Miel) mahal na mahal niya, mahal na mahal siya. Takbo silang lahat ‘pag andyan sa bahay from school.

Napaka-happy tsaka funny siya.”

She said that dividing attention among her four kids has proven to be challenging.

ANGEL HAPPY WITH HER LEADING MEN

LOVI sure na maganda ang pelikula.”

As a matter of fact, she had a great time with her female co-stars. “Masaya! Grabe na ang bonding namin, next level na ang bonding namin!”

She’ll be sharing an intimate scene with Aljur Abrenica. She described the hunky actor by saying, “Si Aljur super gentleman siya sa scene namin. Hindi siya nag-take advantage. Ako pa nagsabi sa kanya, ‘Go, it’s okay. Minsan lang ito.’”

Off-screen, when asked if she was interesting suitors right now, she replied, “Wala e, nagkataon lang wala. Walang time, no time for it.”

She recently broke up with actor Jolo Revilla. Although the two briefly met up during Holy Week, in Boracay, she says there was no reconciliation. “Na-close na namin ang section na yun, there’s no need to go back.”

ON THE gossip program The Buzz, host Boy Abunda recently grilled Angel Locsin on her love life; specifically her relationship with popular Azkals football player Phil Younghusband, who publicly stated his attraction to the 25-yearold actress.

Asked whether she was entertaining his intentions, she was unsure, but revealed they have kept in touch regularly. “Hindi ko alam kung panliligaw yun, but lagi kaming magkausap ngayon. Palagi siyang nagti-text sa akin.”

Phil was invited to Angel’s house, where he met her friends and family. She said she appreciated his courage in facing her family.

She added that they only see each other when both their busy schedules permit. “Minsan kapag Sunday, yung pinaka-off day namin, nagkikita kami. Church. Niyaya niya akong mag-church.”

With her not having a boyfriend for so long (she broke up with actor-host Luis Manzano in

2009), Boy asked if Phil could be a “special someone.” “Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko...

Pero ano, he makes me happy sa ngayon!” Angel joked.

Angel’s manager, Ethel Ramos, pointed out that Angel’s so busy with work, she doubts Angel has time to meet often with Phil.

ANGEL

She recently worked with Aga Mulach in Star Cinema’s In the Name of Love. She likened the iconic leading man to a “big kid.”

“He’s always excited to be on the set. [But] he’s smart and makes sense. I can always run to him… when I have problems. He’s cool and always calm. Even though we are all panicking, he remains relaxed,” she says.

They were able to shoot some scenes in Japan before it’s recent natural disasters. “We managed to shoot beautiful scenes and visit our kababayan there.”

She’s also busy on the small screen with another popular leading man, co-starring with John Lloyd Cruz on the ABS’CBN’s supernatural soap Imortal. “I waited so long to do a project with John Lloyd,” she said, adding, “I can say he’s the best actor of our generation.”

On what she’s learned from the popular young actor: “Professionalism, patience, perseverance and dedication.”

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MAY 2011

HOTTEST FEMALE BODIES IN SHOWBIZ

20 PHILIPPINES

NDEED, summer is the time of year when things get hot, and we don’t just mean the scorching sun.

As the sunny season welcomes gorgeous, beachperfect women clad in string bikinis and extratoned bodies, SPOT.ph came up with a list of Manila’s hottest in showbiz: They’re women whose legs go on for miles, and with flat stomachs that make coins bounce when dropped on them. Here, the magic 10 that are oh-so-hot, they could give us a sunburn. turned to running, aerobics, the Kettlebell workout, and eating healthy to shed the weight. Her flawless skin earned her the opportunity to be April 2011 Women’s Health cover girl.

3. Lovi Poe

Her name, just like her smoking’ hot bod, resonates of sweetness. Her regal stature and elegant poise are befitting of the royal acting legacy she must carry throughout the rest of her life.

After a short singing career and several acting and movie stints, Lovi’s big break came when she proved to everyone that she was more than just her father’s daughter and won Cinemalaya’s Best Actress award for indie film Mayohan last year. Now, she’s on the cover of Cosmopolitan’s bikini issue and distracting motorists with her Bench billboards. The

Iza Calzado

1. Solenn Heusaff

This sultry model-turned“instant” showbiz phenomenon is the country’s latest obsession.

This half-French, half-Filipino honey’s star-power skyrocketed after appearing barely clothed in Survivor Philippines’ Celebrity Edition. She then landed numerous magazine covers—Women’s Health, Preview, Cosmopolitan, and most recently, FHM’s Bikini issue.

You wouldn’t think it judging from her perfectly-toned abs but Solenn used to think that working out was boring. “Now I go to the gym four times a week and my personal trainer changes my workouts out to keep things interesting,” she says.

2. Iza Calzado

Solenn Heusaff

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After flooding our television screens with her undeniable presence, this woman on a mission didn’t stop there. She has blessed us with her talent and sexy good looks in movies like Working Girls and the Hollywood-produced Echo. Unlike her movie roles that frighten and cause a few tears, Iza’s body calls for well, some cheers, especially since she weighed almost 200 pounds as a teen. This former crash-dieter

Cristine Reyes

Lovi Poe country’s “Queen of Sexy” is no uber-concious dieter. Lovi eats rice for breakfast, loves drinking Coke, even snacks on chocolate and chicheria like the rest of us.

She makes up for it by working out three times week (boxing, badminton, or swimming) and eating only fruits and vegetables for dinner.

4. Cristine Reyes

We know what you’re thinking. You still can’t get over the fact that Rayver Cruz left the frag-

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MAY 2011

ile songstress Sarah Geronimo for Cristine Reyes. But really can you blame the guy? This two-time FHM cover girl and sexiest woman of 2009 flaunts a bikini-ready bod men go gaga over (remember when she bared her curves in the skin-serye Kristine?). In a Ricky Lo interview, Cristine spilled the beans on what she did to prepare for her FHM shoot: absolutely nothing. Other than eating six small meals a day, she claims she’s usually too lazy to workout.

Lucky!

Bangs Garcia

5. Sam Pinto

If there is one thing Bahay ni Kuya is good at, it’s churning out bona fide hotties like Sam Pinto.

This commercial model got her big break after joining the cast of Pinoy Big Brother: Double Up where swimming in a pool in her swimsuit not only earned her votes, but some admirers as well. She was FHM’s July 2010 cover girl, a cover coveted for representing FHM’s premiere 100 sexiest issue. Now her latest endorsements include San Miguel Beer where she poses in a skimpy blue bikini.

While she claims to be a hearty eater (and a beer-drinker at that), she makes up for it by eating many small meals throughout the day, plus playing badminton and swimming.

Anne Curtis

6. Anne Curtis

Her perfect skin, full lips, girlnext-door appeal and mighty fine body are some of the reasons why men’s hearts skip a beat or two when they see Anne Curtis.

In a Philippine Star interview, she spilled her diet secrets: cut carbs, and when she has time, jog and do yoga. After last year’s nip-slip incident she told Women’s Health magazine: “When I hear negativity, I block it. If something didn’t go my way I acknowledge it and move on.” Sexy and confident are two things Anne exemplifies and that’s just two of many other things that make her as hot as ever.

7. Bangs Garcia

Climbing out of the world of Pinoy reality TV and paving a clear path that is uniquely her own is the scorching Bangs Garcia. Her body is a vision of perfection clearly portrayed on FHM’s 2009 May cover as well as last year’s FHM X special alongside Iwa Moto. Petite with God-given glutes that you can balance your drink on, Bangs revealed in an FHM interview that while she often skips the gym, she does sit-ups and “twists” to stay fit. Her Filipina appeal—only complemented by those doe eyes and caramel colored skin—oozes sexy.

Iya Villania many for her impervious passion. Now she stands tall along EDSA—in a bikini, no less— representing the clothing company Folded and Hung. While she’s one of the lucky few who doesn’t have to watch what she eats at all, that super-toned bod is a product of Pilates sessions and running.

10. Iya Villania

Marian Rivera

8. Marian Rivera

Sam Pinto

When this fresh-faced stunner made herself known on the television circuit, there was no denying it: A star has been discovered.

She sealed her goddess status when she starred in the remake of Mexican telenovela Marimar, the TV fantasy drama Dyesebel, and the superhero series Darna. Her gorgeous face only matches her even more gorgeous body, which she owes to doing regular exercise. One thing she learned from playing the sexy superheroine?

“Disiplina, kumain ng healthy food, at mag-exercise dahil ang pangit ng matabang naka-harness!” says Marian. “Bawal ang tamad, kailangang mag-exercise.”

Venus Raj

9. Venus Raj

We seem to be a sucker for Beauty Queens and women like Venus Raj are the perfect example of this obsession. After representing the Philippines in the last Miss Universe pageant and placing fourth runner up—only because her nerves got the best of her—this svelte and toned Bicolana warmed the hearts of

Some can’t help but associate the word music with MYX Music Channel and one of its hottest properties, VJ Iya Villania. As the latest endorser and calendar girl for Tanduay Rhum, she’s sure to get women drunk on envy and men intoxicated by her mesmerizing physique. What makes her even hotter? That calm and cool confidence. Posing as sexy calendar girl was something new for this formerly strictly-wholesome star, and you wouldn’t get that vibe at all from looking at her photos. “The offer came at a time when I was feeling more comfortable with myself, feeling more comfortable in my body, feeling more mature,” says Iya. Interestingly enough, this former track-and-fielder (a sport she played in Australia) eats anything but makes up for it by going to the gym. n

MAY 2011

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22 PHILIPPINES

BY CASIANO MAYOR JR.

E D D A H , SAUDI Arab i a — T w o items which appeared in Saudi newspapers prompted me to ponder about our wanderings as migrant workers. One was a photograph showing Filipino women in an employment agency seeking job placement overseas. The other was a news report about how Filipino families back home are slashing their spending on food, to stretch the family budget for other basic necessities like fuel, electricity and water.

The two items underscored how difficult life has become in our country. The queue of overseas job seekers had given flesh to the government statistics that more than 2,000 Filipinos leave the country every day for greener pastures in some foreign lands.

Those who saw the photograph could have felt a sense of empathy with the job seekers.

We have had our own share of experiences similar to theirs before we came to our new job sites in the Kingdom.

Many of us had queued outside job placement agencies in Manila or other key cities in the archipelago, braving the scorching sun and eating banana cue for lunch with high hopes that life would turn for the better when we find our dream jobs overseas.

My own family did feel the pinch of hard times before I came to Jeddah in 1999. Although we had made it a point not to miss paying our electricity bill because we knew that Meralco would have cut our power line with neither pity nor compunction a few days after the bill was due, we did miss on several occasions paying our telephone bill and our monthly amortization for our housing loan from the Social Security System.

There were times I felt sorry for my wife while we watched our one-year-old child enjoy her “chicken joy” at Jollibee, while neither of us took anything because we could not afford to order meals for ourselves after buying our weekly groceries at SM Supermarket.

I felt self-pity when I had to rummage the shoe racks at SM in 1998 hoping to find a pair of shoes for P200 or a little more—at a time when a decent pair of kids’ shoes cost at least P500—to replace a worn-out pair I was wearing.

I had known hard times after

STRANGERS IN OUR OWN COUNTRY

More than 2,000 Filipinos leave the country every day for greener pastures in some foreign lands.

I am an OFW but I am not a hero. I did not come here (Saudi Arabia) out of my sense of patriotism but as a husband and a father who wanted to see a new dawn for my family, no matter if that dawn unfolds in some other country.

OFWs leave their country not out of patriotic duty to prop up the economy but to earn for their families’ survival.

Like most idealist students in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the author admits he has been gobbled by the same system he had wanted to change out of necessity. my father died when I was 13. I call myself a self-made man with a sense of pride, having made my way through college on my own, first as a construction laborer and then as a security guard, after I left my uncle’s household in Romblon to follow my stars elsewhere. But it is different when one faces trying times alone than when one wrestles with them to fend for a family.

Alone, I had slept on piles of plywood at construction job sites with nary a care on whether I would breathe my last that night. I was living for myself with no family to worry about. But we all know that it is different when we have families to look after. We have to feather the nest and see to it that our households have decent meals on the dining table. Alone, we can be reckless gladiators taunting death; with our families depending on us, we become cautious knights taking risks only when necessary.

That brings me to a dinner I had with Jun Anabo, a college classmate in Manila whom I met by chance a few months ago in a hospital here where my wife and I took our daughter for treatment of her coughing. We talked about

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life in general—life in college, our hopes when we were young and how difficult times had become back home after our economy had collapsed since the time of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

It was time to hark back to the days of yore when we were young journalism students who had set up our own campus newsletter because we felt that the official school publication was not serving the interest of the students but those of the school administration and Marcos’.

We belonged to a group of students who took seriously our share of the social burden to help change our corrupt social and political system. It was at a time when migration to other countries, mainly to the United States, was the domain of doctors and nurses. It was a time when I felt that our doctors and nurses who migrated to the United States had no sense of patriotism.

Over dinner at Shawly restaurant in Balad, we laughed at how we had lost the conviction to fight for a better country. Like most idealist students in our time, we have been gobbled by the same system we had wanted to change. The traditional politicians, whom we had despised like plagues, won and have continued to dominate the political landscape back home.

Also over dinner, Jun and I talked about migrating to other countries before “Saudization” catches up with us. That night we were not the young gladiators we used to be. We were cautious old knights plotting a retreat to some foreign lands, forlorn that we had to leave our own homeland after it has been plundered by our politicians whose dreams could not go beyond basking in the glory of wealth and power.

That Tuesday night was a bittersweet reminder that I have long shed off any illusion that I still have the burning fervor of a patriot in me, no matter if the government keeps on telling us overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), that we are “heroes” because our remittances help prop up our ailing economy.

I am an OFW but I am not a hero. I did not come here out of my sense of patriotism but as a husband and a father who wanted to see a new dawn for my family, no matter if that dawn unfolds in some other country.

I have come to terms with reality. Like millions of our compatriots who have left our homeland for greener pastures in other parts of the world, I have hitched my wagon to a caravan of Filipino migrant workers who have become strangers in our own country.

(The author is an editor with the Saudi Gazette. This article is part of a collection of essays published in his book, The Gypsy Soul and Other Essays.) n

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MAY 2011

BEAUTIFUL P

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BY JACKY LYNNE A. OIGA

UMMER IN the Philippines is just around the corner and while most vacationers are hastily planning their trips to the golden beaches of the south, the more jet set crowd is packing their modish carry-all bags for a quick rendezvous with the north.

Baguio City and La Union have always been the top choices for high-end travel to the northern region. Golfers love to tee off amidst the pine-tree lined fairways of Camp John Hay in Baguio, while more and more high-rollers are playing their chips at the Thunderbird Fiesta Casino in San Fernando, La Union.

These two destinations have consistently enjoyed a significant number of foreign visitors in the past years, putting them in the top destination list alongside Boracay and Cebu.

Baguio and La Union are two very different provinces that cater to the niche of high-end travelers without losing their quaint countryside charms.

Mountain getaway

Although hundreds of Filipinos and foreign visitors take their annual summer exodus to the City of Pines, the up market destination that is Camp John Hay (CJH) has maintained its sophisticated exclusivity. Among CJH’s lush features are The Manor, CJH Golf Club, and the Scout Hill Forest Cabins.

A hotel concessionaire of the CJH Development Corporation, The Manor is like a little piece of Aspen in its mountain lodge design. The par-69, 18-hole Golf Club is a world-class course that regularly hosts international golf tournaments.

The Scout Hill Forest Cabins is the most recent prime residential development of CJH. The forest cabins are meant to capture the beauty of the countryside living while enjoying the amenities of modern living within the CJH block.

The lavish 695-hectare country

The favorite destination in Baguio of high-end travelers is the exclusive Camp John Hay, a lavish 695-hectare country club that offers a range of activities such as horse-back riding and mountain biking.

BAGUIO AND LA UNION BECKON TO VACATIONERS

Camp John Hay’s par-69, 18-hole golf course, designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus, is a world-class facility that regularly hosts international golf tournaments.

Within the sprawling property are: a nine-hole golf course seated at the highest point of the Poro peninsula, a beach club waterfront, and a seaside boardwalk.

On the other side of the resort is the round-the-clock international Fiesta Casino, adjacent to the Vegas Café and Cabana Bar. Inspired by a fusion of classical Spanish and modern Filipino architecture, Fiesta Casino offers a nonstop gaming experience for highrollers and beginners alike. Most of the gamers come from nearby provinces but since the San Fernando Airport resumed operations, a significant number of gamers from Manila are flying to La Union to try their luck at the 24-hour casino.

After operations resumed at the San Fernando Airport, the skies didn’t only open up for La Union but also for Baguio. Baguio’s Loakan Airport has long been overlooked because of visibility concerns. Now, upscale travelers from Manila can do away with the gruelling six-hour Known as the surfing capital of the drive by car or bus, cutting down North, La Union is now one of the most more than half the road travel time sought-after destinations for local by way of an hour’s flight via Zest and foreign vacationers.

Air. (Manila Bulletin) n Modest surf shacks and resorts that dot the shores of La SUDOKU Union’s coastal town are popuANSWER FROM PAGE 17 lar with young surfers spending the night. But affluent visitors prefer to come home to the Grecian-inspired Thunderbird Resort perched on top of the scenic Poro Point in San Fernando City.

Greatly influenced by the Santorini Islands of Greece, the Thunderbird Resort is a 65-hectare property that features stylish yet cozy suites hovering over the Poro Point cliff.

Baguio and La Union are two very different provinces that cater to the niche of high-end travelers without losing their quaint countryside charms. Baguio is the prime mountain getaway while La Union prides itself as the surfing capital of the North.

The Grecian-inspired Thunderbird Resort, hovering over the Poro Point cliff, features a nine-hole golf course, a beach club waterfront and the Fiesta Casino. club also offers a range of activi- Surf and turf ties open to walk-in guests like Known as the surfing capital of horse-back riding, mountain bik- the North, the once sleepy town of ing, or simply cantering through La Union is now one of the most the bridle paths of its pine tree sought-after destinations for surf forest reserve. enthusiasts.

MAY 2011

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